Hotel Riu Montego Bay

J-oakville wrote a review September 2025

Not a place I would recommend for a week trip

My husband and I went for a 3 day trip because it was not expensive. It is a party resort. There were many things that were subpar compared to other all-inclusive resorts. The food was not great for the most part and the a-la-Carter restaurants were hardly existent and then only main course was served, rest was buffet. The staff were not the friendliest other than entertainment staff. I was looking forward to a pool bar but wouldn’t go in that pool because it was the party pool and was packed all day where people hadn’t left. There was also a lot of noise from planes flying over us so close to the airport but it didn’t bother us too much. You couldn’t really hear it from your room. As well, the tile/concrete they used by the pool is so hot that you burn your feet just going from your chair to the pool. Lastly, the beach is very small, so if you are a beach person this may not be for you. The entertainment was really subpar except for the live band we saw.

If you are a smoker, be advised that you can only smoke in 2 designated spots at the resort, not by the pool or your balcony. Although smoking weed seemed to be fine anywhere

We were looking for a place to relax for a few days and this did the trick but I wouldn’t recommend it for a week. We did enjoy the waterpark though. Rooms and resort were clean so no issue there.

If you are looking for a place to party, this is the place for you.

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Date of Stay: September 2025

033076 wrote a review September 2025

Wide vatiety of fun

Resort is great, the best part of the whole reort is the fact it has 5 pools, you choose your vibe for the day from relaxing to partying. Food is good. Please tip the staff if you go as i noticed 99% of the people dont tip and that is just flat out wrong. The people are so wonderful and so warm and they work so hard. Please take care of them. The ONLY thing that i wish were different would be the mattresses. They are so firm, there is no give in them whatsoever. But the place is great. The landscaping is beautiful, very clean and front desk is there if you need them. So much to do, so many great people to meet and memories to make. So good in fact im already booked for february again. This is an honest review as i hope it helps.

Date of Stay: September 2025

395annemarieo wrote a review September 2025

Not a great experience

The hotel is located in the direct line of airliners ascending so it was extremely noisy. The pool temperatures were too warm and uncomfortable.
The hotel itself was nice, clean and well maintained. Be prepared to take your luggage to your room yourself.
The food overall was good as were the drinks- although they don’t carry Ting nor ginger beer,2 Jamaica staples.
Most of The staff tried but definitely needed more training and supervision.
The biggest fault was smoking areas were not enforced people were smoking everywhere including weed nonstop.

Date of Stay: September 2025

pawinderb wrote a review September 2025
London, England

Hotel riu montego bay

Best hotel ,brilliant entertainment crew,lovely food,staff amazing,all smiles,go out of the way for you ,definitely be back here

Date of Stay: September 2025

rolyg680 wrote a review September 2025

Best bartenders

Saiqa she give me the best service at the beach bar! We came as a family she was so welcoming and nice! Best customer service she made us feel apart of the team and helped us with anything we needed. She went above and beyond making us have a great trip! She was always smiling and was so positive to us we are going to definitely come back because of her and the staff! She a whole a vibe!!!!!

Date of Stay: September 2025

D4822HFroberth wrote a review September 2025
Dudley, West Midlands, England

Beach and the sea let it down

Location of the hotel was good,even though you had aeroplanes flying over ever so often.
The atmosphere of the hotel was great. But We had our sunscreen and my wife's flipflops stolen. We had to vacate the bar pool twice in a week as someone had pooped and puked up in the pool.
Had a blister so I went to front desk for a plaster, couldn't offer me a plaster, they didn't have one. They did the next day give some plasters to my room
The mini bar and the other drinks was brilliant.
The rooms where very clean and I tipped the the cleaner for doing a fantastic job.
The food and drinks was also very good. You would not starve. 24 hour bar with snacks in the sports bar with pool tables entertainment was superb, one of the best so far.
My only gripe was the beach as it was like concrete, the sea from the beach had floating debris ( sea grass) all churned up from the speed boats etc.
The wife walked out from the sea covered in sea grass many times. Had to pay money to go on excursions for snorkeling.
Hotel shop really expensive £16 for bottle of sunscreen as we had ours pinched, £80 for a bikini what the wife looked at. I prefer the ibrostar waves hotel further up which was best for the beach and snorkeling, but riu had the best entertainment for young people for up to ages 45.im 57 and I even went nigh clubbing in the hotel till 2am.
I was called a racist by someone who wanted money from me when I visited the shops from outside the hotel because he wanted money from me and I don't carry cash and my daughter is dating an Asian lad and he is treats my daughter like a queen.

Date of Stay: September 2025

louisemP2279VH wrote a review September 2025

So disappointed

Although check in says 3:00p.m. it's not like the hotel doesn't know you're arriving early. Arrived at 10 :00 a.m, hotel is probably at 20% capacity and that's being generous.
Still waiting for a room more than 4 hours later, we should have offered to get it ready ourselves. Asked if I could put medication in a fridge, I was told to go to a restaurant and ask there. So irritated by the lack of interest in guests that without them there wouldn't be a business.
Not a great start, 7th time in Jamaica, first time to a Riu and certainly the last.

Date of Stay: September 2025

chanikam2021 wrote a review September 2025
United Kingdom

Great experience !

Best hotel! Best staff and location they really look after you here and make you feel so welcome! We loved rolly polly and suzie for entertainment they were so funny and nice would defo come back again

Date of Stay: September 2025

C292LIneilp wrote a review September 2025
Antalya, Turkish Mediterranean Coast

Not recommended 😕

You can't smoke or vape outside unless its in a designated area. Entertainment very very poor 😢 No night life unless you take the only option that feels like you're in a warehouse. Staff come across very rude as though they are doing you a favour by serving you ( a smile or acknowledgement wouldn't go a miss) even though you tip when you go the bar.

Date of Stay: September 2025

B6462BRkims wrote a review September 2025

18-30

18-30s in Jamaica, this place caters for the younger generation, pools small packed and grim, beach grim not paradise at all. Best thing about it the food is lovely. Staff run ragged but so friendly. I don’t recommend to anyone who wants to wind down and relax

Date of Stay: September 2025

tia71tia wrote a review September 2025
Toronto, Ontario

This not worth it

⸻

Review of Riu Molde – Not Worth the Price, Closer to 3-Star Experience

Our trip to the Riu Molde has unfortunately been one of the most disappointing vacations we’ve had, and it was certainly not worth the money we paid. From the very beginning, things went downhill.

The flight itself started poorly. The passenger behind us kept pushing down on our seat throughout the journey. We addressed it directly and even raised it with the flight attendant (Carlene, who was kind but ultimately did nothing). The problem continued the entire flight, which was frustrating.

When we arrived, the disorganization with Nexus was another headache. It wasn’t clear who was supposed to help us, and the process was confusing from start to finish. Once we reached the resort, there was no warm welcome, no drink offered, and no clear direction about our bags or where to go. For a vacation package advertised as premium, this felt careless and unprofessional.

On top of that, two of our suitcases came back damaged—one dented badly and the other scratched deeply. These are bags we’ve traveled with before without issue, so this was unacceptable.

We had an early 6:15 a.m. flight and arrived at the hotel around 10 a.m., yet we weren’t given a room until 3 p.m. That meant wasting nearly a full day of our trip waiting around. Considering Sunwing books flights with early arrivals, this should have been handled better.

After voicing concerns, we were upgraded to an oceanfront room, which we appreciated, but it doesn’t erase the larger issues. This resort is not 5-star quality—it feels more like a 3-star at best.

Here’s why:
• Food & Dining: The restaurant options are limited and extremely repetitive. If you don’t eat during the set meal times, you’ll likely go hungry. The 24-hour sports bar serves stale food (the patties even made me sick one night). There are no snacks in the rooms, just alcohol, which doesn’t make sense for a “premium” experience.
• Facilities: The resort overall feels outdated. In Building 5, only one of two elevators was working. The pools are not cleaned regularly and aren’t kept cool. At one of the bars near reception, there was a constant sewage odor, which was very unpleasant.
• Service: My mini-fridge was rarely replenished. When I asked for a new robe, I was given one without a belt and promised a replacement that never came. These small details add up and show a lack of care.
• Atmosphere: The overall vibe is not what you’d expect from a 5-star property. The environment felt low-end, and the “caliber” of the experience was disappointing.
• Birthday Recognition: This was especially upsetting. I came here celebrating my birthday. The resort gave a small coffee gift but put it in my partner’s name instead of mine, and there wasn’t even a birthday banner on my door. For the amount paid, this lack of recognition was disheartening.

In summary, this resort is not worth the price. If you’re looking for a lower-end, lacklustre vacation, maybe the Riu will work. But if you’re expecting a true 5-star experience with quality food, attentive service, and well-kept facilities, this is not the place.

Date of Stay: September 2025

sandracF1684BD wrote a review September 2025

Great experience definitely go here.

What an unforgettable experience! This hotel was pure fun from beginning to end. The pools were amazing, the music kept the vibe alive, and the bar had everything you could ask for. The staff were super friendly and always made you feel welcome—everyone was just vibing and having a good time. The whole place had that true Jamaican energy: lively, relaxing, and full of good vibes. The hotel was also very clean and well taken care of, which made everything even better. Overall, I had an absolute blast here—a solid 5/5 experience. Can’t wait to come back!

Date of Stay: September 2025

P699MWleeb wrote a review September 2025

Amazing hotel a truly picturesque

The hotel rui montego bay was exceptional, great atmosphere, great staff and everyone extremely friendly, food was amazing and so much choice, the steak house and gourmet restaurants were amazing but you have to book these through the riu app, the drinks were superb and plentiful and the bar staff were great, always busy but always had a smile.
Yes there was always a smell of weed but this is a staple of there culture. If you want a quiet hotel this is not for you, the beach was idyllic and tranquil and the romantic meal on there was beautiful.
I would highly recommend this hotel as it is beautiful.the rooms were great and always clean and the mini bar and optix were an added bonus and always re stocked.
The water park on site is also very good and a must to visit.

Date of Stay: September 2025

V8938OWmaries wrote a review October 2025

Uggggg

Definitely not a fancy hotel, it's nothing but a bunch of small motels in a circle, all connected by a long sidewalk, very long walk to the restaurants and pools. Will never visit that RIU again. Food was terrible.

Date of Stay: November 2024

tinkerbel36 wrote a review October 2025
Chester, Cheshire, England

Shame about the beach

Rui Montego bay is a lovely hotel
We had an ocean view room which was lovely. We stayed at the quiet pool . This was the first Rui that didn't have a waiter service , no problem for us but we tend to tip at the end of our holiday , one day the bar staff ignored my husband for over ten minutes as he didn't tip , this is unacceptable and he missed out of a large tip at the end of our holiday. We were disappointed with the beach as ot was very muddy and slippery getting onto the sea which put us off swimming . The animation team were amazing . All the restaurants where lovely and the staff in the restaurants fabulous.

Date of Stay: January 2025

Global47245628983 wrote a review October 2025

Poor moment of truth but great service.

Poor moment of truth. At check in the agent seem extremely nonchalant and to add to that we were sent to an occupied room, which was corrected but without a simple apology for the mistake. We were just given new keys to a different room. Aside from that the staff in other areas were remarkable. Trudian, Jodian, Sashoy, and Lamar were exceptional in the dining area. The bar staff were warm and friendly and last but the best Rolly Polly from entertainment was the highlight of my experience. She was warm, friendly, attentive and entertaining.

Date of Stay: October 2025

Vinno2000 wrote a review October 2025
Greenford, Ealing, Greater London, England

More 18-30 hotel

Check in advised to download the app,everything is on it, however can’t get into the al la carte have to wait 4 days & book at midnight it releases slots. Says a bar is open & is not.Italian is Cooked at lunch time & reheated, lasagne is dry no flavour, steak restaurant only sirloin tell you ribeye buts its sirloin on the menu already pre cooked also, ribs, dry & chicken dry,with dry potato wedges. Buffet restaurant soo much food to choose from but no flavouring not even salt & pepper for all peeps that have allergies. Breakfast pre cooked omelettes,all food is warm under lights.eggs all hard, poached, fried & boiled
Caribbean food, continental, fruit porridge, lunch again far too much & dinner, less offerings may give a chance for some taste.
Swim up bar is a pee pool thurs, fri,sat,sun! Entertainment is good roly poly & girl with blue hair are amazing at their jobs really get the crowd going & listen to guests & feedback, always happy to help.sports bar staff was also good, i hope these staff are recognised
Let hotel know was my 25th wedding anniversary sent gift to another room?! TUI rep was also in her own world booked ricks cafe said transfer journey 1hr20 was 6 hrs coach journey return trip. Room advised I received an upgrade but couldn’t see the difference to what I had booked? Checked out at 12pm, flight at 9.30 pm had to receive a piece of paper to allow me access to hotel facilities but was to hand in room key & towel, to keep towel must pay a deposit, or keep room $10 per person per hour but must drip dry at the pool. Went to reception to ask for an iron didn’t open my mouth but the reception asked an assistant to assist as I was Spanish based on my looks ? When guy spoke & I was English I became a running joke at reception, Rui reggae can access Montego Bay & palace but most feedback is on the food which was always negative,got taxi to airport, driver advised I don’t eat at the hotel either. Would I visit this or a RUI again defo & this is not my 1st time to Jamaica but was defo a let down in places.

Date of Stay: October 2025

W7201YZsamanthas wrote a review October 2025
London, England

My favourite holiday ever

Hi came from uk between 6 September and 21 September and was really impressed. The safe amazing our waiter jahmarie or Christopher in a morning and lunch brilliant knew exactly what drinks we wanted with our meals and a mine of information locally and around the island. The bar staff MJ Friday and Saturday and O’Brian the rest of the time brilliant. The entertainment staff went above and beyond especially suzie q, xxx roll poly and I think she was called rhi rhi. The food was really good , drink really good. Rooms lovely well kept. Maid brilliant. Nothing was too much trouble. If you needed anything ring reception or use the app someone was there straight away. No sunbed wars plenty to go around. Lovely pools and quiet ones. Partying if you want it or peace and quiet if not . I loved and we are in our 50’s and love to enjoy ourselves. Definitely coming back next year same time

Date of Stay: September 2025

chloemU5692GA wrote a review October 2025

Can't wait to go back! A perfect Combo!

On 2nd October, for the duration of 14 nights, I stayed at the RIU Montego Bay (for the second time, 1st time since it was changed to adults only) and I had a fabulous stay from start to finish.

There was always something going on, games to play, foam and beach parties to join in with, activities, twerk offs and reggae always playing in the background. I didn't take out my headphones the whole entire trip.

The pools were always well looked after and clean (even when busy), lifeguards were in the pool every morning/night with masks and snorkels ensuring its clean from top to bottom. Sun loungers were bleached and cleaning a few mornings a week where we occasionally had to sit elsewhere whilst it was washed off (but staff always made sure to make you aware, so it didn't get on your clothes). The roots swim-up bar is incredibly busy and is definitely the pool where it's all going on. A lot of the time huge crowds would linger at the bar, but after a simple excuse me, a space became free.

All the staff at RIU Mo Bay were welcoming, attentive, high energy and beyond friendly throughout the whole stay. They were kind, full of banter and I have nothing negative to say. Everyone was always happy to help, great at their jobs and had fabulous service from the moment they started their shift to the end. Always greeting us in the morning and throughout the day. Our room was always well cleaned, smelt nice, blanket designs on the bed and the mini bar replenished (although we didn't really use this much). Towels were replenished when needed, beds made, floors mopped and showered cleaned.

Tanesha looked after us every morning at breakfast and was such a beautiful person, always down for a chat whilst she was working, and knew our coffee order before we had even sat down. Gaverick and Nakeesha were the absolute best behind the bar and always made sure I was catered for when ordering. Service was quick and really got to know me as a person. Gaverick even made me a unique drink when I couldn't pick from the menu and always did it will a smile on his face. An absolute sweetheart. Nakeesha even made sure I was hydrated whilst sunbathing by giving me some water on a regular basis. Such a beautiful character who was so caring, Endless laughs from the morning till night and always had a wonderful vibe about them.

The entertainment team, were quite frankly the best group energy (coming from a performer) I have ever encountered. Their energy is unmatched and their pace didn't diminish every single day and they made sure they greeted everyone, everyday. The 10am morning walkabout the resort shouting 'GOOD MORNING, BUENOS DIAS, GUTEN MORGEN' had me in stitches and made sure everyone was included in their rounds. If you were asleep, you wasn't by the time they came around!

Charollette was a highlight of my holiday. I am so lucky to have met such a wonderful person inside and out, and that's without mentioning her insane talent and passion for performing. That girl can buss a whine like no other and she shone like a star on stage. Always getting me up to dance (after finding out I dance professionally), and being the ultimate hype woman, not only for me, but for guests and also her co-workers). I think I know every dance now! She is quite simply an absolute pure joy and a light to be around. She is a real credit to herself and this hotel. Energy doesn't lie! She truly is someone who I now call a friend.

Shamika was bubbly, friendly and such a smiley person wherever she went. She has a waistline like water and knew how to get the crowd going. Always made an effort to come over and chat, has endless jokes and ensured we were okay.

Sashai was so upbeat all the time, made everyone feel welcome and was so funny! She had us in stitches and had fabulous energy. Biggest hype woman ever! A real sweetie.

Vaughn is such a talented dancer/choreographer and you could see how proud he was of his work. Dancehall king! He inspired me as a creative/a dancer. A delight to be around, very calming, funny and he shone on stage. LORDDDD does he know how to play dominoes! Good luck to his future opponents. Always a vibe on the dance floor and very sweet.

Tavoy is full of banter (even when he is taking the Mickey) and never failed to make us smile! Loves ginger ale and had us in stitches! Who knew he could whip out a mic and bust a Kendrick Lamar track without any notice whilst the steel band were performing!! Very attentive and always made an effort with us.

Reeka was a joy to be around and never failed to make everyone feel welcome. Such a sweet gentle soul. That girl can move! Pure flames!

Roly Poly (and her trusted fan) gave the best hype woman energy and is the best character. Always welcomed a big squeeze from her!

Damien was so cheeky and had a great energy about him. Such a considerate partner when it comes to his dance partner on stage and really goes for it.

TT was such a sassy but sweet energy, gives bad b vibes but has the most caring heart. Never short of full out on stage and always came over to sit with us and say hi! She has legs for days!

Suzie was an absolute joker every single day and someone you want to be around. High energy and full of fun, exactly what you need whilst in the Jamaican sun.

Afro ensured he spoke to us everyday, always a respect on hand and gave us hype commentary on the mic.

The food overall was delicious and plentiful with lots to choose from, always hot and fresh. A lot of the bad reviews probably came from people who went at the end of service. If you make the effort to get to your meal times sooner, the food was fab! Ice cream was beautiful! Jamaican food at Pepe's was gorgeous! Ashamed to say I went there everyday and completely stuffed my face!

The hotel was always clean, or being cleaned, washed down and looked after. Towels were fresh and fluffy everyday. Toilets always smelt lovely and were regularly cleaned. Chefs at each station were friendly and always said good morning with a smile. Waiters and waitresses couldn't do enough for you.

Reception staff were super helpful, always friendly and smiling, and requests were dealt with super speedy. Check in was quick, room was ready within 15 minutes of arrival and served with rum punch as soon as we got off our bus transfer (YES, it was strong). There aren't any lifts, so ensure if you need any specific access, ensure you request a ground floor room. We had a member of staff help us with our bags to our room.

TUI reps were there 3 or 4 times a week in the main reception and on hand to assist with any questions you may have with your travel plans, excursions or things going on inside or outside the hotel. We had a small issue with our excursion being booked on the wrong date (different to what we requested), but within an hour, Aaliyah had kindly sorted this for us with no hesitation and we went ahead as normal.

The beach was always cleaned, yes there were cups and plates on the odd occasion, but usually because others were too lazy to put them in the stations left near the bins. The staff went round regularly to remove them. Mahoe Bay was beautifully calm, sometimes couldn't see where the water and the sky met. Beautiful white sand (yes some seaweed, but not much, was more in the water (take sea shoes) and shaded areas with gorgeous palms. There was a little beach bar a little further up from the main steps to the resort was handy. Plentiful sun loungers both pool side and on the beach. Because the resort is lively, and many head off out to the hip strip after 12am once the entertainment has finished, there was usually late risers, so no need to save sunbeds. We didn't need to do this once.

Pacha nightclub on resort was fab! DJ Rico Sauve was great! Had me dancing to the early hours. I love dancehall, reggae etc so this was right up my alley. You don't come to Jamaica to experience necessarily the same music you listen to at home. Embrace the culture, the vibe, the music, the food, the lifestyle, the dancing. However, there was a retro night which played a mixture and Rico switched it up with some hip hop, rnb, afro and soca.

I will most certainly come back to this resort, but as a solo traveller. Everyone is super friendly, easy to chat to and is a great place to make new friends. I can't wait to book my next trip. Thank you RIU. <3

Jamaica will always be my favourite place and hold a special place in my heart.

Date of Stay: October 2025

Piperflyer4431T wrote a review October 2025
Chandler, Indiana

Cheech and Chong trip!!

To start, We stayed here about 8 years ago and had a very good experience. A lot of my less than good experiences this trip has to do with the other guests more than the resort itself. We are a middle class family from the midwest US, I might even be classed as a little bit redneck. I do not smoke or do illegal drugs, I drink a little but that won't make me fail a drug test back home. The environment around us this trip was different than last time... looking for a word other than Ghetto but can't seem to find one that matches it. Just the little things like guys blowing the foam off the beer on the floor, larger guests wearing not so flattering attire and confident about it, open smoking of marijuana where they were constantly announcing to remember to smoke in designated areas only, I don't oppose to anyone doing that, but if the second hand smoke would cause me to fail a drug test back home, I do have a problem with that. I found myself always looking for a place in the public areas to escape the smell and smoke and really wish the resort(s) would find a solution to that.

On to the resort itself. This is an older property, well maintained and in good repair. The room was nice and the air conditioning worked really well. Never saw many things like bugs or flies, come to think of it, only saw one cat... no raccoons, rabbits, or any other animals.

The staff was always nice and helpful. True Riu fashion there.

We ate at the steak house, Italian, and asian restaurants. My favorite was the Italian, the filet was better there than the steak at the steak house. The buffet had a variety of dishes to accommodate the tastes for the guests from around the world, but unlike last trip, most food was the same every day, last trip they would have theme nights and mix it up a bit.

Beaches and view were obstructed by the boats docked for cruises and scuba. The ocean view was destroyed by the Sandals resort next door that filled the bay with over water bungalows. The beach itself was small and probably man made.

Entertainment wasn't as good as last trip, but pretty much on par with with our last few trips to resorts in Mexico.

My take on the marijuana problem is that it isn't an RIU problem, it's a Jamaica problem. I was told that it was technically illegal, but like some states they decriminalized it to some extent. Talking with people from other resorts and even family friendly resorts were commenting about the same thing in their resorts with the marijuana problem.

I hope this helps, but if they don't get the marijuana situation under control, I probably won't be returning to Jamaica.

Date of Stay: October 2025