My new husband and I spend 2 weeks over Christmas and New Year 2012. What a wonderful holiday/ honeymoon we had. I had emailed the hotel requesting an upstairs room and also mentioned it was also our honeymoon so wanted it to be perfect as possible. On arrival we went to our room 434 which was very well placed in the resort and and spotlessly clean. Also we were welcomed to the entrance with beautiful swans made from napkins and flowers. This continued right up to our floor. Inside the room there was a touching honeymoon gift for us. What a lovely arrival. This set the scene for the rest of the 2 weeks. The staff are so dedicated and cannot do enough for you. All the areas are kept spotlessly clean and very organised. Both Gala Dinners for Christmas and New Year were outstanding. We found the food in general very good and always something there we wanted to eat. The staff spent all day on Christmas and New Year Eve's decorating the public areas and restaurant. Both were beautiful 10 out of 10 for all the efforts put into this. We found it very relaxed and laid back and enjoyed the option of visiting the other hotels within the resort. We also appreciated the fact that Friedrich Stieb, Manager Guest Services, took the time to come round the public areas most days and spoke to the guests to check all was okay. He was very interested in what you had to say. The only downside was the free Internet in the lobby was pretty hopeless a lot of the time but then again it is a third world country so I suppose it's got to be expected. There was a bit of a problem getting a sun lounger round the pool as people were reserving them and by 7.45am they were all taken. I complained to our rep about this and she assured me that management had been made aware of this and were taking steps to control this. Apart from his we had an absolute wonderful holiday/honeymoon and will definitely go back. Can't wait!

Much has been written in the many reviews already available. Clearly there is a wide array of opinions. Our positives...... Food was fine but don't bother with the limited a la carte restaurants. Not worth the hassle. Wine on site is brutal. Bring your own if your thirsty.

We took the advice of some and got an Ocean view - top floor of buildings 1, 3 and 5. Worked out very well. Nice to see the sunset and have immediate access to a beautiful and lesser used beach. Pools were always busy but had a lot of fun at the swim up bar meeting people and enjoying the watered down rum based drinks. Beach at Bachata was not so nice and did not go in the water much as a result. Better to walk down to the Merengue beaches.

There is a casino and a $50 buy in Texas Hold'em table with $2 and $4 blinds. Louie runs the table and keeps order. Very nice guy - If you go please tell him Andrew from Ottawa says hello!
Enjoyed a few nights there with a cigar and made some money.

The evening shows at Bachata are terrible. Merengue is much much better. Our room was fine and only had one shower that we lacked hot water for 5 minutes. Showers were in good condition. Beds were firm, pillows lumpy and not comfortable. I would not go back but I prefer VRBO's to all you can consume....

When we arrived at the hotel at 1 am Saturday the valet then took an hour to bring us our luggage. Recommend DIY.

Had some massages on the beach and they were good.

Food was almost the same every day - need to have more options and varieties.
Entertainment was not bad - almost the same every night - the timing was late especially for families who have kids. Need to be done before 9:30 - my suggestions right after the kids show at 8:30

To start, we went to this resort for a wedding with 16 people of all ages. It is most definately, not a 5 star. At best, a 2.5 start. I am majorly disappointed that RIU would let this hotel bear their name. None of the 3 RIU's on this strip are and don't be fooled. All of the guests, including the couple getting married were so disappointed. I can't believe her travel agent planned her wedding here...
Beach - rocky, bring water shoes. You can't get in to the water without walking on rocks, in fact, for an ocean lover like myself, I barely ever went in b/c it was so difficult. Water - lovely but rocks until far out but by then, you've given up to get to the sandy areas.
Rooms - Oh where to start...The water bottles were unsealed, refurbished and refilled, with water from where, who knows. They also were not replenished. Rooms were moldy and the bedding was disgusting, old, dated, dirty and the sheets, covers, everything smelled moldy. Our towels - were replaced possibly 3 X while we were there. I called front desk numerous times for face cloths - once at the start of the vacation I received 1 - but it was removed on day 3 and never again did the front desk a) answer my calls or b) follow through with stocking my room. The couch in our suite was visably stained, all over, disgusting. There are no coffee machines in the rooms. In fact, there is only coffee at the front buffet in the mornings. So, unless you have someone who likes to get dressed and walk 2 km to grab coffee so you can enjoy a coffee on your balcony - forget it, you ain't getting any. There is NO iron in the rooms. It costs you $20 (at the front desk - you have to carry it even if you are the BRIDE) to your room and you can have it for 24 hours, then, it must be returned. Our room wasn't cleaned until close to 5 every day. Combine that with wet, dirty towels from mornings shower, it's not fun. Everyone in the party we spoke to - everyone of us - had one lamp that didn`t work.
Staff - Unsmiling, unhappy, unfriendly. Groundsman - we watched them dig and clean the sand with dustpans. They have very little tools and come infrequently. The cups and butts from the day before - not cleaned up. The chairs - not cleaned, wiped down, dried. Covered in webs, sand and other peoples spills. We had close to a carton of cigarettes stolen from our room and any money that was left out was pocketed. We quickly got smart about that. They staff act put off by your presence or any questions you ask of them. They refused to make us drinks at night that had limes in them because they didn't have any more cut up! They wouldn't go to another bar and get them either. The manager in the bar closest to the casino is a royal B. She was the most miserable cow, I've met in a long time.
Shows - bad, clumsy, ripped, old costumes. Poorly choreographed.
No beach restaurant, no nachos, no food after 12 in the bar closest to the rooms (including coffee, tea, water). You don't realize how precious coffee and water are until you can't get them within a 2km radius!
Food - don't even get me started! Its a rice, fries and runny soup on ricey beans kinda place. BTW - lunch is whats left over from dinner the night before. Beware.
Also, all the drunk bafoons from the other resorts enjoy this one too and vice cersa. If you want to party with 20 somethings or teenagers from NY - this is your place! Canadian 30+ woman, families and men, looking to relax - its a no no.
Don't do it. I will NEVER return and I'm planning a trip to the Carribean on the 25th of January and I'm counting out all RIU's after this trip. I am so disappointed with RIU and Lakeview Travel in Niagara Falls for booking this.