Riu Emerald Bay - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

6107 reviews

• 

  Family Vacation

  We had a lovely stay over the holidays. our family celebrated New Years at the resort. It was our 3rd visit to this resort, and we are definitely noticing some wear and tear on the hotel over the years.

  Jan 05, 2026
• 

  Two Weeks in Paradise

  We had a great time here from December 16 - January 1st. Christmas Eve Dinner and New Year’s Eve Dinner were both unbelievable with a great variety of delicious dishes. And entertainment

  Jan 04, 2026
• 

  Great experience overall from my perspective.

  Background…usually take 4-5 trips a year. Now that in forced retirement, hopefully more …lol. Well two in the last two months…RIU Gunacaste (costa Rica) and this one…Emerald Bay (Mazatlan). Location beautiful..on the beach. Beach beautiful, can play in the waves, but no swimming…( went every day) lifeguards around and always guide ya if anyone goes too far. Vendors on the beach, but always cognizant of your space. A simple “no thank you” was sufficient. Rooms…well the first floor was a mess ( 4 couples, two had first floors) we were on the second..not the best, Room so-so. Bathtub was high and narrow..had issues, as was absolutely not conducive for taking a shower. Elevation and ocean view not that great, but in the long run was glad, as it’s true about the elevators…it took its time, just 3 of them in our wing, but like I said, worked out as we used the stairs. Housekeeping was amazing, so was the beverage replenishment. BTW, did call to change room because of the location, but was like pulling teeth with the receptionist we spoke to (no won’t state her name). The other couples in our group though were moved, and they loved the new rooms in the same wing. This was our only gripe…not the end of the world, but a damper nonetheless. Food, amazing (not a picky eater, but have eaten many a delicacy), there was always something to be had…no shortage that I noticed. Chef Patricio runs a tight ship. Look for Chef Jonathan….both Chefs are “Chef’s extraordinaire”. Very customer focused . Yes speciality restaurants are buffets. No “a la carte”. Well a hybrid type in one restaurant. Honestly (the 8 of us), were quite comfortable with the buffet selection. Surprised with the comments about the food…(our experience 22 years ago in Cuba was nice…probably changed now), but this was great…not high end gourmet..but great. Staff…cannot say I met many that were not customer focused (in a resort this big and with so many employees, there is always going to be the odd one). Heck if I don’t have my coffee when I wake, or I get up on the wrong side, or…you get my point. It happens. But I could think of at least 14 names (so that’s a wide selection), that went over and above. Kudos to all the staff. Great job. Yes green bus to town is 13pesos or a US$. Nice place, friendly people (but then all Mexicans are). Tour the town, mingle with the people (on resort and off), and most important, go with an open mind and enjoy yourself.

  Dec 30, 2025
• 

  just the 2 of us

  we had a great time but the food was below averge and we could not understand the tv it was only in spanish

  Dec 30, 2025
• 

  Moments Ruined by other Moments

  I really wanted to love this resort, but several factors made it a 2-star experience for us. The Good: The beach is absolutely beautiful and the staff are very friendly and easy to communicate with in English. The food itself tastes great, but be warned: there is very little variety. The buffet is almost identical every single day (if you like the roast beef on Tuesday, you’ll see it every day for the rest of the week). The Bad: The resort's cleanliness is mediocre at best—we saw trash like confetti sitting in common areas for days without being cleaned. There is also a severe lack of shade on the beach, making the afternoons unbearable. Location-wise, you are a 20-minute cab ride from almost everything. The Dealbreaker: The most disappointing part was the lack of flexibility. My 14 year old non-alcohol drinking son lost his wristband in the ocean with only 13 hours left before checkout. Despite our honesty, they charged us a non-negotiable 1,000 pesos. Charging that much for a piece of plastic on the final day felt like a cash grab and left a very sour taste in our mouths.

  Dec 29, 2025