Although many vacationers aren’t thrilled with all-inclusive buffets, I found this one to be quite extensive with many excellent, fresh food choices both at breakfast and dinner (I ate lunch at the poolside restaurant most days). When I wasn’t napping on the beach, taking a walk, or socializing at the swim-up bar, I did indulge in Riu’s many restaurant selections. Also, staff brought around fried calamari for poolside guests to snack on Sunday afternoon (I wasn’t at the pool every day around 3 p.m., so perhaps the snack was offered more than once per week). Loungers are available here and there throughout the day, but most poolside ones are gone between 8 and 9 a.m. There were plenty of loungers but not enough shade umbrellas to go around however, there are mature palms and coconut trees everywhere on this property to protect those who don’t want to register on a thermometer as being “well done”. With the exception of the Barceló pools in Puerto Vallarta, this had to be one of the most beautiful and amenity-filled pools I had ever come across at an all-inclusive resort. I found the pool area just as beautiful as the beach but much more “civilized” with its patterned blue tiles, built-in pool loungers, built-in tables and seating areas close to the swim-up bar, built-in Jacuzzis (not heated, though), and separate deep blue infinity pool at the back of the main pool (the infinity pool, by the way, has an ocean view). It is typically hamburgers or hot dogs, but at least you may eat by the pool–some resort chains do not allow this. If you stay around the resort for any length of time, there is bound to be a beach BBQ around noon several times per week. I made it to the Cozumel ferry (just on the outskirts of town) which took me approximately 25 min. Guests can walk unimpeded in either direction–to the south are multiple resorts (one after another), while the walk north towards Playa del Carmen is more open with a handful of resorts and homes/condos/villas for rent. Later on during my stay I did muster up enough energy to take long walks down the beach and wondered why I hadn’t done this sooner. Guests having more energy or motivation than myself will enjoy the variety of water sports available–boogie boards, small catamarans, kayaks, and wave runners, while parasailing can be arranged just down the beach. When I did venture in the water, the waves were moderate, but not enough to knock me off my feet like the waves from the Caribbean Sea in Cancun’s Hotel Zone.

Riu palace riviera maya