Riu Tikida Palmeraie

Just returned from 28 days stay at this hotel. All staff were amazing, couldn't do enough for you! I thank them all for the amazing jobs they do. The gardens are beautiful and well maintained, huge pool and rooms always cleaned every day. Sorry to leave but we will return again soon!

We had an amazing stay at the hotel overall. The facilities, atmosphere and service from most of the staff were fantastic, and the male staff in particular were incredibly friendly, welcoming and helpful throughout our stay. Unfortunately, the entertainment team was the main disappointment. Some of the female entertainment staff often seemed far more focused on flirting and interacting with male guests than engaging with everyone equally. We also found them to be quite rude and unapproachable on several occasions, which really took away from the otherwise lovely experience. At meal times in particular, they could be extremely loud and sometimes came across as obnoxious, which we found disruptive and uncomfortable. In contrast, the male staff were consistently amazing — friendly, approachable and genuinely welcoming. A special mention has to go to Mad, who was absolutely fantastic and always made us feel welcome. Overall, the hotel itself is amazing and there are many wonderful staff members who deserve recognition. With a more professional and welcoming approach from the entertainment team, the experience would have been even better.

We stayed here for four nights at the end of September and, overall, had a really enjoyable stay.

The hotel itself is beautifully presented, and the gardens in particular are absolutely lovely and very well maintained. Our room was nicely decorated and had a lovely style, although I do feel the rooms could benefit from a little more love and attention. A really deep clean and general refresh would make a big difference. We also noticed a slightly funky sewage smell in the room when we first arrived. Thankfully, it passed quite quickly, but it was obviously unpleasant while it lasted.

The pool area is lovely and we really enjoyed spending time there. For a hotel aiming for that extra level of luxury, though, I think better sunbeds would make a difference — particularly ones with cushions.

We had no major complaints about the food and overall found it enjoyable. I do think breakfast could be improved, though. We kept seeing people with bacon but could never seem to find it on the buffet! I would also have liked a better selection of fresh fruit and a little more variety overall. There seemed to be quite a lot of onions and potatoes, so a few more options would have been appreciated. Obviously, that’s personal preference, but I think breakfast could definitely be an area for improvement.

The biggest thing for me, though, was the drinks.

Please, RIU — improve the drinks! 😂

We actually bought a bottle of vodka from duty-free at Gatwick because we’d read so many reviews mentioning that the drinks were weak. Unfortunately, we found them to be very watery and they were often served in very small cups. I think this is probably the biggest area where the hotel could make a noticeable improvement.

The evening lobby bar could also benefit from being bigger, with a larger bar area and more staff during busy periods. Proper-sized wine glasses would also be a nice touch. I also think sparkling wine should be included as part of the all-inclusive offering. You can purchase it separately and it isn’t particularly expensive, and you can also win it on the bingo, so I think including it would make a really positive difference to the overall experience.

The entertainment was good. It probably wasn’t the best evening entertainment we’ve ever experienced, but the team clearly worked hard and we still had plenty of laughs and were entertained. I think the evening entertainment area itself could do with a bit of modernisation, though. A larger bar, more staff, more comfortable seating and a general makeover would make the area much more inviting.

All of the staff we encountered were really friendly, approachable and helpful, and we had no problems with the service at all. The hotel was generally very clean, although, as mentioned, there are a few areas that I feel could benefit from a little love and a refresh.

We didn’t use the gym, indoor pool or spa, so unfortunately can’t comment on those facilities.

I’d also be interested to see what the new outside food area will be like once it’s open, as I think that could be a great addition.

Overall, we really did enjoy our stay and I would return to this hotel. Personally, I don’t think I’d choose to stay for two weeks, but I would happily come back for up to a week.

I think this hotel has massive potential. With some investment into the rooms, breakfast, evening entertainment area and, most importantly for me, the quality, choice and serving sizes of the drinks, I think it could take a big step towards feeling much more luxurious.

Overall, a lovely stay with friendly staff, beautiful gardens and plenty to enjoy — just a few areas that could really benefit from a refresh and some extra attention.