Hotel 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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!!!!!

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.

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.

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!

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 🩷🩷

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 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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.