Riu Palace Pacifico - Adults Only All Inclusive

“Winter vacation”

Had been to this resort several times, this was our first time back since they remodeled it and went to adults only. They did a marvelous job of the remodeling.The pools were really nice with plenty of chairs(they were a little crowd). The food was good with a nice selection. The rooms were great n… more

Had been to this resort several times, this was our first time back since they remodeled it and went to adults only. They did a marvelous job of the remodeling.The pools were really nice with plenty of chairs(they were a little crowd). The food was good with a nice selection. The rooms were great nice showers beds were good(a little softer than I like). Awesome beach! Great resort.

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“Amazing”

After remodeling everything was modern and great. I think the Elite Club doesnt serve the purpose, too expensive and almost empty. On the beach there was a constant smell of the horses. I understand the beach is federal property but you can ask them to do their business bext to the massage tents.

“An amazing vacation, once again”

My Wife and I just returned from a 14-day vacation at the Riu Palace Pacifico with our travel dates being 24 November 2024 through 08 December 2024 inclusive. We traveled from Calgary, Alberta to Puerto Vallarta aboard Sun Wing vacations and the trip from Calgary to PV took about 4 hours and 18 mi… more

My Wife and I just returned from a 14-day vacation at the Riu Palace Pacifico with our travel dates being 24 November 2024 through 08 December 2024 inclusive. We traveled from Calgary, Alberta to Puerto Vallarta aboard Sun Wing vacations and the trip from Calgary to PV took about 4 hours and 18 minutes to complete. The arrival process at the Puerto Vallarta airport was efficient and simple. While there were a number of flights that arrived at the same time, creating huge volumes of arriving passengers, the processing through Customs and Immigration was fast and easy. This process took 20 minutes. To our delight, once we got through Customs and Immigration, we were surprised to discover that our baggage had already been offloaded and was waiting for us in the arrivals area. We had never experienced that level of efficiency before during any of our travels. Once we retrieved our baggage, we were processed through an additional screening stage of baggage x-ray which was staffed by the National Guard. As a matter of note, we have travelled to Mexico many times before and have encountered some very aggressive time share salespeople at the airport. We know not to engage them in conversation and historically have brushed past them and exited the terminal. We were ready for that during our arrival into the PV airport. What we encountered during our arrival this time however was off the scale in terms of aggression. Once we left the secure arrivals area, we encountered what we most often describe as the “Shark tank” with many people approaching to try to engage in the time share conversation. We share this information in this review as we recognize how many people would be drawn into these kinds of engagements and please know you are not required to engage with them. Once through the gauntlet of people, we encountered our Sun Wing Representative Jessica who was clearly identified with a bright orange shirt. She directed us to our waiting bus and we were ready to head to the resort. One thing to note would be the fact that a person could purchase beverages for the bus ride through one of the many people selling adult beverages in the arrivals area however please note that you will pay a premium price if you purchase from them. Alternatively, there is a small OXXO Convenience store right in the same parking lot as the ground transportation and the prices there are much more reasonable. People are permitted to bring whatever beverages they want onto the bus and that makes the journey from the airport to the resort a bit more pleasant. Our ground transportation from the airport to the hotel was easy, efficient and flawless. The front desk employee Tristan checked us in and in fact became a friend of our throughout our stay there. Big shout out to Tristan. Our room (#4055) was on the 4th floor of the hotel and faced the ocean, with a 70% view of the ocean. This was well worth the additional money we paid for this view. The room was modern, clean and well organized. The air conditioner worked very well, although the king sized bed was very soft and could have been firmer; a small hiccup on an otherwise flawless room. The room also included a mini-fridge which was stocked every day with soda, two kinds of beer and water. Also, there was a spirits/hard liquor dispenser in the room with white rum, vodka, tequila and gin, which was also a nice touch. In the interests of providing helpful information to people reading this review, we will offer thoughts about what we really liked about this resort and also the areas we felt they could improve upon. It needs to be said that the staff are amazing. We acknowledge that so many of the people that review resorts in Mexico say that same thing and having heard it over and over again, we wanted to reinforce that point. The people working at the Riu Palace Pacifico are highly committed to making the guest experience amazing and memorable. Restaurants One of the best things about the restaurants at this resort is the fact that gents are not required to wear long pants or collared shirts at the restaurants. At many of the resorts we have stayed at in the past, there is a strict dress code which required men to wear long pants and a collared shirt as well as closed toed shoes. The last thing I wanted to do at the end of a hot day was to get dressed up in long pants for dinner. That is NOT required at this property. GENTS, LEAVE YOUR LONG PANTS AT HOME. There are a number of places to eat at this resort including a breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet which we found to offer very high quality food. We ate several meals there and were super impressed with the food quality. Servers Hugo, Julian, Sergio and Martin looked after us for our entire stay. There were days in which the buffet contained dinner items such as high end steaks, rack of lamb and other things that a person would not normally find on a dinner buffet. Also of note were the Captains that routinely managed the buffet and a big shout out to Orlando and Del Rio. These gents were also in charge on some days at the Sports Bar (more about that place later in this review) and were delightful people. One of the other restaurants at this resort, and probably the one that we would rate the highest in terms of quality was the Steak House. The hostess there, a delightful lady named Luisa was there each time we went and we found her to be the consummate professional as she always greeted us with a smile. Our servers, Oscar, Jesus and Alonsio were also superstars and above reproach. On a different evening, we ate at the Steak House and were served by Modesto and Jesus, both consummate professionals. Given the fact that the Steak House was the most popular place to eat dinner, there was most often a line-up and a waiting list to get in. The Steak House opened every day at 6:00 pm and at 5:45 each day there was a line-up of people seeking a table for dinner. They would let the initial volley of people in, then those that were still waiting were given a buzzer and summoned back to the restaurant when a table became available. Great system and amazing food with steak and lobster at the top of the popularity list. On a separate and related note, the Captain at the Steak House was agent named Oswaldo and when we shared with him we were celebrating our anniversary, he appeared at the end of our meal with a celebratory cake. He did the same thing several days later when we were celebrating my Wife’s birthday. Very thoughtful and highly appreciated. There is an Italian restaurant (Toscana) on the property which offered outstanding food and even better service. The chicken parmesan is not to be missed as we ate there twice and had the same entre both times. Our server Alex, was a champion. An additional restaurant is called the Krystal and it offered an outstanding menu. Of note was the beef rib, which was so amazing that we ate there three times during our stay. The servers there, Orlando and David as well as the Captain David Joya offered not only a great dining experience, but a super fun evening overall. The other place to eat on the property was the American Sports Bar which is adjacent to the pool area. This area offers both an indoor and outdoor seating option and is open 24 hours a day. There is a very large seating area inside with many televisions and a super menu for food. This included the normal pub fare such as wings, burgers, nachos, fish tacos etc. There is also a full bar there. David and Anjelica the servers there took very good care of us and their efforts and kindness were appreciated. Of note is the fact that none of the restaurants (other than the Sports Bar) offer a full bar service as they are not equipped with a bar inside the restaurant. This was a bit of a first for us as normally bar service is offered in all restaurants however at this property, that was not the case. Beer, wine and soft drinks are available, however if a patron wants to take a mixed drink into the restaurant, they are more than welcome to get a drink at one of the many bars and take it into the restaurant. No full bar service inside the restaurant however. Bars Notwithstanding the above, if a person can’t find a drink on this property, they are not looking hard enough. There are many bars around the complex and the service and quality of the liquor is outstanding. One of the things of note is the fact that they do have draft beer on tap (Dos Equis) however all of the bars also offer a wide selection of other beers such as Heineken, Coors Light, Bohemia (light and dark) as well as a few other beer options. A very nice feature and one that is unique to this property. Overall, we found the quality of the liquor at this resort to be of high quality. The spirits were top shelf and always available, consistent with a 5 star resort. There is a Lobby Bar which is open from mid-morning until late at night, around midnight. This bar is staffed with the best bartenders on the property, as Karelli, Chicken Little and Irwin looked after us for our entire stay. There is also a Beach Bar which is open during the day and offers high end alcohol and is staffed by some great people. Bar service is also available on the beach from 10:00 am until 6:00 pm. The servers, Jose and Mini Me ran up and down that beach looking after all the guests and worked tirelessly to ensure that guests were looked after. Pools There are three pools located within this complex and each offered a different “vibe”. The quiet pool (quiet in the mornings, but ramps up as the day progresses) is located right beside the Sports Bar and offers a large number of shaded areas, which is a nice feature. The other thing that makes this pool great is the vast number pool loungers around the pool. To be fair, many of the chairs were “reserved” by the towel placers in the morning, however there were always chairs and loungers available. The second pool offered the swim up service and that would also get progressively busier and noisier as the day progressed. We spent no time there, and we also spent no time at the third pool; the activities pool as that was not our vibe. This pool is the center of the aquatics activities and gets very loud and hectic. Beach The beach is beautiful and equipped with tons of beach chairs/loungers that were almost always available. The only challenge with the beach is the water is a bit difficult to enter; not impossible but a bit of a steep drop off, so be aware of that. There were no rocks in the water so water shoes were not necessarily required. The water was warm, clean and there was no sea grass washing up on the shore like you would find on the Caribbean side of Mexico. Beautiful beach. The only challenge with this beach is the fact that there is limited shade and I think the resort recognizes that fact. That said, they do have employees of the hotel that will place a beach umbrella on the beach for guests at a cost of $15.00 USD per day. This is a great option, however it would have been our preference that the resort erect shaded areas or palapas to provide shade for the beach dwellers. One should not be required to purchase shade. In the interests of not having to purchase shade, we walked to the nearby store called LaComer and we purchased a beach umbrella for $40.00 USD and that served us well for the duration of our stay. Upon leaving, we gave it to one of the employees of the resort to thank them for their kindness. A great investment. Be prepared for many beach vendors that roam up and down the beach selling their wares. They are persistent, however very respectful and will not bother a guest with a quick and respectful “no thanks”. Water Sports Non motorized water sports were included with the resort offering and there was a team of water sports folks there starting at 9:00 am to assist guests with kayaks, boogie boards and paddle boards. Of note is the fact there are large pods of dolphins that can be seen in the bay (Bandaras Bay) and those sightings typically happened in the morning. They can often be seen from the beach and there were several days in which we saw dolphins off the beach and from our room on the 4th floor. A very nice feature. Massages on the beach If a guest is interested in a beach massage, there are an abundance of people there that offer that service. The massage representatives are present on the beach and will solicit customers; respectfully, appropriately and not aggressively. My Wife participated in this activity and it was very well worth the investment. The price for a 1 hour deep tissue massage was $35.00 USD plus tip for these hard working people. The resort entertainment During this vacation, we did attend a few of the shows that were offered and found them to be of outstanding quality and most enjoyable. The Silent Disco is an absolute must do. We can’t stress enough how fun that activity was and the resort ran that activity two of the nights that we were there. Loads of fun and definitely a “must do”. We also attended (not just once, but enjoyed it so much we went back the second week) the Michael Jackson Show. This was a highly professional show and the headliner was absolutely amazing. This one is a “don’t miss as well. In addition, we attended the karaoke show one night and it was also a blast. There were some highly talented people (and also some not so talented people) there and that made for an enjoyable evening. Walking path to Bucerias Being avid walkers in the morning, we found this resort offered some outstanding walking options. If a person walked out the front of the resort and walked toward the right, there is a perfect walking path that takes a person to the other two sister resorts. That walk takes about 15 minutes and is very easy. If a person walks out the front doors of the resort and walks to the left, there is a similar walking path. That said, it you walk to the left and walk about 5 minutes, you will encounter a paved walking path (well signed) and that path takes a person to the town of Bucerias. We walked that path several mornings and it is populated by walkers, joggers and cyclists and a great way to see Bucerias. The walk from our resort into central Bucerias took about 40 minutes to complete and that is where we found shops, bars, the beach front, the market and great places to see. The Tuesday Market In some of the reviews we read on Trip Advisor, people raved about the large market held every Tuesday fairly close to the resort in a place called Paradise Village. We boarded a cab and paid $15.00 USD for the ride to the market. A huge market with loads of vendors, food and entertainment. We decided to take the bus back to the Riu and it was very efficient and cost about $1.00 per person and was available on the street right outside of Paradise Village. A trip to the Malecon One day, we decided that a trip into downtown Puerto Vallarta would be a nice way to spend a day and we caught a cab from the resort into downtown, specifically to see the Malecon. The cab from the hotel into downtown was 400 pesos and this was well worth the time investment. This area of PV hosts a long “boardwalk” along the ocean and offers loads of shops, bars, places to eat and entertainment. I understand this place comes alive even more in the evening, however we were there during the day and it did not disappoint. The journey took about 30 minutes in the cab and was well worth the trip. Our excursion to Marietas Island and Majahuitas Beach There are a number of excursions that are available through a number of tour operators, including Vallarta Adventures. These tours can be booked through your tour representative at the Riu. The excursion we chose was the Marietas Island Eco Adventure and it was very well worth both the time and the expense. (The cost was $84.00 USD per person and there was an additional expense of $22.00 per person for admittance into the National Marine Reserve.) We left our hotel at 6:30 am and took a cab into the Marina in Nuevo Vallarta (200 pesos for the cab ride) and arrived at the Vallarta Adventures at the marina. They were very well organized and we checked in and were directed to the awaiting area where they offered free coffee and a few snacks. There is also food there for purchase. At 7:30 that morning, we boarded a large twin hull catamaran with the capacity for about 150 people. There were loads of staff members there to assist and they served an array of snacks including pastries, coffee and fresh fruit. We sailed from there to the Vallarta marina to pick up some additional people. In total, there were about 100 (I am estimating that number) on board the boat. There were two floors, upper and lower (in complete shade) so people had the choice of being in the sun or in the shade. After picking up some additional people in PV, we sailed for about an hour and arrived at the Marietas Island which is a snorkelling location and protected site. Upon our arrival, we were give snorkel equipment, which was a bit of an interesting experience. People were offered masks and swim fins and the option of using a snorkel that had been previously used, or the option of purchasing a brand new snorkel that had never been used. This was offered at a price of $6.00 USD. We opted for a fresh snorkel as opposed to a gently used one. Most of the people on the boat opted to snorkel while many others opted to stay on the boat and observe. It was a great place to snorkel and we saw loads of marine life. After 45 minutes in the water, we were summoned back to the boat and we set sail for our second destination, Majuitas Beach, which is a private beach, and spectacular. The journey from the snorkel location to the beach took 1 hour and while were en route, the bar opened and they offered unending very cold beer, margaritas and rum punch, as well as nacho chips and Pico de Gallo. Outstanding offering and people were hungry/thirsty, so this was a nice touch. We arrived at the Majuitas Beach and found this hidden gem of a beach, with a large eating area, banana boats, kayaks and paddle boards. They also offered beer and wine for the guests. We were fed a wonderful lunch of Mexican cuisine and given an hour to enjoy the place before we boarded the boat and set said for home. While we were moving toward PV to drop off some of the people, the staff on board the boat put on a series of amazing events including dances, lip syncing and a bunch of other super entertaining things. We arrived back at the Riu at 4:00 which made for a bit of a long day but completely worth the time and money. We strongly recommend this excursion. Some recommendations and suggestions Overall, this is an amazing resort and having been there in April of this year, we found ourselves falling in love with this place all over again. They do everything so very well and we do have a few suggestions that might be helpful. First, if they were to install palapas on the beach that would make this resort perfect. It is a bad practice to have such a beautiful beach, yet not offer any shade at all; unless you pay the extra money and join the Elite Club, as they have loads of sun beds, with shade. As I noted in this review, guests were able to purchase umbrellas for a cost of $15.00 per day. People should not have to purchase shade in a 5 star resort. Our bottom line Our bottom line is that we completely fell in love with this resort all over again. The services they offered and mostly the staff that work there make this place amazing. Thanks so very much for such an amazing vacation and we will definitely see you again.

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“Great stay at the Palace Pacifico”

Loved my time at the Pacifico. It honestly wasn't long enough. All around service is great. Staff are friendly and attentive. Food is on the higher quality end in my opinion, but I'm not a food critic. The restaurants on site are good, but I preferred the convenience and choice of the buffet. If yo… more

Loved my time at the Pacifico. It honestly wasn't long enough. All around service is great. Staff are friendly and attentive. Food is on the higher quality end in my opinion, but I'm not a food critic. The restaurants on site are good, but I preferred the convenience and choice of the buffet. If you go to the buffet in the morning, make sure you sit in Julian's area. He's phenomenal. He was my server on day 1, I ordered a mimosa and grapefruit juice, I came back the next day, sat in his section again, went to get food from the buffet, came back to my seat and he already had a mimosa and grapefruit juice waiting for me. That small attention to detail meant a lot. I will be back at the Pacifico very soon.

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