Hotel Riu Palace Maldivas - All inclusive

WOW – Paradise Found! What can I say? This holiday was an absolute dream from start to finish, pure paradise in every sense of the word. As a young couple looking to experience the Maldives for the first time, we chose RIU Palace based on a recommendation from our travel agent, and we’re so grateful we did. From the moment we arrived, despite a dramatic entrance in a tropical storm, we were warmly welcomed with refreshing drinks and taken by buggy straight to our room — a lovely touch after a long journey. We stayed in a Beach Walk-Out Suite (Room 150) on the sunset side and the location was perfect. Just a short stroll to the main restaurant, and every evening we were treated to breathtaking sunsets right outside our room. The suite itself was spacious and modern with a gorgeous walk-in shower. The TV didn’t work, but honestly, we didn’t need it we were far too busy soaking up the beauty around us! The island grounds are immaculate truly spotless. The staff work around the clock to maintain the resort, and their hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. When it comes to food, the buffet breakfast was a real highlight especially for us Brits who love a proper fry-up! Fresh bread, live cooking stations, and plenty of variety. Lunch was consistently good, though slightly repetitive, which didn’t bother us. Dinner could use a bit more variety, particularly in the Asian section. We were hoping for more local curries, given the Maldivian reputation, but they were limited and not as flavourful as expected. That said, the two à la carte restaurants on the Palace side were excellent and offered a more elevated dining experience. If you're a hardcore foodie, you might find the buffet slightly underwhelming but for us, it was more than satisfactory. The resort is split across two islands, the Palace and Atoll. The Palace side is more peaceful and relaxed, with attentive service and mellow evening entertainment like singers and acoustic bands. The Atoll is more lively, with all the main entertainment — quizzes, live shows, and beach parties plus the 24/7 sports bar and watersports centre, where we enjoyed a fun canoeing session. We had booked a dolphin tour for our final day but sadly had to cancel due to the weather, so we’d recommend booking excursions early in your stay, just in case! Now, let’s talk about the snorkelling, absolutely unforgettable. We swam with sharks and turtles, and saw vibrant marine life just metres from our room. While the Atoll side has a house reef, we found the Palace side just as rewarding. The water is crystal-clear and beautifully warm. One tip: bring sea shoes! The seabed can be sharp in places, and we wore ours every time we went in, totally worth it. But what truly sets this resort apart is the staff. They made our trip unforgettable. A heartfelt thank you to: Sanju at the pool bar – fantastic service and such a friendly face every day. Torry at the Atoll – always eager to help, took amazing photos of us without even being asked, and gave great drink recommendations. Cindy at the Palace restaurant – always greeted us with a big smile and consistently delivered impeccable service. And most importantly, Abu at the Palace restaurant – he went above and beyond every single day. Abu made us feel special and genuinely cared about our experience. He is an absolute star and a huge credit to the resort. This was our first trip to the Maldives, and thanks to RIU Palace, it certainly won’t be our last. The memories we made will stay with us forever and we can’t wait to return. Thank you, RIU Palace, for the most magical holiday. We’ll be back very soon!