Hotel Riu Santa Fe — Hotel in El Tezal

We travelled to the Rio Santa Fe for Spring break in March/April 20 25. Despite a rocky start with the weather in Manitoba being a snowy Highway closed mess, we made our flight. WestJet had cancelled flights to Calgary due to freezing rain and we were diverted to Los Angeles. Navigating the LA airport was not as bad as we thought and within a few hours we were waiting for our flight with Delta to Los Cabos.||Upon arrival in Cabo San Lucas, we were greeted by many friendly faces at the airport and navigated the customs very easily and quickly. We had arranged for transport with Canada transfers and they were waiting at the exit for us loaded us, and we were on our way in seriously under 10 minutes. ||It was a fast smooth ride to the Riu Santa Fe and upon arrival we were quite impressed with the facilities just from the outside. Check-in was easy and prompt, and we were given a villa towards the back of the resort and a quieter area that was near the infinity pool and the beach. Despite the long walk and being a little bit backwards with directions after finding our room, we started to figure out ways to easily navigate this hotel. The reviews are honest the hotel is quite large. It spans a big piece of property and if walking is not for you, then I wouldn’t advise staying here. Despite the size of this property, many families stay here had strollers and waggons to carry their things and looked like they were having a great time. Within a day or two we had got our navigation figured out and could easily go to the waterpark back to the main pool into the beach with probably five minutes walk.||My kids loved the main pool as it was broken up into sections had lots of chairs and was very clean and pieces of shade. There was lots of bathrooms around the restaurants were easily accessible for snacks and the snack bar/wet bar was right by the pool. Not to mention on some days, they had a bar cart that walked around and offered you drinks while you were sitting around the pool or in the pool. This was a nice touch. ||The food was very good at this resort, comparing it to other resorts we’ve stayed at. I would say it was comparable. I would give it eight out of 10 stars if I had to review it this way. There’s something for everyone and the buffet is very large, but there’s also two of them. We ate breakfast at the smaller buffet that overlooked the beach and the arch. This buffet was plenty big enough for myself my husband and the kids we found lots of things like waffles, Bacon Scrambled eggs of many types any types of meat and fruits you could think of along with other hot items. Not to mention my kids loved the fresh selection of homemade donuts and pastries. They have a lovely little latte coffee machine that you can make your hot beverages and they were delicious. We tried all of the restaurants except for the fusion due to our kids, not liking that menu the sit down restaurants were all great a few buffet style and a few were ordered off the menu. We found that it was good. There was lots of variety and everyone found something that they could like.||in terms of cleanliness this resort has it going on. There were people cutting the grass cleaning sweeping tree trimming everything you could think of every morning while we walked to breakfast. Pools were lovely. There was lots of room towards midday at 2:58 PM. They got crowded in certain spots but that’s OK cause my kids usually needed a break anyways||we booked a boat tour to see the ark with the hotel and it was quick and reasonable. They arranged transportation and an air-conditioned van down to the marina. We were then led to our ship. /Vote and enjoyed a lovely tour out on the nice blue ocean. We then got a little time to explore the marina. However, if you’re booking a tour, I would suggest going to the Marina another time and giving yourself a few hours. We took Ubers to get around Los Cabos and it was so easy. You simply open the app book your Uber and they come to the front of the hotel, they are not allowed in the hotel lobby, but they will wait for you at the outer gates, which is like a two minute walk. We then used places like Starbucks or other places with Wi-Fi to get an Uber for the way back. It ended up being maybe $40 total Canadian for all the Uber trips we took.||Bottom line if you’re looking for a fun resort for kids this is one that will do it. We have stayed at many different resorts in the Tulum and Los Cabos areas and honestly this had it all. Waterslides pools, beaches, relaxing places for parents and lovely hot sun. We enjoyed our trip to the Rio and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun family trip. At no time did we feel unsafe or see anything unsafe at all. Let’s be honest it is a party resort, but those people stayed in the party area. It was a little loud sometimes during the night, but not unbearable and they basically stayed in...

Title: Animal lovers AVOID! Noisy, poor food, and mediocre service.

Me and my friend booked a week long trip here for a relaxing vacation, but this resort was anything but relaxing. The check-in process was rushed, and there was almost no guidance on how to find your room or help getting your luggage there. This resort is very large, and our room was the furthest building from the entrance. Though I don’t mind the walking, I think a resort this big would really benefit from some sort of trolly or transport service (especially for those arriving/departing with luggage).

I had requested a quiet room, but the Riu Parties were very loud and could be heard at most places in the resort. Even though the parties end at 11pm, there were many noisy drunk guests running around and screaming until early hours of the morning. The sound definitely carries. Plenty of sleepless nights.

The public facilities were very clean and the cleaning staff were lovely, but the food was not good. Almost all the restaurants are buffet style and the food was often cold, bland or under/overcooked. There were two menu restaurants, but the food there was nothing amazing either… though I did prefer them over the buffets.

The the large pool in the middle is definitely quieter than the other party pools, but I did not enjoy being by this pool due to the sick and injured cats roaming around. It was truly heartbreaking to see. These cats are incredibly neglected and begging for food and water. Some had physical deformities and others were so sick they were going blind. I did end up feeding some of these strays, but I was in tears watching these poor helpless animals. I tried looking for shelters in the areas that might be able to help, but they are all full. I recognize that stray animals are common in these areas, but I have stayed at other resorts in Mexico that make an effort to care for the strays. The last resort I stayed at had an entire area with cat houses, and daily food and water. I felt much better staying somewhere where the animals were cared for… I really hope that a resort making so much money makes a more active effort to care for these animals… This was heavy on my mind & heart my entire trip at this resort.

Our room was for the most part clean, but I did notice black mold on the tiles in the shower. We also had a few maintenance issues such as poor water pressure and a 2-inch gap at the bottom of our sliding glass door. This caused a lot of bugs to get in our room, and we often woke up with bug bites.

The entertainment was pretty average… and I feel that many of the shows started too late at night. The musical acts often starting around 9:00 or 9:30, and the only shows prior to this were catered to kids and blasting children’s music in the only gathering area for the evenings. We tried playing some of the games like bingo and kahoot, but they often had technical difficulties causing them to stop the game half way through (which is a bit disappointing).

Overall I do not recommend.

Edit I am editing my review after receiving a response. I feel the treatment of the animals has nothing to do with local laws. As I mentioned before, I have stayed at other resorts where they provide shelter and food/water for the local strays. I believe this is something the hotel or Riu franchise could endorse independently from any government laws. I would also like to note that I reached out to a local Cabo animal shelter/rescue after returning home to report the amount of sick/physical injured cats at the resort and offered to fund some sort of rescue for the cats. They informed me they have tried to sort out a program with the hotel before to try and retrieve some of the cats, but the resort refused to participate. Very upsetting knowing local organizations are trying to help and your resort turns them away. I’m heartbroken that I could not do more for these animals. I hope the resort will reconsider their efforts and willingly participate in local rescue efforts in the future. Please reconsider staying here if you care for...

Spending Christmas at Hotel Riu Santa Fe was a memorable and refreshing experience, especially because this resort is family-friendly, making it the perfect choice for my two children and other family members. We had a group of 11 in total staying across the three Riu resorts, and I want to provide a detailed breakdown of what makes Santa Fe unique compared to Riu Palace Baja California and Riu Palace Los Cabos.

One of the biggest highlights of Santa Fe is how affordable it is for an all-inclusive experience. For my two children in a double queen bedroom for six days, we paid only $1,500—a price that’s cheaper than many cruise ships while still providing endless food, drinks, pools, entertainment, and beach access.

However, affordability comes with trade-offs: ✅ The grounds were immaculate. The staff worked hard to keep everything spotless—no trash anywhere, beautifully maintained landscapes, and festive Christmas decorations that made for stunning family photos. ✅ Rooms were surprisingly nicer than those at the Riu Palace Baja California. The Junior Suite at Santa Fe was larger, modern, and better furnished. ❌ All dining options were buffet-style—even with reservations. There were no à la carte restaurants like at Baja, which made meals feel a little repetitive. However, the customizable egg station at breakfast was a great touch—my kids loved their over-easy eggs, and I could get my scrambled eggs cooked to perfection. ❌ You don’t get access to all three parks like at Riu Palace Baja California. If you’re looking for multiple water parks and resort-hopping privileges, it may be worth paying extra for the Palace option.

One unexpected surprise was that the drinks at Santa Fe were better than at Riu Baja California (the adults-only resort). Family members noticed stronger, better-made cocktails—something to consider if you enjoy the all-inclusive bar options!

Food-wise, the proximity of the pools to the food court made it easy to grab a meal without missing out on the fun. Our family loved playing volleyball, and having quick access to snacks and drinks right by the pool was perfect.

One small downside: The pools at Santa Fe were not heated, unlike the ones at Baja.

Be prepared to walk—a lot. From the beach back to your room, to the party area, to the restaurants, there is constant movement. My husband was exhausted trying to keep up with the kids while navigating the large resort.

However, one huge advantage of Santa Fe is how centrally located the Riu resorts are. We were able to move between Santa Fe and Baja California with ease, and I attached a map to highlight just how convenient these resorts are in relation to each other.

Something unique to Cabo compared to other destinations is the persistence of beach vendors. Unlike Cancun or Jamaica, where haggling is common, the vendors here were very firm on pricing—there was no negotiating. Expect to be approached frequently for massages, souvenirs, and activities.

Even though we booked excursions directly through the hotel, we were unexpectedly charged a peso conversion fee.

That said, the excursions were absolutely worth it. Our horseback riding and ATV adventure included lunch and a tequila tasting, making for an unforgettable experience!

One of my favorite parts of the trip was how beautifully decorated the resort was for Christmas. Every detail was thought out—the ornaments, lights, and festive touches made the entire experience magical. Our family Christmas photos turned out stunning, and it was a wonderful way to wrap up the year in a tropical setting.

If you’re looking for a family-friendly, affordable, and activity-packed resort ✔️ Families with kids who want a balance of fun, pools, and beach time. ✔️ Travelers on a budget who still want a high-quality, all-inclusive experience.

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