Our Review of Barcelo Maya Colonial and Tropical
During our recent stay at the Barcelo Maya complex, we stayed at the Barcelo Maya Palace. As we toured all three properties, we decided that our favorite was the Barcelo Maya Colonial and Tropical. This conclusion has also been borne out by feedback from many clients over the years.
The Barcelo Maya Colonial & Tropical Beach has several features that make it a great choice for a vacation. They have a very nice Kids Water Park, a nice selection of restaurants, and a disco / night club on site. They also have a perfect location in the Barcelo Complex along a fantastic beach.
Not only will the kiddos get to play at the cool water park here, but they will also get to switch things up a bit and go play on the splash pad/ water park at the Barcelo Maya Beach. Staying here you and your family will have complete access to all of the restaurants and amenities at the Barcelo Maya Beach in addition to your home resort. That means more restaurants & shows for mom and dad to chose from and more parks, water slides, and kids clubs for the kiddos to chose from.
The Barcelo Maya Colonial & Tropical Beach boasts a great location. It sits directly between the Barcelo Maya Beach and the Barcelo Maya Palace. This resort has the best location to the Fitness Center, the Spa, and the Disco at the Complex. The resort overall has a great location. I would suggest that you upgrade to the premiere section to guarantee the shortest walk to water 
The Premiere Club also includes free internet and use of the Premiere Club lounge.
Again one of my absolute favorite things about this resort is the beach. They have one of the longest stretches of beaches in the Riviera Maya. Their beach is not only nice and long, but there are gorgeous streches with no rocks, or coral; they are just beautiful.
Nicki’s First Trip to Mexico
I recently had the opportunity to travel to the beautiful Riviera Maya, just south of Cancun, Mexico. It’s only a little over a 2 hour flight from Dallas… I love, love, love short, direct flights : ) I stayed 3 nights at The El Dorado Seaside Suites which is a little over an hour transfer from the airport, but definitely worth the drive. I stayed in a Beachfront Jacuzzi Junior Suite- Beautiful view, location, setting, everything. I knew it was going to be nice from what other agents in the office had told me, but their pictures and stories just didn’t do the resort justice. I’m already anticipating my next trip back.
The El Dorado boutique chain continued to impress me every time I turned around. I am so excited that they’re going green. The El Dorado Maroma already heats all of it’s water with solar panels and the El Dorado Royale has a huge green house on site where they grow all of their own vegetables.
I’m trying really hard to think of one thing that stood out above all the rest… The beach was beautiful. The rooms were excellent. The layout of the properties were perfect- None of the resorts felt too crowed or spread out and everything you could possibly want and/or need is always just a few steps away. Restaurants are spread out through out the properties and there is a concierge desk for every 35 rooms.
I was also really impressed by how the Azuls have combined Karisma’s Gourmet Inclusive concept with their family friendly concept. They have contracts with Fisher Price toys and they have absolutely everything you could possibly think of for babies and kids of all ages. From kid’s clubs, kid’s activities and programs, play equipment and arcade rooms, to bottle warmers, and play pins- They have it! I really enjoyed the nightly shows at the resort, but out of all the things that I made me do a double take my favorite thing has to be the food!
I had the opportunity to meet the Head Chef for the El Dorado Royale and I was so EXCITED to hear him talk about his job with such enthusiasm. He has worked/cooked in over 22 countries and he said that there is no request that he cannot fulfill either on his own or with the help of his Sous Chef and staff. A fellow travel agent said that she was currently making arrangements for a bride and her guests that will be coming down in October and asked if he could possibly make a Hindu menu for her and her guests and he said of course he could. I love the idea of sending clients to a resort where I know that they are going to be completely taken care of. Below is a picture of just one of the many desserts that I was lucky enough to indulge in while I was at The El Dorado Maroma.
This was served in the Sabores restaurant.
When I arrived I was greeted with this welcoming sign : )
Trying to catch some sun…
This is the view from one of the Jacuzzi Suites at the El Dorado Royale.
When you go to The El Dorado Seaside Suites you have to order a Sombrero!
This is the only adult’s only restaurant at Azul Sensatori.
Serves 8 courses that takes about 2-2 1/2 hours to enjoy 
You can upgrade to a 14 course meal that takes about 3 1/2 hours to enjoy!
The next time you’re at The El Dorado Seaside Suites
You have to try the Tequila Tasting they offer- Very informative and delicious!
Some of Terrah’s Favorite Adventures
We heart Mexico! Our first family vacation…
Carnival Cruise Family Vacation
The Ladies Trip
The 2nd Annual GIVC Karisma Trip
Funjet Hawaii Fam where we sang in unison
The Azul Beach Resort with their beach butler service
Much Love,
Dawn & Robert Married at Excellence Punta Cana
Bride and Groom: Dawn and Robert
Resort/ Venue: The Excellence Punta Cana
Date: March 25th of 2009
Photographer: Photo Souvenir
Travel Agent: Terrah Rominger
~ Bride Interview ~
What made you decide on having a destination wedding?
We knew we wanted a tropical wedding and we wanted our special day to be as stress-free as possible.
What made you decide on the resort/venue?
It was really just a process of elimination. We wanted to experience a new place together, and we’re both pretty well traveled, so we ended up choosing the Dominican Republic. We provided the travel agent, Terrah, with a few things we thought were important to us as a couple, and the resort we ultimately chose was one of a few Terrrah suggested based on the criterion we provided her with. Terrah was a huge asset! Absolutely no regrets! Great choice!
Who was your photographer, and if you had one, your videographer?
Both photos and video were provided in-house by Photo Souvenir. The entire staff was great!
What was the biggest difficulty in planning your destination wedding?
Nothing. Perhaps just managing to take off work during the dates we wanted.
What was the highlight of the experience?
The entire wedding day. As the bride, EVERYTHING was taken care of for me – from breakfast in bed, champagne, hair, makeup, getting dressed – you name it, it was taken care of – and with great class! From the groom’s perspective, he was also a bit pampered. The resort offered a complimentary groom’s suite the night before the wedding. He had a wake up call, all his clothes were pressed, and he was updated every minute until the horse drawn carriage delivered me to the isle.
Biggest surprise?
Just how extremely stress-free the entire event was – trust me, this is a HUGE statement coming from someone who stresses over just about anything. EVERYTHING went off without a hitch – even including the brief rain showers both right before and right after the ceremony. The biggest surprise to me, the bride, was that it truly was the happiest day of my entire life – no worries whatsoever! I just smiled!
If your best friend were planning a destination wedding what would your advice be to her?
Don’t take anyone with you! Share your intimate moment with friends and family once you get home via the reception(s). We had two receptions in the U.S. after we returned. We showed the wedding video at the beginning of each and wore the same clothes (i.e., gown, etc.) for about the first hour. This created an opportunity for proper wedding photos. We also did the bouquet/garter toss at each reception and the traditional “cut the cake” ritual. I got to wear my gown (and have my hair and makeup done) THREE times – who gets to do that?! Basically, we had three weddings. I know it may sound a little unorthodox; however, our friends and family members all expressed how they felt they were still truly a part of our special day! As a bonus, we ended up making great friends at the resort and had about 16 people attend our ceremony and reception in the Dominican Republic. As a result, we now have extended “family” in both Canada and the UK! We have all kept in touch and about half intend on returning to the resort next year for our anniversary.
Kristina & Ian Married at THE ROYAL Cancun
Bride and Groom: Kristina and Ian
Resort/ Venue: THE ROYAL Cancun
Date: May 2nd of 2009
Photographer: Funever Photos
Travel Agent: Terrah Rominger
~ Bride Interview ~
What made you decide on having a destination wedding?
We both love the beach and wanted to be near it for our special day.
What made you decide on the resort/venue?
We had no idea what to expect from the resort. We were nervous because we’ve stayed at some not-so-nice resorts in Cancun before. Terrah made the recommendation and promised we would not be disappointed- and she was right. The resort was amazing!
Who was your photographer, and if you had one, your videographer?
We didn’t have a videographer, but we did hire Funever Photos and our photographer was Arturo. He was so nice and worth every penny. He had great ideas for poses and our wedding album is really nice.
What was the biggest difficulty in planning your destination wedding?
Trusting that everything will be taken care of when you get there. As a bride, you want everything to be perfect and most of the time you’re going off of pictures to choose how you want everything set up.
What was the highlight of the experience?
It’s hard to narrow it down to one but I’d have to say the highlight of the experience for me was the dinner we had at the resort after the wedding. The food was great and the restaurant gave us a private room. We all had blast just talking about the weekend.
Biggest surprise?
I think we were most surprised with how beautiful the gazebo was and how close it came to the beach. It created the perfect venue for our wedding day.
If your best friend were planning a destination wedding what would your advice be to her?
Consider a small guest list. It’s easier to keep up with everyone when they’re staying at the same resort as you and it’s less stress for the bride. Half of our guest list canceled their trip two days before our wedding because of the swine flu scare but it ended up working out for the best. The weekend flew by stress-free and we were able to spend quality time with all of our friends and family that attended.
This is a classic picture. LOVE it! haha!
Alicia & Shawn Married at THE ROYAL Playa del Carmen
Bride and Groom: Alicia and Shawn
Resort/ Venue: THE ROYAL Playa del Carmen
Travel Agent: Terrah Rominger
~ Bride Interview ~
What made you decide on having a destination wedding?
We wanted something different. Something beautiful. Something memorable.
What made you decide on the resort/venue?
The Royal Playa was absolutely beautiful and stunning. There were many restaurants and amenities offered. They had a great wedding package, and the wedding coordinators were the most amazing I had ever spoken to!
Who was your photographer, and if you had one, your videographer?
We used the photographer and the videographer that the hotel uses, and they were amazing! They got the prettiest shots, and made us the best wedding video!
What was the biggest difficulty in planning your destination wedding?
The most difficult part was just making sure that everyone had their travel documents (Passports, E-Docs).
What was the highlight of the experience?
The highlight of the experience would have to be the staff. The wedding coordinators, and the whole staff was so friendly and really made everything enjoyable!
Biggest surprise?
It rained every day we were in Mexico, and even the morning of the wedding… it was supposed to be a beachfront wedding, .. within 45 minutes of the service, the clouds cleared! The sun came out, and a rainbow appeared! It was beautiful!!
If your best friend were planning a destination wedding what would your advice be to her?
Definitely to go to Legacy Travel! Having someone tell you about the great destinations and the hotels was the best decision. We wouldnt have had any idea if the weddings were beautiful, if the coordinators were any good? Or if our experience would be anything less than perfect! But … it was perfect!
Elisha & Jason Married at The El Dorado Royale
Bride and Groom: Elisha and Jason
Resort/ Venue: The El Dorado Royale
Travel Agent: Terrah Rominger
~ Bride Interview ~
What made you decide on having a destination wedding?
We knew we wanted a small intimate wedding with just close family and friends and we wanted it to be memorable. We absolutely love the beautiful Mexican beaches and knew that Mexico was where we would share our vows.
What made you decide on the resort/venue?
We actually stopped at the El Dorado Royale last year during our shuttle ride from the Cancun airport. It was absolutely beautiful and once we returned home, we learned that several friends and co-workers had stayed there and all highly recommended the resort!
Who was your photographer, and if you had one, your videographer?
My uncle was our photographer, he loves to take pictures and captured our weddings memories for us!
What was the biggest difficulty in planning your destination wedding?
The biggest difficulty in planning our destination wedding was not being able to see everything in person such as flowers, table decor, food ect. However, Valeria helped me envision how everything should look once it was all put together by emailing me pictures. Everything looked beautiful the day of the wedding!
What was the highlight of the experience?
The highlight of our experience was all of the detail and extra TLC that the resort staff showed us and our guests. All of our guests recieved vouchers for massages and candle light dinners! The staff made all of our wedding festivities awesome and treated everyone like royalty! Everyone kept saying that this was the most beautiful place and that our wedding was definitely going to be the most memorable.
Biggest surprise?
The biggest surprise for us was our room up-grades! Terrah and her crew surprised us with the most beautiful room upgrade for our honeymoon! The room was beautiful and the personal service we received while there was fabulous!
If your best friend were planning a destination wedding what would your advice be to her?
If my best friend were planning a destination wedding my advice to her would be to ask as many questions as she needed and request pictures. Also, if she was planning on taking favors and welcome bags such as we did to ship them to the resort rather than pack them with you, especially if your traveling in Mexico. I was chosen for the random search while going thru customs and ended up having to pay tax on the favors and welcome bags that I had packed because they were considered samples.
Wedding Coordinator Interview
Hello wedding world! Today I am excited to have a special guest from the beautiful beaches of Mexico – Rafaela Lantigua. Rafaela is the Wedding Department Manager for Lomas Travel and for all of the Karisma weddings. She is THE beach wedding guru and a wonderful asset to the Weddings by Legacy Travel team.
Rafaela and me at the GIVC ceremony at the El Dorado Royale.
MY PLEASURE AND THANK YOU TERRAH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY…
So how long have you been helping plan dream weddings for the Karisma resorts?
WITH LOMAS FOR THE PAST 4 YEARS AND OVER TWO THOUSAND WEDDINGS LATER….HAHA
What is your favorite part about your job?
SEEING THE FACE OF THE BRIDE AS SHE WALKS TOWARDS HER FUTURE HUSBAND AND HER NEW LIFE.
What are some of the most fun/memorable weddings you’ve planned?
WELL TERRAH, THERE HAS BEEN SO MANY…AS EACH ONE HAS ITS OWN SPECIAL TOUCH…KEEPING IN MIND THAT OUR JOB IS TO MAKE THEIR DREAM A REALITY. THERE WAS A WEDDING TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR THAT WAS UNIQUE. THE BRIDE WAS OF MEXICAN DECENT AND WANTED HER WEDDING TO FALL ON THE DAY OF THE DEAD. IT WAS HELD AT THE BEAUTIFUL EL DORADO MAROMA. SHE REQUESTED THAT THE CHURCH AND RECEPTION WAS ALL IN THE DAY OF THE DEAD THEME. THE COLORS, THE DECORATIONS, EVERYTHING WAS JUST BEAUTIFUL! THE ORANGE COLORS AND SKULLS MADE IT VERY AUTHENTIC MEXICAN. EVEN THE CAKE WAS A SKULL! IT WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE, UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL.
How do you feel about wedding favors? Have there been any impressive or creative ones that made you stop and admire?
I LOVE WEDDING FAVORS!!! ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT THE BRIDE OR HER FAMILY HAD HANDCRAFTED…THOSE ARE ALWAYS SPECIAL….THE ONES THAT IMPRESS ME THE MOST ARE THE ONES THAT ARE HANDMADE OR OUT OF RECYCLED MATERIAL, BEACH BAGS, NOTEBOOKS WITH DRY FLOWERS TO MENTION A FEW.
Being in a tight economy right now, would you suggest an area to cut costs or downsize?
DEFINITELY VOTIVES AND CANDLES ON THE BEACH…DUE TO THE WIND AND COST.
Is there anything new and exciting going on with Karisma weddings?
WE ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING NEW AND INNOVATIVE GOING ON AT OUR HOTELS…FROM THE BRAND NEW SPA AT EL DORADO ROYALE CASITAS, A NEW SWING BAR AT AZUL SENSATORI, A PRIVATE GARDEN LOCATION AT EL DORADO SEASIDE SUITES…AND MORE! JUST ASK US AT TIME OF BOOKING.
If you were to give some tips or advice to a soon to be bride, what would it be?
PLAN EARLY SO YOU CAN HAVE OPTIONS ON CEREMONY TIMES AND LOCATIONS.
A big thank you to Rafaela for all of her comments.
If you are interested in having that stress-free, picture perfect destination wedding, feel free to call me at 972-517-9130 or toll-free! 1-866-329-7157. I’m here for you as well as some of the best coordinators out there like Rafaela. It’s what we do best!
Fabulously yours,
GIVC Awards
GIVCs in Mexico! Plus new amenities for Legacy Travel brides!
It was nothing short of amazing.
We zip lined in the jungle and even rode on snuggly camels! Yes, camels are in Mexico now and they will be coming up in the world you just wait and see. 
During our stay we were also able to visit the adventurous Selvatica! If you haven’t been yet, we strongly suggest it!
Karisma resorts now have a certification for qualifying travel agents to be a Gourmet Inclusive Wedding Consultant. I was quite surpised when they announced my name along with a handful of other agents who were rewarded with this new certification.
Legacy Travel was honored to receive awards of recognition at the GIVC ceremony during our last night there. All in all, we are happy to be back home and the experience just inspired me to have an even more prosperous year in 2010!
We received a nice, warm welcome to the El Dorado Royale.
We had a carnival right on one of my most favorite spots, Maroma Beach! We won Monopoly money to cash in for authentic Mexican toys.
The El Dorado Royale now have a camel tour along with their traditional horseback tour. Everyone who tried this walked away with a new love and passion for camels. ♥
The ceremony was beautiful and the entertainment was absolutely amazing.
Rafaela, the Karisma wedding director, was there as well! It is always lovely being able to spend time with this destination wedding guru. Stay tuned for an enticing interview with Ms Rafaela!
We miss it there already. ♥
Wishing you all a wonderful 2010!
