Riu Palace Pacifico - All Inclusive - Adults Only

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

7439 reviews

• 

  December in Puerto Vallarta at Riu Pacifico

  December in Puerto Vallarta has never disappointed. The weather was picture perfect every day of our trip, the beach is fantastic, the views of the mountains around the bay are wonderful. A small school of rays swimming around the shallow water every day was a nice surprise. This was our first stay at the Riu Palace Pacifico; we have stayed multiple times down the beach at the Riu Vallarta. The resort is clean, and even the beach restrooms were clean. The grounds are beautiful and well-maintained. We had no issues getting chairs each morning by the pools, the beach or even the bar pool, although I was up before 8 AM each morning to find a spot. Our perception of the food was good. We found it above average for resort fare. The buffet had an abundance of options, and the fresh fruit variety was great. We tried a few of the restaurants with mixed results: you have to be in line early for the steak house, but in the end, I didn't feel it was worth the hype and the wait. In the US, we are spoiled with good steakhouses, so it is hard to impress us with steak. The meal was good and had good flavor, but the cuts were all overcooked. The Asia restaurant was just OK. The Mexican restaurant was the best in our opinion with good ceviche, and the tacos and fajitas were really good. We had no wait getting into any of the restaurants except the steakhouse. A few of the employees really stood out during our week. Janet at the breakfast buffet was so pleasant and cheerful. Milton and Andrea and Sebastian with the entertainment staff, were fun without being intrusive. Check-in and Check-out was smooth and fast, and the bellmen were available but not pushy about taking our bags. The crowd was definitely on the older side so the resort was a bit quiet in the evenings, and I think they could use a little better entertainment at night. The Michael Jackson show was fun for sure. Most of the bands are backing track bands that get a little stale. The sports bar is the best we have experienced in Mexico, with a wide selection of beer and spirits, and food that surpasses some of the restaurant fare. The wait staff was also great. There is plenty of room to have a quiet conversation or tables inside for a more raucous group watching a game. The elevators are fast, so we didnt have to spend a lot of time waiting as our room was on floor 7. We will definitely consider staying at the Palace Pacifico again soon.

  Dec 31, 2025
• 

  Perfect holiday retreat

  The staff here is top notch, Lalo, Luis and Fernando around the swim up bar, Alejandra, bringing drinks to people sitting around the pool, Milton with bingo, Pablo as our breakfast server, there are just too many to mention. We’ve stayed at a handful of our IU properties across Mexico and this one by far has the best food.. and I don’t know who’s in charge of the desserts now, but they certainly stepped up their game, kudos. I wish I could remember the name of the ladies that cleaned our rooms and made sure we had all of the items we needed. They were top-notch and on top of everything . And we saw lots of wildlife too large iguanas, stingrays in the shallow part of the ocean and a couple of ocean snakes . Other guests reported seeing whales, but we did not see any.. there’s also horseback riding right at the beach for $30 a person and one hour massage right at the beach for $35 a person. Both great deals, but not affiliated with the resort.

  Dec 29, 2025
• 

  Another excellent RIU vacation!

  Excellent resort. Food was amazing. Steakhouse was delicious. Pool was heated so no hesitation getting in. Nice to walk on the beach when the tide goes out.

  Dec 29, 2025
• 

  Lovely place to spend Christmas 2025

  This resort is absolutely beautiful! I traveled alone and had a truly lovely experience. The staff could not have been nicer or more helpful. I went on two excursions, but there is truly no need to leave the property. It is sparkling clean, has a ton of food options, and the pools and beach are beautiful. Aside from the buffet and cappucino cafe in the lobby, I ate at the specialty Italian restaurant, which was good and easy to get into. The buffet had lots of choices and was beautifully presented. The Christmas Eve buffet was spectacular. The food is similar to food on a cruise ship. For the amount of people they serve, they do an incredible job. It is not the best food I've ever had, but it's well-prepared, and best of all, I wasn't cooking it! From mimosas each day with breakfast, to lounging at the pool and having drinks delivered to me, I felt very pampered. The mini bar in my room was included in the charge, but I never used it. My phone only charged at night, but that was probably a user error. All in all, a great trip and worth your time. You will not be disappointed here.

  Dec 28, 2025
• 

  Class, calm, and comfort

  Enjoyed our 2 week wellness getaway at the adults only Riu Palace Pacifico. It was our second visit here and it certainly didn’t disappoint! My stay was full of class, calm, and comfort. Each day of our vacation flowed effortlessly into the next. What I’m most impressed with is the staff. Customer service exceeded my expectations - so accommodating! The service industry is not the easiest profession but everyday the friendly, hard working staff showed up and gave 110%. Special shout out to Jose and Victor at the beach, Dalila at the sports bar, Gloria in the Buffet and Yumi, the RIU Fit instructor. There is a well equipped gym but I choose to do all my activities outside. I took part in the RIU fit classes such as stretching, suspension training, am Pilates. I also jogged a couple times on the paved path with gardens to the small costal town of Bucerias. I really liked that you didn’t need to make reservations at any of the restaurants. Just a heads up, usually you do need to come early (about 30 - 40 minutes before the 6:00 pm open) to get in line for the Steakhouse. But the view of the sunset and the lobster tail dinner are worth it! There is always something to find at the buffet to please the taste buds. I love fresh fruit and the addition of blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries were a nice addition compared to last year. The grounds and buildings were immaculate and beautifully maintained. The rain shower back in the room was the best after a wonderful shift of walking on the beach, swimming in the ocean, and soaking up the sun. Highly recommend the RIU Palace Pacifico, a true 5 star resort!

  Dec 27, 2025