Hotel Riu Emerald Bay
Mazatlan, MXFamily friendly
Our take
Large family‑friendly, 24‑hour all‑inclusive resort on Playa Brujas with splash park
- 1,028 rooms
- 7 dining venues listed
- ~40 min from MZT
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Resort facts & overview
- Location
- Mazatlan, MX
- Audience
- Family friendly
- Brand
- RIU Hotels & Resorts
- Rooms
- 1,028
- Dining listed
- 7 venues
- Airport
- MZT
- Transfer
- ~40 min
Why travelers love it
“Large family‑friendly, 24‑hour all‑inclusive resort on Playa Brujas with splash park”
Guests consistently highlight friendly, attentive staff, clean family‑oriented facilities, and fun splash‑park and pool options.
Food & drink
StrongBuffets are plentiful and the Mexican à la carte is the standout, but menus repeat night after night and the specialty restaurants underwhelm relative to the buffet.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Mexican restaurant is the favorite
- Wide buffet with Mexican, seafood, and grill stations
- Vegetarian options with chefs happy to customize
- Poolside Pepe serves tacos, burgers, nachos
Heads up
- Buffet repeats the same dishes daily
- À la carte reservations are hard to secure
- Occasional over-salted or lukewarm dishes
Dining overview
Multiple restaurants and bars including American buffet with show‑cooking, plus Mexican, Asian, Italian options, all‑day snacks, and Pacha nightclub.
7 documented dining venues
Las Tres Islas
El Malecón
Bamboo
Counts and access can vary by source and room tier.
Food & drink photos
Food & drink photos
Photo: Tripadvisor
Beach
MixedPlaya Brujas is wide and well-kept with dramatic sunsets, but strong Pacific currents, occasional jellyfish, and near-constant live band noise mean it's more for strolling than serious swimming.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Well-maintained sand
- Stunning Pacific sunsets
- Live bands and beach entertainment
- Lifeguards actively watching swimmers
Heads up
- Strong currents can be dangerous
- Jellyfish sightings
- Mariachi noise nonstop along the sand
- Limited natural shade
Located directly on Playa Brujas with walkable, safe shore and ample lounge chairs; sunsets are frequently noted by guests.
Photo: www.riu.com
Photo: www.riu.com
Pools
StrongPlenty of pools with swim-up bars, foam parties, and games keep the energy high, but cleanliness slips and rotating pool closures have hit recent stays.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Multiple pools including adult-only sections
- Swim-up bar and poolside taco stand
- Foam parties and daytime games
- Distinct family and party zones
Heads up
- Cloudy water and cleanliness complaints
- One pool closed per day at times
- Water occasionally heated above comfort
Features five outdoor pools including a swim‑up bar and a water‑park area (Splash Water World) with slides for kids.
Photo: www.riu.com
Photo: www.riu.com
Rooms & suites
1,028 roomsOver 1,000 rooms with satellite TV, air conditioning, safe, minibar dispenser, and balcony or terrace.
Double Room with Partial Sea View
Entry-level double room with a side angle on the ocean. Comes with a balcony or terrace, satellite TV, minibar dispenser, and safe. The most affordable way to stay here if a direct ocean view isn't a priority.
- View:Partial ocean view
- Sleeps:3 guests
Includes
- +balcony or terrace
- +minibar dispenser
- +safe
Double Room with Sea View
Standard double room facing the Pacific. Same layout as the partial-view category but with a direct ocean orientation from the balcony or terrace.
- View:Ocean view
- Sleeps:3 guests
Includes
- +ocean-facing balcony or terrace
- +minibar dispenser
- +safe
Junior Suite with Sea View
Larger room with a small sitting area and a sea view from the side. A step up from the standard double if you want more space without paying for a full suite.
- View:Ocean view
- Sleeps:3 guests
Includes
- +sitting area
- +balcony or terrace
- +whirlpool tub in some units
Room details here are AI-assisted, compiled from the resort's own website and public sources. Categories and names change often — confirm the exact room when you book.
What’s included
StrongPriced as a mid-tier all-inclusive rather than the 5-star it's sometimes marketed as, and on that scale it delivers strong value with repeat guests coming back three, four, even five times.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Solid all-in price for what you get
- Many multi-time repeat guests
- 24-hour inclusions and beachside snacks
- Sunwing and package deals stretch the budget
Heads up
- Rooms and buildings show their age
- Sold as 5-star but feels closer to 4
Package inclusions and upgrade access have not been collected yet. Confirm them for your room and dates when booking.
Amenities & activities
Couples
StretchCouples do return here, drawn by sunsets, live beach bands, and clearly zoned adult pool areas, though the family-resort scale and noise mean it will not feel like a romantic hideaway.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Adult-only pool zones respected
- Live music and shows on the beach
- Unreal sunsets from ocean-view rooms
- Repeat couples on their 3rd–5th stay
Heads up
- Not a quiet honeymoon setting
- Promised welcome amenities (wine, mimosas) sometimes missing
- Convention groups can overwhelm the property
Families
Good fitA genuine family workhorse with a kids water park, Riuland club, lifeguards, and defined kid zones, though a few practical gaps (no restaurant restrooms, unfenced crocodile area nearby) surprise parents.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Kids water park and splash areas
- Riuland club with supervised play
- Attentive lifeguards on beach and pools
- Clearly separated family and adult zones
Heads up
- No restrooms inside the restaurants
- Unprotected crocodile area next to hotel
- No drinks allowed in Riuland lounge
- High chairs are old and better for older babies
Peace & Quiet
WeakThis is a lively, entertainment-forward RIU: multiple pools each blast their own soundtrack and mariachi bands play the beach all day, so light sleepers and nap-seekers should look elsewhere.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Adult pool areas offer a calmer vibe
- Shows wrap by 11pm
- Early morning is peaceful at breakfast
Heads up
- Competing music from every pool
- Beach mariachi bands audible through closed doors
- Night entertainment noise carries to rooms
- Big convention groups can amplify the crowd
Includes Renova Spa (steam room, hydromassage bath, treatments), watersports, fitness, conference rooms, Renova Spa and evening entertainment program; kids’ club and water‑park.
Water sports included
- Kayaking
- Catamaran
- Windsurfing
- Bodyboarding
- Scuba diving introduction lesson
Resort amenities
What guests say
High confidence391 reviews · through Nov 2026
Read all reviews on TripAdvisor ↗Google ↗
Consistently praised
Recurring complaints
Best suited for
What past guests say
★★★★★
“An amazing place from the RIU chain, I really enjoyed all its bars and restaurants; it literally felt like being in a small town. I highly recommend it, and I would definitely look to visit another beach with this same hotel chain in the country.”
★★★★★
“Excellent”
★★★★★
“We were told in the lobby that the hotel's occupancy is always between 80% and 90%, so the overcrowding at the pools is a very unpleasant experience. We came at the end of October, which is supposed to be low season, but nothing could be further from the truth.<br>The food isn't very good, and the facilities have some details that leave much to be desired: there aren't enough umbrellas, the pool treatment makes them look yellow for most of the afternoon, there aren't any board games like at...”
★★☆☆☆
★★★★★
Latest reviews from Tripadvisor
Loaded live from Tripadvisor when you ask — the newest reviews and the current rating.
Ratings breakdown
Read all reviews on Google (19,746) ↗
Videos
Hotel Riu Emerald Bay Mazatlan Review | All-Inclusive Beachfront Resort Mexico
Hotel Riu Emerald Bay Review | 5-Star All-Inclusive Resort in Mazatlán, Mexico!
Hotel Riu Emerald Bay Mazatlán Review: Honest All-Inclusive Guide (Rooms, Food, Pools & Beach) 2026
Ask Rosie
Have a specific question about Hotel Riu Emerald Bay?
Rosie answers from this resort’s guest reviews and our research — with quotes.
Know before you book
- Buffet very repetitive and limited variety
- Difficult to get specialty‑restaurant reservations
- Some rooms feel dated and minor maintenance issues
- Strong currents can be dangerous
What you should know
What to Know
It's a big, older property (a former Princess) where elevators, restaurant reservations, and communication in English can all be friction points; plan meals ahead and pack patience for the lifts.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Green city bus is cheap and easy for excursions
- Housekeeping and security are visibly present
- Newer wing rooms are noticeably nicer
- Staff genuinely warm and hardworking
Heads up
- Elevators are slow, old, and skip floors
- Restaurant reservations difficult to secure
- Located a bus ride from downtown Mazatlán
- Some older-building rooms show mold or maintenance issues
WATCH OUT: Seasonal heads-up
- Pacific hurricane season runs June through November with peak risk August–October
- Winter months (Dec–Feb) bring cooler ocean temps and occasional windy afternoons
Mazatlan International (MZT) is roughly 40 minutes south by taxi or pre-arranged shuttle. Book specialty restaurants the moment you check in, as slots fill quickly. Tipping in USD or pesos is appreciated even though it's all-inclusive, and most front-of-house staff speak English. Request a room in the newer wing if updated decor matters to you.
Good to know
- The resort has an older tower and a newer wing — request the newer side for updated rooms
- Specialty restaurants require advance reservations and slots are limited
- Cerritos location is quieter than the Zona Dorada; plan on a taxi for nightlife or Old Mazatlan
- Beach shade is in short supply — claim umbrellas early
- Mini-fridge restocking can be inconsistent; a quick call to reception usually fixes it
All photos
Photo: www.riu.com
Photo: www.riu.com
Photo: www.riu.com
Photo: www.riu.com
Photo: www.riu.com
Photo: www.riu.com
Photo: www.riu.com
Ready?
No ResortFinder markup. We just do the work.
What we know
Everything below comes from data we collected: here's the inventory for this resort.Updated October 2026- Photos
- 242
- Review excerpts
- 20
- Dining venues
- 7
- Menus
- Not yet collected
- Room categories
- 6
- Videos
- 3
- Editorial lenses
- 8
We aggregate. We don't trap. Verify on any of these:
Where this data comes from
We tell you what we know, and what we don't.
- Last updated
- October 7, 2026
- Sources
- Official resort siteGoogle PlacesTripadvisorDirect resort media
- Completeness
- 83%
Source collection snapshot
These collection totals can differ from the items available on this page. Video totals include screened results; the inventory above counts published tours.
- 146 photos
- 2 dining venues
- 30 videos