Riu Palace Antillas

The best thing I can say about this hotel was that it was very clean. We had absolutely no housekeeping issues at all. Were given plenty of towels. We were out early and our room was cleaned early. As far as the buffet, there was plenty of variety to eat and we had no complaints about the food except that we found it to be a little too salty for our tastes. Our fingers were very swollen after eating. We ate at the Italian Restaurant once and it was not very good. We also ate at the steakhouse and Krystal Restaurant and they both were wonderful. Service at all was great. Smoking was allowed inside and outside of the pools. When I questioned why smoking in the pool was allowed a Manager advised me that Dutch Law allows it. Unacceptable and disgusting!! The people in the swim up bar were drunk, loud and obnoxious. The bartenders do not cut anybody off when they get too drunk. At the end of our vacation, we heard that someone vomited in the pool one day and the pool wasn’t even closed for 24 hours to deep clean it. After the 3rd day we ended up going next door to their sister hotel and we spent every day there thereafter until the end of our vacation. You can use all of their facilities except for the specialty restaurants so we would return back to our hotel in the evening for dinner. There were very few kids there since schools were in session and it was a much more beautiful hotel with classier people. It was like night and day at these 2 hotels and nobody was smoking in the pools. We wish we would have booked that hotel instead. The beach was beautiful and we spent time there as well but you have to get up at 6am or earlier to get good seats on the beach. Entertainment at night was poor. Not like the other 2 RIU’s we have been to. You have to go out for entertainment which we did as well as to a few very nice restaurants. This was our 3rd RIU this year and we have another one booked in December. If we are not happy at the next one, it will be our last RIU vacation.

Location was amazing. Took very little time to be dropped off from the airport, just steps from the palpas on the beach. The staff were so kind and welcoming. Room was a little outdated, but it was still nice, loved the view.

Ugh. Where do I start?! I travel ALOT for work and personal and this was one of the worse experiences I’ve had traveling ever!! This resort is awful!! Please spend your money elsewhere. Check in: they rush you and leave out important details such as how the resort works, how WiFi works etc. we were also starving and they also told us that we could go eat and we rushed there to find out it was closed. We started calling down to the front desk after we got to the room, WiFi is difficult to setup without instructions. No birthday upgrades offered or apparently available. The bed in one of our rooms was completely broken and had to call for someone to fix it. There was no comforter or blanket on the bed. Just a very thin sheet. There’s no service at the beach. Double beds were put together as one big bed which is weird. You have to walk back to the pool for a drink or food. The pool bar closes insanely early at I think 6pm. There was only one staff that stood out and that was a bartender named Nelson. Everyone else was very low energy. Some of y he staff inside speak no English at all. They look at you like you’re crazy when talking to them. It can be hard to get chairs at the beach. We witnessed a few huge fights over chairs. The maids do not put the correct amount of towels and wash clothes so you have to keep calling for more. One day they didn’t clean the room, had to call. When they came to clean, the maid put a new white pillow that was not new…it had very visible pen marks all over it. Insane!! I complained at the front desk with a manger, he did not care at all. I decided to try out the spa. Made an appointment and soon as I get there they tell me all the amenities are closed!! At this point it felt like I was being punked. I’m spending more money and my time is getting worse & worse. Since the amenities were closed at the spa, and they give you no slippers, receptionist wanted me to sit in the main room were men and women are walking by and coming in in my robe naked to wait for therapist. When checking out I expressed that the resort was so bad that I could not wait to leave. They decided to be confrontational with me. They also charged me $17 dollars for making a local call to get a taxi from my room. They also try to charge you $20 per towel if you don’t return the towel card even though the beach towels were left in the rooms. There was more but I’d be here writing all day. Long story short if you value your time, money, sanity do not stay here. If you like great service and if you pay attention to details don’t stay here. If you want to feel value and respected don’t stay here. It was the worst vacation ever!!!

I wish I could give them a 0!!! Nothing about this hotel is 5 star!!! I’ll say it twice: There is nothing about this place that’s 5 star. More like 3! The sheets are “Dirty”, there are no bags in the trash. There are stains, hair, brown stains on the towels. I’ve been here 4 days and if it was not my Wife’s Birthday, I would leave. The shower appears to have a black substance in there. There are no hygiene bags either. There was trash in the hallway that has been there since Friday when we arrived. They vacuumed the hall 4 days later. This place really focuses on the common area. The rooms are not, they are not 5 ⭐️ star!!! Ohhhhh and there are no mattress covers on the mattress. When you enter, it smells amazing and the floors smell musty, muggy or not fresh. I do not like this Hotel, the staff, none of it! With this experience and the amount of $$$ spent. I wouldn’t come back here for “Free” I will never!!! Nothing about this is 5 stars.⭐️ And the Management here sucks!!! Bleach must not be used to clean or be Sanitary This is so unacceptable! So no worth the money spent! What a great ruined Birthday Trip!!!!!!!

Traveled as a group of 10 for a milestone birthday. Overall it was a fun trip, great weather beach is beautiful and calm. It does get windy and you may get sand blasted but the veach is still beautiful! For early risers who like sitting near the front of the beach or traveling as a group and want to sit together, set that alarm clock for 530am. You want to be under that palapa when staff shows up at 6am to unlock the lounge chairs. The location is prime, you are in walking distance to several restaurants, bars, and little shops. It's an older hotel, some upgrading like the Riu Palace next door is needed. Mainly to the hallways and elevators! The hallway carpet really should be removed. Its too humid for that and poor air circukation doesn't help. The rooms do feel damp for a high rise building. We had a standard room on the 13th floor, was happy to be able to get a partial view of the ocean. The Palace next door is beautiful and they have a great buffet selection plus a sports bar by the beach! Check it out! Hospitality for guests celebrating a special event is needed. 4 balloons for a 50th didnt quite work. (Literally 4 balloons). Especially after several mentions to reception. I do appreciate Carlos (Manager) for reaching out and trying to make it better but unfortunately it did come too late. The a la carte restaurants did have amazing service and food. Presentation, taste and attention were well done. Be mindful there are no reservations so just be patient. They will do their best to seat you. Had dinner at Krystal and the Steakhouse. If you like to party, Riu party is a must! They go all out! The ultimate question, Will we be back? God only knows. The beach is a must return but we will probably stay at another hotel despite being Riu Class members. Cindy & Frank