Cancun - Riu Yucatan

This was my 6th trip to Cancun and playa with apple vacation. .4th with riu hotels twice at the riu Cancun once. At the riu palace Mexico and now the Yucatan . Was very disappointed the food quality. And variety. Very poor!!! The drinks were about the same! !! Not to mention that the hotel was clo .. More>

This was my 6th trip to Cancun and playa with apple vacation. .4th with riu hotels twice at the riu Cancun once. At the riu palace Mexico and now the Yucatan . Was very disappointed the food quality. And variety. Very poor!!! The drinks were about the same! !! Not to mention that the hotel was closing the end of the week and they were packing up the place the last few days we were there. Was never disclosed at the time of booking! !!!! I have recommended. Apple and riu to everyone I know. I really. Hope my next vacation. With apple is back up to par like the rest

The beach itself was beautiful. It was just dirty. Cig butts. Trash. And no lie. I found an unused needle on the beach. Other than that. Beautiful. .. More>

The beach itself was beautiful. It was just dirty. Cig butts. Trash. And no lie. I found an unused needle on the beach. Other than that. Beautiful.

The Riu Yucatan put our group of 4 couples in a room in the 6000 block building, ground floor. The smell of sewage both outside the room and filtering into the rooms was terrible. We toughed it out first night but all of asked to be moved to a different room the next morning. The hotel desk clerk .. More>

The Riu Yucatan put our group of 4 couples in a room in the 6000 block building, ground floor. The smell of sewage both outside the room and filtering into the rooms was terrible. We toughed it out first night but all of asked to be moved to a different room the next morning. The hotel desk clerk was advised why we were moving and her response was "yes, we have had several complaints of foul odor in that section in the past several weeks". Well, why then, would they still put guests there. I have stayed at Riu's before in Mexico but thought this action was a bit shoddy. The smell was evident BY ANYONE who walked by and all of us had a headache during that first night. They did accommodate us but again, they should have not put anybody in that area of that building.

We have been to this facility many times and enjoyed our stays there. The one problem we have always encountered is meeting with the APPLE Rep. Always given a time to meet them and they never show up? We had to call to get a pickup time and it was given an hour earlier than our actual pickup time .. More>

We have been to this facility many times and enjoyed our stays there. The one problem we have always encountered is meeting with the APPLE Rep. Always given a time to meet them and they never show up? We had to call to get a pickup time and it was given an hour earlier than our actual pickup time? I hope our next Apple trip will have this fixed.

The rooms need to be updated. They are starting to look a little warn and the worst part of our stay was the horrible smell of sewage and mildew at night for some reason. It smelled like there was a sewage leak and our kids room actually had water on their bed and floor one night. It made two of .. More>

The rooms need to be updated. They are starting to look a little warn and the worst part of our stay was the horrible smell of sewage and mildew at night for some reason. It smelled like there was a sewage leak and our kids room actually had water on their bed and floor one night. It made two of our daughters very sick.

we had a wonderful time. as always the staff was great and very courteous.we have stayed at this hotel 14 times and plan on going back every year. .. More>

we had a wonderful time. as always the staff was great and very courteous.we have stayed at this hotel 14 times and plan on going back every year.

We had paid extra for non-stop transfer from the Airport. Rode in a van with others who did not pay for the non-stop and who were dropped off before us. The beds were really hard, requested a pad but they were out. It was my first time at a RIU - I really enjoyed it. .. More>

We had paid extra for non-stop transfer from the Airport. Rode in a van with others who did not pay for the non-stop and who were dropped off before us. The beds were really hard, requested a pad but they were out. It was my first time at a RIU - I really enjoyed it.

We missed the bar service where they brought you your dinks to your table or at the pool. It was provided last year at the RIU Negril Tropical Palace. The grounds were kept up very well, but some of the maintenance items could have been corrected, atleast during our week stay. The mens bathroom n .. More>

We missed the bar service where they brought you your dinks to your table or at the pool. It was provided last year at the RIU Negril Tropical Palace. The grounds were kept up very well, but some of the maintenance items could have been corrected, atleast during our week stay. The mens bathroom near the beach was missing a door handle to one of the toilets and some of the walkway lighting didn't work or worked occationally. Overall, it was a very nice resort and we would recommened it to others.

The staff is very friendly and anxious to assist with any questions. While the rooms are a little dated they are comfortable. On occassion ther was a must odor or sewage smell in the room. Throwing a wet wash cloth over the shower drain eliminated the sewage smell. .. More>

The staff is very friendly and anxious to assist with any questions. While the rooms are a little dated they are comfortable. On occassion ther was a must odor or sewage smell in the room. Throwing a wet wash cloth over the shower drain eliminated the sewage smell.

Last year we stayed in the same part of Mexico, but our resort this year was better... by far. The service was great, the food was great, and our time was super relaxing. I would totally recommend this resort to anyone!!! Great Job!!! .. More>

Last year we stayed in the same part of Mexico, but our resort this year was better... by far. The service was great, the food was great, and our time was super relaxing. I would totally recommend this resort to anyone!!! Great Job!!!

The beds are very hard. .. More>

The beds are very hard.

We visited this resort right before they closed for renovations, and as far as we could tell, there was nothing off with the service. You had no idea they were going to close the next week! Service... More>

We visited this resort right before they closed for renovations, and as far as we could tell, there was nothing off with the service. You had no idea they were going to close the next week! Service was phenemonal, every person that worked there greeted you with a smile and an "hola!" The employees were friendlier than the other guests! The resort is beautiful, situated on one of the nicest stretches of beach directly south of Playa del Carmen. The neighborhood is called Playacar and is a pretty gated community with lots of resorts and condos. It felt very safe walking to the other Riu properties, the little shopping center down the street, and even all the way into Playa (about 35 mins for us, and it was HOT! We took a cab back ;) )The beach is wide with palm trees, white sand, and turquoise water. There were always plenty of lounge chairs on the beach, in the sun or shade, no matter what time of day. I was in the pool most of the time, and I loved both swim up bars. The one closest to the beach, Tulum, was also the pool/beach bar and had two levels. The bottom level (swim up) had it's own enclosed pool with little stools and tables all around the edges. This was the "rowdy" pool bar in the late afternoons. There was nothing too bad going on, just people drinking shots and being loud and excited with their friends. Cozumel was the other pool bar, and this was in the quieter pool, which did have more children as it is shallower and there are no activities going on. It was still fun though, you can sip your pina colada and then push off from the bar and float across the pool. The animacion team does a great job of getting people involved in activities if you want, they were great. They also served food out by the pool several times, once it was a ceviche snack (YUM!) and another time they had a whole grill/food station set up by the pool for lunch. I thought the food was really good, but my husband and I LOVE Mexican food and we pretty much ate only that for every single meal. No chicken fingers and hamburgers for us in foreign countries! They do serve stuff like that if you want it but I can't comment on it. The Mexican food was great - chilaquiles for breakfast, tostadas for lunch with fresh pico de gallo and guacamole, and more yumminess like enchiladas for dinner. We only stayed 5 days and didn't get sick of the food. We ate at the Steakhouse a la carte and the Mexican and they were both pretty good. I liked the entree I had at the steakhouse, it was the surf and turf. The meat was very tender and delicious. The Mexican one was a little different as salad and appetizers were set up buffet style and then you ordered your main course off the menu. My husband and I enjoyed this experience too. The wait staff in the buffets are great, they barely let you get out of your seat to get a drink refill, even though I was perfectly capable of refilling my own coffee! They work hard and are friendly and are very deserving of tips, but they never ask for one and they are very gracious when receiving them. The rooms were just okay - my least favorite part of this resort. However it is going through a remodel so it will be totally different the next time anyone stays here. They were dated with peeling paint, mold in the corners of the bathroom and other shabby fixtures. The beds were hard but not horrible. I don't care about the TV I have in my room. The best part about the rooms was the mini bar and liquor dispensers! It was nice to have a little pre-dinner cocktail in the room while getting ready. The rest of the grounds were beautiful, it is gorgeous and jungle-y with little trails meandering through everywhere. They take very good care of everything, the staff is always working hard to keep it clean and pretty. The entertainment here was really fun! I didn't partake in any of the daytime activities because we were either out on a tour, in Playa del Carmen, or lounging at the swim up bar, but they looked fun. The nighttime entertainment was great, I thought. No, it's not Vegas quality, but neither is your price tag. The Michael Jackson tribute was soooo well done, the main guy is a great dancer. There were some other very good dancers too, and the aerial acrobatic/cirque de soleil type stuff was awesome. The animacion team was also out in the lobby in the evenings greeting people and handing out drinks, which was pleasant and made for a lively atmosphere. We also visited the Tequila one night and the Playacar during the day, and both were nice. The Tequila is much like the Yucatan, just not on the beach. The Playacar is smaller with pastel-colored buildings and grounds that are less like a jungle and more like a garden. Otherwise, it feels the same. We would definitely return to Playa del Carmen again, and also the Riu. I hope the remodel doesn't make it all ultra modern but I've seen design plans and am not holding my breath. I loved the hacienda-style charm this resort had. We will definitely stay at the Riu properties again.

good location and food, beach was the place to sunbathe because people from the sister hotel came to our pool, but in fairness we went there for the 5o,clock mad hour. i will explain,the buzz you got... More>

good location and food, beach was the place to sunbathe because people from the sister hotel came to our pool, but in fairness we went there for the 5o,clock mad hour. i will explain,the buzz you got there meeting people and best of all talking to the yanks and canadians,who could not get there heads rounds us brits flying 10 hours in one go,the hotel was about to close in two weeks for a refurbishment, but that did not detract from a good holiday. one thing i would complain about, the flight from birmingham flew to manchester, we were told to change crew!,we later found out it happened every week, so be aware of two hours on top of your ten hour flight.all in all a good holiday, but if i went again would fly from manchester.ps the monkeys racoons and the giant rats are an added bonus.

I visited Mexico and stayed at this wonderful hotel with my partner and 2 children aged 9 and 13 in February this year for 10 nights. I must confess it wasn't our first choice - that was Barbados but... More>

I visited Mexico and stayed at this wonderful hotel with my partner and 2 children aged 9 and 13 in February this year for 10 nights. I must confess it wasn't our first choice - that was Barbados but we couldn't the holiday we wanted so had to change destinations. I did have reservations about going to Mexico and was a little apprehensive but I had no need to worry because once we arrived at the Riu Yucatan I fell in love with the place. The hotel is lovely and is close by to lots of different hotels including a couple of other Riu hotels.Its hard to explain but its like a little city in itself.I will come back to the area a bit later on in the review.The staff are all so friendly and work really hard.Im never sure how much to tip but we always gave the bar staff tips of a dollar and the restaurant staff 5-10 dollars. We werent entirely sure what currency to take so took both Pesos and Dollars and both were fine.We stayed in rooms 3101 and 3102 which is just a short walk from the pool and each morning we got to see the monkeys jumping from tree to tree which my 9 year old daughter was thrilled with because she is a monkey lover!! There are 2 bars poolside and the staff are friendly and funny.There is an amazing pool bar which you can swim up to or sit around and the water in this pool is fairly shallow my 9 year old could just about stand up,there is a little pool for the toddlers and another pool further over which seems to be much deeper and busier. so we tended to stay in the pool with the bar.There are also 2 restaurants near the pools at lunchtime which serve a nice selection of lunchtime food, one negative is although there is supposed to be a dress code, no swimwear etc this was never really implemented and it was quite off putting at times trying to eat your lunch when quite large men were coming in bare chested and sweating! in the night the restaurants doubled up as the Alacarte restaurants. one was mexican and was fab the other one I cant for the life of me remember what it served it was gorgeous too!! The nicest restaurant for both lunch and evening meal was the Hacienda in the main lobby,it was usually quite empty at lunchtime and had a brilliant selection of food for the whole 10 days we were there and we were always spoiled for choice.Turning to the hotel rooms they were really nice and there was plenty of space.One thing that bothered me was that having a young family we wanted a family room for us all to be together but unfortunately this hotel doesn't have family rooms.That being said the rooms are next door to each other so it wasn't that big a deal I just stayed in one room with one child and my partner in the other room with our other child.Another thing that springs to mind is that you have to get up early to bag a decent spec round the pool.There are plenty of sun loungers but the ones closest to the pool get snapped up quickly.Also Mexico only has so many hours of sunshine so we used to go to the pool straight after breakfast as the mornings are sunny and hot and it tends to go cloudy and cool right down after lunch.The beach is a short walk from the pool and it is beautiful you can also walk right along the beach to Playa Del Carmen it takes about 30 mins or so. the sea can be quite choppy at times so its always best to be careful with little ones. Playa del Carmen is fab the shops are amazing you do get hassled a little bit by the locals trying to get you into their shops but you just have say no thanks. There are some crazy sights like locals with baby lion cubs, monkeys and snow tigers charging you to have your pictures taken holding the animals only in Mexico!! My partner played golf in the amazing golf courses close by whilst me and the children went to swim with the dolphins at Delphinus wow it was amazing. I'm terrified of water but I had to do it for the children, the instructors were so good and made even me feel at ease and it was an amazing day for us all. It is expensive but worth every penny just to see their sheer excitement on the kids faces!!! Sorry nearly forgot to mention the night time entertainment which was brilliant on every night there was always something different and entertainment teams really worked hard to put on great shows I cannot say enough about this fabulous hotel never stayed at a Riu hotel before but would definitely do it again. I have to say we did eat at some of the other Riu hotels close to our hotel that we also had access to and I have to say I was so glad we chose the Yucatan as it was by far the best for us it had luxury, comfort, entertainment, the staff were so friendly and worked hard and the rooms were cleaned every single day!!! As for Mexico what an amazing place to visit it is so safe and the mexicans are so lovely it was by far one of the best holidays we have had and the children haven't stopped going on about it since they got back. Would definitely stay at this hotel again. I have read all the reviews on trip advisor about this hotel as I always do my research and whilst the reviews are hit and miss as is always the case if you look for something to moan about you will always find something to moan about.I have exceptionally high standards but I think this is a wonderful hotel for families, or couples alike. I assume the refurbishment is to modernise the rooms because they are a little dated but lovely nevertheless and I just hope that nothing is done to change the wonderful character of this amazing hotel!!!

First, the good. The beach sand in front of the hotel was very nice ? the water and waves are great. And no beach hawkers. Staff was for the most part helpful and spoke English, Spanish, German... More>

First, the good. The beach sand in front of the hotel was very nice ? the water and waves are great. And no beach hawkers. Staff was for the most part helpful and spoke English, Spanish, German, and French ? one waiter even spoke all 4! Pools were refreshing, and lounge chairs were always available. Buffet food was passable. Dinner reservations were convenient to make. Steak house was the better of the 3. Beach walk to Carmen and 5th Ave is great exercise. Overall, the hotel is very dated, but I understand it is being closed for renovations this summer. Much needed. 19? CRT TVs in the rooms. Thread bear towels. No sports bars. One has to remember the property is carved out of the jungle ? we forgot. The first night, we enjoyed cocktails on our balcony overlooking the adjacent property. Next morning, I awoke with over 50 bites to my legs ? my companion had 30 on her feet. Not sure if they were from mosquitoes, or from some other bug ? itching lasted the whole week. Our water closet whistled and screamed loudly after any flush ? after 2 nights, we asked for some attention. Maintenance came and looked at it (finally!) on day 4, said it was OK ? had to go to front desk and demand they come with me to hear for themselves. Finally, on day 5, we were moved to another room. Wasted time repacking and unpacking ? valuable vacation time. I?ve asked for reimbursement for lost sleep time, but haven?t even been acknowledged. Not nice to feel ignored ? return visit unlikely. The Caribbean in mid to late April ? heat and humidity ? is not for the weak hearted. More than 50 feet off the shoreline, and the breeze is gone ? hard to even breathe. We cancelled any inland tours and chose to stay near the waves. The Tulum pool bar is positioned in its own separate pool, which is both good and bad. I noticed many Albertans never left the pool to use the washrooms ? don?t drink the urine water! Several drunk Canadians were yelling at each other, for a long time, and no Security ever showed up to remove them. Ruined the experience for others. Also, why some adults would expose their children to the swearing and yelling??. Finally, Smirnoff is not a premium vodka! At least, that's what the bottle label was ? not sure what the liquor is. Liquor in the room?s dispenser is not even suitable as mouthwash. For my money, better options exist.

We stayed in the Riu yucatan in April 2013 just before it was due to close for refurbishment this summer. The hotel is on a lovely beach in a great location in playacar at just a 30 min walk from... More>

We stayed in the Riu yucatan in April 2013 just before it was due to close for refurbishment this summer. The hotel is on a lovely beach in a great location in playacar at just a 30 min walk from playa del Carmen. The hotel itself has lovely gardens and a very natural feel to it. The food was good too, although the only comment I would make was that two of the specialist restaurants were a similar buffet style to the main restaurant but that's a minor thing really. Rooms were clean and tidy but a little dated but that will be resolved I expect in the re-fit which is also rumoured to include a new pool. The staff were amazing, very friendly and helpful. Especially the lovely lady on reception who recommended a restaurant in playa del carmen for my birthday, she sorted the booking for us, got us free welcome cocktails and sorted the taxi too and the meal was brilliant too. Overall this was a good four star hotel in a excellent location. We had a lovely hotel and would recommend this hotel, would be nice to see some pics of how it looks after the revamp!