The location is spectacular, the rooms are good (exactly like in the pictures). There is a lot of staff and they're all very nice. There's a lot of choice at the restaurant for both breakfast and dinner and the food is generally quite good. The two a la carte restaurants are included in the price and you only need to reserve your spot via the very easy to use app. The fact it's right next to the dunes really contributes to the private feeling (you don't see other people or buildings from the balcony) even though the hotel is quite surrounded on all but one side.

Some of the food in the restaurant was a bit hit-or-miss, especially their Italian (pizza, pasta, focaccia) section. The pool is small and very low (1.10) but we didn't use it more than once because the great beach is very close (15 min walk). The coffee could do with improving and it was filter coffee even for cappuccino, and the lobby bar opens only at 9, so those of us wanting an espresso before breakfast (7:30) couldn't have one. Minor complaints of a great place overall. Maybe don't even mention the "spa" if it's just a tiny indoor pool where you needed to have swimwear on and the "steam rooms" are in gender-segregated changing rooms. Fortunately the weather was good so we didn't need it, but it's still a disappointment.

As 5 star hotels go, there could have been so much more done to make it exceptional. The location is great, pools a bit crowded. Rooms are lovely. Food options limited and pretty much very same in the buffet restaurant. Krystal menu was a winner and we dined here 3 times over the time spent in Riu. The Oasis menu was disappointing. House keeping kept the score high. All hotel staff very nice. If you’re looking to spend time at pool and not looking for much more then this is the place to be. I just missed the “extra” touch I normally get from a 5 star hotel.

As per above

Nice property - comfortable - nice service & location

The gym is inadequate for such a large and expensive hotel. Additionally, the want to charge for a safety deposit box use in your room. Considering I was paying £350 a night for a top resort hotel, I found this request utterly ridiculous!

The breakfast and dinner buffets were incredible - we couldn't understand how reviews could say otherwise. There was always so much choice, something different every day and there were chefs at each station so always plenty and hot. Well catered for all food preferences and each food had vegan/vegetarian and allergen markers. Waiters were incredibly friendly and professional and they do remember you. Even when I had noticed other guests being rude or having no manners, the staff made no notice and remained professional. You can barely tell but FYI they will be mad if you sit on a 4-seater table as a party of 2! (you'll have to observe a few times to notice). Sometimes it wasn't really clear what to do at meal times but you do just go and sit down (outside is much nicer) and someone will immediately (and I mean immediately) come over and ask if you want coffee at breakfast or drinks at dinner. You have to ask specifically for a pot of tea for breakfast. There are oat/soy milks by the yoghurts so you can get a glass of that and bring it to your table with your tea/coffee. Dinner drinks you have to pay for but not that expensive, around 3.50 for a Coke/fanta limon so on par with any other restaurant. Sometimes it wasn't clear if you were expected to get 1 plate of food or several.. we always got seconds/tried other bits and they won't stop you it just depends on how judged you feel! Pools were crystal clear and you get pool towels from the towel station. There is a shop just across the road that has tonnes of essentials including a charger because I forgot mine.

The surrounding area has swingers vibes and there are just lots of other hotels around. Apart from the Dunes, there isn't really much around so I'm definitely glad we had rented a car to drive to other towns. Also note you aren't actually supposed to go on the Dunes although everyone did - there is only a tiny sign! The waiters at meal times are very tentative but they are around to sweep your plates as soon as you are done which sometimes means whilst they are near you they peep to see if you are done and makes you feel like you are being watched constantly. But I get that they are trying to be efficient and make sure everyone has clean plates etc. The hotel mostly has older guests, we were definitely youngest there at 26 and sometimes did feel we got some looks.

Great food. Good service. Good atmosphere among the employese.

More wardrobe to store clothes in the room. Did not like to pay extra for the safe in the hotel room. I think that should be included.

Hotel was perfect for a holiday break. Food was really good and pools were awesome. I will definitely return. Location next to dunes was amazing. Two notes- I did not mind the walk to the beach- but it is a good 20-30 minutes depending. But its not beach front hotel if that is what you are looking for. But being in front of the dunes is amazing. As there is no parking I did not rent a car- which worked out fine- but I did notice there seemed to be plenty of available street parking as well as a public lot fairly close. Next time I will probably rent a car.

Charging extra for the in-room safe does seem a little tacky.

I would normally book direct, having stayed here many times since the 1980s, but on this occasion a website glitch meant using a booking site. I refuse to book with Tui, an atrocious company when things go wrong. Flying BA, hopping into a cab at LPA for just 45e and booking on Riu's own site is usually preferable The room makeover was a success. The walk in shower is excellent - really functional. There's strong continuity with staffing here. Lots of familiar faces and always excellent service. I liked the pool now the silly island has been removed. It meant I could swim proper lengths each morning. I had a couple of massages on the spa with Sven. He is highly skilled with excellent chiropractic knowledge. I have some historic injuries that have reduced my mobility over the years. He has unravelled all sorts of trapped muscles. Combined with a daily 1.5km swim I left the hotel feeling at least five years younger. I did not enjoy the new lunch buffet. The old poolside restaurant offered cool, welcome shade. The new location is a heat trap. I sensed the an accountant was now in charge of the buffet with its pared down offerings. I also preferred the pre renovation evening dining set up. An allocated table meant you had the same table server for the entire stay. Alas, no longer. It's now a free for all to find a table every evening. The dinner buffet looks great but beyond the extensive salad and vegetable selection was, to my taste, nothing to write home about. Lots of style, not so good on substance. On one of the nights when the only roast was salmon and 80% of the rest fish, I gave up and ate out. The waitress promised to alert a manager and sort something else, but no-one appeared. Overall though it's great. My only other experience of this type of hotel in GC is the Gran Residencia over near the "oasis" are. Whilst the Residencia is excellent and offers far superior food, it's also almost three times the price.

Evening buffet. I'd prefer they offer a roast meat or choice every day. Lunch buffet :-(

Staff were excellent, always smiling and friendly

Extra charge to use the room safe - why?! Gym was poor but expected that but one machine was broken.

Good location, big room, big and nice bathroom, the half pansion offered really delicious breakfast and dinner! All the hotel staff was very kind, polite and helpful! Every evening there was live music in the bar and we really enjoyed it!

We could not undersand that in a 5 stars hotel why do we need pay extra if we want to use the safebox in the room. Its sounds really wierd. This hotel is close to the dunes and people say this is the most windy part of the island. ( we did not knew it ) So if you do not like the very strong wind all and every day with sand on your body, relaxing next to the pool I do not recommend this hotel. There are some other part of the island where the wind is not so strong. Our room was on the western part of the hotel without sunshine in the room and we had cold so much during the evening and night. The heating system can only cool the room.

One of the best aspects of the hotel is its staff. All of the staff, without exception, were very friendly and exceedingly helpful. The location is ideal, with spectacular views over the dunes, and a great place for walking in the dunes and by the sea. The pool is a great size, big enough for swimming. The food was very good, particularly the Krystal restaurant. The room and the bathroom were a good size and the bed very comfortable.

A few minor quibbles, which I didn't consider appropriate for a hotel of this category: 1) a cheap plastic toilet brush, with no lid. 2) A sign indicated that the water is not drinkable but no drinking water is left, not even on the first day. On the other hand, the mini-bar prices are very prominently displayed. 3) Being charged for the safe does not seem appropriate.