By Bianca Vertil
Located in the Mexican jungle in Riviera Maya, Cancun, lies a series of Karisma Hotels & Resorts. Karisma Hotels & Resorts, an award-winning luxury hotel collection, owns and manages properties in Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe. Karisma is comprised of an impressive selection including El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels, Generations Resorts, Azul Hotels & Villas, and Allure Hotels. Karisma properties have been honored with the industry’s top accolades and have received worldwide recognition for its creative approach to hospitality management and product innovations.
El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels is a premier, adults-only property located in the jungles of Riviera Maya, Mexico. Upon your arrival, you are welcomed with a champagne toast and introduced to your personal concierge. There is a sense of calm, casual luxury at the 450 room resort. Whether you choose to stay in a swim-up suite or private beachfront villa, all guests have all-suite accommodations, pool and beach butler service, hammock amenities, and 24-hour room service. El Dorado received AAA’s “Four Diamond Award” for its outstanding environmentally sustainable services.
There are many fun activities couples are encouraged to take full advantage of during their stay ranging from snorkeling in the sea, zip-lining through the jungle, horseback riding, and more. Some complimentary services include a tequila tasting, morning yoga, bike tour, Spanish class, cooking class, shuttle, and more. The resort also has evening entertainment every day located at Guacamayas Bar. At 6 p.m. a new movie is played, live music at 8:30 p.m., some sort of entertainment performance (for example, a circus show, fire performance, karaoke, etc.) at 10 p.m., then dancing and a DJ until 2 a.m. There is something for everyone to enjoy at El Dorado.
Say “I Do” by the Sea
Create memorable moments with El Dorado, and plan your private events at the resort. Whether you are newly engaged, planning a honeymoon, celebrating your anniversary, or just need a romantic getaway, Karisma will create the most memorable details to make your event special. Gourmet Inclusive Wedding Events by Karisma Hotels & Resorts strives to help you enjoy a truly special destination wedding. There is an assortment of signature wedding packages as well as venues to choose from. Whether it is a beachfront chapel, private beach, pier gazebo, or beautiful sky location, Karisma’s signature wedding designers and staff will diligently take care of every aspect of event coordination. Chapels typically hold 40-50 people, gazebos, seat around 20-30 people, and the most popular choice, the sky venues, hold up to 120 people. If any of your guests need to bring their children along, nanny services are offered at Little Eko, a kids center, at the neighboring Generations Resort location. Although walking distance, there are 24-hour shuttles running through the resorts.
Celebrate Your Big Day in Luxury
Pamper yourself at the Mayan inspired Naay Spa. You can choose to receive a relaxing spa treatment on the beach, inside the comfortable Naay Spa, alone, or with a loved one. Guests who are celebrating a special event during their stay are offered the complimentary Memorable Moments Spa Package. There are six bridal suites located in the spa building. The third floor can be turned into a private party for brides. At these private parties, 10-15 people are welcome to get wedding ready at $25 per person. There is also a groom room, where men are welcome to get ready for the big day. To make this spa truly unique, guests are invited to experience Temazcal, a traditional Mayan experience performed by a shaman.
Eat and Drink in Style
El Dorado has partnered with Jackson Family Wines to create The Jackson Family Wines Culinary Series by Karisma. The exclusive event is carefully catered to guests that prefer quality over quantity and a must for wine-lovers and connoisseurs. At a cost of $300, guests are enticed with a week of hands-on epicurean experiences, vertical tastings, educational classes with sommeliers and winemakers, cooking courses, special pairings, elaborate meals and an exclusive Guest Chef and Winemaster’s Dinner. A la cart rates for wines and ad hoc wine and culinary experiences start at $35. The program which takes place the first week of each month, spotlights distinguished chefs, restauranteurs, winemakers and sommeliers. The 2016 lineup includes culinary visionaries such as Mark Stark of Stark Restaurants and Food & Wine Best New Chef Sue Zemanick from New Orleans’ Gautreau’s Restaurant as well as an impressive roster of other prominent chefs.
There is a wide variety of restaurants at El Dorado Resorts. Whether you are in the mood for Italian, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Asian, Mexican, or American food, there is an inclusive, gourmet restaurant to satisfy your craving. If you want to start off the day with a well-balanced breakfast, you can visit Cocotal, La Isla, Jojo’s, Spot, or Sante Fe Grill. Lunch is served at Jojo’s, Kampai, La Isla, and Rincon Mexicano. Finally, set the mood with a romantic dinner preapared at D’Italia Villas, D’Italia Casitas, Cocotal, La Isla, Kampai, Jojo’s Rincon Mexicano, Sante Fe, and Fuentes. There is an extensive room service menu, and gourmet corner restaurants (La Cabana Pizzeria, Health Bar, Bar 31 (Las Olas), and Kick) that are conveniently accessible as well. Each restaurant includes a Wine Spectator award-winning wine list, sommelier, and premium liquor.
A unique dining experience is provided at these resorts; while there are no buffets, the restaurants display an open, farm-to-table, food concept. Guests can see how food is prepared, giving them an experience with amazing details. Be sure to stop by Fuentes culinary theatre to watch a chef showcase while enjoying your meal. The food served at the resorts come from Karisma’s own green house. Tours of the state-of-the-art, hydroponic greenhouse are a complimentary service.
Courtesy photo
