Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas

The resort was a truly pleasant experience. The modern aesthetic was well-executed, and the rooms lived up to the expectations set by the photographs. The pool area was visually appealing and contributed significantly to the relaxing vacation vibe. The swim-up bars were a definite highlight, allowing for easy access to refreshments. The service was exceptional throughout my stay. While the food quality was variable, as is often the case with all-inclusive resorts, the entertainment was a standout feature. The shows were well-produced and highly entertaining. Ultimately, I had a very positive experience at this resort and would recommend based on the value (booked my trip when there was a great sale) and overall experience.

I have stayed in many Riu palaces, this one was just ok. I can put a new spin on this review bc due to a travel agent error we were upgraded to the elite club. Check in wasn’t a pleasure, I don’t feel like they were friendly or helpful. Our friends also had issues with the front desk crew. Usually walking into a palace lobby is impressive, this lobby was ok, nothing over the top. |The room was as ocean view, which was a plus. Nice gifts, mini bar and snacks were great. The room was the same as the regular rooms just a bit wider. |Food was average. Breakfast was the same everyday. Ordered room service one morning and they pour you a cup of coffee and take the pot with them. We asked the guy to leave it and he said he |wasn’t allowed. And they are tiny mugs. It defeated the purpose of enjoying coffee in bed !!!!!|We had a Bali bed in the elite section which was nice with an upgraded bar but our friends were not elite and couldn’t even sit with us in our cabana. We left the cabana and never used it again. If you want good cocktails the elite club is the biggest benefit!!! The comparison between reg drinks and elite drinks were huge. I mean a really big difference. |Pool parties next store were the same for each one but different themes. If you are over 35 , you probably won’t enjoy them for long. They are big frat parties on steroids. |Location to down town is great. |Pool gets loud and crazy!!|Saw a few people taken out and put in wheelchairs. |Property was clean!

I recently had my second stay at the Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas, and once again, the hotel's facilities and the views were absolutely stunning. They truly make for a memorable vacation backdrop. However, the front desk service was, regrettably, still a major letdown. I remember thinking during my COVID-era visit that the rude behavior might be an exception due to the circumstances, but even four years later, the unfriendly attitude persists. It's a real pity, as it's the first impression guests receive. Our room was decent, though the lack of ventilation in the bathroom caused an unpleasant smell to linger throughout our stay. Luckily, we spent most of our time enjoying the beautiful resort. Overall, yes, I would still recommend the Riu. My hope is that with honest reviews like this, the management will address the front desk service, as it's truly the only significant flaw in an otherwise fantastic hotel experience.

It’s… okay. Good deal for the price. Bar staff are solid. Super cheap liquors and beers at all bars. Cocktails are decent at lobby bar. Food is well below what standard Mexican fare can be in most cheaper places. Tacos are decent poolside. All dinner spots require a 1 hour wait even when the resort wasn’t full. Gym is horrible and a joke for how big of a hotel this is. Like 2 machines. Beach isn’t accessible (I realize you can’t swim). There’s no beach bar service, and cabanas cost money Santa Fe nearby has really fun parties that are worth going to. Town is a 20+ minute uber each way or 1 hour walk. Overall it’s just a mid resort and inconvenient for going to town. I would go once, but not repeatable.

We loved staying at this resort. It was perfect pool for grown ups with the easy access to the Riu Santa Fe for the parties and livelier crowd. The restaurants were great, everyone we met went above and beyond. My advice is to take lots of $5’s and $10’s for tips. They all work so hard there and treat everyone wonderfully with so much attentiveness. We want to go back ASAP and highly recommend

Stayed 7/6/25-7/11/25 It would probably be like a 3.7 stars. Rooms are extremely outdated and there’s not even a shower door. The food was good, especially the pizza and pasta at San Jose. Pools were great, probably my favorite part. The beach view of the Cabo Rocks was amazing. Garden view rooms basically was just a view of Riu Santa Fe.If I came back to Cabo, I’d go to a different resort. Service was nice too. It might be the worst all inclusive resort I’ve stayed at.

Stayed in the jacuzzi suite. Jacuzzi did not work, they had to work on it. Arrived Sunday afternoon, wifes birthday on Monday. Her 60th. I asked Monday morning if they had anything special they could do Monday night. I was told it was to last minute. I asked if they could at least put a balloon in the room. Nope, told me to order from a local store. Had to ask on day 3 to resupply coffee and water. Had hot water in sinks and tub but no hot water in the shower for the whole 5 days. Allowed me in the buffet with a sleeveless shirt one night and was turned away the second night. I recognize the rule but no consistency. Paul the waiter poolside was excellent. We frequent RIU Palace twice a year, because of the front desk staff, I most likely won't return here.

Excellent for going on vacation and relaxing, it is very comfortable and even more so if you are going to party , I loved it. The resort is absolutely stunning, with breathtaking ocean views, modern decor, and a luxurious atmosphere that made us feel pampered throughout our stay. The drinks were top-notch, and the bartenders were always friendly and attentive. One of the highlights of our stay was the incredible pool area—relaxing by the infinity pool with a cocktail in hand while overlooking the ocean was pure bliss. We left feeling completely refreshed and already can’t wait to return! If you’re looking for a luxurious, family friendly with exceptional service, delicious food, and a relaxing yet lively atmosphere, Hotel Riu Palace Cabo is the perfect choice. Highly recommended!

Great hotel for the price! I did go the week before thanksgiving so prices were low. The room was nice, clean and comfortable. I did have an issue with my key not working, so had to go all the way back to the front desk to get it fixed. The bed was comfortable. I enjoyed having a balcony to sit on with the ocean front view my room had. This hotel is large! lots and lots of stairs to get anywhere, Finding elevators to get everywhere might be hard if you're mobility impared. Food was pretty good, except for the indian restaurant besides the palaak paneer everything was awful the rice was way over spiced and the fish had an odd taste. My favorite restaurant was their steakhouse. I did enjoy the dinner buffet they had a lot of great choices, and a chocolate fountain! Getting a taxi into town was a rip off everywhere I had read taxis were suposed to be around $10. The cab they called didn't have a meter and when we got to downtown he charged me $25! On the way back I ubered and it was only $5. So avoid the taxis.

Stayed here for a few days in July 2024 + Amazing fruits in an abundant buffet, especially the pineapples, mangoes, guavas, and even lychee! + Location within view of the Arch area + Huge property, plus access to neighboring sister hotels! + Good service + Lots of swimming space to spread out in - Equipment rentals only available during hottest times of the day. Once the sun sets and you can enjoy the cool evenings, Riu Fun has closed up shop. No more ping pong, pickleball, or tennis rentals - So many slamming doors echoing through the night - No "stay on" setting for the AC or fan, so it is constantly clicking on and off - 24/7 room service means rattling carts, falling dishes, clattering utensils all night long - Not wheely friendly - No swimming allowed along Cabo beaches due to the strong waves

My husband brought me here for my birthday and I am so grateful for this!! All inclusives can be expensive as so I really wanted us to get our monies worth! The grounds are nice and pool area is beautiful. The food is ok. The views are top notch! Riu is just subpar. This is our last time staying in a Riu. On video and photos it looks good but when you get here it is in fact old and outdated. The curtains, the furniture, the bathroom, all old. The cleanliness of the rooms is subpar. If I can't take my shoes off, I am not comfortable. The front is old and needs to be updated. The entire place is just old. Don't waste your time or your money on coming to the Riu Palace Los Cabos. I will save my money and stay at higher end resorts with all-inclusive but Riu is a no. You have been warned.

Came here for my sister in laws birthday with the entire family and some of her best friends, too. My sister in law and her fiance have been here before but never stayed at this property, only the other properties that you can walk to. This was my first all inclusive resort. I really enjoyed the room to be honest. It was really nice with a really beautiful shower and we had our own patio overlooking the garden. Was a little bummed we didn't book an ocean view room, but that's okay! The garden view was great. It looks very upscale here and the resort is gorgeous. Every night they had some type of live music or live entertainment in the main center area by the beautiful fountain. It reminded me of being a cruise ship. They had days where they had different parties. We went to the daytime pink party they had and it was so much fun! Definitely reminded me of the Vegas dayclub scene. The pool that overlooks the ocean is the REAL showstopper. I could sit in that pool ALL DAY and be soooo happy with that stunning view. You can also walk down to the ocean and put your feet in, which is what we did. The alcohol and bars were everywhere, which was fantastic. The only thing that wasn't great was the food. But I get it, you're feeding the masses, so it's not going to be the BEST food you've ever had. It was to the standard I was expecting to be honest. But again, I was really there to enjoy the free pina coladas with that stunning ocean view. It was definitely a family friendly resort, but I don't remember seeing a ton of kids or feeling like there were too many kids around. It ended up being a fantastic experience. If you're looking for better food though, there might be better spots, however, if you're just there for the views and drinks, this might be your spot.

I just got back from the Riu Palace for my birthday gift to myself. Upon my arrival for my birthday they gave me an upgrade that I certainly wasn't expecting surprise. Everyone was awesome they cleaned my room every day. I went to crystals restaurant while I was there and Blanca was my waitress and she surprised me with a birthday cake. PS if you go there ask for her. She is awesome

I finally heard back and Riu said there was no evidence of anything amiss. They never apologized for their managers rudeness or for having doors that could be opened without a key. I think that they have a major problem with theft and they don't want to acknowledge it. So go someplace safer.

Here now, having a good time. Coming from Alaska my body is used to the colder climate, warm and humid. Not the resorts fault. Staff has been very good rooms are clean the bed is comfortable grounds are kept. Food is ok ate at the steak house it was really good but 8oz steak is maybe 4oz? Buffet is buffet get what they have out, it's not bad... Over all it's a big resort lots of food options but next time I'm going to explore more outside food and skip the AI.

At the end of last year, we took a family vacation to celebrate our daughter's second birthday. This is a more family friendly resort of the Riu hotels in the area, so we chose this one. There are three in a row, so your access to eat, drink and have fun is allowed at each location. We booked a week at the Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas through Apple Vacations, all inclusive including flights, food and transfers to the hotel. Everything was smooth through check-in and our King Suite was on a top floor with a great view. The staff at the hotel were very nice, accommodating and even remembered us when we stopped in to eat breakfast or lunch. Although the food was sometimes a miss, there were several good places to eat, including room service - all hours of the night. The trip was mostly fun, but it was really hard with a fussy toddler. She didn't like the heat too much and we could only go out for a few hours at a time. She loved the kiddie pools and splashing around, but did not enjoy the excursions, which made it hard on us. (This has no affect on my rating, just explaining how hard it is to travel with a toddler sometimes). We had a good time, but noted that maybe next time we wait a few years for a trip like this with her.

My honest review. Stayed here 4 nights and 5 days. Travel to and from the airport was provided. It was easy enough. The view was gorgeous. The pool was nice. The bartenders were responsive and willing to try and make any drinks. For the most part room service did the best they can. Excursions were cheap and affordable. Easy to get to. The parties were fun. I had a great first time. And I honestly think you would too at an affordable rate. I think we paid about 1200 for a room for 2 and 500 or so for flight a person. But there are glaring issues on why I would not return 1. Sexist and stupid dress code policies. I was told I couldn't sit inside the restaurant or main dining buffet with a tank top on. I needed sleeves. They didn't call for formal attire. Just that I cannot wear a tank top. It's policy that males need sleeves. On the other hand. Women were able to eat with tube tops, tank top, spaghetti straps, and bikinis. Had a fun argument with the staff about this. 2. Mediocre food. The main buffet food was pretty mediocre. Barbacoa was good. A few other items. But that's about it. The Italian buffet was pretty lacking in diversity too. Japanese restaurant - it wasn't bad. Ramen was a little bland. But yakisoba was good. The menu said mango ice cream but they gave me vanilla? Italian restaurant - menu said ravioli with lobster. But lobster isn't in season. Maybe put it somewhere in the menu? Steak restaurant - the steak tastes the same as the buffet. It's thin steak. Underseasoned and often wrongly cooked. I kept getting medium and medium well when I ordered medium rare. 3. "Alcohol" it's lacking alcohol. The alcohol is watered down. Never quite felt a buzz. I had as much as 3 mixed drinks and 5 shots of don julio. Never felt anything.

Omfg.... It's a shit show. If you don't want to sleep in on your vacation past 7am well...DEFINITELY book somewhere else. From the very 1st morning where at 7AM! They started YELLING SCREAMING HOLA! Buenas Dias! And then proceed to BANG on doors. Wtf?? To start cleaning rooms. HORRIBLE. EVERY DAMN DAY. Are we NOT SUPPOSED to sleep in a Little on vaca? Also... they acted like it was SO WEIRD THAT I asked about this... NEXT- THE POOL. OY VAY! OMG.... THEY REALLY don't want you to relax here. It's like 1988 is all over again but at a reallllly bad Club MED. THEY ARE CONSTANTLY screaming playing dated music by bad sounding speakers like Vanilla Ice? and screaming into a very old and delopatated speaker system from 1990. It's unbearable! AND it ever freaking stops! Non stop allllllllll day listening to a stupid boring kid pretending to know how to do exercise- all the while screaming into a horrible sound system. I'm not a snob in many ways. BUT- when it comes to food bc I know how EASY it is to make yummy simple food- this place RIU PALACE has LITERALLY inedible food.. 100% breakfast lunch and dinner INEDIBLE.. NOW- let's talk about the staff! YOU politely ask for something and EVERY SINGLE staff member was annoyed. Beyond inexplicable . RUDE ! I understand you get what you pay for but Ive traveled and this ALL INCLUSIVE is definitely the worst ever. Don't even get me started on the "steak house" 2 bites and I could t swallow and also steak started to turn into like saw dust. Staff 100% RUDE all day long

We had a wonderful vacation! The place is a little faded luxury but the view and hospitality make up for that. The view from our room was gorgeous! The pool area was really nice, its a shame you cant swim in the beach but pool area is so nice that I got over it. The drinks are ok. The food was fantastic at the buffet and thats is a huge compliment from me because I dont like buffets. The staff at the buffet...the best! So friendly and they make sure you are happy. The other restaurants are ok.

Great staff, food and rooms! Will come back for sure. Nice beaches also. I like the pools too.

We arrived at our hotel. The people at the counter are very accommodating. My room is at the top floor with a great view of the harbor. The employees here are all very friendly and helpful. We had all inclusive so that was a huge plus and I highly recommend it. The only negative is the loud mouth people who are in the hallways. The music at times can be loud from the pool area Overall a nice place to go to. Note: BEWARE of the waves at the beach. Calm and within minutes the waves are huge with a major undercurrent. Calm beach about 150 yards down the coast

RIU is a 24 hr all inclusive resort located in Los Cabos overlooking the Arch on a beautiful stretch of beach. This is a large resort with over 600 rooms including free WiFi ,in room drink dispenser,mini bar and a balcony or terrace. We were on the 3rd floor with a partial Oceanview near the elevator. Rooms are Junior Suites with a small sitting area ( some with pullout sofas) . They offer morning and afternoon house cleaning as well as your mini bar replenished every other day. RIU offers many different food options from room service,24 hr lounge with light snacks and fantastic buffets. Breakfast is buffet style. Lunch is either buffet style or they have a pool grill offering tacos,burgers,hotdogs and salads. Dinner is buffet or ala carte dining in the Japanese,Indian,Gourmet ,Italian or Steakhouse. The RIU also has an array of bars with top shelf liquors as well as a coffee bar. The entertainment staff is very friendly with stage shows at night. The resort has 2 pools..1 active and 1 quiet. The only complaint is it is hard to get from one pool to the other pool without walking up stairs,thru a restaurant or on the beach. When you stay at The Palace you also have access to the Adults Only Palace or the RIU Santa Fe which are all within walking distance. If you like a big resort with a fantastic location and good food,stay at the RIU Palace Cabo.

We loved Riu Palace! We felt so spoiled and taken care of the whole time. It was my first time out of the country and RP made it very easy and convenient to get around and help with anything we needed assistance with. Employees are incredibly friendly and check in is a breeze. We booked through Rius website and didn't have any issue at all, and it even included our flight. The food isn't the greatest but there are plenty of good things to still try out, and you can't go wrong with the pork tacos at the buffet. They also have cafes/lounges with snacks and deserts The pool had lots of fun games for adults and kids, very interactive and fun to just watch. Overall we loved it; anything we had an issue with, their staff was quick to help us out. Even connecting us to transportation was very simple.

Stay away!!! Food poisoning from there shrimp ! Unsafe food practices. I was sick for 5 days.

Infuriating experience. Claims to be all inclusive, but restaurants randomly close early because they are 'busy.' Constantly got redirected to the main buffet, which had some of the saltiest food I have eaten in my life. Wanted a burger at 850p for a restaurant with a 930p close, got turned down for both dine in and take out. Room service frequently arrives super late, often does not arrive at all. Do not recommend. Avoid this resort like the plague. Basically had food poisoning the whole time. No solid poops.

Great hotel experience. All staff were nice and attentive. Buffet food better than the Japanese Restaurant (pls don't try!) Pools were clean and big. Rooms were clean. Night show activities were fun for kids! If you book via Riu Hotel website, they give you complimentary shuttle to and from airport. It gets confusing when you land because all these other companies/taxi wants you, but make sure you look for "DESTINATION SERVICES" staff member under the yellow canopy in area 6/7! They provide a big 45 seater bus to take everyone to all 3 Riu hotels! Warning: does take 60 minutes to drop off at Riu Palace (1st Riu Baja then Riu Santa Fe, last Riu Palace) ALSO: guests at Palace can freely go to Riu Santa Fe for their Splash Slides!! Takes about 10 minutes walking from Palace! There's splash slides kids area and adult area!

Food: The all-inclusive feature at Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas was a major plus, and I particularly enjoyed the buffets and breakfast offerings. The variety and quality of the food were impressive. I especially loved the fruit and egg options (and tacos for breakfast!) Restaurants: While the Indian restaurant didn't quite live up to expectations, the Krystal restaurant stood out with good quality and taste. It added a positive note to the dining options available. Stay away from the Italian . . and the pizza, well One Bite pizza would give it a 0.00 Room and Accommodation: The overall accommodations were comfortable and met expectations for a relaxing stay. All rooms (I think) pretty much see the ocean. We overlooked the Santa Fe beach pool and cabo. It was great. Pool Experience: One aspect that held back a higher rating was the pool temperature. In January, the pool was cold and, perhaps, not adequately heated. Given the weather with highs around 75 and lows between 50-60, it was disappointing that the pool wasn't more enjoyable due to its lower temperature. Regardless - I did enjoy the warmer and fun "Pink party" which was at the santa fe pool (you get access). It was great fun, felt like a spring break event that I (for one) never experienced. Summary: Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas offers a satisfying all-inclusive experience with standout buffets and breakfast options. I really enjoyed this all-inclusive location (even though Cabo was NOT the kind of town. . . I like. Too tourist, I'd prefer Puerta Vallarta next time)

This resort is absolutely breathtaking and the little details added to the decor made our stay feel so luxurious and such an oasis. My favorite spot is the outdoor lobby bar area that faces the ocean & famous Cabo rock formations. So relaxing sitting out there with natural breeze going throughout. Our main dislike was the food. Very mediocre... nothing stood out to us. Buffet does look impressive but dishes were either too salty or under seasoned. A 3-star buffet at best sadly. Room service menu was very limited.. rarely any hot food options and wait is 60 minutes or more. So ridiculous for an all inclusive! Of course we didn't bother using room service and bummer they make it so inconvenient. Espresso stand was outstanding with delicious lattes.. one of the best I've ever had and i'm a huge coffee lover. I had one everyday and it was consistently great. Restaurants were just okay.. don't bother with the steakhouse. Salads reminded me of cafeteria food and steaks are way too salty. Indian restaurant is the best we've had and wish we discovered it sooner! Pool is amazing and very spacious. My 3 year old toddler had no problem hanging out in the shallow lounging area of the pool while our group drank and had a good time in the same pool just a few feet away. How convenient! Ocean is not even accessible with how huge the waves are.. that sucked. Overall, we had a great time! I wouldn't mind coming back now that we know what to expect. I highly recommend for a wonderful family trip with kiddos.

This is my first time at an all inclusive resort. And I loved it! The room (ocean view jacuzzi) was beautiful. Bed was great. Very roomy accommodation. Some rooms come with their own small wading pool. We mostly ate at the buffet because we were a party of 10 with lots of different palates, including a 2 year old. We ate at one of their fancier restaurants, The Steakhouse and still much preferred the buffet. And if they are giving out Michelin stars the daytime taco lady certainly deserves a few! We brought dollars for tipping and were extremely happy with the service. Bars are plentiful and all over the place. Your room has a fully stocked fridge with beverages. As well as bottles of tequila, gin and rum! There is various entertainment nightly and a kids show at 8 pm. you can also visit the more party central Santa Fe Riu next door. Overall we had a wonderful time and would not hesitate for to stay again.

I came here for a quick summer trip and I had a good time! It was my first time in Cabo and the price and location helped me make my decision. Thankfully the airport transfer was included when making the reservation and it was fairly easy to find the right shuttle but it is a little far from the airport. The resort itself was very pretty and a nice large size, the rooms were pretty spacious and I liked the balcony! I took a star off because the food was pretty mediocre, I wish there were more activities to do, and I wish the pools didn't close so early. But all of the staff I encountered were very nice, friendly, and helpful! And the view of the famous rocks on the ocean are so gorgeous!!

My perception of all-inclusive resorts is that they cater to the masses and while that may be true to a certain degree, the Riu Palace is a notch above my other experiences (including Iberostar Selection in Cancun). The food was good (4 out of 5), which is surprising because most all-inclusive resorts cook bland generic food. The buffet at the Palance had great flavor, was fresh, with quality ingredients, and the customer service was outstanding with super friendly staff. This was definitely a great experience. The hotel itself is showing its age, but that doesn't make it horrible or a rat's nest. The hotel gets maintenance and the drinks are better than what I had at other places. Your servers are super friendly and willing to help. The checking-in process was fast and so was the checking-out process. The only recommendation I would have is to have more ATMs around. There was one in the 24-hour food station but it only worked when it wanted to. Besides that, we paid about $1,000 per person for five (5) days which included airfare from LAX round trip, hotel transfers, and all of the great amenities in the hotel. They refill your in-room bar every two days. The only two recommendations I have for anyone staying there is to #1 tip your servers, bartenders, and cleaners. You don't have to tip massive amounts of money but these workers survive from the tips and not the minimum wage they get from the hotel, plus their customer service is outstanding. And #2, don't swim in the ocean, especially in the areas without safety nets. The ocean currents in that area can be deceiving and you don't want to ruin your vacations.

Food sucks. Like, it is REALLY bad. When you are at an all inclusive resort, you are basically stuck with it. The Italian restaurant was inedible. The steakhouse was almost as bad. The fusion place was ok. Tip: find any place where they make the food right in front of you. Think omelet station, taco lady, etc, as you know the food was at least cooked recently and not left under warmers for extended lengths of time. The guacamole at all restaurants/buffets is surprisingly good. We thought we had signed up for the adults only resort, but their website is so bad we apparently had a reservation for the family resort. We ran into others who made the same mistake. By the way, I use the word "resort" very loosely here. Surprising lack of English spoken here. The lady who makes the morning waffles doesn't know what butter is. How can that be? For a place that caters to English speaking clientele, it's another obvious sign of money savings by the resort. It's unkempt. The pool (all of them) is missing tiles, bathroom has major flaws in the mirrors, light bulbs are out, a screw sticking out of the drain in the shower, etc. Ice machine was out of ice. The loungers are dirty and slightly uncomfortable, at least for a tall guy. My wife performed surgery on one of our 5 pillows so she could sleep at night as all of them were either over-stuffed or flat. Major complaint: there are two pools on either side of the resort. The only way to get from one to the other is to walk through the steakhouse restaurant. It's really stupid to not put a walkway from one pool to the other. The bartenders at the adult/swim up pools aren't friendly. The women are nicer than the men, but I'm used to bartenders being the most fun people around, and this isn't the case. It kind of sucks that the people who get the most tips at this resort are some of the least friendly. Oh, and the booze is watered down. I chose to get purposefully drunk one day (probably after trying to eat at the Italian restaurant), and only succeeded at a light buzz, when at home I would have been passed out. Oh, and they should have easier access to water than having to ask bartenders each time. When you check in, they threaten you to bring the pool cards back to them. "If you don't bring your towels back and give us our cards, we will charge you $75 per towel." WTF?? There's a shortage of elevators near the center of the resort. We walked more stairs than we were ready for. It's about 6 mins and $6 to Uber into Cabo. Go to the Sand Bar for great massages at incredible prices. The view is pretty incredible. No, you can't swim at the beach, but that's the case for most of Cabo. I suspect if you are between 16 and 25, don't have any money, and want to party for relatively cheap, this place is probably amazing. I mean, who cares about the food if you are going to just puke it up anyway? We were shocked at meeting other adults who come here every year. We choose to leave 4 days early as vacation at home would be better. I honestly don't know if we would come back if we were offered a free trip.

Buyer, beware! Riu Palace scammed me out of $1500 and I am truly disappointed. We booked my birthday trip to Cabo in August 2023 for an October date. Less than 24 hours before we were scheduled to leave, we got a text from the airline saying that our flights had been cancelled and could not be rebooked due to Hurricane Norma. OF COURSE a hurricane would come on my birthday! Sucks, but it was what it was...things happen. We attempted to call Riu as soon as we heard, but we could not reach anyone at the Hotel. After a few attempts, we figured it was due to the hurricane that we couldn't connect. We figured we'd just call the next day. WRONG. When we did reach an agent, they told us that they were unable to accommodate our request for reschedule! The airline is not responsible for cancelled flights that are due to an "act of God". Riu is saying they are not responsible...so who is? Let me note here: I understand that a refund may not always be possible, as a hurricane is no fault of theirs. I didn't ask for one...I simply requested to move the reservation to a future date. The airline was able to refund/credit our account for a future flight. Riu could have done the same, but have refused ANY accommodation. That's very scammy. I used my AMEX, so I was just going to dispute the charge because I was never able to reach a "manager". While they couldn't respond to ME, they wasted no time responding to Amex with their cancellation policy (which requires you under NORMAL circumstances to cancel 72 hours check in). This was not a normal circumstance. They have been paid, no services have been rendered, and they are fighting to keep the money while not responding to us. I wouldn't normally cause a fuss, but $1500 is a lot of money to just lose or give away. I am so disappointed in the lack of professionalism. And good luck trying to find a number for their corporate office. It's located in Spain...and they won't respond either. Perhaps it's a gift. It was going to be my first experience in Cabo but after reading these reviews while reporting my own experience, I will make sure that I never recommend them and that I stick with an American/National brand that's tried and true...at least you can reach someone!

I was invited by great friends and the price was right. It's a budget hotel so I get that it wasn't going to knock my socks off. The staff is great but the hotel management needs to do better. I tend to over tip when I appreciate good service, which alot of staff were great. They also gave me eye opening answers to questions. - The bartenders admitted they recycle the bottles then dilute the alcohol with cheap stuff. They even will show you how they reseal it afterwards.. example; Ask for Tito's and you get something else in a Tito's bottle. - Was asked 4 times by guys at beach yelling at pool area while trying to sit and stare at view with wife of I wanted any party favors. This was the worst part. - We scheduled dinner for last day to celebrate a big day on our marriage at Nobu. After swimming all day and laying out at pool, they told us at 12 they shut off all water to hotel. We couldn't take a shower or even go to bathroom. We went to our special dinner smelling like the pool and sunblock. When I complained at front desk they said city shut it down. However, 100 yards is a sister hotel who said they were fine and Palace was lying to us. When confronted, they basically told us to kick rocks. -I bought the sunset dinner/ party cruise through the hotel. Do not waste your money. It was awful. Drinks were terrible and food might have been the worst I have ever had for $90 per person. Keep in mind. The staff was very helpful, kind and attentive. Cabo is ridiculously expensive. Medicine is not cheap anymore. Shipping is more expensive than most US cities. NEVER again.

We had a great experience at the Riu Palace! Check in was extremely easy & we only had to pay about $8 USD of travel fees. The room was a little dated, but very clean and had full stock of liquor, water & other beverages. Our favorite restaurant was Bombay. The food was probably the most flavorful at the resort. Next up was Krystal. This restaurant was also very tasty & had some very good entrée options. The steakhouse was the third runner up for us. All of the restaurants provide wine, no hard liquor cocktails. We also really enjoyed Pepe's by the pool. Every night we made our way up to the lobby bar to enjoy the open air breeze. It was the perfect night cap & I really enjoyed my nightly martinis! The staff was extremely kind and attentive. The location of the Riu was perfect. You have an amazing view of the Arc & are in walking distance of the water activities on the beach and the other Riu resorts. We thoroughly enjoyed the Adults-Only Riu Baja Cali resort, but liked the option of coming back to The Palace. We can't wait to visit Cabo again, and we are considering booking at the Adults Only resort. Our vacation was great!

Property was very clean and the staff was very friendly but the Food was not very good. The rooms were Overpriced for the lack amenities and small details the hotel failed to provide; ultimately costing us time and money. -Only one key at check out; 2 guest reservation -WiFi was horrible. -Room cleaning extremely late Undecided if I'll revisit, probably not.

The hotel itself is pretty nice but it does have a lot of imperfections. I'll break my review down by category to simplify: Hotel: The drive to the hotel from the airport was over 40 mins and there are a lot of homeless encampments around so be careful but the lobby was nice and views to the ocean were amazing! You could see the beautiful ocean and arch from pretty much anywhere in the hotel. It had various options to choose from in terms of food and drinks. Staying at this hotel gives you access to the other 2 hotels in the area and the Riu Parties (those were fun!). The pools were pretty big but after about 11a, there is NO shade anywhere so bring anything you can to not get so sunburned bc it hurts. Room: The rooms were ok. They have a mini bar with 4 bottles of liquor and a fridge full of drinks. We also had gnarly amounts of bugs (ants, mosquitos, earwigs) & salamanders (kind of cute but annoying when trying to sleep lol). It sucks bc the ants got into all my luggage. I called the front desk and they came and sprayed the bugs. We were good for one day, then, they came back in full force so we had to notify housekeeping every single day! (That's 6 days total). Idk if the room just wasn't cleaned right ever or if it was bc we were on the 1st floor but none of our other family's rooms had this issue and they were right next to us. AC worked great! The shower was broken but whatever and the beds were ok. Staff: The staff was amazing for the first part of the trip. We took care of them and they took care of us UNTIL the American/ European tourists arrived. Then we didn't exist and I'm American too but a dark one lol. Those other groups ordered crazy amounts of drinks and I'm thinking the staff was banking on them tipping them more but I watched and none ever did but either way, I stopped ordering from the staff and got my drinks myself. Tip myself ‍ lol Food and drinks: The buffet and steak places had the best food. The other places weren't that great. I wish I got to try the other hotel's restaurants but didn't have enough time. The drinks were inconsistent. It really depended on who made the drinks but for an all inclusive, it gets the job done lol All in all, idk if I'd stay here again considering there were other luxury hotels near the marina but if you're looking for a budget friendly, friends trip, it may be the spot for you.

This place was wonderful. Excellent service and breathtaking views. This was my first trip to Mexico and Cabo San Lucas. Upon arrival checkin was super easy. Personally wasn't a fan of the food but there is tons of variety and restaurants and the food was good, just not as exceptional as I would have imagined. The service, location, and sheer size of the hotel and its operations are what makes this resort and I would absolutely stay here again! This was my first all inclusive resort experience and I loved it especially as part of a work meeting. This palace is like a giant compound on the beach with so much to offer with food variety, and entertainment and the meeting rooms were traditional rooms but it was more of what was just outside the doors!. The Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas itself has around 600 guest rooms, meeting rooms, 5 main restaurants, a few buffets, several bars, a cappuccino bar, 6 swimming pools and two have Jacuzzis. I was upgraded right an awesome Junior Suite room with pool/garden and ocean views and there was issues with accessing the assigned room so was just given an upgrade since I was ready to go with no ETA on fixing the locks. I really lucked out and the room was perfect with a super king-size bed, a separate couch in a lounge area, and a wonderful shower. Large rooms and areas in the Jr. Suite. The room had air conditioning, a minibar and liquor dispenser, a coffee maker, hairdryer, iron/ironing board, WiFi, satellite TV, and a balcony. Room service 24 hours a day but didn't need it as something was always open. I also didn't have time to use the gym, sauna and whirlpool bath though i was able to enjoy the pools. This all-inclusive resort with 24-hour-a-day service is the only way to go when traveling! Would absolutely look for another RIU hotel and would love to revisit this resort again!

I love all inclusive resorts. All inclusive resorts are the best choice when you're going on a vacation to just relax because everything you need is already at the resort. The food, the swimming, the events they hold etc. This was that kind of vacation. I think we did one excursion but the rest of the time we just ate & swam lol. I'm not ever too picky on food at all inclusive resorts because they're feeding so many people all day, detail's definitely do not matter. I don't judge on the scale of like a Michelin star restaurant lol just let it be edible & good, doesn't have to be great but good is good enough. That's what the food was here. Good, it did the job. In Mexico I only drink Margaritas because there's so much tequila lol how can they water it down it's everywhere lol well that's what I like to think. & lol this time it was true or I'm just....wiser haha. I drank 1 too many margaritas lol & it got me haha. I had to be dragged to my rooom lol lorrrrd, my poor sister. So that gives context on the alcohol percentage if you're looking for if the drinks are watered down or not. If you stayed at a RIU before they hold the parties here too if you're looking to be entertained in that way. The mall wasn't too far from here either. The staff was pleasant & helpful.

The best thing about Riu palace is the grounds. The views from the pool, restaurants and balconies are great. My room had views of the arch, pools and beach. Hanging out in the pool each day was a treat. The logistics for me went smooth but you need to read the fine print from destination services. The service is OK. There probably wasn't a single request I didn't need to call twice for, but they were all addressed. My toilet flusher broke and additional blankets dissapeared after house keeping. The food is mediocre to acceptable and no better. There's a alot of variety in the buffets but the quality is generally meh so after 2-3 days you get bored since nothing is appealing anymore especially baked things like bread which are super stale. The speciality restaurants are slow and actually worse than the buffet often. Overcooked and bland meat is standard. Sushi is rivaled by gas station sushi in the states (no exagerration). Room service food is a joke and is a kin to vending machine sandwiches and leftover buffet fruit. By the end of 5 days I rather eat at McDonald's. Room quality was OK. Dated but clean enough. Outlets need to be replaced. All of them were super loose and hard to retain plugs. You do get to go to the Sante Fe and Baja California properties though and that's fun but the food doesn't improve. Come here for the view and vibe. Plan to eat else where for a few meals if staying awhile otherwise prepared to be underwhelmed.

4 years and counting! Every winter season, my friends and I will spend a week to ten days out in Cabo San Lucas and ALWAYS make it a point to stay here. This last trip was incredible as at the Riu Party, Steve Aoki himself showed up to perform! I have seen him in 3 other countries at crazy events, so having him at all all inclusive resort as part of the amenities was wild. Food is always decent, and the pool bar and rooms are solid. I would give this 5 stars, but on the last day there, they took our bracelets off and gave us a piece of paper to use the amenities until our scheduled shuttle arrived. The staff became super rude and aggressive as they couldn't see our bands and we had to carry a tiny piece of paper around to the pool to get a drink. Was a bit embarrassing after spending $4000 on this trip to feel like we didn't belong as security came out until we could find the piece of paper tucked away to keep it safe from the pool water. I would suggest letting guests keep their tags until they are getting into the scheduled shuttle and not make them feel second class.

Don't stay here! Just got back from a 4 night girls trip. Only positive is adult only and great view. The pink pool party was a blast but that's it. Horrible food, horrible service. Half of our group got food poisoning. Watered down alcohol. No pool side food service only a little taco stand you have to leave your spot to go to. Shocked by so many decent reviews. Will not be staying here again. Had much higher expectations of an international company. I have stayed in Cabo many times and this place was the worst. Buyer beware!

I hate doing one star reviews, they're my least favorite, and the experience has to be so negative and hopeless before I would consider doing it. Three couples all wanted to go to Cabo to celebrate our 50th birthday. All reservations were going to be booked at the RIU Palace. Two of the couples were able to book, but when the third couple tried to book, they were informed the hotel had been sold out. But they explicitly told us don't worry, you can book right down the street at the RIU the RIU Baja Palace, and then you can go back-and-forth from resort to resort. We then asked specifically about the restaurants. Since we're celebrating birthdays, having dinner together at the various restaurants was a high priority. The manager at the time said emphatically, yes. We could absolutely enjoy all of the restaurants at the RIU Palace if we were staying at the RIU Baja. Trip booked, credit cards, charged, dreams created. When they arrived in Cabo, getting ready to have our first dinner together, the front desk manager informed the couple staying at the RIU Baja that they could NOT eat at the restaurants on site at the RIU Palace. They Escalated and even got to a manager named Victor, who acted like he wanted to help, but then just said, sorry. He took no ownership, and had no sympathy for our situation. Three couples traveling from another country all to spend our birthdays together, only to be told now that we cannot eat together. When our plans were made, explicitly at the request of the hotel management. Completely devastated, totally disappointed, complete deceitfulness. How could they not jut let one couple join us for dinner?!? I'm leaving this review on the first day of our trip. If management cares and wants to correct this atrocity, I'm all ears. Otherwise, the RIU will never get my money again. And I will tell everyone I can about the lies and lack of trust we've experienced.

Here is an honest review from someone who had zero issues staying at this resort. A group of 10 friends and I stayed at RIU Palace for 6 nights. This hotel provides transportation to and from the airport if you book directly with them. Transportation was where they said they'd be when we arrived to Cabo and we had a comfortable, air conditioned bus ride to the resort from the airport. Check in was very easy and our room was actually ready a little early so we got to go straight to our room. Our room was clean and exactly as expected. We got the Jr. Swim up suite and it was on the pool side of the resort. This was nice because the servers would also bring us drinks to our swim up pool if we asked them too. Everyone at this resort is hard working and from our experience, honest. I lost a pair of nice Michael Kors sunglasses at the pool on our second day. I was relieved to find them at the lost and found at the front desk. There is always someone cleaning and maintaining the grounds. Service in the restaurants was the same. Very efficient. When we called and asked from something like towels or water, we always got what we asked for. Just have patience. We had zero issues with theft or feeling unsafe. Even on the beach, the vendors can be a little pushy but all you have to say is no thank you and they will leave you alone. You cannot swim at the beach at the resort, so don't expect to, it is not safe. The water is more powerful than it looks. The pools with the swim up bars are fun. Beautiful view and easy access to drinks. The larger pools are also very nice and still have poolside service as well. After many hours in the swim up bar pools, the water does start to get a little gross. We would just get out, use your common sense. Lol. Pepe's Grill by the pool had great tacos and also other options like burgers, hot dogs, nachos and fries. It is not hard to find food at this resort. The specialty restaurants we did try (Japanese restaurant, steak house and Italian food) were all gross. But the buffet actually was really good. There's something for everyone. We did attend the White Party and the Pink Party at RIU Santa Fe. It's a short walk over and definitely worth checking out their themed parties. If you stay at this resort, you can access Santa Fe, but not Baja. Transportation to return to the airport had us down for the wrong time at first, but they quickly made it right and we were on our way. I have zero complaints about this resort. There's a lot of fear mongering going on in many of the other reviews. But our stay was fine for all 12 people in our group and we all stayed 6 nights and had zero issues.

My friend and I stayed here for 4 nights and the first couple days were ok but the hotel itself had very sketchy vibes. The first day a man came to our room that had access to unlock our door asking if we needed something. He wasn't dressed like anyone else doing housekeeping. I asked his name and he hesitated and I looked at his lanyard and no id or any name tag was in it. Then the third day me and my friend stayed by the pool and all of my stuff went missing. My phone, hat, dress and shoes as well as my friend's sunglasses. I had to spend an entire day looking for my belongings and the staff were very dismissive. I called and asked them in person over 30 times with zero effort from the front desk. Finally after I left they emailed me and told me they had my dress and shoes and magically the location on my phone started to work again and was taken away from the hotel. Its very upsetting to know we shouldn't have trusted anyone there. If you go here keep your belongings on you at all times.

I'd give 10 stars for the service if I could! The entire staff, from the front desk, housekeeping, and in the restaurants were very attentive and polite. The views are AMAZING, the pool is immaculate, and shoutout to Jerry for the early morning yoga sessions.

There is a reason this place and the Sante Fe are cheap. Rooms are awful. Two thin full beds shoved together. You must separate them on your if you need 2 beds. They say housekeeping will come up to do it but they never show. Alcohol in room and the rest of the resort is watered down. The pool bartender even confirmed and showed us how they reseal the bottles. The food is awful. Whatever they serve at the steak house is not cow. My daughters took a bite and said no way. I refused my plate. The Italian restaurant is just as bad. Indian restaurant was the best one and I don't even like Indian food. We all got terribly sick toward the end and couldn't eat for a week after getting home. The sports bar across the street at Sante Fe is not safe. We were there at midnight and fairly certain cartel and hookers were there. We met a couple who said the wife was roofied. The staff is terribly rude even when you tipped. When i checked out we returned all room and towel keys expect for one room key. This is card key like every hotel in US uses. They charged me for one room key (not towel keys). Are you kidding me? Entertainment was ok. Wi-Fi only works in the lobby. The shuttle to the hotel is a LARGE bus. Once you get on the bus you'll wait another hour to leave and then go to another terminal first. It also stops at 2 other hotels before this one. It takes an extra 2 hours from when you land to get to the hotel. I would never return to this property. I will spend more and stay at a nicer place where you can actually swim off the beach

Fantastic experience for our honeymoon. Luis and Marianna were the best. There are many ways to enjoy the world, to enjoy travel, and to enjoy Cabo. This is a very particular way, a Disneyland curated experience of Cabo. For what it is, it is fantastic. Let's start with the negatives: the Sushi restaurant is beneath mediocre, the check-in time is later than it should be, the rooms are just okay, and... well, that is about it. The positives: the property is situated on a beautiful part of the beach with gorgeous views. There are many well-staffed bars, a few with karaoke or live music at night. The pool staff are incredible. The views from the pool are breath taking. Walking the grounds is delightful and I clocked over 15,000 steps every day because of how pleasant the property is to walk. The Riu resorts are segmented by audience, Riu Palace is older/upscale. Riu Santa Fe is family oriented and less expensive. Riu Baja is for the party crowd. All of them achieve their mission and meet the needs of their particular audiences. The buffet is remarkably good. I do not normally like buffet, but this compares favorably to the Bellagio/Wynn buffets in Las Vegas. The interior design is excellent and the outside is even better. My wife and I loved it. We would highly recommend it to couples looking for a relaxing resort experience.

Wow what a place! We had a wonderful time while we were here for 9 days and wished we could have stayed longer. The customer service was top notch and the whole facility was always spotless. Some of the food was hit or miss but you can always find something good due to the many choices that they offer. The Riu pool parties were also in point! Can't wait to try out more Riu resorts in the future.

My hubby booked a trip here for my birthday recently and I was initially really excited! I've been to multiple other parts of Mexico but never Cabo. When we landed at the airport the car service picked us up and took us to the palace which was about 30-40 mins away. The scenery was really underwhelming compared to other countries I've been to. The major plus about this hotel is that you have access to all of there neighbor properties so in total you have 3 resorts to hang out at. The resort looks extremely dated, not the best but not the worst. When you check in there is a complimentary bar in front giving mimosas and champagne. We had a junior suite with an ocean view which was really pretty. They have alcohol on tap in every room and a fully stocked fridge with beer, soda and water. We stayed in our room for the first night, however the next day we noticed that the sink water was running brown. We of course were taken a back and disgusted so we notified the front desk manager. We came down to talk to her and she let us know that the water in Mexico was really bad at that time and nobody should drink it, and that we could use the bottled water to brush our teeth and take a bath. Excuse me but what??? All the money my man paid and that's what you tell us? The manager offered to upgrade us to the other resort or to a larger suite with a swim up pool at the palace. We opted for the suit with the personal pool. It was a nice gesture however I feel like we should've been refunded for at least one day because we spent a half a day talking to managers about the situation. But hey an upgraded room was the best they could offer. The management did have a complimentary bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries set up in our new suite which was nice. But I advise everyone to be aware of the dirty plumbing system here! The food was horrible on all of the properties. There were huge bees and flys flying all around the buffets and on the pastries. I mentioned it to the lady working there and she said she knew and there was nothing she could do about it............ lol Nothing was covered. I honestly feel like a lot of people have gotten sick from food poisoning here. They need to work on cleanliness! The staff was just ok, no one was very friendly or welcoming like other resorts I've stayed at. A lot of these bartenders were rude. I noticed that they reuse the plastic cups for the drinks, I saw old lipstick on my cup while at the pool, I was really grossed out. The only upside about this resort is the nice view and the parties that they have at hotel next door which you can walk to. We had a great time at the pink day party and the neon party at night. Honestly I wouldn't come back here and don't recommend anyone else to stay here, I'm sure there are better all inclusive resorts!

THIEVES. 1 worker entered my room (they pulled the data from the door scanner) and $500 went missing from my pants pocket. The took all bills over $20 and left small ones only. The resort did absolutely nothing to make things right. Very sad that a successful chain resort will not do anything to make things right. Hopefully social media video will go viral to spread some light on this horrible resort.

Great vacation spot. Stayed at the Riu Palace on a Spring Break getaway with a group of Ladies.

Came here for our girlfriend's birthday bash. Great resort for all inclusive. It's a bit more quiet and reserved than it's neighbors Riu Santa Fe and Riu Baja California. However, you can't go and eat at the resorts of its sisters sights if you go all inclusive. We were able to go to the buffet at the Riu Baja California, but that's about it. The beaches are right there. The pools are huge and cleaned every night. The room is comfortable, there's a lot of amenities. However, I go to Cabo every other year and this isn't my first choice for all inclusive. There are much better resorts out there to stay at. The Internet didn't work the entire time even though they told us they would give us a new code. That never happened. Covid testing to get back into the states was available on sight, which was helpful.

Ehh...RIU is really comprised of three properties. The Palace is a 20year old building that is showing it's age. It appears to be decorated haphazardly with an Aztec warrior out front and some weird conquistador looking statues inside, right next to some studio 54 disco motifs behind the Reservation desk. The rooms are comfortable but dated. This property is all inclusive with five or so themed restaurants, and two larger buffet restaurants. The food was passable, but not anything close to good. While they did offer some entertainment, a high school play would have been better. Every night was a themed party night at the adjoining property. All the cheap tequila you want, bubbles in the pool, and super loud techno music. If that's your thing you'll be in heaven. The beach is awesome, and the view unbeatable.

Recently came here for a Bach, and had high expectations coming into this. Starting off, the views from every look outs were amazing. We were able to see the arch from our balcony. Rooms were clean and decent, but for a group of three there were a two beds pushed together making one sleep funny. Food/drink wise--I think they could've done a lot better. Comparing to different all inclusives in the area, I was disappointed. First off, their room service only had 5 items that entailed 3 sandwiches, nachos, and totadas. That is it! So if you got drunkchies from going to downtown--good luck getting something good. Maybe for one night ok, but every night having these items--boo. Their buffets were decent. They have one for every meal, but nothing too special that would make me want to rush back. It was hard to find tacos and ceviche, something you would think would be an easy find at an all inclusive! We ended finding it at the lunch buffet by the pools. Couldn't find any churros. Now on to alcohol--whenever you ask for a certain tequila, they say it's one thing but it's looks another. Which I thought was totally sus. Their house tequila tasted like licorice. They only had gingerale at the bar, which I thought was weird. Service in all was great. The customer service was very attentive to their guests. They even offered help when they saw one of our party was struggling to get through the resort. All in all, the stay was ok. Would I be back? Not sure because I love to eat while on vacation.

Hotel transfer and hotel check in was smooth. We received a room with a better vir. It was hot and humid but the pool was nice. The pool area needs more shade options. The restaurants can take a while but were fine. The staffing was attentive and polite. Especially Blanca, Emerson, Pedro, Jonathan, Casiel. I will come back on a future vacation

Fun place to stay. Some reviews mentioned that the employees could not speak English but we did not have a problem. Multiple places to eat swim, and drink. They gym is not the best but it's not the worst. There is enough to get the job done.