Riu Palace Aquarelle

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

1182 reviews

• 

  Lovely hotel for those who like a lively time .

  This hotel I booked quite quickly and it wasn’t the greatest fit for us but it’s a lovely hotel with great staff . I was told there were no reviews but was recommended by the travel agent who said her colleagues had visited and were very impressed . I didn’t think to check this site so caveat emptor applies ! It’s a newish hotel so quite stylish in an understated way and our room was spacious with a sitting area and best of all , was spotless .The housekeeping was meticulously done , faultless and the minibar was restocked daily with beer , coke, lemonade and mixers for the in room spirit optics .So you can enjoy a few drinks in your room on the balcony . We upgraded to full sea view ( cheaper than when booking) and the sun rise and outlook was great . Almost without exception the staff were cheerful and hardworking especially in the speciality restaurants that I booked easily on the app .We returned to the Italian as it had an exceptional starter buffet . In fact several times we didn’t have a main course as the pizza and antipasti were so tempting , and there was a lovely ice cream dessert to finish . Every specialty restaurant the wine was worth drinking but it is a pity that the wine supplied in the buffet is the worst I’ve ever tasted in an all inclusive in decades . The white was acidic , the red was rough and the rose not much better . It would have helped if the rose and white were chilled , but they never were .The coffee in the buffet at breakfast and in the room was also dire ….For a supposedly 5 star hotel you’d think they would supply something more than adequate .I was very happy with the buffet food , there were so many choices .If people say they were bored then maybe they shouldn’t choose a bit of every dish and pile their plates with a total miscellany.. If there is a criticism it’s maybe to cut back on the soy or salt in the Oriental section .And to chill the butter portions as they were always runny .The bread or bakery options I think were bought in . The best all inclusives bake their own but I can understand that would be difficult in Jamaica and I could always find some seeded crusty loaf which was very nice toasted .For Brits at breakfast they also had a good selection of bowls of preserves and sauces including marmalade and tomato ketchup .Lunch or dinner it was nice to try the Jamaican specialties including various curries and patties .Desserts were varied but were mainly an extensive selection of small tarts and cakes .The mini cheesecake and small walnut cakes were delicious . There’s tubs of ice cream , fruits tinned and fresh , jelly and sometimes a sponge traditional pudding also , catering for all tastes .I was very pleased to see a variety of iced doughnuts at breakfast time along with Danish pastries and croissants , all very fresh daily . By the end of my holiday my breakfast daily doughnut and so on meant I couldn’t fit in a dress I’d worn that fitted the previous week ….( On holiday so dieting is out the window ! ) The buffet staff were excellent and replenishing the food was done often .It’s not gourmet but very well cooked and the only Caribbean holiday I’ve never had a stomach upset which means they also keep up hygiene standards behind the scenes too . During the day you would see maintenance and cleaning constantly around the hotel . Very impressed at Riu for this . Riu hotels are best for those who like being entertained .From mid morning you can start with pool exercises etc . The afternoons by the pools are very lively with a DJ and loud music .Lots of pool games and interaction if you want it . If not you can go to the furthest edge of the beach where it’s relatively quiet but not entirely so .In the evenings you can watch a variety of shows , reggae , Latino etc .The entertainment staff are very impressive dancers and singers . It was possible to enjoy this from our balcony and the music would always finish by midnight .Riu also have a foam party on a Friday afternoon and a neon party and a white party you can attend at Riu Ocho Rios.alternate weeks .We enjoyed our holiday even though it’s not as calm and relaxing as we are used to .We like peace and quiet but for lively active social people it’s ideal .Most people seemed to have a whale of a time so if you like lots of well organised activities it’s ideal .Overall a good hotel and holiday despite us not being party animals !

  Jun 14, 2025
• 

  Amazing stay

  Home away from home. Loved the staff and entertainers, thank you to you all!! Sanjay, Jay, Blue, Allen, Jason, Tanisha and many many more - you made the experience so enjoyable. I'll definitely be back!

  Jun 14, 2025
• 

  Best staff in Riu Aquarelle

  Very clean and tidy resort . Beware a lot of big stone and rock in the beach I didn’t feel like I got good inf upon arrival, day after, lucky we meet one staff , her name NATASHA , she’s very helpful, very friendly and attentive Thank you very much Natasha !!

  Jun 14, 2025
• 

  Nope!

  RIU Resorts/Hotels are the WalMart of the Hospitality industry. They are cheap and you get what you pay for especially at this location( which was more like TEMU.) I didn't realize that I had signed up for a "Partial Ocean View" which placed me over a dumpster, zero vegetation and a dilapidated neighboring property, but I could see some ocean. I was charged to change rooms not knowing that others got an "upgrade" for free. I love to swim in the sea - The safety line was approximately six feet 'sand to sea' and the ROCKS started two feet in to the shallow swim area. My hand was cut open by a sharp rock (less than half of an inch and not deep enough to need a stitch.) I chose this resort because of Splash World which would have been great if my daughter was 10 years old but she's 14. I felt badly for her because there was ABSOLUTELY nothing for teens 12 - 17 to do on the resort, day or night. The pools close and life guards are off duty at 6PM, yes they leave the beach too! Food in Jamaica is a major tourist attraction [oxtails, jerk chicken and curry goat are the rockstars] - this resort was boing at best because the rock stars were not available each night - it was always one without the others. I did however like that vegetarians had a lot of cooked and raw choices even if it was the same thing everyday. EVERYDAY! If you are a first timer 18 and up traveling with friends it's great because you have nothing to compare it to.

  Jun 13, 2025
• 

  Best vacation ever!!

  I am obsessed with this resort because the staff are so friendly and kind! The food is amazing the resort itself is beautiful the beach is amazing there are literally no bad things about the resort except for better food for room service. I would come here every year if I could. Staff did in an exceptional job

  Jun 13, 2025