BookIt.com Verified Traveler Donna from Mount Holly, NC

"When comparing this resort to our visit to Sandals in the Bahamas I would say that Sandals would be my preference (and not much of a difference in cost). There were various 'negatives' for us that came into play.
1. Gym/exercise room did not open until 8AM and they would not just unlock the doors for us to go in early. By 8AM we were already eating breakfast and getting ready for the pool and no longer interested in exercising. With all the food and drink available, continuiung our exercising was important to us.
2. The dinner reservation system for the 4 restaurants that were not buffett was very odd. You could only make reservations in person at one place between 8 & 9 every morning. Unless you got there by 7:45 the line was always long and the availability of space was next to nill. They need to rethink how this is done.
3. Only option for food after 10PM was a small Sports Bar with nothing but nachos and premade sandwiches in a cooler, unless you wanted to order from the very limited menu of the 24 hour room service.
4. Only 1 type of red wine and 1 type of white wine available.
5. You were only allowed 1 pool towel each.
6. Pool was very small for size of resort (which was really a converted hotel) and not too clean after a few hours.
7. Drinks at pool bar (which did not open until 10AM) were in tiny plastic cups. Bring your own travel mugs for the drinks and they will be glad to fill them instead.
8. Krystal Fusion restaurant was terrible...both food and service....don't waste your time.
9. Steak House and Sir Alexander's Gourmet restaurants were both good.
10. There was no lack of food on any of the buffets, but you had no choice for breakfast and lunch but the buffet. The food was pretty good though.
11. Convenient/short walk thru the Atlantis to get to their casino.
12. Nothing spectacular for the price to draw me back to this Riu location."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Linda from Watertown, Ct

"Check in was quick and easy. Was met w/ a cool drink, Don't ask for anything special i.e certain room or floor or 2 rooms together if traveling w/ another couple as they will tell you that your room was already assigned.Rooms were adequate....king bed.....tiny balcony....good sized bathroom,. Towels thick and big. Stocked fridge w/ soda....some liquor....vodka and rum.Coffee maker. Beds comfortable.Rooms well cleaned daily. Breakfast buffet was excellent..if you dont see something you want just ask a server and if they have it you'll get it.Lunch buffet was ok....same stuff daily.Always had freshly made pizza for those of us not adventurous eaters.Dinner buffet had a different theme nightly.Good luck making dinner reservations in the specialty restaurants. Between 8 & 9 a.m. is when you stand in line to make a dinner reservation for that day and the next. They fill up fast and it's a poor system and many were unable to get any of their choices.Be sure to go to the front desk and complain to the manager if you have any problems and she will direct you to speak to the proper person.Pool small and not the cleanest. Drinks were excellent and plentiful.Gym doesnt open til 8 a.m. which was too late for me. Nothing stays open late for snacks except the sports bar that has nachos only.Casino next door in the Atlantis provides some much needed diversion when the sun goes down as not much else to do. Staff friendly for the most part and eager to please.Beach clean and beautiful.Not as big as all inclusives I've been to but for the most part was a fine time for what I paid."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler A Recent Traveler

"If too much sun and sand and beautiful water is bad we will take it any day. Staff was friendly and helpful. Hotel and food amazing. Pool was great. best vacation we ever had. Have been to the Bahamas five times and without a doubt this was excellent. Would highly recommend Rui Palace for everyone. Planning to go again in the next year or sooner. Don't pay attention to the negative reviews they are not noteworthy. Stay was from October 5th to October 19th. Not one problem."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Chemouni from Chezery Forens, France

"I booked this hotel in order to enjoy the all inclusive thing, and I specially wanted to play tennis. BUT THIS HOTEL HAS NO TENNIS COURTS...there is such an error in the descriptive !!!!!! I was so disapointed, but there was no alternative proposition from the staff. NO tennis courts since more than 3 years."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Norm Ivers from Oakland, NJ

"I took my family to the RIU on Paradise Island this past week and everyone
including the grandchildren had a fantastic time. What made this hotel so special were the people that worked there. Everyone on the staff were so kind and HELPFUL IN EVERY WAY!! The food was excellent, the pool was wonderful and a beautiful beach. If you have children(or not) make sure to visit the aquarium at the Atlantis next door.
We had a fantastic time and look forward to returning to the RIU!!"

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Mike from Boston, MA

"Just returned from the Riu and have this to say...

- Hotel staff very helpful and friendly.
- Rooms were about average but were very musty smelling and damp with noticeable black mold on ceilings, moldings, electrical outlets, etc.
- Food was buffet style and good, but not great (was expected). You can make reservations at any of the more upscale restaurants daily.
- Lobby and facilities were kept very clean.
- Could not eat outside the dining rooms due to fearless sea gulls and pigeons that would take food right off your plate.
- Beach was very clean and well maintained.
- Beach chairs we readily available, but umbrellas would have been a nice option to offer.
- Not too many things to do at the resort except eat, drink, and relax.
- The worst part was the abundance of annoying locals trying to sell you everything. Literally happened every 15 minutes. Spend 6 hours on the beach and tell me how annoying it gets when you are trying to relax.

Overall we got what we paid for and would definately recommend the Riu to anyone that is looking for a nice time to sit back and eat and drink at will. The weather was great the first week of October eventhough the locals said it was not the best time of year down there."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Rocco Manoriti from The Villages, Fl. 32162

"We just returned from Paraidise island. We had a wonderful time at the Rui. the staff was very friendly and if we had a problem they took care of it wright away .when we first arrived we didn,t care for the view we had and the giril the front desk change our room and we love the view over the pool and ocean.The location is perfect if you like to gambel it was so close to the Atlantis hotel.The food at the buffet was above average and the staff was exceppional.the orther restruants that you had to make a reservation were fabulos.The rooms were o.k. but the showers need to have a exaust fan to get rid of the steam. I also think you could update the cable t.v. so you could get pay per view channels.We had a wonderful time and we will definately will be back and we would stay at the Rui palace."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Thy Nguyen from ASHBURN, VIRGINIA

"THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME TO THE BAHAMAS SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. THE TRANSFER FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE HOTEL WAS EASY AND CONVENIENT.

OVERALL THE HOTEL WAS FINE. THE WORST PART WAS THE HUMIDITY AND DAMPNESS IN THE ROOM. MY BED SHEETS FELT DAMP EVERY NIGHT AND THE TOWELS NEVER DRIED. SO IT WAS HARD TO GET COMFORTABLE IN THE ROOM, WHICH WAS A REAL NEGATIVE FOR ME.

THE STAFF AT THE HOTEL WERE ALL FRIENDLY AND PEOPLE IN THE BAHAMAS ARE GENERALLY REALLY REALLY NICE.

ALL INCLUSIVE IDEA IS GREAT, FOOD AT THE BUFFET VARIED AND WAS GOOD, PLENTY OF FRUITS AND VEGGIES. THERE IS LITERALLY FOOD THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

WATER AT THE HOTEL WAS TURNED OFF FOR A PERIOD OF SIX HOURS, I THINK THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AS MY FRIEND WENT TO BAHAMAS ONCE AND THE WATER WAS SHUT OFF AS WELL.

THE BEACH WAS GREAT, WATER SUPER WARM AND CLEAN. YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE SPORT ACTIVITY GUYS AND WOMEN THAT SELL MERCHANDISE. BUT IF YOU TELL THEM NO, THEY'RE QUITE RESPECTFUL. BUT THE MOMENT YOU SHOW ANY INTEREST, THEY CAN BE RELENTLESS. DON'T DO THE BANANAS BOAT RIDE, IT'S VERY BUMPY AND YOU'RE JUST HOLDING ON SO YOU DON'T FLY OFF THE RAFT. NOT AS ENJOYABLE AS IMAGINED. TRY JET SKI.

RIU IS RIGHT NEXT TO ATLANTIS HOTEL WHICH WAS VERY NICE AS ATLANTIS IS HUGE WITH LOTS OF THINGS TO DO THERE. THE WATERPARK IS NOT FREE, BUT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT, YOU CAN PURCHASE A PASS. THERE IS A MOVIE THEATER IN ATLANTIS THAT PLAYS MOVIES IN THE EVENING, WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THIS. THE CASINOS ARE TYPICAL. THE BIG FISH TANK IS AMAZING. THERE IS ALSO A MARINA VILLAGE THAT HAS LOT OF STORES AND RESTAURANTS. ALTHOUGH RIU HOTEL IS ONLY A HOTEL, HAVING THE ATLANTIS NEXT DOOR DID PROVIDE LOTS OF ENTERTAINMENT.

DOWNTOWN IS SMALL, IF YOU WANT TO BARGAIN AND SHOP, I WOULD RECOMMEND THE STRAW MARKET. OTHERWISE THERE IS NOT MUCH GOING ON DOWN THERE.

OVERALL IT WAS A GOOD EXPERIENCE. I WOULDN'T BOOK AT RIU AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE HUMID AND UNCOMFORTABLE ROOMS."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Myroomislayedlike from Washington, DC

" I read about the damp rooms on review boards before I left for my trip so was highly vigilant. Yes there was a certain dank/damp aroma in the hall way of my floor but my room was clean, i.e. no mildew smells or stankness. The bathrooms could stand for a fan ventilator however to keep the condensation from showers evaporated/dried out. Also if the trash bins in the rooms had plastic bag it would be great but I know the lack of them may be a green issue. The cleaning staff for the rooms were very good and they were good with restocking any beverages that ran out in your refrigerator. Buffet was generally very good- wide selection although a few nights the fish was a little too rare for my liking. The specialty restaurants were good food wise and staff wise were top notch. I did the steakhouse and the fusion restaurant but make reservations the second you check it b/c the restaurants are small. The all you can drink was out of this world so go easy drink water in between and get your mid shelf (Dont know if top shelf liquor was there but definitely the mid range brands were there)."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Michael from Exton, PA

"I have never been to an all-inclusive vacation, I will never use a Riu Property ever again. The entire hotel was musty and damp (room included). Was greeted very nicely and that is where the positives ended. Room was either two double beds or one king bed, we got two double beds pushed together. Alarm clock, phone and safe did not work. Room had a very damp feeling the entire trip. The food was average at best. The buffet food was always cold, I had four breakfast meals, four lunch meals and three dinner meals. We went to the beach everyday and was continually harassed the entire trip. Either the 'jet ski special' or the booze cruise or the banana boat ride, not to mention the women selling skirts, shirts, jewelry and hair braiding or the guy selling Conch shells. The only relaxing part of the beach was swimming with the fishes. I'm sorry but $300 a day isn't worth it. "

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Liz from New York, NY

"The hotel Riu was not what I expected.

Please consider this before you look at Riu:

- The pool was very small. Seems like they can't accommodate the amount of people that stay at the hotel. Hard to find a table when eating and you have to sit at a dirty table until someone comes to clean the area
- staff not friendly. Was not willing to help us check if our flights were on time
- Ceiling were leaking from all of the rain
- food was average. The sign says they open at 630, the staff says 7 but we had to wait until 710. Makes this hard for people to try to catch eat before they catch a flight
- can't eat food outside pool area...inconvenient
- had to make reservation from 8-9 for a specialty restaurant. Also specialty restaurants had 2 time slots and limited seating. You barely have a chance to get decent food and stuck a the buffet which was not very good.
"

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler A Recent Traveler

"We had a great trip. Great value, good food & drinks. Going through customs takes forever so get to airport 3 hours in advance when returning home. Book it, u will love it!"

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Wendy from PC Beach, FL

"We just returned from The Bahamas! Wow, Paradise Island, is truly a beautiful island. The Riu is located just down from Atlantis in a prime section of the beach. The hotel was recently renovated, to more of modern white linen and colors of violet as accents. We had a spacious corner king suite, which held my husband and our 12 year old easily. The balcony seats two and has a cleverly placed towel bar to dry your swim suit. The room has an in-room mini bar and fridge and I could not have asked for better AC in the room. This can be an issue in many tropical destinations, however Riu has ice cold AC, which was perfect. The staff overall was friendly, Shay at check in was welcoming and very helpful. Riu has some of the largest buffets in the AI business, which works well for both of my picky eaters. The beach is simply beautiful, crystal clear waters and soft light sand. Don't forget to bring your snorkel as the fish are prevalent in this area. The pool is an average size; I think it's more about the beach. If you do want to hang by the pool and sip a cold concoction, there are lots of lounge chairs to soak up the sun. Don't hesitate to ask for an umbrella if you need one, the staff will gladly get you one. Overall this hotel is very nice, with great food and pristine location. The tour operator, Majestic is located in the lobby if you need assistance with any of the excursions booked during your stay. Don't worry about booking this hotel, you will truly enjoy your stay."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler A Recent Traveler

"the service was great but the hotel is starting to show its signs of age. leaks in the lobby, powere outages, lack of water and that was all in 5 nights.
make sure you book your dinning two days in advance. they tell you only day but they accept reservations for two nights prior.
we ate ate the steakhouse krystal and sir alexander and all the food was very good eccept the sole at sir alexanders"

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Gary Mayo from Petal, Mississippi

"We had a great time at the RIU Palace Bahamas. Food was great; wait staff was great; room was acceptable, but always humid and had somewhat of a musty smell. We would return, but there just was not 'WOW' factor, which I expected when you spend $2,500 for 5 nights. I agree with previous posts; pool was never clear and clean; great beach access; great access to Atlantis which we enjoyed; Steakhouse was the best! Unfortunately, on the second day of our trip, I slipped on excess water in the lobby and could not get anyone, including a security guard or a manager to write up a report, despite being told one would be taken right away. I reminded a manager on the day before we left and was told he 'would look into it'. I saw the manager two more times before leaving and no report was ever taken. We would return, but won't expect a lot more than what we received on this trip."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Laura from Port Orange, Florida

"First day it took one hour to get from airport to resort as Majestic Buses packed a bus and made four stops with very little air conditioning and drove crazy. Got to the resort and they did not have the correct room that we paid for until the next day. The next day they gave us the room w/ a beautiful view. The staff are excellent and you will see the same day to day which is great. The food was a mix and good. The bar staff excellent. All you have to do is tip and make it known what you like and you will be taken care of throughout the trip. Went over to Atlantis each day and went to the casino -- couldn't get a drink at Atlantis as nobody is around to serve while gambling.
The pool was very cloudy(dirty) and had to get up early to get a chair. The beach was beautiful and bring the snorkel gear as you will see lots of fish. Watch out for the wave runner guys as they bother you every minute and are not with the resort.But if you like that it's 70 for 1/2 hour and 140 for one hour. Taxis are good and costs 9 to go to Atlantis but you can also walk as Atlantis is very close. Shopping is close too. Overall a nice relaxing trip and would go back again."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Jacqueline from Midland, Texas

"We loved our stay at the Riu. It is right next door to Atlantis, so we were able to walk over and enjoy the casino and other things the Atlantis had to offer. Right outside of the hotel on the beach are places you can rent jet skis, go parasailing, or ride in a banana boat; of course you have to pay for these. The hotel staff were very friendly. There is also a place downstairs that you can go to, to schedule different activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, and rent a scooter. We rented a scooter and were able to your all of paradise island and go over to Nassau for only $100 for the entire day (we returned it the next morning). I highly recommend staying here. All drinks are free which was a plus :)"

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Pam Welch from Springfield, Virginia

"Arrived at hotel to find out that my room reservation had been cancelled!! Spent about 45 minutes waiting to find out that the hotel made the mistake on checkin date! My upgrade to junior suite which I had paid for was only a king size room so separate sitting area! Not happy about accommodations! Food was very good and most of the staff were very pleasant!"

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Vickie Young from Flushing, New York

"We took my daughter as a graduation gift from High School. We all had an outstanding time. Everything went smooth, everything from the hotel to the transfers to and from hotel. The hotel is very clean and staff is extremely friendly. The food was great and there was such a wide variety to choose from. The only area that I could see for improvement on the food was, they need a little more variety on the menu for room service (after hours when you want alittle snack). The nightly entertainment for the adults at the resort was great, however they had nothing that appealed to the teenage group; such as a teen disco or a place where the teens could go and just hang out at night. I personally would consider this a 5 Star Resort opposed to a 4 Star Resort Other than that, I would highly recommend this resort. It is well worth the money!!! I"

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler A Recent Traveler from AR

"ROOM WAS COMFORTABLE, HOWEVER, WE BOOKED FOR 3 IN A ROOM AND THERE WAS A KING BED AND A SMALL COUCH THAT DID NOT MAKE INTO A BED. WE HAD TO CALL FOR A ROLLAWAY BED. RESTAURANTS WERE EXCELLENT. THE BEST TO ME WAS THE STEAKHOUSE BUT THE JAPANESE RESTAURANT AND THE KRISTAL WERE VERY GOOD AS WELL. THE POOL STAYED FULL AND DIRTY BUT UNDERSTANDABLY SO SINCE THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE DRINKING AND OFF THE BEACH IN THE POOL. THE ONLY THING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE CHANGE IS THE APPEARANCE OF THE BUILDING. IT COULD USE SOME PAINT AND UPDATING. WE HAD A GREAT VACATION."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Jannett Davis

"The room accomodations were great along with the excellant room service. Rooms were maintained daily with professional and friendly staff. The resort was beautifu and as well as peaceful. Restaurants and eating places were enjoyable and had a variety of choices each day. There were many activities and we were close to other great and enjoyable sites and attractions. Enjoyed the resort!"

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Susan Dianne Grimm from Henriett, Texas

"We had a wonderful time the staff was so nice and the food was delicious. Close to things and great value. One of the best places I have ever stayed at. Nice
view and so quiet at night you could leave the balcony slider open and listen to the waves. The resturants that served gourmet was the best. The Japanese restaraunt is no good it should be removed from the food chain.
We went on the sea ski all away around the island. Fun until he flew up on the sand and I flew off the ride Im ok.....
Took a tour around the island by bus saw a ton of things. The straw market reminded me of old Mexico just trash and beggers. At the cracked Conouch at Sharkees and it was so good ressled an allagatior (fake) but it looked like I took him on and won...... Drinks were so good and just an all out good time."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler HAROLD from HOUSTON, TX

"All of the staff member;s were proffessioanl and nice,special thanks to the young lady who made us feel at home hats off to you."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler A Recent Traveler

"Excellent value for the money. The hotel was very good except that they call a standard sized room a 'Junior Suite.' Food was wonderful; cheerfulness, friendliness and service from the staff was wonderful. Great location, just a few steps from the Atlantis complex."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Kurt from Louisville, Kentucky

"We just returned from a four day visit to the Bahamas and the Riu Palace resort. We we're extremely pleased with the resort. Compared to our trip to Cancun two years ago, the food was top notch and the overall service was fantastic. We walked through the Atlantis resort that was right next door and realized that we saved at least a $1,000 staying at the Riu because of the all-inclusive option. A benefit to staying next door to the Atlantis is that you have the option to visit the casino, shows and comedy club for a fee that is much less than what we would have paid to stay there. It is very obvious that the rooms of the Riu had been recently renovated because they were up-to-date, clean and fresh. The staff was very friendly and the pool and beach were fantastic."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Ross Hartley from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

"March 30thn2012,Just returned home.This hotel just been refurbished a short time ago, & is very nice. We stayed in room #1421. The staff very nice & helpful. The all-inclusive food & drinks are a great value & time saver.Nice pool & beach. The SteakHouse Resturant was great.We would go back again & would highly recommend this resort."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Bob R from Lynnfield, MA

"What's not to like. We are a couple in our early 50's. We met alot of other people in the 40 - 55 yr old age range at the swim up bar or afternoon happy hours in the lobby bar. Bartenders were excellent. We requested a non smoking room and they put us on the 14th floor. Room 1428 was very nice witha great view and so quiet at night you could leave the balcony slider open and listen to the waves. Maids were great and gave us whatevver we needed and kept the fridge stocked each day. Food at the breakfast buffet was very good. Lunch and dinner buffet were good but don't expect superior food. Steak house was our favorite of the restaraunts. Skip the Japanese restaraunt. Long pants are required for the specialty restaurants as are reservations which you stand in line in morning to make. At 8AM there was a 20 miinute line but I found by 8:45 no line and you can make reservations for two days. Liked be able to come off the elevators and walk a few hundred feet to pool or beach. Both clean and well attended. Drinks were good made with good brand such as Barcardi, and no problem getting a drink when you wanted one. The staff was super friendly especially if you engaged them. Tipping a few dollars went a long way. You can walk over to the Atlantis just a few hundred yards and walk inside Atlantis shops all the way to the casino. Casino was a bit smoky but tolerable and that's coming from someone who hates smoking. Trip into downtown Nassua is OK. Straw market was not good just a bunch of cheap stuff and no real bargins. Walk a block back of the water front and find shops there for best deals. Water taxi is nice trip only $4 each way. Marina Village at Atlantis was very nice. Great place to take a run/walk all around the marina and see all the yachts. The only things I would suggest they change is the Japanese restaurant and improve the reservation system. Plus do you realy need long pants to dine at a beach resort? The Riu should also keep the pool bar open a bit longer as they close the swim up bar at 5PM and the pool bar at 6PM. A tiki bar on the beach would be a nice addition in place of the Naughty Pirate bar/store that is in the sand in front of the Riu Cream vs milk for coffee in the morning would be nice also. If your a beer drinker they serve two kind of Bahamian beer Kalik draft and Sands Light in bottles. Sands was similar to a Coors or Bud light. Also had Miller light stocked in room fridge. Overall a very good value and great location."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Jen from Lansing, Michigan

"We thoroughly enjoyed our trip! The food was extremely good. Both the buffets and the specialty restaurants did not disappoint. The room was extremely clean and well laid out with plenty of closet and drawer space. The bed was very comfortable and the sheets were incredibly soft. The entire hotel was super clean and there were always employees cleaning. The balcony is a little small, but the view of the ocean more than made up for that and there was sufficient room for the two chairs and little table. I also appreciated the towel rack on the balcony. They seemed to run short of hand towels and washcloths most days, but we always had bath towels which were soft and large."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Sarahmmahoney from Boston

"Very nice resort. Overall, the hotel is clean, but run-down. This was not nearly as nice, but still better than any other hotel chains I've stayed in. Food: Overall awesome. Dinner reservation system needs to be revised. Its like they are forcing you to eat hotdogs from the cafeteria buffet. You have to book reservations every day at 8-9am. Not very vacation-friendly hours. Restaurants are nice (Krystal, Japanese and Sir Alexander). Steakhouse is a sectioned off area of the cafeteria...not nice. I suggest a curtain separating you from the lunch buffet and some steakhouse-like lighting instead of harsh overhead lighting. Gym: Decent. The Cabo gym overlooks the ocean...much nicer. The aerobics classes listed on the activity board never happened. I showed up three days in a row to no classes. Entertainment: Not much to speak of. There is live music for an hour and a show that reminds you of being on a cruise ship afterwards Location: Great location. Atlantis is right next door and there is a lot to do there. The resort is open after 7pm for non-Atlantis guests. Clean, safe and private beach. Great chairs and umbrellas. Rooms: Very nice rooms. We had a modern room with a big four-post bed. I was impressed with the space. There is internet in the lobby. Smoking: There are a lot of smokers at this resort. Although our room was smoke-free, there are ashtrays and smokers everywhere. While my husband liked the freedom to smoke Cuban cigars everywhere, I was really annoyed by the cigarette smoke. Spa: I did not use any of the services, but the jacuzzi area was really nice and tranquil."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler PHIL & LUCY MANLEY from FOUNTAIN CITY, INDIANA

"THE STAFF WENT THE EXTRA MILE TO MAKE OUR STAY JUST WONDERFUL. ORIGINALLY WE HAD A ROOM OVERLOOKING THE POOL AND OCEAN, HOWEVER, WE REALLY JUST WANTED AN OCEAN VIEW. THE FRONT DESK STAFF SEARCHED TO FIND US A ROOM THAT WAS PERFECT FOR OUR NEEDS. THE ROOM WAS CLEAN AND BEAUTIFUL. THE FOOD WAS SO GOOD THAT WE EACH GAINED AT LEAST 5 LBS IN 5 DAYS. THERE WAS A GENUINE KINDNESS FELT IN ALL INTERACTIONS WITH STAFF, MAKING YOU FEEL QUITE AT HOME. WE WOULD RECOMMEND THIS HOTEL TO ANYONE."

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"Clean room, great food, friendly staff, clean beach and pool. Excellent time, would go back right now if I could. I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for an all inclusive hotel in the Bahamas. My bed was clean and dry, no dampness and a fantastic view of the beach from our balcony. No complaints here."

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"Floors were soaking wet when we arrived, we moved rooms and the floor were still wet.
Buffet food was gross--couldnt even get a simple turkey sandwich anywhere!
Miller lite in the room, but wouldn't let you get it at the pool.
Had to stand in line at 8:00am every morning to reserve your dinner reservations.
Internet didnt work at all....for 7 days! They kept saying tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow, something about a chip bla bla, so many excuses! You get 90 minutes free a day, but if it's down for 7 days, you have to pay money--sucks! The front desk staff was not even nice about it, they were very short and blunt, and didn't want to provide any information, finally after 4 days they told me to call tech support...which didn't fix anything!
The fine dining was okay...but some of the places served the same thing.
Towels at the pool were very worn down, like they've been there for 10 years and never been replaced.
Sometimes when they cleaned our room they wouldn't stock the bath towels, so we had to call.
We filled out a breakfast card, and they never brought us breakfast!
Coffee was gross, very weak and bland.
The room service food was disguisting, its like they made the food in the morning, wrapped it up, and then when you ordered it late at night they brought it to you...ive never had such soggy nachos! They should at least have pizza 24/7 somewhere."

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"I've stayed at other Riu's an had such wonderful experiences, so naturally I didn't think twice about booking the Riu on Paradise Island. While we made the most of our trip, I would not go back or recommend it.

When we arrived there was no running water. The ceiling was leaking in several places throughout the 6 days we were there. Our pillows had an awful odor and our sheets were all stained. Oh and the power went out twice!

We booked an Ocean View suite and instead overlooked the roof of the lower portion of the building. This hotel was listed as having an aquarium and water park but failed to mention that they were referring to the Atlantis which you have to pay about $150 per day to use. Since the beaches are public you have to pay $25 per day for an umbrella and water activities are all extra. If you choose to hang at the pool it's very cloudy and full of sand. Also -there are a ton of kids splashing all around.

The restaurants at the Riu were what I expected. There is a variety of cuisines and there is always the buffet. If you want to eat in the restaurants you need to get up to make reservations in the lobby. You can only make reservations from 8am - 9am otherwise they will not squeeze you in even if there is availability. The Steakhouse was our favorite of all of the restaurants. The food was prepared to our liking and the staff was wonderful.

"

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"I usually stay next door at Atlantis, but thought that I would give this a shot. Well worth the money. The staff were very accommodating. I would definitely recommend The Riu Palace."

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"Beautiful place will return anytime and I would Highly rate this experience.One of the nicest beaches in the Carribean"

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"We had originally booked our trip to Breezes Bahamas but they decided to close for remodeling so Book-It booked us at the Riu Palace on Paradise Island and we are so glad that Breezes closed. Riu Palace is beautiful. The rooms are great and the drinks are better. The buffet was similar to Cruise ships. The SteakHouse Resturant was amazing. I would highly recommend it. The Gourmet Resturant was the only Con of the whole trip. The staff was great but the food was horrible. We didn't have a chance to go to any of the others. I would highly recommend this resort."

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"First time traveling internationally. Awesome experience, Book It did a great job, the Riu Palace Paradise Island was a wonderful time, the staff was friendly and so eager to make our vacation restful and fun. Can't wait to go again!"

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"My wife and I enjoyed our stay immensely! The room was very nice and the meals were very good. The staff was the best I have had anywhere. If you are looking for a place to have fun and relax this is it. The beach is public so you do have some people that hassle you to sell something but I found when I said no strongly they left us alone. You will not get gourmet meals every day but the meals are very good. They also mix great drinks. I never got a watered down drink and they use the best liquor you can buy."

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"Wonderful trip , no snags at all."

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