the hotel staff was too pushy

no fresh juices

coctails not good

we had some problems, and were not friendly at all, and it was their fault...They didn't give any compensation.

too expensive for that level

My partner and I stayed at the Riu Palace Las Americas two years ago in April, so much of this review will be comparison-based. We decided to stay at the Royal for several reasons- one was location. It is within walking distance of the shopping and nightclub areas of the peninsula, convenient to just about everything. Another reason was age; it is only a bit over a year old. The last was the look of the resort in the pictures I saw right here on Tripadvisor. When we arrived, transported from the airport via Olympus Tours, it did not disappoint- everything was just lovely. The attendant quickly whisked us up to the 7th floor where we checked in with the lovely Ariana, our concierge. We were given the ceremonial cold towel and glass of champagne, and asked to fill out some paperwork. We chose pillows, and the time of day we wanted the room cleaned and turndown service in the evening. Ariana told us that our suite wasn't ready, so we went down to Pelicano's for lunch, where we met Ivan, our server. He asked us if we had just arrived (could probably tell by that OMG look on our faces), and then brought us some fried shrimp in a wonderful sauce, which we hadn't asked for but just LOVED. He also brought over some chips and guacamole, yum. I ordered the seabass, and my spouse had scallops, and it was a FABULOUS lunch. The food at the Royal was ten times better than the Riu Palace, better prepared and beautifully served every time. After lunch, we went back up and our suite was ready, number 721. When we entered, we saw rose petals on the bed in the shape of a heart with two swan towel animals, and the jacuzzi was filled with warm water and more petals. I didn't care for the little clumps of brown matter floating around with them however. There was a small cake that said "Happy Anniversary" and a cold bottle of champagne on the table with two glasses. The cake was absolutely delicious, and we washed it down with a couple glasses of bubbly. I liked the suite, but it lacked the atmosphere of the Riu's. I think I would've preferred a couch instead of the jacuzzi; it was fun to climb in the first day, but we never used it after that, and I know a couch wouldn't have been such a novelty. I'm just not one for laying on a bed unless I'm going to sleep. The LCD television was very nice, and I liked the Bose Stereo, especially since I could connect either my or the Hotel's iPod to it and listen to music. The bathroom layout was better suited for one person than two, with the toilet/shower room separated from the sink area. It felt a little tight when both of us tried to get ready to go out at the same time, and my partner didn't care for the little window in the headboard of the bed that looked through to the toilet and shower- privacy issues. There was a hammock on the balcony that we both enjoyed taking naps in, but being on the seventh floor, there was only a privacy wall on one side- the other was totally exposed to the balcony belonging to the next room. It was no big deal, as the people in that suite apparently never came out! The only floors that had walls on either side of the balconies were two, three, and six. The refreshment center was stocked with Coke, Sprite, bottled water, beer, and juice, and the liquor dispenser held vodka, rum, tequila, and gin. There were robes and slippers for both of us, and the towels were the nicest I've ever experienced anywhere I've stayed. The linens on the very plush, comfortable king sized bed were also very soft and supple. Unfortunately, the air conditioning in our room didn't work very well- even on its' lowest setting, the temperature was just bearable. I thought maybe that was just as good as it gets at the Royal, but when we walked into our friend's suite the next day, it was much cooler in there, even though they had the fan on low and the dial on the warmer side. No big deal- just worth mentioning. The ceiling fan over the bed really helped keep the room cool enough at night while we slept.

After some afternoon rest, we went to dinner at Asiana's, and sat by the Hibachi grill. We met some of the nicest people that night, and really enjoyed talking with them while we watched our chef prepare our dinner. The food was wonderful- we had sushi for appetizers, and the mixed teryaki grill (beef, chicken and shrimp) for our entrees. We finished off with tempura ice cream, which I liked a lot more than my spouse. Asiana's is a beautiful restaurant with a nice tropical fish pool just inside the door, and the service here as everywhere was great. We drank Tequila Sunrises before dinner at the recommendation of one of our fellow diners, and they were wonderful. We also liked the Mango Tangos, Riviera Mayas, and Miami Vices by the pool. The only American beer available is Coor's Light- I asked my spouse if he liked it and he said it made him remember his high school days!! After dinner, we went into the game lounge and played ping pong and pool until bedtime. It's very well stocked wtih cold and hot snacks, liquors, beer, sodas, juices, and coffee, and there is always someone making sure that nothing runs low.

The next morning was for tanning, drinking, and swimming, after having a yummy breakfast of burritos and Mimosas at Pelicanos. We went down and got coffee and cappacino from the coffee shop early and it was great. The pool was nice, but not NEARLY as nice as those at the Riu Palace. I missed all the palm trees that were literally everywhere there- the few that were around the pool at the Royal seemed to have seen better days, especially the ones on the activity side. I think they have bitten the dust. The swim-up bar was in a spot that never saw the sun, in what was kind of a corner, and it wasn't pleasant to be in that area. The pool is separated by two tile walls, one under each bridge going across to Pelicano's, and to get from the activity side to the quiet side of the pool, one must crawl over unless willing to get out of the pool and walk to the other side. I can't imagine why these walls are there, or what purpose they serve. The water was warm and inviting, and there were staff members coming by every few minutes taking drink orders. The activity guys played volleyball with the guests, and there was bingo and water aerobics a few days too, but it wasn't nearly as fun as the pool sports at the Riu. They had more staff working with the guests by the pool, and the music was MUCH better than at the Royal. The towel hut was staffed by employees of Aqua World, and every once in while they would stop the music and make commercial announcements, which I thought was just plain TACKY. There are pool cabanas everywhere, but some of them are reserved for specific rooms. The pool area seemed a bit crowded to me, but I think some of that has been caused by the almost total loss of beach, and a lot of the chairs and cabanas that were once on it have had to be moved up to the pool. That probably has something to do with the problem that there just aren't enough chairs for all of the guests each day, and the fact tthat you literally have to get out of bed by 7:00am to find a decent place to lay by the pool. The beachtler concept is wonderful- someone pushing a cart around the pool with sun lotions, books, bottled water, and sprays of cool water to soothe your hot skin. Need anything around the pool, just ask Cesar. He'll hook you up. Be careful in the Cancun sun- it's VERY strong, and before you know it, you can be very burned. We saw several people in that state during our vacation. You can get a great tan while wearing 45 SPF like we did. There are two bathrooms that are accessible from the pool area. One is under Pelicano's, and the other is in the spa at the quiet end of the resort. If we put down roots on the activity side of the pool, we used the one under Pelicano's; if on the quiet side, we used the spa. It was BEAUTIFUL, with two warm jacuzzis inside and one very hot one outside (that one is good for evening use after the sun goes down). There's also this little tiny pool in the floor that's filled with ice-cold water- the cold plunge I think it was called. I never saw anyone in there- it would've killed me, I think!! There is a men's side and women's side of the spa, which is nice, and both also have steam and sauna rooms, as well as lockers and full baths with showers. I didn't have any spa services, so I can't comment on them, but my partner used the gym every day, and said it was well equipped and never too busy. Out the back door of the spa there are other in-ground hot tubs, but I never saw a soul in them. There were three of them, I think, and they were all a different temperature, but none were very warm.

We decided to go up and have room service for lunch. We ordered sandwiches and dessert, and it was there in no time, hot and delicious. We couldn't make use of the "magic box" though- we always ordered too much to fit in it!! It's a nice concept, especially since you can put your dirty plates in it, turn on the light, and they will pick them up! A staff member came by that afternoon to refill the refreshment center, so I told him what we needed replaced. The first night there was the only one that we didn't receive turn-down service; I don't know why.
We went to Tapas for dinner, and since we didn't know what to order, the server (GREAT guy who continually called us by name the whole meal) brought us a sampler of the menu, first consisting of cold spreads on little pieces of bread, followed by the parmesan soup (YUM YUM YUM), and a plate of hot foods like beef strips, chicken spring rolls, and shrimp kabobs. We had the chocolate pyramid cake for dessert, and it was one of my favorites. I was stuffed when it was over.

The next morning, we were up early again staking our claim at the pool, and then got coffee and capaccino in the game room. The restaurants open at 7:00am, so if you want anything before that, you can go to the coffee shop at 6:00, or the game lounge any time. We decided to have breakfast at Spice, and I was rather disappointed. I have done a lot of thinking about why I liked the buffet restaurant at the Riu Palace more, and I finally realized the biggest reason on top of the overall beautiful decor was the ceiling height- sounds stupid, but it made the one at the Riu seem so GRAND, like you were walking into a beautiful ballroom. The choices on the buffet were much more limited at the Royal than the Riu, even though there was enough to please anyone well enough. I would say the Riu's buffet was probably three times the size, and that was the one area that the food was as good or better than the Royal's. After breakfast, we got our suits on and hit the pool. Next door at the sister resort, they were busy trying to restore their beach, dumping loads of sand and spreading them with loaders and a backhoe. When we got there, they had absolutely no beach; the ocean was lapping on the sea wall- and when we left, there was probably thirty feet of sand. I wonder how long it will last. It is imperative that the Mexican government finds a way to preserve the beaches in Cancun; without them, tourism will suffer, and eventually, it will endanger the resorts themselves.
We had another great lunch at Pelicano's, and more sunning and swimming during the afternoon. That night we went to Maria Marie's and had dinner. I had lobster bisque and one of the veal dishes, and both were very good. Maria Marie's is in the same building as Tapas and the Chef's Plate and is quite lovely. There are handpainted murals on the walls, and the ceiling in the middle is made of arched brick- I wonder how they did that.

That night, we did the Party Hopper Tour. We went through Alberto, the Olympus Tours Rep in the hotel. He is a super person who is always willing to help in any way. I think we paid $60.00 to go to three clubs and enjoy open bar. We walked down to Corona Bar and met our "chaperone" - this was the guy who would escort us to each club and get our drinks while there. This guy worked, let me tell you. He had a group of about twenty people that he had to watch over (no easy feat for some of those drunk young idiots) and he earned his tips. Corona Bar was first on the tour- didn't care for it much. It was open air, so it was hot, and the music was so loud that it made our eardrums vibrate. I know I had to sustain some hearing damage that night. We walked down to Senor Frogs after about an hour and half at Carona, and I liked it much better. There was a stage where they had little contests going, and the music was more to my liking. I looked across the room at one point and saw a girl hanging upside down from her ankles, being spun like a top. Made me want to hurl, I'll tell you that. I didn't watch long enough to see if she did or not. The third club was The City, and it was far and away the best. This is a huge place, with great lighting, music, shows, bars, etc. We decided to call it a night about 2:00, and our chaperone walked us not only out of the club, but across the street to the bus stop!! He was such a nice person.

After sleeping in the next morning, we went shopping at La Isla Mall, It is within walking distance south of the resort- takes about 10 minutes. La Isla is a very nice outdoor Mall with a lot of stores to choose from. Plaza Fiesta was our favorite store there- it has lots of souvenirs and there are free tequila shots!! By the time we got back to the Royal, it was after lunch and we were starving, so we went up and had room service again- quick and delicious. That evening we decided to go have dinner at Spice, and the choices were good and plentiful.

We had planned to go horseback riding the next morning at Loma Bonita Ranch, but I injured my left leg two days before so we couldn't go. Our friends did, however, and they said it was a wonderul experience. We had to go down and lay by the pool instead- don't you feel sorry for us?? We had lunch at Pelicano's (cheeseburger and fries- yummers) that afternoon, and dinner that night at Maria Marie's (I had a shrimp dish- it was just okay, followed by that WONDERFUL chocolate pyramid cake!!). They were having the casino night in the lobby that night, and it was fun playing roulette and not having to worry about losing real money. Afterward, we went up to start packing for the trip home the next day. Our shuttle picked us up at 8:45am for a 12:50 flight that afternoon.

I really liked the Royal, in some ways more than the Riu Palace, such as the beds and food. But I did not like the open air lobby; one evening it was just plain hot in there and we couldn't be comfortable. The Royal did not have the great layout that the Riu did either; there was just so much more room to manouver at the Palace. There seemed to be some overall polish missing at the Royal when compared to the Riu as well. In one of my pictures, you'll notice the waterfall feature immediately below our suite down at the pool; I could look down and see the bare pipes feeding it in the back. That part could have been so easily covered so they wouldn't be seen by the public. There were little things like that here and there around the resort that prevented it from having the absolute grandeur they intended. Don't get me wrong- it was a beautiful hotel and I enjoyed my stay there immensely. It's only natural to compare the two, and there's a lesson here. You'll never enjoy any trip to Cancun more than your first, if you do it right. Everything after that will be held up in comparison. I would highly recommend the Royal as well as the Riu, and would stay at either if I had the chance in the future. Happy travels everyone!!

My wife say's I complain about everything. Well until we stayed in Playa Del Carmen at the Royal Real. 10/10. Thank you Thank you Thank you. A little piece of HEAVEN. The Staff, the food The ombiance, amazing. I didn't know Mexico could serve you so well. Regards Jim Walker High River Alberta, Canada.

Just returned from the Royal in Cancun, as well as the Royal in Playa del Carmen (separate and similar review). My fiancee had never been to an all-inclusive and was highly impressed with all aspects of the Royal. The architecture was beautiful with dark wood accents adding a rich look to the decor. For some reason, we could not access the online check-in, even through we had the correct room category to do so. When we arrived, we were told 2 doubles - no king bedded rooms available in our category of Royal Jr. Suite Oceanview. Unless we wanted to pay an additional $30 per night for the Oceanfront. After 90 seconds or so of polite whining, we were bumped up to Oceanfront (gratis). But oddly enough, the layout of the property (which is parallel to the ocean) gives the appearance of every room being oceanfront anyway. Just like the Royal in Playa, the service was exceptional, the grounds are meticulously maintained and the resort is so spotless you could eat off the floor. The staff is humble, helpful and accommodating. The suites offer all the amenities you would expect to find in a luxury resort (although the toiletries could have been better), and the website does an admirable job of detailing all the extra perks and things that make the Royal stand out. The "magic box" for discreet room service is a great idea, as is the 24-hour lounge with a full bar and round-the-clock snacks. We could not walk past it without popping in for a plate of nachos and shooting pool. While not every menu item is going to knock your socks off, you at least have 6 restaurants to choose from - and there are plenty of tasty things to satisfy most people. If you are a true food snob, you might skip all-inclusives entirely. Artfully presented and service with a smile go along way. Five out of 6 eateries require no reservations - just walk in and be seated. Even at the buffet, they are quick to take your plate to the table for you. The gift shop is more than adequate, and the spa was heavenly. They have pretty much thought of everything. The only drawback seems to be the beach. Or what's left of it. I believe they own the property next door, and construction was in progress - a bulldozer, backhoe and 3 dump trucks - that ultimately made their way to the Royal to replenish sand, most likely lost from hurricanes and erosion. This made for a small beach area and a somewhat claustrophic pool area, which limits some of the late afternoon sun. Tip: The pool staff will let you snag a beach bed (private cabana) even though they are reserved for certain upper-category suites. Just be sure to vacate it if the rightful guests come to claim it. Overall, highly recommended.