Riu Palace Paradise Island All Inclusive

GREAT EXPERIENCE. I WILL TELL MY FRIENDS ABOUT IT. CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK.

The hotel staff were very nice, but the hotel leaves a little bit to be desired. When we walked into the lobby on our arrival day we noticed a bad odor. This odor is best described as the smell of sewer. It was coming from a section of the hotel to the right of check-in desk. (Not a nice first impression.) The workout room consisted of mostly apparatus machines that were not working and in the Sports bar most of the video games were out of order as well. The dinning rooms were clean and the food was ok, but a little to salty for our taste. The pool was nice and beach chairs were plentiful. The lone speaker at the pool providing music offered poor sound quality. I'm VERY thankful I had my ipod. Our room was average. I will not return to this hotel for an all-inclusive.

overall nice. the all inclusive is a good deal. real advantage of this hotel is that it is right next to the atlantis where you can go for the day and enjoy without paying high prices for food and room at atlantis.

The Hotel rooms were clean, the location was unbeatable, and after talking to friends that stayed at other resorts the fact that it was all inclusive probably saves you some money in the long run. Overall it was a good experience at this Hotel and we would surely stay there again.

Hotel was very avaerage. We read another review describing hotel as no more than a Holiday Inn and thats about right. Rooms okay, horrid smells coming from the bathroom regularly and a general dampness to the place. The food was most disappointing particularly as it was all inclusive so instead of looking forward to what the cuisine was coming up , we felt bound by the fact we'd already paid for our meals, restricting the need to go out and try different restauarants. Think the better option next time is to go for more expensive Atlantis Beach or cheaper Sheraton and accept its worth going out for meals.

I stayed at various RIUs' over the years and this one should lose its banner. Most staff were unfriendly and/or ignored customers unless one persisted. Drinks were served in cheap plastic cups at the bar in the lobby. "Real food" isn't served 24/7-only cheap food is available at the Sports Bar (hot-dogs and hamburgers that clients had to put in the microwave, nachos and cheese were rarely refilled and...that was it). Various amenities weren't working. I could go on and on... but in a nutshell, it is NOT a 4-star hotel.

When I go on vacation I want it to be just that - vacation. My husband and I went to relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Bahamas (January 1 - January 6, 2012). What a disappointment! It initially looked promising - the taxi driver was a very nice gentleman that gave some information on the island. The hotel itself is ok. The breakfast and drinks were the best. Lunch and dinner was less than average. If I'm going to the Bahamas I think I want something other than, hot dogs, hamburgers and pizza especially for the amount of money I'm paying. The service was horrible except for some of food and beverage staff. We felt like we were inconveniencing the staff for everything we did. I called 3 times for a room service menu and never received it. I called 2 times to get our toilet fixed and never came to the room. Out of frustration and now pure comic relief my husband fixed the toilet. If you make a reservation for any of the restaurants be aware that they are not friendly. It really was a nice good morning welcome (insert sarcasm here). I got reprimanded from "security" for being too close to the jet ski area. With much "debate" I did move only to have a couple with children place their chairs in the same spot as where mine was. It wasn't about "safety" it was about telling me what to do and not stopping until I obeyed. I found the vendors on the beach completely disrespectful. When I tell you "No Thank You" 5 fives please stop asking me. We sat near one and he mocked almost every person that walked by. Don't give them your money. They hoover at the entrance of the beaches and hound you. I would rather listen to the vendors yelling at each other than listening to the ocean on my nice peaceful vacation (more sarcasm). It was quite interesting to watch an exchange with a vendor and 2 15 year old boys (approximately). These boys sat against the wall taking a regular cigarette apart only to add another substance. That's what I want sold to my kids (lots more sarcasm). I especially enjoyed the towel hut worker who just sat there and completely treated the 2 ladies ahead of me like they were nothing. Not one word. It took every ounce of his being to get up from the chair to get them a towel. If you venture to other restaurants be aware of the automatic 15% tacked on your bill. They do not have to earn their tip and of the servers that served us I would say 1 deserved it. I used to work in the hotel industry and service was a high standard. Unfortunately my expectations weren't very high, but I know everyone knows please and thank you. Its really not hard to use. They didn't even ask how my stay was - they probably know. We will not return to the Bahamas and will steer clear of Riu resorts. This was our first trip outside the US to a tropical island (we usually go to Hawaii) and it was a let down. If I didn't pay very much for this trip I wouldn't be so disappointed because you get what you pay for, but unfortunately this wasn't the case. I will stick to what we know and go to our perfect paradise of the Hawaiian Islands.

As an all inclusive package, the Riu Palace was a great value for money. The package included food, drinks and tips. I have two kids 6 and 2 and it was great for them. A very nice pool and an amazing beach. 30 seconds walking distance to Atlantis Coral tower gave convenient access to Atlantis attractions. The staff was very courteous, polite and always willing to help. It was out first trip to Bahamas and I will highly recommend Riu.

The staff are the most friendliest I have ever met, they will do anything they can to help you. They are not doing it for tips as you do not need to tip them. If you do decide to tip they will thank you the very next time they see you. The food is amazing I am a VERY picker eater and at the end of our 5 night stay I was sick of eating as I had ate so much... there is food for everyone and it is of the highest quality. The hotel is great.... very clean and beautiful. The beach is a mere walk from the hotel back entrance down some steps and you are on the glorious beach. Literally a 2 min journey from your room! We went at Christmas time and they made it special by having a delicious Christmas dinner for us. The entertainment was hit or miss on each night, possibly due to the Christmas season. That would be the only thing that was not great..... but it did not put a damper on our vacation. The only complaint I would have is that our stay came to and end I really would have not had an issue with staying another few weeks...... or more!

Hotel was very clean and comfortable, the food was excellent. This hotel is not good for family with young kids, they don't have any entertainment for them but very close to Atlantis where all the rides and entertainment can be found, you have to pay. I would definitely go back with my wife but not with kids.