In Cabo San Lucas, there is a section of beach along El Ríoano where the water appears unbelievably blue from a distance and the sand remains golden for the majority of the year. The Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas, a sizable, cream-colored building with redbrick cupolas that you can see from down the shore before you can read the sign, is located directly on that stretch, approximately four and a half kilometers from the town center. It’s difficult to overlook. In a way, that’s the point.
The hotel opened in 2004 and underwent its most recent renovation in 2016, placing it in an intriguing middle zone where everything is still operating smoothly but some areas are beginning to show signs of aging. Longtime visitors notice things like a ceiling here and a bathroom drain there, but first-timers are frequently just intimidated by the size of the establishment.
There’s a lot to cover with 692 rooms spread over four floors and ten different room categories, ranging from standard sea-view doubles that start at about $126 per person per nite to Jacuzzi suites that cost closer to $166. It appears that most visitors wind up spending more time at the pools than exploring the hallways.
The core of the experience here is the 24-hour all-inclusive format. Italian, Japanese, Indian, Mexican, and international fusion cuisine can be found in seven restaurants. There is also a main buffet with live cooking stations that patrons frequently comment on as being more impressive than they had anticipated, with regular appearances of lobster, steak, and enormous shrimp.
Swim-up options are among the four bars that keep things going all day. It’s important to remember that the themed specialty restaurants are first-come, first-served, so if you have a specific craving, you will almost certainly need to arrive around six o’clock in the evening. In an otherwise low-friction setup, it’s a minor point of friction, but it’s the kind of detail that makes a good stay stand out from a great one.
The property’s pool situation is actually one of its best features. There are a total of four pools: two with swim-up bars, an adult-only infinity pool that faces the Sea of Cortez and borders the beach, and a family-friendly pool for kids. It’s difficult not to feel that the scenery alone makes the trip worthwhile when you’re sitting in that adult-only pool on a clear morning with nothing separating you from the horizon and the rock formations visible offshore.
Despite being esthetically pleasing, the beach itself carries a near-permanent red flag because of strong currents and big waves, which are a result of geography rather than a resort flaw. The activity here isn’t really swimming in the ocean. It’s important to be aware of that before making a reservation.
The staff is one item that frequently appears in hundreds of guest reviews. Bartenders, servers, and fitness instructors are mentioned by name, which speaks to the team’s apparent level of personal attention. While still checking out, a fifty-year-old Polish couple wrote about organizing their return trip. An American family celebrating a birthday stated that, aside from outings, they didn’t see any need to leave the property. On his fifth visit, a repeat customer called out specific employees by name and vowed to come back for a sixth. The pools are not the only source of that level of loyalty.
The entertainment options are effectively expanded without requiring guests to travel to unfamiliar locations thanks to access to the nearby Riu Santa Fe property, which shares the beachfront strip and hosts the renowned RIU Party nites in its pool. Concerts, Mexican dance performances, and aqua aerobics during the day for individuals seeking structure are all part of the Palace’s evening programming. For families, the Santa Fe property’s Splash Water World offers an additional level.
It seems that Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas is best suited for visitors who are aware of what it is—a sizable, vibrant, well-staffed all-inclusive on one of Cabo’s most accessible beaches, with excellent food, potent cocktails, and reliable service—rather than anticipating something understated or boutique. When expectations are properly managed, most people appear to be satisfied. Some depart with plans to return.
