Scores at a Glance
&Beyond Sossusvlei Desert LodgeExcellence El Carmen
Overall
9.3
8.8
Beach
·
8.0
Food
9.1
8.2
Service
9.4
8.8
Rooms
9.7
8.7
Luxury
9.6
8.7
Value
·
8.2
Romance
9.5
9.1
Scores out of 10 · higher is better
Quick Stats
9.3
Overall Score
8.8
5-star
Star Rating
5-star
4.8 (146)
Google Rating
4.9 (21,800)
Rates TBD
Price / Night (pp)
Rates TBD
No
Adults Only
Yes
Yes
Kids' Club
–
Near coast
Beachfront
Near coast
Mid-size
Resort Size
Mid-size
–
Airport Transfer
–
All Scores
–
Beach
8.0
9.1
Food
8.2
9.4
Service
8.8
9.7
Rooms
8.7
–
Pools
9.0
9.6
Luxury
8.7
–
Value
8.2
9.5
Romance
9.1
–
Nightlife
7.4
9.8
Quiet
7.3
9.6
Adventure
–
8.7
Wellness
8.5
4.5
Remote work
7.2
Vibes
Yes
Romance
Yes
Yes
Quiet
Yes
Yes
Adventure
–
–
Lively
Yes
Activities
Yes
Spa
Yes
Yes
Kids
–
–
Water sports
Yes
–
Nightlife
Yes
&Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge
- Full-service spa
Excellence El Carmen
- Adults-only all-inclusive
- 6 pools
- 11 restaurants & bars
- Full-service spa
- Swim-up suites
Pros · &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge
- Extraordinary desert privacy and scenery.
- Large private-pool suites.
- Exceptional included activity menu.
- Strong stargazing and quiet-luxury positioning.
Pros · Excellence El Carmen
- Strong adults-only couples focus.
- Broad all-inclusive scope with 24-hour room service and minibar.
- Large pool network and swim-up categories.
- Strong service and room sentiment across major sources.
Cons · &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge
- Not a beach resort.
- Country is outside current catalog vocabulary.
- Premium wines and certain marquee experiences cost extra.
- Wi-Fi is limited and not ideal for remote work.
Cons · Excellence El Carmen
- Food quality is not universally praised despite strong official dining breadth.
- Some recent room-inventory issues appear in traveler discussion.
- Pool areas can be lively and loud.
- Airport transfer is not included in base evidence.