We just got back from a week at the Hard Rock Riviera Maya, and I have a lot of thoughts. This was a multi-family trip - kids, adults, a fishing charter, a rooftop jacuzzi, and more poolside pizza than I care to admit. So was it worth it? Here's the full rundown on everything from the rooms to the restaurants to the activities and entertainment.
The Property & Location
The Riviera Maya is known for its beaches, turquoise water, and relaxed vibe. The resort is about a 20-minute drive south of Playa del Carmen and roughly one hour south of Cancun International Airport. It's also within easy day-trip range of Tulum and the famous Chichen Itza ruins.
Here is a map of the area surrounding the resort, so you can get a feel for distance to other popular towns and attractions.
The Hard Rock Riviera Maya resort is a sprawling 80-acre all-inclusive resort located on the Riviera Maya coastline. The property has more than 1,200 rooms split between two distinct sections: the family-friendly Hacienda section and the adults-only Heaven area.
Here is a map of the full resort property. On the left side, you'll see the Roja lobby and pool areas, plus the Rockaway Bay water park and Vibe City. In the central area, you'll find the Azul lobby and pool area. And all the way to the right, you can see the Heaven adult-only area, with its private pool and small lagoon.
Getting to the Resort
You'll need to fly into either Cancun International Airport (about a 1-hour drive) or Tulum International Airport (about a 1.5-hour drive). Most visitors arrive via Cancun since it's larger and better connected.
Tip: Regardless of which airport you choose, keep in mind that driving times can vary a lot based on traffic. Our "one-hour" drive from Cancun ended up taking 2.5 hours thanks to traffic and road construction. There's only one main road running down the coastline, so any hiccups can cause big delays. Plan some extra drive time in your schedule just in case.
Once you land, you'll need to arrange transportation to the resort. You have a few options:
Shared Shuttle Service - The most cost-effective choice, but also the least convenient. These range from large vans to buses, and they may make multiple stops at other resorts along the way. You can book through the resort concierge at most hotels.
Private Car Service - My preferred option. It costs more, but you get a car waiting for you when you arrive and you can go directly to the resort without any stops. It's also nice to have private space for the long-ish drive. We booked through Happy Shuttle and were really happy with the service. You can even pre-order a few cold beers for the ride! Kalido is another company recommended by quite a few of my readers.
Taxi - You can get a taxi from the airport, but be aware there are many unlicensed drivers there looking for business. So you will want to make sure you go to the official taxi stand. Not all drivers will want to take a 1-2 hour trip, either. And they will expect to be paid in cash. For this reason, I recommend pre-arranging transportation. That said, we did use taxis for shorter local trips during our stay.
Our Room - Two Bedroom with Sky Terrace
We booked this trip through JetBlue Vacations (no affiliation) because I had some credits to use, so we splurged on a pretty sweet upgrade - a Two Bedroom Sky Terrace. In reality, it's two separate hotel rooms connected by an adjoining door, which worked perfectly for us.
The first room had two double beds, an in-room jacuzzi tub, and a small balcony with a hammock. This was my son's room for the week, and he loved having his own space (and his own tub). I imagine the jacuzzi set-up could be awkward depending on who you're traveling with, but for him it was a fun novelty.
Now this room on its own, not combined with the second room, would be considered a Deluxe Diamond room. So if that's what you're booking, this is the type of space you should expect!
Both rooms had identical bathrooms with double sinks, a separate water closet for the toilet, and a large walk-in shower. As a fun surprise, there was a QR Code you could scan to get some Hard Rock "shower tunes". :-D
Toiletries were provided, along with a real hair dryer (not one of those wall-mounted hotel ones - if you know, you know).
Both rooms also had a ton of storage space, with this hallway area in the entryway. There's a large closet, with a small safe for stashing valuables. And then a built in dresser with three ultra wide drawers. This was perfect for stashing all our beach and pool gear in addition to clothes!
Each room also came with a mini fridge that was restocked each day with complimentary sodas, beers, and waters. They also stocked a few complimentary snacks each day as well - which is a fun treat to have for kids.
Now let's move on to the second room, which was adjoining to this one and features the rooftop terrace (I promise... I'm getting to that!).
This room had the same entryway and bathroom setup as the first one, but featured a King bed. The balcony set-up was also identical, with a hammock and two chairs. Now if you were to reserve this room on its own, not connected to the first room I showed, this would be considered a One Bedroom Sky Terrace.
Our location in Building Nine didn't offer much of a view, but it was still a nice spot for morning coffee.
I will say this space was a bit less roomy than the first, and that's because of that staircase you see behind the bed. This room only has a King bed option, because there isn't really space for two doubles.
Now are you finally ready to go up that staircase? Let's head up that stairway and check out the Sky Terrace!
Here is an absolutely massive private rooftop terrace! Yes, that space was all for us. Now, I knew that the room came with a terrace but I honestly had no idea it would be this huge. I could have hosted a party out there.
It featured a private jacuzzi tub, two lounge chairs, a small dining table, a bar counter with stools, and even a half bathroom.
Here's a closer look at that jacuzzi tub, which was similar to the one inside the room. And the large half bathroom, which would be super convenient if you did host a party up here.
And I will also give you one more important tip while we're up here. See that door handle in the picture above? That's the entry to the terrace, and it locks automatically when you shut it! So I strongly recommend you flip the deadbolt as show above to leave the door ajar while you enjoy the outside space. The hotel staff had many stories of guests locking themselves out on the sky terrace!
Other Room Types
The entry-level room option on the Hacienda side is the Deluxe Gold, which comes with either a king or two double beds, a balcony with a hammock, and garden views at around 482 square feet. It's a solid, comfortable room - just don't expect any big wow factor. This would be very similar to our King room above, but with a little more space because it would not have the stairway behind the bed(s).
If you want a bit of an upgrade without jumping to a full suite, the Deluxe Diamond is the same footprint but adds a hydro spa tub, upgraded bath products, and a better location on the property. This would be identical to our Double room above with the tub - it just wouldn't be part of a two-room suite.
For couples traveling without kids, the Deluxe Sky Terrace (One Bedroom) is a great sweet spot - you get a king bed plus your own private rooftop terrace with lounge chairs and a jacuzzi, all for about 964 square feet total.
Traveling with a bigger family but not quite ready to splurge on the sky terrace setup? The Deluxe Family (Two Bedroom) gives you two connecting rooms - one king, one with two doubles - plus kid-friendly extras like children's bathrobes, L'Oreal Kids bath products, and a Nintendo Xbox available on request. It's 964 square feet and maxes out at 6 guests.
If you want to go all out, the Rock Star Suite is the resort's crown jewel at nearly 5,000 square feet with an oceanfront view and a personal assistant from 7am to 11pm - which honestly sounds amazing, though I have no idea what that costs and I'm not sure I want to know.
For adults traveling without kids, it's also worth knowing that the Heaven (adult section) has its own room categories, including swim-up rooms where you can step directly from your room into a semi-private pool. More on that in the Heaven section below.
The Pool Scene
On the Hacienda side of the resort, there are two main pool areas: the Azul Pool and the Roja Pool. Both are family-friendly, both have swim-up bars, and both have food options just steps from the water, so you can easily spend an entire day here without leaving your lounge chair.
The Roja Pool has more of a lively atmosphere. It's where you'll find a wood-fired pizza spot, plus a water slide for the older kids and a separate wading pool and splash pad for the little ones. Music plays here throughout the day, and it's generally more active with games and activities.
The Azul Pool is a little more low-key, though still busy during peak times. Instead of pizza, you'll find a taco stand serving fresh tacos right by the pool. It's a nice option if you want something tasty and quick without having to dry off. You will find a swim up bar at both pools, of course. It is a Hard Rock, after all.
Be sure to check out the event schedule when you get to the resort as well. You won't want to miss all the fun poolside activities! There was a balloon party, volleyball competition, poolside ceviche class, and more.
One thing to know - if you want pool chairs, you need to be very strategic. By 9:30 AM, nearly every chair in both areas was spoken for, and "saving seats" is very much part of the culture here. We learned quickly to get there early, claim a couple of chairs, and then head off for breakfast. I actually really hate this behavior at resorts, but your option is to work with the system or not have a seat. So when in Rome (or Mexico).... do what you need to do.
Beach & Lagoons
If you're picturing a long stretch of open ocean beach, you won't find it here. The Hard Rock Riviera Maya doesn't have a true beach. Instead, there are man-made beaches in front of a series of protected lagoons. They're sandy enough for lounging, but you won't be walking for miles along the shoreline or wading into crashing waves or anything like that.
The upside is that the lagoons are calm and sheltered, which makes them great for younger kids to swim and snorkel without worrying about the currents. They're also protected from the sargassum seaweed that often affects Mexico's beaches this time of year. We brought our snorkel gear and saw a surprising variety of fish in the lagoons - many of which swam right up and circled around us. (I'm guessing people feed them, which I don't recommend, but I did enjoy the up-close view!)
There's also some watersports equipment available, including kayaks and zayaks. (A zayak is kind of like a body board with a little window to stick your face in and look at fish.)
We gave kayaking a try, but honestly, it was rather underwhelming. There's nowhere to go except back and forth in the lagoon. The kids also have to be 13 to kayak solo, which felt overly strict to my son, who had just finished a week of paddleboarding camp in the open ocean back home. He was not thrilled to be stuck kayaking back and forth in the lagoon with Mom! ;) The monkey bridge, on the other hand, was a big hit, and the kids loved climbing across it.
While there are several lagoon beach areas, the largest and nicest of them is on the Roja side. This is also where you'll find the watersports equipment.
One more tip! - the beach areas are much easier for finding lounge chairs than the pools. If you don't want to play the "save your chair at sunrise" game, you can head out to the lagoon a bit later. And it's very close to walk back and forth between the lagoons and pools.
Food & Restaurants
There's no shortage of places to eat at Hard Rock Riviera Maya. You've got a buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, a bunch of quick-serve spots near the pools, and several à la carte restaurants at night. And yes, they're all included.
One big thing to know - there are no dinner reservations. You just show up with your whole group, put your name in, and wait for a table. I know people have strong feelings about this, in both directions. I actually really liked this system. At other all-inclusives, like Coconut Bay, we've had to spend time waiting in lines to book a couple nights of dinner reservations at a time, and that system just really stresses me out. Here, we could decide where to go on the spot.
The trade-off is that timing matters. At 5:30 or 6:00 p.m., we could walk right in anywhere. By 7:00 p.m., the popular spots had 30+ minute waits, and by 8:00 p.m., even the buffet line was long. We ended up eating early most nights, then heading to the evening shows (which usually start at 7:00 or 8:00 p.m.).
Yes, we ate dinner earlier than we do at home. But I'm also not trying to catch the fire dancing show after dinner at home. So it worked out just fine. ;)
The Buffet - The Market & La Isla
There is a buffet restaurant available on both the Roja and Azul sides of the resort. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the buffet is huge and has a lot of stations. But honestly, it wasn't my favorite. A lot of dishes looked like they'd been sitting for a long while, and refills weren't quick when items ran out. Vegetarian options were also very limited - it's a very meat-heavy spread.
That said, we had one really standout experience at The Market buffet. The guys in our group spent one morning on a fishing charter, and were able to bring back their fresh catch. The chef cooked it all up for us and served it as an amazing spread complete with mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, and he even made ceviche from some of our fish. It was amazing!
Room Service
We ordered room service breakfast almost every day, and enjoyed it on the Sky Terrace. They quoted 45 minutes, but it always showed up in 20 - 30 minutes. The patatas bravas were good, guacamole was just okay, and my son really liked the burgers. We enjoyed having our breakfast and coffee out on the rooftop terrace.
You can not order drinks to the room unless you buy bottles, but the mini-fridge is restocked daily with beer, sodas, and water. Or of course you can run out to a bar and bring drinks back. And the best part - room service is included at no extra charge!
Caffeto Coffee Shop
This is the hotel coffee shop - and there is one in both the Azul and Roja lobbies. They had really great coffee drinks - get the iced caramel latte! And a great assortment of ice cream, which my son made into a nightly ritual. They also had grab-and-go pastries, fruit, and sandwiches that you could get at any time of day. This is a really great option for breakfast if you just want something quick and a bit of caffeine!
Quick Service Food
Pizzetto - Wood-fired pizzas by the Roja pool. Quick, hot, and tasty. What's not to love about pizza by the pool? We ate this just about every day for lunch.
Tortilla Mia - Quick serve taco spot by the Azul pool. Great for a quick lunch or snack.
Pool Snack Bars- Additionally, both pool areas had a snack bar with a variety of munchies every day. We saw fries, onion rings, and chips with guac and salsa every day. There was also a stand set up by the Roja pool with burgers and hot dogs. You won't go hungry!
À la Carte Restaurants
Frida - This was our personal favorite! The menu was upscale Mexican food and they had some really interesting options. The tableside guacamole service is super fun to watch. I had the sea bass and elote, and both were really good. My husband tried some appetizer with dried grasshoppers sprinkled on top. Yep, real grasshoppers. (I opted out.) And the best part was the dessert that they flambéed tableside!
Zen - This Asian restaurant has both a hibachi option or a regular menu. We are suckers for a hibachi experience, so we chose that and had a great time! It was a fun show, the staff was really friendly, and we enjoyed a few sake bombs too. You should note that hibachi is very popular, so definitely show up early to get a table for this one.
Toro - This steakhouse is located by the Roja pool, with a beautiful view of the ocean. It seems to be the most "popular "high demand" of the restaurants, so the waits can be on the longer side here. My husband enjoyed his steak, and I liked the salmon just fine. The appetizers and desserts weren't that great though. Overall, this was my least favorite food at the resort. I wouldn't suggest waiting in line for this one!
Ciao - We did not get a chance to try this Italian restaurant, but the menu looked tasty and kid-friendly. But we simply didn't have enough nights to try everything. Perhaps next time!
Vibe City
If you're going to be travelling with kids, you are going to be spending a whole bunch of time at Vibe City. So what is this place? Basically, a giant building full of kid-centric entertainment. Some of the activities are included and some are an additional charge. Here's the scoop:
Gaming Lounge - Extra Charge.
This is basically just a big room filled with computers and various video games. I wasn't too keen on paying for my kid to play video games on vacation. But after travelling in on the first night, we were pretty exhausted, so we agreed to one hour in the gaming lounge. He didn't ask to do it again. Honestly, there are just so many more fun things to do here. The charge was $15 for one hour, and you can see the prices in the photo above.
Trampolines - Free.
This trampoline park is like a mini version of SkyZone (or whatever flavor of jumping park you have in your town). This was totally free, and was definitely my child's favorite activity at Vibe City. They have some big foam obstacles they could use to set up their own courses. He met some more kids there and had a blast all week! Important Note: Pack socks for the trampolines!
Indoor Playground/Climbing Course - Free.
There's another room with a huge indoor play area. There is a smaller climbing structure for the little kids, and a very large one with all kinds of obstacles for the bigger kids. My son loved this area too! They also have some soccer balls they can check out to kick around in here.
Bowling - Extra Charge.
There is a bowling alley as well. They have full sixze bowling lanes and some mini lanes, which are nice for little kids. This is an extra charge and you do need to make a reservation. It was nearly booked solid during our stay, so stop by and book this activity early if you are interested. The cost was $15-22/person for a one hour bowling session on the standard lanes, depending on the time of day.
Rock Wall - Extra Charge.
The rock climbing wall looked really fun, but I didn't see anyone actually climbing the whole time we were there. The charge was $10/day for a climbing pass, making it one of the cheaper activities too. Be sure to pack closed toe shoes for this! (But you can rent climbing shoes on site, if needed.)
Laser Tag - Extra Charge.
You need to make a reservation for this one too, and it was very popular. The cost was $10-20 per person, depending on the amount of time or number of rounds you choose. But there is a max of four people playing at one time, so if you have a larger group, you can take turns or book multiple sessions.
Food & Drinks
There's a snack stand in the lobby and a full bar down by the bowling alley. The food and drinks are included in Vibe City, just like the rest of the resort. Vibe City is also adjacent to the Rockaway Bay Water Park, where you can find a great little food truck in the afternoon.
Vibe City Costs & Deals
If you're anything like me, you want to have all the details on pricing before you head over with your kids! So here is the price sheet and the promotions that were being offered during our visit. Of course, their pricing can change anytime, so I can't promise this will be the same on your visit. But it should give you a pretty good idea of what budget you're in for.
If you are interested in multiple paid activities, it's worth asking the staff about any package deals that are being offered. They combine things like laser tag, bowling, and gaming for better prices.
Rockaway Bay Water Park
Rockaway Bay is the resort's own water park, and it's a solid perk for families. It's included in your stay at no extra charge.
The park has 20+ water slides, ranging from little kiddie slides to big racing slides. It's not massive, and it isn't going to be rival a Disney water park anytime soon, but it is still a really fun spot for the kids to burn some energy.
Note: The minimum height for most slides is 43 inches, and 48 inches for the tallest slides. So younger kids may not be able to ride everything.
The waterpark is open from 11am to 5pm, with a poolside snack bar open from noon. I did find the hours a bit limiting. It would have been nice to be able to start or end the day at the waterpark instead of slotting it in the middle. So plan accordingly.
To be honest, I thought this water park area would be a highlight, but my son wasn't too interested. He much preferred Vibe City and the main pool and beach areas. So perhaps we are outgrowing this type of thing...
Entertainment & Evening Shows
During the day, you can expect the usual poolside entertainment that you find at most beach resorts. There were various activities like a water balloon challenge, pool volleyball match, and a dance-off. There was even a ceviche class beside the pool one afternoon.
At night, there is always some type of evening show being offered. The quality varies greatly from night to night, and the theater looks more like a hotel conference room, so maybe don't set your expectations too high here. We found the Viva Mexico show to be pretty rough, but we very much enjoyed the Neon Humans show! It's worth swinging by the theater to see what's going on. Most shows start around 7 or 8pm.
And if the shows are not your cup of tea, there are usually some festivities in the Red and Blue lobbies as well. There was karaoke one night and live music on several other evenings. If you're looking for an a night club, there is one over on the adult side of the resort. But you'll find the activities on the family-friendly side are all very tame and wind up fairly early.
The Service
I was actually so impressed with the friendly and helpful service throughout the resort. Everyone was really kind and helpful - from the check-in desk to the bartenders to the bellboys. It was a huge step up in service level compared to our recent stays in the Bahamas and even St. Lucia.
Housekeeping came each day and made up the room, and someone also came by and stocked the fridge each day with beers and waters. There was no real wait for checking in or checking out. Although, I imagine there could be more of a wait if you arrive on the shuttle with multiple families!
Who should I tip (and how much)?
Alright, this is one of the most frequently asked questions, so let's go ahead and address it fully. Yes, you should plan on tipping the staff at the resort. If you're from the USA, that might be obvious to you already. If you're from a non-tipping area, that might seem crazy. Regardless, most of the guests will be tipping staff and they do kind of expect it. (Although no one outright asked me for a tip or implied it was needed.)
So how much? Here's my general guidance:
- Bartenders: $1-2 per drink. From a practical standpoint, most of us are not carrying that many singles around. So I tend to give $5 every couple visits to the bar.
- Buffet: $5-10. Not necessary, but nice if they are attentively cleaning plates and bringing drinks.
- A La Carte Dinners: $10-20. If you enjoy the experience! You will be waited on here, just like any nice restaurant at home.
- Bellboys: $5 for storing your bags safely. $10 if they bring them to your room (the rooms are far!)
- Taxis: For short local rides, just round up your fare. For pre-arranged car service, it's typical to tip 10-20%. We tipped $20 for $120 fare from the airport.
- Tour Guides: Tipping 10% is fine, if you enjoy your experience.
Safety & Security
Safety is a common concern these days, so I'll just give you my two cents here. We felt totally safe throughout our trip - both at the resort and taking excursions outside the resort (to other tourist centric places!) Of course, you should always be aware of any travel advisories when you visit a new place, and you need to be aware of your surroundings and act with a bit of common sense.
But the resort itself is pretty secure. The way the resort is situated on the waterfront, you really can't walk into it from the coastline. So everyone enters through the main guard gates, where they record all the comings and goings. Likewise, when you leave the resort in a taxi, you will see that the guard takes note of where you are headed and what taxi you left in.
We took a few excursions to some of the Xcaret parks and Puerto Aventuras, and felt it was all very safe with many other tourists around. You can grab a taxi right from the resort (just ask the bellhops), and they are not going to put you into an unlicensed car!
When you return, just be sure to get your taxi from the official taxi stand at your destination, to be sure you're going with a licensed driver.
The Heaven (Adults-Only) Experience
We stayed on the family-friendly Hacienda side of the resort, so I can't give you a firsthand account of Heaven - but I'll still give you the highlights in case you're planning a kid-free trip.
Heaven is the adults-only section of the property, and it operates almost like a resort within a resort. It has its own pool, its own restaurants, its own bars, and its own beach area. The centerpiece is the Eden Pool, a newer addition with walk-in cabanas, a swim-up bar, and a more relaxed, lounge-y vibe than the family-oriented Hacienda side.
On the dining front, Heaven guests have priority reservations at three restaurants. UMO focuses on traditional Mexican Yucatan cuisine - think handmade tortillas and tableside guacamole. Wai is a modern Thai restaurant. Faro is a self-serve gastro market style spot open for breakfast and lunch, with a variety of options. And for drinks, Arribo Bar is the spot for craft cocktails if you want something more creative than a swim-up bar pina colada.
The room types at Heaven mirror some of what's available on the Hacienda side, with some more couples-oriented features. The entry-level Deluxe Gold gives you a king bed and garden view. The fan favorite seems to be the Deluxe Swim-up rooms, where you step directly from your room into a semi-private pool.
From there you can step up to the Deluxe Diamond with better views and upgraded amenities, the Deluxe Sky Terrace with a private rooftop jacuzzi, or splurge on a Rock Star Suite - an oceanfront two-bedroom behemoth with over 9,000 square feet. I have no idea what that costs, but I am very certain I can't afford it.
Would we go again?
Yes, we would definitely return to the Hard Rock Riviera Maya again. And no, I don't say that about every hotel we review. This was a wonderful beach getaway - mostly stress-free, with a nice mix of activities and lounging time. We loved the pool scene, my son was absolutely obsessed with Vibe City, and the location made it easy to check out the famous Xcaret parks too. If Mexico is calling, I'd head back to the Hard Rock without hesitation.
Leave a Reply