Riu Vallarta - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

9532 reviews

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  Not greatest.

  The hotel is great.Food isn't bad for swimming pools, but you're limited.You cannot play music nor can they play music.Because of the old crowd they attend to certain people.They should have an old croud section because it's a mixed environment.It seems like everybody is getting penalized for a handful of people that don't want noise that only want to read books.It's a shame.

  Feb 02, 2026
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  Vacation time.

  2 week vacation. Lovely resort. Staff all very nice and friendly and hard working.Location , 1/2hr from airport. Close to Bucareis . Rooms clean. Beds comfortable. 5 pools, all nice size. All different age groups. Not crowded and busy like RUI Jalisco. Buffet, good . Always find food to eat.Entertainment in the Evening not very entertaining. We played cards with our friends most Eves. Nice long stretch of beach to walk on, nice and flat when tide goes out. We decided to come back to this resort as we loved it first time we came. No reservations for Specialty restaurants. That’s where we are disappointed this time around. Only 2 open at a time. Had to stand in line for up to an hour to say they were fully booked for the Evening. We’re only able to eat at the Italian and Steakhouse twice in 2 weeks. Richard who we believe was one of the managers in the Eve was very helpful to help get into the restaurants. If the entertainment and restaurant no reservations required were better would have given it a 5 star review. Would recommend it to others if looking for a quiet and laid back atmosphere. Mexican people are so hospitable.

  Feb 01, 2026
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  5 night stay at RIU Vallarta

  My friend and I went to PV for stem cells therapy. We spent 5 nights at the RIU all inclusive. The resort itself is very clean and nice. The staff are all very friendly and welcoming. Our negatives were trying to get into the specialty restaurants on the property. You had to stand in a long line before they open up to put your name in and get a pager. Sometimes it was a 2 hour wait. The food was just so so. Also they were doing construction in the hallways on our floor until 6:00 at night. Very very loud! Overall it was a good resort for a few days.

  Feb 01, 2026
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  Average Resort at Best — Manage Your Expectations

  Lesson learned from this trip: DO NOT BOOK THOUGH SUNWING. Always book directly with the airline and directly with the resort. When issues came up with our reservation, Sunwing was completely incompetent at resolving anything before or during the trip, and we’ll see whether they resolve things afterward. Because we booked through a third party, the resort staff were very limited in what they were willing or able to do to help, so save yourself the trouble and book direct. *Check-in & Staff Check-in itself went smoothly, but because our booking issue involved a third party, the front desk was unwilling or unable to help with the confusion. I understand it technically wasn’t their fault, but a little flexibility or understanding would have gone a long way. That said, most staff around the resort were very friendly. A special shoutout to Alexis at customer service, who was kind, patient, and genuinely tried to help us and got us a cabana on the beach. *Rooms The rooms are what you’d expect from about a 3 to 3.5-star hotel, definitely not five-star. - Towels and furnishings feel dated - Only basic toiletries provided - Beds and mattresses are extremely worn and uncomfortable - Mattresses sag and slope toward the edges - Safe doesn't work (We had to call and have someone come unlock ours when our failed to open. Others in our party didn't work at all) Cleanliness was also an issue. On our second night, we requested an extra blanket because the room was cold. When I unfolded it, the blanket was full of puke, which was extremely unpleasant. Housekeeping replaced it quickly, but this should never happen. The following morning, when removing the sheets, we found large brown stains on the bedding, and the mattress underneath was also heavily stained. That made sleeping in the bed very uncomfortable knowing how dirty it appeared. Rooms are also loud at night. Entertainment at the resort and the neighboring resort runs until about 11:00 PM, so if you plan to sleep earlier, expect noise in the rooms until everything shuts down. *Food & Drinks Food quality overall was very subpar. Buffet seafood and sushi often sat out at room temperature, smelled strong, and the fish texture was soft and mushy rather than fresh and firm. Several items appeared undercooked or overcooked from sitting too long. Around day four, I ended up with what was clearly food poisoning, with severe stomach pains and uncontrollable vomiting. I’ve experienced food poisoning before and the symptoms were identical. Drinks are average at best. Standard liquor is low-end, though you can request better brands like Bacardi or Captain Morgan. Bartenders were friendly, but they’re limited by what they’re given to serve. *On-Site Restaurants There are three specialty restaurants on site: a "Steakhouse", an Asian Cuisine restaurant, and an Italian restaurant. The steakhouse was extremely disappointing. Steaks were small, tough, and difficult even to cut, and the overall quality of the meal was poor. Likley grade B to E (Standard to Utility) or Ungraded meat. Everyone we spoke with who tried it felt the same way — it simply isn’t worth going to. The Asian restaurant is okay, but not great. In our opinion, you’re better off just eating at the buffet rather than waiting an hour in line for it. The Italian restaurant is the best option on the property, and the food there was actually quite good. Unfortunately, because there is no reservation system, guests end up waiting one to two hours to get in, or lining up well before opening to secure a spot. We saw seniors and families having to stand in line for long periods, which really shouldn’t be necessary. A reservation system would significantly improve the experience. Another frustration is that restaurant availability was limited during our stay. Two nights the Italian restaurant was closed, and on separate nights the Asian restaurant was also closed. This further limits opportunities to dine there, especially considering the long wait times required to get in when they are open. *Facilities & Atmosphere Pool areas were generally clean, but washrooms and change rooms near the pools were often smelly and dirty. Finding pool chairs can be difficult, even though there are empty areas where more seating could easily be added. *The beach itself is very nice, with soft sand and a good walking area. *One disappointment was the lack of quiet spaces in the evenings. There is nowhere on the resort to have a quiet drink at night. The lobby and main common areas are the only options, and they are always loud and crowded. At many five-star resorts, there are quieter ocean-view areas where guests can relax at the end of the day, but that atmosphere is missing here. There are also no hot tubs or quiet relaxation areas, which again feels inconsistent with what you would expect from a higher-rated resort. *Entertainment overall was fairly weak, but about what you’d expect from a three-star resort. *Transportation Tip One final tip for future travelers: don’t rely on shuttle transportation booked through third parties or the RIU. All week we heard stories about shuttles and buses running late or being disorganized (albeit there were protests on the road that week). We found it much easier to simply use Uber. The ride to and from the airport is about 20–25 minutes, and using Uber avoids the uncertainty and delays many guests experienced with shuttle pickups. *Overall In our opinion, this resort should realistically be considered a 3-star property, not a five-star experience. There are good people working here and some nice aspects to the property, but between room cleanliness issues, food quality, uncomfortable beds, noise levels, restaurant availability, and booking frustrations, it wasn’t the relaxing vacation we hoped for.

  Feb 01, 2026
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  Hotspot

  Absolutely wonderful Great resort. Good food. Clean Only complaint was not enough bathrooms by the pool area

  Feb 01, 2026