Riu Tequlia Reviews

Firstly I would like to say that if travelling with airtours it is worth upgrading you flight seats, £199 each return, much more leg room and free drinks etc, as if you are tall, flying for 10 hours or so in cramped seats will drive you mad!!!

The hotel was very nice, superb location, probably one of the best rooms I have stayed in for space etc, linen changed every day, spotlessly clean, full size optics in the room which are topped up every 2 days,polite staff, entertainment we heard was quite good although we didnt go and look at it ourselves, we didnt have any children with us and I think it tends to cater mostly for them, we prefer a quiet drink at another bar as the entertainment bar was very full whilst the cabaret was on.

Now for the down side......and this is my opinion only......My holidays are mainly based on sunbathing for a good tan and having a nice leisurely meal in the evening. The hotel had 2 good sized pools, but, unless you got up at 5 in the morning (and a lot of people did) and placed your towels on the only 20 beds that got the sun most of the day you would only have a maximum of 1-2 hour of sunbathing, the hotel grounds has numerous beds so you would never have a problem finding an empty one, but, there were so many trees and large static thatched sun shades that most of them were in the shade. We took the short walk every day either to the beach (which is superb) or to the hotel opposite rui playacar which also had 2 pools and loads of spare sunbeds, you could also eat and drink there as its still part of the riu chain....

Meals.....whilst the food was excellent, they spoilt the relaxation of eating by making 2 sittings, 1830-2000hrs and 2030-2200hrs - you had to be OUT of the restaurant by the time your sitting was over as they shut the doors and clear up waiting for the next sitting, by the time 2030 comes everyone is so hungry they are queueing outside the doors and there is a massive queue at the food, then 2200hrs comes along and you are kicked out again. If you want to relax for about 2 hours over your food and have a little glass of wine between courses dont choose this hotel.

The resort itself was superb, huge golf course, nice small shopping complex, very flat for those of you who like walking or jogging. The beach was one of the best beaches I have been to in the world (and that includes the maldives) not a stone or piece of coral in the water so you are quite safe to paddle! A short taxi ride (approx £2) takes you into playa del carmen, this is quite a large town but the main road is pedestrianised and has loads of shops and restaurants, the food in the restaurants are excellent and very reasonable, we went for a 3 course lobster dinner with 2 bottles of wine and the cost was about £40 for both of us, you would pay that just for the lobster in the uk..

I would thoroughly recommend this resort and wouldnt hesitate in returning but would prob book to stay in another hotel next time, either riu playacar or riu palace.

This was an absoulutely amazing holiday, it is the first time we have tried a long haul destination, to be honest I don't think I will go to the Med again!!.

Firstly the hotel, you could not fault a thing, it was really clean, the staff were really friendly and helpful and as for the food there was that much to choose from even the most fussy eaters would be happy. If you did get bored there are also 2 a la carte restaurants (steak and seafood) were you can eat too!. The bar staff were brilliant, especially the ones who worked in the nightclub (another slammer pleeeease!).

You could use the Yucatan and the Playacar facilities as well and the Tequilla has a snack bar/restuarant at the beach but we found that the lunchtime food was better in the Lupita restaurant at the pool at the Tequila, so a tip is to spend the morning on the beach and then go back to the Tequilla for lunch and spend the afternoon round the pool.

We found the weather was very good for November but it was light at 6am and it was hottest in the mornings from around 9am till 1pm. By 3pm it would be cooling down and it would be dark by 5pm. So to make the most of the days you had to be up really early!

Playa del Carmen is about 5 mins away by taxi or a good 30-40 minute walk. A taxi would be between 4 and 5 dollar or 400-500 pesos. It is well worth going there. At the hotel there were some people there the same time as us who didn't, well all I can say is you missed out. 5th Avenue is the main street and you'll find everything you need here. Theres a great choice of bars - for buzzing and lively try Senior Frogs or Carlos and Charlies but in these you will pay alot more money for your drinks, so I'd say use the more local pubs such as the Tequila barrel, you will find these have a great atmosphere and are alot cheaper. As for eating out you have got to try La Parilla, we had the mixed grill- steak, chicken, lobster and giant shrimps it was fantastic and if you go here may sure you have a mexican coffee to finish.

For days out, there are lots to choose from. Xcaret was my favorite, if you go make sure you do the river swim and stay for the evening show it was amazing. You can swim with the dolphins here and its cheaper than Porto Aventuras (but the reps wont tell you that!) also look out for the Sea Trek which was great fun!. Tulum/Xel Ha was also a good day but Xel Ha is really only any good if you enjoy swimming and snorkelling but if not, there are some really good walks round the park or you can laze around on a hammock. We also went to Chichen Itza, it was a long journey and a good day but at the end of 2004 they are closing the Pyramid so you wont be able to climb to the top, the trip was only worth doing to have the chance to do that (fantastic views) but if you are going to Mexico on 2005 unless you are a real history buff I wouldnt bother going here.

And finally a few mor tips, dont go on the ferry to Cozumel on a windy/rainy day as the journey is really horrible- its like being on a roller coaster and only go there if you want to dive, snorkel or go on a fishing trip. Dont shop here - the prices are more expensive because of the Cruise ships that dock here - you can get the same things in P.D.C anyway. Take more Pesos than dollars as you will find you need these for the bars, taxis and souveners and you'll find things are cheaper if you are paying with Pesos. Take dollars to pay for trips only. When buying silver, souvenirs and local produce make sure you barter for everything, the shops increase prices so dont pay the first price you are given!

We have just returned from the Tequila, WOW what a holiday.

AIRPORT - What an experience!!!,mexican's slow attitude really shows but by the time you get to the Hotel that experience is all forgotten.

HOTEL - Wonderful, surrounding are beautiful, staff couldn't be more helpful, room very clean and plenty of space with two double beds and lovely cool air conditioning ( well needed as very hot days and nights also ). Optics in room with Vodka,Tequila,Gin and Rum. Also a fridge with fizzy drinks and Corona which was refilled every other day. All drinks in room and hotel are Branded - Quality not local.

RESTAURANT - Buffet if excellent. So much variety of food if anything the only problem is what to have. You are given a table which is yours for the stay which means your waiter learns your drinks etc and when you get to your table most of the time he's there. It was my sons birthday while we were there, they provided a cake and all the waiters and managers came over, put a sombrero on his head and sung in Spanish...all free of charge. The steak restaurant Lupita was good but not really suited if you have children as they don't have a child's option.

POOL and BEACH - Pools are lovely and not too crowded. Sunbeds in the sun are hard to get unless your up and about before 9am but plenty in shade. Pools have built in sunbeds raised from pool hard to explain but wonderful for keeping cool while topping up the tan. Poolbar is very good, my son thought the chocolate milkshake was great, cocktails are delicious. The beach is a 5-10 min walk away or you can catch the Wolley Trolley. Clear white sands, palm trees and very warm seas. Only thing i would say is it gets very busy and hard to get somewhere to sit. While you are down there you can use the Yucatans facilities for drinks and lunch etc.

EXCURSIONS
TULUM AND XEL-HA
Tulum is very interesting and not too bad for younger kids as tour only lasts 45 mins. Xel-Ha is beautiful my tip would be to go straight to the River of Dreams forget the Rubber Ring the supply to float on and just snorkel the whole way - we saw some amazing fish. Went to the Mexican restaurant for lunch but was disappointed - not to be recommended.
EXCARET - What a day, we swam in the underground river which is 1.2km long and then lazed in hammocks by the beach. There so much to see but not very well sign posted so always carry your map. A big must is to stay for the evening show, it lasts 2 1/2 hrs but with 200+ performers it was well worth it.
CHICHEN ITZA- I didn't go but my partner did and he enjoyed the day. Journey if 3 hrs though and the climb up the pyramid is not for the faint hearted.Only really for history buffs.
SNORKELLING - We took a trip out to the reef organised by Scuba Caribe. Considering i get sea sick the journey for me was not great but well worth it when your lead snorkler directs you to the most amazing sights - we came across a shoal of 200 blue tangs!!!!!.
SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS - WOW WOW WOW, very expensive at $125 but well worth it. Don't leave without buying the dvd/video for $50 which my sister watched and cried. It was my sons birthday and the dolphins sang happy birthday to him.

We would recommend buying your own snorkel mask and flippers as they ones they supply at the beach (free) and parks ($10 fee and $30 deposit) dont seal well around the face area.

We would happily recommend this to anyone and we are looking forward to going back there in a few years time.

just returned from the riu tequilla and had an absolutely fabulous holiday there,it was our first time to mexico so we were not sure exactly what to expect eg hygeine,cleanliness,etc but glad to say any fears we had on that score were dismissed as soon as we arrived at the hotel. Our rooms were very spacious and very clean the grounds were beautifully maintained and the eating areas were spotless.

As fussy eaters we were delighted to find a range of food to suit all tastes and consequently we ate far too much in our fortnight but what the heck,the pool areas are superb and there were plenty of sunbeds but you had to be quick or you would only get beds in the shaded areas,there were plenty of activities on offer but there was no pressure to partake if you did not want to.

The beach was a pleasant 10 minute stroll and it was beautiful, white sand leading to crystal clear turquoise sea with various activities on offer we went parasailing and took out a jet ski which were great fun and not expensive .
We went on trips to chichen itza which was a long way but worthwhile and also to tulum and xel-har which is beautiful but worked out quite expensive with thomas cook, it was advertised cheaper with local guides,we also took a bus trip to cancun which is a nice place but not as nice as playacar in my opinion.

Anyway mexico is beautiful the riu tequilla was fabulous and wer'e already planning our next trip back there,so if your'e thinking about booking mexico and the riu tequilla go for it it's a wonderful place and will take some beating, after all we took two teenagers and they both loved it

What can I say! This holiday was the best holiday I have ever had, and I have had a few in my years. If you are about to go to this hotel you will not be dissapointed. I was abit concerened about going to Mexico with two young children, but there was absolutely nothing to worry about. The hotel was fantastic. The Riu Chain was brilliant and I will highly recommend them for their proffesionalism.The rooms are cleaned every day and are immaculate,the grounds are swept and tidied up constantly, even the pool tiles are cleaned nearly every day. The staff are only too happy to help with anything and they are so friendly, not in a false way, but in a genuine way.

The food was fantastic, there was so much to choose from, everything you would want, I have never eaten so much!

The pool and the beaches are gorgeous and you could always get a sunbed on both.

The entertainment team was the best! They put so much energy and effort into their jobs and the shows were fab. They work so hard, they spend the days playing games with the holidaymakers, (you could do as much or as little as you liked and they never forced you to do anything) in the evening they spent the night doing some brilliant shows, I was worn out just watching them.

When we were there we had Hurrican Ivan, thankfully it missed us be whisper, but we did have a very windy/rainy day, but the staff, yet again were fatantic in keeping us informed at all times of what was going on, what we should do, etc. They made you feel as if they could deal with anything, always with a smile on their faces.

I would definately recommend this holiday to anyone, young and old, as it had something for everyone. I cannot wait to go back, wish I could go back tomorrow it was that good. Book now!!!!!!!