Hotel Palace

8/10

Excellent

02 Jun 2026

Garrick

It's a big resort

Friends

8/10

Excellent

02 Jun 2026

Jennifer

There was a musty smell in the room likely from being in the tropical. Other than the room waa good.

Family

2/10

Poor

01 Jun 2026

Cody

DO NOT EVER STAY HERE. My wife and I recently stayed here and due to our flights being late we missed our first night at the resort. When we arrived the second day we asked about a refund for the first night. The resort assured us we would get a refund just to call Expedia and the resort would approve a 1 night refund. We called Expedia when we arrived home and Expedia contacted the resort to get a refund issued. The resort changed the date and time we checked in to the correct date and time instead of a day late and lied to Expedia saying they didn’t know what we were talking about that we had our full stay. On top of then lying to scam us out of the buffet the resort was dirty overall the rooms were dirty and we saw several cockroaches in the buffet area and hallways. The food on the resort was so so but nothing to rave about and the resort’s location is inconvenient because it’s in the middle of nowhere. We will never be staying here again.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jun 2026

Stefany

Excellent service

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

31 May 2026

Zach

Fun place to stay

Partner

4/10

Poor

31 May 2026

Agustin

En general el hotel necesita una buena renovación los cuartos están en mal condiciones

Partner

4/10

Poor

30 May 2026

Brian

Resort credits are a joke. Don't waste your time booking anything that offers resort credits. Staff is no help and the app. Doesn't offer anything!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

30 May 2026

Shawnasia

I had an amazing time at this hotel! The staff was very friendly, and my room was cleaned and the bed was made every day during my stay.

The only downside was that the cell service was pretty bad, even when connected to Wi-Fi, but it wasn’t a big deal.

The resort has about six pools and multiple restaurants. The buffet was my favorite—I ate there for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! They also have a steakhouse that was really good.

Overall, I had a wonderful experience and will definitely be coming back. Highly recommend!

Family

2/10

Poor

30 May 2026

Joanne

The room was hot every night. We spoke to the staff each time wrong no results.

Friends

4/10

Poor

28 May 2026

Chris

The resort itself was ok, decent food options and the pool and property was kind of nice...however the room was trashy and outdated. bathroom smelled like sewer after day 1, TV was crooked, little things like this....WHICH could have been corrected or fixed however the hotel staff and management were absolutely useless! we went to the front desk multiple times, called for manager, and emailed many times but got no help or recognition. Also this was on our honey moon which we made clear. They gave us some free wine which we could've got downstairs since it was all inclusive, and decorated our room with balloons like a kids birthday party, which was thoughtful I guess but kind of embarrassing and I would have preferred them to do nothing. Honestly the fact a manager or some sort of supervisor couldn't talk to us and acknowledge our complaints while we were there was absolutely pathetic. I will avoid all RIU resorts going forward due to this experience. Terrible hotel staff, thank god we were at KIONO in LaFortuna before this which was wayyy better, go there instead.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 May 2026

Shanise

Hands down the best resort. They staff was so friendly. I felt safe and welcomed. They did not ask for tips or make me feel like I had to give. I felt welcomed and was said hello by everyone. The food was good. It truly was a Pura Vida. I will go back again for sure. I highly recommend staying here. I left feeling peaceful and wanting to see more and so more. I am thankful to be blessed the opportunity to experience paradise.

Friends

2/10

Poor

27 May 2026

Umang

This property is really outdated. The room smelled terrible and there were cockroaches. We even switched out the rooms once, but nothing changed. The property was worst than staying at motel 6.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

26 May 2026

Crystal Barranco

The RIU Palace is a great destination for travelers who want the access to Costa Rica without the hassle of having to rent their own car, look for places to eat and excursions.

Pros: the food was surprisingly delicious for an all-inclusive, the drinks (as a non-drinker) were also good, the massages at the spa (shout out Hazel) were reasonably priced and amazing! The coffee shop was working overtime! The coffee was to die for! And the mountain views were stunning. Importantly, it is 5 minutes from Diamante Eco Park. The hotel has vans that depart every 30 mins so it was great.

Cons: it was incredibly hot, not the hotel’s fault, just something to note. Guanacaste is an arid area so hotter than other parts of the country. The hotel has a 2000’s look. It is definitely older and it shows. The AC was not super cold, some light fixtures were not working and my shower did not fully drain. The beach was not blue (to be expected given the volcanic sand) but it was not clean either. There were some fruit and garbage scattered throughout. Lastly, LAR is a transportation company located inside the hotel, that took us to Coco Beach. That area was not what we were told AT ALL and when we called for them to pick us up they told us to wait an hour and a half for the next van.

In conclusion, if you want a taste of Costa Rica but you don’t want the “three hour hike” version, do RIU. You’ll have food, great coffee, amazing views, and you can go to the park for a taste of nature.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

26 May 2026

sia

All you can drink alcohol and food. Doesn't get better than that!

Staff where friendly

The parties where very fun and there is a night club on the property

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

26 May 2026

Dayron

I expected more for what we paid to stay one weekend at this resort. The positives are that the staff was very friendly, kind and helpful, the food was also good, not too much variety but good tasting food and good presentation. The grounds are nicely kept and very beautiful, we also enjoyed the beach a great deal. The negative is that the hotel itself seems outdated, especially the rooms, in the three days that we stayed, we saw three ginormous roaches, one of them walking all over our table at lunch and two in the room. That for me is unacceptable and points to the lack of cleanliness that was actually visible in the hotel (especially in the room) the water park was nice but also needs a touch up. One of the biggest negatives for us was also the watered drown drinks, no matter what you asked for, or which type of liquor, you could never taste the alcohol in any of the drinks, it got to the point where we wouldn’t even get any drinks because we were just throwing them away. Another thing and I am aware this is not under the hotel’s control but just a heads up for anyone booking this, there are a million bees everywhere, they are constantly surrounding you, granted they don’t sting (for the most part) both my daughter and husband were stung once. Another reason why it’s hard to finish a drink, they will literally fly into your cup.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

26 May 2026

Chiamaka

Staff was super friendly, great view, food was great, and easy way to book tours from hotel

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

25 May 2026

Rudy

The view and staff were excellent.... Only thing that could have been better was the food.

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

24 May 2026

Leonard Charles

The only problem we had was with the food. It was horrible. The Papagayo spot was the best and only place that had descent food.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

23 May 2026

Patricia

All the stuff was very nice

8/10

Excellent

22 May 2026

Erika

Overall great experience and the cleaning staff and bartenders were exceptional

Self

10/10

Exceptional

22 May 2026

Alberto

Mejor TV más grande y que se vean los canales

Family

10/10

Exceptional

22 May 2026

Inna

Beautiful hotel, very clean, good food, friendly staff.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

22 May 2026

jerad

Very friendly staff and a beautiful location. The female staff in the resort were particularly friendly. A special shout out to Marta who was amazing. I traveled with a group of 9 people. Five out of 9 people got violently sick during our stay. Holding procedures for the food are not up to par. Cold food was held well above temperature and hot foods well below. I am a chef and no a thing or two about food safety. Be prepared with some immodiom and some Pepto bismal. We originally thought the palace was an adults only which it is not. Not a huge deal, but for my wife and I we enjoy the peace of a child free environment. It's definitely worth checking out but the amount of food bourne illness we seen really spoiled the trip. That being said the staff was amazing and really made us feel at home.

Family

4/10

Poor

22 May 2026

Steven

Issues were construction going on at night can hear it in the room, water was turned off without notice ,room wasnt ready on arrival and when i got room toilet wasnt working and when placing the do not disturb sign on the door they still walked in on me besides that food was good the staff was great drink are good pool is clean

Friends

8/10

Excellent

20 May 2026

Monique

I stayed at the Riu Palace. The rooms were terrible. Outdated, stains on the walls, paint chipping on tables, old moldy smells, and filled with bugs. The bugs come from being in the mountains and surrounded by many trees. Unbeknownst to me they are closing this location for renovations September 1, 2026. I think they will reopen next year after March sometime. Wait until then to plan a visit. Other than the room, the resort is nice. Other areas are well maintained. The staff are exceptional. The food is decent. Really liked the steakhouse. They had amazing sunset views. They could plan out more evening / night time activities. I was given a free room upgrade that was a bit better than original room. Overall we had a nice time but wouldn’t stay here again.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

19 May 2026

Ronald

Clean

2/10

Poor

19 May 2026

Mirlande

I was so disappointed with the Riu Palace in Costa Rica. I took my husband, my sister, and her husband there to celebrate my husband’s birthday, and our experience was absolutely terrible.

We checked into Room 2083, and it was ridiculous. The room looked very old, the sheets were yellowish and worn out, and there was no ocean view at all — all we could see were the pools and gardens, even though we specifically booked an ocean view room.

I went back to customer service, and they told me that if I looked to the side, I would be able to see the ocean. I told them absolutely not — I paid for an ocean view room. They then moved us to the fourth floor, but when I got there, there were three huge palm trees directly in front of the balcony door, so again, there was still no ocean view. On top of that, the faucet handle in the bathroom was broken, the room looked terrible, and the sheets were still old and yellowish. Same menu every day. Only good thing about the place is outside by the pool.

8/10

Excellent

19 May 2026

joanne

Like- friendly and helpful staff, nice grounds. Premium liquor but you HAVE to ask for it Food was ok normal all inclusive like. Great pools! Shows and entertainment staff were great!

Dislikes- very dated property. For paying the premium price I would expect it to updated. Rooms were old including furniture decor. We visited the non palace RIU next door and it was way ! Younger vibe though. There were no activities or anything to do at night. There was only one pool table between the two hotels and that was not at the palace. The palace”s sports bar was was literally two tvs and some lounge chairs. No activities and no bar inside it. They hotel could use more activities to do

Unhappy - the RIU parties were temporarily closed the entire time we were there. That was very disappointing as it is part of the reason we stayed there and we were not informed of it being closed. Also they advertise that you can connect with the internet in their tvs to stream services. Our tv did not allow that. We were told that some of the tvs allow streaming and some do not. We were told we had to”cable like” channels but they were all in Spanish. It should definitely be stated that not all rooms allow streaming. There reallly were no extras at this hotel and it was not worth the premium price

Overall it’s a nice hotel but I have stayed at numerous RIUs and this one was my least favorite. I would not have chosen to pay the extra for the Palace.

Family

4/10

Poor

18 May 2026

Nathan

Hi
My husband cut his skin and I ask for bandages they don’t have .how come if someone fell down they don’t have anything to put on it .Thanks god my friend had it.

Friends

8/10

Excellent

18 May 2026

Brenda

We have been to RIU before in Mexico & was a much different experience. The Costa Rica resort needed a reno but we knew that going so that didn't bother us, we still had a great time. The food was very good in all restaurants we went to. The buffet was incredible every time. To get into restaurants was a total disappointment. They don't take reservations but you can be put on a list (reservation) total crap & we weren't the other customers totally frustrated about the dining experience. Our room was ok but we were in a group of 6 & some had to change rooms because the air didn't work. Some rooms didn't have hot water in the sink or shower but in the bath tub??? Wierd !!!
In all my years of staying at hotels, resorts I have never had anything in my room go missing until Riu Place Costa Rica. Our last full day when we came back to our room our personal items on the sink area had all been moved. I noticed right away one of my face products boxes was missing, weird right?? Then we were travelling back to the airport I realized that one of our supplements was missing that my husband & I had been taking every morning. We both did not take it because it wasn't in the spot it had been for the 6 days before & I never packed it to go home!!
The entertainment was very good. Max & Alex were very friendly. The photographer Joshua was very good
Overall we had a great vacation but we would never recommend Riu Palace Costa Rica to anyone & we would not go back ourselves.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

18 May 2026

Ashley Calhoun

Loved the resort. So much fun. Restaurants are hard to get in for some dinners so go super early. Rooms were clean , but the only complaint I have is the rooms smelled like basement or old. Very pretty resort. Pools were nice. Drinks were good. People very friendly.

Friends

4/10

Poor

17 May 2026

Gail

This is an old resort. Rooms are musty smelling and very dated. Been at other Rui palaces and this one is very substandard

Pools dirty, room keys constantly failing, had to get air conditioner fixed within first day.

Restaurants have a very odd booking system.

Nonshuttle transportation when booking through Expedia.

Not premium alcohol and very weak drinks.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

16 May 2026

Julie

The pools were beautiful and weren’t crowded. It is a beautiful setting with the beach and islands and mountains. The spa was very dated and the jacuzzi should be a hard pass. We had massages that were expensive but good. The diamonte ziplining close by was excellent. The monkeys near the monkey bar were a hit. The food at this resort is mediocre and 4 of 5 of us got a terrible food poisoning. We met others who had also been sick. Also not sure the reason you pay more at the palace when the resort next door is beautiful and newly renovated (albeit more crowded). Same food at both. Beautiful weather. Staff were all very helpful and friendly. We were a party of 5 with 2 rooms and they put us with a room separating our 2 ( I asked for side by side and they would not accommodate). We ended up with a very loud group in the middle room.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

16 May 2026

COURTNEY

We had a wonderful trip!

8/10

Excellent

15 May 2026

Sheila

Clean room and property was landscaped and maintained daily. Service around pool area was good. Overall food was good nothing outstanding We ate at steak restaurant where lobster was chewy and steak fatty. Coffee bar on main floor was great. This resort lacked entertainment on the property compared to other RIU We did attend the neon party next door but even that was so so. Overall would rate this trip a 7

Friends

8/10

Excellent

15 May 2026

Edward Scott

Rooms are very clean! Italian restaurant lacking organization, but the food was good.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

14 May 2026

Enes B

Good Staff, Poor condition of hotel. Overall not impressed.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

14 May 2026

Francis

Nice property needs updating and heard they are this summer their sister hotel was updated last year so stay there until this one is updated it’s cheaper to stay at their sister hotel

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

13 May 2026

Aidan

The staff for the most part were amazing. They were very helpful and nice. The property was pretty clean as well. I feel as if it is pretty outdated which made it less comfortable than it should have been. I know all inclusives aren’t known for their food but the food here was especially terrible. The swim-up bar is cool in theory but it was small in retrospect to everything else and very overcrowded. It took a long time to get service. Had it not been for the cleanliness and the amazing staff I would’ve rated this resort a 1/5

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

12 May 2026

Gilbert E Engelmann

Great pool with good bar

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

12 May 2026

Theresa Marie

The facility needs lots of maintenance. The first room we were put in the ceiling was all busted up. The second room in the middle of the night water started dripping from the ceiling into the bathtub.

Only had one elevator operating throughout our entire state and various ice machines were not working.

We understand that it’s slotted for remodeling and now we know why.

Friends

8/10

Excellent

12 May 2026

Janet Marie

Pool staff were very accommodating
Some of the reception workers were not helpful with information even in the hotel. Overall very nice stay

Family

10/10

Exceptional

11 May 2026

Leo

Was a perfect vacation! Yes it needs updating bit it was top notch

Partner

4/10

Poor

10 May 2026

James R

Many maintenance issues: AC not working in first room, very weak in second. Elevator often out of service. Lack of water. Room key card not working. No hot water. No water in toilet.

Found several cockroaches in room.

Gym over 85 degrees.

I'm generally ok with Rui buffet, but this time food was not fresh, everything looked like a reheat from prior day. Everything was brown and blaaa tasting. Specialty restaurants were good and recommended.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

10 May 2026

Joshua

Room was a bit dated and the food made us feel bad after a few days but amazing tropical scenery.

Partner

2/10

Poor

10 May 2026

Mark

Very disappointing. Rooms need a lot of work. A/C broke. Toilet broke twice. Elevator broken. Ceiling fan on high only and made horrible noise. Towel rack dangling out of wall. Asked for it to be repaired which is a 5 minute project. Never done.
Staff mostly nice but not always helpful

Family

10/10

Exceptional

09 May 2026

David

Great food, excellent amenities and the staff was top notch

Friends

8/10

Excellent

09 May 2026

Yves Rock

Friendly staff. Great service. Only issue was cards deactivating after room had been cleaned.

8/10

Excellent

08 May 2026

yusimi

El personal de servicio excelente , Mary la camarera del lobby sobresalió ,amor puro, no había mucha variedad en la comida y de sabor pésimo todos cogimos diarreas y vómitos , creemos que fue por alimentos o agua .

Family

8/10

Excellent

08 May 2026

Joseph

I had a nice time at this resort. The staff were really friendly and attentive, especially the bartenders in the main lobby and at the pool.

8/10

Excellent

07 May 2026

Norma

Bar staff and waiters amazing! I do recommend that when the waiters approach tables to introduce themselves and provide a lil guidance of menu. Front of house restaurant staff need a lil help with attitude especially the Japanese restaurant. She would leave the front unattended for long periods of time then come back like it was a bother to see all those people up front. My room was nice just the odor that was coming from the toilet I wished my room smelled like the bathroom in the lobby. Beach not my favorite with the dark sand and dry trees nearby with all the vendors ready to pounce once you set foot on the sand. The pools were great never crowded with people. The pool with the bar you gotta give that staff all their props they work in that heat plus the amount of bees is not for the weak. With the conditions they still provided great service with a smile. The 24 hour lounge should provide board games, cards, remotes to change the tvs or even access to music. Great space just not enough to do in it. I would definitely return. They should definitely set up rooms with plug ins or the scents they have in lobby bathroom. Remove coffee machines they smell like stale coffee.

Friends

8/10

Excellent

05 May 2026

Marilyn

Much to love, with some exceptions. The hotel and grounds are very beautiful and very well maintained, with gorgeous views of the ocean, surrounding mountains, and lush foliage. The room was lovely and very clean. One of the best aspects of this resort is the staff! They were consistently warm, friendly, and eager to accommodate any request! It's easy to feel very spoiled by their attentive and engaging presence! Thank you Monica for creating this culture among your wait staff!! You're wonderful! When the main buffet restaurant opens its doors for dinner, the staff are lined up on two sides and applaud the guests as they enter!! Loved it! The food in the main restaurant was extremely diverse, plentiful, and mostly delicious. We did not enjoy the one specialty restaurant we tried - Japanese. We had great massages, enjoyed some shopping, both in the hotel stores and the beach market. Would have enjoyed more entertainment options. There was a fantastic violinist and sax player though, which we enjoyed. While we loved the pools, the beach has dark sand and is not inviting. The waterpark is cute for kids, but limited for adults. We did one waterslide which was quite an unpleasant experience - very hot and claustrophobic inside. I would give this hotel a 4.5 rating if I could. We had a great time, despite the few exceptions mentioned.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 May 2026

Joe

Excellent resort

8/10

Excellent

04 May 2026

Trinton

Everything was so beautiful and well taken care of. Staff was friendly and helpful. Very happy with our experience here!

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

04 May 2026

Mathis

Les pi

10/10

Exceptional

04 May 2026

Tassia

Everything and Everyone was Amazing!

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

04 May 2026

Sonia

The pools were clean, staff was great. The property needs lots of updates. Only had one working elevator. The door to the room was getting stuck opening and closing. The ceiling fan was making a terrible noise when turned on. Room was hot without the use of fan. The toilet room smelled of urine not sure if the seal around toilet needed to be redone.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

03 May 2026

Tony J

Would definitely return

10/10

Exceptional

03 May 2026

Marlene

It was wonderful to have a few pool loction choices. You could select a quiet area or sit near the swim up bar and be in the center of all the action. The staff made every effort to meet your needs and keep everyone entertained.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

01 May 2026

Idanis

The resort was very clean, easy check in and out, the staff were very welcoming, the entertainment team really made my experience even more enjoyable.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

01 May 2026

Naresh

The staff was exemplary helpful, room was great, restaurant and buffet was excellent, but the liquor they served wasn't good, the shows was pretty amazing at night, we took all the tours highly recommend Mario's for touring and sightseeing awesome Atv's experience the guys were amazing...overall was an amazing experience, loved it 😀 would go again 😀.

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

30 Apr 2026

kinsley

I found that they could have more quality bed and pillow. The AC was also not the best. The have a wonderful staff but they net need to upgrade in the comfort

Self

10/10

Exceptional

29 Apr 2026

Ivette Stefanakis

It’s was wonderful wasn’t a true adults only

10/10

Exceptional

29 Apr 2026

Jen

The pools were wonderful!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

29 Apr 2026

Faith

Had a great 45th Birthday 🎂 I would stay there again.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Apr 2026

David Lee

Riu Palace, Costa Rica - Resort was very beautiful and in a good location. We've stayed at many all-inclusive resorts and I'd say the food here was above average. They even cooked Red Snapper and Mackerel that we caught and it was amazing! We took walks on the beach and saw several Monkeys, iguanas and many different birds. Great clean pools. Some drinks were a little weak, but if you asked, they had better alcohol under the counter. I really have no complaints.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

26 Apr 2026

Simona

The room was outdated, smelling old, but clean. They are planning a remodel later this year. Restaurants, bars, pools and grounds were excellent! There are chaise lounges on the beach, but no umbrellas. A few trees offer shade, but are mostly overtaken by local vendors who have “shops” there. The staff was wonderful, trying to accommodate every wish we had.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

25 Apr 2026

James

Beautiful, expansive property.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

24 Apr 2026

Terra

Pool was ok. Room was falling apart- Celing fan made horrible noise. Asked to fix it or move us and they turned to low and said that’s good. Only 2 working elevators in whole property and used by staff as well as guests. Staff was mostly nice. We were put in a room above the kitchen near the stage and it was always loud. TVs didn’t work properly as if connected to antenna but showed frozen screens for many channels. Only BBC channel in English. We were told they are refurbishing soon. I hope it gets better for the next people. Restaurants not amazing buffet not kept at safe temperatures. We Love bees but they were overwhelming at the pool bar.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

23 Apr 2026

patti J

Nice place ! A little outdated but they are renovating soon! Staff was excellent!! The food was ok! .

Partner

8/10

Excellent

23 Apr 2026

Virgilio

All the staffs of the facilities are courteous, friendly, and most of all helpful. My spouse celebrated her birthday milestone, Salvador at the front desk and Dinia the housekeeper and Sheryl R. of Online Customer Service and Juan the supervisor from Papagayo restaurant are instruments to make all my request for the celebration of my wife’s birthday fulfilled to the notch. The whole place is clean and tidy. Plenty of food choices of food and cocktail drinks throughout the day. The rooms might need some renovation, like electronics outlets connection otherwise beds are comfortable to sleep. Overall our seven days vacation are remarkable. Thank you

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

22 Apr 2026

Damien

My room had ants in them and the faucet knobs were broken. The staff was very kimd but the food was not very good.

Partner

4/10

Poor

21 Apr 2026

karroll

The resort is extremely outdated

6/10

Pleasant

19 Apr 2026

Joshua

The place looks very nice from the outside but the room are cheap, bed slide all
Over the place, cheap plastic patio furniture, the shower had leaks along with the overhead shower head being off and shooting in all directions. Room
Service was a 2 out of 10, with sandwhich that I made when I was 5 . Pool was nice, entertainment was good. Dennis wore good a staff was good. Room was not good .

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Apr 2026

Jason

Amazing vacation. The sister hotel next to the palace was renovated and absolutely stunning. But very crowded! The Palace had half the amount of people. Top shelf drinks. A few less food options. But you can go to other hotel for breakfast and lunch. The beach was awesome- different than the white Caribbean we usually go to. But an easy 1 mile walk from point to point and seeing / feeding the monkeys made this trip unforgettable. Take water shoes! We are planning to return with our kids once the palace is renovated. They were starting in May of 2026.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Apr 2026

Stevan

Staff throughout were amazing, especially hard working restaurant staff and pool bartenders and servers.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

18 Apr 2026

Karin

The Palace is outdated, the decor of the rooms and the lobby is awful. Renovation is scheduled for August. The grounds are well maintained, pool area clean and the restaurants are kept clean. The workers are all very friendly and there to make the guests very comfortable. Servers and bartenders are helpful and nice. Entertainment staff is great, energetic and fun.
We did a river cruise, which was fun. We saw a lot of alligators and monkeys, although we saw more monkeys next to the hotel. Take a stroll to the left on the beach to where the sign for the Monkey bar is. Walk into the jungle, there are a lot of white faced monkeys there.
We wanted to go snorkeling, they try to sell you the catamaran cruise, includes alcohol and fruit, but who needs that when you're staying at an all inclusive? We ended up on a 3 hour snorkeling tour, but visibility was bad.
Overall, the hotel is comfortable, the food incredible and lots of fun for no longer than a week.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

17 Apr 2026

Sherrie

We were very pleased with the amenities, the service, and the food. It was close to the Diamante Eco Park, which we really enjoyed.

8/10

Excellent

16 Apr 2026

Brooke

Outdoor facilities were great. Rooms are dated, left much to be desired. Staff was great. Drinks were plentiful. Food was a B-. Shows were okay. A lot less busy than the Riu next door which was nice. The waterpark was good but no food and drinks were limited. March is hot…like 95-105 hot so be prepared.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

16 Apr 2026

Juan

Pool was great, strange that we have to have cards to get towels and make sure we don't misplace them. Breakfast buffet was AMAZING. Fresh fruits, local foods, typical foods, I had never seen such a large buffet, it was amazing! Food in all restaurants was wonderful, the coffee bar was amazing, plenty of chairs around the pool. Beach was kind of far away and never really came in to play for us

Family

10/10

Exceptional

16 Apr 2026

Yarden

Excellent food and staff. Rooms are a bit dated and could be cleaner but they are doing a full Reno end of summer this year. Will definitely return!!!

10/10

Exceptional

16 Apr 2026

APSARA

GREAT STAFF

Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

14 Apr 2026

Lashel

The rooms upon arrival need to be inspected. I had to room change multiple times, 1st room was dirty and the 2nd room had a broken tv with no tube curtain. They did come quickly to address the issue with the TV, however after traveling over 8 hours and multiple trips to the front desk more than an apology was expected. The bar, pool and restaurant staff were very pleasant. The food could use an overhaul and update the entertainment. Transportation should also be provided or at least cheaper than the airport service.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

13 Apr 2026

Ricardo

Our family had a great time at RIU Palace. The staff is amazing! We made many new friends there!

6/10

Pleasant

11 Apr 2026

Richard

Pool was great, the hotel was old, needed reno's

Partner

4/10

Poor

09 Apr 2026

Kerri

The room wasn’t clean, it was old and rundown. Although the hotel was not affiliated with the jet ski companies on the beach, they did not warn us about them either. My daughter and another friend were injured on one of their faulty jet skis.

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

08 Apr 2026

Ricardo

The rooms need alot of work. The rooms are not only outdated but they need maintenance. Alot of broken things in the bathroom for example like the glass tiles, outlets, towel hanger by the balcony etc. Our room smelled humid, my clothes left with that smell. We had 3 rooms reserved in the hotel and all 3 rooms looked as bad. Food was amazing!!!! The hotel not only has quantity but quality and the staff was so attentive! Entertainment was great! I give this hotel a 3.5 because of how the rooms looked and how outdated the hotel looks compared to the other side. Also I recommend to add a few more beach chairs by the beach area. We definitely want to come back but stay of the other side of the hotel, it was so much nicer than the side we stayed in. We love Costa Rica!

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

08 Apr 2026

Willians

The rooms need alot of work. The rooms are not only outdated but they need maintenance. Alot of broken things in the bathroom like the glass tiles, outlets, towel hanger by the balcony etc. Our room smelled humid, my clothes left with that smell. We had 3 rooms reserved in the hotel and all 3 rooms looked as bad. Food was amazing!!!! The hotel not only has quantity but quality and the staff was so attentive! Entertainment was great! I give this hotel a 3.5 because of how the rooms looked and how outdated the hotel looks compared to the other side. Also I recommend to add a few more beach chairs by the beach area.

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

07 Apr 2026

Andrew

The restaurant seating system is the worst I’ve seen. You have to line up at 5:10 to even get a table at any point that night. Old school magnetic stripe room keys frequently de-magnetize. Rooms are dated. Staff is great.

10/10

Exceptional

07 Apr 2026

Jill

Everything was great but there were ants in the room which were worse when it rained.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

06 Apr 2026

Theresa

The internet is not good.
The rooms are old with a bathtub in the middle of the room

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

05 Apr 2026

Todd Charles

This is our 3rd time going back to this resort! We love it!

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

05 Apr 2026

Ryan

Everything worked as it should, property could just benefit from an update.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

05 Apr 2026

Michael

Met and exceeded expectations

Family

8/10

Excellent

05 Apr 2026

Christopher-Edd

Overall, it was a good stay. Although there was a mild, stinky smell in the room, it was tolerable. I would appreciate it if staff members smiled as they passed guests. Only one key card was provided per room, and it frequently demagnetized, making it difficult to enter the room and requiring multiple trips to the front desk to reactivate it. I would like two-card access, as it's standard at other hotel and resort properties. Overall, a good stay.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

04 Apr 2026

Naja R

The room wasn’t up to date. The furniture was older, had visible old stains, the bathroom had no ventilation, and the lights over the shower didn’t work.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

04 Apr 2026

Thomas

Overall we had a good stay at the Hotel Riu Palace Costa Rica. As with most places, there were good things and not so good things about our stay.

We booked here instead of at the adjacent Riu Guanacaste because it was our belief that this was the more luxurious hotel and because we could use the amenities of the adjacent resort as well. In hindsight, we found ourselves thinking we should have stayed at the Riu Guanacaste because it had been recently renovated and looked really good whereas the Riu Palace Costa Rica is due for some major work and was looking a bit dated overall, especially in the rooms.

The rooms were comfortable; nice bed, good shower and water pressure, just some of the furniture was noticeably old and worn.

The pool/pools were nice with plenty of lounge chairs but not a lot of shade available during the day and the towel shack would regularly run out of towels. They could use at least one more pool-adjacent set of bathrooms too. The beach was marvelous. It was definitely our favorite place to be. Service both poolside and at the beach was excellent.

The restaurants were all good. No reservations for the specialty restaurants so make sure you're there early if you want the early seating!

The bottom line is that the Riu Palace Costa Rica is good, but not great. I think when they renovate the property it will go a long way to making the place feel like the upgrade from the Riu Guanacaste that it's supposed to be.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 Apr 2026

Vladlen

Overall we liked it. Staff was great. Pools were clean and nice and not overcrowded even though it was during a spring break. Food is great the only problem is that the hotel rooms need an upgrade. Rooms outdated and furniture inside the rooms is old. Beach and water is nice but garbage from the beach needs to be cleaned regularly.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

03 Apr 2026

Shawn Allister

Exceptional staff and meals. Rooms were a little outdated / tired but overall, definitely recommend.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

03 Apr 2026

TRACY LEE

Hot tub wasn’t working. Pool area was nice , rooms were clean but out dated . Staff was excellent. Food was good . Needs less steps to pool area and needs another elevator.

Partner