Riu Palace Riviera Maya All Inclusive Rating: Pearls
Photos shot on location by an Oyster.com Hotel Investigator—so what you see is what you'll get.
| 1 of 15 | The Junior Suite at the Riu Palace Riviera Maya All Inclusive | Full Screen | View All 203 Photos |
Oyster Review Summary
Photos and Review by Oyster.com Investigators.
Pros
|
Cons
|
Bottom Line
The 400-room, all-inclusive Riu Palace Riviera Maya sits right on the soft, sugar-white beach of Playa del Carmen’s Playacar. Surrounded by towering palm trees and expertly groomed greenery, the property is like luxurious tropical eye candy. Architecturally speaking, the hotel puts a stylish spin on the charming, traditional Mexican estate, resulting in an opulent-meets-old-world ambiance. The lobby -- decked out in marble floors and huge chandeliers-- also has an impressive rotunda and radiant glass-stained ceiling panes. The rooms, however, don't live up to the exterior hype. The decor is plain and just plain old-fashioned, and the bathrooms are average at best. There is a good a variety of food options (like the Mexican El Porche or the poolside bar), plus a small spa and fitness center. But the pool is probably the highlight here -- it's expansive. As far as the Riu properties go, this one looks like all the others.
Read Full Oyster Review
Oyster Hotel Photos
View All 9 AlbumsCustomers Who Viewed Riu Palace Riviera Maya All Inclusive Also Viewed
13% viewed
Dreams Puerto Aventuras Resort & Spa
Puerto Aventuras, Riviera Maya
Dreams Puerto Aventuras Resort & Spa
Puerto Aventuras, Riviera Maya
Show Prices
$250/night and up
Oyster Hotel Review
Location
Located right along the beautiful, pristine beaches of Playacar and a short drive to downtown Playa del Carmen
Riu Palace Riviera Maya is part of the Riu group and shares its location with four other Riu properties. It's in a gated community, but right across the street is a shopping mall with a Starbucks -- a convenience to many guests.
Named for Our Lady of Mount Carmel (the patron saint of Cancun), Playa del Carmen is a beautiful, charming resort town and the third largest city in Quintana Roo. Located on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula about 70 km south of Cancun and 20 km west of Cozumel, it's right in the center of the Mayan Riviera and is quickly becoming one of the most hip vacation spots in the area (though it’s said to be quieter than Cancun). It used to be the home of the Mayans and after that a small fishing village, but now Playa del Carmen -- or "Playa" as the locals call it -- is full of exciting nightclubs, popular restaurants, cute boutiques, and resort hotels that sit lovely white sandy beaches. Because many of the businesses are European-run, the rest of the town retains a hint of European flair. The main tourist thoroughfare of Playa is the cobblestone-lined, pedestrian street Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue), but there are plenty of fun outdoor activities for visitors, too, such as snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking and sailing. The offshore reef is part of the second largest reef system in the world, Mesoamerican Barrier Reef.
- 53-minute drive to Cancun International Airport
- 10-minute walk to Xaman Ha Aviary
- 6-minute drive to Quinta Avenida
- 9-minute drive to downtown Playa del Carmen
- 20-minute drive to Xcaret Eco Theme Park
- 44-minute drive to Xel-Ha Park
- 55-minute drive to Tulum
- 1-hour drive to Cancun
- 75-minute drive to Coba
- 3-hour drive to Chichen Itza
Bottom Line
The 400-room, all-inclusive Riu Palace Riviera Maya sits right on the soft, sugar-white beach of Playa del Carmen’s Playacar. Surrounded by towering palm trees and expertly groomed greenery, the property is like luxurious tropical eye candy. Architecturally speaking, the hotel puts a stylish spin on the charming, traditional Mexican estate, resulting in an opulent-meets-old-world ambiance. The lobby -- decked out in marble floors and huge chandeliers-- also has an impressive rotunda and radiant glass-stained ceiling panes. The rooms, however, don't live up to the exterior hype. The decor is plain and just plain old-fashioned, and the bathrooms are average at best. There is a good a variety of food options (like the Mexican El Porche or the poolside bar), plus a small spa and fitness center. But the pool is probably the highlight here -- it's expansive. As far as the Riu properties go, this one looks like all the others.
Things You Should Know About Riu Palace Riviera Maya All Inclusive
Address
- AV Xaman-Ha Mza 9 Y 10 Lote 1, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Room Types
- Junior Suite
Lowest Prices for this Hotel
Check-in
Check-out
Adults
CheapCaribbean
Expedia.com
Hotels.com
Priceline.com
Orbitz.com
Starting at: $410
Book by phone with Hotels.com
1-800-246-8357
Nearby Hotels to Consider
- Riu Playacar All Inclusive
- Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya
- Rating: 35 Pearls
- Distance: 0.4 mi
- Riu Palace Mexico All Inclusive
- Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya
- Rating: 40 Pearls
- Distance: 0.5 mi
- Playacar Palace
- Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya
- Rating: 40 Pearls
- Distance: 0.9 mi
- Fairmont Mayakoba
- Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya
- Rating: 50 Pearls
- Distance: 1.6 mi
All About Oyster
You Can't Return a Bad Vacation.
Our special investigators visit, photograph, review and rate each hotel. We uncover the truth, before it's "uh-oh" time.
Recently Viewed Hotels
- Talking Stick Resort
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- Rating: 40 Pearls
- Radisson Fort McDowell Resort & Casino
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- Rating: 40 Pearls
- InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- Rating: 50 Pearls
Hotel Features
| Number of Rooms: | 400 |
| Pool: | Yes |
| Fitness Center: | Yes |
| Spa: | Yes |
| Internet Access: | Yes |
| Pets Allowed: | No |
| Cribs: | Yes |
| Kids Club: | Yes |
| Jacuzzi (in room): | Yes |
| Casino: | No |
Hotel Information
| Location: | Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya |
| Address: | AV Xaman-Ha Mza 9 Y 10 Lote 1, Playa del Carmen, Mexico (See Map) |
