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Riu Palace Punta Cana: Traveler Reviews

4.0 of 5
Playa de Arena Gorda, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
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Riu Palace Punta Cana
Ranked #46 of 99 hotels in Punta Cana
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2,119 reviews from our community

Traveler rating
    865
    635
    305
    184
    130
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Families
481
 
Couples
1050
 
Solo
26
 
Business
27
 
Rating summary
  • Location
    4.5 of 5 stars
  • Sleep Quality
    4 of 5 stars
  • Rooms
    4 of 5 stars
  • Service
    4 of 5 stars
  • Value
    4 of 5 stars
  • Cleanliness
    4 of 5 stars
Date Rating
Toronto, Canada
Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
5 hotel reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
11 helpful votes 11 helpful votes
“A really nice place....”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed December 10, 2012

Just returned from second stay in 4 years, the room we got this time not quite as nice a view as the jr,suite supreme still lovely to use kept very clean and well appointed, no shortage of drinks in the room nice balcony good bed and very quite. Room make up varied each day but was done and turn down service at night which was a nice touch. Beautiful beach and lots of chairs and umberallas to use.Food generally very good, good selection in buffet for each meal. There are several ala carte restuarants of which we found the steak house the best. The Italian is ok but not genuine Italian and a little music would be nice. The gourmet was really nice but you need to be a bit of a gourmand to really like it.The drinks are good and plentiful in any of the 5 bars. The casino is a waste of time. A little entertainment on The Plaza would be good but it was mainly around the pool area, shows at night except Karaoke was fair to middling . In a party of 12 there were few complaints, would return again and would not hesitate to recommend it as a really really nice all inclusive.Found the staff very plesant and courteous language was a small bit of a problem but they have host and hostess's who can always help so it is easy to be understood. Again as I said before a really nice holiday.

  • Stayed December 2012, traveled with friends
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 3
Ask Harry S about Riu Palace Punta Cana
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
1 review
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
“Lock up your belongings”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed December 9, 2012 via mobile

We had a wallet stolen from us minutes after checking in. Staff were very rude and inconsiderate playing down the incident. The same thing happened to another individual that we bumped into as well. The rooms are nice and the service is very good. It is a pity there are thieves around. I am most disappointed with staffs lack of sympathy and assistance in this situation. They reacted as if we had lost it and didn't offer any help.

  • Stayed December 2012
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 8
Ask Arashza about Riu Palace Punta Cana
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Toronto, Canada
1 review
12 helpful votes 12 helpful votes
“Beautiful resort but lock down your stuff”
2 of 5 stars Reviewed December 9, 2012

We were four guys travelling together. We were very surprised to see the quality of the resort. Everything was nice and the service great BUT there was a big issue with our things going missing. When we got to our rooms we immediately went for a drink, but when we got back half an hour later we found that one of the wallets along with all the IDs and $700 was stolen from the room. The management were less than concerned about it saying it was our responsibility to lock everything in the safe. They were really rude about it too. For the rest of our stay we made sure that all our money and valuables were locked away but by day 4 again a scuba diving shirt and a pair of expensive sunglasses went missing form our room. This time the management said they would look into it and told us that we would be removed from the hotel if we made a big deal out of it.
During our stay another person from Quebec also had their wallet and money stolen which led us to believe that these thefts were wide spread and we were not imagining things. The management never got back to us and never offered any apologies.
At the end although we were down $1200 due to thefts and the fact that everyone on the resort were either old or couples we had a good time. If you ever end up going to this resort LOCK EVERYTHING DOWN or risk having it stolen.

  • Stayed December 2012, traveled with friends
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 12
Ask ace h about Riu Palace Punta Cana
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Ottawa
Senior Reviewer
9 reviews 9 reviews
8 hotel reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
12 helpful votes 12 helpful votes
“Wonderful time at the RPPC”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed December 8, 2012

The resort itself is stunning. From the architecture to the crystal chandeliers, the hotel is beautiful. We had a room close to the pool and on floor "0". It is not the basement but the lower floor. We overlooked a hedge maze which was very nice. We tried to get an upgrade but were told the hotel was full and unable to comply. No matter. The room was adequate and clean. Two double beds pushed together for a King size but that did not worry us. The food is good. Lots of variety at the buffet, which once again in beautiful and impressive room. The food at the Krystal was our favorite but would recommend that you pass over the steakhouse as the meat was inedible. The Brazilian was fine but we never did get to the Japanese or the Italian. They do go out of their way to make every day special, like having Pina Colada's served in pineapples around the pool, or Sangria again near the pool. The pool itself is small but certainly adequate, but they most definitely need another one. The pool area is quiet other than the music for the aerobics or some activities in the afternoon. Lovely thick cushions on the beach chairs, but you do need to get there early if you want one. The chairs are pretty well gone by 10am. Lots available at the beach though. The beach is nice, but not as nice as the beach at Bavaro, a bit narrower and lots of people enjoying the weather. Speaking of which we got a fair bit of rain but it did not dampen our holiday. The resort is about 1 hr away from the airport but that is due to dropping of people at their resorts along the way. The airport is open-aired and not airconditionned, so keep your shorts and t-shirts on, until the last minute before boarding the plane home. I don't think we will return to this resort, due to the fact that we were not overly impressed with the food and did not fine the pool service all that prompt (in Cancun they almost wake you up from your afternoon snooze to make sure you had a cocktail) and did not find the staff all that friendly whether you tipped them or not. Overall, the holiday was fantastic and we came back relaxed and tanned, which is the whole point, right...Before I forget, they have no Clamato for Bloody Caesar`s for us Canucks, and no Purple Rains either...

Room Tip: Try to get a room on the lower floors as many we spoke to found going up and down the stairs, very b...
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  • Stayed December 2012, traveled as a couple
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 3 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 3 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 2 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 3
Ask MexicoboundOttawa about Riu Palace Punta Cana
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Coram, New York
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
3 hotel reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
11 helpful votes 11 helpful votes
“Beyond our expectations”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed December 5, 2012

We visited this resort for my husband's birthday. This was our second stay at a Riu Resort. We were very pleasantly greeted at the hotel; the reception manager sent a bottle of champagne to the room for my husband's birthday. Our room was nicely appointed and spotless as well as the bathroom. The beach was beautiful with soft sand with "natural" umbrellas (palm trees). The buffet was outstanding serving lobster tails, crayfish, and filet mignon. I've never seen this display at a buffet before. The grounds of the resort were beautiful and well maintained. The evening entertainment was terrific. The staff was very friendly and helpful.

I would strongly recommend the Riu Resorts to my family and friends. From now on, every time we travel (which is several times a year), we will definitely choose Riu if there's one in that area.

  • Stayed October 2012
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 8
Ask Iraklis S about Riu Palace Punta Cana
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
 
 
Riu Palace Punta Cana
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Additional Information about Riu Palace Punta Cana

Also Known As:
Riu Palace Punta Cana Hotel
Riu Palace Punta Cana Hotel Punta Cana
Punta Cana Riu Palace
Riu Palace Hotel Punta Cana
Address: Playa de Arena Gorda, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Region: Caribbean > Dominican Republic > La Altagracia Province > Punta Cana
Amenities:
Beach Fitness Center Free Parking Restaurant Room Service Suites Swimming Pool
Hotel Style:
#21 Romantic Hotels in Punta Cana
#36 Luxury Hotels in Punta Cana
#37 On the Beach Hotels in Punta Cana
#38 Top resorts Hotels in Punta Cana
#42 Family Hotels in Punta Cana
Price Range: $$
Hotel Class:4 star (4*)
Official Description (provided by the hotel):
* Located on Arena Gorda Beach in Punta Cana * Inside the Riu Resort, along with the Riu Palace Macao, Riu Taino, Riu Naiboa hotels and the ClubHotel Riu Bambu * 4-story building * Surrounded by 63,000 m2 / 75,000 sq. yards of lush gardens * Complimentary sun loungers on the beach * 50 km / 31 miles from Hig??ey * 30 km / 19 miles from Punta Cana Int???l. Airport ... more   less 
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