Riu Palace Costa Rica: Good

Our thoughts on the hotel Riu Palace: the grounds were well kept that being the grass trees flower beds etc etc. As for the pools they needed to be cleaned more often. Daily debris leaves bugs and often sand & rocks. The washrooms at Papago/Steak House was kept clean (but it better be given its the only washroom around the pool area outside of the one back in the lobby or your individual rooms). Dining areas clean prompt service. However, we feel the individuals handling the food should be wea [... read more]ring gloves, often we saw them touching the food with there bare hands. One time my husband ordered pasta and the cook took the plain pasta with her hands and placed it in the pan to be served. Entertainment by the pool was good. Entertainment in the evening was good.

Riu Bambu: Amazing resort!

Don't try and pet the black and white cat. It will bite you but we had an amazing time there! It is a big resort and we were surprised by that but the food is excellent for the Dominican! I would not recommend if you have walking issues because there is a lot of walking.

Riu Playa Blanca: 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 Guanacaste: Very good

The hotel and grounds very well kept. Wish I was given a map of the resort or given instructions in my room to book the resort on line. The property was very big. I had the resort on line but not sure how to find things. Maybe the Sunwing rep should have help a class. Had to call the desk to help me set up my safe in room. No instructions. The food in the restaurants either didn’t have labels or some were wrong especially the salad dressing. No labels at all. The beef in buffet so tough I could [... read more]n’t even cut it. The restaurant tables were always clean immediately. Service at bars was excellent.

Riu Palace Costa Rica: Nice resort

The grounds and area are beautiful, the rooms are very dated, have a smell and aren’t cleaned very well. The first level suites with outdoor hot tubs were nicer than the suites and standard rooms. There was a horrible sewer smell every evening between 2-5am, so keep your patio door closed. It’s very isolated from everything except the zip line park, which is fun. All the other tours to waterfalls and volcanoes are up to 3 hours away. Snorkelling and catamaran tours were fun.

Riu Palace Antillas: Very impressive resort.

Obviously a pretty smart hotel chain that will be around for a long time. My only beef was that some people still tie up a lounge chair all day by placing their belongings there early in the am and leaving them all day - plus a few actually take more than 1 chair each and pretend it's in use by someone else. No easy way to police that, but the beach and pool staff were trying.

Riu Guanacaste: Pura Vida Amigo’s

Many of the reviews out there are generally accurate about this place. So I will keep mine short and sweet. The resort was simply wonderful. What a great getaway from the hustle and bustle of everyday life in a big urban centre. This resort is set within a carefully preserved natural environment. Large/old trees, wildlife (land and sea) and friendly locals whose motto is “pura vida” truly enhance the serenity of this beautiful property. The Costa Rican’s may have figured things out better tha [... read more]n most. Go here, you will not regret it.

Riu Playa Blanca: 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.

Riu Guanacaste: Costa Rica vacation

Riu Guanacaste is a great all inclusive vacation resort Positives: Great food selection and varied choices, drink selection and portions are more than generous. Waiters and service staff are courteous and accommodating. Negatives: Pool is not big enough to accommodate the number of guests in the facility. Beach area could use a bit more TLC.

Riu Playa Blanca: 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.

Riu Playa Blanca: 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,

Riu Reggae: Nice Resort!

I Would not classify this hotel as a 5*. Staff was great through out the hotel, except the front reception. They were not helpful or friendly. They just could not be bothered. Other staff was great. Food was good with lots of selection. Hotel rooms were basic. Entertainment was fantastic. I loved that the pools and beach were very close to each other. Every angle on the main pool area gives you a great view of the beach. If you are looking for a smaller resort vibe, and a quick vacation. This [... read more] would be perfect. Overall, it gave us what we needed, a quick getaway for some sunshine.

Riu Republica: Resort review

Do your homework before you go to this resort. I didn't and it's a party resort. Kids drinking until they get so drunk. Saw them hurt and smashed. I have stayed at a Riu in Jamacia and Mexico. The standards and food were a much better quality. Hot tub broken. Air conditioning terrible. Toilets didn't flush. TV didn't work.

Riu Palace Bavaro: Great Family Vacation

The hotel and the gardens were beautiful, well kept, and clean. We were satisfied with the size of our room as well as the view from the balcony. The best part of our stay is the service we got from everyone working there. They were friendly, courteous, and always willing to please. However there was one thing that was most annoying during the week and that was the fact that the elevators were out of commission most of the time. This proved to be a hardship since I had surgery on my ankle rec [... read more]ently. We were also disappointed that although we booked as a group we were all in different sections on different floors. We travelled with our children and grandchildren. Overall, we enjoyed our stay at the Riu Palace Bávaro and wouldn’t hesitate to return for another vacation.

Riu Palace Antillas: Good Resort but could be better

My family of 4 (2 adults, 19 and 20 year old) decided to visit the first week of January. Firstly I want to say that our agent Robyn was great and will happily use her services again. It was a sunwing package and we weren't expecting much however they proved us wrong. They were great and on time. The only part we didn't enjoy flying out of Toronto is that you have to shuttle to an alternate mini-terminal to board the plane. That is not their fault but still not great when you are coming back  [... read more]and are subject to cold in the winter time. Arrival: Great shuttle, easy to find....welcome was lovely. We asked to see if we could be upgraded as our AMEX card allows for free upgrades. We were given the run-around about their definition of upgrades, etc. Not cool. As was charging us for the extra hour past check-out despite them not needing the room that day...nickel and dime-ing. However, from then on the hotel experience was a lovely one. We had 2 rooms, 2 junior suites. We ended up on the North side of the building (odd numbers) and got a partial ocean view. My kids had the end unit which was much larger as it accommodated 3 people. The only issue I had with our room is that there was a large frosted window between the bed and the bathroom shower. There was also a motion-detector light so if one of us got up to go use the bathroom it woke the other as the light shone through. Just didn't make sense to us. Housekeeping was excellent and friendly. They do need to upgrade to having the room passes on the hotel wristbands as we had to reset our cards at least 10 times as they demagnetized despite us being careful not to have them near our phones. Which is also an inconvenience as you always have to be aware of that. The pool was lovely as is the beach. You can't beat Aruba weather and we didn't see any bugs! So far staff is great, hotel is clean, ambiance is lovely.....now the 2 reasons we would make this only a fair hotel: 1. Having to get up at 5 am in the morning to get a palapa on the beach or poolside. This is ridiculous and you would think by now resorts would have a system that would allow you to enjoy your vacation without having to stress about this. Just unbelievable. and 2. The food was just mediocre. Now some reviews have said it was great and you have to keep in mind what everyone's baseline is.....we used to work and frequent Club Med with our kids. We were always under the impression that Riu was at the same calibre....definitely not when it came to food. Us as non-drinkers (and they were generous with alcohol), this is important. Of all the restaurants we enjoyed the Krystal the best (were also disappointed to find out we could not use the restaurants at the Palace though we were told we could). We did end up eating out one night at that was fantastic...so not an Aruba issue...definitely a Riu one. The cafe was a nice spot to hang out. And again the staff was great, I can't say that enough. The issues are a systemic one. Not a reflection of the Arubians. Would I go back again? Not likely but it was a good intro to Aruba. PS one bonus: they used real coconut cream in their Pina colada's....the way it should be.

Riu Vallarta: Gorgeous & fun resort

The pools, beach and bars were incredible. The location was amazing, extremely close to Bucerías and not too far from Saulita if you want to take a day trip! The food was pretty good, a lot of options. When they did have tacos and they were fresh, they were very good. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend the steak house - however, the other restaurants were pretty good! The staff were kind and helpful, and the drinks were delicious. Had a blast!

Riu Guanacaste: Costa Rica all-inclusive

Resort: Had a great time with my adult family. Weather was superb, resort is very clean inside, safe, staff with one exception were very friendly and responsive. Plenty of amenities, good food & drink offerings. The Gourmet ala carte was excellent, and our Waiter Daniel was superb in all aspects. The Italian ala carte not so much (average food and unfriendly Hostess). Room fridge was restocked with ample bottles of water daily. 2 of the 3 room toilets had to be repaired several times as the tank [... read more] flushing system was old and not reliable. Room decor was dated but the beds were comfortable. High energy around the central pool. Area washrooms were cleaned constantly and impeccable. Pool deck and deck lounge chairs were not cleaned daily and this was disappointing. Overall resort rating is a "B / B+". Sunwing: Both flights were delayed. We booked with Sunwing vacations which used a Swoop plane with WestJet crews. The extra leg room my son paid more for was not provided on the flight to Costa Rica. The duty free service on the Sunwing website was not offered by the WestJet crew on the return flight, with no explanation as to why, thus no duty free alcohol was purchased as intended by all 5 in our party (the airport duty free did not sell the products that the Sunwing website said would be available). The WestJet flight crew were friendly. The Sunwing staff in Costa Rica were excellent. The tripcentral travel agent Kevin D. was also excellent. Overall rating is a "C+".

Riu Bambu: Great staff and customer service

Great staff providing service in room cleaning, beach towel, animation: morning program including stretching, zumba, dance classes, restaurants. Food was in good in quantity not so much in quality and presentation. Entertainment shows had great dancers. The sound and stage background was mediocre.

Riu Palace Tropical Bay: Our happy place

This was our second time at the Riu Tropical Palace in Negril. The beds are comfy, and the rooms are set up with everything you need, including a well stocked mini bar. The beach is beautiful, and there are lots of loungers in the shade. There is no need to wake up at 6:00am, to hunt for them. The food at the buffet, is the best we have ever had anywhere! I love the Jamaican choices, and the international variety. The servers and chefs are so lovely, and helpful. They work so incredibly hard bu [... read more]t are also so cheerful, and proud of their efforts! One bartender named Gray, went and got me Ting, ( a Jamaican grapefruit drink), when I mentioned it was available last Christmas, and was disappointed that I could not have it this holiday. I believe he went to the store himself, and purchased it. This is 5 star service! We loved the laughter at the bar, with all the bartenders, who are obviously good friends, this makes a warm and fun experience for everyone:) I had one complaint, which I voiced to the manager… The lights in the ladies washroom, were on an energy time saver. The problem was, they would go out after about 15 seconds, and the whole bathroom was pitch black. The next day after dinner, when I used the ladies room, the problem was corrected. We met lots of wonderful guests from all over the world, who we enjoyed getting to know very much. This is a very lovely beach resort, suitable for couples, friends, or families. It has a gentle, calm and welcoming atmosphere for all.

Riu Palace Costa Rica: Beautiful Resort

This was our first family vacation to Costa Rica and we can't wait to go back! Everything was 5 star from the food, grounds, staff, and entertainment. We had a small room issue when we arrived but the front desk people fixed it first thing in the morning (as we arrived late at night and we were exhausted). Our rooms were adjoining as we requested but in our kids room there was a king bed and a cot instead of 2 double beds. (Our 13yr old son is 5ft9 and 180lbs so a cot for the week was not go [... read more]ing to work). The front desk took us to check out 2 different sets of adjoining rooms and we were able to choose which worked better for us. We did a full day tour with Frank The Tank-Cr on Christmas Day and it was Amazing! We also visited Coco Beach on another day and it was fun too! Our only complaint is that we really missed the beach part of our vacation. We always love to spend time at the beach but because it wasn't our usual white sandy beach we only swam in it twice. The resort provides may great pools to choose from!