Hotel Riu Lupita

“A relaxing vacation”

The staff is really the best thing of the hotel , everyone is lovely and always want to help. The only thing that you need to look at is : Chandeliers on the walls of the room are a bit rusty. Crisps next to the burgers are always 2nd cooked and really bad 😕 And if someone needs breakfast before 7… more

The staff is really the best thing of the hotel , everyone is lovely and always want to help. The only thing that you need to look at is : Chandeliers on the walls of the room are a bit rusty. Crisps next to the burgers are always 2nd cooked and really bad 😕 And if someone needs breakfast before 7am you really should have options for breakfast on that fridge not just burgers and hot dogs , nobody wants to eat that before 7am

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“Wonderful Resort --- Would Return!”

My husband and I just returned from a wonderful 2-week stay at Riu Lupita. It was one of the most relaxing vacations we have ever had, and we would return to this hotel. Here is a very thorough review of our stay at the hotel and our time in Mexico in general. Customer Service Staff were wonderfu… more

My husband and I just returned from a wonderful 2-week stay at Riu Lupita. It was one of the most relaxing vacations we have ever had, and we would return to this hotel. Here is a very thorough review of our stay at the hotel and our time in Mexico in general. Customer Service Staff were wonderful. They were super nice and helpful. They always had a smile on their face and were happy to answer our questions. We got particularly great service from Yessenia and Heber in the main buffet restaurant. They were very attentive and took the time to chat with us and get to know us. Check-In and Check-Out Both check-in and check-out were very easy and we had no issues either time. The Hotel Grounds The hotel is clean and nicely laid out. The grounds are lush. Staff work hard to keep the place well-maintained. We never had any concerns about cleanliness and we both stayed healthy during our stay. One thing to know is this is a VERY small resort. It only has 1 bar (unlike other resorts we have stayed at, which had several). But It’s a great resort with a lot to offer. The Room We were extremely happy with our room (it was a room for couples). It was clean and everything worked perfectly, including the air conditioner. It had a big-screen tv (though English channels were limited). We had a king-size bed that was in great condition and was very comfortable. I read lots of complaints that the mattresses were rock hard but we did not find this to be the case. Our mattress was firm but not rock hard by any means. I only wish the pillows had been firmer --- they were extremely soft and did cause me some neck problems. If you sleep on firm pillows at home, you may want to bring one with you. The hotel was very nice and brought me an extra pillow when I asked for one. The bathroom was great. The sink was large and had a shelf for things like toiletries, which was super convenient. It had a very large, modern walk-in shower, with plenty of hot water whenever we wanted it and excellent water pressure. We had dispensers of hand soap and shampoo, which was really handy. We had clean towels every day. Staff restocked the mini fridge every other day with Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, 7 UP, carbonated water, 4 to 6 litres of water, and beer. The room also came with dispensers of vodka, tequila, rum and gin, which are all included in the price of the room. Also included was a coffee bar, with a coffee maker and supplies. The room had a safe that was also included in the cost of the room. It was easy to use and worked perfectly. The safe is included in the cost of the room. The room had ample storage. The dresser had 6 very spacious drawers, a small closet with a bunch of hangers, and 2 bedside tables that each had a drawer. We read lots of complaints that the rooms at the hotel are dated but we loved our room. It was lovely and had everything we could possibly need, and then some. Food and Drinks The food and drinks were delicious. We ate extremely well during our stay. The hotel has 4 restaurants: the main buffet restaurant which is open every single day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and 3 a-la-cartes (Mexican, Italian, and a steakhouse), which are open on different days. There is also a small buffet near the pool where you can get a late breakfast or lunch; it’s open between the main buffet restaurant's mealtimes. We found it handy for those times when were feeling a bit hungry and just wanted to grab a slice of pizza but didn’t want to change out of our swimsuits for a meal at the restaurant. The main buffet restaurant was where we ate most of our meals. There were number of items they repeated each day (hamburgers, hotdogs, fries, pizza, pasta, etc.), but they always included quite a few new items to keep things interesting. Even with their staple items, they tried to vary them. There was always a ton of fresh fruit. The best part of dinner for both of us was the desserts. Every single one was amazing --- we ate cheesecake every night. Most nights there was chocolate fountain with fruits and marshmallows for dipping. There were always 6 different kinds of ice cream on the buffet, along with ice cream cones and sundae toppings. I think even the pickiest of eaters will be able to find something they like to eat. We never got tired of the food. Regarding the a la cartes, we only ate at one, which was the the Mexican a-la-carte. It was a disappointment. We recommend skipping it and just eating the Mexican cuisine at the main buffet. However, if you do want to eat at the a-la-cartes, you will not need reservations for the Mexican and Italian resturants but you will need a reservation for the steakhouse. There is one bar at the resort and it offered a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. My husband really enjoyed the Caipirinha cocktail and the dark beer, and I really enjoyed the margarita. It also served coffee and espresso-based drinks, like cappuccinos. We can’t say enough good things about the food and drink at this resort. 10/10. Pools There are 3 pools at the hotel: the main pool, a small pool for adults only, and a kids’ pool (which was closed during our stay). The hotel has a beach club over at Playa del Carmen, which also has a small pool. We spent the majority of our time at the main pool. It was clean and the water temperature was always great. There were always lots of pool chairs and umbrellas available. It’s perfect for children and adults. There is no swim-up bar at the main pool but the bar is very close by. The adults-only pool and the pool at the beach club were also very nice. Very small, but perfect for relaxing and cooling off. The Beach The hotel is not on the beach but Riu Lupita does have a beach club at nearby Playa del Carmen. Twice an hour, you can take a free shuttle from the hotel to the beach club. The drive takes about 10 minutes and then it’s an easy 5-minute walk from the drop-off point to the beach club. The beach club was really nice. It offers a bar, a buffet, and a small pool. Even though the resort is not on the beach, we still found it quite accessible. Spa/Massages The hotel does not have its own spa or a place for massages. I never got a massage while in Mexico but here are a couple of options if you want to get one. You can use the Riu Hotels app to book your service, which will take place at the Riu Yucutan hotel. Riu Lupita will arrange your ride there and back, which is free. Not sure how much services cost. It was kind of disappointing that there were no massage services at the hotel --- I probably would have gotten one every day if they had been available. You can also get a massage at the beach. There is a tent near the beach club that has massage beds. Again, not sure of the price. Gym The resort has a small but well-equipped gym. There are 2 treadmills, an elliptical machine, a stationary bike, weight machines, free weights, yoga mats. Everything worked properly and the equipment was in excellent condition. My husband used the gym several times and really liked it. Internet/Wifi We got unlimited free wifi at the resort. We could access it anywhere at any time, including from our rooms. We never had internet issues. We had trouble connecting to wifi while in town. There weren’t many free networks we could connect to. This is not the hotel’s problem, but it’s just something to be aware of. Changing Money There is a money changer in the lobby if you want to buy pesos. It’s very easy to change money there, and it offers a buy-back program which allows you to change back your leftover pesos without getting penalized by whatever the exchange rate is that day. If you need to break down your pesos into small notes for things like tipping, you can do this at reception. We never had issues breaking down our bills. Electrical Outlets We were able to use all our appliances from home (hair dryer, hair straightener, lap top, phone chargers, electric toothbrush chargers), without needing an adapter or converter. They have the same type of outlets you find in Canada and the States (outlets for 3-pin plugs). Tipping Suggestions for Canadians We never felt any pressure to tip staff or tip them a certain amount, so we basically we tipped whatever felt was appropriate. 1 Canadian dollar is about 15 pesos, so generally we tipped our maid 60 pesos/day (about $4 CAD), 20 to 40 pesos at each meal (somewhere between $1 to $2 CAD), and 80 pesos a day (about $5 CAD) at the bar (usually 40 pesos first thing in the morning and 40 pesos in the afternoon). We always tipped in pesos. I heard this is preferred by staff —- they can lose money changing foreign currency at the bank. But I think tipping in your home currency is fine. If tipping in your home currency, do not give staff coins since they cannot be used. Gift Shop There is a small gift shop in the lobby. We didn’t take a good look around but saw that it sold a lot of souvenirs as well as toiletries. It’s a bit on the expensive side (which is the case for most hotel gift shops) but it was handy to have nearby. I needed to buy some mouthwash one day and was able to buy it there (though it cost a lot). They accept credit card but also allow you to pay in foreign currency like Canadian dollars. Animals on Resort There were 3 very cute cats that we saw on resort every day. If you love cats like we do, this will make you happy. The animals we saw the most of were Coatis, which are part of the raccoon family. They are everywhere. They are very cute but they will get into your food and drink when you’re not watching, so be careful. It was very common to see them jump up on tables and steal people’s food off their plates, or grab food that people set down on the ground and run off with it. I never saw them run off with non-edible items --- just food. They are a nuisance but harmless. Excursions We only did 1 excursion, which was a trip to the Tulum ruins and a cenote. We booked it through the Sunwing app. It cost $300 Canadian total, for the 2 of us, and it did not include lunch or alcoholic beverages (they gave us water throughout the day, a juice box, and a fruit bar as a snack). We loved our experience at the ruins but didn’t think the trip to the cenote was worth it. The excursion was a bit expensive for what we got. But the Tulum ruins are definitely worth a visit. It's extremely hot and there's a lot of walking at Tulum, so bring a hat (maybe even an umbrella for extra shade), a lot of water, sunscreen and good walking shoes. There are some stairs that could make it difficult for people with mobility issues. Playa del Carmen The nearest town is Playa del Carmen. 5th Avenue (quinta avenidas) is located downtown and is a strip of shops, bars and restaurants. It’s very walkable but also very expensive. We stopped into a daiquiri bar and 1 beer and 1 daiquiri cost us $30 CAD. We had lunch at a restaurant called Super Carnes which is quite a way’s over from the main touristy area of town. It is located at Calle 1 Sur Entre 20 ye 25 avenidas. The food was delicious (still dreaming of their corn tortillas) and the staff could not have been nicer. We made an effort to speak in Spanish with them as much as we could and they really seemed to love that. 1 appetizer, 2 mains, 1 beer and 1 margarita cost us 985 pesos (excluding tip), which is around $65 CAD. To get to 5th Avenue, we took the free beach club shuttle from the hotel. The driver dropped us off at a stop very close to 5th Avenue and then it was about a 5 minute walk to the strip. We took a cab from 5th Avenue back to the hotel, which cost 150 pesos before tip (about $10). We had no issues with our taxi driver. We agreed on a price before getting into his cab and that’s the price we paid him. It was very easy and we felt very safe. Mosquitoes Mosquitoes were not a problem at all, and I am someone who is very susceptible to mosquito bites on vacation. I think I got bit 3 times, max. I did not need to use mosquito repellent or Afterbite even once. Mosquitoes were not a problem for me at any point on the trip --- not at the hotel, not in town, not at the Tulum ruins, not even at the cenote which was in the jungle. I walked around with my arms and legs exposed and had no issues with bites. Our Sunwing Rep Just wanted to share some thoughts on our Sunwing rep (which is not a reflection on the hotel). We have flown with Sunwing many times in the past to resorts in Cuba and the Dominican Republic. It was standard for a rep to be at the hotel a few times a week in case customers needed to book excursions or had questions. Sadly, this did not happen for us this time around. The rep called us the day after we arrived in Mexico and asked us to meet her by the pool so we could arrange our transfer back to the airport. We met with her that day and she gave us a short orientation. She mentioned different excursions we could take and offered us a supposed discount on one excursion if we booked it through her by a certain date (we don’t think what she offered us was actually a discount). She told us she would be at the hotel every day that week from 9:30 to 11:30 AM. Other than that one day we met with her (day 2 of our stay), she didn’t show up once at the hotel. No Sunwing rep did until the morning we left Mexico. We think it’s because we were the only Sunwing customers at the hotel during that time so it wasn’t worth the rep’s time to come to the hotel just for the two of us. If you are flying with Sunwing, we recommend you try to get your rep’s contact information when you meet with them for your orientation because there’s a chance you won’t see them again until you leave. Our Experience Overall This was our first time in Mexico and was the best vacation we ever had. We have no complaints about the hotel. We loved it and think it’s a real gem. It’s small but is far superior to any other resort we have ever stayed at. You’ll have a great time. We will definitely return.

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“Excellent staff, somewhat lacking resources”

If you have a budget, you won’t be disappointed by Riu Lupita. Staff are incredibly polite and hardworking. They are often understaffed but I’ve seen nothing but good results from them. You’ll have to order your own drinks at the bar, and the appetizers at the à la carte restaurants are self serv… more

If you have a budget, you won’t be disappointed by Riu Lupita. Staff are incredibly polite and hardworking. They are often understaffed but I’ve seen nothing but good results from them. You’ll have to order your own drinks at the bar, and the appetizers at the à la carte restaurants are self serve, but if you don’t mind that you’ll love it. The food (especially at the buffet) could be better, but I was impressed by things like the beef fillet at the Italian restaurant. You get what you pay for. Rooms are dated but clean and well stocked. The shuttle to the beach club is frequent and the driver is very passionate (he shakes every guest’s hand!!). Some staff that especially stood out to us (but they are all so good) were: Fernanda at the front desk who was so helpful on our first day Gustavo at the front desk The young bellman (forgot his name but tipped him well) who can really hustle Blanca at the bar who is lovely Karen at the bar who knows every guest after she’s seen them a couple times Sergio at the beach club Maria (I think that’s her name??) at the restaurant who works SO hard And every member of the maintenance team who works to keep the resort clean even after heavy winds. Watch out for Coatis though. They mean business. So impressed by the price point at this resort!

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“No Go”

I have stayed at several different Riu hotels in Mexico and Aruba. I would rate Lupita lowest due to the food. The rooms and amenities were well within Riu's high standards. It is a cheaper version due to the location away from the beach, but I still expect good food. The meats were over-cooked and… more

I have stayed at several different Riu hotels in Mexico and Aruba. I would rate Lupita lowest due to the food. The rooms and amenities were well within Riu's high standards. It is a cheaper version due to the location away from the beach, but I still expect good food. The meats were over-cooked and dry. The vegetables over-cooked, and the desserts tasteless.

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