Riu Palace Paradise Island All Inclusive

Not like other RIUs

They were getting ready to close for remodeling so the duty free store was closed and I needed to go and buy a few things so I had to go to the hotel next door. Our room was on the 15th floor so we had to use a hard key not a key card because the doors did not work. The hard key never worked and when we asked to move they kept saying tomorrow... we never ended up switching rooms. Hopefully, this hotel will be a lot better after remodeling because the Bahamas is beautiful and all inclusive saves a lot of money!

Traveler's tip on local attractions

The Atlantis hotel is literally right next door... It makes the RIU look like SH*T.

Great place for the family

Even though the hotel was going thur renovation and was going to close for major construction/renovation...the rooms were kept clean...and the staff overall was great..I would without a doubt stay there again....the Atlantis is near by so ..gamblers, you merely have a short walk to the casino.

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

There is a small store, just outside the hotel’s main entrance which is operated by a friendly and lovely lady, there you can get pretty good bargains on t-shirts, e.t.c.

Can’t wait to go back

This vacation was everything we expected and more. The staff was pleasant and eager to please. We read reviews before we left complaining about the room decor and minor staff complaints. Yes, the rooms were slightly outdated; however, they had a nice island feel to them. The restaurants were delicious and there were more than enough opportunities to both eat and drink. The pool was very relaxing and the entertainment was fun to watch & participate in. The remodel is going to change the entire look of the hotel, and we can’t wait to see the changes.

Didn’t want to leave,can’t wait to go back

The service and the conditions of the hotel were great.The beach fabulous.We spend a wonderful time.Besides Atlantis Hotel complex is nearby, we went walking since it is next door and they were having the preparation for the Miss Universe contest and we got to see all the participants.It was great.

Traveler's tip on local attractions

we went snorkeling,parasailing and jet skiing.Also went to the zoo and the Ardara gardens.It was a wonderful experience.

Will probably be an excellent hotel after renovations

My family vacation (August 2009)was spent at the Riu Paradise Island. We have stayed at the fabulous Riu Ocho Rios the previous year and deliberatly decided on this hotel chian again. The staff was friendly and the all-enclusive dining makes vacationing with children a breeze. Our son was able to swim all dayeat and drink to his hearts delight, and the resort offers a great variety of foods. Our rooms were horrible. I have never seen a bed with a larger indention in the center. Yes the matteress was so worn that there was a slump in the middle; when you lay down you roll into the center of the bed. The decore was outdated, and the common areas were not very clean. We spend 6-days at the pooland i only saw the staff mop the deck one time, and they never wiped off the tables or chairs (thank God it rained on our 4th day). There was bird droppings on the out-door furniture, the pool was too-small for the hotell size, the entertainment staff couldn’t even fain enthusiasm. From what i understand the hotel is closing for renovation at the end of the month, and i think it’s terrible that they would subject their guests to such conditions. It will probably be a great plave to stay after the renovations, but that’s no-good for my 2009 summer vacation.

You get what you pay for

The hotel was nice but not great. The staff was definately not as hospitable as most hotels. The bartenders at the swim up bar looked miserable to be there. The food was just ok. The gourmet restaurants were booked up by 10:30 every day. But I cant complain because we got a really great rate. But the location is excellent. The beach is amazing and being a two minute walk from the Atlantis was great. I would go back for the beach and for the closeness to the Atlantis.

Disappointing

Far lower than expectations and probably the reason was that the hotel was going to be remodeled in the next few days

Very Friendly environment and cant wait to visit again!

The overall hotel atmosphere was great! Most of the staff menmbers were friendly and respectful. My family and I enjoyed our trip at the bahamas and the comfortness of the hotel was a big part of it. I would definately recommend the RIU hotel to any of my friends and family members.

Do Not bring any food when staying at this hotel. The overall meals were tasty and free (due to the All Inclusive). It is a nice place to stay cause the staffs are friendly and it is right next door (walking distance) to the Atlantis resort. My families enjoyed every minutes of our vacation.

Nice place but needs improvement

I learned there that they will be remodeling from end of August until the next year. I saw the new rooms and they impressed me. I would like to return after it is renewed. People at the hotel were great. They tried to please you all the time. Food was very good.

Traveler's tip on local attractions

Do not miss swimming with the dolphins at Blue Lagoon Island. I really had a great time playing and swimming with Flipper!

will not ever go back to Riu Paradise Island Nassau

only the maids that took care of the rooms were good. The rest of the staff seemed to be out to lunch all the time.

I would not go back to RIU Paradise Island Nassau bad service at all meals.

this hotel is being shut down this week for renovations

the hotel was very old and had many restrictions to the "ALL INCLUSIVE" portion of the stay. there were many hours during the day when you couldn’t even get a cracker or piece of bread. The condition of the hotel was horrible. Everything in the bathroom was filled with rust and stains - the air conditioning was not working when we arrived and never did completely work. We found out the 2nd day of our trip that the hotel was being shut down completely for renovations this week. I think Expedia should have mentioned that on the website so that people could have made a more informed decision on weather to stay at this hotel or not. Obviously it has been quite some time since a site visit to this hotel has been made. Maybe after the renovations it will be a 3-4 star hotel but it barely reached a 2 during our stay. I was with my 18 year old daughter celebrating graduation. If I had been there with younger children, I would have had to switch hotels.

Traveler's tip on local attractions

Atlantis was located right next door - that is where we ended up spending most of our time and money that I was not anticipating having to spend

Everything Was Perfect

My wife first booked this vacation because of the good rate with airfare. A couple of months before we went on the trip, I decided to do further research on the Riu Paradise Island, on another site, that is geared toward reviewers sent in by vacationers who have been there. Some of the reviews about this hotel made me very hesitant about going here. I am pleased to say that NONE of these "horror" stories were true pertaining to the Riu Paradise Island. Everything was just about perfect here. The food was excellent, the service was excellent, the waiter and bar staff was very friendly. Yes, the hotel may need to update the rooms a bit, but the rooms were very cozy and the ac worked great! We were told that the hotel will be closing for renovation on or about August 20th. They will be updating the rooms and expanding the restaurants. My wife and I already liked the way the hotel looked, but I’m sure it’s going to look even better. I would definitely reccommend this hotel to stay at, when deciding to travel to Paradise Island. Thanks, Expedia! It was worth every penny.

Traveler's tip on local attractions

There is so much to do here in the Bahamas. Our favorite activities were renting a Vespa to drive into Nassau with, and stopping over at the Fish Fry. Excellent! Also check out Stuart Cove’s Sub excursion.

Puts the Paradise in Paradise Island

Way more than i expected. the staff was friendly and welcoming. the food was delicious (not just your average buffet crap like in most inclusive resorts). you can get your souveniers, excursions, activities, liquor, food and everything else all in the resort - no need to leave the island! i can’t wait to go back again. Atlantis is RIGHT next door - you can hop in and out and explore whenever you want for their casions and such. the entire experience was just like being in paradise - loved it! HOWEVER, i will say this - i’m dissapointed in the fact that they DONOT HAVE AC in the front desk and lounges. they leave the doors wide open most of the time and all the musky humid bahamian air comes gushing in. that was the only drawback of this resort really. almost every other resorts have cool air blasting!!! but the hotel rooms and restaurants definitley have AC so don’t get me wrong... its just the reception area and the lounges. but this con almost didn’t matter compared to all the pros! this resort is awesome!

Could have been better, could have been worse

The RIU is in desperate need of renovations. It is to my understanding that it is undergoing those in the next few months, so wait until it’s done! The elevators were broken 3 of the 4 days we were there and we were on the 9th floor! Ugh! Annoying. The food was really good, they had a huge variety. The staff was very friendly. Could have done without getting an attitude and being picked on by the bartender for getting a non-alcoholic beverage, excuse me for not getting drunk at 12 in the afternoon. The view from our room was spectacular, that was my favorite part about this place. I would go back, but I will wait until all the renovations are done.

Traveler's tip on local attractions

Definitely do the Dolphin Encounters tour. One of the most awesome things I have ever done, it was worth the price!

Hospitality Unmatched

The staff from beginning to end was consistently attentive to our needs. They were very welcoming and friendly and always happy to help with any questions or requests we made. The room was very comfortable and clean, and we had a spectacular view of the beach. My husband and I can’t wait to return next year!

Not what i expected

The only thing i liked that it was clean,the beautiful beach and the food was great. The entertainment was ok at night.The club was no good and there was no a.c. !!!! So no one wanted to be in there. they said there was supposed do daytime entertainment and they didnt.Overall it was just ok !!!

Better last year

Had been to the RIU last year and was very happy. However this year i think the hotel was in a state of disrepair. (I’m told they are renovating this year.) I was very, very unhappy with my room. Right by the elevator, limited ocean view and rust in the bathroom and the carpet was dirty. I complained and was given a better room with a wonderful view. That made a big difference. The location to the hotel is wonderful and the beach and the water is absolute paradise.

can’t wait to go back

everyone is very accomadating

Could have been better.

The hotel rooms were a little ragged around the edges. Bed was very hard. However, maid service was good and the restaurants were fine. Not really a bad deal for the money in an all inclusive.

Traveler's tip on local attractions

Very close to Atlantis and casino,shows and shopping. Not far from straw market and downtown Nassau.

Excellent hotel!

Excellent hotel - great food, beaches, drinks!

Great value

The Riu was a really good value, a lot of bang for your buck. Pros: (We had) a great view, good food, friendly staff, within 10 min. walking distance to casino and waterpark, bar service was satisfactory. Cons: Poor elevator service, Getting fresh towels was an issue, getting the maids to restock our mini fridge was also an issue. Other than that I had a great time, for a great value!

Traveler's tip on recreational activities

Unlike places on the Caribbean beaches, there are not a lot of people trying to sell you crap and bugging the hell out of you. There are people that offer jet ski rides and pararsailing, but they dont wear you out with it. Just be careful you don’t get swindled with an over inflated tourist price!

My stay was good i was Impressed with my srevice

Hotel service was good food good and price was right

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

It a good good place to go with your family and to save a Buck

Not Impressed

Our room was outdated and had a terrible mattress. There was constant maintenance and construction going on in the hallway. If you want to eat at any of the restaurants, you have to get in line at 9 am. Because by 9:30 am there is already a line of 15 people waiting for the 10:00 am reservation taking time. By the time you get to the front of the line all of the good reservation times are taken and you have to select whatever time is available. The staff was sometimes friendly, pool is small and overcrowded. The alcohol was some local brand and they didn’t provide any premium alcohol. (but sold it on the premise at an onsite liquor store at prices comprable to the states prices). The "stocked" refrigerator has cheap beer and not much else. We did ask for some cranberry juice and the staff made an exception and brought us some. I’ve never had a problem getting juice in my room...The activities desk personnel is nice, but you often had to wait in line for a long time while she handled other guest requests. Buffet food was good but very American. It would have been nice to have more offerings of local cuisine. Overall, there wasn’t much to do on site except eat and lay by the pool (not enough room for swimming) or go to the beach.

Traveler's tip on recreational activities

Great scuba activities offsite, the Stuart Cove’s Shark dive was awesome, something every new diver should do once in their life! good food in town (nassau) and scooters were a good way to see the town (get them early, or they will all be rented out!)

Very Disappointed...

We were so excited about traveling to the Bahamas and visting all the major atractions, but because we heard about the "all-inclusive" package at the Riu, we chose to go with the Riu instead of another better option right down the beach. Big mistake! The rooms were as old fashioned and messy as they probably were 20 years ago. The staff was not always very friendly, the "all-inclusive" included the same food for breakfast, lunch and dinner every single day! we opted to eat out most of the time, causing us to spend more money then we had expected to. The beds and linens were disgusting, the bathroom was moldy, smelly and had mold growing in every single corner. We will never return and would no suggest anyone else stay there. i understand that they are to undergo serious renovations this year, but even so, the rest of the "problems" need to be taken into consideration as well.

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

Don’t count on "all-inclusives" - not what they are all cracked up to be...you want to eat, shop around and check out menus...you’ll find better deals outside of the money you invested in the hotels "all-inclusive" package!

Stayed from 6/7-6/11

Hotel staff and service was exceptional. Guest rooms are very outdated and need some renovations. Heard that in August Riu was going to be doing some renovations which would make the hotel even better. Good location; right next door to Atlantis.