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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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2,114 reviews from our community

Traveler rating
    864
    631
    305
    184
    130
See reviews for
Families
479
 
Couples
1048
 
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
Waterloo, Canada
Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
8 hotel reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
30 helpful votes 30 helpful votes
“Great holiday”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed December 23, 2012

I traveled from Dec 15 - 22nd with my family (11, 22,24, and three 50 yr olds).

This was a very nice and clean resort. Everything is within the U-shaped hotel and in front of it, and was within a 5 min walking distance. The beach area was great and kept clean (though my favourite beaches are still in Cuba - I haven't seen anything like those crystal clear turquoise waters yet!). We had to wake up to save chairs as it was a busy time for traveling. There are big waves, and if you've been to Punta Cana before, I think all of the resorts pretty much have the same beach style.

We tried the Brazilian and Italian restaurants - the Brazilian was a lot better in my opinion. They bring out a variety of meats for you which were excellent. The Italian was average. The food at the buffet was great, though a little repetitive and not as much selection as I have seen at other RIUs, and that bothered some of the people I traveled with.

This was my first time at a RIU Palace, and the one thing that stood out as being different from the other RIUs is the customer service. The staff were very friendly, and every 10 minutes, there was someone walking around with drinks (at the beach and pool area) - I never had to get up and get a drink at the beach! They also came around with a selection of fresh fruit, which was nice!

There was a nightclub called Pacha that all the RIU resorts had access to (plus locals). The drinks are not free there, though it was fun to go for a couple of nights.

Since I'm 24 and single, I like knowing the general age category of a resort and find it is hard to tell until you go there to see for yourself! This resort had a mix of people. There were a lot of seniors and couples, though there were families with children and groups of friends. My sister and I met a lot of people to hang out with at night from Canada, the States, Germany, Russia and South America who were anywhere from 19 - 30.

My ONLY complaint for this resort was the entertainment. I found it to be the worst that I have seen. The performers were not that great. This may have also been because the music was so low. For some reason, the music they played at the shows was never loud enough. I asked one of the animation team members the reason for this, and they said it would be too loud for the people that may already be sleeping, because of the way the hotel is designed (The U-shape would amplify the sound to all rooms, I guess). So most of the time we just went over to the RIU Bambu (next door) for the shows, which were great and the music was nice and loud and got you in the dancing mood!

I would come here again because of the variety of people I met from all over the world, and for the cleanliness and service. The food and entertainment were not amazing, so I'd probably try out a different resort the next time I travel to Punta Cana.

  • Stayed December 2012, traveled with family
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Hawthorn Woods, Illinois
Contributor
11 reviews 11 reviews
4 hotel reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
44 helpful votes 44 helpful votes
“Fansastic Experience”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed December 22, 2012

Everything was really great. Best trip so far we ever had. Nothing complaint about. We enjoyed it and nothing can be compared to this place so far. Recommend to all. Rooms were really great, service was perfect, personnel was working really nice. We hope to get back there soon. Great job people.

  • Stayed January 2012, traveled as a couple
    • 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 4
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Lake Ozark, Missouri
Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
10 helpful votes 10 helpful votes
“Wonderful vacation!”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed December 20, 2012

This resort was great! From the moment of our arrival we were greeted with smiles and a cocktail and 2 gifts (one for my husband and one for me). They took us to our room which was great! I would highly recommend a view of the waterfall side - we were in the middle (2nd floor) close to everything. The service is top-notch. Someone is always around ready to serve a drink - whether with alcohol or without. We met some great people and had a very relaxing vacation. The room was clean and kept very nice our entire stay. Loved the free bottles of alcohol in room to where you can mix your own drink. They provide canned or bottled beverages in your room too. It was fantastic! My husband and I enjoyed the beach, pool and all the bar areas. We just enjoyed relaxing and the different areas of the resort. This resort is well kept, clean and service is great! We were there for 7 nights and loved it! We also enjoyed the food - very very good. You can drink the water at restaurants and no need to worry. They provide bottled water everywhere. Just don't brush your teeth with the water from bathroom sink or drink any water while showering or rinse your mouth with any water other than bottled water!! They warn you of this. You can see the filter and serve all clean water and ice - no worries. Very good trip!

Room Tip: Book 1063 - loved it!
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  • Stayed December 2012, traveled as a couple
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 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 9
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Tweed, Canada
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
20 helpful votes 20 helpful votes
“Wonderful time”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed December 19, 2012

First of all, anyone that tells you that the Palace Punta Cana is dirty or poorly maintained are simply not telling you the truth. My wife and I checked in on November 29 and checked out December 13 and had a great time. Rooms were immaculate as is every surface of this property. Their staff are everywhere cleaning up everything from dead leafs on the palms to wiping off individual crystals on the chandeliers.
There are a couple of small complaints from an otherwise great vacation. Number one I would like to see a bit more variation in the food served at the buffet from night to night. The food was good but I personally would prefer more of a variation day to day.
Number two was for my wife and I a considerable disappointment. We are avid fitness buffs and as such had every intention of using the exercise facilities. For a 5 star hotel I would be ashamed to offer the fitness room that they do. Some serious money needs to be spent updating the fitness area.
Bottom line, for the money you cannot go wrong with this Riu. Yes things are a bit dated but everything is still in very good condition and the staff is excellent at keeping things clean and in order.
One other thing to mention is the service staff in the buffet. Ronnie and Ranyer treated us like royalty, great service and hopefully management will pass this on to them.

Room Tip: Make sure if you don't smoke you ask for a non smoking room. If you are only a couple take the...
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  • Stayed December 2012, traveled as a couple
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 5
Ask Jeffb1969_11 about Riu Palace Punta Cana
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Edgewater, Florida
1 review
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
“Fantastic”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed December 18, 2012

Returned on Dec.6th, from the most beautiful vacation. This place the Riu Palace, Punta Cana was so laid back, the staff was amazing they went out of their way to make you happy. We will definitly will be going back. Only thing I didn't like were the unsupervised children at the pool, the parents were no where to be seen, and the kids just went wild, jumping and splashing me and other guests. Marion Dickinson

Room Tip: The staff are ready and waiting to help with any upgrades to you wish.
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  • Stayed November 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 1
Ask mdickinson603 about Riu Palace Punta Cana
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Additional Information about Riu Palace Punta Cana

Also Known As:
Riu Palace Punta Cana Hotel Punta Cana
Riu Palace Punta Cana Hotel
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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