Riu Palace Costa Rica - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

10673 reviews

• 

  CR is incredible, Riu is a mixed bag

  Our family of 4, (kids 13,15) stayed Nov 9-14. While this was our first trip to CR, we are seasoned travelers and have stayed at RIU properties elsewhere abroad. There are many wonderful things about this property, but also some room for improvement as well. Overall, I would give it 3/5 stars. We would probably stay here again. Arrival. The resort is not terribly far from the airport, but the closer you get, the roads worsen and traffic has to slow considerably. 40-60 min drive depending on the time of day and traffic. We used the airport’s private shuttle service. We arrived on a Sunday afternoon and the lobby was moderately busy, but the reception staff was all hands on deck. A short wait and we were checked in. I completed the early online check in using the Riu app, which I think sped the process up. Room. We got two adjoining rooms (2011 & 2012) which were centrally located. The recent renovation and remodel of this property was very well done! Everything is or looks to be brand new. The rooms were nice and clean when we arrived. A couple of minor issues: our safe in the closet was locked and the mini bars were empty. Sadly, it took a couple of phone calls and some waiting to get these remedied. The housekeeping did a fantastic job all week in both rooms. FYI, the minibar is only re-stocked every other day with 2 cans of each type of soda. The kids went through the coke and sprite very quickly. Daily replenishing would be preferred. The beds/pillows are decent and sleep quality was good. The lowest setting for the thermostat is 22c. The ceiling fan worked well; we stayed comfortable despite wanting it a bit colder. Grounds/facilities. As stated, the remodel appears to have been carried out very well. The grounds are very well maintained! The property is somewhat large. We didn’t mind walking, but if you have mobility issues or small kids, it may prove to be a tad laborious. There is ample seating near the pools and on the beach, plenty of bars, and places to grab snacks without going all the way to the main buffet. Beach. The beach was honestly better than we expected. We are used to the white sand and blue hues of the Caribbean, but this beach is nice. The waves and current varied from day to day, but we enjoyed getting in the ocean. During full sun and easy tide, the water is surprisingly clear. There are vendors on the beach, they are not very bothersome, a simple “no, garcias” will keep them moving along if you aren’t interested. The wares they peddle are pretty cheap and I find it fun to interact with them. The bars are a bit of a hike from the beach and there is no drink service on the beach. PRO TIP- Bring your large insulated mug/yeti to keep your beverages cold and reduce your trips up to the bar. Excursions/Activities. We booked a day long trip to waterfalls, rain forest, sloths, etc with Frank the Tank the week before our arrival, based on friend’s recommendations. It was sensational, 10/10. I also booked a 3 hour private fishing trip for my son and I from “the two Ericks” on the beach. It was good, we caught a couple bonitas while trolling and a few small fish, fishing off the bottom near Monkey Island. Speaking of Monkeys, we walked to the “Monkey Bar” one day just down the beach on the other side of RIU palace. When we went, there were no monkeys. The white-faced capuchins are actually closer to the resort in the jungle, near the area where the vendors park their cars and scooters. We LOVED interacting with the monkeys and feeding them. Grapes and Raisins got us the most attention from them. We went to three of the shows at night in the theater. They were on par for this tier of resort. They start at 2100, which for us is a little on the late side. We went to the water park one day which is farther to the front of the property. It was a lot of fun and the kids enjoyed it. No lines to speak of, just nonstop slidin’. Antonio hosted a daily beach volleyball game in the afternoon with his co workers from the entertainment staff. Antonio is a newer hire and was fantastic. Food. To be fair, I did not have very high hopes for the food, so I was not super disappointed like some other reviewers. The bottom line is that we did not starve, we stayed fed and usually found something palatable. At the end of the day this is all-inclusive, multi-national type cuisine. Mediocre at best. The dinners and ala carte restaurants were better, but executed horribly. Not all of them are open each night and the ones that are start forming lines to get in at 4:30 for the 6pm open, first come first serve. I paid my son to stand in the line and hold our spot. If you are not one of the first 200 people in line, you will not get in that night. It’s not like you can show up later after the rush and get in. They limit the number of diners nightly. And yes you read that correctly…..hundreds of people in a line each night for dinner. It’s pretty absurd. I’ve never seen anything like it. Perhaps they should go to a reservation system, as much as I’ve hated that about other places. Staff and service. It pains me to say, but this was the area where the most improvement is needed. The attentiveness of the staff is woefully lacking. There were a few exceptions, but overall, there was not a lot of enthusiasm or sense of service from the waiters and bartenders. We are from the U.S., but I speak Spanish AND we tip. I brought a stack of 1 and 2 dollar bills and routinely tipped. Whether you tip or not and whether you speak Spanish, you’ll get the same level of service/attention. You do you. I would like to mention the employees who were indeed exceptional in hopes they may be recognized by management. If you’re reading this before your trip, you may want to seek them out to get taken good care of. Christian is the best waiter in the Liberia buffet. His section is just inside the main door to the right. He always kept our drinks full and was very attentive. Same for Raphael in the steak house and Italian restaurant. I learned that November is considered the slow season for them, as the rain is starting to slow. This particular time is when many locals will come to the resort. During our stay, I would estimate that 80% of the guests were from Costa Rica, 10% Americans and 10% Canadians. One of our drivers claimed there had been promotions (kind of like Groupon) for locals to come stay at the newly renovated RUI. Made sense to me. NONE of the Costa Rican guests tipped the staff. None. Perhaps this has a little something to do with the service, as there isn’t great incentivization to provide excellent service. Just my hypothesis. If you made it all the way to here, you’re probably already booked or thinking about booking. I hope this helped. Safe travels.

  Nov 24, 2025
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  A wonderful experience

  Honest Review of the Riu – One Week in Costa Rica We travelled from Toronto on November 11 after a delay and a plane swap, but once we landed in Liberia, everything moved like clockwork. Customs took less than five minutes, bags came out quickly, and there’s even a duty-free shop if you want to grab your favourite liquor before hitting the resort. We waited about 30 minutes for our Sunwing/WestJet shuttle due to the flight delay, but once onboard, our rep Charlie made everything worth it — she was warm, knowledgeable, and easily one of the best reps I’ve ever had. After a 45-minute ride, we arrived at Riu, where check-in was surprisingly fast (I’d recommend using the Riu app to check in online). We were first placed on the ground floor, but after mentioning my husband’s love of monkeys, the front desk kindly upgraded us to a 5th-floor mountain-view room — the perfect spot to hear the howler monkeys in the morning. The standard king room impressed us: comfy bed, stocked minibar, pullout couch, big bathroom, and great AC. After a long day of travel (including a Toronto snowstorm), we kept it simple with burgers and wings at the American restaurant — perfect comfort food. We grabbed a drink at the lobby bar, admired the resort at night, and headed to bed early. (Tip: the resort uses a towel-card system worth $25 USD, so don’t lose it!) ⸻ Pools, Drinks, and the Beautiful Jungle (Days 2–3) Jet lag had us up early enough to watch a breathtaking sunrise from our balcony. The jungle around the resort is stunning — honestly, I preferred our garden/mountain view over an ocean view. Breakfast at the buffet was delicious with tons of variety (no bacon though — a recurring theme). Fresh eggs, great juices, and the best prosciutto I’ve ever had at a resort. We staked out a spot at the adults-only pool where we met Lita — an incredible bartender who makes very generous drinks and had us wobbling by noon. The Tiki Taco Bar and snack bar open at 11 a.m., and they serve some of the best quesadillas and tiny-but-mighty chicken nuggets I’ve ever had. I ate an embarrassing amount, and I would do it again. We spent the afternoon on the beach — yes, vendors will approach you, but they’re polite and not pushy. The sand is unbelievably hot (wear shoes), the waves are strong (lifejackets for kids are a must), and while the water isn’t Caribbean-blue, it’s still beautiful and full of action with jet skis, catamarans, scuba classes, and boats. In the evenings, we attempted the à la cartes. The system is chaotic, and you’ll wait a long time if you’re not early enough. After 90 minutes waiting for the Japanese restaurant without getting in, we gave up and hit the buffet. Decent food, great pizza, tasty chicken drumsticks, and an excellent Caprese salad. Day three included a walk to the famous “monkey bar,” which quickly turned into an adventure. Wear sandals — you’ll go through mud and puddles. We fed a group of cheeky capuchins fruit (no bananas — they were covered in chocolate at the buffet). They took food right from our hands and were hilarious. A free, one-of-a-kind experience. The monkey bar itself is pricey but worth a drink and some cuddles with Frodo, the resident dog. Back at the resort we relaxed by the adults-only pool, enjoyed more tacos and nuggets, and tried more drinks. The pink-pussy shots, mimosas, prosecco, dirty monkeys, Tom Collins, and gin & tonics were all hits. Mojitos are made with Sprite unless you ask otherwise. That evening we lined up early and made it into the steakhouse. The ribeye was delicious, sides were tasty, and dessert was great. Totally worth the hassle. ⸻ Coco Beach, The White Party, and Resort Life (Days 4–5) We booked the shuttle to Coco Beach ($18 USD roundtrip), but honestly, Uber is cheaper and easier. Coco Beach is gorgeous, full of shops (all selling similar things), and we enjoyed a delicious but pricey lunch by the water. We visited Pura Vida Tattoo (the owner also owns a shop in my hometown) and got tattoos before heading back for the Riu White Party. The White Party was incredible. While the app says 6–10 p.m., it really kicks off at 8. The live singer was phenomenal, followed by dancers, bubbles, balloons, and a DJ. It was two hours of nonstop fun, and my feet paid the price — worth every second. Day five was… a hangover day. We floated between the pool, beach, and shops, relaxed, and hit the buffet for dinner, while our friends enjoyed the Italian restaurant. ⸻ The Catamaran + Final Days (Days 6–8) Day six was the day I was waiting for: the sunset catamaran cruise. They picked us up on the beach, stopped at Coco for more passengers, and then we went snorkeling. I swam with sea turtles and beautiful marine life, ate, drank, danced, met amazing people, and — the best part — watched dolphins swim alongside our boat at sunset. Absolute magic. And yes… still no bacon. On Day seven, BACON FINALLY APPEARED at breakfast. We soaked up every last hour by the pool, and dinner at the Japanese restaurant was easily the best meal of the week. Fresh, flavourful, and I’m still thinking about the sesame peanut chicken. Day eight, we packed up, checked out (quick and easy), returned our towel cards, and headed back to the airport. ⸻ Final Notes & Tips • There is VERY little bacon. Treasure it if it appears. • The sand is scorching — wear shoes to the beach. • The beach has a slight smell in the morning but it goes away quickly. • Shop with the beach vendors first — cheaper than the stores. • USD is accepted everywhere and often easier to use than colones. • There is no conditioner or lotion in the rooms. • Weekends get BUSY — tons of locals come for day passes.

  Nov 22, 2025
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  Stay away

  We are on the van leaving as I type this. This was our first and last Riu. The grounds are lovely. Our check in and check out process was fast. The room was good no complaints with that. The buffet was terrible in my opinion. The restaurants don't take reservations. They all open at 6. The Steakhouse line starts forming at about 4 or so. We never got to try it. The Asian restaurant was great. Ate there twice. On our last night every restaurant was at capacity by 8pm. So we ended up at the buffet 🤦🏾‍♀️. The staff was great. The people staying at the hotel was another story. Very rude and no manners excuse me goes along way. Even if you don't speak the same language. Will not EVER go to another Riu again.

  Nov 22, 2025
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  Enjoying the resort experience

  Great atmosphere, clean and up to date rooms. Staff were friendly and helpful. Good value overall. Food was okay. Almost all restaurants were buffet style so you would typically be able to find something. It was very frustrating that you had to wait in line to make a reservation and they didn't offer a better booking system. Asian and Italian restaurants were the best. Buffet by the lobby is typically less busy then the main buffet for breakfast. Beach was nice as you can get about a 45 min walk in. Mid November capacity was about 60% fron what we were told so beaches and pools weren't overly busy... I can't imagine it at full capacity. Allan on the beach is a trustworthy source for excursions. We enjoyed the river boat excursion the most, but also did fishing and an atv tour. A good time had by all!

  Nov 21, 2025
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  Pura Vida at Riu Guanacaste

  After 5 days of staying at Riu Guanacaste, I wanted to give a short review of our stay. First the facility and staff are amazing! The staff work very hard and it was most appreciated. The facility is huge! We loved our sea view room 3031 which was a corner room that also gave us a view of next door with Diamante. Loved the shower in the room. Our favorite people were our friends who worked at Tamarindo in the evening Jennifer, Harlen, and Francis. They always had smiles on their faces and we enjoyed meeting them. As for excursions we book through Frank Tne-Tank CR! His company is first rate and all the previous reviews were true…we had memorable trips zip-lining, hiking and riding horses, mud bath, cold water falls, and suspension bridges. Our guide for everything but zip-lining, was Maurice! A true professional and very knowledgeable about Costa Rica. You will have a day to remember with Maurice! For zip-lining we went to Canopy tours at Congo Trail. Felipe, Coco, and Jose helped us enjoy zip-lining the rainforest. The only downside for us was 2 things…having to constantly ask for bottled water and the Steak house (not worth the wait and the food was alot less than choices at buffets). Loved the Asian and Mexican the best.

  Nov 18, 2025