Hotel Marina El Cid Spa and Beach Resort - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

10686 reviews

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  Perfect Location To Spend Your Honeymoon

  We spent our honeymoon here January 31 to February 4. We booked through Costco with a package that included our airfare, shuttle from the airport to and from the resort, food, most drinks, and a $200 credit for an activity at the resort like the spa, snorkeling or horseback riding. We found this package incredibly convenient and affordable—we put our $200 toward a spa experience. When we arrived we were assigned “butlers”. At first I was uncomfortable with this because I’m not used to people waiting on me. However Ricardo, Omar, and Fredy were so helpful and added so much to our experience, we were truly thankful to have the assist us. They sent us entertainment listings and transportation for dinner, they made sure our mini fridge was stocked, and got us surprise gifts for our honeymoon. I’m sure they would’ve done even more had we asked them. We were truly fortunate to have them assisting us and appreciate their hard work. The beach was also a pleasant surprise following a lot of negative reviews. The water was clean and warm. The shoreline was long and full of chairs, cabanas, hammocks, multiple bars, and activities like volleyball and soccer. Don’t listen to bad reviews, people who don’t like this beach are holding it to way too high of standard. For a nice afternoon of laying out in the sun with a drink, it’ll definitely get the job done. The pool options were vast and gorgeous. Unfortunately it was very unusually mild while we were there so we only went in the hot tubs but you could imagine how wild the pools are on a hot day. Ventus has a very chill “adult” lets grab a few drinks vibe to it. Marina is more of an energetic all-ages” fun, with it being more loud an actual activities for kids. We recommend any of the buffets. The food selection is similar everywhere for buffets. The lunch buffet seemed the best at Mercado de Delores, where you get a fresh variety including more authentic options like cactus, empanadas, and marinated tuna steaks. The pastries everywhere are phenomenal. The best dinner we had was Akat Ibero, where we got tacos as an appetizer and more beef and seafood for dinner. They also had some of the best garlic bread I’ve ever tasted—it was addicting. They’ll tell you to get reservations as soon as you arrive, which is true, but fair warning: if you get in on a Friday or Saturday like we did, restaurants will probably already be booked through the weekend. Buffets and room service are not bad back up plans in lieu of feature restaurants. The rooms itself are pretty nice. They’ll give you pillow options which is a great touch. The bed was great. Our jacuzzi was powerful and good sized. The shower was refreshing. Our balcony had a perfect view. A couple small complaints was the bathroom door didnt close all the way so you don’t get much privacy, and the TV was poor quality, but if the weather was better we wouldn’t have been indoors watching it nearly as much, so whatever. I also have to mention the nature surrounding the resort. They’ll have a lot of gorgeous birds, coati , turtles, iguanas, crocodiles, and even raccoons. They all mind their own business and stay away from humans, and have fun in all the beautiful flora and water. There’s little plaques and QR codes telling you about the plants and animals of the resort. TLDR; the resort exceeded our expectations in both architectural and natural beauty and customer service. Book through Costco for affordability, efficiency, and convenience. We highly recommend it.

  Feb 05, 2026
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  Mostly disappointing experience

  Advertised as a 4.5 - 5 star all inclusive resort but fails reaching it by most criteria. I guess this place could be a good vacation destination for a family with small kids: plenty of nice pool space with slides and diving cliffs, a dedicated kids club, an abundance of simple food items in buffets. But for adults hoping to catch a glimpse of luxury and/or a nice beach experience - a complete disappointment. 1) Beach. Good sand on the shore but plenty of rocks in the water. The rows of ugly cement wave breakers actually create long, narrow zones of still water where dirt and seaweed get accumulated. Very unpleasant to swim. Fortunately, there is a very nice and clean public beach in the town of Puerto Morelos, but it's about 30 min walk along a dusty road with heavy traffic. Taxis are pretty expensive. Uber trip is cheap - less than $4 but you can only reserve it going back from the town as they don't let Uber pickups at the hotel and as soon as you leave the territory, the mobile signal disappears. BTW, an hour of nice massage on that public beach is only $50 - $60 which is about half the price they ask at the resort's spa. 2) Food. There are several restaurants and a buffet for dinner but it's very hard to reserve a decent spot in a specialty restaurant. We managed total of 5 reservations - best timeslot was 8 pm, others 9 - 9:30 - way too late plus you are missing the night show (not that they were of very high quality as still we managed to catch a few). The buffet dinner was extremely primitive and disappointing, and still there was a line to get in during convenient dinner times. The specialty restaurants are of very uneven quality. Great cuisine at the French one, but it's almost impossible to reserve. Not bad hibachi (and the presentation) at the Japanese one but sushi was a disgrace. Very mediocre Mediterranean, Seafood and Mex/American. Breakfast menu is the same in all venues and never changes. There was no even such traditional for Mexican all-inclusives yogurt mixes and smoked fish. For lunch, we found a nice delicate selection of seafood in the Dolores pavilion but the menu never changes over there too. Overall, if you love simple Mexican dishes all the time, you may be happy with the food there. 3) Accommodations. The rooms are nice and sizeable. Room service is fine. But the air conditioner was with stationary registers that directed the flow straight onto the bed. Unless you like sleeping with your head covered under the blanket, you had to chose between the cold air blowing into your ear or sweating with the fan off. But most disappointing was the constant sewer smell coming from the sink after the first rainy night. They must've saved on backflow prevention valves... In general, the company is expanding greatly, both at this and other locations. Looks like the quality of products and services can't catch up with the speed of the expansion. 4) Territory. Very well maintained and pretty with strips of tropical greenery and small ponds, some with turtles, small crocs (we only saw one and not every day) and some occasional small animals like iguanas, raccoons and coatis. However, there is practically no space for a quiet enjoyment of such nature settings as they all are located along the pathways between multiple buildings and pools with constant traffic of small passenger and service cars (and not all of those are quiet and clean electric ones). 5) Entertainment. Very uneven quality. For two days in a row, there were two exceptionally good bands plying in the lobby in the evening. Two shows we've seen was of a decent quality (a Michael Jackson impersonator and a Pre-Hispanic dances) but others were quite poor. 6) The "Club Membership" presentation they promised to last 90 min actually was an attempt to sell their timeshare and took 4 hrs (!) from one of the few sunny days of our vacation. I guess it was mostly my fault since I was unable to refuse firmly enough from the start out of politeness toward the very nice sales person. Listing it just as a warning for the first-time visitors here. 7) The incentive of $300 all-inclusive cash credit per room per day was a deceptive advertisement as this was simply a set of small discounts on their otherwise grossly overprized products and services that in theory - if you bought all those items every day - would amount to about $300 savings per day.

  Feb 03, 2026
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  Beautiful Resort with Amazing Service

  Absolutely loved our stay at Marina El Cid. I went in with low expectations but was blown away by the resort, the staff and especially the food. The exchange privileges across all three resorts was great. Even after a week I don't feel I saw everything! Definitely opt for a platinum reservation when booking - our stay was top notch all because of our amazing Butler's - Hugo, Noah and Luis! They're help with everything from dinner reservations, stocking our mini bar with our preferred drinks to advice for local cenotes was greatly appreciated!

  Feb 02, 2026
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  Extremely Disappointing Stay. Systemic Failures Across Food, Service, Organization, and Safety

  My family of seven traveled here on an Apple Vacations package during high season, at a substantial cost, and what we experienced was nowhere near the standard Apple represented. I’ve been visiting all‑inclusive resorts in the Riviera Maya for over 21 years, and this was by far the worst experience I’ve had in the region. The issues were not isolated, they were systemic, repeated, and in many cases related to food safety, service, and basic operational competence. Food Safety & Dining: The Most Concerning Part of Our Stay Food quality and safety were consistently unacceptable across the property. Breakfast items were cold every morning, including foods that must be kept at safe temperatures. Oatmeal was watery, bread was stale, and the toasters didn’t work. Buffets were smoky, poorly ventilated, and disorganized. The Alhambra buffet, supposedly a flagship venue, was one of the worst. Mercado de Dolores served the worst Mexican food I’ve had in over 60 years. Several members of our group experienced gastrointestinal issues. At Arrecife, we were repeatedly given incorrect information about dining times and reservations. After escalating to the manager, we were finally seated, despite the restaurant being nowhere near full. I have photos showing empty tables at the exact time we were told it was “full.” Kobo was a disaster on both visits: one ended early due to illness, and the second involved 23 guests at one grill with a single cook. Food arrived cold nearly 90 minutes after we sat down. At La Marina, pasta was mushy and desserts were still frozen. Food safety basics, like keeping food out of the 40°F–140°F danger zone, were clearly not being followed. Disorganization & Misinformation From Staff From the moment we arrived, the resort showed a lack of organization: We weren’t properly checked in until the second day. When we finally did check in, we were pressured to attend a sales presentation, even being offered $100 and then $200 in resort credit bribes. The website, resort map, concierge, guest services, and employees all gave conflicting or incorrect information. Meal times were not posted or communicated accurately. Signage was poor, and we often had to rely on other guests, not staff, for accurate directions. Dress Code Misrepresentation Apple Vacations and the resort advertised a dress code for certain restaurants. My family complied and even paid for an extra checked bag to bring the required clothing. Once on property, it was obvious the dress code was not enforced at all. Guests were dining in pajamas, flip‑flops, and clothing that would never be acceptable at a resort with standards. This was misleading and an unnecessary expense. Transportation Failures Transportation coordination was chaotic: The Amstar representative was never available to arrange our return transfer—three days in a row. It took four long phone calls to Apple Vacations to secure a ride back to the airport. When the van finally arrived, it was late and too small for both passengers and luggage. Guests were removed from the vehicle so we could be squeezed in, and another family had to travel separately. Resort Conditions Far Below Rating Standards Additional issues included: Severe mosquito problems everywhere—rooms, lobbies, elevators, dining areas. The only repellent offered was ineffective lotion. The beach was disappointing due to concrete water breaks trapping trash and debris. The water was murky and full of seaweed; we couldn’t snorkel once during our 11‑day stay. Room water smelled strongly of sulfur. Golf cart service was unreliable with long waits. Poor signage made navigation frustrating. Final Assessment With more than two decades of experience visiting Riviera Maya resorts, I can confidently say this property does not meet the standards expected of an Apple Vacations‑rated resort. The failures were widespread, food safety, service, organization, transportation, and basic guest care. Given the high cost of this trip, the additional expense for a dress code that wasn’t enforced, and the sheer number of issues we encountered, this stay was far below what was promised and nowhere near acceptable.

  Feb 02, 2026
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  Great 4 day getaway

  The Mexican restaurant was perfect. Our waiter Luciano was the next he even made us a special coffee. He was so entertaining. My groper fish cooked perfectly . Delores was great spot for lunch. The coffee shop had perfect hot espresso. Rooms clean daily. Great getaway from very cold weather at home.

  Jan 31, 2026