My Honest Review of the Riu Tequila Hotel (Playa del Carmen)

The Riu Tequila is a budget-friendly all-inclusive hotel located in the beautiful and exclusive Playacar. 

I was lucky enough to spend a few days here with my family (living the dream).

After some sunshine bliss, I want to share with you what I made of this hotel so you can decide whether it’s right for you and your group on your next trip.

My Riu Tequila Review includes:

1. Affordability
2. Beach
3. Activities
4. Internet
5. Rooms
6. Nightclub
7. Gardens
8. Food
9. Timeshare
10. Access to other Riu Hotels
11. Golf at the Riu
12. Conference Rooms
13. Weddings

1. Affordability

NOT LUXURY BUT COVERS ALL THE BASICS

If you are looking for bells, whistles, and luxury then this may not be the hotel for you.

That being said, the hotel covers all the basics and more.

I personally love the Riu Tequila.

It has great food and drinks, many options for activities and sports, a fabulous entertainment team with nightly shows, 24-hour service, and a nightclub on-site. All of this combined makes for a great vacation.

Also, the beach is fabulous, you are walking distance to Playa del Carmen town (5th Avenue) and have a golf course nearby.

You can also get married at the Riu Tequila AND it has space for conferences or meetings, so an ideal spot for a company retreat (more on this later).

2. Beach

THE HOTEL IS NOT ON THE BEACH

The Riu Tequila is NOT on the beach.

The hotel is located across the main street in Playacar and offers access to a beach club.

If you walk at a leisurely pace from the lobby to the main entrance of the beach area, it is about 7 minutes. However, if you prefer not to walk, they do have a golf cart available that runs regularly throughout the day.

The schedules are posted at the main lobby entrance.

My family and I opted to walk most of the time as the walk is quite pleasant and for the most part, you are walking in the shade.

The beach club is located between the Riu Palace Mexico and the Riu Yucatan.

Once there, you have access to lounges and the buffet restaurant and drinks. The beach has many palm trees, so lots of options for both shady and sunny areas. My freckly skin appreciated the shady areas!

When you stay at the Riu Tequila, you also have access the Riu Yucatan during the day, so you can drop by their pool bar, take a dip in one of their swimming pools, and also access the water activities available on the beach.

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3. Activities

You can keep busy all day if you want to.

The ‘animation’ team at the Riu have activities planned throughout the day ranging from water polo to beach volleyball and all of the activities are included in your package.

Although the hotel is not on the beach, there is a sandy area next to the main pool where you can play volleyball and there are other activities available such as horseshoes, ping pong and more.

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4. Internet

Wi-Fi is available in the lobby area only. You can pay to have access to the Internet in other areas of the hotel. Prices range from 100 pesos for an hour to 640 pesos for 7 days.

They also have a few computers available for use for a small fee in the sports bar.

5. Rooms

The standard rooms are spacious enough and can accommodate 2 adults and 2 children aged 3-12, or 3 adults.

However, it is good to know that the rooms that have two double beds, the beds are pushed together (although they have separate bedding).

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6. Nightlife

The Riu Tequila has a nightclub on-site.

This is the nightclub available to all Riu guests in Playacar, so clients staying at the Riu Palace resorts, Riu Yucatan or Riu Playacar can meet up here to enjoy a few drinks or dance the night away.

You can also get a midnight snack at the sports bar, which is open 24 hours. I have to say that I did turn in too early to make it to the nightclub.

But for those of you who like to party, knock yourself out!

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7. Gardens

One of my absolute favorite things about the hotel are the grounds.

You are surrounded by lush, tropical vegetation.

There is a lot of wildlife, including sereques and coatis. The coatis can be quite cheeky, so don’t leave any food lying around. Really adds to the whole Mexican feel.

I mean just look at how beautiful it is ^^!

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8. Food

There is one main buffet at the Riu that is available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as the buffet by the pool at lunchtime and the beach buffet (Yucatan) which you can also access for lunch.

They do have a few a la carte restaurants that require reservations and include the Steakhouse, Mexican and Asian option (which is also buffet).

Snacks are available 24 hours in the sports bar.

I thought the food was great.

Evening meals had a theme, so there was quite a variety and they always had a lot of fresh vegetable options, a Mexican area, a great choice for desserts and for the most part, I ate way more than I should have.

10. Timeshare

In this day and age where almost every single hotel has some sort of timeshare/vacation club / elite membership or whatever they are calling it to trick you, it is important to know that Riu Hotels DO NOT have any sort of timeshare. Hallelujah!

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11. Access to other Riu Hotels

As mentioned, the beach club is located at the Riu Yucatan.

If you are up for exploring a little or just want a change of scenery, you are also allowed to visit the Riu Playacar (when you leave the hotel to turn left and walk down to the Plaza area, the hotel will be on the beachside).

You must take your beach towels from the Riu hotel and have dinner at your hotel, but otherwise, feel free to grab lunch, head to the pool or beach.

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12. Golf at the Riu

If you are looking for an affordable golf vacation, the Riu Tequila is a great option. Located walking distance to the Hard Rock Golf Course located in Playacar, Riu guests get an extra discount on green fees.

Planning a golf vacation?

Talk to us today our golfing experts will be happy to help.

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13. Conference Rooms

There are 6 Riu hotels in Playa del Carmen.

All 6 are located in the gated community of Playacar, adjacent to the town and vary in terms of price and service available.

The Riu Tequila has 5 conference rooms and a capacity for up to 785 people.

If you are looking for hotels that can offer conference rooms and more, we PlayaDelCarmen.com, help organize corporate retreats in Playa del Carmen.

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14. Weddings

Destination weddings in Playa del Carmen are becoming more and more popular.

The Riu Tequila offers a few options with packages ranging from 10 to 40+ guests.  You can choose a symbolic ceremony, a legal wedding or a vow renewal ceremony in their lush garden location.

Great perks are available for those wanting to get married at the Riu Tequila, just let me know what you have in mind and I am happy to help you get it planned.

Bliss!

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Conclusion

I will be back here with my family for certain. Not only is this one of my dad’s favorite hotels in the area, but the beach is also amazing, the location is fantastic and the value for the price is just unbeatable.

Book Your Stay Today

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Want the best price for the Riu Tequila? Just get in touch at customercare@playadelcarmen.com