Hilton Tulum Riviera Maya

I wrote a 5-star review of Hilton Cancun All-Inclusive in August 2023 and said I couldn't wait to visit another Hilton all-inclusive. I kept my promise—but this time, Hilton completely let me down.

Hilton Tulum still has the same beautiful atmosphere, spacious rooms, and wonderful staff. They remain the biggest reason to stay. Unfortunately, poor management and declining food quality turned what should have been a relaxing vacation into a frustrating one.

Poor Management

For several days, Vela Norte, the main buffet, was unexpectedly closed for lunch and dinner without any notice. Guests wandered around in the heat trying to figure out where to eat, while many struggled to squeeze onto the shuttle to Vela Sur, located at the opposite end of the resort. A simple notification through the app or a sign at the entrance would have prevented all the confusion.

The Hilton app also suddenly stopped allowing guests to make dinner reservations or order room service, forcing everyone to queue at the reservation desk instead. Although the staff handled the situation professionally, this inconvenience should never have happened.

Disappointing Food

The food quality has dropped dramatically.

At La Churrería, where guests are supposed to enjoy unlimited churros and ice cream, my daughter was excited to have some ice cream but was told there wasn't any. The lobby bar repeatedly ran out of French fries. At the café, frappés were still listed on the menu, yet staff explained they could no longer be served because the prepared mixture had been sitting for too long and was no longer drinkable.

The à la carte restaurants were equally disappointing. I ordered my salmon medium, but it arrived well done. The catch of the day and the lasagna tasted like reheated frozen meals. As an Asian, I have never seen wontons that looked like chips.

Even the basic accompaniments were missing:

Sushi and sashimi without wasabi. Pozole without lime. A smoked salmon bagel without capers.

These aren't optional extras—they are essential components of the dishes.

Executive Chef, are you aware of these issues?

The management team clearly needs to review its operations. Ironically, the only unpleasant employee we encountered during both of our stays was the pool supervisor, David, whose lack of empathy and professionalism only reinforced our disappointment.

Sadly, this will be our LAST Hilton all-inclusive vacation.

We travelled as a family of four with a 13-year-old and an 18-year-old, all of us are well-travelled. Without hesitation, this is the best hotel we have ever stayed in. The stunning setting, excellent facilities, fantastic food, and exceptional staff combined to make this a truly memorable holiday.

We arrived late in the evening and received a warm welcome along with a quick and efficient check-in.

Room - We stayed in two jungle-facing rooms in Casa 2, and they exceeded our expectations. The rooms were exceptionally spacious, with two queen beds, a thoughtful layout, and a very welcome rainfall shower. There was plenty of storage space, and everything was kept spotlessly clean throughout our stay.

Pool - One of the advantages of staying in Casa 2 was having access to the two pools located nearby. As the hotel was not operating at full occupancy, there were several occasions when we were the only family using the pool, During our stay, work was being carried out to clear sargassum from the adjacent beach, so there was some noise in the mornings. Casa 2 also has its own bar, and the staff there were always attentive and friendly.

As mentioned in my negatives, do pay attention to the slippery floor warning signs around the pool areas.

The main pool, located next to Vela Norte and the Pool Bar, was excellent. We never had any difficulty finding four sunbeds together, and both my husband and daughter thoroughly enjoyed the aqua aerobics shout out to Dani. The whole family also enjoyed taking part in the trivia quizzes.

The only downside was the iguanas, which could be quite persistent when people were eating.

Staff - Like many other reviewers have mentioned, it is the staff who truly make this hotel special. Their attention to detail, genuine friendliness, and willingness to help put much of the UK service industry in the shade.

Whether it was being warmly welcomed and remembered at breakfast each morning or receiving exceptional service from Maria in the Lobby Bar each evening, every member of staff went above and beyond to make our holiday memorable.

Food

Due to the lower occupancy during our stay, the evening buffet was only open on three nights. While the food was good, we felt it did not quite live up to our expectations, largely because the themed evenings limited the available choices.

We had no difficulty booking restaurants. Reservations can be made up to three days in advance via the app, or further ahead if you visit Priscilla at Concierge, who was incredibly helpful.

La Luce - A firm family favourite, particularly with our slightly picky 13-year-old.

Maxal - This restaurant wasn't quite for us. We had a lovely meal, but the menu is adventurous, and when it says grasshoppers, it genuinely means grasshoppers!

Auma Steak House - We ate here three times and enjoyed three excellent meals. I would recommend booking an earlier reservation, however, as some menu items were unavailable during our 9pm sitting.

Noriku - Absolutely outstanding and highly recommended.

Buffet - Breakfast was consistently excellent. The freshly made omelettes, pancakes, and smoothie bar were all highlights. We also had lunch at the buffet several times and always found plenty of appealing options.

Seasalt - Located at Casa 2, this was a lovely lunch spot. The steak and fish are particularly worth trying.

We also had lunch from both the Pool Bar and Lobby Bar on several occasions and had no complaints at all.

Wildlife - There is an abundance of wildlife around the resort, including iguanas, raccoons, coatis, and numerous hermit crabs. Seeing them up close was great fun. Unfortunately, some guests feed them, which seems to be making them increasingly bold around people.

Beach - As many others have noted, the beach is kept clear of sargassum close to the main building around the bay it is an issue. The beach bar service was excellent throughout our stay.

You can enter the sea without beach shoes, but there are rocky areas, so we found them useful. The water is warm, crystal clear, and relatively shallow. I am 5ft tall, and the deepest water I encountered was around shoulder height. There is also plenty to see while snorkelling.

Negatives

Pay attention to the slippery floor warning signs around the pools. This was entirely my fault, but I slipped on the steps after leaving the pool and ended up with some impressive bruises and scrapes for the remainder of the holiday.

The iguanas were fascinating to watch, but by the end of our stay they had become quite bold and aggressive, even jumping onto sunbeds and people when they were eating.

The DJ in the Lobby Bar started at around 10:00-10:30pm each evening. We found the music far too loud for conversation and often chose to leave, and as this is the only bar open in the evening, it was a bit annoying.

We will defintely look at coming back