Riu Palace Hotel, Playacar, Playa Del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Yucatan Penisula, Mexico

The Spain based worlwide Riu Hotel chain has perhaps a half dozen properties in the Yucatan.  We stopped in to visit this one in the resort of Playacar just outside Playa del Carmen.  It has that spectacularly grande European style and feeling.  What a place!

Long and broad footpaths towards the beach.

Fountains, gardens, and heavy wrought iron style furniture for al fresco snacking.

Ornamental pools and sculpted gardens.

And for beach use, no little palapas or flimsy umbrellas to sit under to block the sun - they have their own palm forest of sunblock.

And Oh, what a beach!  (Panorama - click to view in full width).

Multiple swimming pools and fountains.

An employee polishes the brass stair knob with a toothbrush.

And no pesky, noisy weedwackers - instead they trim the grass edges with hand clippers. All you hear is snip, snip, snip.

Checking on the internet, a random daily cost in April for the least expensive room is $3700 pesos a night including food ( about $284 USD).  It's more than I'd like to pay as a retiree, but not out of line with rates I've seen in many locations in both the US and elsewhere in the world.  With a package deal, there are probably better options available.