Riu Palace Jamaica - All Inclusive - Adults Only

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

5037 reviews

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  Great people, nice experience

  We had the pleasure of traveling to the Riu Palace Bavaro in Punta Cana a year ago, which is why we chose Riu Palace Jamaica for a family trip in March 2026. First and foremost, the people at this resort are wonderful. Check-in was quick and seamless, and the staff throughout our stay were friendly and hardworking. That said, the resort itself feels quite dated, though we heard renovations may begin later this year. Wi-Fi across the property was very inconsistent, regardless of location. The pools were very nice, with plenty of chairs available at all times of the day. Towels, however, became an issue when it rained. The beach was clean and well-maintained, and the beach service staff did a great job staying attentive and working hard. Bar service overall was very good. D’Andre at the Aqua Chill Out Beach Bar stood out as our favorite. Dining was average overall. The Elite restaurant, while small, offered above-average food—the lobster was outstanding. The Italian restaurant was our second favorite. One inconvenience: they do not serve mixed drinks, so you have to walk to the main lobby bar to get them. We saw many guests doing this, and it feels like there could be a better solution. The buffet was typical for an all-inclusive, with friendly staff. The sports bar experience was disappointing. During our stay, they did not have access to major U.S. channels like ABC, NBC, CBS, or Fox. We were told this was due to being in a “third world country,” though other off-resort locations we visited did not seem to have the same issue. This was particularly frustrating with March Madness happening during our trip. The spa experience was also underwhelming. Guests at the Palace must use the spa facilities at neighboring resorts—either Riu Reggae or Riu Montego Bay. Neither offered the type of amenities we’ve experienced at other Riu properties (such as a full spa pool). We chose the Reggae spa, and the experience felt disorganized. Booking through the app was confusing, requiring payment before confirmation. Upon arrival, we asked about amenities like a steam room, hot tub, and sauna. There was no sauna, the hot tub was not working, and the steam room required temporarily closing the men’s locker room to use it. The waiting area was very small and located right in front of the check-in counter. While the massage itself was good and the therapist was very kind, the overall experience felt more like a budget spa than what you’d expect at a Palace-level resort. One of the appealing features of staying at a Riu Palace is access to neighboring resorts. However, getting between them wasn’t always convenient. The two options are walking along the beach or exiting the front of the resort. When it rains, neither option is ideal. Since the Palace does not have a proper stage for evening shows, we went to the Montego Bay resort most nights. On two occasions, heavy rain left us with no option but to pay for a taxi. The walkway to the Reggae resort, in particular, feels like you’re walking through a service or back-of-house area—there should be a more covered and guest-friendly path. Not all Riu experiences are the same. Despite some quirks and frustrations, we did enjoy our stay. The staff truly made the difference—so many of them were 10 out of 10, and their service is what made the experience memorable.

  Mar 23, 2026
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  Best 10 days in Jamaica

  An amazing experience and time at the palace. From the moment of arrival (and the welcoming drinks) the staff were the friendliest I've ever known. The front desk, the cleaners, shop assistants, garden workers all were a delight. The buffet and other restaurants were incredible and the food simply out of this world. Only slight problem was I didn't get the chance to try the Zen restaurant due to a booking error but other than that I can't fault them. Pool and beach area were fantastic and a mixture of fun and chilled out. Nothing is too far to walk to. The room was a little dated, but other than sleeping and getting ready why would you be in your room? A special mention to Audley, the breakfast and lunch server. He made our mornings with his impeccable service and is a true credit to the hotel. The highlight of the hotel has to be the entertainment team. Between DJ Unstoppable, Stringbean, Astro and Dinero they made every day a joy and the activities they put on were a great mixture of chilled games to cool pool games. However, Genius of the entertainment team was our favourite. Made the workout and aqua sessions a bright spot of our days and is a credit to the team and the resort. If anyone doesn't like it here then clearly the problem is with you and not the resort! 5 stars

  Mar 20, 2026
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  Title: Amazing Birthday Stay at Riu PalaceMontego Bay!

  Ignore the negative reviews—we had an amazing holiday! I visited for my birthday and found the hotel spotlessly clean with plenty of sun loungers available every day. While the rooms are slightly dated, they are very well-maintained. The food and drinks were plentiful, and booking restaurants via the app was seamless. A huge shout-out to the entertainment team and the wonderful staff; nothing was too much trouble for them. We also enjoyed the Bob Marley tour—it was very informative, though a bit pricey. Overall, a fantastic experience!

  Mar 04, 2026
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  Bit dated. Some exemplary staff. Thank you for welcoming me.

  Good. Bit dated in decor Shoot out to Jessica in the main bar. Exemplary service Jamel at aqua for her friendly and welcoming hospitality

  Feb 22, 2026
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  Couples trip to the Palace

  My husband and a group of friends (8 total) visited the Riu Palace in early February. We took the shuttle from the airport, which was seamless and only a 10-15 minute drive. The resort is in great shape, considering the devastating hurricane they endured months earlier! Our room was everything that we needed - our balcony overlooked the pool area and our fridge was stocked with beverages and water daily. Our room did smell like mildew, but with the fan on we were fine. It was nearly impossible to get a reservation at one of the restaurants for dinner. Most nights, 2 restaurants were closed. I'm not sure if that's a staffing issue or what, but my friends were able to work with the front desk to get 2 reservations for our group during our 5 night stay. The buffet was completely fine though - it offers a lot of variety and the staff is wonderful. They say to book right away via the app, but it showed no reservations for the entire week, so I suggest talking to the front desk. The pools always had chairs available so we didn't have to get up at the crack of dawn to reserve loungers. The pools were cold, but that's not at all out of the ordinary. Our weather was a bit chilly, so the pools would have been refreshing had the temps been hot as normal. The bartenders and wait staff poolside were very attentive. If you want to get any spa treatments, I recommend going directly to the spa (at Reggae) and booking there. I tried to book a massage on the app and never received a confirmation, so I talked to the desk attendant the day of my "appointment" and nothing was on their books. I was able to book and pay through the spa though, and the deep tissue massage was wonderful. Overall, we had a great trip despite the unseasonably chilly weather. You can't control the weather, and we made the most of it when the sun was out!

  Feb 18, 2026