Hi Mandy,
We holidayed at the Tequila a couple of years ago and thought the whole hotel complex was fab. We had a brilliant holiday. We did get to visit the Palace as 'guests' for an evening, which you don't normally get to do. The Palace was very grand and although the room rate was a quite a bit more expensive than the Tequila only one out of the six of us, preferred it.

If we were to choose we would choose the tequila again. I'm not saying there was anything major wrong with the palace but we felt more relaxed at the tequila. Each to their own but I don't think the difference between them warrants the extra expense of the palace holiday.

We stayed at the Palace in Feb last year and thought it was ab fab, would go back in a heartbeat. There wasn't as many kids as there was at the Tequila bt it's horses for courses everyone has their own opinion. Whichever you choose you can't go wrong they're both lovely hotels.

Unless waiter service is important to you, I'd opt for the Tequila. I thought that the food was better, both choice & quality. Of course the Palace is on the beach, so tha might sway it for you. Whichever you opt for you won't be disappointed. AsOAP said - It's really horses for courses.

having stayed at the riu palace in May 2008 I would go for the palace. If there isnt much difference in price that is. Palace closer to the beach, great food and not very busy in May. Everything you can think of on all inclusive, 24 hour room service, branded drinks in cocktails. Tequila very busy and cramped, if you go to palace you can use facilities of all other riu hotels, however if you stay at tequila you cannot go to the Palace but can use the other riu hotels.

Definately the palace as it is has a beach front location the Tequila is on the other side of the road.
We stayed in the riu palace riviera maya,which was a little way along the beach from the riu palace and the layout of the hotel was almost identical.

It all depends what you want from the holiday. I've been to the Tequila 3 times now and cannot fault it. The Palace is a step up in quality but that doesn't mean you will have a better holiday. If you are looking for somewhere where you can have a fun filled active holiday (if you want to) then choose the Tequila. If you are looking for a more sedate quieter time then either one will do. The price difference between the two can be quite a lot depending on when you book and what time of year it is.
Every time I have stayed at the Tequila we have had loads of people from the Palace come over for the entertainment. They said that the Palace entertainment was a bit boring and not very good. Beachfront location has an advantage, but from the Tequila it's only a few minutes walk anyway, or catch the golf buggy that takes you there. The other option if you want beachfront location is to look at the Riu Yucatan (always seems very busy) or the Riu Playacar.

Cheers

Keith

Another thing to take into account is if it's important to you is that the Tequila is perhaps more suitable to the younger end of the scale where as the Palace average age seems to be higher and you just get thay younger feel at the Tequila.
Me personally although I'm only in my 30s (just) would opt for the Palace

....and I'm in my mid forties and preferred the Tequila so I don't think age has anything to do with it. I'd say probably it's a case of your lifestyle.

Tequilla was great, well apart from the beach closed, which is now finished and open. Guests did come from the Palace for the entertainment too.

.... and I'm in my 50's and think the Tequila is the best place on earth
PS Bejay, you could have walked up to the Riu Lupita beach area which was apparently still open and had the bar and food facilities as well

we were only told could use Playacar beach, this was no good, not many sunbeds and too many people trying to us that beach. Which way and how far was Lupita

Ah, ok. So at least you had a beach, even though it was busy.

For the Lupita beach, turn left out of the Tequila towards town and cross over the road. About half a mile up the road is a walkway similar to the one from the Tequila to the beach (down the side of the Yucatan). There is a small Riu Lupita sign at the entrance and I think (but can't exactly remember so don't take my word for this) that it is at the side of the other Riu Palace. Go down there and you have the restaurant and beach. I can't remember if there was a bar or not, but there was definitely draught beer and soft drinks in the restaurant. We only found it on the 2nd or 3rd time we went to the Tequila. We were walking back from town and spotted it so we went to have a look (and a drink or two ). It was virtually deserted. Nobody tells you it is there or that you can use it, we just happened to stumble across it.

The Lupita hotel (which you can also use but are never told you can) is right across the other side of the golf course. We hired some bikes and visited it. Quite nice but smaller than the others.

You can also use the Riu Cancun if you are visiting Cancun for the day, but you need to see reception first and they will phone through to "warn" them that you're coming and give you a Tequila business card with "permission" to use the hotel. If you DO go, be careful with the towel cards. We got some towels but when we handed them back in we got Riu Cancun cards back and had a bit of a problem using them in the Tequila towel hut. We had to get reception to swap them back for us (which they did without a problem).

As we can only go in March (the mad season????? spring break) we are looking at the Riu Palace Mexico any thoughts????

JUST DO IT - you won't be sorry, we were there from about Feb 25th for 2 weeks so that took us into March and it was fab, we're off to Cuba in a few weeks but it'll have to go some to be as good as RPM.