Hotel Riu Reggae

tanikav2025 wrote a review September 2025

*1/5 Stars - Disappointing Experience at Riu Reggae*

I visited Riu Reggae on a day pass to celebrate my birthday with friends and family. Unfortunately, the experience was marred by poor customer service and a general lack of hospitality.

The day pass itself wasn't overly entertaining, and the food options were limited. However, what really took the shine off was the treatment we received from security towards the end of our visit. As we were relaxing by the pool around 6 pm, security approached us abruptly, implying we were overstaying our welcome. We weren't even aware it was past 6 pm, given the lack of reminders or courtesy warnings.

What was even more off-putting was the manner in which security lingered, essentially escorting us off the premises. When we headed to the lobby to grab a quick snack, security again signaled us to leave, which was not only embarrassing but also made us feel like we weren't valued guests.

Given this was my second visit to an Riu property and the treatment we received, I'm left with a sour taste. The lack of customer service and respect shown to us as day pass holders was disappointing. Needless to say, I won't be returning.

Date of Stay: September 2025

45NJE wrote a review September 2025
London, England

Great start to the morning!

We had the most wonderful experience each morning thanks to Dondre. He greeted us with a genuine smile that set the perfect tone for the day. Nothing was ever too much trouble – he remembered our preferences, made sure our coffee was always topped up, and added such a personal touch to breakfast. His kindness and attentive service really stood out, making us feel not just like guests, but truly welcome. Thank you for starting our mornings so beautifully – a real credit to the hotel!

Date of Stay: September 2025

777stanr wrote a review September 2025

Unimpressed

Slow day in September when we arrived and still no room ready until after check in time. Rooms not cleaned until late evening so no clean towels to shower for dinner. Cockroaches in the hallway and on the pool bar top. Basically a Motel 6 with RIU name slapped on it.

Date of Stay: September 2025

Journey59883406894 wrote a review September 2025

Very selfish guests

If you want a peaceful nights sleep DO NOT COME HERE
We've been here for 4 night and not one night we having been woken up by screaming shouting in the corridor and very loud music from the next room from 2am
I definitely will not be coming back here!!!

Date of Stay: September 2025

biancas175 wrote a review September 2025
Sao Paulo, State of Sao Paulo

Overpriced, Ended Up at the Cheaper Hotel

After hours choosing our hotel for our belated honeymoon and early anniversary celebration, we ended up selecting RIU Reggae. The check-in process was excellent, and the reception staff were amazing — every single one of them. Special recognition goes to Davia, who always welcomed us with kindness and attention.

We booked from Sunday (14th) to Thursday (September 18th). On our first day, we managed to book the Dolce Vitta restaurant only because we went to reception and explained that we had just arrived and couldn’t make the reservation through the app. YES, everything has to be done through the app.

The problem was that it took a long time to “link” our room on the app, and we had to return to reception to ask for help.

We mentioned it was our honeymoon and anniversary, and were told champagne would be sent to our room. That only happened on the last day, late at night. As a result, we couldn’t even enjoy the courtesy.

Most of the restaurants were closed. By the time our room was finally linked to the app, the others were already fully booked. We only managed to have dinner at Kulinarium because we stood at the entrance waiting for a no-show.

We never got to try the Steak House, as we returned late from an excursion — even though Davia kindly spoke to the manager to arrange a reservation.

The buffet was the only option consistently available.

Another issue was the drinks. There is a bar called “Mojito”, yet they don’t make mojitos — because there was no mint! In fact, none of the bars in this hotel had mint. This meant I had to go to the hotel next door just to have the only drink I enjoy — mojito — and almost no bartender there knew how to make one properly. My compliments to Gabrielle, who made amazing mojitos!

So, several times a day, we had to go to the other hotel (RIU Montego Bay) just to have dinner (we dined there two of the four nights) or to get the drink I wanted.

Honestly, I found it very disappointing to pay more for what was supposed to be a superior hotel, only to end up using the facilities of the cheaper one — including entertainment.

Of course, there were also positives. For example, the drinks were always served well chilled — unlike the neighboring hotel, where I was given warm champagne.

Still, we felt the hotel lacked daytime and especially nighttime entertainment, for those who prefer not to leave the resort for excursions. And speaking of excursions, booking the exact same tours through the cheaper hotel came at a lower price — the same tours, with the same company.

Another frustration: every time I wanted to use the pedal boats, there was always a “red flag” up. But at the hotel next door, the flag was always yellow. Meaning, if I wanted to enjoy a pedal boat ride, I had to go to the other hotel.

On top of that, when we made the booking, it was advertised that we would have US$697 in resort credits to use however we wanted. In reality, they were just small discount coupons for one thing or another, which was very disappointing.

The highlights were definitely the Silent Disco and Karaoke. Bingo and Trivia were also fun, though they lasted only a few minutes. But the International Show at the neighboring hotel was incredible! The nightclub was also located at the other property. In other words, if I wanted quality entertainment, I had to go next door.

All the staff were exceptional. The only downside was the man at the coconut stand, who asked for a tip and, when we said we didn’t have cash, made a face and handed us the coconut as if it were a favor.

In the end, I felt somewhat misled, because we paid a higher price but essentially used the facilities of the cheaper resort. So no, I would not return to this hotel.

Date of Stay: September 2025

P2594YCdaveb wrote a review September 2025
Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England

Great hotel, great staff, great holiday!!!

Just spent 10 nights at The RIU Reggae and what an amazing time we had!! The hotel was impeccably clean,our room was a sea view room directly onto the beach which was amazing. The food was delicious but the feature restaurants was a bit of a let down. The main buffet restaurant was far better with a wide choice of different dishes to choose from. A gem was the jerk chicken shack on the beach which served the most amazing chicken ive ever had,superb!!
The bars were great, serving a wide range of cocktails which we managed to try every one and the staff were amazing!
The entertainment team was probably the best entertainments team we’ve ever seen. All so talented with their dancing and entertaining skills, where they get their energy from to carry on day after day is unbelievable! All in all an amazing hotel and we will definitely be returning! Well done Riu Reggae, you have a hotel and staff to be truly proud of👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Date of Stay: September 2025

MrsMach08 wrote a review September 2025
Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England

Definitely the party hotel

Arrival was quick only ten mins drive from the airport, staff were friendly but came across like they just weren't interested in checking us in, no conversation and not even a smile.

The hotel was clean, rooms were great, service from cleaners, maintenance, and mini bar stockers was brilliant they all had a smile and were chatty. If you needed anything at all they were more than happy to help.

Food was great really good selection every day always really tasty. The steak house was the best in the evening, the food was amazing and service from Reiko was ten out of ten, we went back a few times due go this.

The breakfast/lunch buffet in Ackee again was fresh and loads of variety, pretty much anything you wanted it was available. Kimone amd Claudia were the best servers, really friendly and chatty always ready to get you anything you need, they really made our stay great thank you.

We spent every day at the swim up Margarita bar as this was quieter than the big pool. If youre looking to just chill and have a few drinks this was the best place and Rochelle and Delroy made the best drinks, great service with a smile. Thank you.

Overall this was a bit more loud than we were used to, people coming and going in the evening were quite noisy however this was not the hotels fault. If you like a few drinks and a good time this is the place to go, if you like things a little quieter then the Riu Palace next door is better suited.

Date of Stay: September 2025

B2665VWchloeh wrote a review September 2025
Pontefract, West Yorkshire, England

In love with Jamaica

We had a wonderful stay for 2 weeks at the Riu Reggae. Love the island, people, music, and dancing. The entertainment team were great, and we loved the shows on an evening - particularly the Michael Jackson and Jamaica Shows. All the staff are very friendly, and the hotel is perfectly positioned on the beach. You can access some water sports for free, and there’s multiple tour operators within the hotel should you wish to book. There is a good selection of drinks and cocktails, and the bar staff are always very personable. There are plenty of sun beds to choose from, we never felt the need to get up early to reserve a bed as we have in other countries. By staying at Riu Reggae, you also have access to the Riu Montego Bay, which can be nice for a change of scenery and is where they hold the Friday parties.

However, the hotel is quite noisy, often through the night when guests are returning intoxicated. The food is also a little repetitive in the buffet, and we never noticed the bamboo restaurant being open. Check in was quite slow but we did arrive at a busy time. Even in the buffet restaurant, you have to order drinks as opposed to helping yourself, and quite often the waiters got this wrong.

Overall, we really enjoyed our stay and will miss the Riu Reggae and all it has to offer - particularly the entertainment team.

Date of Stay: September 2025

yorkslee_7 wrote a review September 2025
Halifax, West Yorkshire, England

"Not quite a 5-star stay, but I would return if a few improvements were made."

This hotel is advertised as 5*, but in reality, it’s more of a decent 4*.

If you’re after a quiet, chilled holiday, this probably isn’t the place for you. That said, there were eight of us in our 50s, and while we still enjoy a bit of life, we found the balance just about right. The main pool is where the entertainment team hangs out, mainly catering to younger British, American, and Canadian guests, with a lot of Grime music. After about four hours it does get a little tedious, so we often moved to the quieter pool. You could still hear the music, but it was much more bearable.

Speaking of entertainment, the team was fantastic—constantly working hard to make everyone’s holiday more enjoyable. A special shout-out to Bubbles—she was amazing, always making the effort to chat with us, organize games, and even sing (she’s genuinely talented and will go far!).

Our room was spotless and cleaned daily, and we had no complaints about the facilities—though the view was nothing special. All the staff across restaurants, reception, and housekeeping were friendly and always smiling, which really made a difference.

The biggest downside for us was the lack of an air-conditioned bar. After dinner, the evening heat was overwhelming, and it would’ve been nice to have somewhere cool to sit and relax. The same issue applied at the Steakhouse, which also had no air con—making it uncomfortable to dine there.

The food overall was good, and you could always find something to eat. I’m not a huge fan of buffets, so we mostly tried the à la carte restaurants: Asian, Italian, Steakhouse, and Gourmet—all of which were enjoyable aside from the heat in the Steakhouse.

Another minor disappointment was the Sports/Lobby bar not showing many English Premier League matches. But again, the bar staff—Shantan, Diane, and Ura—were brilliant, looking after us and keeping us laughing.

The beach itself was fine, but we preferred the ones in Negril. I’d highly recommend checking out Doctor’s Cave Bathing Club, Rick’s Café, Margaritaville on Seven Mile Beach, and Pier 1 restaurant in Montego Bay.

Overall, I’d stay here again if they added an air-conditioned bar. The drinks in the room were a nice touch, and despite the few drawbacks, we had a great time.

Date of Stay: September 2025

garywD1304QC wrote a review September 2025
Edinburgh, Scotland

Avoid this hotel if your British

Hotel is party hotel for drunk and loud Americans. We have used hotel chain several times and like the chain , but this particular hotel is dirty , rooms don’t get clean till late afternoon people shouting and having room parties through the night , no security to manage drunk and disturbing guests, sick on corridor floors, disturbed sleep every night . Man made beach which has more shingle than sand. When the gardeners come out they just keep cutting and only have 1 brush between 6/7 men by those time the vegetation is in the pools and around the showers . Al carte restaurants have a limited and limit quantities. Overall very loud with only 2 pools which are separated with a small path. Airport next door with flights all day .

Date of Stay: September 2025

geordiegirl82 wrote a review September 2025
Cramlington, Northumberland, England

Fantastic party vibe hotel

Stayed here for 11 nights as a couple in our 50s.
We loved the hotel and Jamaican people so accommodating from start to finish . The couple of issues we had (room change at beginning due to very loud area we were put in) but changed our rooms with the hassle at all. Please remember this is a party hotel if you are looking for a chill holiday this is not the hotel for you.
Food was lovely main buffet restaurant better than the themed ones we thought . Jerk chicken hit a must beautiful chicken .
Entertainment team are fantastic so hard working and friendly I. The jam west catamaran trip was a long 10 hour day just be aware of t
The use of the sister hotel is fab too for a change of scene, our Tui rep Tracey was fantastic too. Will definitely be back thank you Rui Reggae

Date of Stay: September 2025

shaminag2016 wrote a review September 2025

Bed bugs

I visited RIU Reggae in Montego Bay for my birthday, it was horrible and I would never stay at any RIU location. I arrived at 3 pm and my room was not ready. My first night there I itched and scratched all night thinking it was from mosquitoes. It wasn’t until I saw a bed bug crawling on the pillow that I realized it wasn’t mosquitoes. When I pulled back the sheets there were more bed bugs. I called the front desk and was told house keeping will be sent. I immediately packed my bags and went to the front desk. I had to wait hours for a new room. My clothing had to be washed and dried, I literally was walking around the hotel in my pajamas. When did receive my clothes back, they were still wet. I did not get my clothing back until after 10 pm. I could not enjoy and festivities for the day. I spoke to the front desk manager, the hotel manager was too busy dancing to come and speak to me. I reached out to the general manager and filed a complaint. All I received was apologies and silly accommodations like decorating my room or making a reservation to one of their restaurants. That was not sufficient enough for getting bit up all night, my arm was red and swollen and I felt stranded and helpless in another country.

Date of Stay: August 2025

Kjetil-Sk wrote a review October 2025
Bergen, Hordaland, Western Norway

We should have been warned

Stay there for 11 days mid September and I must say that this is a party destination! We are shy of 60’ and a bit disappointed that we where not warned about this The hotel in it selves are just fine, on the beach and the food was impeccable but too much kids partying hard!

Date of Stay: September 2025

V8938OWmaries wrote a review October 2025

Nice trip

Good food, good drinks. Definitely rowdy guests, more for the younger generation. Definitely worth the money it cost for us to go. Would recommend.

Date of Stay: October 2025

S8010OQmeganc wrote a review October 2025

5* Riu reggae

Absolutely amazing time so far in Jamaica
This hotel has the best staff and clean they work so hard, Huge shout out to Michelle,
Sharon, Akeem and Shavon they have been taking such good care of us.
The Italian and steak house what amazing workers so funny and made you feel welcome.
The maids as well they do so much for everyone.
This was my first time ever in Jamaica and it won’t be the last time.

Date of Stay: October 2025

kotarby wrote a review October 2025
Chelmsford, Essex, England

Jamaica no problem

5 stars
Had a fantastic holiday... fantastic place, amazing food... the staff absolutely superb. Incredible welcoming helpful and attentive.
They really made us feel right at home.
Thank you to RIU TEAM.

Date of Stay: October 2025

benjaminb1994 wrote a review October 2025

Enjoyable holiday

We have just returned from an 11 night stay at Riu reggae and overall, we had an enjoyable experience. I will start with the positives, the resort is spotlessly clean, from the rooms to the restaurants to the communal toilets. The food is also good at this resort (although at times it did get a little repetitive) there was always plenty of variety and we didn’t go hungry. The selection of drinks on offer was also very good and there were plenty of cocktails to choose from. Some of the staff (in particular the animation team and pool bar staff) were really friendly and worked really hard to keep guests entertained day and night. The white party and the foam party at the pool were also great fun. There is plenty to do at this hotel including non motorised water activities like peddle boats and kayaks at no extra cost and you will definitely be entertained! Now where the hotel falls short. It is in definite need of a facelift. The hallways look tired and dreary. The rooms are very basic and apart from optics in the room there isn’t much that’s appealing about them. The pool could also do with some maintenance as there were quite a few broken tiles. The beach isn’t the best either as it is man made, although you are able to go in the sea and the water is pleasant. The restaurants that are supposedly ‘al acarte’ basically just serve the same food that is available in the buffet restaurant but they plate it up to make it look good. The hotel could also be loud when trying to sleep because of other guests being loud due to being drunk and playing loud music. This happened in the morning time and late at night. I get people are on holiday enjoying themselves but have a bit of consideration for other guests who are sleeping or trying to sleep. There were plenty of other places they could go if they wanted to make noise! I also hate to complain about staff because they all do work very hard but some of the maids would sing and play music while out in hallways in the morning and while I don’t begrudge them some enjoyment while carrying out their work, I don’t think it’s appropriate when guests are trying to sleep in their rooms and there are multiple rooms with the ‘do not disturb’ sign on the doors. Overall, I’d say if you were travelling with friends and are after a good time and want to party, then this is a great choice for you and you will definitely enjoy yourself. However, if you’re looking for something a little more luxurious and relaxing then this may not be the place for you. If I was travelling in a group with friends, I would consider returning here if they made some updates to the hotel but if it were just me and my partner I would most likely choose somewhere else.

Date of Stay: September 2025

FSCOLLAY wrote a review October 2025
Wick, Caithness and Sutherland, Scottish Highlands, Scotland

Been to better Riu hotels

Maybe not for over 60s wanting a quiet holiday. We did like this hotel but very party oriented with young adults twerking and drinking constantly. We avoided a lot of these swim up bar activities. The animation team made our holiday great. Plenty games not drinking ones to keep us amused. Lost count of amount of coffee we won 😂 . Started handing it out. Only thing we didn’t like was you got stoped and couldn’t cross the beach at the next hotel the palace . Bizarre as three Riu hotels in a row and the other two could come into ours but we weren’t allowed near theirs.

Date of Stay: October 2025

lorrainec928 wrote a review October 2025
Waterloo, Region of Waterloo, Ontario

Huge Disappointment

Been here for Two days and I wouldn’t come back!! Way to rowdy!! Half naked girls walking around all day and night lots of twerking and drinking! Puke on the pool deck! I am sitting on my patio 11:35 pm cant sleep as loud music is blaring by the pool! Boring here nothing to do at night unless you like being drunk and stoned 247!! Would not recommend this resort unless you’re in your early 20’s and like to party all day and night! Not for me! So disappointed ☹️ waist of money! The only thing good is the food and drinks!

Date of Stay: October 2025

K86GJW wrote a review October 2025
Bristol, England

Amazing island and holiday

Travelled with my partner to Riu Reggae, both late 30s. We had a great time here at the hotel and in Jamaica as a whole.
We've stayed at many Riu hotels in the past, so we always kind of know what to expect. Rooms are the same as most Riu hotels, optics are a great touch.
The room was cleaned every day, and the mini fridge was restocked every other day.
The entertainment team work tirelessly to keep you entertained, and the shows they put on in the evening are amazing considering it's a hotel and they have already done a 10-hour shift. Grease, the Jamaican theme show and the rock show were my stand-out favourites.
Thank you to Teddy, Bubbles, Raptor, Omar and the rest of the gang for their hard work. Keep an eye out for Marko's robot dance absolutely amazing.
Shout out to Sharon and RogarRoy at the pool bar, always so polite and serve with a smile. Sharon is also lovely, don't let her angry look face out you off ha! ha!
The only downside to bars is why do Americans insist on sitting at them to drink. It just causes chaos and doesn't allow others to get to the bar to order.
Food was really good, we stayed for 14 nights, so got a bit of the same near the end, Asian restaurant was good, Italian could do with more choice and steak house for that matter also.
My only moans are Americans sitting at the bar order a drink then move so the next people can order, and then around 3 pm they switch off the reggae and turn on loads of American hip/hop/R&B but more hood music which I couldn't understand your I Jamaica embrace the culture. But I guess the hotel has to cater for what is 80% of their guest.
One tip I would give is to bring bug spray. I don't normally get bitten, but I was almost eaten alive over here.

Date of Stay: September 2025