Hotel Riu Palace Costa Rica - All Inclusive

“Another great RIU vacation!!!”

The title of my vacation at the RIU Palace Costa Rica has "great" in it...and the overall trip was great...but I only posted 4 stars instead of 5. The reason being was the rooms and elevators. The rooms are dated, and a bunch of times the elevators didn't work... I think the property is 16 years… lisää

The title of my vacation at the RIU Palace Costa Rica has "great" in it...and the overall trip was great...but I only posted 4 stars instead of 5. The reason being was the rooms and elevators. The rooms are dated, and a bunch of times the elevators didn't work... I think the property is 16 years old and they are going to do a 7 month renovation in August. I knew this going in, so I expected the rooms to be an issue. But the service, the food, the weather, the pools, the beach...was great!!! Desk: check in was easy, people at the desk were polite and helpful! Rooms: Bed was fine, it was clean...the AC worked but it wasn't super cold...was going to ask to be moved, but we are rarely in the room, and we already unpacked so we stayed in that room. Pools: 5 of them. water was clear, very refreshing. We stayed mostly in the upper pool. The swim up bar was always crowded and it seems the people never get up to go to the bathroom...so we stayed away! Service at the pools: awesome!!! Edgar was the best...never had to wait for a drink! Beach--warm, good to swim in. *you have to clear the dealers on the beach! *when you walk at the pools or the beach, you MUST have sandals on...your feet will burn if you try to walk barefoot! Buffet--the best at any RIU we have been at (we have stayed at over 20 RIUs!) well set up, fresh and the dinner changed its main course each night! Restaurants--Don't need a reservation, be at the one you want to go to at 545...you can get right in or get a buzzer and they will buzz you around 7 to get in at that time Italian was the best, Krystal was great if you want steak, and the Japanese rest. was good too! Lobby bar--fantastic! great service!! coffee bar--opens at 7am, good coffee!!! No sports bar, hope that changes with the new renovation! The sister hotel was just renovated and its real nice! But def. different, more crowded, more rowdy, less clean, pools were packed and they didn't have the top booze... *even though the hotel was old, they kept the place spotless! someone is always cleaning! I give the RIU credit for lowering its price at the Palace knowing that the place was ready for a renovation. The hotel has a shuttle that takes you down to the local town, Playa del Coco, (30 min ride). they also have a place where they pick you up. Good shopping, lots of American bars, a Casino and the beach is real nice! I would recommend going in for a few hours. $20 round trip per person **don't follow the weather forecasts! Mine said rain every day for the 8 days we were there...it was sunny and 94 every day except one morning when it sprinkled for an hour. Suns come out early down there...88 at 545am! For my wife and I, another great trip at the RIU Palace Costa Rica!!! We last went to Costa Rica when the Palace opened up....can't wait to see what is going to look like after the renovation!!! *ignore the negative reviews...except for the rooms and the elevators, the place kicks butt!

vähemmän

“3rd Visit - Great Staff, Relaxing Stay, A Few Areas to Improve”

We just returned from a four-night stay at Riu Palace Costa Rica to celebrate my son's 30th birthday. This was our third visit, my Mother’s first visit, and everything from airport pickup to check-in went smoothly. I was thrilled that my request to have the room decorated was honoured, it was the… lisää

We just returned from a four-night stay at Riu Palace Costa Rica to celebrate my son's 30th birthday. This was our third visit, my Mother’s first visit, and everything from airport pickup to check-in went smoothly. I was thrilled that my request to have the room decorated was honoured, it was the perfect surprise. Because it was our third time here, we skipped excursions and focused on unwinding. The staff were fantastic, and we had no complaints about the overall food or drinks. Want to callout Danny and Chris who were always on point with the drinks! A few notes for the hotel: 1. The number of wasps around the pool was hard to ignore. This is especially concerning for guests with allergies. More proactive cleanup-especially clearing abandoned food/drinks—would help. 2. The foam party didn't quite match expectations—only about a third of the pool area had foam. Expanding the setup would make it feel more like a true foam party. 3. The rooms could use some updating and touch-ups. Small fixes (Like repairing cracks), a TV refresh, and a few more English-language channels would go a long way. 4. Room service portions felt noticeably smaller than in previous years. Also, the sandwiches didn't match what was described, although the nachos and chicken Caesar salad were consistent. 5. It would be great to have more shade options on the beach (such as umbrellas or covered areas) so guests can enjoy it comfortably during the hottest part of the day.

vähemmän

“Used to be a really nice place but not enough adult only space.”

We were there twice before, the last time 11 ago. We just loved every aspect of the resort both times. We just returned from our 3rd and last trip a week ago. Although we did enjoy most of the trip, you can really see the deteriorations: - so MANY KIDS. It felt like Disney World. - there are 5… lisää

We were there twice before, the last time 11 ago. We just loved every aspect of the resort both times. We just returned from our 3rd and last trip a week ago. Although we did enjoy most of the trip, you can really see the deteriorations: - so MANY KIDS. It felt like Disney World. - there are 5 pools. One is the pool bar, one is for volleyball. Why can't they take one of the 3 remaining larger pools for adults only. They do that in Panama and it is just great. No footballs, basketballs or fisbees being thrown all around you. - Patrol the swiming areas more. I personally never saw one security guard. However there were people smoking by the pools. One guy had a cigar and the whole pool stunk of it. - There was a couple there who brought their own banging music and played it right on the edge of the pool. This shouldn't be allowed. This resort plays a variety of music ant a very nice volume. That is another reason we liked this resort. - The Sunwing rep wanted us to come down after the first night to let him know of any issues. So we went down and advised that a) the fan in the room was really wobbly and seemed like it would take off and b) the shower head needed replacing because only about 6 of the holes/jets in the head were shooting water. The others that gave water just ran down to the floor. The rep said he sent an order in and nobody showed up the whole week to fix these. The shower was the only real issue. We just turned the fan off. - One night, one of our keys stopped working so I went down to the front desk. The guy there was very helpful and fixed the key. He said he would also send someone up just to make sure. Nobody showed up. - The lunch buffet was gross. Everything seemed old and soggy. I just stopped eating lunch. Others may have thought it was okay but I have been there twice before and it was great. Now? yuck. However the breakfast and dinner buffets were both good. - I got the schedule for the evening shows and the only one we wanted to see was the Queen Tribute. I confirmed after dinner that that was still the show and the start time was 9:00 pm. We sat watching Kareoke and other silly stuff and at 9:20 asked the server when the show was going to start. He went and checked and came back and said there was no show that evening. Just the Kareoke. We got up and went to our rooms. On the plus side, the people as still very friendly. The servers, the pool staff, everyone is great. The pool service was better than most resorts we have been too. They came around regularly. Even brought me ice water in the pool when I declined an alcohol drink. She wan't me to stay hydrated. Really sweet girl, Angela. We always have stayed at RIU's because of the sun cover available and the food is usually good. But we can't really find one that gives the adults a quiet place to talk, read, swim etc. Guess that money drives it all. I know this sounds like a very negative review but we were just disappointed mainly about the lack of security by the pool and soooo many kids. B&E Perry Toronto

vähemmän

“Good hotel, but nothing special. Misses the mark for the price point.”

Overall Impression The Riu Palace is a perfectly functional hotel, but the experience is "fine" at best. It is positioned as the premium sister property in the complex, but it consistently misses that mark. Even at a promotional rate, the value proposition isn't there because the quality of the sta… lisää

Overall Impression The Riu Palace is a perfectly functional hotel, but the experience is "fine" at best. It is positioned as the premium sister property in the complex, but it consistently misses that mark. Even at a promotional rate, the value proposition isn't there because the quality of the stay doesn't match the branding. ​Facilities & Room Quality The property is showing significant signs of wear. Elevators were breaking down daily, and lighting in many common areas was out. While the rooms are adequate, the finishes feel budget-oriented; the heavy use of painted plywood and the cheap plastic chairs on the balconies really undercut the "Palace" aesthetic. ​Dining Logistics The food is acceptable but nothing standout, which is why the buffet remains the most popular choice. A significant frustration is the lack of a reservation system for specialty restaurants. This resulted in long lineups for the more popular spots—not something you want to deal with on a premium vacation. ​Service & Maintenance Maintenance was the most disappointing aspect. Despite multiple requests, staff never resolved a clogged bathroom sink or a broken safe. Furthermore, the fan coils on the third level were unreliable; they would be "fixed" for a day and then immediately stop working again. ​Verdict If you are looking for a truly premium experience, this isn't it. You are essentially paying a higher tier price for a standard, middle-of-the-road experience. Between the aging infrastructure and the lack of attention to basic maintenance, I would not recommend staying here.

vähemmän