Riu Palace Mexico

This place is a joke to be considered 5 star. 3 stars is pressing it. It was by no means comparable to many of the truly 5 star all-inclusives in Riviera Maya/Cancun/Playa area. I’ve travelled and stayed at several RIU’s: this was like an RIU stepchild thrice removed. No comparison. After the stay here, I’d be hesitant to stay at another RIU or recommend to anyone. The check-in was miserably abysmal and literally left me in tears. (See more below in the “Bad” section.) The accomodations were worn and not particularly well maintained. Customer service was inconsistent and even bordered on dismissive and purposely rude at times. Sadly, after much reflection on the experience here, comparison with service at other all inclusives in the area where I've stayed, and having spoken to another couple who noticed similar service lapses: I had what I call "travelling while Black" experiences. The poor service was so profoundly different from the little good service that the disparate treatment and service were obvious, and quite possibly based on race. Not good. PLEASE save your money and choose elsewhere. It is all inclusive: but ask yourself before booking of the quality of what’s included. Food: pedestrian at best. Think buffet (and not even at the level of a good Vegas buffet). 24 hour food and 24 hour room service are a farce: think expanded deli tray. Not even at the level of those private entry business lounge cocktail hour offerings you find at most hotels these days. (See more below). The place is in desperate need of some TLC. The rooms and buildings show definite wear and tear. The rooms, including décor and cleanliness, really weren’t even appointed at the level of the last Radisson I stayed at in Chicago in June. Think more along the lines of one of those Residence Inns or Hampton Inns if it were located on great tropical grounds by a great beach with lovely greenery. First the good:

Let me start by saying this was a great trip and it was very enjoyable! Everyone was very friendly and everything was nice! The entertainment was great and the people work so hard there! However, there were a few things that I felt were not up to snuff considering it is supposed to be one of the more luxurious places. 1) there is a ton of nasty and stinky seaweed on the beach and in the ocean. They were trying to clean this up, but it was an impossible task. I felt like the beaches in Florida are probably nicer, but the waves were calm and my son had fun swimming. 2) the beds, linens, and pillows were not comfortable or luxurious at all. They weren't horrible, but just not that great for the price. 3) The food options were good and the atmosphere was nice at the various restaurants, but the quality was not like what you would get in a truly fancy restaurant 4) the bathroom had no door on it. The toilet is in a closet, and the shower has a door, but the bathtub and changing area is pretty open which was weird to be there with my son. I would maybe go back, but I would probably prefer to check out another location first or find a cheaper option, or a more luxurious one if I'm paying this much. Other than these few things, everything was great and we had a wonderful time.

We traveled April 12-19, 2018, my husband, myself and 13 year old son. Overall we had a great time, the food was always delicious and fresh. The best restaurant for us was the Japanese, we liked that it wasn't the typical hibachi style that we have seen at other resorts. Great sushi and authentic Japanese food, amazing. The buffet was always on point, endless options, especially for a 13 year old boy who couldn't get enough crepes at the crepe station. The beach was ok, not the resorts fault but mother nature definitely gives it's fair share of seaweed to this part of Mexico. The employees work so hard to clean it up for the guests but there is ALOT of it. The water was also pretty rough, definitely not able to let kids swim alone. The pools were clean and the servers were always right there with a new drink. Definitely needs to be a pool side grill or something for snacks, having to wait for lunch at the buffet and not being able to go back to the pool with your food was a little ridiculous. The guests here are definitely more laid back and not the party hard kind. So if you are looking for that, stay at one of the other RIU's they were super fun, but the food was definitely not as good at any of them. Luckily our son enjoys hanging out with us since there were no other kids his age at this hotel...0, we saw a few infants but other than that, he was the only 13 year old there, so Dad was playing a lot of volley ball and keeping him busy. The room...it was clean and fairly large, plenty of room for all of us. But the musty odor, which I don't think they can fix due to the humidity, is BAD. Our bathroom door was also broken and if you closed it all the way you were locked in, called several times to have it fixed and no one ever came. I would recommend this hotel to a couple who wants to relax and have great food, but definitely not to anyone with kids of any age, just not enough fun activities. Best thing was the foam party, only happens on Fridays though so if you miss it, that's it. I saw the kids club one day, she had 3 kids with her around 6-8 years old, they looked to be pretty bored. So even though this is not an adult only resort, it definitely caters to an older crowd, nothing to do past 9pm accept maybe a band playing some light music, other than that you need to walk down the street to one of the other RIU's.

The staff is great. Friendly, polite, and caring. Always around to take care of your every need but never intrusive. The food was great and plentiful. The rooms were clean and beds were comfortable. I was't to thrilled with the decor. White LED lighting was a little harsh and the European design is not my stile. I prefer a more Mexican or Mediterranean atmosphere. I would not hesitate to recommend Riu resorts to anyone. Thanks for a great time.