A group of 26 people arrived to the RIU on Feb 18th to depart on Feb 25th, the trip was booked in Aug 2006, using a travel agent and an Apple Vacation Package.

Upon arrival to the resort we were directed to the lobby bar area as our group was large the resort had already assigned the rooms and given each of us our enevlope with room keys, map and instructions for the return of items at check out. After each of us recieved our wristbands we proceeded to the front desk for beach towel cards and to pick up our luggage. The bellmen took the luggage and escorted us to our room (we booked a junior suite with an ocean view and king size bed). The room had a stale/musty smell when you opened the door and the king bed was two doubles pushed together, our view consisted of the fire hoses and a cement wall. The ocean view must have been the puddles of water at the base of the patio floor. The front desk was called by the bellmen and my husband and I went to the front desk with our lugguge to make the change as we clearly could not be in the right room assignment based on what was described when we purchased our stay.

Our experience with the front desk staff could not have been more fusterating. I arrived with all documents from the travel agent and we explained that the room booked was not the room assinged, we were told as many others that there were no more king size bed rooms and that this is just a "request". We then were then assured that what we paid for is what we recieved, that all rooms do have an ocean view, some views may have obstructions (apparently if hung over the railing of the patio and strained your neck by looking to the right you could see blue water). The Apple agent on location was questioned and was not able to assist in the correction of the room assignment as they yes, overbooked the hotel and were not able to move our room assignment. Remember we traveled with 26 people to this resort, RIU showed us the list of the king bed and ocean view room assignments and then stated that our booking did not request the king bed -- "our travel agent must have made an error". Well of the 26 people 10 of us had incorrect rooms and wasn't lucky for us that our travel agent was with us? He was also unable to acquire our correct rooms until Tuesday when other guests had checked out.

The lack of customer service from the staff was very disappointing as we plan these trips for the next year while on the current trip, when we again reminded them of the 26 travelers and the cost we all paid, we would certainly think twice before booking at RIU in the future we were told "that is your choice" with no emotion. The sense of you have paid for your trip you are here and are not able to return home until next week was clearly not expected as we have traveled in the past to the resorts and have been greatly impressed with the arrival and the staff friendliness.
The resort was a beautiful building, the cleaniness was lacking. The food was the same each day on the buffets and became very boring. There should be a bathroom at each of the pool areas not just one bathroom for the entire pool/buffet area.

We did finally move to the king bed room with a ocean view on Tuesday and the maid service was the best.
It was very clear after talking to many of the other guests (not with our group) that musical rooms is played on a daily basis and that they know when you are checking in that you will not be happy with your room and they will move you upon another check out. Overbooking is part of the problem and not being honest with the guest at check in. If we had been told when we were given our enevelpoe that the rooms were not oceanview, but a day at the spa would be given, and when a better room was available we would be moved, they would not have had to listen to the complaint from this traveler. For a resort that has been open for two years and is part of an established resort chain the managment here is lacking guidance and consistancy to the mission of the company.
Our group has decided on next year location, RIU is available as a resort, however, to work all year and pay the amount of money to a resort to be treated as we were, we just might take the direction of the unfriendly front staff and make it our decision to NOT stay at a RIU.

a great hotel, beautiful views...make sure you do have an outer room facing the ocean...we had to change rooms even though we had booked an oceon view...no problen doing so...room was nice..housekeeping could have been better...bar was stocked up....food was above average for the buffett...which was better than the a la carte...the Japanese was ok...the Mexican..no..the French gourmet..did not allow children???steakhouse. well we could not eat the steaks & went to the buffett...The Mexican rest is great for lunch...always lots of food to be had...bars had good service..although it improved with bigger tips...entertainment was good...grounds were very well kept..very clean.....although my husband did speak of a slime feeling in the pool??? the beach was nice, but as expected for the area...not good for swimming....this was great compared to the Presidente in San Jose which we had just come from....we will definetly go back to this hotel....but only for a week...food gets old @ all inclusives...although the RIU was above average...go to Alexanders on the Marina for the Tai shrimp...excellent..the RIU is worth going too...

I had the unfortunate pleasure of having to stay at the RIU for a week in January and a week in February. I tried EVERYTHING to get out of this hotel and it's lovely background noise of a HUGE construction site right NEXT to the hotel, which by the way is RIU's own construction site. The hotel is expanding.
After having to spent my first week just next to the noise and dust, I made it very clear that I do NOT want a room next or any place near the construction (which by the way continues until well after 7:00 p.m.). I did get a room with a gorgeous view, right at the ocean. Well, I thought, I may be able to survive the week. First day I had no hot water, every time I blow-dried my hair the power would go out. Two days later everybody got locked out of their room. The key machine was broken. Took over an hour to get it running again. My room had this (I can't even call it smell) stench of mold that gave me the worst headaches. All my clothes smelled of it. The real topper: Second to last day my cushions on my balcony chairs all over sudden disappeared. Someone had taken it to make sure they were not getting dirty from the construction that now took place right underneath my window.
I complained numerous times, only to be mocked by the front desk staff, that "he" was the front desk manager, or "they are all at a meeting right now" I finally (after TWO days of complaints) was allowed to speak to a front desk manager, who did find me another room on the opposite wing for my last night at the hotel. NEVER again.
I highly recommend to anyone planning on going there to check on the status of the construction site. There are some very large cracks and settling damages to the front part of the hotel from the construction. I find it unconscionable that the hotel is still open or still takes full bookings at this time.

Just returned from a trip to Cabo and the Riu Palace from 2/18 to 2/23. The hotel was booked through Funjet Vacations back in August of 2006. Standard room: Jr. Suite/Ocean View. We arrived at around 7:00 that evening and the bell boy accompanied us to our room. As soon as we got to the room, I opened the patio doors and looked straight ahead at a construction site immediately within 20 yds. of our patio. The ocean could be seen looking to the far left. I noticed a strong smell of sewage both in and outside the room. I immediately infomed the bellboy the room was not acceptable and was not the ocean view room I booked and paid $2200 for a 5 night stay for. (no air/hotel only) So back to the front desk we went. "Omar" informed me that unfortunately no other rooms were available that evening. (Sunday) and I should come back on Wednesday to check for a different room. I've stayed at Riu resorts before and had no problems........Omar tried to tell me the room was indeed ocean view.....I knew this was not the room I paid for and told him in no uncertain terms that I was not going pay $440 per night to stay in a room facing a construction site and smelled of raw sewage. (listen I'm an old farm boy from Iowa and am used to unpleasant farm odors....I am not that hard to please and if you would have gotten a whiff of that smell you would agree with me). They seemed confident that I was going to stay in that room and I simply stated that I would sleep in the lobby before they stuck me in that room for five nights!! I did not leave the front desk until they promised me a room on the front side of the hotel facing the ocean the following day.......and this happened, but it was not an easy chore. The room on the 4th floor was spectacular and I really had no complaints the remainder of the trip. Please be advised that there are currently new hotels going up on both the west and east side of the Riu and if you get stuck on either side....that contruction zone is going to be your view...and its noisy. I spoke to a number of different couples who experienced the same thing. The hotel was overbooked and the staff had no choice but to put guests in these less desirable rooms on the east and west exterior side of the hotel with limited ocean views.

I have always been content with the food at the Riu...skip the specialty restaurants as they are overated and no better that the main dining room.

I received a call from the front desk on the 4th day and he stated they were overbooked and the Riu wanted to please both incoming and exisiting guests. They offered me another 5 night stay if I agreed to be moved to the Crown Plaza in San Jose on our final night. Since we had a flight out the following morning and San Jose is only minutes from the airport, while the Riu is at least 45 minutes, I took them up on their offer.....so I'm not sure if I'll be able to book the additional five nights, but I have a voucher and confirmation number for the complimentary stay. My advise to anyone booking a stay at the Riu in Cabo is to make crystall clear that you are not booked adjacent to exterior side of the resort and if they try to stick you there, hold your ground.......it's no fun having to argue with the front desk while your on vacation, but I only wanted what I paid for and I finally got my point across and they put me in a room that was satisfactory.

While we were waiting to leave on 2/22, two bus loads of people came to check in and were practically all told the hotel was overbooked and the Riu was moving them all to other locations untill rooms opened up. I found this quite unbelieveable, but I saw it with my own eyes. Feel free to email me @ wegre@yousq.net if you have questions regarding this resort.