Riu Playacar - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

8910 reviews

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  Wonderful Holiday!

  We had a wonderful holiday at the Riu PlayaCar Hotel in Mexico! The hotel was beautiful, clean, and very well maintained. The service was excellent, housekeepers, and all the staff were friendly, welcoming, and helpful. The swimming pool was lovely, and the beach was absolutely beautiful. We were especially happy that there was no seaweed, so we could enjoy swimming in the ocean every day. The only thing I missed was music around the pool and on the beach. Music would have created an even more enjoyable and lively atmosphere for the guests. The hotel also organized some fantastic parties. We especially enjoyed the Halloween Party in the Riu Tequila, the Neon Party, and the White Party by the pool. They were all great fun and made our holiday even more special! Overall, we had a fantastic holiday and would definitely recommend this hotel. We would love to come back again! Thank you, Riu PlayaCar, for a wonderful vacation! ❤️🩷🥂

  Nov 07, 2026
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  overall a great holiday

  check in was very easy, we were in block 6 ground floor facing the main path. Room was cleaned everyday to a very good standard, towels changed every day. the room was a little dated but well maintained, the air con was very loud but cooled the room perfectly. the breakfast was very good, so much variety but mostly the same every day. We mostly had lunch at Pepes the chicken was lovely We ate at all the restaurants the buffet was excellent, the Asian restaurant in reception was our favorite by far. We spent time on the beach which was never crowded, you could always get a bed. The entertainment team always came round asking us to join in, but its not for us. We booked our trips with the man on the beach, he messaged us to make sure we had been collected and checked the next day to make sure we had enjoyed the day All the staff we met were an absolute credit to the hotel. We would definitely go back but so many more places in the world to explore

  Nov 01, 2026
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  An amazing family holiday to remember

  An amazing family holiday, with lovely staff and great coeliac care My family and I (group of 7) have just returned from two weeks at RIU Playacar and we had an absolutely amazing time. Such a lovely atmosphere for families, while still being lots of fun for adults too. The hotel itself was beautiful. Our room was spacious, kept really clean and quiet enough for a good night’s sleep. The beds were really comfortable and the air conditioning was great. The towel animals were a huge highlight too. The pools were lovely. We spent most of our time at the one with the volleyball net, and that view was unreal. If I’m being super critical, the cleanliness around the pool areas could be improved, but we really enjoyed spending our days there. The beach was gorgeous and we were lucky not to have any issues with sargassum during our stay. We loved the location too, which worked really well for trips to Tulum, Xcaret, Coco Bongo and Playa del Carmen, plus parasailing at the beach. There was so much choice with food. The Asian restaurant was our favourite and it was brilliant being able to use the à la carte restaurants without having to book. The buffet breakfast was amazing. The evening buffet felt a little repetitive over two weeks, but with so many other options, it wasn’t really an issue. My daughter has coeliac disease, so I wanted to include a bit more detail for other families travelling with the same considerations. We spoke to a chef every day and felt there was a good understanding of coeliac disease within the hotel. I also took a translated card and used a translation app, which helped with explaining what she needed. There was a small gluten-free section with bread and little biscuits/cakes. The chefs made her fresh pancakes every morning and a separate meal in the evening, with things like chips, pasta, chicken and salmon. A special thank you to Chef Miseul and Valentin for looking after her so well. We took our own tongs and my daughter also had a few bits from the buffet, such as fruit. It felt well looked after, clean and organised, which helped us assess what we felt comfortable with in terms of cross-contamination risk — IYKYK! Labelling could be a bit hit or miss, though, so be mindful about of that. Lunch took a little more organising, as the lunchtime buffet could feel quite chaotic. They made her things like wrap pizzas and pasta and I suspect there would have been more options for someone with a more varied diet. We were told the snack bar chips were gluten-free and fried there and you could see them being cooked. We found it helpful to speak to the staff and get a fresh portion before they went into the display case. We also discovered that the Italian restaurant was open at lunchtime. I don’t know whether that’s always the case, but it was lovely, much calmer for arranging separate food for my daughter and no birds, which was a bonus for me. The main thing that could improve the coeliac experience would be clearer information about the options available. An allergen menu with what is available fresh would be game changing and take a good experience to a great one. However, the chefs were so lovely and kind that we never felt like a burden when asking for help. That was a huge positive. The bar staff are absolute machines! They work so hard and always seemed to have a smile. Loved the variety of drinks, although I’m not convinced by mezcal An absolute highlight was the entertainment team. Bernie, Tina, Karla and Felix deserve a special mention for being so fun, friendly and inclusive. We all joined in with activities at some point over the holiday thanks to them. I love all that kind of thing but also a bit shy at first so I need the encouragement. The whole team works incredibly hard, from setting everything up to bringing all the fun and energy. They made such a difference to the atmosphere and our enjoyment of the holiday. The dancing and aqua gym were some of my favourites, along with the foam party, RIU parties, silent disco and Coconut Beach Party — all incredible! We had a brilliant two weeks and came home with so many lovely memories. A huge thank you to everyone who helped make it such a special family holiday.

  Nov 01, 2026
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  More than expected!

  I traveled with my teenage daughter for the first time here. Overall, amazing! Food, variety and excellent quality. Rooms, spacious and always spotless. Leandra made sure our room was perfect every single day. Thus, the towels art work was awesome! Entertainment: motivated and suuper friendly. Berny was exceptional. We all need a Berny in our life, he did a fantastic job in bringing humor to his aqua gym classes and brought peace in the morning pilates sessions. The hotel is located in a private neighborhood, very safe. There are private villas and big hotels too (including 4 other RIU hotels). There is a commercial complex right in front of the hotel (souvenirs, gym, pharmacy…) The city? 30 min walk at a steady pace, nice walk and safe. Mainly through the neighborhood. The city is 5 min walk from the neighborhood exit. So perfect! There is a big RIU party once a week, one week is the NEON, the second is the White party. We did the Neon party, excellent DJ and scene 🙌🏼 The party was huge and wow wow, don’t miss it! Pools were perfect The beach, free of sargasso thanks God! Overall, I recommend this hotel, perfect size and quality price 🙌🏼

  Oct 25, 2026
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  Very good

  We normally go to the grand palladium when visiting Mexico as its never let us down, but the price difference was quite big, so we gave the playacar a go after it was recommended. Much smaller than the palladium and I don't think it was full, we were in room 5312 that was perfect for us, close to the pool and not far from the main reception. Room was perfect, looked after by Elsie our cleaner who left towel art everyday. Mini bar filled upon request, food was very good, plenty of choice, we ate at the Tequila a few times, not a bad meal in any of them. Staff were very good, service was quick. Brought us a bottle of champagne and strawberries for our anniversary 👌. It was me hot when we visited, and the only downfall was the only air-conditioned bar was in the Tequila. Would not hesitate to return 9/10 for us.

  Oct 19, 2026