Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa: High-energy and all-inclusive family fun
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Editor’s note: Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort and Spa provided TPG with a complimentary two-night stay to get an inside look at the hotel and its amenities. The opinions expressed below are entirely those of the author and weren’t subject to review by the hotel or any external entity.
Away from the hustle and bustle and just 25 minutes from Cancun International Airport (CUN), vacationers will find Hyatt’s Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa tucked away from Cancun’s popular Hotel Zone. However, this all-inclusive property is anything but quiet, boasting a family-friendly environment that may be the perfect option for those looking for a Mexican getaway with kids or a large group.
As someone who typically shies away from large, all-inclusive properties during my travels, after staying a few nights at this Riviera Maya resort, I definitely couldn’t help but notice some of the major perks of this hotel.
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While this resort caters to guests wanting to engage in poolside activities and post-dinner shows, it may not be the ideal option for all travelers, specifically couples wanting an adults-only atmosphere.
Here’s my review of the Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa — and what you should know before booking your stay.
Related: Best all-inclusive resorts in Cancun
What is Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa?
Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa is less than 30 minutes south of Cancun, in the small beach town of Puerto Morelos. Part of Hyatt’s all-inclusive collection, this hotel boasts 486 octagonal guest rooms and suites along with a plethora of amenities, including nine on-site dining options (six a la carte restaurants, a buffet, a grill and a cafe), a spa and gym facility, three pools (plus a small splash park), a kids club (called the Explorer’s Club), two outdoor hot tubs, nonmotorized watersports, poolside activities and nightly shows.
Guests enter the lobby and are greeted with cheerful yellow pillars, dark wood accents, greenery at every turn and even a small pond.
And, as with any ideal tropical getaway, Dreams Riviera overlooks beautiful white-sand beaches and turquoise waters.
When traveling to this region during the spring and summer months, it’s best to find a resort that combats the annual unwanted red seaweed, known as sargassum, which makes its way to the coast. Unlike other properties in the area, this resort has nets in the water that keep out a lot of the seaweed. Additionally, staff members regularly clean the beaches and move the seaweed off the property so guests can enjoy the beach area and the Caribbean Sea.
Since this resort emphasizes family-friendly activities, it draws travelers with young kids, wedding parties and bachelor/bachelorette parties.
How to book Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa
I enjoyed my two-night stay in the hotel’s Preferred Club Ocean View King room. Guests pay a little bit extra for a Preferred Club room, but it comes with additional perks, which definitely elevated my vacation experience (more on this later).
When booking Hyatt hotels, prices vary based on peak or off-peak season. For example, I completed my stay in April, a popular time to travel to Mexico; therefore, this room cost about $523 per night. If you book the same room type (Ocean View King Bed) but don’t opt for Preferred Club, the price is about $450 per night.
GABRIELLE BERNARDINI/THE POINTS GUY
However, if you book in the fall of 2024, you can find the same Preferred Club room for about $400 per night. If you don’t care about Preferred Club access or an ocean view, standard rooms can cost as low as $320 per night, depending on when you book.
Unlike major hotel chains like Marriott and Hilton, which use dynamic pricing, Hyatt still operates using an award chart. Utilizing points can save you a ton of money when booking at this resort. Dreams Riviera Cancun is classified as a Category C hotel, so a standard room will cost between 21,000 and 29,000 Hyatt points per night, depending on peak, off-peak or standard award rates. For a Preferred Club suite, you will spend between 29,000 and 37,000 points.
If you have Globalist status with Hyatt, you will automatically be upgraded to Preferred Club access.
GABRIELLE BERNARDINI/THE POINTS GUY
I have the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card, which allows you to transfer your Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio. Therefore, if you have transferable points, you could save your cash and instead opt to pay for your all-inclusive vacation with points.
A credit card like the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card allows you to redeem Capital One miles at a rate of 1 cent per mile in the form of a statement credit. This can help you cover some (if not all) of the cost of your Mexico getaway.
If you want to use one of the credit cards that earn the most points for Hyatt stays, as well as one that offers automatic World of Hyatt elite status for value-added benefits, you can check out the following:
World of Hyatt Credit Card: Earn 4 points per dollar spent at Hyatt hotels and resorts, receive automatic Discoverist status and earn five elite night credits per year toward a higher tier.
World of Hyatt Business Credit Card: Earn 4 points per dollar spent at Hyatt hotels and resorts, receive automatic Discoverist status and five elite night credits per year toward a higher tier.
Related: How (and why) you should earn transferable credit card points
A spacious, octagonal room layout
Whether your room looks over the manicured courtyard, the pool area or the beach, there is no bad view when vacationing at Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort. Instead of a traditional rectangle layout, these hotel rooms are in an octagon shape, which makes the room feel more spacious.
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Inside the 443-foot Ocean View suite, you’ll find a small couch, a 50-inch LED TV, an in-room safe, a fully stocked minibar (featuring bottled water, Coca-Cola, Sprite, Dos Equis, and orange and apple juice), snacks (including Pringles, peanut M&M’s and apples) and sparkling wine. There is also both a coffee and a tea maker, robes and slippers, a full-sized shower and separate soaking tub, as well as in-room bathroom amenities like shampoo, body lotion, toothpaste, dental kit, shower cap, sewing kit, bug spray and more.
Though this room was classified as an Ocean View room, it faced the pool area, and the ocean view was a side view; therefore, not all Ocean View rooms will overlook just the ocean. Outside on the balcony, my room also had a hot tub, a perk I took full advantage of.
GABRIELLE BERNARDINI/THE POINTS GUY
Unsurprisingly, the hotel is a popular wedding destination with its lush landscape and beautiful ocean views. There were about three weddings per night during my two-night stay at this property. Since my room overlooked the main pool area, I found it quite noisy at night, specifically on the first night when I tried to go to bed before 11 p.m. Since a wedding reception was taking place right at the pool area, there was music blasting until at least 11 p.m. For those who like to go to bed early or who have young kids, multiple wedding events just outside your hotel room balcony might be a bit of a nuisance, which is just something to keep in mind.
Related: What it’s like staying at Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos, an All-Inclusive Resort
Multiple pools for both kids and adults to enjoy
If spending the day poolside is your vibe, you’ll fall in love with Dreams Riviera’s three pools. Each pool brings a different element to cater to guests of all ages. There is a kids pool that features a small splash park with kid-friendly waterslides and an aquatic jungle gym. This is a great option for parents with young kids.
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There is a medium-sized pool for activities like pool volleyball or a relaxing dip.
The biggest pool on the property, which also features a swim-up bar, is the infinity pool that overlooks the beach. Whether you choose to lie on a built-in, partially submerged lounger or relax with a drink in hand at the bar, this expansive pool is certainly a highlight; plus, it makes for the best views and photo ops.
While there are several pools to choose from, unfortunately, there was limited poolside seating during my stay. When walking around the resort at 7 a.m. to grab a coffee, I noticed a lot of pool chairs already being “claimed” for the day — people go down early and put their beach towels on a chair to snag a spot. When I went to the pool at 10 a.m., my boyfriend and I could not find two chairs next to each other at any of the three pools. Not seeing any chairs available that early in the day was frustrating, so we opted to go to the beach instead.
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Cabanas are not included in the all-inclusive price. A cabana at the main pool costs $250 for the day and includes a bottle of alcohol such as Moet. The cabanas in the courtyards are $100 for the day and include a bottle of alcohol of your choosing from the provided list.
Related: 8 things I wish I knew about travel before I became a parent
Family-friendly and adult activities daily
During my two-night stay at Dreams Riviera, there was a plethora of daily activities for guests, including fitness-focused classes like yoga and Zumba, dance lessons, bracelet making, volleyball, blackjack, in-pool games, archery and bocce ball. And there were guests of all different ages partaking in each activity. For example, one of the in-pool games was throwing a football through a target, and both kids and adults tried their hand at this game as people watched and cheered. It definitely created a fun and energetic atmosphere.
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For parents wanting a bit of alone time, there is a fully supervised Explorer’s Club for kids, which features a rock climbing wall and a fully sectioned-off play area with activities.
For those wanting to continue their fitness journey on vacation, there is a gym above the spa which features two rooms, one with treadmills, yoga mats, dumbells and more. The other fitness room seems to be where daily classes (such as yoga) are held and has several stationary bikes, lighter weights and large yoga balls. I liked doing a quick Pilates workout on my phone in that room as it was empty, so I had more privacy and space during my workout.
GABRIELLE BERNARDINI/THE POINTS GUY
If you want to engage in water sports, you can rent kayaks and small catamarans. To rent, you have to pay $3 for a wristband.
You will also have to pay extra for off-property excursions, such as visiting the famous cenotes or snorkeling, but you can book these extracurricular activities right on the property. For example, my boyfriend and I were quoted $150 per person to visit three cenotes, including transportation and entry costs. While booking excursions on-site is convenient, it is a bit pricey, especially if you have several family members.
The nightly activities also didn’t disappoint, as each night featured different shows. My favorite show chronicled the story of Indigenous Mexican culture. The outfits, music and fire routines brought an authentic element to the resort.
When the kids go to bed or if you’re just looking to extend the party, a DJ plays each night at the Desires Lounge, which is like a sports bar.
Plenty of food options
With nine on-site dining outlets, this hotel had no shortage of food options, even for the pickiest eaters. While I didn’t have a chance to dine at every restaurant during my two-night stay, there were some highs and lows, and it’s no secret that food at all-inclusive resorts can sometimes be hit or miss. Additionally, the portion sizes for most of the food items were not too big, which allowed me to order and try more dishes throughout my stay.
Oceana
Oceana is an a la carte poolside restaurant that is open for lunch and dinner and serves a variety of seafood dishes.
GABRIELLE BERNARDINI/THE POINTS GUY
When I arrived at the hotel, I dined at the poolside seafood restaurant before my room was ready. I enjoyed the fried octopus ceviche with cucumber, serrano chili, avocado and red onion. I also found the tuna tiradito served with ponzu sauce and creamy avocado to taste fresh.
I would skip the shrimp cocktail and fish tempura tacos on my next trip. Personally, I like cocktail sauce to have a bit of spice and a vinegar taste, but this was overly sweet for my liking. The tempura tacos felt a bit heavy, and I would have preferred them without the breading.
Barefoot Grill GABRIELLE BERNARDINI/THE POINTS GUY
A casual quick-service spot by the pool, Barefoot Grill is perfect for those wanting a bite to eat without sitting at a restaurant. You can choose from items like guacamole and chips, hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries and pizza. As someone who grew up in what Northeast locals call the tri-state area (New Jersey, New York and Connecticut), where pizza reigns supreme, I didn’t have super-high expectations for pizza at an all-inclusive resort. However, my barbeque chicken pizza and shrimp pizza slices were pretty good, a deliciously welcoming surprise.
Himitsu
Himitsu is an a la carte restaurant specializing in Pan-Asian cuisine and hibachi. You can either dine inside the restaurant or make a reservation for hibachi. I decided to try out the hibachi experience at Himitsu. However, we were informed during our hotel check-in that you must make a reservation for hibachi two days in advance. Since I was only staying two nights, I almost couldn’t get a reservation. Thankfully, the hotel concierge squeezed me in for the last reservation, a 9:45 p.m. timeslot. Yes, it was a very late dinner, but I was happy to try out the culinary experience.
GABRIELLE BERNARDINI/THE POINTS GUY
With hibachi, you are limited to a fixed menu. The dinner consisted of miso soup, which was a bit undersalted for my liking, three pieces of sushi and fried rice with grilled vegetables and chicken, beef and shrimp. The fried rice and grilled vegetables were the highlight of this meal with large portions and umami flavoring. However, they didn’t provide any sort of yum-yum or similar dipping sauce for the meal.
I was not a fan of the sushi rolls at Himitsu as there was too much rice, which had an overly sweet flavor and was mushy, and there was not enough fish.
Overall, while it is a fun experience that is great for those dining with kids or a large crowd because of the “hibachi show,” I would probably skip making a reservation for hibachi and dine at this restaurant again via the a la carte service.
El Patio
Unsurprisingly, the Mexican cuisine was delicious and a favorite during my stay at the resort. El Patio is a dinner restaurant that features flavorful dishes from different regions of Mexico. I loved that the restaurant leaned into its authenticity and featured dishes such as beef tongue stew tacos.
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If you’re a cheese lover, a must-get is the breaded Oaxaca cheese with green sauce, which is similar to a giant mozzarella stick. The roasted poblano pepper cream soup with panela cheese was also a major highlight. The simple dish had a lot of flavor with a delicate balance of salt, cream and a bit of spice.
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I also tried the pork pastor tacos with roasted pineapple, onion and Mexican-style sauce, as well as chicken and beef fajitas with peppers and onions on corn tortillas. For dessert, I had to try the churros covered in chocolate sauce; they were perfectly crispy on the outside with a soft center. The dishes didn’t disappoint and made El Patio a standout restaurant.
Seaside Grill
Situated next to Oceana, Seaside Grill is a sit-down restaurant that serves breakfast (for Preferred Club members only), lunch and dinner. For those who don’t love seafood enough to dine at Oceana, Seaside Grill may be a great lunch spot for casual food as it serves items such as burgers and chicken fingers. During dinner service, the restaurant turns into a steakhouse. However, I did not dine at Seafood Grill for lunch or dinner.