Riu Palace Aquarelle

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

716 reviews

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  A Great Time!

  Beautiful resort, friendly staff, and great drinks/food. The staff at Pete's could have been more pleasant but working a grill under the Jamaican Sun for hours-I get it. Check-in took a while, nothing major. Beyonce was gracious and welcoming. Welcome drinks were a nice surprise. Ordered room service at 7:30pm for expected delivery time of 8:55pm, never arrived and no further updates were given. Loved the sports bar being open all night, those nachos were delicious. Entertainment was awesome as well, especially the beach party and swim-up pool bartenders. Appreciated the shuttle service (Kourtney, I think) adding a couple of us the morning of departure (including fee $50) as we forgot to call prior to check-in to be added to the list. Steakhouse was good. The fresh juice at breakfast was so refreshing. I wish there was more fresh fruit. Each morning, the fruit must have been the first to go because I could never get anything more than a couple pieces of honey dew, cantaloupe, and the little star-like fruit. The fish at dinner, OMG. Hot, fresh, and crispy. I can't even tell you what kind it was, but I lost cost how many times I went to the buffet for that fish. Swim-up suite was just as pictured. Housekeeping and security were prompt, pleasant, and helpful.

  Jan 28, 2025
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  Not a 5-Star ... may 3 to 4 Star at best!

  Not a 5 star! They have a 1 appetizer 1 entree rule. You can't get water at any of the pools or beach. You are told to request it at the front desk in the Lobby. Kenard, Edwards, Monique and Annya all work hard to ensure that you are happy and should be recognized for their dedication and great work ethic. The staff in the sports bar need to be retrained on how to be hospitable and not lazy. The 2 restrooms on the property are scattered outside the resort- they are not located in any of the restaurants or Lobby area. This is a 3-5 star resort at best. I would mot recommend anyone staying here if you're looking for a 5 star experience.

  Jan 28, 2025
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  Not a 5 Star Resort

  I take 3-4 vacations a year and I like to stay at 5 star resorts. When I'm on vacation I like all the bells and whistles. I pay for it and EXPECT it. I'm a reasonable person who understands that sometimes things happen - no big deal, you just roll with it and try not to let it ruin your vacation. So here goes! Why is it so difficult to stock the bars by the pools and beach with water? You can order 20 cocktails BUT if you want water you are told to go to the Lobby and ask for it. Alcohol is plentiful but water is scarce. If guests are drinking all day long - give them water! The rooms are also not stocked daily with water. The resort has a 1 appetizer 1 entree per person rule. The portions are extremely small - its almost as if they ration the food. In an all-inclusive 5 star resort this is unacceptable. If you want to sample 2 appetizers you are told that you can't! The service in the sports bar leaves a lot to be desired. Our group of 4 went there on 3 occasions and all 3 times waited over an hour to get our food. The staff at the sports bar seemed like it was too much of a bother to wait on our table. We heard this complaint from other tourists who were there as well. Whoever designed this resort did a horrible job. There are no restrooms in any of the restaurants. There is no restroom located in the Lobby. There are several restrooms located scattered outside around the resort but it's a hike if there is an emergency situation. The staff that deserves the recognition for their hard work and wonderful personalities are as follows: Kenard at the Krystal Restaurant went above and beyond to make our vacation spectacular. Annaia with the beautiful smile at the steak house did an amazing job ensuring our food was perfect and that we were completely happy. Edwards the waiter on the beach went above and beyond to make sure we had cocktails on the beach all day long. Monique at the Lobby bar has such a great personality and kept us laughing and entertained each and every time we saw her. The beach is beautiful and the grounds were well kept. In conclusion, I nor my friends would stay here again. We would not recommend this resort to anyone. This resort is 3 to 4 star at best.

  Jan 28, 2025
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  Great experience!

  We traveled here with our children. It was an amazing experience. The entertainment staff was great! There was so many activities for everyone to participate in all day long. The girls that worked in the kids club were so sweet and my kids enjoyed spending time there. The room we stayed in was a family suite. It was huge and very clean. The beds were comfortable. The food was good and the drinks were great. We cannot wait to return.

  Jan 28, 2025
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  Relaxation and a great time! Go when the price is right.

  Airport transfer was approximately 40 minutes from the airport and that was going direct to the hotel. The driver plays great reggae music and they can offer you a red stripe beer at a cost of about $5 US. Check in was quick and easy and we were greeted with a rum cocktail while waiting. Our room was clean and spacious with a King bed and a partial ocean view which was absolutely stunning. As always the mini fridge was stocked with beer, coke, sprite and water. The above bar was also stocked daily. Lobby- Sometimes we would want to sit and have a coffee or play cards in the lobby however the AC was always very high and I found it too cool so I had to wear a shawl in the evenings. I did mention this to customer service. Pools - There are 3 pools, the Marley Bar is adults only and a fun time to be had. The bartenders were awesome at keeping everyone entertained, Shout out to Remon he was always ready to get you a drink. Wednesday apparently the music was toned down by management due to an incident the day earlier. Not fair to make other guests have to pay for other people's behavior who cannot control their alcohol. Beach - My husband & I were there everyday. Plenty of chairs but the umbrellas could be limited so if you want one get out there by 9-10 am. Beautiful clean beach however there are rocks in the ocean so do yourself a favor and bring water shoes for comfort. We played Volleyball and had a great group of people that were understanding that if you sit near the net then chances are the ball will come your way. Staff - the workers all work hard, the grounds are kept beautiful, the washrooms were always clean, the glass cleaners were out every morning doing a great job. Our room was cleaned daily with fresh towels, great job. Coffee bar was great at making our Latte's shout out to Jade. Buffet greeters were always friendly shout out to Brittany. Servers always there at your table to bring you coffee and pay attention to you. Food - I'm not a picky eater there was plenty of good food. They serve a variety of food it's up to you not to be so repetitive. We tried booking the Steakhouse restaurant but always booked you have to go on the app and book at midnight for that evening. 24 Hr. Sports Bar- Awesome place to also get your early morning coffee and in the late evenings for drinks and food. Wings & fries, burgers all were good. Hang out and play pool or watch some sports. Shout out to the entire team they provided great service. Entertainment - Wow these guys can dance, I mean dance wind up your hips alright. Every show was amazing and entertaining from the music to the dancing was on point. A lot of work goes into these shows. Shout out to the entire team. I went for relaxation and a good time and that's just what I got.

  Jan 28, 2025