Riu Palace Punta Cana

Recently returned from a week here, and would definitely go back in a heartbeat. My last visit to this hotel was September 24, and must say my week here this time was much better. Check in was extremely quick, and I was greeted with very friendly helpful faces. Room was perfect with lovely views of the fountains. There was a much more lively atmosphere around the complex than last time, and it was good and definately got you in the holiday mood quickly. Anyone who complains about no choice of food, well I really dont know what they eat at home because the food choice is Huge, I ate lunch in the steakhouse, there was always loads of choice but I did always end up in the Mexican corner because every day the food was delicious. Make sure you visit the toilets next to this restaurant b4 3 each day, kept immaculately clean and the ladies do a different towel art each day. Mini bar in your room with 4 spirits, fridge topped up with water, coke, fanta, sprite, beer, coffee machine - but if your a tea drinker just run water through it, and get some tbags and milk from the sports bar - open 24hrs each day, also rooms have iron and ironing board in wardrobe. Entertainment is brilliant, went to all 4 parties which are just Brilliant fun - 2 afternoon and 2 evening - could do with more posters around the complex because if you've not been here before I'm sure some people dont even know about them - but out of main door and left for less than 10 minutes walk - just follow the music, and ladies I wouldn't wear heels, even if you dont go in the pools it can be very wet floor and slippy, parties are Jungle, Pink, Neon and White . The beach is quite outstanding, turquoise very warm water, it is a dream to be in each day. Try to catch a sunrise - it is an early get up, but definitely worth it, followed by a swim in the sea - the most perfect start to the day. Everyone is friendly who works at the hotel, and its a fabulous hotel to meet loads of different nationalities, I even chatted to people from Peru this visit - and if your on your own, dont worry its definitely an easy place to visit on your own. There are shops between this hotel and the Riu Bambu next door which are worth a visit, and you can call at Bambu for drinks and eat lunch there but evening meal has to be at the Palace. Also for souvenirs the beach sellars sell some lovely things, a polite no and they will carry on along the beach but these people deserve the business, they walk every day with some very heavy baskets etc which really weigh so much, and in that extreme heat, not sure how they do it. Definitely pack minimum factor 30 - and plenty of it, even if it is cloudy you will get burnt here. A huge thank you to everyone at the hotel, and I would 100% recommend booking here, definitely ignore the negative reviews, because my 2nd visit didn't disappoint at all.

This is a solidly average resort experience for basically anyone, and I mean that in a good way. If you’re more used to luxury resorts, it won’t feel like that to you, but it is a solid family experience for a decent price. The access to multiple resorts is great. Food is decent for (very) mass produced. We ended up eating at the buffets most of the time, so everyone got what they wanted. Staff is friendly with a few exceptions. Alcohol is mid range without premium options. Pools were very crowded, one with lots of kids and the other small party pool with lots of sweaty bodies and drinks. It’s loud at night and although we asked for a quiet room and got one, we will had to have white noise to sleep. My biggest thing of note is the beaches and water on this side, which are loaded with seaweed. If I come back, I’ll stay on the other side. As I said, as a person more used to luxury resorts, this one was solidly priced for a family, and you get a solid experience. PS. The kids love it.

My family had a great stay at this resort! Yes, the rooms need to be updated, but that didn't really affect our stay at all. The staff were amazing and the food and drinks were all really good! We liked all of the restaurants and the buffets! The only complaint I can think of was that the beach was full of sargassum and it didn't appear that they were cleaning it off the whole week. We still used the beach and got in the water - we just had to walk over the sargassum. Really not a huge deal and we still had a great trip!

the manager at the front desk his name Santiago he have a terrible customer service fighting with the customer in front of everybody they over charge the rooms I never stay again at this place

Unfortunately, the experience I had fell far below the standards I have come to expect from RIU Hotels and this was most the disappointing RIU stay I have ever experienced. Our problems began upon arrival in the Dominican Republic. We waited approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes at the airport for the RIU transfer service. When we eventually arrived, we were informed at check-in that the transfer had dropped us at the wrong hotel. As the transfer company refused to return for us, we were forced to wait a further 30 minutes for a taxi. I would like to acknowledge and thank Darlin at reception, who kindly arranged and paid this for us.I stayed in Room 3143 and was extremely disappointed with its condition. As soon as I entered the room, there was a strong damp and mouldy smell. The odour was so severe that when I returned to the UK, all of my clothing smelled damp, including items that I had not worn. I had to wash every item of clothing immediately upon returning home.The room was dirty and poorly maintained. There was visible mould on the doors, and behind the TV, cobwebs around the minibar area, and a significant build-up of dust throughout the room. The bathroom was particularly unacceptable. The bathroom bin contained mould, the shower head rusty, the toilet rim had a build-up of faecal matter, and there was hair on the shower wall from a previous guest. The bathroom ventilation system was also not functioning, which meant it was unbearably hot all the time. As a result of the poor cleanliness standards, we requested that housekeeping clean the room again. To be fair, the daily housekeeping staff did an excellent job thereafter and should be commended for their efforts.The room’s air conditioning was also inadequate. It was extremely noisy and failed to cool the room below 25°C. We reported this issue several times, and maintenance attended on multiple occasions, but the problem was never resolved.The standards in the restaurant and dining areas were equally concerning. Food was frequently left out for extended periods and was often cold when served. Plates were regularly dirty, and tablecloths were stained. On one occasion, I observed a waiter changing only the top tablecloth while leaving the dirty cloth underneath in place.The situation in the Sports Bar was particularly alarming. The refrigerator appeared not to be working or was switched off, meaning food was not being kept at a safe temperature. We reported this concern to bar staff, but no action appeared to be taken. Additionally, the heated serving stations failed to keep food hot. In my view, these issues presented a significant food safety risk.On the final day of my holiday, I became ill with diarrhoea, which I believe was caused by the poor hygiene standards, including dirty drinking glasses and improperly stored food. Overall, I am extremely disappointed by the cleanliness, maintenance, food hygiene, and overall standards at RIU Palace Punta Cana. Palace customers can use Bambu. There’s a basketball court at Bambu and the Palace Bávaro. This resort is located on the Atlantic Ocean which means lots of seaweed, cooler ocean and very choppy waves. If you want calmer seas go to the Caribbean Sea side of the island. Given the numerous issues experienced throughout our stay, my experience was far below what I expect from the RIU brand, and as a result, I cannot recommend this hotel to friends or family.