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Cabo Riu Palace Adults-Only: Pools, Beaches, Food, and Value

If you’re looking at staying at Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas (adults only) and wondering if it’s worth it, here’s my honest take.

It’s not ultra luxury like Hammock Cove Antigua, but for the price it really delivers.

What We Paid (June Trip)

For context, we booked this as a package with flights and hotel included.

I thought this was a really good deal for Cabo, especially for an adults-only all-inclusive.

We booked it as a flight + hotel package, which I’d recommend at least checking because it can sometimes be cheaper than booking separately.

What the Trip Actually Felt Like

Slow mornings grabbing coffee, heading straight to the pool, and staying there most of the afternoon. Just drinks, music, and relaxing! We’d freshen up, go to dinner, and then either walk over to another resort or check out whatever entertainment was going on that night.

It was a really easy trip to settle into without feeling like you had to plan much.

Sunset Cruise (Best Thing We Did!)

This was easily the highlight of the entire trip! If you’re going to Cabo, I really think a sunset cruise is a must!

You go right by the Arch at sunset. Drinks, music, being out on the water. It ended up being more memorable than anything we did at the resort.

If you’re looking for one, this is the sunset cruise we did and I’d book something ahead of time since they can fill up. We waited until at the resort and they did not have much availability left.

You Can Use Multiple Riu Resorts

One thing I didn’t fully realize was how we would be able to use multiple Riu resorts all right next to each other and just how many different spaces each of them provided.

It honestly feels like miles of pools and beachfront. You can switch it up depending on what kind of vibe you want, but people with the other resort wristbands can’t come over to your side, which is a huge bonus.

We went over to the sports bar one night and it ended up being one of the more fun nights. We even randomly ran into a couple NFL players, which was one of Chris’s highlights of the trip!

Pool vs Beach (What to Expect in Cabo)

I’m usually much more of a beach person, but at this resort I spent most of my time at the pool. I mean who would ever want to leave the infinity pool with the perfect views and pool bar?!

Something to know if you’ve never been to Cabo, the water is pretty rough at most beaches. This resort is within walking distance to a swimmable beach, but do not expect to be able to hop in the ocean right in front of the resort.

Food and Drinks

I went in expecting average all-inclusive food, but it was much much better than I thought.

There were plenty of options, and we never had a bad meal. Drinks also surprised me and were not your typical watered down all inclusive drinks. They had a large drink menu to choose from, and I love trying pretty much all of them!

I will be honest… the food and drinks are not on the level of Hammock Cove or Secrets, but for what you’re paying it holds up really well.

If food and a more upscale feel are a big priority, I also wrote about Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana, which is definitely a step up overall.

One Other Thing We Did (Scuba)

We also did a quick scuba dive one day. Quick in large part because I underestimated how rough the waters in Cabo can be at times! That is why I wouldn’t recommend Cabo as a first-time scuba destination (unless you like feeling like you are in a washing machine lol).

It was still really cool to do and worth it if you already dive more frequently than me, just not the calm Caribbean-type water you might expect. The people we booked with were awesome though and gave us half our money back since we only felt comfortable doing the first dive.

Entertainment and Overall Vibe

This is where Riu does a great job!

There were normally things going on at night if you wanted them. Karaoke, poker demos, mezcal and tequila tastings, shows, and sometimes late night pool parties! There is definitely a party option if you want it, especially if you go over to the other resorts.

We kept things more laid back most of the time and never felt like it was overly loud or chaotic around our area of the resort. We didn’t hear noise at night or feel like anything was disruptive.

Some of the reviews mentioning noise might be from rooms further inside the property, like garden view areas, but that wasn’t our experience in the ocean view room.

Rooms and Small Details

We also skipped the Elite Club upgrade and didn’t feel like we missed anything. However, I would recommend the upgrade to ocean view over garden view, especially if you appreciate less noises from late night entertainment.

A Few Things to Know

Who This Is Best For

Who It’s Not For

If I Were Booking This Again

I would book the same room type and plan the sunset cruise ahead of time.

I’d also go into it expecting to spend most of the time at the pool and treat the beach more as something to walk, not the main activity.

Final Thoughts: Is It Worth It?

For around $4K total for a week with flights, I thought the value was really strong.

If you’re looking for a fun adults-only Cabo resort with a great pool setup and a mix of relaxed and social, I would recommend it.

If you’re wanting a more high-end or quiet luxury experience, there are probably better options but would be pushing into another price range.

I’d also check current prices for your dates since Cabo pricing can move around quite a bit depending on the time of year.

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