I’ve stayed at or visited most of the Riu resorts in Cancun and the Riviera Maya. In my opinion, it’s one of the best budget-friendly resort chains out there where you get the most bang for your buck…and when you spend your hard earned money on a vacation, that can turn out to be a very relevant consideration when choosing a property.
Amenities I’ve most appreciated about the Riu chain (besides price point) are the following:
- most are beachfront or within walking distance to the beach (such as Riu Tequila)
- exchange privileges with other Riu resorts
- in-room liquor dispensers for all rooms, not just for upgrades like some other resorts
- multiple pools
- great buffets…Riu Palace Peninsula has even had lobster on Thursdays in their buffet. I actually enjoy the buffet more than most of Riu’s a la cartes with the exception of what they refer to as their Gourmet a la carte restaurant (typically called Kulinarium)
- you can eat by the pools or on the beach
- great poolside BBQ’s for lunch…Riu Palace Las Americas was even giving out ice cream as a dessert choice!
Nothing is perfect; several things I’ve always disliked about Riu have been their house wines and contemporary renovations done in purple/pink/silver. I can’t help but say out loud “oh my” when I see those types of renovations. But the positives far outweigh any negatives, so I keep returning. As a matter of fact, my last vacation in March 2023 started out with staying at the brand new Riu Palace Kukulkan (you can read my resort review here), and my next spring break vacay in 2024 will start out with Riu Palace Riviera Maya. I stayed at that resort before it got fully renovated and have been hesitant to return because I loved the beautiful decor so much I was devastated when I first saw pics of the renovation. But I am ready to return and document the changes without too much sadness at this point.
If you are not familiar with this resort chain and want to know more about the difference between a regular Riu resort and a Riu Palace resort, the video below done by Christine Turner (a travel agent from Canada) will bring you up to speed. In case you also enjoy Christine’s videos like I do, she has recently been vacationing in Rarotonga located in the Cook Islands and stayed at an amazing rental house with its own pool and beach access. You can view that one by clicking here. Definitely on my bucket list for sure.
What do you think about Riu resorts? Have you stayed at any, or are you thinking of booking one?