I would definetely recommend this place to anyone planning to visit Mexico.

The hotel is very luxurious, but at the same time the staff and people visiting are quite casual and you'll see lots of young and good looking people around.
The activities are numerous, you can play beach valleyball, take Spanish or Salsa lessons, play soccer or waterpolo or you can take the sailing tour. The best part is that it's all included in the price of your all-inclusive arrangement.
Food, rooms, bathrooms, staff, restaurants, pools, jacuzzi, drinks etc. were just amazing, nothing more to add to previous comments.
One tip though from the experienced Riu Cancuner: one week is not enoght, go for two weeks if you can!

I have visited Cancun once before and said I never will again.
Not because I didn't like the actual place, but because I'm not the type to enjoy big touristy malls, crowded nightclubs and eat at American fast food places - on my Caribbean vacation. Some people are into it, some are not.
Anyhow, I went back this year with my boyfriend and had a fabulous time.

Most of our time, we spent at the hotel - my boyfriend enjoying the sports, and me enjoying the food. Our first reaction was 0 how much did we pay for this again? (In a good way) since the hotel was looking fabulous even before we came to it. You can see it all the way from the other side of Cancun when arriving from the airport. It is the tallest, whitest most elegant hotel on the strip.

The lobby is great and the staff is very friendly. Once you come in, on your left hand side is the hotels shop (sells cigars, souvenirs, sweets), exit to the poolside and one of the a la carte restaurants. On your right hand side are the tour operators, car rentals, tours and washrooms.

(BTW - the washrooms in the lobby have showers so if you go through check-out before your buss gets there, you can get all fixed up in the lobby). Also, on your right side, there is another exit to another pool area- the quieter one.

The pools are very nice. One is the lively pool with action and a pool swim-up bar (this is about 3 pools placed to intervene with one another. This first pool is tight between the main restaurant and the beach. This pool overlooks the main beach, the volleyball and sports section, the a la carte restaurant, gym and the lobby.

The second pool is in the quiet section but it also overlooks the ocean. You can see the beach but you won't be bothered by the sports or loud music at the main pool. This pool had a big bar next to it with staff ready to serve you all around the pool area. It is made up of two pools on two different levels. This is where the Jacuzzi is (closes at around 10pm ).

The restaurants are very nice. We barely went into the other a la carte ones, since the buffet was fabulous. For breakfast they were serving eggs (made in 5-6 different ways), all kinds of cereals, many kinds of cheese and meats, jams and fruit, toast, many different kinds of yoghurt and different kinds of freshly made juices.

For lunch we mostly used the one restaurant on the left side on the hotel. They served tons of pasta, fruits and vegetables, meats and best of all great ice cream.

Dinner was also great; since I never knew what to eat (I'm big about food). From lobster to sushi to many different kinds of meat, soup and just great, great food!!! My personal favorite was the tons of salads, great wine and of course, the ice cream:)

The rooms were nice. They were all looking over the ocean and they have full bathrooms, mini bars and balconies. Make sure you turn off the air condition at night or you will freeze.

Tours organized by the hotels are all very nice - but much cheaper if you just walk down to the station where the buses are taking off from (or the boats). Recommended day trip would be the Chitzen Itza tour and a day trip to Isla Mujeres.

I would definitely send anyone to this hotel, from a group of friends to couples to families and honeymooners. There is plenty to do around the resort so you can party all day with the pool crowd or relax in the quiet section. Swim in the ocean while you see everything that is going on in the hotel or find a quiet corner with a palapa and enjoy.

The food is great and the beach is nice.

The only people I would not recommend this to, are the ones who crave one on one service from the staff. They are usually just doing their job and although the resort is a true 5 star, you may not get the catering you need if you are very picky.

I would go back and I would definitely stay at the Riu again (btw. Riu Palace Las Americas is opening on February 2004 right next door and the Gran caribe Real has just been turned over to the RIU Caribe - also a true 5 star).

Riu Cancun - Mexico

This luxurious 5-star resort is a very desirable place for everyone that enjoys an active night-life on their vacation. This elegant building is nicely situated in the heart of Cancun 's very busy entertainment district while still providing a beautiful ocean view for every room.

The rooms are clean and stylish with a bar that's refreshed daily. There is buffet and a la carte type dining provided, each serving high quality food every night with a different thematic content (there is sea-food night, Mexican food night.). There is entertainment provided (such as shows, bars, disco.) for all of those that decide to spend a night within a hotel.

The pool and bar area behind the hotel is where most of the guests spend their time during day and it looks very nice. For those that like to swim in the ocean the beach is next to the hotel, it is not very large like in some other places, but it's a beach. There are various pool and beach activities organized by the staff and there is something for everybody. Another good thing about this place is that you can arrange within the hotel to go to some of the very attractive tour places.

I would recommend this place to everyone, especially young people (or young at heart). If you like Cancun , you're going to love Riu Cancun.