Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula
Blvd Kukulcan Km 5.5 Lote 6-C, Cancun 77500 Mexico
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Avg. $306 /night, 10/28 - 10/29
$306
per night
$153
per night
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per night
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About
4.5
#22 of 40 all-inclusives in CancunLocation
4.5
Cleanliness
4.7
Service
4.6
Value
4.4
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HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Trendy
Modern
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Property amenities
Free parking
Free internet
Fitness Center with Gym / Workout Room
Pool
Bar / lounge
Beach
Diving
Babysitting
Parking
Wifi
Fitness / spa locker rooms
Fitness classes
Hot tub
Pool / beach towels
Infinity pool
Pool with view
Adult pool
Outdoor pool
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Breakfast buffet
Kid-friendly buffet
Snack bar
Swimup bar
Poolside bar
Aerobics
Entertainment staff
Evening entertainment
Indoor play area for children
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Kids club
Car hire
Taxi service
Conference facilities
Banquet room
Meeting rooms
Spa
Couples massage
Facial treatments
Foot massage
Full body massage
Head massage
Massage
Salon
24-hour security
Baggage storage
Concierge
Shops
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun umbrellas
ATM on site
24-hour front desk
Laundry service
Ironing service
Room features
Blackout curtains
Private beach
Housekeeping
Private balcony
Room service
Safe
Flatscreen TV
Bath / shower
Telephone
VIP room facilities
Iron
Room types
Ocean view
Suites
Family rooms
Location
Blvd Kukulcan Km 5.5 Lote 6-C, Cancun 77500 Mexico
Name/address in local language
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Grade: 53 out of 100
53
1,246 Restaurants
within 5 miles
Reviews
4.5
8,761 reviews
Reviews summary
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The Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula garners praise for its cleanliness, with guests frequently lauding the immaculate rooms, pools, and beach areas. While the hotel's location receives accolades for its scenic beachfront and accessibility to local attractions, the atmosphere proves divisive as some revel in the vibrant parties while others bemoan the loud music.
Although the staff is often celebrated for their attentiveness, mixed reviews surface regarding outdated rooms and the noise level which can impede a tranquil experience. Additionally, concerns are raised about the value offered, with some guests finding the services overpriced.
Location
Beachfront
Atmosphere
Rowdy
Rooms
Dated
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Spotless
Noise level
Noisy
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Satisfactory
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Detailed Reviews
Hotel's Favorite
Traveled as a couple in February 2023 for a winter getaway. Price was exceptional.
Pros: Great staff and service; great food; nice room, clean.
Cons: Smoking still allowed; minor issue with photography service.
We appreciated the service of Celes, the bartender, who we met on our first night and we saw again later in our trip. Very helpful, very down-to-earth. My wife speaks Spanish and I understand some, so we had very nice conversations. I also want to mention Alfonso at Krystal’s. Most entertaining waiter we had. Made our dining so much fun. All the staff were great.
We were in a Villa Junior Suite with a sea view. The villas are in the VIP adult-only section. They are three story buildings. We booked through a travel agent. Requested a high floor and ended up on the third floor in the 2100 building (2124). This building is closest to the main resort. There are three villas that face the sea and two behind (Villa Junior Suite) with no sea view. The center of the three sea-facing villas is the Villa Suites, so larger rooms than the two other buildings. The nice thing about the villas is they have their own pool, which is a long pool and is well suited to lap swimming, though you’d have to do it in the morning before people start hanging out. Towels in the Villas are provided and do not require you to have a “towel card” (like the main building rooms); however, they do give you two cards if the Villa towels run out. We notice they do refill them sporadically throughout the day, so grab them when you can. You will have to go down early if to put your towel down if you want a poolside chair or particular daybed (there are several in the villas near the pool). There are no elevators so if you are on the third floor, be prepared if you have mobility issues.
Villa rooms also have a dedicated restaurant, the Kulinarium, which I would say is the most elegant restaurant there. It is an “elevated” dining experience. Very nice indeed.
The villa rooms are identical to the tower suites. Ours was nice, no issues. We were happy with it. I've seen complaints about the beds but we thought they were fine, not like a "board" like some have said. We had cleaning come every other day—we didn’t need it every day. We did have one service glitch with a fridge refill: they never came. We had one earlier in the week, no problem. Second time we called for water and nobody came. We thought maybe because we had the No Service sign out; however, we took it down later and they still didn’t come. We called a second time and nothing. So we grabbed some water from the Sports Bar before we checked out. Last day so not a biggie.
Villa rooms are nice because the beach bar is right there plus you are right up from the part of the beach that is not rocky. Again, with chairs you may want to get towels out there. We usually headed down in the afternoon and found suitable chairs. On two occasions nothing was available, so we just went over to the rockier side and found chairs there, no problem. Beach there is narrower and there are stairs down to the beach (like 4). That beach is right in front of the main pool area. There is a rock formation that separates the two beaches. It’s the photo op location!
There is drink service at the pools and at the beach. Since the villas are in a small area, they come around constantly. Beach was pretty good too.
Our biggest gripe is the smoking. It’s sporadic but you can run into smoking groups and it’s annoying. I was on the beach for hours with a group of chain smokers behind me. I just dealt with it. We had some pop up in the villas on our last couple days, smoking by the pool. Cancun seems windy all the time so that helps! It’s not enough to keep us from going back.
The main tower is for families, but we did not see a lot of kids there. They have a day care and activities. There is an actual Mayan ruin on the property so don’t miss it!
Food: Restaurants were all very good. And if you’re not happy, there’s always a buffet available. Breakfast buffet is fantastic. Lunch is also very good and they change up the items. We did not use the dinner buffet. There is also a grill by the main pool area if you want burgers, dogs, fries, etc.
Entertainment/Activities: Most daytime activities take place in the main pool area. There are three pools in that area. We did the water aerobics every day and the activities team is just great. So much energy. There is also a beachfront RiuFit area where they do yoga, stretching, etc. Evening entertainment varies. We were not there for the Beach Party. We saw a mariachi band (fantastic), a Michael Jackson impersonator/show and a Rock Show, which was put on by the entertainment team. The entertainment team also has things going on in the evening in the main lobby. Sometimes free photo opportunities, casino tables, etc.
Security: You’ve probably seen the photos, but don’t be alarmed when you see groups of municipal police or the Marina police. The Marina police are the ones dressed like soldiers with rifles, helmets, etc. Same if you go to Isla Mujeres. They are lining the dock when you embark/board. Can’t blame them for wanting to keep such a big tourist area safe. And it sends a message for anyone looking for trouble.
Tipping: As our travel agent said, it is all-inclusive and doesn’t require tips, but she takes about $500 for tips, miscellaneous when she visits so we took about the same. Some people think they get better service if they tip. I don’t think that’s always true. We know how important tips are to the workers. We tipped pretty much everybody. Less for the buffet dining, more for dinners. For tipping, think of the airport transfers, bellhops, maid, fridge stocker, bartenders, and waiters. We appreciated the bellhop when we arrived because he explained the hotel areas for us and even oriented us to the room. Also, when we arrived at the airport for departure, the airport porter not only took our bags in, but also did the check-in kiosk for us by scanning our passports and attaching our tags. I thought that was nice.
Vendors: They are roaming the beach but not very intrusive. Trinkets, excursions, alot of massage vendors.
As a Palace-level Riu, you can go to the other hotels for drinks and breakfast/lunch. Since Caribe is right next door, we did go over there to check it out. It was lunch and their buffet looked nice. They have a small bar outside (closer to the Peninsula) that also makes individual pizzas, so we wanted to try that. One thing I’ll say is Riu is not the place for pizza! We had some at the hotel and it’s okay. They do have a large outdoor grill near the main pools. Beach there is also less rocky.
One caution on the photo contractor at Peninsula: If you have them take photos, make SURE you are clear on what photos you want, etc. We had some beautiful photos with the Catrina but during the selection process, some of the framing was cropped out when printed and we think he chose a couple wrong pictures. My wife felt he was rushing through it. We later noticed the framing was partially cut-off in the printed picture. It originally said “Cancun 2023” with a border and that’s why we selected it. In the printed picture only the “202” of 2023 was visible and none of the border. We went back to see if he could re-print it with the partial numbers on it. He refused. Said “That is why I ask you when you choose”, but he did not make it clear it would print with part of the numbers. To us, the correct response is “Yes, let me fix that and reprint the picture for you.” The framing did not appear on the electronic copies of the photos either. That was probably our biggest glitch during our stay and not directly on the hotel by any means, but they are doing the photo work for the hotel, so ½ star zonk for that. Hope this helps future travelers. We really enjoyed are time there, especially for the cost.
Pros: Great staff and service; great food; nice room, clean.
Cons: Smoking still allowed; minor issue with photography service.
We appreciated the service of Celes, the bartender, who we met on our first night and we saw again later in our trip. Very helpful, very down-to-earth. My wife speaks Spanish and I understand some, so we had very nice conversations. I also want to mention Alfonso at Krystal’s. Most entertaining waiter we had. Made our dining so much fun. All the staff were great.
We were in a Villa Junior Suite with a sea view. The villas are in the VIP adult-only section. They are three story buildings. We booked through a travel agent. Requested a high floor and ended up on the third floor in the 2100 building (2124). This building is closest to the main resort. There are three villas that face the sea and two behind (Villa Junior Suite) with no sea view. The center of the three sea-facing villas is the Villa Suites, so larger rooms than the two other buildings. The nice thing about the villas is they have their own pool, which is a long pool and is well suited to lap swimming, though you’d have to do it in the morning before people start hanging out. Towels in the Villas are provided and do not require you to have a “towel card” (like the main building rooms); however, they do give you two cards if the Villa towels run out. We notice they do refill them sporadically throughout the day, so grab them when you can. You will have to go down early if to put your towel down if you want a poolside chair or particular daybed (there are several in the villas near the pool). There are no elevators so if you are on the third floor, be prepared if you have mobility issues.
Villa rooms also have a dedicated restaurant, the Kulinarium, which I would say is the most elegant restaurant there. It is an “elevated” dining experience. Very nice indeed.
The villa rooms are identical to the tower suites. Ours was nice, no issues. We were happy with it. I've seen complaints about the beds but we thought they were fine, not like a "board" like some have said. We had cleaning come every other day—we didn’t need it every day. We did have one service glitch with a fridge refill: they never came. We had one earlier in the week, no problem. Second time we called for water and nobody came. We thought maybe because we had the No Service sign out; however, we took it down later and they still didn’t come. We called a second time and nothing. So we grabbed some water from the Sports Bar before we checked out. Last day so not a biggie.
Villa rooms are nice because the beach bar is right there plus you are right up from the part of the beach that is not rocky. Again, with chairs you may want to get towels out there. We usually headed down in the afternoon and found suitable chairs. On two occasions nothing was available, so we just went over to the rockier side and found chairs there, no problem. Beach there is narrower and there are stairs down to the beach (like 4). That beach is right in front of the main pool area. There is a rock formation that separates the two beaches. It’s the photo op location!
There is drink service at the pools and at the beach. Since the villas are in a small area, they come around constantly. Beach was pretty good too.
Our biggest gripe is the smoking. It’s sporadic but you can run into smoking groups and it’s annoying. I was on the beach for hours with a group of chain smokers behind me. I just dealt with it. We had some pop up in the villas on our last couple days, smoking by the pool. Cancun seems windy all the time so that helps! It’s not enough to keep us from going back.
The main tower is for families, but we did not see a lot of kids there. They have a day care and activities. There is an actual Mayan ruin on the property so don’t miss it!
Food: Restaurants were all very good. And if you’re not happy, there’s always a buffet available. Breakfast buffet is fantastic. Lunch is also very good and they change up the items. We did not use the dinner buffet. There is also a grill by the main pool area if you want burgers, dogs, fries, etc.
Entertainment/Activities: Most daytime activities take place in the main pool area. There are three pools in that area. We did the water aerobics every day and the activities team is just great. So much energy. There is also a beachfront RiuFit area where they do yoga, stretching, etc. Evening entertainment varies. We were not there for the Beach Party. We saw a mariachi band (fantastic), a Michael Jackson impersonator/show and a Rock Show, which was put on by the entertainment team. The entertainment team also has things going on in the evening in the main lobby. Sometimes free photo opportunities, casino tables, etc.
Security: You’ve probably seen the photos, but don’t be alarmed when you see groups of municipal police or the Marina police. The Marina police are the ones dressed like soldiers with rifles, helmets, etc. Same if you go to Isla Mujeres. They are lining the dock when you embark/board. Can’t blame them for wanting to keep such a big tourist area safe. And it sends a message for anyone looking for trouble.
Tipping: As our travel agent said, it is all-inclusive and doesn’t require tips, but she takes about $500 for tips, miscellaneous when she visits so we took about the same. Some people think they get better service if they tip. I don’t think that’s always true. We know how important tips are to the workers. We tipped pretty much everybody. Less for the buffet dining, more for dinners. For tipping, think of the airport transfers, bellhops, maid, fridge stocker, bartenders, and waiters. We appreciated the bellhop when we arrived because he explained the hotel areas for us and even oriented us to the room. Also, when we arrived at the airport for departure, the airport porter not only took our bags in, but also did the check-in kiosk for us by scanning our passports and attaching our tags. I thought that was nice.
Vendors: They are roaming the beach but not very intrusive. Trinkets, excursions, alot of massage vendors.
As a Palace-level Riu, you can go to the other hotels for drinks and breakfast/lunch. Since Caribe is right next door, we did go over there to check it out. It was lunch and their buffet looked nice. They have a small bar outside (closer to the Peninsula) that also makes individual pizzas, so we wanted to try that. One thing I’ll say is Riu is not the place for pizza! We had some at the hotel and it’s okay. They do have a large outdoor grill near the main pools. Beach there is also less rocky.
One caution on the photo contractor at Peninsula: If you have them take photos, make SURE you are clear on what photos you want, etc. We had some beautiful photos with the Catrina but during the selection process, some of the framing was cropped out when printed and we think he chose a couple wrong pictures. My wife felt he was rushing through it. We later noticed the framing was partially cut-off in the printed picture. It originally said “Cancun 2023” with a border and that’s why we selected it. In the printed picture only the “202” of 2023 was visible and none of the border. We went back to see if he could re-print it with the partial numbers on it. He refused. Said “That is why I ask you when you choose”, but he did not make it clear it would print with part of the numbers. To us, the correct response is “Yes, let me fix that and reprint the picture for you.” The framing did not appear on the electronic copies of the photos either. That was probably our biggest glitch during our stay and not directly on the hotel by any means, but they are doing the photo work for the hotel, so ½ star zonk for that. Hope this helps future travelers. We really enjoyed are time there, especially for the cost.
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Date of stay: February 2023
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: VIP villa suites are quietest. You don't have a full view of the sea like if you were in a...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from RIU Hotels and Resorts, Owner at Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula
Responded Mar 3, 2023
Dear Jjrincon50, Thank you for your wonderful review! We are delighted to read your comments about the hotel, we certainly take your remarks into account and they make us very happy. We aim to please, please accept our apologies if any staff member was not up to our standards, the management will be informed. We very much look forward to seeing your wife and you again. Warmest wishes, Hotel Riu Palace Península Online Reputation Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
So I have to say this was my first all inclusive stay anywhere, we usually take cruise ships but given the current situations that has been put on hold. So first come in I was greeted by a gentleman Very friendly sanitized our luggage and showed us were to go. Once at the front desk they have you download the Riu app which you can request housekeeping/ maintenance/ front desk help etc from also provides you with dining options, times & menus so that was a plus. Like others have said right now there is no coffeemaker or liquor dispensers in the room but you can request a ice bucket at the front desk. Housekeeping always made our room pretty spotless she was very friendly when we passed by in the hallway. FYI there is no AC in the room hallways which can get you when you first walk out of the rooms or elevators. Dining options were ok we stayed a week the menu never changed for any of the restaurants the buffet would change a few small thing night to night but not many. The steak house is in the non ac area and it was hot the night we were there the staff was sweating I felt so bad for them. The buffet staff were very friendly and amazing we had a worker Elvis, Javier & another gentleman I forgot his name who were always there and treated Us amazing every night. The sports bar I went once and was a little turned off by the person working we seemed to inconvenience him ( that was the only negative worker I came across). The coffee bar the treats are great and the workers around it are very attentive. Italian restaurant the staff there is amazing as well you do feel kind of rushed in the specialty restaurants but the staff are still pleasant. Beach/ pool we had a staff member Jorge that was always getting me my drinks and very attentive. The guys putting umbrellas up made sure you were good and are always happy. They clear the beach in the morning of seaweed it unfortunately keeps coming back 😂 but that’s the beach. Plenty of space on the beach it just get annoying getting bugged when your relaxing for souvenirs, massages, excursions etc....we stayed in the jacuzzi suites I recommend them they have amazing sunrise sunset views and so much space. The lights in the shower are kind of dim and the plugs in our rooms were pretty worn out my chargers would not stay in the walls overall I would recommend this place because of the staff they truelly made the difference for us in this location ❤️
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Riu Hotels and Resorts, Owner at Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula
Responded Jul 14, 2020
Dear Guest, Thank you for sharing such a detailed review with us! We are delighted to read that you had a pleasant time and that you would recommend out hotel to others. Thank you for you kind words about our wonderful staff. I am sure they will be thrilled when we share your comment with them. It was a pleasure having you staying with us; please come and visit us again soon! With our best wishes we remain, Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula Online Reputation Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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+1
All in all we had a great getaway to RIU Palace Peninsula. My wife and I have stayed at RIU Cancun previously and knew it was a reputable company. We were very happy with the check in process, everything was very smooth. Everything is digital now and you download the RIU app when you are there so there is less papers and what not. That app will allow you to request anything you could need throughout your stay. It is also holds all the menus for the restaurants, times, activities, and shows. Everything you need is in the app. Extremely clean main and public areas, hand sanitizer everywhere and constantly seeing people cleaning. All the staff for the 5 days went out of there way to make you feel welcome and always asking if you need something. All staff wore masks even those outside. In terms of dining, we at 3 of the restaurants (Italian, Mexican and Japanese and they were all very good). The buffet was also really good as well. Some changes to the buffet is now you no longer serve yourself, cooks are there to serve the food for you. No complaints from the food at all, plenty of options and places to eat. The room was clean, however a little outdated and could use some revamping but they were clean! The view from our room made up for that though and was peaceful and beautiful. The grounds are beautiful and peaceful and well maintained. Tons of big pools to sit at! Pools probably need to be retiled though in many spots as many of the little tiles are popping off. The pools were very clean though and you can see the staff cleaning it thoroughly every morning. Ocean was crystal clear and the beach is peaceful and beautiful to sit at. Plenty of bars to get drinks. At the bars now though you must wear a mask to order, and there is a glass divider as added separation. While at the resort you only have to wear the masks in public areas and when you walk in to the restaurants or go up to order food or drinks, otherwise you don’t have to have it on. So no you don’t have to wear in the pool or beach. This was a great 5 day getaway during this pandemic and were very relaxed and had an absolute blast. We encourage you to try it out, especially with the current great prices and reduced capacity. When we were there 2 weeks ago they were only allowed to have 30% capacity at the resort. Of all the times we’ve been to Cancun this is the nicest we’ve seen the beaches and it was a bit more peaceful. With that being said you can still party and have a great time. I have it 4 stars because of the rooms needing some renovations, other wise it was great.
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We have stayed at this property several times so nothing surprising; the resort is clean the rooms comfortable and service is usually spot on. The staff was cleaning constantly and there are many dispensers set up for hand sanitizing. I like that the resort is now doing first come first served at the restaurants instead of reservations or seating times.
A few items to report; the liquor dispensers are no longer used in the rooms which is a bit of a hassle since there is no room service. There is a fridge with beer, water and soda which is replenished daily.
Not all the restaurants are open every night so if you have a favorite make sure it will be open when you want to go. The food has gotten better since they opened and we thought everything was top notch for an all-inclusive.
Pool, drinks and beach were great fun. One complaint; although not required we generally tip the waiter or bartender when we get drinks however there was one bartender at the swim up pool bar that actually got testy with us because we were getting drinks for friends along with our. He told us he needed everyone to come to the bar to tip him. That was very lame but we just avoided him and used someone else.
Our only real issue was the room maintenance; our first room was a bit of a disaster, is was not the requested room location and the shower didn't work correctly. The jacuzzi tub looked like it had not been cleaned for a while. Most of the electrical outlets in the room were very worn and our plugs kept falling out. Management did change our room after one night so most of the problems solved but a pain to have to pack up and move.
A few items to report; the liquor dispensers are no longer used in the rooms which is a bit of a hassle since there is no room service. There is a fridge with beer, water and soda which is replenished daily.
Not all the restaurants are open every night so if you have a favorite make sure it will be open when you want to go. The food has gotten better since they opened and we thought everything was top notch for an all-inclusive.
Pool, drinks and beach were great fun. One complaint; although not required we generally tip the waiter or bartender when we get drinks however there was one bartender at the swim up pool bar that actually got testy with us because we were getting drinks for friends along with our. He told us he needed everyone to come to the bar to tip him. That was very lame but we just avoided him and used someone else.
Our only real issue was the room maintenance; our first room was a bit of a disaster, is was not the requested room location and the shower didn't work correctly. The jacuzzi tub looked like it had not been cleaned for a while. Most of the electrical outlets in the room were very worn and our plugs kept falling out. Management did change our room after one night so most of the problems solved but a pain to have to pack up and move.
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Date of stay: January 2021
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: If you want a quieter room as to be away from the outside A/C unit it was quite loud at night.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We visited 9/29/20-10/4/20 and it was our fourth time at this hotel. I’ve reviewed this hotel before but I wanted to tell you about my visit during Covid. The staff are wearing face mask at all times.. when you arrive your temperature is taken, luggage disinfected, social distancing is required and your face mask is required while walking around except for the Pool área. The shows still remain the same, the foam party is temporarily suspended and so is the beach party. The swim up bar pool is open however there’s no bartender service. The grill by the Pool is open and so is the sports bar service with the exception that they serve you the snacks they have. Room service is not operating at the moment and neither is amenities served to your room (celebration decorations, bottle services) are also canceled for the time being. The liquor bottle dispensers are not in the room either. The buffet staff takes your temperature before coming in and offers you hand sanitizer prior to coming in.. other restaurants are working at a limited capacity but making sure everyone gets taken care of. There’s a few changes however their staff is working really hard to make you feel at home like always, I loved coming here once again and especially during these times they made sure everyone stayed safe and comfortable... thank you Riu palace peninsula!!!
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Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I went to this resort for the first time last year at end of February. The weather was gorgeous and we stayed in an adults only section overlooking the adults only pool. That area is actually a bit nosier at night only because you are pretty much right near the entertainment center. So if you don't like noise and don't care so much about the adults only pool area then I would ask to stay on the other side of the resort. Otherwise I really enjoyed our stay. The entertainment was good one some nights, others we skipped it. Second time around in July we stayed on the 10th floor on the other side of the resort and I really enjoyed our room as well, the rooms all seem the same because the only difference for us the second time around was the fact that we were in one of the towers and didn't have the adults only pool area in front of our room. Seems like all resorts in the Caribbean all have a Michael Jackson show so that's a staple, the beach party at night and a foam party (always my favorite).
The pool area and beach area is nice, our servers at the pool (Javier and Angel) always went out of their way to make sure we had a drink in our hand. They were friendly and even remembered my daughter and I when we came back in July! What I did like about the pools is that they were heated (or atleast seemed like bath water) so it made it easy to walk right in. I can say I am spoiled and was unpleasantly surprised when I went to another RIU and found out there weren't heated. Cancun doesn't need heated pools but it was nice.
The food was great, the only complaint I had around the food is there is definitely more of a difference in what was offered during spring break time/high season vs seafood night in July. Seafood night in July was just ok and didn't have half of what seafood night in February.
Overall I enjoyed this resort, I have been to it twice now. The only problem is the entertainment doesn't vary much so I'd space out your visits....if you don't care about that then its a must for anyone!
The pool area and beach area is nice, our servers at the pool (Javier and Angel) always went out of their way to make sure we had a drink in our hand. They were friendly and even remembered my daughter and I when we came back in July! What I did like about the pools is that they were heated (or atleast seemed like bath water) so it made it easy to walk right in. I can say I am spoiled and was unpleasantly surprised when I went to another RIU and found out there weren't heated. Cancun doesn't need heated pools but it was nice.
The food was great, the only complaint I had around the food is there is definitely more of a difference in what was offered during spring break time/high season vs seafood night in July. Seafood night in July was just ok and didn't have half of what seafood night in February.
Overall I enjoyed this resort, I have been to it twice now. The only problem is the entertainment doesn't vary much so I'd space out your visits....if you don't care about that then its a must for anyone!
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from RiuHotelsandResorts, Online Reputation Manager at Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula
Responded Feb 18, 2020
Dear ShaunaO65, Thank you so much for your outstanding review! We are glad to hear that you had such a lovely stay with us! We would love to have the chance to welcome you back for another unforgettable experience! With our best wishes we remain, Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula Online Reputation Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed at the Riu Palace Peninsula hotel from the 5th to the 9th of September. I'll start off with the good things. The staff there are excellent and very friendly and helpful. During our entire stay they were more than willing to accommodate any requests that we had that they were allowed to. The hotel was very clean and well maintained and the food was typical of an all-inclusive resort. Now for the negative . We were led to believe that there would be 24-hour room service and also a mini bar in the room. When we inquired about both of these we were told they were not available due to COVID. I cannot understand the reasoning behind either of those being unavailable because of COVID. They took the alcohol dispensers out of the room and seeing as alcohol is the main ingredient and the active ingredient in hand sanitizer I do not understand why that would be an issue. If they removed the dispensers, then they should have stocked the mini bar with individual bottles of alcohol for consumption. All that was in the mini bar was soft drinks and Dos Equis or Tecate beer. As far as the room service goes, I do not know of any other way that would more effectively limit your contact with others than to have no one coming in contact with you other than room service. Without room service we were forced to go down into the crowded common areas in the restaurants and bars to get food and drinks. If you're planning a stay anytime soon I would highly recommend that you look into these issues.
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Date of stay: September 2020
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Stay away from the elevators. We were one room away and there was quite a bit of noise from the...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from RIU Hotels and Resorts, Owner at Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula
Responded Sep 25, 2020
Dear Charles, Thank you for taking the time to evaluate our hotel. We are delighted that you have rated our staff very well and it is wonderful to know that we were able to meet your taste with our passionately prepared gastronomy. Furthermore, we are glad to hear your compliments in regards to the cleanliness throughout our hotel. At the same time, we are very sorry to learn that you felt your stay was blighted by the strict protocols we have in place. On our website we do indicate that in order to meet each country’s hygiene requirements, there may be some changes to each hotel’s services or facilities that differ from what is described. We deeply regret that our implemented precautions were not convenient for you and brought down your overall experience. We please ask for your understanding that they have been implemented to safeguard our guests and employees. Our protocols are continually updated with the latest information available, always taking into account the recommendations of expert bodies. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience. It is our hope to welcome you back again in the future and we hope life will return to normal for uns all. Until then, please stay safe. With our best wishes we remain, Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula Online Reputation Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
My wife and I were celebrating my birthday and this was our sixth visit to the Riu Palace Peninsula which is our favourite resort in Mexico.
Our check in was smooth and efficient. We were greeted by Xia at the front desk who was very professional and personable throughout the check in process.
Next, we received a warm welcome back from Xochilt, Manager, who personally greeted us and made us feel so welcomed to be back at this beautiful resort.
We booked the Adult villas for this holiday and being a Riu Class Gold card member made us eligible for a room upgrade to an ocean facing suite. In addition to that we received a fruit plate and a gift in our room.
As we were celebrating my birthday it was very nice to receive the acknowledgement of my birthday and the overall attention by management. Thank you so much!
My wife and I were humbled by the attention we received by many of the hard working and dedicated staff that make the Riu Palace Peninsula outstanding. Thank you Seleane, Poncho, Carolina, Alicia, Kevin, Elevit, Concha , Diego, Freddy, Rudolpho, Louis, Eduardo, Mayk, Bryan.
Special thanks to Xavier Francisco an Executive Chef in charge of the buffet who took a group of us on an excellent Kitchen tour which was one of our highlights of our stay. I highly recommend that you go.
My wife and I consider ourselves to be foodies. We have eaten at some very fine restaurants in Canada, United States and Mexico.
Our overall dining experience at the Riu Palace Peninsula whether it was the buffet or a la carte restaurants was exceptionally good. Our two favourite restaurants were the Kulinarium and the Italian (at lunch time.) Krystals was okay but mediocre for my wife who ordered the Ragout. However, I ordered the Lobster risotto which was excellent.
Make sure to try the Coffee bar which makes excellent ice coffees!
My wife and I really enjoyed the peacefulness and tranquility of the Adult villas pool. Thank you to the best pool bar waiter, Cocum!
As has been mentioned in previous posted reviews, cleanliness, hygiene, and the overall appearance of this resort is a top priority of management at this resort and we were very impressed with the state of this during our stay.
Pools were crystal clean with workers actually in the pool scrubbing it down on a daily basis. The beach was also kept very clean.
Last but not least my wife and I want to thank our hard working housekeeping staff at the villas (2321) who kept our room so clean. The towel art was also appreciated!
Thank you once again to all of the Riu team for making this vacation so special!
Our check in was smooth and efficient. We were greeted by Xia at the front desk who was very professional and personable throughout the check in process.
Next, we received a warm welcome back from Xochilt, Manager, who personally greeted us and made us feel so welcomed to be back at this beautiful resort.
We booked the Adult villas for this holiday and being a Riu Class Gold card member made us eligible for a room upgrade to an ocean facing suite. In addition to that we received a fruit plate and a gift in our room.
As we were celebrating my birthday it was very nice to receive the acknowledgement of my birthday and the overall attention by management. Thank you so much!
My wife and I were humbled by the attention we received by many of the hard working and dedicated staff that make the Riu Palace Peninsula outstanding. Thank you Seleane, Poncho, Carolina, Alicia, Kevin, Elevit, Concha , Diego, Freddy, Rudolpho, Louis, Eduardo, Mayk, Bryan.
Special thanks to Xavier Francisco an Executive Chef in charge of the buffet who took a group of us on an excellent Kitchen tour which was one of our highlights of our stay. I highly recommend that you go.
My wife and I consider ourselves to be foodies. We have eaten at some very fine restaurants in Canada, United States and Mexico.
Our overall dining experience at the Riu Palace Peninsula whether it was the buffet or a la carte restaurants was exceptionally good. Our two favourite restaurants were the Kulinarium and the Italian (at lunch time.) Krystals was okay but mediocre for my wife who ordered the Ragout. However, I ordered the Lobster risotto which was excellent.
Make sure to try the Coffee bar which makes excellent ice coffees!
My wife and I really enjoyed the peacefulness and tranquility of the Adult villas pool. Thank you to the best pool bar waiter, Cocum!
As has been mentioned in previous posted reviews, cleanliness, hygiene, and the overall appearance of this resort is a top priority of management at this resort and we were very impressed with the state of this during our stay.
Pools were crystal clean with workers actually in the pool scrubbing it down on a daily basis. The beach was also kept very clean.
Last but not least my wife and I want to thank our hard working housekeeping staff at the villas (2321) who kept our room so clean. The towel art was also appreciated!
Thank you once again to all of the Riu team for making this vacation so special!
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Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from RiuHotelsandResorts, Online Reputation Manager at Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula
Responded Mar 24, 2020
Dear Robert B, Thank you for being such a loyal guest of RIU Hotels & Resorts and for sharing your recent experience with us! It was a great pleasure to host you during your birthday! It is our main priority to provide you the best service, especially during important days, therefore it's wonderful that you felt well-attended by all of our staff and be assured we will share your compliments to all of them. We also would like to take this chance to thank you for your loyalty as a Riu Class Member! We will be waiting for your next holiday with us! We wish you have a pleasant time until then. Have a lovely day, Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula Online Reputation Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We have stayed at a few different Riu Resorts, but this one left much to be desired. The pictures make everything looks crisp and clean, however once you are actually in the room you start to notice things like towel hooks falling off the wall, sink that had a rusted drain, the air conditioner vent was disgustingly dirty and always had condensation. The walls have lots of spots where they did touch ups of the paint but its obvious due to slightly different shades of white. The power outlets are so loose our phone chargers wouldn't in alongside the beds, so we had to charge them by the table.
Food was a little disappointing. A lot of the meats were dried out, and things like scrambled eggs varied in consistency each morning. Even the orange juice never tasted the same from day to day.
The pool area is nice, but the abundance of palm trees make a lot of the areas shaded. The pool servers for the bar were always present and we never had any issues waiting for drinks. The biggest complaint is that there is no immediate access to a bathroom out in the pool area; you have to walk all the way back into the hotel to use a restroom. Other Riu resorts had the bathrooms right near the bar area.
There isn't much for a beach, and the area they do have chairs set up in is populated with lots of palm trees, so if you want to lay out in the sun its sort of difficult.
There was no room service or in room liquor despite what the description says. The hallways leading to the rooms is enclosed and very very stuffy, not open air like its neighbor the Caribe.
The Riu app was a nice touch and made requests like extra towels or water refills a breeze. The map function isnt very good, and was just a google map image of the resort with some markers indicating where things were. This gives you a general idea of where something is, but a floor plan or an overhead map view would have been much easier to use.
The covid test was easy and we made our appointment right away via the Riu App. The staff does a good job cleaning, with temp checks and hand sanitizer throughout the resort.
Overall, the resort wasn't terrible, but it definitely wasn't up to the Riu standards my family has come to enjoy. The facility is in need of a makeover/updating and although it says it was built in 2011, its really showing its wear and tear. We talked on the way home and agreed we probably wouldn't stay here again until its been updated.
Food was a little disappointing. A lot of the meats were dried out, and things like scrambled eggs varied in consistency each morning. Even the orange juice never tasted the same from day to day.
The pool area is nice, but the abundance of palm trees make a lot of the areas shaded. The pool servers for the bar were always present and we never had any issues waiting for drinks. The biggest complaint is that there is no immediate access to a bathroom out in the pool area; you have to walk all the way back into the hotel to use a restroom. Other Riu resorts had the bathrooms right near the bar area.
There isn't much for a beach, and the area they do have chairs set up in is populated with lots of palm trees, so if you want to lay out in the sun its sort of difficult.
There was no room service or in room liquor despite what the description says. The hallways leading to the rooms is enclosed and very very stuffy, not open air like its neighbor the Caribe.
The Riu app was a nice touch and made requests like extra towels or water refills a breeze. The map function isnt very good, and was just a google map image of the resort with some markers indicating where things were. This gives you a general idea of where something is, but a floor plan or an overhead map view would have been much easier to use.
The covid test was easy and we made our appointment right away via the Riu App. The staff does a good job cleaning, with temp checks and hand sanitizer throughout the resort.
Overall, the resort wasn't terrible, but it definitely wasn't up to the Riu standards my family has come to enjoy. The facility is in need of a makeover/updating and although it says it was built in 2011, its really showing its wear and tear. We talked on the way home and agreed we probably wouldn't stay here again until its been updated.
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Date of stay: March 2021
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip: We were on the 6th floor, and it was quiet, but the rooms itself need some updating and cosmetic...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from RIU Hotels and Resorts, Owner at Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula
Responded Mar 22, 2021
Dear Ryan, Thank you for the comments and for returning to stay in one of our hotels! As you migh know, we pride ourselves on delivering a memorable hotel experience during your travels, and for this reason, please allow us to take this moment to personally apologize for falling short on your expectations. We take your feedback very seriously and have it shared with the appropriate hotel team to ensure to continue to work towards improving these areas. Once again, thank you for your valued feedback and we hope to have the opportunity to better serve you in the future. Sincerely, Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula Online Reputation Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We've stayed at other Riu resorts and encounted check-in issues in the past but the check-in process with Benjamin and Emiliano here at the Riu Palace Peninsula was the easiest, friendliest and most pleasant we have ever had and that started our vacation off on the right foot. We received the requested room catagory on the 16th floor with a fantastic room and excellent maid service from Gloria everyday. We dined mostly in the buffet for breakfast and lunch with our attentive servers Saul and Alicia. We were also impressed that the head chief which I'm sorry I can't remember his name would be walking the dining room floor talking with guests. We always found more than enough types of tasty food to eat at each meal. This was the best food we've had at a Riu resort. The head chief invited us on a kitchen tour and cooking demonstration and we were amazed at the cleaniness and precautions taken in the kitchens to keep the food and guests safe. The staff was always friendly and helpful and we always saw them cleaning inside and outside everyday. The only thing we would have liked is more live music in the lobby or other gathering areas at night while you wait for dinner. Also, we did have hot water issues a few days during our stay but they were working on that while we were there and also a lack of outdoor bathrooms by the pools. The resort was conveniently located so on a cooler day we took the public bus to visit the other close Riu resorts for future vacations. We had a very nice relaxing vacation at the Riu Peninsula and yes due to the incredible food we gained weight. We are already working on a Riu resort vacation for next year.
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Review collected in partnership with riu.com
Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from RiuHotelsandResorts, Online Reputation Manager at Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula
Responded Mar 23, 2020
Dear gbpond, We sincerely want to thank you for your kind review! It is essential to us to make you feel like home and to provide a perfect guest experience at any time. Thank you for your compliments towards our team. We are highly committed to the service we provide and the requirements of our guests therefore rest assured we will share your fantastic feedback with our staff! We are all looking forward to welcome you back in a near future! With the best of our regards, Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula Online Reputation Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dress shorts and polo shirts are acceptable.
Optional dining included. No reservation required, but there may be a short wait. Food good, but not exceptional. Also, Steakhouse waitlist fills up very early.
Sorry. Tablet playing up says please
No idea buddy, I didn't use them.
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"You can catch US$1 bus into the town, very convenient. There are so many excursions that you can go on - just ask at the reception!!"Read full review
"Tip: American dollar and Mexican Peso, they like both DON'T book Isla De Mujures with Tui Book the ferry for £16pp and then hire the golf carts for £80 per day for 4 people"Read full review
"Don’t get a taxi from the hotel anywhere they charged us $20 US or $400 mxn pesos to town but when we got a taxi back it was only $200 mxn p"Read full review
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PRICE RANGE
$308 - $466 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
MexicoYucatan PeninsulaQuintana RooCancun
NUMBER OF ROOMS
562
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Claim Your ListingHOTEL RIU PALACE PENINSULA - Updated 2024
Frequently Asked Questions about Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula
Which popular attractions are close to Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula?
Nearby attractions include Coco Bongo Cancun (1.7 miles), Mandala Cancun (1.7 miles), and HRoof (3.3 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include a swimup bar, a pool, and an on-site restaurant.
What food & drink options are available at Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula?
Guests can enjoy a swimup bar, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Is parking available at Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula?
Conveniently located restaurants include Restaurante Careyes, Divina Carne, and Restaurante Cüa.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula?
Yes, guests have access to a pool, a fitness center, and fitness classes during their stay.
Does Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula offer any business services?
Yes, it conveniently offers meeting rooms, a banquet room, and conference facilities.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English and Spanish.
Are there any historical sites close to Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula?
Many travelers enjoy visiting Scorpion’s Temple (2.3 miles).
Does Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the harbor view available here.
Is Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access and facilities for disabled guests. For specific inquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.