Riu Palace Punta Cana

Not enough public toilets, Lunch time menu bread rolls very dry need covering up, Hotel app needs to be updated on a regular basis, Animation team excellent Breakfast and evening buffet service excellent well done Joel and Luis awsome service.

As a loyal, frequent RIU guest who has loved their properties in Jamaica and Riviera Maya, I am completely shocked by the appalling service and sub-standard conditions our family experienced from August 18–21. We booked two rooms to celebrate a 15th and 33rd birthday, but left feeling undervalued, unsafe, and deeply discouraged. Here is why you should think twice before booking this "premium" resort: • Apparent Discrimination: From the moment we arrived, we felt treated differently due to our darker complexion. While other parties were warmly welcomed with champagne, our family was left waiting at the back of the line and handed juice. This dismissive, indifferent attitude from staff continued throughout our entire stay. • Horrible Hygiene & Sanitation: Our rooms had stained linens, a lingering odor, a soiled toilet, and dirt/hair in the sink and tub. Worse, we found a living worm in the shower and gnats swarming the sports bar display cases. Housekeeping was incredibly unwelcoming when we asked them to clean. • Severe Medical Neglect: We ordered room service twice, and it never arrived. Because of this failure, my sister had to take vital medication on an empty stomach, resulting in a severe stomach illness that ruined the rest of her trip. • False Advertising & Missing Amenities: We chose this resort specifically for the advertised "RIU4U" teen club for my nephew's 15th birthday, only to find out it no longer exists at this location. • Safety Hazards for Seniors: We traveled with a 72-year-old companion. Despite RIU marketing cart transportation between properties, no carts were ever available. He was forced to walk everywhere in 85+ degree heat, which was physically exhausting and completely unsafe. • Subpar Dining & Confrontational Staff: Our birthday dinner at the steakhouse was ruined by dismissive waiters who walked away mid-sentence, overcooked steak, and inedible lobster. To top it off, front desk staff were confrontational and threatened to charge us for replacement keys when we accidentally locked ourselves out. Our milestone celebrations were completely overshadowed by filth, poor hospitality, and broken promises. We did not get the vacation we paid for. Avoid this property if you expect basic cleanliness, safety, and equal respect.

It was me my wife and her best friend we had an amazing time the food was great staff prompt and excellent. Will be visiting again

The food was great, and the hotel was quiet meaning the restaurants were available for us to just walk in. We really enjoyed the unlimited drinks and the proximity to the beach! However, the building itself is a bit dated - we initially had to move rooms due to a broken shower, toilet and fridge, and the new room had the hairdryer fall off the wall and a plug socket fall out! Despite this, they were clean and comfortable.

The wife & I arrive 18th September for 11 nights and stayed in room 3046. On arrive the hotel looks very grand with big chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and very polished floors. Check-in was very straightforward and off to our room. First impression the rooms are quite large very spacious loads of storage everything you need but also very dated. I first stayed in a Riu hotel in 2007 and it’s the same decor. While we were there for our 11 day’s we had a problem with our shower which was broken and also had to get maintenance to fix the toilet which also broke. Our room was cleaned everyday and also mini bar was re stocked daily but I did tip both. We met one couple who had to change their room because of mould and the room wasn’t very clean and smelled disgusting. Luckily we didn’t have problem. The lift nearest to our room kept breaking down, it was reported by the wife and several other guests but again it obviously wasn’t repaired properly as It would break again within hours. The pools are disgusting, the one with the bar is so cloudy with the amount off urine. The water they pump in is the same temperature as the water that has been pumped out so obviously it’s the same water and not being replaced by clean water. The pool at the side off it isn’t much better it’s also disgusting with the amount of flies and other rubbish that is floating about in it. Someone walks around the side off it with a net picking up bits he can reach but might as well not bother. Also the pool area wasn’t cleaned, loads off sand about and the sun loungers where dirty and sticky. Beach is full of sargassum (seaweed) and it stinks and even though the hotel aren’t responsible and make every effort to remove, it’s still not nice if you want to use the beach. Food was fab if you used the main restaurant, breakfast and evening meals were in La Isabela. There was always loads off choice always hot and delicious, but if you wanted any service like a drink you had to tip the waiters otherwise you would be ignored. Dinner was my favourite which is in the La Bodega which also is the steak restaurant on a night. We also used Pepes food which is the pool/ beach snack bar and the chicken was fabulous. We tried most al a cart restaurant and our favourite was the steak restaurant and krystal which if I was to score would give both 9/10 for both service and food. Tried the Spanish La Badega and only went once it wasn’t great food was lovely but service saw shocking. Buffet started but as soon as I sat with my starter the main was already brought to me which wasn’t great. Didn’t try Yakohama so can’t comment. By far the worst was the Italian which I was most looking forward to. Buffet starter then the brought our meals after we had finished this time. Wife ordered the lamb cutlets, one was perfect, one was very fatty and the other was tough as old boots. I order the fish and looked lovely until I bit into it and it was full off bones. My first mouth full I pulled several bones out so it was left. We didn’t even wait for our dessert just got up and left. Overall this is a poor Riu hotel and definitely not worthy of a Palace statue. We where lucky as got our holiday at a great price and if I could get it for same price would probably go again but to pay full price would probably use one off the other Riu hotels in Punta Cana.