"Wonderful vacation at the RIU Palace Riviera Maya – and a few experiences that we would definitely like to pass on"
We spent our vacation at the RIU Palace Riviera Maya and would like to share our experiences in a bit more detail. Precisely because we read an incredible number of reviews ourselves before our trip, perhaps our report will help one or two people with their vacation planning.
The hotel and the grounds
We really liked the hotel overall. Upon arrival, the grounds already make a very well-maintained and inviting impression. The garden area is beautifully landscaped; everywhere people are working, cleaning, and making sure that everything looks tidy.
Our room was spacious, clean, and cozy. The beds were comfortable, the air conditioning worked reliably, and the daily cleaning was also very thorough. You can tell from some small details that a hotel of this size is constantly being used, but that didn't really bother us.
Food and drinks
We can also report mostly positive things about the food. The selection at the buffet is huge and really everyone should find something here. We especially thought the breakfast was great. Fresh fruit, egg dishes, hot meals, and plenty of selection.
In the evenings, we tried both the buffet and the other restaurants. Of course, some things repeat during a longer stay, but the quality was good for us overall. Sometimes the hot dishes could have actually been a bit hotter.
The drinks were also fine and the staff at the bars were almost always friendly, even when it was quite busy.
Beach, pools, and lounge chairs
The location right on the beach is, of course, a dream. White sand, palm trees, and this magnificent Caribbean sea – exactly how we had imagined our Mexico vacation.
The pool area is beautifully designed and offers plenty of opportunities to relax. However, there is also the tiresome issue of reserved lounge chairs here. Some guests seem to spread out their towels early in the morning and then do not show up for hours. From our perspective, the hotel could prevent this more consistently.
We found it overall much more pleasant at the beach than at the pools.
Staff, service, and entertainment
The staff deserves great praise. Whether cleaning staff, waiters, bartenders, or the employees at the reception – we were treated kindly almost everywhere.
Of course, it sometimes takes a little longer during peak times, but with the number of guests, that is understandable.
The evening entertainment was varied. Not every show was necessarily to our taste, but it never really got boring.
Overall, we would definitely recommend the hotel. It is a beautiful resort with good service, a great beach, and everything you need for a relaxing vacation.
Our experiences with the excursions
Actually, we mainly wanted to review the hotel here. But since we spent hours looking for good excursions ourselves before our vacation, we definitely want to share our experiences.
We booked three excursions with three different providers during our stay. And the differences really could hardly have been greater.
1. Excursion through the tour guide at the hotel – unfortunately a disappointment
We booked our first excursion to Tulum with snorkeling in the classic way through the tour guide at the hotel. We thought we couldn't go wrong with that.
Unfortunately, it was pretty much the exact opposite of what we had imagined.
In the morning, an additional 30 US dollars in taxes were suddenly due, which we had not expected. That should have been communicated much more clearly at the time of booking.
We were then traveling in a bus with 26 people. The tour guide was partly sitting on a cooler and trying to fit his explanations into three different languages.
You can imagine how much interesting information actually gets through to you.
The places we visited were incredibly crowded. Crowds of people, tour groups, pushing and shoving, and the constant feeling that everything had to happen as quickly as possible.
Tulum itself is truly beautiful, but unfortunately, there was little to be felt of the special atmosphere we had hoped for with all that crowding.
In the end, we felt like we had simply been ushered through. For that, the excursion was clearly too expensive for us.
2. Second attempt with Santi Tours – unfortunately also not convincing
After this experience, we wanted to do better and did some research on the internet. In doing so, we kept coming across Santi Tours, which are praised very frequently.
So we booked our next excursion there.
Unfortunately, we were disappointed this time as well.
The group was significantly larger than we had expected based on the information provided at the time of booking. On top of that, a lot of different hotels were really visited in the morning before things even got started properly.
We personally found our tour guide to be not very likable. We simply lacked the warmth and the feeling that one is truly interested in their guests.
Overall, the service was also not what we had imagined based on the many positive reviews.
Maybe we just had bad luck with the day or the tour guide. Other guests may have had better experiences. In any case, it was not a tour that we would book again.
After these two experiences, we had actually already had enough of organized excursions.
3. Anker Tours – and suddenly everything was different!
Luckily, we let ourselves be talked into a third excursion after all.
This time we booked with Anker Tours, a smaller German provider from Playa del Carmen.
And that was when we realized how nice such an excursion can actually be.
Even the communication before the tour was completely different. Personal, uncomplicated, and friendly. No mass processing, but the feeling that someone is actually putting thought into it.
On the day of the excursion, it continued just the same.
Our guide was simply great. An incredible amount of knowledge about Mexico, the Maya, nature, and wildlife, but at the same time wonderfully relaxed and with a great sense of humor.
There was a lot of laughter, and yet we learned more about Mexico on this one tour than on the two previous excursions combined.
But what impressed us even more was the attention paid to every single guest. They really looked at what everyone needed, how safe one feels in the water, or if someone perhaps needed a little more support.
And all of that quite naturally, without having to constantly ask for it.
The organization was also fantastic. The equipment was available and in good condition; there were plenty of drinks, snacks, and really good food. Everything was well thought out, and you didn't have to worry about absolutely anything.
But what impressed us the most were the places themselves.
We were sometimes at places that we probably never would have discovered without Anker Tours. Beautiful nature, impressive cenotes, and spots where you just stop and stare in amazement.
And above all, there were hardly any other people there!
Thanks to the early start and the clever planning, we were actually almost alone at some locations.
That was the deciding difference for us. Finally, we could enjoy this beautiful nature in peace, without constantly having other tour groups around us.
There were no unnecessary sales stops, no time pressure, and not that feeling that as many tourists as possible have to be processed in one day.
Instead, we had a wonderful, relaxed, and at the same time incredibly interesting day.
We talked about it for a long time afterward, about how different excursions can really be.
And the crazy thing: We could have saved ourselves so much trouble and disappointment if we had booked directly with Anker Tours.
Check-out and departure
Unfortunately, even the best vacation eventually comes to an end.
Our check-out at the RIU Palace Riviera Maya was pleasantly uncomplicated. We only had to hand in our room cards and take care of the final formalities. The staff at the reception were friendly even at departure.
We were able to store our luggage until pickup, so we could still spend the remaining time relaxing at the hotel.
What we noticed positively: Even on the last day, we didn't feel like we were suddenly no longer guests just because we had already checked out.
The pickup for the airport was on time. The transfer to Cancún went without any problems, and we were glad that enough time had been planned. Traffic can be quite heavy, especially around Playa del Carmen and on the way to Cancún.
A small tip: It is better to plan a little more time for the airport transfer than to spend the last hours of your vacation nervously watching the clock.
Cancún Airport and return flight
At Cancún Airport, things were significantly busier again.
Just upon entering the terminal, you could tell how many vacationers arrive and depart here daily. Longer lines had formed in front of some of the check-in counters.
The processing itself went smoothly for us, however. The staff were friendly, and after dropping off our luggage, we proceeded to the security checkpoint.
We had to wait a bit there too, but overall everything ran quite efficiently.
In the departure area, there are various shops and options to get something to eat or drink. The prices, however, are quite steep in some cases. Anyone who wants to buy a few more snacks or drinks should be prepared for that.
We found the signage to be sufficient and our departure gate was easy to find.
Our return flight ultimately went without any major difficulties.
When we were sitting on the plane, we talked once more about the past vacation days. About the beautiful hotel, the delicious food, the many nice people, and of course about our excursions.
And somehow we both agreed that we will especially remember the experiences away from the hotel complex.
Our conclusion
The RIU Palace Riviera Maya is a really beautiful hotel and we had a great vacation there. We would come back anytime.
The grounds are well-maintained, the staff is friendly, the food is good, and the beach is beautiful. There are always a few minor points of criticism, of course, but overall we felt very comfortable.
The departure was also well-organized and went without any problems.
However, we also learned that a nice vacation does not automatically mean that the excursions offered through the hotel are the best choice.
Anyone who just wants to lie on the beach, eat well, and relax is in the best hands at the RIU.
But anyone who also wants to see and experience something of Mexico should really take a close look at the excursion providers beforehand.
For us, Anker Tours was by far the best experience of our entire trip. Not just because of the beautiful places, but above all because of the people, the personal attention, and all the little things that make a huge difference in the end.
These are exactly the experiences that we will remember for many years to come.
We hope that our experiences will help one or two people with their vacation planning. In any case, such a detailed review would have helped us a lot before the trip!
Mexico, we are coming back!
