Why we chose Hotel Riu Santa Fe: When looking to book our trip, we wanted something affordable and all-inclusive. Since we were going with a small group of friends, we knew our main goal was to have lots of pool and beach time with unlimited drinks. Hotel Riu Santa Fe fit that profile exactly and it was a perfect match!
Our favorites: The taco stand they put out every evening was SO good! But beware- the salsas were pretty spicy. The overall ambiance of the resort was very welcoming and the employees and guests were very respectful regarding mask-wearing and keeping their distance from others. The entertainment team also made sure to have lots of activities for guests to interact with during the day and at night. Another favorite was the view from one of the main pools which looked out into the ocean and had beach access as well.
Our not-so-favorites: I really wish I could say better things about the food, but in all honesty, it was a hit or miss with each restaurant and meal. On the first morning, the breakfast was meh, but other days it was a lot better. We also wish there were elevators. Not so much for our use, but for the bell boys. Personally, I pack my luggage to the max, so we felt awful when we saw there were no elevators and he was ready to carry it all the way up 3-floor levels! A tip of course helps compensate for this, but elevators would be very useful and safer! Lastly, our stay would’ve been slightly better had they offered the option for room service.
Do
- Bring plenty of cash for taxi rides, tipping, and any activities you’d rather pay up front than put on a card. We usually bring $200-$250 and it seems to be plenty.
- Bring bug repellent in case you do any activities that are more nature-oriented. We mostly stayed by the pool during our stay and still got a few bites.
- Bring at least one outfit for a formal dinner. Most of the restaurants only require casual wear but don’t permit gentlemen to wear sleeveless shirts or tank tops.
- Have whatever form of payment you prefer to pay with. The gift shop accepts credit cards, dollars, and pesos, but if you bring a credit card make sure it has 0% foreign transaction fees just to make your life easier.
- Have a photocopy of your passport and ID just in case anything happens to the real ones during the trip. Some tourist areas require this for duty-free shopping as well, although we never encountered anywhere that requested this. It’s still good to have though.
Don’t
- I wouldn’t recommend walking on the beach over to the restaurant area where Mango Deck is located. It’s a pretty long walk (30-40 minutes) and the sand has rocky patches. If you’re up for it and it sounds like something for you, then go for it! Otherwise, take a quick taxi ride over there.
- Be careful if you decide to take a boat ride with alcohol and snorkeling. The gear offered didn’t include a life vest, so if you’ve been heavily drinking and decide to go into the water…it’s pretty obvious you should reconsider. 😛
SAFETY
When arriving at the resort, our temperatures were taken and we were all given hand sanitizer. Each receptionist area had plexiglass around it and I never saw a worker without a mask on. Guests were also very respectful with keeping their face coverings on and social distancing.
THE ROOM
We stayed in a Double Room with Garden View & a king-sized bed. The location of it was fairly centered so it was a close walk to the beach, common pool areas, and spa/gym. We also had a large balcony attached which looked over the garden and yoga area. Inside the room, there was a large closet with a safe box and plenty of hangers. Overall, the room was very modern-looking, especially the bathroom. The only outdated thing I noticed was the bed mattress. The minibar inside the room also came stocked with a few big water bottles and some beer.
THE FOOD
- The Taco Stand: This gets set up every evening around 6 pm-11 pm. Like I said before, it was one of our favorites! 🙂
- El Médano: This restaurant was only open 3 days a week by appointment only so unfortunately, we weren’t able to make it.
- Zashila: This one was also opened only 3 days a week, but we were able to get a reservation in! They offer Asian cuisine and a very limited selection on the menu. We ordered some sushi, spring rolls, teriyaki chicken, and a variety of desserts. All of these are shown below.
- La Mision: We didn’t have time to go to this one since the hours were a little weird (1 pm-5 pm) and it was kind of hidden. The location of this one is to the right after walking out of the gift shop area, in front of the pool!
- Jerk Chicken: This is where we ate most of the time. The burgers and hot dogs were AMAZING! It was located at the bottom of Torote and is perfect for grabbing a snack while at the pool. They had burgers, hot dogs, fries (or sometimes potato wedges), jerk chicken, and fruit in a cup which you had the option to sprinkle some Tajin & Salsa Valentina in.
- Torote: We missed out on going here for a steak dinner, but we did go a few times for breakfast. It was buffet-style and everything either came prewrapped or an employee would serve it for you. My favorites were the hashbrowns and freshly squeezed juice options! 🙂
- Carusso: Most of the Italian cuisine offered here was really good! My favorite was the tortellini and bread sides. A reservation was also required here and like most, was only opened 3 days a week.
- La Baja California: This was where we ate the most, both for breakfast and dinner! The variety of foods was huge and since I’m a picky eater, I was always able to find something. My favorite here was the chicken wings and crepes, which you could create your own with lots of different toppings and sauce options. I also LOVED the smoothie and juice selection at breakfast!
- Sports Bar: There wasn’t any restaurant-style food offered here, just pre-made sandwiches, but it was a little quicker to get drinks at this spot since it was away from the main area. Multiple TV’s showed different sports games in live-time. And during non-covid times, there are plenty of pool tables and games to play which make for a fun atmosphere.
- Mango Deck: (NOT PART OF THE HOTEL) This was located down the coastline in an area that was recommended by another guest. We decided to go and venture out a little bit since we heard such good things about it and let me tell you- the food at Mango Deck did NOT disappoint. The guac was made right in front of us and the rooftop lounge seats were the perfect spot to look out at the beach and drink some margaritas! 🙂 I ordered a chicken quesadilla with beans, rice, and a side of chips and salsa. For each plate, it was around $10 USD.
THE ACTIVITIES
This resort is also known for its Riu Pool Parties. Due to the COVID pandemic, however, all pool parties were canceled during our stay. They’ve been canceled for a while, and there was no word on when they would start up again. You can read more about these parties here.
There were a lot of different options regarding extra activities. Every day from 10 am to 4 pm, representatives from various tour companies set up tables by the lobby to help guests with booking and scheduling tours. The price points were similar for all of them and some of the activities offered included golf, snorkeling, boat rides, parasailing, fishing, swimming with dolphins, and much more.
TRANSPORTATION
Our hotel reservation included transportation to and from the airport. This was provided through Destination Services and everything from arrival to departure went pretty smoothly. Upon arrival at the airport, we waited about 30 minutes for all passengers to arrive, then boarded the 15-or-so passenger van. From there, we made stops at about 3 different hotels to drop off passengers before making it to Hotel Riu Santa Fe, so it was a bit of a long ride but nothing over an hour.
During our stay, we only left the hotel a couple of times. One was to go on the boat ride and the other was for dinner at Mango Deck. Both times we got a taxi ride which was $3 USD per person one-way. There were usually always some sort of 3rd party taxi services outside the hotel lobby ready to take guests wherever they needed.
SUMMARY
Los Cabos is definitely a destination that should be on everyone’s bucket list! Our stay at Hotel Riu Santa Fe was overall very comfortable, although the food had some room for improvement. Whether you’re going with your family or a group of friends, it’ll fit any dynamic and give you the option to stay busy or just relax under the sun with unlimited food and drinks! 🙂
