Riu Tikida Beach

For context, myself and my partner are 30 years old.

We recently stayed at this hotel and had a mixed experience. The hotel is well maintained and very clean, and the housekeeping team and staff work incredibly hard. Overall we found no major issues apart from the sunbed pillows and mattress pads, which do not seem to be cleaned regularly and felt greasy from other guests. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and they really are one of the hotel’s biggest strengths.

There is no music during the day apart from when aqua aerobics is taking place, so the atmosphere around the pool is very quiet. The evening entertainment was very disappointing and became repetitive. We were fortunate that the World Cup was on during our stay, as otherwise we would have found the evenings quite boring. This hotel seemed much more suited to older guests or those looking for a quiet, relaxing holiday by the pool until one of the days a pool party started and the music was incredibly loud, me and my partner like loud music so we wasn’t that bothered but it seemed so out the ordinary considering it had been quiet all week.

The food was below average for an all-inclusive resort. There wasn’t much variety, and the buffet felt like the same meals every day. The desserts were very samey too, as it seemed to be all cake every night. However, the à la carte restaurant was excellent, and I would definitely recommend booking it. The only downside was that halfway through our meal, a photographer interrupted us asking to take pictures. We declined, but it would have been better if guests weren’t disturbed while eating.

The cocktails were also disappointing, tasting overly sweet and syrupy. The pool bar does not serve beer, only cocktails, which is not a major issue, but if you are in the swimming pool and want a beer you have to get out to get one while other guests can continue enjoying theirs.

There is a shop in the hotel lobby, but the lady working there was rude, not welcoming and seemed totally uninterested. Other guests said she had mispriced them, although we didn’t encounter that problem ourselves. If you want snacks, drinks or crisps, you’ll need to visit the nearby supermarket as the lobby shop has very limited offerings (no drinks) When we went to the supermarket there was cardboard over the floor and it was not very clean, so we didn’t buy anything and went to a smaller shop further down the road, which was much better. Be aware that the surrounding shops can be very persistent in trying to get you inside, we were both aware this is the norm however it was rather excessive but a polite but firm “no thank you” (sometimes several times) is usually needed.

The private beach area was much smaller than we expected and the beach itself was often very crowded. The promenade area by the beach is very clean, however we walked along it for around 20 minutes and were constantly hassled about jet skiing, henna, dreads and fake perfume. It didn’t end and made us not want to go down there again. The sea was also very rough during our stay, although obviously the weather isn’t something the hotel can control. We experienced six days of cloud and mist with only one full day of sunshine.

The hotels rules say sunbeds cannot be reserved, but this rule is not enforced. Every morning from around 6am, guests would place towels on sunbeds, leaving many of them empty for hours while others struggled to find somewhere to sit.

We also noticed that guests who tipped regularly appeared to receive much faster service. On several occasions, my partner and I sat waiting to order drinks while nearby tables that tipped frequently were served first, obviously we could have gone to the bar but we believe all guests should be treated equally.

There is security at the front and back of the hotel. The front seemed fine, but the back was a major issue as it felt like anyone could just stroll in. There is supposed to be a security guard at the back, but many times we went out there it seemed like no one was there.

We spoke to many guests during our stay and the majority said they would not come again, although they did still have a nice time.

On a more positive note, the neighbouring Zanzibar venue is well worth visiting. We were also pleasantly surprised by Souk El Had, which we had been unsure about beforehand. It’s easy to reach by taxi for around 30 dirhams each way. Taxis are readily available outside the hotel—just make sure you agree on the fare before getting in. Everyone we encountered there was friendly and we had no problems. On Sundays, there is also a small market at the hotel selling spices, argan oil and Moroccan lip stain, but the prices are much higher than those at the souk.

As animal lovers, we really appreciated the hotel’s small cat area. It was lovely to see that the cats are clearly cared for, with food, water and shelter provided.

One important point for future guests: avoid ingesting the tap water at all costs. Many guests we spoke to said they had upset stomachs that they reckoned were due to the water. However, the staff are amazing and all you have to do is ask for some bottles at the bar and you will get them.

If your room is 25, 27, 29,31 or 33 unfortunately the view is awful. Our balcony overlooked another hotel and a large extraction unit that constantly blew kitchen fumes onto it. Because of the unpleasant smell and poor view, my partner and I hardly used the balcony throughout our stay. If possible, I’d recommend requesting a room away from this area.

Overall, while the hotel is clean and the staff are excellent, there are several areas that need improvement, particularly the food, entertainment, enforcement of the sunbed policy, the lobby shop, security at the back of the hotel and some aspects of guest service. It wasn’t the right holiday for us, but if you’re simply looking to relax by the pool in a quiet environment, it may be a good choice.

Lovely relaxed hotel, bit far from the marina (45min walk) but plenty of taxis available

Arrived quite late in the evening but found check in easy and our bags were taken to our room. The room: Very spacious, clean and the third bed was made up for my daughter. There is daily bottles of water and a mini fridge with cans in it. The room was cleaned everyday to a good standard. The pool: you are given pool towel cards, and there is a towel service near the pool in which you can obtain and change your towels each day. You do have to get up at 7.30am if you want a sunbed by the pool but there were still loungers and day beds available up to about 9am if sitting pool side doesn’t bother you. Eating: the food choices are huge and no one will go hungry at this hotel. We didn’t really rate the à la carte restaurant. The snack bar at lunch gets very busy and the food isn’t replaced quickly. This also attracts a lot of wasps. The service: all the staff are helpful and go out their way to be attentive. The staff are always cleaning, especially around the pool areas as there is lots of birds. Tipping: it’s definitely appreciated but I didn’t notice a dip in service if tips were not given. Spa: we had the Hammam duo and this was really nice and relaxing. Overall, a really lovely hotel.