Azul Beach Resort Riviera Cancun

I recently spent four nights at Iberostar Selection Riviera Cancún as a bit of a scouting trip before deciding where to spend a longer nine-day vacation next month.

My visit coincided with the Mexican summer holiday period, and the resort was full, just to add some context. Overall, I enjoyed my stay, but it was a mixture of very positive experiences and a few frustrations.

As a solo traveller who doesn't drink alcohol, dining is one of the highlights of my vacations. However, when you're travelling alone, a long wait for a table can feel even longer because you don't have anyone to chat with while you wait.

I initially went to the Italian restaurant but was told there would be about a 45-minute wait, so I decided instead to try the Spanish restaurant. That turned out to be a better decision. I only waited about 10 or 15 minutes before being seated. My waiter, Manuel, provided friendly, attentive service, the food was very good, and hostess Andrea made me feel genuinely welcome.

The following evening I returned to the Italian restaurant to try my luck again. Unfortunately, this was probably the low point of my stay. After waiting close to an hour for a table, I found the appetizers disappointing. The olives were so warm that I only ate one because they simply weren't enjoyable. The bruschetta reminded me more of pizza bread with tomato paste than a traditional bruschetta. The burrata was fine and, in fact, it was the only thing I ate before deciding to cancel my main course and finish my dinner at the buffet instead.

During my time at the Italian restaurant, the atmosphere was extremely busy and rushed, and I watched a steady stream of guests arriving, being told about the long wait, and leaving disappointed.

Breakfast on Sunday morning was another challenge. Around 9:50 a.m., the line was out the doors and down the pathway.

That evening I dined at Nopal, the Mexican restaurant, and once again had a wonderful experience. My waiter, Jesús, was friendly and personable, and hostess Andrea remembered me from my visit to the Spanish restaurant two nights earlier, which was a thoughtful personal touch.

The Abuelita chocolate cake was absolutely delicious, and the churros served with three different dipping sauces were excellent. I enjoyed the evening so much that I had hoped to return the following night to try more of the menu, but unfortunately the restaurant was closed.

One thing I noticed during my stay was that La Brisa was not open during my first three evenings but was open on my final night. Since the resort had been full during the Mexican summer holiday period, I couldn't help wondering whether having another restaurant available earlier might have helped reduce some of the pressure on the other restaurants.

My final evening at La Brisa was a wonderful way to end the trip. The atmosphere on Monday evening felt noticeably calmer than it had over the weekend.

My waiter, Eduardo, was warm, friendly and genuinely enjoyable to talk with throughout the meal. As a solo traveller, conversations like that become part of the vacation experience and are something I genuinely appreciate.

One thing that impressed me throughout my stay was the professionalism of the staff. Even during the busiest periods, they remained courteous despite dealing with long waits and understandably frustrated guests. I also appreciated seeing hostess Arantxa again on my final evening. She gave me a warm welcome, and it was a pleasant way to end my stay.

Outside of the restaurants, I enjoyed the quieter pool area much more than I expected. Although this is a family-friendly resort and it was completely full during my visit, I often found myself almost alone in the swim-up pool, particularly in the mornings and late afternoons. Many guests naturally gravitated toward the main activity pool, leaving the swim-up area surprisingly peaceful. With its bridges, mature palm trees and different viewpoints, it was also an enjoyable area to walk around and photograph.

The grounds were attractive and well maintained.

The beach itself is quite small, but during my stay there was very little sargassum, which allowed me to enjoy walking barefoot on the sand and putting my feet in the water. While the beach may not be the resort's strongest feature, I appreciated having it available when conditions allowed.

Overall, I left with mixed but positive feelings. My concerns relate more to how the resort managed what was clearly an exceptionally busy period. Long waits for breakfast and dinner can have a real impact on a short vacation and may influence the impressions of first-time visitors.

At the same time, I experienced some genuinely excellent hospitality.

Would I return? Yes, I would. My stay had a few frustrations, but it also had enough genuinely positive experiences that I would happily consider coming back. Hopefully, on a less busy week, the excellent service provided by the staff would be matched by a smoother dining experience.

I recently returned from another amazing Iberostar vacation, this time at Iberostar Selection Riviera Cancún, and once again we were reminded why we continue to come back!

From the moment we pulled up, we felt welcomed. Mike at the lobby door immediately took care of our bags and, of course, remembered us from our previous visit. He was so welcoming and genuinely happy to see us and help us get settled. What a great way to start our vacation!

Our check-in was absolutely flawless. We were there celebrating a high school graduation, and Elizabeth, Michelle & Ramon made our arrival extra special. They had a graduation sign, special drinks, and desserts waiting for us as we walked in. We were welcomed back with smiles and hugs, which immediately made us feel like we were coming home rather than simply checking into a resort. Elizabeth and her entire Star Prestige team are TOP NOTCH! They are incredibly attentive and make every person who walks into the members lounge feel welcome and important. That level of personal service does not go unnoticed. We were also very pleasantly surprised to receive an upgrade to a swim-out room, which was such a wonderful bonus and made an already special trip even better.

The food throughout the resort was very good, but the Italian restaurant was definitely a standout—so much so that we ate there twice! The food was excellent, but our server, Angelus, made the experience even more memorable. He was extremely attentive, gave us wonderful recommendations, and even shared great insight about things to see and do in the local community. We enjoyed him so much that when we returned to the Italian restaurant for a second time, we specifically requested him as our server.

The pool service was phenomenal and the drinks throughout the resort were easily 10/10. If I had to find one small criticism, it would be that the pool water was a little warmer than we would have preferred. A slightly cooler pool would have felt wonderful in the Mexican heat, but it certainly didn’t keep us from enjoying ourselves!

At the members pool, Sergio greeted us every morning with a smile on his face. No matter what we requested, he was more than happy to take care of us and always did it with a smile. Josue was also very nice. From what we understand, he is newer to the team, but he is quickly learning and doing a great job.

And then there is Javier! He is absolutely the BEST server at the breakfast buffet and also took care of us during poolside lunch each day. It’s those little extra touches that you remember, and Javier went above and beyond for us. He knew we enjoyed Malibu, which isn’t typically available at that pool unless you’re at the members pool, and he went out of his way to make sure he had Malibu available for us each day. That is the kind of thoughtful, personalized service that can turn a great vacation into an exceptional one.

We also have to give a huge shout-out to the Star Friends entertainment team—Carlos, Luis, Windy, James, and Mario. They were fantastic! They remembered us and called us by name whenever we ran into them around the resort or joined them for games. That personal connection makes such a difference. They didn’t make us feel like just another group of guests—they made us feel like friends they were genuinely happy to see. We have gotten to know Carlos & Luis for the past few years starting back at Joia Paraiso and seeing them is a highlight of our vacations. We surely miss their presence at Joia!

The Star Café was fantastic as well. We especially loved the evening barista. Unfortunately, we didn’t get her name, but she was wonderful and absolutely deserves recognition.

Our daily massages at the spa were absolutely wonderful! I was lucky to have Karly for 3 of my 5 massages. I have had her on previous vacations and she was even better than I remembered! She is very attentive and a master of her craft. I left feeling relaxed and refreshed each day.

Overall, our experience at Iberostar Selection Riviera Cancún was amazing. The food was delicious, the drinks were 10/10, our swim-out upgrade was a wonderful surprise, and the service throughout the resort was exceptional. But what really makes an Iberostar vacation memorable for us is the people. Being remembered, greeted by name, welcomed with hugs, and having staff go out of their way to make our vacation special is something you simply can’t put a price on.

A huge THANK YOU to each of them for helping make this such a special vacation. We came home with wonderful memories and another reminder of why we love returning to Iberostar. We will be back in December!❤️