RIU Ocho Rios

This is a beautiful hotel the staff r perfect very very clean entertainment is brilliant they r very gd loved watching them every night

Easy straightforward check in Room was lovely and spacious and clean - air con very good
Rooms cleaned daily to a good standard Lovely to have a fridge and optics which are included 4 lovely swimming pools plus a waterpark which we never got to Beach and the sea were lovely - no problem getting sun beds anywhere which was great Lots of food to choose from - we found to be a good standard with loads of choice in the buffet restaurant - also went to the à la carte Italian which was good and the steakhouse - also good but very hot Entertainment was plentiful if you want it with good shows on at night time This is a large lively hotel with always something to do All the staff are a credit to your hotel and work very hard and do a great job - they love to engage with you - remember it doesn’t cost anything to say please and thank you and good morning etc Just a couple of suggestions - would like to see a kettle in room with tea making facilities as this a very popular English drink Also less loud music poolside as us older people like a bit more peace

Let me start with the positives. The staff is unquestionably this resort’s greatest asset. The front desk employees were exceptionally pleasant, welcoming, and professional. I especially want to recognize the front desk supervisor whose name I, unfortunately, cannot recall. She was wonderful. The staff truly made my stay more enjoyable. The food itself was also very tasty and well prepared. However, my disappointment was with the extremely limited selection of authentic Jamaican cuisine. As someone who was born in Jamaica, I look forward to enjoying traditional dishes when I come home. During my stay, Jamaican cuisine was confined to a small section of the buffet, with very few selections. I was particularly disappointed that curry goat was never available. When I travel to Jamaica, I wanna experience Jamaica. This brings me to my biggest disappointment, the entertainment. First, I wanna emphasize that the performers are incredibly talented. My criticism is, absolutely not directed toward them, but toward whoever selects and organizes the programming. I particularly disliked the rock and roll show. In fact, I disliked it so much that I actually fell asleep during the performance. It was completely unappealing to me, not what I traveled to Jamaica to see. I understand that resorts cater to an international audience with different musical preferences; however, entertainment should be diverse and inclusive. Why not incorporate more reggae, dancehall, R&B, hip hop and authentic Jamaican cultural performances? Jamaica has such a rich musical and cultural heritage. Visitors should have opportunities to experience traditional Jamaican music, dance, and history. As a Jamaican born visitor, I can tell you that many of us who return home, along with our American friends and family, specifically look forward to experiencing the culture. I’ve also stayed at Riu Aquarelle and, in my opinion, that resort does a much better job of incorporating Jamaican culture into its entertainment. I’ve particularly enjoyed its Michael Jackson show. Unfortunately, Riu Ocho Rios no longer provides the cultural experience I remember from previous visits. So, my final thoughts, the staff was outstanding, the food was delicious, and the performers were talented. However, the entertainment programming and limited Jamaican cuisine were major disappointments. After visiting this resort for several years, I’m saddened to say that this will probably be my last stay. Going forward, I will likely choose Riu Aquarelle instead.