Hotel Riu Palace Macao

I'll start by saying this was my 2nd time here and the 1st time was during Covid (June 2021) so I was expecting a few things to be off. When we first came, the main things that stood out that I DIDN'T like was that the room was SUPER humid like the sheets felt like a used bath towel. It was bad. And the main other thing was that the water in the shower would not get above lukewarm. Everything about the other visit was fine: entertainment, food, service, pool, people. Fast forward to this visit...the only reason I even came was because of the "newly renovated" being advertised and I wanted to see what changed. The first thing I noticed was that it "felt" renovated soon as we walked in the lobby. Front desk was nice as expected and we were greeted with champagne. I had a corner room overlooking the pool (Room 3026) and in general I liked the room a lot. It was a suite, so the bedroom was separate from the general area. Furniture was a little outdated but was in decent condition. The room was clean and the housekeepers did an excellent job on the upkeep. There was no full-length mirror in the room, which is a small detail, but when you're trying to check out your outfit that definitely helps out a lot. The room was humid but nothing like my first visit. Luckily, I got some tips from previous visitors that said to bring DampRid which I believe definitely helped absorb some of the humidity. The water temperature (nor pressure) was not an issue this time. It was able to get really hot actually. So glad to see 2 of my main issues were resolved. But nothing about that room felt renovated, but it was a decent room. The was the biggest balcony I've ever seen. Last thing I'll say about the room, but I feel this was a one-off: one night I was sound asleep and was woke up by my arm itching which I smacked my arm in my sleep. Looked to see why my arm was itching and I had been bitten several times by based on the carcass I found where I was laying was a type of roach (mid-sized). I did not see others anywhere, so I assume it just probably got in as insects do from outside. Pictures of the crushed insect and my arm are attached. Enough about the room. The RIU Parties were fun if you are into that. The entertainment team while not bad, was probably the least entertaining and engaging that I've experienced at a RIU. They were just bland as an overall team, but the entertainment at the resort itself was fine. They had great live music and of course you gotta love the Michael Jackson shows :) . Don't forget you have access to the other resorts for entertainment as well so if you don't like what's going on out Macao, venture out and maybe you'll find something you do enjoy. Punta Cana and Bavaro have the best sport's bars. The food was great in my opinion at all the restaurants. Some were better than others, but I enjoyed the Steakhouse, Krystal, and the Italian restaurant the best. Buffet had amazing fruit throughout the day, and the service staff was amazing the whole time. The alfredo pasta (I think it was alfredo) with shrimp and chicken at the Italian restaurant was amazing! And the steaks and the shrimp mac-n-cheese at the Steakhouse was great as well! We ate lunch most of the time at the food court at the Bavaro. RFC (Riu Fried Chicken) was on my mind so much lol. Also, at the ice cream shop at Bavaro (Candy), they had this strawberry gelato that was soooooooo good and the woman working there (wish I had gotten her name) was so sweet. Beach crew did a good job working hard to keep the sargassum levels down, so kudos to them for that. And lastly...the highlight of my trip came in the form of the BEST bartenders on the complex. Danny (at the Cubano bar) and Adonis (Cappuccino in the morning, and Cubano at night) were THE best bartenders I've had to joy of coming across. Brightened up my day every time and I saw them and those interactions with them and their bright personalities and smiling faces will be the main thing I remember from this trip. But the renovations I was expecting on the room side is why I won't be back, but nonetheless I had an amazing time and would still recommend it to others.

I rarely leave negative reviews, but after being a loyal RIU guest for many years, I feel compelled to share my experience at RIU Palace Macao. It is only our first day, and unfortunately, this has already been one of the most disappointing vacations we've had. The resort and buildings are clearly showing their age, and the condition of our room does not reflect the premium price we paid. To make matters worse, there is a strong sewer odor throughout the hallway leading to our floor, which creates a very unpleasant first impression. The cleanliness of our room has been especially concerning. The pillowcases are dirty and stained, and they have an unpleasant odor that makes them seem as though they were not washed before our arrival. It is absolutely disgusting and completely unacceptable for any hotel, let alone a resort that markets itself as a luxury property. The dining experience has also been extremely disappointing. We had dinner at the steakhouse, and the food was poor. Hoping for better options, we visited the buffet, only to find very limited variety and equally underwhelming food quality. One of the biggest surprises was the sleeping arrangement. My husband is 5'11" and weighs 200 pounds, and expecting the two of us to share a full-size bed is simply unacceptable for a resort of this caliber. Comfort should be a basic expectation, especially at the price point charged for this property. We have stayed at several other RIU resorts over the years and have always enjoyed our vacations, which makes this experience even more disappointing. This has been the most expensive RIU stay we've booked, yet it has delivered the lowest quality by far. The value simply is not there. I sincerely hope RIU invests in updating this property and improving the guest experience because, as a longtime loyal customer, I expected much better. Sadly, I'm already regretting choosing RIU Palace Macao.