Playa del Carmen
Family destination par excellence
Out of the immense offer of hotels of all types and categories, the Riu Palace Riviera Maya was the one chosen by the group of seven family members to spend an entire week of sun and relaxation in Playa del Carmen.
The city is one of the most significant tourist developments on the coast of Quintana Roo.
The hotel is located in the private Playacar neighborhood, on the beachfront, so access to the Caribbean Sea is super convenient. The staff is very friendly and willing and the gastronomy, even when applying the all-inclusive style regime, is superlative.
Usually, in all-inclusives, quantity is more important than quality, but that is not the case in this flagship hotel of the Riu chain. In the Italian restaurant, the pasta with lobster was outstanding; in the Japanese restaurant, the red tuna was particularly tasty, as was the lobster at the steak house next to the beach. In addition to the buffet, there are five other specialty restaurants.
As it usually happens, in the case of the two of us @tripticity_ we ended up many times in the hotel's 24-hour option, the Lounge, eating the local "junk", the nachos with guacamole, chili con carne and chiplote cream.
For @tripticity_, the favorites were the afternoons we spent at the lobby coffee shop, the Cappuccino, where we enjoyed superb Veracruz coffee espressos with cookies and macarons, and the many other moments at the Daiquiri bar, where we toasted with champagne, bourbon and coconut-based cocktails.
The rooms are very spacious, even in the lower categories. They have a bathtub and an integrated modern bathroom. It also offers adapted rooms that guarantee accessibility.
The goddaughter of @tripticity_, Chiquitina, moves in a wheelchair, so we appreciate the facilities of the establishment for people with reduced mobility.
The shows and entertainment proposals are good. In our case, some opted for water activities, such as kayaking in the sea, others for yoga classes and training, always coinciding in the Daiquiri or in the Portico in the evening, after dinner, to enjoy a last drink before resting.
We went during the sargasso season, the seaweed that can ruin entire seasons in Playa del Carmen, but luckily there was not so much and the hotel also cleans the beach every morning.
Loungers under lines of palm trees help protect from the strong Yucatan sun. @tripticity_ opted to enjoy the mornings on the beach, taking breaks at noon to protect the skin.
Very close to the hotel, just a twenty minute walk away, is the famous Quinta Avenida, the commercial sector, very entertaining, with stores, cafes, bars and many options for the purchase of typical souvenirs. At sunset, in addition to local artists who offer their performances, the rite of the voladores, a cultural manifestation proclaimed Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco, takes place.
Also in Playacar itself, right in front of the Riu Playacar hotel, a shopping mall with typical stores for tourists is a great place for an afternoon stroll.
Beachfront relaxation in Playa del Carmen is assured, especially in this kind of hotels that have -effectively- everything taken care of, allowing visitors to connect with the breeze, take baths in the warm and calm waters of the Caribbean Sea and enjoy the meals and drinks included.
One hundred percent is the family option par excellence.
