Hotel Riu Santa Fe
Lively all-inclusive base for a group that keeps late hours
About this hotel
The 24-hour drinks and snacks are the tell here: this is a base for a group that treats the trip as a full social occasion, not just a string of tee times. Fitness classes run daily for anyone keeping a routine between rounds, and the eight-minute walk to El Medano Beach makes an afternoon swim an easy add-on rather than a planned outing. Rooms stay modest rather than lavish, which keeps the focus on the pools, the bar and the beach rather than the room itself. For a buddies trip built around energy and company as much as golf, the round-the-clock service means nobody's night ends because the kitchen closed.
- All-inclusive
- 24-hour service
- Fitness classes
- Beach access
Our take
This suits a lively group that wants the all-inclusive plan running around the clock and doesn't need a luxury room to match. Couples looking for a quieter, more polished stay should consider Pueblo Bonito Rosé instead, since the energy here leans toward groups rather than a slow, restful couples getaway.
- Take advantage of the 24-hour snacks after a late nine holes when restaurants elsewhere have closed.
- Join a morning fitness class before golf if the group wants to keep a routine across a multi-day trip.
- Walk to El Medano Beach in the late afternoon once the day's heat has eased off.
Why we love it
- 24-hour drinks and snacks
- Daily fitness classes
- Eight-minute walk to El Medano Beach
- All-inclusive plan available
Why guests love itOur group of five leaned on the 24-hour snack bar more than we expected after a late nine holes ran past the dinner window. Rooms are simple, not fancy, but nobody cared once we found the pool and the eight-minute walk to El Medano Beach. It has an energetic, social atmosphere more than a quiet retreat. Small as it sounds, it shaped the rhythm of our days there more than we expected going in.