Hotel Riu Palace Baja California

My husband and I had a really nice stay at RIU Palace Baja California. This was our second RIU vacation, and one of the things I continue to appreciate about RIU is the great value, lots of activities and entertainment, and no timeshare presentation sales tactics. The absolute highlight of this resort is the staff. Everyone we encountered was extremely friendly, welcoming and accommodating. The people really make this property special, and their hospitality made a difference throughout our stay. Check-in: We arrived around 1 p.m. and were welcomed with champagne and water, which was a nice touch. There was a long line at the front desk, but I was genuinely impressed by how quickly and efficiently the gentleman assisting us worked while still giving us all the information we needed. Our room was ready around 3 p.m. In the meantime, the resort held our luggage and had changing rooms available, so we could put on our swimsuits and start enjoying the pools rather than sitting around waiting. I thought that was very convenient. The rooms were modern, comfortable and well maintained. Pools & views: The views are gorgeous! You can see the ocean, beach and famous Cabo Arch from the property. The pools were great, especially the infinity-style pool overlooking the water and the swim-up bar. We also really enjoyed the DJ and music around the pool. Great playlists! Drinks: Most of the drinks were good, although some were hit or miss. The coffee shop was excellent for cappuccinos, iced coffee, lattes and fresh espresso. Agua con gas with fresh lime became my go-to drink for staying cool and resetting my palate. For excellent cocktails in the evening, look for the specialty cocktail cart near the stage! They usually offered two specialty drinks each night. We tried the Tropical Punch and Fruit Mojitos, and both were excellent. We also had a delicious espresso martini made with 400 Conejos mezcal. The RIU Party drinks were a different story. They seemed much more watered down and weren’t nearly as good. If cocktail quality matters to you, I wouldn’t expect the party bars to be the place for great cocktails. We stopped by the RIU Party briefly and mostly watched from the sidelines. 😂 It definitely gets wild! We saw one guest pass out, and security/lifeguard staff responded immediately with a wheelchair. I was impressed with how quickly they handled the situation while allowing everyone else to continue enjoying themselves. Food: Some of my favorites were the made-to-order omelets and chilaquiles at breakfast, the hamburgers from Pepe’s, and the lobster at Guacamole. Sofia was unfortunately our least favorite restaurant. The Italian entrées tasted like reheated/microwaved food to us, although the antipasto buffet, soups and salads were good. Uber tip: Uber can drop you off directly at the resort, but Uber pickups aren’t allowed at the main lobby. This wasn’t difficult for us. We simply walked about 3–5 minutes from the lobby to the edge of the property and met our driver there. Our Uber rides into the downtown/marina area averaged only about $5–$6 USD. One unexpectedly fun activity was blackjack in front of the RIU stage one evening. It was purely for fun—no real money involved. I don’t gamble and had never played at a blackjack table, but I decided to try it because there was no money involved and had so much fun! Our dealer was great and made the experience really entertaining. Would we return? Absolutely. I’m actually considering upgrading to Elite Club on our next RIU vacation. The expedited check-in and access to the Elite lounge/bar with upgraded drink options sound appealing, especially since cocktail quality is something we appreciate. Overall, we had a wonderful experience at RIU Palace Baja California. RIU gives you a lot for the price: beautiful surroundings, pools, entertainment, activities, plenty of food and drinks, comfortable rooms, and most importantly, wonderful people taking care of you. This was RIU trip #2 for us, and hopefully our next RIU adventure will be the Bahamas, Jamaica or Punta Cana! 🌴🥂❤️

Very good hotel for an all-inclusive, but a tendency to make guests wait outside the themed restaurants for more than half an hour, even though the place is far from full. Maybe a technique to discourage guests and make small savings... It's a shame and frustrating...