Riu - Riu Palace Costa Rica
Liberia, Costa RicaAll travelers
Guests consistently praise Service and Food & Dining; Noise Levels gets mixed reviews. Weak spot: Vendors on the public access path, some aggressive.
- 538 rooms
- ~40 min from LIR
Resort facts & overview
- Location
- Liberia, Costa Rica
- Audience
- All travelers
- Brand
- Independent
- Rooms
- 538
- Dining listed
- -
- Airport
- LIR
- Transfer
- ~40 min
Riu - Riu Palace Costa Rica — all travelers all-inclusive in Liberia, Costa Rica. Detailed editorial coming soon.
Food & drink
StrongBuffets and themed restaurants deliver solid variety, with the Italian, Japanese, and steakhouse pulling the strongest praise. First-come first-served seating and occasional sanitation complaints keep it from truly premium.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Italian and Japanese restaurants stand out
- Buffet variety across meats and seafood
- Capuchin cafe a repeat favorite
- Attentive waitstaff at meals
Heads up
- No reservations, restaurants fill up fast
- Occasional sanitation and freshness complaints
- A few reports of stomach illness
Dining details coming soon.
Food & drink photos
Food & drink photos
Photo: Tripadvisor
Beach
StrongA pretty Guanacaste beach with wildlife just steps away, though the walk down passes public vendors who range from friendly to pushy. The path floods in heavy rain.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Wide beach with monkeys nearby
- Short walk from the resort
- Gorgeous sunset views
Heads up
- Vendors on the public access path, some aggressive
- Walkway floods after rain
- Not a swim-focused beach
Detailed beach reporting coming soon.
Pools
StrongFive pools including a swim-up bar give you options all day, and the pool bartenders (Edwin, David Apu) are a highlight. All are family-shared with no adult-only zone.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Five pools plus swim-up bar
- Standout pool bartenders
- Water aerobics and pool games daily
- Well-maintained deck areas
Heads up
- No adults-only pool
- Can feel crowded and loud
- Deck chairs claimed early
What’s included
MixedValue splits sharply: repeat guests still find it worthwhile for the staff and setting, but the Palace branding and price no longer match the dated rooms, broken elevators, and inconsistent service. A major renovation begins August 2026.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Staff service consistently praised
- Repeat visitors return for third and fourth stays
- Renovation coming August 2026
Heads up
- Rooms feel outdated for Palace pricing
- Elevator and maintenance issues
- Service inconsistencies drag down premium feel
Package inclusions and upgrade access have not been collected yet. Confirm them for your room and dates when booking.
Amenities & activities
Couples
StretchFine for a relaxed anniversary or elopement if you accept a family crowd, but dated rooms and the lack of adults-only pool space frustrate couples expecting a Palace-tier romantic escape.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Sea-view suites and jacuzzi upgrades possible
- Staff will decorate rooms for special occasions
- Wedding and elopement team goes above and beyond
Heads up
- No adults-only pool section
- Kid-heavy atmosphere at pools
- Dated rooms undercut the romance
Families
Good fitA genuine family win: monkeys on the beach, five pools, a water park, and entertainers who get kids involved from dance to volleyball. Expect long walks in the heat between amenities.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Wildlife (monkeys, howlers) right on property
- Water park and multiple pools
- Engaging entertainment staff for kids
- Kids-friendly buffet variety
Heads up
- Large property means hot walks between areas
- A few rooms felt dated or musty on arrival
Peace & Quiet
MixedGrounds are peaceful and wildlife-rich, but the resort skews lively with loud pool activities, kids everywhere, and thin room walls. Not a hushed retreat.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Beautifully maintained tropical grounds
- Howler monkeys as your morning soundtrack
- Beach walks feel calm and scenic
Heads up
- Rooms are not soundproof
- Pool areas busy and kid-dominated
- Music and entertainment run all day
What guests say
High confidence372 reviews · through Oct 2026
Read all reviews on TripAdvisor ↗Google ↗
Consistently praised
Recurring complaints
Best suited for
What past guests say
★★★★★
“Wow experience, we had a great time”
★★★★★
★★★★★
“I want to leave this review because, frankly, our experience at the RIU Guanacaste is far from what one expects from a hotel of this category. 1. Check-in: Yesterday, my family and I arrived at approximately 11:40 a.m. Our reservation confirmation stated that check-in was from 12:00 p.m. onwards. However, we weren't allowed to check in until approximately 1:30 p.m. I inquired directly at reception, and the response was that if that's what the confirmation message said, it was a mistake. A...”
★★☆☆☆
★★★★★
Latest reviews from Tripadvisor
Loaded live from Tripadvisor when you ask — the newest reviews and the current rating.
Read all reviews on Google (6,720) ↗
Videos
Hotel Riu Palace Costa Rica All Inclusive | HONEST Review & Full Tour (2024)
Riu Palace Costa Rica Full Walkthrough Review - Is it a Good Value?
Ultimate All Inclusive Resort Tour: RIU Palace Costa Rica | Walkthrough and Review
Ask Rosie
Have a specific question about Riu - Riu Palace Costa Rica?
Rosie answers from this resort’s guest reviews and our research — with quotes.
Know before you book
- Vendors on the public access path, some aggressive
- Walkway floods after rain
- Not a swim-focused beach
- No reservations, restaurants fill up fast
What you should know
What to Know
A 16-year-old property going into a seven-month renovation starting August 2026, so pre-renovation stays come with visible wear. Restaurants are first-come first-served, and the beach path takes you past local vendors.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Airport is about 45 minutes away
- Monkeys visible on-property daily
- Sister resort Guanacaste accessible next door
- Staff will decorate for celebrations on request
Heads up
- No restaurant reservations, arrive early
- Vendor gauntlet on the public beach path
- Elevator outages and dated rooms until renovation
- Excursions often 2+ hours away
All photos
Photo: Tripadvisor
Photo: Tripadvisor
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What we know
Everything below comes from data we collected: here's the inventory for this resort.Updated August 2026- Photos
- 5
- Review excerpts
- 20
- Dining venues
- Not yet collected
- Menus
- Not yet collected
- Room categories
- Not yet collected
- Videos
- 3
- Editorial lenses
- 8
We aggregate. We don't trap. Verify on any of these:
Where this data comes from
We tell you what we know, and what we don't.
- Last updated
- August 15, 2026
- Sources
- Google PlacesDirect resort media
- Completeness
- 50%
Source collection snapshot
These collection totals can differ from the items available on this page. Video totals include screened results; the inventory above counts published tours.
- 5 photos
- 25 videos
Still verifying dining, menus, rooms. If something looks thin, ask Rosie or ask our booking team and they can usually fill in the gaps.