Riu Tikida Beach

Unfortunately, this hotel fell well short of the standard suggested by its star rating and it's classification as a TUI Blu hotel. I've stayed in some amazing 4 star Tui Blu hotels in Europe, this is nowhere near the expected standard - a 3 star rating would be generous.

Cleanliness was inconsistent, the buildings and rooms felt tired and poorly maintained, and the bedding and towels were of a noticeably lower quality than expected.

The pool area was dirty with broken and stained sunbeds and pillows. The outside lounge areas and sofas used in the evening were again dirty and often covered in bird poo.

The all inclusive food was average at best, while included drinks were limited (premixed sweet undrinkable cocktails and beer served in tiny cups). Staff were generally polite but largely uninterested, for example we often needed to approach them during quiet breakfast service to ask for coffee as there was no effort made to serve guests.

Cash and tipping is king here as we found out. Expect to be ignored by the waiting staff in the evening unless you tip 20 Dirhams (roughly £1.60) which will turn you into a VIP and the drinks will keep arriving.

One positive - we took up the offer to eat at the 'culinarium' one evening, the chicken and lamb tagines were both very good although the restaurant itself was sizeable with only 2 other couples dining so it felt deserted.

'Entertainment' started at around 9pm each night. It's not our thing but you couldn't really escape the noise from anywhere in the hotel (including our room). What isn't advertised in the hotel description is the fact a nightclub exists on site. We could here bass and faint music until 5am most nights. Not enough to keep us up but an awareness it was there. It may have been better for worse on other floors (we were on the second floor).

One noticeable disappointment was the "private" beach. We were assured that security would patrol to keep vendors away, but this never happened. A new hawker would appear at the end of your sunbed every 5 mins, making it difficult to relax. A polite "no thank you" would move them on, but another would soon appear.

The clientele is mainly English and French guests. Sunbeds around the pool were available without having to get up at dawn. It was generally quiet around the pool for the 2 days we spent around it, although I would advise to choose sunbeds away from the swim up bar if you are after a quieter spot. There is a dartboard area behind the bar where large groups started to congregate for 'tournaments'.

We preferred the beach and spent most of our time there despite the constant interruptions.

Overall, this hotel was nowhere near the TUI Blu standard when I think of the tired facilities, average food, limited drinks, lacklustre service and the false premise of a 'private beach'.

We left feeling a mixture of of satisfaction that we tried something different (rather than our usual greek island holiday go to) but very disappointed with the overall experience and wouldn't go back.

We had a great family holiday at the Tikida Beach. It did get busy by the pool and most people went down and put towels on the loungers before breakfast but the beach is lovely and only just across the promenade. Very spacious rooms and always clean. Comfortable beds but very firm pillows. Excellent choice of food although breakfast was a bit repetitive. Great service from the restaurant and bar staff. A really beautiful interior at this hotel with ample seating for relaxing.

** Lovely stay at Hotel Riu Tikida Beach**

We’ve just returned from a fantastic stay at Hotel Riu Tikida Beach and genuinely enjoyed every part of it.

The hotel has a beautiful entrance with a welcoming feel, and the little shop inside is great—reasonably priced and perfect for picking up bits you might need. The seating areas throughout the hotel are comfortable and stylish, making it easy to relax from the moment you arrive.

Pool & Grounds:
The pool area was cleaned daily and always looked immaculate. There were plenty of loungers and beds available no matter what time of day we went down, which makes such a difference on holiday.

Food:
The food was a real highlight. There were loads of choices and everything was varied throughout the week. My personal standout was the lamb tagine—absolutely delicious. Breakfast had fresh omelettes made to order, lunch offered pasta stations and hand‑made pizzas cooked in a proper pizza oven, and dinner continued the theme with roasts, steaks, more fresh pizza, and mountains of fresh salad. Honestly, every meal was enjoyable.

Rooms:
Our room was clean, comfortable, and had everything we needed. Housekeeping came daily, and the shower was a good size with lovely‑smelling toiletries.

Bars & Service:
All the bars were spotless and the staff were friendly and attentive.
Now, tipping—yes, it’s a hot topic. A 10 MAD note is about 80p, so giving 10 or 20 MAD here and there really isn’t a big deal, and it’s very much appreciated. You don’t need to tip every time, just occasionally. Like anywhere in the world, tipping gets you better service—that’s the whole point. My only gripe is that the cash desk at reception was hardly ever open, so getting smaller notes was difficult. In the end, I probably tipped less than I would have simply because I couldn’t get change.

Entertainment:
The evening entertainment was good fun. Yes, a little repetitive at times, but honestly no different to most all‑inclusive holidays. There was a mix of bingo, karaoke, and one night with dancers — all easy, light‑hearted entertainment that gave you something to enjoy after dinner without needing to think too hard.

Beach:
The beach is lovely, clean, and busy day and night. The hotel’s private area always had loungers available, which was great. It’s a bit of a walk to get a drink, but nothing too dramatic.

Street Sellers:
There are a few sellers outside the hotel, but honestly no more than any other similar destination. A polite “no thank you” and they move on.

Overall:
A wonderful hotel with great food, friendly staff, clean facilities, enjoyable entertainment, and a brilliant beachfront location. We’d happily return.