Hotel Riu Tequila
First, a correction worth making loudly: Hotel Riu Tequila is a family resort, not an adults-only one. You will see an 18+ figure on booking sites, but that is the minimum age to book and check in, not a guest age restriction. Riu brands the hotel Fun4All, runs the RIU Land kids' programme for ages 4 to 7 and 8 to 12, and has a children's pool with slides. The other fact you need before booking: it is not beachfront. Riu gives Riu Playacar and Riu Yucatan a beachfront label and Riu Tequila none, and the beach is about 450 metres away, a five to ten minute walk through the Playacar development or a free shuttle on a posted schedule.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +A proper family Riu, branded Fun4All with 24-hour all-inclusive, the RIU Land kids' programme (ages 4 to 7 and 8 to 12) and a children's pool with slides
- +Riu's own menu lineup is broad for a budget property: the Rosa Roja buffet with live cooking stations and three theme nights a week, Bamboo Asian, Rinascita Italian, the Black Cow steakhouse and the Beach Club, which turns Mexican at dinner; 2026 guests report using the a la carte restaurants as often as they liked without booking
- +Playacar location: 5th Avenue's shops, restaurants and beach clubs are a short taxi away, and a strip of shops, a pharmacy and a 7-Eleven sit five minutes' walk from the gate
- +RIU Party themed events are included and open to guests of all Riu hotels in Playa del Carmen, with the Pacha disco and a 24-hour sports bar on site
- +Riviera Maya position gives easier cenote, Tulum, Coba and Xcaret access than Cancun's Hotel Zone
- +Spider monkeys and other wildlife turn up in the gardens, a Playacar perk guests mention repeatedly
- +Free Wi-Fi throughout, a free gym with RIU Fit classes, Renova Spa for massages and hairdressing, and sun loungers reserved for hotel guests on the beach
Cons
- −Not beachfront: Riu gives Riu Playacar and Riu Yucatan a beachfront label and Riu Tequila none; the beach is about 450 metres away, a five to ten minute walk through Playacar or a free shuttle on a schedule posted in the lobby
- −The buildings show their age; even happy 2026 guests mention a wonky wardrobe door and cracked plaster, and the rooms are basic
- −Reports on the beds are split: older guest reports call them super hard while 2026 guests call them comfy, so ask to move if yours is a plank
- −Often mislabeled adults-only because of the 18+ minimum booking age; it is a family resort with kids around the pools, especially in school holidays
- −Cross-access to the sister hotels is narrower than it sounds: tour-operator fact sheets describe daytime use of the restaurants at Riu Yucatan and Riu Playacar excluding breakfast and dinner, and Riu Palace Mexico next door went adults-only when it reopened on September 19, 2026
- −Vegetarian and vegan options at the buffet are limited, and allergy labelling relies on other guests not mixing the serving spoons
- −Playacar is about 38 miles from Cancun airport, roughly an hour by road, farther than Hotel Zone alternatives
With that settled, the Playacar location is a real asset. Playa del Carmen's 5th Avenue shopping, beach clubs and restaurant scene are a short taxi away, a strip of shops with a pharmacy and a 7-Eleven is five minutes' walk from the gate, and the Riviera Maya position makes cenotes, Tulum, Coba and Xcaret easier day trips than from Cancun. On site, Riu lists the Rosa Roja buffet with live cooking and three theme nights a week, Bamboo Asian, Rinascita Italian, the Black Cow steakhouse and the Beach Club (buffet by day, Mexican at dinner), plus four bars including the swim-up bar and a 24-hour sports bar, the Pacha disco, Renova Spa, a free gym with RIU Fit classes and free Wi-Fi throughout. RIU Party events are included and open to guests of every Riu hotel in Playa del Carmen. Access to the sister hotels' facilities is narrower than it sounds, though: tour-operator fact sheets describe daytime use of the restaurants at Riu Yucatan and Riu Playacar excluding breakfast and dinner, and the neighbouring Riu Palace Mexico reopened on September 19, 2026 as an adults-only property, so confirm the current arrangement at check-in.
Older reports knocked the food hard, but that does not match current sentiment: 2026 guests describe the buffet as having plenty of choice from Mexican to Italian to Chinese, with good breakfasts and desserts, and say the a la carte restaurants can be used freely without booking; the gaps are vegetarian and vegan options. Repeat guests in 2026 also report seeing the same staff as on stays two years earlier and say the hotel has not slipped. The honest remaining knocks are a dated building with basic rooms, mixed reports on the beds, and the walk to the beach. This is a budget family property in a great spot for exploring the Riviera Maya: book it for the Playa del Carmen access, the kids' facilities and the price, knowing the buildings are showing their age.
Common Questions
Is Riu Tequila adults-only?
How far is the beach really?
Can I use the facilities at the other Riu resorts in Playacar?
What is the food like?
What is there to do off the resort?
Restaurants (6)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Buffet | Rosa Roja |
| Mexican | Beach Club |
| Italian | Rinascita |
| Asian | Bamboo |
| Steakhouse | Black Cow |
| American & grill | Pepe’s Food |
From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown. All are covered by the all-inclusive rate, per the resort.
What's nearby
14 min drive · 5.0 mi
4 min drive · 1.6 mi
25 min drive · 15 mi
Playa Mamitas8 min drive · 2.7 mi
9 min drive · 4.2 mi
Xcalacoco Beach20 min drive · 7.3 mi
More things to do (23)
- Xenses · adventure park11 min drive · 4.2 mi
- Cenote Azul · cenote25 min drive · 14 mi
- Xpu-Ha Beach · beach30 min drive · 17 mi
- Playa 88 · beach13 min drive · 4.5 mi
- Cenote Cristalino · cenote25 min drive · 14 mi
- Punta Esmeralda Beach · beach20 min drive · 5.2 mi
- Puerto Aventuras Marina · marina25 min drive · 13 mi
- Jardín del Edén Cenote · cenote25 min drive · 15 mi
- Cenote Chikin-Ha · cenote30 min drive · 15 mi
- Voladores de Papantla (Parque Fundadores) · historic site4 min drive · 1.7 mi
- Frida Kahlo Museum Playa del Carmen · museum5 min drive · 1.9 mi
- Playa del Carmen Fifth Avenue · town5 min drive · 1.9 mi
- Museo del Chocolate · museum7 min drive · 2.3 mi
- Parque La Ceiba · nature7 min drive · 2.5 mi
- Xplor · adventure park11 min drive · 4.5 mi
- Delphinus Riviera Maya · adventure park15 min drive · 5.3 mi
- Cenote Chaak Tun · cenote15 min drive · 5.4 mi
- El Camaleón Golf Course · golf20 min drive · 8.3 mi
- Puerto Aventuras Golf Course · golf25 min drive · 14 mi
- Playa Maroma · beach30 min drive · 14 mi
- Cenote Chac Mool · cenote30 min drive · 14 mi
- Iberostar Playa Paraíso Golf Club · golf35 min drive · 16 mi
- Cenote Tajma-Ha · cenote35 min drive · 17 mi
Amenities
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Style & Rooms
Atmosphere
Seaweed & sargassum
Playa del Carmen gets sargassum, typically worst May through August.See the month-by-month guide →Google Reviews★ 4.6 · 8,835 reviews
“Absolutely loved this hotel! The staff were really friendly, efficient and work really hard. Room was very spacious and cleaned every day with mini bar being topped up every 2 days. It was a 5 minute walk to the beach or you can take a golf buggy dow...”
“First time in Mexico and can’t wait to go back! Rooms are amazing and being on the ground floor was a bonus and no bugs etc! The location of the pools to the main area and restaurants was fantastic and you can get to everywhere very easily . The bea...”
“Our connected room was perfect. Rooms were clean and the air conditioning in the rooms was lovely. Staff was friendly and helpful. Restaurants had variety which was nice. My tip for the freshest food for buffet and a la carte is to go closer to when...”
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