Riu Palace Costa Rica

Our experience at the Riu Palace was above average. The staff was friendly, helpful and always available. The accommodation was comfortable and very clean. The food was superior. All the amenities were great, i.e. pools, beach, restaurants, bars, etc... were excellent. The only small negative was the heat, with mid day temperatures in the mid thirties which is probably normal for the month of April. However, lots of a/c places on the resort to avoid the heat if necessary. [Details]

We loved this resort. Staff are genuinely friendly, the resort inside and out was always clean, the food was great, atmosphere was relaxed. As it was my birthday while we were there I took advantage of a 'Stress Cure' 80 minute massage at the Spa and just loved it! When I returned to the room there was a birthday note and cheese plate waiting. We didn't want to leave but absolutely want to return another time. [Details]

Great resort! Loved the service, food! [Details]

Riu Palace is built to offer many units with full or partial ocean views. [Details]

The resort ws good and the food was good. Staff are great. Lots of food options. Service is outstanding. Entertainment was good. [Details]

Just got back from Costa Rica and stayed at the Riu Palace with my family of 11 people. Was expecting rain every day and am happy to say it didn't rain at all, only during the night. The hotel was beautiful. The food was amazing in the buffet. It was hard to get into the restaurants because they didn't take reservations. You had to get in line and all people in your group had to be there for them to let you in. The pools were great and the poolside drinks just kept on coming. [Details]

Need to be more cautious of room cleaning, upon our arrival thier were some turn offs, the room was beautiful but the coffee maker had old grounds in the filter, the toilet would not flush, the A/C was not working, the mini fridge was always warm. Everything except for the cooler was rectified with a phone call but we could never have a cold drink in our room. [Details]

We were absolutely smitten with this place as soon as we arrived. So clean, so beautiful and so friendly.
We would come back any day! [Details]

Very good place to stay. Nice and clean with friendly staff. Always willing to accommodate. [Details]

this place is amazing! very well kept, the staff were perfect. everything about it was wonderful . not one complaint [Details]

We loved our stay at Rio Palace. The food was amazing with lots of choices of where to eat. The staff were friendly and helpful. Plus there were many of them so there was never a wait. The place was spotless. [Details]

The resort was gorgeous. Beautifully kept grounds and common areas. The rooms were a bit dated in decor and could have been cleaner. However the shower was large, nice hot wAter and good pressure. Food was fantastic, only ate at the buffet because it was so good and varied.
Staff were really nice. Drink service at the pool. Always attentive. [Details]

The Riu Palace is a beautiful hotel with many walking trails in the jungle with monkeys, birds, Agoutis, etc. They have lots of eating options and a really good drink selection with top shelf liquors at all the bars. The rooms are spacious but are a bit run down. Beds are comfy, shower is perfect with lots of hot water, a rain shower and good water pressure. We ate at the steak house twice and the first time it was really good the second time three of us got some sort of food poisoning. Still sick at home several days later. That being said, it can happen at any resort but we are glad it didn't happen on day one or our vacation would have been ruined. Not much of a beach scene at the Palace with only a couple of people swimming each day. Our fridge was broken for three days and it took 5 calls to get it fixed. The grounds are meticulously maintained and beautiful. We would 100% return to this hotel. [Details]

Due to the numerous challenges with our airline carrier, we missed our first day. Upon check in, our rooms(2) were not what we expected. They were dated and and we had to call front desk for several issues. Other than this, we thought the common areas of the resort were lovely. We were frustrated with guests who used towels to save deck chairs for entire day. By 10 am, impossible to find a chair while 90% were vacant with only a towel. There should be a policy against this practice allowing everyone to use and enjoy the pool area. [Details]

This was a terrible hotel and certainly not worthy of a 5 star rating. It's beautiful on the outside and so are the grounds. However, the interior is extremely dated and a lot of things were broken or not working up to par. For example, the room fridge wasn't cold, the light switches did not work well, (you had to press very hard to get them to depress) the curtains in the room wouldn't close because the curtain rod was broken, the shower door wouldn't close all the way, the electrical outlets in the bathroom would not take my plugs until my son used his strength to push it in.

The Lobby bar closed every night at 11:50 and all of the lights in the Lobby were turned off forcing everyone to go to their rooms.

There was no hotel bar we could go to in the evening unless you went to the Disco off property which cost money.

Room service would not deliver beer to the room after the Lobby bar closed saying only the 3 that were put in the fridge in the morning were allowed.

The hotel shuttle service they offered fir the beach (at an extra cost) was not advertised correctly.
We went to use it on a Saturday to go to an excursion and we were told it's only during the weekday and must have a minimum of 6 people.

The food was terrible with the exception of the Buffet restaurant.

I will never stay at a Riu hotel ever again!

So over priced and over rated and not worth the money. It's also not a fun hotel. You go away on vacation with the expectation of staying up past midnight, not being forced to return to your rooms at 11:50 when all the lights go out and there is no bar service. [Details]

Overall the Riu Palace Costa Rica was very nice, the staff were great and very friendly. However, the only complaint we have is that the restaurants were not open hardly, maybe two or three nights out of the whole week. Also with the restaurants, we did not care for the two sitting times. If you are not there for the first sitting, you are not eating till 8:30 or 9:00 that night. We prefer making reservations, do you are not rushed. [Details]

Beautiful hotel grounds. Beautiful friendly people. Clean and food is very tasty. Beach is black sand but still beautiful . Lots of wildlife around. I would definitely go back there. Lourdes is the wedding coordinator. She is very professional and made our day extremely special. Thank you so much!!! [Details]

My husband and I just spent a lovely week at the Riu Palace Costa Rica. Our room was clean and comfortable. The pools were beautiful and kept clean. We mainly ate at the 4 restaurants and the food was good. Breakfast at the Arsenal buffet was also good. [Details]

We are from Canada. We just got home from your beautiful resort. Had a great time! I sure miss my omelette every morning from Randall. Housekeeping and groundskeepers were excellent. Shows were fun! Great Dancers! 2 weeks of Bliss. We would definitely come back. [Details]

First off, this was our second time to this resort. We initially travelled there just before the pandemic took over and we absolutely loved everything about this resort and location... we liked it so much that we booked another trip here almost immediately. As much as I still enjoyed my time here, I can't believe how downhill this location went in just a year.

The location and beaches are just beautiful and if you are willing to hike along the coast you can find some amazing places to swim, be alone and snorkel. The rooms were clean, the grounds were clean and just like last time the hotel staff were all very friendly.

We arrived on a Monday and were all smiles for the first few days... at least until the weekend came. On the weekends they allow locals to come to the resort and let me tell you... be prepared to wait. There were suddenly lines for everything, you couldn't get near the only swim up bar; half the time the food you wanted was completely out because they would absolutely load their plates. They were unbelievably loud in their room until all hours of the night and regardless of calling the front desk, no one cared! The pools were just packed, the beaches were full of cars and tents from locals and it grew frustrating very quickly.

The food was the exact same every single day and breakfast was just dinner re-served... runny gross eggs, never saw bacon, never saw breakfast potatoes... just loads of fajitas, onion rings, baked potatoes and pasta. Dinner was basically just a freshly served version of breakfast but at least it wasn't stale and tasteless.

The local vendors near the beachfront are annoying BUT they are not pushy and will leave you alone when you say "no" which I was fine with. A few were rude when they saw you doing something (jet skis for example) and would mock you for not using their equipment at their own prices... one even followed me telling me how his family will not eat now because of us.

Is this place nice? Yes.. would I recommend it? Yes and no. This is simply MY opinion and others may have no issues with the way things are there. I will gladly go back to Costa Rica but not to this place. [Details]

This was our first time in Costa Rica and I can say that we will be returning as soon as possible. The country is gorgeous, the resort was fantastic and the beach was exactly what we needed. [Details]

Requested front desk and room steward to have a task done in two separate rooms.
Was never completed by them. I ended up doing it my self in one room. Second room gave up on the request.

No late check out unless you are willing to pay $30 per person per hour that are in the room. Even for just an extra hour, you have to pay. A money grab. [Details]

We had an absolutely amazing vacation, the hotel staff were wonderful and the hotel is sparkling clean. The staff seem very happy and want to be there, which many guest mentioned that it is so nice to see. The shows were great, it was a nice way to spend your evening. We would totally recommend this hotel and we normally like to check out new place's but this one we would return. [Details]

This hotel was AMAZING !!! The staff were all very helpful and friendly. Pools were fantastic !! Food was delicious and there were tons of options at every meal. The room was clean and HUGE. Most of the nightly entertainment I didn't want to see end. I felt VERY comfortable and VERY included every single moment of my stay. [Details]

Peaceful sleeps, a great variety of food types, decent entertainment, safe and tranquil beach to swim and stroll. We had a great week with absolutely no complaints. Would definitely recommend it to friends back home and would possibly return one day (the world is so big and we must see more of it). Only small turbulence is the lack of a toilet near the swim up pool bar. One must walk over to the Steak restaurant. I'm sure management is fully aware of this and will one day remedy this. [Details]

This property is well situated with only an hour long ride from the Liberia airport which is small and easy to handle. Our first impression of the hotel was good. Staff is excellent and attend to your needs very well. It was my husbands birthday during our visit and they decorated the room for him. Drawbacks. Restaurants don't take reservations so it's a crap shoot if you get in. Very annoying. No bathrooms near the pool therefore people are using the pool as a bathroom. I got a bladder infection soon after arriving. $200 Dr bill. My husband did not like the alcohol. The Crown Royal was not the Crown we get in Canada. Sub standard. The rooms at the Palace are nice but the jacuzzi tub in the middle of the room is ridiculous. I'm sure no one uses it and I heard of people falling because of it sticking out into the room. No lights in the room after you close off the electricity. Very dangerous. My rating would be 3 of 5 [Details]

This is a very nice hotel with welcoming staff, great food and accomodations, cleanliness, and a 45 minute drive from the Liberia airport.

Check-in was smooth and prompt. Room was clean and tidy. Decor is quite dull with white throughout room and only a few touches of grey, black and purple, apparently Riu's colours... It really lacked character.

Flatscreen TV only had Spanish channels except for 1 American news channel and a French channel from France playing old movies.

Nice beach, soft dark coloured clean sand. No aqua socks required. Beach is around 1km long, surounded by beautiful small mountains - a wonderful view every day.

Good food for all meals.

Shows at night were pleasant and the staff works hard throughout the show, and throughout the resort.

Washrooms are lacking, with only a few locations throughout the entire resort. For the entire beach area and all the pools, one location, a walk away, at the lunch-time buffet location.

The shops have a lot of interesting things, But Extremely Overpriced. Excessive. Hotel should adjust pricing and they will sell a lot more to happy guests!

Overall, a great place and recommended location. [Details]

the staff at the hotel were very friendly and went out of their way to help in any needed, the hotel itself was very clean, I saw people always keeping the hotel grounds tidy and spotless of litter The rooms were very spacious we had a balcony and a large jet tub and a huge shower that honestly 6 people could fit in there, overall great experience. [Details]

Costa Rica is beautiful. We went for our honeymoon. The staff are great and friendly. Everyone was very helpful if you had a question. Quite resort. We weren't expecting it to be that quite. Not much going on. For what we paid we were not very impressed. We have a bunch of friends that stayed in the same resort and loved it so I guess it's a personal preference. I thought the Rui guanacasta located beside was nicer than the palace. We spent a lot of time at the other resort. [Details]

We very much enjoyed our stay at this hotel. Great service, great food. Enjoyed both excursions. Would like to see washrooms closer to the beach. [Details]