Hotel Riu Palace Phuket Opens With 24-Hour All-Inclusive on Mai Khao
RIU's first Thailand resort is now open on Mai Khao Beach near Phuket Airport, with Elite Club swim-ups, six pools, and full 24-hour dining.
Hotel Riu Palace Phuket is open on Mai Khao Beach, giving RIU Hotels & Resorts its first foothold in Thailand and putting a full-scale, 24-hour all-inclusive next to Sirinat National Park.
The five-star property welcomed guests on September 7, 2026. It sits about 16 kilometres from Phuket International Airport and roughly 40 kilometres from the island's historic centre, so arrivals skip the long haul down to Patong while staying on a quieter stretch of the northwest coast.
What guests get inside the all-inclusive
The resort has 504 rooms across low-rise buildings linked by covered walkways. Forty-nine of those rooms sit in Elite Club by RIU, which adds a separate reception, an exclusive restaurant and pool, upgraded minibar picks, and international-brand drinks. Some Elite Club rooms are swim-up with a private terrace pool, so the premium tier is built into the same resort rather than a sealed-off wing.
Dining runs through six restaurants and seven bars. Chantra is the main buffet with live cooking. Ruen Siam covers Thai cooking, Il Gusto is Italian, and there is a steakhouse plus Pepe's Food grill. Elite Club guests get their own restaurant. Bars include the Mai Khao lobby bar, Siang Sawan lounge, a sports bar, Capuchino coffee and ice cream, Sabai swim-up pool bar, and an Elite Club lounge.
Pools, kids, and spa time
Six swimming pools spread across the grounds, including two for children and one reserved for Elite Club. RiuLand handles kids' programming, RiuFit covers sports, and evenings bring the usual RIU entertainment schedule. Renova Spa anchors wellness with a gym, steam bath, hair salon, and treatment menu, plus an outdoor palapa for massages near the dining area.
RIU also flagged two on-site sustainability measures: solar panels on two service buildings and rooftop rainwater collection used for landscape irrigation.
Why this opening matters for travelers
True 24-hour all-inclusive stays are still uncommon in Phuket compared with Mexico and the Caribbean, where RIU built its reputation. Opening rates reported around the debut sat well below typical five-star beach pricing on the island, which is the window early bookers watch before shoulder-season demand firms up.
For RIU, Thailand is country number 22 and hotel number 101 in a portfolio that remains more than 74 percent all-inclusive. For guests who already know Palace-level RIU in Cancun or Punta Cana, the practical pitch is familiar: airport-close beach, kids club, multiple pools, and a premium Elite Club ladder without leaving the property.
If you are comparing Phuket beach bases, ask how far you want to be from nightlife versus how much you want the resort to cover every meal and drink. Mai Khao answers the second question more than the first.
