Having visited several RIU hotels over the years in Mexico and the Dominican Republic, we arrived at RIU Atoll with high expectations. Unfortunately, this was a disappointing experience overall, and we have decided that we won’t be returning to RIU hotels in the future.
The staff – the highlight of our stay
First of all, the staff were fantastic. The vast majority were friendly, welcoming and genuinely couldn’t do enough for us. Special thanks to Suzy, Yousef and Aiman in the restaurant, and Nico, SJ, Jessica and Roshan at the bar. They were consistently personable, professional and attentive, and we really appreciated the effort they made to look after us.
Unfortunately, our experience with Mary at the front desk was less pleasant, which stood out against the otherwise excellent service from the team.
Food and drinks – room for improvement
The cocktails were a real disappointment. They tasted artificial, with what seemed to be syrups rather than fresh fruit. Given the standard we have experienced at other resorts, we expected much better.
The main restaurant was average. There was a reasonable selection, but the food was repetitive, with broadly the same options day after day. The Italian restaurant and steakhouse were noticeably better and provided a more enjoyable dining experience.
Limited facilities and an uncomfortable atmosphere
Compared with other resorts we have visited, the facilities felt limited. There is only one swimming pool, with the only bar located by the pool as well. This meant there was little variety in where to relax and enjoy the resort.
The atmosphere around the pool and bar was also not always pleasant, with some guests shouting across the bar and others pushing in queues. These experiences detracted from what should have been a relaxing holiday.
Poor transfer arrangements and disappointing customer service
One of our biggest frustrations was the internal transfer arrangement. On arrival in the Maldives, we had to wait approximately five hours at Malé airport before our onward domestic flight to the resort. Had we known about this lengthy wait before booking, we would have seriously reconsidered our choice of hotel.
For our return journey, we specifically requested a later transfer because our international flight was not until 7:40 pm. Unfortunately, our request was not accommodated, leaving us feeling that our concerns and preferences had simply been ignored.
The departure information provided by the hotel confirmed a boat departure at 11:30 am and a domestic flight at 1:50 pm. This was particularly frustrating given that we had already raised our concerns about the timing. Better communication, flexibility and consideration for guests’ onward flight times would have made a significant difference.
Final verdict
The staff deserve genuine credit for their excellent service, and some of them made our stay considerably better. However, good staff alone cannot compensate for disappointing drinks, repetitive food, limited facilities and frustrating transfer arrangements.
Having experienced other RIU resorts, we expected a more consistent standard. Unfortunately, RIU Atoll did not meet our expectations, and the handling of our transfer requests was the final straw.
Sadly, this will be our last stay at a RIU hotel. We left disappointed, particularly given the expectations set by our previous experiences with the brand.
