Fun resort to visit

The people that run and work at the resort are the best. All very happy to assist you have a good time. The grounds are neat and tide and clean. All our meals were great, hot and fresh. Fun place to be for all ages. 10 out of 10

Good service at average resort

Service was good! People like Carlos(supervisor ?)in the buffet was always very welcoming and couldn’t do enough it seemed. And also the server Sayman was eager to please too. Santos and Bianca in the main bar were excellent and very friendly. Delphino worked the beach bar (mostly) and was also very good and friendly. Overall the service was good even at the check in/lobby. When we needed or asked for something they did their best to do it quickly. Whether a request in person or through  [... read more]the RIU app. (A very handy tool to know what is open(or available) or what shows are on each day at the theatre or to make a complaint (about the room for example) although there were very few for us over our 2 week stay! The beach shuttle works as it should w a very friendly driver who usually plays “local Latin music” which helps get the day started off with a smile and a tapping foot! He “fist pumps” every single rider and always has a big smile and a Hola or Buenas dias! Now for some constructive criticisms. Entertainment: Some nights we enjoyed it and some nights it felt like we were at a high school musical or at a budget friendly resort. (Which I guess, some may call the Lupita). For what we paid however, this is not in our “budget friendly category”. So for what we paid, we were a little disappointed. The grounds were ok. The rooms and buildings are ok. However, Everything is showing its age. Dirty and a little uneven walkways with grease and oil spills from vehicles on the pavement to and from our room(I personally would never walk barefoot around this resort). Our room was on the other side of the tennis court,(I wouldn’t recommend it as there seemed to be better blocks/units around the quiet pool) We had to mostly walk by where all the buses were parked. We had to walk through this to get to our room or take longer to walk around it. Not a big deal but of course we always took the shorter route. Pools - the main pool is dirty. The water felt slimy and the smell was bad. We had the feeling it was getting pee-d in and not getting scrubbed clean each day. The tiles were slimy the whole time we were there. The “relaxing pool” was better and was also a quiet escape from the music and busyness of the main pool. The main pool had a bubble party and a few other fun events and activities throughout our stay(2 weeks-which we felt was 1 week too long). Lots of wildlife around and not an issue for us as we love animals! The stray cats had a little house and food/water provided. There was a sign saying they were spayed/neutered and had up to date vaccines. (Hope this is true). The cute “coaties” (a native rodent type species) were everywhere but didn’t bother us. Even though they were scouring everyone’s tables looking for food. Loads of birds, geckos and iguanas mostly around the quiet pool. Food was ok at the buffet. Service at all restaurants was good. The Mexican, Italian and steak house (a La carte choices) were ok but the Italian and Mexican is not organized well. When 7pm comes you need to be right at the entrance or you won’t get a seat. Then you will have to wait for an hour to get in. The steak house is different as you need a reservation. However - At 7am “on the morning of” you need to line up in front of the buffet restaurant to secure your spot. 7am is early and you should be there a few minutes before as there are always those people who don’t see any lines and feel they can just walk to the front. This happened a few times throughout our stay but for the most part people were good and respectful. Breakfast at the beach is almost non existent. We tried it once and decided to have breakfast before heading there. The shuttle would drop you off near 5th avenue and that worked great for us. Did that many times. So I would give the Lupita 3 stars overall. Needs a little tlc. Needs better entertainment. Better organizational for the a La Cartes.

A difficult hotel to rate

Riu Lupita is a difficult hotel to rate because it depends on what you like. To me, the beach is the most important thing and the price. I never have expectations about the food or amenities, and for sure I don’t care if the TV works or not. Travel: First week of June 2025 This is a small resort, which for me is great, but if you like mega resorts, this one is not for you. Amenities are limited, so if Gym, Spa, etc are important to you, wrong hotel. The hotel was not at full capacity. If  [... read more]there were more people, it would not have been pleasant. Price: We paid CAD 1,300 for flight, transfer and hotel. If we had waited it could have been CAD 1,100 each and RIU Palace was CAD 1,800 (for reference) Beach: This was my 3rd visit to Playa del Carmen. The sargassum is a down. We were able to get in the ocean the first day and 20 minutes on the last day. I came to the realization that I prefer Cuba with their ok food and any other limitations (less expensive and way better beaches) To get to the beach you must ride a bus (12 minutes). The bus also stops at the entrance of the town. The ride is not a big deal. My problem is that 6 out of 7 days we did the ride to find out we could not swim, either because of the sargassum or red flag. Pools: I don’t like public pools. I have one at my building and I have used it once. The hotel has 3 pools. The main pool is smaller than what you see in the pictures. The best one is the adult or the relaxation one. All pools are heat it, which makes no sense to me. They are clean. Food: Buffet – it is ok to good. You will not go hungry. Sometimes they don’t replenish dishes so if you see something you like, take it. Restaurants – Nothing special. The mediterranean and Mexico were ok. The steak at the beach club was not worth the bus ride. I prefer the buffet for sure. The room was perfect. Everything works as expected. I like firm beds. Employees were friendly, professional and extremely attentive. Fidelia at the buffet is a sweetheart. But again, all the employees are excellent. People, Tip, just because it is an all inclusive, it doesn’t mean the tips are included. A USD or 20 MXP it is not a lot of money for us. We spend more than that just in coffee here. Note to the hotel: 1. Why have fried plantain for breakfast and never for lunch or dinner? 2. Turn off the heat in the pools. 3. 20 USD/daily bicycle rental? That’s a bit too much I have to insert here a review that has nothing to do with the hotel. Lots of utube videos recommend a restaurant on calle 2nd in town – La Tarraya – Do not go there, it is a tourist trap. on the top worth meals ever for what we paid. I will write a more detailed review on google or trip advisor.

Great resort

the resort was great, but a few things to know, the beach is not at the hotel, and you need to take a shuttle (15 mins) to get to the beach. the beds in the hotel are very hard and uncomfortable and the A/C and fridge very noisy. at this time of year ( may 1) the weeds at the coast line where very bad, very difficult to swim on certain days, not the hotels' fault but good to know

Great resort

the report was great, but a few things to know, the beach is not at the hotel, and you need to take a shuttle (15 mins) to get to the beach. the beds in the hotel are very hard and uncomfortable and the A/C and fridge very noisy. at this time of year ( may 1) the weeds at the coast line where very bad, very difficult to swim on certain days, not the hotels' fault but good to know

Great resort

the report was great, but a few things to know, the beach is not at the hotel, and you need to take a shuttle (15 mins) to get to the beach. the beds in the hotel are very hard and uncomfortable and the A/C and fridge very noisy. at this time of year ( may 1) the weeds at the coast line where very bad, very difficult to swim on certain days, not the hotels' fault but good to know

Couldnt ask for a more attentive resort

Once again the Lupita has exceeded my expectations. I thought this was a wonderful resort the first time I was here, they have succeeded in surpassing that expectation. The staff are amazing. Check in, bar staff, buffet staff entertainment staff, cleaning staff all work very hard to ensure you enjoy your stay. I would not hesitate to come back. Whether alone, as a couple or a family, the Riu Lupita is the place to go.

Riu Lupita Playacar

A smaller scale hotel. Grounds were very nice and well kept. Our 4th Riu and everything one expects from them. Room was nice, Atmosphere was nice, service was very good. A more intimate setting which made for a relaxing getaway. Moises and the bar service was excellent. Buffet was first class with special mention to Marco and his crew in the mornings and Maria and her crew in the afternoon. It was easy to have fun with all the staff from Riga, who took care of our room to Olivia and others  [... read more]at the front desk. Activities group have a tougher task getting things going in a smaller venue but do a good job getting participation in spite of this. Special shoutout to José at the Beach Club. A bonus this time was the foreign exchange desk. Hassle free with great service taking away the headache of having to find a bank to get this done. Lastly the food and chef staff have not disappointed us yet at any Riu. Well done.

Great Resort

Friendly and helpful staff, Good food, Quite atmosphere, Clean pool, Comfy beds, Quite room, Good price, Shuttle bus to the beach Had a great time there Money exchange services near the receptionist,

Awesome place!

I just returned from a week at RIU LUPITA, and had an amazing time. I took my mom for her 75th birthday, and even she had a great time!! I definitely recommend going to the cenotes, it’s worth the money. And the best bartender (Santos) works there. The staff is friendly, hard working and there to please. We are already planning on going back for 2 weeks.

Great Resort!!

If you’re looking for a relaxing but yet exciting resort this is it. It’s every bit laid back but if you want games and entertainment....they have it! Rooms were always clean and any requests were quickly delt with. The beach is a 15min bus ride but it flies by and there’s a stop at la 5ta Avenida which is a nice change of scenery. So pool beach and shopping all close by! The bar is opened 24/7 and they are fast and efficient. Their margaritas, mango daiquiris and piña coladas are to die  [... read more]for!! Entertainment was so much fun and shows are well done and disco every night! Loved it! As for food, no complaints. There was always something for everyone and the Mexican food was delicious. My group of 7 had a splendid time!

Hidden Gem! Highly Highly Highly Recommended!

The hotel was wonderful, clean, the food was excellent. There was tons of variety to try out every night, and the restaurants were great. The steakhouse was especially delicious, as well as the Italian bistro and the Mexican restaurant. The buffet was amazing and the food was always fresh and delicious. The rooms were cleaned daily and restocked every second day. The entertainment crew were awesome and did well to entertain everyone nightly. The bar staff was awesome as well and they always prov [... read more]ided a variety of drinks. I highly recommend this hotel. We stayed for 2 weeks and easily could've stayed for another week. It is very close to Playa Del Carmen 5th avenue and although it wasn't a beachfront resort, the shuttle runs every half an hour from morning to evening, and its very short (5 minutes) and even stops by the entrance to 5th avenue Playa del Carmen. Excellent vacation. 5 Stars!

Wonderful vacation spot!

If you are looking for a clean, not too big, relatively quiet, resort to spend your vacation, this is the place for you. We recently spent a week here and we're wowed by everything from the rooms, to the service. Everything was so clean and the staff were so accommodating. If you asked for it, you got it, and with a smile. The only down side was that the resort was not right on the beach but the beach was worth the 10 minute drive by shuttle that was provided by the resort. Having a restaurant a [... read more]nd a pool (both part of the main resort but off sight), was great. It meant that you could stay all day at the beach with most of the resort amenities there as well. The food at the resort was exceptional, and this comes from a couple of self proclaimed "picky eaters". There was a wide variety at every meal in the buffet, which would accommodate most any dietary requirements, or preferences. The only thing that we didn't see was peanut butter. Not sure if that was because they didn't have it, or we just couldn't find it, but if you have a PB addiction, you might want to bring your own. We happened to be at the resort on Valentine's Day and the staff went all out for this, not only with the food, but displays and ice sculptures as well. The young people providing the entertainment were all so fun and full of energy. They were talented but beyond this, they truly seemed to love their jobs. We can't say enough positive about this place. We would (and have already), recommended it to friends.

Very good resort

This resort is quite nice. Don't get fooled by the photo as the beach is at RIU Palace. The shuttle runs every half hour until 6pm. The staff is so professional. RIU Lupita is exceptionally clean. The only problem: the main pool - water way too hot. The rooms are super clean. The beds are comfortable and the linens are crisp white. Please note that there is no radio clock, no coffee machine and no iron and board in the room. It was quite challenging to get an iron. No washing machine o [... read more]n premises. We had requested a room on the main level but gave us a room on the second level. They apologized but was too late. The food was excellent so was the service. Daily activities around the pool are basic. Music somewhat boring. We took the free shuttle to 5Th Avenue every evening and came back by taxi. This resort is very safe as you have to show ID bracelet before entering RIU Lupita. Remember - you get what you pay for but this was a nice getaway for 6 days.

Fun in the Sun

This resort's staff really works hard to make their guests feel welcome, happy and well-fed! We ate and drank well, and the kids loved the self-serve ice cream all day long. Not fancy, but completely relaxing and we enjoyed every minute.

Wild crows helped in ruining the resort experience

Living with limited mobility can be challenging at a resort. I can recall 3 good things. The location of the disability rooms (fridge stocking and bathroom was good) were situated close to the bar, pool, buffet, stage, snack bar was nice and close. The bar had fast and friendly service which was required because they had no servers. Lastly, the reception desk was welcoming very helpful and had a good command of english language but the rest of the resort showed a huge language barrier. The buffe [... read more]t was ok but limited choice and often dishes were not labelled correctly(they should try some mexican choices with instructions in buffet). The A LA CARTE was full of terrible flavours partly due to the fact of the lowest quality of ingredients used in the dishes(if you offer a ribeye steak on the menu, prepare and cook a ribeye steaks not a thin low qualty steak riddled with reams of fat throughout). The rooms beds were overly firm which caused backpain upon waking up. Wild crows landing on unoccupied tables and flying around the buffet chairs (not near the food) and boldly flying around and close to people sitting at covered patio close bar. Too hot and humid to prevent enjoyment of sunbathing. Service was inconsistent throughout resort. I will never go back.

Nice facility. Great people!

The resort was nice although may need some updating. The people working at the resort were all amazing. We had some health issues with our son and everyone was amazing in supporting us. They all went well above what was expected to help out wherever possible. The dive instructors were friendly ad lots of fun. The management staff was approachable and helped us immensely. The pool area was not as nice as some resorts we've been to (Need a swim up pool bar), but the beach was incredible. The  [... read more]food was very good and offered a lot of variety. Overall we had a wonderful stay.

Very good resort

We enjoyed our stay, however at poolside there is no " NO SMOKING AREA" for non smokers. as we do not smoke and had hard time to get away from smokers. One thing I like to mention is that I requested special cereal and it was provided next morning, I greatly appreciated the staff for doing this for me. The rooms were clean however if they provided time clock in rooms it would been great. The Resort food was good, however there were so many guests who got sick ( diarrhea) ?? food poising, almost  [... read more]80% the people We met suffered. I would say the Resort has to find out where is the deficiency in the food processing system e.g. cleaning water, filtration or some one handling the food must be a carrier or find the source of contamination. We found the staff and the Manager were very friendly, they were providing excellent services . I found the" Check in " service was great, which I never seen before, it was so simple and very fast and very WELCOMING. I will definitely recommend this place.