"Experience at RIU palace in Costa Rico"
I am writing this review while still staying at RIU Palace Costa Rica, on our last evening. My goal is not to be overly critical, but to provide an honest account so future travelers can make an informed decision.
There are certainly positives. The staff members we encountered were generally friendly and hardworking, the grounds are beautiful, and Costa Rica itself is an amazing destination. However, the resort experience has fallen well below what I expected from a property carrying the “Palace” name.
The condition of the rooms is subpar. We booked two separate rooms, and both had a strong foul odor that resembled sewage. This was noticeable from the beginning of our stay and significantly impacted our comfort.
We also experienced repeated problems with room keys. I visited the front desk daily, including twice on two days,because the keys repeatedly stopped working. While the resort uses a system where the room key must be inserted into a slot to activate the room’s electricity, our bathroom light never functioned properly. As a result, we often used our cell phone flashlights to navigate the bathroom in the dark. We always kept our room keys in the paper card sleeve, along with ensuring it remained free of contact with our cell phones, etc. I previously read of other reviews about this being a problem.
The property itself is in serious need of updating. Both the interior and exterior areas show signs of age and deferred maintenance. Throughout the resort there are unnecessary eyesores, such as broken and inoperable equipment left in guest areas. One example was a broken basketball hoop stand sitting next to lounge chairs by the pool recreation area. An elevator in the most prevalent area of need remains closed and under full construction. I read about this on another post approximately 2 months ago. It remains under construction. Multiple areas of chipped and defective tile/steps involving severe safety risks.
The buffet experience at Arenal was another disappointment. During meal times it becomes extremely crowded and chaotic. Guests are constantly bumping into one another while trying to navigate the food stations, and the staff appears unable to replenish food quickly enough to keep up with demand. Rather than being a relaxing dining experience, meals often felt stressful and overcrowded.
The most frustrating aspect of our stay has been the specialty restaurant process. Unlike many resorts that allow guests to make reservations, RIU Palace Costa Rica operates on a first-come, first-served system. At check-in, we were advised to arrive around 5:30 p.m. because availability is limited. One evening, I arrived at the Japanese restaurant line at 5:20 p.m. After waiting approximately 45 minutes, I finally reached the host stand around 6:05 p.m. and was informed that no dinner times remained for the rest of the evening.
As I write this review, tomorrow is my daughter’s birthday and our final night is tomorrow, at the resort. To improve our chances of getting a table, I got in line at 4:30 p.m.—more than an hour before the restaurant even opens. In my opinion, asking guests to spend a significant portion of their vacation standing in line simply to obtain a dinner reservation is unreasonable and unnecessary. Upon being seated, I went to get in line at 4:30pm to secure our table. Upon seating, I ordered a lemon cello spritzer and was told for over 45 minutes multiple times by our server, “One more minute.” I ended up going to the hotel main bar location to attain this drink, and came back to my table, with no drink ever being provided by the serving staff during the length of our meal. Very strange, dysfunctional, and unorganized.
The current dining system creates large crowds of guests gathering around restaurant entrances, patrons using chairs due to extreme long waits in lines, blocking walkways and main building access points as everyone competes for limited seating. It feels disorganized and inefficient, and it is surprising that a resort of this size does not utilize a reservation system, which has become standard practice throughout much of the hospitality industry.
Would I return? No.
While Costa Rica is absolutely worth visiting, I believe travelers considering this resort should understand that the accommodations, maintenance, dining logistics, and overall guest experience may not align with expectations of a higher-end all-inclusive resort. There are likely better options available for travelers seeking a more polished and relaxing vacation experience.
