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Riu Cancun: Traveler Reviews

Call now to book: 1-800-733-5916 from Orbitz
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating:
  • A summary score based on quality, quantity and age of traveler ratings.
4 of 5 stars 1,913 reviews
1,913 Reviews
5.0 of 5 stars
1067
4.0 of 5 stars
488
3.0 of 5 stars
148
2.0 of 5 stars
138
1.0 of 5 stars
72
TripAdvisor Popularity Index:
  • Measures overall traveler satisfaction based on ratings, reviews and other sources.
#20 of 157 hotels in Cancun
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  • Hotel class: 3 of 5
  • Rooms: 569
Description: Situated in the heart of Cancun, this magnificent oceanfront property rests on an expansive fine-sand beach. This description is based on information provided by the hotel.
Address:
Blvd Kukulcan Km 8.5, Manzana 50, Lote 5
Zona Hotelera, Quintana Roo
Cancun 77500
Mexico
Check Rates: $366 Avg. Price
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TripAdvisor Traveler Reviews

Reviews of Riu Cancun

( 805-809 of 1,913 )
“A brilliant two week break”

Riu Cancun

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5 of 5 stars
Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
Aug 8, 2006
36/36 found this review helpful

We have just returned from a two week break staying at the Riu Cancun. This was the first all-inclusive holiday we have been on and can honestly say we were not dissappointed. Check-in at the Riu was so easy - they are quick and very efficient. On arrival you are given a cool refreshing drink.

The rooms are clean and spacious enough for the amount of time you spend in them. There is always warm water and we had absolutely no problem with the air con. All rooms have beautiful views of the sea. Fridges are restocked every two days.

The only thing that I would maybe say was not 100% would be meals. Nothing bad, just gets a little repetitive. There is only a choice of four restaurants in the evening, two of them you need to pre-book - the Japanese and the Brazillian. We never got to the Japanese one, but we did go to the Brazillian which we enjoyed very much - it was a little different in the way your meal is served. Don Juan is great with a choice of many different dishes. La Mision is the restaurant that turns into the Steakhouse in the evening - again the food here is good and you have the beautiful sea views from this restaurant. Hygiene standards in the hotel when dealing with food is of a high standard.

How people can complain they are bored is beyond me. Entertainment in the hotel is non-stop. The entertainers Allessandra, Havier, Alex, Lisa,and George work extremely hard.

The Riu Cancun is in a perfect location. Local Mall, Flea Markets and all the night life are all within walking distance. Public transport is very reliable and you can get to other malls within 10 minutes.

All the excursions we did, we thoroughly enjoyed:
Jungle Boat tour - a must.
Xel-Ha - a good day out,but we were dissappointed with the fish that we saw. You can't compare the fish at Xel-Ha with the marine life in the Red Sea.
Swimming with the Dolphins - as everyone says, a once in a life time experience.
Do book excursions if possible at the Mall across from the hotel. You will definitely save yourself some money.

This is somewhere we would love to return to.

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Average price*: $366 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-733-5916 from Orbitz
“Great Vacation”

Riu Cancun

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4 of 5 stars
Louisiana
Aug 6, 2006
18/18 found this review helpful

This was my 3rd consecutive year going to Riu Cancun. I think - we are planning on going again next year (7/2007).

Hotel: Great hotel. Front desk does well keeping our groups together. They usually always try to accomodate our needs.

Bars in Hotel: The (quite side of the Riu) pool bar on the right when you walk into the lobby was our favorite this year. We especially liked the bartendar named Elias. He did his absolute best to let us have a good time. We are "Loud Americans" from Louisiana and we like music. Elias let us play our music at his bar. Hats off to Elias. The other pool bars the bartendars are not as friendly.

Rooms: We had 15 people in our group, most of us were on the same floor in the Annex Building. Rooms were clean. I left tips - but the maid never left me any special towel decorations. My room must have been to dirty. Some of the others in my group got the decorations - but not I.

Food: Our 1st year the food was not that great. The last 2 years the food has gotten so much better!!!! My favorite is the eggs for breakfast.

Elevators: The Annex Building has 2 elevators - most of our trip only 1 was working. We took the stairs most of the time.

Clubs out of Hotel: Coco Bongo is always a must. Take the Party Hopper tour and ask for Reno to be your tour guide. Reno - is the best - he makes sure we are taken care of. Sometimes, I think we keep returning to Cancun - just to see Reno.

Riu Cancun is a great place to stay. It does have some flaws but all in all - we have a great time. I guess that is why we keep coming back. Only wish they had beach bar service. Can't wait till next year.


  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — All Inclusive
    • Disliked — No beach bar service and pools close too early
    • Tips/Secrets: — Ask for Reno if you go on the party hopper tour. He is a great person.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Nuh's Summary
Date of Stay: July 2006
Traveled with: Spouse / significant other
Visit was for: Romantic getaway
Age group: 35-49
Member since: August 06, 2006
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
    • 3 of 5 stars Business service
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
absolutely!
I recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Great pool scene
I do not recommend this hotel for:
Older travelers, Pet owners, Families with young children, Families with teenagers
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Beach / Sun, Outdoor / Adventure
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $366 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-733-5916 from Orbitz
“Great Vacation!”

Riu Cancun

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5 of 5 stars
Pennsylvania, USA
Aug 5, 2006
30/31 found this review helpful

My husband and I returned today from a wonderful week at the Riu Cancun!

The location is great -- walking distance to lots of shopping, restaurants, bars, etc. The bus costs 65 cents to go anywhere and is convenient if needed. Taxis are always right outside if you prefer that mode of transportation.

We agree with prior reviewers that this hotel is elegant but not at all stuffy. Swimsuits and very casual clothing are worn at breakfast and lunch, in the lobby, at the bars, etc. The property is spotless, inside and out. While I had read prior postings about the staff constantly cleaning the place, I was still amazed to watch them in action all day long. Everyone was friendly, accommodating and efficient.

When we checked in at approx 12 noon, our room was ready for us. It was not huge but was very comfortable and attractive. As promised, the mattress was quite firm, but that's our preference anyway. Staff cleaned the rooms early each day and kept the in-room refrigerator stocked for us. The rooms are equipped with an iron/ironing board, a safe, and a hair dryer. There were plenty of towels available in our room, and the hotel also provides beach towels for guests at the main pool.

We liked the "quiet pool" which is on the far right side of the property. This area is shaded by 2:00 each day, which is great for those of us who cannot tolerate a full day of direct sunlight. This pool doesn't have a swim-up bar, but there is an outside bar just a few steps away.

The beachfront is quite large and can be seen from all pools, pool decks and rooms.

We enjoyed the the two buffet restaurants (Don Juan and La Mision) for different reasons. Don Juan has a wide variety of choices, and almost everything we tried was quite good. Each night featured a different international cuisine; Italian night (Saturday) was our favorite. However, it was usually very noisy and crowded. One night we discovered La Mision, where they grill steaks, chicken and pork to order. Our waiter Carlos greeted us and gave us lots of personal attention. La Mision is less crowded, features an open-air atmosphere, and is very enjoyable for a nice quiet dinner. Ask for Carlos when you visit! La Mision was also a great place for lunch -- again because it is quieter and more relaxing. We didn't have a chance to visit the two specialty restaurants.

The Animacion (entertainment) team members are young, energetic and perhaps insane! They involved the crowd in the nightly shows and made everyone feel welcome. There were a few evenings where dance troupes were brought in for the entertainment, but we actually preferred the inhouse staff.

Overall, this was a most enjoyable vacation! We would love to return to the Riu Cancun some day.

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — The beachfront location, pools and opportunity to relax.
    • Disliked — Smoke-filled lounge during the nightly shows; they should offer a nonsmoking area.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Kathy-PA's Summary
Date of Stay: August 2006
Traveled with: Spouse / significant other
Visit was for: Quality time with family
Age group: 50-64
Member since: June 05, 2006
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
absolutely!
I recommend this hotel for:
An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, People with disabilities, Older travelers, Great pool scene, Families with young children, Families with teenagers, Tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
Pet owners
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Beach / Sun, Outdoor / Adventure
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $366 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-733-5916 from Orbitz
“Wow!!! What a hotel~~~”

Riu Cancun

Aug 4, 2006
21/21 found this review helpful

I cannot say enough wonderful things about our stay at the Riu Cancun. My two daughters 24 and 21, and myself (mom 47) stayed 4 nights and enjoyed every minute. Don't listen to the people who complain on here about tiny little details missing from their trips....go! its the best hotel ever. I have been to Mexico many times and many all inclusives and this was definately one of the best hotels I have stayed at. Our room was a junior suite, huge, spotless, well stocked fridge (very cold), huge bathrrom with two sinks, loads of closet space, and did I mention the room was HUGE....oh I did sorry...nicest room we have ever had at an all inclusive.

The pools were beautiful. They are not overly big, but never felt crowded at all. The quiet pool is the coolest water temp due to the shade in the afternoon. The beach was large, clean and well stocked with chairs. Beautiful calm water every day of our stay. Activities staff are awesome.....talk to them, they are a great bunch of hard working young people.

Restaraunts were great....loved the japanese and would have eaten there twice if we had stayed a whole week. Brazilian was good but I am not a huge meat eater so didn't enjoy it as well as most of the husbands I saw around us. Buffets are very good, lots to pick from daily. Guacaomole was yummy!!!

Got a gift from the hotel for my birthday, fruit basket and two ceramic figurines....lovely!! No charge just a bday wish from them.

The hotel is located across the street from a nice mall for shopping. Walking distance to many clubs.

I say go.....have a great time!!! This hotel was wonderful and I would return in a minute.

Say hello to Joel at the bar by the quiet pool, Jesus in the Japanese restaraunt, and Antonio by the pool....we miss them all already.

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
mexicofan5553's Summary
Date of Stay: July 2006
Traveled with: Friends
Visit was for: Quality time with family
Age group: 35-49
Member since: April 08, 2006
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
    • 5 of 5 stars Business service
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Average price*: $366 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-733-5916 from Orbitz
“FANTASTIC”

Riu Cancun

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4 of 5 stars
Tennessee
Aug 3, 2006
6/7 found this review helpful

Went to Cancun July 24-30 with 5 other people. We had a great time. The hotel was beautiful and the views were amazing! All of the staff was incredible. Hats off to the entertainment staff who are on their toes all hours of the day and always have energy left over. They do a wonderful job making sure everyone is involved. The pools were a little crowded but your in cancun so that is to be expected. Never had problems finding chairs on the beach or by the pool. The rooms were good. We did get a little warm one night, but nothing major. Refrigerator was kept stocked. My one complaint would be the food. But we found something to eat for every meal and we never went hungry. We went to Fat Tuesday's (bad experience-wouldn't recommend), The City (had fun), and Coco Bongo's(you can't leave Cancun without seeing this show). We were never really bothered by people selling stuff. If you tell them you are not interested they will leave you alone. Everyone was friendly and I would definitely stay here again. I wish I was back there already!

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — the views and the staff
    • Disliked — the food and having to leave
    • Tips/Secrets: — take some $1 for tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
mspann33's Summary
Date of Stay: July 2006
Traveled with: Friends
Visit was for: Quality time with friends
Age group: 25-34
Member since: August 03, 2006
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
absolutely!
I recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Great pool scene, Tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
Pet owners
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Beach / Sun
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $366 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-733-5916 from Orbitz

Reviews of Riu Cancun

( 805-809 of 1,913 )
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Riu Cancun Address

Blvd Kukulcan Km 8.5, Manzana 50, Lote 5 | Zona Hotelera, Quintana Roo, Cancun 77500, Mexico