The RIU properties are very grand when you drive up in your hotel transfer, but the properties lack a lot of things I would expect from a place that rates itself as 5*
There is only one pool for the entire hotel, and by mid-afternoon is packed, with many rowdy guests.
Service is occasionally excellent... there are some amazing individuals who work at this property. However, these are outnumbered by so many staff who can't even offer a smile, and make it seem like a huge effort in whatever capacity they offer (towel service, drinks, etc). Thanks so Sanchez at the buffet, Leo and many crew around the pool, and several others for WONDERFUL friendly service. The outdoor plaza area was the WORST, followed by the lobby bar. I was tipping, and still couldn't get a smile from the staff! I saw a manager several times intervening and pointing staff to tables who had not been served... I suspect there was a systemic issue going on. I understand that staff deal with difficult clients on a frequent basis, but hello, welcome to the service industry. Get on board or get out. Some of us are happy, grateful, and want to give you a tip.
My room stank of mildew, and when I returned everything I brought, including clothes I never wore, had to be completely washed. I didn't realize I'd become accustomed to the smell until I got home!!! The housekeeper responsible for my room was sweet and lovely, and did a terrific job. She amazed me... probably 8 months pregnant, and still paying great attention to all the little details to leave pretty towel art, and somehow sifting all the sand out of the shower!!

The gym was sadly outfitted, and they offered water sports you couldn't take part in because of the surf on this beach. There is a small area you are allowed to swim in, and any small boats are only allowed to traverse the perimeter but not go to the reef, offering a very limited space. I brought my own snorkeling equipment, and couldn't use it.
The beach was AMAZING in the sense that you could walk for miles on end and keep on going!!! However, with a higher tide, there was little width to walk on and it became very crowded later in the day. I went out at 6am and it was divine. That was the highlight of my trip.

You can't really leave the resort unless you go on grossly overpriced group tours. The representative for my tour kept pressing these on me, and having travelled solo through India and Southeast Asia, these are NOT my cup of tea. I had one request... how do I deliver donations for local schools and orphanages. She said I had to pay $60 minimum to ride on a 6x6 bus with 50 other people to a 'local school' and see the 'real life' of people in the DR. Uh-huh. I called the Rotary Club instead and they happily picked up my items for schools that aren't on the tour, and for children who really need the clothes and school supplies.

Food... well, I was somewhat disappointed but at the same time I'll eat pretty much anything. I've been to Cuba several times, and found it on par. Most food was flavourless, and everything is fried. I can't figure out why their tomatoes and watermelon have no flavour at all... but the passion fruit was terrific. At least I could ask for Tabasco at breakfast. The Chef's station at the buffet tended to have the best offerings... a seafood stew, curry, lobster or another specialty.

All in all, I was bored stiff, and this was not the right choice for me. For someone who loves to lie in the sun, it would probably be much more idyllic. I'd prefer to go back to Cuba... the staff AND the clients at the resorts in Cuba are so much friendlier, and that's what makes a holiday fun and enjoyable.

We have recently returned from this hotel which was to celebrate my wifes 50th birthday. The holiday booked via Thomson over 12 months ago had special room requests that were not honoured when arriving at reception. However having explained the situation we were relocated to room 1112 which was a perfect location.The hotel was pure luxury with a very impressive reception area,all the restaurants offering great service and selection,the themed restaurants were something special with great food,just a shame you could only book from 8.00am 3 days in advance.The pool areas were well maintained and there was never a problem obtaining a sunbed or umbrella. The pools did tend to get dirty by the end of the day,but this was down to "drunken americans" spilling cocktails!!.In relation to the rooms they were spacious and clean although there was evidence of that damp musty smell mentioned in other reviews.Once the air conditioning was in use it went away but I have to admit on opening our suitcase on our return all items smelt,even those that had not been worn.I am not sure if this musty smell is isolated to this hotel or the general Dominican Tropical climate as this was our first visit to the Caribbean,perhaps others would like to comment on this. This Riu is in need of a little (TLC) as the exterior building and the inside of our room showed a requirement for repainting. Contrary to belief you are not welcome to use the facilities at the Riu Bavvaro or Riu Maccao,no explanation was given for this. The courtesy bus service was a little hit and miss and the trip to the designer shopping mall was a complete waste of time as you could not afford to buy anything. The evening entertainment was a big let down and comprised basically of the daytime animation team taking to the stage!!,I would have expected more professional and varied acts over the 10 day period.The drinks and service in the restaurants,pool area and the beach was first class with branded labels available if asked for.This hotel is very large and attracts guests predominantly from America,Canada,Brazil and Argentina,there are very few Europeans.The americans were very loud particularly around the pool bar,often disturbing other guests.As a seasoned traveller this review does appear somewhat negative,but after all it was the most expensive holiday I have ever had and my expectations were very high.It is a shame it fell short in some areas.I would be interested in the views of other readers together with those of the Hotel management.

The hotel is appx 30 minutes from the Airport and has a good first impression. Our room was on the 3rd floor towards the of front (lobby) of the hotel. Our room overlooked the fountains. Yes, it was musty smelling, but you are in a tropical environment. Yes, there were a couple of bugs in the unit on occasion, again, you're in a tropical humid area. Nothing unusual or frustrating.
We had a junior suite with a king bed. The bed was newer and comfortable. The bedspread needed to be replaced, but that was the only issue we had. Bathroom was decent sized, but teh shower/bath was a bit dark. Cleaning staff was always good. Free wifi throughout the resort. Simply ask the front desk for the user name and password. Food was good, nothing fantastic, but good, selection was great. We had stellar service from Ronny and Joel in the dining area each morning and evening. Amazing walking path along the beach between the 5 RIU resorts. Cristian, Leo and Henry in the pool area provided amazing service. The beach is stunning and always easy to find a chair. Bring your own travel cup with a lid to fill drinks & $1 bills for tips :) . We also did an excursion provided by Prieto Tours (in the hotel, towards the Sports Bar) that Victor helped arrange. 5 hours of history, rum factory, cigar factory, & a tour of Higüey. Definitely worth it to get out and see what lies beyond the resort walls. Overall, very pleased with the resort & staff

This is a large hotel. The reception is huge with high ceilings and large pillars. It looked amazing.
The room was large with two 4'6'' beds then on a lower level, a seating area with TV, and then the balcony. The TV selection is good, the mini bar had 4 bottles of spirits plus beer, soft drinks and water in the fridge and the air con is quiet. The maid service was first class.

Although the general appearance of the hotel was slightly tired, it did not affect our enjoyment of the holiday. The two pools were good and the bar service was excellent. The beach was close and the bar service on the beach was good. The entertainment team did a good job during the day.

The quality of the food was very good and the choice was outstanding. The waiting staff were very attentive and this made the dining experience noteworthy. There is food and drink available 24 hours and I never had bad service throughout our two weeks. In addition to the main buffet restaurant here are 5 specialist restaurants, which are free to use but need to be booked in advance and offer a pretty fixed menu with full waiter service.

I would recommend a bit of tipping, it's well worth it. We tipped the pool towel guy and soon he was putting fresh towels on our favorite beds each day. The restaurant staff looked for us and gave us decorated tables and we never waited for drinks in any bar. It adds to your cost but also adds to your overall holiday experience.

On the downside, there was no hot water on occasions but I looked at what we had paid and I had to conclude that on the value for money scale this holiday was brilliant.

The quality of the service delivered by the staff, which we found to be outstanding, made this holiday.