The RIU Palace Nautilus is a truly beautiful hotel and, in many respects, one of the nicest places we have stayed. The hotel itself is immaculate, with stunning gardens and greenery that are meticulously maintained, creating a relaxing and luxurious atmosphere throughout the property. The rooms are amazing, spacious, comfortable and spotlessly clean, with housekeeping maintaining exceptionally high standards every day.
What really makes this hotel stand out is the staff. Across the hotel, the team were wonderful: kind, caring, attentive and always happy to help. From reception to housekeeping, the level of customer service was outstanding and genuinely deserving of a five-star rating. The pool area was another highlight, with plenty of sunbeds available and no need to queue or reserve beds early in the morning, which made for a far more enjoyable and stress-free holiday.
Unfortunately, our experience in the restaurant was a major disappointment and significantly impacted our stay. Our son has coeliac disease, and the hotel was booked specifically because we were assured that gluten-free catering would be available. We notified the hotel a week before arrival, informed the check-in staff when we arrived, and repeatedly spoke with the maître d' and chefs throughout our stay. Despite this, the level of understanding and service regarding gluten-free requirements was woefully inadequate.
The chefs escorted my son around the buffet on several occasions, but he was left completely unsure about what was and wasn't gluten-free. Despite my ability to communicate the issue in Spanish, it often felt as though our concerns were falling on deaf ears. When we asked if the fries were gluten-free, we were simply told no. When we asked if some could be prepared separately in the kitchen, the answer was again no.
Breakfast was particularly frustrating. On one occasion we requested gluten-free pancakes and were told they could be made. However, it took around 20 minutes for the batter to be prepared, by which time my wife and I had already finished breakfast while our son had not even started. Even more concerning was that the pancakes were then cooked on the same grill as the regular pancakes, defeating the purpose entirely due to the risk of cross-contamination.
Similar issues occurred throughout our stay. Fresh butter was provided when requested, but when we asked for a portion to be cut from a new block, it was sliced using a knife that had been used for everything else. Food items were frequently mislabelled, leaving us with zero confidence in the safety of the buffet offerings. As a result, we felt we had no choice but to eat out for most lunches and dinners.
Overall, this is a beautiful hotel with excellent facilities, immaculate rooms, stunning grounds and some of the friendliest and most attentive staff we have encountered. Were it not for the restaurant's complete failure to cater safely and confidently for a guest with coeliac disease, this would have been an easy five-star review. Sadly, while the hotel itself deserves five stars, the restaurant experience falls far short of that standard and would make us think very carefully before returning or recommending the hotel to anyone requiring a strict gluten-free diet.
