RIU All-Inclusive Resorts: Which One Should You Choose?

It is one of the questions our advisors hear most: "A RIU is a RIU, right?" The answer shapes the whole trip. On Arena Gorda beach in Punta Cana, the adults-only Riu Republica and the family-friendly Riu Palace Bavaro sit almost side by side, yet they deliver two vacations with nothing in common. This guide sorts the RIU resorts our advisors book in the Caribbean and Mexico by destination, by type of traveller and by brand, so you can call us already knowing what you are looking for.

RIU, RIU Palace or RIU Plaza: what does the name mean?

The Spanish chain groups its hotels under three brands. RIU hotels, most of them rated five stars, are the core of the offer: large resorts with 24-hour all-inclusive service, buffets, themed restaurants and entertainment. RIU Palace resorts step up the décor and the service, and several now include an Elite Club, a section of rooms with its own spaces and services.

RIU Plaza properties are city hotels, without an all-inclusive plan. In Panama, the Riu Plaza Panama, in the capital's financial district, works well for a stopover night before or after the beach.

One more name shows up in brochures: RIU Party. It is not a hotel brand but the themed night the chain hosts at some of its resorts, which guests of nearby RIU hotels can often join.

Adults-only or family-friendly?

This is the real first decision, ahead of the beach or the brand. These are the RIU resorts the chain lists as adults-only on its own pages: in Cancún, the Riu Cancun, Riu Palace Las Americas and Riu Palace Kukulkan; in Costa Mujeres, the Riu Latino; in Playacar, the Riu Palace Mexico; in Los Cabos, the Riu Palace Baja California; on the Riviera Nayarit, the Riu Palace Pacifico; in Punta Cana, the Riu Republica and Riu Palace Macao; in Jamaica, the Riu Montego Bay, Riu Reggae and Riu Palace Jamaica; in Aruba, the Riu Palace Antillas.

All the others welcome families, most with the RIU Land kids' club. The minimum age at adults-only resorts varies from one property to the next, and your advisor confirms it when booking.

RIU resorts in Cancún and Costa Mujeres

In Cancún's Hotel Zone, the Riu Caribe welcomes families and also hosts the RIU Party nights for the neighbouring hotels. The Riu Cancun, for guests 18 and over, the Riu Palace Las Americas, at Punta Cancún, and the Riu Palace Kukulkan, across from La Isla shopping centre, are adults-only. The Riu Palace Peninsula reopened in July 2026 after a renovation that added an Elite Club, and the Riu Ventura, the newest of the group, opened in December 2025 on Playa Delfines.

Farther north, Costa Mujeres feels calmer, away from the buzz of Kukulcán Boulevard. The Riu Dunamar in Costa Mujeres and the Riu Palace Costa Mujeres share the Splash Water World water park and the Pacha nightclub, a combination that works well for families with teenagers. Their neighbour, the adults-only Riu Latino, welcomes guests 18 and over. RIU has announced a fourth resort in the area, the adults-only Riu Palace Quintana Roo, for May 2027.

RIU resorts in the Riviera Maya, in Playacar

Playacar, the residential area south of Playa del Carmen, is where the chain started in Mexico. The Riu Yucatan, opened in 1997, was the country's very first RIU. The Riu Tequila hosts the RIU Party for all the RIU hotels in Playa del Carmen, and the Riu Lupita is home to a Pacha nightclub. The Riu Playacar, rebuilt from the ground up in 2015, and the Riu Palace Riviera Maya, which keeps adults-only areas, round out the family offer.

Couples looking for quiet should look at the Riu Palace Mexico, adults-only, which reopened in fall 2026 after a full renovation and now has an Elite Club with private-pool rooms.

RIU resorts in Punta Cana

At Arena Gorda, north of Bávaro, the RIU hotels form a true resort complex on the same beach, with the Splash Water World water park. The Riu Bambu and the Riu Palace Punta Cana suit families well, as does the Riu Palace Bavaro, renovated and expanded in 2024, which now has 994 rooms and the first Elite Club ever placed in a family RIU Palace. The Riu Republica and the Riu Palace Macao are adults-only.

A clarification, because many travellers still search for it: the Riu Naiboa is gone. RIU demolished it to expand the Riu Palace Bavaro, which reopened in 2024 and now occupies its land.

RIU resorts in Jamaica

RIU runs seven resorts on the island's north coast. At Mahoe Bay, near Montego Bay, the Riu Montego Bay and the Riu Reggae are adults-only. Their neighbour, the Riu Palace Jamaica, also adults-only, is closed for renovation until December 2026. Farther east, in Trelawny, the Riu Palace Aquarelle, opened in 2024, is aimed at families with its family suites, RIU Land kids' club and water park.

In Negril, on Bloody Bay, the Riu Negril, fully renovated in 2024, and the Riu Palace Tropical Bay welcome families. In Ocho Rios, the Riu Ocho Rios opened the chain's first Splash Water World in Jamaica in 2019. After Hurricane Melissa in October 2025, RIU's Jamaican resorts resumed operations, and only the Riu Palace Jamaica remains closed, for its renovation.

Los Cabos, Riviera Nayarit and Mazatlán

On Mexico's Pacific coast, Cabo San Lucas lines up three RIU resorts on El Médano beach. The Riu Santa Fe and its water park draw families, the Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas, the first RIU in Los Cabos, welcomes them too, and the Riu Palace Baja California is adults-only.

On the Riviera Nayarit, north of Puerto Vallarta, Flamingos beach is home to the Riu Vallarta and the Riu Flamingos, formerly the Riu Jalisco, renamed in May 2026, both open to families. The Riu Palace Pacifico has been adults-only since its renovation. In Mazatlán, the Riu Emerald Bay, on Las Brujas beach, has its own water park.

Costa Rica, Panama and Aruba

In Costa Rica, on Matapalo beach in Guanacaste, the Riu Guanacaste has just come out of a full renovation that redesigned its 1,041 rooms. Its neighbour, the Riu Palace Costa Rica, is closed for renovation until April 2027. In Panama, the Riu Playa Blanca welcomes families on the Pacific coast.

In Aruba, on Palm Beach, the Riu Palace Antillas is adults-only and has a casino. Its neighbour, the Riu Palace Aruba, reopened in July 2026 after a full renovation and welcomes families.

Is the water park included?

At resorts that have one, Splash Water World is part of the all-inclusive plan. That includes the Riu Dunamar and Riu Palace Costa Mujeres, the RIU complex in Punta Cana, the Riu Santa Fe, the Riu Emerald Bay, the Riu Ocho Rios, the Riu Palace Aquarelle and the Guanacaste resorts. If the kids only talk about waterslides, start with that list.

What your advisor checks for you

RIU resorts change quickly: renovations, reopenings, new names, new Elite Clubs. A resort can close for work in the very season you want to travel. Our advisors follow these announcements, compare availability with tour operators departing from Canadian gateways, and find the room that fits your group.

Talk to an AquaTerra advisor at 1 866 628-6241.

Voyages AquaTerra holds a Quebec travel agency licence. Booking with a Quebec-licensed agency gives access to the Compensation Fund for Customers of Travel Agents (FICAV), which covers specific situations; conditions are detailed at opc.gouv.qc.ca. The information in this guide was checked against RIU's official pages on October 7, 2026, and may change without notice.