Hotel Riu Palace Aquarelle

I celebrated my birthday at the Rui Palace Aquarelle Jamaica. The staff went out of their way to surprise me with gifts in room and the breakfast crew did a special song to me. Everything was amazing.

Beautiful resort, friendly staff, and great drinks/food. The staff at Pete's could have been more pleasant but working a grill under the Jamaican Sun for hours-I get it. Check-in took a while, nothing major. Beyonce was gracious and welcoming. Welcome drinks were a nice surprise. Ordered room service at 7:30pm for expected delivery time of 8:55pm, never arrived and no further updates were given. Loved the sports bar being open all night, those nachos were delicious. Entertainment was awesome as well, especially the beach party and swim-up pool bartenders. Appreciated the shuttle service (Kourtney, I think) adding a couple of us the morning of departure (including fee $50) as we forgot to call prior to check-in to be added to the list. Steakhouse was good. The fresh juice at breakfast was so refreshing. I wish there was more fresh fruit. Each morning, the fruit must have been the first to go because I could never get anything more than a couple pieces of honey dew, cantaloupe, and the little star-like fruit. The fish at dinner, OMG. Hot, fresh, and crispy. I can't even tell you what kind it was, but I lost cost how many times I went to the buffet for that fish. Swim-up suite was just as pictured. Housekeeping and security were prompt, pleasant, and helpful.

We traveled here with our children. It was an amazing experience. The entertainment staff was great! There was so many activities for everyone to participate in all day long. The girls that worked in the kids club were so sweet and my kids enjoyed spending time there. The room we stayed in was a family suite. It was huge and very clean. The beds were comfortable. The food was good and the drinks were great. We cannot wait to return.

Airport transfer was approximately 40 minutes from the airport and that was going direct to the hotel. The driver plays great reggae music and they can offer you a red stripe beer at a cost of about $5 US. Check in was quick and easy and we were greeted with a rum cocktail while waiting. Our room was clean and spacious with a King bed and a partial ocean view which was absolutely stunning. As always the mini fridge was stocked with beer, coke, sprite and water. The above bar was also stocked daily. Lobby- Sometimes we would want to sit and have a coffee or play cards in the lobby however the AC was always very high and I found it too cool so I had to wear a shawl in the evenings. I did mention this to customer service. Pools - There are 3 pools, the Marley Bar is adults only and a fun time to be had. The bartenders were awesome at keeping everyone entertained, Shout out to Remon he was always ready to get you a drink. Wednesday apparently the music was toned down by management due to an incident the day earlier. Not fair to make other guests have to pay for other people's behavior who cannot control their alcohol. Beach - My husband & I were there everyday. Plenty of chairs but the umbrellas could be limited so if you want one get out there by 9-10 am. Beautiful clean beach however there are rocks in the ocean so do yourself a favor and bring water shoes for comfort. We played Volleyball and had a great group of people that were understanding that if you sit near the net then chances are the ball will come your way. Staff - the workers all work hard, the grounds are kept beautiful, the washrooms were always clean, the glass cleaners were out every morning doing a great job. Our room was cleaned daily with fresh towels, great job. Coffee bar was great at making our Latte's shout out to Jade. Buffet greeters were always friendly shout out to Brittany. Servers always there at your table to bring you coffee and pay attention to you. Food - I'm not a picky eater there was plenty of good food. They serve a variety of food it's up to you not to be so repetitive. We tried booking the Steakhouse restaurant but always booked you have to go on the app and book at midnight for that evening. 24 Hr. Sports Bar- Awesome place to also get your early morning coffee and in the late evenings for drinks and food. Wings & fries, burgers all were good. Hang out and play pool or watch some sports. Shout out to the entire team they provided great service. Entertainment - Wow these guys can dance, I mean dance wind up your hips alright. Every show was amazing and entertaining from the music to the dancing was on point. A lot of work goes into these shows. Shout out to the entire team. I went for relaxation and a good time and that's just what I got.

I am extremely disappointed with my stay at the RIU resort in Jamaica. People travel to Jamaica to experience the rich Jamaican vibe, including its authentic cuisine, and this resort fell far short of delivering that experience. The food at the resort was absolutely awful. There was no Jamaican specialty restaurant, which is a major oversight, and the limited Jamaican dishes offered on the buffet were poorly cooked and lacked variety. To make matters worse, my wife and I tried one of the resort’s specialty restaurants, hoping for a better experience, but it was equally terrible. One of the most surprising and disappointing experiences was at the Asian specialty restaurant, where our server informed us we were only allowed to order three items from the menu. When the food finally arrived, the portions were so small they could have been served to an infant, not an adult. To top it off, the taste was atrocious. While I could continue to list more complaints, I will say this: the entertainment staff was outstanding, and our room was spacious and clean. However, these positives could not compensate for the terrible dining experience. Food is an essential part of a resort stay, and the lack of quality and authenticity in this area completely overshadowed the other aspects of our visit. For these reasons, I would NEVER stay at or recommend a RIU resort again

Everyone was extremely friendly and welcoming. Shout out to the amazing entertainment crew and bar tenders at Marley Bar. Always going the extra mile to make our stay a fantastic holiday.