RIU Hotels & Resorts Omdömen 660

Ich bin noch gar nicht angereist - und versuche seit 3 Wochen jemanden zu erreichen der mir eine Frage beantwortet…
Telefonisch und per Mail. Es meldet sich einfach niemand und bei der Deutschen Kontaktnummet sagt man mir ich soll mich direkt vor Ort wenden - aber da erreiche ich niemand egal wann ich es versuche und auf mails ( in Landessprache verfasst ) meldet sich niemand

Room was fine, food okay, front desk and concierge staff-terrible. The bellman told us a bus that arrived was not ours( for transport to airport) but it was, so we had to pay $120 for a taxi to make our flight. Riu has refused to reimburse us!

What can I say about the RIU Palace Macao? Let's start with the fact that this an "Adult Only" resort. When we were checking in noone advised us of hotel policies. We were never told we have to go to the front desk to receive cards in order to get beach towels. We were never told said towels would need returning or they won't allow you to check out.

Day 3 we lost our AC and in temps ranging from 28 to 33°, our room temp was between 23.5and 24.5. We tried calling the front desk and the phone wouldn't work (it was intermittedly broke it seemed).
After 3 trips to the front desk, 3 calls and 3 techs over 3 days, they finally agreed it was broke and agreed to move us, but, gave us 10 mins to pack everything.

Day 4, I got food poisoning from lettuce that was wash in polluted tap water instead of purified water. I spoke with several other guests who confirmed they also became sick. The front desk was contacted looking to see if the doctor was on site where we were told we could not see a doctor until we went to the front desk and pay a $2 deposit but couldn't explain what the deposit was for.

The new room they moved us to was cold but worse. It had mold on the walls, the TV didn't work, and after being away from the room for 3 hours we came back to scarily find our room door open. We were not aware it needed slammed multiple times to latch properly. The front desk fogged our concern and did nothing.

The pools were awesome, the staff (not the front desk) were friendly and accommodating. Our only complaint about bar staff was they refused to provide bottled water and said if we wanted bottled water to take it from our rooms. They provided 1 liter bottles in our room which in my opinion and what I experienced was if you didnt chug the entire bottle, it was hot water in no time on the beach or beside the pool. The front desk staff were dismissive and acted unconcerned of our issues.

The beach was constantly littered with trash, drink cups and seaweed. In fact, we thought the maintenance staff did little to clean up the resort on a daily basis.

The only entertainment required gambling at the casino, travelling to a club miles away or party's they had a the small disco on site. No shows of any kind.

The spa, gym and shopping area were very nice.

We choose an "Adult Only" resort because we thought it would be a more Adult concentrated atmosphere but we felt we were treated more like children then a family resort we visited last year. When we checked out they refused to take my word for it that the towels for the beach were in our room and since NOONE told us they would be needed to check out, how were we to know.

We will never return to this resort, it was certainly NOT worth the extra $1000 we paid for the adult only experience.

Absolute worst experience of my entire life - I booked a package deal and called the Riu packages team to verify if I could cancel and that I was within the window to do (otherwise I would have NEVER cancelled and LOST ALL MY S3K). The agent advised that I could and since they can't reach the hotel after calling THREE times that I should do it online. I did it online and it said I get ZERO refund. I asked if they could reinstate it then and I would come on the trip and they said its not an option. I asked for a credit and that we would come stay at a later date, they declined. There is NO CARE OR SERVICE for people who work hard and do their best to work out a resolution. The manager declined the waiver sent for refund and declined to do anything on this matter. My family is now out of a vacation and $3k (I also cancelled my flight and took a loss there as well since they advised I could cancel still). Because I was MISINFORMED by THEIR agent I am not suffering a significant loss. Absolute fraud and horrible SERVICE!!!
Disgusting they could treat me this way.

Take care during booking process!
They offer you FREE domnestic flights to the hotels on the maledives, but if you want to arrange the flights the cash EXTRA!
I have screenshots to proof!

Stayed at the Riu Vistamar in Gran Canaria on 10-17th March. Due to fly home on 17th but my wife contracted Gastroenteritis and ended in hospital for two days.
TUI rep was lass than helpful luckily my travel insurance Barclays Bank were brilliant and sorted out flight and taxi to airport.
The hotel were not very helpful when we explained that we thought the problem was in the restaurant. We only ate in the restaurant and no where else.
In the hospital a Norwegian lady also had Gastrointeritus, and her husband had had it the week before.
Having looked on Trustpilot since getting home, I have found 130+ other people who had also been ill staying at this hotel!
Someone from TUI needs to address this issue urgently.
We have contacted TUI since returning home and have had at least 3 different people, asking from TUI for the same details which I had already sent!!
I would think long and hard before staying here as my wife is still not 100% and was ill for 18 days in total.

Cero comentarios un desastre!

My husband, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and three adult "kids" visited RIU Palace Mexico recently. From the moment we arrived, we were impressed. The staff's genuine smiles and hospitality made us feel so welcome. We were also amazed by the cleanliness and attention to detail. The resort grounds are gorgeous and immaculately maintained. The pool and beach areas were pristine and beautiful. The service was impeccable. All the bartenders and servers were excellent. The resort has a diverse range of dining options, from authentic Mexican cuisine to Asian Fusion. The food was delicious. The buffets offered at breakfast, lunch, and dinner were all amazing. The all-inclusive aspect meant we could indulge without a second thought. We really enjoyed all the activities provided at the pool, like water fitness classes, the foam party, dance party, cocktail class, BINGO, Belly Flop contest and more. The staff ensure there is never a dull moment. The evening entertainment was also a highlight. Shout out to Alex, Jessie, Eric, Pamela, Paola, Danny, Gustavo, Emiliano, and the other RIU staff. They made our stay extra special. If you're looking for an unforgettable all-inclusive experience, look no further than RIU Palace Mexico. We can't wait to return!

From the moment we arrived in Cancun, the problems began. I booked on the actual Riu website, where I was offered a free shuttle from the airport to the resort. When we arrived at the airport and located the signs for Riu, we were told our name was not listed and that we would have to wait several hours if we wanted a free ride. We wound up paying $80 for a taxi to the resort, figuring that they would just offer us a ride back to the airport – no problem.
When we arrived to check in, the girl at the front desk told us they were offering a “special upgrade” to a few of the Riu Class members, where they’d take us to a neighboring resort that was supposed to be better, with an upgraded room, for the same price we were paying for the original resort. She told me they had 5 more pools than the resort we had booked at, and we accepted happily! We also asked at this time about paying partially with cash (USD) and partially with a card, and were told it would be no problem.
They brought us via taxi to the neighboring resort, where things started to go downhill. We were told at this resort that we could not do part cash/part card, and also that we had to exchange our USD in order to pay… but the person manning the exchange desk was on lunch and wouldn’t be back for another 30 minutes. We walked to the bank next door, where we were told we could not exchange more than $500 each day. Not nearly enough to pay for our stay. So we wait for the exchange desk person to get back from lunch, and lose another $60 with the exchange rate, and eventually are able to pay.
At this point, I wanted nothing more than to go back to Las Americas. I love that resort, and at first glance, this “upgraded” resort doesn’t look any better than the previous one. It was smaller, didn’t look as nice (in my opinion) and actually had fewer pools. So my fiancée asked if we could go back- shouldn’t be a problem, right? Wrong! They spent the better half of an hour whispering to each other behind the front desk and placing various calls, eventually telling us they had “already booked” our original room… seems odd. By now, I figured they had accidentally overbooked- and offered this “exclusive upgrade” to sort out the mess!!
Upon insistence, they managed to find us a room back at the original resort – NOT UNTIL THE NEXT DAY. We’ll have to spend night one here. But wait – our room HERE won’t be ready for another couple hours! So we’ve spent most of our first day in this mess, and now have to cart our bags with us to go eat dinner at the buffet. When our room was finally ready, I was unsurprised to see this was clearly not an upgrade from our original booking. Instead of a Queen or King bed, my fiancée and I were given two separate twin beds. We asked if they could push them together, and they told us WE could try if we wanted to. The singular upgrade in the room compared to our original booking was a bathtub…
The next day comes around, and I am still exhausted, incredibly frustrated that I lost a third of my long-awaited vacation to this disaster, and ready to be back at Riu Palace Las Americas. We checked out, and they ferried us back to check back in. Where… surprise, surprise… OUR ROOM IS NOT READY!!
I was in tears at this point. Again, we cart our bags with us to lunch and out to the deck where I am desperate to at least get a few hours out in the sun and try to relax.
Finally, a couple hours later, we are given our room keys. I will say they put us in a nicer room this time – we had a gorgeous sea view, and I was happy to be back at the resort I had been dreaming about for months leading up to the stay. Unfortunately, I had less than 48 hours left of my vacation at this time.
To put the cherry on top of this disaster, when we came down to check out on our final day, we were told we were not listed to be taxied back to the airport… are you kidding me? They tried to tell me we should have input our flight info when requested via email, but when I pulled up my email to show there was no request sent (as well as to show them my MULTIPLE confirmation emails stating I would get free transportation) the staff was short with us and told us they could not taxi us back until hours after our flight was set to depart. I was incredibly confused that they wouldn’t have available transportation at the very time we were required to check-out. There goes another $100 to taxi back to the airport!
A final, important piece of information… after we returned home, I was curious about the comparative cost of the two resorts. After all, this was supposed to be an incredible upgrade, right? WRONG! When I tried searching a variety of upcoming dates to compare, the other resort was either equal in price or LESS!!! I can see no alternative to the situation being Riu allowing for their hotel to be overbooked, and offering a false “upgrade” to loyal guests.
I hope that Riu will choose to make this right with us.

Arrived late 23rd March ar Riu Costa del sol. TUI were superb,
But after a tiring trip,went to bed in the 4 star hotel to find bedsheets with holes and recent bloodstains ( not ours)?
Contacted reception and received an apology with sheets changed out the next morning.
But the fact that it happened in the first place and that the health threat of exposure to alien blood is all bit
scary.
Not at all happy ( RIU have apologised, but my concern is still valid)

We stayed 10 nights at RIU Dunamar (March 2025), booking a multi-generational family trip. While the location and some staff were wonderful (thank you Eva, Adriana, and Arturo), the overall experience was deeply disappointing.

Key issues:

Safety: A cat scratched my 2-year-old son in the reception area—why are animals allowed in common areas and near food? A lamp exploded near us in the evening. A guest openly smoked marijuana by the kids’ pool with no action taken by staff.

Rudeness and disrespect: My elderly parents were denied basic service (coffee, water) and mocked by staff in the dining area. When raised with management, we felt blamed or dismissed rather than heard.

Laundry incident: After my father-in-law had a health issue, reception staff (Aldo) lied and laughed at our distress when we asked about the laundry. Only after escalating was it returned—without any apology.

Housekeeping & maintenance: Rooms weren’t cleaned, gym machines were broken, and feedback was brushed off as “not my job.”

Poor communication: We waited 9 days for confirmation of airport transport, despite asking daily.

Thankfully, subdirector Janeth was the only senior staff member who showed true professionalism, apologizing for her team's actions and trying to make the last days more comfortable. But even her hands were tied on some basic issues, like requesting a staff member to apologize for disrespect.

Sadly, we will not be returning to RIU. Hospitality is about care, safety, and dignity—things that should never be compromised.

We stayed at this resort from December 21st to January 4th with our family (two adults and two children), hoping to spend a relaxing and comfortable vacation. Unfortunately, our experience was far below expectations, with a series of issues that negatively impacted our stay.

1. Payment Issues and Price Discrepancies
From the moment we arrived, we encountered a serious issue with the payment. The proforma invoice sent to us in Italy indicated an amount of 6256 euros, but at check-in, we were asked to pay 6852 euros, with no clear explanation for the difference. After contacting the resort several times in the months following our stay, the responses we received were disappointing and lacked transparency. Initially, we were told that the difference was due to the currency exchange applied by our bank, but after verifying, we found that 167 euros were indeed charged by the credit card for the currency exchange, while the rest of the difference was taken by the resort without any justification. This left us feeling frustrated and confused, given the lack of clarity and proper assistance.

2. Inadequate Initial Room Assignment
Our first room was completely inadequate for a family of four, as we were given a room with only one large double bed for all of us. We immediately reported the issue to the front desk, but were told we would have to wait. After waiting for an hour, they only changed our room the following day, which caused considerable inconvenience at the start of our vacation.

3. Problems with the Refrigerator and Maintenance of Common Areas
Another issue was the refrigerator in our room, which was never stocked with the products included in the all-inclusive package. This oversight made our stay less comfortable. Additionally, in our block of rooms, one of the staircases was constantly flooded, creating a serious risk of falling. Despite reporting the issue, it was never resolved, highlighting the lack of attention to guest safety.

4. Food in Large Quantities but of Poor Quality
The food was certainly plentiful, but the quality left a lot to be desired. The dishes were repetitive, and the quality was far below what we expected from an all-inclusive resort. Moreover, there was no allergen list, which is a serious issue, especially for those with food intolerances or allergies. During our two-week stay, we had the chance to eat lobster twice, but getting it was a real challenge: there was a long line, and by the time we managed to get close, the quality was far from satisfactory.

5. Slow and Unattentive Service
The service, in general, was very disappointing. Although the staff was generally polite, they seemed overburdened and inattentive to details. We had to request things multiple times, such as extra towels and products for the children. In an all-inclusive resort, we expected a more efficient and prompt service.

6. Poor Animation and Non-existent Activities for Children
One of the aspects that disappointed us the most was the entertainment for children. The animation was practically nonexistent, and the few programs offered were not engaging for our children. There were no activities specifically designed for kids, and after a few days, we found ourselves looking for alternatives to entertain the family. This significantly reduced the quality of our vacation.

7. Room Cleanliness but Poor Maintenance
The room cleanliness was adequate, but this was not enough to compensate for other issues, such as poor maintenance and lack of attention to detail. The structure overall seemed to need more care, with common areas not properly maintained and facilities that were not looked after as they should have been.

Conclusion
In summary, our stay at this resort was definitely disappointing. The price discrepancies, the issues with the room, the poor-quality food, the inattentive service, the lack of animation for children, and the maintenance problems made our vacation far from what we hoped for. After contacting the resort for months regarding the payment difference, we were left dissatisfied with the lack of transparency and unclear responses. Unfortunately, we cannot recommend this resort, especially for families with children looking for a relaxing and high-quality stay. We hope the resort takes these issues into account and improves its services in the future.

Traumhafter Meerblick von der 6.Etage, doppelt großes Zimmer mit Bad und Dusche.renoviert vor 10 Jahren, jedoch sehr gut erhalten. Bei 15 Tagen Aufenthalt wird das Frühstückbuffet schnell langweilig. Es fehlt eine ständige Auswahl an Aufschnitt mit Rohschinken, der nur an ca. 1/3 der Tage zur Verfügung stand, da ich keinen Käse esse. Die Müsli-Auswahl ist verbesserungsbedürftig. Das frische Obst in ganzen Stücken war z. T. schlechter Qualität. Ein zu großer Anteil des Obsts waren Konserven.
Beim Abendessen war das Gemüse immer zerkocht und z. T. unansehnlich (z. B. Rosenkohl) Es war insgesamt fleischlastig, die Gulaschqualität war verbesserungsbedürftig. Suppen waren langweilig.
Nachspeisen waren immer ohne echte Sahne, stattdessen wurde eine mohrenkussähnliche süße klebrige Creme serviert.
Das Personal an der Rezeption und der Reinigungsservice für die Zimmer war einwandfrei.
Der Aufenthalt im Speisesaal war schwer erträglich wegen des Lärms und der Enge. Lärm durch lautes Klappern mit Geschirr. Enge mit weit überwiegend Zweier-Tischen mit 25 cm Abstand zum Nachbarn. Die Gäste waren zum sehr großen Teil adipös und sicher keine anspruchsvollen Esser. Sehr prblematisch war auch die grassierende Mallorca-Grippe mit heftigem Husten bei ca jeder 2. Person ohne irgendwelche Hygiene-Maßnahmen. Wir waren der Meinung, dass eine Reisewarnung angemessen gewesen wäre.
Unsere zweite Urlaubswoche war gezeichnet von der Grippe mit Appetitlosigkeit bei meiner Frau.
Der gravierendste Mangel jedoch war der fehlende Sonnenschutz. Am frühen Nachmittag waren bis zu 28 Grad Celsius im Zimmer. An der gesamten Meerseite sollten Alu-Außenjalousetten angebracht werden. Die Klimaanlage wird zentral gesteuert, hat jedoch keine ausreichende Wirkung. Ich möchte mir nicht ausmalen, wie heiß es wohl von Mai bis August sein wird. Das Urlaubsziel war für uns eine Falschberatung. Wir wollten eigentlich direkt nach Palma. Die Beraterin von Hapag lloyd hatte uns das Hotel Riu San Francisco mit den doppelt großen Zimmern und der frischen Renovierung, seiner Lage und der Historie wärmstens empfohlen und wir sind darauf hereingefallen. Wir fühlten uns wie in der Pampa/Einöde. Kilometerweit befand sich nicht ein einziges attraktives Geschäft
an der Playa del Palma. Während unserer Anwesenheitszeit hatten Baumaßnahmen mit Presslufthämmern Hochkonjunktur. Viele Geschäfte und Hotels waren noch geschlossen, während "unser" Hotel ausverkauft war. Bei den Gebäude-Ensembles gab es einen hohen Anteil in desolatem Zustand, also nicht schön anzusehen. Unser Aufenthalt war 15 Tage und kostete ca. € 4.300,00 für 2 Personen. Die meisten Gäste waren lediglich 5-8 Tage dort.
Uns wurde der Aufenthalt bereits zu lang.
Die Essensqualität, die wir in 4 Stern-Hotels in Östereich oder Südtirol, aber auch in deutschen Städten erhalten haben , war signifikant besser. Auch sind bei Frühstücksbuffets Espresso-Maschinen mit einer Kaffee-Auswahl selbstverständlich.
Unser Aufenthalt dauerte bis 3.3.2025. Zuletzt waren wir vor rd. 50 Jahren zweimal auf Mallorca. Die nähe des Ballermanns war auch in der nebensaison unverkennbar. Die Gästebetreunung und das Versorgungsniveau im Riu San Francisco war noch auf dem Stand von vor 50 Jahren. 3-4 Mal in der Woche war Live-Musik in der Bar angesagt. Die Interpreten konnten durchweg recht gut spielen und singen, was das Vergnügen jedoch stark beeinträchtigte war die schlechte Einstellung der Verstärker-Anlagen. Hier ist es für die Zukunft wichtig, dass ein fachkundiger Tontechniker hilft bei der Einstellung der Verstärkeranlagen. Meine zeitnahen Reklamationen an der Rezeption bewirkten lediglich Achselzucken. Misserfolg war, viele Gäste hilten es in der bar nicht lange aus. Für die Küche empfehle ich neue Geräte zum Dampfgaren von Gemüse auf den Punkt, weigstens 3 moderne Espresso-/Kaffeemaschinen und für alle Meerblickzimmer Außenjalousetten. Vermutlich ist auch ein neuer ambitionierter und motivierender Koch notwendig.Man darf nicht nur kassieren ohne Leistungsverbesserung.

2 Tage vor Ankunft wurde das Zimmer das bereits Online eingecheckt war storniert und einfach auf das viel schlechtere Riu Concordia umgebucht.
Haben dann weil es schon Freitag Abend war (Deutschland hat schon geschlossen) mit dem Callcenter in Spanien Telefoniert und eine sehr sehr unfreundliche Person am Telefon gehabt.
So etwas macht man nicht mit Gästen die 2-3 mal im Jahr ein Riu Hotel gebucht haben das geht nicht.
Das war das letzte mal Riu sorry

NOS DEJARON TIRADOS EN EL AEROPUERTO

Estimados miembros de la dirección del Hotel Riu Palace México y a la empresa responsable del transporte desde el Aeropuerto de Cancún, quiero hacerles saber lo que ha ocurrido para que tomen las medidas adecuadas.
En la página web del hotel, donde se realiza la reserva de la habitación, te ofrecen el traslado gratis, sólo tienes que rellenar algunos datos como la fecha, hora, número de vuelo, el aeropuerto al que llegas, a que hotel vas y el nombre de la aerolínea. Todo eso lo rellenas tú, bajo tu responsabilidad, es decir, que si te confundes te quedas tirado en el aeropuerto.
Yo puse la hora en la que salía el vuelo desde Madrid y la hora en la que salía el vuelo de vuelta a Madrid desde Cancún, claro que era una hora incorrecta para llegar a Cancún porque había puesto la hora de salida de Madrid. Cuando llegamos a Cancún había un señor, en un kioskito, donde ponía Riu y nos dijo que habían ido a recogernos a la hora que nosotros habíamos indicado y que no podían hacer nada. Había taxistas alrededor, había que regatear con ellos, éramos 9 personas, 5 adultos y 4 niños, el menor de 10 años y después de 10 horas de vuelo allí estábamos. Cogimos el taxi y pagamos 208€.
En recepción nos dijeron que al día siguiente habláramos con la Sta. Marit, que ella nos lo aclararía. Esta señorita nos dijo que ellos no comprobaban nada, si yo ponía una hora, la daban por buena y si no estábamos allí era nuestro problema, pero que de todas formas hablaría con sus jefes a ver si nos reembolsaban los 208€. Al día siguiente nos dijo que NO, que lo hablara con los responsables del hotel.
En atención al cliente del hotel Riu Palace México, una señorita muy amable dijo que lo hablaría con sus jefes y, hasta la fecha, han pasado varios días, ya estoy en Madrid y no he recibido ni unas disculpas.
Quiero señalar la falta de profesionalismo y organización que evidenciaron tanto el hotel como la compañía de transporte al no confirmar la hora exacta de llegada de mi vuelo.
Así que llevad dinero preparado porque como tecleéis mal la hora o el vuelo se retrasa o pase algún incidente ni la empresa que hace el transporte, ni el hotel comprueban algo tan sencillo como confirmar a que hora llega ese vuelo, ni siquiera se molestaron en mirar, ya que estaban en el aeropuerto, a que hora llegaba ese vuelo que yo había puesto.
Supongo que el hotel pagaría ese traslado que la empresa que nos debía trasladar no ha realizado, son unos incompetentes y muy poco profesionales, no os fieis.

As a long standing patron of this wonderful hotel I must applaud and congratulate the excellent management and staff of this establishment on recent refurbishment of the hotel.
I also feel the need to comment on the number of individuals who feel it is their right to use this beautiful property as a public toilet, I have noticed this on almost every visit.
Surely one would not expect a hotel to provide toilets for every passing person who takes a fancy to using the facilities.
The provision of toilet facilities in Dublin is the responsibility of Dublin City Council, not the hard working businesses that have enough to do other than send their time dealing with rude taxi drivers berating their staff and posting offensive reviews.
Over the last 30 years I have had the pleasure of enjoying the services of many businesses on O'Connell Street, the Gresham included and not once have I had cause to complain

I drive a Taxi for a living in Dublin and I have brought so many customers to and from the Riu Gresham Hotel in Dublin City centre over the last two years. I dropped two passengers to the hotel last Thursday and I entered the hotel myself to use the bathroom facilities. I was met my a young concierge who asked me did I require some assistance and I explained that I was looking for the bathroom. He said to me that I could not use the bathroom unless I purchased a minimum of a bottle of water. I explained to him that I had just dropped customers to the hotel but he apologised and said it was company policy. I was very well dressed and polite but that didn’t matter. I then wrote a letter of complaint to the general manager but he didn’t respond as he’s not bothered. It is an appalling state of affairs that a four star hotel would not allow a hard working taxi driver to use its facilities. I’m 61 yrs old and it’s the first time in my life that I have been refused permission to use a toilet and it’s an absolute disgrace. I can totally understand if I was a “Vagabond” but it had nothing to do with that and it’s pure greed on behalf of the Riu Gresham Hotel. You’re hotels senior management should be ashamed of itself and if that is the companies policy then so be it.

Scamming people on exchange rate! If you pay at the hotel they put whatever exchange rate they want to convert back to the currency you originally booked. Total scam, complaint department is just AI response, no other email available. Wonder if this is management scam and CEO actually not aware, cant believe that someone who build their family business would go so low. Avoid

Terrible customer service. They will straight up lie to you. I needed to cancel a service got the run around, and never heard back from them. Spent hours on the phone, to no avail.

I have recently stayed at Riu Palace Santa Maria, Cape Verde. The accommodation and staff were friendly and accommodating and the rooms were comfortable and spotless.
Some things I will mention as I wasn't sure about before I arrived:
All toiletries were in your room, including Shower Gel, Shampoo, Conditioner, Hand Wash and Hand Cream.
It's advised to download the Riu app as this allows you to request anything that is needed for your room from water, optic top up, more toiletries. Unfortunately, I did, on a couple of occasions have to ask for items to be replenished in our room.
The app can be used to book tables at the speciality restaurants, advised to do upon arrival to avoid disappointment, these are included in the all-inclusive package. I have been away previously where specaility restaurants cost extra.
The app can also be used to see which activities or shows are on-going everyday throughout the day.
There was a good choice of food at the a la carte restaurant, but like most places, by the time you sat down it was lukewarm. There was enough choice for vegetarian but with vegan you may have to check before hand.There are hand sanitation stations at the entrances to the restaurant, however, a lot of these either didn't work properly or had run out.
The beach and colour of the sea was beautiful, sadly, in February, the waves are quite strong and stopped us from swimming in the sea. Apparently it gets calmer, May/June time.
There was plenty of room around the pools, one downside is the loungers were really uncomfortable as they had no cushioning provided.
Pool towels are fresh everyday, you are issued with a towel card to exchange daily.
At the pool towel exchange hut is also a library with a vast amount of books, if you don't want to take any away, unless you're a kindle fan.
It was windy during the day, warm enough (27 degrees), unless it was cloudy, when the temperature dropped slightly. At night it did turn cold with the wind so a jacket is recommended.
I would suggest taking bite spray and cream. There were mosquito around, their bites didn't hurt but handy to have just in case. Someone had suggested taking Vitamin B12 a month before travelling?
Whales migrate from March/April time, however, we were lucky enough to spot some from our room one evening :-)
This hotel beach is a nesting beach for the turtles September/October so you cannot go on the beach at night during that time.
The in-house entertainment was good, we saw some good shows. The white/neon party, which is held in the neighbouring hotel, was a bit of a trek but a good night.
A lot of comments about trips suggested the guys on the beach. We booked through Tui, as they seemed a fair price, and as we hadn't been to Verde before, we wasn't sure how safe it was. It is very safe!
We did the Lemon Shark experience, which I would recommend. If you have water shoes, it's best to take them with you as you have to wear enclosed shoes, alternatively, footwear is provided for 3 Euros.
I would recommend the Island Trip, lunch included (for the lobster lunch there is an additional charge) to see what a great community and way of life they have. Our guide was Tony who made the trip a great experience. The knowledge that he has about his island is exceptional and all the languages spoken are self taught.
Matt, one of the Tui reps, did a walk into Santa Maria, this happens once a week, at no cost. It was very informative as he pointed out places to visit if you wanted to venture out of the hotel at any point. It is approximately 30 minute walk from the hotel into Santa Maria town.
I would love to visit again when the sea is a little calmer and can enjoy being able to swim in it.