Riu Papayas

We have had a great time at this hotel. Plenty of sunloungers but yes the best areas are took very very very early. The food has been fantastic! Really impressed! Everything has been great except really the area wasn’t really for us as not much to do. We visited the lighthouse area which was nice and also the Palmitos park which was the highlight of the trip.

Checked in (around 21:30) easy and quick. Shown to lovely large room on 7th (top) floor. Went to restaurant at 22:00pm they had saved a soup/salad for us (thanks, much appreciated). Rooms Black out curtains really good, noise level very good, could hear the main road but wasn't an issue. Air con and fan keeps room cool. Plenty of hangers and space for clothes and tea/coffee/fridge. Pool Area The Pool was absolutely lovely. The warmest one I think I've had. Heated salt water. Sun beds are all crammed in, so you can hear the person next to you, and struggle to get on the damb thing, as there is no room to move them. This is the only thing we didn't really like. Sunbeds around pool are reserved at 6am... another thing we don't like. Wasn't really a problem for us, as we always found somewhere and sometimes didn't go to pool until around 11am. Aquafit everyday at 12 is good fun. Food Really good, as you would expect, can be quite repetitive, but as a fish/chicken salad lover, I was happy. Drinks Cocktails not too bad, not the best but better than some hotels. Red wine in the restaurant was drinkable. Spirits were ok (only tried Vodka and rum though). Help yourself to wine, beer and soft drinks all day long. Water bottles available from bar to help yourself. Restaurants Usual main buffet and then 2 A-la Carte (bookable), One Asian and one Spanish. There are 2 sittings either 18:30 or 20:30. We had no trouble booking and went to the 20:30 sitting at both restaurants. Asian was horrible, the meat was all dry and hard. Spanish was nice. Gym Used the gym once and it was ok. Evening entertainment Most of the time it was good from what we saw. The Riu party (white or Neon rotating), was brilliant. Daytime activities Usual darts, bingo, archery etc but I didn't partake in any of those. Resort Not related to the hotel, obviously, but still important. We did think the resort itself was a bit dirty, and grubby. When walking to the Dunes one day we saw human excrement on the pavement with toilet roll. On more than one occasion, what looked like vomit. It seems no one cleans the pavements, unlike some cleaner resorts, that I have been to. For this reason we would not go back to this resort.

As expected another great stay at a RIU hotel with great service from all the staff throughout the hotel

Everything about the hotel is good which is why we keep going back for another holiday. Cleanliness is faultless, Rooms are large and food very good. The animators and fitness staff put on lots og activities.

This was our second stay at the Papayas, we weren’t disappointed, the staff are the hotels greatest asset, they are all very welcoming, polite and helpful. The food was really good , drinks were good especially the calypso coffee. Would say my only disappointment was the entertainment , some nights it was amazing with the acrobat teams other nights it was very repetitive, but wouldn’t stop me going back. Great holiday for couples and families.