Hotel Riu Vallarta 5*

Our stay at Riu Vallarta was absolutely outstanding! From the moment we arrived until the day we left, everything exceeded our expectations. The food was delicious with an incredible variety of options every day. The staff was simply amazing—friendly, attentive, and always willing to go above and beyond to make our stay special. The entertainment team did a fantastic job every day and night, keeping everyone engaged and creating a fun atmosphere for all ages. The views were breathtaking, and the beach was absolutely beautiful—clean, relaxing, and perfect for long walks or just enjoying the ocean. A special thank you to the resort for taking such great care of my wife, who has celiac disease. The staff made sure she had safe gluten-free options throughout our stay, which gave us tremendous peace of mind and allowed her to fully enjoy our vacation. This was one of the best vacations we've ever had. We truly didn't want to leave and are already looking forward to coming back. Highly recommend Riu Vallarta!

Unfortunately, I was very disappointed with my stay at this resort. While there were a few positives, they didn’t make up for the overall experience. The resort doesn’t seem well-equipped for international guests, as very few staff members spoke English. The food was also a huge letdown. The buffet was mediocre, and the specialty restaurants only offered about 3–5 menu options, none of which were very good. The biggest issue was the cleanliness. We had to switch rooms twice in the middle of the night because we found beetles, roaches, and cockroaches in our rooms. The entertainment was okay, but event management was poor. On karaoke night, the cultural show ran late, yet they still ended karaoke at the original time, allowing only three people to sing. My daughter was really looking forward to participating, so it was disappointing. The best part of the resort was definitely the beach. The sand was soft, the water was beautiful, and there were plenty of fun activities like massages, horseback riding, banana boat rides, and parasailing. The unlimited drinks were also strong and enjoyable. Overall, I wouldn’t return or recommend this resort. The beautiful beach and good drinks weren’t enough to make up for the poor food, bug-filled rooms, language barrier, and disorganized service.