Riu Republica

amazing place to spend the summer in dr!

We booked this hotel through TUI expecting a relaxing holiday, so we were quite shocked by how much more “party-like” the atmosphere was compared with how it had originally been described. Seeing both guests and staff downing alcoholic drinks during breakfast service definitely wasn’t what we expected! Before arriving, we had read several reviews mentioning unclean bedrooms, so we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived to find our room lovely and very clean. Although the room itself looked a little tired and could benefit from some updating, we genuinely couldn’t fault the cleanliness. Unfortunately, the food was one of the biggest disappointments. There were very few allergen labels, and often barely any labels on the food at all. When labels were provided, they didn’t always appear to match the food in front of them, which was particularly concerning in the buffet-style restaurants. The Italian and Asian restaurants were definitely the best dining options and were a much better experience than the main buffet. Our experience with the staff was mixed. Around half of the staff were absolutely lovely, friendly and welcoming, while others seemed to completely ignore us, particularly at the bar near the pool/garden area. On one occasion, my partner, who has been learning Spanish for several years, tried to order our drinks in Spanish. After previously receiving eye-rolls when asking for drinks in English, he made the effort to speak Spanish, only for a member of staff to laugh at him. This was disappointing and made us feel quite uncomfortable. The biggest issue during our stay was illness. We were both severely unwell for the first week of our holiday, suffering from stomach cramps, nausea and severe diarrhoea. We also spoke to several other British and Canadian guests whose groups had experienced similar symptoms, including reports of suspected food poisoning and sickness bugs. One guest told us that someone in their party had tested positive for STEC E. coli. While we cannot say where the illnesses originated, it was concerning to hear so many guests describing similar experiences during the same period. Another major issue was the mosquitoes. The bites were relentless, and it felt like the hotel could do more to manage this, perhaps by investing in insect traps or other mosquito-control measures around communal areas. That being said, the hotel itself is set in a beautiful location. The scenery, trees, beach and views were absolutely stunning, and the water slides were great fun. The excursions we booked were also a real highlight of the holiday. Saona Island, the cigar factory and Monkeyland were all incredible experiences and we would highly recommend those day trips. Overall, despite the beautiful surroundings and some fantastic experiences outside of the hotel, we personally would not return or recommend this hotel. The party atmosphere, poor food labelling, mixed customer service and the number of guests we encountered who had been unwell made it difficult for us to fully enjoy our stay. Based on our personal experience, we also felt that the hotel was much better suited to Spanish-speaking guests, and we did not always feel particularly welcomed as English-speaking visitors.

Thank U.. I had a good time.. a few issues but great customer service from the time we checked in to check out, I will be back and will book with RIU again🩷🩷🩷🫡🫡🫡👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼💯💯💯💯🇩🇴🇩🇴🇩🇴

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We are now sadly just getting ready to leave from an absolutely fantastic stay at Riu Republica in Punta Cana, and I honestly wanted to share our experience because, after reading some of the reviews online before travelling, I did start to wonder whether we had made a huge mistake booking this hotel. Looking back now, I can honestly say that all that worrying was completely unnecessary! Yes, the hotel has a few bits and bobs that could do with some attention, but absolutely nothing that affected our holiday or stopped us having the most amazing time. Our room was clean, comfortable and tidied every single day. Housekeeping came in daily, with fresh bedding and towels, and you could genuinely smell the bleach and cleaning products, which reassured us that cleanliness was being taken seriously. The grounds are absolutely vast, with beautiful, well-kept gardens and plenty of space to find your own little spot. One of my favourite things was simply lying underneath a palm tree in the glorious Dominican heat — absolute perfection! And here’s a BIG bonus that deserves mentioning… THERE ARE NO SUNBED WARS! No getting up at stupid o’clock to throw a towel over a sunbed. There were always plenty of places to choose from, which made pool days so much more relaxed! A very special mention HAS to go to the wonderful waiters at Mangu Restaurant — Matius, Miguelo and Daniel. These three gentlemen deserve to be recognised. They were incredibly kind, welcoming and hospitable and made every visit to the restaurant something to look forward to. They were always smiling, laughing and having fun with us, while still providing fantastic service. They made our dining experiences relaxed, enjoyable and genuinely memorable. People like this are what make a holiday special, and we really hope the hotel recognises what a fantastic job they do. The entertainment team also deserve a huge mention. There was always something going on, whether it was at the Latin Theatre or the Garden Theatre, and the atmosphere was brilliant. The great thing about Riu Republica is that you really can make your holiday whatever you want it to be. If you want to party, you absolutely can. If you want to relax around the pool or on the beach, you can do that too. It really is suitable for people of all ages. And yes… if you’re unlucky enough to be near the route back from the club, you might hear some people coming in at 4am and being a little louder than they should be! But let’s be honest, that’s no different from being back home when the pubs kick out. You’re staying at a lively, adults-only party resort — a bit of noise is part of the atmosphere! The trips are another story altogether. If you’re staying here, DO NOT miss Saona Island and Coco Bongo. They were absolute highlights of our holiday and created memories that will genuinely last a lifetime. And a HUGE thank you to Danny Boy, our guide on Saona Island. What an amazing gent! He was brilliant from start to finish, full of personality, helpful, funny and made the whole experience even more enjoyable. Danny Boy, you were a legend and definitely helped make Saona one of the highlights of our trip! Tipping isn’t expected around the hotel, but it is very much appreciated, and we were more than happy to tip the staff who went above and beyond for us. So, to anyone reading the reviews before booking and worrying that you’ve made the wrong choice — DON’T! Go with an open mind, enjoy the Dominican sunshine, embrace the atmosphere and make your own memories. We have honestly had the BEST holiday and would return in a heartbeat. Thank you to all the wonderful staff at Riu Republica, especially Matius, Miguelo, Daniel, Danny Boy and the fantastic entertainment team, for helping make our holiday so memorable. Until next time, Dominican Republic… 🇩🇴🌴☀️🍹 Five stars from us — and memories that will last a lifetime! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ana from the mangu restaurant has been amazing. She is the reason we keep coming back to her buffet.