26/09
Review: RIU Palace Riviera Maya
The Experience at the Riu Palace starts as you pull up to the entrance. As we unloaded our luggage from our rental we were greeted by the door man. While we started our check in he showed up with a cool refreshing drink.
Check-in was quick and efficient. We where given a quick run through of what amenities were available at the Riu. We were given a print-out of the weeks’ events, shows and themed nights at the buffet and were taken to our room by a bellhop.
Our room was 2057. This is actually the third floor. Upon entry the familiar sight of a Palace Junior Suite greeted us. The room had a full bath with hydromassage tub. We had a king bed, a living area that had a couch and coffee table and our balcony had a great view of the courtyard and fountains of the Riu. Of course our room had the famous Liquor dispenser and mini fridge.
This Palace Resort had a total of 6 Restaurants. 1 Main Buffet, 1 buffet for lunch that becomes the a la carte Steak House for dinner and 4 other a-la-carte options available for dinner with reservations.
During the 6 nights we were there we ended up at only one a la carte – the Rodizio Brazilian restaurant. It was no Red Violin but it was very good. They offer buffet salad to start and then bring a hot plate with vegetables, potatoes and corn bread, followed by different meats cut from a skewer at your table.
The other nights we enjoyed the main buffet and two nights we went off property. Our first dinner in Playa Del Carmen was at Alux. This restaurant has been created in a cenote that no longer contains ground water. The atmosphere is fantastic, with live music, and the food was very good if not a tad over-priced. We were given an escorted tour of the cenote after dinner.
Our second dinner out, we met friends in Playa for a birthday celebration and ate at Playasia which is Asian Fusion. The tables are all laid out no decking above a coy pond and if you are ever on 5th in Playa I recommend giving it a try.
The pool area was fantastic and there were always chairs and umbrellas to be had. For guests lounging by the pool, you will be waited on by very friendly and eager to please staff. The animation staff does a great job entertaining while not being to intrusive to those that just want to relax. There is a swim up bar and an infinity pool at this resort which all flow into the main pool. My one piece of advice, make sure you wear flip flops or something around the pool. The tiles gets super hot.
The beach was in great shape. Lots of loungers amongst the palms. Lots of hammocks as well if you just want to relax. There are still protective barriers off-shore that look like beached whales but I’d rather deal with that than no beach – Todd Janzen.
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My wife and I came to the Riu Palace Riviera Maya for our honeymoon. From the moment we arrived it was apparent that the elegance and luxury was all a facade. We checked in late afternoon and were told that our room was not ready yet. An hour later they finally gave us our room keys and sent us walking blindly through the giant maze of a property. When we found the room we could not have been more disappointed. We Booked a King suite. We got two full size beds pushed together in the middle, like some 1950’s TV show. We then returned to the front desk to straighten out the problem, and were told there was nothing that could be done. After returning to our room in dismay, the front desk had the nerve to call and ask if everything was alright with our room, or if they could do anything for us. We complained about the room, again, and we were told, again, there was nothing that could be done. What a kick in the nuts!
Later, we went to the front desk and requested that some beers and a proper bottle of rum be sent to the room. The man at the desk said it would be done, as he wrote down the order and our room #. I waited, but the order never came. Two hours later there was a knock at the door. No drinks, just a woman asking if we needed more towels. I said “No”, and she asked if there was anything else she could do for us. So I said “Yes, we could use some beer and rum”. She said she could not do that. I was not surprised.
WHY BOTHER ASKING IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HELP
If you are looking for a relaxing, quiet getaway, then go somewhere else. After a long and expensive day of disappointment we decided to take it easy and watch some TV. All we did was watch, because we could not hear anything. All we could hear was the BOOM, BOOM, BOOM of the 1980’s dance music ringing from the courtyard. Thank God it was over by midnight. The collection of Michael Jackson songs made me want to throw myself over the balcony.
At over $300 a night per person we expected more.
Thanks for ruining our honeymoon Riu Palace
Joel Kamins