RIU Palace Peninsula

The resort was first class all the way, and absolutely gorgeous.  Unlike the other RIUs I’ve been to that typically have a Spanish colonial influence; the décor at this one is modern and very chic.  The result is an almost ZEN ambiance.  Color theme of the resort throughout is aubergine, fuchsia, and marble.

We were given a junior suite ocean view (actually all of the rooms are ocean view) that featured an integrated lounge area with a sofa bed and large balcony.  There is a Jacuzzi tub literally in the middle of the room, between the bed and the vanity area, with no privacy whatsoever.  In fact, only the room with the toilet had a door.  This did not bother us, but I wouldn’t sell this resort without mentioning it to a prospective client, because all of the rooms at this resort are this way.  We were on the 9th floor; floor 10 and above is considered an upgrade because of the spectacular view of the pools and ocean, but quite honestly, our view was pretty spectacular!

I have always associated RIU resorts with cleanliness and great service, but in my opinion, the Peninsula far exceeded my expectations in both of these areas!  Likewise, I have associated RIUs with passable but mediocre food at best.  Well at the Peninsula I could not have been more wrong!  I was blown away; the food was fabulous, with lots of variety in every single restaurant – even lobster, and filet mignon which honestly tasted like Mancys!  There are 6 specialty restaurants (as well as the “Capuchino” Coffee bar/patisserie & ice cream parlor; delicious!) in addition to the International Buffet, which was actually amazing!