Hotel overview
Creating an atmosphere ideal for fun in the sun, this all-suite, adults-only resort provides an ideal setting for romantic retreats and unforgettable Mexican getaways. A diverse selection of restaurants is sure to tantalize your palate, while daily and nightly activities, invigorating spa services and an entertaining fiestas are sure to please. Escape the average during stays at this sunny, oceanfront resort.
Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya - All Inclusive is committed to preserve the environment by reducing the consumption of natural resources, promoting among our guests and staff, protection and respect for the environment through good environmental practices.
Dining:
This hotel includes 7 á la carte restaurants and 2 buffets and unlimited Premium drinks. but some dining restrictions may apply. Please check with your Concierge for details.
Location
Riviera Maya - BeachProperty information
Wish you were here?
{{title}}
Hotel details
Hotel advisories
*This hotel is an adults only property and does not allow anyone under the age of 18 years.
General policies & fine print
Check-in Policy - Hotel requires a credit/debit card authorization or cash deposit upon check-in for incidentals; this will place a hold on your funds.
Hotel Spring Break Policy - This hotel cannot guarantee a spring-break-free environment. Student Groups (Spring Breakers) are not permitted at Hotel. A student group consist of those that travel without parent supervision or a responsible adult in each
room. This could refer to but not limited to high school students or college students booking multiple rooms. The hotel reserves the right to deny lodging to any reservations of this type.
General Information - Room taxes and service fee are included in vacation price.
Minimum night stay restrictions may apply.
Reservation changes may not be permitted unless authorized by the hotel.
Minimum check in age is 18 year round.
Ratings & reviews
TripAdvisor traveler rating
15133 reviews
-
May 21, 2020July 2019 Anniversary Vacation
Valentin Imperial Rivera Maya is amazing! It is beyond more than 5 stars! From the moment we walked in to the second we left we felt like royalty. The staff is so friendly and so accommodating! The resort was huge and so clean and beautiful. The smell when you walk in the loby is so wonderful and will stay with you forever! The food was spectacular no matter where we ate. We loved it and we will be back!
-
May 16, 2020
Three Trips and Six Years Later, VIM is THE BEST
I first visited the VIM in 2014, and left the world's longest review detailing every amenity. We have since returned twice, most recently in January 2020. We have also been to several other all inclusives in the interim, because my husband likes to try new things. We have now tried enough, and the VIM is the best resort in its size, style, and star level. While I may be inclined to add a few nights at a completely different (either not AI or tiny/boutique) hotel, I can't fathom ever "cheating" on the VIM in the Riviera Maya again. It truly stands out as superb in the things that matter most to us: service, pools, beach, and ambiance. The Service: The service is truly what continues to stand out all these years and trips later. The wait and bartending staff are just SO nice and friendly. We were happy to see several familiar faces going back to 2014 (sweet brunch waiter Erby, sushi chef Joaquin, and bartender Miguel are 3 for 3 trips!), and also make new friends each trip. In six years, the service is both only getting better, and I am learning from each trip to another resort that it is exceptional. This year, check in and out was a seamless breeze. They have cut down on the wait time for check in. Literally every single employee we encountered in January was incredibly nice. I feel bad that in my OG review I made a huge deal out out of one rude waiter. The VIM probably employees 500 people, and 499 of them were nice to us. Other recent resorts it was the exact opposite- 3ish employees were nice. The Ambiance: The resort layout and ambiance really stands out as exceptional compared to the other resorts we have tried since our first visit. The tropical foliage, minimal cement, and truly Mexican vibe are really special. Nothing about the VIM feels corporate, cookie-cutter, or blah. The foliage was also much appreciated on a windy day this January. The wind was so fierce we couldn't even walk on the beach, but as soon as we got to the pool it was calm. I know some guests like to see the ocean from the pool, but the VIM's pools are set back far enough behind enough trees that it's always calm. The little touches of soft lighting and music piped in through rock-shaped speakers at night really adds to the romantic ambiance. I also really like the lower buildings and colonial feel compared to resorts with high rises, and the lack of designer shops. The VIM has a gift shop in the lobby and that's it. I don't like my Mexican vacations to feel like trips our local schmancy mall. The Beach: The VIM's beach remains the best beach I've visited in Mexico. You can walk for almost an hour in each direction, the seaweed is none to minimal, there are zero vendors, and the sand is soft and sugar white. You wouldn't think that 15-30 miles make that much of a difference, but recently visited other Riviera Mayan hotels had markedly less nice beaches. The Food: The food remains exceptional for an all inclusive at this price level. There are some AI's that average over $1k a night at which I hope every meal is the best thing you ever ate. I continue to find the VIM's food to be consistent, high quality, with some really stand out surprises. The sushi remains absolutely outstanding. We were so excited to see our buddy Joaquin behind the sushi counter and ask him to make a surprise platter. On our last two trips, we have had to actively limit our trips to the sushi to every other night to try other things. In January we finally tried the Indonesian restaurant for the first time, and it was exceptional. We also ate lunch at the buffet instead of breakfast a few times, and the fresh veggies were exceptional. The Bars: The VIM continues to set the bar, so to speak, for bar and lounge options. The vibes really vary between the many bars, and you can always find exactly what you are looking for. The big beach bar with the many seating options really stands out compared to other hotels' beach bars. Sometimes we like to grab a drink and take a walk, but the big beach bar provides ample shaded space to hang out if needed. We also discovered the second, smaller beach bar tucked almost out of sight. You can't swim in front of it because of rocks, but if you just want to quietly read and look at the waves, this area is great with prompt service, either at the bar or via a waiter. This trip we also explored the Don Miguel martini bar and the cigar bar. Both seemed a little rich for our blood six years ago, but they are both great and not snooty at all. The cigar bar has a great old time-y library vibe, a great selection of cordials and after dinner type drinks, and surprisingly doesn't smell too bad like smoke. Don Miguel feels fancy but not pretentious, and they make the most elaborate martinis there. The others, including the Sports Bar and nightly Plaza, remain as awesome as on our first visit. The Rooms: our initial and second visits we had a third floor Golden Room, which remains our favorite. In January we booked too late to get one with a king and thus stayed in the Silver. It was perfectly serviceable, and while smaller than the Golden, it was bigger than many other resorts we've stayed at. But, the view of the Golden Pool from the Golden Room, the quick assess to the pool, and the proximity of the pool restroom make the Golden upcharge worth it. The Golden rooms also had bigger bathrooms with bidets. Recreation: the VIM has continued to increase its recreation options, including underwater spin class in the main pool. Its gym is still small for the resort size, but the AC and air quality have been improved. Having stayed at a few resorts since where the gym was the best part, I'd take the whole package of the VIM any day over a more cush gym. The Pools: I was so obsessed with the VIM's pools my first visit I was a little concerned I had oversold them and the rosy tint may have faded. Nope, they are still AMAZING. They remain the biggest pools I have ever seen, with a tropical, calming yet fun ambiance. In November and January, they were plenty warm. We loved our third trip in January so much we had booked to be there right now and of course were cancelled due to Covid. We will be back as soon as it is safe to do so. Please feel free to read my first review for more details, reach out with questions, and go give these lovely people your business when you are able!
-
May 16, 2020
Wonderful place to relax and run away from the stress!
It's a lovely place to spend a calm and relaxing vacation. It was my second stay in this hotel and I knew what to expect. The territory is huge but you never feel abandoned or that place is crowded. It looks like you live in jungles but with modern privileges and technologies (the apartments and main paths are surrounded by exotic trees and plants, there are small reptiles, birds, butterflies around), but at the same time you can always get what you need: drinks, activities or anything else. If I select the type of apartments to stay I would choose Silver or Deluxe suits. Silver is closer to the restaurants and night activities. Deluxe suite is closer to the beach. Beach is clean. It's long but has just one good entrance to the water. So even from the closest apartment it would take 5-7 minutes of walk. It's not a problem at all because you enjoy the nature during your walk. The sand is clean and not hot. During our stay there were waves all the time. But it's not too deep in the water to be afraid of them. It's sort of fun to jump or ride a small surfboard on them. If you are looking for a place without waves I think it's better to contact the hotel and ask for the better season to visit it. The water is clean. It so happened that we were visiting the hotel when all the countries started to close their borders due to COVID-19. We were one of the last guests. But what I liked in this hotel they continued to keep service on the high level. At the reception we were welcomed with champagne, had a present bottle in our room. Our room was properly cleaned every day. There was no sense of humidity or insects in the room. We felt really comfortable in it. The hotel kept day and night activities till our leave though there were not many guests. All the stuff was very friendly and ready to help with any question. Nobody tried to disturb our space as it sometimes happened in other hotels. We want to say big thank to the hotel and its stuff for this! We felt very good because of it! Additional thanks to the waiters and barman at the main pool (the side closer to the spa area). Unfortunately I remember only one name - Nallela, but there was also another young man who changed her and made our stay at the pool good. There were small limitations during that time but you would never think that it's a limitation if you weren't there in a normal world situation when the hotel is full. The food was very good, you could find whatever you want their (from entries to desserts). Fruits were always fresh. I would like to mention the chefs from Le Marche, they are very good, the food was delicious there all the time! I was travelling with mom, she is very capricious to cleanness and the food quality. She was impressed and said that it's a small paradise and it's worth of visiting. Hope to come back here with family next year.
-
May 12, 2020
Welcome Home
We've made three trips to our "home away from home" and will continue to travel to the Valentin. From the moment you pull up to the front gate and are transported down the cobblestone drive and up to the check in portico, you know that you've arrive someplace special. The friendly bellhops greet you will a cool towel and a "Welcome Home" and then whisk you away to the cool lobby where you are greeted with a sparkling wine and snack while you check in. There are so many amazing parts of this resort that even after three trips we keep finding new things we enjoy. The staff is out of this world friendly and accommodating and quickly feel like old friends. The walk to your room feels like a magical stroll through the jungle complete with soft music playing. My favorite is walking to dinner in the evening as the sun starts to set. The lights in the palm trees are lit and the music softly plays to set the tone for the evening. We love to stay in building 6, which is next to the Golden Pool. Building 6 is the closest to the beach restaurant and to the pool and beach. Our day usually starts with breakfast at Mar y Tierra and we ask to sit outside to the right when you walk in. You can see the ocean and feel the ocean breeze. Ask for an iced coffee with 1921 (Tequila Cream) and thank me later. Get it in your own insulated tumbler and take it with to the beach. After breakfast we walk to the beach with a quick stop at the beach bar to fill up on water and drinks. We enjoy the morning at the beach (beach volleyball at 11 is always fun!) and then head in for a late lunch at Le Marche and we ask to sit in the air conditioned part for a cool down. I love to get grilled fresh fish and put some mojaltece sauce on top. After lunch, we meander down to the Golden Pool and enjoy the sun or shade and float around. We tend the prefer the quietness of this pool but also enjoy the larger pool. The Golden Pool is perfect for taking an afternoon siesta. Dining is an experience at the VIM. Our usual first night spot is La Hacienda and we love to sit outside by the fountains. Do yourself a favor and get the Mojaltece! We like to ask what the staff favorites are and they have never led us astray. Also, be sure to ask what the specialty drink is at the restaurants are. We also get sushi at least once at the sushi bar in Ginger. Ask for the Chef's Special and you'll get an amazing assortment of sushi that is to die for. After dinner, wander through the plaza and enjoy a second dessert of fresh churros on your way to Don Miguel's. We love to relax for an hour or so at Don Miguel's before or after the evening show and enjoy their specialty drinks and live pianist. All of the evening shows are fantastic but our favorite is the Michael Jackson show. Do not miss it! We truly love the VIM and the minute we leave we can't wait to book our next trip back. You won't regret your stay here and you'll be spoiled from the moment you arrive!
-
May 02, 2020
Best AI/AO I have been to
There was nothing not to love about the VIM. From check-in to check-out this resort was amazing. The food is really good, the buffets were loaded with fresh food and the a la carte restaurants were top notch. I usually try to go to a different resort every visit to Cancun/Riveria Maya but I will be back!!!!