Royal Solaris Los Cabos

If you're considering staying at Royal Solaris in San Jose del Cabo, here's my advice: don't. What was supposed to be a relaxing vacation turned into a nightmare that my wife and I will never forget. We went to Mexico for some rest and dental work, but instead, we were drugged, robbed, and trapped in a foreign country, with the hotel staff and even the local police working against us. Here's the full story of what happened and why you should think twice before booking a stay at this hotel.
We arrived at Royal Solaris on Thursday, October 10, 2024, through RCI, excited for a peaceful getaway in San Jose del Cabo. The first night went smoothly. We had a drink, grabbed a quick meal, and went to bed early. The following day, Friday October 11, 2024, started off well enough. Around 2 PM, we went to the main pool bar. I had a couple of small, slushy drinks served in small Dixie cups (not full-sized cocktails) while we chatted with a couple we'd met. Everything seemed fine.
Later in the afternoon, I asked my wife to grab another drink for me since I was already in the pool. She brought me a blue cocktail that immediately tasted strange—salty and off. She tasted it as well and agreed that something was wrong but we didn't want to leave it so we finished it. We thought it was just a bad mix, but I only managed to drink about two-thirds and my wife drank 1/3.
A Horrific Turn of Events
About 30 minutes after drinking the blue cocktail, everything spiraled out of control. My body felt unbearably heavy, and I couldn't coordinate my movements. My vision blurred, and I was unable to function normally. Standing up became an impossible task. By the time I realized something was seriously wrong, I was already incapacitated.
My wife, sensing the gravity of the situation, started recording everything on her phone. Without her vigilance, we wouldn't have been able to piece together the horrifying events that followed. Here's what happened:
• By 5 PM, I was severely incapacitated. I could barely move, and I noticed injuries: a broken toe, a damaged foot, and scratches on my arms. My personal belongings, including my shoes, hat, shirt, and Prada sunglasses, were missing.
• There's a blank space in both my memory from 5 PM to 9 PM, and my wife started regaining memories slightly earlier around 8pm. I have blurry flashes of events but no coherent recollection.
• Security then separated my wife from me without my knowledge. Telling her she was being arrested for looking for my missing belongings. Sensing danger, she instinctually began recording.
• The hotel staff threatened to arrest her if she didn't return to her room with a security gaurd. My wife refused to go alone, scared of being alone with the guard, she demanded a key card instead, and continued recording. Her refusal to stop recording seemed to agitate them, and they threatened to call the police multiple times.
• She repeatedly asked to speak with the manager, but they wouldn't address her concerns as long as she was recording.

The Hotel's Alarming Behavior
My wife's law enforcement background helped her navigate this escalating situation. She understood the potential dangers of complying with their demands. As she continued recording, she confronted the staff about their behavior, asking if they would treat their daughters the same way. Their responses were chilling, with one employee coldly stating, “I don't have kids.” Chillingly, continuing to refuse to help.
When the manager finally arrived, she refused to engage with her beyond threatening to call the police, due to my wife continuing to record. Multiple times she turns it on, and off. My wife was begging for help and they threatened arrest. At that point, my wife realized the hotel was not going to help her file a report, and she called the police. After multiple attempts to contact the local police, she finally got through—only for things to go from bad to worse. The manager came down to the pool area and told me that my wife was going to be arrested. I was still drugged and just started have have memories coming back in pieces.
The Police's Shocking Indifference
When the police arrived, my wife initially felt relief, assuming they would help. Instead, they refused to take oue statements. My wife greeted them and tried to explain what had happened, but they ignored her, focusing only on the manager's version of events. On video, she can be heard repeatedly asking to file a report, but they refused every time.
At one point, the manager told the police a story in Spanish that we couldn't understand. We were essentially silenced, unable to communicate our side of the story. The police brushed us off, telling us we could return to our room but offering no assistance and blatantly refusing to take our report, all clearly seen on video. It is terrifying to watch my wife beg the police to take her report and they refuse.
The police finally told the manager they had to give us a key card and let us into our room without being arrested. But on video, the Manager states that we were “not allowed to leave the hotel” which is repeated back to her. This chilling statement made us feel like prisoners in a foreign country. The police refuse to help and the hotel states we can't leave. Security and maintenance personnel knocked on our door throughout the night, checking on us every hour or two. None of them spoke English, and their constant presence felt like surveillance rather than assistance.
Trapped and Terrified
We went to bed, completely confused about what transpired. By 5 am neither of us could sleep so we reviewed the videos and realized the gravity of the situation. We contacted our kids who watched us on Facetime who confirmed our pupils were dilated. We put it all together and realized we were drugged, robbed, injured, and abandoned by the very people who should have been responsible for our safety. The hotel staff's threats and the police's refusal to help left us feeling trapped and vulnerable.
Our attempts to seek help were unsuccessful. RCI, our booking platform, couldn't assist us immediately due to the holiday weekend. Our credit card company was also closed on the weekend. With no support system, we were left to fend for ourselves in a hostile environment.
We decided to escape. Early the next morning, we called an Uber and sprinted to the vehicle waiting outside the hotel gates. Security guards pursued us, but we managed to get into the car and flee before they could stop us. The relief we felt as we sped away was immense, but the trauma of what had happened lingered.
Realizing We Were Drugged
Once we reached the safety of a new accommodation in La Paz, we began piecing together the events. We sought out the advice of a doctor as they confirmed the symptoms we experienced—confusion, memory loss, and an absence of a hangover despite consuming minimal alcohol—were classic signs of being drugged. Here's why we're certain this was the case:
• We are moderate drinkers and have never experienced such severe effects from drinking, especially considering they were small drinks.
• We woke up the next morning completely sober and clear-headed, which wouldn't have been possible if we had simply been intoxicated. My wife reacts poorly and would have been sick for days, but she was sober at 5am.
• Our children, who we FaceTimed during the ordeal, said we looked “strung out” with dilated pupils—clear signs of drugging. My wife slurs her speech when drunk, but this never occurred at any time on the video, her speech was very clear and coherent.
Aftermath: Feeling Unsafe Everywhere
The aftermath of this experience has been devastating. We were left with injuries, stolen belongings, and a profound sense of insecurity. The hotel staff and local authorities failed us entirely. Instead of helping us, they exacerbated our trauma, leaving us with no choice but to flee and seek refuge elsewhere.
A Warning to All Travelers
Here's what you need to know:
1. Avoid Royal Solaris: This hotel is unsafe. The staff's behavior was not only unprofessional but dangerous. Their actions, combined with the local police's indifference, create a hazardous environment for guests.
2. Be cautious with drinks: We believe we were drugged through a drink served at the pool bar. Reports of similar incidents in the Cabo area are becoming more common.
3. Don't rely on local authorities: If something happens, the police may not help. Our experience showed that they prioritized the hotel's interests over the safety and well-being of guests.
4. Document everything: My wife's decision to record the events likely saved us. Without those videos, we would have had no evidence to support our claims.
Our lawyers said we are extremely lucky, but the trauma we suffered as a result doesn't feel lucky as it has shattered any sense of safety, stopping us from ever to Mexico as a result. This experience has forever changed how we view travel and safety. We will never return to Mexico after what happened, and we urge you to think twice before visiting this hotel or region. Your safety and well-being are not worth the risk.
Looking back, the videos are chilling. Why did they never offer to help my wife? Why was she threatened for merely searching for my missing belongings? These unanswered questions only reinforce our Warning: Royal Solaris is not a safe place. Women and families, be especially cautious. Protect yourself and your loved ones by avoiding this hotel at all costs.
For review verification, I have a different name on my profile to protect our safety considering what happened, but the hotel can validate the incident with the Manager, Security Guard and Police on October 11, 2024, and the lawyers submitted the videos to the consulate to confirm. Our advice, stay away for your safety! [Details]

It was just ok experience. First room they tried to give us was a room on the main floor beside where they are doing renovations and we had 6 workers right out side our patio windows grinding and working loud. So I complain but nobody cared at first saying the hotel is booked and they had no other rooms. Finally after arguing and telling them my family and I can't and won't stay in that room they finally said I can have a terrace upgraded room for $150 usd extra. I said sure and was definitely worth the extra $$. Pool wasn't heated and cold but we made the best out of it. Buffet wasn't great and was small but still found something to eat there at times. Trying to book restaurants was impossible and food at restaurants was just ok. Pizza at pizza bar was good. The other lunch bar with hotdogs and burgers sucked and was lined up everyday because only one person was running it slowly. Beach was nice but water was rough. Kids park was nice but big water slide wasn't working. Wouldn't recommend going back to this resort. [Details]

The resort exceeded my expectations. Wonderful service from the time we checked in to the time we checked out. Rooms were large and very clean. Food at the restaurants was wonderful. Even though you couldn't swim in the ocean it was fun to walk in the waves coming in. We saw many whales most days [Details]

Had a great time, the staff were all very friendly, loved all the food options and the bartenders were always keen to keep our drinks full. [Details]

Thank you for an amazing time. The weather was not very nice, but the staff made our stay very nice. There were so many team members that were amazing, but I remember Eduardo from the pool to be so much fun! He made sure we always had drinks, and we really enjoyed when he had time to spend with our group at the pool. Great energy! [Details]

Wonderful hotel for young children and their families. We travelled as 5 adults and two children aged 3 and 5. The two kids pools are covered to protect the little ones from the sun. One of the pools has several slides and a nearby playground.
The entire facility was kept very clean and the staff were very friendly.
The food was very good and there were lots of choices for the children and adults. I loved the lattes!
The gym was decent.
I was very impressed with this hotel and I would vacation here again. [Details]

Total of 11 family members, 3 grandparents, 4 parents and 4 children under the age of 6. Myself being a grandparent, this was a wonderful holiday. The staff were all very friendly, the accommodations were great and the pool area was wonderful for the kids. My grandson loved the kids club! [Details]

This is a nice looking resort with great staff, very clean, great pool, but the food doesn't cut it. I've been to many resorts and this was by far the worst food I've ever experienced. Even Cuba had better options. It wasn't that the food was cooked bad just the options weren't there. All basic food that never really changed from day to day. Had to go off resort it was so bad [Details]

Really fun place for families. Playground fantastic with kids care.. [Details]

The best part of the stay by far was the amazing staff in the lobby bar. Jose in particular was always so happy and always had a smile on his face.
Our mini fridge was only stocked ONCE during our 7 day stay. ( only because we complained ). The food in the buffet was terrible, and really lacked variety. The "ocean view" room we booked was not what the website portrayed... we could see a slight view of the ocean only if we went to the very corner of our balcony... [Details]

The staff was amazing. We only had one problem there and they fixed it pretty fast. We had a cousin staying at another hotel who would buy day passes to our hotel. Well on one of the days there was a supervisor that wouldn't let him in. Actually called security on him, said he was a liar and that we weren't staying there. Fransisco never even looked up our room number or names. But the other staff made it right the next day by giving my cousin a discount on the day pass. Other wise the trip and hotel was amazing [Details]

Overall we had a great vacation. It was exactly what we were looking for. We just wanted a place to relax and soak up some sun.

Upon arrival we were greeting and offered a beverage and made to feel welcome. Then we checked in, room was not ready yet as it was not 3:00pm yet but we were given our bracelets so we could eat and drink and get towels. After that, someone from the upselling group snagged us and talked to us for half an hour explaining the resort, ie the restaurants and what they offer and hours. He gave us helpful information whilst also trying to upsell us to becoming gold members. I told him we weren't interested but they are very persistent. We didn't cave. After spending the week at the resort I don't see that gold members really get much for their money. Hell, the restaurant for their exclusive use was under renovations 5 out of the 7 days we were there.

The resort is the perfect size for us, horseshoe shaped and on the two legs of the horeshoe there are 4 floors and the main building with the lobby has 6 floors.There were elevators at both ends and the terrain is flat so a decent resort for people with mobility issues; however, the week we were there, for some reason there were four different nights where they had the main buffet closed and were serving dinner in the theatre. It was weird. The theatre is like a dark, musty gym in an old school. AND there is no elevator to get down there so anyone in a wheelchair would have not been able to get dinner the nights the buffet was down there.

The two a la carte restaurants were great. You can book them by calling '0' from your room each morning at 9:00am until 10:00am. There was Panchos and Marco Polo. Each night they have different menus so you don't get bored. We tried the Italian, Mexican, Mediterrean. There was also French and Brazilian but we opted for buffet most nights.

We never went to any of the nightly shows because after having been to 14 all inclusives, I've seen it all and no interest, plus, sketchy, dark basement vibe as mentioned above. Also, there is no disco at this resort. Not something we're interested in but worth mentioning.

Our room was okay, no complaints. We had an ocean view and that was nice. We had a room with two queens. I found the room spacious. Air conditioning worked great. My only issue was when we first entered our hotel room, I noticed long, black hairs on the pillow of my bed. Which really grossed me out since the room should have been fully cleaned between guests. Ugh, yuck. Made me wonder if the sheets had actually been changed. Other than that, the maid service was okay and the room was always made up in a timely manner and fridge re-stocked daily.

We never went on the beach because it's not really safe to swim there because of the currents and I don't like that there are sales people on the beach to pester you. We stayed around the pool daily and enjoyed the animation team. I did the water aerobics a couple of times and that was fun. We enjoyed the swim up bar and never had to wait for drinks. There were also waiters that came around to take drink orders if you were lounging in chairs as well. Good service.

Things I don't know where to mention anywhere else: We had free wifi in the room. Shower needs a second soap dish or a bigger soap dish. Shower needs a bench or something because without one, very hard for ladies to shave their legs. There was a nice area for kids to play on the one side of the resort. The reception desk can exchange Canadian money for pesos but they do not take American money, weird eh? Since most of the guests there were American. We just brought American ones to tip with but had to exchange some of our Canadian money for a few pesos to take the bus to Cabo San Lucas.

There were also afternoon snack places, one was pizzas, which we didn't try. One was sushi, which we didn't try. And one is the main snack bar, it's great for burgers, nachos, hot dogs, etc.

Overall we enjoyed ourselves and thought the resort was decent. We never visit the same place twice because there are so many we want to try but I would recommend this place. It's within 1km of the Comer market mall where you can buy cheap booze and souvenirs, it's like a Walmart. You can also catch a purple bus across from the McDonalds in the Comer mall and for about $4 you can go to Cabo San Lucas to shop as well. [Details]

Our experience at the Royal Solaris was very positive.

The hotel is situated in San Jose del Cabo, among a large strip of hotels.

Our children really enjoyed time spent in the kids club. Unlike other resorts we have been to, the kids pool is shared with the kids club. There were longer chairs situated around the kids pool allowing the parents to relax while the kids ran from activity to activity.

The hotel was built around 1995 and feels a little dated. However the property is still well maintained, and is not in disrepair.

Getting Around:
Tourist shopping is 2.2km away in the historic sectioning town. The Walmart is 1.7km away, and a large grocery store is 1.1km away. All are fairly walkable - taxi rides are $7 US each way.

The public bus to Cabo San Lucas is located across the street from La Comer grocery store (1.1km away). It costs 37 pesos, and takes approximately 30 minutes. Pickup in Los Cabos is near the Paraiso shopping centre.

Entertainment:
The pool entertainment was typical of other resorts we have been to, with games and activities happening throughout the day.

Where the entertainment fell a little short were the evening shows, which were generally not great. The kids enjoyed the shows though.

Food:
The buffet breakfast was consistently good. Featuring lots of fruit, cereals, freshly made doughnuts, eggs/omelettes made to order, crepes, as well as traditional Mexican dishes (beans, tortilla chips in green or red sauce, sopes).

Lunches included a made to order pizza stand, snack bar and a buffet. Generally lots of options to be had.

Dinners available included 2 a la cartes and a buffet. We had the Mexican ala carte and it was excellent. The buffet was good overall with a slight emphasis on Mexican dishes.

Pool Etiquette
Rules about reserving pool chairs with towels are not enforced. Chairs begin being selected at about 7:30 when the towel stand opens.

Vacation Club dining and $$ add on events:
Certain meal areas are reserved for vacation club owners only, which at times feels like there is a form of classicism going on. There were 2 special meals (pirate show and carnival) for vacation club owners, or could be purchased separately for $50 per adult.

Time Share Sales:
Time share sales people are located at right in the lobby. Their angle is to order a welcome package (tickets to the two add-on shows) in exchange for attending sales presentations.
Our only experience with the time share people was the first morning when they phoned us at 8am under the guise of telling us they were the concierge confirming all was well with the room. Although not pushy when we said we weren't interested, the fact they called early on the first day had us concerned this would become a pattern. Fortunately it was not.

We will likely return to the Royal Solaris in the future provided reviews are consistent with our past experience at the property. [Details]

My wife and I had read the reviews and were a little worried after reading some of the reviews on this resort. We were happy we took the chance as the price was one of the least expensive resorts available when we booked Royal Solaris last minute. The buffet food was better then some of the five star resorts we've stayed at, selection was not huge although what was available was very good. Our room was clean and and well maintained as were all the facility's around the resort. We can't say enough about the staff and great service they provided. As there is not a lot to do in the resort for our age group in our late fifties, they could have more entertainment geared toward older guests. We just enjoyed relaxing around the pool and on the beautiful beach right at the resort. We were never hassled by the time share people, just avoid any free gifts offered as that's the hook to get you to the long sales pitch to buy into the time share which after talking to other guests that had purchased time share is not a good idea. Overall we have to say we found Royal Solaris as good or better as some of the five star resorts we have stayed in. [Details]

Overall we had a great trip. We're used to visiting 4-4.5 star hotels but took a risk on this one to accommodate our budget. We brought our 2.5 year old and 8 month old. The facilities are beautiful, the service was great, and all visitors and employees are super friendly. We knew the beach was unswimmable but were happy with the shady cabanas and the sand and the drink service. It was a great trip! Disadvantages: beach was not cleaned at night (cigrarette butts everywhere), and the food. The food was not very good at all- edible but not enjoyable. The Pizza Hut was good and the drinks but nothing else is worth mentioning. Oh and we also didn't love having to make reservations for the a la carte restaurants (which were full by 9:30am each day) [Details]

A good 5 day getaway [Details]

good food except a shortage of bacon in the mornings. the main pool was to cold and was not comfortable. would be nice to have Wi-Fi a couple of hours a day instead of one 24hr period. otherwise everything was excellent [Details]

The hotel was fine but me and my family didn't like the food and we didn't expect we can not swim in the beach! [Details]

Overall, the Royal Solaris is a fine resort. The rooms were clean, the grounds were nice, and the beach was beautiful. The perks for families include the water park for young kids (our 4 year old really loved the slides) and the entertainment staff are really good. However, although there were many families with young children staying there, I would note that there are no bathtubs in the rooms, no change tables anywhere, and it is not very stroller or wheelchair friendly (there are stairs all over -even in the middle of the buffet restaurant). Quite a few people we spoke with (my husband included) complained about the food. I think it was okay, but not great. There was a large selection and some things were definitely better than others. Overall, for the price we paid, I think it was still good value. My largest complaint about Royal Solaris would be their over emphasis on becoming "members" through buying timeshares. This is the first time I've seen a resort have so many "members only" parties, a breakfast restaurant, and even a show right in the middle of the resort (with screens up so others can't see it). The service staff were only okay, but the service improves significantly if you tip regularly. [Details]

We had a very good experience. Definitely good value for the price [Details]

This is NOT an all inclusive resort. People who were Club Solaris Members were privy to many free events that were conducted in the middle of the resort. Others felt like outsiders as they were forced to find something else to do or pay a huge fee to participate. [Details]

The Resort is the perfect gateway for a family. We had a great time with our 3 years old daughter! Not recommended for people that look for party. Pretty quiet in that department. Front desk staff are useless, slow and have a little attitude. Don't waist your time to ask them anything. The staff in hotel will help you better. The bed are extremely hard! But other than that, our vacation were amazing and we would return there for a family vacation. Very good resort!!! [Details]

Everything met or exceeded our expectations. We will return next year without question. [Details]

It was very nice and felt very safe! [Details]

Nice location, good entertainment. [Details]

We had a great vacation! The staff was great with our family, especially Louis in the restaurants. Lucy at the omelette station at breakfast was always smiling and so friendly. The girls who ran the Kids Club were FANTASTIC!! We will definitely go back and tell our friends to go. [Details]

Very good - food average - on site jewellery store are crooks [Details]

Traveled as a couple with 2 other couples the first week of February, 2014. Overall, our impression of the Royal Solaris Los Cabos is excellent - we thoroughly enjoyed everything about the resort, including the location, grounds, beach, staff/service, food (buffet and a la cartes), and rooms. We had no regrets about our choice whatsoever. [Details]

The Solaris was clean, the staff friendly, great service, great beach and pool, and close to shopping, airport and highway! Really awesome vacation! [Details]

We loved every minute of it and didn't want to leave! The staff are wonderful, especially Juan Daniel at the pool and Luis at the breakfast restaurant. The food was great, no complaints as there is always a good variety available. The hotel is immaculately kept and service is great. I would return in a heartbeat! [Details]