Hotel Riu Papayas - All Inclusive

Spain , Gran Canaria
PLAYA DEL INGLES, Avenida De Gran Canaria, 22
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100 reviews shown

10/10

Exceptional

24 Feb 2026

Kerry

Very good hotel. Very clean. Didn't feel too busy (even though it was full). There staff were amazing, not one person doesn't go out of there way to help or day hello. Food was fairly good for a buffet. Zhu restaurant is a must. There are better Riu hotels close by, but Papayas was still great.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

17 Feb 2026

Aapo

Small things that could have been done better: for example, the shower gel wasn't refilled unless requested, the sheets weren't changed unless requested, and advance requests weren't taken into account at all. However, the room and the hotel were clean and the food was quite good.

Friends_and_family Family

4/10

Poor

02 Feb 2026

Peter

Average food
Credit card payment - A tourist trap!
Rooms ok and clean

10/10

Exceptional

12 Nov 2025

Dwayne

Peaceful get away

10/10

Exceptional

09 Aug 2025

Tania

Lovely hotel. Good food and drink options. Lovely staff. Would stay again

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

22 Jul 2025

Yvonne

Lot's of choice with the food.
Room nice size and beds comfy.
Drink option ok
Staff friendly and helpful.
Entertainment good, but was only there 4 nights and watched the same routines a few times. Which was s bit repetitive.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

26 May 2025

Margaryta

Benefits: parking on the site for free.
Nice view from balcony. Balcony was windy, take clothespins. Food was excellent in the buffet- lots of fruits and fish. The evening shows were great. Riu party was wonderful, we had a shuttle to other Riu hotel. Walkable distance to the beach is 10-15 min, shuttle few times per day to the beach.

Business_and_leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

08 Apr 2025

Verified traveler

It was amazing.

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

24 Mar 2025

Beverly

Great staff

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

21 Mar 2025

Markus

Uns hat alles gefallen wir haben nichts zu bemängeln

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jan 2025

Jyrki

Good Holiday

Very nice hotela and good service. The whole staff was exceptionally friendly and caring.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

26 Dec 2024

Derek

Noisy cleaners

The hotel was ok but every single morning between 8am & 830am the cleaners were shouting to each other down the corridors, they were rhe nousiest cleaners ever . We was woken up they banfed on the door , got you up and then when you went for breakfast they didnt come back for hours later even though they had woken you up.
The last thing a person on holiday wants us being woken up early in the morning.
No card to say do not disturb.
They did an Asian night in a seperate restaurant that was superb.
The Desserts were poor considering the good food for the main.
The same desserts every single night , just a different colour, same flavour every night .
This lets the food side down.
Rest was ok

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Nov 2024

Lars

Werry nice

Werry nice

Business Partner

6/10

Pleasant

13 Nov 2024

Waldemar

False impression

We encountered ants in our room, and although we reported it to reception, the issue was merely acknowledged with no apology or follow-up. A simple \"sorry\" could have helped resolve the matter. Additionally, the towels are of poor quality, and the food at the restaurant lacks variety, with many breakfast items reappearing at lunch. The night bar serves snacks like sandwiches, hotdogs, and burgers, but the quality is disappointing—sandwiches are often dry and stale.

Self

8/10

Excellent

10 Nov 2024

Daniel

Pleasant stay could have better drinks selection

The drink selection was limited, no choice of wines at all just their red or wine from a tap…but they do have local bubbles cava alternative was ok, all spirits were local non branded not overall that value for money, food choices were complete opposite, there was loads and loved the Asian sushi themed restaurant!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Oct 2024

Chinmay

It was great

Friends_and_family Family

4/10

Poor

16 Sep 2024

Angela

Shame on Riu no lotion, shampoo or drinks provided in the room. The towels were very old & worn out. Drinks watered down, too much sugar and poor brand drinks for the money you charge

Business_and_leisure

10/10

Exceptional

08 Aug 2024

Eyeris

todo

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jun 2024

Sarah

I could not fault this hotel. We had a fab stay!

Couldn’t fault the hotel. It had everything right. Hotel not too big so it was easy to get to everything. Self serve drinks including wine, beer and soft drinks meant there was never a queue at the pool bar. Plenty of sunbeds and umbrellas and shade. Poolside food was good but we preferred the buffet, but the kids preferred the chicken legs and chicken nuggets by the pool. Hotel was very clean and always being cleaned. Even the toilets by the pool were spotless. We really enjoyed the food and it was constantly replenished and catered for all tastes. Mojitos were delicious! Pool was fresh but not freezing. A 15 min walk to the beach but this should not put you off, there is a free shuttle bus to the beach.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

29 May 2024

Cristina

Todo muy recomendable, personal amabilísimo!

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

12 May 2024

Andrew

Very high standard with few issues

The hotel is very high standard. Two things were disappointing
1. Hot water issues. Kept running very very hot then very cold. I told reception but didn't heard anything back after reporting it twice.
2. The food quality could have been better. The food next door at the Princess Hotel is better and cheaper

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

12 Nov 2023

Michaël

Very nice hotel, only the food could use some more variation.

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

12 Nov 2023

Martin

Great stay - poor gym.

Really lovely hotel. Good sized rooms and great shower. Great poolside area with plenty of loungers and shade. Good quality and selection of food, snacks and drinks all day. Negatives were a really poorly equipped gym, no working station in room and no teas/coffees available in restaurant after lunch /dinner.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

23 Aug 2023

Priyan

Clean. Excellent service and staff very helpful and friendly.

Leisure Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

13 May 2023

Anthony

Pleasant hotel, but the food could be better.

This is a huge hotel with 1000 guests, but it's ran well. The food however isn't all that great. The 2 restaurants are ok, the asian one being the better of the both. Both lunch and evening buffets were boring and not great, they had the same food pretty much every evening to the point we ate out a few of the last nights we stayed. The drinks menu is good, we liked the cocktails menu.

Evening entertainment was ok, but because it gets so busy you're likely not to get a seat after around 8.30pm which was disappointing as we typically ate a late dinner.

Additionally we were disappointed that our friends were refused entry to the hotel to say hello as they were also in Gran Canaria at the same time, I've never experienced this before.

Overall, it was a pleasant stay, though for the price we paid I expected a bit more from the restaurants and buffet.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 May 2023

Carmelo Perez

Very good overall.
Playground for kids not well positioned.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

28 Feb 2023

Keith

Great Hotel - beware individual bookings

Great hotel - lovely people - very clean and great service - I just didn't realize this was an all inclusive hotel (like a cruise ship) with drinks too. When I booked, I thought it was just bed with breakfast. Nothing wrong with that as I did take occasional advantage of the food and drinks but if you are booking for yourself, the room allocations for individual travelers are obviously at the rear of the property and close to the very busy highway behind it (you won't be able to use your balcony). It makes sense that major travel operators have block bookings of the best rooms. As long as you're fine with that, it was a good choice.

Self

8/10

Excellent

22 Feb 2023

Kerry

Lovely hotel

Had a lovely week away, got back last night. Second visit and still love the hotel, but..........seems to be very busy, mealtimes is hard to get a table. Needs to be two sittings so not so busy and not so many tables. It seems hard to squeeze through the tables to get to the food where they are quite close together.
That is the only bad thing. Food great, staff very friendly and the hotel is spotless and very clean. I would definately return. All staff and entertainment team are lovely and work so hard.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jun 2022

Verified traveler

Amazing hotel & staff

Amazing stay, staff could not be friendlier, will definitely be back.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 May 2022

Jamie

Fantastic midweek break, food was outstanding and hotel was fabulous.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 May 2022

Tomasz

Top hotel! Great staff, modern furnished rooms, very comfortable beds, nice shower, lovely food and drinks, main restaurant with big terrace (table outside), additional two delicious restaurants (Asia and Spain food). I can really recommend this hotel for everyone!

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

02 Jan 2022

Verified traveler

Too busy

Rather overcrowded, stayed over Christmas the gala dinner was nice but the queuing for each dish took enjoyment away. Also frustrating that the hotel allows guests to reserve sunbeds that then sit empty for most of the day.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

23 Aug 2021

Santos

N/A

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

09 Jan 2021

Verified traveler

Very enjoyable holiday!

The all-inclusive option is good, it includes popular drinks sangria, cava, gin tonic etc.
The food provided is good, there is good range of options in the salad bar, main course, and dessert.
Their paella with squid is really nice!
We joined some free activities in the hotel, such as french balls, darts etc. They are a lot more fun than they sound, because the staff is fantastic, they make the game very enjoyable!
We enjoy our stay very much at papayas!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Dec 2020

Verified traveler

Great stay in a very nice hotel, 10min walk from the beach, convenience store at 2min. Great pool and evening shows. We will come back.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Dec 2020

Bhavic

Amazing all inclusive hotel

Amazing all inclusive hotel! Totally worth the price. Amazing pool, with activities happening round the clock.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

22 Dec 2020

Verified traveler

Amazing hotel with amazing facilities.

Amazing hotel with amazing facilities. Totally worth it! I could sit by the pool all day :D first time doing an all inclusive stay - absolutely amazing experience!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Dec 2020

Lee

Luxury at reasonable prices

Linda at reception very welcoming and very informative.
All the facilities were kept Covid safe and the buffet food was excellent.
Daytime and nighttime activities kept us entertained throughout our stay.

Business

10/10

Exceptional

01 Aug 2020

Thomas

Excellent hotel

Hotel was excellent one of the best all inclusive we have been to in Gran Canaria.
Hotel felt very safe and managed the whole COVID 19 situation very well.
Food and drinks excellent - only got to one of the speciality restaurants the Spanish one which was excellent. Main dining room always very fresh and plenty of choice
Loved our stay and would definitely return

Partner

8/10

Excellent

09 Jan 2019

Roy

Pretty good

Had a pretty good stay but did miss some things. They had no iron available, there was no tea or coffee in the room, had to get water bottles at the bar etc,

Buffet was ok, but could use some more variety. The pizza is real bad because they don’t use fresh dough.

2 restaurants where nice, Spanish one was really good.

Family

8/10

Excellent

24 Dec 2016

Sally and Larry

Only stayed one night, it was very nice.

Very clean and nice. Food was good.. hard to judge for only staying one night.

8/10

Excellent

05 Nov 2016

Verified traveler

Nice clean hotel and the food was great.
close to shopping about 10 min walk to the beach and shopping centres

10/10

Exceptional

01 Nov 2016

grace

Great hotel didn't want to leave

Rooms are lovely and had plenty of room. The pool area and bars were great. Still lots to do if you have children as well.

10/10

Exceptional

18 Oct 2016

Lorraine

Fantastic stay in a spotless, friendly hotel.

Excellent hotel. Very clean and well run. No waiting for anything. Friendly staff. We were all impressed.

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jul 2016

john

excellent facilities , nice location

Although this complex is not close to the beach , transport to the beach was provided for those not keen to stroll for 15 minutes , but the pool and sunbeds were very nice indeed , with a superb bar constantly available . the local area itself is ok, but a little walk away is a buzzing centre with nice shops , bars , and restaurants , but the hotel complex itself is very attractive . Very recently done up , everything was in good condition and very nicely kept . rooms very good , we had three for our party , all huge !
we were very impressed with the keen staff , always very polite and friendly , but who were all absolutely amazing towards our youngest son who has Downs syndrome , making him and us feel very welcome which does not always happen here in England !
There seemed a vast number of smokers in both the bar areas, which are of course technically outside , but because they are also quite populated , we noticed it more , but i doubt you can do anything about smoking until it is prohibited in \"public areas\" as well as indoors .
we were overall very pleased

8/10

Excellent

14 Jul 2016

marco

good hotel facilities

overall our experience was good I would recommend this hotel and I will probably go back

Partner

8/10

Excellent

02 Jul 2016

Naomi

Very Nice hotel very noisy at night

Unfortunately the real let down to this hotel was the constant noise throughout the night the 24 hour bar is located within an open area and I had to call down several times in different nights due to rowdy behaviour, I would choose to stay here again only if I didn't have a room facing the pool as you are not likely to get any sleep in the night due to the bar where it's located.

Family

8/10

Excellent

11 Feb 2016

John

Nice Hotel but not close to the beach!

My stay here was a very good experience. The hotel is ready for a makeover and, I gather, is about to have one. Room pleasant but a new bed and bedding would have been good. Food at breakfast and dinner very good indeed, but collecting it at the buffet was challenging with so many others doing the same. Staff helpful and delightful with one exception. I absent-mindedly headed for the dining room one evening wearing shorts. I know this is not allowed but did not expect to be screamed at from a great distance and humiliated in front of a dozen other guests. An arm on the shoulder and a quiet word would have done the trick. Finally, the hotel is a good walk from the beach. This was not a problem for me, and there was a free shuttle bus from time to time.

6/10

Pleasant

09 Feb 2016

PAUL

Nice hotel but rooms need updating

This hotel is set in nice surroundings and a very spacious feel, staff were nice and friendly. The Hotel looks very dated now however and is screaming for the rooms to be modernised. Mostly German guests and it was evident guests were putting towels on sunbeds in the best spots around the pool before sunlight. There was however plenty to go round.

8/10

Excellent

27 Jan 2016

Christopher

Old hotel in good location

Good points: large pool (warm enough to swim in early January), good quality food, (mostly) helpful staff, good entertainment in the evenings, convenient location (short walk to the beach, bars, shops)
Bad points: old hotel in need of redecoration, old CRT TV (no way to connect to USB/HDMI/phone), very minimal toiletries in the bathroom

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jan 2016

Katie

Everibody so kind and helpful!
Restaurant staff are amazing (Special: Rosa, Cristo)
Thanks for U !

10/10

Exceptional

19 Nov 2015

Richedj

Lovely hotel and great staff

Very nice hotel. Staff very friendly and helpful. Buffet style food was excellent quality and great variety.

For single travellers, I ordered a twin room and was given a single. Was quiet a small room but adequate.

8/10

Excellent

17 Nov 2015

Mike

Great food & friendly staff

Loved staying here, had a nice and relaxing time. The food was excellent and had a great choice at the buffet. The hotel itself is a little dated and there was only one available plug socket in the room and no free WiFi - the paid WiFi was also unusable. The maid always said good morning when I went to breakfast and my room has always been made when I returned. The pool was lovely but a little cold due to the time of year. The sunbeds were comfortable but a lot of them were in the shade in the morning because of the tall palm trees surrounding the hotel and pool.

Would happily stay again

6/10

Pleasant

13 Nov 2015

William

mattres bad, airconditioning fan not working, staff friendly, buffet food great

8/10

Excellent

10 Nov 2015

S & J

Great food but hotel needs updating

A quick week away. Good relax by the pool. Food great. Staff good.

8/10

Excellent

20 Oct 2015

Verified traveler

relaxed & pleasant stay good location for all attractions

10/10

Exceptional

04 Oct 2015

Verified traveler

Extremely friendly staff and relaxing hotel. Vegetarian food could be better though.

8/10

Excellent

08 Sep 2015

Verified traveler

Pleasant hotel for older generation

very helpful staff in good location with free bus service to beach. Good choice of food and well laid out facilities. Age of guest def steered to older generation but some twenties etc. stayed here before and would do again as nothing is too much trouble and no cause for any complaints.

6/10

Pleasant

21 Jul 2015

leila british

Playa del ingles Riu Papayas

Not enough entertainment for The band was boring food excellent and the waiters

8/10

Excellent

02 Jun 2015

John

Nice hotel with amazing views.

Was a lovely hotel - Reception staff were amazing. Room we had was on top floor and the view was amazing. Air con was pretty bad to be honest - even if you had on all day room was barely cold.

Food was good and the dining experience was good. Breakfast served till 10.30 which is good. The dining room has stupid rules around Dinner where men have to wear trousers and a T-shirt or Shirt. I had my shoulder exposed on my top and was asked to change. Wish I had worn a skirt and shouldeless blouse.

Be careful at pool - 2 cokes was €8.80 (thats glasses not buckets) which is a disgrace - use the shop!!

The Eugina Victoria next door is a better hotel.

6/10

Pleasant

23 May 2015

Verified traveler

Needs upgrade but not bad for the price

I booked very last minute and the price was very reasonable. The hotel is what it is - very dated (at times reminiscent of The Shining) but I only needed a bed and so everything else was secondary in importance. AC wasn't working very well. I reported it, they promptly looked at it but consequently the next morning I woke to water dripping from the unit very close to the light fitting. Reported this, they came again but then I had to live with a very noisy machine, rattling away! The hotel needs a massive upgrade, badly, but if you're looking for an inexpensive bed close to the Yumbo (5-10 mins walk or €3 taxi) and other resorts nearby (where friends are staying perhaps) then this hotel will do the trick. Didn't use pool / dining facilities.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

22 May 2015

Lee

amazing value

excellent price for what you get

10/10

Exceptional

18 May 2015

paul

Great stay

Great hotel. Very clean.
Super selection of food for breakfast and dinner.
Quiet by the pool.
Short walk into 'town'
A/C in rooms not great
Staff are very helpful.

8/10

Excellent

08 Jan 2015

Dave

Very nice Hotel

As People have said before in their own reviews, the bedrooms are very clean etc, but are in need of some modernisation and look dated

4/10

Poor

31 Dec 2014

tony

Not so good

old hotel. restaurant badly designed for todays visitors. quality of food poor and repetitive. food looks tired and at times inedible. no imagination with sweets they do the same things every day.
I thought the entertainment was very bad and the bar prices expensive.

6/10

Pleasant

06 Nov 2014

Rolis

Just not bad !!!!!!

Just its not bad, it's not 4 stars , staff very friendly, food is good , but nearly same very day, swiming pool bar very expensive .

Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Oct 2014

D&S

Service exceptional, from the moment you check in

The service at this hotel has to be commended from reception to the restaurant and bar, everyone was so friendly and helpful. The room, which was overlooking the garden/pool area was adequate, clean and comfortable (cleaned every day). The choice of food both for breakfast and evening meal was outstanding, too much so that we were going around in circles trying to decide what to have and whatever we chose we were not disappointed with. Meals are served at 6pm and 8pm, the later time does get busy and you need to book your table when you arrive for the duration of your holiday. Poolside drinks and snacks with more helpful staff, some entertainment in the evening till 11pm.

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jul 2014

Rob

Reliable, enjoyable, trustworthy hotel

This hotel is excellent all round. It has wonderful and enormous choice of food. A lovely pool and sunbathing area. The staff are courteous and friendly regardless of your nationality. Expect to her German being spoken quite a bit at this hotel, however the occasional UK voice is heard, but it is rarer.

Two disappointing aspects are that the rooms are now looking very tired, with old 1990s style dark furniture and appear overused. The rooms though are extremely clean and the staff take their hygiene responsibilities very seriously. There is no tardiness here at all. Improvements and refurbishment are required quite soon however, flowery old curtains and everywhere seems a little bottle green in colour. The air conditioning is very old and the rooms contains old knobs and switches that seemed to once offer piped music. The television was also very old and needed updating, at times it lost its channels! Other hotels are being refurbished elsewhere, so I'm assuming that RIU will be upgrading this hotel before too long. But any traveller going to RIU Papayas before then should not worry about not having a wonderful holiday. Congratulations staff members!

Family

8/10

Excellent

21 May 2014

Verified traveler

Good Hotel - Central & close to beach and shops.

We decided to stay in Playa del Ingles as opposed to Maspolomas for this trip and were pleasantly surprised that the location was so quiet, considering it was very central. The rooms were very tidy and clean. Great selection of food for the Breakfast & Dinner buffet.

10/10

Exceptional

21 May 2014

Jhon

Nice Hotel close to every where you want to go!!

Nice hotel ! I will recommended to any one who want to have a nice relaxing time!! Food was great and the staff was very helpful specially Rosa in the restaurant very friendly girl!! I did have a great break!!

8/10

Excellent

01 May 2014

Prits101

Overall good value

Good hotel. Rooms were clean and service very good, hotel staff available to clean room up to 3pm allowing for a nice lie in. Rooms are basic, beds are of average comfort. Staff friendly and helpful. Overall good value especially when adding in breakfast and dinner.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Apr 2014

Amanda

Nice hotel, good value for money

My daughter and I stayed for one week over easter. We chose the half board accommodation.

4/10

Poor

29 Mar 2014

Verified traveler

noisy

extremely noisy room , some staff has no costumer care experience at all...

10/10

Exceptional

07 Feb 2014

Raili

Nice hotel with friendly staff

My husband and I stayed at the Riu Papayas for seven nights at the end of January. The décor of the hotel is a little dated (except the reception) but the hotel staff more than make up for it. They are very helpful; one always gets service with a smile and a friendly word. We were on half broad and the food was good; lots of fresh fish, meat, vegetables, salads and fruit. We were not very impressed with the resort, too many cheap touristy shops and hotels but the beach was lovely and very long. Unfortunately, it was very windy for a few days during our stay and the sand from the Maspalomas sand dunes was flying about. There is a curtsey bus service from the hotel to the beach but is is near enough to walk which we did several times.

8/10

Excellent

31 Dec 2013

Claire

A lovely Christmas

Great hotel, half board great value, food was very good and lots of choice. Had lovely Gala dinner on Christmas day with free drinks. Nice location, very friendly staff. Plenty to do in neighborhood and short walk to beach.

Family

8/10

Excellent

30 Nov 2013

kgutteridge

Great hotel

Great hotel, food was good all week for both dinner and breakfast

8/10

Excellent

25 Nov 2013

PAUL

good hotel set in nice surroundings

The hotel is very nice and spacious, with a very nice pool area. The staff at the hotel are extremley nice and helpful. Looking at surrounding hotels this seemed like one of the best in this area of Playa Del Ingles. Its very clean but rooms are very dated in decor ( looked like 70's or 80's style) .
I would say that meal times in the breakfast sittings can be quite manic and I would advise getting there early as its like piccadilly circus with people trying to get to each food counter. In the Evening meals there are two sittings 6pm and 8pm, so you have a table allocated to you already and therefore less manic. Food is excellent with a varied menu to suit everyone. Most of the guests in this hotel are German and they still like to reserve their sunbeds by the pool but there are plenty to go round anyway.

8/10

Excellent

03 Nov 2013

Anth

Poor end to holiday

There are good and bad things about this hotel.

The decor is very 80s , but overall very very clean. It is a shared hotel one one side is the Papayas and the other side is the Flamingo aparthotel.

Food was all very samey, all the cooked veg appeared to be frozen and every day there was the staple chicken, fish etc from the cooking stations.

Word of warning, they do a \"meat\" stew which turns out to be horse but it is only labeled as \"meat\"

As the vast majority of guests were elderly Germans the food seems to be more their tastes. Oh and watch out for them pushing in everywhere in the restaurant.

The pool as with everything else is clean and tidy as most of the time you can get a lounger.

On the last day when we were checking out we discovered that one of our party had had over £20 taken from a bag which was in their wardrobe. Mentioned this to the receptionist on check out but he didnt seem that bothered and shrugged his shoulders. Obviously we should have noticed it before then but as it was sterling currency they had no need for it.

Oh and a tip too if you take bad when there. The hotel staff direct you to a clinic near the Kasbah shopping centre but this is a private one where even a consultation is €70. Instead go to their NHS clinic in Maspalomas with your NHS medical insurance (old E111)

Final tip - try and get a garden view room as we were facing onto a side street which can be noisy at night.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Nov 2013

tracy

great service

hotel staff very friendly and very helpful. rooms very clean but dated furniture. lots of palm trees around pool so find yourself chasing sun in the afternoon as all in shade. and you would have to get up very very early to get the sun all day beds!!! ask for a room facing gardens, other side is a very busy road. Evening entertainment also very dated!!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

29 Oct 2013

Steve

Excellent hotel - perfect staff

A really good hotel, food excellent, staff so friendly - yes, the décor is a bit tired, but that's a small issue. Predominantly European guests, I stayed off season, so id not have any issues getting a spot near the pool. For a hotel in this location, I think you would struggle to expect more, The entertainment was admittedly cheesy, but that was pretty much what was needed for the kind of holiday this is aimed at!

10/10

Exceptional

29 Oct 2013

Rob

Stunning hotel

Friendly wonderful hotel, who really care about the guests. You will be treated as an individual and with respect. Food and drink wonderful and perhaps too much choice. Swimming pool and gardens absolutely wonderful. I love this hotel and can't wait to go back. Lots of older people at this hotel - which (even though we are in our 30s) we just preferred.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

25 Oct 2013

Bill

Hotel Upgrade Required

Experience was great. Only concern was the noise from the road behind the hotel, when you sit on the balcony no piece.
Apart from these points had a great holiday and would stay there again.

10/10

Exceptional

03 Oct 2013

Tracey

Great Stay

Had a lovely holiday at the Rio Papayas, made extra special by the friendliness and efficiency of the hotel staff.

Breakfast and dinner were excellent with a wide range of choices for every taste, including catering for particularly dietary requirements on request (my husband is Coeliac and was given gluten free bread & cakes at breakfast). Also cold buffet provided if you arrive after dinner or if you have an early start. Very friendly & helpful waiters (particularly Tino & Pedro.) Drinks are not included with dinner, but are billed on check-out.

Beautiful & well maintained grounds. No problem with finding sunbeds, even in the afternoon. Hotel is on the outskirts of Playa del Ingles within easy reach of town & beach.

Entertainment provided every evening - guest entertainments were excellent, especially 'The Midnight Drifters' & 'Fiu' (Flamenco group).

We had a great time and would definitely return.

10/10

Exceptional

03 Oct 2013

Tracey

Great Stay

10/10

Exceptional

03 Oct 2013

aLEX

HOTEL RIU PAPAYAS

BEAUTIFUL HOTEL, A BIT OLD, COULD DO WITH A REDECORATION OUTSIDE, FANTASTIC FOOD, MARVELLOUS WAITERS AND STAFF! VERY FRIENDLY EVERYBODY! BEAUTIFUL GARDEN FULL OF GRUMPY CATS, GREAT PROGRAMMES EVERY NIGHT!!!!, REASONABLE PRICES! GREAT SPANISH BEERS! BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF THE SEA AND THE LIGHT TOWER FROM THE ROOM.LARGE BALCONY! A BIT TOO MANY TOPLESS GERMAN GRANDMAS :D EVERYTHING WENT SMOOTH. THE PLANES, THE CHECK IN THE CAR RENTAL THE HOTEL, EVERYTHING WAS SMOOTH AND PROFESSIONAL.
THANK YOU EXPEDIA!

8/10

Excellent

30 Sep 2013

Martin

last holiday before winter

Hotel a little tired, however acceptable, the staff were great from the start nothing was to much trouble.
The hotel was very clean and well kept grounds, the bedrooms were dated and the beds hard. The food was excellent lots of variety, we were even left breakfast on our last day we left the hotel at 3.30am.
The house entertainment was also a bit dated. However the special events, Flamenco and Il Divo tribute were excellent.
All in All a good stay.

6/10

Pleasant

22 Sep 2013

Verified traveler

noisy room

hotel a little bit old fashioned and rooms could do with an update. air con not efficient, very, very clean though. food good with a good choice but nearly the same every night. pool area good and kept clean, never had a problem getting a sunbed even with the German customers getting there before 8 am to put towels on them. entertainment was not my cup of tea at all. my stay was totally spoiled by the room I was allocated being next to one of the busiest roads in Gran Canaria and directly opposite several late night bars. Noise pollution at its worst!
j would recommend this hotel but only if in one of the garden view rooms which sadly cost a lot more.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Sep 2013

sandra

A first class holiday

From leaving our house to arriving to our destination every thing went like clock work we really enjoyed our sat at gran canara

8/10

Excellent

21 Sep 2013

Cheryl

Rooms

Air Conditioning very poor asked 3 times for it to be fixed, no change. Only one English TV channel

Family

10/10

Exceptional

21 Sep 2013

Wrinklies rule O K

Super Grand Canaria Value

Due to very early flight we arrived at the Hotel well before check-in time and they found a 'ready' room for us straight away, a good start. Everyone was very friendly and helpful, especially Reception and Housekeeping. We were so impressed with the food I cannot praise it enough. We could have our breakfast, and go for a stroll or courtesy shuttle to the beach, arrive back early afternoon and there were sunbeds available! Unheard of normally. Could have been nearer the beach or shopping malls, but hey nothing is absolutely perfect, but this is close.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

16 Sep 2013

Kris

you get what you pay for

The Riu Papayas was once a great hotel... now it's a bit old fashioned and in need for renovations... BUT, and there is a huge but... RIU Papayas is also a very good hotel concerned the food, the service, cleaniness, the staff... Riu Papayas is made to what it is by their staff, who smile all the time, are polite, going out of their way ro make your holidays as smooth as possible.... Starting at the reception (probably the friendliest I ever seen), the restaurant staff, the cleaning ladies... all the way to management. The choices for dinner are huge... always lots of things to go for, lots of variations... I paid 482£ for 2 weeks half board and that was a real steal ! Rhank you to all the staff for giving me 2 beautiful weeks !

8/10

Excellent

11 Aug 2013

Verified traveler

overall very good

The hotel could do with some upkeep on the outside but inside very clean and the food was very good. Staff very friendly and reception helpful. Towels provided every day for sunbeds, sunbeds have comfort mats and and plenty of them and plenty of umbrellas, evening entertainment not that exciting for teenagers, the same entertainers most of the week. Free shuttle bus to the beach. We had a good holiday there overall and would go back again.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 May 2013

Jorge

Well located near the beach and bars

This was my 2nd visit at Riu Papayas, and my Fifth Visit to Canarias at Riu Hotels so, i'm used to the great service, the most value is the kindness of the staff.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

10 Feb 2013

Wyn

A note for a first visit

A short hint for those who are staying at the hotel for the first time. Check you are not given a room overlooking a room overlooking the children's play area.Over the hotel boundary wall beyond the play area very loud music was played from 10 -12 am four nights of our stay .We were told the music had to stop at 12 as they had a licence until that time. We could have sung along as we could hear every word! Management did not contact us after the complaint,when we mentioned again they said they were unable to do anything about it! They suggested if we came again to ask for another room. Otherwise a very pleasant hotel.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jan 2013

Lawrence

4 star that's better than a lot of 5 star hotels

As previous reviews have said, the hotel is a little dated in decor. However, staff pool, and bedroom are all super. The hotel is immaculately kept. We booked half board and the choice and quality of food was amazing. Definitely going back for another winter week.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Dec 2012

Leandro

Free wifi please!!!

The Hotel is nice but I got very dissapointed with only one thing there's no free wifi most of the Hotels has free wifi i think they can improve on that otherwise i had a nice stay.
Thanks

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jul 2012

Pial

Tantalised taste buds!

We recommend this hotel highly - especially for the wonderful variety and quality of food served for breakfast and dinner buffets. The staff were extremely welcoming, and made us feel at home - we did not want to leave in the end! Overall, an excellent experience, however - one thing to point out would be that we were shocked so many women were carelessly topless and walking about without any care for modesty around the pool. This may be seemingly \"normal\" for some, but as a hotel that claims to be family-friendly, it is not what I expect when my children are playing in the pool. Obviously the tastelessness of guests is not the fault of the hotel, so a definite recommendation all round for the hotel - its food, amazing views from the top and excellent staff.

Family

8/10

Excellent

15 Feb 2026

John

Mycket solstolar, bra

Self

8/10

Excellent

15 Feb 2026

John

Rätt bra, mycket att välja på i buffén, lyhört i rummen mot korridoren