Riu Palace Tropical Bay - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

8639 reviews

• 

  Was good but not great

  Stayed from March 12-18th. This is the third RIU we have stayed at so we have a baseline of what to expect. With this being a RIU Palace, there were no wristband levels. But there wasn’t many alcohol choices either. We were also told they might introduce levels starting in 2027 so get ready for different wristbands and service levels. Here is our breakdown of the Pros and Cons. PROs -Front desk staff were nice and accommodating. Iesha was the best! - At the swim up bar, Andrew and Giovanni were great. They remember what you drink and Giovanni always had a smile on his face. - While on the beach, Judith was our primary server and she made the best drinks. She was attentive and always had a smile on her face. - The Italian restaurant was great. Good choices, and delicious flavors. - The room was nice. We upgraded from ocean view to ocean front for $180 USD total. With ocean view you get a partial view which wasn’t all that great. Beach: - The beach was great, always lots of chairs both in the sun and under the palm trees. - The water was warm and clear. - Beware if you walk north on the beach, you will come by the Couples Resort which had a nude beach. - Beach vendors: they would ask you to buy and if you said no thank you they would walk away other than the guys with the guitars who wouldn’t stop playing. - On the south side, you can go to beach vendors. Some were at good prices with negotiation, but we found better deals at the airport. -7 Mile beach: we took a taxi to 7 mile and walked up and down the beach. We also went to a souvenir shop and bought many things. Some we found at the airport cheaper (Jamaican rum for instance). We also felt our beach at our resort was just as nice as 7 mile. We went to Margaritaville and boy was everything expensive. We were there in the early afternoon and it started to get crazy as we left. CONs - Housekeeping would take all of our dirty towels we placed on the floor and would not replace them with clean ones. Had to request towels twice through the RIU app, and had to wait hours to get replacements. - Buffet for all meals was the same almost every day. For breakfast most of everything was in steam tables and was either cold or dried out. There was one omelet station that Michelle ran, and she was great. That was the only highlight. By the third day we were bored with the buffet. -Buffet servers: the ones who worked on the outside were great. The ones working inside, were rude and didn’t come around very often so we had to fend for ourselves. - Bar and beach drinks: we were drinking vanilla vodka with coke, and every afternoon the swim up bars would run out of the vodka and other spirits. When we asked for more, we were told there will be more tomorrow. Not sure why they couldn’t put more out. - Swim up bars: they were open from 10am to 6pm, but every day they started closing up the bar at 4:30. - Pool entertainment: while they tried to engage all of us in the pools, you could see the guys talking more to the younger female people. - Gift shop: it was tiny compared to the other RIUs we had been to. Almost all of the souvenirs were made in china. Everything was highly overpriced and most was under the Pier49 brand. - Fitness Center: it was really small and some treadmills and ellipticals were broken. If there were 10 people working out, you would be stumbling over each other. Was much smaller that other RIUs. - Nightly Entertainment: it really wasn’t great. Not a lot about Jamaica. The aquaballet was pretty good, except the RIU staff couldn’t get the PA system to work. - No onsite vendors: like other RIUs, there usually is a night a week where local vendors can set up and sell their goods. That didn’t happen here. - Evening theme nights: there wasn’t anything setup on the grounds, except for St Patrick’s Day, where they had a 6’ table setup with green drinks. Overall Impression: Everything was clean and kept up. The majority of workers you met were nice. The ones at the spa and serving inside the buffet were not. Entertainment was lacking each night. The beach was our favorite as it was quiet and the views were spectacular. Restaurants were okay, buffet was lacking for every meal. Recommendation: I only give 3 stars as the other RIUs in the Caribbean were so much better. We know for next year, we are going to try a different all-inclusive brand as we bet service and entertainment will be better.

  Mar 22, 2026
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  Ruined 40th Birthday – Terrible Service - items stolen. March 7th-14th room 5104

  ​I am writing to formally express my deep disappointment regarding my recent stay at Riu Palace Tropical Bay. My family and I visited from March 7th to March 13th (Room 5104) to celebrate my 40th birthday. Unfortunately, what should have been a milestone celebration was marred by hygiene issues, a lack of basic recognition, and unprofessional staff conduct. ​Room Maintenance & Hygiene The day before my birthday, our toilet overflowed. We notified the front desk and left the room for several hours to allow for repairs. Upon our return at 3:00 PM, the toilet had been fixed, but the room was in a disgusting state. Dirty towels covered in feces were left on the floor. It is unacceptable that no priority was placed on sanitizing a room after such an incident. ​Lack of Birthday Recognition Despite my husband notifying the hotel in advance, my birthday passed with no acknowledgement whatsoever. While I saw birthday banners and cakes provided to other guests, I felt completely ignored. ​Buffet Service & Tipping Culture We observed that service at the buffet was strictly dependent on tipping. On one occasion, I asked for a spoon for my 10-month-old son and was told they were "all put away," yet I immediately saw another server with a tray of clean cutlery. On our final day, while my husband and daughter were having breakfast, staff cleared the table while my husband went for seconds. In the process, his sunglasses were taken from the table. We did not realize they were missing until we were already on our way to the airport. Not to mention my middle daughter's new slippers went missing on the third day in the room! ​Unprofessional Checkout & False Accusations The most distressing part of our stay occurred during checkout. We were charged for a phone call we never made. We use only WhatsApp for international calls, and my husband slept next to the room phone every night. Despite our explanation, staff members were relentless and went as far as to call my husband a "liar." This level of hostility is completely unprofessional and embarrassing. ​Jamaica has always been our favorite destination, but this experience has left us with no desire to return to a RIU property. I expect a formal response regarding these matters, particularly the hygiene failure and the treatment we received during checkout.

  Mar 20, 2026
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  Another perfect stay!

  Yes…we had another perfect stay in Negril at the beautiful Riu Palace Tropical Bay. This trip was our sixth visit to this amazing property, perfectly located in the calmest, clearest bay in Negril. Why do we keep coming back you may ask? Well…when you find your happy place in paradise you just keep it going year after year. Checkin is seamless with a rum punch at hand. The restaurants are excellent. After checking in, use the app to reserve each night for your next delicious feast in the specialty restaurants. I really love the steak house. The buffet is always delicious as well. The Bar staff are beyond compare. A shout out to Marlene, Sharon, Orane, and Andrew for the best trip yet. And a thanks to Jolly for the best jerk Chicken on this planet. The entertainment is fun as well. The beach is kept very clean and there is plenty of room and chairs to find your perfect spot. Take a walk to the right to visit the beachside straw market and don’t forget to stop at the local beach bar “The Office of Nature” for a red stripe and a laugh with owner KK. You’ll see a new Penn State flag hand delivered this year flying in the breeze. What more can I say… all you have to do is smile smile smile and head on down to Negril. Thank you Riu! See you next year!

  Mar 20, 2026
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  VERY RACIST & PREJUDICE PROPERTY

  The worst resort I’ve ever been at in my entire life. The staff is very rude to blacks .. they don’t speak .. they overlooked at the pool bars .. dining areas ect. I have a torn meniscus and my husband requested low floor, and villa close to pool. The gave us the collar farthest away from the common areas and pool & the top floor. We climbed 9 sets of stairs daily, multiple times per day. Our room leaked when it started raining, maintenance said it was the AC. They never informed us our room was ready, we just happened to stop by the desk after grabbing lunch & found out it was ready. My husband was asked to leave the dining buffet area because he needed to wear sleeves. There were other people with no sleeves, crop tops .. cut out /open apparel on. Anytime you asked for something, the staff was very cold. Sat us in a side room alone for breakfast We pulled our own luggage at checkout. Out of generosity my husband still tipped the bellman $50USD. I was livid. There was a very stark contrast between the way we were treated vs non black guest/non American. I’ve been to MoBay, Runaway Bay & Ocho. First & last time booking anything of the Riu brand. Literally a waste of a money.

  Mar 18, 2026
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  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Exceptional Stay – Highly Recommended!

  To start, this was our third visit to the hotel, which speaks volumes in itself. My family and I had an absolutely wonderful stay. From the moment we arrived, the staff provided outstanding service and made us feel genuinely welcomed. I read in one review that the reception staff were rude, but this was absolutely not the case. The check-in process with Beverly was quick and smooth, and the whole team was always friendly, professional, and ready to help with anything we needed. The room was spotless, spacious, and beautifully designed with modern amenities. The bed was extremely comfortable, and I especially appreciated the attention to detail—from the quality toiletries to the relaxing atmosphere. Housekeeping did an excellent job keeping everything perfect throughout our stay, and the minibar was always fully stocked. The hotel facilities were equally impressive. The restaurant served delicious evening meals with a great variety of options, and Kevin, who served us, was a great example of how to make guests feel welcome and happy. The breakfast and lunch buffet was fresh and well presented, with Damian, Twain, and Derval providing exceptional service from start to finish. I also read another review saying the food wasn’t great and was lukewarm at best, but that certainly wasn’t our experience. Personally, I feel some people may have had an agenda in writing those reviews. We also enjoyed the relaxing ambiance of the lobby and common areas—perfect for a coffee in the late afternoon and drinks in the evening. Alecia and Lyanna were fantastic hosts, always friendly and welcoming. Another highlight was the entertainment staff: O’shane, Advance, Lady T, Spotlight, Samoy, Triz, Jerry, Sonya, Kellie, Black Beauty, Mario, and Happy Feet. They were energetic, engaging, and great fun. Yes, the entertainment around the pool bar can be lively, but the hotel is large enough that you can easily find peace and quiet if you prefer. It’s great that the hotel offers both options. Overall, our experience exceeded expectations. I highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for comfort, great service, and a memorable stay. We will definitely return in the future! 😊

  Mar 16, 2026