Hotel Riu Plaza Panama

My family was at breakfast (which is included), when an employee came to our table & asked for our room number & went straight back into the kitchen. We were actually already done eating & about to leave. We had already provided our room number to the woman at the desk at the entrance of the restaurant & she confirmed our name. I found it very strange that we were singled out amongst ~50 other tables of guests. The tone in which we were asked for the room number felt as if they were implying we were not guests and trying to freeload a breakfast. I feel this incorrect “assumption” was because my husband is black & because we were not dressed up like some of the business guests. We raised the concern to the woman who checked us in for breakfast as well as 2 of the restaurant managers & no one could explain why we were asked for our room number again. Since we didn’t feel like we were getting anywhere with the restaurant staff, we went to the front desk manager on duty and raised the concern. He did not want to be bothered or help resolve the issue. I emailed Riu corp. & have not gotten a response. This hotel is a 3 star at best. The room had a strange smell to it, wasn’t very clean & we were only provided with 3 towels for 4 registered guests. The pool is small & surrounded by lots of people, so it’s not comfortable swimming there. The traffic on the street is horrendous & the food is not good - which makes it even more ridiculous that they implied we were freeloading.

Always busy (in a great way), bustling Hotel Riu has excellent customer service, helpful and friendly, pool is great for both glamourous folx and folx with children, and the breakfast buffet is outstanding.

The housekeeping , security, dining and bell staff were great ! Nice , fast and efficient however the hallway smelled musty as did our room, the toiletries and towels were bare minimum and the room had a broken safe and worn furniture , seemed like it could use an update . There was also a mix up with the reservation for the family room I chose and the check in staff was rude about it and not accommodating at all .. we had just come from another hotel in another part of Panama and the experience couldn’t have been more different .. it is a shame as the Riu came highly recommended and was a bit of a disappointment. As I said much of the staff was lovely though and it made things a bit better

The moment I stepped into the lobby, I was greeted with warm smiles and an attentive staff ready to assist. The rooms were immaculate, boasting comfort that rivals the coziness of home. Every request was met with promptness and a desire to exceed expectations. The concierge was a treasure trove of local knowledge, ensuring my itinerary was filled with the best the city had to offer. Dining at the hotel was a culinary delight, with flavors that danced on the palate and service that made each meal feel like a special occasion. It’s the little touches, like the evening turndown service and the handwritten notes, that made my stay unforgettable. I left feeling not like a guest, but like a part of the hotel’s family. I cannot recommend this hotel enough for anyone seeking a stay that goes beyond mere accommodation to become a truly exceptional experience.

The rooms are ugly-they had smell that was awful. Pillows were smaller than standard size and lumpy. No blanket (not even summer weight) on the bed. There was a heavy blanket on top of the closet-that looked to have been put there ages ago. The property had a smell that was strong and really unpleasant. The pool area was nice-after hours. During the daytime, it was crowded and super noisy, kids and adults spraying with waterguns. Anything but relaxing. The only redeeming quality was the mixologist (only there in the evening) at the poolside bar-who was super talented and made the most beautiful and delicious drinks. The drinks were not the same when she was not there.

My family and enjoyed our stay

The hotel staff were so helpful and accommodating. I received the best reception check-in anywhere in the world. Lady at reception called Laura was most helpful and went above and beyond to let me check-in early and get me a nice room. I was so impressed. The pool staff were great and made sure you were well looked after for drinks. I found the restaurant outside had slower service and the food portions for salad were tiny! Unfortunately I had an issue with my room, my toilet did not flush and it took a very long time to get fixed. I had to go to reception a couple of times, it was looked at but not fixed and nobody knew anything about it when I went back the second time, this was quite a let down. Eventually it was fixed but was disappointed this had happened in the first place. Overall loved this hotel but way too many screaming kids splashing in the pool. It was very much appreciated that the staff at the hotel recognised this and quietly spoke with the kids on a couple of occasions, I liked that. Next I will look at adult only options. Highly recommend this hotel for its service and perfect location.

Hotel is was great very kid friendly. Will stay here Again wish they had microwave on site to heat up left over foods. But overall the food were good the breakfast buffet was good.

This is my second time to this property i return safe and quiet will definitely recommend this resort to friends and family

best family hotel.