Guest User
December 3, 2024
This is my first trip to a RIU property, but I've been to AI resorts in MX about ten times previously. We were looking to try something different, smaller than the large Iberostar or Barcelo properties further south in Riviera Maya but not too small. I felt it was was quite nice as a couples resort. I went with three of my kids and two of them have significant others (and one 18 month-old). RIU upgraded my daughter's room upgraded to a larger one that gave them lots of room for the crib they'd requested, which was very nice! However, I was sharing a room with my 22 year old son, which it wasn't a great situation for the two of us because the room style is open concept --meaning the bathroom and bedroom are basically all one (only the toilet is separate, as well as a frosted glass door on the shower). There is an option for a privacy curtain that can be drawn between the bathroom section and the bedroom section. (see pics) But even once we were moved to a room with that curtain, it doesn't provide much privacy because it only comes partway across the room; there's a big walkway right where the closet is, and the closet has mirrors on the doors, so that ends up reflecting your image into the rest of the room, making it awkward when you get out of the shower and try to get dressed in private. For that reason, I do not think these rooms are ideal a "girls trip" or for families with kids older than whatever age you don't want to be undressing in front of the kids. The rooms are all basically set up that same way. That was my biggest issue with the resort, and it's just set up that way. If that's not an issue for you or your family, then go for it! On the plus side, our check in went super quickly compared to some of the other large resort, which inexplicably tend to take 30-40 minutes. I was shocked when we were done in under 5 minutes. The resort was a nice size, and had we been there for more than 4 days, we would have checked out some of the neighboring RIU properties because you get reciprocal privileges while staying at RIU Palace Mexico. The beach was really very nice with soft sand and multiple rows of palm trees, and there were lots of chairs. Definitely still go out early (by 8:30 AM) to make sure you can get seats if you have a larger group. It was a little harder to get chairs by the pool than at the beach, but by going out early, you should be fine too. The food was fairly typical of AIs, with the huge breakfast probably being the best meal of the day. We could eat at specialty restaurants each night, first-come-first-served with no reservations. Those dinner restaurants were good but not amazing ... neither the steak nor the lobster were very tender at multiple restaurants. They have a Japanese restaurant but it's not teppanyaki style where they cook in front of you. One thing we really appreciated with an 18 month old is that they bring out a highchair/baby chair with the tray sanitized/wrapped in plastic. The staff members all