Riu Palace Costa Rica - All Inclusive

Costa Rica , Pacific North Coast / Guanacaste
Sardinal De Carrillo, Playa Matapalo- Sardinal
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100 reviews shown

8/10

Excellent

28 Jun 2026

Jamar

The property was very nice, being my first time at a resort, and staff was excellent very kind helpful and genuine. Only improves I’d say are the sink drains in my room seemed to be partial clogged water went down pretty slow and mattress coulda been a little more comfortable but those are very minor things to improve on. They didn’t take away from me and my partners experience at all. Great place to visit I would 100% go back looking forward to visiting another RIU Resort in the future the next time the opportunity is presented.

Partner

2/10

Poor

27 Jun 2026

Hassane

This is a scam , misleading grading , 5 star palace but we got a 1 star motel , dirty , paint touch ups all the over the place , low quality food , amenities aren’t up to the standard , i filed a complaint to get my money back because this is theft , i have pictures and videos but this won’t let me show people so you don’t go and get upset and irritated

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jun 2026

Ahmed

Celebrated my birthday there , Just an amazing experience, overall just amazing. Great pools, amazing food, nice atmosphere, positive vibes, clean rooms, and the best staff i ever met in my life , they are very helpful, they help at anytime and really quick, They don't say NO or We can't Or those words, they're really there to help whatever makes you happy .. i would definitely recommend it and would definitely return back.

Friends

2/10

Poor

27 Jun 2026

Brooklyn

the rooms are terrible

Friends

4/10

Poor

26 Jun 2026

Elizabeth

Nor ckeab rooms, outdated

Family

8/10

Excellent

26 Jun 2026

Steven

Could be cleaner , good overall

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jun 2026

Krish

Absolutely Beautiful All Inclusive Resort and all the workers are very friendly and welcoming.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jun 2026

STEVEN L

I would highly recommend the Riu Palace. A wonderful stay and the staff was excellent. Food was great and plenty of room in the rooms and around the Resort. Any negative would be there are only one bathroom quite a walk from the pool area. Still give this resort and accommodations a full 5 Stars.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

26 Jun 2026

Diamond

Ocean view Suite, great views but room consistently had bugs in the bathroom shower area. Put in a work order for the bugs and after the order was complete it seemed to do nothing for the presence of bugs. Seemed like it was an issue with the door as placing a towel under the door helped keep the bugs out.
Resort grounds were well kept, very spacious, and beautiful!

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

24 Jun 2026

tushit

Very less vegetarian options, there is not even any Indian food items or very less vegetarian option. They have so many meat options. Other than other than that Everything else was good. Food was a main question.

Family_with_children

2/10

Poor

23 Jun 2026

Lamont

My room looked as if it was built in the 1800’s as the fixtures were rusty, the water barely came out of the shower, my beverages were not stocked, the food at the restaurants was terrible, it was my birthday and it was horrid. No good vegetarian selections for food. Sports bar food had bugs flying all
Over it so did the buffet so I barely ate.

Family

4/10

Poor

22 Jun 2026

Shafeza

I really wish someone would have said how horrible the food was! My family and I were not happy at all. Also for a resort there was really anything to do like the other RIU hotels:( Plus the third party people are complete rip offs!! I am so disappointed but I think the worst part was that Expedia said I would have a 780 resort credit and of course yet another let down!

Family_with_children

2/10

Poor

22 Jun 2026

Pamela

This resort was dirty and dated. They misrepresented their hotel.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

22 Jun 2026

Michelle

The staff was wonderful property could use some renovations but enjoyed myself

Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jun 2026

Elliott

The staff was very helpful and friendly. The rooms were clean and the view spectacular

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

20 Jun 2026

Ronald

Room was needs upgrades and maintenance tubs wasn’t really that clean sink was broke, last day found a bed bug in the bed definitely needs improvements

2/10

Poor

19 Jun 2026

AlpeshKumar

This resort was extremely disappointing and did not meet basic expectations for cleanliness, maintenance, amenities, or customer service. The property felt run-down and poorly maintained, and the overall experience was far below what I would expect from a resort.

One of the biggest concerns was the food service. The buffet areas appeared unsanitary, with flies and other insects around the food. Much of the food was left uncovered and did not appear to be properly monitored or maintained at safe temperatures. In addition, there were limited restaurant and dining options on-site. The restaurants did not accept reservations, so guests had to wait in line for as long as 45 minutes just to be seated. It felt as though the resort was intentionally pushing most guests toward the buffets instead.

Maintenance issues were also a major problem. At least two elevators were out of service for our entire weeklong stay. In our room, the toilet became clogged one morning, and despite calling the front desk at least four times over a four-hour period, the issue was not treated as a priority. We eventually had to go to the front desk in person and insist on a solution before we were finally given a different room.

The beach area in front of the resort was also poorly maintained and did not add much value to the stay. Overall, this resort was not worth the money. Based on our experience, I would strongly recommend choosing another property.

Family_with_children

2/10

Poor

19 Jun 2026

KRUNAL

This resort was extremely disappointing and did not meet basic expectations for cleanliness, maintenance, amenities, or customer service. The property felt run-down and poorly maintained, and the overall experience was far below what I would expect from a resort.

One of the biggest concerns was the food service. The buffet areas appeared unsanitary, with flies and other insects around the food. Much of the food was left uncovered and did not appear to be properly monitored or maintained at safe temperatures. In addition, there were limited restaurant and dining options on-site. The restaurants did not accept reservations, so guests had to wait in line for as long as 45 minutes just to be seated. It felt as though the resort was intentionally pushing most guests toward the buffets instead.

Maintenance issues were also a major problem. At least two elevators were out of service for our entire weeklong stay. In our room, the toilet became clogged one morning, and despite calling the front desk at least four times over a four-hour period, the issue was not treated as a priority. We eventually had to go to the front desk in person and insist on a solution before we were finally given a different room.

The beach area in front of the resort was also poorly maintained. Overall, this resort was not worth the money. Based on our experience, I would strongly recommend choosing another property.

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

19 Jun 2026

Daymaris

Rooms are outdated, everything is broken or falling apart, pool tiles were very moldy. I wasn’t expecting this for a Riu Palace.

Family_with_children

2/10

Poor

17 Jun 2026

Dana

The room smelled of mold and mildew and the a.c hardly blew. The ventilation in the room was horrible and almost nonexistent. Zero bathroom ventilation and it is open to the room. The keys are constantly malfunctioning. The beach has musty strangers coming up to you selling things. I had to tell a lady no three times. The food was very unappetizing. I left there literally throwing up and will never return.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

17 Jun 2026

Hema

Rooms are not updated as the Guanacaste side. Property is run down and not as clean.

Friends

8/10

Excellent

16 Jun 2026

NELIDA

The food was great. Rooms were outdated and had a smell.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

16 Jun 2026

Edwin Rafael

The location is beautiful, staff was wonderful but the hotel itself is well overdue for a makeover glad to hear that they are actually renovating the entire hotel during the fall and winter. Staff was amazing especially the staff that worked outdoors poolside entertaining and preparing meals and drinks. Special thanks to Edwin one of the poolside waiters who to extra care to learn everyone's name and favorite cocktails. Thank you again.

Family

8/10

Excellent

16 Jun 2026

Thaddee

Good hotel

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

15 Jun 2026

Leola Kentia

The resort is beautiful, with plenty of bars and activities to choose from. However, we had money stolen from our room, which was very concerning. When we reported it to the front desk, they only had us complete an incident report and never followed up, which was disappointing. I would strongly recommend using the safe for valuables.

Additionally, when we requested a refill for the minibar, which was already empty upon arrival, it was never restocked. On a positive note, the staff were very friendly throughout our stay.

Friends

4/10

Poor

15 Jun 2026

Jonathan

Rooms were full of mold. Smelled of mildew. The staff was kind and attentive.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jun 2026

Joseph

This was an awsome resort to visit. We went during the raining season and it was gorgeous. We will be going back again.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jun 2026

Marinna

The staff and food were great! It’s a beautiful property with a great selection of restaurants and activities. It’s due for a remodel which we heard is happening this year. We do wish that the beach belonged to the resort. You have beach access, but are met with lots of non resort vendors selling local goods including illegal things. That was a big turn off and I wish the resort could do something about it. Even my teenage son was offered stuff. Besides that, it was a memorable vacation and we will consider the Riu resorts in the future.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

14 Jun 2026

Rabie

The atmosphere and property were incredible upon arrival. The hotel is about a 40-minute drive from the airport, and the last 10–15 minutes were a bit rough due to uneven roads and potholes.

Check-in was quick and smooth, and the female staff member who assisted us was friendly and welcoming. We arrived with a rental car, but there were no outdoor staff available to help with our luggage to our 4th-floor ocean-view room, which would have been appreciated.

The room was neat and clean overall, but some higher shelves in the closet and shower area had noticeable dust and could use more attention. The pool was incredible and very well maintained. The restaurants and common areas were also clean and nicely kept, though the wait time for restaurant staff to assist with orders could have been better.

We are Deaf tourists and communicate well through writing. Some staff were unsure how to interact with us and responded verbally even after I asked questions in writing, so I had to remind them to write back. Better Deaf awareness and communication training would improve the experience.

Diamante Eco Adventure Park is adjacent to the hotel property and is a great bonus experience. It is about a 15-minute walk or less than a 5-minute drive from the hotel, which makes it very convenient.

Overall, despite a few areas for improvement, the stay was very worthwhile. We enjoyed the beautiful property, pool, ocean views, nearby adventure park, and great memories.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

14 Jun 2026

Carlos Alberto

Rooms always had ants and spiders. Sinks were Clough. Called maintenance and they never fixed any of the issues. The hotel very outdated. If Ill go again, I would stay other hotel next door. Just recently renovated and more organize.

Self

8/10

Excellent

13 Jun 2026

Darlin

The food was very good, and everything was wonderful. The room was also very nice

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jun 2026

Penelope C Jimenez

Great stay

Family

8/10

Excellent

13 Jun 2026

yelena

We enjoyed. Thank you for my daughter’ s bday decorations. It was big surprise and fun. Everyone was helpful and friendly. First room we stayed at was on the ground floor and we found many bugs in our room including a lizard. The staff were very accommodating and gave us a different room. Thank you.

Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

12 Jun 2026

David

Road from San Jose airport was trash. Road to resort not much better. Steak house took two hours to get our meals. Food in all restaurants was average at best. The bartenders at pool bar was only bright spot. We stayed at punts Cana Riu which was much better than the Costa Rica palace.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

12 Jun 2026

Brenda

Great trip with friends, beautiful rooms and property and the staff are awesome. Loved our stay.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jun 2026

Shelima

Love it

Partner

2/10

Poor

10 Jun 2026

Johnny

food was terrible, old worn-down resort!

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

10 Jun 2026

Regina

Our room was very outdated. The moment you open the door, the bath tub is in the middle of the room, just staring at you. Odd place for a tub. The rest of the resort was well kept.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

09 Jun 2026

Gisela

Staff very nice room not clean we found insects and cockroach in the room and walking in the bed try to change room the room they offer was worse so I tell to deep clean the room the food was blended the beach was nice but very hot and humid every day got sick I think from the drink from the pool I try to drink bottle water, everything is very expensive the road r very bad a lot pot hole they drive very slow, very nice and courteous people

Family

4/10

Poor

07 Jun 2026

Chad Louis

The only reason I rated more than 1 star is because of the staff. Everyone was very friendly and helpful.

We had to form a line in the heat outside at 5pm to make reservations to eat at any of the restaurants other than the buffet. Latest reservation was 8pm but you were often buzzed early. If you didn’t you could only eat at the buffet because most restaurants were booked due to the limited seating at each.

Very limited room service menu! Couldn’t order food at the pool! AC in the rooms would only bring the temperature down to about 75.

Steak house is not air conditioned. The night we ate there we had to wait from 5:00 till 6:15 to make a reservation to eat there at 7:30. It was 95F and everyone was soaked in sweat. When we ate it was 90F, limited menu of only five dishes.

Buffet would not be replenished with some foods. ie fruit at breakfast! Buffet had raw food and seafood that was not on ice. Temperature in the restaurant was above 85.

Snack section had very limited offerings that was the same all week.

Ice machines weren’t working for most of the week long trip. Only one Elevator working in the section of the hotel I stayed.

You can no longer eat dinner at the other resort that had a much bigger dinning area and large food selection.

If your room key came anywhere near your phone it would need to be reprogrammed. This happened more than I can remember.

All the entertainment was outside at night where it was very hot. Too hot to enjoy!

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jun 2026

Vladimir

Everything

Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

05 Jun 2026

Dulcelina

The resort is very pretty but need a lot updating

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jun 2026

Cynthia Anne-Rejman

Love this resort, stayed at this in Cancun too and will keep staying at these. The food is good, drinks are yummy and you can add an extra shot to make them stronger. Plenty of activities to stay busy or just relax. Locals at the beach sell cute cheap souvenirs and reasonable massage prices. Monkeys in the trees by the beach eat fruit from your hands in the mornings and they took a man's sunglasses off his head but they were too adorable to be mad at.

Friends

4/10

Poor

05 Jun 2026

Bianca

Staff members are very friendly and helpful. The dinner at Papago was delicious and the buffet breakfast was usually a hit. However, outside of those two options, the food was very disappointing. The hotel is sorely outdated and unfortunately isn’t well maintained. While the grounds and pools are beautifully well kept, the rooms themselves are not. There were pest issues in the rooms and a strong moldy oder. This resort has great potential but is in great need of renovations as well mold treatment.

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

05 Jun 2026

Jeana M

The rooms need to be updated, and the buffet needs some work. Half of our party of 13 ended up with food poisoning

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jun 2026

Charlene

Great place!

Family

6/10

Pleasant

04 Jun 2026

Maritza

Really nice people

Family_with_children

2/10

Poor

03 Jun 2026

Karl

This is not a 4-star resort as advertised. The room was dirty, the toilet leaked so it refilled every 10 minutes, the fan made a lot of noise and kept waking us up. One of the worst nights of sleep we have had in a hotel. The property was not maintained well. My wife found a bug crawling in the buffet food. We only stayed 12 hours at the resort and then left. We need a refund because we had to move to another resort. The food was not up to the level of a 4-star resort, and the resort is not a 4-star resort as advertised

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

03 Jun 2026

Shaza

The rooms are old and outdated. Staff are good. BUT can be unhelpful, need to take this opportunity to perhaps provide more training in costumer service

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