Riu Palace Quintana Roo is an adults-only hotel that RIU plans to open in Costa Mujeres in May 2027. If you are planning a 2027 trip, here is what we know, and how the light works on this coast. Our sessions start at 295 USD, and the gallery arrives in one to three business days.
Planning ahead pays off. RIU has announced this adults-only Palace for May 2027, and if you are booking early, you may be among the first guests. Here is how we would plan a couples session on this shore, and what we will confirm when the doors open.
Riu Palace Quintana Roo at a Glance
- AddressCosta Mujeres
- ResortAdults-only Riu Palace, announced by RIU
- OpeningMay 2027, according to RIU
- NeighboursOther RIU hotels on this coast, including Riu Palace Costa Mujeres
- Beach facesEast, toward Isla Mujeres
- From the airportAbout 40 to 45 minutes
- Who staysAdults only
- Sunset here6:05 pm in November to 7:32 pm in July
- Official siteriu.com
- Our sessionsFrom 295 USD, gallery in 1 to 3 business days
Where We Shoot at Riu Palace Quintana Roo
The beach. This part of Costa Mujeres has wide, pale sand and open water. We will walk toward the quiet end for a clean frame.
The new terraces. New architecture should give crisp backgrounds at the quiet ends of the day. We will confirm access with RIU.
Your room. A relaxed first frame for a couple, once we know the categories.
The Light at Riu Palace Quintana Roo
Times for this exact stretch of beach on the 15th of each month in 2027. Quintana Roo stays on UTC-5 all year, with no daylight saving.
| Month | Sunrise | Golden | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:27 am | 5:54 pm | 6:26 pm |
| February | 7:18 am | 6:15 pm | 6:45 pm |
| March | 6:56 am | 6:27 pm | 6:57 pm |
| April | 6:28 am | 6:37 pm | 7:07 pm |
| May | 6:09 am | 6:47 pm | 7:18 pm |
| June | 6:05 am | 6:58 pm | 7:31 pm |
| July | 6:14 am | 7:01 pm | 7:32 pm |
| August | 6:26 am | 6:47 pm | 7:18 pm |
| September | 6:34 am | 6:21 pm | 6:50 pm |
| October | 6:43 am | 5:53 pm | 6:23 pm |
| November | 6:58 am | 5:34 pm | 6:05 pm |
| December | 7:17 am | 5:35 pm | 6:08 pm |
Costa Mujeres faces east with Isla Mujeres on the horizon, and the channel keeps the water gentle. Evenings are soft rather than fiery here, because the sun goes down behind the resort.
Seaweed and Weather at Riu Palace Quintana Roo
Sargassum usually builds from April and is heaviest from June to August, and November to March is normally the clearest stretch. This shore has an advantage over the Riviera Maya, because the seaweed comes from the southeast and Isla Mujeres gives Riu Palace Quintana Roo some shelter. It is a probability, not a promise, since the heaviest years have reached almost everywhere on this coast. Our month-by-month sargassum guide has the detail and the outlook for the season. Summer and early autumn bring afternoon showers that tend to pass quickly. We keep an eye on the forecast and adjust the hour with you the day before.
A Sample Session at Riu Palace Quintana Roo
Here is how we would run the last hour of the day, with the real sunset for this beach. We adjust it to your exact date when you book.
| 45 minute session | January | July |
|---|---|---|
| We meet at the lobby | 5:30 pm | 6:40 pm |
| First frames at your room | 5:40 pm | 6:50 pm |
| Walking frames at the new terraces | 6:00 pm | 7:10 pm |
| Last light at the beach | 6:10 pm | 7:20 pm |
| Sunset | 6:26 pm | 7:32 pm |
If you would rather have the beach to yourselves, sunrise here runs from 6:05 am in June to 7:27 am in January. Most resorts are still asleep and the sand has no footprints.
Bringing a Photographer to Riu Palace Quintana Roo
If you are staying at Riu Palace Quintana Roo, the photographer comes in as your invited guest: give the front desk our name and the time of the session a day or two ahead, and we check in at the lobby. Rules for outside photographers belong to each resort and they change, so we confirm the current policy with the hotel in writing before your date. Guests of another hotel should expect a day pass for the photographer. Our guide to bringing an outside photographer to a resort covers the usual rules.
Close to Riu Palace Quintana Roo
For a second look, Isla Mujeres is a short boat ride across the channel, and guests of Costa Mujeres resorts also come to us at Playa Langosta on the calm north shore of the Hotel Zone. Beaches in Mexico are public up to the high-water line, so the sand itself needs no resort pass; loungers, gardens and pools are the hotel's to manage.
Other hotels we have written about on this stretch of coast:
- Riu Dunamar. Photographer guide
- Riu Palace Costa Mujeres. Photographer guide
- Ocean Allure Costa Mujeres. Photographer guide
- Secrets Playa Blanca. Photographer guide
Our Work Around Riu Palace Quintana Roo, Through Our Lens
Real IVAE Studios sessions on this coast, so you can see how this light and water look on camera. They show our work in the area, not necessarily at Riu Palace Quintana Roo.
Which Collection Fits Riu Palace Quintana Roo
Every collection includes editing and a private 4K gallery, delivered in one to three business days. Upgrade anytime and pay only the difference.
| Collection | Time | Photos | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Postcard | 35 min | 15 | 295 USD |
| The Keepsake | 45 min | 25 | 375 USD |
| The Chapter | 60 min | 35 | 475 USD |
| The Story | 75 min | 50, 2 looks | 545 USD |
| The Editorial | 90 min | 70, 2 looks | 645 USD |
| The Heirloom | 90 min | Full gallery, 2 looks | 895 USD |
Couples here often choose The Keepsake at 45 minutes for the last light, or The Story at 75 minutes if you want two looks and a second setting.