Riu Palace Mexico - All Inclusive - Adults Only

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

8829 reviews

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  Sun, Sea and Sand

  We had a great time at RIU Palace Mexico, it’s newly renovated rooms are spacious and very clean. Beds and pillows comfortable, cleaners do a fantastic job. The grounds are vast bit of a walk from your room to the pool area and beach. Staff and hotel management all wonderful and helpful. Food & drink good lots of choice, something for everyone. Beach is kept very clean but they did not have parasols for shade on the beach so in the afternoons it would get very hot the palm trees did not provide enough shade.

  Oct 25, 2026
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  Not the Palace it once was!!!

  My third time staying and my worst it was better before the upgrade. No welcome drink provided when checking in then had the explanation of that i wasn’t Elite and how they had priority in all the restaurants as well as a swimming pool just for them and top brand drinks that were not permitted for non elite guests. Really made to not feel like my continued loyalty and custom wasn’t appreciated at this hotel unlike the Riu hotels I have visited this year,had an upgrade due to being a diamond member and was given a garden view over the fountain. The gardens have been all but destroyed gone are the flower beds the hedges all ripped out now it’s just grass with a bushy plants very disappointing for a hotel of the Riu Group. The main buffet restaurant is a quarter of the size it was the food is cold and also of poor quality and not replenished when empty, first time i have ever been in the buffet restaurant and been the only guest eating when open some guests were eating at the other palace due to the food being better, the food was that poor some nights i walked out in disgust it was that bad. The steak restaurant and Krystal were slightly better but limited choices only 4 items of the menu to choose from octopus wasn’t cooked enough in the Krystal i ate 3 times in each have eaten in other Riu’s with the same menu which had better preparation but this could just be down to it only being open a few weeks it’s like they’re standardising the hotels as they remodel them. Pool area is good pools have all been renovated and pepe’s moved from the beach to next to the quiet pool and tiki taco is a good addition, but the constant construction noise from the hotel next door was unbearable often over 90 decibels which can cause hearing damage the management didn’t seem to care we had this noise all day for 14 days, this was on top of the 2 elite pool room being dug up to be repaired and a room where the balcony window had been removed. I had issues with no hot water in the morning in my room reported this had to vacate my room while they investigated nothing was fed back to me or the issue fixed. The staff are a credit to the hotel and the service is second to none Omar and all the staff in the lobby bar as well as Pastor around the pool bar, felt sorry for the entertainment staff not really much going off at night time Kahoot was hit and miss and people where just sat around looking at each other other waiting for the main show to start Piano in the lobby bar was the highlight of the night. The managers have no answers for all the complaints in the two weeks i was stopping i have never heard so many people complaining this hotel has the highest number of returning customers than any other Riu and the highest number of Diamond members, sadly this will not be the case for much longer, you will get the happy clappers who can’t say anything bad about the hotel but it has changed for the worse.

  Oct 25, 2026
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  An Amazing Renovation with 5 + stars Style, Service and a Few Areas for Improvement, loud Americans

  An Amazing Renovation with 5-Star+ Style, Service and a Few Areas for Improvement The renovation is truly impressive. The hotel has taken its style, luxury and service to the next level. The restaurants have also been upgraded, and the overall design genuinely creates a 5-star+ impression. Rooms & Facilities The swim-up room is fantastic: spacious, luxurious and equipped with a beautiful private pool. The overall look and feel of the renovated hotel are impressive, and it is clear that considerable effort has gone into creating a more refined and luxurious experience. However, there is one important point to consider: the luxurious 5-star+ appearance is not always reflected in the behaviour of every guest. The relatively attractive price, partly related to a few remaining minor improvements, may also attract guests who do not always respect the atmosphere the hotel is trying to create. Unfortunately, we experienced several situations involving loud and excessively intoxicated guests, particularly among some American visitors. Some guests raised their voices at staff because they had not been allocated a room with maximum sun exposure, while others became confrontational when a specialty restaurant was fully booked. The staff are exceptionally kind and professional and do not deserve to be treated this way. In such situations, security should intervene more promptly and decisively. Guest Behaviour & Pool Experience The hotel should adopt a firmer and more consistent approach to excessive alcohol consumption. Staff should be encouraged to monitor visibly intoxicated guests more closely and to stop serving alcohol when necessary. We also witnessed a couple behaving inappropriately during a show, seemingly forgetting that they were in a shared public space rather than in the privacy of their own room. Honestly, a family-friendly hotel environment can sometimes feel more relaxing than being around adults who are excessively intoxicated and disrespectful. At the pool, we observed guests drinking heavily, playing their own music without sufficient consideration for others and disregarding basic standards of respectful behaviour. Some guests appeared to consume around 30 beers in just three hours. Or are completely lost. Of course, guests are on holiday and should be able to enjoy themselves. However, there is an important difference between having fun and significantly disturbing the experience of others. We were also concerned by reports and observations of guests urinating in the pools. This is completely unacceptable and raises serious hygiene concerns. The tipping culture makes that it’s difficult for the staff to put limits. This is an area where the hotel could make a substantial improvement. Better enforcement of pool rules, closer monitoring of alcohol consumption and a clear, firm response to inappropriate behaviour would make the experience considerably more enjoyable and hygienic for everyone. Cleanliness Cleanliness is somewhat inconsistent. The rooms are exceptionally clean, as are the restaurants and toilets. These areas are maintained to a very high standard. However, some parts of the hotel have unpleasant odours, and the corridors leading to the rooms appear to be cleaned less frequently than would be expected from a property of this standard. Vacuum cleaning is necessary and can’t be replaced by sweeping. This is surprising given the otherwise excellent level of cleanliness throughout the hotel. Addressing these areas would help the property deliver the consistently luxurious experience promised by its new design. RIU Class & Diamond Guests I also understand the concerns raised regarding Diamond members. Unfortunately, it can sometimes feel as though the hotel does not sufficiently recognise RIU Class status or reward its most loyal guests. Special occasions, such as honeymoons, also appear to receive limited recognition. This is particularly disappointing for a hotel that aims to provide a premium experience. The front desk management could improve considerably in this area. This does not fully align with the RIU brand or with the expectations associated with RIU Class. To be clear, this is not the most significant issue compared with the overall experience. However, relatively small improvements in recognition and communication could make a meaningful difference to loyal guests. Food, Drinks & Entertainment The food is very good, and the specialty restaurants offer excellent quality. The restaurant upgrades have clearly made a positive difference. The main restaurant has not much variation. If you stay 2 weeks, your second week will be exact the same as your first. Also the lunch is exact the same, every day. Riviera maya has more variation. The shows are in line with typical RIU entertainment, but the mariachi show was absolutely outstanding and a genuine highlight. And the cocktails? Fantastic! Special compliments to Arial at the mix station for the excellent service and great drinks. Elite Club: Absolutely Worth It The Elite Club is absolutely worth considering. My tip is to ask for Elite Mix when ordering your drinks. The staff around the Elite Club pool are excellent: friendly, attentive and among the best we encountered during our stay. They make a significant contribution to the premium experience the hotel is aiming to provide. Hopefully, RIU will also consider making the Elite Club experience available to guests travelling with children at other properties. Practical Tips for Your Stay * Mosquito repellent: Bring your own and ask the staff for insect spray for your room if needed. * Taxis: Consider using inDrive. We found it to be more than 50% cheaper than the hotel’s taxi service, while still offering very good service and quality. For pickup, ask the front desk to arrange a QR code for the driver due to Playa del Carmen’s security procedures. * Pool atmosphere: Be prepared for some loud and excessively intoxicated guests. If you prefer a quieter experience, consider avoiding the main pools towards the end of the day. * Elite Club: Definitely worth considering. Ask for Elite Mix when ordering cocktails and enjoy the excellent service around the Elite pool. Final Verdict: A 5-Star Experience with the Potential to Become a 6-Star Experience Overall, this is an impressive hotel with excellent service, very good food, great cocktails and a remarkable renovation. The new design and upgraded restaurants demonstrate what the future of RIU could look like. The hotel has the potential to set a new standard for the brand. The main improvements needed are not related to luxury or facilities. They concern guest behaviour, consistent cleanliness throughout the property, better recognition of loyal RIU Class members and stronger management when dealing with intoxicated or disrespectful guests. The staff deserve special recognition for remaining kind and professional, even when faced with difficult behaviour from certain guests. With a number of relatively small but important improvements, this hotel could develop from an excellent 5-star experience into something truly exceptional. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a new standard for RIU hotels!

  Oct 23, 2026
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  Honeymoon in beautiful Mexico

  We arrived here on the 3 Oct to this beautiful hotel. Our room had the wow factor, but we did have to change rooms as there was still a bit of work being carried out and was quite a lot of noise from the roof tops, All the restaurants were fabulous with great selections of food, quality premium drinks, entertainment was excellent All staff were very attentive and helpful at all times, I can’t remember all the names but a few names I can, Abraham from the buffet restaurant was excellent and so friendly, Pastor bar/waiter worked so hard and always had a smile, and Frankie from the sports bar was brilliant made us laugh 😊 We will definitely be back

  Oct 22, 2026
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  Great hotel post refurb

  The hotel overall was excellent. Rooms and restaurants very good and staff very friendly. Some small things could improve it further: There were only two large towels in the room. Four would be better especially to allow ladies to put their hair up after washing. The mini-bar was well stocked but did not have any wine or sparkling wine. Including this would be better. After rain storms the sun beds were left wet leaving guests to dry them even when lots of staff were around. Staff should dry the sun beds each morning and after rain storms. The pool bar occasionally only had one member of staff working which meant service could sometimes be quite slow. It would be better to always have two people especially at busier times. Apart from these small areas to improve the hotel is great. I would recommend and would return in the future.

  Oct 21, 2026