Riu Vallarta: Nice place to spent your vacation.

A nice hotel, amazing view, excellent restaurants with delicious food and very good experience at the pool. My son (6y) became very confident with wether. The room very spatious but not very clean. One of the minus of this hotel is using their " brown towels".

Riu Playa Blanca: Fantastic Resort!

I had always heard amazing things about RIU resorts, but had never stayed at one. Playa Blanca lived up to and exceeded my expectations! The grounds are beautifully landscaped: flowering shrubs, manicured hedges. The outside was clean, bright and always had an energy about it. Our room was tastefully appointed and always clean. Which was no small feat with two teenagers! Staff, from the front desk, to servers, room attendants were friendly and very attentive. The food was varied and delicious. W [... read more]e especially enjoyed the Italian restaurant.

Riu Cancun: This hotel is perfect!

We just come back from 7 days allinclusive stay at Riu Cancun (September 2015) and this hotel is perfect :-) Newly renovated, clean and modern with a breathtaking oceanview (on the 8th floor) on the white sandy beaches, four oceanview pools, four restaurant and two buffets, excellent food, drinks, four elevators, nice peoples everywhere, serving drinks on the beach. We will be back, like tomorow :-) One conn yet, but for SUNWING travel not for the hotel, stay away from Cecille, the Sunwing re [... read more]p, if you don't execute exactly what she say she don't like you and will show you that like everyday. Better stay away from Sunwing in general.

Riu Palace Costa Rica: luxury and seevice at its best

Gorgeous hotel! Amazing gardens and pools! The service was top of the line. And the food is to die for! My only complaints are, the washrooms are very far from the beach or any pool. The disco at night you had to pay for your beverages, but the music and people and staff were amazing. An incredible place and experience! Would go again in a heartbeat!

Riu Palace Paradise Island: Great people

This is more of a 3 star resort. Poor selection at the buffet but it was good and you won't starve. They really lack having umbrellas on the beach and a beach bar. Beach and water are gorgeous. Only one pool that is loud from the entertainment staff. I like quiet spots. Entertainment is absolutely terrible. Good points: the staff are wonderful. I loved Lenny and Zavian at the bars. Rooms were small but clean with nice views. Don't pay to upgrade to two doubles it's still a king. The proximity to [... read more] Atlantis is great. If you like smaller resorts this is perfect! It was clean and very friendly. Biggest issue is not having palapas and zero shade spots at the beach or pool. I would go back again but would pack my own umbrella.

Riu Playa Blanca: Great Family Vacation

Panama people are amazing. Very friendly and helpful. We only speak English and this was not a problem. Beach was amazing (except for the dark sand that is very hot on the feet). Pools were great, food was great, drinks were great. Hotel was bright and clean.

Riu Palace Tropical Bay: beautiful beach

We had a very enjoyable stay and enjoyed the beach and restaurants, with one exception, but found three concerns. The drive from the airport to the resort is 90 minutes which was not comfortable based on the age of the vehicle provided. The "steak house" restaurant option was not staffed effectively and not worth the effort of booking this. The umbrellas and available shade at the pool area was not sufficient in number or design to effectively provide coverage to allow for relief from the sun an [... read more]d heat.

Grand Memories Varadero: Surpassed Expectations

Following a couple of less-than-stellar experiences in 2011 and 2013, my wife and I decided to give one last chance to Cuba as summer break destination. After doing a lot of research, we opted for a two weeks all-inclusive trip to Grand Memories Varadero. If I’m to summarize our experience, I’d say it was unexpectedly positive. The hotel really knows how to cover the essentials: safety, comfort, food. It’s common knowledge that Cuba is generally a very safe country for tourists. However,  [... read more]the hotel went the extra mile ensuring that only registered guests, vendors, and entertainers got entrance to the grounds. The management was always present in the high traffic areas, virtually 24 hours a day. The 3-level buildings are relatively new and well maintained. Most importantly, the in-room air conditioning worked, flawlessly. Beds were comfortable and the mini fridge was stocked daily with bottled water, beer, and soft drinks. Whenever we needed help (de-magnetized access cards, fresh towels) the receptionist made sure our requests were addressed promptly. The biggest surprise during our stay was the food. I am no nutritionist, but it seemed to me that most of the ingredients were organic, low fat, and the buffet choices were varied and balanced. The Cuban specific dishes (pork, rice, beans, avocado, tomatoes, peppers, tropical fruit) were simply divine. Complement those with Spanish paella and beef, as well as lobster, crab, fish, shrimp, and clams, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for plumping up. Paradoxically though, I got back home weighing the same as I did when I left. Wish someone can explain this to me… If I’m to venture a guess, I’d say it’s the hotel’s management team that made all the difference. Cuba is not a country of plenty, but somehow the GM and his people were able to hire a great staff and provide them with all that they needed to do a great job. I can’t wait to return!

Sol Turquesa Beach: Good value for the $$

This resort is a little tired, could use a good paint job, repairs (missing tiles, chewed up wood on some of the buildings) and a good ole fashioned deep cleaning. The public restrooms were predominantly a serious stinky mess, and our rooms, while swept, needed major wiping down of walls, sinks and shower, which never happened. The beds were comfy and AC always worked perfectly. The food was good by Cuban standards, and the entertainment both during the day and in the evening was outstanding. Th [... read more]eir dancers are amazing, and there was a wonderful water ballet show one evening. The complex is large, lots of stairs and paths throughout the "village" so be prepared to walk. With seven pools and the beach to choose from, but at 20% capacity, it took surprisingly long to get a drink. Our highlight was the catamaran and snorkeling: beautiful underwater life, and the colour of the water are hues of blue I had never seen before. They also had a really great beach party our last night. Our only major concern were the invisible bugs that attacked without notice, causing my friend and many others to have a horrible allergic reaction. Bring Benadryll, immodium, deet. Most of the staff is super polite and friendly, and we were told would appreciate clothing. Be careful when staff asks you to change their CDN loonies to CUC pesos, dollar to dollar, as at this time each CUC is actually 1.4$ CDN. There is an ever changing souvenir stand off the beach area, so if you see something you like, buy it then, because it won't be there the next day. Save a few pesos for duty free for rum and cigars. All in all, this resort is open to singles and families alike, and for the price, especially if on a budget, it works. I just hope they will take into serious consideration the cleanliness of bathrooms, rooms and spraying against those nasty bugs. PS: why are not Quebec residents open to your tripcentral contest??

Riu Palace Paradise Island: would return to this location

food was great, staff was wonderful, plenty of daytime and evening activities at hotel, easy access to lots of stuff in town and different excursions.....decor could be updated but it was still nice, my only critisism was tv channels often had intermittent static but we never in room except at bedtime, and we had three people in a room with two single beds pushed together, so one person slept in the middle crack. Not sure why they would put 3 people into a room like that

Riu Santa Fe: Great Resort

Very clean resort, nice rooms food was ok a lot to choose from. Barbq by the pool was excellent. Great entertainment staff. Spent most of our time at infinity pool. Staff does an excellent job shutting down party pools early to get drunks out and back to room. They are also quick in stopping rowdiness late at night. Would go back again. Sunwing very comfortable flight and champagne toast was a bonus you don't get anywhere else.

Riu Palace Pacifico: This is an amazing resort.

Excellent room , Master Suite 8066- great view for sunrise and sunset pictures. Woderfull staff, great food, daily and nightly entertainment. Great pool and beach. Spent two weeks with family. Will definitely go back for a 3rd time.

Grand Memories Varadero: Grand Memories Varadero

Stayed at the Grand Memories at the end of August 2015. Noticed the same concerns as others have already mentioned. We were 3 days waiting for beach towels and the food is average at best. The beach is very narrow and lots of shells. On the upside the pools are great and no problem finding loungers. Our room was adequate, great and quiet A/C, but the beds are firm. Have also stayed at the Memories Varadero and would recommend this resort over the Grand Memories.

Riu Palace Pacifico: A must stay

This hotel was beautiful, the staff were so friendly always smiling , the food was the BEST I have ever eaten in Mexico I would recommend this place to any of my friends or family. I will be going back.

Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas: wonderful resort but not ideal for kids

This is a beautiful resort, with wonderful staff. The food is very good and all locations are clean and well kept. It is, however, more apropriate for teenagers than children. There were absolutely no activities or pool playgrounds for kids.

Riu Palace Antillas: Very nice resort!

The resort was clean and the grounds well maintained. The food was very good as was the selection and choices. Service was excellent and staff friendly. There were plenty of chairs by the pool and on the beach.

Grand Memories Varadero: Great Resort for the money

My partner and I had our first holiday together at Grand Memories and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The resort and all it's amenities were fantastic; beautiful beach, nice pools, gorgeous gardens. While the food wasn't all that great (although there was a lot to choose from), that is no reflection on the resort itself, most of the food in Cuba is pretty bland. Our room was nice, nothing crazy but comfortable and clean. The only negative was that our toilet was missing a seat, which we notified th [... read more]e front desk about right away but nothing was done about it. Besides that, the staff were all very courteous and accommodating. Overall we had a fun and relaxing time on vacation, especially during the Michael Jackson tribute show, it was definitely a highlight of the trip!

Riu Santa Fe: Amazing Resort

I love the enveroment, welcoming, helpful staff , the entertetament was great.they make you feel at home. Love it, will go there again for sure, and recommend it to every one, to try it for them shelve.

Grand Memories Varadero: Big resort

Very large busy resort. Beautiful beaches. Hard to get a chair most days. Lots of couples and families. Friendly staff. Some days there wasn't a lot of food selection. Long waits for fresh eggs or meat.

Riu Ocho Rios: Amazing trip central experience

My experience with trip central has been nothing but wonderful. When I first was looking on trip central website, I found it extremely easy to navigate and find a trip, best suited for me. When I first booked my vacation, my agent was extremely helpful and I booked my trip within that day. She kept me updated through email about excursions, deals and what information I needed. She listed all the steps for me, since it was my first vacation travelling alone. I stayed at the Riu in Jamaica (Ochos  [... read more]Riu) and the hotel was wonderful. The staff was amazing and the food was awesome. Our sunwing agent was extremely helpful and kind. Any questions we had she answered. Trip central made my first travel experience, nothing but easy and comfortable. I will be certainly booking all my trips through them.