Apple Vacations review: May 2026 Trip RIU Palace

My husband and I booked a vacation at your RIU Palace Antillas to celebrate our 37th Wedding Anniversary and my husband’s birthday. Your resort was recommended to us by a family member who vacationed at the same resort just a month before our trip and by our travel agent who booked our trip.

We were told that there would be special recognition of our anniversary (May 20th) and my husband’s
birthday (May 26th). Upon arrival at the resort there was no mention whatsoever of the special dates even though this was clearly noted on our reservations.

During our stay there were numerous observations that we felt should be addressed because they were very disturbing to us and others. We were shocked and in disbelief that this was acceptable at your resort!

1. RIU Staff: Firstly I would like to say that your staff at this resort was exceptional! All of our desires and needs were addressed and everyone was pleasant and helpful. There is a particular situation that we would like to point out as an exceptional, kind gesture. At the beginning of our stay we asked if the resort had non-alcohol beer because I do not consume alcohol. We were told unequivocally, NO! On a shopping trip into town while waiting at a bus stop we interacted with a gentleman who we previously interacted with at the front desk, I believe his name was Carlos. While on the bus, we asked him if it was true that the resort did not have nonalcoholic beer. He said absolutely not. We do have non-alcohol beer. He wrote our room number down on his hand upon arrival back at the hotel and returning to our room there was a knock at the door and a gentleman delivered a six pack of Heineken 00 to our room within minutes of our arrival. We felt that that kind gesture was testament to your hard-working staff, and how they will go out of their way to try to satisfy your hotel guests.

2. Smoking policy enforcement: We were under the impression that the pool areas were non-smoking as were the resort facilities with specific designated smoking areas after days of cigarette cigar and vaping in the pool and in the lounge areas we inquired with a supervisor, who stated that smoking was allowed in the pool and lounging areas, but not at the actual pool bars so we had cigar cigarette and vaping smoke in our areas of the pool, causing us to relocate several times. An even more disturbing occurrence was the smell of marijuana lofting through the pool area, which was noticed by several guests. This was brought to the attention of security, and we were advised that this was not allowed and he attempted to locate the culprit, but we were not advised if the source of this was located, despite specifically pointing out the group of approximately eight people on the lounge deck conspicuously huddled together smoking their marijuana.

3. Resort food: We felt that the food served at the Rio resort is at best average. The breakfast and inside lunch buffets meet the mark for those meals, but the dinners left too much to be desired. The specialty restaurants were not at all what we expected, and the food left us very disappointed. The situation that left us horrified was when we decided to have lunch at the outdoor Palm Beach restaurant, the birds were landing on the tables, walking back on the ground and then back on the tables. On a few occasions, we watched the birds land on the buffet and actually we're eating the food from the hot buffet dishes. We immediately notified the staff who were standing behind the food and they basically laughed and did nothing. The food that the birds helped themselves to remained on the buffet for others to dine on. Very concerning and very serious with respect to various diseases that birds carry and having them near and in the food that your customers are consuming. This could cause serious illness but at the minimum, it is disgusting to see a bird in your food that you are about to consume. Please put yourself in our position in observing this.

4. Robes: We were told that they were robes for our use in the room but upon arrival there were no robes. This was our first attempt to contact the front desk or housekeeping to request the robes which was challenging. We had to go down to the front desk because the communication was not available via phone from our room. We were told that the number communicated to us in order to reach the front desk was not working and advised us of another number. This is very concerning and in the event of an emergency there was no way to contact the front desk. The robes were delivered to the room. The one robe had an 8 inch tear down the side of it. Please see attached picture. Unacceptable!

5. Room service: On our last morning at your resort we decided to order room service to allow us time to pack and prepare ourselves for departure. I placed an order with room service and the order arrived incomplete. Once again was faced with difficulty in reaching someone at the front desk or at room service. After 15 calls and unable to reach room service, we gave up and ate what was provided to us by the time we packed and cleared the room, the breakfast service was already ended so we had to resort to snacks at the snack shop. Also on the morning of our departure the lights flickered and it became uncomfortably HOT in our room as we were trying to prepare for our departure. Upon opening the door, the outside of the door was drenched with condensation, the tile floors became slippery and unsafe. When we inquired about this situation we were told that the air conditioning in the entire resort was broken. To say it was extremely uncomfortable is an understatement. We departed your resort dripping in sweat to get to the airport.

Our time in Aruba was enjoyable, however, your resort is in serious need of some upgrades as it is really showing its age.