Hotel Riu Palace Aquarelle
Hotel Riu Palace Aquarelle opened on 4 May 2024 as Riu's seventh hotel in Jamaica and its first in Falmouth, and it still feels new: modern, bright rooms with sea views from nearly everywhere, and swim-up suites on the first floor. Riu built it for families and groups, with triple rooms and family suites, the Splash Water World waterpark, a children's pool with slides and the RIU Land kids' club, while couples can book the Junior Suite Swim-Up Adults Only category for a quieter corner. The entertainment team is the resort's calling card, described by guests as tireless and genuinely fun.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +Splash Water World waterpark is on site and included in the 24-hour all-inclusive, alongside a separate children's pool with slides, so it's one of the few Jamaica resorts where the waterpark isn't a day-trip excursion
- +Opened in May 2024, so rooms, pools and fixtures are still fresh and modern, without the deferred-maintenance problems of older Jamaica properties
- +Sea views from almost every room, and the first-floor swim-up suites (a Riu first here) put you straight onto the water with a Caribbean panorama
- +Six places to eat, all included: the White Bay buffet with live cooking stations and themed evenings three times a week, Krystal gourmet, Napoli Italian, Kyoto Asian, a Steakhouse, and Pepe's jerk-style grill
- +Round-the-clock options for night owls and early risers: a 24-hour sports bar for burgers, hot dogs and nachos, the Capuchino patisserie and coffee bar, and 24-hour room service
- +RIU Land kids' club and the Fun4All family programme keep children busy, while the entertainment team gets named by guests again and again for working long hours with real energy
- +The wide White Bay beach has soft white sand and attentive beach and pool service, with Renova Spa and a reasonably equipped gym when you need a break from the sun
Cons
- −The water entry is the big catch: several guests over the past year describe rocks and coral underfoot, cloudy water and rough surf at times, and water shoes are the standard advice for swimming
- −Sargassum seaweed reaches this ocean-facing coast in season, and some guests felt it was left to pile up longer here than at the neighbouring resort
- −The a la carte restaurants each open only on certain nights with limited hours and need reservations, so book Krystal, Kyoto, Napoli and the Steakhouse early in your stay
- −The Steakhouse divides opinion: some guests rave about it, others found the meat no better than the buffet's
- −Nightlife on site is limited; the RIU Party white and neon nights are held at another Riu hotel more than an hour's drive away
- −With 753 rooms, peak-season crowding at the main pools and the buffet is real, so timing matters more here than at smaller properties
- −Nightly entertainment can run loud and late, and rooms near the stage hear it on theme nights
- −Falmouth is farther east than many first-time Jamaica visitors expect; Riu quotes about 35 minutes from Montego Bay airport, and traffic often stretches it
Food is a strength for a resort this size. The White Bay buffet has live cooking stations and themed evenings three times a week, Pepe's serves jerk-style grill, and the a la carte line-up covers Krystal gourmet, Napoli Italian, Kyoto Asian and a Steakhouse that some guests love and others find ordinary. The catch is that the a la carte rooms open only on certain nights, so reserve early. Bars include the Daiquiri lobby bar, the Marley pool bar, the Kingston swim-up bar and a 24-hour sports bar, plus the Capuchino coffee and ice cream bar. The beach is wide with soft white sand, but the water entry is rocky with coral in places, and sargassum arrives in season, so pack water shoes.
Riu Palace Aquarelle suits families who want a waterpark included and anyone who values a near-new building over a long track record, at a price competitive with Moon Palace Jamaica and Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall. It is in Coopers Pen near Falmouth in Trelawny, which Riu puts about 35 minutes from Montego Bay airport, though the drive often runs longer. Nightlife is mostly on property, since the RIU Party nights happen at another Riu hotel over an hour away. Falmouth's historic town centre, founded in 1769, is close by, and Dunn's River Falls, the Blue Hole and Negril's Seven Mile Beach are all day trips.
Common Questions
What is the waterpark at Riu Palace Aquarelle actually like?
Is the beach good for swimming?
Do I need reservations for the a la carte restaurants?
How far is it from Montego Bay airport?
Is this resort better for families or couples?
Restaurants (6)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Buffet | White Bay |
| Italian | Napoli |
| Asian | Kyoto |
| Steakhouse | Steakhouse |
| Caribbean & local | Parrillada Jerk |
| International & fusion | Krystal |
From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown. All are covered by the all-inclusive rate, per the resort.
What's nearby
Doctor's Cave Beach45 min drive · 23 mi
20 min drive · 5.3 mi
Green Grotto Caves35 min drive · 19 mi
Falmouth11 min drive · 4.9 mi
Falmouth Cruise Port14 min drive · 5.3 mi
Rio Bueno25 min drive · 12 mi
More things to do (23)
- Columbus Park (Discovery Bay) · museum30 min drive · 16 mi
- Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue) · town45 min drive · 24 mi
- Hampden Estate rum tour · historic site30 min drive · 13 mi
- Burwood Beach · beach4 min drive · 1.2 mi
- Luminous Lagoon night boat tour · excursion6 min drive · 1.5 mi
- Falmouth Historic District (Water Square) · historic site11 min drive · 4.8 mi
- Good Hope Great House · historic site30 min drive · 8.5 mi
- Cinnamon Hill Golf Course · golf30 min drive · 15 mi
- Rose Hall Great House · historic site30 min drive · 15 mi
- Half Moon Golf Course · golf35 min drive · 17 mi
- Puerto Seco Beach · beach35 min drive · 18 mi
- Catamaran snorkel cruise from Montego Bay · excursion45 min drive · 23 mi
- Harmony Beach Park · beach45 min drive · 24 mi
- Sam Sharpe Square · historic site45 min drive · 24 mi
- Montego Bay Cultural Centre · museum45 min drive · 24 mi
- Dead End Beach · beach45 min drive · 23 mi
- Walter Fletcher Beach · beach45 min drive · 24 mi
- Runaway Bay Golf Course · golf45 min drive · 24 mi
- Bellefield Great House · historic site55 min drive · 28 mi
- Montego Bay Yacht Club · marina55 min drive · 29 mi
- Ahhh...Ras Natango Gallery & Garden · nature55 min drive · 31 mi
- Rocklands Bird Sanctuary · wildlife60 min drive · 32 mi
- Seville Heritage Park · historic site60 min drive · 31 mi
Amenities
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Style & Rooms
Atmosphere
Room upgrades
Seaweed & sargassum
Jamaica gets sargassum, typically worst June through August.See the month-by-month guide →Google Reviews★ 4.3 · 1,350 reviews
“We stayed at Riu Aquarelle in Jamaica, and I honestly don’t have enough words to fully describe how exceptional the experience was. The staff are absolutely phenomenal. Their attitude, professionalism, and genuine engagement with guests are beyond a...”
“We stayed as a family of 5 (2 adults, 9 , 2 and 3 months old) and had a wonderful experience overall. The welcome was great; the front desk staff and bellhop were amazing and very appreciative of our tips and chocolates. While our room was disappoint...”
“Our stay at the Riu Palace Aquarelle in Jamaica was absolutely exceptional and far beyond our expectations! From the moment we arrived, we were impressed by the beauty of the hotel—elegant, modern, and impeccably clean. Our room was stunning: spaciou...”
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