Riu Gran Canaria

An outstanding hotel with exceptional staff – already planning our return! We recently enjoyed a fantastic all-inclusive stay at the Hotel Riu Gran Canaria, and I can genuinely say it exceeded our expectations. From the moment we arrived, we were impressed by the grand entrance, spacious foyer, beautifully maintained grounds and welcoming atmosphere. The hotel enjoys a fantastic seafront location, just a short walk from the main shopping centre, restaurants and beach. The grounds are extensive, beautifully landscaped and immaculately maintained, with lovely trees, greenery and views. Despite being a large hotel, the atmosphere was wonderfully relaxed. Our room was spacious, comfortable and well equipped, with a double bed, fitted wardrobe, plenty of hangers, complimentary safe, tea and coffee facilities, and a minibar restocked every other day. Bottled water was also provided. The bathroom was spotless, with a large walk-in shower and generous mirror. We particularly enjoyed the balcony overlooking the grounds, which had plenty of space to sit and relax. Housekeeping was excellent throughout our stay, with our room cleaned daily by genuinely friendly and hardworking staff. My only minor personal preference was that I found the mattress a little firm. However, the staff were incredibly accommodating and did their best to help by providing additional pillows and bedding. This certainly didn’t detract from our overall experience. The all-inclusive food offering was exceptional. There was an impressive variety of freshly prepared, well-cooked food, with something to suit everyone. The main buffet restaurant was excellent, with attentive staff offering table drinks alongside self-service options. There are also three speciality restaurants — Italian, Asian and a fish/grill restaurant — which require advance booking. Although the food in these restaurants was lovely, I personally found the tables a little too close together, making the dining experience feel less relaxed than the main buffet. Again, purely personal preference. There is also a lovely daytime restaurant overlooking the sea, also a casual food bar serving burgers and similar options, and a coffee bar offering freshly made coffees and cakes. Self-service drinks stations throughout the hotel were another excellent touch, offering everything from tea and coffee to soft drinks, sparkling water, wine and beer. The hotel has numerous swimming pools, including an adults-only pool and a dedicated children’s pool. We never struggled to find a sun lounger, and the beautifully landscaped surroundings made relaxing by the pool a real pleasure. There is plenty to keep guests entertained, including a gym, spa, children’s club, art gallery, sports facilities and a large outdoor entertainment arena. Although we didn’t use every facility or attend the evening shows, it was clear that considerable effort goes into providing entertainment for guests. What we particularly appreciated was the choice of atmosphere. Whether enjoying a drink in a quieter cocktail bar, visiting the 24-hour sports bar or simply relaxing on the comfortable sofas in the lobby, there was somewhere for everyone. The hotel caters very well for both couples and families. What truly makes this hotel special is its staff. Every member of the team we encountered was friendly, approachable, professional and genuinely helpful. During our stay, the hotel faced the additional challenges of severe weather warnings and national strike action. Despite these circumstances, the staff worked incredibly hard to ensure guests continued to enjoy their holidays without disruption. Their professionalism, dedication and commitment to delivering excellent service were genuinely impressive and deserve particular recognition. I honestly cannot fault our stay at the Hotel Riu Gran Canaria. The combination of beautiful surroundings, excellent food, fantastic facilities, a relaxed atmosphere and exceptional staff made for a thoroughly enjoyable holiday. The minor personal preferences regarding the mattress and speciality restaurant seating were insignificant compared with everything the hotel got right. I would recommend this hotel without hesitation, and we are already planning our return. A huge thank you to the entire team for making our holiday so enjoyable!

We stayed as a couple for a week at the beginning of November. The hotel was busy but it's big, so lots of space to spread out. It's in a great location, hotel is spotlessly clean, staff are all lovely and work very hard. Gorgeous views of the sea, and lovely grounds Our room was spacious, comfy, clean and bright with a good sized balcony overlooking gardens and the quieter pool. Fab bathroom with a massive walk in shower. Food was plentiful, varied, good quality and tasty - there are various themed restaurants - we tried the Asian twice (v good), the steak restaurant which was also good and the Italian which we thought was a bit of a let down. The buffet restaurants are very good, but the main one is extremely busy of an evening - a bit too busy to be relaxing. Drinks - beer on tap is Amstel, my partner enjoyed the branded spirits and the odd cocktail - I only drink white wine and that was horrific - I'm no wine snob but it really was terrible. The stuff in the themed restaurants is poured from a bottle and that is quite nice, but the self serve from the buffet restaurants and in the sports bar is the worst I've had anywhere. Riu - you need to sort this out, it really lets down the rest of the fantastic hotel. Entertainment was good of an evening, we didn't partake in activities in the day but there was loads to do and people looked to be having lots of fun. All in all we had a great time and would return, but I might need to rethink my drink choice next time!

Another lovely holiday at Riu Gran Canaria. I hadn't noticed it was half term school holidays when I booked and there was a lot of families with young or teenage children but they were actually a joy to see enjoying themselves and the staff coped marvellously with the extra attention needed. Once again the hotel managed to provide us with our requested room and left us a nice gift. Entertainment and catering were the usual standard with some lovely chef's roasts both at lunchtime and evening meal. Congratulations once again to all the Riu staff.

We stayed at this very large all-inclusive resort with around 1,800 guests. There are multiple pools and a wide range of activities available throughout the day, so there is always something to do. The hotel hosts evening entertainment every day, and the noise can be noticeable if your room is close to the main stage area. I would recommend requesting a room on a higher floor and facing away from the entertainment area. We visited during the Halloween celebration, which included a loud outdoor disco, but once we returned to our room, we could barely hear any noise. One thing to be aware of is the sunbed situation. Although the hotel does not allow guests to reserve sun loungers in advance, this rule did not seem to be enforced. If you want a good spot, especially by the adults-only infinity pool, be prepared to get up early. By 7:00 AM many guests were already placing towels on the loungers. Make sure to reserve the themed restaurants as soon as possible after arrival, as they fill up quickly. We waited too long and missed out on one of them. The hotel has a dress code for the themed restaurants, although it did not seem to be consistently enforced, which was a little confusing. There are several buffet restaurants offering a good variety of food, including meat, fish, pizza, and plenty of other options. You cannot swim in the ocean directly in front of the hotel, but a sandy beach is only about a 10-minute walk away. Part of the beach is also clothing-optional. One final tip: don't drink the tap water. Overall, this is a lively resort with excellent facilities, plenty of dining options, and activities for all ages. Despite a few minor frustrations, we had a very enjoyable stay and would consider returning.

We have stayed in many hotels over the years, but I can honestly say that RIU Gran Canaria has set a completely new standard for us. From the moment we arrived, everything exceeded our expectations. This has genuinely been one of the best hotel experiences we have ever had. The hotel is absolutely beautiful, spotlessly clean, exceptionally well maintained and has a wonderful atmosphere. The rooms are immaculate, the swimming pools are fantastic, the food is genuinely delicious and, most importantly, everything feels so well organised. Even the cocktails deserve a special mention! I have rarely had such a perfectly made Aperol Spritz on holiday. Every little detail contributes to an experience that feels truly special. However, what makes this hotel stand out is its people. Every member of staff we have encountered has been genuinely lovely, welcoming, professional and attentive. From the restaurant teams and bartenders to the housekeeping staff, everyone makes you feel welcome. Their friendliness never feels forced, it is genuine hospitality, and it makes an enormous difference. We also had a small issue with our room door, which was not closing properly and was accidentally left unlocked after housekeeping. We reported it to reception, and a member of the maintenance team came to investigate straight away. He took care of the issue and even returned another day to check that everything was working correctly. What could have been an unpleasant situation was handled with care and attention. We felt listened to, looked after and, above all, safe throughout our stay. But there is one person who deserves particularly special recognition: Cristina from Reception. We chose this hotel specifically to celebrate 40th birthday. It was a very special occasion for us, and I wanted to make sure she had an unforgettable experience. I contacted Cristina in advance, and I honestly could not have asked for a better person to help us. She went above and beyond to make everything perfect. She helped organise beautiful flowers, arranged the birthday spa and made sure we felt genuinely celebrated. We were also treated to champagne from the hotel. Cristina took care of so many little details, always with kindness, enthusiasm and genuine attention. It is rare to encounter someone who takes such personal pride in making guests happy. Cristina didn’t simply do her job; she made us feel special. She turned an already wonderful holiday into a truly memorable celebration. I genuinely believe Cristina deserves recognition, a promotion or at the very least a well-deserved pay rise. Employees like her are an incredible asset to any hotel, and management should be extremely proud to have someone like her representing their brand. We came here to celebrate a milestone birthday, relax and enjoy some sunshine. We are leaving with beautiful memories, huge smiles and a feeling that we have been genuinely cared for. RIU Gran Canaria, thank you for showing us what excellent hospitality really looks like. You have gained two very happy guests who would return without hesitation and recommend this hotel wholeheartedly. Five stars simply don’t feel like enough. We cannot recommend this hotel highly enough! ❤️