Hotel Riu Palace Bavaro

Just came back from a great relaxing week at the Riu Palace Bavaro. The beach is stunning with lots of palm trees for shade, warm clear water, and soft sand. Food and entertainment were great. Even has a water park - definitely something for everyone. By far the standouts, though, were the staff. In particular, at La Bambola - Edwardo, Elian, and Yuleysi made us feel so welcome and special every breakfast and dinner we went there. At Taino (the buffet), we were always greeted by Paco. We loved aquafit led by Roberto and “Sexy Coco.” Finally, the entertainment team helped us to learn to dance each evening - Yeison, Kelvin, and Luis were fun and patient instructors and got us on the dance floor! It was also great to see that the hotel seemed wheelchair accessible - ramps into pools and no stairs throughout the grounds. Overall a wonderful experience made better by amazing staff - would recommend to anyone!

We would like to leave a very positive review for Carlos, the beach waiter. He always brings everything on time, works quickly, and is extremely attentive to guests’ needs. His service is consistently excellent, and he truly goes above and beyond. We are very satisfied with his work, and he definitely deserves a promotion. Overall, we had a very positive experience and were satisfied with our stay. The hotel looks absolutely luxurious after the renovation, and the food quality is excellent. We would definitely recommend this hotel. One suggestion for improvement: it would be great to divide the hotel into separate areas — one for families with children and another for younger guests. When young people return from night parties around 3 a.m., they can be quite loud, shouting and making noise, which makes it difficult for families to sleep. This is something worth considering for guest comfort. Another minor downside was the change at the beach restaurant. It now mainly offers fast food, with very limited healthy options. To have a healthier meal, you need to go to the main restaurant. This is not a major issue, but it is noticeable compared to how it was before the renovation. Overall, we are happy with our stay and would recommend the hotel to others.

We had an absolutely amazing experience at RIU Macao Punta Cana! From the moment we arrived, the service was outstanding—everyone was warm, welcoming, and genuinely attentive. The rooms were spotless and very comfortable, and the food was incredible—fresh, flavorful, and with so many great options every day. This resort is truly family-oriented, with tons of activities for kids and adults alike, which made our stay even more special. We spent New Year’s there with my husband and our kids, and it was such a memorable way to celebrate—full of fun, joy, and great energy. What stood out the most was how beautifully they embrace their culture and share it with guests. You can truly feel the warmth, kindness, and pride of the people, which makes the experience even more meaningful. We made wonderful family memories and would absolutely recommend this resort to anyone looking for great service, amazing food, and a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere. We can’t wait to come back!

We just got back from a weeks stay at this resort. The resort is beautiful and kept very clean. Staff are friendly. |The beach is beautiful. There was some seaweed but the staff cleaned it as best as possible. |We had a connecting room in the main building. |The food here is mediocre. We liked the steakhouse and zen the best. But it sucks that you need to stand in line by 6:00pm in order to get a table at the restaurants. |The Italian was the worst. Appetizers were good but waiting 2 hours to get a plate of pasta is ridiculous. |In the food court my family enjoyed the wok station the best. |Please be very careful with the chicken nuggets/tenders. Thank god my son cut into it as It was raw chicken. However a lot of kids help themselves to that station and they probably just eat them without checking. |Burgers were also pink at the American country restaurant even after you tell them to make it well done. |Just check your food before eating it especially the meat or fish. |I have never eaten so many carbs on a vacation before. Meat , fish was not cooked properly and I didn’t eat any salads. |Sports bar smelt of sewage. My teens wanted to play pool but it smelt bad in there. |The nightly entertainment here is lacking. We had more fun playing bingo at the casino than watching the magic show or karaoke.

I had an absolutely wonderful stay at the Riu Palace Bávaro from February 3 to February 11, 2026. I would like to give special thanks to Ana from customer service by the lobby. She was incredibly professional and helpful, and made the process of choosing the hotel so easy. The room was spotless and had a lovely view. Everything from the atmosphere to the people was just fantastic. I would 100% recommend this hotel. Best regards, Malgorzata

Traveled with Friends and our Kids (ages 6-11). Kids loved the option to hit the water park. The property was gorgeous and beach was nice. Seaweed could use a fresh rake by the 6th day we were there but was otherwise clean. A few “vendors” unfortunately wander through your relaxation from time to time on the beach. Pools were well kept as was the rest of the property. Bartenders and servers were hit and miss. Some very kind with a smile while others seemed rude or barely a nod. I did think at least some more workers would be English fluent for better conversation but then again I don’t know much for Spanish either. Food was also middle ground. The options for meals were great but sometimes overcooked (steakhouse surf n turf) or just not prepared well. The RIU club parties were super fun, ages ranged anywhere from 20-50 years old. All in all I would go back but if you want the top tier treatment this wasn’t it which in itself is ok by me as that’s not what my main concern is. DR off resort is a bit sad in terms of garbage all over the side of the roads and such but I’m not factoring that into the resorts rating.

I would give the Hotel/Resort 5 stars. We had a great experience. Some of my family members were in The Villas closer to the ocean and their rooms were musty and had some mold, but our room was in the main part by the lobby and our room was fantastic! The staff was so friendly, helpful and professional. The restaurants were good. The food in the restaurants wasn't the absolute best but it was fine. The breakfast buffet was amazing! I was surprised that with just a regular reservation (not elite), we could get Buffalo Trace Bourbon and other spirits that weren't just bottom shelf. And unlike our cruise experiences, the drinks weren't watered down at all. I went to the SPA for a massage one dat and a manicure another day. The SPA was very clean and the staff was great. The massage was great! The manicure was average, but I just got the basic manicure. It was more just shaping my nails, a little cuticle work and polish. Not complaining, just explaining for you. 😃 There were lots of excursions you could do, a water park, and several pools. The pools were clean and well-maintained. We would go back!

I have been to many RIU and this one was excellent. While being a resort with families, it was a very chill resort and had a similar experience to an adults only. The food was delicious, the Mexican and Asian restaurants were favorites, staff was friendly, everything was clean, and the rooms were comparable. I would come back!