Hotel RIU Buenavista

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

7501 reviews

• 

  Not living up to the Riu brand

  I always join the Facebook groups of hotels I'm visiting for the best tips to get the most out of my holiday but the group I was in for this hotel all appear to be on commission and furiously defend any criticism or feedback. To the point where people were abusive when I suggested there were things that could improve. Clearly not anything to do with the hotel of course but just a cautionary tale. Riu Buenavista is beautifully located, incredibly clean and staff are pleasant. The soft drinks, spirits, beer, wine and coffees are lovely. Our 2 bedroom room was huge, the shower was lovely, it was cleaned very well and the air conditioning works well. There isn't a huge amount to do in the area but there is an amazing, well lit path hugging the coastline which was brilliant for morning runs and evening walks. The views are beautiful. The pools are clean, the Titanic pool is well heated, the pool towels provided are large and soft and there is a small but decent gym. We took the public bus to the market in Costa Adeje, went to Siam and to Mount Tiede. Overall, we really enjoyed our stay. However...the bathroom towels are tiny and as rough as sand paper (why when pool towels are so lovely?!), we only had two chairs on our terrace (our room could accommodate 6 people!) and they didn't bring us more in spite of asking, the cocktails are from a premix machine and pretty sugary and the food isn't very good at all. One guest suggested (with strong language!) I should 'pay for 5 star then' but I've stayed in many 4 star hotels, some of them Riu, with far, far superior food. This is the most disappointing Riu I have stayed in. Hygiene isn't an issue as far as I could see but variety and quality were. Overcooked meat and pasta, the same dishes on rotation (the only hot pudding I saw was tinned fruit they heat up and call flambe and the other desserts were tiny, synthetic cream cakes that all tasted the same), speciality restaurants just a worse version of the buffet and also, still a buffet. Breakfast was OK, the pancakes were good and the donuts were nice, the juice is truly awful. You can get a decent salad at lunch and you won't be hungry at dinner, it just isn't very nice. The other issue is the sunbed wars, worst I have ever experienced! We get up around 6am to run before it's too hot and the first day, we were shocked at how many sunbeds were reserved. All the best spots are gone by 7am, almost all the sun loungers were gone by 9am though staff worked hard to bring more out and move them around if needed. I, shamefully, found myself on the last day joining in, just to have one day in the prime spot at the Titanic pool! If you've booked, you will have a great holiday, if you haven't a d nice food is an important part of your holiday,maybe look elsewhere.

  Nov 11, 2026
• 

  Stay with a toddler

  We stayed for a week with a toddler during school holidays. Hotel was lovely and clean, in a nice location. Quite hilly so do bare this in mind. All staff were friendly. Standard room was big enough for a family of three and travel cot provided was perfect for a toddler with a nice mattress and pillow given for comfort! Bathroom clean, only complaint was that the glass meant the bathroom light was visible in the room itself, so not able to shower once toddler asleep. We were on a fairly high floor and did have to wait a while for lifts at points as there are minimal available Restaurants were repetitive but as expected from an all inclusive. The themed restaurants allowed for a break from the standard options, not à la carte but able to choose from a buffet style like the main restaurant. The Italian was our favourite. Plenty of pools to choose from and we were able to get sunbeds even in afternoon although less choice. All pools salt water so do be careful with re-creaming after using them. Children/baby pool was perfect for us. There was a small playground also in this area with a slide, swings and rockers that was better for older children but toddler still able to make use. The area around the children’s pool/playground is very rough concrete which left our toddler with cut knees on a couple of occasions and I’d definitely recommend use of water shoes. We didn’t make use of any of the activities but the mini disco was fun of an evening. Two nights of our stay this was in the children’s pool which did seem a bit strange. The white party was also good even for children. No issues with noise during evening entertainment despite being in a room overlooking the stage. Local area had things within walking distance. We walked to playa de ajabo both along the sea path and the roads. Road easier with a buggy! Also the shopping centre just up the road with the restaurants was lovely; shops, supermarket to buy snacks and a soft play which was shaded for an afternoon play. Burger King also has a small play area and there are some arcade rides outside. We hired a car and paid to park on site, never an issue getting a space but parking in certain spaces can be tight. Used this to visit Aqualand, jungle park, monkey park and a volcano viewpoint. Overall we had a lovely stay. Good value for what you get and a nice atmosphere with children. If I could change anything for the better it would be some activities/play equipment aimed at younger children and an on site shop.

  Nov 10, 2026
• 

  Beautiful Hotel but wouldn’t return

  Beautiful hotel. Really enjoyed the food so much on offer. Didn’t find it repetitive as always got something different. There is a lot of walking & steps involved to get from room to pool and to main lobby areas, the complex is so large. There was lots of large groups of families here with kids so if this is what your after you are at right place. Very annoying at the adult pool, towels were been left out as early as 5.30am by 8am hardly a spot left….. it was ridiculous and I’m sure hotel could solve this… other place we stayed you could book your sunbed electronicly it’s pity this hotel does not offer this. In the evening if you want to just have a quiet drink and chat there is no where to escape the noise of the entertainment, it can be heard everywhere. There is no beach near or anything really. We found it was very residential area. We did really enjoy our stay though but doubtful we would return.

  Nov 08, 2026
• 

  You get what you pay for!

  We had a 2-bedroom family room in the Annex (we both snore, so this was perfect for us!) It was lovely and quiet in the morning, away from the main building and it would have been at night too. I was very worried about the negative reviews about the food. I also have a sensitive stomach, so I was also worried about getting ill from the buffets. I don't know what others eat when they are at home usually, but I could find something different at lunch and dinner every single day. Yes, they have the regular same things every night in the main restaurant, such as pizza, plain pasta with a choice of tomato or cheese sauce, standard salad items, bravas potatoes, chips, rice with vegetables, cheese and ice cream. But there was much more choice beyond these staples and some of the fish dishes were very nice; we also ate at the Dolce Vita, the Mandalay and the Atlantico. I think the Mandalay was the best. The Atlantico was less busy/rushed in the mornings than the main buffet with a stunning view over to La Gomera on a clear day. We found the entertainment to be mixed but they put in a huge amount of effort. The only real problem we had with the sunbeds was just how uncomfortable they were and how small the pool towels were on the beds

  Nov 02, 2026
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  A Great Stay - We Will Be Back!

  To give context; this is our 10th stay at a Riu Hotel - all different! We have stayed at some of the best (Sri Lanka & Aquarelle Jamaica) through to the lowest ranked (Olivia Beach). As a brand we feel Riu gives value for money for facilities, but the experience can vary greatly. How would we rank Riu Buenavista? Definitely one of the best we have visited! An all round very good stay, in a good location and the staff were amazing! Please find below an honest review of the great & not so great things we encountered: Very good standard of accommodation - room was spacious, light and modern. Water pressure and temperature in the shower was excellent and the cleanliness first rate. One small niggle was the lack of a dressing table/chest of drawers. Not a biggy but frustrating not to be able to fully unpack for 10 days due to the lack of drawer space. Had to leave some items in the case on the rack as didn't want my folded clothes to have to live on the floor of the wardrobe. Maybe it was just our room? It's a small thing but the room would have been perfect if it had had that one extra item. Pools are great - there is something for everyone; the infinity pool, activity pool, children's pool, quiet adults only pool and a family pool. As the resort is terraced down to the sea, the noise from the lively pools did not carry and so those who want a quiet experience could easily pick their spot. Yes there were those determined people who went down to the pool in the dark to bag their favourite spot, however there was plenty of room for those who prefer a more leisurely holiday and bagging a great spot was easy on our way to breakfast after 8am. There were those who bagged beds early and then never used them the whole day, but that happens the world over and says more more about the guests that the Hotel. The activity team was excellent, probably the best we have encountered in a long time - I won't name them as I would be bound to forget someone, but each and everyone of them were great. Activities happened as advertised and they pitched in with enthusiasm and humour for all activities. They kept my husband thoroughly entertained with water volley, polo, football, 'axe' throwing, darts and beach volleyball. There was no pressure to get involved (I was happy relaxing and reading) but for those who prefer an active holiday they really won't disappoint. Drinks are fine - don't expect top shelf liquor, but what they serve is fine and the measures are generous. The wine was not great, but to be honest if it comes out of a dispenser you kind of know that will be the case. However the Cava sparkling wine was very nice and the local versions of Baileys and their darks Rums were decent enough to make them out 'go to' drinks. Cocktails are generally out of a machine, so best avoided unless you love extremely sugary slightly fake tasting concoctions. But the bar staff were great, we never waited more than a couple of minutes to be served even on on the busiest nights and they were happy to make whatever you wanted if they had the ingredients. Food was of a good standard; we ate at every venue. Buffet had a good range of dishes and the roast meats carved on the spot were a firm favourite with hubby. Also Atlantico for breakfast and lunch became a favourite. It had the same food options as the buffet, but the advantage of outside sea view tables and the quieter atmosphere. For the specialty restaurants it was a bit more hit & miss - the food in the Oriental was very good but the service was not great - only 2 wait staff for the whole restaurant was insufficient. We are not speedy eaters and like to take our time but it's not great to eat desert while multiple main plates are still on the table. Also as we were drinking Cava we had to ask for it and on both occasions we ate there, we were never offered a refill (probably due to the lack of staff) The Italian conversely had great service, but the pasta was unfortunately very overcooked so we only went the once. The Grill was again fine and the food nice, but you just get better variety of very similar food at the main buffet. On the whole the food was fine and we enjoyed it, its just not going to blow your socks off in the flavour stakes! We ate out locally a couple of nights to mix things up as there were several restaurants in the streets around the hotel. The evening entertainment was of a good standard - not always to everyone's liking, but you don't have to stay and watch it do you? The Motown Quartet were probably our favourite. Michael Jackson night is always popular, but we have seen so many of these around the world that this one just didn't rank that high for us. The Activity team lip-sync and dance to backing tracks some nights and they do try very hard. I totally admire the effort they put in all day with activities for guests and then get up on stage and perform for everyone in the evening: 10/10 for effort. Another good thing about this hotel is that they provide separate, distinct areas for smoking. An excellent provision that worked well and meant that our time by the pool or watching the shows in the evening was not spoilt by inconsiderate smokers and vapers. The Riu Neon & White Parties on Friday night were brilliant, some of the best we have experienced! Very family friendly fun, great music, great dancers and a real party vibe, but finishes dead on 11pm (what more could a couple of 50 somethings ask for!) So with all that in mind our final verdict on the hotel is..... we would definitely come again!! The overall cleanliness, value, location and completely amazing Bar/Activity & Waiting staff make this a location that we do intend on coming back to and we are already looking at booking again for June. It's a very multi cultural hotel with guests from all over Europe and we made many new friends. The fact that so many of them are repeat guests shows the calibre of the hotel. Tenerife is a beautiful Island with a short length flight from the UK and Riu Buenavista makes a great base for exploring. Book now, explore the island and know that this hotel will look after you well. |It will keep you entertained, well fed and topped up with plentiful drinks and all provided with a laugh and a smile. Bien Hecho Riu Buenavista Hasta Luego

  Oct 25, 2026