The Riu tequila is totally awesome, we travelled as a party of 3 in July 08. The check in at the hotel was very quick no time taking forms to fill in just straight to rooms, followed quickly by our bags, we had a first floor room which initially did smell musty however at the welcome meeting they tell you that this is down to the humidity and if you leave on the air con and fan it will rid the room of the smell - and it did!! The rooms were a good size and the optics and mini fridge wer filled to the brim!!

The hotel itself is awesome - i cannot see for one minute why anyone would not like this property - i think anyone picking fault is just nit picking and looking for problems that arent there!!!

Yes there is a 10 minute walk to the beach, this is stated in the brochure and if you want to be closer - (just over the rd) stay in the yucatan or the playacar all of which you can use when staying in the riu chain in playacar. we found the 10 minute walk helped walked off the lovely food and drink that we ate and drank for 14 days!!! the beach has sandbags on but this is to stop the beach eroding anymore! The breeze on the beach is very welcome, round the pool in July it hit 40degrees on quite a few occasions.

Staff - from managers walking round the restaurant every day and night asking if everything is ok to the gardeners working all hours keeping the place tidy - they are all so so friendly. THe entertainment staff are GREAT they work such long hours and put on excellent shows every night! Always with a smile. (the michale jackson, mayan and comedy shows are a must see)
The bar staff - especially those at the swim up bar seem to really enjoy their jobs, we got wrong for only having 2 cocktails before 12oclock midday haha - the staff wanted to know why we didnt want more!! You were always greeted with a smile, the bar menu is extensive but they are always willing to make you anything you ask for (try the mexican flag)

Food - main buffet restaurant - had a WIDE WIDE range of food how anyone can say repetitive is beyond me - the only way this food would be repetitive is if you literally started at the top and worked your way down the 7 food stations getting one of everything - yes there was chicken every night - yes there was steak every night but there was always a different sauce to go with it and always something different to choose from should you wish. The steak house was OUT OF THIS WORLD!! VERY VERY nice - i had chargrilled steak and heard someone beside me saying it tasted "burnt" - hmm. We didnt try the mexican restaurant as there was always a mexican dish in the main restaurant.

trips - we did some once in a lifetime trips, firstly we went and snorkelled with the whalesharks which was amazing, you literally swim alongside these huge sharks for as long as you want, on the same trip we saw manta ray, dolphins and a turtle. you get a snorkel on a reef after the sharks followed by a trip to a small island for lunch (with beer supplied on the boat along the way - you didnt get chance to finish a bottle and another was in your hand) we also went on the F1 experience - this is a MUST DO - simon is great (i asked him to swap jobs with me and he wouldnt - cant understand why ha) you go out on a speedboat to the bay of turtles and snorkel alongside the turtles, they dont mind you being there and come up for air etc - we got some awesome photos. They also take you to a reef and a secluded beach for lunch, very very nice, after lunch settles, you race back on the speedboats - very fast and great great fun.
we took the ferry over to cozumel from playa del carmen one day- little tip dont sit outside you get very very wet!!!! Cozumel is lovely for shopping and very pretty, playa del carmen itself is also worth a look 5th avenue with its "tat" shops and duty free.

All in all we had a fab fab holiday and will definitley be returning once the reburb is complete. dont listen to any of the negative reviews - you cant please everyone - the hotel is great, people, food, drink, area. all SUPERB!!!

I took over 400 photos within the 2weeks that we were there unfortunatley they arent saved on the computer i am using to write this review - snyone wanting photos of anything specific feel free to contact me and i will try to oblige.

Just returned from an enjoyable 2 weeks all inclusive.

Location. Not beach front, so not as busy as the Yucutan. No see breeze means very hot days by the pool. 8/10

Room. Out dated, beds hard and old. Constantly got the feeling you weren't alone in them! small bugs around the bathroom area. The A/C was also poor which is crucial in such a climate. Plus point was that we were at the far point of the complex so it was very quiet. Our balcony was disappointing as there were large palm trees right up against it with no real view as such so we did not use it. Our room was cleaned and tidied daily to a good standard. 5/10

Food - Lot's of choice but repetitve by the second week. Steak house poor unless you like your steaks less than 1cm thick. Mexican reasonable. You'll spend most time in the large buffet hall. Salads looked good as was the ice cream 7/10.

Staff - Very good, friendly and willing to help. Reception very responsive in correcting any minor issues we had. 9/10

Entertainment. Great friendly reps though the programme was very repetitive. Once you've seen the shows the first week you don't want to see them the second. Hotel could of done with a bar away from it all for those not wanting to sit through the shows. 7/10

Pool. Clean, though ear infections around the swim up pool bar were an issue for some guests. People did seem to stay a long time drinking at the swim up bar withou getting out of the water :(
Also a lot of stones are kicked into the pool, I cut/bruised my foot as did others, not major no blood. A good layout and plenty of room. 7/10

Beach. Clean water and sand, plenty of sports on offer and plenty of beds. You can also grab a drink at the Yucutan. A lot of sand eroded and a reclamation project is in progress which consists of sinking large sand bags (look like beached whales), looks ugly but everyone seems to have a great time jumpng and diving of them, at your own risk of course! These bags also hinder the statutory walk along the shallows for the romantics amongst you. 7/10

Hotel. Most definately not 5* as stated by Riu and would argue against 4* by Thomson. I visited Bermuda last year same rated hotel 4* which was way out of the league of this one. Decor is outdated, towels are well worn, as are carpets and chairs in main dining area. Also there is regional football graffiti carved into the wood of room and public toilets. By the way 24 hr all inclusive does not mean a chef ruslting up something for you in the middle of the night, it means the left over food and a microwave in the sportsbar. If you want brand drinks ask for them else you get local. 6/10

Overall holiday experience. Good for kids and families, my kids had a great time (boys aged 11 & 9). Not the best for couples seeking a get away. Hotel was closing for refurb (Wed. 20th August 08) 3 days after our return so the place was a ghost town from the Saturday, food got less and less choice, this was very poor. Plus point for those considering this hotel is that you get a completely renovated hotel for 2009 and a new Japanese restaurant! 7/10

Would I go again, probably not to this hotel but would consder one of the Palaces across the road. If you liked Spain back in the '80s and '90s then this is the place for you.

Trips: very expensive with tour op. Ball park figures are as follows (in US $):

Chichen Itza $99 adults, $59 children- 3.5 Hr bus journey each way, or by air $329 adults and children

Tulum tour $38 adults, $23 children

Coba Mayan village, $95 adults, $47.50 children

Whale Shark experience (which did sound really good) $265 adults and children. ps it's a 06.00 am start!

Dolphin Swim $149 adults and children

Captain Hooks Dinner Cruise, $94 adults and $49 children

There are loads more trips varying in prices.

Essentials -

Tipping:
We made sure our cleaner Francisco had a regular tip as we felt he earnt it. It had been suggested in previous reviews to tip for the mini bar. Frankly I just would not bother. Yes you do get extra but we just didn't drink in our room to justify it. It seemed like money for nothing in comparison to someone cleaning our room. we noticed when we did not tip we no longer got Pepsi in our fridge!! you want a drink, go to the bar!

Insects:
They all bite especially the first week, once you get a tan they seem to ease off! Take protection including a room plug in.

Sun screen. If you've noot been this far south use a 50 on the kids, the sun is very strong and above you all day. They will burn on the shoulders, one Belgian child at the hotel was taken to hospital with burns.

We actually booked our week vacation at the Riu Tequila, but spent about an equal amount of time at the Yucatan, so my review will cover both. Our family of 5 was there from 8/6-8/13. Here's what happened:

1. Transport.
We flew from Austin to Cancun via Vivaaerobus. I was a little shaky on the airline because I had heard so many conflicting stories. It was $2000 for all 5 of us, round trip, which was considerably less than a 'regular' airline. The flight was great, the service great and very efficient. I highly recommend Vivaerobus, but be sure to pay with a credit card to avoid 'issues'. Also, pay for the priority boarding. It makes a difference. There was a loud and obnoxious group that flew with us who figured out that if one person paid for priority, they could save 3 rows for their group....hmmm. Not enough to ruin my vacation, but kind of cheap and petty.

A note on the hotels. When we booked, the Tequila was about $1,000 cheaper than the Yucatan. We thought that was enough of a difference to stay at the Tequila....the walk to the beach didn't bother us because we're pretty athletic. We made the right choice.

2. Riu Tequila.

Grounds-
The Tequila is charming. We loved the grounds, the peace and quiet, the pool area is very tropical and lush. We aren't pool people, but it seemed lovely. We much preferred the down to earth charm of both the Tequila and the Yucatan to the Palaces. I thought they were kind of pretentious and out place for the beach, but that's personal preference.

Rooms-
The rooms were dated, but surprisingly large. We had 2 rooms that were not connected but side by side. We ordered a roll away and got it. The minifridge had drinks and LOTS of water. The towels smelled kind of musty, but hey, it's the tropics. Tons of towels, and we got new ones everyday. The shower was strong (my pet peeve!) and large....2 person for sure! :) The beds were hard, and I like that! The a/c was so cold, I had to put an extra blanket on the bed. Our rooms had the liquor dispensers, but no liquor, which was ok with us- we don't drink that much, and it was better for our teenagers not to have it around....

Food-
We ate dinner at the Tequila everynight and it was delicious. We are 'foodies', and were not disappointed. My theory is that because there are so many Europeans, there is a sort of mandate for the cooking to be good...and it was. I didn't taste a single bad dish. With little kids, the buffet was a godsend, our 7 year old was in heaven with handmade pizzas to order, mac and cheese, bean and cheese tacos. Our vegetarian was thrilled with all the veg entrees. Our 13 year old son was happy to fill his plate over and over. The Rius definitely lost money on him! :) The deserts are magnificent. You will NOT be disappointed with the food. We ate at the Mexican restaurant, it was outdoors and very good. We also ate at the Steak House, it was good, but being from Texas, well, hard to beat our steaks! Getting a 7.00 seating was not a problem, but I think that the 9.30 seatings go fast. We're Americans, so we eat early!

Entertainment-
The staff works hard. The shows are goofy, and lots of fun. It's not a professional production, but their heart is in the right place. They had a great tropical band. The sports bar is open 24 hours for food and coffee, and that's where the internet is. They charge $5 for 15 minutes. I recommend the Riu Yucatan- $8 for an hour.
More on that later. I don't know about the entertainment during the day, because we weren't there.

Front Desk-
Very responsive and helpful. They found a wheelchair for one of our kids...more on that later.

Beach Trolley-
The man who drives the trolley is wonderful, very sweet. The trolley seats 7, so you may find it faster to walk, and it's a quick walk. Good exercise and covered.

3. Riu Yucatan
As I said, we're not pool people, we much prefer the beach, and that's where we spent most of our day. The Yucatan's pool is just steps from the beach, and you can watch kids in the pool and the beach if you have a chair at the pool. Our teenagers would go back and forth.

-Beach
Any beach is a good beach...we even love the Texas coast! There are many beach chairs and lots of shade, thanks to the palm trees. No beach service, and the showers weren't always working. A bathroom is close by. Lots of topless ladies of all shapes and sizes. :) Lots of gentlemen in tiny suits, and not many of them are Michael Phelps look alikes! :) The first day is kind of shocking, but by the 2nd or 3rd day, you're fine.

NOTE ON THE BEACH.....
This beach is lovely, but the sand bags are a problem. The husband and kids loved jumping off, but on day 2, the beach workers were pumping up the 'whales' and had sand spilled all over the place...the sand covered one of the whales and our 7 year old jumped off one of the higher whales onto what he thought was the ocean bottom...it was actually one of the whales. He broke his ankle. At the time, we thought it was just bruised up, so we watched it for the rest of the day and the next day, when he still couldn't walk on it, we took him to HOSPITEN, the private hospital in Playacar. It was very clean, modern and plush. The first thing they do is put a $800 hold on your credit card...so be prepared. They xrayed his foot and said it wasn't broken...but a week later he wasn't able to walk on it, we say our home orthopedist and sure enough, fracture on his growth plate. Of course it was our fault for letting him play on the whale, but BEWARE. They are dangerous. We saw several other people who were similarly injured...twisted knee ligaments, broken arm, broken wrist. BE CAREFUL. Ok, rant over.

Pool.
The Riu Yucatan pool is lots of fun, very crowded and animated. We are runners, so we would get up very early to run and leave our towels...all the pool chairs were gone by 6.30. We'd run one at a time (on the main Playacar road, about 4 miles) and the other would stay by the pool, that's the fair way to do it. I really get crabby with those who put down a towel at 6.00 and don't come back until 2.00 pm!!! I highly recommend bringing your own towels, as the Riu staff will remove the Riu towels if you use them to save chairs. In fairness, they don't know if they're left from the day before. Other guests will move them, too. We are early risers, so for us, it's not a problem. That's a choice you have to make!

Food.
Similar to the Tequila, but I think that the Tequila was better...personal preference I guess. We ate outside at lunch and it was so-so. We discovered the main dining room was open at 1.00, so we started eating inside after that. Much cooler and a better selection.

Internet.
I highly suggest you use the Yucatan for internet access. They have wireless laptops you can rent (don't know cost...this was too much for me, I wanted to relax!) and for $8 you could get 1 hour of internet split up as you wanted. Great for just checking in. The room is hotter than H*LL, so just pop in to the gift shop to cool down, it's an ice chest!

Entertainment-
The poolside entertainment is pretty crazy. The bingo guy is nuts, '69, the international number' got me some questions from my 7 year old...'Why is it the international number, mommy?" hmmm...but they're funny. The kids loved the ping pong and shooting competition. The water aerobics are funny and goofy.

Guests-
The clientele of both Rius is highly European. We, as Americans, are definitely in the minority. We are used to tipping, bbut found it was not at all common. We tipped $2-4 at breakfast and lunch and $5-7 at dinner. We tipped $2 per room for the maids, except for the day the 7 year old wet the bed ($5 that day!)_and we also tipped the beach driver $10 on the last day.

3. Excursions
We booked a day with EDVENTURES, in part because of the great reviews on TA. It was great dealing with Bonnie, very professional and friendly. We booked 3 ziplines, swimming in the lagoon, snorkling in the cenote, swimming with the turtles, swimming in the 'aquarium' and Tulum. All the activities were amazing! The guide, Gil, was just great, and the driver as well. We were paired up with another US family and we had a blast. My only crititque, which I shared with Eduardo, was that it wasn't very specific that lunch was EXTRA. We went to a fabulous beachside place whose name has escaped me....anyway....we had to dip into the tip money to pay for lunch, because I thought it was included. We had enough for beer, so no problem! :) I highly recommend Eduardo's outfit.

4. Shopping
We went into PDC proper one evening and it was fine, very commercial and I felt somewhat overpriced. The little shopping center in Playacar was just fine for quick shopping, and I think if time is a problem, shopping for souvenirs in Playacar is ok. My daughter was thrilled to find an American Apparel in PDC, I was saddened...I remember when it was truly a little village! There are some very cool shops in PDC and Playacar that have some original/artistic crafts.

All in all, a great vacation...lots of good family time, beautiful weather, great food. The foot will heal and we'll be back! Have fun! I recommend:

-bring your own pillow
-pack lightly
-bring lots of sunscreen and bug spray
-tip when you have good service
-use hand sanitizer frequently and before you eat...this is key to not getting stomach 'issues'
-see at least one sunrise!

We stayed at the riu Tequila on a 2 week all inclusive at the end of july 08. This is not the first time we have stayed in a riu and have always been very happy with the hotel chain in the past. However we were very dissapointed with the accomodation on offer at the tequila, the room was foisty and smelt of damp, the decor was drab and dated and we felt very unhappy with our room. We requested a change of room and were shown a first floor alternative which was marginally better as it did not smell of damp.The towels and linnen were very old and threadbare and were possibly as old as the ten year hotel.
Although the hotel grounds and pool areas are pleasant they did not appear to be cleaned very often and were in need of repair. It was a ten minute walk to the beach through a covered walkway which was full of biting insects. A golf buggy was available however it only seated 10 people and often it was quicker to walk. The beach was fantastic, very clean and well worth the walk although the sunbeds were reserved with towels quite early in the day.

The quality of the food in the dining room was acceptable however it was not what i expected and it was repetitive. At times the waiter service left a bit to be desired although the bar staff were very friendly.
During our stay we discovered the tequila was due to be closed down for refubishment 2 weeks after our departure and feel that Thomson should not have been advertising this hotel as a platinum holiday. All in all a nice resort but not what i would expect from a Riu.