RIU Palace Maldivas

Chrin

We stayed at the Riu Palace in the overwater bungalow and it was truly one of the best trips we’ve been on. We went in mid Sept 2025 and the weather was really good! The bungalows are worth it. The tides come in and out so it gets to a waist level (we heard it can get deeper- it depends on the season). Honestly, there were no complaints for the food, it was just delicious (crab croquettes were perfection)! They have a variety of selection. The staff are so welcoming! Shout out to the Palace Staff: Suresh from the Palace buffet, Chefs-Sridhar and Ranjith, the Palace Bar crew, and a huge thank you to Adam who always ensured our room was impeccably clean! Snorkelling was an unreal experience (definitely recommend bringing your own gear so you can venture off to the end of the island on the Atoll side-it has the best spot). The island is located in the north of Maldives, so keep in mind certain excursions you see online might be south, etc. Of course if there’s a will, there’s a way; so you can still swim with Manta Rays and stuff but might need to travel (domestic flight) to get to those areas. Overall, it was an unforgettable trip! Thank you again to the amazing staff who made it even better!

Louise Gascoigne

We stayed at Riu Palace Maldives in April 2024, and this hotel and island are truly the most fantastic resort experience we have ever had. I cannot recommend it highly enough to other guests. It is an absolute paradise, and nothing will ever come close to this holiday or the memories we made. We cannot wait to return. From the moment we arrived until the moment we left, the staff went above and beyond for us. We stayed in a water villa with a private pool, which was incredible. Having our own pool with direct access to the sea felt so special. The housekeeping team ensured our room was always spotless, often leaving beautiful decorations on the bed and keeping the minibar topped up daily. Every member of staff was friendly, welcoming, and always made time to speak with us. The restaurants were easy to book through the app (we especially loved Krystal and Yu Hi), and the buffet offered an excellent variety of dishes, all cooked to perfection. The hospitality throughout the resort was exceptional. Special mentions go to Adhi and Jensen, as well as Aminda and Marchee from the bar, who all made a lasting impression on us and truly elevated our stay. Your hospitality will never be forgotten. The BBQ on the beach was also a real highlight, as were the lovely cocktails at the bar. During our holiday, my partner proposed with the Beach Engagement Package, and the setup created by Adhi and Jensen completely blew me away. It looked amazing and was the most special day of my life. Adhi even took photos for us without being asked, ensuring we had memories to treasure of our engagement. I want to thank them both from the bottom of my heart for making this day so special. The canapés and drinks on the beach were phenomenal, and watching the sunset made it even more magical. Afterwards, we enjoyed a private dinner in the beach hut, and the food and menu choices were divine. Jensen hosted us throughout the evening and was absolutely outstanding. The marine life around the island is incredible; we saw turtles, stingrays, blacktip sharks, and a huge variety of fish, which was a real highlight of our trip. The bridge by the water villas is an excellent place to spot marine life. We also took the sunset boat excursion and the dolphin excursion, both of which were wonderful experiences. I would highly recommend them to other guests and easy to book at the Rui Atoll side. We will cherish this holiday forever and we cannot wait to return in the future; it was really an unforgettable experience and holds a special place in our hearts.

Pat Jackson

Paradise, absolutely paradise! The accommodation, staff, setting, food choices, spotless beach, transfer, bar area, entertainment, all were perfectly coordinated and executed! The staff, without exception, were friendly, helpful, efficient! Our room cleaner (141), was so funny, friendly and adept at making towel animals and arrangements on the bed, a special thanks to him for a great job done. The bar and restaurant staff were so efficient, with never a sad face in view. The gardeners, beach cleaners, reception staff and general staff were amazing to, they all look so happy in their work. Such a diverse array of nationalities, from Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bali, all getting on so well, unusual in this day and age! A big thanks to everyone for a wonderful, unforgettable time, we'll be back!

Sarah Bacon

Amazing! From start to finish, I cannot fault this place. Landing at the airport, we were greeted by a Riu staff member, who told us where to go and what to do, which made it easy. Once we got to the hotel the staff couldn’t go enough for you, every detail was covered and remained that way right until the end of the holiday. The staff were so friendly and helpful, the rooms were spotless and the views breathtaking. I highly recommend anyone who is thinking of going to the Maldives to go here. I would definitely go again!

Herman von Greiff

This place is absolutely worth the trip. We stayed on the Palace side which was fantastic. We took the seaplane both ways and that was definitely worth the investment. The food was amazing and the beach was truly outstanding. If anything could be taken to the next level it would be the front reception and the fitness team. The arrival experience was not quite top class, for example we were simply handed one room key instead of being asked how many we needed (I do 100 hotel nights a year a discussion about number of key is silly). The fitness team also felt somewhat unstructured, almost as if they were unsure of their roles. Overall, a really great stay. I have visited the Maldives three times and the water and beach here were exceptionally good.