The Riu Palace Tropical Bay is an all-inclusive resort located exactly in the center of the splendid Bloody Bay. The property is huge, but since it is developed along the sea, you can reach the beach quickly from the rooms. All the services are instead positioned in a central block that includes restaurants, bars, and pools. The entertainment is always active but not intrusive, the music can be heard but never at annoying levels. The cleanliness is well-maintained, both in the common areas and in the rooms. On the beach there are hundreds of sun loungers but not a single umbrella (present only at the pools). To find shade, you have to look for a spot under the tallest trees, and it is not always easy. The dining experience has its ups and downs: I ate most of my meals at the buffet, which was excellent for variety but less so for quality (especially in the evening). I do not recommend the à la carte restaurants; twice out of two, I happened to order a beef fillet that was inedible because it was overcooked and very tough. The room is modern and spacious, but as often happens in Riu Hotels, it has nothing typical of the country that hosts it and is a bit anonymous. In general, the property shows its age and should be modernized, as was done with excellent results at the nearby Riu Negril, which I was able to visit during the fun Riu Party. The app is very useful and well-made: I used it to book restaurants and report small issues in the room (which were promptly resolved).
One thing that really bothered me on the day of departure, at 6:50 in the morning, was that the breakfast room was still closed, so I was in the lounge, which is theoretically open 24/7. Right at that moment, they were cleaning, and there was nothing to eat! Why not clean when the other restaurants are already open?
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The Riu Palace Tropical Bay is an all-inclusive resort located right in the center of the stunning Bloody Bay. The property is enormous, but because it extends along the sea, the beach is quickly accessible from the rooms. All amenities are located in a central block that includes restaurants, bars, and pools. The entertainment is always active but not intrusive, and the music is audible but never at a disturbing level. Cleanliness is meticulous, both in the common areas and in the rooms. On the beach there are hundreds of loungers but not a single umbrella (there are only umbrellas by the pools). To find shade, you have to seek a spot under the tallest trees, and that's not always easy. The dining options are mixed: I ate most of my meals at the buffet, which was excellent for variety but less so for quality (especially in the evening). I don't recommend the à la carte restaurants; twice out of two, I ordered a beef fillet that was inedible because it was overcooked and very tough. The room is modern and spacious, but as is often the case with Riu hotels, it lacks anything typical of the host country and is a bit bland. Overall, the property is showing its age and could use a modernization, as was done with excellent results at the nearby Riu Negril, which I visited for the fun Riu Party. The app is very useful and well-designed: I used it to make restaurant reservations and report minor room issues (which were promptly resolved).
One thing that really bothered me: on the day of departure, at 6:50 a.m., the breakfast room was still closed, so I stayed in the supposedly 24-hour open lounge. They were cleaning right then, and there was nothing to eat! Why not clean when the other restaurants are already open?
