The resort's large, cavernous lobby is situated at the end of a long drive, and is always a hub of activity, offering its own bar and plenty of seating areas. Outside of the lobby is a large patio with more couches, chairs, and lawn furniture. The resort buildings are laid out in a rectangular fashion, and the long garden and lawn from the lobby to the pool is nicely landscaped with walking paths, flowers, palm trees, and statues. There are volleyball and bocci ball courts as well as a ping-pong table near the pool. The buildings have white facades and balconies with purple-blue accents.

The resort is family-friendly and guests are mixed with older couples, families with young children, and some young folks. There are a variety of activities during the day and nightly entertainment, although there have been some complaints about lack of activities for kids and teens.

The resort is on the French side of the island, which is very much, and decidedly, French. Most of the guests and all of the staff speak French as their primary language, although English is widely spoken as well. Croissants, baguettes, and salads can be found at the buffet and in the restaurants.

Those looking to stay at a St. Martin all-inclusive will be hard-pressed to find a better option, as all-inclusive properties -- and large resorts in general -- are relatively rare. The Riu Palace St. Martin is on the smaller side for a Riu, with 258 rooms, but still one of the larger properties on the island. The all-inclusive Sonesta Maho is bigger (but not nicer) and the Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort & Casino is almost exactly the same size. Both lack the Hotel Riu's secluded location, though those who prefer to be closer to the tourist action may prefer their more central placement. (The Sonesta Maho is in the heart of the touristy Maho Village shopping center, and the Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort is within walking distance of Philipsburg, though its beach does feel removed from the hubbub). Some guests may feel that this Riu doesn't deliver as consistent of an experience as other Riu Palaces; Riu took over this property in 2014 so some updates may be on the horizon. 

The Hotel Riu Palace has a remote location in Anse Marcel, the mountainous northern part of the island. The area is scenic and the drive to the resort has beautiful views. The property is situated at the end of a twisting, steep, hilly road, although the property is flat. Grand Case, the nearest town with shops, restaurants, and a grocery store, is about a 10-minute drive. However, taxis are very expensive on the island so a car rental is recommended for guests who want to explore. Although the resort is fairly self-contained and has multiple dining options, some guests report getting tired of the buffet and the reservation system for restaurants.

• 10-minute drive to Grand Case with restaurants and shops
• 10-minute drive to Orient Bay
• 13-minute drive to Loterie Farm, a nature retreat with tours and zip lining
• 15-minute drive to Marigot
• 15-minute drive to Fort Louis
• 21-minute drive to Philipsburg
• 22-minute drive to Princess Juliana International Airport
• 24-minute drive to Baie Rouge for excellent snorkeling
• 25-minute drive to Simpson Bay

The Hotel Riu offers standard rooms as well as three types of suites: Marina, Petite, and Grande. The standard rooms are modern and have a beachy feel, with light blue walls, green bed runners, wicker accents, and a mix of different light woods. There is some artwork on the walls, including hanging decorative bowls. All in all, they're perfectly pleasant, though the carpets can bring the look down a notch, and there is evidence of minor wear; they fall just slightly short of four-pearl expectations. 

The bathrooms are nicely updated with clean beige tile, dark wood mirrors, large marble vanities, and shower/tub combos -- though some may find the glass partition that only covers half of the tub a bit inconvenient (it's hard to turn the water on without getting wet before the temperature warms up, and the bathroom floor can get wet). All of the rooms have a balcony or porch. Amenities include stocked minibars with water, soda, and beer, and a small bar area with coffee-making facilities as well as a liquor dispensary, with full-size bottles of brand-name vodka, rum, and whiskey.

The Marina Suites are spacious, with porches that face the marina next to the resort and large living rooms. The bedroom is decent-size with a king bed, bench for luggage, second TV. Decor is similar to the standard rooms, with bright tropical color accents (light blue walls, blue bed runners, orange couches, yellow nightstands), though the units we saw had dated-looking tile floors instead of carpets. The Petite and Grand Suites are larger, and offer separate showers and tubs, sofa beds, and two TVs. The Grande Suites also come with their own cabana by the pool.

Simpson Bay Resort on the south part of the island has more stylish rooms with full kitchens, but it's not an all-inclusive property. Those willing to sacrifice the all-inclusive aspect may also want to consider the sophisticated rooms at Hotel L'Esplanade or Le Petit Hotel.

The Rui’s infinity pool is the largest in the Caribbean, and features an attractive meandering freeform design, an infinity edge, and a shallow end for kids. There are a ton of lounge chairs around the pool and the area doesn’t feel crowded or congested. Palm trees and small gardens dot the perimeter and there is a sandy area on the side facing the beach for guests to lounge. The activities staff may be active here during the day, engaging kids in games and activities. A swim-up bar and hot tub are noticeably absent, but there is a pool bar offering poolside and beachside service.

The hotel is located in the cove of mountainous Anse Marcel, and the beach does not disappoint. The cove keeps the water calm and clear, and the sea is turquoise blue. Large hills frame the beach on either side. Although the beach is gorgeous, the strip of sand is narrow and lined with two rows of beach chairs with more on a ledge by the pool, making the area feel a bit crowded. It can be hard to get a beach chair during peak season. There is a water sports provider on-site that offers some free non-motorized sports including kayaks, snorkeling, and waterbeds; other water sports are available for a fee.

The hotel has a fitness center with multiple treadmills, ellipticals, free weights, a balance ball, and strength machines.

Le Spa, located next to the fitness center is modern, posh, and pleasingly decorated. It has a large reception area with beauty products for sale, a spacious and serene waiting room with hot and cold beverages, and multiple treatment rooms. The spa offers massages, body scrubs, facial treatments, skin care, and nail services. 

There is a small business center located to the side of the lobby with two computers and a printer, but there's a fee to use it.

The hotel has three bars: the lobby bar, a pool bar (not swim-up) that offers poolside and beach-side drink service, as well as Calypso Bar, a huge open-air space that has a soundstage to showcase movies and live entertainment.

• Krystal, a fusion restaurant, is located off of Calypso Bar and is open for dinner. The restaurant is small but very stylish with bright green lights and accents, and elegant place settings.

• L'Île, the grill and steakhouse restaurant, is located at the end of the property near the pool and beach. Its open-air space on the water provides beautiful scenery and St. Martin winds keep the restaurant cool and comfortable at night.

• La Mer, the French restaurant, is located in the back of L'Île and has the same open-air setting. L'Île and La Mer serve a buffet lunch but turn into the two restaurants at night.

• Le Marche is the buffet restaurant at the resort. The space is very stylish for a buffet eatery with gray patterned walls, pleasing lighting accents, and crisp white tables. The restaurant offers a ton of indoor and outdoor seating. The dinner buffet changes throughout the week and has specialized theme nights such as Creole night and international night. Le Marche also serves a full American breakfast each morning with live cooking stations, breakfast cocktails (mimosas, Bloody Marys), coffee, and fruit juices. 

In addition to all meals, unlimited beverages are included. The restaurants also put out snacks during the day so guests don't get hungry. Room service is available 24 hours a day. The a la carte restaurants (Krystal, L'Île, and La Mer) require reservations for dinner, and guests must line up in the morning at the individual restaurants to make their reservations. Guests often complain that this is a tedious and time-consuming process and they sometimes cannot get a reservation for the restaurant of their choice.

The hotel can host weddings for up to 100 people, and the ceremony can be held in the gardens or on the beach. The reception is held in one of the resort's main restaurants. There are three wedding packages to choose from; each includes a wedding planner, ceremony decor, bouquet and boutonniere, a minister, ceremony music, semi-private dinner at one of the resort's restaurants, and the wedding cake.