All You Need to Know About the Children Club
at Hotel Riu Jalisco
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Children Club review highlights
... that one has a pool bar and the other has slides and the kids club is beside it both were shared with everyone generally...
... other one was open and we did not have to rush anywhere! Kids club was ok, but my kids felt boring and did not wanted to...
... go out. Lots of chairs at both the pool and the beach. Kids club is below average. Our kids love to be 'independent' and...
Most popular question about the children club
... is really picky on the age, Or is it just a sign that says that? Also, is it part of the kids club? I was hoping we could just sit in lounge chairs there and watch him play.
Answer from Heidi J
Nov 2023 |
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Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
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Kids Club
Family Resort
Reviews that mention children club
Write a reviewWe spent a week in the beginning of March 2010 and were very pleased with the resort. Upon check-in we upgraded to a master suite and from there everything was even more magnificent. House keeping set up 2 cots for our girls in the living area and we had a very comfortable kingsize bed that was in a raised portion of the room. There was a large bathroom that rivalled that of the RIU Palace in Cabo's suites and the most amazing 2 storey balcony with a Jacuzzi tub on the top floor. Our suite was the closest to ocean and each morning I would sit on the balcony and watch the waves against the beach at the neighbouring properties as the Clubhotel Riu Jalisco has mature Palm trees at the beach and no view of the waves on the beach is available directly infront of the hotel.
We at most breakfasts in the main restaurant and were pleased with the variety and freshness. My personal favourite were the made to order omelets and freshly blended juices. Lunch was skipped most days except the kids would have a plate of fries and a softserve icecream from beach restaurant but at the beach party I had to have some of the yummy seafood cooked fresh and served hot right on the beach (it went really well with my pina colada in a real coconut - also prepared right there on the beach).
For dinner we ate in the main restaurant as there was a continually changing menu - we found that by getting there at close to the opening time lots of families were eating and the food was fresh and available. Our table service was excellent. I personally enjoyed the mexican coffees prepared tableside and often waited to finish our dinner with one. Our girls enjoyed the selfserve icecream bar every evening...yes 2 icecreams most days - this must have been a vacation :)
There are 2 pools and they are often labelled here as adults and children but I think that refers to the fact that one has a pool bar and the other has slides and the kids club is beside it both were shared with everyone generally based on the availablity of loungers. There are quite a few children at this resort but most are very well behaved (better behaved than some of the drunks thats for sure). Be aware that this is a family resort before planning your vacation but it is also geared to meet the needs of everyone.
The beach is beautiful and there are a few permanent structure vendors set up on the beach which reduces the number of vendors walking to your seats but still allows you to pick up that t-shirt or get your hair braided at a great price.
The only downside to the vacation was that I lost my camera card - no it wasn't stolen - in my rush to pack I must have dropped it after I took it out of the safe so I'm now left with mainly memories not photos (just the middle two days) - I guess we'll have to go back so we can get some more photos... yes the resort was so nice we would consider returning which is something we generally don't do as the world has so many places we'd like to see.
We at most breakfasts in the main restaurant and were pleased with the variety and freshness. My personal favourite were the made to order omelets and freshly blended juices. Lunch was skipped most days except the kids would have a plate of fries and a softserve icecream from beach restaurant but at the beach party I had to have some of the yummy seafood cooked fresh and served hot right on the beach (it went really well with my pina colada in a real coconut - also prepared right there on the beach).
For dinner we ate in the main restaurant as there was a continually changing menu - we found that by getting there at close to the opening time lots of families were eating and the food was fresh and available. Our table service was excellent. I personally enjoyed the mexican coffees prepared tableside and often waited to finish our dinner with one. Our girls enjoyed the selfserve icecream bar every evening...yes 2 icecreams most days - this must have been a vacation :)
There are 2 pools and they are often labelled here as adults and children but I think that refers to the fact that one has a pool bar and the other has slides and the kids club is beside it both were shared with everyone generally based on the availablity of loungers. There are quite a few children at this resort but most are very well behaved (better behaved than some of the drunks thats for sure). Be aware that this is a family resort before planning your vacation but it is also geared to meet the needs of everyone.
The beach is beautiful and there are a few permanent structure vendors set up on the beach which reduces the number of vendors walking to your seats but still allows you to pick up that t-shirt or get your hair braided at a great price.
The only downside to the vacation was that I lost my camera card - no it wasn't stolen - in my rush to pack I must have dropped it after I took it out of the safe so I'm now left with mainly memories not photos (just the middle two days) - I guess we'll have to go back so we can get some more photos... yes the resort was so nice we would consider returning which is something we generally don't do as the world has so many places we'd like to see.
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It was our first time going to RIU hotels in this side of Mexico. We find it very convenient and very cozy being in high rise hotel. Everything is right there, no long walks, restaurants are everywhere. The beach area was very beautiful, combination of grass, palm trees and gold sparkling sand. Water at this season ( Dec 2014) was warm. Swimming pool water was very hot, it felt like bath-tub! we did not have to worry about kids being cold at all. Also the pool was so shallow, witch was perfect for children at age 6 and up. The day time activities were nice but they had to close everything including the pool volleyball while everybody were playing and enjoying it. 5 pm, what was very upsetting. As soon as the activities were closed and taken away it became very- very boring for those who does not drink, but the ones who does.............drink, drink, drink. The rooms were clean, the stuff was friendly, the food was good! We could eat any time we felt hungry. If one restaurant was closed the other one was open and we did not have to rush anywhere! Kids club was ok, but my kids felt boring and did not wanted to stay there. I fish there was more activities for children, maybe some water slides, soccer. The beach was not suitable for snorkeling, it was mostly small waives but was fun for kids.
This hotel did not have much entreatment at the beach area at day time like some Iberostar hotels does and the night show was quite sad. Movie night under the sky were amazing but mosquitoes were taking advantage.
We took a few trips to the city that we did not enjoy as much, because over all we do not like being limited in timing and being taken to the places that the operators make a business arrangements, like the silver shop
we went with very expensive prices. The "restaurants" that were included in the trips were terrible. Playa Vallarta it self is amazing place and was worth to see!
If you are traveling with older children or family and booking 2 rooms I will suggest to call the hotel upfront and ask to have it beside each other. It was very convenient because it had one main door and then 2 unit doors that you could keep open and it felt like one huge suite!
I would really want to share my horrible experience with SUN WING flight. I will never ever use this airline.
We were flying for around 5 hours and the flight attendance would never keep quiet. Kids were very tired and wanted to sleep and they could not because of them speaking very loud, non stop and promoting some items for sale, then asking for donation for different purposes. When the time came to get our meals and since we were seating almost at the end, my kids did not get a pizza because it finished and since my children does not eat sandwiches they staid hungry. The food was bed. It was very cold in the plain and we did not have any worm cloths and we needed a blanket. But the blankets were for sale only for $12 dollars. I had no choice and had to buy it. The blankets were so thin that I could watch movie trough it and it did not helped at all to warm up. I got seek and could not recover for almost a month. The head phone were for sale too and they brook with in an hour. Drinks and snacks were for sale too! Unbelievable! Feels like this airline will be charging for use of washrooms and toilet paper next time. Hopefully they have enough money to maintain their plains so they do not crush. Like never before this flight was so scary that we could not rest and were panicking because of the turbulence. It felt that the wings are flapping and would fell of any moment.
This hotel did not have much entreatment at the beach area at day time like some Iberostar hotels does and the night show was quite sad. Movie night under the sky were amazing but mosquitoes were taking advantage.
We took a few trips to the city that we did not enjoy as much, because over all we do not like being limited in timing and being taken to the places that the operators make a business arrangements, like the silver shop
we went with very expensive prices. The "restaurants" that were included in the trips were terrible. Playa Vallarta it self is amazing place and was worth to see!
If you are traveling with older children or family and booking 2 rooms I will suggest to call the hotel upfront and ask to have it beside each other. It was very convenient because it had one main door and then 2 unit doors that you could keep open and it felt like one huge suite!
I would really want to share my horrible experience with SUN WING flight. I will never ever use this airline.
We were flying for around 5 hours and the flight attendance would never keep quiet. Kids were very tired and wanted to sleep and they could not because of them speaking very loud, non stop and promoting some items for sale, then asking for donation for different purposes. When the time came to get our meals and since we were seating almost at the end, my kids did not get a pizza because it finished and since my children does not eat sandwiches they staid hungry. The food was bed. It was very cold in the plain and we did not have any worm cloths and we needed a blanket. But the blankets were for sale only for $12 dollars. I had no choice and had to buy it. The blankets were so thin that I could watch movie trough it and it did not helped at all to warm up. I got seek and could not recover for almost a month. The head phone were for sale too and they brook with in an hour. Drinks and snacks were for sale too! Unbelievable! Feels like this airline will be charging for use of washrooms and toilet paper next time. Hopefully they have enough money to maintain their plains so they do not crush. Like never before this flight was so scary that we could not rest and were panicking because of the turbulence. It felt that the wings are flapping and would fell of any moment.
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Room Tip: ocean view are always great!
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To summarize quickly, this hotel was very average. We are a family of four .. late 30s parents, 4 and 6 year old kids. We are not overly unhappy nor super enthusiastic to return. So .. lets break it down.
The buffet food is good. Nothing too complicated or fancy, just good average food. Not too greasy, different a bit everyday, always bacon available at breakfast. The decor was nice. The a la carte restaurants were below average. The service at the steak restaurant was ridiculous. After 40mins, we finally complained that they had not even taken our order yet. Asian is tasty, but still just a buffet. Mexican is good, but still half buffet. Did not try the italian. Lunch at the beach buffet was lovely.
Lobby is open and spacious .. nice look to the hotel. Fair size, not claustrophobic and you do not require a bus to get around it. Showers were always hot.
Don't forget to go over to Riu Vallarta (go to beach, turn left, travel 100 meters past condos, look left, very easy :-) Lunch buffet is nice and a little different, two new pools to try. Makes for a different day 'in'.
The night life is quite average. The show bar is nice .. half indoor, half outdoor ..mostly sheltered if it rains. Tables and not an auditorium which we liked. Shows were pretty good. Michael Jackson below average, circus, and some others better than average. Not much to do after the show. Many go to bed, bars near the show and in the lobby stay open till midnight, then start turning off lights. Only thing open late is the disco. Nice to dance a bit, but more interesting for some to sit around and talk and have drinks. You will have to improvise that a bit. Also, for the English speaking .. there is considerably more than average Spanish speaking patrons and so meeting people to chat with is a bit more challenging. The sports bar is also open .. but not a great spot at night (or anytime) you need to pay to play pool of Foosball (never seen that before). The all day food there is in the fridge and you need to grill it yourself, on a grill which they turn off all the time and needs 20 mins to warm up. Service at the bars was pretty good. They never did not have the liquor I asked for.
The pools are great. Enough said. The beach is really nice. The sand is not good for castles. We were shocked when they told us that the sea kayaks were not for kids .. who were both standing there with life jackets on (they do not have any kid life jackets). They were not overly difficult about it and let us go out. Lots of chairs at both the pool and the beach.
Kids club is below average. Our kids love to be 'independent' and get away from us. Did not want to go back after the first day. Tiny pool, no playground, VERY limited hours, small indoor area, few activities. Our kids never went back after the first day. They tried twice, but it was closed ..recurring theme. They made balloon animals for the kids outside the buffet a few nights which the kids loved. They set up a WII as well every night.
Nuevo Vallarta is much more isolated that Puerto Vallarta. Whereas in Puerto Vallarta you can walk out of any hotel and be on the strip, Nuevo Vallarta is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. All excursions are a long bus ride to or past Puerto Vallarta. Currently, the bus ride from the airport for flights from vancouver, calgary are over an hour due to construction of a bridge you need to cross. We tried the 'eden' ziplining which worked great for our very adventurous 4 and 6 year olds. Crossing a little canyon about 50-100 feet up .. about 100 yards long. Harnesses were good for their ages and they could hold the handles well. Might be scary for kids not prepared for it. We booked with the guy on the beach .. out the resort, turn right. Excursions with the hotel (nexus tours) were really expensive .. wanted 170 American .. we are Canadian, they are Canadian .. why is it in American .. came out to 230. We paid 160 on the beach for two adults and two kids .. try your bargaining powers :-) FYI, apparently due to a taxi union, excursions will not pick up at the hotel, whether you book with the hotel or not. You will have to take a taxi to another location. Really??
The hotel was nice and clean. Air conditioning worked well. Wifi was good (and free) in the lobby, at the pool and on your balcony if you are interior facing. It is not super fast, but good for emails and light chatting. They did not fill our mini bar one time in 8 days. We had to go get water in the lobby everyday, which was a simple process at the lobby desk. One day we forgot to lock our safe (omg first time in 12 years). We came back to a message saying they locked it for us. Suffice it to say we had a couple of hours of wondering what they took out before they locked it. We insisted they come up quickly to unlock it for us despite telling us it would take hours. Everything was there .. kids tablets, 300+ in cash, wallets, passports .. we tracked down the maid who reported it and compensated her .. above average honesty.
We are pretty athletic and just could not find the gym. Where is it?
If you travel around this time, which we do not normally .. double .. triple the strength of your sunscreen. Several nights the internet told us 'feels like 42' .. imagine the day. Our little boy got some sunburn :-(
Overall, it was not that great .. bud not that bad. We had a nice time, but have had much better times as well. If you have already booked .. you will have a good time, don't worry. If you have not yet booked, maybe look around at some other options. We noticed a lot more English speaking patrons at the Riu Vallarta. You may want to look more at Puerto Vallarta if it is affordable.
The buffet food is good. Nothing too complicated or fancy, just good average food. Not too greasy, different a bit everyday, always bacon available at breakfast. The decor was nice. The a la carte restaurants were below average. The service at the steak restaurant was ridiculous. After 40mins, we finally complained that they had not even taken our order yet. Asian is tasty, but still just a buffet. Mexican is good, but still half buffet. Did not try the italian. Lunch at the beach buffet was lovely.
Lobby is open and spacious .. nice look to the hotel. Fair size, not claustrophobic and you do not require a bus to get around it. Showers were always hot.
Don't forget to go over to Riu Vallarta (go to beach, turn left, travel 100 meters past condos, look left, very easy :-) Lunch buffet is nice and a little different, two new pools to try. Makes for a different day 'in'.
The night life is quite average. The show bar is nice .. half indoor, half outdoor ..mostly sheltered if it rains. Tables and not an auditorium which we liked. Shows were pretty good. Michael Jackson below average, circus, and some others better than average. Not much to do after the show. Many go to bed, bars near the show and in the lobby stay open till midnight, then start turning off lights. Only thing open late is the disco. Nice to dance a bit, but more interesting for some to sit around and talk and have drinks. You will have to improvise that a bit. Also, for the English speaking .. there is considerably more than average Spanish speaking patrons and so meeting people to chat with is a bit more challenging. The sports bar is also open .. but not a great spot at night (or anytime) you need to pay to play pool of Foosball (never seen that before). The all day food there is in the fridge and you need to grill it yourself, on a grill which they turn off all the time and needs 20 mins to warm up. Service at the bars was pretty good. They never did not have the liquor I asked for.
The pools are great. Enough said. The beach is really nice. The sand is not good for castles. We were shocked when they told us that the sea kayaks were not for kids .. who were both standing there with life jackets on (they do not have any kid life jackets). They were not overly difficult about it and let us go out. Lots of chairs at both the pool and the beach.
Kids club is below average. Our kids love to be 'independent' and get away from us. Did not want to go back after the first day. Tiny pool, no playground, VERY limited hours, small indoor area, few activities. Our kids never went back after the first day. They tried twice, but it was closed ..recurring theme. They made balloon animals for the kids outside the buffet a few nights which the kids loved. They set up a WII as well every night.
Nuevo Vallarta is much more isolated that Puerto Vallarta. Whereas in Puerto Vallarta you can walk out of any hotel and be on the strip, Nuevo Vallarta is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. All excursions are a long bus ride to or past Puerto Vallarta. Currently, the bus ride from the airport for flights from vancouver, calgary are over an hour due to construction of a bridge you need to cross. We tried the 'eden' ziplining which worked great for our very adventurous 4 and 6 year olds. Crossing a little canyon about 50-100 feet up .. about 100 yards long. Harnesses were good for their ages and they could hold the handles well. Might be scary for kids not prepared for it. We booked with the guy on the beach .. out the resort, turn right. Excursions with the hotel (nexus tours) were really expensive .. wanted 170 American .. we are Canadian, they are Canadian .. why is it in American .. came out to 230. We paid 160 on the beach for two adults and two kids .. try your bargaining powers :-) FYI, apparently due to a taxi union, excursions will not pick up at the hotel, whether you book with the hotel or not. You will have to take a taxi to another location. Really??
The hotel was nice and clean. Air conditioning worked well. Wifi was good (and free) in the lobby, at the pool and on your balcony if you are interior facing. It is not super fast, but good for emails and light chatting. They did not fill our mini bar one time in 8 days. We had to go get water in the lobby everyday, which was a simple process at the lobby desk. One day we forgot to lock our safe (omg first time in 12 years). We came back to a message saying they locked it for us. Suffice it to say we had a couple of hours of wondering what they took out before they locked it. We insisted they come up quickly to unlock it for us despite telling us it would take hours. Everything was there .. kids tablets, 300+ in cash, wallets, passports .. we tracked down the maid who reported it and compensated her .. above average honesty.
We are pretty athletic and just could not find the gym. Where is it?
If you travel around this time, which we do not normally .. double .. triple the strength of your sunscreen. Several nights the internet told us 'feels like 42' .. imagine the day. Our little boy got some sunburn :-(
Overall, it was not that great .. bud not that bad. We had a nice time, but have had much better times as well. If you have already booked .. you will have a good time, don't worry. If you have not yet booked, maybe look around at some other options. We noticed a lot more English speaking patrons at the Riu Vallarta. You may want to look more at Puerto Vallarta if it is affordable.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Stayed at Riu Jalisco from Mar 14 to 21st. First room we had stunk really bad and was over a construction site, so they moved us to a much nicer view (facing court yard and ocean). Housekeeping was not that good, and we tipped at least $2 daily. Never once changed sheets (sand would still be in them in) and I put a little ink mark on a sheet, which was still there when we left. No funky animal towels either. I think I may have asked for mattress toppers 5-6 times and never got them. I also asked them for the thing on the balcony to hang clothes and swim suits 5-6 times and never got one. Everyone else had one but us. My 5 yr old son had to sleep on the floor for two nights on some blankets from the closet before they finally brought a cot (hubby a big guy, takes over the whole double bed). There is no coffee maker in room (big deal for me) and no alarm clock either. Riu Vallarta patrons can come to Jalisco, but not the other way around. Tons of Mexicans at the resort and many were rude, like we were invaders on their turf, but it was their Holy Week. No issues with theft. Food was OK, but they kept running out of ice cream. Didn't have any for two days. Breakfasts were good (yummy oatmeal...gotta try that). I agree with previous reviews that kids club was NOT really a kids club. You could not drop kids off and chill out like in other resorts. Pool was good, but in need of repair. My son cut toe very bad on one of the slides. Disco stinks, literally. The smell will kill you, ugh! If you go to shows, be prepared for really bad lipsyncing, so bad its funny.
The beach was fantastic, awesome. Boogy boarding was good. We met some really nice people that we hung around with. We all took a local bus to Puerto Vallarta. Lots of fun. Check out the board walk, and the sand statues of Moses and last supper (if they are still there, incredible) Try to have a mango on a stick. Yummy. There is a little flea market that you have to cross over a suspension bridge to get to. Also went to Bucerias. Neat little town. Apparently you can walk there in about 40 minutes, but we took cab.
All in all, not a 5 star resort. But for the money we paid, it was pretty good value.
The beach was fantastic, awesome. Boogy boarding was good. We met some really nice people that we hung around with. We all took a local bus to Puerto Vallarta. Lots of fun. Check out the board walk, and the sand statues of Moses and last supper (if they are still there, incredible) Try to have a mango on a stick. Yummy. There is a little flea market that you have to cross over a suspension bridge to get to. Also went to Bucerias. Neat little town. Apparently you can walk there in about 40 minutes, but we took cab.
All in all, not a 5 star resort. But for the money we paid, it was pretty good value.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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I have just returned from a 4 night stay at the Club Hotel RIU Jalisco, and was not disappointed. I have traveled to many sun destinations, and stayed in a good number of AI`s, and though this was my first time in Puerto Vallarta, I can honestly say it was a great time, and will definitely be returning.
I will start with the controllables:
Check-in/check-out: we arrived late afternoon, just after 3pm, didn't have to wait in line, and room was ready. Checked-out at 11am, no waiting in a long line-up. Efficient and friendly.
Room: we had a "double" room which was two double beds stuck together to make a king. Ok, but not ideal. Bathroom area did not have a door (only the shower has a frosted glass door, and the toilet is separate with a door. It was ok for us, but if you are traveling with someone you would not be comfortable being naked around, then this would not be suitable. The room location was on the second floor (room 2130), excellent spot, great view, close to stairwell leading outside near the main causeway. A strong odor of sewage was noticeable in the stairwell area during the first few days, but was not noticeable by the last day. Otherwise, room was extremely clean and comfortable. The only elevators in the hotel are in the lobby area; if you can't do stairs very well, get something on the 1st or 2nd floor, otherwise it could be a long wait for a lift, or a long walk to your room.
Mini fridge in room and hard liquor (replenished with bottled water and soft drinks every other day). The cold bottled water was very much appreciated.
Food: Don Emiliano and Adelita both serve buffet breakfasts - most people seemed to eat at Don Emiliano, but we found the quality was better at Adelita (really yummy french toast), and alot less crowded. If you choose to eat outside, be prepared to be watched by birds. They are well accustomed to people, but will only eat leftovers at unoccupied tables. It didn't bother us at all.
The best a la carte dinner was La Botana (steakhouse). They are strict about first and second seatings, so you may have to wait a bit for a table. The shrimp, fish and steak were all delicious.
La Piazza serves a great shrimp linguini - otherwise the buffet was ok.
The El Gran Dragon (Japanese) - after checking out the buffet, we realized mostly everything was deep fried (except the sushi), and were turned off by the overpowering smell of oil; we did not stay for dinner and did not return.
Overall, the buffets have lots of variety; my 10-year old usually found something to eat, and she can be quite picky.
Wine/drinks: I am by no means a wine snob, and enjoy a great $10 bottle of wine any day without complaint. The wine at this resort (and most Mexican resorts I am told), was not drinkable. I saw many others consume it, no problem, I just couldn't do it. It was really horrible stuff. If you enjoy a nice glass of wine with dinner, I recommend you bring your own (tetra paks would travel nicely, and I will bring some next time). Otherwise, the mixed drinks, and blended cocktails were all very good. If you want really fast, excellent service from a bar tender, see Ramon at the Pancho bar - he is a multi-tasker! Awesome service!
Coffee: The Sports Bar is open 24 hours, and this is where you get your morning espresso or latte. I was in there every morning by 0730, and never had to wait more than a few minutes for my latte. Really good. The coffee served with breakfast was hit or miss, some mornings it was very watered-down, other days it was yummy.
Pools and entertainment: All excellent. The family pool was going through some maintenance while we were there - the 3 small waterslides were being repainted, and as a result, the pool water was about 1.5 feet lower than usual. Small inconvenience, but otherwise it was fine. The day we left, they had reopened the slides, and all was good again. The adult pool had kids in it as well, they don't seem to police this very much, but didn't seem to bother anyone all the same. Poolside entertainment and games carried on through the day - good for those who like to party and have a good time. We stayed on the family side, and had a nice relaxing time.
If you want poolside chairs, best to reserve yours early (before 0800) by placing towels on them. Beachside, we usually found chairs at any time of the day.
Kids club/entertainment: My daughter did not participate, but we came across the groups a few times during the day, and the kids seemed to be enjoying themselves quite a bit; the staff are really energetic and friendly. The morning we left, they were having a foam/pool party in the family pool for the kids, and were getting ready to paint Easter eggs.
Nightly entertainment: Excellent shows - was truly impressed. A bit of everything for everyone: culture, karaoke, dancing, live bands, musicals, etc. Every show is preceded by a kids' show which was always fun to watch - the kids and staff really got into it - it was sort of like watching Kids Say the Darndest Things.
Again, if you want a seat at the shows, best to eat an early dinner, and head to the grand stage area for a spot - they filled up fast every night.
The UNcontrollables:
Weather - rarely saw a cloud in the sky, not too hot (unless you go into Puerto Vallarta), nice constant breeze off the ocean. Evenings can be a bit cool at this time of year - bring a light sweater or shawl.
Ocean - despite the flag being yellow every day, we managed to go for swims and wave jumping.
Beach - Nuevo Vallarta has very nice sand, and this particular resort has great beachfront property, lots of palm trees, lots of beach chairs.
Other travelers - mostly Canadians and Americans, a good number of folks from the UK and Mexico. Lots of families, people of all ages. Was very enjoyable with such a good mix of people.
We managed to visit the Riu Vallarta one afternoon (your AI bracelet gives you access); it is slightly more expensive, but my personal opinion is that the RIU Jalisco has it beat. The Riu Vallarta has less beachfront, less palms, less space to move period. Very cluttered, lots more people, and ornately decorated. I'm glad we chose the Jalisco over the Vallarta!
Overall, a really good time; we will definitely be back!
I will start with the controllables:
Check-in/check-out: we arrived late afternoon, just after 3pm, didn't have to wait in line, and room was ready. Checked-out at 11am, no waiting in a long line-up. Efficient and friendly.
Room: we had a "double" room which was two double beds stuck together to make a king. Ok, but not ideal. Bathroom area did not have a door (only the shower has a frosted glass door, and the toilet is separate with a door. It was ok for us, but if you are traveling with someone you would not be comfortable being naked around, then this would not be suitable. The room location was on the second floor (room 2130), excellent spot, great view, close to stairwell leading outside near the main causeway. A strong odor of sewage was noticeable in the stairwell area during the first few days, but was not noticeable by the last day. Otherwise, room was extremely clean and comfortable. The only elevators in the hotel are in the lobby area; if you can't do stairs very well, get something on the 1st or 2nd floor, otherwise it could be a long wait for a lift, or a long walk to your room.
Mini fridge in room and hard liquor (replenished with bottled water and soft drinks every other day). The cold bottled water was very much appreciated.
Food: Don Emiliano and Adelita both serve buffet breakfasts - most people seemed to eat at Don Emiliano, but we found the quality was better at Adelita (really yummy french toast), and alot less crowded. If you choose to eat outside, be prepared to be watched by birds. They are well accustomed to people, but will only eat leftovers at unoccupied tables. It didn't bother us at all.
The best a la carte dinner was La Botana (steakhouse). They are strict about first and second seatings, so you may have to wait a bit for a table. The shrimp, fish and steak were all delicious.
La Piazza serves a great shrimp linguini - otherwise the buffet was ok.
The El Gran Dragon (Japanese) - after checking out the buffet, we realized mostly everything was deep fried (except the sushi), and were turned off by the overpowering smell of oil; we did not stay for dinner and did not return.
Overall, the buffets have lots of variety; my 10-year old usually found something to eat, and she can be quite picky.
Wine/drinks: I am by no means a wine snob, and enjoy a great $10 bottle of wine any day without complaint. The wine at this resort (and most Mexican resorts I am told), was not drinkable. I saw many others consume it, no problem, I just couldn't do it. It was really horrible stuff. If you enjoy a nice glass of wine with dinner, I recommend you bring your own (tetra paks would travel nicely, and I will bring some next time). Otherwise, the mixed drinks, and blended cocktails were all very good. If you want really fast, excellent service from a bar tender, see Ramon at the Pancho bar - he is a multi-tasker! Awesome service!
Coffee: The Sports Bar is open 24 hours, and this is where you get your morning espresso or latte. I was in there every morning by 0730, and never had to wait more than a few minutes for my latte. Really good. The coffee served with breakfast was hit or miss, some mornings it was very watered-down, other days it was yummy.
Pools and entertainment: All excellent. The family pool was going through some maintenance while we were there - the 3 small waterslides were being repainted, and as a result, the pool water was about 1.5 feet lower than usual. Small inconvenience, but otherwise it was fine. The day we left, they had reopened the slides, and all was good again. The adult pool had kids in it as well, they don't seem to police this very much, but didn't seem to bother anyone all the same. Poolside entertainment and games carried on through the day - good for those who like to party and have a good time. We stayed on the family side, and had a nice relaxing time.
If you want poolside chairs, best to reserve yours early (before 0800) by placing towels on them. Beachside, we usually found chairs at any time of the day.
Kids club/entertainment: My daughter did not participate, but we came across the groups a few times during the day, and the kids seemed to be enjoying themselves quite a bit; the staff are really energetic and friendly. The morning we left, they were having a foam/pool party in the family pool for the kids, and were getting ready to paint Easter eggs.
Nightly entertainment: Excellent shows - was truly impressed. A bit of everything for everyone: culture, karaoke, dancing, live bands, musicals, etc. Every show is preceded by a kids' show which was always fun to watch - the kids and staff really got into it - it was sort of like watching Kids Say the Darndest Things.
Again, if you want a seat at the shows, best to eat an early dinner, and head to the grand stage area for a spot - they filled up fast every night.
The UNcontrollables:
Weather - rarely saw a cloud in the sky, not too hot (unless you go into Puerto Vallarta), nice constant breeze off the ocean. Evenings can be a bit cool at this time of year - bring a light sweater or shawl.
Ocean - despite the flag being yellow every day, we managed to go for swims and wave jumping.
Beach - Nuevo Vallarta has very nice sand, and this particular resort has great beachfront property, lots of palm trees, lots of beach chairs.
Other travelers - mostly Canadians and Americans, a good number of folks from the UK and Mexico. Lots of families, people of all ages. Was very enjoyable with such a good mix of people.
We managed to visit the Riu Vallarta one afternoon (your AI bracelet gives you access); it is slightly more expensive, but my personal opinion is that the RIU Jalisco has it beat. The Riu Vallarta has less beachfront, less palms, less space to move period. Very cluttered, lots more people, and ornately decorated. I'm glad we chose the Jalisco over the Vallarta!
Overall, a really good time; we will definitely be back!
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Room Tip: rooms in the 2130 range, facing the pool/partial ocean view
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
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Questions & answers about the children club
Answer from Heidi J
Nov 2023 |
The pool would be fine for them to play in although I didn’t notice any lounge chairs in the kids area. It’s fairly shallow water with 3 play areas with different options for play. It was very clean when we were there in November 2023.
Answer from Joylee
Mar 2022 |
Age 4 up. To use RiuLand kids club. No fee, they do lots of activities, even learn dances and perform on stage before evening shoes.
No baby sitting service.
Navigate58121278959 asked a question Jan 2020
Answer from janice867463
Jan 2020 |
They have a child’s play area and club. Kids seemed to be fun. Quite a few had sit in rings on the pool for the children but there were notices advising you to supervise children. The beach isn’t very nice sand a bit gritty but kids don’t mind digging in it.
Answer from Joylee
Sep 2019 |
Most activities with RiuLand kids club are outside .lots and lots to do , like beach, pool, even make own blended drinks. Age 4 .
Vallarta will most likely have same as before renovations are done.,Nov 23.
Answer from Joylee
Jan 2019 |
RiuLand is great kids club.. all kinds of activities.
They even practice a dance routine and dress up for the night show.
You will get a list of things for the week you are there.
Enjoy
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