Hotel Riu Palace Pacifico - Adults Only - All Inclusive

My wife and i were just there March 22-29, sunday to sunday. Just a quick week away to recharge a bit. We go down to MX 2-3 times a year, but had been a while since in this area. We were here at the RPP prior to the reno's and def wanted to check it out since, and sure glad we did...what a great renovation and definitely a major upgrade. Walking in, the lobby is a beautiful as ever, and the reno'd lobby bar, though pretty simple, was really nice to have as a meeting spot prior to dinner or heading into town. Cappuchino coffee bar also very nicely updated and has some nice snack options...iced mocha coffee was delightful. Our room was 3073. When checking in we were told we were being given a partial ocean view upgrade. What we got was a room overlooking the new condo construction site next door, and yes you could see the ocean. The noise from the construction started pretty early each morning, but really it wasnt as bad as youd expect. We dont hang out in the room or on the balcony too much, so wasnt a huge concern.....just dont think i would label it as an 'upgrade' lol. I would say the resort was at about 60-70% capacity during our stay. We are used to getting up early to go get the 'good' seats around the pools, but we never found this to be the case this trip. always loungers available as long as you were down by 9am-ish, after that it started to fill up. One thing should be noted, and seen in other reviews, is the slippery tiles around the pools. They were doing a foam party thing on our first full day, and we were just standing watching, and one of the big beach balls came out of the pool....i went to give it a light kick back and ended up going for quite the slip and fall. landed on my upper back/neck/shoulders and hit my head really hard. my glasses and hat went flying about 20ft. not only painful but also a terrible start to our trip. they gave me a bag of ice for my head and ended up with a mild concussion for two days (dizzy, nausea, huge goose-egg, and what i would call mild whiplash in the back and neck...still not 100% back to normal and been two weeks almost). anyway, we said we'd make the best of the rest of our trip and we did, and here's what helped make it great: ROOM - clean, nice walk in shower, smart tv for those that require such. beds were quite soft/fluffy, and not a huge fan (prefer firm) but still very nice. pillows were decent but again quite soft. a/c worked well in conjunction with the ceiling fan. housekeeping did a great job, no complaints there. FOOD - Main Buffet - we went for breakfast and a dinner or two. always good. lots of fresh fruit and juices and the like. carving station rotates daily for dinner. nice for lunch also but found we may over eat a bit for lunch lol. either way everything was always quite good and no complaints, service very good also. STEAKHOUSE - we went once, no problem getting seated. wife had the surf and turf and said her steak was a bit overdone. i had the lobster tail, and it was huge. caribbean of course, and too much for me to finish. still a great meal. service was decent but not as good as we'd received at other a-la-cartes. KRYSTAL - the gourmet restaurant of the resort, and service and food were very good as expected. MEXICAN - again, really good food and service. wasnt as hungry that evening so i had the posole and was very good. we did NOT try the italian or the asian, but everyone we talked to said they were also quite good. and of course mid-day you have Pepe's and Tiki taco if you want a lighter bite around the pools without having to go sit inside...really good wings and ribs (and burgers and tacos and everything else). SPORTS BAR: this was a major part of the reno. real seating, real service, and real food...none of the prewrapped sandwiches and burgers of the past that youd have to microwave. def recommend the shrimp tacos, wings, mac-n-cheese, cobb salad to share....really nice and casual if coming from the pool and you can sit inside or outside (nice AC if you sit inside, and a great view if you sat outside) BAR SERVICE - always very good....interactive staff and decent drinks. one thing i truly found appealing was their beer selection....all the bars offered canned or bottled Tecate Lite or Coors Light.....a real nice break from the typical draft Dos Equis (not a fan, yuck). Beach was beautiful as always, great for long walks and getting some steps in. Go left and you can check out the RIU's down the beach...Jalisco and Vallarta (and we've been to those ones also over the years)....do a walk around, grab a pop for walking back. Go right and you can walk to Bucerias and get your steps. evening entertainment was pretty typical AI.....music themed shows and of course an MJ show. theatre is open air, and they really need to get the big fans moving sooner than later as gets pretty hot/humid. service in all aspects was very good. grounds were clean and felt safe, never any issues with theft whether in the room or by pools. did an afternoon/early evening with another couple in Bucerias (also where our rescue doggo is from)....great way to get off resort for a while, check out the flea market, lots of bars and restaurants (see separate reviews for Mariscos El Payo and Yo Yo Mo's) Clientele was quite the mix....lots of fellow Canadians, quite a few Americans, some locals/nationals....not as much European folks as we've met previously. Most people were quite respectful and having fun without overdoing it, though there were a few that seemed to be on a mission to drink the place dry lol....what did irk me a bit was the amount of people more concerned about taking selfies and never putting their phones down and actually enjoying their vacation....one case in point, in the mexican restaurant, one woman had her phone in her hand the entire time including getting her appetizers and whatnot....she was clumsy and dropped an entire plate of food all over herself and the floor in front of the appetizers and just laughed and kept filming herself while watching staff clean up after her. no apology to staff, just obnoxiously laughing and very ignorant and self-absorbed and walked thru the mess she created. if you want souveniers and the like, theres lots of options in Bucerias at the flea market (i got a decent hat for $13 CDN equiv). at the same time, if you head across the street and walk about 15-20mins, you can go to the La Comer and the Mega...both are like big grocery stores back home (think Superstore if youre CDN). i loaded up on coffee and oaxaca cheese to take home, and much more reasonable and greater variety. well, there is probably 100 things i'm forgetting, but at the end of the day we had a great trip, with great weather and a very nice resort. i can very easily recommend for location, quality of food and top notch service. yes, all these AI type resorts have their share of ups and downs, but focus on the good, be a bit flexible on the not so good, and certain youll have a great time. i can definitely see us going back and highly recommend this resort.

Me and my fiance stayed here for 4 days April 1 thru April 5. Had a terrible experience. We stayed in room 3055 and our housekeeper was named Monica. Long story short Monica is a thief. She stole $350 from my fiancés backpack. We discovered the money was missing when we were checking out of the hotel.

Our last trip was to this resort, and we absolutely loved it. It was the best resort we had ever been to. My son and his wife also chose it for their honeymoon, and they loved it just as much. It’s smaller than many other resorts, but that’s part of its charm — the quality was excellent. The à‑la‑carte restaurants were genuinely different from the main buffet, which was a first for us. Usually, the food is the same as the buffet, just plated nicely, but here it truly felt like a separate dining experience. We also had full access to the two neighbouring Riu resorts, so technically it was a 3‑in‑1 experience. But after visiting one of them, we decided not to bother with the remaining two since this one was higher‑ranked and clearly the best. It’s also located in the gated resort section of Nuevo Vallarta (Nuevo Nayarit), which made the whole area feel very safe and private. I’m not sure if the entire city is gated or just that part, but the resort itself is definitely within a secured zone.

Wonderful resort! The room was very spacious and clean! The beds are very soft! Food was amazing especially at the steak house! We ate lobster! No reservations, so first come first serve - recommend going 20 minutes early! We also loved the Mexican Restaurant and Krystal Restaurant! The beach is one of the best I've ever visited! We walked 8 miles to the pier and back. We saw a sea snake, an eagle ray, an eel, several puffer fish and lots of other fish.

Amazing resort. Great for relaxing. Nice and quiet Close to the airport, but depending on traffic the time can vary. This was the first resort we've been to where the lobby and access to the rooms was all indoors. Which was fine, but it did mean if you had to walk through the lobby area to get to your room. The elevators were a bit small and slow. Also because its all indoors, they had the AC cranked. If you were wet walking from the pool to your room, it was a chilly walk. But because it was so cold in the hallways, we turned off the ac in the room and it was so comfortable. Food - the food was fantastic. it was first come first serve. the only time we had a wait was for the steak restaurant. We had to eat at 830pm. but another day we walked right in around 6pm, so it all depends. that was the busiest of the restaurants and the steak was amazing. For lunch we would just snack from the snack bar by the pool. The would also go the extra mile and have special snacks and treats. one day they had some walking tacos, and ice cream and popsicles. The buffet also did theme nights which added more variety. but everything was so good. bars- the bartenders were very quick. lots of alcohol to choose from. I do wish they had a better drink menu. I ordered an amaretto sour and it was orange pop with amaretto. But most of the other drinks were really good. they also had a drink cart in the lobby that would do 2-3 special drinks each night. there are 3 pools, one big pool that is very quiet. a smaller pool with a swim up bar and tables and benches in it. and another small pool where the activities would happened. The ground around the pools is tiles. which is so slippery. Quite a few people had some hard falls because of it. It was a poor design, but they were always trying to mop it up and kept it dry. The beach is great and very swimmable. No seaweed and the water was very warm. There is a little area on the beach near the volleyball court where you could buy some sunglasses and stuff. we found the prices were comparable to in the downtown markets. from the resort its about a 30 min walk to the outside of Bucerias. we walked along the beach which was an easy walk, there is a path close by as well. the town is very walkable, lots of little coffee shops and nice restaurants. Lots of condos being built and even some canadian owned businesses. There is a market for souvenirs as well. its pretty big. We didn't find them too pushy. Definitely the place to go for souvenirs. From the resort we took an uber to the Malecon. it was in the morning around 730am and we paid just under 400 pesos/ 30 cad, and it took about 35 mins as there wasnt too much traffic. The downtown PV is definitely worth the visit just to walk around. The guys on the malecon can feel a little pushy but just politely say no thanks and usually they leave you alone. Lots of english speaking people walking everywhere, but even most of the locals speak english incase you need directions or if you go into any of the stores. On the way back we stopped at the marina. they had an night(evening) market on thursdays. The main PV marina is nice, but unless you plan on going for dinner, or have a boat tour it can be skipped. You're not missing out on anything. the shows at night were good, similar to most resort shows. Its something to do at night. most people hung out in the lobby area in the evenings, or in the sports bar. overall a very relaxing place to spend time and eat great food. I believe you have access to the other two riu resorts, they are about a 10-15 min walk down the beach. one was being renovated. but this was the best of the 3, so didn't see the point of checking them out.

Just got back from another amazing experience at the RIU Palace Pacifico. Although they are not likely near last year's capacity, things are as normal for the guests as they were last year. Steakhouse was open 5 of the 7 days we were there. The other restaurants were open on alternating schedules as I would have expected. All of the food and drinks were excellent. The bartenders were accommodating to any special requests. It was fun to see what other guests were having and to copy them if it sounded good. Favorite bar was the lobby, especially in the afternoon when it was calm. Cleaning is definitely nonstop. There is someone constantly mopping up any wet tracks from the pool area to keep guests from slipping, but you do need to be careful in the pool area as it tends to be slippery. The rooms and beds were comfortable with a well-stocked refrigerator. Every day the room was cleaned and organized. The refrigerator was restocked daily as needed. The maid would turn down the bed before the evening which was unexpected but a pleasant surprise. I understand some of the disappointment for travelers shortly after the incidents in February. But we need to understand that they were making adjustments for all of the people who decided to cancel their vacations, not knowing exactly when it would return to normal. I never felt unsafe anywhere. We walked the beach daily in both directions and saw nothing but happy people on vacation. The beach area is clean with a few vendors, but they are pleasant not relentless. The beach had a yellow and purple flag each day as there are waves, current and some sort of rays in the water. But I never saw anyone having a problem. This is our second time here and we plan on returning next year. Being an adult's only hotel is a plus for us. The mix is guests from their 20's to their 80's and everyone seems to be respectful. The staff does have someone constantly watching the swim up bar to make sure everyone is safe. Favorite restaurant was the steakhouse but be ready for a lot of food. We had steak and lobster one night and it was awesome. There is a different theme at the buffet each evening. I believe it was the Latin seafood night when there were three kinds of shrimp, huge crab legs, ribeye steaks, much more!

Umbrella Man USA Here. As in the past, I don't like to give flashy reviews for they fall short of travelers expectations. From the time of arrival with 46 of us, through checking in to getting to our rooms shortly after things were looking up. The Resort and ALL employees, from Buffet to specialty Restraunts were Polite and made the dinning experience Excellent. All the bars, swim area, towel personal to the constant cleaning of areas Bathrooms and grounds. I would like to Thank some of the workers that were in the areas that I enjoyed with friends the most. MIRELLA TOWELS JULIA also, ANDIA FRONT desk MIGUEL ALSO. LUISA the Steak house, Silvester pool Security and all the other workers so many to mention that excelled at making our Stay excellent. Also would Like to THANK Mr. SANTIAGO for our STAY ended with the Uprising by Persons not representing the normal community in Puerto Vallarta.

Grounds and Room: The Palace continues to be friendly property for seniors because of its smaller size is and beautiful grounds. Every square inch is impeccably kept, inside and out. For those who are smokers there were still a couple of small places left to smoke on the property plus corners of the beach. The beach is good, and the waves are relatively calm most days. but keep in mind when the ocean is mostly empty, there is usually a good reason. One of the younger and fit guys we went with got pounded by a set of waves that kept him out of commission for a few days as well as giving him sand / road rash on his face. There are 3 pools on property. The pool area is physically divided into 2 by a structure that incorporates a swim-up bar and activity pool on one side, and a large quiet pool, walk-up bar, and snack-bar / seating area. The food area that has taco station every day, along with burgers, hot dogs and fries, plus they add 3-4 other items each day on a rotating basis. The are overwhelmingly seniors, and looking for a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. (Three times during our visit, groups brought speakers to play their own music loudly and did ruin it for the others but they clearly didn't care. Overall the staff are good at telling people no music at all, and to go to the swim-up pool if they want to party.) The rooms are bright and very nice along with air conditioning, ceiling fan, and mini-bar. Housekeeping was usually done by 1:00 pm most days and the room spotless. The bathroom is bright, with a roomy walk-in shower. TV selection was standard fare with a few English-speaking channels. Nice balcony with 2 good chairs and a table. Food & Beverage: The buffet restaurant has a great food selection and all of it is excellent quality. You can always find something to eat in the buffet. If you can’t find enough to build a meal no matter when you go, then you’re just being too picky, or just looking to find an issue to gripe about. Each of the a-la-carte restaurants had good food and are very nicely designed. There is a wide selection of restaurant options including: Steakhouse, Asian, Mexican, Italian, Fusion, and a small restaurant for Elite Level guests only. The Sports Bar offers a much better range of food than the typical sports bar fare and is also very nice inside. All of the restaurants are first-come, first-serve basis, and offering beepers if you get there when full. The Steakhouse is by far the most popular, so arrive early if you want to eat early. (Note – at all the restaurants, you MUST have all your guests with you to be seated, otherwise you won’t get in. while it did happen a coupe times, we rarely saw the jerk move of 1 person holding a spot in line for 3 or 4 others to show up later.) The lobby is also the destination for drinks with a coffee bar that makes both hot and cold drinks and has small pastries and sandwiches for a quick bite on the go. The lobby also has the main bar for both regular guests and an enclosed separate bar for Elite class guests. almost every night there is also a special drink cart that offers different concoctions each evening. Staff: Without doubt, the staff is what makes all Riu trips so amazing. Without them, a hotel is just a hotel. Aside from food and beverage staff, every single staff member we encountered was quick to smile and say “Hola” when passing including grounds crew, housekeeping and maintenance personnel. We always acknowledge the outstanding people who make our trips great, so once again we really hope the hotel itself, and the Riu organization will recognize with the following Staff members: New General Manager David has been with Riu many years and transferred over from the Vallarta in 2025. David is very nice and continues to set an excellent example for the other Palace staff just as he he did at he Vallarta when we first met him years ago. The front desk team holds a very special place in our hearts and Manager Gabriel is without doubt one of our very favourite members of the Riu team. Gabriel is both extremely professional and very friendly, and he is always keen to ensure everything is perfect for us from check-in to check-out. Gabriel is always quick to come over and say hello even if we are just coming to the counter to get change, so he can ensure alll is well. The Riu is very lucky to have this fine gentleman, and we hope to see him on all our future visits. Luz, Sandra, Dennise, and Gabby, round out this kind, friendly and amazing team of professionals. We consider each of them a friend, not a staff member. We’d also like acknowledge the Bellmen Gerardo and Eduardo. Hard working gents always ready with a handshake, smile and a quick conversation if they are not too busy. Elite Beach Bar - Lalo and Polo Pool / Beach Servers – Adrianna, Ana, and Mirabel. Pool Bartenders – Reuben, Mini Mi, and Wilbur. Buffet server – Lucy and Paolo Lobby Bar - Nelson and Caesar / Elite Bar – Ervin and Luigi Coffee Bar - Kristel to close this review, we can't stress enough that this property has an older crowd who are very clearly not interested in hearing any loud obnoxious conversations, swearing, yelling, conversations from your phone's speaker, or music from personal speakers. Don’t be entitled jerks and wreck it for others also on vacation.

Entrance to beach is horrible old chunks of concrete broken pieces of ceramic tile large stones . It really needs to be cleaned up properly otherwise it’s great!!

This was our 2nd time at this beautiful resort and we cannot wait to return! We loved every moment and do not have one complaint! The staff are extraordinary, the attention to hospitality and cleanliness is outstanding of this world! Special mention for Samael and Dalila who we so enjoyed being greeted by and cared for every morning for breakfast! The food was delicious! We loved having the Cobb Salad and Shrimp tacos at the American sports s bar enjoying the view of the ocean from the deck. We thoroughly enjoyed our meals at La Toscano (Italian), Guacamole (Mexican) and the Steak House - so much that we went twice to each. The aqua size, the nightly entertainment and the virgin pina coladas for me = delightful!! So looking forward to our return!!

First off, in March 2026 PVR is very safe and there are no lingering issues related to El Mencho, but this has really impacted tourism in the area. Overall we had a really nice stay at the Riu Palace Pacifico. This class of Riu allows you access to the neighboring property (Riu Jalisco) which is nice because this property is not very large. This side is an adults only resort and draws an older crowd which is nice for a more quiet, upscale experience. The hotel itself is very beautiful and very well maintained. It was incredibly clean throughout. Quite possibly the cleanest property I’ve ever been to. Very Art deco style and a lot of open spaces. We were really surprised that everything closed so early. Restaurants complete dinner service by 9:30, so for those on Pacific time, you need to be at dinner by 6:30 your time to have full time for a meal. They weren’t able to accommodate our group of 7 at the steakhouse, so we had to do the Italian restaurant because they only have a few restaurants open at a time. The food was decent for this level of all inclusive. As a note for vegans, I was able to find options here-and-there but after more the two days you may feel disappointed. I’ve eaten a ton of Beyond Burgers, which I appreciate they have, but you can only eat so many. You can ask at breakfast for a tofu scramble with silken tofu and they have soy/almond milk for cereal. They have a ton of pool areas and ample seating with lots of shade. You do need to use towel cards, which I find inconvenient. There is no designated bathroom for the pool which is strange. The swim up bar is nice and service at the pool is quick and consistent. The drinks were pretty good with mid-tier alcohol unless you upgrade to the Elite Club where they have Grey Goose and other comparable liquors. The property only has two bathrooms; one behind reception and one below ground near the pools and restaurants. This means you can be dressed nice for dinner sharing a bathroom with all the pool goers with wet bathing suits. It diminishes the experience a bit. The Elite Club has its own lounge, restaurant, and beach cabana area. It’s nice if your whole party upgrades, but they are strict about not allowing anyone without the wrist band in. When we arrived we had a nice bag, a tumbler, and a bottle of sparkling rose. Our room had really nice views of the full property and the ocean with a balcony for watching sunsets or having morning coffee. Standards rooms have a collection of liquors in the room and beers and sodas in the mini bar. Elite Club rooms are larger with better views and have upgraded liquors with some snacks (trail mix, pringles, and a Kit Kat). The double beds are comfortable, however the king beds are incredibly soft and you sink in like you’re being sandwiched which was uncomfortable for most of our party. The spa was very easy to get into and our services were really relaxing. The spa is basic with a steam room and a whirlpool. We got an 80-minute treatment and had a 25% discount making it really affordable. The activities staff were great and got people involved … lots of water aerobics and water volleyball attendees. We really loved the Tibetan singing bowl meditation by the beach!

My husband and I had a great visit last winter, so we brought my family with this year. Because of recent events, everything is scaled back but we’re not given anything in compensation. Tonight (sunday) the app shows one restaurant open and the buffet hasn’t been open at all in the evening for an alternate choice. How can this be? Occupancy is way down so we requested ocean view (to make up for lack of restaurants being open) nope. They put us on floor one right above the entertainment so our balcony view is of the roof along with loud music until 11pm. It is a lot of money for a crappy view and lack of food choices. Very disappointing and I’m embarrassed I suggested this place for my family along with the high price!

We went to this Resort for our wedding. The timing of our trip turned out to be very unfortunate since we went 4 days after the drug cartel incident. However, even given this situation, we felt very safe and protected on the resort. The resort was only about 25% full so it felt like we had the place to ourselves. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, our room and the rest of the resort was very clean, the views were great, and the service was outstanding. The food was very good but not amazing. Some of the restaurants were closed throughout the week because of the incident from a few days before but we had no trouble getting into each of the restaurants. Our favorite was the steak restaurant where the service was outstanding and the stakes and other dishes we're very good. There are three pools with one of them having a swim up bar. Some of the best food was cooked on the outside grill near the pool. The food at the sports bar was also very tasty. One negative about our room is that we upgraded to an Oceanfront room and The View was somewhat obstructed by the roof overhang of the floor below us. This was the case for most of the ocean front rooms and I wish they had designed the hotel with narrower rooftops on the floors below. The view is still amazing but was just somewhat blocked by the roof. We will definitely consider going back to this Resort and I highly recommend it.

This hotel is not worth the cost. Rooms worthy of a 1 star hotel. View was of roof and tops of trees. Food was limited, specialty restaurants usually closed or impossible to get into. Menus limited and poorly executed. Buffet food was mediocre at best (think McCains frozen hash browns ) and got less and less selection as time went on. We were there for our 59 anniversary and when asked for a better room were told this was as good as it gets. We were directly above the party theatre which was very loud from 9-11:30 every single night. It did not make for a pleasant stay. We spoke with two managers but really got nowhere. Definitely do not recommend.

This is the fourth RIU I have stayed at and the 7th one I have visited and I have never experienced the most unfriendly bartenders, pool servers and front desk staff. Nothing like that at any other resort chain either. We were a group of 15 ranging in age from 23 to 83. We tried to be friendly to the staff and were always tipping but the staff seemed miserable and you felt like you were bothering them to place an order. We even witnessed one of our pool severs roll her eyes at us. The servers in the restaurants and buffet were friendly at least. The renovations at the property are nicely done. The rooms and the grounds were well kept and clean. There is a step down in the rooms to get to the couch & balcony that is very unsafe. The step doesn't run the whole opening and the rooms are very dark. A motion light near the step would be beneficial. The tiles around the pool are extremely slippery. We witness many people falling with and without shoes on. Pool tables in the sports bar were never used as apparently you not only have to pay for them, you have to get coins from the front desk to put into the slots. With the resort not having a lot of entertainment on the property you would think they could let you use the pool tables for free. The RIUs were always a great resort for service, good food and not having class levels. The food here was average and very salty. And if you want to make reservations or maybe get better service you must have to pay extra for the Elite Club.

A fantastic resort, rooms, check-in, food, staff, cleaning, pool, beach, 5 out of 5.

I m here now until Saturday morning. I have brought at least 150 people to this resort every January or February for the last three years. This year they are liars and thieves. They are charging me for all of the restaurants to be open, but they’re closed even the buffet. When I ask for some sort of restitution or refund, they said they can’t. They say the price includes specialty restaurants and buffets but when they can’t offer them, there is no that is stealing from me. They say all the roads in Puerto Vallarta are closed and that’s why their help cannot come in to work. That’s not true. This town was only under an alert due to cartel issues for two days. They never notified anyone that restaurants were closing. I cannot believe any truthfulness from the people at the front desk.. Think twice about coming to this resort, they obviously don’t care about the satisfaction of their customers. They only care about the money that comes in the front door. Thieves.

- Check In was a breeze. Rooms were not ready but enjoyed beverages while waiting for room which did not take long. (Junior Suite Partial Oceanview) - We were travelling with another couple and had requested rooms close together. Request was granted - Large Clean Room on 4th floor – large bathroom, dressing area and a sitting area with couch and table - Our room had good views of the ocean when on the deck. Looked down on the main walkway of Resort - Maid service – room cleaned each day and fridge refilled - Felt it was time to replace the mattress in our room as it had definite sags in the mattress - #4024 - Buffet – good variety each day – lots of fruit available all day - Buffet was decorated lovely for Valentines Day - A la Cartes – Enjoyed all of them – Asian, Steak House and Italian being the favorites – no need for reservations (the best!) - Steak House was a little difficult to get into as it filled fast but enjoyed the lobster offered - Dress code for A la Cartes was comfortable – No need for long pants and shoes for the men - Enjoyed the pools and the beach equally but beach was a little breezy (Our weather was fantastic) - Bar Service at the pool was a little sparse – (made no difference if we tipped or not) Found it was easier to just go the bar and get our own drinks sometimes - Lots of sun and shade at pools - Snack Bar at pool was good - Riu Entertainers were not real inviting to join activities. We had to keep track of the activities on the RIU App or we would miss an activity we wanted to join - Pool Towels were accessible all day long - Valentines Photo Booth was fun – and giving out Roses was very thoughtful - Bar Service at the Lobby Bar was good – enjoyed Lobby Bar before dinner – Kristel took very good care of us - “Drink of the Day” bartenders were also great - Nightly entertainment was good – great dancers and variety – especially enjoyed the “Silent Disco” and the “Michael Jackson” show - Was a little disappointed with the Sports Bar. No grab and go food available. Had to order off a menu and could not take out - Wanted to play pool in the Sports Bar one evening but the bartender did not have tokens for the pool table. Had to search out change (in the lobby) in order to play. - Not a large resort area. If you wanted to walk you had to go outside of the resort - Walked to the other nearby RIU’s many times - Could walk miles along the beach - About a 20 – 30 minute walk to Bucerias – on walkway or beach - Confectionary and Pharmacy stores just outside of resort - Found the overall resort and grounds to be very clean - Attended RIU Party at the nearby RIU resort - Communication was a bit of a problem sometimes as we speak English - Enjoyed our stay and would recommend - Felt the resort needed more bathrooms – Bathrooms were located under the Buffet/Lobby/Beach. Need a bathroom in the Sports Bar/Entertainment Building. Presently a very long walk to a bathroom. - Average age of guests was probably 50-60 years of age - Excursions – did City Tour which included the Boardwalk and Rhythms of the Night Dinner Show NOTE TO RIU PALACE PACIFICO: Enjoyed our stay February 1 – 15, 2026. Just a note for the wellness of the employees. “Drink of the Day” cart. Exceptional bartenders but feel the hotel needs to provide a Fatigue Mat for the bartenders to stand on during their shift. They have to stand in one spot for a great length of time. One evening we were sitting in the lobby and noticed the bartender was having leg pain. He kept bending his legs and could see the pain in his eyes. Please provide these bartenders a Fatigue Mat to stand on. Something very easy to fix for the wellness of these employees

My wife and I stayed Feb. 14-21 and found our room very clean and comfortable, very good service, good but not exceptional food, and a beautiful beach with a wonderful sunset every evening. HOWEVER, the reason I can only give 3 stars is because of the many personal accidents we witnessed, the RIU put tile around the pool area and when it gets wet is very slippery. We witnessed 2 or 3 people falling everyday we were there. We met a lady who had fallen on the slick tile and fractured her wrist and ended up in a local hospital.

Entertainment is to look at, Their is lots of bat rays in the water, water snakes . Not to inviting to go swim. I prefer the RIU palace Costa Mujers .

We booked Playacar after finding out that our go-to Riviera Maya Palace / RMP did not have availability for our week. My husband and I were bringing our son and daughter in law for her 30th birthday. We all loved the layout of Playacar! The adult-only swim up bar infinity pool was in the sun all day and even though the water was cold, it was popular with the guests and we could always find a place to sit. Our room 6201 was perfect! 2nd floor with no one above us and we were on the corner. From the balcony we could see the ocean. We were close to the beach and not far from the lobby. Oscar who cleaned our room daily was friendly, thorough and left us the most delightful towel animals. It had a wonderful walk in shower (RMP had a tub, which we didn't miss). The walkable beach is stunning and the aqua blue water is beautiful! We would spend 2+ hours a day in the water bobbing around watching the fish swim by us. The weather in February was perfect, every.single.day.. Bars, buffets and restaurants were great, Italian ended up being our favorite. RMP has lobster at the steakhouse and we missed that. The only premium vodka was Smirnoff. RMP had a variety of flavored Absolute Vodkas. The Friday night Neon Party fell on our daughter in law's birthday, it was amazing!! Don't miss this, even if you go early and leave after a bit, still go! The free airport shuttle with Destination Services was terrible. After we arrived at Cancun Airport, the DS Rep played games with us regarding taxi rates $120, then $80, after 30 minutes of us refusing he said he could get us a shuttle if we gave him a tip? Then at the hotel we got a call in our room the first morning to come down right away to get our return shuttle voucher, which turned out to be a sales pitch for excursions, then told to come back the day before we leave to pick up the voucher. When we returned the day before we left she barked our pick up time at us which was 5 hours before our plane took off. Considering the travel time to the airport is 1 hour and the check in to gate takes about 20 mins we opted for a private transfer that picked us up at 3pm in lieu of noon. Rather spend our last few hours at the beach than 4 hours at the airport that doesn't have drinking water (only bottled for $5usd). We still made it to the airport 2.5 hours prior to our flight. We preferred the Playacar over RMP and RMP is usually about $600usd per week MORE than Playacar.

Enjoyed our stay February 1 – 15, 2026. Just a note for the wellness of the employees. “Drink of the Day” cart. Exceptional bartenders but feel the hotel needs to provide a Fatigue Mat for the bartenders to stand on during their shift. They have to stand in one spot for a great length of time. One evening we were sitting in the lobby and noticed the bartender was having leg pain. He kept bending his legs and could see the pain in his eyes. Please provide these bartenders a Fatigue Mat to stand on. Something very easy to fix for the wellness of these employees.

What a great time ! Gail at the specialty drink station was extremely friendly and always saying hi even when not at his station . Cesar and Luigi at the lobby bar were made a stay very enjoyable ( always had big smiles ) Maribel at the swim up bar was the fastest server I have ever seen . Amazing person. Janet at the buffet was absolutely amazing always asked how our previous day was and what plans we had for the day were . She has been there for 17 years and everyone we talked to that sat in her section said she was incredible. The food was spectacular especially Krystal and Guacamole. The beach was incredible. We did a swim with wild dolphins. Saw around 40 plus at least 15-20 humpback whales including a few baby whales.

This is our second visit to this location and on both trips we’ve met the kindest folks and eaten WAY too much delicious food! I love to practice my Spanish and most employees (who speak English far better than I speak Español) were so patient and cheerful taking the time to help me. Judith who works the dining area near Daiquiri was especially friendly and attentive. She stopped by regularly both to take care of us and give me some of her valuable time to help me practice. I really hope that I get to see her again on a future visit to Riu! If you visit be sure you also try one of the morning RiuFit classes, then in the evening enjoy the complimentary freshly crafted artisan cocktails available in the the lobby. All the staff we encountered here were just lovely to chat with and I look forward to returning in the future.

We spent another delightful week at the RPP in early February. It has been renovated in recent years, is located on a wonderful beach, provides many varied drinking/dining options, is staffed by friendly professional folks, and is kept scrupulously clean and well maintained. Thanks to the Elite Club our room was centrally placed on the top floor, away from some of the ground-level noise and with a first-class view of the bay (and playing whales). As usual we sampled a number of the drinking and dining options - with our favorites being the Elite Club lounge, Elite Club beach service, Krystal restaurant, Elite Club restaurant, and La Peninsula for breakfast and lunch. We are "beach people" rather than "pool people" so we enjoyed the Bali beds in the Elite Club beach area for the extra shade and quieter location. (They are also closer to the $35 beach massage parlors.) We are not big entertainment folks so the most we can comment on the entertainment (RIU Party) offerings were that they were loud. Many staff are consistent from year to year and provide excellent service - provided you do some tipping. As you may have guessed, we are fond of the extra pampering we get due to the added cost of the Elite Club. A few suggestions for RPP management: 1) Provide more than one Elite Club desk clerk to expedite check-ins when several EC guests arrive at the same time. If regular guests have multiple staff to check them in after a long day of travel, why do you "penalize" Elite Club guests by making them wait?; 2) Just as the Elite Club offers some premium liquors, why can't there be some higher quality wines offered to Elite Club guests? And perhaps some anejo tequila?; 3) The resort provides minimal "rules" for guests. So please enforce those rules that do exist - enforce the dress code for ala-carte restaurants; keep wet bathing suits off of the lobby upholstered furniture; keep outside vendors off of the private section of the beach.

We stayed in room 7076. This faces south and is considered partial ocean view. There is construction going on below, but it is really only noticeable when on the balcony. The food was very good everywhere. We did not make it to the steakhouse or the fancy restaurant due to lines and preference. Julian at the breakfast buffet was fun each morning. They threw a nice superbowl party. The pools were good sizes and nice temperature. The larger one to the south has a ramp into the water. Room for improvement: Bathroom access requires a trip down stairs to the beach and down more stairs under the pool deck or back to the main building. This also requires stairs or trip down a ramp. The deck is also quite slippery, but staff are continually working on that with mops and squeegees. There were some falls. Overall it was great and we would be happy to go back.

We spent 16 days in total inclusion — wonderful people, delicious food, and endless fun. We have been coming to the Riu Palace Pacifico for many years, and each year is even better than the last. The senior staff, front desk team, and all the employees go above and beyond to accommodate every guest’s needs. The ELITE CLUB is a unique experience that we highly recommend. Coming to the Riu Palace Pacifico feels like coming home — actually, even better, because it’s all-inclusive. You simply relax at the beach or by the pools without a worry. The food is amazing: fresh, varied, and beautifully prepared — from breakfast to lunch to dinner. And we can’t forget the specialty restaurants, where you can savor different cultural dishes. Sixteen days felt perfect… and next year, we may stay even longer! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE!!!!!

This was our second time at the Riu PP. Very happy with cleanliness of room and across hotel. Food and food selection was pretty good for all inclusive dining. As my wife took exercise classes every day this was huge for her and she was very happy (thank you Jasmine!!). It’s often times the little extras and stand out service that makes the experience- the evening bar cart, Louisa at the steak restaurant, everyone at the front desk, etc. Evening entertainment varied (silent disco was fun) but hopefully they will mix it up a bit, particularly for those who return and enjoy seeing something new.

High recommend and would return! Great food, drinks and entertainment. Very good location and very friendly staff! Rooms were nice and lots of lounge chairs at the beach!

Excellent service from arrival to departure. Rooms, property in general, pools and dining options terrific. First time to PV area and a RIU property. Will definitely return. -met by Gerardo upon arrival and connected with him almost daily. Incredibly friendly and helpful. -Janet in La Peninsula was a daily excellent ambassador for breakfast. -Kiki in reception bar cart with whisky sours amazing. - we enjoyed the variety and food options at the various onsite eating locations, often ending up at sports bar for watching games. - the pool and beach areas and in fact entire property were always well maintained and clean in same way as Disney franchise. -walked numerous times to Bucerías to meet friends and also down beach. Dropped in to see RIU Jalisco newly renovated. Would be great for families. -really appreciated the adult only aspect of this property. Thanks you RIU team!

This resort was WONDERFUL! We came with a group of 160+ people and I didn’t hear one complaint. The rooms were really clean, the staff were incredible, the food was delicious and the resort itself was hands down one of my favorite. Well done Riu Palace! WELL DONE!

Went during New Year! This location is perfect and very well kept. This is Adults only, and very clean. Service is excellent and food choices are awesome. We had 2 rooms and I request to be close by and they accommodated my request. There are 3 pools and with all inclusive you do not have to worry about drinks and food. Being there for 7 days I think I did not eat same thing any day. You have alot of choices and some high end restaurants, you may need to make reservations or get there early to be put in waitlist, but it was easy. Entertainment was fun during New Years. Service was excellent and people and staff were very polite and super helpful.

We just love this resort 🩷 a big shout out to Renalgdo at the Daiquiri bar and Fernando and Luis at the pool bar. The food at the Asian restaurant was so hot and delicious we couldn’t finish the rice or chicken gyoza. The steak house was good BUT if you like your steak just pink in the middle like us ask for medium WELL! The buffet was so good and there is plenty of selection at lunch and dinner. I had prime rib and it was so delicious 😋 I know some people have posted about theft of $ and I did meet a beautiful 27 year old that had a ring missing 🥺 that is why you MUST USE THE SAFE in your room!! I lost an earring in my room and my lovely house maid Jocelyn found it under the bed and left me a nice not in Spanish left on the dresser!! I tipped her for finding it and she was refusing to take it! The rooms and all the resort we found to be spotless and they are constantly cleaning.All the hardworking staff want is for you to have the best holiday that you paid for!! I found the resort very quiet at night we did NOT have drunks waking us up in the middle of the night like when we stayed at the RIU Baja California in Cabo…. a year ago we came home sleep deprived and disappointed and 😡😡 that we didn’t have the holiday we expected! I can’t say enough about the amazing staff Monica in the breakfast buffet also deserves a shout out 🩷 she was very attentive and friendly! I count the days until we return! To all Canadians reading this just know we met a lot of Americans who were nothing but kind and very apologetic about the orange headed clown 🤡 running their country! We have Canadian towel clips so they knew we were Canadian and fellow countrymen who were holidaying with us had hats and t-shirts on…the Mexican people love Canadians! I hope if you stay at this resort your holiday is as magical as ours was 🩷🩷

700$USD cash stolen out of my room while I went to eat and watched the show. I bought the elite Oceanview suite so paid a lot for it. I told the manager Veronica because the main manager wasn’t there of course about this problem and that my door did not properly close. Also the emergency stairs go to the outside or right by the door and anyone can easily climb onto the balcony. They came to the room and denied it and searched around in the sofas and in the bed thinking they’d find the cash. It was ridiculous!!!! it was stolen out of my fanny pack buried Deep in my suitcase. there are no security cameras. The floors are very slippery especially around the pool and within the room there’s steps. There’s lots of stairs in this hotel. The weather was beautiful. Sunsets were nice. The only good food was in the sports bar had hamburgers and french fries food buffet wasn’t very good except for the cheese, fruit and soups. Staff is quite friendly, except for whoever stole my cash. There’s not much to do there in the bingo is a joke. I asked this ‘manager’ if they could possibly pay for my taxi to return to the airport, but they said no, they cannot and that I have to go to to get the money from an ATM at the hotel next door!!!!! the place was super boring -the pool and pool bars close at 6 pm . Guest were told not to play their own music near the pool or on the beach. The first room they gave me was next to construction three days later I was moved to a lower floor where there were air-conditioning fans on top of the hotel building on that side next to the hotel.

Review – Riu Palace Pacifico, Riviera Nayarit, Mexico We recently stayed at the Riu Palace Pacifico in Riviera Nayarit and found the experience to be average overall. The resort is very clean and well maintained, which we appreciated. The beach is beautiful, and the location is excellent, making it easy to relax and enjoy the surroundings. Unfortunately, several aspects took away from the experience. The entertainment was lacklustre, with very repetitive music and activities throughout the day and evening. After a short time, it felt monotonous and uninspired. Staff interactions were also inconsistent — while some employees were pleasant, friendliness often seemed motivated by tipping, which diminished the all-inclusive feel. Communication at check-in was another issue, as resort policies were not clearly explained. In particular, beware of the resort towel policy. We accidentally spilled a drink in our room and were informed that we would have to pay for the towels. Even after speaking with several members of management, the charges initially remained. This situation put a damper on our entire vacation until they eventually acknowledged that accidents happen and removed the charges. Not the experience we expected from a 5 star Riu resort. Overall, the resort has strong points in cleanliness, beach quality, and location, but improvements in entertainment, service consistency, and clarity of policies would significantly improve the guest experience.

This is not the first time that we’re staying at Rio hotels but this one is definitely one of our preferred one. This is a beautiful hotel well located where you will find everything that you wish for. I strongly recommend this hotel for people that are looking forward a vacation in a sunny place without having to deal with any issues. In term of value, this is much better than the Club Med!

We had an absolutely wonderful 5 night family stay at the Palace Pacífico and would stay there again! We were on the 1st floor and had a 2 bedroom suite (2 connecting rooms one with king and the other with two doubles) which was great for my husband and I and our two kids (21, 18). Our room functioned well but it took me awhile to figure out the darn TVs! I know, I know, no TV on vacation but I like to watch a little before I fall asleep so I did take the time one night to figure it out but honestly, I don’t think most people would have the patience. We did use the RIU app to request bar service or our rooms be cleaned and I also ordered room service. Each time we asked, someone was there to resolve our issue or need quickly. The app was very easy to use to look up restaurant menus, drinks et it’s one of the better resort brand apps I’ve used. The map is not great so we just walked around the first night to see where everything was and it’s not a super huge resort so we figured it out. The food was tasty, as expected, and didn’t disappoint us…our belly’s were always full and if we had to wait for a table at dinner, it wasn’t long & someone brought us a drink while we waited. We were able to eat everywhere we wanted (even the elusive steakhouse one night but we did get there early and waited in line). The buffet is just fine with any kind of food you would want to eat, theme nights for dinners and chefs everywhere waiting to attend to special requests. For those complaining about the breakfast food temperature at buffet …it’s fine, and if you want (or expect) hot food at this buffet then go to one of the many chefs just waiting there for you & politely ask them to make you what you want, within reason, & they will do it! The property grounds and beach/pool areas were just beautiful and we were able to get a lounge chair on the beach or at the pool w/umbrellas whenever we wanted them. There are vendors on the beach but they just walk by and you say “no gracias”… they are gone. I didn’t do a massage on the beach but other guests I talked to did, and they loved it - $35 USD for an hour massage is a steal. I agree with other reviews the resort staff are always cleaning and they did an excellent job of taking care of public places, including the pool/beach bathrooms, and making sure all spaces were very clean…ALL the time. I also agree with other reviews on the floors …they are slippery, so be careful. We didn’t see anyone slip or fall but it’s totally possible, especially if you’ve had too much to drink. I agree with other reviewers on the resort staff too (bartenders, waitstaff, hosts, front desk) who were all generally polite and professional though it felt inconsistent at times. Some staff members we encountered (esp. waitstaff) felt more engaging or friendly while others felt more reserved or businesslike. Compared to my vacation experiences in Jamaica, where hospitality tends to be overtly friendly, everywhere, this felt a bit different. But I came to appreciate that as long as the service was great (meaning I got what I wanted when I wanted & nobody was rude) then I was good! That being said, I jotted down the names of a couple staff who I felt, compared to others, went a bit above and beyond and those staff were Julian at the buffet and Adrian at the steakhouse. I have mixed feelings about reviewing the entertainment. The team was energetic and the talent was there for sure, but the style was not our taste. We checked it out most nights, but left early (we did some touring off the resort, so had early mornings). We liked Mexican night the best and the circus night with acrobatics was impressive. The resort is lively. We retired to our rooms by 9:30 ish and the entertainment was still going we could hear it but it wasn’t loud enough to disrupt our ability to fall asleep and was over by 10:30 or 11:00 pm. We never hung out at the swim up bar during the day, but it was full of guests with loud music and revelry! on the other side of the bar, the pool was quiet and peaceful. The beach was not super quiet but just fine to read your book in peace or take a quick snooze. Palace Pacífico is really a great resort that balances a party feel with tranquility. Regarding fitness, we didn’t do any resort activities but I walked by a lot of the “RIU fit” classes in action (yoga, meditation, aerobic) and they looked great! I would have tried some classes but our kids were with us. I would recommend following their Facebook page to get a better sense for the resort and ask questions. I followed the page a couple months before our trip and it helped me feel more knowledgeable or know what to expect when we arrived. I’d recommend staying there!

This was our second family Christmas at Riu Palace Pacifico. The 2 bedroom suite we shared with our adult daughter was perfect as it was 2 adjoining rooms and allowed for everyone’s privacy. Service excellent all around! Luigi in the lobby bar is definitely one of our favorite people along with Samael (sp) at the breakfast buffet! They both always had our drinks ready and waiting when they saw us coming! Grounds are clean and perfectly manicured daily. Pool maintenance did a much better job this year keeping the swim up bar deck as dry as possible to prevent the slip and falls we saw last year.

December in Puerto Vallarta has never disappointed. The weather was picture perfect every day of our trip, the beach is fantastic, the views of the mountains around the bay are wonderful. A small school of rays swimming around the shallow water every day was a nice surprise. This was our first stay at the Riu Palace Pacifico; we have stayed multiple times down the beach at the Riu Vallarta. The resort is clean, and even the beach restrooms were clean. The grounds are beautiful and well-maintained. We had no issues getting chairs each morning by the pools, the beach or even the bar pool, although I was up before 8 AM each morning to find a spot. Our perception of the food was good. We found it above average for resort fare. The buffet had an abundance of options, and the fresh fruit variety was great. We tried a few of the restaurants with mixed results: you have to be in line early for the steak house, but in the end, I didn't feel it was worth the hype and the wait. In the US, we are spoiled with good steakhouses, so it is hard to impress us with steak. The meal was good and had good flavor, but the cuts were all overcooked. The Asia restaurant was just OK. The Mexican restaurant was the best in our opinion with good ceviche, and the tacos and fajitas were really good. We had no wait getting into any of the restaurants except the steakhouse. A few of the employees really stood out during our week. Janet at the breakfast buffet was so pleasant and cheerful. Milton and Andrea and Sebastian with the entertainment staff, were fun without being intrusive. Check-in and Check-out was smooth and fast, and the bellmen were available but not pushy about taking our bags. The crowd was definitely on the older side so the resort was a bit quiet in the evenings, and I think they could use a little better entertainment at night. The Michael Jackson show was fun for sure. Most of the bands are backing track bands that get a little stale. The sports bar is the best we have experienced in Mexico, with a wide selection of beer and spirits, and food that surpasses some of the restaurant fare. The wait staff was also great. There is plenty of room to have a quiet conversation or tables inside for a more raucous group watching a game. The elevators are fast, so we didnt have to spend a lot of time waiting as our room was on floor 7. We will definitely consider staying at the Palace Pacifico again soon.

Pros: This hotel was very clean. Ice cold AC. Well Stocked mini bars. Endless hot water. Good WiFi. Snacks and coffees available all day. Lots of seating at the beach and pool. The beach food places always had the best fresh food. Workers were all well dressed and friendly. Cons: the food was terrible. We have been to many RIUs and they are mid level food at best. So I did not have high expectations on the food. Even eggs and whites were over cooked. My bf got NY strip and it was cold and raw we told the waiter so they could take it off. The restaurants u have to line up for the steakhouse was always too busy to get in so we could not go. The gym is very small and doesn’t open until 0700 and there were people waiting to get in every morning. This gym should open earlier or be 24/7 like other RIUs. Many excursions had me leaving the hotel at 0715 so I couldn’t get in before. There are no umbrellas on the beach so if you want some shade you have to rent them for $300 pesos or $15 USD daily… there are lots of beach hustlers that come up on the property despite the area being marked not to. That includes also several horses standing close by and people operating parasailing. The elite side was roped off so those people were not bothered. So if you want to rest… it is difficult at this beach with the constant bothering. Overall a good experience. We ubered to most places and there are miles to walk in both directions. You can see rays in the AM on the shorelines. The NYE food selections were vast and much better than the usual buffet.

Excellent resort. Food was amazing. Steakhouse was delicious. Pool was heated so no hesitation getting in. Nice to walk on the beach when the tide goes out.

The staff here is top notch, Lalo, Luis and Fernando around the swim up bar, Alejandra, bringing drinks to people sitting around the pool, Milton with bingo, Pablo as our breakfast server, there are just too many to mention. We’ve stayed at a handful of our IU properties across Mexico and this one by far has the best food.. and I don’t know who’s in charge of the desserts now, but they certainly stepped up their game, kudos. I wish I could remember the name of the ladies that cleaned our rooms and made sure we had all of the items we needed. They were top-notch and on top of everything . And we saw lots of wildlife too large iguanas, stingrays in the shallow part of the ocean and a couple of ocean snakes . Other guests reported seeing whales, but we did not see any.. there’s also horseback riding right at the beach for $30 a person and one hour massage right at the beach for $35 a person. Both great deals, but not affiliated with the resort.

This resort is absolutely beautiful! I traveled alone and had a truly lovely experience. The staff could not have been nicer or more helpful. I went on two excursions, but there is truly no need to leave the property. It is sparkling clean, has a ton of food options, and the pools and beach are beautiful. Aside from the buffet and cappucino cafe in the lobby, I ate at the specialty Italian restaurant, which was good and easy to get into. The buffet had lots of choices and was beautifully presented. The Christmas Eve buffet was spectacular. The food is similar to food on a cruise ship. For the amount of people they serve, they do an incredible job. It is not the best food I've ever had, but it's well-prepared, and best of all, I wasn't cooking it! From mimosas each day with breakfast, to lounging at the pool and having drinks delivered to me, I felt very pampered. The mini bar in my room was included in the charge, but I never used it. My phone only charged at night, but that was probably a user error. All in all, a great trip and worth your time. You will not be disappointed here.

Enjoyed our 2 week wellness getaway at the adults only Riu Palace Pacifico. It was our second visit here and it certainly didn’t disappoint! My stay was full of class, calm, and comfort. Each day of our vacation flowed effortlessly into the next. What I’m most impressed with is the staff. Customer service exceeded my expectations - so accommodating! The service industry is not the easiest profession but everyday the friendly, hard working staff showed up and gave 110%. Special shout out to Jose and Victor at the beach, Dalila at the sports bar, Gloria in the Buffet and Yumi, the RIU Fit instructor. There is a well equipped gym but I choose to do all my activities outside. I took part in the RIU fit classes such as stretching, suspension training, am Pilates. I also jogged a couple times on the paved path with gardens to the small costal town of Bucerias. I really liked that you didn’t need to make reservations at any of the restaurants. Just a heads up, usually you do need to come early (about 30 - 40 minutes before the 6:00 pm open) to get in line for the Steakhouse. But the view of the sunset and the lobster tail dinner are worth it! There is always something to find at the buffet to please the taste buds. I love fresh fruit and the addition of blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries were a nice addition compared to last year. The grounds and buildings were immaculate and beautifully maintained. The rain shower back in the room was the best after a wonderful shift of walking on the beach, swimming in the ocean, and soaking up the sun. Highly recommend the RIU Palace Pacifico, a true 5 star resort!

I am a very frequent traveller and have stayed in many resorts and I like to give honest reviews. I have given this resort a second chance due to family being with us. It's still as I remember! The rooms are great, clean and well equipped. The mattresses are ancient and so old and soft you almost hit the box spring. The bed is made up with two sheets only. There is an old blanket in the closet if needed and we definitely needed it. The staff are robotic and don't seem to enjoy their jobs. I had to change my room. The girl at the front desk asked the Front Desk Manager who came up to the desk. This Manager did not acknowledge me or even look in my direction, not many smiles come from this area of the hotel! When we first checked in we had the most amazing woman I believe her name is Luz. She is friendly and very helpful quite different from the others at the front desk. I made sure if I needed anything I went to her. Let's get to the food! Its disgusting and that's putting it mildly. The buffet is dirty. The speciality restaurants are the same just cleaner. No one cleans any spills if one food gets into another or there are drips everywhere. The food is mainly luke warm at best. The drinks at the pool bar are watered down so we always went to the lobby bar who make the better drinks. What let's this resort down is the food and drinks and subpar customer service. Most of the guests we met complained of the same. The pools are great and there are lots of chairs both poolside and on the beach. There is constant loud music around the pools. This is a adult party resort. If you like peace and quiet this is not the resort for you. When you book, pick your room very carefully and make sure you get the view you have booked. There is very little benefit to booking the Elite Club. The chefs are the same so therefore the food is the same. You just get to sit in your own restaurant. You get your own lounge with better alcohol however they still have everything premium at the regular bars so really not much difference.

I booked 4 rooms for 7 people 8 months in advance with partial ocean views. I called to modify the reservation by removing 1 person. That was the only change and 2 days later I noticed that they also removed the ocean view rooms and changed them to no view. I did not request that in the modification. I called back and spoke with a supervisor. There were no longer any ocean view rooms available now. They gave ours away! Needless to say, we were all very disappointed and they had our rooms spread all over the hotel. That was very inconvenient for my 85 old mother far away from my room! The front desk staff was very unfriendly checking in and out. Not organized checking in a group of people. No pool chairs available if you go out after 10am. All saved with towels The positives: the cocktail of the day in the lobby was fun. Restaurants are great. Get there early and wait in line though! Waitstaff was amazing. View was great and lots of chairs on the beach. Order an umbrella though. Overall, our stay was nice. Would have been better if we got the rooms I booked!

The hotel is beautiful and very clean, friendly staff, up to date. It’s about45 minutes from puerto Vallarta. The beach is amazing and very clean. You can always find chairs in shade or in sun no matter what time of day. Food at the buffet is very good but don’t expect tofu. The steak restaurant on Sunday was great, surf and turf cooked perfectly and was delicious however we went back on Wednesday, we ordered the same food but it was disappointing, the tenderloin wasn’t so tender. All restaurants have excellent service. The wine selection is not that great but we did not have the Elete status. Evening Entertainment was lacking, mostly games, singers however the only show I enjoyed was the acrobats. The gym was clean with some limited equipment. CONS: associated service: Nexus - Raffael - when you purchase an excursion he will con you into going to a free, no lunch provided, city tour that he said costs $64 usd. The free tour is not the same, it is similar to a time share. They will take you to overpriced silver store and outdated leather goods store, and a terrible overpriced restaurant. Also the tequila factory is just a place where they do a presentation and let you taste a few options of tequila (not a distillery) and are overpriced. Worst of all is the dirty van with small windows that had no shock absorbers and was stick shift so it was up, down, forward, back, you get the idea, not good for your stomach. The tour guide, Hiberto, was rude to me because my husband got motion sickness. He was rude to someone else because she complained about eating at the designated restaurant.

The resort itself is beautiful, and the service was generally very good. However, the beach setup was uncomfortable, with loungers placed extremely close together and no umbrellas available for shade. The food was also disappointing overall and did not meet expectations for a resort of this caliber. I would consider staying again only if the rate were significantly discounted.

After many visits to this resort we were again welcomed warmly by the customer service manager and with a personalized note and gift in the room. Friendly service abounds and attention to detail is in evidence everywhere. The resort is extremely clean and staff works very hard. We see many workers every time we visit. While we always enjoy ourselves there were a few negatives. First - food. Unfortunately, the buffet was not particularly good for lunch and dinner. Not much variety, most items were warm at best (never hot) and lackluster. Theme nights didn’t seem to offer much more than what is offered daily. Once in a while there was something tasty, such as salmon or shrimp, but we were disappointed overall. Breakfast was fine, as usual. Ala carte restaurants seem to be well liked, although the Steak House had mixed reviews for food and service from people we talked to. Sports Bar continues to be a good option, however. Second - entertainment. The pre-theater show entertainment is mundane. Bingo, etc. - it is not well attended, loud, and other options might be more enjoyable. The lobby bar is very loud due to the large, open space and the piano player/singer has to compete with that. Unless you’re sitting right in front of him you would not even know he is there. Overall, we had an enjoyable and relaxing visit and enjoyed the holiday lights and decorations.

We stayed in the top floor suite for 11 nights in November and had another fabulous vacation. This was our 3rd time staying here in 2 years and we are already booked for 2 weeks in 2026. The food was better this time than in March, not sure the difference but we enjoyed. The elite club continues to be worth it for us with the beach cabanas and room location. Diana from the entertainment team is amazing and works so hard to engage with guests and provide entertainment. We really enjoyed the Micheal Jackson show as well as the silent disco! The beds are a bit soft and we woke up sore most days. Hopefully they can fix this. The service at the elite beach cabanas was not good this time and the guys working there just stood watching tik tok videos on their phones. Small complaints for what was an overall fantastic time.

We just returned from a 7-day vacation at the Riu Palace Pacifico, and what an excellent resort it is! There are many things that make this property stand out, starting with their outstanding customer service. I emailed ahead requesting two rooms close to each other on a higher floor. To my surprise, I received a quick and very friendly response from Junior Espinoza, who assured me they would do their best to accommodate us. Sure enough, upon arrival we were given two beautiful rooms on the 8th floor with a partial ocean view. Thank you, dear Junior Espinoza and the entire customer service team! Your willingness to consider our request made our vacation truly enjoyable and memorable. The resort itself is wonderful. It was recently renovated, and the rooms are modern, beautifully updated, and extremely clean. The mattresses are new and comfortable, and the pillows are soft. The grounds are well maintained and lovely to walk through. The staff are amazing. A big thank-you to Polo, the beach bartender; Samael at the buffet restaurant; and all the other hardworking staff who go above and beyond to make guests happy. The pools are clean and never overcrowded. The beach is beautiful, and there are plenty of sunbeds — no need to wake up early to reserve them. We highly recommend this hotel to anyone, and we will definitely be returning soon. ⸻

This is our second time staying at riu hotels, the palace is very nice. Unfortunately, I got food poisoning from the buffet dinner the first night and my husband got it from the Krystal restaurant but we recovered and moved on. My only con is they should provide umbrellas for the guest on the beach area instead of paying $15.00 cdn per day from the locals.

Fourteen days of outstanding service - again! We keep returning for adults only, great food, fabulous facilities and outstanding service! Janet and Maria at the buffet, Dalila at the American Sports Bar and Edgar at the pool and lounges complex deserve special mention. A shout out to Housekeeping who never missed a beat. And a big thanks to the pros in the reception area for handling our room upgrade. We appreciate the benefits of the Elite Club, especially the a la carte restaurants reservation feature. A room suggestion - when booking Ocean Front choose at least five levels up on the left side of the hotel. (as it faces the ocean). Standard size pillows and a firmer mattress would be nice! Only one negative - it was an absolute insult to your many Canadian guests to not show our Grey Cup Canadian Football championship on November 16th! Somebody in your PR department obviously fumbled the ball!

Staying at this hotel, we were impressed by the exceptional level of customer service. From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel welcomed and valued. Every team member we interacted with went above and beyond to ensure our stay was perfect. Whether it was housekeeping, the front desk (our special thanks to Abizua and Sandra), or the restaurants/bars team, everyone was consistently courteous and efficient. It’s rare to find a hotel where customer service feels genuinely heartfelt, but this RIU hotel delivered exactly that. We highly recommend this hotel to anyone who values top-tier service and a truly welcoming experience. We’ll definitely be returning!!!

5 out of 5. Lovely hotel and the food was delicious and most of the staff was warm and attentive. Especially at The Peninsula restaurant. Perhaps it might be a good idea to allow booking in the other restaurants so the guests do not have to suffer the “authority” of some of the staff when deciding who can get a table or not

We arrived at Hotel Riu Palace Pacifico on November 18. Check-in was smooth and quick and we were taken to our room within 5 minutes. This hotel has everything you want for food and beverages, and we were very pleased with everything. The lobby is simply amazing with a new drink being offered every night of our holiday. The restaurants’ were also very delicious, with The Steakhouse and Krystal Restaurants’ being our favorites. We were a bit disappointed in the buffets, so did not attend them much except for the breakfasts every morning. Special thanks goes out to Jusitta, for making my omelet with extra cheese every morning, always with a smile on her face. The sports bar was a great place to go to for a midnight snack, with many options for food choices. They made the best Bloody Mary’s on the whole resort. Rodolfo was another standout with his courteous service and always making sure I had my special coffee every morning with Baileys! The entertainment was good with the Micheal Jackson show being a must for everyone to witness. Diana who is one of the entertainment staff was another standout. She dedicated a lot of time to a birthday boy one night with special needs gathering applause from the entire crowd. She was so nice and friendly to everyone. Overall this resort is simply a fantastic place to enjoy your holiday. We spent every day on the beach with plenty of shade from the trees to prevent sunburns. The ocean was calm and easy to access with the sand being some of the smoothest sand we have ever been on. The only complaint we have is the lack of restrooms. If you need to use a restroom if you are in the sports lounge or entertainment stage area, it is a long walk to get to them. The establishment should have restrooms located in either the sports bar or entertainment area. Thank You for the great holiday!

Reading some of the reviews I wondered if we were staying at the same resort! We have stayed at the riu palace pacifico three times, just booked our fourth for next year and are counting down the days! We are treated like family at this resort, the staff in the buffet remembered us which was lovely, so nice to see familiar faces a big shout out to Maria who took wonderful care of us, Lucy in the evening is another staff member that couldn't do enough for us. We booked the elite club and were not disappointed, Karelli in the elite club lounge took great care of us also. Restaurants were all fantastic, the steakhouse and Italian were our favorite, food was delicious, loved the tortilla soup in the Mexican restaurant. We ate at the sports bar for lunch a few times and we're not disappointed, Mac and cheese was amazing. If you like to walk on the beach this is the place for you, you can walk for miles both directions. The elite club beds on the beach are a great place to relax. The rooms are kept spotless, if you need extra towels etc you can request them on the app, our fridge was always well stocked. A big thank you to the hard working staff that keep us coming back, we appreciate all your hard work! See you soon!

Are you ready to have your whole trip derailed by food poisoning? My mother got food poisoning, we clearly couldn’t make an excursion tour we got through the hotel partners the next morning. So we evened up having to skip the trip. The hotel basically said too bad too sad, we won’t make you whole the $200 you lost on that trip. Which was a bargain ask, because we could have asked them to comp part of our trip. 2 room for a couple nights, is a lot more than $200. They know the illness was real, because we informed them the night before and they sent a maid in the evening to clean the vomit. The fun part is we had been loyal to the brand across 29 nights stayed (I checked the app) and over $10,000 spent with them. You would have thought given our history they would have just said sorry please allow us to make you whole the measly $200. But they gave us the middle finger. Please stay with an American brand like Hilton or Marriott, you know they would take ownership. Learn from my mistake and travel smart.

I recently had a disappointing stay at this Riu property, which fell short of my expectations. The food and drinks were substandard, and the staff lacked the courtesy and professionalism expected from a reputable establishment. Despite paying for the elite experience, we were treated poorly. A significant number of Canadian guests appeared to have an exaggerated sense of entitlement, acting as if they were the owners of the resort. It would be advisable for them to focus on resolving issues in their own country before traveling to Mexico. Furthermore, it was apparent that none of them tipped the staff.

We recently stayed at the RIU Palace Pacifico. My wife and I had a great time. We met a lot of nice guests. As far as the food and drinks are concerned they were hit and miss. I don’t think the drinks are watered down but rather the servers may have given us the wrong drink. The pool side servers most times had two trays of drinks. I couldn’t keep everything straight if the roles were reversed. The restaurants were also hit and miss. We enjoyed the Asian restaurant. We dined there 3 times during our 2 week vacation. On one occasion the food was really salty. I calked that up to a different chef who likes cooking with salt. It was too salty for our taste but another guest may like that. Another favorite restaurant was the steak house. It was brutal trying to get a seat there. I would line up at 515pm joining about 20 other guests. The restaurant opened at 6pm. We dined there 3 times during our two week stay and we had one occasion where the food was cold. All of the staff are great! They work hard to make our stay enjoyable. I would like to point out a superstar in my opinion. Janet from the morning and lunch buffet. We didn’t always sit in her area but she always had a smile and friendly greeting for us. When I was in the main buffet Janet would come up and greet me. We hadn’t sat her in section for a day or two. We shared some personal family stories. Our relationship was closer than to other staff. Janet knew me by my Mexican nickname “guapo ” Her attitude, professionalism is the reason I come back to some resorts and skip others. We have stayed at the Cabo Riu Baja California as well. There garden view rooms are very different compared to the room we had this time. What I don’t like is the “upgrade speech” the front clerk gave us when we asked about the room we were getting. I felt like just a number to the RIU company! We kept our room it’s what we paid for. If RIU wanted to impress us make us feel like family they could have “upgraded” us if they had empty rooms at no cost. I’m not sure if I will go back to RIU however to whoever is reading this review you need to try the resort for yourself.

Mixed feelings. Great hardworking and friendly staff everywhere! Beautiful building, green areas and beach. It was my 1st time at Riu and my last one. I thought they will have a 4 or 5 star level per the reviews, similar to an upscale Hyatt or Hilton, but the food and guests environment was a 3 stars hotel. Loud drunks starting after breakfast in elevators, outside restaurants, comon areas, and of course at the pool bar, they are loud, smelly and obnoxious. Also, cigars and smokers all around the beach chairs, you'll have to move around to avoid their groups smoking for hours non stop. The food is 2 or 3 stars, no flavor, even at Guacamole, the mexican restaurant. The restaurants are meant to feed the masses and provide alcohol non stop instead of taste and quality.

Beautiful resort, the beach access is excellent. Clean beach with chairs always available. However, too many people trying to sell wares, sometimes it’s 10-15 in a span of 30 minutes. I don’t think they should be allowed access to a private beach. The buffet was excellent, there were a few dishes that were stale however that’s on par with any buffet. Excellent seafood. The American night wasn’t great. The sports bar has great wings but the service isn’t always the best, we sat for 20 minutes without service. They also don’t play any sports besides Mexican league soccer and American football. We were hoping to catch a hockey game or a World Cup Qualifier game but they didn’t have it. Not really a sports bar. I would give this resort 5 stars but on the Friday night they held a staff party which included closing down the pool and beach area to guests early. They blasted music until 1am, keeping all the guests awake. Not great optics for hosting a customer service event. The music was so ridiculously loud that the inside of our hotel room was rumbling. I’m all for the internal celebration of staff but don’t do it during peak time at the expense of the guests who spend a lot of money to be here.

Horrible experience at Riu Palace Pacifico in Nuevo Vallarta. This resort is having an event for RIU STAFF and the PAYING CUSTOMERS have been blocked out of restaurants and pools for this event. And now we are being subjected to very loud live music blasting until midnight. This is unacceptable.

It’s best to avoid this place. They put themselves ahead of customers. Nice building, some friendly staff and decent rooms but that’s it for the positives. The food is extremely mediocre verging on poor. The pools are far too small for the number of people at the resort. There is constantly noise with loud music and construction. The bathrooms are not convenient to the pool area, so it seems that not many use them (uh-oh). To top it all off, they had an internal RIU employee party for two days during our visit. This event took over part of the pool area and included a band playing at mega volume until close to 1am, keeping everyone awake. The management apparently thought it was ok to put a small group of employees above the hundreds of paying guests at their hotel. Without warning to anyone, of course. Here’s a little business tip RIU…rewarding your employees should not come at the expense of your customers.

My husband and I stayed for a week to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary this November. We have stayed at this property many times over the last 10 years both before and since the major renovation. It has never disappointed us. The staff is always amazing and ready to respond to any needs whether it’s by the pool for towel service, mini bar service, or service in any restaurant or bar. The reception desk is always hospitable as well. Since it has been offered we always book the elite club for the many worthwhile benefits it offers. This benefit includes priority check in in the exclusive elite club bar, a very good exclusive elite club restaurant , comfortable beach cabanas in an exclusive area on the beach with its own bar service , advance reservations at any specialty restaurant , nice mini bar amenities (and the usual liquor dispensers in the room) and special room service options as well as a special breakfast dining area in the morning (with menu service if desired ). It is totally worth the price. Julian and Tomas are two of the best waiters ever and work at the breakfast and lunch buffet in the outside dining area. Be sure to meet them while you are there! They have been working there since before we started staying there ! The waitstaff and bartenders are all amazing. While not expected tips are greatly appreciated by staff and are well deserved ! It is best to bring cash with you and have the denominations you want as they cannot make change at the desk for you. The beach cabanas are well shaded and make for a very relaxing day. The beach is lovely sand and the ocean is warm with no seaweed (like is currently an issue in Cancun and other areas ). The water is not clear blue as the Caribbean was before the seaweed issue but is a better choice than dealing with all the seaweed. People enjoyed the ocean daily and many like riding the waves on the boards you can loan out. There are many great vendors on the beach if you want to shop for great souvenirs and jewelry. Our favorite jewelry vendor is Ramiro who always offers fair prices and a great selection of gorgeous silver jewelry. Be sure to ask for him if you’re in the market! There are many options for sunset horseback riding and pictures. Rodrigo is always in front of the RIU and is our favorite with his pretty horses. The massage tents on the beach are $35 US for an hour and they do a great job. We went to the pink tent twice during our stay for relaxing massages on the beach. There are many other unique souvenirs for sale on the beach. The vendors are willing to negotiate and they are also very friendly and non intrusive even if you do not want to look or buy anything. If you join RIU class when reserving your stay your transportation to and from the airport is included and I highly recommend this. You will also accrue points for future stays. We love RIU palace hotels in general but this one remains our favorite by far !

We stayed oct 31-nov7, hotel is beautiful and clean, staffs are always helpful and provide great services, room is spacious and cleaned daily, drinks in fridge also stocked daily. Big shout out to excellent staffs: Paola in buffet restaurant, Adan and Alonsio in steak restaurant, Jose at beach bar…they are always attentive and always make us feel like home, provide exceptional services. Steak house is the best restaurant, then Krystal, one good thing is no reservation required, only first come first serve. Plenty of chairs around pools and beach, very clean. Thanks for providing us great experience!

I’m joining the other negative reviews because they’re absolutely honest. People really need to filter through the many overly positive reviews of this hotel. The only positive thing I can say about the Riu Palace Pacifico is that the grounds are clean. Everything else was a huge disappointment. Lobby Bar: The bartenders looked bored and uninterested in serving guests. We tipped every single time — even increased our tips to $5 for two drinks — and nothing changed. They seemed like they didn’t want to be there. Swim-Up Bar: Forget about getting a drink here. It’s constantly full of drunk guests who never leave the water, making it impossible to swim up and order a drink. Pools: The pool water is hotter than the ocean — it feels like stepping into a bath. There’s no way to cool off. And when they announced there was a crocodile in the ocean and closed the beach, there was literally nowhere refreshing to go. Food: By far the worst food we’ve ever had at any all-inclusive resort. Maybe the positive reviewers haven’t stayed anywhere else, but this was unacceptable. The buffet never changes — despite claims of themed nights — and the “variety” is limited to the same pizzas, burgers made of mystery meat bricks, and bland dishes day after day. Restaurants: • Asian Restaurant: Completely inedible. • Mexican Restaurant: Boring and basic — tacos and enchiladas you can get anywhere, with no regional touch. • Krystal (Gourmet) Restaurant: The only decent food we had, but the portions were tiny. When we asked to try an extra appetizer, we were told no — one plate per person. Really? In an all-inclusive? • Steakhouse: Atrocious. You have to line up at 5:30 p.m. just to get a table, which is ridiculous since most people are still at the beach then. The steaks were tough and overcooked — we ordered medium-rare and got well-done rubber. Everyone around us agreed it was inedible. Entertainment: The entertainment was terrible. We’re not sure who they’re aiming it toward — maybe older couples who go to bed at 10 p.m., which is fine, but please offer something for guests who want to have a fun evening. The only live music was a Mexican band that played for about 30 minutes, and there was a DJ booth but a DJ never showed up. The nightly shows were the same tired performances seen at many other resorts — how many Michael Jackson shows can you see? They’re all identical. Room Request: When we booked directly through the hotel, we specifically asked for a ground-floor room for my mother’s comfort, and they confirmed it. Upon arrival, we were told there are no ground-floor rooms at this property — every room requires taking an elevator. Very disappointing, especially after being reassured in advance. ⸻ Overall: This was one of the most disappointing all-inclusive experiences we’ve ever had. The clean grounds can’t make up for the poor service, bland food, lackluster entertainment, and overall sense of indifference. We spent very little time in the room, so we were hoping for great food, beach time, and entertainment — but all of that was virtually nonexistent. I truly wish I had trusted the honest negative reviews before booking.

We had a wonderfull week at Riu Palac and plan going back. the food was excellent, room was comfortable and staff very friendly

Pools are too hot, no where to cool off or get refreshed, only hot water showers both by the pool and in the rooms. When I asked about cooler water in the shower at the front desk, I was told they didn’t have to ability to make cold water. The tiles surrounding the pool are so slippery I watched someone fall every single day of my trip. Even I slid and had to sit down hard on the stairs on my first morning. This was happening early in the morning before people even got too drunk. So dangerous! The pools also all close at 7pm, even though the sun is still up, for cleaning. This is too early for how many people there are at the resort and how many eat late dinners. The “smoke free” label on this property definitely isn’t accurate because the two smoking areas are located very close to large common gathering areas like the beachfront and large lay in swimming pool. All the smoke blows through the property most of the day. The activities are extremely loud and start very early making resting or sleeping in on your vacation very difficult. Same goes for the hallways and room noise level, very early cleaning and very noisy hallway, virtually no sound proofing. There should be more “cutting people off” from alcohol as my friend who I traveled with was blackout drunk, completed wasted every single night, causing disruptions which bothered me and people around us. I had no control over her but the bartenders could have said no after she finished a whole bottle of tequila in one day. She couldn’t walk by herself by the end of the night and I had to help her. Restaurants are small and don’t take reservations. You also cannot order liquor in any of the restaurants, only beer or wine. If you want a cocktail you have bring it with you or get up during your meal to go get it. While they say they are super allergen friendly, I didn’t have this experience and struggled to eat my entire trip. Only the steakhouse was accommodating but with no reservations available that meant standing outside waiting for a table every single night. We ended often standing outside for longer than we were at a table. Restaurants are also only open for maybe 3 hours per night (6-9) which is quite short for how many rooms there are and the fact that lots of people eat later at night. The room service menu is 7-8 items unless you are Elite club which is quite small considering it’s supposed to be 24 hour room service for an all inclusive resort. The only thing I could have from the menu was fruit with my gluten free restriction let alone other things. On my last full day, I went to the outdoor area connected to the Sports Bar and asked if I could order food to eat outside in my swim coverup and was told, “yes, there’s even a server outside to help you.” After ordering and waiting about 10 minutes for food I could actually eat most of, the server came over with my food and offered me another drink to which I asked for water. When he came back, he informed me I wasn’t allowed to be here without a shirt. I was about to take my first bite of my food and was told to leave and get a shirt. I asked why this was happening now instead of when I arrived and wasn’t given an answer other than, the manager said you need a shirt to sit out here. Which is why I asked when I arrived because I understand and want to follow the rules. Considering I asked, was given a positive answer and sat down outside for almost 10 minutes, I fully assumed this was ok. Irritated but hungry, I left (they wouldn’t let me take the food with me either) when asked to go get a shirt and when I came back they had taken away my food and utensils. With no one around to explain what had happened, I decided to leave because this was insane. I’m sitting outside at a beachside resort but I’m required to have a shirt on, but you waited until after I started to eat to tell me that! So incredibly rude. And when I let the front desk know about my situation, she asked me, “well where is the shirt you went to get?”, almost implying I needed one at all times. And I responded, “I took it off because I’m outside at a beachside where I’ve never been told a shirt was required.” She acted like I was required to wear a shirt to walk through the lobby but it doesn’t say that anywhere I could find. The sit down restaurants where the only spots with a posted dress code. And plenty of girls walked around the resort in way smaller swimwear than I was wearing. I was offered “anything” to make my trip better so I asked for a reservation or a table at the restaurant I could most easily eat at with my restrictions and was told no we don’t make reservations. Only elite parties can make reservations. So it became clear that they didn’t want to help me, aren’t friendly towards people with food allergies who have restrictions and need assistance. Will not be returning to this hotel which is too bad because the staff was mostly great and the beach/weather/grounds were beautiful.

Have been to Riu resorts in Cancun and Cabo many times, our first trio to Puerto Vallarta Oct 20, 2025. Used private transport to hotel (White Glove Vallarta) and arrived quickly. We were early but checked right in and given wristbands while we waited for our rooms. Very impressed with resort, everything super clean and looked freshly painted everywhere. Our room was very nice with a good view of the ocean from fifth floor, Being close to elevators was nice because the hallways are long. Bed comfortable AC worked great, bathroom very functional. Bar service was quick throughout resort, drinks were well made. Buffet restaurant was smallish but had a good variety of foods although many meat selections were quite disappointing. Link sausage has a distinct liver flavor at breakfast which was not enjoyable. Fruits and salads were very fresh. Seafood fish and shrimp was hit and miss. Deserts where okay, nothing to get excited about. Pools were clean but the weather made them too warm to be refreshing. Many people swam in ocean, no significant seaweed. Lots of loungers, I think the resort was only half full The service in the ala carte restaurants was fair to poor, We ate at steakhouse, Krystal, Italian and Mexican. Food was nothing exceptional there. We liked Krystal the best. Entertainment was difficult to sit through due to the heat but was okay. Loved the cappuccino bar in lobby, quick service and nice little snacks AC was fantastic in our room, lobby and restaurants, thank God because it was over 90 and very humid. Overall very enjoyable.. would go back.. the super clean resort and great service from most staff made the day. I talked to people who booked Elite.. my take away is it wasn't worth the extra fee.

The early October weather teetered on stormy, most often sunny with clouds, perfect! It was super hot, between 29 and 32. Hurricane Priscilla passed by without reaching shore but churning up the ocean enough to remove most of our beach and pound the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta. Yellow tape, diligent life guards and massage providers(!) kept most people back and safe, protecting what was left of the fragile edge. Within 3 or 4 days most of the sand had been pushed back inshore. The beach came back. Staff seemed extra kind and efficient, especially Diego at the beach, Tomas at Peninsula Buffet, our unnamed cleaner for room 5025. The only complaint is there needed to be one more server at the quiet pool. Yes it was impressive to see how many drinks she could stack and deliver. Salvadore and Louisa at the Steak House made the effort to keep us happy. Just being there was great. Having staff recognize us and chat made it greater. The staff at Krystal, ditto, Krystalin and the maitre de’ quietly took care of our needs with a smile. This Riu Palace's buffet is one reason we keep returning. The selection at every meal is fresh and higher quality in our opinion. Yes some dishes are too salty, but often a version of a food is available in plain form. Chopped spinach instead of cooked with cheese, or quartered avocado instead of guacamole. Saltiness is the natural state in most resort buffets, so I work around it. The fruit selection was very complete and the cucumbers were amazing. My husband was impressed seeing freshly prepared steak at lunch and dinners. I enjoy grilled fish. Other guests can be idiots late at night and early morning, totally unaware that their happy hallway conversation just woke up X number of fellow guests. Another reminder is to not converse on the balcony when it's obviously quiet elsewhere. We had an air-conditioning leak twice, which was fixed pretty much immediately, the 2nd time around 9 pm. The front desk always had at least 4 staff and we seldom waited long. The main lobby gleamed and a specialty drinks cart changed every night. The theatre was too hot to stay long, but drink service seemed timely. In any case if a drink wasn't forthcoming there was always a properly staffed bar nearby. We tried the 24-hour Sports Bar Restaurant. The first time the food was better, but the staff was good both times. We felt welcome. We would like to return.

Booked 4 nights 5 days at Riu Palace Puerto Vallarta, resort was very stunning, and they had great amenities. Drinks were flowing and everything was good. EXCEPT, on our final day we experienced RACISM!!! We were playing on the small pool with friends and we had a speaker with very low tone music, infact the security had asked us to reduce the volume and we complied. However after like 5 mins, the head of security shows up and starts to harass us at the pool, It took the intervention of some spanish speaking guests who were at the pool and were familiar to them, to leave us alone. Immediately they felt support from everyone at the pool, they apologized and left us to be. We decided to play music because, we saw other guests doing it, there are no signs to say you cannot, we had previously asked if it was okay and we were given a go ahead. The same person who said we can play it, went back and called security on us. That cast a dark cloud on my whole experience at the hotel. I just want to warn anyone of colour, to be careful at this hotel. Be warned!!!

Overall, this resort was amazing! It was very clean; the food was above average and they had a nice variety of dishes (even as a non-meat eater, I had plenty of options). The fitness center was probably one of the best I’ve seen on a resort. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. One thing that needs improvement is the evening entertainment. A variety of nightly entertainment would’ve been nice. But we still had an amazing time! We would definitely stay here again!

Very nice place clean good food and drinks and we enjoyed that it was adults only. Our room was nice but somewhat small and had a terrace not a balcony. Make sure that you clarify that you would like a balcony not a terrace as ours had no chairs and very small as in standing room only. there were 2 pools, one with a swim up bar that was known as the pee-pool as it seemed no one left the pool and just let it go. We enjoyed the other pool and surroundings. Be careful walking around the pool deck as it is very slippery and saw a few people slip and fall. If traveling to the Malecon it takes roughly 35-40 minutes from the hotel, but we were caught in traffic for 2 hours coming back. Not sure if we will book this location again as we attempted to eat at some of their specialty restaurants a couple of different nights but were turned away because we did not make reservations even though they were less than 1/2 capacity.

I was really looking forward to this stay, but overall, it was quite disappointing. The service throughout the hotel was very slow, and several staff members at the front desk and in the restaurants were not particularly friendly or welcoming. Our room was located directly above the stage area, which made it very noisy at night. Thankfully, the music stopped around 11 p.m., but it still made it hard to relax before then. We had also booked a room with a “partial ocean view,” but the view was mostly obstructed — definitely not worth the extra cost. While the Marlin Bar area had a few nice and attentive staff members, some of them seemed overworked since one person was often left managing the entire bar and making all the drinks. We’ve stayed at the same brand’s location in Cabo, which was far better in terms of both service and overall experience. Unfortunately, this property didn’t live up to that standard.

This was our first time staying here and we was very pleased with everything. The food and variety of restaurants were great. Thank to all the staff who work here, especially Melanie she always had a beautiful smile and attitude. Definitely return here!

Everyhing was perfect as expected.

Everything was great!

Drinks were watered down. Not many options for the breakfast buffet. The dinner options was not good. The only place that we liked was the steakhouse and Krystal restaurant. All the other restaurants (including the sports bar and pool bar food) was either to salty or greasy. We had upsets stomach during our 5 days stay. The hotel does have nice amenities and the place is very Jude and clean. I was just disappointed with the food

The entire staff was amazing. Everything was clean and very well maintained.

They were so limited in the smoking area, and treated very poorly on this matter, which was our concern.

Awesome stay

Everything was amazing! Perfect girls trip!

Food was super salty definitely not the best food but drinks were good and it was super clean!

Great restaurants and food available at the buffet. Customer service was wonderful.

All around a great resort for the price. The remodel made it really nice. Food is pretty average but everything else is great. I give this resort 8 out of 10 twerks.

The food quality has gone way down. This was our third visit and by far the worst food quality.

Yes was good selection

Excellent

Nice resort but very big. Skip the Asian restaurant. I didn’t like it at all.

Great hospitality and food.

Room service did not deliver our meal to us. We called and they said they must’ve delivered it to another room and never offered to re-deliver And they were painting next to us and the fumes were terrible. The food and service was fabulous!

Our second stay at Riu Palace. First time since it converted to adults only. All I have to say is wow. The hotel grounds and pool are immaculate. The changes made to restaurants and lobby and rooms are excellent. Love the coffee shop and the craft cocktail station set up in the evenings. All our food and drinks were excellent. Service at check in, bars and restaurants was always excellent. We did experience below average service once at Guacamole the Mexican themed restaurant but that was not the norm. I would highly recommend this hotel when visiting PV and will definitely stay here again.

Great resort - loved it! Service was terrific. Resort was very clean and well kept up. Noisy in the evening while the shows were underway - roughly 8:30-11:00pm. Sept. weather was very hot and humid with little or no relief from the pools or ocean.

Every thing was excellent

Likes: nice staff, convenient property layout, quiet pool (vs party pool), great cocktail options, decent food options. Breakfast was our favorite. Went to Italian restaurant several times. Loved the sports bar. Beach was pretty serene. Dislikes: VERY noisy at night in rooms above the music venue, limited overall entertainment options, chicken parm at the Italian restaurant (that was chicken)? Lobby could use a style/decor refresh.

The Spa was amazing... we had a couples massage and it delivered the relaxation and connectedness we were searching. Staff was very friendly. We enjoyed the dinning opions as part of the Elite Club. Our room was cleaned daily.

This resort was fabulous! Food was great, location was close to airport and safe, staff was very attentive and kind, drinks were wonderful and everything was extremely clean.

Clean room always stocked with water and other drinks.

Loved the place, great staff, great food!