Travel agent review June 2007

We stayed at the Riu Palace Punta Cana for 7 nights from June 4-11, 2007. This resort is just over 1 year old and is by far the nicest and most opulent of all the Riu properties in Punta Cana.

Driving up to the resort is like driving up to a stunning white palace. It is very impressive to see from a distance. Arriving at the resort is just as impressive.

The lobby is air conditioned (a definite plus and unusual for Punta Cana where most are open air). It is filled with comfortable seating areas, all of the tour operator representatives, a gift shop, a large and welcoming piano bar, and a sports bar with slot machines, pool table and the internet café.

The check in was fast and efficient. We were given a 30 second introduction to the resort by one of the front desk representatives and were handed a map of the Riu properties on a map. We were given 1 key for the room (on a large plastic key ring with the room # on it), a key for the safe on a long cord and were told to come back for towel cards. We were given a sticker to put on our luggage to have it delivered to our room but the bell hop was free and took it as he showed us to our room (sort of- he got confused and ended up taking us to the wrong floor).

Room-
We asked for a courtyard view room (as opposed to a standard garden view room) and were given room 1104, which is on the same level as the lobby.

All rooms are junior suites- with step down to a sitting room with a sofa, coffee table, dresser and TV. There is crown molding, tray ceilings and dark hard wood furniture. The floor is tile with area rugs around each side of the bed and in the sitting area.

The balcony is a nice size with 2 cushioned chairs that recline, a plastic snack table and a drying rack which is attached to the side wall. The balcony is private on both sides with solid walls separating them from the neighboring balconies.

The bathroom is large with a high step in jetted tub/ shower. There is a double sink with lots of room. The vanity is higher than usual which might make it a bit difficult for children or short adults. There is no drawer space or medicine cabinet but plenty or room on the vanity for putting personal items.

The beds are the major issue with these lovely rooms. The options are 1 king or 2 doubles. The 2 double beds are pushed together (with separate sheets and blankets) but only has 1 headboard. This bedding set up may cause issues with families or guests who may not want to sleep side by side. These beds can not be separated by a night stand to create privacy. The other issue with the beds is that they are hard as rocks. One guest equated them as sleeping on books. I felt that sleeping on the floor would have been more comfortable. For a brand new and deluxe resort, I would have expected comfortable pillow top bedding. I spent the last few days on pain killers since my back was killing me.

Each room has a mini bar which is restocked every 2 days with water, sodas and beer. Right above the mini bar is the Riu signature liquor dispenser. There are 4 bottles (gin, vodka, rum and something else) inverted for the guests to use throughout their stay.

If you can, ask for a courtyard view room rather than the standard view room. The courtyard view rooms have a lovely view of the fountains rather than of other hotels. The courtyard view rooms may be considered to be the superior rooms vs the standard rooms and may command a higher room rate.

Pool and Beach
Although the pool looks small for a resort of this size, it was never really crowded since the beach is so gorgeous. The pool is at the far end of resort, closest to the beach in the middle of the property (between the 2 buildings). It has Jacuzzis on either side with a large swim up pool bar. At the other end, there are a dozen or so tiled loungers in the water. The pool is not for diving-the entire pool was only waist high. Unfortunately, the pool water was so warm that it really wasn’t refreshing and you would need to go to the ocean to cool off.

Just in front of the main pool is a large round pool. It is not a kid’s pool, nor is it a Jacuzzi. It was rarely used so I’m not sure what it is used for. It is shallow- maybe only a couple of feet deep.

Around the pool, lounge chairs and umbrellas were plentiful but since this property is so new, the palm trees provided very little shade and the chairs around the trees were at a premium.

The beach is beautiful! It is wide and deep. The water is a stunning shade of turquoise. The sand is powder fine and white- not hot to the touch. There are a good number of trees to provide shade and there are plenty of lounge chairs. Since the beach is so beautiful, there were more people there than at the pool.

***The one suggestion that I would make is to bring your own beach towels. Since the hotel only provides 1 per person at a time, and they are all the same color, it is much easier to spot your lounge chair.

Food
Overall the food was good, not great. The buffet restaurant was pretty comparable to any other buffet restaurant. It is air conditioned, which is a plus. The wait staff was fast and friendly but most of the food was drowned in a sauce or butter. The breakfast buffet was plentiful with a cereal bar, fruit bar and bread table. Their breads were wonderful. Lots of cold cuts and salad items that Americans probably wouldn’t eat for breakfast. Don’t miss the smoothies- they were very good! You can get made to order omelets but it is the same person making large omelets and cutting them into portions. He is right near the eggs and he will make an omelet made to order. There was never a line for omelets since no one could find him.

Dinner at the buffet was mediocre at best and is best avoided, if possible.

The restaurants- our favorite- the Gourmet- Sir Oscars, then the Steakhouse, Japanese, Brazilian and last the Italian. (We are from NYC- you can’t compete with NY Italian food). Dinner reservations had to be made between 9am and 12 noon at the Italian restaurant for that night. The line started at about 8:45 am but wasn’t terrible.

The lunch buffet got pretty redundant- always pizza, burgers, fries and the salad bar. One day they had a pasta station and another day there was a paella station which was very good. We ate at the steakhouse most days for lunch since it is closer to the pool and beach.

Room service was delivered quickly. The menu was ok and delivery is from 7am to 11pm. Their 24 hour snacks at the sports bar is a joke- Hot dogs, hamburgers and nachos that can be heated up in a microwave.

Entertainment
Please keep in mind that we are cruise people and are used to good entertainment. This can’t compare. The Animation Team did the same dances to the same music daily. The daytime activity schedule is posted on a board outside the theatre. I would have preferred it in writing- especially since it doesn’t change day to day, it could easily be handed out with the welcome package.

Since many of the guests are not American, and English is not their primary language, all activities and shows are announced in 4 languages- Spanish, French or German, English and then another. Their accents are so heavy, that even when they are speaking English, it is very hard to understand them.

The shows in the evening start at 9:45pm with a 15 minute ice breaker- some games with some audience participation. The only evening show which was decent was the Sunday night show- Cabaret. Most of the others were so bad we ended up walking out on them.

The casino is located at the entrance to the Riu Palace Macao which is about a 15 minute walk or a 5 minute shuttle ride away. The blackjack tables are a $10 minimum. Roulette was $5. Lots of $.25 slots- but lots got stuck mid way during playing. I was hearing a lot of bells going off and 1 person won $1000 in the slots while we were there.

Beware a scam game that they try to sucker you in with a “free” $10 chip. There is no name on the game and they try to keep you playing by changing the rules with their money until you are “so close” to winning the jackpot and now have to use your money.

This is not a property that I would recommend for families. There is a small kid’s area with a jungle gym and tiny pool. I never saw any kids there and never saw a children’s staff. Although there was a kid’s activities list posted on the activities board, unless they were hiding the counselors, I never saw any kids participating in any organized activities.

The spa is lovely- although we didn’t get to use it. I did walk through it. I honestly don’t remember seeing a fitness center on the property. I can’t imagine that they don’t have one but since I wasn’t looking to use it, I really didn’t pay much attention.

Travel Agent Summary:
This property is gorgeous and will be even better when the foliage on the trees grows in a bit more. The staff is eager to please. Some speak better English than others. This is not a resort for Americans who expect to be with lots of other Americans. The English speakers were in a minority the week we were there. It is also not a property for families. We saw other properties in Punta Cana which would be better suited for families. I’m not sure if I agree with the Apple Vacations rating of a 6 Golden Apple. There were other properties that I thought were more deserving of that rating.

Who would I recommend this property to?
-Honeymooners who don’t want much in terms of activities
-Older couples
-Those who like a more European atmosphere
-Beach lovers

Who would I not recommend this property to?
- Young singles who want a lot of action
- Families

We just got back two days ago from our vacation to the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana. We visited the Luxury Resort, RIU Palace Punta Cana, never to be confused with RIU Palace Macao just next door. We stayed 8 days and it was fabulous!

The country is very poor, so the airport and customs/immigrations is somewhat of a joke compared with the United States. The drive to the resort is about 20 - 30 minutes from the airport and just like any ride at Disney, THRILLING, SCARY, AND ANIMATED.

The Riu resorts are all on the same property and is gated with security with one access road for all the Riu Resorts connected via beach access and paths. Palace Punta Cana is the newest and most luxurious and it shows everywhere from the buildings to the staff. The staff is what truly makes this place. We took our 11 month old and our 5 yr. old on this trip and the Riu Staff did not disappoint in spoiling them at every turn. The one thing that we did not like was the kids club. I am sure it would have been fun for our oldest but we felt better with her with us the whole time.

The room felt big and spacious. We had a Jr. Suite with two balconies, one ocean view. The maid service seemed to run non-stop, We even had a maid knock on our door every evening to inquire if we needed fresh towels. The only small and very insignificant down side was the hot and cold water would sometimes be hard to set in the shower.

The drinks are served 24/7 and I do recommend the Champaign during meals instead of wine.

The food was outstanding everytime, even the buffet.

The beach was perfect and the staff did not disappoint there either. Wait staff came down to the beach to serve all, not just a few individuals. White sands with enough palm trees for everyone that wanted to sit under one.

The pools big and heated the main pool with a swim up bar. We liked the big round pool best, it was a bit cooler than the main pool but still heated. We never had a hard time finding a place to lay out under the palms.

My boyfriend and I (age 38 and 43) just returned from the Riu Palace Punta Cana and had a wonderful, relaxing time. We thoroughly enjoyed the hotel.

Before the review, I should say that our main criterion for choosing a hotel was that it have a good beach...to us, the rest was less important. And the Riu Palace Punta Cana didn't disappoint us in this regard.

CHECK-IN: Check-in went very smoothly. We requested a king-sized bed when we got there and had no problem getting one. We got our welcome drinks and didn't have to wait very long to be taken to our room.

HOTEL LOBBY: This was a bit of a surprise. I had stayed at the Riu Palace Macao three years ago, and was expecting something very similar: laid back and beachy. But the Palace Punta Cana is nothing like the Macao. The lobby is largely marble, with crystal chandeliers, gilt furniture, Roman-style busts, and reproductions of Botticelli paintings throughout. If you are an architectural purist you may not like it...no two pieces of decoration are from the same period or have anything to do with each other...but after the initial shock I found it sort of amusing and charming. The lobby is huge, very grand, and has a large, comfortable lobby bar.

ROOM: We stayed in 1016, which is a standard, non-upgrade room. I thought it was a perfect location: halfway between the restaurants and the beach and toward the back of the building, which meant it was very quiet. The view was of a lawn and of the Riu Bambu next door. The room itself was more than adequate and very clean. Not particularly luxurious but perfectly nice, more like a room at a Hilton. The bathroom had double sinks, which we appreciated. The floors are marble and tile, which can get a bit slippery. Other reviews have complained about the hardness of the beds: It WAS hard, but I found it quite comfortable. The air conditioning worked perfectly...the room could get too cold if you weren't careful. Every room has a small terrace with two chairs and a table.

BEACH: Amazing. Clean, blue water, clean sand, perfect for swimming. We adored the beach. There are areas that are out in the open, and plenty of room under the palm trees for a little shade. One note about the beach: if you don't get there early it can be difficult to get chaises. When we couldn't get them my boyfriend complained to the management and they suggested talking to one of the pool men who are always around handing out towels, etc. So...we approached Raoul, gave him $4 a day, and every morning we had 2 perfectly placed chaises and a table with pads and towels waiting for us. I'm sure any of the beach/pool staff would be happy to do this for a small tip.

POOL: I loved the pool and didn't find it too small, as some others on this site have. It's heated, though it never feels too hot. It has a good-sized swim-up bar as well as about 10 jacuzzi areas with their own cocktail tables attached to the bottom of the pool, so you can sit in the jacuzzi and have your drinks with you. At the far end of the pool there are about 8 built-in chaise lounges that allow you to lie halfway in the pool while also sunning yourself. I had never seen this at a resort before and loved this feature.
There is also another, smaller pool right next to the big one. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be a children's pool but it was always filled with adults. We never had a hard time getting a lounge chair by the pool and, though there were always plenty of people in the pool, it never felt overcrowded.

FOOD: This is where I differ with many of the other reviews on this site. I thought the food was really very good. We live near New York City and eat there often so we are used to pretty good food, and the food at the Riu was almost as good as in some of New York's best restaurants. I will say, however, that if you are looking for American-style food you may be disappointed. Though the main buffet does have hot dogs, hamburgers and the like, it mainly caters to more sophisticated tastes. It might be hard for a picky child to find something to eat here. We ate at 4 of the 5 "specialty" restaurants and liked all but the Brazilian. We thought the gourmet, Sir Oscar, was excellent. I was fearful about trying the Italian restaurant, Luigi, because my boyfriend is from Italy and can be very critical about Italian food...but even he liked it! The antipasto bar is wonderful. The only bad thing I can say about the culinary experience at the Riu Palace was the wine. In a word: awful. But the champagne is pretty good, so we switched to champagne early in our stay.
Lunch at the beach-front Altagracia was particularly good. Try the Paella.
I've never had better.

A NOTE ABOUT THE RESTAURANTS' DRESS CODES: Even during the day, you must be covered to eat in the restaurants. I tried to go into the casual, beach-front restaurant for lunch wearing only a bikini top and a pareo wrapped around my waist and was told I had to have a top on. Bring something appropriate. They also insist that men wear long pants to dinner, though I did see a few wearing shorts at dinner.

ENTERTAINMENT: We were too tired most nights to stay up late, so I can't really comment on the entertainment. What I very much liked, however, was the fact that there is a plaza between all of the restaurants where people gather before and after dinner and where there is usually a band playing.
Every night before dinner we sat in the plaza and had drinks and played cards. There is a casino and a disco on the grounds of one of the neighboring hotels. We walked to the casino one night and it is a lovely walk, even if you're not interested in gambling.

OTHER GUESTS: This is not the sort of place to go if you want non-stop partying. There was a mix of young families, young couples, and middle aged couples. Not too many singles. There there is quite a bit of drinking and music that goes on but it doesn't have a spring break kind of feeling. I took a walk on the beach and checked out some of the other hotels and they had music blasting, etc. The Riu Palace isn't quite as rowdy. I think the Riu Bambu is for younger people, with more of a party atmosphere. I would say about a third to half of the guests are American or Canadian, and the rest are largely Eastern Europeans, South Americans, and Germans, and French.

STAFF: Exceptionally helpful and friendly. I have traveled to many, many developing countries and was not expecting the greatest service at the Riu Palace, based on my prior experiences. But the service was excellent. I know almost no Spanish but was able to manage perfectly well. I will say, however, that once or twice my boyfriend had to step in and use his Italian to make himself understood. But, really, it's not likely that you're going to be having very many deep, involved discussions with the staff of the hotel and between their pretty good English and some improvised Spanish it all works out.

EXCURSIONS: We only did one, the short snorkeling trip. It cost $31 per person, took about 2 hours and was fun. Don't expect to see the most fabulous fish in the world: it's not the Red Sea or even Hawaii, but we had a great time.

SHOPPING: There is a little arcade called Calle Colonial attached to the Riu Palace. They sell some souvenirs (very overpriced, I am sure, but who cares?) as well as some bathing suits, jewelry, cover-ups, inflatable toys, etc. But there is another shopping area, called Calle Caribbean, that's further into the resort, where the disco and the casino are. It's much bigger, with much more variety. Also, if you go to the beach, are facing the water, and make a right and walk for about 20 minutes along the beach there are some local shops. I didn't go, but I would guess that the prices are much better. They looked fun, but my boyfriend isn't much of a shopper so I couldn't convince him to to make the journey.

After staying at the Iberostar Bravaro in Punta Cana and then the Iberostar Lindo in the Riviera Maya several times and Royal Solaris in Cancun 3 times. Check in went rather smoothly, they managed to get my parents room next to ours and the rooms were ready. After that I felt the vacation slowly go down hill.

The pool is very small for the complex but it was nice. The umbrellas were too small and you needed a couple to get shade during the day, most of the umbrellas were broken in areas or were missing the metal bar to hold the mechanism up. I watched several people actually take this metal bar with them so no one would sit in their seats until they got back. I used my pen to hold it up one day and forgot it in the umbrella and the next day Francisco our friendly drink boy was using it LOL. Speaking of drinks, they don’t have a fully stocked bar, and they push crème de coco in all the drinks probably because its cheap there. I personally loved iguanas at the Iberostar in Mexico but they didn’t have Midori so I couldn’t have them make it. I also enjoy a Baileys in the evening and they didn’t have that either. There is no music or entertainment at the pool like with every other resort I’ve ever stayed at. About 4 p.m. the entertainment team comes back from their 3 hour break and usually did some sort of game or dance lesson at the pool. This was usually a lot of fun but you had to start thinking of going to your room and getting ready for dinner by that time.

Dinner was ok at the Brazilian restaurant and the steakhouse, the Japanese restaurant was awful and the buffet was worse that old country buffet, not worth the time it took for the men to put on long pants.

The rooms were ok nothing like the Iberostar rooms, our remote for the TV was broken so I requested another one from the front desk and they gave me another one that didn’t work. You don’t need to use a credit card for your room which means buying a prepaid phone card is useless because you cant use it, I went to the front desk to use the phone and he tried to use my phone card but they aren’t easy to use, you have to dial one 800 number then another to get to the US and he wasn’t doing it right and wouldn’t let me try. I gave up and went to the internet Café to email. The internet Café is in the sports bar where they have a couple pool tables and some video games. Its $3.00 for pool (this was free at the other all inclusives I’ve stayed at).

You cannot charge anything to the room either, my husband went and got a massage on the beach, and when they were done they said $60.00, he wanted to charge it to the room and they said you cant, who has $$$ on them at the pool and the beach, he had to run back to the room and get money to pay them.

They have a good band that plays in the garden area outside the main lobby in the evening right outside the theater where they have the shows at night. The shows are awful, I see they don’t spend a lot of $ on entertainment, they have approximately 5 entertainment staff, I will get to them shortly. The shows usually had at least one crotch shot with a dancer in a thong, even in their “grease” show, Sandra Dee was lip sync’ed by a dancer in a thong who showed her bare bum several times and did a couple leg lifts to get the full crotch shot. I don’t remember seeing this in the movie, but I may have missed it. The dancers put on the show, same dance steps, and different songs each night. They attempt to lip sync but it would be like you and I trying to lip sync to a Chinese song when you don’t know Chinese. They were really bad, the quality of entertainment was POOR, the best show was the Kareoke show, at least some of the guests had personality.

As far as the disco goes, they should rename Pacha – Meat Market, because that’s what it is. Most of the people there are staff of the hotel and locals trying to catch a free feel on the girls staying at the resort. It’s overcrowded and you have to pay for your drinks because they open it to the public. I don’t understand why the Riu would open that to the public, can they possibly be hurting for money??? My daughter went with another couple we met down there; I had trailed behind about 5 minutes and was walking with one of the entertainment staff to the disco when he felt it was appropriate to start mauling me. Not once but twice he started mauling me and I had to tell him to knock it off TWICE, this is right after he told me all about his fiancé in Germany, and showed me pictures of her on his IPOD. At this time I was in fear for my daughter and walked very quickly to the disco to keep an eye on her. At the Iberostars we went to the disco a lot, they are closed to the public and were only open to guests and the entertainment staff, their staff never made moves on me or my daughter. We never had to pay for drinks their either. The next day we were at the pool and one of the other entertainment staff came and asked my daughter (16) if she would help him get some of the equipment out for some exercise or something at the beach, unaware of where the equipment was she said ok, my husband spotted her 300 yards down the beach in an entirely different hotel complex with him. He ran down and told him she was a teenager and shouldn’t be leaving the complex. After talking to the head of entertainment he stated that I should steer my daughter clear of both of the individuals on their entertainment team because they are no-good. NICE!!!

We just returned from Riu Palace Punta Cana and had a wonderful time. We had originally booked a holiday in the Mayan Riviera but our travel agent screwed up and sent us here, we did not regret it a bit. We have been to Punta Cana a few times and always like to return because you can’t beat this beach. The weather was perfect for us as well. We heard it had rained a bit the week before, so I guess we were lucky. I don’t know what people are talking about in the other reviews about the musty smell of the rooms; I guess they are not used to the Caribbean. We only went to one of the restaurants you need to reserve because we prefer to just pay it by ear, plus the reason we go down south is for the sun, not the food. Since we live in Toronto, it’s really hard to compare the excellent food in Toronto to a resort. The food was fine for us, and the service was excellent. Service on the beach as well – drinks whenever you want!

We recently returned from a visit to the RIU Palace Punta Cana and wanted to sing the praises of Mr. Rani Ghosheh, his staff and the facilities.

Since the year 2000 we have been visiting the RIU Resorts in Punta Cana and the RIU has outdone itself with the RIU Palace Punta Cana.

We have truly found our Paradise within the surroundings of the resorts. I can not tell you enough about Mr. Ghosheh, his hospitality and the wonderful staff that he has. We have followed Mr. Ghosheh from the RIU Melao, to the RIU Bambu and now to the Palace Punta Cana. It would be unfair for me not to mention that his staff gives their undivided personal attention to their guests. My husband and I travel with our grandchildren and the attention they recieve from the staff is outstanding. They, as well as ourselves, never go unnoticed by the staff members.

The personal attention is the best to be found in the Dominican Republic and I have to honestly say I truly believe it is because of Mr. Ghosheh. Each and every time we have stayed at a resort which Mr. Ghosheh has been the Director, we have had an excellant stay. He is truly a wonderful host and it is always a pleasure to see his smiling face on the grounds of the resort.

In regards to the facilities themselves, "Wow!" The hotel itself is amazing. From the first look at it from the lobby or the beach it is just beautiful. I have to say, as many others also agreed, that the set-up of the restaurants could not have been better. You get the small town atmosphere when you walk out of the restaurants, the music is playing and you see all of the guests enjoying the magical mood that is in the air. What a unique set-up and a very welcome feeling is felt by all.

The hotel rooms are just perfect; with four of us to the room we still had plenty of room to move about. There was not one thing that was not provided for our stay. Not once did we have to request any additional items, the maid service was outstanding. With the four of us to a room, there were many showers had by all and at no point in time did we experience any difficulties with water temperature or pressure. I believe that no matter where your room was located, you had georgeous surroundings.

The pools were amazing. There was not one time when we felt over-crowded in either of the pools, and with two young children that isn't always easy to say. Even when the animation crew was conducting water aerobics, there was still plenty of room for play. For those of you who have commented that the pool was too small, you should consider a resort where your guesttroom has it's own pool. From the form of the pools to the location of the pools, the design was right on. The stationary chairs located in the pool was a terrific idea and a very wise addition.

The food, as always was exceptional. With the variety and the never ending portions of food, we never once went hungry. At times we enjoy our traditional American selections, however we are always open to and look forward to our authenitic favorites and new dishes. If you can't find something to your liking with variety of dishes offered, you should maybe not leave your home country.

The shops located at the Palace Punta Cana meet our every need and not once did we venture down to Carribean Street. We did miss our walks there but the grounds and surroundings and atmosphere at the Palace Punta Cana can not be outdone.

We have stayed at other resorts in Punta Cana as well, and can honestly say that the Palace Punta Cana will be where we will be returning to. We base this on two very important things; one being there is no better Director in Punta Cana than Mr. Ghosheh and the second thing being you won't find personalize attention like you get at the RIU Palace Punta Cana.

The children attended the Kid's Club and were very pleased with it. We don't force the Kid's Club on the kids as we bring them on vacation to spend time with them, but each and every day they would ask, "is it time for the Kid's Club yet?" Kids tell the truth and the truth here being the Kid's Club was the place to be. They participated in the Fashion Show and the dancing on the stage each night of our visit.

From the grounds crew, to the front desk, to the maids, to the animation crew, to the food service workers, to the pool crew, to the bartenders, to the waiters/waitresses, to the bell man, to the management, the RIU Palace Punta Cana meets the highest of standards. At one time our youngest grandson missed his afternoon ice cream with his papa and let's just say he wasn't too happy. One of the staff from the pool area made a special trip and came back with ice cream for our grandson. He was never asked, he just seen the unhappiness expressed by our grandson and took it upon himself to bring a smile back to this little guys face. You just don't see service like that elsewhere.

My husband and I (both 30) just returned from a wonderful vacation at the Riu Palace Punta Cana!!! We booked our trip through TNT Vacations, which I highly recommend if you are from the Boston area. We used TNT in March 2005 as well for our trip to Aruba, and had excellent service both vacations. The charter flights are a bit tight, but fortunately the airline assigns seats based on when you check in. Since we are frequent travelers, we checked in at the last minute for both legs of the flight and managed to secure all three seats to ourselves. That little extra leg room goes a long way. As for our review of the Riu Palace Punta Cana:

HOTEL: Upon arrival, we were greeted and checked in within minutes. Our room was very clean and just the right size. Of course there is a musty smell from the humidity, but after a few minutes you don't even notice it. The turn down and maid service were excellent. The king size bed is hard, however, we slept like babies every night. And the four bottles of liquor and refrigerator full of beverages were much appreciated!

BEACH: The reason for taking a trip to Punta Cana!!! The beach was amazing! There were plenty of lounge chairs for everyone and a warm breeze to keep you cool while basking in the sun. There were plenty of palm trees around to take a nap under. The sand was so soft and the water a beautiful shade of turquoise. There were very small waves and no seaweed to worry about. We spent our entire vacation on the beach.

POOL: The pool is a bit small for the size of this resort, and the water was a little too warm for our tastes. We did enjoy the swim-up bar for a cold pina colada in the afternoon. Despite the size of the pool itself, there were plenty of chairs and umbrellas for the guests, and the service was remarkable. We never had to wait for a drink!

FOOD: We enjoyed the food at the Riu! There is something for everyone, and the service could not have been any better. The Dominicans are the nicest group of people we have ever met!! We made reservations for 4 of the 5 restaurants. Making the reservations took about 5 minutes of our time following breakfast. It is a very easy process! You don't even have to do it everyday since they allow you to book two of the restaurants the day before. The first night we ate at the buffet, Don Manuel, as well as every morning for breakfast. The assortment of food was plentyful and delicious. The pasta bar for dinner was a real treat! The second night we ate at the gourmet restaurant, Sir Oscar's. We both had lamb, which was remarkable. The next night we dined at the Brazilian restaurant, La Bodega. Again we enjoyed it! Monday, we had dinner at the Japanese restaurant. No it is not like what we have in the states, but the chicken and pepper teriyaki skewers were quite tasty. And the last restaurant we ate at was the Italian one, Luigi's. The hot and cold buffet to start was the best part, but our meals were enjoyable too. No complaints at all with regards to the food! Also, just as a side note, I have a very sensitive stomach, and had no problems at all!!!

SPA: The day before leaving, my husband and I both enjoyed massages at the spa. We signed up for the free Riu membership card and received 25% off our massages. It came to $100 for two 50-minute, much needed massages! We booked them first thing in the morning, and received excellent service.

I really can't help but chuckle when I read reviews from people who have criticisms of this incredible property. I suggest that they might be in a category of travellers that the majority of vacationing public are not - and hence should look at places featured on the Rich and Famous.

This is our seventh trip to Punta Cana, and we have always stayed at five star resorts. The Riu Palace Punta Cana has exceeded all of our expectations, from ambience, class, service, food, accommodations, etc. This hotel is par excellence. Everything positive that has been said in previous reviews is echoed here.

I do have one concern, however. Despite the fact that there is a deadbolt on the room doors, any master key can enter the room without any problem. Therefore, the deadbolt really is ineffective. The front desk staff did not seem to think this was an issue, despite the fact that the Mini Bar guy walked in on us in a state of ....er....undress. When this was addressed, we were indignantly reproached by front desk staff (Rosemary) saying that "if you want to walk around your room naked, then you should put a "do not disturb" sign on your door. While I tried to emphasize that although it was embarrasing, my point was that anyone with ill intentions could easily come into the room at night and slit our throats. They didn't seem to understand our concern and kept reiterating that only the maids and the manager could access your room, and that a "do not disturb sign" should be sufficent to ward off unwelcome visitors! Silly me - someone intent on robbing you and slitting your throat will be deterred by a little red cardboard sign on your door!! Somehow it did not make an impression on them that I did not trust my personal security to the maid.

My wife and I (29 & 34) stayed at the RIU Palace Punta Cana January 3-10. We have traveled to many other islands in the Caribbean and this was our fifth trip to the D.R. and our second trip to Punta Cana. Our first stay in Punta Cana was at the Paradisus. We use Apple Vacations when traveling from the U.S.A. and have had positive experiences with their services in the past. Apple rates this resort 6 golden apples, however I would not agree with that ranking, I would rank it 5 golden apples until they work out the kinks.

This is the nicest property we have ever stayed at and is truly a palace. The hotel was opened this past June therefore is very clean and fresh. The exterior is very impressive when you first pull up to the entrance and at first sight we were very happy with our selection. The reception is exceptional with upscale flooring, paintings, chandeliers and stylish furniture. Check-in was quick and we were escorted to our room.

Room – Very clean and spacious with nice tile floors and granite finishings. Beds were very hard which was a bit uncomfortable. The bathroom was well appointed but did not have an exhaust fan and water pressure in the shower was very low. The refrigerator was restocked every other day and also had 4 different bottles in the liquor dispenser. Yes, there was a slight musty smell but what did people expect, they were in a country with a very high level of humidity. The housekeepers cleaned daily and had turn down service every evening. They did a great job of keeping the room clean. We tipped her $2 everyday which was well worth it. The biggest negative to the room was the noise that echoed throughout the hallways. When somebody would slam the door or speak loudly, you were able to hear all the noise inside your room which was very annoying to me because I’m a light sleeper. The sound and music from the shows would also carry throughout the hotel because it’s designed in a horseshoe shape. I had to keep the A/C on all the time to drown out the excessive noise. I personally would have rather been in a bungalow style room. If you are a light sleeper and are looking for peace and quiet then this type of hotel is not for you.

Grounds – The hotel is very clean with workers constantly cleaning and manicuring the landscaping. The Spa was also impressive and seemed to be a best kept secret. They have to two large Roman bath type pools (one warm and one cold) which were hidden in the back of the Spa. You have to walk through the bathrooms to access them, well worth discovering. There is also a gym, sauna and massage rooms.

Beach – Gorgeous! This is why my wife and I came back to Punta Cana, one of the nicest beaches we’ve been to. A very wide beach with powder white sand, many palm trees for shade and plenty of loungers available any time of the day. The water was very clean but swimming might be a bit challenging to some due to the rough waves. Make a right and walk for about 20 minutes and you’ll run into numerous huts with souvenirs, cigars, jewelry etc. Make sure you haggle with the vendors because they’ll high ball you with the initial price. Remember, many vendors sell the same goods so you do yourself a favor and visit all the huts to familiarize yourself with the prices and then buy when you are about to leave.

Pool – Average and a disappointment in my opinion. The pool seemed a bit small for a resort of this size. The architect definitely dropped the ball here because there is ample room to make the pool and lounging area bigger. The Paradisus’ pool was much larger and much nicer. The loungers were all reserved very early although there is a sign stating that you cannot reserve loungers. We witnessed two fights over “reserved” loungers. It felt very crowded around the pool area. The best part of the pool was the swim up bar. Efficient bar tenders handing out cold drinks. We spent most of the day at the beach and came to the pool area later in the afternoon when there were less people.

Food – Another disappointment. A person would definitely be out of line to say that the food is inedible. However, the previous reviews got it right when they mentioned the food was not very good. The buffet (Don Manuel) had something for everyone and served breakfast, lunch and dinner. We ate all breakfasts here and the lunch menu is much better then La Altagracia next to pool. Do yourself a favor and take a short walk and eat lunch at Don Manuel, we realized it too late. There are five specialty restaurants for dinner in which you have to make reservations for at the Luigi’s @ 9:45 AM till 11AM. This was the most frustrating system I have ever seen. Who wants to wait in line on their vacation everyday @ 9:45 to make reservations? Last year we stayed at the Bahia Principe in Riviera Maya where upon arrival you booked all your specialty restaurants at one time for the entire week. I guess the silver lining with RIU’s system is that you can eat at the same specialty restaurant more than once. They all have very limited menus with about 4 choices in each. Sir Oscar (gourmet) - good service, decent food, small portions, all about show. Luigi’s (Italian) - no real Italian dishes on the menu, good appetizers, good steak and good service. Yokohama (Japanese) Terrible food and terrible service. La Bodega (Brazilian) - very good meat skewers and great service. La Altagracia (Steakhouse) – my favorite, great food and great service.

Entertainment – Not very good but the performers try hard. Don’t expect Las Vegas or Broadway type shows. There’s a live band that plays every night until 9:45PM just until the shows are about to start. There are many servers taking drink orders before, during and after the shows so your glass is never empty kudos to the hard working staff. Also, there are different outside vendors selling their goods in the plaza every evening.

The hotel caters to an older crowd and is very suitable for couples and families. This is not the place for wild nightlife however there is a disco near the Macao entrance for anyone interested. The majority of guests were from Europe with some Americans and Canadians sprinkled in.

In general, the staff worked very hard, aimed to please, were very friendly and always had a smile on their faces. We brought a lot singles and tipped for great service. You won’t miss the extra dollar bills and it will go a long way in the life of these hard workers that should be rewarded for trying to make our stay very pleasurable and memorable. If possible, gifts of toiletries and toys are greatly appreciated by the locals.

Overall, we had a great vacation considering some of the inconsistencies. I would definitely recommend this hotel but won’t return only because there are so many other resorts that we would like to visit. If I had to choose again between the Paradisus or the Palace, I would choose the Paradisus.

My wife & I recently returned from the Riu Palace in Punta Cana; overall the vacation was very good, we've been to both Riu Palaces in Mexico, and the resort layout here is similar, maybe a little larger.

One situation did annoy us when we arrived; we sent an email in advance requesting a room facing the courtyard on the 3rd or 4th floor; we appreciate there are no guarantees regarding rooms, but when we inquired about changing our room, we were told by the night desk manager there was nothing available they were overbooked, next he said these rooms cost extra, although no one told us this, nor did any site info indicate that was the case. We also over heard him tell others the resort was overbooked. However, once the crowds disappeared, he was able to magically find us a room facing the courtyard at no extra cost. I should point out that in other dealings I had with the front desk (day time), the staff was very helpful (and honest).

We arrived late (11:00pm) but the resort had the Italian restaurant stay open for those that arrived late, so we didn't have to eat at the Sports Bar.

The rooms are reasonable large and clean, with a step-down sitting area which is a nice touch. The bathrooms are large. Some rooms have a king size bed, while others have two queen size beds pushed together which isn't as comfortable. You get clean towels twice a day (morning & evening).

The food is fine, although not has good as the food in Mexico. Admittedly, for dinner reservations you had to line-up that day (10am) but it didn't take long - maybe 10 to 15 minutes. This seemed to avoid people making multiple reservations at the beginning of their stay at one or two restaurants throughout the week, and thereby not allowing everyone a chance to try all of them. The wine that is generally served is somewhat sweet, we ask for a dry wine and the staff found one we preferred.

There is a large courtyard, where you can sit and have a drink before dinner which is very relaxing. The bars close around midnight - it would be nice if they stayed open to at least 1am - but the Sports Bar is open to around 2am.

The beach was excellent, with lots of shade if that's what you want. The beach is also great for walking. There was some seaweed in the water for the first few days and than it disappeared for the rest of the week.

The pool is large with a swim-up bar. There were lots of lounges with umbrellas so you don't have to get up early to find one.

Overall the staff was friendly and very helpful, although their English is limited, but we could always communicate and get what we wanted.

We must have picked a week when the friendly and helpful staff went on vacation. If you could not speak Spanish you were basically ignored. The food was fair and most dishes were repeated daily. The premium alcohol was less than "top shelf". Drink selections were very limited and you could not vary much from their pre-printed menu of drinks. I am not a wine drinker but others in our party were not impressed.

The Hotel itself was impressive but please note, wet marble tile is VERY slippery and it does rain occasionally. Rooms were nice but the noise from the other guests was disturbing. The pool was too small and confined to a tight area, the six fountains were a waste and maybe a few could have been incorporated into the pool to give the guests a little feeling of relaxation. the beach was narrow especially at high tide. It is beautiful though and the water was great too.

The front desk staff was all smiles on arrival and that was it. Trying to get change on our last day to leave tips for the few actually nice staff members we met was impossible. Numerous trips to the front desk were met with, "we have no change, come back in an hour". Needless to say, these deserving people got screwed by their fellow workers.

This is to review our visit last week to the Riu Palace Punta Cana.

The resort is beautiful to look at and extremely clean. The staff is very warm and friendly and tries very hard to please the guests. The beach is lovely although the water tends to be very messy with seaweed frequently making it less than appealing to swim in. The beach itself is lovely.

The food is beyond terrible at all venue's on the property. All four in our party were ill with gastro problems for several of our days there. We met people from all over the world that will never return due to the food issues at this resort. The management only extends dining reservations at specialty restaurants if you stand in line in front of the restaurant at 10AM every morning you wish to eat in one of these dining venue's. I have better things to do than stand for six hours during a vacation week making dining reservations. It is all terrible anyways.

My room was dirty with no ammenities upon arrival, my sheets seemed to not have been changed from the previous guests. There are never face cloths and they want you to shampoo your hair with body wash!!!

Very little premium liquers here!! The drinks are very poorly mixed and watery. Wines are terrible and nobody can tell you anything about the wine. They say, White? Red?........

The language barrier for Americans is very difficult here with no understanding at all. Ask for a cup of tea and get a fork is common. Tea is served without cups unless you ask!! Only Leche for cereal or coffee/tea.

The Riu idea of 24/7 food service is a refrigerator with old sandwiches, hamburgers and hotdogs to put in a micowave oven to heat yourself. Not my idea of five star service!!

No shuttles to the other available properties unless you go to the Casino at night.

Spa is usually empty and there are no spa menus with pricing except for one book in the spa at the front desk. I saw nobody booking after several visits while there. Sad, since the Spa is lovely. The staff was sitting around doing nothing.

Hello fellow travelers!

I found others’ reviews quite helpful when deciding on our vacation destination, so here goes my two cents:

My husband and I spent a week in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, at the newest of the Riu hotels, The Riu Palace Punta Cana ( Oct.21st-28th). First and foremost, a little about us, since I think that there’s a significant correlation between people’s reviews and their age/personality/travel experience. My husband and I are 30 and 29. We’re both professionals, no children, fitness fanatics (this is relevant, see below), non-drinkers for the most part, and have considerable “all inclusive” travel experience (I’ve been to Cuba 3 times, Dominican twice, and once in Mexico, all 4-5 star resorts). We’re from the greater Toronto area in Ontario, Canada.

Hotel/Room: DEFINITELY impressive! All the pictures on the web are accurate, it really IS that grand, that elegant, that clean, etc, etc! Walking in for the first time is quite the experience as you’re surrounded by granite, crystal, and various art! The hotel is beautiful, spacious, and well maintained. The rooms are all within the hotel (i.e. there are no bungalows or separate quarters like in other hotels) which may be a bit challenging if you prefer quiet (i.e. if you don’t want to be disturbed by entertainment, you’ll get a room in the farthest “wing” of the hotel at the cost of being a bit of a walk from the restaurants/buffet). We moved bc of the noise level, there was no problem. The room is once again very nice, clean, spacious, has a balcony and a small “living room” area with a TV. The fridge is always filled with soft drinks, replaced daily, and there is alcohol in the room as well (we never tried it, not big drinkers). The one problem we both had is the smell in the room. It has that musty/humid smell that could not be eliminated despite of cranking the AC! Our clothes were permeated by this smell to the point that it has been 2 weeks since we returned, and it’s still there! We finally figured that this may be bc the hotel is only a few months old and perhaps they’re still fine tuning the airconditioning system. Now, do not be afraid, it was not HOT. In fact, you could make the room freezing cold, it was just musty. All clothes in the closet was damp and had a “smell”.

BEACH: Beautiful! We went for walks every day, my husband ran in the mornings, and we never made it to either end! It’s endless! Sand is almost white, water turquoise, just gorgeous! We also swam everyday, waves got big at times, but it was great. We went kayaking a few time, my husband went sailing, etc. There IS a bit of a problem with the equipment (i.e. book in ADVANCE…you could never get anything right there and then) but with a bit of planning, no problem.

FOOD: Great as far as I’m concerned. More seafood would have been nice (i.e. chicken and fish were regulars, I was hoping for more shrimp and lobster) but you could always find something you liked.We mostly ate at the buffet, although we tried the Japanese and Italian restaurant. I would CAUTION AGAINST THE JAPANESE RESTAURANT. We ate there on our second last night there and it’s the only thing that upset our stomachs. Do NOT eat the sushi. I ate a few pieces, my husband went all out! Consequently, I just felt a bit “unsettled” for a day, he had a “busy” trip back!

DRINKS: I can’t comment, don’t drink. Husband had a few rum&cokes, said they’re pretty “weak”. We DEFINITELY got our money’s worth in coffee however! We’re big on caffeine and just LOVED to sip on cappuccinos in the lobby. Even the morning coffee in the dining room is good. Fresh juices were also served with breakfast, which was fantastic.

FITNESS FACILITY: No one ever writes about this, but I’m certain there are a FEW of you out there who get anxious at the thought of not hitting the gym for 7 days straight! Anyhow, they’re gym is certainly no Premier Fitness, but if you’re creative, you can make it work. The actual space is nice, air conditioned, the equipment not too impressive. Three treadmills, 2 stairclimbers, 2 stationary bikes (that kept braking down). Weights: 8 and 10 lbs, which was fine for me, but all you gentlemen would have to double up. There’s also a chest press (semi broken) and a leg extension/curl machine. Anyhow, with all the swimming and walking, this was enough for “maintenance”.

CLIENTELE: Mostly German! Not sure if this was just the time of year, but there were a LOT of German people. Nothing against them, but it was hard to meet someone our age who spoke English! Speaking of which, this is an “older” resort. We did not mind this, since we’re past the “clubbing/partying” stage, but if people in their 20’s/early 30’s are considering this resort, they may be happier at the Riu Bambo next door, which was more of a party place. This hotel is quieter, hardly any children, most patrons on the “wealthier” side. In fact, the dinners were a daily fashion show with some women going all out (as in evening gowns, sequins and all!). You could get away with a dressier shirt and a black skirt, but jeans would probably not fit in.

ENTERTAINMENT: As mentioned, pretty tamed, compared to next door. We did not really see any shows, tried to get as much sleep as possible and be up for 7 am to walk the beach, it was the best time to do it. Day time pool entertainment was once again occasional and fairly quiet.

We are a couple in our late 40’s who recently returned from the Riu Palace Punta Cana. I heartily agree – the disgruntled reviews of this hotel are totally out of line. Our previous all-inclusive stays include the Grand Palladium and Bahia Principe in Riviera Maya and the Sunscape in LaRomana, DR.

Our trip started badly – we flew USA3000 out of Baltimore. The flight was at 8:00 a.m. and they waited until 7:30 to decide they needed a part from Philadelphia. That plane should have been checked and ready to go long before 7:30 – and any parts they needed should have been in Baltimore. When I joked to the Apple rep on the plane about what he was going to do to make it up to us – he shrugged his shoulders and gave me a look that said “Whatever.” I really was only kidding, but his attitude irritated me.

Once we landed in the Dominican Republic though, it was all smooth sailing. We flew through customs – we were all amazed how soon we were on the bus to our resort. The Palace is about a half an hour away from the airport. The drive there is sobering because of the surrounding poverty and trash. The Riu Palace Punta Cana is truly a “PALACE.” Words cannot convey what a beautiful place this hotel is, and we probably will not be able to afford to stay here in the future. See it now, because the prices are only going to go up, up, up.

We booked our trip with Judy and Maria’s Travel out of Pennsylvania. Though we did get a great price – we did not feel we received any special attention because we booked with them. It was off-season and our room overlooked palm trees and the Bahia Principe property. Save your money - it’s not necessary to subscribe to their web-site – you can get the same information, and more advice from Trip Advisor, or Debbie’s Dominican for free. The room itself was very beautiful, with a lot of marble, and a step down area for sitting and watching television. There is a balcony and it was very nice to sit out on the deck in the evening. If you like to drink, you would never have to leave your room – there is an excellent selection of liquors and mixers.

As for the food, I was skeptical when other reviews kept saying that they preferred the buffet to the a la carte restaurants - but the buffet really is excellent. You can dine either in the air-conditioned part, or outside on the veranda. We usually preferred the outdoors because it seemed more tropical and intimate. I often enjoyed champagne or mimosas for breakfast and the staff was always friendly. They work extremely long days and still remain up-beat. Say hello to Regina – she is expecting and always had a smile while working a very hard day.

The a la cartes we ate at were Luigi’s – Italian, la Botega – Brazilian, and la Atlagracia – steakhouse. If you go to the steakhouse – bring your bug spray if you eat very close to the beach. My husband went back to the room to get the spray – otherwise we would have had to move. The food and service at Luigi’s was very good; the service at la Botega was excellent – the food so, so. The steakhouse was good but the service was somewhat slow. For these restaurants though, you have to make a reservation and get more dressed up. Either format requires men to wear long pants and closed toe shoes. However, we did see some jeans and open toe shoes sneak in both types of restaurants.

What the Palace lacks is a more casual lunch choice. Here you can’t get too casual for lunch - and who feels like leaving the pool and getting pulled together? If you are staying at the Palace you can go down to the other beachfront restaurants at the Macao or Bambu for much more casual dining. The ambience at the Caribe Bar at the Macao was very tropical and relaxing.

The weather was amazing, yet draining sometimes due to the heat. We had one day of rain, and that was probably for the best to get us out of the strong Caribbean sun. Bring sunscreen or you will pay dearly for it. Don’t bother with the insulated cups – the staff always keeps a fresh, cold drink coming.

As for souvenirs, vendors come to the hotel a couple days a week and set up. There is also a flea market down the beach with the same merchandise. You must bargain and if you are a woman – tell them “no molestar” and they will stop pressuring you as much.

As an all-inclusive resort, they say tips are included. Please consider tipping really good service. They work very hard, and if you put yourself in their shoes, you might reconsider.

Spent one week earlier at Secrets, but had to see this brand new Riu property.

The grandest lobby in Punta Cana. One block of marble, chandeliers, stained glass, mirrors and gillt . For some maybe to glitzy, but total air-conditioning except the pool, grill, and the patio bar. The largest lobby bar I have seen in DR with a pianist every night. The grand staircase to lower level is beautiful. going to the patio bar, the three level air-conditioned show lounge and huge bar and the majority of the restaurants.

The main buffet was the nicest I have seen in Punta Cana. Italian restaurant has good items, the Brazilian had all types of meats served on swords and a great appitizer table with all the fresh heart of palm I could eat Sir Oscar the gourmet restaurant was especially good. Great salads, fish and good crepes with ice cream. The JapeneseRestaurant was good (not just Caribbean good, but good) Never went to the grill by the beach but others gave it good marks.

In a year the palms and flora will grow to match the rest of the Riu compound. Went to the Palace Macoe for cocktails, dinner and the Casino As Macao is half the size of the Punta Cana it appears busier. The Cubano bar is lovely with five pieces for music every night. The main bartender at the Cubano could give lessons in Havanna on Mojitos. Casino big but really very impersonal. If you are not gambling, they charge for drinks. Not good if you are just relaxing before you step up to the tables/.

PACHA DISCO IS THE VERY BEST IN PUNTA CANA. Never less than one hunfred people even at 4 AM closing. Free admitance for Riu guests as well as Riu staff, cover charge for those from other hotels, but charged for drinks. $3 for beer....$4 for rum....$5 for Scotch.,,, well worth it for seeing a lot of happy people. $3 taxi back to the Palace Punta Cana. Sports bar with food , sports tv, and booze open 24 hrs. in Palace Punta Cana.lobby area on main floor.

NOW FOR THE DOWNSIDES: As I walk slowly with a cane I emailed as did my travel group VACATION EXPRESS to get me a room in this U shaped hotel close to an elevator and the lobby. I even received email back acknowledging my request with a promise to honor it. The hotel was slightly less than half full. I was taken to a room in the third of four sections, facing a field and the Bahia Principe Hotel far away from an elevator. I called immediately and the bellman was back to move me to a room in the second section nearer an elevator with a beautiful view of the courtyard and fountains. Still a long walk for me.

After a week I needed some cleaning, laundry, and pressing. Found the bags and filled out the sheets and called housekeeping to come and pick it up. I had one silk shirt to dryclean, two fine cotton bermudas to dryclean, two shirts to launder and press, and a pair of fin