Riu Tropical Bay vs. Riu Negril: Best Jamaican Stay

riu tropical bay vs riu negril

Both Riu Tropical Bay and Riu Negril are situated in Bloody Bay Beach, Negril, jamaica. So you can have a hard time to take the decision. Each hotel has its own benefits:

  • Riu Negril is the ideal option for those who are traveling with their families, kids, or friends and looking for an adventurous vacation. Moreover, it is more budget-friendly than Riu Tropical Bay. 
  • Riu Tropical Bay, in contrast, is ideal for couples and business travelers. Riu Tropical Bay is a bit more expensive than Riu Negril as it offers more amenities. 

To learn more about the differences between Riu Negril and Riu Tropical Bay and make an informed decision, follow the article.

Riu Tropical Bay vs. Riu Negril: A Sneak Peek On The Differences 

Factors  Riu Tropical Bay Riu Negril
Location  Bloody Bay Beach, Negril, Jamaica Bloody Bay Beach, Negril, Jamaica 
Classification  Palace  Classic 
Room outlook  More spacious and updated look Less spacious 
Accessibility  The nearest airport is Sangster International Airport, 49 miles distance The nearest airport is Sangster International Airport, 49 miles distance
Kid-friendliness  Less kid-friendly  More kid-friendly
Amenities 
  • All-inclusive 24 hours 
  • Located on the beachfront 
  • 3 swimming pools
  • Main and theme restaurants 
  • Wellness center ‘Renova’ (variety of offers like beauty treatments, massages)
  • All-inclusive 24 hours
  • Located on beachfront 
  • Wide-range of entertainment programs 
  • 3 swimming pools, 1 with a whirlpool bath 
  • Main and theme restaurants 
  • Free gym and sauna 
Activities  Snorkeling, kayaking, beach volleyball, children’s amusement park, tennis court  Snorkeling, kayaking, beach volleyball, children’s amusement park, horse riding 
Restaurants  5 5
Dining options Jamaican, American Intercontinental, Japanese, Asian, Italian  Jamaican, Italian, and Asian
Suitableness  Suitable for couples and business travelers Suitable for families with kids 
Prices  Higher  Lower 
Guest rating (Tripadvisor) 4.0/5.0 4.0/5.0

Riu Tropical Bay vs. Riu Negril: An Elaborated Explanation 

Both Riu hotels are great to stay at so it can be a hard choice to make. Thus, here we have a comprehensive comparison between the two hotels so that you can learn which riu hotel will suit you the most. 

Location 

Both Riu Negril and Riu Tropical Bay are located at Bloody Bay Beach, Negril, Jamaica. However, Hotel Riu Negril is situated in the northern arm of Bloody Bay Beach. 

Location

Classification 

Riu Tropical Bay is a Palace hotel while Riu Negril is a classic hotel. 

Riu has 3 types of hotels: Classic, Palace, and Plaza. While classic hotels are ideal for friends, and families, and if you are traveling with a large group, Palace hotels are luxuriuus with their design and amenities. 

Riu Negril

Riu Negril

Riu Tropical Bay

Riu Tropical Bay

Room Outlook & Amenities 

The rooms of Riu Tropical Bay are more updated and modern with their look than the rooms of Riu Negril. 

Recently Riu Tropical Bay has been renovated to give a modern and updated look. Moreover, the rooms of Riy Tropical are more spacious. Not only that, Riu Tropical Bay has more sea view rooms than Riu Negril. 

The common room amenities found in both the hotels are:

  • Satellite TV
  • Air conditioners 
  • Minibar with a drink dispenser 
  • A safe 
  • Balcony/terrace 
  • Free WiFi

However, the rooms of Riu Tropical Bay have their own coffee machine and have sofas in the lounge area. Also, they also have access to 24-hour room service. 

24-hour room service

Visit the official websites of Riu Negril and Riu Tropical Bay to learn about the type of rooms available and book your next vacation. 

Amenities 

Both Riu Negril and Riu Tropical Bay offer similar amenities. However, while Riu Negril offers a children’s playground, sauna, and a whirlpool bath, Riu Tropical offers ‘Renova’, a wellness center. 

Common facilities provided by both the hotels:

  • All-inclusive 24 hours 
  • Located on the beachfront 
  • Sun terrace 
  • 3 swimming pools
  • Children’s swimming pool

Children’s swimming pool Riu Negril

Riu Negril 

Riu Tropical Bay

Riu Tropical Bay

  • 1 Main and 4 theme restaurants 
  • Free sun loungers with towels and parasols by the pool
  • Free gym
  • Riuland (children’s amusement park)

Riu Tropical Bay has a wellness centre called Renova where they offer services like beauty treatment and massages. They also have a boutique and have a drink service at the pool.

Renova Spa

On the other hand, Riu Negril has a sauna and whirlpool bath that aren’t available in Riu Tropical Bay. They also have gift shops/kiosks and offer hairdressers. 

Moreover, both hotels have children’s pools, but Riu Negril’s pool has slides. Riu Negril also has a children’s playground making it a good staying option for families with kids. 

Riu Negril children's playground

Activities 

Both hotels offer a diverse range of activities to make your stay more adventurous and fun but Riu Negril offers more activities than Riu Tropical Bay. 

Common activities offered by both Riu hotels:

  • RiuFit for daily group fitness 

RiuFit for daily group fitness

  • Beach volleyball court

Beach volleyball court

  • Swim up bars

Swim up bars

Riu Negril 

Riu tropical bay

Riu tropical bay

  • Standup paddle surf
  • Snorkeling 
  • Small catamaran
  • Kayaking 
  • 1 introductory scuba diving lesson in the pool
  • Golf course

Along with these riu negril also offers some additional activities like horse riding. They also have a multipurpose sports pitch and 2 tennis courts.

Additionally, both Riu Negril and Riu Tropical Bay offer day and night entertainment shows and live music shows for both children and adults. 

Dining options

Both hotels have 1 main and 4 theme restaurants, however, Riu Tropical Bay offers more cuisine variety than Riu Negril. 

Riu Negril Dining Option. webp

Riu Negril

Riu Tropical Bay Dining Option

Riu Tropical Bay

Riu Tropical Bay offers both an American and continental buffet for breakfast in their main restaurant. Other theme restaurants include:

  • Japanese restaurant
  • Steakhouse 
  • ‘Krystal’ fusion restaurant 
  • Italian restaurant 

On the other hand, Riu Negril only offers an American breakfast buffet. Their 4 other restaurants are:

  • ‘Kulinarium’, a gourmet restaurant 
  • ‘Seagull’ steakhouse
  • ‘Luigi’ an Italian restaurant 
  • ‘Manadalay’, an Asian restaurant

Moreover, while Riu Negril only offers domestic beverages, Riu Tropical Bay offers international beverages and drinks for 24 hours. 

Prices 

Riu Tropical Bay is more expensive than Riu Negril. 

On average, Riu Tropical Bay is $40 more expensive than Riu Negril. Riu Tropical Bay offers more modern and sophisticated services than Riu Negril. Moreover, Riu Tropical Bay offers more spacious rooms. So it is pricier than riu negril. 

Which One To Choose?

Just like Couples Swept Away and Negril, both Riu Tropical Bay and Riu Negril offer great experiences. So, no matter where you stay, you are sure to have a fun vacation. 

Riu Negril is more kid-friendly as it offers more children’s facilities and activities. It is also more budget-friendly. So, it is ideal for families with kids

Also, there are a lot more activities in Riu Negril than in Riu Tropical Bay. So, if you are traveling alone or with your friends and looking for a bit more fun and adventure Riu Negril is ideal for you. 

On the other hand, Riu Tropical Bay is a bit more expensive and will give you a sophisticated and luxurious experience

So, if you are looking for a relaxed vacation with your partner or traveling for business purposes, Riu Tropical Bay is the right option for you. 

The decision will depend on what type of vacation you are looking for and other needs. You can also try other hotels in the area if you have different needs.

However, if you are looking for a similar Caribbean experience as Jamaica, you can go to St. Lucia or Antigua. 

Closing Line  

Now that you know the differences between Riu Negril and Riu Tropical Bay, decide according to what type of vacation you want. But no matter where you stay, you are sure to have the full Jamaican experience.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top