Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas
Family-friendly resort in Cabo San Lucas. Family Resort, Harbour View.
Atmosphere
Room Upgrades
Amenities
Traveler Insights(70 discussions)
Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas is Cabo's reliable workhorse of luxury all-inclusives - not flashy in the way Le Blanc is flashy, but delivering a genuinely solid premium experience with the nine restaurants and six bars that the Riu Palace brand promises. Travelers consistently highlight it for family reunions and large group trips because the sheer breadth of offerings means a 40-person group can split up and everyone finds something that works. The vibe is relaxed and upscale-adjacent, positioned about a mile from downtown Cabo so you're not stranded on resort island if you want to venture out.
The rooms are the real sell - jacuzzi balcony rooms and swim-out suites come up repeatedly as worth the upgrade, and the outdoor buffet with propane heaters shows a level of comfort-engineering that cheaper resorts ignore. Food quality consistently gets solid marks, though travelers coming from Sandals or Excellence level up with higher expectations sometimes find the inclusions (room service, minibar) less comprehensive. The ocean here is genuinely not swimmable due to rip tides, so the pools carry all the water-fun weight, and they do it well.
This is the right call for Pacific-side vacationers who want the Riu consistency, a true beach location without the hotel zone chaos of Cancun, and access to Cabo's own nightlife and excursion scene without being stuck in a mega-resort. It compares favorably to the Riu Santa Fe (which shares some facilities) for guests who want slightly more polish, and it's often recommended as an alternative to Dreams Puerto Vallarta for those preferring Baja. Budget-wise, the $614/night lands it in aspirational-but-reachable territory for most American travelers.
Pros
- +9 restaurants and 6 bars make food fatigue almost impossible over a week-long stay
- +Balcony jacuzzi rooms are a standout upgrade worth every penny for couples
- +Swim-out suites give you private pool access without the premium price of competitors like Hyatt Ziva
- +Right on the beach but only about a mile from downtown Cabo, so you actually get both worlds
- +Party access at the neighboring Riu Santa Fe keeps energy high without overwhelming the Palace vibe
- +Propane heaters in the outdoor buffet area make evening dining comfortable even in shoulder season
- +Consistent Riu-brand reliability means the food and service quality hold up trip after trip
- +Laid-back family-friendly atmosphere that doesn't sacrifice fun - great for multigenerational groups of 40+
Cons
- −Swimming in the ocean is off-limits due to dangerous rip tides - you're coming for the pool, not the surf
- −At $614/night it competes against Le Blanc and Garza Blanca, which offer a noticeably more upscale experience
- −UK travelers report difficulty booking through standard channels, requiring workarounds or travel agents
- −Amenity inclusions vary and can disappoint guests expecting Sandals-level perks like free restocked minibars
- −The Riu brand is consistent but not luxurious - don't come expecting Hyatt Secrets-level service polish
- −Cabo itself has very limited safe ocean swimming regardless of resort, which surprises Pacific-coast first-timers
- −Large resort scale (692 rooms) means you won't get the boutique intimate feel that smaller Cabo properties offer
- −Cabo's location skews it toward West Coast US travelers - flight costs from the East Coast can push total pricing high
Common Questions
Google Rating
Google Reviews
“This place was amazing! I had such a great time during my stay. The food was great, and there were lots of options to choose from. The staff were all friendly and humble. My room was clean, comfy, and had everything I needed. The mini bar inside the...”
“We had an amazing stay! The staff here are absolutely incredible — friendly, attentive, and always willing to help with anything you need. The food was consistently great, and there’s always something going on with entertainment throughout the day an...”