Riu Palace Mexico

Riu Palace Mexico
4.524.524.524.524.52
4.52 based on 184 reviews
#2 of 137 hotels The Monarc.ca popularity scale (#1/15) classifies all the hotels of a single destination according to the number of grades received on 5 and the total number of reviews. in Riviera Maya
Rated 5 stars
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3rd times a charm

, Niagara Falls, ON
2024-02-07
Always enjoy our stays at Riu resorts…this time the beach was exceptionally beautiful and seaweed free! [Details]
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The strong points
Clean, great food and best drinks ever
The weak points
Lacking in the entertainment department
Certified

Still awesome

, Burnaby, BC
2023-10-27
I look forward to visiting Riu Palace Mexico every year, super location, clean and very friendly staff, beautiful beaches. I was disappointed that there was no seafood gala this year, plus the food quality is not as high as my first visit in 2017, I will still come next year. [Details]
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The strong points
Beautiful beaches, staff super friendly, very clean
The weak points
I was disappointed that there was no seafood gala on Thursday anymore, plus the quality of food is down from my previous visits.
Certified

Good resort

, Toronto, ON
2023-06-01
It was a good experience. Rooms are very old need to be upgraded. The bath, and showers doors never closes . Overall was good. [Details]
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The weak points
208
Certified

Great vacation!

, Westbank, BC
2023-03-21
We stayed at this hotel several years ago and were very happy that we went back this year. The service was excellent. The buffet and the a la carte restaurants gave us plenty of options for dining.

There was always someone bringing drinks on the beach.

The hotel was close to the other Riu hotels to drop in for drinks, etc. It was a short cab ride to Playa del Carmen.

The staff was friendly and helpful if you had any questions. [Details]
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The strong points
Very clean well run hotel. Great food options. Enjoyed the cafe in the lobby. Wonderful staff.
The weak points
Entertainment was good except for game played each evening. It was done by scanning a QR code on smart phones and answering some questions. Anyone not playing just sat and watched a screen. Would've preferred the house band or other music to continue.
Certified

Fantastic Resort

, Blind River, ON
2023-03-07
My husband and I were joined by two couples at the Hotel Riu Palace Mexico for a wonderful 2 week vacation. We had requested an upper floor and a King size bed, which were not guaranteed. Upon check in, we were given a ground floor room with two double beds. My husband went to the front desk and asked if there was any chance we could be moved. In less time that it took him to ask the question, we were given a room on the top (2nd) floor with a king size bed and a view of the court yard. As a group, we were spread across the resort, but it was easy to connect and meet up when we wanted to. There was quite a bit of seaweed washing up on the beach, but the grounds crew worked incessantly to clean it up. There was only one day during our two week stay that the seaweed seemed to be winning. All in all, we would be happy to stay at this resort, should we venture back to this area. The staff were unfailingly pleasant, service was prompt and efficient. [Details]
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The strong points
Beach was lovely, restaurants were varied, staff pleasant and easy to deal with
The weak points
Quality of food could be inconsistent and drinks from the bar did not seem to have much alcohol in them..
Sanitary measures
You can always see staff members cleaning something, somewhere.
Certified

Riu Palace Mexico review

, Coquitlam, BC
2022-04-25
Beautiful hotel probably back years ago was rated 5 star, for sure remember better days but not anymore. Outside and on the picture looks perfect, garden and building, lounge rooms but guests rooms definitely need major improvements. Walls and moldings at least new paint, bathrooms updates, bathroom fans not working and that's bad considering that's basically one open space with bedroom. People that work there, from reception desk to servers in the restaurants, cleaning stuff , bartenders, beach service all 10 out of 10. Package is too overpriced for what you get. Beach is I guess nice but not in the time when we stayed there because it was a see weed season and water and send close to the water was covered with that. Was quite difficult to get in the water. I wouldn't definitely come to that hotel again [Details]
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Wonderful staff! Beautiful grounds!

, Surrey, BC
2022-04-24
Had a lovely week here! Wish a few things were better, but still had an enjoyable time. [Details]
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The strong points
The staff all look genuinely happy. We had an issue with our room and they moved us to a new room.
The weak points
The food was repetitive. Not very many gluten free options. The rooms are dated. The A/C didn't work in our first room.
Certified

One Week of Sun & Fun

, Toronto, ON
2021-12-20
This was not our first time in Riu Palace & for sure not the last time. [Details]
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The strong points
Staff at front desk always take care of you with smile. Rooms are cleaned on time & they do excellent job in giving you whatever extras you need. Food is excellent & variety is good as well.
The weak points
There was not enough Mask enforcement for guests who walk all over without them. Even though staff were very good on serving us, There was not enough servers around pool & when going to the pool bar, they did not serve you with a smile as others.
Sanitary measures
They gave away free masks & hand sanitizers all over resort. But some guests did not wear mask at all & even when other guests & sometimes even servers told them as well, there was nobody to really enforce it, specially in Buffets & Food Courts.
Certified

Beautiful Resort

, Ajax, ON
2020-03-14
This was our 3rd visit here in the past 11 months. The service here is the best of any RIU Palace. Besides the fantastic buffet, you can go to all the restaurants as many times as you like and reservations are not required. The beach is really nice and raked every morning, including around all loungers and right to the waters edge. We love the location as Playacar feels very safe and you can walk into 5th Avenue or taxi ride is only $8. The resort grounds are beautiful and clean, there is always staff cleaning and grooming. The rooms are very nice, some people may want more privacy in the bathroom, but that is not a concern for us. Overall, this is a fantastic place to go if you want a low key, quality vacation in Mexico. If you want a hopping place, go next door to the Yucatan or across the street to the Tequila. [Details]
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The strong points
Service and staff, cleanliness, food quality and choices, location, never feels full as there is lots of room even when at capacity.
The weak points
None for us, but those wanting lots of entertainment will need to cross the street and go to RIU Tequila.
Certified

Great place with Excellent Service

, Ajax, ON
2019-05-01
This hotel is all about service. The quality of the food is top notch on the buffet and the restaurants. They have top quality drinks as well. Everyone here is very friendly and they go out of their way to make sure you have a good time. No standing in line for a drink, just sit down somewhere and you will be immediately served. The entertainment was great as well, we love live music and there was plenty to satisfy our tastes. For anyone who complains about the few minor things here, they may be hard to please. [Details]
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The strong points
Service is top notch, food is great with plenty of choices, grounds are beautiful, location is perfect with nice proximity to local shopping and other RIU resorts.
The weak points
Very few weak points. No washroom close to beach. The toilet stall in the room is very small. There was a lot of seaweed, but they worked tirelessly to keep on top of it.
Certified

Xmas at Riu Palace Mexico

, Ottawa, ON
2019-01-14
Although the review is about the Riu Palace Mexico, the picture on the left is that of the Riu Palace Riviera Maya which is one km to the North far enough that we did not visit it. Both hotels are on the same wide sandy beach. The Riu Playacar is a few minutes away in between the two. The Palace has very attractive clean look although nothing Mexican about it. The alley leading to the wide sandy beach is wide and well maintained. You do not feel closed in. One day we walked to the modern shopping mall in Playa Del Carmen. It was a nice pleasant walk past hotels (including the Riu Palace Riviera Maya) and villas and into the shopping district and the ferry dock to Cozumel passing by a small historic church and a nearby park with local bands playing. We spent Christmas at the Riu Palace Mexico. The food was great. The hotel grounds, rooms and public spaces, bars, restaurants are all very attractive if you did not mind the bright white and modern look. It initially did not appeal to my wife but she ended loving its elegance. Great coffee everywhere. As mentioned in the strong points the food and evening entertainment was very much to our liking. Access to the nearby Riu properties was a real plus. After the second day, the winds picked up and it became challenging to swim distance in the ocean (playing in the wave was always fine). Scuba diving outings were cancelled. The Palace has many pools but none are ideals for length swimming. However the nearby Riu Playacar has two large pools where we ended up going each morning the last few days of our stay and where we also went for aquafitness. It is just a few minutes walk along the beach. But we came back to our beach with many lawn chairs and enough palm trees to have some shade. The winds brought seaweed unto the beach but staff collected it and it was not a major issue. Entertainment during the day was just enough to give us daily yoga and zumba classes. [Details]
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The strong points
Very good food. Fruits and seafood plentiful, both things that we love. The beach is superb and wide. The staff worked hard to please. The evening entertainment was of high quality. Access to nearby Riu properties was a real plus.
The weak points
The gym although very good with a pleasant view of the grounds was relatively small for the size of the hotel.
Certified

Great vacation

, Pointe Claire, QC
2018-04-13
Hotel definitely deserves a 5 Star rating. Staff from front desk to maintenance worker, bar personnel etc. all friendly and available. [Details]
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The strong points
The buffet had a good variety and was excellent, making a difficult decision to go to a la carte for fear of missing out on surprises at the buffet. Although we did go to 2 a la carte and were not disappointed.
The weak points
Still looking!!!
Certified

Awesome. Simply..........

, Markham, ON
2017-08-02
Truly a very nice property.
Nicely located in Playacar and not far from lively 5th Ave.in Playa Del Carmen.
Very clean, from the lobby to the beach.
Landscaping and water fountains are very well maintained.
Check-in was very quick and the staff were very friendly..
Food choices were good.Drinks at the bars were very adequate.
House keeping and room service were excellent.
But above all, the staff everywhere were great. Very friendly and hardworking to help your stay a great one. [Details]
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Certified

Fantastic Riu Palace Mexico!

, Burlington, ON
2016-10-28
Great hotel, amazing restaurants , food , fantastic beach - entertainment not so much fun, not much too do in the evenings as in most of Riu Palace hotels [Details]
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The strong points
Restaurants, beach , clean
The weak points
Entertainment

Beautiful resort.

, Markham, ON
2016-06-27
Beautiful resort.Nice room.Good landscaping. Very good beach. Clear blue water. Hats off to all the hard working men and women who help to make your stay a very good one.
However, this resort lack some five star elements.Quality of wine.Choice of beer.Food was average.
Not sure if you pay less you get less.
High season vs low season prices.
However, this was definitely good value for the money we paid and would still recommend this resort. [Details]
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Certified

I survived this place

, Toronto, ON
2016-06-05
The cons:

This hotel felt like a 3-star hotel to me. So, prepare your mind and expect a 3-star hotel. I was in utter shock when I got into my room and there was a very strong moldy smell, and the room was so damp. My clothes were damp, and paper was damp.
When I went to reception to request another room, the Front desk clerk was rude. I believe that as a valued guest I must be treated with respect.
Eventually I got another room, but it was not the best room. Lucky for me I was with family so I could stay in their room and we spent time in another hotel too. I was not here the full seven days.
A note to the traveller: Shampoo and soap is terrible. Best if you bring your own.

The Pros:

The service at the restaurant was excellent and the food was so delicious, and I'm a picky eater, yet everything was perfect. The servers were very polite and always had a beautiful smile on their face. Every dinning room was perfect and the best was the 24-hour snack bar.
The people cleaning your room were very nice too, and did everything with a smile.
The grounds of the hotel are fantastic and the beach is perfect.

Note: If you have breathing problems, be careful. On two different days I woke up in the middle of the night and could not breathe. Luckily I had my inhaler with me. Something in the air blocked my airways, it was kind of scary.

Stayed April 2016, travelled with family [Details]
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The strong points
The architectural beauty of the hotel, and size. The beach was perfect.
The weak points
The bad smell in the rooms and the damp feeling.

Riu Palace Mexico

, Hilton, NY
2016-03-01
Great vacation. Beautiful hotel. Food and drinks were awesome. Staff could not do enough. [Details]
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The strong points
Staff, food, drinks
The weak points
décor was not my style, poor internet
Certified

Excellente Supreme

, Regina, SK
2015-02-28
This hotel was incredible and we would recommend it to anyone. The service was excellent and the staff were always pleasant and wanted to please. Very clean facilities. The food at the buffet was so good that we did not feel the need to try an ala carte although we heard they were excellent as well. When you getting prime rib or lobster on the buffet we were always anxious to see what was on the menu each evening.

The pool area is removed from the suites so that it was always quiet at bedtime. Excellent idea.

Lounge chairs were always available on the beach. No need to be on the beach before sunrise to get a chair and we were there in February during peak season. Very nice!! [Details]
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The strong points
See above comments
The weak points
None
Certified

RIU Palce Mexico

, Peterborough, ON
2014-11-27
Beautiful new modern resort, very clean and typical of the new RIU look (modern, efficient, pink & purple colors). The hotel does not have that old-world charm, character or personality of some other Caribbean hotels. The beach and food are excellent. Wine options disappointing. [Details]
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The strong points
The Beach (white sand, no stones or coral; The food quality & selection; Location - can walk to Playa del Carmen.
The weak points
The wine was not very palatable and no opportunity to purchase a better quality wine; The toilet compartment in the room is too small.
Certified

Riu palace Mexico

, Oakville, ON
2014-11-17
Hotel was nice and clean, food was the best I have ever had in all inclusive! Beach is very impressive. Not the best place if you have young children, activities are non existent for them! [Details]
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The strong points
Food
The weak points
Staff friendliness
Certified

Riu Palace Mexico

, Toronto, ON
2014-04-14
The hotel was beautiful and very clean. Liked the contemporary look of the hotel as well. There was every amenity that one would require for the week. Service, food and drinks were exceptional and always available. The 24 hour lounge in the lobby was an added bonus for getting an early morning coffee or late night glass of wine. Would like to try other Riu Palace hotels now after visiting the Riu Palace Mexico. [Details]
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The strong points
Cleanliness, quality of everything and service provided by staff.
The weak points
No washrooms on the beach and bar service on the beach was slow and sporadic.
Certified

Not for teens too boring

, Kanata, ON
2014-03-15
We had a nice week at the Palace but bringing teenagers here is a mistake. There is nothing geared for them. This is for couples and adults, not that there is anything wrong with it but we went on march break with teens and it was an expensive mistake. [Details]
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The strong points
Beautiful beach
The weak points
Too quiet the entertainment is what brings this down. It needs to liven up.
Certified

First vacation

, Cambridge, ON
2014-03-10
Riu palace mexico was a wonderful hotel. The staff were friendly the moment we arrived. They take care of their hotel grounds, from early in the morning until the sun goes down at night.
Food was great, the buffet had something different every night, the a la carte were good but would of like more interaction with the staff.
Nighty entertainment was average, live music every night for 2 hrs was good to sit, have a couple of drinks to relax. [Details]
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The strong points
Hotel cleaniness, staff, food
The weak points
Due to the humilty, it made everything feel damp and smelly
Certified

RIU PALACE RIVIERA MAYA

, Montreal, QC
2014-02-19
Please take note that we had changed our reservations from Palace Mexico to the Palace Riviera Maya and couldn't have been more pleased. All our expectations were met and in most cases surpassed. The one thing that was a little off putting was that there was no minimum dress code for the dinner meal. I don't think that it would be too much to expect that guests wear appropriate clothing e.g. men to wear pants and not shorts and t-shirts and not appear that they have just returned from a day at the beach.
The hotel and all the staff that we had encountered were top flight and friendly. We tend to travel frequently and intend to return for another stay in the not too distant future. [Details]
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The strong points
The resort and staff quite frankly were beyond our expectations especially the hotel staff throughout the entire complex.
The weak points
Lack of a dress code and in some instances the quality of the food.
Certified

Vacation at Rui Palace

, Toronto, ON
2014-01-27
Just returned from a week at the Riu Palace Mexico .... and what a great week it was. The hotel is beautiful and the location is amazing. This is by far the best hotel in Playacar (way better than the other Riu's). Playacar is a gorgeous gated community that is very safe. You can walk from the hotel into Playa Del Carmen in 20 mins down a pretty street or along the beach. The food was great & we never got sick. The beach is stunning and goes on for miles. The hotel is spotless & the staff are fantastic ... always smiling and will get you anything you need. I would highly reccomend this hotel & would go back in a heart beat. [Details]
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The strong points
location, beach, food
The weak points
need to make reservations for a la carte restaurants
Certified

Great Beach no water shoes needed

, Brantford, ON
2014-01-23
very modern, excellent friendly staff,
food is fresh but a bit boring
small resort with limited entertainment but you are allowed to go to all other Riu resorts in the area.
overall we had a great time and I am an ocean loverin that regard it was perfect for me. the hotel itself lacks the mexcican spirit at keast for me.
I found the bed quite comfortable the blankets were horrible though.
Everything is extremely clean.
Our toilet, shower and bathtub were plugged but half an hour soneone came and fixed it so no big deal.things do happen its how they are taken care off thats important . [Details]
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The strong points
Beach
The weak points
Food fresh but bland entertainment
Certified

Great Vacation

, Kitchener, ON
2013-12-17
All round a fantastic resort. From the service staff to the rooms and the amazing food, we had a wonderful vacation. Thank you Riu:) [Details]
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The strong points
The beach and the food.
The weak points
Dampness in the rooms.
Certified

RuinPalace Hotel Mexico

, Etobicoke, ON
2013-12-08
As we drove into the driveway of the Rui Mexico we liked what we saw. Once we came in contact with the staff we became immediately impressed. They were friendly not phony and very efficient and well-trained. The hotel itself is excellent clean well-kept and easy to like. The beach or what can you say it's absolutely exceptional and was enjoyed for many hours. It was a pleasurable experience to stay at the Rui Mexico [Details]
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The strong points
Beach, staff, food variety.
The weak points
Hotel layout. Needs an additional elevator at each end do the hotel
Certified

Would definately go again

, Lansdowne, ON
2013-12-06
The Resort was wonderful. Staff, beach, food was fantastic. Constantly cleaning and doing all the little things to make your stay exceptional. Rooms were clean and spacious. Some people complain about the humidity - go to Arizona not the tropics if you want dry. [Details]
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The strong points
Staff, food, service, beach
The weak points
Internet could be stronger but no real problems.
Certified

Top Notch

, Cornwall, ON
2013-11-05
Great resort. Loved the new style of this property.
Was realy nice to have the option to use other Riu resorts in the area. It gave us good variety.
The food was excellent!!! All meals.
Good friendly service all over.
We appriciatted the acknowledgement from the front desk as repeat guest and for our special occasion. They were always reminding us what they could do to make our vacation the best it could be.
AMAZING beach. One of the best we have ever seen.
Another big plus is that Playa Del Carmen is so close. Its within walking distance of this resort.
We loved Riu Palace Mexico. Four thumbs up!
We would love to return. Enjoy! We did. [Details]
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The strong points
Beach and proximity to Playa Del Carmen
The weak points
Bar and washroom needed at the beach
Certified
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