Riu Ocho Rios - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

13627 reviews

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  BEWARE OF RIU OCHO RIOS

  If I could give this resort zero stars I would. I worked hard to save money and chose this resort out of many and I must say this is the worst resort I have ever been to. The customer service was absolutely terrible. The staff all look miserable and are very unpleasant. I was scared to even ask for a waitress for a different beverage because the one I had tasted watered down her attitude was nasty. Most staff treated my friend and I like they didn’t even want us to ask them for help. We book a double bed room and were given a king bed. And the room smelled like mildew and shower door was broken. We spend all day the following day waiting for another room. Last but not least this was the worst thing about the resort. The food was DISAPPOINTING. If your pallet is very experienced this is NOT the place for you. Everything was either too salty or tasteless. Bread and pastries were hard and stale. We booked and excursion through the hotel called JAMAICA TOUR LIMITED and they canceled on us while we were waiting for our ride to take us to the excursion because there wasn’t enough people going. I WILL NEVER BOOK WITH RIU ANYWHERE AGAIN.

  Sep 15, 2025
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  Weekend solo trip

  I did a weekend trip solo and ienjoyed every minute of it. From check in to check out everything was great I booked an ocean view suite and it was amazing . The swim up bar was great bartenders kept the vibes coming, for dinner I ate mostly from the Buffett and it was really good they had plenty options . Entertainment was great I went to the neon party where I met other persons as well . Over all it was a great weekend trip and I would definitely be going back again

  Sep 14, 2025
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  An amazing holiday

  Due to the bad reviews I read prior to my trip, I almost changed hotels. I was concerned about the rude staff, cockroaches, overflowing/blocked toilets, sub-standard food, staff not treating black people well, all which I read in the reviews. However, my daughters persuaded me to stick with RIU Ocho Rios. I am so glad I did as I would’ve missed out on an amazing holiday. From the day we arrived to when we left my family had the best holiday ever. On arrival, we were offered a choice of cold drinks. Our room was ready immediately, as we arrived almost 4 hours after check in. The receptionist who checked us in was absolutely lovely, gave us a warm friendly greeting, explained what we needed to know, and how to find our room, in the family block. She tried to get a porter to help with our luggage, but due to so many arrivals at the same time, they were busy. However, on the way with our luggage we saw a porter on the way back to reception and he offered to help. The superior 2 bedroom family room was beautifully clean, smelt fresh, loads of towels and flannels for 5 of us. Huge wardrobes and large beds, with blankets if needed, plenty drawer space, clean terrace, the bathroom and toilet spotless. It was fantastic, after a long journey to be welcomed with a beautiful, clean, spacious room. Our housekeeper, Jually, was an absolute queen of clean. We adored her, lovely to chat to, always had a smile. We hugged her on our final day, as she was truly amazing. Mini bar, fridge always stocked, and anything I requested on the app was delivered promptly. The app is a great idea. I completed a survey in the app, and mentioned an issue with the sockets not holding the lead to my 4-way adapter, which I had to prop up with my travel kettle to stay in the socket. Within minutes maintenance was at my door to fix it. Honestly, the service was amazing, I didn’t have to visit reception or ask for things more than once to get something sorted. Many reviews complained about the walk to the family block, not a problem for us. For those with mobility issues it would be a concern. We use to cut through building 3 on our way to the dining area, which took you out of the sun, and a slightly shorter walk. I’m glad I requested ground floor, as no lift in the family block. I saw a family struggling to get upstairs with their luggage. I suggest maybe a slope is fitted, if not a lift. At the end of the corridor was an ice machine, which we used regularly. On 3 occasions I had senior staff knock on the door to check if we are happy with everything, which was appreciated. The food in the St. Ann’s restaurant was amazing. We didn’t like everything, but didn’t expect to, but we always found food we liked. We were always full and satisfied, that we didn’t bother visiting the speciality restaurants. We tried everything, we loved the Jamaican Station, as our background is Jamaican. We looked forward to our meals. The variety of soups were delicious, the vast choice of breakfast juices, types of fish, salads, bread, rolls, pastries. We wasn’t too keen on the desserts, the cakes were not great. We stuck to ice-cream, but found they were often too soft, melted. Not sure if there was an issue with the fridge. I have to applaud the dining room staff who have a difficult job, serving, clearing, cleaning tables and resetting them, and responding to the guests and their demands for service. They were pulled in every direction, and we need to be respectful and patient towards them. Finding a table can be an issue if you are not in the dining area within 30 minutes of opening. On one occasion I had to ask a supervisor help me locate a table. Pepe’s jerk chicken worth the wait. I never felt the need to tip, throughout my stay, as when staying AI, I leave my money in the safe. However, I made a mental note of certain individuals who provided excellent service, kindness and professionalism and tipped them at the end of my stay. Whether I tipped or not, every member of staff I encountered provided an excellent service. I loved the young entertainment team, they are an amazing set of individuals. They work hard to keep everyone entertained, always stopped to speak to you. They were outstanding. The beach bash was my favourite, Michael Jackson show, Latino night, the pre-shows and reggae band. I wasn’t keen on the Neon party, not my type of music, which I believe was techno, plus it was too loud. Wish I had ear defenders. The White party, more my type of music, but again excessively loud. The only complaint I have is some guests being disrespectful of the rules, coming to the restaurant unsuitably clothed, women in bikini tops, that at times just covered their nipples, almost bare bottoms. Guests taking food back to their rooms, leaving plates with remnants of food outside room doors covered in insects. There was a man in the sports bar topless, and when advised by the bar staff he need to put a shirt on, he responded I have a shirt, which he held up in his hand, but didn’t put on. Man trying to enter swim up pool bar with a plate of food, another climbing up on the table. In contrast the children were impeccably behaved. Overall, we had the best holiday and came away smiling, and reminiscing about the highlights, which were many. The staff had a major impact on our enjoyment and I am thankful to all of them. I only hope everyone else has the same experience.

  Sep 14, 2025
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  Honeymoon in Jamaica ❤️

  We spent 10 nights at RIU Ocho Rios for our honeymoon, traveling from the UK, and overall, it was a wonderful experience! Room: We stayed in a side-seaview room, which was spacious and had plenty of storage (lots of hangers for our clothes, yay!). The room was spotless throughout our stay, and the AC worked perfectly—always a bonus in the heat! The only downside was the TV—my husband (😂) was hoping to catch some sports channels like ESPN, but they didn’t always work. Not a dealbreaker for us, but something to keep in mind if you're planning to watch TV on holiday. Cleanliness: The hotel was super clean, and the housekeeping team did a fantastic job. The only issue we encountered was at the swim-up Rastafari bar near the jerk hut. There were always dead flies, hair, and other bits floating around, which made us avoid it after a while. We preferred the pool near the Italian restaurant, which was always clean and quieter. Food: Food was generally good, with lots of options. If you’re a bit fussy (like me 😅) or have allergies, there was always something you could eat, and the desserts were amazing! We tried the a la carte restaurants (Steakhouse and Italian), both of which were fantastic. One downside was that some of the food in the St Ann restaurant wasn’t properly labeled, so it was a bit tricky for me as I have severe allergies. I would recommend asking the staff to clarify ingredients if you have food concerns. The jerk hut is genuinely amaaazing, we had it each day for dinner 😂 We ordered KFC through 876get (other apps wouldn’t accept our British mobile number!)... it took a little while to arrive, but it was hot and fresh when it did. My husband didn’t think it was as good as the hype, though! (Maybe it’s because we didn’t have the munchies!) Drinks: The cocktails were delicious and strong! I loved the fruity ones. If you need a break from the alcohol, they’ll happily make mocktails too. Highly recommend the cocktails at the swim-up bars! Pools: The pools by the jerk hut were fun, but they got quite loud, so we tended to go to the quieter pool near the Italian restaurant. We never had trouble finding sunbeds, even if we didn’t rush out early. However, by day 8, I could have cried from the repetitive pool music—it was catchy at first, but after a while, it got a bit much. 😂 My husband went on the water slides, which were quiet and fun, but the downside was there’s no pool nearby for those not sliding to sit by. I ended up sitting there baking in the heat for about 20 minutes—pretty much a sauna session! Beach: We’re not big beach people, but the beach here was stunning! The water was crystal blue, and the sand was soft. Plenty of sunbeds, so no need to fight for space. The beach was also pretty peaceful. Staff: The staff at RIU Ocho Rios were absolutely lovely—so friendly and always working hard to make sure guests had the best experience. Our TUI rep was amazing; she was so helpful and made sure we had everything we needed. Trips: We did the 9 Mile tour with TUI, guided by TT and CC. 100% recommend it! It was such a fun and informative trip, and if we ever return to Jamaica, we’d definitely go again. Some people smoked or bought space cakes on the trip, but we didn’t feel pressured at all to join in. We also booked the Worthy Park Estate Rum Tour through TUI, but unfortunately, it was canceled. We waited in the lobby for about an hour before our rep was able to sort everything out—she was super apologetic, refunded us, and even gave us a bottle of rum to make up for it! Shop: The hotel shop is pretty expensive. I paid $18 for a pack of sanitary towels and around $15 for a pack of Cheetos! If you’re looking for cheaper options, take a $20 (covers both ways, and the taxi waited for us whilst we shopped) taxi to the supermarket. It’s not far and gives you more variety. The supermarket is walkable from the hotel if you’re up for it. Weather: We were a bit apprehensive about the weather in September because of some reports, but we were lucky! It was sunny all day until around 4 pm, then we’d go back to the room to get ready for the evening. By 6 pm, it was sunny again—perfect for sunset walks or drinks by the beach. Entertainment: The daytime entertainment by the jerk hut was great, especially the pool party—so much fun! We also enjoyed the beach party at night. However, some of the other entertainment (like karaoke) wasn’t really our vibe—it felt a little dragged out. The White Party was packed, though, with guests from not just our hotel but other RIU resorts too, so it felt a little overcrowded for the space. Final Thoughts: Overall, we had a fantastic honeymoon at RIU Ocho Rios! The hotel is lovely, and we felt so welcomed. I would recommend it for a first-time trip to Jamaica, but I think a week would be perfect at this hotel. Any longer and it might feel a bit repetitive. Would definitely come back to Jamaica, and this hotel would be on our list again. Rating: 4/5 for us

  Sep 11, 2025
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  Noisey when staying on ground floor

  Went for a wedding which was amazing. Restaurants were great and the food quality was amazing however the staff can be rude sometimes. I stayed on the ground floor and the noise from other guests was unbearable, shouting at 3am, playing music through speakers etc I was woken multiple times each night. There should be signs saying quiet zone between certain times, and the gardeners shouldn’t be using any loud equipment at 8am outside my room which woke me up one morning.

  Sep 01, 2025