Riu Negril Jamaica Resort Reviews

If you have stayed in the Caribbean, send us your reviews. Resorts will be added as new reviews are posted.

6/08 - My husband and I had a great time at the Riu Negril - June 21-28, 2008. The hotel in beautiful condition. The staff are working hard, constantly cleaning and working on the beach, etc. They were all friendly and very helpful. I would definitely recommend this hotel. We got a great price thru our travel agent (cherie@vacationagent.net), so that made it even better.
We had no problems with the staff or any hotel policies. Our plane to go home left late in the day, but there were shower rooms available and a locked room to store luggage, so we were able to swim and stay on the beach long after checkout. You can see the ocean from pretty much every room, they all have balconies or a terrace. There is a fridge in each room with bottles of beer, pop, and water, as well as a mini-bar with rum, vodka, brandy, and gin. The rooms are nice - you control the A/C, there is also a ceiling fan.
There are two pools, one with a swim-up bar, they were a little crowded during the middle of the day though.
Every night there are shows/musicals, these were a little cheesy, but sit near the bar, have a drink or two, and they are plenty entertaining. The bars have a good selection and the mango daiquiris are great!
The steakhouse was great, the international gourmet restaurant was okay, and the buffets were good too. Breakfast at the Green Island is wonderful - there is a fresh smoothie/juice bar, and tons of selections. You need to make reservations at 7 am for the steakhouse and gourmet restuarant, but we found we could make them for two nights in a row, so we didn't have to get up every day.
The Scuba Caribe snorkel trip was fun, bring some bread with, and dozens of fish will come eat out of your hand. The fishing trip was a disappointment, they told us they catch 20 most days, but we only caught 4 smaller fish the day we were out - not worth the money.
Everyday it rained in the afternoon for an hour or two, but that was sort of nice because it cooled down for the evenings.
The beach is kept very neat. There's a good mix of shade and sun and there are always lounge chairs available. The water is a little cloudy, but they were always working on it.
Lots of Europeans who often are topless on the beach or in little Speedos, so just a warning if you're not used to that.
Overall, really nice resort, helpful staff, good times.

2/08 - I was shocked when I got there and saw a beautiful lobby. It was like a room with no walls but a ceiling. It had a beautiful view, a bar, and wonderful service. There was a breathtaking view and a wonderful beach. I loved my room. It had a wonderful bed and it was big. It had a TV, a mini-fridge and bar which included whiskey, rum, gin, and other drinks, and I had an amazing view from the balcony. For breakfast and lunch there was a buffet and for dinner you could make reservations for a steakhouse, Brazilian restaurant, and another very nice restaurant, or they have a dinner buffet. Every night they had a show. They had a magnificent entertainment staff whose job was to keep everyone entertained all day. Also, there is a stand for assorted water sports like snorkeling, kayaking, windsurfing, and more. They all are available for free or a small charge. There are also wonderful locals who rent out jet skis for good prices. The resort is close to Negril's famous West End which is near to Rick's Cafe. There is a small club at the resort. This is a resort for anyone, couples, singles, families, students on a break, business meetings. I don't know what else to say about it, it is amazing!!! BJ-Indiana

1/08 - What a great trip. Seemed like the nicest place to go in Negril when I saw the rest of the resorts from the glass bottom boat. Glad we booked at RIU Negril. The hotel is just lovely. Walked in to a grand entrance and bar staff there to greet us with a smile!
The room was ready as soon as we arrived around 1:00 pm. Travel in the DAY time as the bus ride was a bit crazy compared to roads here and a great entertaining ride. You get a chance to see the little towns and villages. The bus with our tour company stopped for a fast pee and Red Stripe at a local place. Clean and friendly.
I am picky and ate everything with no worry. My children 5 & 8 found plenty of food to enjoy. Great selection and cater to European visitors as well as North American. Alcohol was not watered down but not a huge amount in your glass unless you ask. Why would they get everyone drunk?? People sipping on drinks all day long.
Good fun entertainment and this was a family event. My husband and I sat with kidsand we all had fun.
Beach was great for kids. Not clear in front of hotel but did not care! Reminded me of lakes here but very warm.
NO BUGS at all in January. Saw one mosquito after a heavy rain and that was it.
Book with confidence. JH from OH

My husband and I just returned from a 4-night stay at the Riu Negril (Oct 19-23). We had a good time. The place is beautiful and very clean. The rooms are nice, except it seemed like they turned the air down at night and the room always got very stuffy. We always had to call for clean towels. The maid would always take the dirty ones, but never leave clean ones.
The food was something to be desired. This is the first vacation that I've taken and lost 8 pounds. We took a tour of the Mayfield Falls and really enjoyed that except the ride there. The pools are nice, but the beach is pretty murky. This was our first all-Inclusive so we have nothing to compare it to, but I think next year we will try some place new.