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My friends and I have started doing a yearly trip to an all-inclusive at a tropical destination, and I cannot recommend this enough! We all travel a lot & are used to jam packed trips with multiple cities, full itineraries, crazy step-count days & more, but these trips are all about relaxing, preferably poolside with a drink.
We’ve now visited the Hard Rock in Riviera Maya Mexico & Hard Rock Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. I’ve loved all my stays at the Hard Rock. If you’re looking for an all-inclusive with tons of food options, included amenities, & upcharge availability at a reasonable price the Hard Rock Resorts are great options.
Keep reading for my full review of the Hard Rock Riviera Maya Mexico, you can also see my full review of the Hard Rock Punta Cana here. One important thing to note about the Hard Rock Riviera Maya is the resort consists of two parts, the main resort Hacienda is family friendly, but one side of the resort, Heaven, is adults only. If you’re staying on the adults only side you can use all the Hacienda amenities.
Jump To:
- Location
- Food & Drinks
- Amenities & Activities
- Paid Activities
- Rooms
- When to Visit Riviera Maya Mexico
- Hard Rock Resort Riviera Maya Cost
Disclaimer: This article contains some links where I earn commission through booking. There is no extra cost to you, and I only recommend things I’ve used and love or places I’ve stayed and enjoyed!
Location
Riviera Maya is located about 1-2 hours from Cancun (depending on traffic) The easiest way to get there is by flying to Cancun. You can book your transportation through the Hard Rock to and from the airport. You can view the transport options here. There is a cost associated unless it’s included in your booking package.
The transport time does mean a lot of your first day arriving and your departure day are travel. The hotel schedules for you to take a shuttle at least 4 hours in advance of your flight time.
Planning to explore more of Mexico beyond the resort? My Mexico Travel Guide has everything you need to plan your trip.
Food & Drinks
Sit Down Restaurants
Hard Rock Riviera Maya features 8 sit down restaurants (included in your all inclusive package) A few are adult-only & noted below
UMO
Adults only
This picturesque Mexican spot features Yucatan classics. Their barbacoa is their specialty and you cannot go wrong with this. You can’t miss this spot on your trip! Menu here
WAI
Adults only
WAI is a stunning Thai restaurant featuring a variety of curry and homemade noodle bowls. We loved this spot. Menu here.
Toro Steakhouse
One of our favorite spots was definitely Toro Steakhouse. These steaks were unreal (especially for an all inclusive) the sides were also 10/10. This spot also had a rooftop with great views. Menu here.
Ciao
The Hard Rock’s signature Italian spot. They had all the classics served with fresh pasta options. Menu here.
Zen Hibachi
Hibachi is so fun as part of a group trip. Definitely make reservations in advance for this one. Super fun for kids too! Menu here.
Le Petit Cochon
This French spot is small and can be a bit hard to get a table, but it’s so worth it. We loved our meal here. Menu here.
Los Gallos (Heaven) & Frida (Hacienda)
Two similar Mexican spots (one located on each side of the resort) these spots serve all the classics!
Casual Dining Options
Pizzeto
Pool side pizzas, sandwiches & pastas. This spot was my favorite during the day
Buffet Options
- La Isla buffet (indoor and outdoor option)
- The Market buffet
- Faro Gastro Market (adults only)
Room Service
One of our absolute favorite amenities was the 24 hour room service food & drink menu, we took full, full advantage of this!
Bars & Clubs
There are endless poolside bar options at this resort. There’s a swim up bar or a poolside bar next to each pool. They also have their bar serving signature cocktails, Jigger + Shaker, and their Heaven nightclub (weekends only.) One of my favorites was also the beachside Martini Bar.
Included Amenities
- 5 pools
- private beach
- Rockaway Bay Water Park
- Hard Rock Kids Club
Paid Amenities
- spa – the treatments are absolutely unreal
- golf
Paid Activities
Riviera Maya & the Yucatan has tons of great places to explore. You can find Mayan ruins, cenotes, ATV adventures, combo excursions and more. This area is filled with things to do if sitting pool/beachside all week is too much relaxing for you.
Visit Chichen Itza Mayan Ruins
Chichenitza is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world, and it’s doable as a (long) day trip from Cancun or Riviera Maya. You can join a larger group tour or hire a private driver. I recommend the latter as the driver will get you there earlier before the crowds get crazy. Most tours also include a stop at a cenote and a stop in Valladolid for lunch. A private tour is about $200 per person vs. $60 for a group.
Explore the Cenotes
The Riviera Maya/Yucatan region has tons of cenotes that can be explored. It can be hard to narrow down which ones to visit. You can join a guided tour that brings you to one or a few cenotes or you can rent a car and explore yourself. Some of the most popular cenotes to visit are:
- Ik Kil Cenote
- Cenote X’ux Ha
- Cenote XCANAHALTUN
- Zazil Tunich – Cenote Museo
Tulum Trip – Ruins, Cenotes, Snorkeling & More
Explore Tulum – the ruins, the cenotes, go snorkeling & more on this day trip. This tour is perfect if you don’t want to commit to the long drive to Chichen Itza, but want to see ruins and explore cenotes on a shorter trip
Isla Mujeres Catamaran Trip
Explore Riviera Maya from the water with a catamaran day tour with lunch and open bar. Snorkel at Isla Mujeres, enjoy a gourmet lunch & more.
Rooms
The rooms at the Hard Rock Riviera Maya were unique (we stayed on the Heaven Adults only side, so the rooms may be different on the other side) The only options were rooms with King beds. The rooms all had balconies overlooking either the pool, ocean or both. The rooms on the top floor also came with roof decks with tubs. The layout was a bit odd, but all the outdoor space was nice.
I’ve included a video below because it’s a bit hard to explain the roof deck situation!
When to Visit Riviera Maya Mexico
Mexico is nice year round, but Riviera Maya does have rainy/hurricane season that might be best to avoid if you’re looking for a tropical trip filled with sunshine.
Jan- April
This is the dry season in Riviera Maya and you’ll find the best weather, but the highest prices.
May – Jun
These are considered shoulder seasons, where you’ll still find good weather, but maybe a bit more rain. Prices will be lower.
Jul – Nov
This is the rainy season, although we visited the last week of October last year and had very little rain and mostly sunny days, so end of Oct/Nov are good options.
Hard Rock Resort Riviera Maya Cost
Our friends parents are part of the Hard Rock Resort rewards members program, so we got discounted rates on the rooms — we paid $1,300 per person (2 per room) for 7 days (flights not included).
Without the discount, non-member rates for a week in November typically run $3,500–$5,000+ per couple depending on room type and season. Rates fluctuate quite a bit, so I’d recommend checking current availability for accurate pricing.
