Within the past year I have been horribly neglectful about posting my Cancun vacation adventures (Mea Culpa), but there are only so many hours in a day to spend between a 9-5 job, personal responsibilities, and turning a hobby mindset into a serious business venture (yeah, I am talking about my all-inclusive resort book).  Since the latter is now more under control, I have some time to make up for my “vacationing but not posting” attitude.  Let me start with the most recent Cancun vacay and work my way backwards to January 2025 when I stopped posting about my resort stays.

In my latest Cancun adventure I wanted to focus on multiple new resorts (those that had opened within the last 4-5 months), and chose Riu Ventura, Majestic Mirage Costa Mujeres, and Ocean Allure Costa Mujeres.  I traveled solo and spent three nights at each resort, so I got a chance to fully focus on the properties and amenities offered–I’m not a fan of evening resort entertainment unless it’s a great speakeasy nightclub or a Rock Show in the theater, plus I’m not into spa treatments so those topics aren’t typically included in any write-up details.  Just a heads up in case you are looking for specifics about those types of vacation experiences.  In this review, however, I did attend one evening theater performance which is discussed towards the end of this blog post.

My first stop was Riu Ventura, a family-friendly resort which opened its doors Dec. 6, 2025.  Check-in was at 3 p.m. (pretty strictly enforced) and check-out was at 12 p.m.  This resort was located on famous Playa Delfines which is one of the most popular beach areas in Cancun’s Hotel Zone.  It was a lengthy travel day and I arrived at the resort around 6 p.m. after a 15-20 min. shuttle ride north of the Cancun airport.  FYI:  For those who check luggage, please be aware that some baggage claim waits at the Cancun airport can now be as long as an hour, especially at Terminal 3.  Also, please be aware that Riu has a policy that states that guests arriving after 6 p.m. need to contact the resort in advance in order to let them know your approximate arrival time or else they are free to give your room to someone else.  This is a very different policy than most other all-inclusive resorts in that you usually have until midnight to check-in without any sort of negative repercussion.

Check-in with Brandon was quick and efficient while I enjoyed a refreshing drink minus the alcohol.  I was made aware that my room category, Double With Swim-Up and Frontal Sea View, had two potential locations–true oceanfront or the swim-ups located below the rooftop pool which is actually set back quite a bit from the ocean.  Brandon assured me I had the better location (maybe because I am a Riu Class member and booked directly with the resort?) and I finished check-in with more details about resort specifics.  I approached a bellman to get my carry-on and show me my room, but this was when my first resort snafu occurred–an assurance of a five minute wait turned into 15 and by then I just wanted to settle down in my room and unpack so I got my bag and asked staff to point me in the general direction of how to get there.  Not a huge deal; the resort is compact enough you won’t get lost even with 705 guest rooms.

Riu has offered other swim-up rooms at other resort locations, but I thought their latest swim-up rendition at this resort was ideal–plenty of interior space, not located on ground level which made for stellar ocean views, it had the requisite in-room liquor cabinet, a large bathroom, and a balcony with a true swim-up feature of walking directly into a swim-up pool from the balcony.  The balcony itself offered two full loungers along with a table and chairs plus a shade umbrella.  The oceanfront swim-up pool traversed the entire resort section, and while you could swim from one end to the other guests mostly just stayed by their own balcony area.  FYI:  While it doesn’t look like it from one’s balcony, there is the possibility of other guests using the narrow walkway which exists between the swim-up pool edge and the plexiglass–entrances/exits can be found outside of the balcony areas from the general hallway.  Not the greatest for privacy, but there are few swim-ups at any resort that guarantee privacy.  Just a few notes on negatives concerning this room category (besides the one already mentioned concerning the possibility of being placed in the rooftop pool section instead of oceanfront):  This room category only offers double beds, but you can easily request housekeeping to push them together and make up the bed as one large one–just tip them and everybody is happy. (My bed was already made up as one large bed so I didn’t make any special request).  Also, while the bathroom had its own door for privacy, there was a rather large window with a “leaf” design by the shower which did allow for some vague shadows to be present while bathing–a minor potential peek-a-boo situation but it may be important for some guests sharing space such as two friends traveling together or family members all staying in the same room (room sofas can turn into sofa beds).  Would I book the same room category?  Definitely.  It’s now in my roster of better swim-up rooms at Cancun resorts.

Now let’s talk about the beach.  Playa Delfines is a large stretch of beach generally known to be between Km. 17-20 in Cancun’s Hotel Zone facing the Caribbean Sea.  It’s known for its white sand, postcard perfect look and views, the famous Cancun sign, and ease of access for guests and locals alike.  Eastern-facing resort beach areas in the Hotel Zone are generally known for strong surf, potential rip currents, and many red-flag days (dangerous swimming conditions)–beautiful but potentially deadly.  This resort’s beach area was no exception.  During my beach day, there were yellow flags present, but the next day when I was walking the beach there were red flags. The surf was rough enough to make ocean entry and exit a bit wobbly, but at least I didn’t get tumbled and there were no signs of any rip currents nearby.  Lengthy beach walks in this area were possible in both directions.

There were quite a few beach loungers available along with some shade umbrellas but very little natural shade.  Beach wait staff were very rare–the only time you were likely to see beach wait staff was if they were bringing trays of prepared drinks, but this is not unusual for a non-Palace Riu property.  Riu Palace resorts are where you will experience regular pool and beach wait staff, but not at this resort since it is not a Riu Palace property.  Since drink ordering was not readily available at this beach area, bringing insulated tumblers/mugs from home may be a good idea so that drinks can be easily brought to the beach.

Pool lovers will appreciate Riu Ventura for the water fun options it provides.  There were a total of five pools to enjoy–three oceanfront pools including the activities pool, the “quiet” pool, and the pool with the only swim-up bar on the property, while the remaining pools included the adults-only 6th floor rooftop pool and the separate pool with dedicated water volleyball fun in the middle of the property.  Pool time during my stay typically revolved around claiming my lounger by the activities pool (I loved their music playlists with a mixture of American and Spanish music) and time spent in the pool with the swim-up bar since it had up close and personal oceanfront views.  I did spend a brief amount of time at the rooftop pool but it wasn’t my vibe–great resort and ocean views and its own bar but way too quiet, plus I didn’t enjoy the piped-in musical selections.  The rooftop pool had its own elevator which was located in the lobby by the front entrance; you can also reach the pool from the 6th floor if your room is nearby.

As for the “quiet” pool located on the north end of the property, be aware that it isn’t as quiet as one would think given its name due to the adjacent Ennea Beach Club.  This beach club is affiliated with Hyatt Vivid Grand Island resort, a different adults-only property located off the Hotel Zone but they also sell day passes to non-resort guests.  The DJ at Ennea Beach Club starts at 10 a.m. and continues until late afternoon, so the sound can be heard at the quiet pool area but it’s not blaring or obnoxious.

All pool areas included loungers with either shade umbrellas or shade canopies–overhead canopy material can be manually opened or closed depending on the amount of shade desired for guests using loungers in these sections.

Families with young children will enjoy the children’s water park located within the central open section of the resort which gives it easy access to all guests.  This water park included a pirate ship with waterslides and separate splash pad area.  Families should take note that this water park is more appropriate for children ages 3-8.

Vacationers not familiar with actual Riu resort stays typically pan the food at Riu resorts.  I have stayed at many Riu resorts in this part of Mexico and I find Riu food to vary from being quite good to quite bad in a few select locations (don’t eat at the sports bar at Riu Caribe unless you are starving).  Actually, their overall food quality has improved across the board over the years since I’ve started booking vacations with the Riu brand.  I look at it this way; since I’m knowingly booking a resort which has discounted pricing for being a three or four star property, why would I expect five star food, amenities, and service?  I’m always pleasantly surprised at the quality of vacation I receive at a Riu resort for the money I’ve paid and look forward to visiting again.  Now that I’ve finished my unpaid Riu advertisement, on with the food review at Riu Ventura.  Let me preface the review by stating their dining policy:  The only reservation you have to make for a la carte dining is at the steakhouse–I can only surmise this change in reservation policy from no reservations necessary to now requiring reservations for one restaurant is due to the fact that this a la carte serves lobster as well as steak, so it’s incredibly popular.  Even with not having to make reservations at the other a la carte dinner restaurants, it was decidedly difficult to get into other a la cartes after 7 p.m.  Naively I thought I could walk into the Italian restaurant around 8:30 p.m. (the crowds typically thin by that time for dinner at all-inclusive resorts) but was told that the wait list was so long that they weren’t taking any more names.  And so on for the remaining a la cartes…the lesson here is if you go to this Riu resort and want to eat dinner at an a la carte restaurant other than the steakhouse you must be resigned to the fact that you must show up for dinner by 6:30 p.m. or you will be eating dinner at the buffet.  And now for the actual food review.

• Buffet:  Smaller than I expected for having a 705 guest room capacity.  This led to less overall variety and fewer “amuse-bouche” options than I’ve seen at other Riu resorts.  However, there were still several live cooking stations available and a decent selection from which to choose in overall food categories (Mexican, Asian, Italian counters); guests were leaving there with ice cream cones in hand as well.  FYI:  I don’t know if it was only me, but the layout of the buffet was a bit “off” leaving it difficult to easily identify the entrance/exit.  There were indoor and outdoor areas plus indoor seating extensions so I had to think about how to get out of there after I finished eating depending on where I wound up sitting.  (No, it’s not a result of alcohol, I had the same experience at breakfast).
• Asian a la carte (Kaori):  The Asian a la carte restaurant at many Riu resorts is an all-buffet kind of dinner.  That said, there were plenty of options from which to choose and all were excellent, including the sushi.
• Sports Bar:  There was a different set-up at this resort in comparison to other Riu properties in that you could order via the menu if you sat on the left hand side in the sports bar–at other Riu resorts it’s only help yourself.  I’m not sure what time food orders begin to be taken since the times listed on the resort pamphlet given at check-in stated “24 hrs.”.  Yes, the sports bar is open 24/7 but they don’t list the actual time you can access food via the menu.  The refrigerated case in the back also held no food when I visited around 10 a.m., so I’m not sure what the times were for food access.  This setup was definitely different than what I’m used to at a Riu resort.
• Pepe’s:  Pepe’s is a poolside luncheon or late afternoon food option.  This one offered the usual–hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, and chicken options.  Fixings and sauces were separate.  There was also the possibility of nachos, but I typically don’t do nachos at a Riu resort because of the fake cheese sauce.
• Tiki Tako:  Tiki Tako is located at the northern end of Pepe’s; don’t miss their tacos, freshly made and delicious.  I had some of the best tacos I’ve eaten in a long time–and that’s saying something since I live in the San Diego area where there is no shortage of Mexican food.  I brought my tacos back to my lounger and didn’t receive any flack, so while you cannot order food from your poolside lounger you can eat at your lounger.

 

Be aware that since this is a non-Palace property there is no room service.  Best to bring along some snacks from home just in case you are too busy enjoying your room to venture out to the sports bar or the outdoor eating area for lunch options.

Interested in the bars at this resort?  If you are looking to partake in more “fancy drinks”, always go to the lobby bar for those.  I enjoy a chocolate martini prior to dinner while on vacation and without fail the lobby bar at almost every resort I’ve ever stayed at has stirred up some great ones; of course there are exceptions, and that was the Monkey Bar at SLS Playa Mujeres, probably the best chocolate martini I’ve ever had was made there.  But I digress.  Most people get drunk at the swim-up bar, so nothing fancy there, the bartenders don’t have time to make fancy drinks first of all, just make sure that there is more than one bartender at this resort’s swim-up bar before deciding to sit at a bar seat and place your order.  I waited 15 min. on one occasion and gave up–luckily at most Riu swim-up bars there is a regular bar on the other side (true for this resort as well) and that’s where I went to get my drink order filled on that occasion.  I didn’t order any drinks while at the 6th floor pool’s bar, but I imagine this bar could get busy in the afternoons.  When I have a swim-up room I always like to end my afternoons with a drink while enjoying the swim-up pool, and Riu’s in-room liquor cabinet at this resort makes that possible with rum, tequila, gin, and vodka options.  Riu currently has a contract with Pepsi, so that’s what’s in your minibar.  In case you want to find an ice machine to help you out with in-room drinking, there is only one located in the area by where the rooftop pool would be on floors 1,3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13.

While there is an outdoor theater located past the Sports Bar which holds live performances every evening, I only made it to the Michael Jackson show.  Be aware that immediately prior to shows there is usually some live music on a different stage directly behind where you would sit to watch the show.  For guests to view this entertainment they had to turn their chairs completely around, not exactly convenient especially since not all seated guests turned their chairs around as well which led to awkward moments.  I have stayed at different Riu’s where secondary live music stages were located in adjacent spaces but not directly opposite the main stage–I would consider this to be a big miss for the resort in terms of an enjoyable evening entertainment venue.

By contrast, Riu Ventura adult guests are invited to multiple fun Riu theme parties held at Riu Caribe.  The resort provided face painting in the lobby prior to the event along with complimentary transportation to/from Riu Caribe; admission to theme parties was also complimentary.  Here’s the schedule:  White Party–held every Wednesday evening from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.  Pink Party–held every Friday afternoon from 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.  Neon Party–held every Saturday evening from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.  I’ve been to all these parties when I stayed at Riu Caribe (resort review to come), and in my personal opinion the Pink Party is the one not to miss.

On a final note concerning my resort experiences, be aware that morning check-out may be located at an entirely different desk area than check-in; look for the sign “Check-Out” in the area to the right of check-in.  Kind of confusing and different; I mentioned it so that you wouldn’t waste time standing in the wrong line like I did.

Here are a few other amenities Riu Ventura offers its guests; since I did not participate or take advantage of these offerings I cannot directly comment on them, but I do know the resort does provide them:

• Pickleball fans be aware that Riu Ventura has two such courts which are supposed to be located off of the lobby area.  (Even the provided resort map did not list the courts, however, but prior guests in their reviews have actually played on them so they must exist).  Just ask lobby staff where you can find them; if you can bring your own equipment that would be a plus because they apparently don’t have much equipment for loaning to guests.
• There is a small spa and gym onsite.  While guests are supposed to have free access to the hydrotherapy area within the spa as long as you make a reservation, I have never taken advantage of that option but perhaps you can check it out for me and let me know if that is still available for guests.
• There is a Dr. office onsite which is located past the money exchange desk off of the lobby area.

One thing I did notice about this resort is that it’s not directly located on Blvd. Kukulcán; however, it’s just a short distance from the main boulevard and is an easy walk from this resort.  Kukulcan Plaza Mall was right across the street from Riu Ventura if you want to mix your resort stay with some more serious shopping.  The more popular mall of La Isla would be a bus ride north; catch the bus on the main roadway of Blvd. Kukulcán which is just a short walk to the other side of Kukulcan Plaza Mall.  Tell the bus driver you want to get off at La Isla Mall; bus fare is still 12 pesos p/person one way as far as I know; if you don’t have pesos just give the driver $1 USD, but don’t expect any change.

Would I return to Riu Ventura?  If I wanted a cheaper swim-up room option I certainly would.  That to me was the main attraction to this new Riu resort (besides the beautiful ocean views, of course!).  The busy a la carte dinner arrangement would have me thinking seriously about a return stay, however.

The comments in this review are those of the author/reviewer.  This trip was paid for in its entirety by the author; at no time were any monies or services exchanged for this review.

Location:  15-20 min. north of the Cancun airport

Telephone:  52-998-689-1014

email:  hotel.ventura@riu.com