Absolutely fantastic all inclusive adults only hotel. My partner and I spent 12 days here in May 2023 and can't rate it highly enough. We were told the rainy season was about to start but we only had one night when there was any rain, and there was plenty within the hotel to keep you busy when it did rain. General hotel The hotel was absolutely spotless, it was constantly being cleaned and was well maintained. The staff are fantastic, really attentive and you can tell they take pride in what they do. The Lobby is beautiful, and all the different areas are superb. We were all inclusive and I was amazed at what was included as there's usually hidden extra charges - everything I mention below was included. Food/ drinks There are 5 restaurants to choose from, and they're all brilliant. You don't need to reserve at the a la cart restaurants, and if it's busy you get a buzzer and can wait in the art deco bar in the lobby. In order of my preference I'd recommend 1) the Japanese restaurant - amazing sushi and ramen, 2) the buffet - so much choice and always delicious 3) the Italian - the dinner menu was great and you can also get lunch in here too 4) the fusion restaurant - some interesting combos and finally 5) the steak restaurant - surf and turf option but there's better places to eat in my opinion. There's also a 25 hour snack bar which always had fresh guac and salsa for nachos, as well as quesadillas, burrito, hot dogs and pizza. There were fridges of bottled water, optics and a coffee machine in there too. There was only one day we were there that they seemed to run out of water in the snack bar but the rest of the time it was always being restocked with fresh food and water. Coffee bar There's a hot drink and cake bar in the lobby and which was open until late. You can get various hot and hold drinks as well as a lovely selection of cakes and ice cream. I had earl grey tea and my partner had the lattes - always great! Bars There were several bars to choose from, but generally you'd get table (sun lounger) service, even on the beach! There were premium drinks like Bacardi and lovely cocktails. I highly recommend margarita on the rocks. The staff were lovely and really looked after you, anticipating when you needed a top up. I can't fault the service we received, always friendly and welcoming in the restaurants and the bars. They even helped the folks who couldn't handle their drinks by piling them into wheelchairs and taking them back to their rooms (something I've never seen before, and found quite shocking). Thankfully that wasn't a regular occurrence that I saw, and not the sort of behaviour I'd expect from people choosing to stay in this lovely hotel. Pools There were three pools which were all well maintained. The first pool which you come across as you exit the lobby is stunning, particularly at night when it's lit up and you look across it to the ocean. This one got the sun in the morning/ early afternoon and the sun loungers always seemed to be reserved. The quiet pool to the left and behind the theatre was great, quite small but plenty of cabanas and loungers to choose from, with beautiful views out to the sea. The party pool to the right, which had music and the animation team. It isn't my cup of tea but looked like a lot of fun if you were up for getting involved, or joining the foam party. There were two bars at that pool, one of them a swimup. The music, although loud, wasn't disruptive and I quite enjoyed sitting a little further away but getting to hear the tunes. Beach access There's also a private stretch of beach with plenty of loungers and parasols, we never struggled to find a lounger. The sea is gorgeous and the staff again work hard to keep it clean and make sure your drink is topped up. There's life guards if you're swimming and you're still close enough to the hotel if you need to nip in for anything. You're given cards when you check in which you can exchange for pool towels, and I'd recommend taking a thermos cup/ chili bottle to keep your drinks cold! Rooms The room we had (555) was exactly as pictured on trip advisor. We had a great view out the side of th hotel so we could see the ocean and the bay, and got the most stunning sunsets. I'd recommend that floor and I think it was rooms 550-560 that had that view. The rooms were kept immaculate, cleaned daily and you got to choose of they changed the sheets/ towels. There were a couple of days when the bottled water wasn't replenished but as I mentioned the snack bar always had plenty. The fridge always had pepsi, pepsi light, 7up and tonic water and the optics were refilled with Jose cuervo, Smirnoff, Bacardi and Gordon's gin! Perfect for chilling with a drink on the balcony as the sun set before dinner. Housekeeping left us cute towel arrangements on the bed which I loved, a really nice touch. Entertainment There was always something happening, from morning yoga stretching to volleyball, to quizzes to live music at night. We'd heard everything stopped quite early but didn't find that to be the case. Things were going on until about 11pm and then you could head to the sister hotel next door to use their nightclub if you wanted to keep going! Tips I found a good article on Skyscanner about how much to tip in Cancun (if this isn't something you're used to). We took pesos with us and tipped the bar and wait staff regularly. Usually 20 or 50 pesos depending on whether it was sun lounger service or going up to the bar ourselves. At dinner it was usually 50. It definitely wasn't expected as no one hung about waiting for a tip, but it felt like the right thing to do seen as we were so well taken care of. We tipped housekeeping 50 a day again as they always left our room looking lovely.

This will be a lengthy review; for anyone looking for a quick recommendation: this resort was the BEST! For those craving more details: read on! We were met at check in with a glass of champagne. I don’t really drink champagne, so the waitress went back and brought me a jack and coke. We were vacationing with another couple, the gentleman at check in heard us talking about how we hoped our rooms were close, so he put us side by side (even though I’m not sure we initially were). The maid service for the room was excellent, and our fridge initially had several drinks we didn’t care for, but leaving an empty with $5 under it changed all that, and the next day the fridge was all drinks we would drink! The food was great! There were many options: for breakfast, there is an omelet bar, countless types of eggs available, and the breakfast buffet is large! For lunch: another great variety! On Wednesdays and Saturdays, the resort does bbq on the beach! For supper: a sushi restaurant, a Mexican restaurant, a steakhouse, the buffet, and Krystal (we didn’t try this one). Honestly, this was my first resort, so I can’t compare the food to other resorts, but compared to home, the food was fantastic! The entertainment staff was awesome! there were things to do on the resort each night, from bingo and blackjack to karaoke! Some nights there were shows, and live music. They were very engaging, and we participated in almost every event! Adrian, Janela, and Daniella were all especially great! The bartenders were also great! There is a bar in the theater area (one of many) and these guys never let a drink go empty (we tipped generously). Thank you Santi, Ernesto, and Ulises! The area around the resort was very safe, we walked around several days. Pro tip: visit Chedraui (a three story grocery store two blocks down from the resort) day one for souvenirs, alcohol, and toiletries at half the price of anywhere else! We had an absolute blast in Cancun, and Riu Palace las Americas was the main reason why!! My wife and I highly recommend!!

I’m still reminiscing about the fresh scent of clean air and powder that I felt as soon as I walked into the doors at the Riu Palace. I was so happy with my stay and will make this my regular place when I visit Cancun. So here are all the pros: 1. This hotel is very organized going through all of the steps to get your covid test scheduled before going back to the USA. They take away all the added stress and even print your results after they are emailed. 2. This resort goes above and beyond to follow covid guidelines. You have to get your temperature check enter the restaurants, they are constantly making you use sanitizer to enter areas and masks are worn in common areas. I really felt safe. 3. The resort constantly had entertainment and activities all through the day and that made it fun 4. Every staff member was extremely friendly professional and always greeted me with a smile 5. The facilities were impeccable and always common areas were being wiped down and Disinfected 6. The location was perfect and walking distance to the club night strip and shopping was right across the street. Now for the cons: my air conditioner in my room was not the coldest and for some reason I couldn’t control the temperature and it still didn’t work even after I had maintenance come and look at it. I could get by but this would have made me miserable in the summer heat. 2. The beds were hard and the pillows were completely flat and lumpy I had to put like 5 on top of each other to get comfortable. 3. Food in restaurants was subpar. The buffet is the best shot for the freshest and best tasting food. Other than these small cons I would still give this resort 5 stars and come back every time. You will not be dissappointed with Riu Palace.