Reviews of Riu Yucatan Hotel, Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

our holiday

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

May 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

gillykins

Comments:

went to the riu yucatan .a bit weary what the reviews said ,no worrys it was great,have some small dollars when you arrive,as the bell boys like a tip,hotel is lovely,the beach is to die for,yes there are sand bags which look like whales,but it does it job,if you get an upset stomach go to the chemist very good tablets,and you need mossies sray called off,also no need to take an iron as they are in your room and hairdryer,you can visit riu playacar and lupitar,we done a few trips,my husband went to chichrn itza he said it was great ,we also went across to cozelmel by ferry and xcaret very nice there,our friend also swam with the dolphins its a good day there,the entertaines are brillant the work very hard the evening shows are the best ive seen the micheal jackson show is brill,the food is fine you can have mexican,asian,steak house or the buffetmeal,there are lizards,shrekkies they are a small rodent and cats they like bits of bacon and the monkeys also if you upgrade to premier be aware you may not sit togeather i was told we would but we didnt,not happy about that 10 hour flight sitting with strangers complaned to thomson they said it is in the small print in the back of the book that you may not seat together,if you can get it cheap enough it is worth doing there is drink given to you all the timethe leg room is good plenty to watch on telly so any one going have a great time,look out for martin the waiter he is always smiling Adios amigos the simms familly x

great holiday

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2008

Tour Operator:

Portland Direct

Submitted By:

bustervbrad

Comments:

just returned from 2 weeks in riu ycatan with my husband, this was out 1st long haul flight & flew with thomson from manchester. I wish we now had booked the premium seats even tho they were expensive its just that you go get that bit extra comfort & complimentary drinks, but overall the flight was okay it took 10 hrs to get there & 9 to return. On arrival we passed riu lupita & this was nearly our 1st choice & im so glad we didnt stay there as it is a bit out of the way. We were met at our hotel by hotel staff & Thomson reps who toom our luggage gave us our bands & adv us where our rooms were & bell boys brought our luggage about 10 mins later, we tipped them 20 pesos (1$) tipping wasnt compulsary anywhere on the complex but everyone does work so hard. we tipped maid daily 50 pesos & occasionally bar & waiter staff as they were fabulous. i cannot find fault with hotel or staff anyway, the food was amazing in the buffet restaurants with enuff to satisfy the fussiest eater. there are 3 a la carte restaurants we prefered the asian. We visied Xl-Ha which is amazing we did the full day which stillwasnt enuff but beware of the mosquitos they are big & they bite!! we will definately be going back in 2010 but will go march or may as the weather on our 2nd week wasnt as good we had lots of rain & tended to cloud over on an afternoon. going in oct is quieter so suited us as not as many kisa about & plenty of loungers to chose from. please dont be put off from negative reviews about the beach its still there & is still beautiful & they work all day on maintaining it.

Flight with Thomson ok as plenty...

Overall Rating:

7/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

May 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs A BOOTH

Comments:

Flight with Thomson ok as plenty of leg room, should have been warned to take food on the flight as we thought there would be plenty for a 10 1/2 hour flight ..never eaten so many pringles ......... worse on the way back ...... Arrival at the hotel was great .. no queues .. they were all ready for you with all your information and cases were taken to our rooms immediatly .. excellent service .... The rooms were good and air conditioning worked a treat as you needed it on all time .......... Food was fantastic ... lots to choose from and the quality was amazing .... the service from the staff was great ...... we were celebrating 3 birthdays during our stay and once they knew they made each birthday special .... The only issue we had was the sun beds !!!!! never thought it would be an issue but not sure what was going on .... Arriving down for a walk at 6.30am on our first day ... jet lag had kicked in .... the sunbeds were nearly all taken around the pool .... they were plenty on the beach but you had to get up early to have a shaded spot which you really did need ..... The activities and staff around the pool were very good ...... The beach was a disappointment as they had been hit by the hurricanes and huge sand bags were in the sea and we were not abel to use any of the water activities due to the bad waves ...... wasn't pleasant for children .. not sure it was the time of the year but you couldn't swim in the sea you had a problem just standing .... Overall a very good holiday and would visit Mexico again .. The Yucatan was excellent but the beach let it down for me although the rest of our party have booked for next year ....... The second week however they were hit by the tailend of Hurricane Arthur ... so glad we had gone by then ............

We stayed at the riu yucatan...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Select

Date of Holiday:

Mar 2008

Tour Operator:

Select

Submitted By:

.. ....kel

Comments:

We stayed at the riu yucatan hotel and it was fabulous!!The rooms were super clean and the white sand they had there is unbelievable. This is my second yr At yucatan. The beach was eroded by a hurrican but it is still one of the best beaches in mexico. The food there was yummy and i would consider my self to book renovations at the steak house when you first get there because that restuant is overly packed and it is one of the best resuarant i had!. The room i stayed in was Superb! and remember to upgrade your hotel room, because there is nothing better then your own living area in your room. The beds are a bit hard but i would consider bringing your own foam mattres to overlap the beds they have there with. The pool was awesom and thank god for the all the palm trees they had there, cause it is HHOTTTT!!and do NOt forget to bring alot of bug spray cause the bugs there bite!!!. I did bargian a bit with the sellers at the gift shops and shopping areas they had there, but with out bargianing the sellers will rip you off bad!, and the price of a clock chime i bought there went from the price of 80 canadian dollars to 6 bucks after i bargianed with the seller. I would suggest this hotel to everyone, and i would DEFINITLYcome back to this hotel.

We've just returned from a...

Overall Rating:

7/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Feb 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr A Pugh

Comments:

We've just returned from a family holiday and this hotel was partly booked on the basis of other people's comments on the net.



Thomson flight;



The aircraft was excellent. Loads of legroom for economy. The 8" LCD screen in the headrest kept all of my family entertained throughout the 10 hour flight, with films, TV shows, quizzes, CDs and radio. The staff were very efficient but sometimes appeared to be a little passenger weary.



Cancun airport



Is a joke! It took 3 hours from landing to getting on the transfer coach after queuing at passport control and customs, thus making it 22 hours from home to hotel!



Don't forget you'll be fleeced US$50 cash for LEAVING the country!





The Riu Yucatn hotel



Pros;



Lovely spacious hotel which is extremely well maintained.

Fantastic staff and it really is true that that nothing seems to be too much trouble. Entertainment was a great laugh, if a little bit Billy Butlins style sometimes.

Most of the evening shows were superb. These guys worked damn hard to produce this sort of quality.



The food I couldn't fault at all. It was fantastic in both quality and presentation.

There is also Chinese, Steak House and Mexican restaurants. These have to be booked on the morning of the day you wish to dine.



We met a lot of very nice people from all around the world and had a great time.



Special mentions to Daniel and Justin (entertainers), Andrea (glass collector), Moses and Armando (bar staff) and Jesus (porter). It would've been even more enjoyable but for the incidents mentioned below:



Cons;



My favourite restaurant would've been the steak house but this was marred a chain-smoking fellow Brit. Be aware guests are allowed to smoke in 95% of the resort.

Bon Appetit!



If you're lured by the fact the Riu Yucatan sits on a beach, forget it. What was once a beautiful beach (so I'm told), now looks in part to a buliding site. The battle against the sea is being lost (I don't recall this being mentioned in the Thomson brochure!). While we were there, a section measuring 100 feet wide x 20 feet deep, disappeared over-night. Unbeliveable.



I'm all up for a few beers and a good laugh on holiday, but the sight of an over-weight, over 50s American couple, covorting in the pool while loudly making suggestive comments nearly made me bring my lunch back up! This was not a one-off either!



Make sure you take some ear plugs for sleeping. Apparently we were in the 'quiet' part of the hotel (up towards reception). Unfortunately we were awoken on several occaisions between 1am and 5am by inconsiderate Saga louts.

Then there's guests arriving and departing at all hours (this can't be helped but you will get woken up to what I first thought was a woodpecker!).



The battle of the sunbeds is still on. I got down to the pool at 9am one morning and ALL beds were reserved with towels or bags. 8am....nope, 7am....nope, 6am....I don't think so, I'm on holiday. This is against their no sunbed reserving policy (yeah, right). There are beds available both in the shade at the back of the beach restaurant and on what's left of the beach.



The above few incidents could have been nipped in the bud if there was more of a Security presence. Apparently there is Security on site but I didn't see HIM until our last day when a German couple complained about other people reserving sunbeds!!!



The above review is exactly how I saw things over our recent 2 week stay. Your experience may be totally different. Enjoy!

we must thank you for a very...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jan 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Mrs C Smith

Comments:

we must thank you for a very happy stay at your hotel, the staff, food, cleanliness of the rooms and the general hotel were superb. the gardens and grounds were a pleasure to walk through. We also enjoyed the shows, really very professional.

Thank you and congratulations on running a super hotel



Christine Smith and Susan Redford

Visited the Rui Yucatan and had...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2007

Tour Operator:

Airtours

Submitted By:

Mrs C Ward

Comments:

Visited the Rui Yucatan and had a brilliant time; 6 of us went - youngest age was 14 (my daughter), oldest 45 (me). Beach was beautiful, clean and so near the hotel. Entertainment was ok but I felt finished a little too early, but for people with small children then this was fine.



Plenty of water sports down on beach to have a go at or just take a stroll along the beach as there are other hotels to see - pure heaven! Weather was brilliant, rained once but we needed it to cool us down.



Upgraded on flight, was worth every penny. Please take plenty of mosquito spray with you. I don’t know if it was because it was July but my word they loved to bite.



The rooms were cleaned every day. Plenty of food to choose from always something for everyone. Really nice place to visit, met some nice people out there. We had no delays at airport flight home, just as good as our flight here.

We have just returned from a 2...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr R Hoban

Comments:

We have just returned from a 2 week holiday at the Riu Tequila which was booked on-line with Thomson. We found that it was a good time of year for those who want a quieter experience and we were not disappointed. The staff are very helpful and generally cheerful, we were surprised at the positive culture in the Riu experience. The entertainment in the hotel was great and there is a real culture of including guests in the activities - staff recruit you for the stage each night and it turns out to be great fun for all. There are regular dance and music shows along with the odd fun evening. We thought that the talent and versatility of the entertainment staff was second to none.



The hotel facilities are great and there is plenty of opportunity to eat and drink whenever you want and there are no hidden costs associated with the bar or restaurant. The variety of food was good and as vegetarians we were able to eat from the available options although some care has to be exercised over the soups and main dishes which may look vegetarian but invariably involve chicken stock and meats. We suggest checking with the chefs to ensure no misunderstandings if you are veggie.



The accommodation was quite spacious and of a good standard. The cable TV had enough English speaking channels to make it watchable and there were quite a few films to view but the channels are not premium film or music channels. One gripe was the lack of internet availability in the bedroom and/or wi-fi (non-existent except in Cancun airport!). You can pay to use the hotel's internet computers but this is not cheap so we walked a few yards down to the shops and found a cheaper rate.



Prepare for mosquitoes and buy a spray there (too heavy to carry) called "Off". WalMart is the cheapest place we found for the spray and most other small purchases. I would really recommend using the spray every night liberally as the second night I had 16 bites on my feet!! It is worth rigorously checking in the room each night for mosquitoes as they tend to get in when the room is being cleaned during the daytime. Once we took these steps it ceased to be a problem.



Recommend extreme caution over baggage weight as Thomson are extremely keen to weigh everything to the gram and charge $20=00 per Kg over your combined passenger allowance ... and that goes BOTH directions on the trip so thoughtful souvenir buying is a must. We were not warned about the return leg being so strict but were luckily within allowance of 20Kgs each so it did feel like Thomson was trying to extract as much additional money as possible. Why don't they include the passenger weight in the equation??? And furthermore why don't they refund when passengers are under the 20Kg allowance!!!



Wouldn't bother paying extra for premium seats as the new fitted aircraft has generous leg space and new leather seats. Overall experience of the flight was good and the food was certainly acceptable. Some DVD films are free and others cost £5 extra to watch - there is also an on-board radio and CDs to listen to on the on-board entertainment system. We watched some good movies and thought that Thomson had got things right on the in-flight entertainment front.



We did two excursions - one we loved and the other we felt was a bit weak. The Royal Dolphin Swim was just incredible and we enjoyed the whole day thoroughly. Boat ride towhere the Dolphins were was very nice and the whole thing was well orchestrated. We thought that the DVDs and photos were a little pricey but that they were worth it. You can cycle to a turtle sanctuary but the bikes have no gears and the tyres are under inflated ... so only for the very fit!!! The other excursion was Captain Hook evening at Cancun. Whilst this was a light hearted mock battle between two pirate ships (each full of tourists of course) the evening was a little light of quality entertainment and generally got through on alcohol and bawdy jokes. It was very funny in places but not recommended if raining (which it was), not if you get sea-sick (as you will) and if you want a serious sober evening (which it is not).



Overall, this was the best holiday we have experienced and we were grateful for having booked 2 weeks (1 is too short). There is something for everyone in the hotel and you can easily stay busy throughout the whole day without venturing too far outside. Kids seemed to be well catered for and adults had loads of sports, dancing and even language lessons to do. We were warned not to book a hire car as the local police target tourists to extract heavy fines (i.e. you have no choice but to pay). We met someone who had booked a hire car but they did not take it on the road due to all sorts of hidden costs that mysteriously were being added on - so driving there should be considered risky. Taxis to town and the shopping mall (Centro Maya) are a few dollars so it is easy to go shopping.

We stayed at the Riu Yucatan in...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2006

Tour Operator:

Portland Direct

Submitted By:

Mr W Talbot

Comments:

We stayed at the Riu Yucatan in August last year, between hurricanes thankfully.



The hotel had been newly refurbished for the beginning of the season and was fantastic. There were lots to do in the day if you wanted, or if not plenty of places to just chill. The night time entertainment was good with a bit of something for everybody.



The food was great in the main dining room, the only criticism was there was too much choice. There is in addition to the main restaurant three themed restaurants, a Chinese self service that was nice for a change.



A sea food one that we didn’t try, and my favourite the steak house down by the beach, this was waiter service and made for a relaxing evening with the sound of the sea lapping at the shore as you dined.



The staff were all very friendly from the gardeners up to the manager. Look out for Roger the barman he was in the bar in the entrance when we were there. He is quite a character and will probably become your best mate, if like us you like to drink later than midnight.



The other bars close at about 12 so the late drinkers (mostly Europeans) congregate there. We met lots of people of all nationalities there and made loads of friends while ensconced there with a cool drink into the night.



Playa Del Carmen the nearest town is about a 5 km or 30 min walk away it’s ok for a morning when you want a change of scenery there is the usual touristy places there’s a few nicer shops as well, it’s worth a walk to see a bit of real life.



Also the ferry to Cozumel departs from here. We talked to people that had been across and they told us it was worth the trip so might do that next time.



On your walk back you can call at the Tequila or the Playacar for a drink, trust me, if you are walking back in the middle of the day you’ll need a stop!



We did three trips while we were there; the first was to Chichén Itzá it’s a must, even if it’s just to say you have been. Climbing to the top of the pyramid was worth it for the view alone!



The second trip was the trip to swim with the dolphins, the trip we did you also got to swim with stingrays and Manatees. Manatees are so funny, strange and shy, feeding them was fun though.



The last trip we did and also my favourite was the jungle crossing tour by alternative travels 4X4 Unimog. They pick you up at the hotel in it and whisk you off to the jungle down road only a mog or a tank could get down!



You then get to swim in an underground cave, then after a short walk through the bush you get to swim in an amazing underground river. After a short ride you then get a typical Mayan lunch after a short rest its back to the mog for a short ride to the sea where you get to kayak out to a coral reef and snorkel with the fish.



The day we did it there were watersports in the sea and it was thundering and lightning, Oh fun!



One last thing get up one morning for the sunrise it’s worth it!



I will definitely be visiting again soon we had a 100% great time.

Totally and utterly amazing...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs J Nieman

Comments:

Totally and utterly amazing holiday, could not ask for anymore. Immaculately clean with fantastic food and service, definitely going to go back next year.



The beach is beautiful and the views are like something from a postcard, fish swimming around you all the time. We had a five year old with us and he loved it just as much as we did, the kids club really made a great effort with the kids.



A family of 11 monkeys live on the resort which is something you definitely don't get anywhere else, our little boy was fascinated.



If you like steak make sure you eat at the speciality steak restaurant, it’s gorgeous.

What a holiday! had 2 weeks at...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs K Brooks

Comments:

What a holiday! had 2 weeks at this brilliantly located hotel. It’s only 5 min taxi ride from the bustling resort of Playa del Carmen and about an hour from Cancun.



The hotel consists of 9 blocks, 2 pools, 3 restaurants and a buffet (and lots of bars with lots of lovely staff!) everywhere is so clean and everyone so helpful. The beach is just a few steps from the pool, so not far to go for daytime refreshments!



The food was fine, lots of choice and very tasty, although we travelled with 2 veggies and they were a bit limited. If you are thinking of visiting this hotel, then don’t think twice, just go!!



PS We didn’t have any children with us and although there were some there, we noted that the facilities for them were a bit limited. ENJOY!!!!

Firstly let me say Mexico was...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Dec 2005

Tour Operator:

Portland Direct

Submitted By:

bunnie

Comments:

Firstly let me say Mexico was nothing like I expected. It was the most eco friendly country I have visited, supporting its rainforest and flora and fauna with pride.



I have never seen so many different birds, fish and the best snorkelling ever! Our balcony was visited every day by agoutis (large guinea pigs) birds and lizards and geckos, and spider monkeys in the trees… amazing.



Mexico is a must, and the RIU group the best ever. This was our second visit to a RIU and we were not disappointed. The cleanliness, service and willingness to please was second to none. What an exceptional race the Mayan people are always smiling, happy to be alive and never ever complaining.



The hotel is fabulous and is a 24 hour all inclusive if you want, you can eat and drink 24/7.



The beach, pool and gardens are wonderful, despite the selfish who block sunbeds, why do this????? Although being early risers this was not a problem for us.



The evening entertainment especially the Mayan night on Sunday is not to be missed take a camera and video it will blow you away!



We booked our trips independently and went to Xcarit and Xel-ha both fantastic days out. For Xcarit we booked a cab ($12) and got there at opening time 0830 well worth it to walk around in the cooler part of the day. Superb snorkelling and the turtle programme has to be seen to be believed.



We booked Xel-ha via the operator at the shops, cheaper than Thompson’s as we got a dual deal all inclusive (all food and drinks for the day) for xel -ha in the morning and Tulum in the afternoon. Do not miss Tulum an amazing experience. There was hurricane damage but Playa car did not get the brunt of it as did Cancun, and they have worked amazingly fast to get everything up and running quickly.



Food - fantastic, an Asian restaurant with sushi, Chinese food, steak house, buffet service which had just about everything you could possibly want.



Bars- friendly efficient staff always smiling despite incredible rudeness from some of our American / Canadian guests " 15 kamikazes here" no please or thank you’s or tips, unbelievable. Please note in any country manners cost little and good service deserves recognition.



The hotel and surrounding area totally brilliant. If buying goods to go home the parade of shops are 3 times the price of going into playa car or the airport.



Please do not miss this experience, I could not recommend the hotel or the destination highly enough. Note: if you are a couple travelling and prefer a quieter pool area book the RIU palace for a small premium.



Only downside to this fabulous holiday - BRITTANIA AIRWAYS- get your act together, it was the worse outbound inbound flight I have ever experienced, poor seating leg room for long haul, and diabolical in flight service. Delays both ways!

If you can- avoid Britannia airways.



Only other note is that there is a departure tax of $70 dollars each person (including children) so be aware of this, its an eco tax payable by everyone so allow for this in your financial calculations, if you go have a fantastic time, you will be difficult to please if you do not!!