Hotel Riu Tequila
Hotel Riu Tequila is a family-friendly all-inclusive resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico with 630 rooms. Amenities include Babysitting, Beach, Buffet Dining, Diving and Gym. Travelers rate it 4.6/5 across 8,835 Google reviews.
Atmosphere
Amenities
Traveler Insights(153 discussions)
First, a correction worth making loudly: Hotel Riu Tequila is a family resort, not an adults-only one - you'll see an 18+ figure on booking sites, but that's just the minimum age to check in and book, not a guest age restriction. The property has the RiuLand Kids' Club for ages 4-7 and 8-12 plus a children's pool with slides, and recent reviewers describe it as 'a great hotel for families travelling with teens.' The other fact you need before booking: it is not beachfront. The beach is about a 10-minute walk through Playacar, and the golf-cart shuttle runs less often than advertised.
With that established, the Playacar location is a genuine asset. Playa del Carmen's 5th Avenue shopping, beach clubs, and restaurant scene are close enough to make off-resort days easy and rewarding, and the Riviera Maya location gives better cenote and ruins access than Cancun-area properties. The cross-access arrangement is a real perk that got even better: Riu Tequila guests can use the facilities at both Riu Yucatan and Riu Playacar, including their beach areas, and 2026 guests call the three-resort access a massive plus point for mixed groups.
Older threads knocked the food hard, but that doesn't match current sentiment - 2026 reviews consistently praise the food as 'extremely good' and the staff as amazing. The honest remaining knocks are a dated property, hard beds, and all that walking. This is a budget family-friendly property in a great location for exploring the Riviera Maya - book it for the Playa del Carmen access, the kids' facilities, and the price, knowing the buildings themselves are showing their age.
Pros
- +Genuinely family-friendly Riu with the RiuLand Kids' Club (split into ages 4-7 and 8-12) and a children's pool with slides
- +Playa del Carmen proximity - excellent access to 5th Avenue shopping, restaurants, and nightlife
- +Riviera Maya location with cenote and ruin excursion access better than Cancun-area properties
- +Nature access - travelers specifically call out wildlife in the jungle-integrated design
- +Cross-access to both Riu Yucatan and Riu Playacar facilities and beach - 2026 guests call the three-resort access 'a massive plus point'
- +Affordable Riu pricing for a Riviera Maya family property
- +Access to Playacar's gated residential area - quieter than the main Playa town
- +Food quality has come up notably in recent reviews - 2026 guests describe it as 'extremely good' with amazing staff
Cons
- −NOT beachfront - the beach requires a roughly 10-minute walk, and the golf-cart shuttle runs less frequently than advertised (guests report logging '20,000 steps a day')
- −The property shows its age - even positive 2026 reviews call the buildings and rooms outdated
- −Both Tequila and Yucatan called 'concrete masses forced over the jungle' by one reviewer
- −Beds are notably firm - 'super hard' per recent guests
- −Often mislabeled adults-only because of the 18+ minimum booking age, which can set wrong expectations either way - it's a family resort with kids around
- −Limited pool space compared to larger Cancun Riu properties
- −Playacar is further from Cancun airport (60-75 min) than Hotel Zone alternatives
- −Entertainment and nightlife on-property limited versus Cancun alternatives
Common Questions
Google Rating
Google 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...”