Riu Playa Blanca Panama

Very nice hotel, 4.0 to 4.5* in my opinion. Cleaning is ongoing all day, this resort is very well kept inside and out. Beautiful manicured grounds. Rooms two twin beds however Queens were available. Double sinks in bathroom and large shower. Again very clean. Food selection at the buffet is excellent. À la cart restaurants were very good, both Italian and steakhouse. Did not try Asian. Bar service at pool and indoor bars very good. Selection of beverages was good. Canadian, Bourbon and scotch [... read more] whiskeys all name brands were available. Brandy and Gin quality was also good. Shout out to Justin, Hector and Jose at the bar. The hotel manager was on site and available. We travelled with Sunwing and their reps were on site daily to answer any questions. Resort features 4 pools, 1 swim up bar adults only, 1 quiet pool, 1 activity pool and a water park pool for children. Something for everyone. Entertainment was average most nights. Sports bar was 24 hrs, with espresso machine and pool tables. What prevents this hotel from being a 5 * is the beach, it is Panama on the pacific coast. It is not Caribbean white sand but dark sand. The beach is a public beach so you will get the annoying hucksters, but just wave and walk past them. Overall a very nice resort, however if your a beach lover this will not be for you. Price is better than most resorts.

Beautiful Resort

Resort was immaculately taken care of with friendly staff. Plenty of things to do at the resort was good because there was not a lot of off resort options available. Grounds were very well maintained and green considering the area was desert like off resort.

Awesome Resort

We travel extensively. Over 25 all inclusive resorts and this was one of the best. The weather was amazing and the food was very good in buffet and a la Carts. It was hot and good variety. The negative was the beach. It's a large beach but sand gets too hot and not great for swimming. The drug dealers that want to take you for horse back rides are a pain too. The adult pool is incredible because they strictly enforce no children allowed. The bar staff was incredible except the one woman at swim  [... read more]up bar very slow and did not seem happy to be there. The pool does turn your white spots green and your Hair.

Review

It was fine / good. Little underwhelming for a 5-Star resort but was okay. Food kinda sucked. & the A la carte resto [Steakhouse] was next to impossible to get into. Service was great. Not a tonne of things to do at the resort in the evenings. Food advice: focus on quality over quantity.

Nice resort

The hotel was very clean! It felt very safe. Any concerns were immediately addressed as they have the staff to rectify them quickly. Breakfast was are favorite meal. Fresh breads and fruit were awesome.

Excellent Vacation- Riu Playa Blanca Panama

My husband and I visited Riu Playa Blanca at the end of January and loved it! It was HOT!! We were extremely happy with the hotel. It was clean, staff always working maintaining the grounds, food was great and many drink options. It’s nice to have a bar that’s open 24 hours with snacks. The staff were extremely nice and very attentive. The beach was great! Dark sand and warm water. Make sure to wear sandals to walk to the beach or you’ll burn your feet! We had great weather and a  [... read more]fantastic time! I have no complaints and would go back. I highly recommend this resort. Note: smoking areas are limited.

Clean but hot!

Hotel was clean. Staff was very nice and accommodating. Pool area was a great time with knowledgeable bartenders and lunch buffet served poolside daily. Beach was clean and raked every night but the sand was super hot! Wears shoes! The food was amazing! My only compliments were they did not restock the fridge unless you called and requested it, there were not any off resort activities available and it was a whole lot hotter than I was expecting with the only a/c in the entire resort being in yo [... read more]ur room and the wifi cut out constantly the whole week.

Excellent

The Riu Playa Blanca is a beautiful hotel, the staff are very helpful, friendly and keep the whole hotel up to standards expected. The grounds are well manicured and the restaurants are all excellent. If anything is spilled throughout the resort the staff are right there to clean it up, the floors are spotless. The bar pool buffets were a great touch too.

Absolutely Fantastic Resort

The rooms were great. The staff were always cleaning floors etc. Lobby, halls and pool area. Very clean and well kept. The staff were very friendly and attentive. Food was very good. After the 1st day I said I'm coming back next year! Weather was brilliant! Thanks for an awesome week!!

Wow

This is the forth Rui we have stayed at and they have never disappointed us. Food is amazing and the staff are friendly and helpful. Weather was fantastic and it was really worth the trip. Beach is public but the hotel has no control over that. The vendors were friendly and not really pushy. Have seen worse.

Excellent resort!

The hotel , food, service entertainment were great ! The beach is hot because of the black sand. We swam in the water everyday it was great. It’s not blue like the Caribbean but it’s still awesome. I would definately book again !

A great week!

My girlfriend and I just spent the week here. We have no complaints. We were in the ocean daily, no issues. Lots of food options and food was delicious. Fruit tasted fresh. Meat was cooked properly. The Italian restaurant was very good, we didn’t do the steakhouse or Chinese restaurant. Staff is wonderful and plentiful, very helpful and friendly. The room was spacious and no issues other than the pillows were not great, I would recommend asking for extras. Room was clean and cleaning staff did a [... read more] great job replacing towels and drinks in the mini-fridge. There is a lobby bar, sports bar, pool bar, and entertainment bar. The weather was phenomenal… if you like sun and heat. We didn’t have a drop of rain the week we were there and it felt like 35-40 degrees daily. The sand does get VERY hot, especially midday and will burn the bottoms of your feet. Bring multiple pairs of flops or water shoes. The heat melted the glue from my flops and I couldn’t use them as they fell apart and will need a repair job. The ocean water isn’t crystal clear but it is warm with minimal seaweed and smooth beach floor, not many rocks. The guys on horses at the beach will harass you about drugs and horse rides, just ignore them and they will leave you alone. There are vendors on the beach that you can buy trinkets from but they don’t harass you. There is some horse droppings in the sand but not a big issue for us, just walk around them. Make sure you get your loungers by 8am as they do fill up quite quickly. There was always stuff going on around the pools such as live music or games. We used the taxi service at the front of the hotel to go to Panama City, Panama Canal, Amador Causeway, and to see the Old City. It was 200usd for both of us plus entry fees at the canal. It was the whole day but we really enjoyed it. Beware there is a 35usd per person tax to leave the country. Overall we are very happy with the resort, staff, food, and weather.

Riu Playa Blanca Panama

Traveled to the RIU playa Blanca as a couple with three other couples. This was not our first trip staying at a RIU hotel. We have stayed at all RIU hotels in Jamaica as well as Dominican Republic. Unfortunately, the RIU playa blanca in Panama did not compare well to the other RIU hotels we have stayed at in the past. We are definitely beach people and unfortunately were not able to use the beach due to locals waiting every morning on the beach with their horses which caused a terrible smell w [... read more]hen the wind was not blowing as well as large quantities of horse manure you had to step around when walking in the sand. In general food at the buffet was good, there was always something to choose from however, the New Year’s Eve gala left quite a lot to be desired. Front desk was very helpful weight staff were not so helpful. There were a handful of extraordinary service people however, the majority found it hard even to smile. The housekeeping staff were in need of more training. We struggle to get towels bath mats and our room cleaned on a daily basis. We did, however have one day where the service was extraordinary but unfortunately it was one day out of 14. During one of our dinners, There was a senior member of the RIU staff randomly asking guests for their opinions and we were able to speak to him. He was extremely open and understood all of our concerns. In closing, we will not visit this hotel a second time.

Good times!

Just came back 2 days ago and I definitely had a great time. The food was good, never went hungry. It would have been nice if they put out some prosciutto, but they didn't. The staff was great, if anything went above and beyond. The resort was extremely clean. You don't need a speaker here because they have good music playing all day. Each day they would have a live band come in and play. We rented a car for the week up the street at Buget for 11 dollars a day plus insurance. Do not speed if you [... read more] are driving on the roads. The resort has vendors on the beach and they give you great deals on the merchandise. The only thing that was beyond annoying was the guys on the horses. The beach is covered in horse shit so wear your water shoes.

Good resort

This hotel will be great with some renovations, to name few bed rooms need Bigger pillows, doors to the bathroom does not close, not enough washrooms around the three Pools, the small washroom by the Pool close by 5 or 6 PM, guest on the Beach has no washroom close by,

Nice clean resort

Grounds were well groomed, clean. Definite notable priority given to Spanish speaking patrons Not too comfortable with male staff in women’s bathrooms at all times. Buffet was great and satisfied all. The a la cartes were hit and miss. Sometimes it was good, sometimes it wasn’t. Christmas Eve dinner was very disappointing. We had a group of twenty, stood in line at 630am with everyone else to get a reservation. By the time we were seated the staff seemed to be done with the evening and us. Mo [... read more]st of us ordered the special ‘Surf and Turf’ all of our lobsters were burnt. There was little to no meat inside it was sooo dry and all of our filets were served well done regardless of what temperature had been ordered. And no one came to clear our table. We sat at a dirty table for at least half hour to an hour before getting dessert which was served before our dinner plates were cleared. Most staff had left, except for one server who remained taking care of another table. Rooms were always cleaned and a left with a lovely flower display. Would have liked to have water bottle replacement daily in room without having to request. Sports bar food needs to be upgraded.

Good holiday

Had a good week. Staff in general were mainly good. Bar staff knew their stuff. Was nice to have drink of the day signs up at lobby bar etc to try something new. Buffet always had a good variety & no problem finding a table. No reservations for a la cartes. Went at 630 and got seated right away each time. Steak house & Italian were both very good. Beach isnt what we are used to. Sand not white and hot in sun. Ocean rough and dark water but we swam in it every day and waves made it fun. Room [... read more]s were clean. Staff constantly mopping & cleaning hallways & any walk ways. Less than 20 minutes from airport for Canadians. Overall a good holiday.

Riu quality

We have stayed at Riu resorts over 6 times in the past, first one in Panama. being 10 minutes from the airport was great. On the way home they allow water, pop and your own food as they do not sell at airport, limited seats so get there early. Now Panama and the resort. We went end of November and were worried about the rain, It was Hot and even on overcast and rainy days it was still beautiful, rained only a few times and less than an hour or at night. Ruben and Lucus at the swim up were awe [... read more]some, all the employees were good. The horses on the beach stay away someone had their stuff taken when they were on the horses, heard another story some one bought drugs off them and it was laced. Please beware. There is a strike in Panama that is causing some disruption on excursions and for shows getting to perform at resort. For me I go to relax and hand by the pool with Friends and everything was just fine for that. Food Italian lasagna was the best, Steak house the rib eye, and chicken. I didn't make to the Thai but my friends said the chicken was great. It was a great trip but I never have to go back to Panama. I love the hot weather, but this wasn't even the hot season and it was too hot. Beach you cant see the bottom and we were warned about stingrays so no thanks.

RIU PLAYA BLANCA , PANAMA

Very clean resort, lots of help, many bars, good liquor(!) & food. Room nice & spaces! My travel agent Tammy Beamish requested ground floor for me and I was very happy. Resort property non Smoking area, only beach or outside hotel permitted. A la carte unlimited, no need to book: first came first serve. Resort very close to airport. In the way back you have to pay cash AEROPORT FEE (about $37.25 per person) and its take forever , only one person colleting money. No AC @ airport , no dut [... read more]y free store. If you do like to get home some tobaccos & liquor you have to go to local store.

Great Experience

Well kept resort overall. immaculate clean resort..amazing food, great friendly staff, no complaints of any kind. Incredible hot weather all week long. What more can you ask for in an all inclusive vacation?