Riu Playa Blanca: 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.

Dreams Playa Bonita Panama: Lovely spot with great food and drink!

We spent a week here and we really enjoyed it. The staff were helpful, even climbing a tree to help take close-up photos of the sloths for us! The food was delicious and the drinks were good quality. There are lots of activities for those who like to keep active. Things move a bit slowly in the restaurants but that didn't bother us. The resort organized a fantastic outdoor dinner with live entertainment for Valentine's Day, even having Cupid go around for photos with everyone! A drawback was the [... read more] lack of shady areas to sit near the pools or beach in the extreme heat but the grounds are meticulously maintained and beautiful. I would highly recommend NOT flying into the Rio Hato airport if staying here as the drive when we arrived took three hours due to traffic that seems to always be flowing into Panama City!

Riu Playa Blanca: 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.

Bijao Beach Resort: Very nice resort. Definitely would recommend it to anyone traveling to Panama.

Very clean resort, great food from the buffet, snack bar to the a la cartes. Rooms well airconditioned. Beach was beautiful. Service and resort staff very polite and helpful. Little bit of a language barrier but got by with no issues. View from our room was beautiful. Weather was amazing. Not a rainy or cloudy day all week. Day trips were good and well organized enjoyed both of them that we took. Amenities such as markets, flea markets etc were a little to far to get to unless paying for a c [... read more]ab. No store or any form of shops within the resort which was little disappointing but nothing to ruin the great week we had staying there. Panama hope to see you again in the near future. Would rate resort a 4 star

Grand Decameron Panama: Winter Girls Getaway

Do some research and look at reviews before travelling to this resort. Very large resort with elevation, so lots of stairs to access the upper level. There are shuttles , but you may have to wait. Close to small airport of Rio Hato which was great. It is a small airport so there is no duty free or shops. Even though the resort is close, you don’t really hear the planes- they are during day/ afternoon. The resort was very busy, not much seating by the pools, busy in buffets, not much seating i [... read more]n the lounges. Our group upgraded to Plus which was worthwhile for us. Wifi, stocked fridge, safe included with upgrade. Also able to preselect your à la carte restaurants on the Monday, or line up and reserve every 2 days. Discount golf at Mantarrya Golf course for the golfers. The course was very nice and part of our group played several rounds. The resort grounds are well maintained with gardens, figurines, wall murals on buildings. Clean resort. Beautiful long beach for walks. Our rooms were dated, but clean, old fashion key door lock. Limited drawer space, but a few shelves in closet. A couple of days we had to ask for towels or water, but otherwise no issues. The food was good, we all survived, there is a variety of options both with the buffet and a la cartes. Some langage barrier with staff but for the most part we were understood or asked for someone who spoke English. The most problem was booking a la carte restaurants, as the hostess had limited English. The staff were pleasant and all hard working. The dining room staff at the buffet some of the busiest with the turnover of guests and tables. The biggest issue for me was the “reserving” of beach/ pool chairs. I am an early riser and most mornings I would go to the pool (adult plus and Pacifico) at 5:30 and chairs were reserved with towels but there was no one around. I would grab a spot and stay and read the news and watch the sunrise. By 6 am, most of the chairs were taken, but no one sitting in them sometimes until afternoon. Some guests also reserved shade and sun chairs by the pool as well as beach spots, therefore taking up spots in 3 different areas. So either the resort needs to add some chairs or monitor the non use of reserved spots.! Pool chairs and tables were also removed from the pool area to bring to the beach! Our group did not participate in any activities/evening shows as they all took place in the main section of the resort. The plus section did not have any animation team present. Lobby 3 had live music a couple of nights, but there is limited seating in the lounge, so standing may be required Our vacation overlapped with Panama’s Carnival, so it was busy over the weekend, with families and boisterous guests and large groups. I would recommend the resort to others if they are willing to do a bit of walking and climbing. The weather was spectacular, over 30C most days, not a drop of rain. Could not ask for more. I would return to Panama but likely look for a smaller resort

Westin Playa Bonita: Beautiful Resort

Resort was very clean. Food was awesome although the a la carte menus were not open every night. The steakhouse steaks were delicious! If you are looking for a resort to party at this is not the place. It seemed to attract an older crowd. It was easy to get back and forth to the city which we did a few times. Staff were very friendly but there is a big language barrier. There were quite a few weddings going on during our stay. I would recommend this resort if you are looking for a relaxing vacat [... read more]ion. If you are wanting to swim in the ocean this resort is not the place.

Grand Decameron Panama: Fantastic Holliday

Little bit dated and very little consideration for handicapped persons, that being said the hotel was kept very clean the staff were always very friendly and we were treated very well. Perhaps some evening entertainment for adults might be good. ( other than Karioki)

Riu Playa Blanca: 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.

Riu Playa Blanca: 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.

Riu Playa Blanca: 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.

Playa Blanca Resort: Needs upkeep

Lack of beach chairs Spanish only entertainment Watered down alcohol Too many kids Cloudy pools Rooms clean with no insects. Staff very helpful but speak little to no English Dirty sand beach with limited walking

Riu Playa Blanca: 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!!

Grand Decameron Panama: Exceptional Resort

The hotel was very large, with well kept mature grounds. Rooms were standard, but spacious. Restaurant’s and amenities were adequate, and staff were helpful. Very clean and comfortable, although a lot of walking is necessary. Not everything was wheelchair accessible….but a very nice resort.

Riu Playa Blanca: 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.

Riu Playa Blanca: 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 !

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.

Playa Blanca Resort: Playa blanca resort

Second time visiting Panama. First time in Rio Hato. Resort was made up of 4 story buildings spread out nicely. Beautiful beach that runs approx. 5 miles each way. Hotel itself seems to be in the process of being updated. Our friends got a fully updated room that was pretty and spacious. We were in an older room. Still functional buy not as appealing to the eye. This is where the good ends. If you're looking for a beach and just a place to sleep you'll be fine. Otherwise go next door to Rui, [... read more] Decameron or anywhere else. It seems to be a local spot. So it was rammed with Panaminians celebrating a holiday and columbians. When I say rammed, I'm talking 30 minute buffet waits, stockouts of food, no chairs or beds to lay it by pool or entertainment area/beach. Upon check in we learned very English is spoken here. Paid for a room with a parent balcony. Got a room with no balcony. No blankets. Given 1 towel in the room. Asked for someone to come fix safe but never happened. Not what I expect from a resort on TripAdvisor at that rating. Spent most of our holiday paying to be at the other resort.

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 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,