Riu Palace Tropical Bay - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

8579 reviews

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  Needs polish

  Riu Palace Tropical Bay, Jamaica – Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️½ — “A Lovely Jamaican Escape That’s Missing the Sparkle” We stayed at the Riu Palace Tropical Bay, Jamaica to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and overall, we had a pleasant holiday — but it just didn’t quite live up to its “Palace” name. Check-In and First Impressions: The welcome wasn’t quite what we expected. The hotel was only around 45% full, yet we felt a lot of pressure to upgrade our room. It turned into more of a sales pitch than a warm greeting — the upgrade was quoted at $1,100, then $700, before being haggled down to $400. It left us feeling like we had to upgrade, rather than being made to feel special. Since it was our wedding anniversary, it would’ve been lovely to have been surprised with a complimentary upgrade — something like, “Hey Mr. and Mrs., happy anniversary! We’ve upgraded your room with our compliments.” That little gesture would’ve made all the difference. The hotel did send a bottle of fizz, which was a nice touch — but the cork broke, and it took four days to get a replacement. The Resort: The beach and grounds are beautiful, but the hotel itself is tired and in need of an update. It’s clean, but it lacks the polish and attention to detail that make a stay feel truly special. Many staff members seem to expect tips for everyday service, which can feel uncomfortable. As Brits, we prefer to tip at the end of a holiday for good service throughout, not every time someone brings a drink — but here, it sometimes felt like tipping was required just to receive decent service. Food and Drink: The buffet offered plenty of choice, though many food labels were missing, so it wasn’t always clear what was what. The speciality restaurants were fine — some nights were better than others, depending on who was working. The hotel shop is extremely expensive — a large bag of Cheetos was $15! Service and Room: Beach and pool waiter service was inconsistent — we might see someone twice a day at most, again depending on tips. Room service was okay, though the food wasn’t great. The mini-bar was only restocked every other day and contained two Sprites, two regular Cokes, two Diet Cokes, and a couple of beers. Requests for tonic water and more soft drinks were ignored. Our room cleaning was basic, with no special touches despite tipping the maid and mini-bar attendant early on. The People: Interestingly, the beach vendors were actually some of the friendliest people we met. Once they recognised us, they mostly just wanted to chat — they’re genuinely social and respectful, even if you don’t buy anything. And yes, you can buy anything from them! Overall: We had a nice enough time — Jamaica itself is stunning, and the relaxed vibe is unbeatable. However, the Riu Palace Tropical Bay needs an update and a shift in service attitude to truly deliver a five-star experience. The entertainment team were excellent, but beyond that, the resort lacked warmth and sparkle. We’d definitely come back to Jamaica — it’s a beautiful island with an amazing energy — but sadly, we wouldn’t return to the Riu Palace Tropical Bay.

  Oct 16, 2025
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  Amazing vacation

  Amazing beach, welcoming stuff, good food -lots of lobsters, bartender Kristal can make a drink you didn’t even know you like at the lobby bar, neon party was excellent. Overal awesome vacation, sunsets to die for

  Oct 14, 2025
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  Dishonest management

  Was not given room category that I paid for. They refused to refund. Was not given the coupon vouchers advertised. They refused to make it right. Staff were amazing but apparently management don’t care to be honest and give guests what they pay for. I recommend finding a resort that isn’t dishonest.

  Oct 13, 2025
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  Negril nice!

  Lovely hotel set on perfect bay, you can walk the beach left or right for about 15 mins and enjoy calm clear Caribbean waters and friendly jamaican smiles. If you turn right head past the blue shack shops and you end up at Riu Negril where the water isn't as clear but beach is full of shells and party atmosphere. Do stop at the blue shack shops, plenty of souvenirs and chat, don't be afraid, you're welcome and safe. Hotel is fine, typical Riu, plenty of good food choices, lots of cocktails, thanks Krystal and Ali/coco/janel for the chat and masterpiece cocktails. Room was fine, cleaned to perfection and mini bar restocked daily. Dining staff attentive and thank you Maxwell and Amoy for looking after us at breakfast and all the ladies who welcomed us lunchtimes, especially Jackie Williams. Special shout out to the animation team who work so hard and have a million talents, singing and dancing and masters of entertainment, Spotlight needs a show of his own, he can conjure up a quiz when its raining, sing, dance and gives 110%, what a gem the Riu has in him, very clever, funny and talented. We've loved our stay. Made lots of beautiful memories and friends. Thank you Jamaica 🇯🇲 xx

  Oct 10, 2025
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  TERRIBLE

  I must say this has been an experience first off my luggage was taken to the wrong room and staff refused to retrieve it. No restaurant to eat at other than the buffet. Staff have been are not helpful at all. If you’ve booked here cancel asap

  Oct 08, 2025