Riu Playacar - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

8672 reviews

• 

  Just being honest

  First time at Riu Playacar and a first visit to cancun. Although the hotel was great, it wasn’t the Caribbean scenery we wanted. The seaweed on the beach is awful and although they try to clear it each morning, they are fighting a losing battle. Not only does it look disgusting and the red flag flies for you not to enter the sea, the SMELL will stay with us forever, it’s a mix of fish and sulphur and it hits you in the pool and sometimes all the way up to the lobby. However, Riu Playacar was lovely & the staff couldn’t do enough for you. They are constantly cleaning, you never pass a gardener or staff member without them greeting you. The food was very good too with loads of variety. Rooms are big and cool, loved the shower. The entertainment staff were brilliant and altho the shows get a bit repetitive, there’s lots of dancing shows, the entertainment team are full of energy and bring the Mexican vibe. We particularly loved Tina and April for their energy. Booked the Tulum, Cenote and sea turtle experience with TUI. Tulum and the Cenote was brilliant, we will never forget the Cenote experience. Swimming with the sea turtles was very stressful as the person in charge at the venue kept shouting at us and mocking us, my daughter had a panic attack and I ended up swimming into the shore with her and again having to face the disgusting seaweed. TUI very quickly sorted the sea turtle experience part, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who doesn’t want to swim face down in the sea with a cheap snorkel mask, if that makes you claustrophobic then it’s not for you because you are not allowed to stand in the sea. TUI flight on the way out was great, we had a bigger aircraft, so more toilets and the food and cabin crew were great. The way back however was a different story, absolutely miserable cabin crew bar 1 young girl, the breakfast was disgusting! An apple flapjack, rock hard and cold brioche and strawberry yoghurt, I didn’t eat it and nor did my son. People were throwing up and coughing and sneezing the whole 9 hours, it was gross. The rubbish and food on the carpet all over the aisle was awful, I was ashamed of the other customers that did that. Same films on the way out as on the way back. Felt like the longest flight ever! Lastly, the cost of gifts at the shops opposite is phenomenal, we were told to take dollars and they rip you off for using dollars, best to take Pesos for those kind of purchases. They do not leave you alone as soon as you walk over there, it gets too much. I ended up not buying anything from there, thought it would be better at the airport but no, even in the sweets part of the duty free they are trying to sell you things, they pester you until in the end you just leave the shop! They are also over priced for items like bracelets and fridge magnets, the normal things you buy as a cheap token of your trip, none of it is as cheap. Hotel shop charges me $20 for a bag of salted Lays and a small Milka bar! Nowhere is cheap! Overall, the hotel was great, beach was a no go. Be prepared to spend on silly things and be strong with your telling the shop people NO!

  Jul 05, 2025
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  Excellent will not disappoint

  Ideal location, feel very safe out and about. Starbucks, little shopping precinct, an outside bar, lots to do if you want to wander from the hotel all within a 4 minute walk. Recommend for families. We had a great time. Only draw back was no lift to room and on 3rd floor but they will help with luggage, we just dragged them ourselves. Large family room was fab. No doubts about returning. Have been to Tequilla before and we felt this was a much better set up at Player car. Overall nicer and not as much greenery so not as many bites as we had at Tequilla which is 5 minutes on the same road.

  Jul 04, 2025
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  Lovely hotel, great staff and food

  Stayed here for 2 weeks and loved it. First of all people complaining on previous reviews about there not being any air con in the reception lobby area... it's all open entrance so the air con wouldn't work. You are in a hot humid country you can't have everything. Also complaining about the smell. Yes it isn't great. But the beach was constantly being cleared everyday every 30/45 mins by tractors for 2 weeks. It's not the hitels fault it all washes back in straight after. So people saying nothing was done is a liar! The staff are lovely and friendly. The restaurants are great, the buffet for lunch and dinner there was always something nice to eat. Never had any issues with the food. David (we think might be a manager) is lovely! He always had a smile on his face and always said hello. He seemed to treat all the staff with great respect and was always checking things were done and right. The seaweed smell was bad a lot of the time but we knew it was there and it was bad and got used to it. The grounds of the hotel are immaculate and everywhere is spotless. The staff work really hard day and night. The pools again were clean apart from the odd drunk that would vomit in the pool and close it for us all. The only slight issue we ever had was at the lunch buffet. Sometimes we would go and instantly get served water and a wine. Then a good few times we came in and the staff never once come over in nearly an hour we were sat there not offering any wine or water. The staff could see we were sat there and they were stood on the side not doing a lot. That is the only negative really at lunch the staff seemed disinterested. Air con in the room worked well. The safe wouldn't open one night around 1230am and we needed to get access to it for a trip in the morning and reception came out and reset it for us! Fridge topped up all the time. Overall great hotel. Thanks to everyone. Zayn and Chris!

  Jul 02, 2025
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  Great stay

  Great hotel, great service staff can’t do enough for you. Too many to mention all but jazimie and Tina really great. Food amazing, drinks good. Only downside is the over crowded pools. Spainish canary island RUIs are not like this. Rooms are comfortable and well air conditioned. Only bad experience was in the onsite shop, was over charged by $800. She apologised can gave it me Back when looking at receipt, was charged $550 of one bag of crisps. She gave me the difference back. I asked for the duty manager, once is a mistake twice is not right. The duty manager didn’t care. I understand that the shop is a franchise but this trader is ripping RIU guests off. ADVISE ANYONE TO USE THE SHOPS OVER THE ROAD.

  Jun 30, 2025
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  Fantastic

  This is the first time I have been to a RIU hotel and we were very impressed the Santa’s are so polite and can not do enough for you constantly checking your drinks are filled. Constantly cleaning everywhere and everything. Highly recommend and have booked another RIU holiday

  Jun 29, 2025