Royal Decameron Punta Centinela, A Trademark All Inclusive
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Royal Decameron Punta Centinela, A Trademark All Inclusive is a family-friendly all-inclusive resort in Santa Elena, Ecuador with 197 rooms. Amenities include Beach, Buffet Dining, Diving, Fishing and Gym. Travelers rate it 4.4/5 across 6,055 Google reviews.
Restaurants (3)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Buffet | Restaurante Costa Brava |
| Asian | Restaurante El Muelle |
| Caribbean & local | Restaurante El Coral |
From the resort's own dining pages, checked . Only restaurants the resort lists are shown.
Amenities
Traveler Insights(185 discussions)
Royal Decameron Punta Centinela is the best-known all-inclusive on Ecuador's Pacific coast and the one closest to Guayaquil, which is the real reason people choose it. The same chain also runs Royal Decameron Mompiche further north in Esmeraldas, but Punta Centinela is the easier trip. The draw is the setting: a wide natural-sand beach on the Santa Elena Peninsula, with humpback whales offshore from June to October. For travelers who want to add a South American beach to an Ecuador trip without giving up the all-inclusive format, it fills a gap little else covers, and it costs noticeably less than comparable Caribbean resorts.
The resort is mid-sized: 197 rooms in Standard, Superior and Junior Suite categories with garden or partial ocean views, two pools (one adults-only, one for families) plus a whirlpool, three bars, a gym, beach sports courts, kayaks and a 400-person convention center. Dining is the Costa Brava buffet for all three meals, with views over the main pool and the ocean, plus two dinner-only a la carte restaurants, El Coral for Ecuadorian cooking and El Muelle for Asian street food. Food is the most repeated criticism: quality swings and the buffet thins out late in the evening, so the a la carte nights are the better meals. Front-line staff get solid marks, while the administrative side, especially check-in and arranging transfers, is where things slow down. Rooms range from fine to dated depending on the building, and the included Discoteca Aloha keeps nights loud.
This resort works best for travelers who specifically want a Pacific Ecuador beach and accept that they are not getting the polish of a flagship Mexican or Caribbean property. It suits families driving in from Guayaquil or Quito for a weekend or a week, couples trading some luxury for an unusual destination, and whale watchers between June and October. Easy day trips include the surf beach at Punta Blanca, the Valdivia archaeological museum, home to some of the oldest pottery in the Americas, and the resort town of Salinas.
Pros
- +Wide natural-sand beach on the Pacific at Punta Centinela, which Ecuadorians count among the prettiest stretches of the Santa Elena coast, with a calm, laid-back feel
- +Humpback whale season runs June to October, and guests regularly spot whales from the beach or on short boat trips booked at the resort's tour counter
- +Noticeably cheaper than comparable all-inclusives in Mexico or the Caribbean, with meals, drinks, activities and nightly shows all in the rate
- +Two pools with different moods, one adults-only and calm, one family pool that is livelier, plus a whirlpool
- +Three dinner options for a resort this size: the two-level Costa Brava buffet overlooking the pool and ocean, El Coral for Ecuadorian dishes and El Muelle for Asian street food
- +Kayaks and other non-motorized water sports are included, and snorkeling, diving and fishing trips explore Pacific marine life very different from the Caribbean
- +Staff on the ground, from pool attendants to the entertainment team, are described as warm and helpful, and the nightly shows have a genuine Latin energy
- +Discoteca Aloha is included in the stay, so a night out costs nothing extra
Cons
- −Check-in can be slow and disorganized at busy times, with long waits for wristbands and room keys a recurring complaint
- −Food quality is inconsistent; the buffet gets picked over late in the 6:30 to 10pm dinner service, and two a la carte restaurants for 197 rooms means the better meals take planning
- −Almost two hours by road from Guayaquil's Jose Joaquin de Olmedo airport, a long last leg after an international flight
- −Persistent vacation-club membership sales pitches during the stay, which many guests find annoying
- −The disco plays loud music late into the night and it carries across the property, so light sleepers should ask for a room away from it
- −Rooms in the older sections show their age, and the website photos flatter them
- −Spa treatments and laundry cost extra, and airport transfers are only on request, so arrange yours before you arrive
Common Questions
Is the whale watching from the resort actually good?
How far is the resort from Guayaquil airport, and how do you get there?
Is the food really as bad as some reviews say?
What are the rooms like?
Is the Santa Elena area safe for tourists?
How does it compare to Decameron resorts in Colombia or Panama?
Google Rating
Google Reviews
“Great location! But: smoking areas are too far away from the rest of the hotel. Also, they have very loud 'happy birthday' music in the restaurant which is REALLY annoying for everyone (every day there was someone who was having their birthday when w...”
“A little difficult to exit and enter the resort, but otherwise 5 star”
