Riu Palace Kukulkan - All Inclusive - Adults Only

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

1723 reviews

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  DAVID AT THE POOL AND BAR

  David at the poolside bar and the lounge was amazing! He was the best server and had the sweetest heart. He truly made my experience as well as my friends' experiences amazing! We looked forward to seeing him every day and he made our trip spectacular! Highly recommend saying hi to David at least once during the trip.

  Oct 05, 2026
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  Disappointed

  Our stay at RIU Palace Kukulcan was decent overall, but several parts of the experience fell short. The food at the specialty restaurants was very average. We ended up eating at the buffet most days because it offered more variety, though the food quality there was also just okay. The poolside drinks were poorly prepared, and the lobby bar was packed most nights with only one bartender working. The drinks often suffered as a result. Darwing was a welcome exception: he took good care of us after we had been disappointed with the drinks elsewhere. The bar staff could use more support, especially during the evening rush. Housekeeping also missed refilling the bathroom amenities several times. The biggest disappointment came at checkout. Around 11:30 a.m., we left our bags with the lobby staff and were told checkout was at noon and that we were on time. The front desk was crowded, so we went to lunch planning to return afterward. No one clearly explained that leaving after noon would result in a 300-peso late-checkout charge. When we returned, Axel, the manager, and Laura at the front desk told us we had to pay. They pointed to the reservation agreement, where the policy was in very small print, but did not consider that we had dropped off our bags before noon or that we had not been clearly informed. That interaction left us with a bad final impression. If the hotel enforces a strict checkout policy and charges guests for a short delay, the policy should be clearly communicated and applied with good customer service. Overall, the stay was acceptable, but the food, drinks, housekeeping, and checkout experience kept it from being a better one.

  Oct 02, 2026
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  Best Hotel I could have chosen in Cancun

  The birthday vacation was only great because of the effort of this hotel and their excellent employees. Impeccable. I'd highly recommend this hotel. The only exception was the sushi restaurant was closed 4 of the 5 days there, and the steakhouse had a very small lobster tail for the surf & turf. They made the trip special though throughout the trip.

  Sep 28, 2026
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  Riu Palace Kukulkan Cancún September 2026

  We traveled with four other friends and stayed in Elite Club Room 341. The grounds were very well tended; each morning, the friendly staff could be seen tending to the landscaping and it seemed the tractor raking the seaweed off the beach never stopped (we knew it was the seaweed season) and the sand was clean and white. We arrived a bit early for check in, but front desk staff directed us to a “comfort” room to change out of our travel attire so we could enjoy the property while we waited. Bellmen quickly wrangled out luggage so it was out of the way The room itself was very clean upon arrival, and we really enjoyed the amenities in the room. At first, we found the tub to be oddly located…but used it at least three times during our stay for a nice soak. The shower is very large, quick to warm up, has both a nice drenching rainmaker and a wand with a long hose; the shower also contains toiletries (shower gel, shampoo, conditioner) dispensed via wall mounted bottles. A liquor dispenser was in-suite and contained 750ml bottles of Absolut vodka, JW Red Label whisky, Bombay Sapphire gin, and Jose Cuervo traditional tequila. The fridge was stocked daily and had beer, water, soft drinks, and club soda. The balcony offered amazing views. Our room was cleaned each day and was spotless upon our return from the day’s events. The EC pool area staff were very friendly; Julian took care of our group during the entirety of our stay. Like everyone else we interacted with, he was fluently bilingual (En and Es) and his friendliness and professionalism really contributed to the happy memories of our trip; he is a big reason we would likely book again. The food throughout the resort was very good bordering on great; I would especially recommend the steakhouse for dinner. The morning buffet has so many options that anyone looking for a light breakfast to a full meal will be satisfied. Staff is very attentive throughout. Tipping is not required or even alluded to by staff but I am sure it is appreciated; we tipped in both USD and MXN. If you need USD broken for tipping, check with the bellmen. There is also a currency exchange on-site. For those interested, a well-stocked cigar shop (la Casa del Habano Cancun) is located across the street from the resort. Smoking is permitted in identified areas at the resort. I paid 175 USD for five sticks (Montecristos) so the price, while a bit steep, is in line with the touristy area and the legitimate nature of the seller. Atmosphere in the EC pool area was chill, perfect for napping, laying out, reading, or just floating in the pool. The other pools had more of a party vibe, and they were definitely having fun. Our group was mainly looking to relax, so the EC pool was fine for us. The EC area has a dedicated bar. The Riu White Party is an experience that needs to be experienced.

  Sep 28, 2026
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  $3,000 NECKLACE LOST, THREATENED BY SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS.

  ⭐️ 1 STAR — $3,000 18K GOLD NECKLACE DISAPPEARED. Our stay at Riu Palace Kukulkan ended with a horrible experience. After attending a RIU party and taking the party bus back, a member of our group discovered that his 18K gold necklace, valued at approximately $3,000, was missing. Resort security helped him onto the bus, and RIU staff helped him off. We have video showing the necklace before the ride and video afterward showing that it was no longer visible. We are not accusing anyone of taking it. We simply asked management to help review available camera footage, check the transportation involved, and look into lost and found. Instead, we felt accused and dismissed with essentially, “Nothing was found.” There was almost no sympathy, urgency, or genuine effort to help. Maybe check with the bus to see if they found anything. We did not expect the resort to replace the necklace. We expected compassion and a reasonable investigation, especially since the video helps establish a timeline. Unfortunately, this was not our only issue. After reporting the missing item that the manager showed no effort in investigating or assisting, we were told our room key would be deactivated if we did not pay a room charge. Even though it was the day before checkout—and we were locked out of our room in the middle of the night. We have never experienced or heard of a resort handling a billing issue this way. It was unacceptable and could have been resolved professionally. The manager stated that rooms with balances will automatically be deactivated… uhm… k. I recorded the situation due to how uncomfortable the whole situation makes me feel and the night manager simply said. “I will call the police”. We left without the necklace, without answers, and extremely disappointed by the lack of customer service and management support. We won’t be back. Protect your valuables and be prepared for poor assistance if a serious issue arises. -Only buffet and self serve for breakfast and lunch. Restaurants are only open for dinner at 6:00pm. Food can be better. -Beach is nice but be prepared by the local sellers and services.

  Sep 25, 2026