Riu Palace Paradise Island Adults Only - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

2902 reviews

• 

  Beautiful Property <3

  My husband and I stayed at the Riu November 20-25. We are in our mid to late 30s and we do not drink alcohol. We are very simple and easy going and prefer smaller properties. I just wanted to mention that so it gives some extra context to our review. I will be the first to admit that we almost changed our reservation due to the reviews. I will do my best to give our honest review for any travelers looking for the same relaxing experience. Our first impression was not great but we stuck it out and were very pleased. 1. They told us at check in that we would not get a room above the 5th floor if we did not upgrade and pay an extra $30 per night. We did not have an issue with paying for a better view, however, they should advertise as such and we would have paid from the initial booking, as I am sure others would as well. 2. The lobby did in fact have a mild odor (only mentioning due to other reviews) but it was not overwhelming and could easily be overlooked for us. The lobby was always very clean and quiet. My husband loved the coffee shop. 3. The first impression of the room was the worst part of the trip for us. They turn off the a/c between guests and as a result it does smell a little of mildew and the floor is slick from the moisture. Just turn the a/c on and wait 30 minutes and it gets better. Balcony was too small for us to sit comfortably together but it was nice for the view. Purple blankets were not comfortable or soft but they are warm which is great because the a/c works very very well. For us though, better cold than hot. 4. The a/c in the entire building works very very well. I was always cold and wished I would have brought more long sleeves for dining. Again, better cold than hot so this is not a complaint, just an FYI to pack accordingly. It is always very windy this time of year so at night it gets chilly. 5. There was always open places to sit and relax. We especially liked the patio near the buffet. 6. We did not go in the pool with the swim up bar but it looked very nice. The other pool was heated and comfortable. Never overcrowded. Always enough chairs/loungers. 7. The beach/water was beyond beautiful. Calm and turquoise waters with the softest sand...what more can you ask for? Just a little tip if you are up for long walks on the beach: walk to the rocks in the opposite direction of the Atlantis and you will find the most beautiful section of the beach. Stunning! You can snorkel with the beautiful yellow and blue fish. We had the beach to ourselves for an hour or more. Seriously, breathtaking! We relax on the beach for the majority of our stay so it made our vacation close to perfect! I would return for the beach/lagoon itself. Yes, there are locals at the beach asking if you want any excursions, souvenirs, etc. We did not find them to be pushy or bothersome. Once you tell them no thank you once, they remember and do not bother. After seeing how much business they get, I understand why they walk up and down the beach so often. Beach did get busier as more cruise ships docked but that just meant more people to watch enjoy their holiday! Staff will set up your chairs and tables. Nobody takes or moves your belongings if you leave for lunch. They did have umbrellas on a few days but not every day (not exactly sure why that was) but we prefer not to have one. 8. Food: We really enjoyed all of the food. We did eat at the steakhouse and it was great but we honestly preferred the choices at the buffet. Just keep in mind that is closes from 5pm-6:30pm. Snacks are always available in the bar though. My husband really enjoyed the jerk chicken at lunch. 9. We did not encounter any staff being rude or unwelcoming. We enjoyed them all and if I could remember all of their names, I would list them all! Until next time Paradise Island ;)

  Dec 01, 2025
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  Beautiful island

  I would definitely come back to riu resort they service exceptional and staff are friendly and they have a lot if activities at hotel,

  Nov 23, 2025
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  For those who like details…

  Disclaimer: I’ve been to other Rius so I went in with pre-perceived expectations and I had to leave early due to a family emergency, but my mom stayed the whole time. For my mother’s birthday, she wanted to be in Bahamas on the beach and when I saw there was a RIU there, I assumed we couldn’t go wrong. Well, apparently all Rius are not created equally. Upon arrival, while check in was simple enough, we were not offered a welcome drink (although at other times I saw this happening), but who’s going to let that get in the way of a good time?!? We were asked if we wanted an upgrade for a better view and we said yes before asking more questions. I may have reconsidered if I knew the better room came with being over the big pool (it didn’t get too crazy) and constantly having a man outside our balcony (they were painting the exterior). The hotel, room included, is outdated and showing a bit of wear and tear. Our room wasn’t thoroughly cleaned as there was hair in the blanket, shower and on the floor and I should’ve packed some damp rid. While the shower was large and the water temperature/pressure was great, the bathroom was exactly what I’d call relaxing. Rusty tiles, hard to flush toilet and a clogged sink to name a few issues. Moving away from the room, let’s talk food. I’m a foodie at heart. I appreciate really good food, but don’t expect to get it all the time, especially when staying in an AI. When asked about RIU food in the past, I’ve always described it as one step up from your basic all-you-can-eat. Not amazing, but definitely satisfying. Welp! Not here. Food was often cold/dry and there wasn’t as much as a variety as I was accustomed to. Maybe because it’s a smaller resort compared to the others I’ve visited? The best thing I had there were the pancakes. Second best? Jerk chicken [Another disclaimer: for those expecting Jamaican jerk chicken, it’s not that, but still good]. My mom did make it to Tengoku and Bahamas and said the steakhouse was the best meal of the week. Let’s get to the things that went well! Location! Location! Location! So many things to do near by that are easily accessible with a quick cab ride or a nice walk. The pool was nice and we never had issues getting chairs. Beach was BEAUTIFUL! When I got the call that my husband’s best friend had passed in a car accident, other than being next to my husband, I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else. It was so healing. As always, staff was delightful. I stopped at the front desk to make them aware of my early departure. I explained that I’d be leaving the evening of my mom’s birthday and asked if they could get something in her room to make her feel special and they did just that. The cutest cake was there for her. Every waiter/waitress was pleasant and attentive. No complaints there. I read reviews when planning and if there was an issue, I always look to see if the guest gave the hotel the opportunity to accommodate them. I admit, I did not. Why? Because it was my mom’s first time to an AI and she LOVED it! In an effort not to bring issues to her attention, I smiled and relished in her happiness. I’ll take that L over and over again. Overall, I personally wouldn’t go back here, but I won’t write off all Rius either. If you’ve been to some of their nicer ones, you may not appreciate it as much, but if it’s your first go around, you’ll enjoy it.

  Nov 21, 2025
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  Pretty good

  Check in : the front desk staff were not friendly or inviting. When we got to our room, there was a strong mildew odor - they did assist in helping to make the room smell somewhat better but it still stunk. The food was good along with the service. The restaurants require reservations and there were rarely any openings. The steakhouse was great. The entertainment was average- there needs to be a variety- nobody wants to see dancing every night. The beach is beautiful and the beach area was nice.

  Nov 15, 2025
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  No regards to concerns .

  Disappointed in specialty rest Really bad . You also can only make reservations 2 days in advance . Dare not ask for extra side dish ! Cocktail lounge open 24 hrs (Very nice !) Entertainment, thumbs down . Upon checking in I asked for a higher level room , odd number because of a better view . We were assigned to 3 rd fl. Room .Completely disregarded my request . We paid 100.00 for upgrade to higher level for the ocean front on the 11 th fl . Our view was of a homeless camp and the ocean . When I approached the front desk they insisted I had a gorgeous view ! The hotel was clean , plenty of pool/ beach loungers. Unfortunately we will not be returning .

  Nov 13, 2025