Royalton Riviera Cancun An Autograph Collection

I was extremely disappointed with my experience at this hotel, particularly given that it is advertised as a five-star property.

The food was consistently disappointing, and the level of service we received fell far below what I would expect from a hotel of this caliber. What concerned me most, however, was the noticeable difference in treatment my partner and I experienced compared with other guests.

On multiple occasions, we would enter the buffet, sit down, and wait 10 minutes or more before a server approached us to ask what we would like to drink. Meanwhile, we repeatedly witnessed non-Black guests being greeted and attended to by servers before they had even taken their seats. This wasn’t something we noticed once—it happened often enough that the difference became difficult to ignore.

We experienced similar treatment throughout the property. Employees would pass us in the hallways without acknowledging us—not even a simple “good morning,” “good afternoon,” or “good evening.” We were often left feeling as though we were invisible.

As Black guests, these repeated experiences made us question whether race or prejudice played a role in the way we were treated. I do not say that lightly, nor can I speak to anyone’s intentions. I can only describe what we consistently experienced and observed during our stay.

To make the experience even more disappointing, I paid extra to upgrade to Diamond Club, which was supposed to provide an elevated level of service, including a personal butler. Unfortunately, I ended up handling many of my own bookings and arrangements because our butler would forget things I had asked for assistance with. When you’re paying a premium specifically for personalized service, you should not have to repeatedly follow up or simply take care of the arrangements yourself.

What makes this experience particularly disappointing is that I have previously stayed at a Royalton resort in Jamaica and had a spectacular experience. The hospitality, service, and overall experience there left a very positive impression on me. Because of that experience, I arrived at this property with confidence in the Royalton brand and high expectations. Unfortunately, this stay was a completely different experience.

Between the poor food, inconsistent service, disappointing Diamond Club experience, and the troubling differences we observed in how we were treated compared with other guests, this stay did not come close to the five-star experience I paid for and expected.

A luxury hotel should make every guest feel welcomed, acknowledged, and valued, regardless of race. I sincerely hope management takes this feedback seriously, particularly the concerns surrounding how Black guests are treated and whether Diamond Club guests are actually receiving the premium level of service they are paying for.

Diana Chavez served us and she was great! She went above and beyond.

Our stay was made exceptional thanks to the outstanding service provided by Juan, Sandy, Cassandra, and Israel. They were consistently polite, highly attentive, and went above and beyond to ensure we had a wonderful experience. Their professionalism truly stood out and enhanced our visit.