Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya is an all-inclusive resort, located just about an hour south of Cancun in Mexico. Read all about my experience at this resort from a January 2023 trip below!
Palapa structures give the resort an authentic Mexico feel.
Trip Itinerary
You don't really need an itinerary or plan for all inclusive resorts - the activities and entertainment are pre-planned for you, the beaches and pools are on-site, and you don't have to search for good food or drinks. However, if you are curious like me, you may want to know what a trip at this resort looks like!
See how we spent our week at Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya below!
Welcome to Paradise!
Day One: Hello, Mexico! Hop off the plane, make it through customs, and navigate your way outside past all of the taxi drivers. Board your pre-booked resort transfer and ride 45 minutes to Valentin Imperial. Check in, sign the paperwork, and be sure to scan the QR code that has all of the resort's daily information on it. You (and your luggage) will be taken to your room via golf cart after a quick golf-cart tour of the resort. Get settled in, go find the beach, and enjoy! Some folks do room service for dinner after a long day of travelling (it's delicious), but we opted for one of the fanciest restaurants to celebrate our arrival: L’Alsace (French).
MUST TRY: French Onion Soup & Filet Mignon. This was the best steak we had all week. We watched the Burlesque Show after dinner.
Day Two: Enjoy breakfast at Le Marche (Breakfast Buffet) or Mar y Tierra (Breakfast Restaurant). We chose the buffet to sample all the options and find our favorites for the rest of the trip. We took a morning walk around the resort to get our bearings straight and check out the coffee shop. They also offer a bike tour. We then enjoyed the DJ and bottomless drinks at the Main Pool.
One of the biggest pools in the Caribbean.
In the later afternoon, we headed down to the beach. This was the only day of our trip that was deemed "safe" to swim in the ocean - this is calculated by the color of the flag on the beach and the wave conditions. I'm not sure if it was just the time of year we went, but I was disappointed that we couldn't do more at the beach. The windy days made huge waves (above our heads), so we were not allowed in the water most days. Lifeguards whistled at anyone who entered the water during red flag conditions. I understand that the waves were dangerous, but it was a bummer to not get to enjoy the beach.
Red flags... Some of us have seen these before.
Then, we got ready for dinner at L'Olivo (Italian). We ended the evening with churros from the churro cart (MUST TRY) and the Magic Show. Hey, these shows are actually pretty good!
Day Three: It rained all day long on Day 3 (think tropical rain storm - Riviera Maya is in the jungle). I've heard this is all-day rainfall incredibly rare, so hopefully no one else experiences the same weather. We started our day at Mar y Tierra, the sit-down Breakfast restaurant. This was one of my favorite meals of the trip.
MUST TRY: French toast, divorced eggs, and fresh orange juice!
We took shelter from the rain in the cabanas by the Main Pool, then at the Sunset Beach Bar. We returned to Mar y Tierra for sit-down Lunch. Then, we hung out under the awning of the Main Pool Bar. Dinner was surf and turf at... you guessed it... Mar y Tierra. You just cannot beat the location of this restaurant right on the beach. We ended the evening with martinis at Don Miguel's Martini Bar, churros from the churro cart, and a Circus show.
Day Four: Wake up and see the sunrise on the beach - this was one of my favorite experiences on our trip. The sun rises just over the water on the horizon and creates a beautiful painted sky.
In January, the sunrise was right about 7:30 AM (you can wake up for that!)
We then spent our day hopping between the Main Pool and the beach. The carnitas tacos from the food truck by the pool were delicious! After a day full of keeping the bartenders busy, we had dinner at the resort's Mexican Restaurant, La Hacienda. It had big romantic vibes between the beautiful outdoor dining area and the Mariachi band who came to serenade us with a love song. I felt like we were in a movie!
Day Five: We chose this as our big excursion day. We ordered room service for breakfast (they bring a huge spread) and hit the road! We rented a private yacht with Paradise Luxury Yachts for our group of 8. We were on the water for 6 hours and had about an hour of transport between the yacht harbor and the resort, each way. This excursion included fresh ceviche and chips, all you can drink, hot dogs for lunch, and 6 hours of boating. We stopped at Isla Mujeres, a famous beach near Cancun.
We drank all the pina coladas, margaritas, fruit punch, and beer.
The crew was amazing! They played fun music and were super thoughtful when I got seasick (party foul). The 6 hours honestly flew by so quickly! This was a super fun way to spend the day. We returned to the resort around 5 PM and got ready for dinner at Ginger (Japanese/Sushi Restaurant). I really wanted to eat at the sushi table so we could order sushi, but it had a long wait. We were able to sit in the general restaurant and order variety sushi platters or other food. The food here was amazing and the sushi is REAL - not the kind of stuff I eat in Nebraska. We went to the fire show and then listened to the DJ in the main courtyard.
Day Six: We chose this as our half-day excursion. We booked the Tulum Mayan Ruins and Cenotes Tour with Barrakuda at the Main Pool (at the resort). It was about 1.5 hours of transport to/from Tulum, around an hour at the Mayan Ruins, and around an hour at Cenote Chiken Ha.
We snorkeled in 2 fresh water cenotes.
The excursion was affordable and a great way to quickly/safely learn more about Mexican culture, history, and nature. We got back to the resort around 1:30 PM, grabbed lunch from the food truck by the Main Pool (yum), sat by the beach (but couldn't swim due to red flags), and returned to the pool for Mechanical Bull Riding. My husband had to ride the bull and it was a fun time full of drinks in the pool! This was our last full day, so we went back to the beach to soak it all in. I recommend going to the Sunset Beach Bar at night. It's still open in the evening and it's nice to listen to the waves. We then ate dinner at Mar y Tierra. It was the only place that we ate dinner at twice - our group really liked that it was surf and turf!
Day Seven: We enjoyed our last breakfast at our favorite breakfast spot - Mar y Tierra.
I think I will miss this view forever.
We walked on the beach one last time and then packed up our room. Our airport transportation came at 9 AM and our flight left at about 1:45 PM. They schedule pick-up super early due to traffic and construction between the resort and airport. Luckily, we had no trouble with traffic and got to the airport in about 45 minutes. We went right through customs, no troubles, and waited for our flight home.
The Layout
Valentin Imperial is a gorgeous and huge resort. I recommend either taking the bike tour (each morning) or walking the resort early on in your trip. This will help you get the lay of the land. It is totally walkable, but there are golf carts you can ride as well. Most of the restaurants are located in one general area, whereas one stands alone on the beach.
We stayed in the most affordable rooms at the resort - Deluxe Junior Suites. Our room was spacious, had a nice bathroom, and had a balcony overlooking some jungle trees. We stayed in building 5 - which was the perfect location! We were right next to the Main Pool and very close to the beach. It was a longer walk to the restaurants, but I could use a walk after eating that much dinner!
The housekeeping staff went above and beyond daily to clean and organize our room. I couldn't believe how much effort they put into making sure we were comfortable!
The Food
The food was one of the best parts about this resort. We never had a "bad" meal. There are 7 restaurants on the resort (we tried 6) and they were all delicious. Don't be afraid to try new things and order soups, salads, appetizers, entrees, and deserts! I usually don't order that much food, but it was fun to try so many menu items. I loved the food truck by the pool - we ate lunch there every day except one.
The room service is 24/7. We only ordered their breakfast, but it was great!
The Drinks
When you think of all inclusive, you think of all you can drink! The bartenders are quick and can make just about anything. My personal favorite drinks were Miami Vices and Lime Margaritas. I'm not a very adventurous drinker, but I've never had a margarita so good in my life! My favorite shots were Scooby Snacks and Mango Sexy. My husband's favorite drinks were MiCheladas (beer with tomato juice), Icebergs (beer with margarita on top), and Mojitos. I will mention that the cans of beer were always a little warm, so you may need to drink them fast or get a margarita on top to keep it cold!
We brought our own insulated tumbler cups to the resort. They can always fix your drinks in a plastic cup, but keep in mind that they don't use straws for the environment. You may be able to get a paper straw, but those don't last long! I was glad to have my reusable cup and straw, especially for frozen drinks that you can't tip back very well.
What Should I Pack?
I packed a carry-on suitcase and a backpack as my personal item. You will spend most of the day in your swimsuit and need fancier clothes for dinner. I would recommend packing several swimsuits (there is so much humidity here - it takes wet clothing a long time to dry), cover ups, a few sets of casual tanks and shorts, sundresses for evening meals, and 2 pairs of comfy shoes: one for the beach/pool and a nicer pair for dinners. I brought a pair of wedges that give me blisters from walking across the resort to the restaurants - I left them behind in Mexico! I like to leave my problems behind me.
There is a dress code at the dinner restaurants, so be sure that men pack long pants, closed toe shoes, and collared shirts.
What's the Vibe?
This was my first all-inclusive resort, so it's difficult to make comparisons. If you are looking for a resort with a younger crowd and wild nightlife, this may not be your choice. My group of 23 - 26 year olds was among the youngest at the resort. I would also say this is not as much of a singles or friends resort, but mainly couples. It's very romantic, so I can understand why! I felt luxurious being there, and maybe a little bit over my head. I'm not used to having napkins laid over my lap at dinner!
Most of the resort's party scene takes place during the day at the Main Pool. They have a DJ and, on Monday, they had a mechanical bull riding contest. This was super fun. The GO Team works hard to entertain guests! Day drinking is your main activity, but I wouldn't say the pool ever gets too rowdy. It's one of the biggest pools in the Caribbean, so it never feels packed even when there are a ton of people.
You won't find a nightclub here. There was a DJ starting at 11 PM and he played great music! There are also nightly shows and entertainment starting at about 9 PM. The resort seemed to get pretty quiet after dinner. Some evenings, we went to the Sports Bar and played pool.
Logistics: The Cancun Airport
Has anyone else heard horror stories about the Cancun Airport? I'm happy to report that we had no troubles or concerns at the airport. It is large, busy, and bustling with people, but you can find your way around quite easily. The only glitch was trying to work the electronic customs machine when arriving in Cancun.. I'm sure we will get used to them as other airports make this switch!
The main concern around the airport, as of January 2023, is traffic surrounding it. Due to construction, there is a higher volume of traffic near the airport than usual. This traffic is causing longer wait times and requiring folks to leave for the airport much sooner than they normally would. For example, we left the resort at 9 AM for our flight at 2 PM. It is typically about a 45 minute drive between Valentin Imperial and the Airport, but we had to budget for traffic time. Luckily, we made it to the airport and through customs in under 2 hours... This made for a long day waiting at the airport, but at least we weren't worried about being stuck in construction! I did hear that traffic/road construction is worse for those staying in Cancun's Hotel Zone, which this resort is not in.
Excursions
Something fantastic about Valentin is that they have their own excursion company on-site. This is a huge perk. If you went with an excursion company off-site, you may need to arrange your own transportation (extra cost), or you may be picked up by the company, but have to ride on the bus for several hours, picking up and dropping off folks from other resorts.
Barrakuda is the name of the excursion company and they are located right behind the Main Pool. They are actually right by the restrooms, so you will most likely see them! They have several different affordable options. We did the Tulum Mayan Ruins and Cenotes excursion.
My advice is to schedule half-day excursions. Barrakuda has several that run from 7 AM - 12 PM. This is great, because you are back in time for lunch and drinks all afternoon. After all, you are paying for the amenities - you should use them!
We did an off-site excursion with Paradise Luxury Yachts. They arranged the transportation from the resort for us and it was a private excursion. This was a great experience and it was a favorite for many of the people in our group! I would recommend this company if you want to do a boat day. They were super fun.
We did 2 excursions on our trip. I thought this was a good amount of adventure on our trip, but at the same time, I feel like I could have spent more time at the resort and enjoyed that, too. Your time at the resort goes by faster than you think! I almost wish we would have spent more time in the sun at the resort (we lost a whole day due to the rain). Consider how you would like to spend your vacation before booking any excursions. They are easy to book, right at the Main Pool, so I recommend spending a day or two at the resort before deciding how many excursions you would like to take.
Is It Really All Inclusive?
Some things seem too good to be true, but yes, this resort really is all-inclusive. You don't need to bring along any extra money for your stay. I do recommend bringing extra cash for tipping the staff and bigger bills if you would like to book an excursion.
The only additional costs were for specific wines off of the wine menu at dinner, ordering lobster at dinner, or additional services like spa or romantic dinners on the beach.
To Tip or Not to Tip
I recommend bringing cash for tipping at the resort. The staff are incredibly hardworking and attentive. They truly take great care of you, and at the end of a meal, you will find yourself wanting to give them a tip! It's just courteous to tip the bartenders after ordering 10 shots at the pool bar. I speak from experience!
Everyone tips differently, so consider how many days you will be staying, and bring what you are comfortable with. I brought $1 bills, $5 bills, and $10 bills. The lobby can break down larger bills, but I prefer to avoid any responsibility on vacation, so I bring small bills with me.
The Takeaway
Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya was my first all-inclusive resort experience, so I admit that I don't have anything to compare it to. However, I would recommend this resort to anyone looking for a relaxing and romantic trip. The resort itself is beautiful and the staff go the distance to spoil you. You will be well taken care of here! This is a stress-free vacation.
Enjoy the Trip!
Katie
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