Hotel Riu Emerald Bay — Hotel in Sinaloa

Hotel Riu Emerald in Mazatlán was not the best experience. First, however, I will say that the staff was absolutely amazing. So this is in no regard to you the services we received at the bars or restaurants. Everyone that we came in contact with that serviced us were spectacular.

The overall experience that we had at this hotel was probably one of the worst that we've had at any Riu Resort in the level of amenities, cleanliness, etc

I'll highlight some things details that definitely would have helped me make a different decision had I known previously....

even in August, this Resort is packed to the max. I have been going to Riu Resorts for over 20 years and this is by far the most crowded one I have ever stayed at.

speaking of lines, the elevators are the number one deal breaker for me and why I can never come back here. I waited in long lines upwards of 20-30 minutes some days. (Not fun when traveling with a baby)

another deal breaker for me, especially with traveling with kids, is that there is nowhere to lay out by the pools and get poolside service with drink and food. This is the first resort I have ever been to that do not have servers poolside. This is just very annoying when traveling with kids because if they are playing in the pool I can't walk away to go grab drinks or food. I have to take everyone with me to the closest bar or food area every time. Also the pool areas weren't the cleanest. The chairs were always very dirty. The pool area is in need of a major upgrade.

I would not consider this resort to be very wheelchair or stroller friendly without going out of your way. So please caution this

-AC is very hard to come by. Everywhere from the lobby to the restaurants has bad circulation, even the elevators. Your room or the sports bar are the only spots where you can actually cool down. It's always hot and muggy. It was very sad watching some of the workers and even elder guests in the lobbies, restaurants, etc, struggling because of the heat.

the food wasnt the best experience either. There is no variety. Everything is buffet and there is just no creativity. We barely ate and often had to leave the resort for food which is awful when you pay for all inclusive. There is also no room service. Also I have to add that you can't order anything other than wine and beer at the restaurants. Which is pretty darn annoying when you're at an all-inclusive resort, something else we have never experienced.

something else I never experienced at Riu resorts is allowing smoking, but it's even more annoying that they allow it by the doors. We were constantly walking though clouds of smoke to get into the doors from the pool areas.

for the money we spent the rooms are very dated. Which I could probably deal with, but we were stuck in a room that smells like pure mold and mildew. For the first week, there was nothing we could do about it because the resort was completely booked for the entire two weeks we were there. We had the two connecting rooms in the older building, the other room smelled perfectly fine however. So I let my kids have that one. They reached out to us the following week to move rooms, but at that point, we already were over halfway through our trip and didn't want to go through the hassle of moving rooms, and we would have also lost having our second bathroom and no view if we move to two a new room. Our direct ocean view was the saving grave. Otherwise we likely would have left the first week.

Overall, I will just say this resort is not for me. Normally, i dont want to leave my RIU stays and i am always trying to extend my trips. Not this time. Had I known some of these things, I would not have booked a two weeks stay here. I really just wanted to cut my time short and go home but I would have been out of a lot...

We recently stayed at Riu Emerald Bay in Mazatlán for a family vacation, and while there were many highlights, there were also some significant issues that affected our stay.

Positives:

Food: The food was good overall, with a nice variety at the buffet and a few à la carte restaurants. I’d recommend getting to breakfast early for the best selection, and definitely bring your probiotics as the food can be a bit heavy at times.

Staff: The staff were incredibly kind and attentive, especially with our toddler. They really made an effort to engage with our son, and we appreciated their warm hospitality throughout our stay.

Beach & Location: The beach itself is absolutely beautiful. Once you get away from the resort beach area (which was littered with things like fake fingernails and bottle caps), the actual stretch of beach is pristine, with soft sand and clear water. It was the perfect spot for morning walks or just relaxing by the ocean.

Newer Rooms: If you stay in the newer section of the resort, you’ll likely avoid some of the issues we encountered. The rooms seemed cleaner, and the elevators weren’t as much of a hassle.

Negatives:

Maintenance Issues: Unfortunately, we faced several maintenance problems during our stay. The fridge in our room wasn’t restocked, the elevator in our building was broken for several days, and we had ongoing issues with our toilet not flushing properly. We had to call the front desk at least twice a day for repairs, which was frustrating.

Bathroom Concerns: The bathroom in our room was a big letdown. There was no fan, and the shower smelled strongly of old urine and mildew as soon as you stepped in. It was quite unpleasant.

Unsafe Crib: We were provided with a crib for our toddler, but it was shaky and felt unsafe. We honestly didn’t feel comfortable leaving our son in it, and it was disappointing that the hotel didn’t offer a better option.

Food Quality: While most of the food was decent, we had a disturbing experience when we found chicken bones in our enchiladas, which raised concerns about food safety.

Power Issues: Several days, none of the electrical outlets in our room worked, which made it difficult to charge devices or even use the hairdryer.

Dining with a Toddler: The timing of meals was tricky for us, as lunch didn’t start until noon, which wasn’t ideal for our toddler’s schedule.

Food Poisoning? On our last day, our son got sick, and we suspect it may have been food poisoning, which obviously was concerning.

Phone Incident: The most frustrating issue we faced was with the hotel staff and our phone. A cleaner took our phone off the bedside table (we assume it was an accident) and mistakenly threw it down the laundry chute. After hours of unhelpful responses from the front desk, we managed to track the phone to the laundry room with "Find My iPhone," where a kind staff member retrieved it. However, when we spoke to the manager, he was incredibly dismissive, claiming the bedside table wasn’t a "place for a phone." After some insistence, we finally spoke to another manager, and he agreed the hotel would reimburse us for the repair costs. Unfortunately, that reimbursement still hasn’t materialized, and it’s been a frustrating experience.

Overall: While Riu Emerald Bay has a beautiful location and some wonderful staff, our stay was marred by maintenance issues, food concerns, and a frustrating incident with our phone. We still enjoyed our time at the resort, especially the beach, but these ongoing problems definitely impacted our experience. If the hotel addresses these issues and provides more consistent service, it could be a fantastic place to stay, but until then, we would be...

Honest Review of Riu Emerald Bay – Disappointing Compared to Other Riu Resorts

I recently stayed at Riu Emerald Bay for a week, and after having great experiences at other Riu resorts in Cancun and Punta Cana, I was expecting the same level of service and quality. Unfortunately, this hotel fell short in several ways.

Disadvantages: No Dedicated Coffee Shop – Unlike other Riu hotels, there’s no proper coffee shop. The only options are the restaurant and sports bar, both of which serve low-quality coffee from automatic machines. No 24/7 Food Availability – Other Riu resorts have a 24/7 snack bar, but here, the sports bar does not provide food at all times. If you need something to eat early in the morning (e.g., for a child), there’s no option until breakfast starts at 7 AM. There’s also no room service or store to buy food. Inconvenience for Parents with Babies – If your baby needs milk during the night (between 2-3 AM to 7 AM), you must plan ahead and store milk in your room’s fridge because there’s nowhere to get fresh milk. Poor Lobby Ambiance – The lobby lacks the signature Riu freshness and welcoming atmosphere. Unlike other locations with beautiful floral arrangements and pleasant scents, this lobby feels dull. Also, the lighting is very dim, making it feel cheap rather than a 5-star hotel. Health & Safety Concern – Coffee in Plastic Cups – Coffee from the sports bar, slide area bar, and even for takeout at restaurants is served in thin plastic glasses meant for cold drinks. To avoid burns, they double the plastic cups and use napkins, which is a serious health concern. Limited À La Carte Restaurants – This hotel only has three specialty restaurants (Asian, Italian, and Mexican), while other Riu locations had at least five, including a steakhouse. Bland Food – This is subjective, but most food lacked flavor. I had to add extra seasoning, sauces, salt, and pepper to every meal. Limited Buffet Variety – Compared to other Riu resorts, the buffet options are fewer and less diverse. Room Key Issues – I had to replace my key card six times in one week because it kept deactivating. Other guests had the same issue, and reception always blamed “keeping it near electronics,” but I suspect they use low-quality key cards. Slow Room Service – If you need basic items like water, expect to wait two hours and follow up multiple times. Cost-Cutting Over Guest Experience – Many aspects of the hotel (e.g., poor coffee options, no 24/7 food, plastic cups for hot drinks, cheap key cards, slow service) indicate cost-cutting and prioritizing profits over guest satisfaction, health, and safety.

Advantages: Great Pool Selection – The hotel offers multiple pools with different activities, including a clean and safe kids’ pool with fun slides. Water Slides for Adults – There are water slides for both kids and adults, which is a nice touch. Neutral Staff Experience – The staff was neither exceptionally good nor bad—just average service.

Final Verdict:

While Riu Emerald Bay has some good amenities like pools and slides, the cost-cutting measures, poor service, and lack of guest convenience make it inferior to other Riu resorts I’ve stayed at. If you’ve been to Riu in Cancun or Punta Cana, expect a lower-quality experience here.

Would I return? No. Would I recommend it? Only if you get a very cheap deal and don’t expect a true...