Dreams Riviera Cancun Reviews

Cancun is a very popular spring break destination among college students and young people, as it’s not only beautiful but also full of party resorts. If you’re planning a family trip to Cancun, finding family-friendly options may pose a challenge, especially if you also want to travel over spring break. 

Dreams’ portfolio of luxury all-inclusive resorts is designed with families in mind. They have a considerable presence in Mexico, with 16 locations scattered along the coast line. Dreams Riviera Cancun is a favorite among families, particularly parents with young children since there is so much for them to see and do. 

If you’re considering Cancun for your next family holiday, read on to learn all about this all-inclusive family resort, including what other guests say in their Dreams Riviera Cancun reviews.

Dreams Riviera Cancun Reviews: Overview

Dreams Riviera Cancun is one of 16 Dreams resorts in Mexico. As a family-friendly all-inclusive, Dreams Riviera Cancun offers activities and amenities for guests of all ages. It’s also a beautiful resort for a romantic Mexican honeymoon or vacation. 

However, some Dreams Riviera Cancun reviews mentioned that the resort was louder than other Dreams properties, such as Dreams Jade Resort. With almost 500 rooms and suites, Dreams Riviera Cancun can also be quite busy. 

Dreams Riviera Cancun is definitely more family-geared than it is toward romance. If you’re after a relaxing, peaceful atmosphere, the chaos of children running around might interfere with that. This particular resort is smaller than other Dreams locations, and because of how it’s laid out with accommodation buildings on either side extending almost to the shoreline, the common areas can feel a bit crowded. If you’d prefer a romantic, adults-only all-inclusive resort, check out the related World of Hyatt brand Secrets resorts.

That said, this is a very popular resort for destination weddings–so much so that some Dreams Riviera Cancun reviews found them to be annoying and intrusive, as they generally take place in the common areas. Some guests said that they felt they were “in the way of someone’s special day.”

With a Google rating of 4.4, Dreams Riviera Cancun reviews are mostly positive, with guests especially liking the property and the service. They note that it is very clean and well-maintained, and the staff is extremely friendly and helpful.

Dreams Riviera Cancun Reviews: Rooms & Suites 

Dreams Riviera Cancun has utilized a clever hack to get as much space as possible from 486 big rooms and suites. Their octagon-shaped rooms have approximately 20% more space than standard square-shaped rooms, allowing enough space to include private indoor hot tubs, comfy king-sized beds, and separate seating areas. Still, many  Dreams Riviera Cancun reviews mention families of 4 or more feeling “cramped.”

Standard rooms have large, furnished terraces or balconies, but few oceanfront options are available. Most rooms overlook the gardens or pool deck. The color palette at Dreams Riviera Cancun deviates from Dreams’ classic blue, aqua, and white scheme, incorporating red, cream and brown accents with dark wooden furniture. Family suites offer enough space for seven guests in two adjoining suites. 

Guests who upgrade to the Preferred Club can reserve rooms in areas of the resort grounds that offer better views. Upgraded amenities like better bath products, high-end minibar contents, and perks like a private plunge pool are also included. 

If you want an oceanfront suite, you’ll have to shell out for the Preferred Club upgrade. The Honeymoon, Bridal, Governor, and Presidential Suites are the only rooms at the resort with actual oceanfront status. Also, when you reserve the Governor or Presidential Suite, you’ll automatically get a beachside palapa at no extra charge. 

Dreams Riviera Cancun Reviews: Food & Drinks

Dreams Riviera Cancun has eight specialty restaurants in addition to the international buffet, The World Cafe, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For light snacks and lunch, guests can get sandwiches, salads, and pizza at the Barefoot Grill by the pool or grab something to go at Coco Cafe, a 24/7 coffee shop that also serves premade bites like deli-style sandwiches, fruit cups, and pastries. 

You can eat Mexican food at El Patio, pan-Asian fare at Himitsu, Italian-inspired meals at Portofino, and grilled seafood at Oceana, which also serves lunch. The Seaside Grill, a classic steakhouse with seafood options, is open for dinner to the entire resort and breakfast and lunch for Preferred guests. 

For romantic, adult-only dining, Bordeaux is a French restaurant with a wine cellar. Reservations are unnecessary at all of Dreams’ restaurants unless you want a teppanyaki table. 

Most Dreams Riviera Cancun reviews said the food there was very good, especially in the French and Italian restaurants. However, some guests complained of long wait times to get a table, and others said they found the portions to be small. Additionally, they noted that not all restaurants are open every night, and some are reserved for Preferred Club members.

For unlimited poolside drinks, guests can swim up to Manatees in the infinity pool or pull up a chair at Sugar Reef, the pool bar. Down by the beach, there’s Barracuda Beach Bar. The bar in the spa, Revive, serves cocktails made with fresh fruit juice and healthy, alcohol-free natural beverages. There is also Rendezvous, the lobby bar, where guests can have a quiet drink in a peaceful setting, and Desires, where guests can watch the game or dance until 1:00 a.m.

Dreams Riviera Cancun reviews of the bars are mostly positive, with the majority of guests enjoying their drinks and the service they received.

Dreams Riviera Cancun Reviews: Beach

Dreams Riviera Cancun is built on a large stretch of powder-soft, white-sand beach. There isn’t much shade apart from what’s provided by the palapas and Bali beds lined up on the sand, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis (unless you’re staying in a high-end suite; in that case, one is reserved for you). 

The water is warm and fine for swimming, and non-motorized watersports equipment is free for guests. Regrettably, this region of Mexico often experiences significant accumulations of sargassum seaweed along its shores. Numerous Dreams Riviera Cancun reviews have indicated that the water can be overly saturated with seaweed, making it unpleasant for swimming. 

Resort staff do what they can to keep on top of it, but it’s a natural occurrence and challenging to predict, so keep that in mind. 

Also, although there is a coral reef offshore, some guests were disappointed that they were unable to snorkel from the beach and instead had to pay to take a snorkeling excursion.

Dreams Riviera Cancun Reviews: Pools

Dreams Riviera Cancun has three refreshing swimming pools clustered together at the far end of the resort grounds, only steps from the beach. Panoramic ocean views from the infinity pool are amazing. Loungers surround the pool, but seating here is hard to come by. Previous Dreams Riviera Cancun reviews mention that despite signage prohibiting guests from reserving chairs they aren’t using, the policy doesn’t seem to be maintained. 

The second pool is much more lively with loud music playing. It’s where most of the daily entertainment is held, like water aerobics, water volleyball, and competitions. It’s set slightly further from the infinity pool and the shallow kids’ pool but not far enough away to keep the music and noise from traveling to other areas of the resort. 

Dreams Riviera Cancun reviews found the pools to be beautiful and clean, but some guests were not happy that they don’t stay open later.

Dreams Riviera Cancun Reviews: Activities

Dreams Riviera Cancun is not within walking distance of any shops or entertainment centers, but the resort has enough activities to keep guests busy. The gym is large, and instructor-led classes are occasionally held there. The spa has treatment rooms for singles or couples, a hydrotherapy circuit, chromotherapy, treatments and a fish spa. After your treatment, you can take a leisurely stroll through the gardens with fresh juice in hand.

Free weekly cooking classes and wine and tequila tastings are held in a large Chef’s Garden where fresh herbs are grown to be used in the restaurants. There are bikes free for guests to use to explore the natural surroundings. Off-site excursions like deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, hiking, and guided tours of Mayan ruins can be arranged through the 24-hour concierge.  

Nightly entertainment is family-friendly and includes musical theater performances, cultural events, outdoor movie screenings, and theme nights. For child-free couples, the sports bar also has a nightclub side that’s open til 1 a.m. 

The Explorer’s Club is available for kids aged 3-12. Dreams Riviera Cancun reviews say it offers fun, engaging activities with energetic, fully licensed staff. There’s also an unsupervised baby playroom but no teens club. 

Dreams Riviera Cancun Reviews: Romance Packages

Cancun is a hotspot for destination weddings in Mexico, common at Dreams Riviera Cancun. Dreams’ line of romance packages includes complimentary wedding packages for couples staying at least three nights and custom-tailored packages for an added cost. Traditional Mayan and South Asian ceremonies are part of their lineup as well. 

Six beautiful locations include a wedding pavilion on the sands of the private beach. Couples who have their wedding at Dreams Riviera Cancun can also get free nights during their anniversary with reservations of 4 or 5 nights. Honeymoon packages include welcome drinks on arrival, a fruit plate, and champagne in your suite. 

Dreams Riviera Cancun also offers all-inclusive elopement and party packages for vow renewals, engagement parties, and proposals. Coordinators will work with you from afar to ensure your event is exactly how you imagine it. 

The majority of Dreams Riviera Cancun reviews from people who held or attended destination weddings here are very positive, and they say the onsite staff is excellent.

Dreams Riviera Cancun Reviews: What’s Included 

Dreams Resorts’ Unlimited-Luxury all-inclusive plans are generous and cover unlimited gourmet meals, endless snacks, and bottomless drinks. All resort restaurants are available to all guests, apart from the Preferred dining location and lounge. Activities covered in the rate include all entertainment, use of the gym and sporting equipment, entrance to the Kids’ Club, the hydrotherapy circuit at the spa, pools and loungers, access to the private beach with loungers and beverage service, nonmotorized watersports equipment, and access to a 24-hour concierge who can arrange off-site excursions not covered in the rate. 

Dreams Riviera Cancun Reviews: Location 

Dreams Riviera Cancun is actually outside of Cancun in a village called Puerto Morelos, about a 20-30-minute drive from the airport. Dreams can arrange transport between the airport and the resort, and taxis are always waiting. Just make sure you know what the average fare should cost to avoid overpaying. 

The area is an excellent central location for exploring nearby towns like Playa del Carmen, Akumal, Tulum and lesser-known fishing villages on the Riviera Maya, but you will need a car. If you want to rent one, there is paid parking at the resort. 

Some Dreams Riviera Cancun reviews said that the resort felt remote and weren’t happy that there was nothing close by.

Now that you’ve read all about the resort and what the Dreams Riviera Cancun reviews had to say, what do you think? Would you stay here? If you’re not sure whether this is the best resort for your trip, here are some other articles to help you choose: Dreams Jade Resort Reviews, Dreams Aventuras Riviera Maya Reviews, Dreams Onyx Punta Cana Reviews, The 20 Best All-Inclusive Family Resorts Around the World, Top 15 All-Inclusive Waterpark Resorts, 10 Dominican Republic All-inclusive Family Resorts, and Top 15 Costa Rica All Inclusive Family Resorts.

Google Rating: 4.4

Booking.com Rating: 8.6