My girlfriend and myself (both thirty-something) spent 4 fabulous nights in an Ocean-front room at the Ritz. On arrival, we were impressed with the class of the hotel, the great service & the spacious and tasteful room. The view of the sea from the room is so fantastic through the large balcony doors that you should definitely upgrade from an ‘ocean-view’ room to an ‘ocean front’ room. The pool area is lovely and relaxing with lounge chairs by both the pool and beach. The pool is great as you’d expect and is also open at night for a fabulous late-night swim / Jacuzzi. While the beach is great too, it is worth noting that sandbags are visible on the beach to protect the sand and there is some concrete foundation under the sand which you will feel on certain sections. The sea by the Ritz is also rougher/wavier than at other hotels and possibly not suitable for children.

And now to describe what didn’t quite work for us which is harder to put into words. Although the service is excellent, the Ritz felt too formal and over the top for us -- it was actually a little hard to relax there. And the restaurants have a ‘Michelin-star’ quality about them with very elaborate dishes served by numerous waiters & table visits by attentive floor managers & the chef. You have to leave the hotel to have a more low-key chilled-out meal. Finally, every item is added to your bill including bottled water in the rooms which would be complimentary in most 3 star hotels around the world. The Ritz doesn’t even include airport-hotel transfers. All-in-all, it’s expensive and not particularly good value for money.

We also spent 4 nights in the ‘Riu Palace Las Americas’ in Cancun (based on its very high rating in tripadvisor) for a bit of variety during our vacation. Here is our comparison:
- Rooms: The rooms at the Riu and Ritz were both fabulous. The view from the ocean-front room in the Ritz (room 6009) was outstanding.
- Pools: The Riu had 2 outstanding pools with pool-side bars, occasional pool volleyball and poolside music in the afternoon near the livelier pool. The Ritz pool was a little smaller but was very peaceful (no music or hotel entertainment) and still top class. The Ritz was open for late night swims which are fantastic.
- Beach: The Riu beach was calmer, more fun & better for swimming. The Ritz beach was exposed with lots of waves and sandbags to protect the sand -- still a v nice beach.
- Bars: The Riu bar was a little ‘dated’ looking but had a good crowd, good atmosphere and was free. The Ritz bar was empty, dull and very pricey.
- Restaurants: The 5 Riu restaurants ranged from average to fantastic, although admittedly not in the league of the 3 ‘almost Michelin-star’ quality restaurants in the Ritz. Breakfast buffet at the Ritz was very nice but the Riu buffet was incredible. The Riu lunch buffet was also very good.
- Value for money: The ‘all inclusive’ Riu was incredibly good value for money while the Ritz was quite the opposite.

So while the Ritz was lovely & it’s hard to say anything bad it, it was a little too formal for our liking with over the top service and not a great deal of atmosphere. Ideal for some but not for us…

My wife and I just returned from our vacation at the Ritz Carlton in Cancun. Overall, it was a very enjoyable trip. My wife and I travel extensively and stay at 4 or 5 star resorts. The Ritz is ranked number 1 on this site. It is a terrific hotel but as with most of us, it is not perfect at least not "perfect" in my subjective assessment. However, I do recommend the hotel if you are prepared to pay the bucks to be a guest there.

The food and the service are the best we have encountered. However, even the service had a few minor deficiencies, a wrong order for dinner that never got corrected until we finished dinner and a drink order later during the week that was never delivered. I do strongly recommend trying Fantino's 9 course dinner. It is something to behold. Be prepared to enjoy a 3.5 hour "experience" The service there is fantastic!. The total cost for two with 2 bottles of wine was $500 dollars before tip but worth the memories.

Likewise, we ate every dinner meal but two at the hotel and all meals were fantastic. The other two nights we partied at Senor Frogs and Margaritaville. We had a great time there as well. We love to dance and both venues were terrific for dancing.(Just don't drink the water, I did and I am still "paying" for it.) We heard about a latin dance club at the Camino Real called Azucar which was recommended by some guests we met at the Ritz. We didn't make it this trip but, we will be back.

I enjoyed my first scuba diving, (Minori who staffs the Aqua World booth by the pool is a top shelf instructor.) It was my first time and she was very patient, an excellent instructor.


There are a few minor downsides to the Ritz, which may be viewed as picky by some, but in an effort to fully inform my fellow travelers I will be candid. To begin, for a 5 star hotel, the rooms were not as lavish and appointed as some we have visited. We did not stay at the Club level so I can not comment about those rooms. The non Club rooms had no plasma televisions which may or may not be important to some. Some nights we enjoy in room movies and plasma televisions are much nicer that what the Ritz offered.


The pool deck was scorching hot on one's feet. Other five star resorts have installed the "cool deck" material which allows you to walk from the pool to your chair or any where around the pool deck without having to place your sandals nearby so as to avoid burning your feet. For a five star resort this problem needs to be remedied.




I also thought the Ritz would have some live pool side music, a latin or reggae band but they didn't. They also did not have a swim up bar or an outside bar. A few nights they did have some local entertainers during the dinner but all indoors. The night life was confined to a nice 3 piece band but very few guests visited there during the evenings. If you want an active night life you will not find it at the Ritz.

I did have a massage which was fine but not nearly worth the $220 fee. I have had much better for less. The Spa was nice but not as nice as other top shelf properties we have visited.

Be warned if you book the wave runners at the Ritz because you have to get in a cab to get to Aqua World about a 10 min drive which is not convenient and they don't tell you this until after you book the wave runners. This is not convenient. In fact, you can find other wave runners run by independent operators down from the Ritz. The bathroom at Aqua World was gross with blocks falling down and open wiring. The Aqua World staff are constantly hustling you about tips even before you use their services. This is not a good subcontractor for the Ritz.

Our bill for 8 days was $7,000. We had an ocean front from with "free breakfast" (it was great) and an $100 day credit. The drinks are very expensive at the Ritz (vodka/tonic was $14 a drink and they don't "free pour", every drink is measured to one shot) The $7,000 tab did include the Ritz picking us up at the airport and taking us to the airport ($120), one scuba excursion for one person, two wave runner excursions; two trips to the Mayan Ruins, one massage, $25 dollar a day for use of the internet, $160 dollars ( a dollar a page for copying a document I needed for work) and all of our drinks and food. It was an expensive vacation relatively speaking. However, if you want the best service and the best food and you don't mind paying a premium price, the Ritz is an excellent choice.

I would give it a 4.4 out of 5, not perfect but very few hotels are perfect.

Stayed at this hotel in February 2008 and had a wonderful stay. The service cannot be matched. Every worker stops and greets you no matter what they are doing. The concierge staff is wonderful and booked all of our trips. The spa was fabulous and had a 60 minute massage that felt like 120 minutes because it was so good.

The rooms all face the ocean and are quite spacious. The furniture is a little tired and needs to be updated, but the beds are comfortable. The bathrooms are large with a full shower and sunken tub. However the water pressure in the shower could be better and I found the water not hot enough, however my husband found it find.

Was on a plan where the breakfast was incluced in the price. Found that worthwhile as the breakfast food was delicous, however the prices normally would run over $70 for two people, so take that into consideration.

The pool area is beautiful, however it loses sun from about 2:30 on so late day lounging is not recommended if you want to continue with a tan. Had no problem finding a chair even though a convention was there.

I would recommend this for the great beach location, fabulous views, and top notch service.

I enjoyed a sunny one-week vacation with my husband at the Ritz Carlton in Cancun recently, thankfully just before the tropical storm hit. I agree with most of the recent reviews that this place is good, so I’ll try to aim this toward someone trying to get a sense for the details of what it’s like staying there and offer pointers for someone who’s actually going. For background, we are in our early thirties, we are definitely foodies, and while we enjoy luxury, we are pretty laid back travelers.

The general feel of this hotel is traditional, European, and frankly, rather stuffy compared with some hotels in its class. (For example, it is very different from the Ritz in San Juan, which has more modern decor, entertainment, and dining options.) I recently read that the Ritz is trying to update its image, and that this Cancun location is one of the hotels where they are slowly making changes. So, you will find paintings of women in wigs and corsets in the lobby, but you’ll see artwork related to Mexican history in other areas of the property and Mayan dancers on Saturday at sunset.

Getting there: We used the Ritz hotel transfer ($130 USD roundtrip, per van, not per person). It was hassle-free, comfortable, with a friendly driver, and very worth it. If you choose this, do NOT stop for people in the airport who look official and ask to see your hotel reservation. Walk fast, say no, hold your luggage tightly and get outside, where people holding a Ritz Carlton sign will be waiting for you. (Those people are timeshare scammers and they tried to steer my husband toward the wrong transportation company. Thanks to Tripadvisor, I knew this was wrong and got us away quickly.)

Checking in was easy and the staff were very welcoming. The bellman acquainted us with our room and the hotel and made us feel at home.

Our room: We stayed in room 7020, and in terms of appearance, it was just as expected. We liked its location for the easy pool and beach access. The pics by other reviewers are representative. Our balcony view was fantastic; even though it was not ocean front, the ocean view was excellent. The A/C worked well. The Bulgari toiletries, bed, and linens were of the usual lovely Ritz quality (parts of their tradition I hope they keep). Aside from one issue (below), housekeeping was excellent.

Concierges: All excellent. We used them for meals and we never had a bad dinner. I also communicated with them prior to the stay via email to set up transport and a casita and they were attentive. We also used the on-site Amex travel staff to set up excursions, and they were also helpful. FYI, I checked out the services at Le Meridien, and learned that generally excursion prices are the same from hotel to hotel, so don’t hesitate to use the people at the Ritz hoping for a better deal.

Dining and drinking on-site
Breakfast buffet: We had the Reconnect package and ate at the buffet for brunch each day. I’m not a fan of buffets, but this one is excellent. They had very good made to order eggs and omelettes, smoked salmon, fish of the day, cheese, Japanese staples like tofu and rice, Mexican dishes which vary day to day, an incredible spread of fruits including ones you won’t see much of in the U.S., plus basic hot and cold American breakfast food. They are open until noon.

The Club Grill: It has truly great food and service, but is very stuffy, with brighter-than-necessary lighting and grandmotherly furnishings. The jazz singer had a fairly decent voice but sang two of the same American standards twice during our dinner, and it was distracting. The wine list at the Ritz, and at most places in Cancun, did not wow me (unless you plan to spend several hundred dollars). I’d eat that food again, but I’d order it through room service!

The lobby bar has great bartenders and waiters. The sushi is edible, but not great. Try the ceviche instead. The lounge act is a bit lame, but they don’t start until 9. Their rendition of “Like a Virgin” sounds like bad karaoke but is good for a laugh. The attached “Clau” lounge has a better atmosphere and the music is not as loud.

Service at the pool is good. The waiters and pool attendants are excellent. The ceviche (the traditional one) at the Caribe Bar (poolside) was excellent. We did not try the Casitas but the menu looks very ambitious and we heard from other guests that it is great. I wish we ate there instead of the Club Grill, which put us off fine dining at the hotel because of the atmosphere. We rented a Casita one day ($150 after taxes and included tip). It was lovely, but for just two people the cabanas ($25 a day, half that after noon) are great, and offer control over how much sun you get, and where.

The gym was great. Plenty of machines, all new and well-maintained.

Checking out was simple. After one mini-bar charge issue (below), all charges were accurate.

Dining off-site: We liked Harry’s across the street. The food is good, and the atmosphere is very nice. We had dinner there once, and drinks and dessert another. We also liked the Cambalache steak house in the huge mall down the street, where we found good wine and great service. La Destileria is fine, but touristy and probably not worthwhile. We had a real standout meal at Santos Mariscos, a Mexican seafood hole-in-the-wall joint with cute, kitschy decor down the street. It’s not for your typical Ritz clientele, but I can tell you that it was one of our favorite meals. Honest, fresh, simple food done well. Order one of the seafood casseroles.

Excursions: We did the jungle tour, and that was quite fun, and hassle free. We also did the Royal Garrafon Isla Mujeres trip, which is okay and a good bargain, but very “canned.” It would be good for families.

Problems: We had a few of problems, all pretty minor. The toilet leaked onto the floor and we had to call twice, but after the second call the problem was fixed. The shower water pressure is very bad. If you have long hair, it is faster to use the showers in the gym which have normal water pressure. We had some weird troubles with the mini bar cabinet one day, which also includes a complimentary espresso maker. I wanted to get into the cabinet to make espresso before hitting breakfast later on. First, our mini-bar key didn’t work and someone had to come unlock it, and two of the cups for the espresso were not clean, and there was only one non-decaf serving. The espresso maker didn’t work at first, and after making a bunch of hot water, someone fixed it. The front desk was not very helpful and let me go back and forth with them for over half an hour with the above annoyances. They should have just sent me some coffee and dealt with the machine later. To top it off, we were then charged for items we didn’t use during the period when our key to the mini-bar didn’t even work, though they fixed it. Guest relations called to check in at the end, I told them about the stupid coffee issue, and the final day we had coffee and cookies sent, and all was fine. All issues (except for water pressure) were resolved in the end.

Other: Americans should be aware that Cancun is a very pricey place, probably like going to Europe with the current weak dollar. Drinks are expensive, even away from the Ritz, and often watered down. Some vendors and hotels will change—or not change— (or round) the exchange rate depending on how it suits them. Just know this before you go. Don’t expect it to be cheaper than in the U.S. Expect gouging. Know that Cancun exists for tourism, and is there to take your money. The sun is very strong. We tanned through high SPF, so be aware. Mosquitos were seen closer to the nightclub area but weren’t bad at the Ritz. Few bugs on the beach, just the occasional non-biting fly. A few weird, very tiny bugs in the room which did not bite nor bother us.

We had a great time. It was a little stuffy and we had a few issues in the room, but nothing serious. I would recommend it.