Hotel Riu Palace Palmeras

Jan Åberg

This is probably the best all-inclusive hotel I've ever stayed at. Of course, being a five-star hotel, you might expect a high standard, but it truly exceeded all expectations. The food was absolutely amazing, with a wide variety of options that always tasted fresh and delicious. The service was outstanding; the staff was incredibly friendly and always maintained an exceptional level of professionalism. Every member of the team contributed to making our stay memorable, and it felt like no request was too much. The cleanliness and overall appearance of the hotel were immaculate, which added to the overall luxurious experience. To top it all off, we had perfect weather throughout the entire winter break week, with sunny skies and temperatures around 23°C, which made our stay even more enjoyable. One of the key factors for us when choosing this hotel was the availability of a gym, which we were quite excited about. However, while the gym looked great in the photos, it didn't quite meet our expectations in person. It could easily be improved with additional free weights ranging from 2 to 30 kilograms. That being said, this was a minor setback in an otherwise perfect stay. Overall, we would still rate this hotel a solid five stars, as it provided an incredible experience that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to anyone looking for a high-quality, all-inclusive getaway.

Wendy Tucker

As far as Riu Palaces go, this one falls a little short on a few minor things Entertainment - zero (Riu Party is by free shuttle to the other Riu) Age of clientele - full of elderly people - in fact it’s like God’s waiting room (not the fault of the hotel obviously) Sun-loungers - a huge problem - the age old issue of reserving at silly o’clock! I’m currently here with my teenage granddaughter and of course we are here for winter sun. HOWEVER, only 50% of the sun-loungers are actually in the sun, and these are all fully reserved by 7am! Try as I might, even in an overnight / early morning downpour, I haven’t managed to beat the early risers who seem to get down to reserve the sunny spots at earlier and earlier times! Food is lovely - fresh and varied Staff are lovely - professional yet friendly The hotel is spotless No spa facilities (I do love a massage!) The local town is shoddy This is my first time in GC - I’d recommend the hotel, lounger issues aside, for anyone who jut wants to flop and drop and not explore anywhere outside - Masapalomas … not so sure about, found it rather disappointing really

Luis Ferreira

We recently stayed at the RIU Palace Palmeras (Gran Canaria), and while there’s a lot to love about this hotel, there are also a few significant issues that really detract from the experience. First, let’s start with the positives. The hotel itself is stunning, and the employees are absolutely amazing. Everyone we encountered was incredibly friendly, helpful, and went above and beyond to ensure we felt welcome and taken care of. The food is simply outstanding—fresh, delicious, and with an impressive variety to choose from. The service in every department is flawless, making you feel like you’re staying in a top-tier resort. However, there are two major drawbacks that unfortunately overshadow these positives. The first is the noise. Across the street from the hotel, there’s a karaoke bar, and at 1:45 am, when all you want is a peaceful night’s sleep, the loud music and singing are unbearable. It’s extremely frustrating that such a great hotel is ruined by this external factor. Sleep is one of the most important aspects of a hotel stay, and when you can’t get it, it completely undermines the relaxing vacation experience you’re hoping for. The second issue is the pool situation. Despite the hotel clearly stating that reserving sunbeds is not allowed, guests are out there at 6 in the morning staking their claim to the best spots. It’s insane! By the time “normal” guests come down at a reasonable hour, all the good places by the pool are taken, and you’re left scrambling for leftovers. What’s most frustrating is that the hotel does nothing to stop this behavior. If the rules exist, why aren’t they enforced? This creates an unfair and stressful situation that could easily be avoided if the hotel took action. It’s so disappointing because RIU Palace Palmeras has so much potential to be a fantastic place to stay. The staff, the food, the service—it’s all incredible. But the noise at night and the chaos at the pool during the day make it hard to recommend this hotel, especially for guests who are looking for peace, relaxation, and fairness. Until these issues are addressed, I would hesitate to stay here again or recommend it to others.

O Dickinson

A small Riu Palace conveniently placed near a shopping centre and about a 10 minutes walk to the sea wall where you go down steps or slope to the beach which is probably about 20 minutes away. The hotel is spotless, every staff member greets you hello and on the whole they are friendly and welcoming There are two pools, not very big, and a very small kids pool. There is a pool bar and snacks bar near the pool and the restaurant is a short walk away. There is a more formal lounge which is open 24 hours and is run with topmost efficiently so you are rarely waiting too long for a drink. The rooms are quite small with an unproportionately large sized shower room. Don't get me wrong it's a lovely bathroom, two sinks, hairdryer and hand wash, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner and the shower is powerful and can be scalding hot. There are 4 drawers and a wardrobe, that's it. Good luck trying to fit 2 weeks worth of clothes in them. The safe is free and the mini bar is stocked with soft drinks and Amstel beer. Now here's where the bedroom starts to go wrong. There is an opaque glass screen between the bedroom and bathroom which lights up the bedroom if you turn the light on. If your bedroom is pitch dark and someone turns on the bathroom light, it will light up the bedroom brighter than Wembley stadium. Whoever thought this was a good idea needs a shake. Another negative is the food. We have stayed at both Riu Palace and Riu hotels and here the food is not up to Palace standards. Now it is edible and there is mostly something you 'could' eat but if you have any dietary needs beware. They have lactose free milk in the morning but no gluten free bread on view. I did ask the waiter and they did get it for me and asked every morning if I wanted toast or bread but all Riu hotels I have stayed in previously had this on show with it's own toaster. The food was basic and it felt like a cafeteria rather than a fine dining restaurant. There is a 'al a carte' but the menu looked very niche and was half full most of the time. It just didn't live up to Palace standards The hotel was mostly Germans and french and some were definitely not friendly when they found out we were British! It's an ok hotel, spotlessly clean, great staff but not the best Riu we have stayed in or the best hotel in Gran Canaria

Dave Galloway

The problem with the hotel is the non-enforcement of their own sunbed/towel policies. The hotel policy states that any towels left out will be removed. The hotel do not enforce their own policy, and this means that a lot of sunbeds are taken. A simple solution to this would be for the pool attendant to remove the towels when he is cleaning the pool and pool area when he is out doing his duties before 6am. He could move the towels as he cleans the area. If the hotel is not going to enforce its own policies, then they need to remove the statement from their hotel booklets, guest information, and website. The staff are fantastic at the hotel. The service is fantastic. Remedy the sunbed problems, and this would be an excellent hotel. The staff definitely make this hotel a great place. The hotel is spotlessly clean. A lovely hotel. Great management. Good food. We would not return until the sunbed problem is rectified. If it was not for the sunbed problems, I would give five stars. UPDATE! Further to RIU response! No towels or items are removed at night, throughout the night, or in the early hours of the morning. I will post the RIU response where RIU state that the contract is with TUI and not them regarding sunbeds.