Riu Palace Maspalomas - Adults Only

We returned to the RIU this Easter for the second time and had a fabulous week. Staff very friendly and helpful, excellent pool and facilities. Stunning views over the dunes. Highly recommend. My only negative was the quality of the towels in the bathrooms.

Impressive hotel in a great setting (backing on to Maspalomas sand dunes). Adults only so relative quiet by the pool and in restaurants which was nice. Visited in April (family of 5) so hotel wasn't full. Always space at the pool and the entertainment area wasn't busy at night. Buffet was great. Always a good selection at breakfast and dinner. Even had a large chocolate egg selection at Easter. Staff extremely polite and courteous. Enjoyed being served by Jesus and the charismatic Evelin in the Dunas restaurant. Gran Canaria can be 'fresh' in April at night so it was nice the staff offered blankets at night in the outside bar. They also had gas burners on hand at each table to keep older guests warm. Room staff were thorough and always checked we had enough towels. Enjoyed meeting the 2 resident hotel cats who were often petted by guests.

We had a great stay. Relaxing surroundings, comfy beds, nice and helpful staff. Very diverse buffet in the morning and evening

I can't categorise this hotel as 5 star, if most people here have had travelled to all 5 star hotel type, they should know the difference, but this is a good location staying in the south. In detailed to help others. Arrival- We arrived via booked taxi from the airport, the lobby is nice and clean and reception is on your right side of the hotel ( entrance to the hotel is also accessible by all tourists or locals) going to the dunes or beach. We arrived around 1:45 and had to check in and waited outside for our name to be called, they've done the check in and preparation simultaneously calling each other by 3pm but our luggage was brought to our room which is great service. Room- 1.We were given a room with a balcony/view on the 1st floor, the view was blocked by trees so partial view of the dunes but I'm sure the floor on top floors can be better, possibly depending on what you pay or what the reception will assign to you. Amenities good and bad points 1.No slippers so if you are not use to walking barefoot, then bring some indoor slippers. 2.No Free bottled water -this is 5 star hotel 3.No turndown service, but a room attendant will knock your room or open your room if you need a towel or not (later afternoon or after 6pm). 4.No coffee machine(capsules) but instant sachet coffee, cream, sugar and a kettle, no cutlery but rather a wooden stick (like those used in every Mcdonalds store). 5.TV has Sky news and other old movies but no other English channels to explore. 6.Safety deposit you need to pay, this is the only hotel classified as 5 star and in our entire travelling years that we have to pay for this safety box. 7.All soaps (liquids) were all refillable 8.Iron and Ironing board available 9.Wardrobes can be ok for those who have few items to keep or use everyday. 10.Nice and comfortable bed and pillows. Restaurants 1.Breakfast and Dinner buffet are inclusive which is cheaper as part of the deal(half board). 2.Dinner foods are bland to our taste and the presentation is kind of repetitive and the same every night, the Chef should twist it a bit more appealing even though it's kind of repetitive each or other night, presentation of the foods helps. 3.There are different corners of food in the restaurant, for Dinner- choices are Pasta, Paella, Pizza then dessert section for ice cream, fruits, cakes and pastries, section for salad, meat, Asian infuse, cheese, soup, bread, potatoes, vegetables etc. 4.Breakfast close by 10:30 sharp so don't be late. Services(Breakfast/Dinner) 1.no one will greet you or accompany or pin point you to a seat, so choose your table or ask if it's free to sit. 2.Staffs are very attentive, In general, we would like to give thanks to Jesus that serves us all the time, he always been attentive and helpful to our needs in the restaurant and engaging unlike other staff who are there just to collect and replace your your plates or serves you, it's like going to an ordinary restaurant that you need to sit, eat and leave:-). 3.we did not bother to book for another restaurant (Krystal and Oasis) you need to book 4 days in advance, we tried the oasis restaurant for lunch and it's nice. Pool 1.All staff that works here are great, they are polite and attentive. 2.You will collect your pool towel using the card given to you upon checking in, then you will return the towel again to get your card back.( take note, I have to return the card after check out and no one ask for it when we realise we need to return it after leaving the hotel for a taxi, so not sure if this mandatory or not upon check out). Others- 1.Coffee sachets are not replaced on a regular basis- we need to call and order this, this is not simultaneously done by the cleaner but by another person who controls the supply of sachets. The lady who brought the coffee, sugar and cream sachet to our room said, the reason they can't replenish coffees etc is because our room has no disturb sign, we always leave our room after lunch and cleaners can clean our room each day so this alibi was not valid. In summary, this is ok as a based hotel near the Dunes or around Maspalomas, you can get taxi to visit meloneras, Puerto rico and Mogan, nice hotel, some staff are ok and some are not, food not into our taste but inclusive ( best value) but won't categorise it as 5 star.

Like many others we always return to one of our favourite hotels in the world. What this hotel does so well is adapt to changing times without ever losing its heart. The positive staff culture that has built up over many years shines through and each time we come we meet a staff member who makes our stay so memorable. This year it was the wonderful Denisse who looked after us at breakfast and dinner each day and really lifted our spirits. It is also nice to see familiar faces and Adam is always so friendly and welcoming. I know in terms of things that could still be improved everyone always mentions the additional charge for the safe. We think maybe next year they will just add it to the room cost but we sense this will never happen. The under utilised Cabanas is another thing that could be looked at, a nice garden/shaded seating area could be an option. The issue of men wearing shorts at dinner is tricky as no one, especially the staff, wants conflict at mealtimes . It is stated on the website but there are no signs reminding people and the approach seems to be “hopefully they’ll notice”. Anyway the setting, the food, the rooms, the views, the gardens, the pools, the sunbeds (you can always get one!), the bars, the reception, and once again the wonderful management and staff make this such a special place.