Riu Santa Fe: Not the best experience

Visited in April 2017. The view from this hotel is beautiful, the hotel was generally clean and well kept. The food was just okay, decent variety and 4 a la cartes available. However, the noise at this hotel made the relaxation part of this vacation very difficult. Not only is there a new build going in right next door (building 7) which started at 7am and went til approx 8pm every day, but if we tried to go out on the balcony the workers were whistling and hollering at us. Also, other guests w [... read more]ere partying until 4:30am in the HALLWAYS. Blasting music and yelling and laughing so loud that we woke up multiple nights. There were no staff around to monitor or ask them to be quiet and not disturb other guests who were trying to sleep.

Riu Caribe Cancun: Amazing

This was our first visit to a Riu and we loved it! Not only was it an amazing place to spend our honeymoon the staff were very accommodating the grounds and fascility were beautiful!!! Will visit again

Riu Flamingos: Stay away

I’ve stayed at many rius over the years from lead in to palaces in multiple destinations and have never had a negative review about the chain. I just came back from a week at the Riu Jalisco and I must say I was quite disappointed. I really hope it’s just because it’s end of high season. I have nothing against the locals paying to come on property but their defiantly being favoured over Canadians etc. We’re being told we can’t wear a cotton t shirt into the pool (never hear [... read more]d of this and we own a pool), no balls or floats in the pool, I get rules are rules but if you tell us no you have to tell the locals as well. We just stayed at the Riu negril in December and we could wear cotton shirts in the pool, play with balls etc, why isn't it consistent with all the hotels in the chain? When we ask for an explanation they just say they don’t speak English. You’re in the service industry as security and a lifeguard you should be able to speak both dealing with the public. Don’t have to be fluent but should be able to hold a conversation. Someone has been in our rooms and we’ve noticed items moved or misplaced and it’s not the maid or mini bar guy as the rooms were still dirty and fridge still not stocked. When we ask front desk they say they don’t know and will de activate cards. Very strange. The food is the same every day, maybe it’s bc start of low season? I’ve stayed at lots of Rius and always impressed by the selection and quality. No clean towels for the room, the hotel is not even 100% occupancy I’m very surprised 2 days into the trip a shortage of towels daily. We’re going into the hallways tracking down the maids begging for a towel or 2. Tons of palapas along the pool which was great for the kids being in the shade, but when they nap I want to enjoy the sunshine so would move my chair out and then minutes later I’m being told off that I can’t move the chairs like that?! We were taking family photos along the coast and grass edge and again security comes over and tells us we can’t take pictures here. Go down to the beach to finish our shoot and come back watching a Mexican family taking photos at the grass edge and nothing is being said as security watches on. Again no consistency I’ll be told you can’t come in without sandals again another rule no problem I’ll go get them, but then I’m coming back in and someone else same thing bare foot and they just smile and welcome them in. I felt like we were targeted, everywhere we went eyes were on us. I’m playing in the pool with my kids and the lifeguard is pointing at my family and I can overhear him complaining about us. At that time I’m furious I go to the front desk to complain and was told these are the policies of the hotel. We defiantly made the best of it and was happy for each others company but I’m so disappointed with our experience. Susiegirl

Riu Palace Riviera Maya: Riu Palace great as advertised

Despite reading reviews that hotel was dated, we found it to be authentic Mexican with lots of real wood trim and decor. Sure the odd floor tile was chipped,but who cares. Food at buffet was varied, hot and delicious. Lobster bbq on beach one day, and lobster offered again the next day at dinner in buffet. Delicious each time. Another day it was medium rare filet mignon, juicy, tender and delicious. Beds were comfortable. Water pressure was good in shower. Room was kept spotless as well  [... read more]as public areas of hotel and grounds. Staff were all smiling and friendly.

Riu Palace Mexico: Excellent Resort!

The rooms were amazing and always cleaned nicely daily. The grounds around the resort were always tidy and clean. The beach was nice lots of chairs and many shaded areas. The food was amazing and lots of different items to choose from ther was something for everyone.

Riu Flamingos: Not bad, not Great.

My husband and I had a great time basking in the sun. We booked this vacation last minute for an escape from the unrelenting snow and this resort did exactly what it needed to do - Riu Jalisco was just okay. The room was clean and comfortable, the beach was nice and the pool was good. The food was horrible, we did have a couple tasty meals but stay away from the steak, it's more like jerky. We had our best meal at the Mexican restaurant and highly recommend the chicken fajitas. The entertain [... read more]ment was kid-friendly which for a young couple like ourselves was a little boring. Overall, we wouldn't go back but we did have a relaxing vacation.

Riu Republica: Fantastic resort

Rooms were clean and modern. Food was great and awesome selections including Italian, Spanish, Steakhouse, Asian and Indian. No need to reserve and did not have to wait long to get into any of the restaurants The staff were very friendly and accommodating The adult waterpark was tones of fun !:)))) Lots of activities to keep you moving and fun beach and theme parties

Riu Flamingos: Not so good

Well at first the hotel was great no issues minus the food being not so good, it got worse near the end. The security and pool lifeguards are extremely rude and bias towards travelers. You are not allowed to wear any cotton tshirts in the pool, so if you burn easily you must have a swimming shirt or you’ll get kicked out. You aren’t allowed floats or balls in the pool either. Another thing is you are not allowed to step foot on the grass anywhere! We were taking family photos and the one sec [... read more]urity man kicked us off and was extremely rude about it. There was no sign saying you cannot go on in the section we were.

Riu Emerald Bay: Wonderful Vacation in Mazatlan!

It was our first time at the Riu Emerald Bay resort in Mazatlan, Mexico! Thanks to Shauna at Trip Central for recommendating it! We had a wonderful week of fantastic weather, great food and service. We highly recommend this beautiful resort which never disappointed. We have been to many resorts throughout Mexico but this is a 10/10 for cleanliness. The spacious beach was amazing with lounge chairs that were perfectly arranged and cleaned daily. Love the palapas around the pool and shady palm tr [... read more]ees on the beach! The resort had many beautiful pools that spread out nicely to accommodate activity or relaxation. Bathrooms closest to pool area were imaculate. Buffet was fresh and had a great variety including authentic Mexican. Salad bar was very fresh and changed up daily. The best part was the Thursday night Fiesta night on the beach with an amazing BBQ, excellent music and entertainment! We also enjoyed the disco after the nightly entertainment! Every room has ocean view so no need to upgrade. The all inclusive trip was one of the most economical trips we’ve taken but felt like a 5 star. My one recommendation would be for the hotel to replace the towels and sheets as I felt they were getting tired looking and feeling a little worn. The service was excellent and had a relaxing wonderful experience. We definitely will go back!

Riu Playa Blanca: A great time!

First of all I’d like to say I read the reviews prior to travelling to the Riu Playa Blanca in Panama. I was nervous but having had some friends recently stay there I trusted their judgement. Flight to panama was just over 5 hours. Arrival at airport was fairly quick considering the actual size of the airport. Trip on the bus from the airport was no more than 5 min which in my mind was a bonus. We travelled as a family of 4, children 8 and 9 my husband and I. Arrival at the hotel was great. As [... read more] soon as we walked off the bus there were welcome cocktails. Our luggage was unloaded and we were told to check in. Our room was ready so we attended the luggage and a bell boy took us up stairs! Quick and easy! Our room was a nice size and we had requested a cot at booking and it was already in the room when we arrived! Comfortable beds and a safe included. Soap, face clothes and hand soap all provided. There was no shampoo or condition which didn’t bother me as I always pack our own. Mini fridge was stocked with pop and water and a couple beers. Sign said it’s restocked every second day and it was no issue. There were also 4 bottles of liquor in the room. TV only had 2 English speaking channels. AC worked awesome! And the majority of the rooms are ocean view so I suggest not paying for the upgrade. We were on the 6th floor (top) and elevators worked without an issue all week. There are no reservations for the specialty restaurants which was good. No waiting in line to book your times. We showed up 10-15 min after the restaurant opened and no issue getting seats. The steak house was all served and a nice meal! The Italian was also good, it was buffet for appetizers and desserts but nice meal. We did not go to the Asian restaurant. The buffet was great. The food in panama is very Americanized, peanut butter, Nutella, caramel, Heinz ketchup, lots of great fruit. All meals at the buffet were good. The pools are kinda gross, that would be my one complaint. I like a nice big pool with a swim up bar and these were 4 smaller pools and one swim up bar. That pool was gross. Although workers are constantly cleaning there are a lot of people in that water. We had a white float and it turned greenish. The kids pool was great my girls enjoyed that. The sand is black and amazing! It’s so beautiful. Lots of shells to search for and beautiful to walk on. This is the Pacific Ocean so it’s the big water, we were able to swim in the morning but waves were big more days. This is a self serve resort which didn’t bother us. You get off your chair and walk 30 feet to the bar and order a drink. There are not servers coming around to take your order. Great cocktails at the lobby bar. And for my fellow Canadians they are Caesar’s and they are awesome!!!! We had two problem in our room, one a water line burst under the sink, called maintenance and they were there within min to clean up, then we had no cold water in our room so the toilet wouldn’t flush called and they attended right away. During the water line break, they had to clean the water up off the floor, change the curtains and bedding, my daughters “baby” blanket somehow went missing. I assume it was on the bed and was taken with the sheets. We filed a missing item report at the reception and were told to check back many many times.... we left there and the blanket was never returned... there were some tears by my daughter and I.... but things happen. I’m just sad we still had 5 days when we noticed it was missing and it was never found. We did the jungle boat tour which was amazing, saw and fed monkeys and even saw a sloth. Kayaked through the jungle to a waterfall and had an authentic lunch which was good, not so much for the kids but the experience was pretty incredible. All and all our first trip to panama was enjoyable. It’s very hot there! Like intense. Take lots of sunscreen!!! Wish the pool situation at the Riu was better but it didn’t break the trip for us. We have been all over travelling with our kids and we like this resort. We would return!

Riu Palace Antillas: Great Accommodation - would definately go back

The food was exceptional such a variety, the staff were superb and every little detail was taken care off with a smiling genuine caring attitude. The cleanliness of the pool and beach areas were exceptional along with the great staff and different areas for eating. My only comment which I would add is when a flight is delayed and you can't get any tea or coffee because everything is closed so early in the morning perhaps this could be changed to accommodate the traveler.

Riu Caribe Cancun: Caribe

Hotel was very good. The food was excellent and staff very good. The only disappoint was lack of entertainment The odd show didn’t start until 9.45 pm to late for us over 70s. I think this hotel is geared for young people. A comment on Sunwing. The transfer bus back to Airport had some really drunk people aboard. Bad language and very loud music was in my opinion and others not safe for driver and other passengers. Most people agreed that the Sunwing Rep should have dealt with it as some very  [... read more]scared. I was tempted but decided not to interfere as I didn’t wand major confrontation.

Riu Palace Costa Rica: Outstanding resort

The food here is 5 star all the way. Always fresh and artfully presented its a pleasing to the eye and the palate. With lots of variety at each venue there's something for everyone. From the pools to the restaurant to the rooms this facility is spotless. The housekeeping staff can be seen at all hours working tirelessly to keep it that way. The only disappointing fact was the water sports equipment was only available for guests 18 years old. We chose the location because kayaking, stand up pa [... read more]ddle boards and wind surfers were part of the package. We had made it clear to our travel agent we wanted these aactivities because we were bringing a 17 year old. The website should indicate the age limit

Riu Guanacaste: Love this resort!

This is our third time at the Riu Guanacaste! Love how the staff is always so friendly and accommodating. Our beds were always decorated with flowers or something cute done with the bedding. Something for us to look forward too after going for a swim in the beautiful pools. The grounds are impeccable. The buffet was always full of amazing food too!

Riu Palace Macao: Great great resort !!!!!!!

One of the best resorts I have gone to, food was amazing, service was great, a friendly smile on every employee. Resort was not overly big which was nice. Beach close, good frontage along beach, lots of chairs to relax. Great nightly shows. 3 pools one swim up bar. Pluses all over the resort, never tried the alcarte cause buffet was so amazing, different theme for dinner every day, and always the regular main stays (chicken, fish, pork/beef etc). Great selection of food. And a great desert b [... read more]ar cheers

Riu Palace Antillas: Riu Aruba

This an amazing resort. If you can't have good time here you have a problem.The food service and activies were fantastic and the rooms were great. Thank you Riu Antillas for a great time and thank you for putting us up for an extra night .

Riu Flamingos: Amazing

The resort was very good I would stay again but flying with sunwing most likely not they were not very friendly and made us check our carry on under the plane and made us weigh it also cause they said we were not allowed having a back pack and a small suitcase was not allowed above the plane when were told we could have both one under the seat and in the overhead very dissapointing.

Riu Flamingos: This Resort Needs More Staff

The restaurants and buffets simply need more staff. Because of this, I have to rate the service delivery as poor. Other all-inclusive hotels that I have been to have staff that are friendly and really want to provide service. Not here. They appear resigned to the fact that they will never be able to handle the work load, and just do what they can in their shift. This poor service was evident in the main buffet, as well as the a-la-carte restaurants, with the exception of the Italian restaur [... read more]ant. Washrooms were also scarce. There were no washrooms for the main buffet, and 2 other restaurants. The closest washroom was on the floor above. On a more positive note, the pools were great; the activities staff worked hard; the nightly entertainment was superb, and the bartenders were able to handle the high demand.

Riu Merengue: Resort sold...impacted our vacation!

After learning that Senator bought the Riu and the staff were all losing their jobs it made sense of the lack of service....shame on Riu for allowing this to happen as it impacted many people's stay...they could have made the deal to include the staff would remain after the sale...

Riu Palace Costa Rica: best vacation ever

everything about this trip was fantastic. couldnt have been better. hotel and staff are wonderful. food excellent beach is perfect. great country cant wait to go back there is nowhere that i'd rather go.