What to do at RIU hotels and nearby
A RIU hotel is rarely just the hotel — the all-inclusive resorts run their own daily program, and every city around them adds worthwhile excursions.
Inside the resort
The all-inclusive schedule usually includes non-motorized watersports lessons (kayak, stand-up paddle), dance classes, a beach volleyball tournament, nightly live shows and, at many hotels, a mini club or kids' area. Some resorts add their own golf course or a partnership with a neighboring golf club.
Spa and wellness treatments are usually extra, even on all-inclusive — book a slot as soon as you arrive, the best times fill up fast.
Excursions at the beach destinations
Mexico and the Riviera Maya: cenotes, Mayan ruins (Chichén Itzá, Tulum) and reef diving. Jamaica: Dunn's River Falls, bamboo rafting, live reggae. Punta Cana: a boat trip to Saona Island. Costa Rica: a volcano, zip-lining and wildlife watching. Aruba: Arikok National Park and diving.
Most of these excursions can be booked at the resort itself or with local operators — check the specific destination guides under /destinos for city-by-city detail.
Excursions in the Riu Plaza cities
New York: Times Square, Broadway, Central Park. Miami: Ocean Drive, Little Havana, Wynwood. Chicago: a river architecture tour, Millennium Park. San Francisco: cable cars, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate. Madrid: the Prado Museum, Retiro Park. Berlin: the Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island. Dublin: Temple Bar, the Guinness Storehouse.
These hotels aren't all-inclusive — the plan is to head out and explore the city on foot or by transit, with the hotel as your central base.