Name: Riu Palace Costa Rica - All Inclusive
Address: Playa Matapalo- Sardinal, Sardinal De Carrillo, CR

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jul 2026

Sherley

Staff were very kind, nice. Hotel’s rooms very clean and food was great 10/10.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

19 Jul 2026

Ruben

Limpieza excelente, el staff excelente, la comida aceptable, pero, en el buffet deben abastecer la comida.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jul 2026

Kayla

The beach was definitely not as expected. Lot of solicitors that will constantly nag you. The property can definitely do better with cleaning up their beach area.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

16 Jul 2026

Jiby purathoottu

Service is sub-par, but Great Property.
Great/huge Property, grounds and common areas are metallically maintained. However rooms & service are sub-standard!!! We stayed here for a week and complained about the room and AC the whole time without any action taken by management and instead given excuses. Found out that the cheaper/adjacent Riu Guanacaste resort was more renovated and had more updated look.

Pros: Huge property, all the usual amenities, Food is good, Drinks are good, Staffing is slim, but very polite.

Cons: 1) Rooms are outdated and poorly maintained- AC barely worked during our stay and had ants in the bedroom throughout 2) Other than buffet styles, the upscale dinner venues does not give advanced reservations, and instead, must wait in line daily to try to get a seat that day (first come/first serve basis, which could be up to 1hour before opening, if you want to get a seat, depending on how crowded it is) 3)Gym staff are not friendly/helpful 4) very little effort provided to organizing group activities and night time entertainment for guests.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

16 Jul 2026

Errol McKenzie

We had a great stay overall at the RIU Costa Rica and would definitely recommend it. The buffet was one of the highlights of the trip, especially breakfast and dinner. There was a great variety of fresh food every day, and we looked forward to every meal. The pools were beautiful, centrally located, and just a short walk from our room. We also appreciated that the gym and spa were nearby. My fiancée enjoyed both her spa treatment and getting her hair braided, and both experiences exceeded our expectations.

Another standout was the Destination Services team located at the resort. They helped us book two incredible excursions that included zip lining, a mud bath, seeing sloths, a lazy river, and several other amazing experiences. Everything was well organized, and it made exploring Costa Rica incredibly easy.

The staff was friendly, welcoming, and helpful throughout almost our entire stay. The only area that could be improved was the check-in experience. We felt a little rushed, weren’t given a resort map, and the mobile app wasn’t properly connected to our room credentials, so it wasn’t very useful at first. Fortunately, the staff quickly helped us resolve the app and Wi-Fi issues, and everything went smoothly after that.

Overall, we had a wonderful vacation and would absolutely consider staying here again. The excellent food, convenient layout, friendly staff, and memorable excursions made this a fantastic experience.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

14 Jul 2026

Pravin

No ac working on many parts
Staff is a great
Less activity at nights

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

14 Jul 2026

Dwayne

Don’t plan on using the beach at this resort. No chairs no bar service at all. The sand is like mud and you have to deal with people constantly trying to sell you something.

Friends

2/10

Poor

13 Jul 2026

David Lee

Did not expect hotel riu to be as bad as it was.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

13 Jul 2026

Ronzel

The Rui Palace was a nice place to visit. Visit Week of July 6th 2026.
Pros:
-Great staff, very friendly
-Daily room cleaning
-Room was available 1 hour early
-Beautiful pool area
-Nice nightly shows/bands
-Tasty snacks in the lobby, bar area

Cons:
-Dated interior
-Rooms had a humid, light moldy smell but was tolerable
-Food was average at best, first come first serve, so although we stayed for a week, we missed one restaurant due to capacity
-Occasionally in the early morning, had a slight sewage smell outside near pool area

Overall give it 4 out of 5 stars
Ella

Family_with_children

2/10

Poor

12 Jul 2026

David

Overall, I would rate our stay at Rio Palace a 2/10. For the premium price, the level of comfort and service was far below expectations. Our room lacked a shower door or privacy curtain (there was evidence one had been installed previously), and many fixtures appeared damaged — not suitable for a family sharing a room. We also encountered ants and cockroaches. Dining was disappointing: although there are several on-site specialty restaurants, you cannot make reservations and must queue before they open (around 5:00 p.m.), often waiting 30 minutes just to secure a table; the food in these venues was mediocre. The buffet was better but also required waiting in line. Noise is a major issue — long echoing corridors amplify slamming doors and running guests, and staff walkie-talkies are routinely turned up loud, with announcements from early morning until late at night. Having stayed at many luxury all-inclusive resorts, I rank Rio Palace at the bottom: the property’s large size means thousands of guests competing for services, frequent lines, and an overall subpar experience.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

11 Jul 2026

Chelsea

The property is very run down and is set to close in August for a full renovation and it shows. If you are looking for a place to stay full time for a week this likely isn’t the place for you however if you are looking for a place that you are just stopping through along your journey it will likely work for you.

The restaurant situation is not ideal. You have to line up before 5 pm if you want to get a spot at the speciality restaurants. If you are okay with buffet style they have lots to offer and the food is decent.

If you are debating between booking the Palace vs. The regular Riu I would suggest skipping the palace and going to the other side that has been recently renovated and more modern with more lively entertainment.

The views from the beach and Monkeys to the left are outstanding to see.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jul 2026

Ale

Beautiful, staff extremely helpful and friendly, food was great. Amazing for families!

Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

11 Jul 2026

Jeremy

We stayed here for 3 nights. The grounds of the resort are excellently maintained and beautiful then sadly you go back to your room. The rooms are terrible. They are extremely dated. The purple looks like something out of Austin Powers. The paint is chipping of the walls, doors and cabinets. The doors an cabinets look like they have just been painted over for years. The shower has a purple glass bock wall and the glass blocks were full of cracks. The TV was the size of a computer monitor. The beds are full size and when you get a \"king\" bed they just push the two full size beds together. We had a \"family suite\" which was just two, very poorly connecting rooms with one room having two fulls and the other having the massive, pushed together king. We are a family of 6 and couldn't even sleep in the two rooms without a extra pull out and one child sleeping in the massive bed with us because the full size beds couldn't even sleep two children. Regarding the food, it was ok. Buffet food was average buffet quality. The restaurants were better than the buffet but getting the food out took forever. Same with ordering drinks in the restaurants. If you ordered a bar it was fast but if you ordered at the restaurant it would take 20 min+. I would NOT stay here again! I don't know how this is given 5 stars but it shouldn't be.

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

09 Jul 2026

Ann

The resort was very clean and well maintained.
Room: a jacuzzi in the entrance of the room-weird.
Dining:The long lines and wait for the restaurants. There was no reservation option. Plus the food was bland and the drinks watered down.
Entertainment was lacking.

Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

08 Jul 2026

Blanca

No restaurants with air conditioning. Steak house is open with no A/C first dinner i was eaten up by mosquitoes. Very hot and humid, no where to cool down but your room. Do not recommend will not stay here again. Had to wait in line for all restaurants including buffet. No amenities at the pool, had to wait an hour for drinks by the time they arrived ice was melted. Sink stoppers in room did not work had to pull them out. Staff not friendly, I can go on and on …, I do not recommend.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jul 2026

Amir

Some old stuff needs replacement

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jul 2026

Nicole

The property was seemingly in the middle of a regular town. Which I found good but know there is no walking to other beaches. The staff was friendly and helpful. I have no complaints. I’m we found it quite enjoyable. And kudos to the nightly performers!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jul 2026

Kenneth Scott

We enjoyed our stay! The amenities and food options were great! Beach access and the monkeys were so fun.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

05 Jul 2026

Charles

There are several nice pools on the resort, but there are a few issues. Near each pool, there are several chairs that are shaded with large pergola type structures and some umbrellas. However, people start placing their towels on the shaded chairs early in the day which makes it hard to find shade near a pool. people block off multiple chairs and often never use.

There is only one bathroom near any of the pools, and it is not a short walk. In the men's bathroom, there was only one urinal working. The pool with the swim up bar was always crowded - and I'm not sure anyone exited to use the bath room. This is a large resort, and one bathroom for multiple large pools, used by hundreds of adults and small children, seems unsanitary.

Our room was OK, and I would give cleaning a C+. However, our ceiling fan was not balanced and therefore very noisy. Also there is a very large floor lamp in the room that did not work. In the center of the room was a large bathtub - which seemed useless. However, the tub was very stained and a large metal piece of the faucet was loose and lying in the bottom of the tub. It had sharp edges and was never fixed

We left daily tip in the room and typically did not have issues getting extra water. However, we left early one day for an excursion, and only one bottle of water was left in the room

The food at the Palace was a mixed bag. The Italian restaurant was our favorite, and we never had a problem getting in.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jul 2026

Tyzhe

Loved it

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jul 2026

Toshiro

The property, the rooms, the restaurants were all what we expected it t be for a resort. The staff was not only friendly, but very responsive to any and all needs that arose during our visit. The food at all of the restaurants was fresh, well prepared, and delicious. A nice bonus was being able to enjoy the food and amenities at their sister property, RUI Guanacaste. We will definitely recommend RIU Palace, and will absolutely stay there again.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jul 2026

Eileen

I came with my mother for a quick gateway, we had a fantastic time. Can’t wait to come back with the rest of the fam’

Family

6/10

Pleasant

02 Jul 2026

Doug

The non-room facilities for great. We hung out at the various pools most days, along with spending several hours each day down in the ocean. The beach was nice. You should expect to be solicited constantly on the walk from the pools to the beach though. T-shirts were cheap but the constant solicitation can be annoying. One of our kids really enjoyed the waterslides. Restaurant options were great and the food varieties were perfect for my family of 5, especially 2 picky eaters. We also enjoyed the 24hr Lounge for snacks, beverages, and watching the World Cup. The main feedback we would give is regarding the rooms. They appear to be in desperate need of an update. It felt \"cheap\", \"worn out\", and \"sterile\". We had a 3 night/2 day stay. Check In/Out was simple. I found Riu Palace on deal through Expedia. It was a great time, but I would probably try a different resort next time.

Family_with_children

2/10

Poor

01 Jul 2026

Rosa

I rarely leave negative reviews, but I feel future travelers should know what to expect.

We specifically booked this resort expecting a luxury experience, but unfortunately it was one of the biggest disappointments of our trip. The room was extremely outdated and had a strong musty, damp smell that never went away. It honestly felt like the room needed a complete renovation.

The biggest frustration was that we learned the neighboring RIU Guanacaste has been fully remodeled, while this property has not. After seeing the difference, we wished we had booked there instead.

While the grounds, beach, and pools are beautiful, the accommodations simply don’t match the price being charged. The food was also very inconsistent—some meals were decent, but many lacked flavor and variety. For a resort of this caliber, we expected much better.

I do want to recognize the staff. Most employees were friendly, courteous, and worked very hard. They were one of the few highlights of our stay.

Unfortunately, friendly staff couldn’t make up for an outdated room, the persistent musty odor, and an overall experience that didn’t meet our expectations.

If you’re considering this resort, I highly recommend comparing it with the neighboring RIU Guanacaste before booking. Based on our experience, I would choose the Guanacaste every time.

We came to celebrate my son’s 13th birthday and were hoping for a memorable family vacation. While we made the best of it, the accommodations were disappointing.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

30 Jun 2026

MAURICE

Thumbs up

Partner

8/10

Excellent

30 Jun 2026

Michael

Pool bar was awesome! Staff was amazing and the entertainment was great as well!

Family

8/10

Excellent

29 Jun 2026

Rafael

El hotel está bien pero falta un poco de vida , más música en el lobby y cuando terminan de tocar una banda que pongan música grabada al menos .
Faltan más actividades en el área de la playa .
Creo que pueden usar más la creatividad en varias áreas .

Family

8/10

Excellent

28 Jun 2026

Jessica

Great all inclusive vacation ! Staff was excellent and friendly !

Family

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