Riu Santa Fe: Excellent resort

This resort exceeded my expectations. Staff were friendly, excellent food and drinks, hotel room was spotless and great having bar fridge. Great resort for families. Walking distance to great shopping and food.

Sol Turquesa Beach: nice resort, too many stairs

Grounds were clean and well kept Rooms were clean and maid service was great Food was quite good ( beef not so much) Beds were old and very uncomfortable Staff were very helpful and willing to help to make sure your stay was top knotch. Beach could have been cleaner, beach lounge chairs were clean and plentiful.

Sol Turquesa Beach: Cuban Memories

This is a large resort in a quiet area of Cuba. We had a very nice room was in a great location (500's) between the pools & the beach. The beach was ok with some seaweed. The pools were very nice & clean. The food was typical cuban food...not great but we didn't starve. We swam with the dolphins...a fabulous experience. We also rented scooters to go to Guardalavaca...a lot of fun.

Riu Santa Fe: Fantastic place to stay!

This resort was extremely clean. The rooms were great. Room service made fantastic towel creatures. Dining room staff were quick and professional. Drinks and food were outstanding. The buffet was so good I don't know why anyone would be disappointed if they didn't get into one of the a la cartes. The ocean pools had a great view of lands end. The interior pool was a little quieter, which was perfect for us. It's a 20 minute walk into San Lucas on the beach. We loved it! We would recommend this p [... read more]lace to anyone and come back without hesitation.

Riu Palace Punta Cana: A very beautiful resort

Anywhere along the Punta Cana beach is outstanding. The rooms are very clean, modern, colourful, made of local stone material and show very little wear. The maids were very hard working. Mosquitos seemed to like the bathrooms. Plumbing in the bathroom tubs and showers is poorly done. The grounds and gardens are picturesque. The building itself - bars, restaurants, patios and walk ways are very well cared for and impressive. The pool is very large and made of very colourful mosaic tiles, but some [... read more] tiles have come off creating a sharp edges that could cut your feet. The workers are very friendly and become even more friendly with a $1 tip. The buffet is very standard with other Riu hotels. There is tremendous variety but there is the constant problem of keeping things warm yet not dry the food out ie fish, beef, pork, shrimp. Careful of the sushi as a number of people were sick after eating this. The a la carte restaurants are good but seem to be more concerned with the presentation. The quality of the a la carte food is good but the quantity is lacking a bit if you are hungry. The steak house steak was very large but sadly very under cooked. Although not the hotel's problem or doing, transfer to and from the hotel to the airport was very frustrating and time consuming far beyond what it needs to be. A $40 taxi ride is well worth the price. The transfer agents certainly run on Dominican time. The Riu Bambu next door is a better bang for your buck. The rooms are not as nicely appointed, but how long are you in your room?

Riu Santa Fe: One of the better ones

Have never been to a Riu resort before,but would consider trying other ones elsewhere.However at Los cabos the employees are all very nice,,very good food and plenty of drink.Rooms are well kept,and every area is exceptionally clean.We rarely visit same resort twice,but would certainly return to this one..

Sol Turquesa Beach: nice

public ares are good, rooms are ok but I would like to see the Ocean from my room. Room clean . The balcony door could not be locked ! service is nice, beach was nice. However, on the side , furher from the main beach there are too many plastic bootles plastic small containers that are probably appear from the ovean (ships? catamarans ? etc)

Riu Vallarta: Beautiful resort

This was a beautiful resort and definitely lived up to the Riu reputation. We were a group of 8 regulars to the Riu Jalisco and decided to change it up and stay at the Vallarta this time. We booked suites for the first time as this was to be a milestone anniversary celebration for each couple and overall we were very satisfied with the rooms and the amazing views. The restaurants and service were excellent. Most of the staff is hardworking and dedicated to making your stay all it can be. However [... read more], we did have an unfortunate incident which did put a damper on our holiday but we worked through it and tried not to let it ruin the entire holiday. Our safe was compromised on our second day and all our money was stolen. Every penny. Thank goodness they left the passports. So our one big complaint is that the safes are not actually safe. The hotel tells you they are not responsible even though they admit it being a staff member. And Sunwing was absolutely no help what so ever. And our so called travel insurance basically covers us for an amount comparable to what the insurance initially cost us! A pittance compared to what was stolen. Even so, we are trying not to let it taint our view of this amazing place as this incident was a first for us after 5 visits to Puerto Vallarta. The internet is full of similar complaints at other resorts so I guess the lesson here is just because it's called a safe does not mean it can't be accessed by someone other then yourself. We will return but will now insist on keeping our cash and valuables in the hotel safe instead of the room safe. We would like to however thank Martina and Graciella - two assistant managers at the resort, who took this incident to heart and tried to help us out as much as they were allowed to. It was because of them that we will return.

Riu Playa Blanca: Riu Playa Blanca

It was very organized, service was excellent, the resort was kept extremely clean at all times Evening entertainment was great Food was excellent The only thing I would complain about was that the Internet should be a minimal charge with a certain time limit, instead of USD5.00/half hour also computers were in a sports bar, where it is noisy. We had a great time and I would recommend the resort to others.

Riu Palace Aruba: Beautiful Resort

Excellent, the staff very helpful and the happiest people ever, cleanness was excellent , rooms cleaned and towels changed twice a day, food there was a lot of variety and well prepared and presented, I had a wonderful vacation and like to visit different places and would most likely return in to Aruba and RIU Palace

Riu Palace Pacifico: Great Vacation

We visited the resort last week and were very happy with our stay. Food & service at the buffets were awesome. We could always find chairs around the pool. Weather was perfect as usual. Great beach. We really had no complaints.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Average

First, they did as requested and gave us room in section 900 on first floor and with king size bed. Also, they waited for us for transport so no problem about that. Good things: Beach is big and you can find place even at 9AM. There is sun and shade, as you wish. They clean room ok. Not so good things: Swiming is not nice as sand become sharp rocks as you enter water and there was a lot of dirt in the water. Swiming pool was very, very cold. Food was not good at all. No taste at all. A la carte  [... read more]restoraunts were joke as they serve same food as in regular restorant. Other stupid thing is that you have to come morning at 7 to book restorant for that same evening and you can not do it for next day. Internet was also veru stupid as you can log in once a day and use it for 90 minutes. Once you log out you are done for that day. So we paid US$35 per week to have internet all the time. Our water in the sink was spraying all around and remote for TV did not work. Also, we did not have any blankets in the room. After several requests, we got blanket next day, remote was fixed after 5 days and water was never fixed. All together, Gran Vantana from last year was chipper and better and would recommend it over this one any time. Real rating for this hotel is 3+*. But still, we had good time as it's more important with who you are then where you are :) One more thing, there are sand bags so everybodys lower part of legs were bitten a lot. There were some mosquitos but not so bad. We had only two days of rain so we were lucky.

Riu Vallarta: Best Riu experience yet

Almost every year, we stay at a Riu hotel as we love this chain. This Riu was outstanding in terms of service specifically at the restaurants. We were super impressed. The other outstanding service item was the drink service on the beach. Servers would be walking around all day with trays of drinks so we didn't even have to go to the bar, it was delivered right to our beach chairs. The Riu food is always delicious and this was no exception. This hotel is probably very noisy if you are on a lower [... read more] floor but we were at the top so everything was fine. I recommend a higher floor for noise issues as well as better views. It was lively in the evening with bands playing and people actually hung out and partied later into the evening which you sometimes don't see at other resorts. It was a great ambiance and I would definitely recommend this hotel.

Riu Flamingos: Great Vacation

We have just returned from an all inclusive vacation at the Riu Jalisco and want to say that it was a wonderful resort. Anything we needed they were willing to accommodate. We found the resort to be very clean, no garbage lying around etc. the staff all were very friendly. The food was top quality and with 400+ guests on site no one could go hungry. We were never able to book an early seating for the steak dinner as the La Botina restaurant catered to wedding parties first. We could not believe  [... read more]the quality of the prawns- bigger and better than those we catch ourselves here on the coast of B.C. Lots of variety in the drinks too...great Mojitos! There were plenty of beach loungers but many will need repair by the end of this season for sure. We walked the beach for an hour each day and judging by what we saw the Jalisco has the best beach. The sand was soft and clean, waves were big and beautiful, and lots of palm trees for shade. We came for the sun, sand and good company and were not disappointed. The only improvement would be to have outside elevators installed at the west ends of the buildings for easier access to the rooms from the beach. It is a long walk from the beach to the lobby elevators. 4+ flights of stairs is challenging for some of us "oldies". We will definitely recommend the Jalisco to others and will return again one day.

Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas: Good Value Resort

Stayed at the Riu Palace January 15-22 and had booked through Signature Vacations. Check-in/out was quick and easy. You get an envelope with a resort map, two towel cards and two room cards. The envelope has a wifi code. We requested a specific room a few weeks in advance by emailing the resort, and were lucky enough to get it- Room #3030. Room- we booked the Jacuzzi Suite with the two-storey balcony. It was oceanfront and it was beautiful. There was no alarm clock in the room and our room als [... read more]o had no face cloths and when I asked the maid, I was often told they didn't have any. The beer in the mini-fridge was Tecate not Dos Equis. There is no light in the shower and it is very dark. There are no fans in the bathroom either. There room service menu is very limited. Overall, the room amenities need improvements. Pool/beach- there are two main pools (quiet and loud). During our stay the quiet pool was often invaded by obnoxious wedding parties making their own entertainment. It always seemed busy and you couldn't get a chair after Noon. The actual sitting area on the beach is small. The beach itself is wide but walking in the sand is like walking in a foot of snow. There are many vendors. Swimming is not recommended. Hotel facilities- lobby is nice. There is a huge lobby/piano bar that overlooks the ocean with beautiful views. Off the bar is a room called the snack bar with liquor, computers and snacks. There are two gift shops in the lobby also and two more by the pools. Below the lobby is the theatre and another bar. The front desk will only exchange Canadian $$ and Mexican $$. Food- food was good and plentiful but the breakfast and lunch buffet is the same daily. Dinner buffet has themes each night. You need reservations for the Krystal Restaurant (same day only); the Steakhouse and Mexican Restaurants also require reservations. The Japanese does not require reservations. At our Signature Vacations briefing meeting, the customer service staff let us book as many reservations as we wanted and it was a good thing we did because you couldn't get into the steakhouse otherwise. As many have mentioned (and we stayed a Riu before) you have to get up really early to wait in a line. Riu needs to improve this process. Also, at the a la cartes, they only let you order one appetizer and entree each (at other resorts we could order as much as we wanted). Portions are small. Entertainment- there are many daytime activities at the loud pool. Shows each night--we watched same shows we saw 8 years ago--Riu needs to change things up! Other Info: -Bar service can be slow at times -the wine is poor; they have Canadian Club for Rye; Absolut and other vodka brands. Beefeater for Gin. There are many other good brands of liquor as well (better than at the Sante Fe) -this resort is big and there are staircases everywhere--bring practical footwear -this resort was REALLY busy--not the place if you want a relaxed atmosphere -it is $14USD or 160 pesos one-way to the marina in a taxi -Taxi prices are posted at the entrance (as the hotel pre-negotiated prices for the year-- this is good if your Canadian because otherwise everything is priced in USD$ and they are converting 14.5 pesos or 15 pesos to 1$USD. Be mindful of this outside of the resort because you could pay more coming back in a taxi Overall, we would recommend this resort to people who want a nice hotel close to downtown Cabo and for people who like to party. We wouldn't stay here again because it was way too busy. We would have preferred to stay in San Jose del Cabo but many resorts there are still closed from the hurricane damage. Also, other resorts we've stayed at do not require wristbands, no dinner reservations, towel cards, etc.. These are all minor inconveniences that can be avoided at other high-end resort chains. Cabo was a tourist-trap and party-central and San Jose is picturesque and more laid-back.

Sol Turquesa Beach: Beautiful resort

the resort was great. the food was great. the beach was kind of weedy but did clear up after a few days. the entertainment was first class. the rooms and hotel itself were always kept clean. the bar service was fantastic especially El Tigre at the swim up. Very entertaining. The managers were always very helpful and resolved any issues that came up in a very timely fashion. The gardeners and pool people were exceptional and kept the pools and the grounds immaculate and picture perfect.

Riu Palace Costa Rica: Amazing resort

Everything was first class, food, drinks, entertainment & staff. Booked a snorkelling trip on the Hibiscus. Best trip ever! Saw dolphins & whales. Rooms were very clean. Good variety of food every day in all of the restaurants. Staff went out of their way to be helpful.

Riu Ocho Rios: Always a winner!

A beautiful (albeit a little dated), resort with clean beaches and turquoise water. The staff at this resort work hard to get to know each and every guest and make them feel welcome. Rooms were moderately clean, but improvements could be made. Kids Club is lacking one important thing - other kids. My 3 year old and 1 year old wanted to play there daily but there were never any other kids there. Front desk could do a better job of letting their guests know that the kids club exists. Great selecti [... read more]on of food at the buffet. Jerk chicken/rice and peas on the beach is a winner! Disappointed that the Junior Suites area has now been made adults only. The pool there is quite exceptional and was always a lot quieter. Disappointed that wifi in main lobby is only free for 90 concurrent minutes a day now. Third visit to this resort and celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary (we were married there in 2010), and my 34th birthday and the front desk/management did not do anything to recognize this. My husband informed them at check-in and at another point and despite their promise to recognize nothing was done.

Riu Palace Peninsula: Beautiful resort

We just got back from our vacation at Riu Palace Peninsula in Cancun and our overall First impression was that it was a very beautiful and clean resort. All of the public areas, such as the lobby, all the restaurants, the pool areas and the beach areas were all lovely, with great attention to detail. The beach was nice although there was some seaweed in the water. There was a rocky area as well, but those were quite interesting as inbetween the rocks were little mini 'private' beaches as I liked [... read more] to call them. Some iguanas took residence there as well. The hotel rooms were also very modern and clean and most rooms had an ocean view. I have no complaints about the room that we had, except the trouble it took to get it with the front desk, but in the end it was resolved pretty quickly. The buffet restaurant was pretty good with a good selection of food. The theme restaurants lacked in quality, especially the Italian restaurant.......the food was salty and dried out and the appetizer buffets at these restaurants were picked over and not replenished, especially if you had the later dinner seating. The best restaurant in this category was the Fusion restaurant. Unfortunately you could only book one restaurant a time in advance so that was an inconvenience. We went to book the morning after we got there, which was a Tuesday and we couldn't get into any of the restaurants until the Thursday. The lobby bar was quite nice with the piano as a before dinner location. Good place to people watch and nice big windows overlooking the resort. Entertainment after dinner was lacking however, with lip synching entertainers dancing around to the pre-recorded music.......somewhat lame. There isn't a disco or anything where the younger adults can go to listen to music and dance so that was lacking as well, but places like CocoBongo were only a 5 minute bus ride away if you were so inclined. The spa was good but very expensive, cost $280 U.S. for two 45 minute massages on the beach. The only other area that was lacking was shopping on the resort. There were only two stores, one a jewelry store and the other a little gift/beachwear/sun lotion type of store. Again, you could hop on the bus and go shopping further down on the strip. The staff were really friendly and hard working. All in all, we enjoyed our vacation at the Riu Palace Peninsula and would return again.

Sol Turquesa Beach: Great resort!

Staff were very nice and accommodating. Grounds, room, pools and beach area were all quite clean. Our room (500 section) was close to just about everything. Always had hot shower water! Despite what I've heard of Cuban food, it was surprisingly quite good; best calamari around. You could tell they tried to switch things up and keep things new. Would definitely go back to Memories Holguin.