Riu Ocho Rios

We stayed here for 11 nights mid July. 2 adults and a child (3yo) Check in process took a long time and even then the room took almost 3 hours to be ready - this was a massive downfall for the hotel. The room itself was lovely, full fridge and optics stocked up daily/as requested. Very comfy beds, rooms cleaned daily. We are block 3 room 3036 we had a sea view but also a view of the “quiet” pool. The AI food was absolutely fab! Something at all meal times to cater for everyone! My 3yo is fussy but we found something every single meal time. We only 3 al a carte’s (italian, steak & asian) which if i’m honest we preferred the general restaurant. The drinks.. again, amazing! Catered to all, from soft, slushies, alcohol, hot, iced coffee (yum!!). We didn't join in in any daytime entertainment except for the pool party which was lots of fun but got very busy! We used the quiet pool by block 3 most days, only downside is you can’t have children’s floats in there (even a small ring) which wasnt great. The water slides were great and the splash park&slides for the smaller children! The RiuLand staff were great in the day time and the evening entertainment. Make sure you bring socks for children if they want to go into the soft play and they also have to be 4yo or older. We did have to use the nurse in the hotel as my daughter needed a Dr and she was an absolute gem! Unfortunately ended up needing to go to a hospital in Montego Bay but she sorted transport out for us and checked up on my daughter the next day when we returned. The beach was lovely, clean and hardly any seamoss washed up on the sand. The staff work extremely hard in the hotel and any tips are extremely appreciated by them!! Transfer from Montego Bay airport is around 1.5hour. I expected to get eaten alive by mosquitoes like I did in Montego Bay a few years ago but did not get bitten once, none of our family did and I didnt see many people with bites either. Would we return? Absolutely although I would like to try another Riu in a different part of the country.

Hotel and stay where perfect We had 2.minor issues 1 no kettle in the room there was a coffee machine but not everyone likes coffee 2 we were surprised that a hotel of that size didn't have luggage scales to use before people leave for the airport Overall a perfect stay Thank you

My fiancé and I booked RIU Ocho Rios as part of our holiday in Jamaica, during which we were celebrating our engagement and his birthday. Having stayed at RIU Montego Bay earlier in the same trip, we had certain expectations of the brand. Unfortunately, RIU Ocho Rios was an entirely different experience, and we were so disappointed that we checked out four nights early, after spending just one night at the hotel. Rooms and cleanliness Upon arrival, we were informed that we had received a complimentary upgrade to a Junior Suite. However, the room was extremely dated, with old, dark wooden furniture, some of which was damaged. The accommodation looked nothing like the modern rooms advertised online. The cleanliness was particularly concerning. We encountered dirty bedding, dirty drinking glasses and an unclean bathroom mirror. The toilet was positioned awkwardly behind the bathroom door and was also leaking. These are basic standards that guests should not have to compromise on, particularly at an internationally recognised hotel chain. Food and authenticity The food was another major disappointment. Considering that RIU operates several hotels across Jamaica, I found the lack of authentic Jamaican cuisine particularly frustrating. I appreciate that all-inclusive hotels cater to international guests and that authentic local cuisine can sometimes be difficult to find in resorts. However, RIU Montego Bay manages to deliver this exceptionally well, with a Jamaican head chef who clearly understands the local cuisine. It is disappointing that RIU Ocho Rios does not appear to maintain the same standard. When visiting Jamaica, guests should have the opportunity to experience good-quality Jamaican food, especially at a resort operating within the country. Instead, we found the food so disappointing that we spent additional money eating outside the hotel despite having paid for an all-inclusive experience. Facilities and maintenance During our stay, there was also a power outage lasting over two hours, with no apparent functioning backup generator. This was unacceptable for a resort of this size, particularly alongside the other maintenance issues we had already encountered. Customer service and management Unfortunately, the customer service was just as disappointing as the facilities. Several staff members were rude and unhelpful, and our interaction with the hotel manager, Yanique, was particularly unpleasant. Rather than feeling that our concerns were being taken seriously, we felt dismissed and unsupported. Given the number of issues we experienced in such a short period, we ultimately decided that remaining at the hotel was not an option. We checked out on 4 October, four nights earlier than planned, and were provided with contact details for RIU’s customer service department to pursue a refund for the unused nights. Since then, I have been given the runaround. I initially contacted customer service on 5 October and followed up repeatedly, yet have been unable to obtain a satisfactory response or resolution. It is incredibly frustrating that, after leaving a hotel because of unacceptable conditions, guests are then expected to spend weeks chasing the company for assistance. Overall experience What makes this particularly disappointing is that we had stayed at RIU Montego Bay immediately beforehand and had a much better experience. It demonstrates that the brand is capable of delivering a good standard of hospitality, which makes the shortcomings at RIU Ocho Rios even harder to understand. We did not check out early because we changed our minds or wanted to stay elsewhere. We left because the cleanliness, accommodation, food, maintenance and customer service were simply not up to standard. This was supposed to be a special holiday celebrating our engagement and my fiancé’s birthday. Instead, we were forced to arrange alternative accommodation and incur additional expenses. I would absolutely not recommend RIU Ocho Rios. The contrast between this property and RIU Montego Bay is staggering, and the lack of accountability from management and customer service has made an already disappointing experience considerably worse. I sincerely hope RIU takes responsibility for the experience and resolves the outstanding refund for the four unused nights.

Let me start with the positives. The staff is unquestionably this resort’s greatest asset. The front desk employees were exceptionally pleasant, welcoming, and professional. I especially want to recognize the front desk supervisor whose name I, unfortunately, cannot recall. She was wonderful. The staff truly made my stay more enjoyable. The food itself was also very tasty and well prepared. However, my disappointment was with the extremely limited selection of authentic Jamaican cuisine. As someone who was born in Jamaica, I look forward to enjoying traditional dishes when I come home. During my stay, Jamaican cuisine was confined to a small section of the buffet, with very few selections. I was particularly disappointed that curry goat was never available. When I travel to Jamaica, I wanna experience Jamaica. This brings me to my biggest disappointment, the entertainment. First, I wanna emphasize that the performers are incredibly talented. My criticism is, absolutely not directed toward them, but toward whoever selects and organizes the programming. I particularly disliked the rock and roll show. In fact, I disliked it so much that I actually fell asleep during the performance. It was completely unappealing to me, not what I traveled to Jamaica to see. I understand that resorts cater to an international audience with different musical preferences; however, entertainment should be diverse and inclusive. Why not incorporate more reggae, dancehall, R&B, hip hop and authentic Jamaican cultural performances? Jamaica has such a rich musical and cultural heritage. Visitors should have opportunities to experience traditional Jamaican music, dance, and history. As a Jamaican born visitor, I can tell you that many of us who return home, along with our American friends and family, specifically look forward to experiencing the culture. I’ve also stayed at Riu Aquarelle and, in my opinion, that resort does a much better job of incorporating Jamaican culture into its entertainment. I’ve particularly enjoyed its Michael Jackson show. Unfortunately, Riu Ocho Rios no longer provides the cultural experience I remember from previous visits. So, my final thoughts, the staff was outstanding, the food was delicious, and the performers were talented. However, the entertainment programming and limited Jamaican cuisine were major disappointments. After visiting this resort for several years, I’m saddened to say that this will probably be my last stay. Going forward, I will likely choose Riu Aquarelle instead.

Easy straightforward check in Room was lovely and spacious and clean - air con very good Rooms cleaned daily to a good standard Lovely to have a fridge and optics which are included 4 lovely swimming pools plus a waterpark which we never got to Beach and the sea were lovely - no problem getting sun beds anywhere which was great Lots of food to choose from - we found to be a good standard with loads of choice in the buffet restaurant - also went to the à la carte Italian which was good and the steakhouse - also good but very hot Entertainment was plentiful if you want it with good shows on at night time This is a large lively hotel with always something to do All the staff are a credit to your hotel and work very hard and do a great job - they love to engage with you - remember it doesn’t cost anything to say please and thank you and good morning etc Just a couple of suggestions - would like to see a kettle in room with tea making facilities as this a very popular English drink Also less loud music poolside as us older people like a bit more peace