Riu Palace Pacifico: RIU Palace in Puerto Vallarta

Great resort and great value for the money. Love the area, have been to Puerto Vallarta several times. Service, staff and food was outstanding. RIU buffets are second to none. Room was nice and clean with great amenities. The grounds are very nice and well cared for. One area of improvement would be to add washrooms down by the beach and pool bar area. It's a bit of a trek to walk up from the beach to the resort to use the washroom.

Riu Santa Fe: Great ocean view from infinity pool

The pools and grounds were very well kept. The infinity pool and ocean view were awesome! The view of the Land's End rock formation in the ocean is great to see. Was there during a tropical storm after Hurricane Sandra, and everything was dealt with very well. Amazing to see 20-30 ft of beach washed away! Lifeguards kept us out of the ocean when it was dangerous, which was great. Food was okay, most of the buffet food is pretty greasy, as usual. Restaurants were promised to be "unlimited" but wh [... read more]en we arrived we could only book for our last two days. After a few days, we were able to get a reservation for two additional days, but two of the restaurants were very disappointing anyway - same food as the buffet almost. The Italian restaurant was the best. Had to ask for the air conditioner and safe in our room to be fixed upon arrival, but they were fixed promptly. Fairly easy to find seating at the pools, even mid-day.

Riu Palace Jamaica: Great Stay Loved the Riu Palace

My wife and I had an excellent week at the Riu Palace , everything was superb and met all our expectations. We both enjoyed all the amenities , service and staff were exceptional , food and beverages were wonderful. The Riu Palace Montego Bay just the right size not too big and all restaurants, pools and beach area were clean and well maintained. Our room was perfect as we paid the extra for Oceanfront which was a great decision as it had great views and was close to all facilities. Great locati [... read more]on per arriving from airport 10 minutes at hotel first drop off and last pickup when leaving. Check in absolutely smooth , quick and refreshing Only cautionary information that I could supply is: a Garden view room would not be a good choice as Riu is building another set of buildings right next door and will be building another hotel complex beside that. Construction is basically 18 hours a day and with a Garden view room your balcony overlooks a major construction site . Other negative is my wife and I have been travelling to Jamaica for over 30 years and have gotten use to Jamaica time which is a little bit behind prompt Canadian time unfortunately that has changed at the Riu as we showed up late by 15 minutes for a a la carte dinner and found our table had been given away as were the 2 couples who showed up behind us. We were all scolded which didn't sit well and had to get the hotel manager involved to resolve which he did but could have been handled more professionally. No Problem Mon Overall rating: Absolute fantastic holiday, Great Facility, Great Location , Great Amenities and absolutely wonderful staff through out

Sol Turquesa Beach: Not great Memories !

4 of us visited week of November 21, 2015. about our 10th trip to Cuba and 1st time to Holguin. Previously visited Memories Jibacoa, various spots in Varadero, also Sol, Las Dunas and Iberostar Ensenachos in Cayo Santa Maria and a couple times in Cayo Coco - so we have some experience. Nice rooms, 350 and 351, water pressure great, only drinking water supplied each day, no beer or pop. Maid service was excellent. Food-average grill and pasta bar stuff, very little vegetables but we never starve. [... read more] A la Cartes were pretty good, Cuban was best, seafood second Entertainment-was good when we stayed up that late (9:30 LOL !) Bugs-very few mosquitoes, a couple of beetles (they are not roaches) BEACH ! - finally - the only reason we go to Cuba and sadly the worst beach we have been on, it was cleaned daily but the bottom was mushy with small twigs and vegetation growing that you had to walk on, yechhh! Service was good from most folks working there, the gals in the buffet even made ketchup for one of us when they ran out. Next time - back to Santa Maria were we can walk the beach for miles and go in and out of the spotless clear ocean !

Riu Palace Mexico: Unforgettable, amazing, perfect for couples!

Riu Palace Mexico was an amazing experience. Not only we had convenient access to all amenities in our resort, we had the benefit of accessing ALL other Riu resorts within our proximity (there were at least 3 others from receiving our gold band). At the same time, none of the other resorts were able to access ours, which meant that all the facilities and services were strictly given to the Riu Palace Mexico visitors. No line up, no crowd, there was always space on the beach no matter what time,  [... read more]and the amazing staff are only attentive to YOU. We are now definitely looking into staying at other Riu Palace in other resorts & countries for vacation. Not worthy to stay in other resorts. The location was amazing too. Just walking along the shore, Riu Palace Mexico had the least seaweed (evident enough since the crew cleans it everyday) in comparison to the other Rius. It was also a 20 minute walk from Playa Del Carmen or a 4 minute drive. Across the street, there are nice little boutique stands & shops that provide cheap Mexican authentic artifacts. The food was great! Not once we complained about the food (and we are very picky eater). We love our food fresh and you can tell the ingredients they use are definitely fresh. The spices and such were amazing and right on (didn't need to put salt or anything on them to add flavour). The cleanliness of the resort including the rooms were beyond average. Never complained about a single bug and etc. The crew constantly cleaned the whole resort every second, every minute. The staff's service was amazing. They were sooooo attentive to each person. I've seen people not leave any tip for the crew, yet the crew still treat them like they've just received an amazing tip. Everyone smiles, and everyone remembers you. For their hard work, it's hard not to leave them any tip. We had servers that see us and automatically puts us on a beachfront view at the restaurant, and then brings us our beer and juices that we normally order. They are very, very attentive. The entertainment isnt the best at Riu Palace Mexico since it ends quite early (around 11). But they definitely make it up as they offer transportation and pick-ups after the resort entertainment to go to a club with the crew. Also, just right across the resort are the other resorts known for livelihood and crazier crowds (you cant just go there too and take advantage of their entertainment and drinks). This resort is really meant for some peace, quiet and relaxing nights. They do have entertainment going on ALL day, so it's perfect for the early birds.

Riu Palace Macao: Needs more

Stayed at the resort Nov 7 for one week. Guests were split 30% each Brits, Germans and Americans. Age range 30 to 70. Check-in was efficient. Rooms nothing special but functional and clean. Maid service was rated 5 stars. Perhaps leave some school supplies rather than tips for the maids. The Macao complex is really compact. From the hotel reception to the put your toe in the ocean is less than a three minute walk The Activity team rated 6 stars. They work from 10.00a.m until at least 11.00p.m. T [... read more]his includes being dance partners in the lobby in the evening. Entertainment through various groups was provided in the lobby in the evening. We enjoy dancing so we spent quite a bit of time there in the evening. If you don't dance still good people watching. Food at the Buffet was rated 4 stars. Typical AI food. Lots of both fresh and already prepared. There are four A la Carte rests. We tried the Steak twice and the Krystal twice. The Steak is fair. I ordered both the steak and the lobster which was nice. The Krystal serves a more Gourmet style and is the best restaurant for ambience and service. We did not use the Italian or the Jap. rest based on comments from guests. What needs more? Entertainment in the theatre rates 2 stars. Very mediocre dance shows. The saving grace for the theatre is that it is air conditioned even though the doors open and close frequently. It is a nice respite from the humidity. This was probably our 25th Michael Jackson show. Enough!!! The ironic part of this show is that the dancers today "moonwalk" 20 times better than MJ ever did. Drinks are also rated 2 stars. No top shelf drinks. Beer is EL president.The wine is also a step above home made. Much as management argue that on TA it's true, however in our case not a huge problem The wait staff was very good and really friendly. Smoking. The hotel management need to prohibit smoking for both the breakfast and dinner outdoor patio. On two separate occasions we just sat down to eat breakfast and four people on the table behind us light up. Not good. More so with the current rules in Ontairo (I feel sorry for smokers esp. since it is legal). In summary we paid $3000 for our stay and really enjoyed ourselves. Whilst the review doesn't seem particularly positive, I try to highlight the points that I feel the hotel could improve on for the money paid. Of the 20+ AI's we have stayed this would not be highly rated esp. compared to the Iberostar resorts.

Riu Playa Blanca: great holiday

The Riu was a fantastic resort. The food was great, rooms were clean. The grounds were kept nicely. The only draw back was no washroom close to the pool. Staff were very friendly and understood English pretty well. They tried very hard to understand and respond to our requests. Food was plentiful, lots of variety and all in all tasted surprisingly good. Being on the pacific the ocean was pretty rough and made it hard to swim there, not to worry there are 3 large pools + one kids pool so not real [... read more]ly a loss that the ocean was not inviting.

Riu Vallarta: Almost perfect

Run Vallarta is a beautiful resort. Very clean, food is exceptional, views beautiful. we probably won't be back only because there is no where to get away from the entertainment noise. the way the resort is designed almost every room has a view but the downfall to that is all rooms are on the courtyard. Music every night till 11 and pool entertainment most if the day.

Sol Turquesa Beach: Great family vacation once again!!!

Had a great time as always great staff good food and great attractions around i go every year and love it even more everytime! Its like a second home for us. My son cried for the first time saying goodbye to our friends in Cuba

Riu Palace Peninsula: Great resort!

Excellent resort. Good was great, pools were fun, everything was clean and what you'd expect from a 5 star in cancun. This hotel is in the hotel zone but a little bit off of the frat boy area where the hard rock is so you can avoid the party scene if desired. The beach is a bit rocky but the water was clear and warm!

Riu Merengue: Hotel Trotter

Facility was great, rooms were good, food was good. Too many flies on food at the outdoor buffet. A lot of people in our group were sick with a gastronomical disorder. Beach was beautiful and pools were great.

Riu Santa Fe: Fun, clean and awesome resort!

Resort was super fun, it was very clean and had friendly staff. Food and drinks were tasty too! I had a lot of fun and will definitely be going back! Rooms were spacious and the layout of the resort was well planned out. It's very close to the city too.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Beautiful resort with great hospitality!

We had an amazing experience at this resort. The staff were more than helpful at all times. The rooms were expressly clean and modern. Cleaning staff was on point and always available. The beds were a tad bit hard but hey, you can't please everyone. The food was your typical resort food. Lots of choices and themed nights throughout the week . The only downfall was that the late night snack bar didn't stay open 24 hours as advertised. It was open until 2 am though. The bar staff was amazing! They [... read more] never under poured . (They weren't shy to make a stiff drink) bonus points there! The pools were great! And the guests were always happy. The entertainment team was always around and ensuring everyone was having a good time! The nightly shows were also great. The only downfall is that it would get extremely quiet after the shows. There wasn't much of a late night nightlife but, if you meet the right people you can make your own party. Overall, great experience and would recommend it to anyone!

Riu Santa Fe: Great resort for the price

The resort amenities were top notch; 2 amazing pool areas, ample bars, excellent food at the a la carte & buffet, friendly and helpful staff. Only draw backs were several wasps during the day around the bar and the waves at the beach were rough with a powerful under tow.

Riu Playa Blanca: Truly Wonderful

Fabulous time here, all staff welcoming and very friendly. Food plentiful and good variety. Grounds, restaurants, washrooms etc are kept very clean. Staff always cleaning and wiping. Bar staff terrific, as is restaurant staff. Room very spacious, kept immaculate and lovely big bathroom with huge walk-in shower. lovely resort to relax but nothing much going on as far as activities are concerned and too far from town. Only beach vendors to shop at as plaza is not yet opened.

Sol Turquesa Beach: Unique Resort!

Overall well maintained. Exceptions were the men's room in the main lobby (could use an overhaul). We had several partial rain days which affected the beach. Lots of debris natural (sea weed) but also cruise boat garbage. The hotel was slow in cleaning it up, which was a shame, as the beach itself featured beautiful white sand. All the pools were extraordinary. The Multiple levels were unique and well maintained. The setting is not typical. There is more indigenous landscaping than usual. Less p [... read more]alms, more natural plants resulting in more variety of birds. Accommodations good, typical rooms for the money. Clean and any requests taken care of immediately. Food is standard, could offer more variety but hearty meals. Bar is 24hrs. always can get a snack. Staff were extremely friendly, and when possible, often went out of their way to accommodate our requests. Our vacation was in mid-november at low season. Two adults and our 12 yr old son. We didn't take advantage of tours as we were only interested in the sun, surf and food. Other than some minor deficiencies, overall a great vacation. The staff were very efficient and helpful and overshadowed any of the deficiencies. I would not hesitate to recommend.

Riu Playa Blanca: Good resort

Great view 75% or more had a good view of ocean and pools, food was excellent good variety, most of the staff spoke English. Hotel was clean, we were greeted with drinks with Rum as soon as we got off the bus, The airport was 10 minutes away and very small, almost perfect, on the return trip we could not hear the person calling out the row numbers to board the plane . They need to invest in a PA system at the airport. On our excursion to the Panama canal it was good but we spent too much time on [... read more] the bus and not enough time at our actual destinations, Oh well so its not a perfect world . The shows at night were 90% Spanish, its to be expected being in Central America.

Riu Playa Blanca: Very nice resort

This is my very first review. We travelled in Nov (13-20) - the rainy season so we didn't have great weather. Rainy and overcast most of the 7 days. We still had a good time. We travel in a group of six so we were able to keep entertained when the weather was bad. The hotel was modern and most of the ladies would using the facilities would say that they decor was very nice (great pics of handsome men in the rest rooms) (Many women commented on this heehee :) They do not have may water sports. M [... read more]y husband is a diver and they wouldn’t go diving the second or third day we were there due to the tides, the next few days they wouldn't go because they only do shallow dives and the water was too churned up so visibility would be very low. He was extremely disappointed. They do not have windsurfing or sailboards - very few water sports. They are still new with the all-inclusive resorts in Panama so I suspect this will get better. The rooms were very nice and very clean. We had no issues. The in room bar was full, fridge was full. They only refill every second day but if you ran out of water, reception gave you what you needed. Rooms were completed early each morning although there was one day that the cleaner hadn’t been to our room by 2:30pm. I used the gym everyday - everything was in working order and there were multiples of the equipment so you didn't have to wait long for a machine. (Three treadmills) It was clean and tidy. I only coded the beach and pools as average but really - the pools were great - the beach was average. It was a lovely long walking beach but the water - when we were there- was all dark and murky due to the weather. We never swam in the ocean on this trip. The sand was marble - black volcanic sand and brown sand. It was pretty on some occasions – sometimes it just looked dirty. We were there in what they call low season – so there were plenty of chairs around the pools – mind you – we were at the pool early each morning (7am-ish) We didn't see people wandering looking for a place to sit. The food was good – basically, I was told to expect "Cuba" type foods - bland etc. We were all quite surprised and pleased. The only disappointment was that dessert was the same everyday even in the a la carte restaurants - no specialties. We were disappointed with the fact that the hotels catered to many local Panamanian people on weekends. Unfortunately – we struggled at the pool with them. There were multiple groups and each of them felt they had to compete with their music. The pool bar played music and three other groups thought theirs was better. It was quite annoying and very loud. On the Wed (our trip ended on Friday) there were approx. 900 people that came in for a reunion – they were not as loud as the Panamanian people were. One evening we were having dinner at the Steakhouse – after dark - and one group was still in the pool hooting and hollering while we were all trying to have a nice dinner (7-8pm). We struggled to get a late check out – you have to be out of your room by noon but your bus to the airport doesn’t leave till 3. They really need to plan better for those situations – we were finally able to get one but only after insisting. We were given 1:30pm. We took one excursion – to see the Panama Canal. It was a very long day – left at 4am and took 3 hrs with traffic to arrive at the boat. We arrived back at the resort about 5:30pm. To me it was exciting – I love the history of it all. To some others – it was boring and long. Bring some snacks – the breakfast they offer is terrible (bun with butter, banana and cut up pineapple – they call is continental – of course this is not how we know it!) Lunch was very good. They had lots of water and pop (soda). Recommendation: -- not sure if I would recommend anyone to go to the pacific side – I think I would go back but this time I would look for a resort on the Caribbean side. I would go back again in Nov – but you take the chance of the weather – the week before us – the temps were in the 40s and it was all sun. You never know. Overall we had a great trip – relaxing. This is what we were going for!

Riu Playa Blanca: Lovely resort

Everything was very clean and staff very friendly, only bad thing was the entertainment was terrible and the lack of things to do. Ideal location for just relaxing. Beach was not very good but you have to consider where we were.

Riu Bambu: Good value for money

Friendly staff, amazing food, and clean facilities. My only complain was the rooms were dated and definitely required some upkeep. Beach was beautiful and absolutely recommend the massages at their spa.