Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Having traveled all over the world in my quest for the perfect beach resort, I had never considered Puerto Rico as for some reason I didn’t think it was exotic enough. I had recently returned from La Samara in St. Martin and believed I had finally found my nirvana . My son told me that he had recently experienced the most fabulous vacation at Dorado Ritz Carlton reserve so although I didn’t think anything could surpass La Samana I thought I’d give it a try. Dorado not only surpassed La Samana but was even more spectacular than my trip to Lake Como Italy. Many resort beaches are lovely but none are as dramatically breathtaking as the beach at Dorado . Boulders in the water create coves for swimming while providing the beach goer with a display of crashing waves. The several vanishing pools are pristine and the jungle like plantings with massive palm trees and other lush shrubbery and trees make a visitor feel that they have entered paradise. The rooms are so close to the ocean that you can hear the waves as you sleep- and the rooms are exquisite with stone bathrooms that have magnificent indoor and outdoor showers . And the food was fit for a gourmet’s taste.The staff must all take happy pills as they are always looking for ways to please you. To be fair all this vines at a price but it is well worth it. One caveat - check in is at 4 and checkout at 12- as we had a 6:10 flight back to New York we asked for a late checkout. We were told this was not possible - I’m sure housekeeping couldn’t clean all the rooms at the same time so it would seem that 4 hrs would be sufficient to allow people with late flights to check out later. This was the only negative. Two staff particularly stand out as going the extra step to make guests happy- Walter and Ingrid-bravo

The setting for the entire property is absolutely exquisite. I have stayed on the West Beach and the East Beach. Objectively, neither one is better than the other. They just offer different experiences. If you are staying with family and would like direct access to the beachfront, the West Beach is a great choice. If you want the same ocean vista but are comfortable with the more rocky surf, you get a ton more privacy on the East Beach. The entire resort is structured so that everywhere on property is convenient. I have stayed in a large 2 bedroom suite and on a separate trip a deluxe ocean front room, each with a pool. The rooms have every amenity needed to ensure a comfortable stay. From a fully stocked bar and pantry to the bathroom amenity packages just about every need is cared for. Service is also proactive and highly attentive. The butler teams manage everything from dinner reservations and spa appointments to any off property excursions. Trent was devoted to our suite during our earlier trip in April and when we returned in December, he remembered us and treated us with extra bonus attention. We definitely felt spoiled rotten in the very best way. The restaurants are all amazing. I wish I favored one over any of the others but they were all fantastic and offered different culinary experiences. The pool and beach areas are nice. Unlike other resorts where it is hard to find space when the property is crowded, this was only the case on one of the days and the beach and pool staff handled it professionally and worked extremely hard to make sure all guests could be accommodated. We reserved a day bed for two days and found that it was worth the price to have a certain spot to go to each day. I would recommend the day beds which are available at the beach and by the pool. I really can't say enough about how magical a place this is. We are already planning our return trip this spring.

Absolutely fell in love with this place. Spectacular beach, huge room, great pool vibe, great staff, we are eager to return. We stayed in a second floor room on the East Beach and we were very happy with the accommodation. The room was massive and had a fantastic, very private view. An outdoor shower is always a treat and we used it every day. East side is less expensive than West side and I debated where to be, but I feel like we made a very good decision. West dropped you straight onto the gorgeous beach and was closer to the market and the Encanto pool, but East has gorgeous huge ocean views and is only a 2 minute walk down to the Positivo pool/ main pavilion where we spent the bulk of our time. We stayed 6 nights and didn't tire of the food selections - COA and Positivo Sand Bar are great. We also tried Flor de Sal and it was a beautiful space, but food was not nearly as good as the other two restaurants. If you don't like Asian cuisines you may get a bit bored with the offerings, but we had one big dinner at COA, two dinners at COA bar and two dinners at Positivo and had different and delicious choices each time. Especially recommend miso margarita from Positivo if you're a marg fan, subtle lovely taste and the Green gin cocktail poolside is a perfect hot weather drink. The physical property is amazing and very well maintained, many walking paths and again that beach is just pure fun, the softest sand, clearest water and easy entry in and out as a breakwater helps keeps the waves manageable. My husband spent a morning at the spa prior to a massage and he raved about both the offerings at the spa (steam room, etc.) and the actual massage.

My husband I stayed at Dorado Beach for the first time and lets just say we will be back. We live in Texas and have told each other that we wanted to find a resort that is direct flight from Texas, amazing food, great service and wonderful rooms and let's just say "WE FOUND IT"!!! From the beginning to the end of our trip we had the absolute best time. The check in process was very smooth and the staff was very friendly upon arrival. The entrance walking up to check in desk is gorgeous with all the water features!! Matthew at check in was so friendly and gave us some great recommendations as we were first timers!!! Restaurants: We ate at Coa our first night and had a great start to our trip. Our server nicknamed Kiki was so great. The service was a bit long( 2hours ) but the staff was attentive and even gave us a round of drinks due to the wait. I highly recommend the Dover Sole fish and the pheasant. Our second night we went to Flor De Sol and had another great server Rosi and it her attitude matched the amazing Fishermans Risotto and Branzino!!! Beach: We had beach chairs set up everyday for us outside our room and Mike was so great and friendly. He checked on us routinely and I even left a cover up out one day and he made sure to get it back to me the next day. Pool: We spent first day at the adult pool and beach spot and had wonderful service from Jessica and Naomi. They were so sweet and friendly!! Our butlers Chen, Angel and Trent were so attentive and all I had to do if I needed anything was text them on Whatsup and they would respond and make sure we were always taken care of. We changed our excursion and Chen was right on top of it. Trent gave us some great historical information about the property and the geography of the area. Spa: My husband and I had a couples massage and I would the spa is very gorgeous but the cost is a bit pricey.