Riu Santa Fe or Melia?????

[carlychristina]

I'm getting married in Cabo August 8th, 2009 and am having a hard time deciding between the Riu Santa Fe and the Melia....I've read both good and bad reviews about both...any feedback would be great...pics would be amazing too!

 

Thanks!

 

C

[sita]

Hi Carly!

My fiancee and I stayed at the Riu SF in November for a site visit and our personal opinion it is not ideal for a wedding. Although it's a pretty resort, it's giant and had a very party vibe, keg stands by the pool and just massive amounts of people. Food was terrible, wedding coordinator was unfriendly (didn't smile once in our meeting?) and the beach location for the wedding was not picturesque to say the least. We were bummed but I was able to get back to Cabo to do a few more site visits - Melia was first on our list and it was night and day to Riu!! The lobby and decor is much more my style (modern, like W hotels), it's a smaller more intimate hotel and the buffets weren't madhouses, plus the wedding coordinator is extremely professional. We had dinner there and food and service was amazing! We're getting married there Sept 26 '09 and so far I've been impressed with how prompt the WC has been, I just received my decor and flower options and they are stunning! (Riu had to randomly search for some blurry bouquet pix to show me for decor, Melia has sent me 5 or 6 powerpoints from menu options to decor) Maybe we just had an off-experience at the Riu, and I know bride's have had amazing weddings there. But for nearly the same price I think the differences are huge..fyi my fiancee and I are not spoiled snobs and are planning a simple wedding. Good luck and let me know if you'd like any additional info! (sorry for low quality photos, I can't seem to upload anything larger than a few MBs)

 

~Sita

 

 

 

 

riu sf.ppt

melia.ppt

[Cabobride09]

I also stayed at the Riu Santa Fe back in September for a site visit. It was not our style. We did not care for the Layout, the food, the rooms, the service, the smell or the location. Although I have not been to the Melia, I have been to hotels associated with this chain and prefer them over the Riu. Just my opinion.

 

Good Luck!!

[Sita&Nate]

Based on a few other reviews I have read, it seems like a few brides have had stressful experiences with the Riu in Cabos

[Bradley Fraser]

From the Photographers point of view. I have photographed at both and... Melia ME in Cabo San Lucas is the clear winner in my opinion.

 

For the record there are two Melia's. One in the corridor between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose called the Melia Cabo Real (all-inclusive) and the Melia ME on Medano Beach (not all-inclusive) in Cabo San Lucas.

[carlychristina]

Sita...thanks for the pics...the Melia looks beautiful!

 

Thanks everyone for the posts! We've decided on the Melia Cabo Real and feel very good about the decision. I was pretty stressed so you're opinions definitely helped.