Riu Palace Jamaica: I would not return here

Rooms and staff well done. The beach could have been kept cleaner of seaweed. Food is plentiful but the chef has never been off of the Island and has no Idea of international cuisine. Montego bag in general is not my favourite place due to the proximity of the airport and the relatively small beach.

Riu Palace Costa Rica: Our Stay at RIU Palace

Upon arrival we were greeted with a beverage from the friendly staff. We had the privilege to use both resorts so we attended the Neon Party next door at the Guanacaste. Which was so fun. Our days were fun filled and the staff were so friendly. The only issue we had was that staff never said anything when guests were bringing their children into the swim up pool bar and allowing them to play. When the sign stated that you must be 18 to be in that pool. The food selection was great and our room w [... read more]as clean everyday except whomever cleaned it on Sunday only made our beds and did not clean or leave us fresh towels. Every other day we were happy with our room. As far as the beach, it was beautiful but we would have preferred to not be harassed every time we stepped on to the beach by the excursion vendors,you would tell them you are not interested but they did not listen. We had to find a different route to do our morning walk just to avoid them. All in all we are very happy with our vacation and looking forward to our next adventure wherever that may be. We would definitely consider this destination again.

Riu Republica: Not a 5-star resort to me. Descriptions of resort features are misleading.

Extremely disappointed with the quality of this resort. We feel lied to and duped on many fronts To me, this is not a 5 star resort by any stretch of the imagination. First there is almost no aesthetic appeal to the property itself. It's a very clinical mega resort. To be fair I gathered as much from the pictures but was hoping it was going to be better. The room was ok but we were in the back section of the hotel. If you have a room anywhere near the theatre area you will be awake till the  [... read more]party ends. It's loud. "All Inclusive 24 hours" - No room service. No ability to order. The sports bar is the only place for 24 hour food and I wish I could upload a picture that did this justice. Barely any food there. A pan of hot dogs in water, a pan of hamburger patties in smelly water, nachos with cheese sauce, and then cold premade, cellophane wrapped sandwhiches. That is it folks. Pathetic. A la carte restaurants are buffet style in non themed rooms that just resemble an extension of the main buffet seating. Zero ambiance. No background music at all. No outdoor seating. "Premium branded drinks throughout the hotel" is advertised. Everything is local brands. Brucal rum, vodka, gin. Seriously we saw a bottle of Smirnoff vodka, a bottle of very cheap scotch, and some Campari. There is absolutely not a single bottle of top shelf liquor at any bar here. No exaggeration. WTH?? Nearly all staff don’t even speak basic English and a smile is rare to see. They are just unhappy to be here and any request made of them, even with a please thank you, is met with just a dead pan reaction. I am at a loss to understand the positive reviews about service... did we stay at the same resort? Paid reviews? We brought $80 in US $1 bills to tip and other than cleaning ladies and some rare staff we didn't dole much out. "ADULTS ONLY hotel, exclusive to adults over 18 years old / Spring breaker policies". This is a policy that is clearly not enforced and to be fair I don't expect they could enforce this? Significant amount of people here from Jan 18-25 were a drunken mess and loud nuisance. I am not a prude and expect everyone should have a good time but this was over the top - girls/guys gone wild garbage. Entire pools turned into displays of debauchery with dozens of drink cups floating/spilled in the pool. No cutting people off for drinks (we saw several people unconscious and that needed medical attention). Seriously? No lifeguards on the beach and no signs that we saw to indicate that. An older man from the hotel died by drowning on January 21 - staff are poorly trained to deal with emergencies. The beach is nice. On the rougher side compared to further down the Punta Cana stretch of beach. Tons of beach chairs which is great but they are all stacked up on the beach at the front of the huts blocking views. There is no staff to help get chairs and brush them off (sand/water). 5 star... really!!? No beach side service. They occasionally (maybe once every 1.5 hours) walk around with a tray with 30 drinks on them. Rush. No orders. No pool side service other than on the rarest of cases. The steakhouse was so gross we walked out halfway through dinner. Could barely cut the steak (only one type available - I think it was ribeye) and it needed like a minute or two of chewing before swallowing. Oddly enough the Italian restaurant serves beef tenderloin that is very good. Clearly RIU has a source on good steak, why serve garbage? The location is very secluded so you are really trapped unless you want to pay $40 USD to go to town and $40 USD to get back. You are literally on the edge of the strip of hotels (only hard rock is past the RIU resort). I’ve travelled to the Carribean for over 20 years and never once stayed in such a poorly presented place. No wonder Punta Cana tourism is down substantially...murders aside, the problem is most of the people working on this resort couldn't can’t care less. Will be spending my vacation time and money outside DR and never on a RIU property again. Management is lacking in every respect. I mentioned these concerns in passing to Sunwing, they were good about trying to engage the hotel. Sunwing offered me a $50 credit if I filled out a long form and signed away my first born - no thanks. Pass. We did meet with the RIU hotel manager and while he was generally disinterested and just made excuses (didn't write a thing down) they did offer to transfer us to the RIU palace on day 5 but we didn't want to move with 2 days left. Lastly, only noticed on the day before I was going back to Canada in winter, the hotel cleaning staff stole an expensive wool sweater I had brought. I engaged the manager on duty and hotel staff and they just were not interested in the issue. Tons of excuses. Sickening. P.S. From my wife - There is no shampoo provided, not one single day we were there. There is body wash in the shower - maybe they expect you to use that. 5 star folks - riiiiiight.

Riu Republica: Riu Republica 5 star

Hotel was 5 star no complaints. Quiet pool and party pool..adults only resort...food was awesome..buffet and sit down restaurants..room was spacious with balcony...beach was long and sand was like brown sugar no rocks or coral very comfortable on the feet...lots of activities...night shows were entertaining...you didn’t have to leave the resort..would go back again...love the Riu

Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas: Riu Palace Cabo

Louise our agent was very professional and helpful throughout our vacation. The resort was extremely clean and the food was very good. The weather was exceptional. The cruise ships in the bay were amazing and the staff at the hotel provided friendly service throughout our vacation

Riu Palace Peninsula: "Fantastic resort"

My wife and I stayed at RIU PP Jan 16-23 we had a wonderful time.A true 5 star resort.The staff are amazing hard working people (Alicia,Luis in the buffet are great).Bartender (Max) at Plaza bar,amazing.We will recommend this resort to everyone.

Riu Negril: Great Location

Just returned from the Rui Negril with a Group of 21. The Hotel was very accommodating for a large group at all the restaurants. The entertainment was awesome there was always something happening if you wanted to be busy and if you wanted a quiet spot there was also many to be found either on the beach or smaller pools. My only complaint was I requested 10 rooms together and they were only able to put 5 together so travelling with a smaller group would work better with this Hotel. Its alway [... read more]s a pleasure travelling to Jamaica and I would highly recommend it any time

Riu Palace Paradise Island: good

Clean hotel with friendly and helpful staff. Located right by the beach, one side facing Atlantis. Good variety of food, most of them are not warm enough. Room is clean and well maintained, but small in size. Pool and gym are very good.

Riu Palace Paradise Island: The value you receive for the money you pay is not worth it!!

We just got back from our 1 week stay and I have to say, I'm super disappointed. We were first in shock with the lack of value in our room we received when we paid more for a Junior Suite Superior Oceanview, hoax.... we were informed we were supposed to pay for a "Oceanfront" and were given a balcony that faced the pool, nowhere did we see an upgrade to "Oceanfront" when we booked. The hotel property is wide enough to fit a building and a pool, that is it. The beachfront is littered with locals  [... read more]trying to sell you drugs which was a huge shock. No privacy whatsoever. I decided to put a complaint in after the 100th time being asked if we wanted "smokie smokie or cocaine" and given attitude because we kept saying NO by the individual. We were being asked in front of RIU hotel staff no less. The female manager I spoke to appeared to be interested in getting the certain person off of the beach by calling the police, the male manager just stood there and said nothing. The police came and stood around for 20 minutes by the beach and left. We went back down soon after and guess who immediately met us on the beach.... "smokie smokie"!! Unbelievable. We found a cockroach in our bathroom the last day which was pretty much the final straw. I will never go back to this hotel. What a shame, the food was a little repetitive but great tasting, the staff for the most part were top notch, sooooo friendly and genuinely wanted to make sure your meal time was enjoyed. Jacky was the best hostess we came across by far so if you decide to chance this hotel, at least let her take care of you during your meals. Our trip was pretty much summed up when my girlfriend said she wished we just went back to Cuba this time. Now no offence to Cuba, because I love that place. But Cuba and the Bahamas should never compare, especially when you're paying close to double the cost for your Bahama experience. The value you receive here is simply not worth the money you spend..... PERIOD!!!

Riu Palace Costa Rica: Very nice resort and staff!

The main thing that I can say about this resort is how CLEAN it is! It was spotless! The staff were very friendly and accommodating, the pools were beautiful and the food was good. It was one of the best resorts I have been to. We were on the 5th floor ocean view. We went for dinner around 6-7pm daily and never waited for a table once. Our fave restaurant was Italian, then Krystal and the main buffet was very good. We did not have Japanese and the steakhouse was actually terrible (cooked perfect [... read more]ly med rare BUT the cut was not great causing it to be very tough). It would have been nice to have another restaurant selection. Was not pleased with the bedding. Although the beds were comfy, the pillows were not great and they give you only sheets and then a wool blanket. I cannot use a wool blanket. You have an overhead fan which you need for drowning out any noise and comfort but then I was left cold at night. They should have duvets like Westin hotels (heavenly) which would make it that much more luxurious and comfortable! The best was that It was my husbands birthday and they treated him like a KING! Champagne, cake, big bfast (room svc), balloons the whole stay. Very special! Overall a wonderful stay. For excursions: we took 3. We LOVED the coffee plantation (Tio Leo). The second was a day trip which included zip lining (good), a mountain water slide (awesome), spa (nice), food tasting/lunch (very yummy), and horseback riding (horrible! the horses were old and forced to walk up and down roads covered in big cement rocks which was troublesome as they were not steady. I felt SO bad for them! - it really put a damper on the day 😒). The nightly entertainment was a lot of fun! We walked to the monkey bar which was great and the food was tasty! Did not see monkeys as we went in the afternoon/too hot for them. You need to go in the morning. We also painted a canvas at the art centre which was expensive! ($20 US each for a small canvas! No art lesson!) 2 other comments: they did not really tell you that there are shops out to the left of the front door by the casino like a convenience store (expensive though) and last, they should not be charging $15US pp to visit their nearest town where most staff live. More ppl would likely go if it weren’t for the cost. Gets $$ when you have a family! Surprised they don’t want to encourage more tourism in their town for their families /local businesses. Also they drop you off by the beach which is actually a little sketchy (dark/everything shuts down at 7pm b4 pickup at 730!) As we drove out, we saw that way up the street was bustling restaurants and a supermarket and great stores! Why didn’t they drop us there? That would have been MUCH better as everyone on the bus was saying. Overall, a WONDERFUL time! We would go back in a heartbeat. It was beautiful. Gina (our agent) was easy to work with, informative and pleasant. Our flights with Sunwing went off without any issues (quick, efficient boarding etc) .. surprised by a tourism fee though of $29 upon return & would just be nice to have a movie on the plane or if the headphone jacks worked to watch the shared tv!:( Thank you Costa Rica! Pura Vida!

Riu Palace Costa Rica: Beautiful Resort

The hotel and grounds are beautiful, well kept, and very clean. The staff are friendly and accommodating. The restaurants were nice and the food choices were very good and delicious. I would happily return to the hotel.

Riu Guanacaste: Great Resort

This hotel was very comfortable and relaxing. The accomodations were excellent.The entertainment was a bit disappointing. Also, the process of booking an a/la/carte was frustrating. We needed to line up an hour before the restaurant opened just to get a reservation Only four restaurants for booking, not nearly enough for the amount of guests. Food was good, also staff was efficient and courteous.

Riu Guanacaste: Great resort

Room was great and clean, we got the best view (ocean view) and happened to get the best room! The customer service was great, the maids did a good job decorating our rooms. Lots of people, you could join the party or go somewhere more private if you preferred.

Riu Palace Paradise Island: Awesome trip

Hotel and all areas were in excellent shape. Staff were awesome and always polite. Food was first class and they made sure you were happy. Service was fantastic. Friendliest staff I have ever experienced.

Riu Republica: Terrible resort

Hello Natalie Caya, Thank you, for getting back to me, as for our trip to the Riu Republica on January 14 to the 21, i would like to share my disappointment on a 5 star hotel , 1. the food was terrible and cold, not at all rated for a 5 star 2. 2 days no beach towels, had to sit on chairs all day with no towels 3. no hot water one whole day 4. only local drinks, limited choice 5. no service and long wait 6. no umbrellas , it rained most days and we had to walk in the rain I have bee [... read more]n to 3 and 4 star hotels and believe me they were much better than this 5 star hotel. the couple that we were with say a 50 % downgrade. i would rate it less than 3 star

Riu Palace Tropical Bay: Wonderful Resort!

Our stay at the Riu Palace was great. We were impressed by the recently renovated rooms. We had our dinners primarily at the buffet. The selection of food was good, however we occasionally found it to be lukewarm. The beach at this location is spectacular. The staff were very attentive and friendly. Overall, a very enjoyable vacation!

Riu Playa Blanca: Good Resort

The rooms were nice. The hotel itself was nice and newer. The stair wells could have been kept cleaner, and the entrance to our side of the hotel smelt like a sewer was backed up. Food was good. Buffet was the best which is unusual.

Riu Playa Blanca: Good resourt

The hotel was nice, service was good, food was ok. The rooms were clean and comfortable. Would recommend for people who love the sun!! The excursions were amazing. Would definitely recommend the jungle boat tour and Panama canal tour!!

Riu Palace Antillas: Great Trip to Aruba!

Although we had an exceptional time in Aruba and the food was phenomenal at the Riu Palace Antillas resort, we feel as though the price was a little steep for what you get. considering the resort was adult only, there wasn’t much to do, barely any activities or entertainment, swim up bar was extremely small and the rooms were mediocre. There was always a longer than normal wait to get on the elevators as well! The food at the buffet and a la carte restaurants were outstanding!

Riu Playa Blanca: Wonderful visit to Panama Jan 2020

We just had a really great visit to the Riu Playa Blanca, Panama in January 2020. Hot hot hot. The room was exactly as advertised. Food very good and all facilities in the hotel met our expectations. Of the speciality restaurants we enjoyed the Italian the most for variety and quality. Staff very friendly and helpful. Would definitely visit the hotel again. Entertainment is not the best I have seen. One comment is that the beds do not seem to suit families as commented on by a guest.