Riu Negril: Fantastic resort

This resort was wonderful, i travelled with my girlfriend and we were both happy with the stay. The resort is quite a ways from the airport but load up on red stripe at the bar outside the airport terminal and enjoy the scenic drive. Once there it was a fast check in and we were in our rooms in no time, our bags were about 10 minutes behind us. Beaches are great, jerk chicken is awesome. We got a taxi from the guys across the front gates to take us everywhere, ask for toni and say sean sent ya.  [... read more]He took us for a stroll down 7 mile beach, such a great walk and beer is sold for 1.25 at bars all along. We paid for a booze cruise at the scuba caribe shack cause the entire resort was raving about it and it was so much fun, an afternoon of snorkling followed by drinks, ricks cafe and a wonderful spot on the ocean to watch the sunset. Have fun!

Sol Turquesa Beach: Has gone downhill since it became a riu

I have been there three times & the last time was when it became a riu resort. I found that the quality of the resort went down in all areas. it was still nice & the people were the same & we made the best of it. I would go back when it becomes a real riu resort. We did meet some really nice people there that became friends & we are all planning another trip for next year. The one thing that relly bothered me was the people we befriended are Italian & they like to drink their wine. We went for a [... read more] lunch buffet after a morning of sun & fun & were told after a few glasses of wine ,that they were not allowed to serve us anymore wine. After complaining to the management we always had a full bottle at the table. It is a good resort for kids to go as they have lots of activity for them. As I said if this resort gets better , I would go again to see my friends from Cuba.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Awesome countryside resort

Beautiful grounds, enjoyed visiting sister hotels all within walking distance. Beach was great and from what I understand has improved over the last few years. Beautiful caramel colored sand and no water shoes were needed unless you wanted to play in the coral at the far left hand side of the resort or walk chest deep into the water. We were 4 girls, all of which have travelled to Mexico, Jamaica, Punta Cana and Cuba. For the amount we paid which was under 1200 CDn (peak season), we were very im [... read more]pressed and would do it again. As for the 3 restaurants available, we enjoyed the steakhouse the best. Our steaks were tender and definitely tasted like steak. As for the buffet in the maiming dining room, it offered great outdoor dining with a fabulous view of the ocean and gardens. The food was Average for a 4.5 to 5 star resort but it had everything from roast beef to pizza. My only recommendations are: improve lighting in Italian restaurant, add more seafood to the menus and improve music played at the dance club. Both nights we visited, there were only a handful of people. Fortunately the bar located outside the lobby was fun, great staff and plenty of friendly repeat customers. My apologies for the long winded review. If you are considering this property, just call Trip Central and book it!

Riu Palace Mexico: Mexican Paradise

The grounds and gardens are beautiful and well-manicured. The cleanliness and attention to detail is really admirable. The rooms were very nice, spacious with comfortable beds and superb showers. We did not find the open concept in the rooms to be an issue. The only negative aspect about the rooms and our general stay at this resort was the slight musty smell in the rooms. They put us on the 2nd floor in the rooms facing the water fountains. I was told 3rd floor rooms don’t have that musty sme [... read more]ll. The food is incredible, we have stayed at all inclusive in Cuba and DR and I can say this is hands down the best. The food was changed on a constant basis with theme nights at the Don Julian, the large buffet dining area. Everything was tasty and well prepared for dinner. Breakfast items are vast with made to order omelets and eggs prepared in any style possible. If the dining options at the Don Julian become old, there are 4 specialty restaurants to choose from. There is a diverse choice of a la carte restaurants available. The Steakhouse was our favorite restaurant, had a great location next to the beach and the food was top notch. The alcohol is abundant and high end. We enjoyed watching the World Cup during our stay. The bar staff was constantly walking around ensuring everyone was OK for drinks and appetizers. Pool areas are clean, although we spent most of our time at the beach. The beach is amazing, surrounded by palm trees, white sand, clear/turquoise water. There was never a struggle to find a beach chair in the shade or sun. This is was my first time at a Riu Palace Resort and I shall return.

Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas: beautiful resort

The resort is well maintained and the service for the most part good to excellent depending on the service provided ie; our check in was fabulous, we wanted a change in room no problem and she even sent us a treat for Canada Day on July 1! Morning buffet service was very good with our favorite being Iris, she was so happy to provide a great smile and fabulous service. The rez process for the restaurants should be looked at, it very poorly organized and makes it difficult to make a reservation. T [... read more]wo bad experiences in the restaurants; the mexican had a wedding going on and we were not advised that we could not have a patio table, and we were no about to sit inside with the heat being what is was the restaurant was like an oven! The formal dinner the first week we were chased out of at the end of our meal, they even took our half filled wine glasses away saying they had another sitting. This could have been handled differently. We complained and the manager got us a second booking and the service was much better and we were not rushed at all. The restaurant was half empty on both occassions. The entertainment; they put a lot of work into it on a weekly basis however, RIU repeats the same entertainment year over year, maybe consider rotating every other year. Also no great place to dance for the mature crowd. That would have been nice.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Very good resort

Example: What did you think about  this hotel? (grounds, public areas, rooms, dining, features, etc.) the hotel location of Riu bachata is the best of the 3 Riu hotels in the Riu compound. the beach and the pools were wonderful. but I cant say the same for the food. It was not horrible but it was not good either. However, the two resturants that you can go by reservation for dinners were good. although the menu was the same at both resturants for the whole week we were there. one served chicken [... read more] and the other salmon as their main dish.

Sol Turquesa Beach: Riu Playa Turquesa - decent value, don't overlook!

My family and I went March 18-25. The place is beautiful, kept clean inside and out. Many pools and the beach is also gorgeous. They clean it every morning so no worries for seaweed/garbage. The grounds and pool were always being kept up daily as well. The rooms were done well too. No complaints on cleanliness. I've seen some bad reviews but it was good for us and we had 2 rooms in the 500 section on the 2nd level. This is a very large resort with many steps as others wrote but you do NOT need t [... read more]o use the stairs, you can call for the resort shuttle (golf carts) which will bring you to the main lobby where the restaurants aren't too far. The entertainment is also close to the main lobby and was very good. The entertainment staff are all very fun and outgoing. Actually almost all the staff are great. They are hard workers and really nice people. Everyone should take time to get to know the staff. 2 of the best waitresses we found were Neydis and Dunia. The female cook was also awesome. For the entertainment staff Livan and Orlando were very nice and took the time to get to know people. The food was ok but for me not so great. I think they could use a few more cooks. In the morning we were cooking our own bacon because the line-up for fresh cooked eggs/omelettes was large and this is no reflection to the cook who was doing her best and kept a smile! A few times at dinner the meat (pork) wasn't cooked through and the beef is very tough. Bring your own condiments, syrup as if you like syrup on pancakes as they have none. Keep an open mind on the food and you will have a great experience and remember this is a poorer country. The staff can greatly use tips and are very appreciative. Enjoy!

Grand Memories Varadero: OFF Season WOULD NOT RECOMEND!!!

I was with family and friends, a group of nine, that booked a trip to Cuba June 19th, we arrived at the Hotel Riu about ten thirty at night. By the time we got settled it was 12:30 am,and too late to do anything. The next morning after breakfast, we went to the main The pool was so disgusting, and full of green algae you could not see to the bottom, it looked black, no one told us about the problem and the pool was not closed at that point.We found out latter that they ran out of chemicals to tr [... read more]eat the pool,but yet the Deluxe pool was fine!!?? We had a three year old child wanting to go in the water,and had to tell him he could not! he was not happy and cried. My daughter and a couple of friends went to the pool at the Deluxe which was fine,so they did have chemicals to treat the Deluxe pool!!,but not the main pool!??HOW COME??,and this is suppose to be a five star resort?, they were only there a little while when they were told by security to leave because they did not have the right tags on there wrists. Now i went to the management with Joan and complained, and we spent hours at lobby,more than once fighting with the management over this and various other issues that came up. Finally they closed the main pool and let everyone go to the Deluxe side pool without the wrist tags. In the evening we decided to get a drink in the only other air-conditioned place on the resort,the DELUXE CIGAR BAR,only to get watered down drinks!!WHAT GIVES WITH THAT??? Later on we went back to the lobby bar and got REAL DRINKS THAT WERE NOT WATERED DOWN,how I came to realize this was I drink brandy,and at the DELUXE it was weak and almost tasteless compared to the lobby,which was the real deal!!,just too bad that there was no fans or air to keep things cool!! The food was SUB-PAR the same old thing every day. Other people must have been complaining as we were told by many people from Toronto that all the supervisors were in the dining room watching on the Tuesday, they said that was the only time the food was good, we missed that because of the wedding and the reservations we had at one of the fine dinning spots, and by the way they were also sub-par!!,and badly overcooked! It was so boring after dinner not much music any where in the day time, other than a bit of it at the beach,and only at nite for an hour from about 8pm to 9pm, and if you came late to dinner you would miss out on the band.Music at the main pool was when it finally got up and running. My family and friends had to leave on the seventh day,so they did not get to enjoy much of the swim up bar which closed at 6pm??!!WHY!!,also the Disco was WAY TOO HOT!!,it had air conditioning,but was not put on!!??,as well the main lobby also did not have air-conditioning,or ceiling fans HOW COME??. The only two places that you could get cool was either in your room,or at the main restaurant! UN BELIEVABLE FOR A 5 STAR RESORT!!! This was my second trip to Cuba and the very worst!!, I think I deserve way better!!,due to the lack of quality of a *5* resort. In my humble opinion this resort would make a *3* resort look like a *5* resort! Under these circumstances I would not recommend this resort to MY WORST ENEMY!!!

Grand Memories Varadero: Disappointment

We were so excited when we booked our trip, it was our first time with Riu and Cuba.Our room was clean and the beach...well the beach was incredible. Unfortunately, the hotel was run down. The water falls broken, garbage everywhere and I think there were cockroaches. The bathrooms were disgusting and broken. I WAS NOT IMPRESSED!! We still had a great time but I wouldn't do Riu ever again.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Great resort - amazing staff.

The hotel is beautiful - just the right size. This was my third stay here - and it keeps getting better. The food was very good- so many awesome choices. Grounds and rooms clean, beautiful gardens and flowers. Lovely pool. Beach nice - a lovely walk every day. The best is the staff - the bartenders and animation staff were always so happy and friendly. This is about my 15th trip to the islands - and hotels are pretty much the same - but this hotel staff is tops. I like service with a smile and y [... read more]ou get it here. I am sure people will always find something to complain about - but relax and enjoy your time in paradise with friends and family. I was there with my 3 daughters celebrating my 60th birthday and we had a blast.

Riu Negril: Loooooooooooove Riu Negril

Riu Negril - A Resort to chill out on Bloody Bay. The food is Excellent, the drinks are plentiful, the staff is very Friendly; always smiling and there to help you. The entertainment staff is full of energy from the morning on the beach to the shows at night. Love that the resort is on Bloody Bay and the last one on the stretch. Enjoyed the long walks on the beach. Riu Negril is always clean, clean, clean. Beautiful rooms all the time. It's our 7th time there and will return again. Do Recommend  [... read more]it to all our friends

Grand Memories Varadero: awsome vacation

great resort we stayed in the adult section the food was great service is very good pools and beach are clean room are spacious and clean just a shortage of loungers on the beach drinks are very good including capachino bar lots of good entertainment shopping in Veradero is awesome Havana toor is a must to see taxi and bus available at entrance we were there for two weeks febuary 19 to march 5 weather was outstanding we enjoyed it so much we are aready booked for another two weeks around the sam [... read more]e time if your interested in going read the positive reviews I would not want to go anywhere if I would go by the negative reviews don't worry about food or drinks you will find something to eat or drink .we have stayed at latoc sandals in st lucia .riu in orcha rio .majestic colonial in Dominican they were all different but great resorts .but if your looking for a very affordable vacation Riu Veradero is an excellent value for your money.we met a lots of Canadians from all over the country just a great two weeks

Riu Santa Fe: Great Vacation

Our stay at the Riu Santa Fe was very good. The resort itself was beautiful.... grounds very manicured and taken care of. We were in building 3. It had a great view of the courtyard pool and was never noisy. The rooms were adequate and cleaned daily. The downside is the beds. They were so hard I thought my back was broken the first night. (typical mexico) However we asked for an egg carton foam topper and it was brought up on request without asking 4 times. The other downside is that the AC was  [... read more]very poor in the rooms. We were told it was under maintenance...Not impressed but we managed. The last downside is a horrible stench from outside building 7 that you have to walk by every day to get to the 3 other pools and beach. It seriously smelled of rotten dead something. Im not generally a buffet lover but the food was good with tons of choices. The asian restaurant had great service and excellent food. The mexican restaurant however was a huge disappointment. We ended up going to to the buffet to eat. The night entertainment was pretty good if thats your thing. I personally can take it or leave it. So aside from a few very small things I loved the Riu Santa Fe and would definitely return.

Riu Emerald Bay: Everything there is all top notch

We have been to this resort 3 times in the last 4 years and it has been a wonderful experience each time,the beach,the food, the rooms. It is all great. We fully recommend this resort. When we travel to Mexico this winter we fully intend to go to a Riu resort.

Riu Guanacaste: Best resort ever

The hotel was extremely clean. The food was amazing from the am to the pm, the choices never seen anything like it, they must be preparing food 24/7 you will not be disappointed staff exceptional and extremely friendly. The only negative thing are the towels, not best quality could be softer, the beach towels were clean but had mildew stains on them. Will defiantly go back.

Riu Santa Fe: Very comfortable stay!

The hotel staff and signature staff were all very accommodating and made our vacation great. I would recommend any of the Riu hotels. We tried every restaurant they have in the hotel and were pleased with all of them.

Riu Guanacaste: The Best Ever

We were celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary so decide to go to a Riu resort because I had heard great thing about them. The resort was the best ever. For example one morning I walked into my room to see the cleaning staff had pulled out the bed and were washing the wall behind the bed along with headboard and under the bed.They did so with smiles on their faces and in no time at all.There is no question that cleanliness is top priority. The food was fabulous even the buffet felt like you at [... read more] a gourmet restaurant. The entertainment had many people settle at the end of the day with fun and giggles. The activities during the day especially around the pool left nobody bored. I tell everyone who's looking to vacation about the Riu because I know they will not be disappointed.

Riu Emerald Bay: This resort was amazing....

We truly enjoyed our time at the Riu Emerald Bay in Mexico. The staff was extremely friendly, grounds well kept. We met many people there and enjoyed our two week stay. I have recommended it to many of our travelling families and friends. Hoping to return one day.

Riu Vallarta: Clean, friendly and hardworking staff

Close to the airport, friendly staff. The a la cart restuarants are nothing to die for. I tried all of them and I still prefered the buffet. Breakfast is amazing there. I was disappointed about the wifi. Every other Riu i have been to provided wifi in the room. At Riu Vallarta you could only use it in the lobby and it was for one consecutive hour even if you used it for five minutes it would expire.

Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas: Luxurious vacation , stunning views

Been to many Riu resorts but this one was the best yet. Clean, spacious, and attentive staff are usual in Riu resorts but this one was exceptional. Our room had a king size bed a balcony and we overlooked the pool nearest to the spa with a view out to the ocean. The grounds were immaculate and staff are constantly in the grounds keeping it looking pristine. The large windows outside our room by the elevator gave us the perfect spot to take photos of The Arches and the beach beside it. There are [... read more] two big pools and the one nearest the spa was clean and well maintained and we never had a problem getting chairs. The beach is sandy and you can easily get a water taxi from the beach into the town which takes about 10-15 mins at most. The food at the Riu Palace was very good. We were lucky enought to eat at Kystal twice. The ambience and presentation matches any fine dinning restaurant in a big city. I would suggest that you go to the service desk as soon as you arrive and book your a la carte resturants, the only one you book on the day you want to go and eat there is Krystal, but its worth the wait. Breakfast buffet was big and there is something for everyone, even the picky eaters. We used to have ours on the patio with table service for drinks . In the evening , the same place becomes the dinner buffet which we also enjoyed with their various themes. We met up with other vactioners and as one had a birthday, we arrived at our table on the evening of his big day to find the staff had set our a birthday table complete with decorations and confetti and a small birthday cake for him. The staff really did go above and beyond which we really appreciated. We would love to go back to the Riu Palace Los Cabos and we have recommended it friends as for the money we think its the best place to stay in Los Cabos.