What a great stay at the Riu Baja. We've travelled alot (Mexico, Punta Cana, Jamaica...etc) and i was not disappointed at all. Great Staff, great resort, great food, great location. Im so glad we upgraded to the Baja over the sante Fe and Palace. We were a party of 6 (Us 55/54 age, our son and fiancé 25/23. and Daughter and boyfriend 23/23.
Location: its about a 40-45 min bus drive from the airport to the Baja. 20 min walk along the beach to downtown, 10 min uber/taxi ride. Uber was about $15-16 US one way. Taxi's were allowed to drive right up to the resort but uber had to meet you at the front gate (2 min walk). You have a direct unextracted view from the Baja overlooking the Arches (so beautiful).
Check in: were greeted right away with a happy helpful staff and mimosa's. we arrive around 1 pm and our 3 rooms were ready. we asked to have all 3 rooms close to each other and the made it happen. the resort has 4 floors but since it was a smaller resort, getting around was quick and easy (stairs and elevators). Check in took about 5 min.
Resort: The Baja Palace is directly beside the Sante Fe and the Sante fe is beside the regular Palace. all the night parties were held at the Sante Fe (so a little walk to the party but worth it). Beautiful well kept resort, never saw any garbage anywhere. 2 pools overlooking the beach and the Arches. The gym was one of the best ive seen when travelling. Lots of chairs (never had an issue getting one...they were still avail at 10am). in case you didnt know, you cannot swim on the beach due to the undertoe. a 10 min walk into the bay and you can swim.
Staff: i cant remember ever staying at a place that ever staff was outstanding. everyone was there to assist, everyone smiling and going above and beyond. Really, im not kidding. When i try to remember all my favorites, its very hard...From the gold bar staff Aturo, Fernando and ???, best Espresso martinis!!!! The Cappuccino bar ladies Rocia and ???, meet me every morning with a smile (knowing my order after the 2nd day). i could go on and on but remembering everyone's names is impossible.
Bars: plenty of bars scattered throughout...Gold bar, Cappuccino, Daccari bar, pool side bar, swim up bar....all worked so hard for everyone.
Food: we've experienced alot of different countries resort food and i was a little worried reading some reviews before coming. I cant believe some people didnt like the food. it was one of the better places for food. They were all great (the buffet was the best one we've seen). our favorite was the Asian (ate there twice). its a tapas style that allows you to tray lots of different items. you can order 3 plates per person and then reorder after. there is no sushi so dont expect any. our second favorite was the steakhouse, Surf and turf was amazing and they cooked it med-rare perfectly. 3rd was the Mexican, fresh fish tacos, chips and guacamole/pico. 4th was Italian, the salmon OMG . 4th was Krystal and loved the Red snapper! During the day they have a food bar set up called Pepe's and they cooked fresh Taco's everyday (on top of burgers/fries and that kinda stuff). the buffets was one the best weve seen.
entertainment: the day entertainment staff was great, asking but not pressuring you to participate. very funny and fun. the nightly entertainment is the only place that i think may need attention. The Riu "Parties" were fabulous and we enjoyed all 4 of them but if you were older, you may not enjoy the party atmosphere. This is where the night shows need attention as they were not up to par with other resorts night shows. in all other countries they had acrobats, michael jackson shows, comedy...traveling shows and i found that the Baja nigh shows were not that great. but dont get me wrong, the Riu Partys were great (Pink, white, Neon and Jungle). bring outfits and dress up with everyone else. they even paint your faces
overall this was one of the best resorts we've gone too and would love to come back.
Tips: Uber is cheaper then Taxis (and safe). the town felt safe to walk around, expensive drinks downtown, surprising beach vendors were cheaper then the downtown prices (if you bargain fairly. They need to make a living as well). booking excursions are cheaper down at the marina then via your vacation provider so dont be afraid of simply going down and listening to their prices.
steve c2025-06-02
