PHOTO: A U-shaped bay hugs RIU splendor at their newest property in St. Martin. Courtesy Travel Impressions.
… Because I certainly am, and that's the one letter missing from this headline. I've had the pleasure of personally staying at Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas years ago on a memorable family/friends trip; visiting its next-door neighbor Riu Santa Fe; gaping at Riu Montego Bay on a romantic getaway; sending friends to Riu Palace Paradise Island; and plan on checking out the new Riu Plaza - a new, trendy, and urban offshoot of the 60-year-old brand-as soon as it opens in Times Square in nearby New York City.
Although each of their resorts has its own unique characteristics and style - from adults-only to family-friendly and casual to upscale - they're all tied together by a few of the same principles:
Comfy rooms. Accommodations across all the hotel's brands are modern, airy, and spacious, and many of the all-inclusives are junior suite or above. Around the world, there are places where a hotel room is just somewhere to crash for the night, but not at RIU Hotels & Resorts. Nope; this is where you'll want to sleep in, lounge around, and hang on your private balcony or terrace as you try to forget all the many reasons you needed this vacation.
24-hour room service at the Riu Palace properties. While we're on the topic of lazing about in indoor/outdoor accommodations, nothing facilitates that better than knowing that anything your heart (or stomach) desires is just literally a button away. I won't go so far as to say you won't have to lift a finger, but when "a" simple finger is all you need to get delicious food made just for you en route at 4 AM, well, who's to say it's not like magic?
Fabulous specialty restaurants. There's a reason you'll see some of the same restaurant names pop up location after location. And that reason is simple - they're delicious. Consistently excellent, with menus that are in demand no matter which tropical locale you choose. For example, the Riu Palace Resorts' signature Krystal fusion restaurant garners rave reviews with artfully plated fine dining and creative cuisine. Teppanyaki tables are also found at most of their properties. The steakhouse has been reliably excellent, serving satisfying wines with generous cuts, and who doesn't love Italian? Plus, some locations even boast a rodizio (all-you-can-MEAT), Moroccan, Cape Verde-inspired, or French restaurant.
Gorgeous, giant pools. I remember fondly hanging off the side of the infinity edge pool in Los Cabos, just gazing out at El Arco for probably what was entirely too long, judging from the pruniness I achieved. But, in my defense, it's honestly kind of hard not to spend all day at the pools at any of the RIU Hotels & Resorts. They've long mastered statement pools - expansive, massive ones draped across the grounds like a necklace, connected by Mediterranean bridges, fountains, lazy rivers, great landscaping, and any other embellishment - and swim-up bars, making amphibians of the best of us.
More room for activities. One of my favorite quotes from Stepbrothers, this rings true at any of these resorts. Fitness centers, table tennis, regular tennis, non-motorized water sports, winding garden paths for walking, daytime entertainment for kids and adults, live music and shows at night, on-site spas, access to nearby golf courses … if there's one spectacular thing to be said about this destination resort chain, it's that there's never a shortage of things to do. Within the gates of the resorts or, in many cases, megaresort complexes, you'll never do without.
Now these are all just base offerings at RIU, TI's June Supplier of the Month, but we're sweetening the deal by pouring plenty of sugar on top, even beyond the $50 American Express Gift Cheque for agents who book clients there for three nights or longer. We're offering two promotions with them this month! For instance, for bookings made before 6/15/15, nearly every property is offering complimentary room upgrades, from Mexico to Central America to the Caribbean.
In the Caribbean, visitors to Riu Palace Antillas in Aruba; Riu Palace Tropical Bay or Riu Ocho Rios' Deluxe Wing in Jamaica; or Riu Palace Paradise Island in the Bahamas between June 1-Dec. 23, 2015, will also receive hundreds of dollars- $600 to $900-in resort credits. If that small fortune in resort credit still isn't enough to do everything you want to do, Riu Palace Costa Rica is upping the ante with $1,500 in resort credits and Riu Palace Bavaro is giving away up to an astounding $2,000 for the same travel window; complimentary room upgrades are also part of the bargain.
Also, two kids can stay for free in a complimentary upgraded room with two paying adults from Nov. 11-Dec. 23, 2015, in the Riu Ocho Rios's Deluxe Wing; at the Riu Playa Blanca in Panama; Riu Bambu in Dominican Republic; and Costa Rica's Riu Guanacaste. And although room upgrades aren't part of these properties' promotions, bonus savings off already reduced rates and around $600 in resort credits are available at Riu Palace Aruba (travel July 1-Dec. 23, 2015) and Riu Palace St. Martin. Credits are good for the spa, ScubaCaribe, wedding packages, photography, golf, at the casino, the Diamond Store, and the gift shop, and although restrictions and terms do apply, there's no denying it's a great deal.
Is your head spinning yet? Don't worry, we have it all broken down simply on our Supplier of the Month page. So get yourself and your clients ready. There's a lot to look forward to when RIU Hotels & Resorts are in your future, and the promotion changes over soon!
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