Riu Palace Paradise Island - Adults Only - All Inclusive

I stayed in Riu Bahamas as a solo traveller in October 2024. The communication with the hotel prior to arrival was good but there was no point to download the RIU app as it didn't simplify the check in and I couldn't use it to book the a la carte restaurants. My first room had a wonderful view of Atlantis but it got flooded on the 1st night and I had to move. The communication with the reception wasn't straightforward and I had to go all the way downstairs to sort it out. The air-conditioning didn't work properly in both rooms and it felt very damp. The food was ok but nothing to rave about. I did enjoy the jerky chicken. The buffet dinner was better than the a la carte restaurants. Drinks at the outside bar were very sweet and not balanced at all. The bar and restaurant staff were nice but the reception could do with some extra customer care training. The luggage porters and door staff were lovely. I booked a trip via the hotel. The agents were helpful and my trip was enjoyable. I didn't go to the spa as it just didn't feel welcoming and I thought the treatments were rather expensive. The beach is beautiful but I didn't like the outside swim up bar and swimming pool. It felt grubby and the outside of the swim up bar smelled of sick/ dirt. The animation team worked hard and it looked like guests were having fun, especially around the pools. I didn't attend any of the evening entertainment. The overall cleanliness of the hotel was not too bad but I won't be going back.

Took our first trip to the Bahamas and stayed at the Hotel RIU on paradise island. The customer service was outstanding, and made us feel completely relaxed. While I do t feel the buffets were up to par, it was below average as the food was either over cooked or out of temperatures to be appetizing. The drinks were great and kept on flowing. Not enough beer choices, but I think that's an island issue.They did have a beautiful beach and the pool was nice. The room service food was stale, so order if you have no other choices. My biggest bit of advice is to make sure you bring alot of smaller denomination bills for tips. Dropping a 20 for every interaction can be extremely expensive. Some staff deserved a 20, while others would be worth a 5 or 10. Keep in mind that gratuity and VAT is included on almost every expense anyway. The hotel definitely needs a refresh for what they charge, but overall a 7 out of 10 star rating.

I am not picky and travel all over. My only non-negotiable is cleanliness. This is my honest review. You can only check in at the designated check in time. If you booked a package, checked in online, or requested early check in you may get lucky and get in your room early. I was given a welcome drink upon arrival. The food was typical RIU but I will say the Bahamian breakfast was great. There is no gift shop on the premises but you can walk to the shops and there is one directly across the street. The prices are a little insane but typical. A taxi ride to downtown Nassau is also worth it if you want to shop for cheaper. Lobby is small but clean and all of the restaurants are off of the lobby. RIU Palace is supposed to have robes and slippers, there were only robes and this was not palace level. Think boutique style all inclusive. A few areas I saw needed updating. There were three elevators and all were running. Saturday and Sunday the resort was sold out and we still did not wait more than a minute for an elevator. My room was freezing with the air conditioning and could not be changed. I turned the fan down and still froze. They do not skimp on alcohol at the pool bar. Purchasing a bottle of wine at dinner is not worth it for what they serve and the price. Get what you like at the airport. Restaurants usually have set dinner times 6:30, 7, 7:30. 8. I did the buffets for breakfast and lunch and booked dinners. Some restaurants are closed specific days during the week so check their schedule. Kulinarium was good. There are small portions but the food is decent. They had surf and turf but I don’t do beef. The grouper I had was overcooked but the Yuca was the best I ever had. Japanese restaurant was decent. They had mahi mahi and it was awful but the rest of the food was good. Bahamas Steakhouse staff were amazing at lunch and dinner. For dinner the food there is great and worth it if you can get in. Coffee is decent at the Capuchino. I always bring my Dominican or Cuban coffee wherever I go but I had no problem drinking their coffee. Coffee is served with milk so make sure you request cream wherever you go or you will get milk. My housekeeper was Sandra and she was amazing. All of the staff there make this place special. I saw some guests being extremely rude to the staff and it was unfortunate. They are not there to be downgraded. Despite the party place it is quiet and I slept great here. The bed was firm and pillows fairly new. The beach seems to be the place for the older adults to float and chill while I was there. It can be loud at times especially during holiday weekends. The hotel does have a policy for quiet in the hallways by 10 pm. Cons: I had to ask for to go cups in my room. Maybe it’s preference but I wanted coffee on the beach. Sand fleas: they are not as bad as other beaches I’ve been too but don’t go near your bed with sand and get the sand flea sunscreen.