Riu Bambu

We recently returned from two weeks at this hotel on a TUI holiday. We had a great time! What we liked: Clean rooms, plentiful food, beautiful beach & location, helpful staff, any issues sorted quickly (even got a softer mattress!), good entertainment, TUI guests only pool & bar - very quiet, warm sea and much more. We enjoyed the Steakhouse best and as we went about 8 pm, we never had to queue! We used the Riu app to report any issues, which were resolved efficiently. What could be improved: The rooms need updating. Staff in speciality restaurants need to be more welcoming and not intent on laying the tables for the next day. A system for booking restaurants on the app as is the case at other Riu hotels in other countries. Would we return - yes we would! We stayed at the Riu Palace Punta Cana latest and could see very little difference between the two hotels.

Can't say enough about the service we received from your staff...you have amazing people working for you and it shows

Service was excellent throughout the resort. Beaches were a 10/10. The rooms are average, nothing special but were clean. Room service did a great job daily cleaning and restocking the fridge.

We recently returned from RIU Bambu. While the resort has its highlights, there are definitely some "buyer beware" moments. Here is the breakdown of our stay: The Pros • Room & Location: We requested the 8000 block, and it was perfect…clean, great hot water in the shower, and they kept us well-stocked with bottled water. The grounds and pools are mostly maintained except the win up bar. • Dining Highlights: The Steakhouse is by far the best choice on-site for dinner (burgers and steaks were great). For breakfast, The Colonial was our go-to; the bacon was good, and the omelette cook was fantastic. • Drinks: The margaritas and mariachis and tequila shots were great . Pro tip: Bring a Yeti or insulated cup to keep your drinks cold in the heat! • The Beach: Absolutely beautiful turquoise water. It is very windy with intense waves, so be careful especially if you’ve been drinking, or if you have little ones don’t trust it not even if your just going in to the ankles those currents are strong. • The Vibe: During the week, it’s quite calm and peaceful. The atmosphere shifts significantly once the weekend crowds arrive. The Cons • Weekend Crowds: By Friday, the "party" crowd arrives. We witnessed some pretty messy situations at the swim-up bar involving guests over-consuming to the point of getting sick on the loungers and passing out …vomit everywhere • Food Quality & Variety: Aside from the Steakhouse and the coloniel, the food was disappointing. The Mexican and Asian restaurants were a "no" for us…the seasonings were off, and the "chicken" fajitas were so tough they were barely recognizable. The Italian was mediocre and felt like a high risk for cross-contamination if you have food allergies. • Dining Logistics: There is no reservation system, which means you are constantly waiting in long lines for dinner at the specialty restaurants • Health: Both my partner and I ended up with stomach issues ("the runs") during the trip. We aren't sure which restaurant caused it, but Pepto-Bismol became a necessity. • Entertainment: There is very little "on-resort" entertainment for adults other than the swim-up bar. There was 1 show on Friday night where they danced and lip synced to different eras of music and it was fun and great to watch but we need more RIU!! You have to travel to the neighboring RIU properties for the big parties, but our actual resort felt lacking in shows or evening activities. • Hygiene Concern: I was really turned off at the Sports Bar after seeing staff members touch the bread buns with their bare hands to check for freshness and then put them back. Shopping & The "USD" Trap The shopping situation is strange. If you follow the signs for "Calle Cabrena" (the on-site gift shop), you end up being led under a building and out a door that exits the resort. The front desk eventually got us a driver to a shop, but it was highway robbery for just a few items. For massages They wanted $230 USD for a couples massage and were asking $40–$60 USD for basic souvenirs. They push for USD because they make so much more on the exchange than they do with Pesos. It felt like a total rip-off considering the local cost of living. Advice: If you want to shop, head toward the beach, turn left at the end of the walkway, and walk until you hit a cluster of shops they don’t tell you about. But again that USD seriously cuts you if you’re a Canadian. Final Thoughts The sun is incredibly strong—I’m used to it and I still got a bad burn, so lather up! Would we come back? Probably not. We prefer a resort with a reservation system to avoid lines and better nightly entertainment. If you are a "foodie," you might struggle here, but if you stick to the Steakhouse and enjoy a beautiful beach, you’ll have a decent stay. It’s not as bad as some reviews say, but the complaints about the food and the weekend chaos are valid. We had a great time but for us it was more of a just chill kind of vibe and go to bed early get 7-8 am. It could have been better sure but it’s not as bad as some people say ..the maids, the servers, went well out of their way and were friendly and great to be around. Thank you Riu

Had a great time during our stay. Staff are very friendly. Rooms were clean except a couple of plugs did not work.