Riu Vallarta - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

9574 reviews

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  Loved the staff and accomedations

  This was our 3rd stay and we will be coming back. There are plenty of opportuinites to eat and drink. There is entertainment every night. There are excurition bookers available to go on something last minute. The staff was extremely helpful and plesant. Everything is kept clean and tidy. We highly recommend staying there as long as you don't take out booking in February!

  Feb 14, 2026
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  Two weeks at an ok Riu Resort

  Great location outside of puerto Vallarta and close to Bucerias. We normally travel to the Playa Del Carmen area and often stay at the Riu Resorts. This resort does not live up to the Riu reputation and lacks in so many ways. The front reception staff were not friendly, and seemed as if it was a bother checking us in. We are normally greeted at Riu resorts with an enthusiastic and gracious staff. Our biggest complaint was the food. The food was disappointing and access to the restaurants was limited . Many nights restaurants were closed and getting a reservation at the steakhouse , required guests to wait in a line in the sun for over an hour which still did not guarantee you would get a reservation. The buffet was bland and had very limited variety. The tables and chairs in the outdoor breakfast buffet had so much bird excrement on them you had to clean your chairs and tables before you could sit down . The room was clean and a good size however we had to constantly contact the front desk to request water and coffee . We stayed her for two weeks which was one week too long because of the food. The beach was beautiful, however there were no umbrellas on the beach. If you wanted one, you had to pay $10 US every day to have some form of sunshade on the beach. Also no beach service which was a little disappointing. The beach did have great foot massages available at a reasonable price, which was a great way to start your day. If you enjoy a few cocktails throughout the day or into the evening, this may not be the best place for you. The mixed drinks were weak and watered down. The bar service was good however Very poor service around the pools, even if you were tipping . We noticed that not a lot of people were tipping, which is sadly becoming more common . Please tip the staff!!!! The Riu parties ( Neon and White ) were fun and the event staff worked very hard to keep the guests entertained! My overall rating for this Riu Resort would be 3.5 stars . I went to the Riu Playacar in December after this vacation and it was much better than the Riu Vallarta. I have another vacation booked at the Riu Palace Riviera Maya which is a personal favourite of mine so I will provide an updated review of that resort when I return in April . Happy travels, I hope the Riu Vallarta makes the necessary changes to restore its once favourable reputation!!

  Feb 14, 2026
• 

  A great stay in Puerto Vallarta

  This is the second time we have stayed here. When we first arrived, we were disappointed in our room. The king bed was simply 2 double beds pushed together with a gap in the middle. We were also on the first floor, looking over a back alley. When my wife went to use the hair dryer, it didn't work. We informed the front desk of our disappointment, and they immediately went to work to find us a better room. We were very pleased with their efficiency in solving this issue. The food is great at all the restaurants, including the buffet. There are great activities during the day and evening — whether in the pool, at contests, or with entertainment. The one issue with the entertainment is that if you are sitting outside of the theatre's covered area, in the plaza, the sound can be muffled. Likewise, the stage in the plaza has good sound if you are sitting directly in front of it, but if you sit off to the side, the sound isn't always clear. The housekeepers are absolutely amazing. The staff is constantly working to keep the resort clean. One other heads-up: they do a Friday Night white party at one of the other RIU sites. From my perspective, this is an adult-based evening; it is not a family-friendly event. It is very well done, but I really don't need my 11, 13, and 15-year-old boys seeing that much flesh bouncing around :) Bottom line this would still be a first choice resort when going back.

  Feb 13, 2026
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  Mother daughter trip

  Overall, our trip was enjoyable, but there were several significant concerns that we feel need to be addressed. We experienced initial issues with the transportation arranged through the hotel. Although pickup ultimately occurred as scheduled, the uncertainty at the start of our trip created unnecessary stress. Upon arrival at the resort, we were unable to access our room until 2:55 PM. This significantly limited our ability to enjoy the resort amenities on our first day, particularly the water activities. While our second-floor room appeared neat at first glance, there was visible black mold on the bathroom wall near the ceiling that remained throughout our entire stay. This is not only unsightly but a health concern that should be addressed promptly. Additionally, the air conditioning in our room did not function properly. The temperature remained fixed at 22°C for the duration of our stay. Due to the high humidity, the room constantly felt damp, and sleeping comfortably was difficult. I submitted two separate maintenance requests. Although staff did respond, the issue was never resolved and no meaningful improvement was made. The food throughout the resort was very good, and we had no complaints regarding the specialty restaurants or buffet options. However, we were surprised and disappointed that there was no room service available, as this has been a standard amenity at most other RIU properties we have visited. The gym facility was another area of concern. It is extremely small, with outdated equipment. By 7:00 AM it was already overcrowded to the point that completing a workout was nearly impossible. Each morning by approximately 7:15 AM, towels and water were depleted, which reflects poor restocking and oversight. The pools were consistently overcrowded, with little to no lounge chair availability. As a result, we spent approximately 95% of our time on the beach. While the beach itself is beautiful, the absence of drink service significantly impacted our ability to relax and fully enjoy the experience. This lack of beach service is the primary reason we would not choose to return to this resort. Additionally, restroom facilities throughout the property were limited and often inconveniently located. Based on our experiences at other RIU properties, we would consider this resort to be middle of the road. We are sharing this feedback in hopes that these concerns can be addressed for future.

  Feb 13, 2026
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  Riu resorts always very nice and clean

  We enjoyed our time at the Riu. The rooms are clean, and food is good. We especially enjoyed the steak house. It is nice to have several pools to go to. Riu resorts never disappoint.

  Feb 13, 2026