Hotel Riu Palace Riviera Maya

This was our second time staying at the Riu Palace Riviera Maya (first visit in september 2023) We checked in online before arriving using the Riu App - something which I find makes the process a lot smoother, we were checked in and brought to our room very quickly. We were delighted that our request for a room close to where we were last time was accommodated. The service was absolutely impeccable always. A few shout outs need to be made here. Lorenzo at Breakfast - he was always there to greet us, knew exactly what we wanted to drink and would always pop by to see if we needed anything else. We occasionally saw him at lunch too which was really nice. Mariluz at Lunch - what a wonderful woman, and always had a smile for everyone. Her attention to detail was amazing. Gustavo & Cielo at Dinner - We saw them most nights and knew exactly what we wanted without asking for it. Cielo especially is the most lovely person, a real joy to talk to. Erick at the Steakhouse - The amount of times we ate here because the food was amazing! And Erick was especially fantastic. Special mentions need to be made for Fabian and Elias at the Pool Bar, these guys work HARD. These guys were already making my drink for me before I even had a chance to ask for it. Really really nice guys and a credit to you. Even if I’ve only named a few - every single staff member from reception to maintenance to housekeeping would always greet you with a smile and everyone works especially hard to keep the resort beautiful. Staying at this hotel means you can use the other Riu’s in the area (except Riu Lupita) in my opinion not really worth it - we had lunch in the newly reopened Riu Palace Mexico but we preferred it here. Food & Drink - I honestly did not have a bad meal at all in any of the restaurants, in fact Yashima really redeemed itself this time around as on our last visit I was really unwell afterwards. The steakhouse was 100% our favourite as we probably visited 4 times over 12 days. The lobster is amazing. Even the buffet was fantastic. Drinks were ALWAYS good, infact if you ask them nicely they’ll even be happy to make you something off-menu. Claudia in the reception bar is lovely. And the coffee bar is also exceptional, was nice to head up for a tea during a rainy spell. Just something to note: Now, we were aware of the Elite Club before coming as when we were booking we saw a new room type - were prepared for the changes. It’s a bit sad that our favourite pool from last time is now part of the Elite Club. Especially as I love to relax by the pool. As a result of the Elite Club the other pools are now a lot more crowded, and to be honest I don’t want to be around a pool where the music is blaring constantly or the entertainment is happening. I did go down to the beach a lot, but this was also annoying due to the constant speech from the beach sellers. The Elite Club in my opinion is a very big price hike and it’s a shame you can’t upgrade for a smaller price for certain elements (such as pool access). As the price difference vs. all the elements is just simply not worth it. Aside from this, the resort is still worth a 5 star review - as that is just a personal expectation.

It is a very quiet hotel with very beautiful architecture, high ceilings, many details, impeccable cleanliness, and service and security that is there but is not noticeable, it is the best, everyone is very friendly, and what can I say about the food, one of the best experiences I have had compared to other all-inclusive stays, without a doubt I will return as many times as possible