RIU Hotels & Resorts
reviews and complaints

I have several issues, so I will begin with:
1. Room credits - the only place we found to redeem was at the over priced spa. No store we went into would accept. False advertising.
2. Rooms - the room we had (1200) was old and in much need of upgrading. Paint chipped from door frames. Furniture was old. The slider took both of us to close to keep the air from seeping out.
3. Tub - Most All Adult resorts we have been to do not have a bath tub, but a very nice shower. There was a hand held shower wand...but very disappointing.
4. Service - We have been fortunate to stay at several All Inclusive resorts. This was by far the worst service. (a) We called downstairs regarding Distilled water needed for my husbands C-Pap machine. We were told to walk down the street and we probably could find some in a grocery store. (b)Only on check in did we have the cute towels on our bed (silly, but disappointed ). In our opinion, Rui Antillis is nothing but an glorified hotel. Not the RESORT we expected.
5. Room Service - we had no room service or even the mention of any. A couple we met said they called and requested...told it did not offer.
6. Check in - Check in was smooth, but were not told of any amenities offered. Everything (restaurants, shops, taxis, bus, excursions) were found by us during our stay.

***To be fair... I will say the food was good and the pool was clean**

The service of riu taghazout is 0/100 the reception the personnel everything is 0 in this hotel its shame to call him riu very dirty room without towels is it serious to pay 4000dh for one night for this service ?

I stay at riu las americas from July 16-21 I paid for the penthouse with hot tub room 714 to be exact. My stay started off good and declined quickly. From security and maintenance banging in my door at 3am shining a flash light in my face and barging in and turning off the water to my hot tube and never fixing it to the toilet than ran all night and and the ticking fan. The ac cutting out multiple time a night and the utter rudeness and care free attitude of the front desk staff. It was supposed to be a 30th birthday to remember and turned out to be one I soon hope to forget

I'm stayed Here before and I really enjoyed my time here. When I arrive this week I found my bathroom to be dirty outlets not working I called down to customer service twice and no one bothered to respond. I noticed a young gentleman in a suit I asked if he was a manager he told me he was the assistant general manager @riu Antilles. My bathroom was clean and the outlets repaired. But I've had to deal with the noise of ongoing construction weather in my room or at the pool. Today I had to deal with ear piercing alarms going off in my room one went off for two minutes and 31 seconds my ears are still ringing! Call down to the reception said I want to speak to a manager. And instead of contact the manager she called at the maintenance department and when I asked about it when I went down to complain they told me we notified maintenance. That is not what I asked for I asked for a manager. Poor customer service. I was not happy I was told there be no refunds. And I should file a complaint that's what I'm doing. With approval 30 other Guests-with complaints, some of them did not have electricity in their rooms. That's unacceptableNot happy I will not return and I will tell my friends about the poor experience at your resort

Capital One, Aspire, Case# [protected]
Name: Vanessa Anania & Maria Anania
Date: February 26th, 2021
Card Number **2405 & **3419

Capital One, Aspire, Case# [protected]
Name: Vanessa Anania & Maria Anania
Date: February 26th, 2021
Card Number **2405 & **3419

3147 Garthwood road
Mississauga, ON L5L 4Z1
Canada

Please forward this to further Review.

Dear Capital One Fraud Department
This is my letter explaining what happened on the week of Dec 21 while at the Riu Playa Blanca, Panama. Upon booking the hotel in early November 2020, there was only a small notification on the Riu website regarding COVID-19, saying some things may be different, but there was no explanation as to what, and upon making a phone call to their reservation department, they had let me know that the hotel was open and running and pools and restaurants could be used. Until then, no further e-mail or notifications were received.

December 21, I checked into the hotel, they let us know 2 pools were open, and 2 restaurants should be open, and 1 bar, this would be the situation for the first 2 days there. After that, full lockdown came into place, which they then informed us, via a letter in our door at the hotel, that everything was shutdown, all pools, all bars, and all restaurants, we would have 1 hour, 3 times daily to eat, all alcohol and drinks were to be ordered to the room and drank in the room, and the beach was closed. This was absurd, as the hotel was now not limited to services, it was next to no service at all, except for meeting our daily human needs of food and shelter in the hotel. We paid for a full service hotel, multiple pools, bars and a beautiful beach for Christmas holidays, and instead received the absolute bare minimum. A hotel anywhere else with a "UberEats" would have been more sufficient and more enjoyable. The food that was served was similar to prison food, 4 trays and served to you at a "buffet" with limitations, being a vegetarian was more than difficult. 

When we checked in they said you can cancel at any time, but being the most expensive time of the year to travel, 3 days before Christmas, we had nowhere to go, and no way to get there. We already had to pay a way to get there and a way to get back. All buses were shut down as well, and you were not supposed to travel within Panama unless you had a flight leaving the country, this was due to the lockdown in effect. 

We were offered a 50% refund which we of course accepted at the time but never intended to leave it at that. The service we received was ghastly in comparison to what was advertised and we were always going to dispute it. To be left high and dry in the middle of full lockdown in a country we are unfamiliar with is hardly a second option.  


If Riu had let us know what was happening in regards to restriction, we absolutely would not have gone. Offering us a cancellation on arrival is absurd, it was no longer possible at this point. An email 1 week prior would have taken one of their staff less than 5 minutes and avoided the entire mess, instead we feel as though they mislead us into thinking it was normal, so that they could secure our stay and our money. When we arrived there were less than 50 guests and everyone we spoke to had the same to say, nobody had been warned of any changes. Letting 50 guests know of changes would not be a hard task at all, the only reason I can discern from this is that they wanted the guests to still arrive in the hopes that it would be too difficult to leave, as was the case for us.

Riu is a very large and international company, we are quite shocked as to the extent of their unprofessionalism in this situation. We really thought that their customer service would be better than this and are extremely disappointed at how unwilling they are to resolve this properly. The refund we have requested is an entirely fair one and we hope that the right thing be done and the refund honoured.

Regards,

Vanessa

I am filing this complaint in regards to Riu Antillas, as this has been my first experience in Aruba. The management and staff seem to be lacking a deal of respect and etiquette. As well as being able to comfortably resolve issues. The hotel is run down and under maintenance. As a traveller, I have never stayed in a hotel more horrid than this place. My stay was about 4 days and this is the last day. The list of issues is as follows
- Rude employees
- Refusal to serve those staying in the hotel adequately
- Failure to adequately provide labels and info on allergies
- Failure to serve properly in the kitchen
- Little to no room service
- brown stains that look like feces on bedding and shower curtains
- rugs tripping people in the hallway
- inadequate lighting
- refusal to replay light bulb leaving me to sleep in a half lit room
- Lack of care when I told them the food made me sick the second day of my stay

It was my 25 wedding anniversary I was so upset with the rooms look. I booked a suite it looked and smelled like a truck stop motel 6. The air conditioning was giving out mold and mildew. Also air was blowing the dust from the construction into my room. The whole room and furniture had mold mildew in and on it. Ever room they offered in that Quality had the same problem. Unexpected really taken back. Wouldn't wish this on anyone.

We always stay at Riu hotels.We have referred family who chose your hotel on our recommendations. We had our honeymoon at Riu Palace Cabo then my wife's 50th Birthday and most recently our 13 wedding anniversary.. On the night of our anniversary we chose to eat st the Steak House Restaurant. My wife ordered the Surf and Turf . My wife wanted lobster instead of shrimp the waiter said he couldn't do it so he call Ed the manager over. The manager was not accommodating and treated my wife like a child and told her if she finished the steak she would then be allowed to have the lobster. We made him aware we were on our anniversary dinner which made no difference to him and he was vere cold in his treatment to us. We stat exclusively at your hotel because of the treatment we get from staff there.All of the other restaurants especially at the Japanese restaurant. My wife was so upset that night we left without.eating dinner and our special night was ruined.

1. Been up almost 24 hours and no food when arrived to RUI Montego Bay. We were told room would not be ready for 3 hours and no food was open.. Waited with no food for 3 hours to get food and room. Went back to office and our room had been ready and the girl that checked us in gave our other room away.
2. Fridge did not work
3. Was not king size have 2 double beds together.
4. No tub just shower.
5. No liquor dispensers
6. No room service
7. Only 1 blanket
8. Was told could go to all resorts and then was not allowed. If you paid more for orange band, we were given yellow.
9. Was offered weed and cocaine constantly by workers and one called himself the doctor.
10. We had to tip for anything and never have been so harassed by it.
11. Ask for a ride to convient store and was told had to tip or walk. Feeling in danger we walked across the street to get liquor and sodas and chips since we could not get at ALL INCLUSIVE RESORT!
12. NO ice buckets, tried to put in bags.
13. Workers rude and very discrimitive against guest. Some could go eat almost naked in buffet, but I was sent back for having shorts and shirt on.
14. Guests was partying on beach at 130am woke me up and that morning I had to catch flight. Called front desk and was told they sending security. One hour later I had to call front desk again, nothing was done.
14. Food was good, but buffet served same food all the time.
15. Ocean was horrible with seaweed and grass..hardly any clear water. Husband could not see anything snorkeling was cloudy and dirty and found trash and hair weaves everywhere..
16. The big boats circling around in front of resort made it impossible to enjoy what little spots of white there was. The boats caused stirring up dirt and trash that would get all over you.
17. I will expect compensation or get my money back. When I pay for something that is advertised and not offered is false advertisement and a rip off.
18. Asked regarding $500 in credits. Acted as if they had no clue

Went to resort for birthday upon arrival I was greeted with "because your room is not ready we will move you to another room " well the room was a one bed room when it was supposed to be a two bed room. Suppose to be a balcony with ocean view, well the only thing I got was a tree with leaves. Went to tell the person at the desk and had to wait an hour and ten minutes to speak to someone after which I was told that I did not pay for what I was complaining about. The rooms at RIU Reggae at upon availability. Not what reservations told me. So ended up with a room with two beds and a view of a tree. Have to walk two exits down to see the beach. Birthday celebration was ruined.

I have booked my riu hotel stay for tomorrow and have already had several issues. I requested a room and it was on hold the website and call center confirmed it should not take more than 72 hours. However, I waited 4 days and no one wanted to help. I then cancelled the request and booked an available room, and called to add on transportation. The call center said transportation was requested and it would be 24 hours for confirmation. It has now been over 24 hours and I called several times even speaking to supervisor named Eislle who was very rude and abrupt. I have been trying to book a room and transportation for nearly 5 days and it has been a waiting game with the call center and sales department and the supervisor was no help and seemed like she did not care at all. DISGUSTING CUSTOMER SERVICE. Amongst the worst I have yet to deal with.

To whom it may concern. The following is a list of the unfortunate events and lack thereof from our trip (Room listed under Claudia Dekers room 1406) June 3-6, 2021. We have approached the "manager", front desk and staff about all of these problems including the "general manager- Alejandro, and nothing was done to rectify any of these issues. Please advise if this is how the RIU hotels treat their customers after spending a substantial amount of money for what was supposed to be an amazing birthday trip for me and my girlfriends.

No welcome pack was ever given
Sandy floors in our bedroom, never cleaned properly
Not enough towels (only two were given for the 3 of us, we had to ask FOUR times for housekeeping to being us more)
No bath mat (we had to use hand towel on the floor even though we approaced management and Alejandro about this)
We can use the RIU palace hotel (no one ever told us that we could use/visit the Palace hotel next door! This would of been amazing!)
LOUD Construction of building next door (never mentioned prior to booking, we were up very early each day to the sound of building and construction demolition!)
No activities (we were never aware of any activities planned or going on by pool/club/bars or beach)
No Latino music (considering the majority of patrons are Latino, the fact that Latin music was never played ANYWHERE was biszarre. You would think you would cater to your clientell
No organization (front desk staff and hotel staff had no organization and you could tell that no one ever gave you the same answer twice when asked about hotel amenties, activies, functions etc)
No name tags for managers (How could a major hotel brand not have name tags on the management staff? It seems that they do not want customers knowing who they are to avoid having to listen to complaints)
Picking up beach chairs early (beach chairs were picked up each day starting in the afternoon at 430pm, this made us feel rushed and uncomfortable. Beach was "closed" before sunset which is why 90% of customers go to the beach at this time)
Pool closing early (We were told by the "general manager" Alejandro that ALL pool in aruba close at 6pm so that chemicals could be treating the pool water. He further told us we could risk going in but "our skin would peel and burn" What kind of manger says this?!
Late check out fiasco- must pay 10-20$ for each hour (Although the hotel was not filled to capasity, even after all the aboc=ve grievances, the processes of asking for a late checkout was a nghtmare. Front desk staff says it was $20 per hour for late check out, Alejandro said is was $10, Manager at desk said $15- UTTERLY RIDICULOUS!
Covid test was not known (One of the scariest facts was that we were never told about the COVID policy or that the hotel provided tests! By chance we asked front desk and they told us we shoudl of gone 24 hours ago!)
Lines to be made for each dinner (for an all inclusive hotel to have lines to get "coupon tickets" for meal reservations is ludicrous! I havve traveld all over the worl on Sandles and Club Med and have never herad such a thing. All inlcusive meals mean just that.)
Run out of bread at restaurants (restuarants would frequesntly run out of bread and other side items becasue they had to hold for next meal seating! This was ridiculous and so declase!)
No where to eat after dinner (how is there no where to eat after dinner?! Once we ate our "scheduled" meal there was no where on property after 9pm for even snacks!)
No service by beach (no bar/food service by the beach?)
Shampoo/soaps/ all not replenished Daily in our rooms
This honesly became the vacation from hell. If it was not for the fact that the beach side is breathtaking and the staff by pool and beach are extremly nice and professional, we would of packed up to go home early! Management has got to take responsibiltiy for this madness and improve this hotel as a whole. It is not a cheap place to vacation so none of the above was warranted!

Please advise,
Sandra Soriano
[protected]

THIS NEEDS TO REACH MANAGEMENT ASAP. I will be reporting this fraud to Wells Fargo and the proper Mexico authorities

I am also posting to all social media coverage I can find stating this exact post below to expose the type of company the Riu is. Highly disappointed!

Riu Palace Peninsula

We left Texas for Mexico on 6/3/2021, checking into the Riu Palace Peninsula in Cancun, Mexico on 6/4/2021 at approx 0100. Our stay was from that time until 6/7/2021. Upon checking out at approx 0530 on the morning of 6/7/2021, the front desk clerk by the name of SERGIO told us we owed the hotel for a brand new television because we had supposedly broke the television within our room. That we had broken some kind of electronics policy. Sergio said they had to replace it on the day of a maintenance request that we, as the guests, had entered into the app for fixing.

1. When entering the room, the first time we turned on the televison- we noticed a line running vertically approximately 4 inches away from the right side of the tv screen. We didn't say anything, nor turned in a maintenance request, because we figured we weren't going to be in the room that much anyways and the screen was still visible so it wasn't a big deal. Sergio informed us that we supposedly put this line in the television somehow and ruined the ink of the screen? (whatever that even means).

2. Sergio also informed us that maintenance had come up and replaced the television due to our request that we put into the guest app. WE NEVER put in a maintenance request to do with the television. In fact, the only request we ever made was asking for some comforters considering our beds had none, only sheets. The television also was never replaced, for a fact. Upon checking out, we had just turned off the tv before going downstairs and the line was still visibly on the screen. It didn't effect the vision of the screen but it is quite noticeable and so my husband and I both recall it being there. Sergio insisted that he had pictures of the so called damage and that maintenance had swapped the tvs. He also stated he had the paperwork from the swap. I asked to see the pictures and the so called paperwork and Sergio told my husband and myself that that was an impossible request, that he didn't have to show us anything. I also asked what day the tv swap had supposedly happened, as well. Sergio replied that it was just "sometime within our stay", that he didn't know which exact day. ALL LIES.

3. I asked Sergio for this supposed electronics policy within the hotel, he failed to provide me one, just kept demanding that we pay. I asked again for a website or something to guide me on what we had supposedly done- absolutely no response. SERGIO SPOKE PERFECT ENGLISH by the way- so there was no language barrier.

From that point, my husband and I both informed Sergio that we weren't paying for a television that was already broken upon us entering the room. He stated that all of the Riu's rooms were immaculate, including this particular establishment. We've stayed the Riu in Cabo twice before this stay and I would usually be one to agree but this time, our room shower didn't turn on from the overhead, only the handheld portion(we didn't report that either bc we weren't trying to be picky). The tv had that line in it that apparently we got the blame for, our balcony had no furniture. Housekeeping only came one time in the 3 full days we were there, we actually met them in the hall to even get towels. We went with 5 other couples and each couples' rooms had to have maintenance on patio furniture, broken ac units, dirty linens and bathroom areas including stopped up and running toilets, etc. Each can attest to this if needed.

When repeating the statement that my husband and I were not paying $500 US dollars for an approx 3 yr old 27inch television that was already broken, Sergio yelled at us saying that if we didn't pay- that he would be calling the airport to stop our flights to the US and we would face a Mexico jail for theft. I asked to speak the manager, Sergio said there wasn't one on duty. I asked for a corporate number or someone's number with authority that I could discuss this issue, Sergio again lied and said there wasn't one. No business cards given, no email contacts, no phone contacts given to us. My husband went and loaded our baggage in our taxi as we were getting close to NEEDING to leave for the airport when upon my husand's return to the desk, my husband stated that he wanted to speak to the manager ASAP and Sergio then replied that he was the manager. I literally looked at him and was said "oh, so you're the manager now?" and he just yelled at me that we needed to pay or we were going to jail and that our flights would be cancelled.

Ultimately, we were shook down in a foreign country. We had no other options for this fraud, other than to comply. We were threatened and continuously lied to. Sergio ran my credit card, I didn't sign my signature to a receipt.

I booked an 8 night package (flight + hotel) through Riu from 5/15/21-5/23/21 for Riu Palace Aruba & paid for 2 upgraded ocean front rooms. When I checked in, ocean front rooms were not available and front desk told me to contact Riu for a refund. Contacted Riu on 5/16 and was told a refund would be processed. No response so I called again on 5/26 and spent more than an hour on the phone. Was told I needed to wait for Riu Palace Aruba to confirm the refund and then I could get my refund. No response received, so spent another 1.5 hours on hold on 6/2 and was told the same - must wait for Riu Palace Aruba to process refund to get my money back. I asked for a supervisor to call me back, but so far have not heard back. I also sent a complaint in to Riu Palace Aruba and again, no response thus far. I booked through the Riu (I guess their corporate booking's office) to stay at Riu Palace Aruba - all the companies seem connected so not sure why they won't refund my money when they agree I did not recieve the upgraded room. I have spent almost 4 hours on hold with them and no resolution.

I was booked at the Riu palace Cabo San Luca may 22, 2021 thru 5/30/21. I booked a junior suite swim out room. Upon checking I realized my room faced a fence and the Riu Santa Fe pool. That location did not afford me the luxury of bar waiter service as well as it was rowdy noisy and the people staying above my room were shouting obscenities to the people at the Santa Fe pool. I called the front desk and told them I was unsatisfied with my room location and they said they would call me back with a solution. Guess what never got a call. I called again Sunday no response, called on Monday and was told we can't guarantee room location but as far as I was concerned this swim out room was un usable. I could have had the cheapest room and had the same result. Finally on Monday someone offered to change my room but at that point I didn't want to pack up and move and wait until 4 pm to check in again. I paid for a particular room which I do not feel I was given. The noise was terrible and certainly not a relaxing vacation like I wanted. When I asked for a price adjustment I was told we will make a dinner reservation for you. Really Riu. I don't want to give trip advisor Expedia Facebook and other social networks a bad review but your customer service at the Riu palace stinks. Hoping you will do the right thing.

Kathleen silvestri
Res# RNT3Gv5Z
[protected]@aol.com
Riu class [protected]

I checked in RIU ANTILLAS on Thursday May 20th, I was giving room #524. The room balcony door was broken, the safe was not working, among other things so I called my travel agent and he contacted the hotel to change my room. Friday morning I was moved to another room #1520. That room had similar problems. Balcony door droken, etc. But I noticed I took all my belongings to room #1520 and forgot my 14k Dimond studs in room# 524. I contacted the hotel manager ( Jacquelina Kelly) and explained the situation to her. She asked me to give her the opportunity to investigate the situation before I file a complaint. So I did, and Tuesday morning I spoke with her and my earrings are still missing.

The toilet in the room button malfunctioned and water started overflowing. There was no way to stop the water. No plunger in the room. It took over an hour and 20 minutes for the toilet to be fixed and room to be cleared. In this time, I took pictures to show the manager because of the amount of time it was taking. Room was flooded and I feel back.

My wy wife and I stayed from 04-22-21 to 04-24-21 in The Ipanema Tower Room 344 and our problem was two-fold. One was the cleaning service was lacking with unclean surfaces and surprise crumbled toilet paper in numerous places that included inside the top drawer of a nightstand and on the carpet near the bed. The second problem was our neighbor tenant in room 342, who liked to smoke marijuana at different times, talk loudly with cursing included, and slamming doors at all hours of the night. The room had an adjoining door which did not help. We were thoroughly discouraged and will never return to that hotel. P>S> I have never seen a hotel with approximately 100 foot of lines awaiting an elevator. The security guard said there were no stairs open to the public.

I have been calling and emailing for over a year and they do not refund my money. I have documentation of the many times I have called and emails from them with case number and how they will resolve issue and get back to me and text nothing had been done. Every time they claim to escalate the issue but still waiting. Fraud and thieves is what it is.

my husband and I took our daughter to Jamaica from march 27 to march 31st 2021 for her surprise 12th birthday. When we arrived that Saturday we were informed that we could not leave the resort that Saturday and also that sunday. The resort was aware of the lockdowns and should have given us the option of coming or not. we wasted our trip by being at resort 2 days . Everyone economy is suffering but we work hard to save money for our first vacation since the pandemic and feel ripped off. My husband was even thinking of becoming a rui member.

natasha owens, phone: 904.887.2366 [protected]@gmail.com