Casitas Royale - 4 Nights, Playa del Carmen, Mexico

We liked the food, with lots to choose from, and the entertainment team did their best to get everyone involved. The beach was lovely and the sea very clean. We walked the three miles there on a few days and took the bus back. The shuttle itself was very good, and the drivers were friendly. We also used the Mexican, Italian, and Steakhouse restaurants. Booking the Steakhouse took us four tries: we had to queue at 7am, and it was full by 7:10. Most staff were helpful and friendly, though the bar staff sometimes weren’t as good. They seemed busy serving the rowdier guests, and it could be hard to get their attention. The rest of the staff were brilliant. I was glad there was an adult pool because the main pool could get noisy with music. The rooms didn’t feel set up for relaxing, with no soft chairs or sofa despite having enough space. I wish there had been somewhere else within walking distance. Looking back, we’d have preferred a beachfront place with more comfortable rooms, quieter areas, and somewhere to walk to.

We chose Riu Lupita to celebrate 20 years as a couple and were very happy with the stay, though the hotel didn’t do anything to mark the occasion despite our request. It’s a peaceful, friendly, family-oriented resort and a lovely base for discovering Playa del Carmen. The shuttle to the private beach takes about 15 minutes. It’s useful for getting to 5th Avenue too, where there’s a long pedestrian street with restaurants, shops, the ferry to Cozumel Island, a church, and plenty more to explore. The hotel’s services and activities made for a great stay. Adelita was our favorite restaurant, with a varied menu, and there were five other restaurants and bars to choose from. Most staff were pleasant and very friendly. One receptionist was the exception. We found her unpleasant, unhelpful, and dishonest from the start to the end of our stay. We don’t know her name, but she has many piercings and tattoos and a split tongue. She was the only downside. The Sunwing representative, Eduardo, was at the hotel every weekday. He was pleasant and attentive, and helpful with excursion options and advice about places to visit.

Lupita was a lovely, mostly quiet green place surrounded by nature. The rooms are roomy and cleaned every day, although newer bath towels and bed sheets would make a big difference. It’s about ten minutes from the beach, with a bus every half hour, and the Lupita beach club has everything you need to spend the whole day there. There’s a great choice of fresh food for vegetarians as well as meat and fish eaters, and the fruit juices are fresh. The cocktails made with fresh fruit were excellent, especially the passion fruit margaritas. Nighttime entertainment was great, and the staff were very friendly.

We had a nice holiday at Riu Lupita in Jan 2026. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the resort had what we needed. Check-in after midnight was quick, with no queue. Checkout was easy too: since our flight was later in the day, they gave us a place to store our luggage and somewhere to shower. We mostly stayed and ate around the main pool, with plenty of buffet choices that we liked. The Italian a la carte was fine, and the salmon was great. We’re mainly pool people, but the beach is a short ride away and the resort bus runs all day. Two things bothered us: the buffet coffee wasn’t good, though the main bar’s coffee was great, and there were too many coatis roaming around. They were generally harmless but became annoying. We’d suggest putting in some high frequency units.