Hotel Riu Palace Pacifico - Adults Only - All Inclusive

My wife and i were just there March 22-29, sunday to sunday. Just a quick week away to recharge a bit. We go down to MX 2-3 times a year, but had been a while since in this area. We were here at the RPP prior to the reno's and def wanted to check it out since, and sure glad we did...what a great renovation and definitely a major upgrade. Walking in, the lobby is a beautiful as ever, and the reno'd lobby bar, though pretty simple, was really nice to have as a meeting spot prior to dinner or heading into town. Cappuchino coffee bar also very nicely updated and has some nice snack options...iced mocha coffee was delightful. Our room was 3073. When checking in we were told we were being given a partial ocean view upgrade. What we got was a room overlooking the new condo construction site next door, and yes you could see the ocean. The noise from the construction started pretty early each morning, but really it wasnt as bad as youd expect. We dont hang out in the room or on the balcony too much, so wasnt a huge concern.....just dont think i would label it as an 'upgrade' lol. I would say the resort was at about 60-70% capacity during our stay. We are used to getting up early to go get the 'good' seats around the pools, but we never found this to be the case this trip. always loungers available as long as you were down by 9am-ish, after that it started to fill up. One thing should be noted, and seen in other reviews, is the slippery tiles around the pools. They were doing a foam party thing on our first full day, and we were just standing watching, and one of the big beach balls came out of the pool....i went to give it a light kick back and ended up going for quite the slip and fall. landed on my upper back/neck/shoulders and hit my head really hard. my glasses and hat went flying about 20ft. not only painful but also a terrible start to our trip. they gave me a bag of ice for my head and ended up with a mild concussion for two days (dizzy, nausea, huge goose-egg, and what i would call mild whiplash in the back and neck...still not 100% back to normal and been two weeks almost). anyway, we said we'd make the best of the rest of our trip and we did, and here's what helped make it great: ROOM - clean, nice walk in shower, smart tv for those that require such. beds were quite soft/fluffy, and not a huge fan (prefer firm) but still very nice. pillows were decent but again quite soft. a/c worked well in conjunction with the ceiling fan. housekeeping did a great job, no complaints there. FOOD - Main Buffet - we went for breakfast and a dinner or two. always good. lots of fresh fruit and juices and the like. carving station rotates daily for dinner. nice for lunch also but found we may over eat a bit for lunch lol. either way everything was always quite good and no complaints, service very good also. STEAKHOUSE - we went once, no problem getting seated. wife had the surf and turf and said her steak was a bit overdone. i had the lobster tail, and it was huge. caribbean of course, and too much for me to finish. still a great meal. service was decent but not as good as we'd received at other a-la-cartes. KRYSTAL - the gourmet restaurant of the resort, and service and food were very good as expected. MEXICAN - again, really good food and service. wasnt as hungry that evening so i had the posole and was very good. we did NOT try the italian or the asian, but everyone we talked to said they were also quite good. and of course mid-day you have Pepe's and Tiki taco if you want a lighter bite around the pools without having to go sit inside...really good wings and ribs (and burgers and tacos and everything else). SPORTS BAR: this was a major part of the reno. real seating, real service, and real food...none of the prewrapped sandwiches and burgers of the past that youd have to microwave. def recommend the shrimp tacos, wings, mac-n-cheese, cobb salad to share....really nice and casual if coming from the pool and you can sit inside or outside (nice AC if you sit inside, and a great view if you sat outside) BAR SERVICE - always very good....interactive staff and decent drinks. one thing i truly found appealing was their beer selection....all the bars offered canned or bottled Tecate Lite or Coors Light.....a real nice break from the typical draft Dos Equis (not a fan, yuck). Beach was beautiful as always, great for long walks and getting some steps in. Go left and you can check out the RIU's down the beach...Jalisco and Vallarta (and we've been to those ones also over the years)....do a walk around, grab a pop for walking back. Go right and you can walk to Bucerias and get your steps. evening entertainment was pretty typical AI.....music themed shows and of course an MJ show. theatre is open air, and they really need to get the big fans moving sooner than later as gets pretty hot/humid. service in all aspects was very good. grounds were clean and felt safe, never any issues with theft whether in the room or by pools. did an afternoon/early evening with another couple in Bucerias (also where our rescue doggo is from)....great way to get off resort for a while, check out the flea market, lots of bars and restaurants (see separate reviews for Mariscos El Payo and Yo Yo Mo's) Clientele was quite the mix....lots of fellow Canadians, quite a few Americans, some locals/nationals....not as much European folks as we've met previously. Most people were quite respectful and having fun without overdoing it, though there were a few that seemed to be on a mission to drink the place dry lol....what did irk me a bit was the amount of people more concerned about taking selfies and never putting their phones down and actually enjoying their vacation....one case in point, in the mexican restaurant, one woman had her phone in her hand the entire time including getting her appetizers and whatnot....she was clumsy and dropped an entire plate of food all over herself and the floor in front of the appetizers and just laughed and kept filming herself while watching staff clean up after her. no apology to staff, just obnoxiously laughing and very ignorant and self-absorbed and walked thru the mess she created. if you want souveniers and the like, theres lots of options in Bucerias at the flea market (i got a decent hat for $13 CDN equiv). at the same time, if you head across the street and walk about 15-20mins, you can go to the La Comer and the Mega...both are like big grocery stores back home (think Superstore if youre CDN). i loaded up on coffee and oaxaca cheese to take home, and much more reasonable and greater variety. well, there is probably 100 things i'm forgetting, but at the end of the day we had a great trip, with great weather and a very nice resort. i can very easily recommend for location, quality of food and top notch service. yes, all these AI type resorts have their share of ups and downs, but focus on the good, be a bit flexible on the not so good, and certain youll have a great time. i can definitely see us going back and highly recommend this resort.

Our last trip was to this resort, and we absolutely loved it. It was the best resort we had ever been to. My son and his wife also chose it for their honeymoon, and they loved it just as much. It’s smaller than many other resorts, but that’s part of its charm — the quality was excellent. The à‑la‑carte restaurants were genuinely different from the main buffet, which was a first for us. Usually, the food is the same as the buffet, just plated nicely, but here it truly felt like a separate dining experience. We also had full access to the two neighbouring Riu resorts, so technically it was a 3‑in‑1 experience. But after visiting one of them, we decided not to bother with the remaining two since this one was higher‑ranked and clearly the best. It’s also located in the gated resort section of Nuevo Vallarta (Nuevo Nayarit), which made the whole area feel very safe and private. I’m not sure if the entire city is gated or just that part, but the resort itself is definitely within a secured zone.

Me and my fiance stayed here for 4 days April 1 thru April 5. Had a terrible experience. We stayed in room 3055 and our housekeeper was named Monica. Long story short Monica is a thief. She stole $350 from my fiancés backpack. We discovered the money was missing when we were checking out of the hotel.

Wonderful resort! The room was very spacious and clean! The beds are very soft! Food was amazing especially at the steak house! We ate lobster! No reservations, so first come first serve - recommend going 20 minutes early! We also loved the Mexican Restaurant and Krystal Restaurant! The beach is one of the best I've ever visited! We walked 8 miles to the pier and back. We saw a sea snake, an eagle ray, an eel, several puffer fish and lots of other fish.

Just got back from another amazing experience at the RIU Palace Pacifico. Although they are not likely near last year's capacity, things are as normal for the guests as they were last year. Steakhouse was open 5 of the 7 days we were there. The other restaurants were open on alternating schedules as I would have expected. All of the food and drinks were excellent. The bartenders were accommodating to any special requests. It was fun to see what other guests were having and to copy them if it sounded good. Favorite bar was the lobby, especially in the afternoon when it was calm. Cleaning is definitely nonstop. There is someone constantly mopping up any wet tracks from the pool area to keep guests from slipping, but you do need to be careful in the pool area as it tends to be slippery. The rooms and beds were comfortable with a well-stocked refrigerator. Every day the room was cleaned and organized. The refrigerator was restocked daily as needed. The maid would turn down the bed before the evening which was unexpected but a pleasant surprise. I understand some of the disappointment for travelers shortly after the incidents in February. But we need to understand that they were making adjustments for all of the people who decided to cancel their vacations, not knowing exactly when it would return to normal. I never felt unsafe anywhere. We walked the beach daily in both directions and saw nothing but happy people on vacation. The beach area is clean with a few vendors, but they are pleasant not relentless. The beach had a yellow and purple flag each day as there are waves, current and some sort of rays in the water. But I never saw anyone having a problem. This is our second time here and we plan on returning next year. Being an adult's only hotel is a plus for us. The mix is guests from their 20's to their 80's and everyone seems to be respectful. The staff does have someone constantly watching the swim up bar to make sure everyone is safe. Favorite restaurant was the steakhouse but be ready for a lot of food. We had steak and lobster one night and it was awesome. There is a different theme at the buffet each evening. I believe it was the Latin seafood night when there were three kinds of shrimp, huge crab legs, ribeye steaks, much more!

Amazing resort. Great for relaxing. Nice and quiet Close to the airport, but depending on traffic the time can vary. This was the first resort we've been to where the lobby and access to the rooms was all indoors. Which was fine, but it did mean if you had to walk through the lobby area to get to your room. The elevators were a bit small and slow. Also because its all indoors, they had the AC cranked. If you were wet walking from the pool to your room, it was a chilly walk. But because it was so cold in the hallways, we turned off the ac in the room and it was so comfortable. Food - the food was fantastic. it was first come first serve. the only time we had a wait was for the steak restaurant. We had to eat at 830pm. but another day we walked right in around 6pm, so it all depends. that was the busiest of the restaurants and the steak was amazing. For lunch we would just snack from the snack bar by the pool. The would also go the extra mile and have special snacks and treats. one day they had some walking tacos, and ice cream and popsicles. The buffet also did theme nights which added more variety. but everything was so good. bars- the bartenders were very quick. lots of alcohol to choose from. I do wish they had a better drink menu. I ordered an amaretto sour and it was orange pop with amaretto. But most of the other drinks were really good. they also had a drink cart in the lobby that would do 2-3 special drinks each night. there are 3 pools, one big pool that is very quiet. a smaller pool with a swim up bar and tables and benches in it. and another small pool where the activities would happened. The ground around the pools is tiles. which is so slippery. Quite a few people had some hard falls because of it. It was a poor design, but they were always trying to mop it up and kept it dry. The beach is great and very swimmable. No seaweed and the water was very warm. There is a little area on the beach near the volleyball court where you could buy some sunglasses and stuff. we found the prices were comparable to in the downtown markets. from the resort its about a 30 min walk to the outside of Bucerias. we walked along the beach which was an easy walk, there is a path close by as well. the town is very walkable, lots of little coffee shops and nice restaurants. Lots of condos being built and even some canadian owned businesses. There is a market for souvenirs as well. its pretty big. We didn't find them too pushy. Definitely the place to go for souvenirs. From the resort we took an uber to the Malecon. it was in the morning around 730am and we paid just under 400 pesos/ 30 cad, and it took about 35 mins as there wasnt too much traffic. The downtown PV is definitely worth the visit just to walk around. The guys on the malecon can feel a little pushy but just politely say no thanks and usually they leave you alone. Lots of english speaking people walking everywhere, but even most of the locals speak english incase you need directions or if you go into any of the stores. On the way back we stopped at the marina. they had an night(evening) market on thursdays. The main PV marina is nice, but unless you plan on going for dinner, or have a boat tour it can be skipped. You're not missing out on anything. the shows at night were good, similar to most resort shows. Its something to do at night. most people hung out in the lobby area in the evenings, or in the sports bar. overall a very relaxing place to spend time and eat great food. I believe you have access to the other two riu resorts, they are about a 10-15 min walk down the beach. one was being renovated. but this was the best of the 3, so didn't see the point of checking them out.

Umbrella Man USA Here. As in the past, I don't like to give flashy reviews for they fall short of travelers expectations. From the time of arrival with 46 of us, through checking in to getting to our rooms shortly after things were looking up. The Resort and ALL employees, from Buffet to specialty Restraunts were Polite and made the dinning experience Excellent. All the bars, swim area, towel personal to the constant cleaning of areas Bathrooms and grounds. I would like to Thank some of the workers that were in the areas that I enjoyed with friends the most. MIRELLA TOWELS JULIA also, ANDIA FRONT desk MIGUEL ALSO. LUISA the Steak house, Silvester pool Security and all the other workers so many to mention that excelled at making our Stay excellent. Also would Like to THANK Mr. SANTIAGO for our STAY ended with the Uprising by Persons not representing the normal community in Puerto Vallarta.

Grounds and Room: The Palace continues to be friendly property for seniors because of its smaller size is and beautiful grounds. Every square inch is impeccably kept, inside and out. For those who are smokers there were still a couple of small places left to smoke on the property plus corners of the beach. The beach is good, and the waves are relatively calm most days. but keep in mind when the ocean is mostly empty, there is usually a good reason. One of the younger and fit guys we went with got pounded by a set of waves that kept him out of commission for a few days as well as giving him sand / road rash on his face. There are 3 pools on property. The pool area is physically divided into 2 by a structure that incorporates a swim-up bar and activity pool on one side, and a large quiet pool, walk-up bar, and snack-bar / seating area. The food area that has taco station every day, along with burgers, hot dogs and fries, plus they add 3-4 other items each day on a rotating basis. The are overwhelmingly seniors, and looking for a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. (Three times during our visit, groups brought speakers to play their own music loudly and did ruin it for the others but they clearly didn't care. Overall the staff are good at telling people no music at all, and to go to the swim-up pool if they want to party.) The rooms are bright and very nice along with air conditioning, ceiling fan, and mini-bar. Housekeeping was usually done by 1:00 pm most days and the room spotless. The bathroom is bright, with a roomy walk-in shower. TV selection was standard fare with a few English-speaking channels. Nice balcony with 2 good chairs and a table. Food & Beverage: The buffet restaurant has a great food selection and all of it is excellent quality. You can always find something to eat in the buffet. If you can’t find enough to build a meal no matter when you go, then you’re just being too picky, or just looking to find an issue to gripe about. Each of the a-la-carte restaurants had good food and are very nicely designed. There is a wide selection of restaurant options including: Steakhouse, Asian, Mexican, Italian, Fusion, and a small restaurant for Elite Level guests only. The Sports Bar offers a much better range of food than the typical sports bar fare and is also very nice inside. All of the restaurants are first-come, first-serve basis, and offering beepers if you get there when full. The Steakhouse is by far the most popular, so arrive early if you want to eat early. (Note – at all the restaurants, you MUST have all your guests with you to be seated, otherwise you won’t get in. while it did happen a coupe times, we rarely saw the jerk move of 1 person holding a spot in line for 3 or 4 others to show up later.) The lobby is also the destination for drinks with a coffee bar that makes both hot and cold drinks and has small pastries and sandwiches for a quick bite on the go. The lobby also has the main bar for both regular guests and an enclosed separate bar for Elite class guests. almost every night there is also a special drink cart that offers different concoctions each evening. Staff: Without doubt, the staff is what makes all Riu trips so amazing. Without them, a hotel is just a hotel. Aside from food and beverage staff, every single staff member we encountered was quick to smile and say “Hola” when passing including grounds crew, housekeeping and maintenance personnel. We always acknowledge the outstanding people who make our trips great, so once again we really hope the hotel itself, and the Riu organization will recognize with the following Staff members: New General Manager David has been with Riu many years and transferred over from the Vallarta in 2025. David is very nice and continues to set an excellent example for the other Palace staff just as he he did at he Vallarta when we first met him years ago. The front desk team holds a very special place in our hearts and Manager Gabriel is without doubt one of our very favourite members of the Riu team. Gabriel is both extremely professional and very friendly, and he is always keen to ensure everything is perfect for us from check-in to check-out. Gabriel is always quick to come over and say hello even if we are just coming to the counter to get change, so he can ensure alll is well. The Riu is very lucky to have this fine gentleman, and we hope to see him on all our future visits. Luz, Sandra, Dennise, and Gabby, round out this kind, friendly and amazing team of professionals. We consider each of them a friend, not a staff member. We’d also like acknowledge the Bellmen Gerardo and Eduardo. Hard working gents always ready with a handshake, smile and a quick conversation if they are not too busy. Elite Beach Bar - Lalo and Polo Pool / Beach Servers – Adrianna, Ana, and Mirabel. Pool Bartenders – Reuben, Mini Mi, and Wilbur. Buffet server – Lucy and Paolo Lobby Bar - Nelson and Caesar / Elite Bar – Ervin and Luigi Coffee Bar - Kristel to close this review, we can't stress enough that this property has an older crowd who are very clearly not interested in hearing any loud obnoxious conversations, swearing, yelling, conversations from your phone's speaker, or music from personal speakers. Don’t be entitled jerks and wreck it for others also on vacation.

This was our 2nd time at this beautiful resort and we cannot wait to return! We loved every moment and do not have one complaint! The staff are extraordinary, the attention to hospitality and cleanliness is outstanding of this world! Special mention for Samael and Dalila who we so enjoyed being greeted by and cared for every morning for breakfast! The food was delicious! We loved having the Cobb Salad and Shrimp tacos at the American sports s bar enjoying the view of the ocean from the deck. We thoroughly enjoyed our meals at La Toscano (Italian), Guacamole (Mexican) and the Steak House - so much that we went twice to each. The aqua size, the nightly entertainment and the virgin pina coladas for me = delightful!! So looking forward to our return!!

Entrance to beach is horrible old chunks of concrete broken pieces of ceramic tile large stones . It really needs to be cleaned up properly otherwise it’s great!!