BookIt.com Verified Traveler Lisa Da Silveira from Sheffield, Ontario

"If you are looking for a place with great staff and Entertainers that get the crowd involved in activities this is the place for you. Entertaining staff was amazing and has made me want to go back for another Visit in the near future. Had a blast at the resort."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Brenda Schohl from Fruitport, Mi

"was very happy was up-graded to the tropical palace which was a very nice place had only one down-fall that the air conditioning in our building wasn't working very well my sister-inlaw was in another building and there it was working well!! had a great time staff was VERY NICE and friendly!!! would go back anytime!!"

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Allie from Minneapolis, Mn

"My husband and I have stayed at the Riu Palace in Cancun twice in the last 3 years, so we thought we had an idea of the Riu Hotels. Our specialist described the Riu Negril as 'romantic.' I would describe it as sloppy spring break with a bunch of familys thrown in. This Riu completely lacked any sort of quality.

The understanding is Jamaicans are laid back, however at the Riu they were just plain lazy. Never did you enter a females restroom and have the toilet paper roll in the holder-always stacked on the ground. Hand dryers worked every other day, and when they didn't there wasn't paper towels. And yet there was always a maid outside the bathroom! Bartenders will look at you and expect you to say your order rather than say hello first. The maid did a nice job with the room every day.

Same exact food every day. During one late night, we ordered a pizza from Luigi Restaurant, and the server was giving the pizzas to the employees before the customers! Only ate at one of the 3 restaurants because you needed to wait in a 30-45 minute line at 7am to get a dinner reservation 2 days out. The one restaurant we ate at, the 'gourmet' Sir Andrews, offered a small selection of meat, fish, and one vegetarian option. I tried the veggie option, but it was obviously pulled from the buffet next door, as it was the same noodle and sauce I had been having!

Rooms were fine, never got really cold with the air conditioning on. However adequate hot water. NOTE: The entire hotel went out of power 8 times in the 9 days we were there-including one evening for an hour! It sounded like the entire island was out of power this last time, but it was still very frustrating every time.

Entertainment was great, if that is your thing! We wanted to relax, as this was our honeymoon. We chose to lay at the 'family' pool due to the number of spring breakers in the pool with swim up bar. But every day at noon there is obnoxious water aerobics. Then at 3pm there is a polo game. And early afternoon at the other pool there is beer pong and drinking games. The entertainment is friendly and tries to get everyone involved, but you couldn't escape the loud music and loud people at either pool. Nightly shows were fun to watch. Jamaicans LOVE to dance, including very sexual dancing. Be warned.

Beach is nice, however not white soft sand. Jamaica was pretty windy when we were there, so the beach wasn't a fun option for us with all the sand flying!"

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Jennifer from Florida

"My husband and I stayed 8 days for our honeymoon. The room was clean and a good size; however, our king size bed was 2 full beds pushed together under a king size headboard. The room was not what I would call luxurious, but it was comfortable and clean.

The grounds were beautiful and the staff was great! I thought the food was good and the availability to food and alcohol was great.

We were a little disappointed that there was not a hot tub on the grounds and that the pools closed at 5 every day. Good thing that the ocean is always open and there are plenty of chairs set up along the beach for guests to use at any time.

For the price, the accomodations were fitting. We had a great time and would definitely go back!"

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Peta from Milverton, On

"We went on a family and firends type get together - 19 people total. We are all jamaican born.
We enjoyed the buffet. We found that they offered quite a variety. Liked the jamaican section especially the ackee and saltfish
Found the nightly entertainment a little lacking. We would give B for effort.
Water sports were quite leberal compared to most resorts. They let you sail no matter what kind of wind conditions - we are okay with that
Staff was great - very friendly and accomodating. On 2 ocassions a staff member went to the storage room to get water for us.
We did find the drinks to be lacking garnishes and any sort of fruit. The buffet also did not have alot of fruit options. We brought bananas from town and had them blend it into our drinks. BTW in the old days my parents said they used to feed jack fruit to animals - people didn't necessarily eat jack fruit - that was one of the fruit options.
overall lovely stay - we would return."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Robab from Ambler

"Our stay in Riu Negril was very relaxing. The food was very good and plenty. The evening entertainment was great. The only problem is the internet access and a few non functional things here and there in the room. But the front desk was responsive and took care of it. We loved Jamiaca. We will go back"

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Steven Katchen from Bronx, Ny

"Staff was polite and helpful. The friendliest people you could ask for at a hotel.

We were even upgraded to a Suite upon arrival.
The locals are constantly walking the beach offering to sell clothing, cigarettes, massages, etc. Not pushy at all.

Alcohol flowing like you would expect and want.

Will definitely go to another Riu again..."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Feicia Walker from Hialeah, FL

"Everything was awesome. But next time I will take my own taxi. I really did not enjoy the bus ride with the other passengers plus we had to drop of them in different locations inwhich it took much time. Also my bus did not come pick me up for my flight out i had to pay another driver to drop me to the airport inwhich I had already paid for."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Jamie from Duluth, Minn

"This was a great place to visit , can't complain. restuarant availability was difficult, but when we complained about it they took good care of us. Staff excellant and alot of fun."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Andrey from Brooklyn, Ny

"This is a nice resort on the beatiful beach.The weather is typical island with episodes of rains in the afternoons.The service could be better,e.g.:you had to walk to the beach bar every time you want a drink.The food was fresh,but mostly local flavor{spicy} and not so much choices.The most disturbent on the beach were 4-5 weddings every day very closely to the guests with loud music.Also overall was very crowdy everywhere in the hotel and most of the folks were drunk from early morning to late night.So forget about afternoon nap neither on the beach nor in the room{noisy neibors}.No peace no where.The room was small but clean with enough towels.I think the management should think about quality of stay,not only making business{weddings,etc} and organize the crowd better with something more valuble than just providing unlimited alcohol and loud music with untasteful shows."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Cindy from Rochester, NY

"wONDERFUL VACATION, STAFF FRIENDLY, RECEPTIONIST GREAT. FOOD WAS OKAY"

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Maureen from Woodbridge, Va

"We had an awesome trip. The staff was extremely friendly. They welcomed us right off the airport bus by taking our luggage and bringing ice cold beers. There were plenty of excursions available. The rooms were kept clean and stocked the whole time. The beach is beautiful, and the jerk chicken was available for lunch every day. We can't wait to go back!"

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Damita Hemphill from Lanham, MD

"every since i visited negril, i have never wanted to go anywhere else. I have been to this hotel 5 times and getting ready to return in May this year. Cant wait. I dont understand the bad reviews that were given, but cant please everyone. I pray the staff that was their during all my visits is still thetr. staff your were awsome and we showed our appreciation. staff, keep up the good work"

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Sue from Parkersburg, WV

"Our group of seven took vacation for a week at this resort and we had a blast. The beach was beautiful and the waters were calm. Little bit of a problem with the sand fleas but had our spray as recommended and we did fine. The food at all the restaurants was very good and lots of variety to choose from. No problem with getting reservations as some reviews have indicated. The staff was friendly and helpful the whole time. The accomodations in the rooms was very nice and the ac worked well once we figured it out. It was a bit of a walk to get to the restaurants, bars etc but we didn't mind. Enjoyed our ventures into the village markets as well as the 'natives' markets just beyond the resort beach property line. Rick's Cafe was a blast to visit. We would definetly return in the future."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Sally from WV

"I just returned with six of my girlfriends from a 7 night stay at the Riu Negril. We had 4 rooms and no one had any complaints . Rooms were cleaned very early and frig was always stocked. One of the rooms had a bad shower head, and it was replaced soon after it was brought to the staffs attention. My safe had been locked when I checked in, and the manager came right up and opened it up for us, he had to take it apart to reset it. I didn't see bugs in any of the rooms. They were spotless. Food was great, and a wonderful variety of fruits, which is what I really like to eat. Each night, there were many meats on the buffet, from turkey to prime rib, and a variety of fish. The spa was great-I had a massage on the beach. The staff was great from the dining room help to the lifeguards. Even the chefs asked if we were having a good time. I would definitely recommend it to everyone."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Ms. Cateyez from Miami, FL

"I stayed with my two sisters and had the time of our lives. We would definitely go back. The hotel was beautiful, the water was nice, the rooms are a nice size which can fit a family of five. Best of all the staff was very nice, friendly and welcoming. They ensure we had a great time and that we did. Check in was easy and we were bumped up from building 3 to building 1 just by simply asking. We had no problems making dinner reservations. The food at all buffets were great and the food at the restaurants were awesome. The entertainment was fun and all staff members were really really nice. The only not so good things, were we had to carry our luggage to and from our hotel room which we didn't too much mind because we didn't have that much to drag and also the drinks were a little too watered down, but the fully stocked bar in our room made up for that. Overall I will definitely go back and would recommend this resort to my friends."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Ms.Cateyez from Miami, Fl

"My 2 sisters and I loved the hotel. We would definitely go back. The hotel is beautiful, all the staff members are friendly and very welcoming. The food is great, however the drinks were watered down and we had to carry our own bags to and from our room but we that was nothing major. Overall it is a wonderful hotel and we would definitely go back."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Suzanne from East Bridgewater, MA

"Hotel was very nice and the staff was everywhere and very helpful except the woman booking dinner reservations. She knew she held some 'power' so to speak and was painful to deal with. She blatantly told us no reservations and then gave one to the couple after us that 'chatted' her up. The food was plentiful and the entertainment staff was alot of fun. The only critiques I have is that there are no elevators in the buildings nor transportation to the far buildings so if you have any difficulties walking or climbing stairs, make sure you book a room close to the lobby and on the ground floor. Also the towels are only available at the pool so it's quite a walk to get a towel and then go back out onto the beach. If you are a smoker, pick some cigarettes up on your way down because they are outrageously priced on the resort. Other than that, it was a good vacation and the sun / sand was perfect."

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Lori & Trevor Klock from Regina, Saskatchewan

"The hotel is way overpriced for what you get. First, the rooms are located quite a distance from all the restaurants and entertainment. There are 3 floors and not one elevator making it difficult for elderly and also for transporting luggage. The hotel has a very poor air conditioning unit and some rooms dont have working fans. there are not enough beach loungers so you have to get up as early as 6am while you are on vacation to reserve chairs or you wont get one. Similarly, the ala cartes have to be reserved and you are only allowed to reserve 2 days in advance; the reservation desk is open at 8am and books up fast so again, you have to get up to stand in line to eat at restaurants you have already paid big money for. This year (2012) was a bad year for mosquitos and sand fleas. The hotel was not diligent to fog everyday, thus everyone was getting a lot of bug bites that itch for days. The service is ok at best, the staff aren't willing to do much unless you tip on top of the money you have already paid for an all inclusive. The bars close early so unless you go off resort (which I highly recommend to see real Jamaica) you don't have much fun."

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"Wonderful resort, great and friendly staff. 30 people attended our daughters wedding for the week. Wedding went off without a hitch. Other than people need to resort the resort staff and stay away from end of beach, staying out of the couples pictures. My husband and I travel alot, and we found trying to book reservations for individual restaurants was difficult at best. When you spend that much money, each room should be guaranteed at least 'one' restaurant pick of their choice. We had a bit of a mixup in rooms/beds ex. 2 girls in one room, had to sleep in the same king bed, but they should have had 2 separate beds. The buffet had a great variety of food. Beaches were nice, but boats and sea doo's stirred up the water, making it merky. We both got many bites from sandflies, which is unusal for us on our travels. Overall, we had had a wonderful trip together, a fantastic week, great sunny weather and we would go back to Jamaica in a heart beat. One love........."

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"We stayed at the Club Riu Negril for 2 weeks April 20 - May 4 and had a wonderful time and one of the best vacations ever!! We found the resort staff to be VERY friendly and helpful and will definitely be returning to this resort again! Our room was very clean and the maid always had beautiful towel art to greet us when we returned to our room after she cleaned. The bar staff always made sure we had delicious drinks and a good time!! So friendly and really fun people. There were only a few nights when we heard people in the halls but lets face it, when you go to an all inclusive with free drinks flowing, you should expect a few people to be a tad louder than they might normally be without the booze :) There was always an abundance of good food to choose from with a selection of both North American dishes as well as local Jamaican dishes. We defintely recommend this resort."

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"This was our fifth trip to Jamaica and our four time staying here. That alone says a lot about what I write... We did enjoy our stay again. This was our first trip arriving late in the day. When we reached the airport in Montego Bay, at 8:30 PM it almost seemed like they were closed. Very quickly we were on the way to Negril. When we arrived and were taken to our room, there was a mix up and someone else was in the room we had been assigned. Our porter told us to wait a couple minutes while he ran back and sorted things out. He came back quickly and said that he had some good news and some bad news... We were moved a building further away, but upgraded from a garden room to a beachfront room. It was amazing. This building was the furthest from the central area of the resort, but there were no trees obstructing our view of the ocean. We actually enjoyed the walking... to offset some of the eating. Actually, I think I lost a pound on this trip, which never happens when your room is right near all the eateries. The beach at this end was great too. We could wake up at 9:00 am and still walk out and find beach chairs. We were also right by the fish sanctuary area and so it was great fun to walk about in the water. Lots of weddings are held at this end of the beach and that was worth a few extra smiles."

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"Although the room was fiine and the housekeeping was excellent, there were many things that were disturbing.

The food at the buffet was generally terrible. Some dishes were undefinable and not all things were labeled with a name. As for the sit-down restaurants, it was all but impossible to get reservations.

Both the pool area and the beach did not have enough chairs to accomodate the guests.

The entertainment was good and the staff was friendly.

The beach, which was beautiful, was not very relaxing. We were told that the jet skis were not parrt of the Riu and we should not rent them as it is illegal. However, they pulled right up on Riu's property and tried to entice guests to rent the jet skis. It seems to me that the hotel could be facing a lawsuit.

"

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"After reading few good comments on the net, we decided to spend a ten days Christmas vacation on this hotel. Overall it was good because the price was reasonable. Actually we will be disappointed if we paid more than $1500.

This hotel is very well positioned; it has the best beach view and size in Negril. The water is always clear and clean. You will realize what I am talking about once you walk along the same beach toward the other hotels. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. The food was ok but not great; we were bored and disenchanted after few days since all the dishes were similar as for the first day. Snorkeling is great on this beach; you will see small rays, colored fishes and lots of starfishes. None of these fishes are harmful.

Great location, far from all activities but still worth it to relax."

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"Riu Negril Club is located on the beautiful Bloody Bay. Great for jet skiing, boating, sailing and swimming. The water in December was warm, calm and beautiful. The staff was very friendly. We had to make a few calls to the front desk over room service but everything was resolved in a timely manner. The buffet was great but the a la cart restaurants to my surprise were not any better than the buffet. No need to make reservations when the buffet has the same quality and more options. I actually preferred the buffet overall. I highly recommend this resort as a great value and absolutely exceptional location."

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"Wow what a shocker! Check- in was wonderful but went down hill from there on. The disco was closed that first night and all other entertainment. The next morning I tried to make reservation dinner for my birthday, sorry already booked. The next day I tried again to book dinner reservation, sorry booked again. This is where i lost it. I told the two young ladies many indecent words and was screaming, and this is when I got a reservation immediately. I got all the guest in the lobby's attention. I had to behave like a low class person to get things done. Imagine I could not even get a res on my birthday!

As for the food, it sucked!!! the chef needs to be fired. If you know what good food taste like, the hotel's food is garbage. The jerk on the beach was awful too. The room was OK and had liquor dispenser in there. I would never recommend this hotel not even to my enemy if I had one. My worse stay at a hotel ever. If you need a good hotel, grand palladium, excellent, excellent!! One has to try to know, however, learn from my mistake and never choose the this hotel!!!"

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"Sand fleas were horrible, on beach and in room. I became the buffet.

Dinner Food at buffet lacked taste . Pool person for towels did not explain the towel protocol and took our cards the firdt day. We were able to change our towels every day except on the last day there he refused to give us back our cards even though we had 2 towels returning saying the colour was wrong. Since when does this matter as long as they give that colour at the pool and the towels say rui. Had to fight to get cards back in order not to be charged for towels. Garbage and glasses were left on grounds so it was later in the morning before staff cleaned up after duests at night that partied Although the better part of the staff was freindly and accomadating. I definately would not stay in that hotel again."

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"Riu Montego Bay was a great resort. I went for a week the end of August. Weather and resort were beautiful! Great food, large beautiful resort. Went back 6 weeks later and stayed at the RIU in Negril. The actual resot in Montego Bay is nicer, however, the location in Negril is nicer because the beach is gorgous and a lot bigger. The beds were hard and customer service could have been better but overall great time!!"

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"Had a great experience at the Riu. Reading prior review in reference to bar service only, There were servers during the evening.

This was my first Riu hotel stay. I was pleasantly surprised. All staff was great. They were always available, but never intrusive. I enjoyed most of the food, expecially being able to enjoy the local foods. It was great to have the local culture incorporated with the hotel experience.

My only negative is I found the showers/bath to be a little tight.
The transportation service was extremly efficient as were the tour desk.

I would stay again without hesitation. I had not been to Jamaica in nine years, I fell in love with the island all over again. I can't wait to return."

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"This is a fantastic place. We have vacationed here four times and plan to return many more times"

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"Never expected to have such a great vacation. Everyone at RIU went out of their way to make us feel welcome and worked hard to pamper us. The food was absolutely wonderful at the restaurants and buffet. Breakfast was always great also. I would maybe book ocean front rooms next time, our room had a garden view and was a little dark. But with the beautiful outside view and all the amenities, we did not stay in our room very much. The entertainment staff was so much fun and tried to include everyone, and we had a ball at the show they put on every night. We met so many nice people and would also recommend taking the boat cruise to shop, snorkel, and Ric's Cafe. The sunset view there was beautiful. The hotel was beautiful and all the staff was so nice and gracious, I would definitely return whenever I get the chance. I have found myself thinking about being back there often. Fun was had by everyone with us! Thanks Staff & Friends at RIU! Wish I was back there now!!!!!!"

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"beautiful beaches.........great food especially at the buffet options..........staff goes above and beyond to accomodate and they are extremely friendly. Our only 'complaint' is that there is no consistency in how they mix thier drinks, so be sure to ask how they make your preferred drink before ordering it."

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"The resort was great!! Everyone was very friendly, everything was clean and the service was excellent.



Things are very expensive there and the people are very poor. The environment outside of the resort wasn't great. I think that we can find a better place to spend that kind of money. We will not be going back to Jamaica."

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"Just returned from a 5 night stay.. I have to say everything was perfect and far exceeded my expectations. The resort was beautiful, the grounds well kept and clean. Rooms were clean and spacious, the staff was so friendly, food and drinks great, especially the Hut on the beach serving jerk chicken. Beach there is so beautiful. We had a group of 14 and there was something for everyone's taste. Will definitely book this again."

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"Great resort, great staff and the food is not too bad. This is my second time visiting Jamaica and staying at this resort. I can't get enough of it. My room was cleaned frequenly and the pools were kept very clean. The jerk chicken hut and the Disco room was a plus. I got a massage at their spa which was amazing and relaxing. Best resort on the 7 mile beach. The girl's and I had such a great experience that we will return before the end of the year. Worth every penny. I also recommend the tours that include Dune's River Falls and the catamaran trip to Rick's Cafe and snorkeling. These water tours are seperate from the resort but the Caribe company is right on the beach of the resort. "

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