Riu Vallarta Hotel

I've stayed at other RIU resorts in Mexico and the Carribean so I thought I knew what to expect at this resort. The resort just opened in November and they were offering great opening rates. I am in my thirties and was traveling with my adult parents. We got to the resort between 12-1 in the afternoon. When the cab dropped us off in front of the hotel, there was no one outside to take our luggage. This was not a good sign. After dragging in our own luggage, we were told at the check-in desk that our room was not ready, but would be... more

We just returned from a week at the Riu Vallarta (Dec. 15 - 22). The hotel opened about a month ago, and therefore everything is still brand new. They thought of all the little extras that make guests feel pampered: Our spacious room (junior suite) had a large closet with more than enough hangers; the dresser drawers were big enough to accommodate ALL of our clothes, and there was an expandible drying rack on the balcony on which to dry bathingsuits. Maid service was excellent, even without tipping. My husband and I like to take long... more

We were at the beautiful Riu Vallarta from December 1 to 15th. The hotel is just out of this world, Riu really pays attention to delails, we just love what they can do with ceilings.. the Lobby looks like it belongs in a Palace. We have no complaints, we did not like the red wine the first week. They made us fill out a survey and I guess enough people complained about the wine because it was changed a few days later, only the wine in the restaurants was changed though not the wine at the bar ( I guess until the deplete the... more

12/5/06-12/12/06. We waited for the Riu Vallarta to open and we were not disappointed. We have stayed at the Riu Jalisco five times so we knew what to expect. Wonderful new resort. Smaller than the Jalisco so easier to get around. Pools are beautiful as is the beach. Some of the help from the Jalisco have moved over so we saw some old friends and also walked to the Jalisco a couple of times for lunch. Restaurants are very good and we certainly ate and drank too much. We were upgraded to an ocean view suite and other than a few usual... more

Just came back from Puerto vallarta - Fri Dec 8th -Fri Dec 15 th- We had 2 junior suites and they are roomy, beautiful and very comfortable. There is a bit of noise from the hallways when guests get in too late and slam the doors- (I think I was one of them...) This Hotel is amazing ! Yes, It is pretty well the same layout as the Jalisco but looks and feels like a luxurious resort. It is very NEW and the landscaping does not have the lush gardens like the Jalisco and there is a bit of touch upgoing on through out the hotel but it is... more

My husband and I stayed at the new Riu Vallarta from Dec. 5 through Dec 14 2006. We made our reservation for a junior suite through Riu's web site. I emailed the hotel directly asking for a quite room as we have been living with major re- construction projects for over a year in our town of Sedona AZ. I received a reply from Horacio saying that the rooms were assigned and they couldn't guarantee a quite room. The suite we had was above the activity children's pool, and the night-time entertainment. The room was very... more

December 7-12 found my wife and me recharging our batteries at the new Riu Vallarta. It's difficult to find anything to legitimately complain about here, although the chronically dissatisfied were easy to spot and you will no doubt see their reviews on TA from time to time. Virtually everyone we talked to, from all over the U.S. and Canada, well-traveled folks, were blown away by the sheer monetary value of staying here, as well as the overall beauty of the facility. We booked directly w/Riu and paid a little over $800 for 5 nights,... more

Just a quick review as I still have to unpack! Will provide details to any who contact me directly. Grounds/facilities are all up and running with the exception of the jacuzzi in the spa facility. Rooms clean, staff friendly. 3 choices of restaurants besides the buffet for suppers...must make reservations but can reserve for more than 1 restaurant, and for multiple days all at one time. Buffet restaurant posts the night's menu early so you can decide if you want to eat elsewhere... I'd recommend making a few reservations - you can always... more

Dates of Visit: Nov 28 - Dec 5 Pros: Immaculate Facility (Brand New) Above Average Food at Restaurants Great Drinks at Bars Friendly Service at Bars/Restaurants Plenty of Chairs by Pool and Beach Separate Pool Areas for Adults & Kids Cons: Very Hard Bed Lack of Shade on Beach (No Umbrellas Yet) Entertainment at Night (Way Too Loud and Way Too Long - A Live Band Plays for Another Hour After the Show Until About 11:30 p.m.) Spotty Maid Service in Rooms (Forgot to replenish towels... more

we went for the week of december 3-8th with a group of 10 of us. when we arrived two of the couples in our group paid an extra $500 to upgrade to an ocean suite since our standard rooms only had a partial view of the ocean. overall the rooms were clean. this is our 6th trip to mexico, 2nd to a Riu resort. The food is always a little different. It is good, just takes some searching for what you may like. the hotel staff was nice. we are not alcohol drinkers so we opted for the virgin pina coladas and banana mama's. they were... more