HOTEL MARINA EL CID RESTAURANTS & BARS: Review, menus, quality, & everything food related!

This video is for informational purposes only. Our opinions are our own, based on our experiences and we pay for all of our own trips.

You probably already know that the El Cid Spa and Beach Resort complex is actually made up of three separate resorts: Hotel Marina El Cid, Ventus El Cid, and Ventus Ha’ El Cid.

Hotel Marina has five restaurants and four bars but you are able to dine at all of the restaurants within the entire complex.
Here’s a quick list of all the restaurants and where you’ll find them:
La Marina – Seafood (Hotel Marina)
Hacienda Arrecife – Mexican (Hotel Marina)
El Alcázar – Mediterranean (Hotel Marina)
Alhambra – Buffet (Hotel Marina)
Trattoria de Guilio – Italian (Hotel Marina)
Ile de France – French (Ventus)
Mercado de Dolores – Food court style (Ventus)
Aromas – Coffee shop (Ventus)
A’akat – Ibero-American (Ventus Ha’)
Kobo – Teppanyaki show cooking (Ventus Ha’)

Trattoria D’ Gulio is the resort's Italian restaurant. Breakfast here is a winner, with a buffet from 7-11:30 am. Loads of options, including made-to-order egg stations and a massive bread and pastry bar. They’re closed for lunch but open back up for dinner at 5:30 pm. It’s not Nona's homemade pasta, but they do a nice job with flavors and presentation. My favourite dish here was the swordfish but the lasagna and rigatoni are very good too.

El Alcazar is the Mediterranean restaurant. It is located just off of the Hotel Marina main lobby. Dinner starts off with an antipasto bar along with their a la carte menu. The lobster cream soup and the Thai shrimp skewers were my favourites along with the gnocchi. Hacienda Arecife is the Mexican restaurant right next to the main pool at Hotel Marina. It’s open for a buffet lunch with a cook-to-order steak and fish station. Dinner is a la carte Mexican specialties, and they do them really well. The lime soup, chicken enchiladas, and smoked marlin tacos were all hits with us.

La Marina, the seafood restaurant over at the Marina. A lot of guests skip it because it’s a bit out of the way, but it’s worth the trek. La Marina is seafood-focused, with some really good fish and shrimp dishes. The seafood ceviche, shrimp cream soup, and salmon are my top picks here.

Your all-inclusive rate also includes room service.

Hotel Marina has four bars.
The Lobby Bar: Right in the center of the Hotel Marina lobby, open from 8 am to 1 am. It is a casual spot and there is often a band playing here in the evening after the shows are finished.

Scaramanga Beach Bar: Right on the beach, open daily from 9 am to 11 pm.

Congo Bar is located By the main pool right beside the in-pool volleyball net. Plenty of seating in this area and it’s a great spot to grab a drink while watching your kids or your spouse jump off of the resort diving rock.

Swim-Up Bar: The only swim-up bar in the complex, located in the main pool. They removed the stools years ago, which is probably a good thing—no one needs to sit at the bar all day!

There’s also a small, peaceful bar by the family jacuzzi area overlooking the ocean—a nice quiet spot, especially if you have little ones that need to nap.

Overall, we enjoyed the food and drinks at Hotel Marina El Cid. They’ve got the most restaurants in the complex, but remember, no matter where you’re staying, you can make reservations and eat anywhere in the resort. We’ve got a full-length video breaking down each of the resorts in the complex and which one might be best for you, so be sure to check that out if you have chosen El Cid Spa and Beach resort but you’re undecided at which resort within the complex will be the best fit for you.

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