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The rooms pleasantly surprised us, going way beyond the basic but comfortable standard room we associate with all-inclusive. The rooms exhibit a contemporary flare with Mexican accents and upscale elements. Rooms feature creamy marble floors, whirlpool tubs, marble vanities, CD/DVD players and daily and stocked mini-fridge (no charge). A woven, wood-trimmed screen on the ceiling above the bed serves to define the sleeping area. The beds face the glass balcony doors, affording some units ocean views.
A row of wooden shutters cleverly divides the bed area from the bathroom area, letting light into an area mostly confined to darkness. However, bathrooms lack doors. A small half-curtain separates the tub from the room and both the shower and toilet have smoky glass doors. With 'tweens and teens, this no-privacy arrangement won't work. Although brochures label every room a suite, possibly because the bathroom is part of the room, we wouldn't use "suite" to describe the basic room. Two adults and one young child have enough space in a standard room, but two children and two adults would feel crowded.
Privacy, or the lack of it, limited our use of our first floor room's plunge pool and outdoor whirlpool tub. Like all the patios and balconies, our first-floor unit faced a busy pathway. Being in the tub felt like taking a bath in the middle of the resort. Always in the shade, our plunge pool, however pretty to look at, proved too cold for us to use. We suggest not spending the extra money for these rooms.
You might, however, want to consider a Preferred Club room. While not larger, these rooms come with access to the Preferred Club Lounge, where you have expedited check-in and checkout. In addition, the lounge serves Continental breakfast, afternoon hors d'oeuvres and evening desserts.
Something to note: Dreams Riviera Cancun is popular for weddings. On both weekend nights during our stay, we watched wedding ceremonies (nice) and heard the partying (not so nice). The resort requires the bands or deejays to cease playing by 11 p.m. While this wasn't too much of a problem for us, it could be if you are traveling with young children who are light sleepers.
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