Riu Palace Aquarelle - All Inclusive

“I Freaking Love This Place!!!!!!!!!”

Since I blasted RIU Vacations and their reservations department in a previous review (Case #33944730), I think it's only fair that I talk about the actual stay at Hotel Riu Palace Aquarelle. I **absolutely loved this place.** Once we got past the nightmare of dealing with the reservations departm… more

Since I blasted RIU Vacations and their reservations department in a previous review (Case #33944730), I think it's only fair that I talk about the actual stay at Hotel Riu Palace Aquarelle. I **absolutely loved this place.** Once we got past the nightmare of dealing with the reservations department, my wife and I were finally able to relax and enjoy what turned out to be an incredible vacation. The staff was simply outstanding. They weren't friendly in that forced, scripted hospitality way you sometimes experience in the U.S. They were genuinely warm, welcoming, and kind. You could tell they actually cared about making sure guests had a great time. From management to the bartenders, servers, housekeeping, and everyone in between, every single person we encountered made us feel welcome. What impressed me even more was how incredibly talented they were. The same people serving drinks and meals were also the DJs, singers, dancers, and entertainers. Their Michael Jackson tribute show was phenomenal—honestly, it was good enough to be an off-Broadway production. If I were wealthy, I would have left every member of that staff an enormous tip. They made that much of an impression on me. My only real criticism, and it's a minor one, is the food. If I'm ordering Jamaican dishes like oxtails, I want the bold spices and flavors that make Jamaican cuisine so special. I understand they have guests from all over the world, so they probably tone down the seasoning to appeal to a wider audience, but come on... Jamaican food should taste like Jamaican food! Other than that, I honestly wish I could live at this resort. 😂 My wife and I will absolutely be back. The only difference is that next time, I'll be booking directly with the hotel, not through RIU Vacations.

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“Best Riu to date”

This is a recollection of our experience at the hotel, and is not intended to contradict or counter that of others who may have differing views. The hotel presents well on arrival with a large foyer area which encompasses reception, bar, coffee bar and various seating. The overall condition of th… more

This is a recollection of our experience at the hotel, and is not intended to contradict or counter that of others who may have differing views. The hotel presents well on arrival with a large foyer area which encompasses reception, bar, coffee bar and various seating. The overall condition of the reception and adjoining lounge area is very good. This is our first stay at this hotel and first impressions were definitely positive. There is one main buffet restaurant, named White Bay, that operates a breakfast, lunch and dinner service plus Pepe’s snack bar in the pool area. There are four additional specialty restaurants available for dinner service, these being Italian, Asian, Japanese and a Steakhouse. These restaurants require booking through the Riu app. As with most all inclusive hotels, the food can be a little repetitive, but the quality is good. Rooms are a generous size, and clean. inibar was restocked daily. We had no issues with the room during our stay. The air conditioning in our room was more than adequate. There are 5 outdoor pools, 1 main pool, 2 swim-up, 1 activity pool and a water park for the kids, all of which are clean and adequately staffed throughout the day. All the pool staff were very accommodating and helpful. There is a bar at the pool are for those that don’t want to get their feet wet. There is also a bar service around the pools and on the beach area. If you are looking for a quiet hotel this is probably not for you. The entertainment team are fairly active throughout the day and music of one kind or another can be heard in the pool areas. This isn’t intrusive but neither could it be described as peaceful. Excluding the pool bar (which closes at 18:00) there are 4 other bars available at various times throughout the day, including the sports bar which is open 24hrs. Service at all the bars was good and the bar staff very engaging. Overall this is the best all inclusive RIU hotel we have stayed at to date.

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“Amazing experience”

This is my second visit and I was not disappointed. Also experienced the inaugural VIP experience, I am sure it will be a hit at the next one. As usual the team is amazing, friendly and professional. The beach is my happy place and the beachfront room provided the tranquility I needed to decompr… more

This is my second visit and I was not disappointed. Also experienced the inaugural VIP experience, I am sure it will be a hit at the next one. As usual the team is amazing, friendly and professional. The beach is my happy place and the beachfront room provided the tranquility I needed to decompress. The selection of food was great. Much improvement in the selection for vegan guests. My only recommendation is for Jamaican desserts. Will be back for sure.

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“A wonderful week of relaxation in JA - more beach umbrellas needed”

I had an amazing stay at the RIU Palace Aquarelle June 14-21, 2026.   This was my 5th visit to a RIU resort and I was pleasantly surprised with a complimentary upgrade to a partial ocean view upon check in (thank you Nyoka & Kashawn).  As the room (0251) was already available, I was able to check i… more

I had an amazing stay at the RIU Palace Aquarelle June 14-21, 2026.   This was my 5th visit to a RIU resort and I was pleasantly surprised with a complimentary upgrade to a partial ocean view upon check in (thank you Nyoka & Kashawn).  As the room (0251) was already available, I was able to check in upon arrival (10:45am) which was much appreciated as my flight from Toronto was at 6:15am, arriving at 9:10am.  ROOM was spotless, the entire resort was spotless! No complaints at all with cleanliness.  Housekeeping did a great job with taking care of my room, leaving a sufficient amount of towels each day.  FOOD was really good.  I thoroughly enjoyed the Jamaican fare at the buffet (ackee & saltfish, oxtail, curry goat, stew chicken, jerk pork, jerk chicken, etc.).  Linette and Allatia were the best waitresses in the dining room.  Executive Chef O'neil, great job! The a la carte restaurants were okay.  Steakhouse:  my steak was overcooked. Krystal: short rib with mashed potatoes and veg was really good! Kyoto: wasn't great.  The Korean Fried Chicken in a boa bun was cold.  If it was hot/warm it would have been better. Napoli (Italian): was good, the lasagna was the right size and had good flavour. All a la carte reservations are made through the app 1 day in advance. As a solo traveller I didn't have any issues making a reservation. The jerk hut at lunch was the spot.  Jerk chicken and jerk pork was delicious!!!!  They also had hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, corn and bbq and jerk sauce for the chicken and pork.  Of course the festival to sop up the jerk sauce :).  On Wednesday and Friday, the jelly man was on site with coconuts and sugarcane.  There were quite a few guests who had never heard of or tasted sugar cane and were willing to try it and enjoyed it.   BEACH was nice.  I'm used to the beach in Negril at RIU Palace Tropical Bay where the water is crystal clear and the water is still.  When I entered the ocean I was a bit disappointed with the choppiness of the water and the rock I scraped the bottom of my foot on.  I made the best of it. Don't get me wrong, I was grateful to be on the beach. I brought water shoes as I had read reviews about rocks in the water and I am glad I did.  The ocean was different everyday, so it wasn't bad - calm in the morning, choppier in the afternoons.  Be prepared for the windiness in the afternoon as the sand whips up.  There is limited shade on the beach.  You can ask for an umbrella but they don't have very many.  I will never understand why RIU resorts do not have palapas on the beach.  Palm trees do not provide that much shade and shelter from the hot sun!  The resort needs to invest in more umbrellas to accommodate guests.  I was on the beach each morning between 7:45 and 8am to get my chairs and secure an umbrella.  Guests would be asking for umbrellas at 10am and they were none available unless someone was leaving. Drink service at the beach was great.  Calvin, Roberto, Dante were great.  Always making sure I had a drink (Apple martini, espresso martini, French kiss, Bob Marley, Rita Marley, rum cream on ice, gin & tonic) ENTERTAINMENT was fine.  I didn't make it to every show, but the Michael Jackson show was good along with the Silverbirds.  I always enjoy their performances.  The ladies that do the kids show at night are great.  They have great energy and have the kids fully engaged.   The resort also has a water slide (I didn't use it) but others raved about it. There is a RIU party at RIU Ocho Rios where you can book your transportation in the app (7 or 7:30pm pick up time from Aquarelle and a transfer back from RIU Ocho Rios at 11 or 11:30om).  It's a 1hr commute each way. The grounds are stunning!!!! The groundskeepers do an amazing job of keeping the grounds looking beautiful! There are cleaners throughout the resort making sure the cleanliness is maintained.  Shernette who looked after the bathroom by the pool, thank you.  The bathroom was always clean.  I was hesitant to come to this resort as it's not your typical villa style set up.  But it's a very nice resort, and has a great vibe. You cannot get lost.  All of the restaurants in the same area.  Getting to the beach from the main building is very easy.  There are 4 elevators.  As there are 12 floors, getting an elevator can be a challenge.  Being on the 2nd floor was great as I took 1 flight of stairs down to the main floor.  I would recommend this resort and would return.  RIU, please invest in more umbrellas on the beach.

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