Bottom Line
Hotel Riu Dunamar is an upper-middle-range, 24-hour all-inclusive property with 740 rooms, kid-friendly features, and a beautiful beachfront location just 30 minutes from Cancun. Simple, spotless rooms have minibars, flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, and Riu's signature full-size bottle liquor dispensers. Family rooms with three beds and a pullout couch are also available. There's not much within the immediate area, but the hotel has five pools, two waterslides areas, daily activities, a nightclub, and nightly entertainment to keep guests busy. The all-inclusive plan also covers all four restaurants, the main buffet, six bars (with domestic and imported alcohol), and kids' club. There's also a gym (included), spa, and free Wi-Fi for up to two devices, but no room service or shuttle services. For a more polished adult-only option that's slightly closer to Cancun, compare rates at Excellence Playa Mujeres.
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Oyster Hotel Review
Hotel Riu Dunamar
Hotel Class:Upper-middle-range
Scene
Fun, beachfront all-inclusive with a secluded location best for guests who want to park it at the resort
Hotel Riu Dunamar is a pleasant all-inclusive resort that's popular with families and couples. It opened in December 2017, right next door to sister property, Hotel Riu Palace Costa Mujeres. Both resorts have family-friendly features, though the Hotel Riu Dunamar is often described as being less hectic and cramped than its counterpart. This is a huge property, with 740 spacious rooms, several pools, and a waterpark. It's pretty typical for a Riu hotel, so loyal guests to the brand will feel right at home in the all-white rooms and with the entertainment. All-inclusive plans run for 24 hours as well, so you won't have to pass any moments without being covered by the generous perks. The somewhat secluded location, an expensive 30-minute drive to the action in Cancun, draws guests who are looking for an easily accessible getaway with a beautiful beach.It's worth noting that there are no adult-only pools, and while the resort is family-friendly, there is still easy access to the minibar and liquor dispensers in the rooms.
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Location
Slightly secluded beachfront location on Costa Mujeres, 30 minutes from Cancun by car
This hotel has a beautiful beachfront location on Costa Mujeres. Cancun and the beginning of the Hotel Zone are around a 30-minute drive from the Riu Dunamar, and Cancun's airport is about 45 minutes away. The Hotel Riu Palace Costa Mujeres is right next door, but other than that there's not much immediately surrounding the hotel. Unfortunately, the Riu does not provide a shuttle or transportation to/from Cancun or other points of interest. It's worth noting that hiring taxis to make the same trip is quite expensive. The beach behind the hotel has soft sand and warm waters, and the hotel has a few loungers set up between the palm trees.
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Rooms
Spacious, spotless rooms and suites with minibars, outdoor space, and drink dispensers
Loyal Riu guests will find the typical layout and look of the brand's rooms here. Expect modern all-white rooms with a junior suite layout and tile floors, platform beds, and pops of turquoise in the pillows. Rooms are spacious and spotless, though they do feel slightly spartan. Sitting areas sport vinyl sofa beds, while stock images of beach scenery decorate the walls. Bathrooms hide behind a peek-a-boo panel of frosted glass. Stocked minibars and full-sized bottle liquor dispensers are in each room and are refilled daily, but there are no coffee- or tea-making facilities. Wi-Fi is free for up to two devices and the flat-screen TVs have satellite channels. All rooms are air-conditioned and have outdoor space furnished with patio chairs.Bathrooms have dual vanity sinks, step-in showers, pump dispensers for shampoo and soap. Upgrades to Suites add wood laminate floors and separate jetted tubs -- but do away with the minimal privacy of the frosted glass partition. Family Rooms are available as well, with two separate sleeping areas that include a king bed, two double beds, and a pullout sofa.Downsides? Rooms can be a bit noisy.
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All-Inclusive / Food
24-hour access to food and drink, a kids' club, water park, and lively entertainment
This is a 24-hour all-inclusive property, meaning guests have access to some kind of food and drink around the clock. All meals at all restaurants, domestic and imported alcohol, some activities, and daytime and nighttime entertainment are all included in the room rates. Keep in mind that there is no room service overnight, so your food cravings will have to be answered in the Sports Bar. The all-inclusive plan also provides access to the RiuLand kids' club which hosts activities for kids ages four to 12. Guests receive free entrance to the 24-hour gym and they can use the steam room and hot tubs here (with limits). A free introductory snorkeling class in the pool is included, but if you want to go scuba diving in the ocean, you'll need to pay extra with a third-party company. However, guests can rent snorkel gear, kayaks, and catamarans for free through the hotel.
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Features
Six bars, six eateries, five pools, and a wellness center with a gym and spa
Given its size, it's perhaps no surprise that the Riu Dunamar -- like all Riu properties -- is packed with features. And where some Riu hotels aim at a wilder and more mature demographic, the Dunamar offers plenty for families traveling with children. That's not always the case in this part of Mexico. All four pools here are shallow, coming up about waist-deep and all but the sports pool have permanent fixtures in them like loungers, tables, or stools. During the day, the staff put on pool games and competitions by the activity/sports pool. There's also a water park area with tube slides and regular waterslide for older kids and adults, plus a separate section with a shallow splash area and water playground for younger kids.
The kid-friendly ethos may go just a bit too far for travelers who don't have little ones in tow, though, as there are no adult-only pool areas here. but guests can grab drinks at two swim-up bars or order from a drink cart that makes its way around the pool deck. Sun loungers are set up around the pools and under a few shaded areas. During the day, there's also a popular poolside barbecue grill.
Breakfast consists of a buffet with live cooking stations, while lunch options expand slightly to include a popular poolside barbecue grill. Dinner brings in a la carte choices in addition to the nightly buffet. Guests can choose from an Asian restaurant, steakhouse, Italian restaurant (buffet appetizers and desserts), or a well-reviewed gourmet restaurant. Whether you're dining at the buffet or in a specialty restaurant, shirts with sleeves are required and specialty restaurants require men to wear slacks.
Six bars make sure no one here goes thirsty. In addition to the two swim-up bars by the pool, there's also a 24-hour sports bar, a lobby bar, lounge bar, and plaza bar, plus a branch of the international Pacha nightclub. Still, some guests feel let down by the hotel's 24-hour all-inclusive program, since there is no room service and the late-night food options are limited to things like nachos and hot dogs at the sports bar.
Guests have access to a contemporary gym with machines and cardio equipment. Any massages or beauty treatments at the spa cost extra, but guests can book up to an hour a day to use the spa's hot tubs and cold pools.
Daytime entertainment includes games, live music, and exercise glasses. The RiuLand kids' club also has additional programming for kids ages four to 12. Evening entertainment mostly consists of live music, performances in the vein of celebrity impersonators, and foam parties.Guests can also expect free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, though it is limited to two devices per room.
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