Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa
Dreams Riviera Cancun is the Dreams property people tend to remember for the food. Travelers keep coming back to it in reviews, and the setup supports the praise: nine dining venues, six of them a la carte, with no reservations required, plus six bars including a swim-up. The resort sits on the beach in Puerto Morelos, the quiet stretch between Cancun and Playa del Carmen, which gives it a more relaxed, less built-up feel than the Hotel Zone.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +Food is the thing guests rave about most, and the range backs it up: nine venues (six a la carte restaurants, the World Cafe buffet, a Seaside Grill and a cafe) with no reservations needed
- +Named restaurants cover real ground: Portofino for Italian, Himitsu for pan-Asian, El Patio for Mexican, Oceana for seafood with sea views, and adults-only Bordeaux for French
- +Hyatt's Sip, Savor & See dine-around lets you book dinner at participating Dreams resorts in the Mexican Caribbean from 6pm to 1am, booked through the concierge by 3pm (you pay your own transport)
- +Strong kids' setup: Explorer's Club for ages 3-12 runs 9am to 10pm daily with a ball pit and climbing pyramid, plus a splash park with mini water slides and an arcade for ages 10 and up
- +Three pools split sensibly, with an adults-only infinity pool, a main activities pool and a kids' pool, so couples get a quieter corner without leaving the resort
- +Couples without kids still report great trips here; the family crowd is lively without feeling chaotic
- +Puerto Morelos setting is calm and low-rise, about 25 minutes from Cancun airport and well away from Hotel Zone traffic
- +Staff get named in reviews over and over, which is usually the surest sign of a strong service culture
Cons
- −It is a family resort, so kids are around most of the property; the adults-only infinity pool is the only real escape
- −Rooms show their age, and travelers in 2026 still call them dated even where the resort has started refreshing them
- −Sargassum can hit this beach roughly May through October, and 2026 was a heavy year on this coast
- −Puerto Morelos is a long way from Cancun's Hotel Zone nightlife if you want to go out
- −Base rooms draw more complaints than Preferred Club, so budget for the upgrade if room quality matters to you
- −Pool loungers go early in peak season, and travelers mention noise from weddings and events plus crowding in busy weeks
- −The dine-around is dinner only, capped at parties of four, and getting to other resorts is on you
Day to day, you get three pools (an adults-only infinity pool, an activities pool and a kids' pool), a splash park with mini slides, an arcade for ages 10 and up and the Explorer's Club for kids 3 to 12, open 9am to 10pm. Restaurants include Portofino (Italian), Himitsu (pan-Asian), El Patio (Mexican), Oceana (seafood), the adults-only Bordeaux (French), the World Cafe buffet and the open-air Seaside Grill. Snorkeling and kayaking are included, while scuba and Hobie cats cost extra. The common complaints are dated rooms, pool-chair competition in peak weeks, event noise and seasonal sargassum. Hyatt's Sip, Savor & See program adds dinner at participating Dreams resorts in the region from 6pm to 1am if you arrange it with the concierge and get yourself there.
This is a family resort that couples also enjoy, and it suits families who want good food and a calmer beach town over Cancun's party strip. Preferred Club is the upgrade most travelers say is worth it, mainly for better rooms and the lounge. If you want strictly adults-only, look at a Secrets or Breathless property instead; Secrets Riviera Cancun, for example, pairs with its neighbor Breathless rather than with this resort. Nearby, Puerto Morelos town has a reef marine park for snorkeling and the cenote route inland.
Common Questions
How does the Sip, Savor & See dinner exchange work here?
Is the food really that good?
Will couples without kids feel out of place?
What is there for kids, and does it have big water slides?
Is Preferred Club worth it?
How does it compare to Dreams Sapphire?
What's nearby
Playa Delfines30 min drive · 19 mi
Playa Tortugas45 min drive · 25 mi
6 min drive · 2.2 mi
Museo Maya de Cancún35 min drive · 20 mi
Puerto Morelos Town Square and Malecón6 min drive · 2.2 mi
Leaning Lighthouse of Puerto Morelos6 min drive · 2.2 mi
More things to do (24)
- Catamaran trip to Isla Mujeres · excursion45 min drive · 25 mi
- Xoxi Cancún · adventure park20 min drive · 11 mi
- Croco Cun Zoo · wildlife5 min drive · 2.5 mi
- Riviera Cancún Golf · golf25 min drive · 15 mi
- Playa Coral · beach25 min drive · 15 mi
- Xcalacoco Beach · beach30 min drive · 21 mi
- Playa Ballenas · beach35 min drive · 22 mi
- Iberostar Cancún Golf Club · golf35 min drive · 21 mi
- Punta Esmeralda Beach · beach40 min drive · 22 mi
- Dr. Alfredo Barrera Marín Botanical Garden · nature14 min drive · 5.9 mi
- Puerto Morelos Botanical Garden · nature14 min drive · 5.9 mi
- Moon Palace Golf Club · golf20 min drive · 11 mi
- Iberostar Playa Paraíso Golf Club · golf25 min drive · 13 mi
- Playa Maroma · beach25 min drive · 14 mi
- El Camaleón Golf Course · golf30 min drive · 19 mi
- Playa Delfines Lookout · viewpoint30 min drive · 19 mi
- El Rey Ruins · ruins35 min drive · 20 mi
- Parque Kabah · nature35 min drive · 21 mi
- Ka'Yok' Planetarium · museum35 min drive · 21 mi
- Playa San Miguelito · beach35 min drive · 22 mi
- Iberostar Golf Club Cancún · golf35 min drive · 21 mi
- Playa Marlín · beach40 min drive · 22 mi
- Yamil Lu'um · ruins40 min drive · 23 mi
- Torre Escénica de Cancún · viewpoint45 min drive · 25 mi
Amenities
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Style & Rooms
Atmosphere
Room upgrades
Seaweed & sargassum
Cancun gets sargassum, typically worst May through August.See the month-by-month guide →Google Reviews★ 4.4 · 5,280 reviews
“My husband and I opted to change our trip from Jamaica (due to outbreak) to Mexico. We were hesitant to book this resort due to some other poor reviews on food but have heard great things about Dreams resorts so we decided to just go for it. We had a...”
“I absolutely loved our stay at this hotel last summer. So many good memories. We stayed in an ocean front suite and the view from the room and balcony was absolutely breathtaking and unforgettable. Pictures didn't do it justice. We were in the Prefer...”
“This was my first time at an all inclusive resort and WOW did dreams Rivera set the bar very high! I am very impressed with the food, service, and activities they offered. The food is good. Not amazing, but definitely above average (the French cuisi...”
