RIU Hotels & Resorts
Reviews and Complaints

Mr. Luis Riu, CEO of RIU Hotels & Resorts

3/23/2022

My name is Shawnta Sanders, my confirmation number was [protected].

I stayed at RIU from Saturday March 19, 2022 – Sunday March 20, 2022

I stayed at the RIU Plaza, New York Times Square (RIU Hotel) 305 W.46 St, Manhattan, New York. I made room reservations for (2) rooms. In room 805, we were unaware the shower was stopped up that night. We tried to take a shower the next morning and found out the shower was stopped up. Water had run from the bathroom towards the hall approaching front door. We had to put all the towels down in the room. We contacted the front desk and was told someone would be coming to our room. No one came before we left that morning.

All of us had to shower in room 802, the second room we had on this reservation. The sheets on the pull out bed were dirty! I am blind and my daughter didn’t noticed them until the next morning. The sheets had not been changed!

The buffet breakfast was cold.

I informed the front desk. I wanted to speak with the manager, Ms. Liz. I was told she wasn’t there. I spoke with Mr. Kwasi that morning about our situations. I was told there was nothing they could do because we contacted them an hour before checkout. If we had contacted them an hour earlier, they would have compensated us.

This was our first trip to the RIU Hotel, we had high hopes and was very excited to be staying there. Staying at the RIU was a great disappointment.

I need someone to please contact me, concerning my horrible, horrible stay.

You make contact me via telephone since I’m blind: #[protected].

This is the fifth (5) report of big problems with our hotel stay. You have never responded re: many safety and other issues and after spending a month trying to celebrate an important anniversary and experiencing many problems, NO RESPONSE! Apparently RIU is interested only in profit, not guest safety or comfort.

Our stay was one month: January 15 - February 12! $18,300

Riu Plaza Fishermans Wharf S.F., CA Feb. 15 & 16 2022 Res #[protected] thru Booking.com We called rm srvc to help us with the TV and show representative the large gap on the entry door and door frame (fire issue), large cob webs hanging from ceiling above bed, wadded toilet paper covering hole in wall, stain like dried spit on bathrm door, dead bug on lamp shade. Also the wtr was shut off for a bit to repair a damaged pipe in prkg structure. When wtr was restored it was drk brn and smelled septic for a while. So staff moved us to another rm. Before accepting that rm it was inspected and we tried everything to make sure it worked. The AC/Heating was stuck on cold and wouldn't shut off. We had to wait for a maint tech to come up and reprogram unit. In the toilet area of bath you could hardly get between the door and the toilet to shut door. I have medical issues with my legs & feet so it really caused problems. In fact I was in S.F. for a medical app on my feet. We are not looking to have our 2 nites there comped but would like some compensation for this inconvenience and added stress to our stay. Thanks, and look forward to your reply. Doug Lindebaum [protected]@sbcglobal.net

We have always stayed at the RIU resorts when we vacation for the last 38 years.

Recently we stayed in Puerto Vallarta for our 4th time, this tells you how we enjoy our trips to Mexico and whom we choose to stay.

We were a bit upset this time for many reasons:

*Smoking and smokers all over we could not enjoy one evening outside with the bands and music due to the high volume of rude smokers, perhaps you should separate the two sides for smokers and non smokers as we were not the only ones complaining it was just awful. Smoke was in our faces every night to the point we had to just go to our balcony to enjoy music but had not access then to free walk up to the bar for a drink or to associate with our friends.

*We followed the guidelines of the hotel for the covid test timing of two days prior to departure and that is exactly what we did. Only to get to the airport to find out we needed to do this one day before. We even called before arriving to be sure on this and asked when we checked in and both times told 2 days prior to departure. Only to get to the airport to find out it is 1 day to departure. The hassel we had to go through, pay for the test then that we were not expecting and miss our flight. Then to have to wait 3 hours in an airport for the next flight available. At 65 and 70 years of age lugging suitcases across the parking lot to test fill out more papers and then lugging back to the airport, waiting for results and then missing our flight and hanging for 3 hours. Thank you for this unpleasant issue that could have been avoided if all your staff were educated on the time frames. We specifically asked in detail many times for clarification to be sure not to have any hassels.

In all my years of RIU stays, this was very upsetting and uncalled for. No to mention the awful days of smokers all around us. All places have designated areas so as to not bother non smoking guest. It made our weeks stay very upsetting. I'd like to know how you plan to keep us as RIU customers going forward. Thank you for reviewing.

Please see attached photos that show dirt, mold and rust which we experienced in our rooms . This is not what is expected when booking a 5* hotel and it is unacceptable.

This pictures show mold on the ironing board, rust and dirt on the safe. This is not the standard one would expect from a RIU or any other 5* hotel. The bathroom towels were hard and rough, the room smelled very damp and the bedsheet smelt bad.

This is not the Riu standard that I was expecting this is what you get for a 2/3* hotel.

I had brought up my complaint with the staff and sent an email too reception.[protected]@riu.com but I've had no update.

Our stay at the Riu was from November 12, 2021 to November 15, 2021.

The name is Mr. and Mrs. Ronald and Amabel MacAuley

It's such a let down when one has saved and looked forward to our once a year vacation, only to suffer such extremely poor customer service and hospitality/

A group of over 20 family members and friends chose your Hotel as our destination to join our Cousin celebrate her 30th Birthday.

Every member of our group suffered being placed in rooms which were in the middle of the RENOVATION work that was being done at the hotel. My Wife and I were first put in Room 631 which was full of dust and noise from all the construction work, than moved to Room 512 which was no good either and the next day we were moved to Room 1834 which was too high up as I suffer from Vertigo. We were finally moved on the 3rd day to Room 1034. We spent our first 3 days moving from Room to Room when we should have been enjoying our vacation.

As you know your Hotel is quite costly.

I was very disappointed with the service we received and we definitely did not get any value for the money we paid.

Hello
We stayed at the Riu Hotel in Ocho Rios Jamaica
Dec. 1st to Dec. 11th
Our IPad was taken from our room 3217 over there…
We only realized when we got home, that we never packed it back into our carry on…
It wasn't in the safe or anywhere in the room. Since we looked all over prior to leaving the room. Upon trying to get help at the Hotel making numerous long distance calls from Canada it's been very difficult.
We were there with 84 other guests for our daughters wedding. Our daughter in law saw a maintenance person using a Bellhop cart with glass to replace a broken one coming out of our room. He was startled and said that he could not replace the glass since his glass he had with him was too big. We never asked for any replacement or ever saw any glass broken. We thought nothing of this when we were there since we never went looking for the IPad since we never used it while there. My wife only remembers putting it in the safe but possibly had it out on top of safe when a camera was taken out to use on the wedding day.
We are trying to get this information over to the Hotel but we can't seem to get through or when we did, never got any cooperation.
Please investigate because that same man was seen again on our checkout day with the same Trolly with same amount of glass like he wasn't even using the glass but possibly a cover to go around into rooms to steal things. At the time my daughter in law saw that man again she thought nothing of it since we had not reported anything missing and it was only when we got home that my wife noticed she never packed the IPad…
Please see what you can do since we have ran out of ways to get through to this Hotel efficiently
Henry

My family and I stayed at the Riu Hotel from November 29 to December 6. On Tuesday morning when we were walking from
The restaurant my mother fell and hit her head and knee, do to uneven floor. On Wednesday we received a note stating that the elevators will be out off order for one hour 11:30 to 12:30. They didn't start working till 6:30. Next day the the elevators did not work from 11:00 to 8:00 and no water working. My parents were not able to go upstairs to get their medication because they stayed on the 7 floor and both of them have bad legs. So we could not change to go for dinner. We had to wear our bathing suits for dinner. Our vacation was ruined. We would like to get compensated for all the troubles.

No power no water no lights in stairs fell downstairs no a/c only 1 restaurant open not 6 like it says couldn't get my medicine doors not opening smelled like glue giving me a headache elevators never worked right what a horrible 60th birthday this was a nightmare couldn't sleep to hot construction at 6:30 in the morning no toilets no casino the list goes on

I've been staying at the Riu Santa Fe since 2013 at least once a year and seem to have only managed to acquire 300 odd points? I read that the tour company is meant to add the points to your system. Is that correct? I've usually used Cheap Caribbean and Vacations to Go. I just returned 2 days ago from a 5 day stay. My client #[protected]. I'm hoping you keep records of your clients stays at each hotel as I have not kept my receipts for the past 8 years thinking that each visit I made was being recorded either by the Tour Company or by Riu itself.

I received the worst treatment by Manolo (front desk) and other staff. The service was poor, received wrong information regarding COVID test and did not get the accommodations I paid for. I would like a refund for the inconvenience and poor treatment. It ruined my vacation and I would never recommend this place, it lacks good customer services.

Contact information: Beda Gamboa
Email: [protected]@gmail.com
Phone number: [protected]

Check-in: Thursday, November 25, 2021 - Check-out: Sunday, November 28, 2021
Riu Palace Las Americas - All Inclusive
Reserved For: Beda Gamboa - 2 Adults
Room Type: Junior Suite
Requests: Additional Remarks: 2 QUEEN BEDS
Requests are not guaranteed.
Blvd. Kukulcan Lote 4
Cancun, QR 77500

To whom this may concern,

From the 11th till the 25th of november 2021 I was a guest at Rui Hotel Ochi Rios room number 3137 along with my sibling Andre Williams. During my time I was told we needed to complete a return home pcr test. I booked the test and went into the test room on the 24th where and I paid 30GBP for my test and my brother paid 40USD. The woman who done our test was called Shakiria. We both completed the test and was handed the receipt along with my paper form to say I have done a negative test. (IMAGE 1, 2)

When leaving the test room I had left my JBL wireless bluetooth speaker on the chair. I returned not long after to find my speaker had been stolen. I asked if it had been seen, to then be told by the person that done my test (shakera) that she seen it but didn't put it to one side. The speaker cost £55 and I purchased it just before my holiday. (IMAGE 3)

My flight to go back to the uk was the 25th November 2021. I got a coach transfer from the hotel to Sangster Airport. We arrived at the airport around 14:00. Before checking in I was asked for my return home negative test pcr test. I produced it to then be questioned about my D.O. B which was put on the test form as 06.11
1990 instead of 26.11.1990. My sibling andre williams's test information was input correctly. TUI then phoned up RUI to re-confirm that we had done the test due to my DOB being wrong. TUI were then told my Rui that there that there's no information to say we have done the test at the hotel. We was then told by TUI airline we can't check in as they have been told by the hotel that we aren't on the test system reason.
We then had the stress and inconvenience of contacting family and freinds in england to transfer me money because we had no money left from the holiday. By this time it was around 16:00 and our flight was scheduled to leave for 16:45. I had to then pay 72.24GBP for 2 more PCR tests.
(IMAGE 4, 5, 6 7)

This has caused me to feel dejected, disappointed and let down by what I considered a credable tourist resort. I should never have had to be put through that situation. I expect and adequate resolution within 14 days. If not I will be taking this matter further.

Yours sincerly,
Shaun Williams

Email: [protected]@hotmail.co.uk
Contact number: [protected]

My name is Daphne Charlow I went to Aruba from Nov 12 to 16 and stay at the Rui Antillas to celebrate my 50th Birthday it was the worst time to go there I had to change my room due to construction there was loud banging, dust and dirt everywhere I have asthma and I was constantly having shortest of breath due to the dust I'm very disappointed because it ruin my 50th Birthday this is unacceptable I should be compensate please email at [protected]@aol.com or I could be reach at [protected] Thank you

My husband and I stayed at the RIU Antilles, Aruba from 11/6/2021 until 11/12/2021. When we arrived at the hotel we noticed it was under major renovations. We were okay with this as long as services and our accommodations were ok.
When we arrived in our hotel room, 1714, it was newly remodeled but was on the same side as all the ongoing construction. The room directly across from us was being worked on as was every room down from us. The carpeting in the hallway in front of our room was filthy and coming up from all the workers going back and forth. When we got inside our room and got settled in and put our valuables in the safe we discovered that it would not lock. We called to have them reset it or fix it and were told someone would be right up. After waiting over an hour and making a second call, nobody showed. So we left to go enjoy what we came to Aruba for. We called several more times over the course of our stay to get the safe fixed but it wasn't until we spoke with the manager, Alejandro until someone brought us a new safe on 11/9/2021. This was better than what we had but it wasn't secured to anything so anyone could have walked out with the safe and all our belongings. This was not a comforting feeling to know our valuables could walk out of our room. The soap dispenser in the shower was broken off and empty and none of the liquor bottles had anything in them. We had to call to get these things rectified.
The air-conditioning in the room cut off one night and in the morning I was only able to take a cold shower.The hot water came on about a half hour later after a phone call to the front desk. The next day we were getting ready to meet friends for a 5:30 outing and went to get a shower and there was no water at all in our room. We had to go to our friends room in 1734 to take showers. Needless to say, we missed our 5:30 outing which did not make us very happy. we spoke to your manager Alejandro several times about our concerns and he was apologetic.
We think you will have a beautiful hotel when all the remodeling is complete but we know we will have reservations about staying there or recommending this hotel to anyone unless changes are made. We were not real happy with the way staff handled our legitimate complaints when we called.
We do want to say your staff at the pool who conducted the activities and your bar and wait staff were exceptional. They are the only reasons we would go back.

It was a bad time to go to Riu Antilles Aruba. The construction was loud, dusty and the hallways are gross. A/C barely worked so the room was humid and damp ... floors, sheets and tabletops had moisture that made it look like it was just mopped. The pillowcases had a bad smell to them. The last complaint is the shower didn't always have hot water. I've been here before but this time was awful. Pic of my ocean view suite below. 🤯
We also paid for the full vacation package for a friend that never made the trip.
Christopher Campbell

I have probably sent 35 or more emails and have gotten absolutely no response other than have Expedia contact us and when we have Expedia contact them Expedia is not getting any response either and we are only getting blown off. I will never ever travel to any real resort ever again. And I will let everybody that I know not to travel to any riu resort ever. The absolute worst customer service that I have ever experienced what a shame

The purpose of this letter is to raise a complaint in regards to my stay at your accommodation in
Montego bay Jamaica.
I travel to the Beautiful Island Of Jamaica From England Regularly To Spend Time With My Family. Although I have access to stay with family when I visit, for a period of time, I like to treat myself by booking into a hotel, in order to focus on my well-being.
During my last visit which begun on the 28thJuly 2021, Within my room there was a leak that had appeared from the aircon. The leak that I had to experience by staying in the room, caused me a chest infection for the remaining of my stay in Jamaica. As you will be able to imagine, this had caused me anxiety, as the purpose of my visit was to have a great time with my loved ones.

I alerted the reception staff on three occasions, and had to re-complain for the fourth time, and then had to carefully transition around my room, avoiding puddles of water, in which the maintenance team then came to observe the issue on 01/08/2021, despite me expecting them on 31/07/2021 as this was when I was told. On 02/08/2021, the maintenance team fixed the leakage issue, after realising the previous day, the terrible condition of this situation.

I am absolutely disgusted and feel let down by Hotel RIU, which is usually my go to accommodation provider, due to me feeling at home. For a RIU class member and a regular attendee, I would like to request a refund and some sort of compensation for this poor experience, or I will have to contact my legal representation to take this further. I look forward to hearing from you.

Hi I stayed at the Gresham in Dublin on the 27th of this month and was awoken at .7.55 am by builders using a jackhammer.
I rang reception regarding this and was told there was nothing that could be done as it was in the building next door. This was not the answer I wanted.The noise went on for another 45 minutes I rang again and spoke to your duty manager he said he was aware of many complaints but all he could do was speak to the builders which at this stage was not very helpful as our sleep was effected and we had to getup.
We were very unhappy with our stay and with the resolution offered by your staff
Room 373
Awaiting your response

Kevin Barry
[protected]@yahoo.co.uk

As a Riu member [protected] under the present name Rosemary Parro and previous name Rosemary Amicone I have been coming to Aruba for 35 years and have stayed at your hotel approximately 20 times (some before being a member) and was disappointed in my room and service. It began with the first night the room next to me was smoking pot. Secondly the A/C unit was so loud it sounded like a loud motor issue, next the second night I was asleep and woke to your employee opening my door (only to find out he was in the wrong room) and lastly found mold in both areas of my shower. I have taken pictures and video of the A/C unit noise for proof and lastly the last evening we were seated at 8 pm early at the steak house and when the dinner arrived it was 9:55 I gave the dinner back as it was to late to eat. I have always promoted your hotel to family and friends and was disappointed with my stay for these reasons. I plan to return to Aruba but not sure of your hotel. I traveled with many people on this trip. I truly hope you read this email and would be very happy to provide you with the photos and video with sound of the A/C. Respectfully Rosemary Parro

Good afternoon,
My husband and I have booked our honeymoon at Riu Antillas from 08/24/2021 - 08/24/2021. We are extensive travelers and what we experienced at the Riu was completely unacceptable. When we first entered the hotel, I voiced to the front desk that I was upset because I attempted to contact the hotel to confirm if there was an issue with the plumbing. We had friends who stayed at the hotel a week prior and experienced an issue with running water in their room. When calling the hotel a week prior, the front desk woman kept transferring our calls to different locations throughout the hotel and then placed us on hold for over 20 mins. This call cost us over $60 to not even answer our question. When I addresses the front desk, instead of expressing some concern or apologizing on behalf of the hotel, she just informed us "well we were probably busy". Not the response we were looking for.

The real concern was our hotel room. How is a hotel that is completely under construction not notifying travel agents that no matter what floor you are on, you will be encountering construction dust, noise, and workers. The original room was in horrible condition. The tub was clogged, a broken TV and the door handles were broken. Absolutely unacceptable. The front desk switched our room to one of the "new rooms" however, how are you offering rooms that guests have to step over wires, wooden floorboards, and cross an ACTIVE construction site.

We lost two days of our honeymoon addressing the room situation, changing rooms, and finally changing to the Riu Palace. The last thing we wanted to do was spend our honeymoon with children swimming in the pool next to us. We then met some couples who have transferred over to the Palace as well and were being showered with champagne to their rooms and rose petals on their beds. Riu provided a very inconsistent and upsetting experience.

Out of the dozens of Caribbean hotels, we have stayed at this was by far the worst experience.

I can happily provide pictures of the active construction site we would have had to cross to get to the room we were offered upon request.

Thank you!
Mariya Evsevich
Edmund Rivers.