Hotel Riu Bambu
Playa Arena Gorda, Punta Cana 23000 Dominican Republic
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About
#86 of 203 hotels in Punta Cana
Location
4.5
Cleanliness
4.3
Service
4.1
Value
4.1
The All Inclusive 24h Hotel Riu Bambu opens all year round and is located on the beautiful Playa Arena Gorda beach, in the holiday area of Punta Cana, on the Dominican Republic's eastern coast. The RIU Classic Hotels offer comfortable rooms and excellent facilities with great leisure and relaxation facilities, as well as international gastronomy. Enjoy a relaxing holiday - whether alone, with family, partner or friends! The location is ideal because of its proximity to El Cortecito (10 km), Higüey (40 km) and Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) (25 km) and invites you to explore the area. The hotel has 1000 comfortably furnished rooms with free WiFi and offers many amenities. Relax in the spa or get in shape at the gym. 5 outdoor pools, 2 of them with swim up bar, 2 children’s pools and the “Splash Water World” water park. For the youngest guests, RiuLand kids’ club (4-7 & 8-12 years old) and Riu4U activities (13-17 years old). For adults, daytime and evening entertainment, discotheque and Riu Pool Parties. For lovers of gastronomy, live cooking stations at our main buffet, as well as Italian, Asian, Mexican, Steakhouse, Gourmet and Spanish specialty restaurants; 6 bars.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free internet
Pool
Fitness Center with Gym / Workout Room
Bar / lounge
Beach
Boating
Babysitting
Parking
Wifi
Pool / beach towels
Outdoor pool
Fitness / spa locker rooms
Fitness classes
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Breakfast buffet
Outdoor dining area
Snack bar
Swimup bar
Poolside bar
Canoeing
Game room
Tennis court
Water park
Water sport equipment rentals
Windsurfing
Entertainment staff
Evening entertainment
Waterslide
Nightclub / DJ
Children's playground
Indoor play area for children
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Kids club
Kids pool
Kids' outdoor play equipment
Highchairs available
Car hire
Taxi service
Spa
Head massage
Massage
Salon
Currency exchange
Outdoor furniture
Shops
Sun deck
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun umbrellas
24-hour front desk
Laundry service
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Room features
Housekeeping
Private balcony
Safe
Sofa
Cable / satellite TV
Flatscreen TV
Sofa bed
Bidet
Telephone
Wardrobe / closet
Iron
Private bathrooms
Bath / shower
Hair dryer
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Room types
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Family
Family Resort
Languages Spoken
English, French, Spanish, German
Location
57Somewhat walkable
Grade: 57 out of 100
10Restaurantswithin 0.75 miles
6Attractionswithin 0.75 miles
Playa Arena Gorda, Punta Cana 23000 Dominican Republic
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I just got back from 1 week stay and I was not too happy with my stay. The mosquitoes are so bad in this hotel. Everyone had mosquito bites all over. The food was the same everyday nothing new. If you wanted orange juice it was from the soda dispenser. Not fresh at all. My dad asked for coffee and the mug that was brought to him had lipstick on it. Another day he asked for a spoon and the waiter dropped it on the floor cleaned with his shirt and handed back to him. The pools were dirty. The entertainment I’m at night is ok. The mattresses are terrible and our room one night noticed all this bugs flying then realized it was TERMITES!!!! We then found 2 trails behind the curtain. When I reported it to the front desk they said they would check it out and fumigate if needed. They wouldn’t change my room. The cleaning was just on the surface under the beds there were lots of crumbs. The night before we left there were ladies passing around surveys to all guest and walking around to collect them. I am assuming they were from corporate. Well I filled out the form and a waiter came over took my paper which I thought he would put in a the box where the surveys went then realized he put it in his pocket and went to the other staff and pointed at our table. That really turned me off. This hotel could be great but they definitely need updates and better management. I really wanted to like this place but it was very difficult. The beach was beautiful though.…
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
+1
Hotel's Favorite
I travelled to this resort from Dec 18-25. Rooms – nice, bright, and spacious. The rooms were a bit run down, but I didn’t mind. Our AC wasn’t working. I had downloaded the RIU app and requested maintenance for the AC. Later that evening while we were in our room, someone showed up to fix it. Apparently, there was nothing wrong with the AC, it does not work if the patio/sliding door is open. None of our outlets were working except the one in the bathroom. That’s were I ended up charging my phone. The USB port by the bedside were both broken. We didn’t use the liquor dispenser, but the bottles were full. In the fridge they had bottles of flat water (2), sparkling water (2), diet Pepsi (2), Pepsi (2), 7 up (2) and beer (2). They refill every other day. I ordered more by using the RIU app. I also requested more towels and blankets. The beds only had the top sheet. Our shower leaked a bit. I slipped on a small puddle in the bathroom and fell hard. After that I made sure I had an extra towel on the floor to soak up the water after my shower. The maids did a great job cleaning our rooms. I travelled with my 4 kids ranging from 16-22 years old. I had gotten 3 standard rooms. The boys had their own room, the girls had their own room and the last room for my husband and me. I had emailed the resort a week before our arrival to request the rooms be next to each other. They were. In the girl’s room there was only 3 out of the 4 liquor bottles there, I think 1 of the dispensers was broken. In the boy’s room, 1 bottle was siting near the dispenser because the dispenser was broken but then they took it away, so both rooms only had 3 bottles. Our rooms was in building 6 on the second floor. I think it was near the septic tank cause it smelt like sulfur in the hallways and outside. Thankfully not in the rooms. Buffet/restaurants – The main buffet had a large selection of food. I really liked the fresh avocado that they had but unfortunately it wasn’t available at breakfast. Most of the food I found to be too salty, but my family liked it. To each their own. The worker did their best to keep the food area clean and replenish. Unfortunately, the guests are messy and don’t care about keeping things clean for other people. What I didn’t like about the buffet was that it was busy and took a while to get your food as there are line ups, by the time you get back to your table, your food is not hot anymore. That’s not the resort’s fault, it’s just something I notice which is why I prefer eating at the a-la-carte restaurants for dinner. I also notice a lot of unsupervised kids in the buffet area, helping themselves to the food by climbing on top of the ledge and being very unsanitary. Grabbing food with their hands and sneezing. Again, it’s not the resort’s fault but the parents. Mama Juana restaurant by the pool was open for breakfast and lunch. It a smaller scale then the main buffet but less busy. I notice that when you enter any of the buffets, you should wait for them to notice you and be seated. You will get your drinks served to you and plates removed faster. If you seat yourself, you will not get any service. I think it’s because if your seated by the waiter, they know to serve you. If you seat yourself, without any waiters noticing, the waiters will assume someone else is taking care of you. We only went to 2 a-la-carte restaurants, the Steak house and the Gourmet. The Steak house is busy and very popular. It open at 6pm. If you show up at that time ready to dine, you will be allowed in. If you want to dine later, you will have to line up by 5pm. At 6pm, someone will come out with a pad asking how many people are in your group and if you would like a 7:30 or 8:30 sitting. The first time I got in the line up at 5:15. There was about 15 people ahead of me in line. Thankfully I got a ticket for 7:30. The next time we got there for 6pm, ready to dine and was let in. The 3rd time I tried to get in line @ 5:30, only to be told that they were filled for the night. Usually around 5:30, someone from the restaurant goes down the line asking how many people are in your group to get an idea of how many people are expected to dine. Once they hit their limit, they will turn people away to help them avoid standing in line for nothing. You can see their menu by downloading the RIU app and clicking on the restaurant. The Gourmet restaurant opens at 6:30. There is usually a line up for that too. They will start to let people in when they open but only if everyone in your group is there. If there is someone missing, you would have to stand aside till they arrive. After the restaurant is full, they will issue pagers for you to come back when they have a table ready. Usually in an hour. I did not try the other restaurants. I got the impression from the reviews I’ve read that they were mini buffet style. On Christmas Eve, you had to book your dinner reservations ahead of time at any restaurant or the buffet from the maître’d standing outside the main buffet. I tried to book at the steakhouse, but it was full, so we went to the Gourmet again. They serve champagne, had an extra seafood appetizer for the occasion. They also had a special that night in addition to their menu which was a lobster tail. The snack bar near the beach offers, pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, nacho chips, fruits, and salad options. You need to be wearing shoes and a cover up to go in. No bikini tops or shirtless. The beach was full of seaweed our first night there. There were piles of them. The next day, a clean up crew went down the beach picking up the piles. The waves were big at times full of seaweed and garbage. I was surprised at how much garbage was in the ocean. A lot of plastic bags. There was this one guy who was in the ocean grabbing every plastic bag he came across. It didn’t take long for him to accumulate a huge pile. My husband started to follow too every time he went into the ocean, grabbing at the garbage and throwing it in the garbage cans on the beach. Even though it’s Dec, it’s not seaweed season, there was quite a bit. The beach is long with lots of palm trees for shade. They had a volleyball court and soccer on the beach. My kids spent everyday playing volleyball and made friends. There are a lot of vendors on the beach. If you’re not interested, you just say, ‘no thank you’ and they move on. The beach towels were thin and stained. I kept returning the dirty stain ones until I got one without stains. I would send my kids otherwise the towel attendant would get suspicious. There is a older guy that works there that's not very friendly. I only got towels in the morning so I am not sure if they were available later in the day. I would keep my towels at the end of the day to exchange them for fresh ones in the morning. The pools looked nice. We didn’t spend any time there since my kids preferred the beach. They are opened 24 hours. Our travel rep told us that they do put chemicals in the pools to clean them @ 9pm. You can still swim in them but it’s at your own risk. It should be fine by 5am. I went to the RIU ‘Jungle’ party in the afternoon with my son. We went in, no problem. We were there ½ an hour after they opened. It wasn’t very busy. I guess we were early. My son had a drink, then we left. I went back to the ‘White’ party at night with 3 of my kids. They were stopped at the door and asked to show ID. They didn’t have any with them, so we had to go back to the room to get them. At least the RIU party is close to the Bambu. We didn’t have to walk far like at the other resorts. It was busier at night. They had face painting and VIP areas, plus pools with foam. There was a younger crowd but also plenty of older adults. We did not try the water slides. My kids were not interested. We usually book at the Gran Bahia resorts, but my travel agent recommended the RIU. We had a great time and would return to the resorts again.…
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Date of stay: December 2022
Location
Cleanliness
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
5 Helpful votes
Helpful
Response from RIU Hotels and Resorts, Owner at Hotel Riu Bambu
Responded Jan 19, 2023
Dear Li-Nei F, It is wonderful to learn that you found it of your liking and you enjoyed your stay. Our lovely staff will be very pleased to learn that all their efforts paid off. Thank you very much! We will be thrilled to host you again! Loving Regards! Hotel RIU Bambú Online Reputation Management
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
Literally this is misery place . Outdated , overrated. I’ve been member of riu over decade . First ( and last) time in punta cana . Been waiting for a room to be assigned over 2 hr 30 min while I’ve been checked in online a week before arriving. Secondary, after waiting 2 hr 30 min they gave me the room on 3rd Fl facing the noisy road on opposite side of the beach. After I walked with a luggage about 10 min back to reception (because of luggage boy keep himself busy with something else) on 87F after day long trip from NY and requested to speak to manager they simply gave me another receptionist who said “I’m the manager”. Hilarious, right? How I know? Because I asked another clerk of who is the manager , he said it’s a guy but he is not here yet. So, now how’s day was going: I’m arrived, dead of the heat and humid , waiting to get a room key, not able to charge the phone , no access to internet because Wi-Fi connection is also not good and not given yet as room not yet signed. Btw riu sent before arriving password and login : nothing was worked . Well, after all, they gave me the room: 1st floor, this is mosquito swamp, never saw this amount of mosquitos in one small hole! Toilet was first what was broken : waters to simply fill up between flashed took about 5-7 min. Called plumber . He fixed it. Next flash - all over again, broken ! What you guys should be aware for real: deluxe room sharing toilet and shower with your bedroom. Literally. Shower have glass door 3 feet away from your bed. 2 sinks even closer. Toilet ( when in at service) have amazing acoustic , it’s like somebody do it in the middle of room. Refrigerator terrible condition and working loud as hell, and same as AC. But most of that: mosquitos ! with closed patio door it’s about 15-20 in the room. It’s took me one day to recognized how it’s possible : because since you open entrance door from walkways they’re all there. Each entrance door and walls infested with them because walkways fully opens to outside! Next, please see on pictures attached . I will cancel my 8 night trip , today day #2 if any ticket will be available to return early . I never saw hole like this in my life! On the top of the tort: waiting line in main restaurant, poor menus , imbeciles visitors who simply come to drink cheap swill and God knows for what else. Garbage on the beach, and , again, tons of mosquito . Ah, and no way to change beach towels because they simply don’t have it enough . Peoples walked to request change - none is available day long. This is not a 5 start hotel , this is should be demolished to ground zero and never raised again. Speaking of witch: one of the building belongs to hotel right here under heavy construction . You should hear the noise , plus noise from each pool party night long and PLUS - very loud residents ! And nobody care because simply no customer service! If I’m lucky to leave early - I’m out! Save your nerves and time, don’t come! …
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Stay away at any cost. You wanna exotic trip- go to nearby swamp for a day : same effect. But...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Steer well clear of this place unless…… You are happy to que up to book a table in the steak house. You can’t book on any app. You are happy to go to the themed restaurants at 6.30 to ensure you get a table. (Apart from the Italian) All themed restaurants are buffet style and food of Poor quality even if you can get to it before the flies. Buffet restaurant has good choice but again you need to get in before the flies get on it. Waiters serving water and drinks and will get repeat drinks if your happy to tip them. If you don’t tip then the next night you need to serve yourself with drinks. Beach is lovely and pool scene is nice but lots of bugs in the Pool. Only saw they cleaning it a couple of times and we were up at 7.30am most days. Catered for Spanish speaking people which is fine but TUI should really be telling you this on their website. Rooms are awful unless you upgrade. Steer clear.…
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from RIU Hotels and Resorts, Owner at Hotel Riu Bambu
Responded yesterday
Dear Alan K., Thank you very much for staying with us. We are very sorry to read about the negative aspects, they do not reflect the standard of our service, which our guests deserve. However, we cannot agree with the reviews statement, as it is very important to us that all our guests feel welcome at our resort and treated in the same way regardless of their country of origin, age, sexual orientation, and religion. We will forward your review. Best Regards, Hotel Riu Bambú Online Reputation Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Not one to complain normally but not worth the money at all went all inclusive meals was the the same day in day out pool didn't see get cleaned in the two weeks we was there entertainment was non existent rooms was very out dated mattresses full of mold and to top it of my 10 year old got accused of pinching a mobile phone by a worker in the water park witch turned out to be the workers don't leave you belongings alone they was putting them over the wall and collecting end of the day
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Date of stay: May 2023
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Book the iberostar just up the beach
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from RIU Hotels and Resorts, Owner at Hotel Riu Bambu
Responded 3 days ago
Dear Amy W, Thank you for your comment, We are very sorry to hear that you left our facilities with those feelings that do not correspond at all with our standards of guest service that characterize us so much. We will take note of your comments to address them with the relevant departments and continue to improve every day. We would be delighted if you would give us the opportunity to welcome you back to one of our facilities so that we can present you with the wonderful experience that we are accustomed to offering. Yours faithfully, Hotel Riu Bambu Online Reputation Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hotel was really run down and unhygienic. Nothing like the photos was really disappointed when we arrived. When we arrived into our room the toilet flush was broken and the room aircon wasn’t powerful at all. All plug sockets in the walls were loose and we weren’t able to charge phones or use electricals as they just fell out. The hair dryer moved on the wall showing wires and the bedside table had bugs all over it which came onto the bed. Optics were leaking and caused the shelf underneath them to rot. We was gutted when we arrived as we’d spent a lot money and had waited 3 years for this holiday due to Covid. Staff we rude expected to be tipped all the time and prioritised Spanish and Americans due to them tipping all the time. I paid for all inclusive and I should expect a good service for me then to tip staff. Pool was never cleaned they only tipped in some kind of chlorine powder in which caused me to have a rash and itch the whole holiday. Someone was sick in the pool and they still didn’t empty it to clean it properly. Pools were also covered with hair (which I can understand can’t be helped) but not once did anyone go round the pool to clean it to remove rubbish or hair from the pool. Pool towels were always full of stains even when you asked for another that was cleaner they were absolutely covered. Food was okay but got fed up of eating the same things everyday there wasn’t enough variety and was alot of Spanish foods. Glasses for drinks were always dirty as if they’d just been rinsed. Some had food in the bottom of them which was disgusting. Staff outside the coleinal buffet were rude and we notice there was no cameras so felt it was as if they could get away with it. I am a young woman and I did not feel safe with the male staff in the hotel. Every time I went for food on my own they would kept coming up to me and staring and really make me feel uncomfortable. Every time I went to bar they poured my drinks ridiculous 3/4 rum 1/4 coke I couldn’t even drink them they were that strong. I feel as if they were doing it to all women to try to get them drunk and do god knows what but I did not feel safe. My partner had to start going to the bar instead just for me to get a normally poured drink. Entertainment on a night was shocking and we felt stuck as there was no where to go. The Riu parties were good when they were on but the hotel entertainment was crap! We went to bed early a lot of the nights as there was nothing to do. Overall Dominican Republic is a lovely place beaches are lovely however Riu Bambu is an awful hotel and wouldn’t recommend it to anyone at all!…
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from RIU Hotels and Resorts, Owner at Hotel Riu Bambu
Responded yesterday
Dear George, Thank you for choosing our hotel and sharing your feedback. We are sorry to read about your disappointment, and for the disenchantment you feel. Please trust that this is not the RIU Hotel's standard of service. We are always looking for ways to improve so it's comments such as these that are helpful and will be forwarded to our department leaders. It is our hope that you will consider staying with us again in the future. Kind regards Hotel Riu Bambu Online Reputation Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
After reading the reviews, I was very nervous about our trip to Riu Bambu, as it was my first trip to the DR and for the amount you pay, you want to make the most of it and enjoy your holiday! However, That’s exactly what we did! The negative reviews are over exaggerated and nit-picking all the little things and if you decide to spend your time doing that, of course you’re going to have an awful time. The hotel is agreeably not up to 5* Riu Hotels else where, more like a 4* but with a bit of a renovation it definitely can be! Pros: Resort - the resort itself in spacious but not too big, that it’s easy and quick to get around, lots of things to do from basketball, gym, sports bar, pool parties, shops, casino, water park, pools, restaurants and the beach. Buffet food - so many options, from fresh salad, fish, steak, pork, Dominican dishes, plantain, fruit, ice cream, desserts, bread, pizza and more! Even if you’re a picky eater, there’s something for everyone! The morning and evening waiters are the friendliest, they welcome you in and find you a table, while getting your drinks - see a lot of reviews about how they are rude, but if you treat them with respect you’ll get treated the same and more! Narcy and Emmanuel definitely made us feel welcome and always greeted us with a smile and a good chat, ensuring we had everything we needed. Themed restaurants - the themed buffet restaurants are great too, if you fancy a particular cuisine, which you also get served a hot dish out of the menu so don’t fill yourself up on the buffet food that’s there! Would recommend the served steak at the Mexican restaurant “Chilli’s, was delightful and tasty. Pools - With there being a variety of pools, meant they weren’t crowded or a lack of sun beds to choose from - any time of the day we were able to find a lovely spot to relax. They are clean and looked after, other than the occasional cup or bit of rubbish from disrespectful guests! At the bar pool, a drunk adult threw up in and they closed the pool and cleaned it out as soon as possible - next day it was open and back to normal. At the main pool. They play a range of music that creates a lovely atmosphere, the other pools around do not, which is great if you fancy something quieter. The pool bar is fantastic for adults, very social-able, have a drink, chat and dance - kids sometimes went in but they quickly announced that it is an adult only pool and kids left. At the main pools - They also had lots of activities such an Aqua Gym, which is very interactive and a good laugh. During the day they also do pool side entertainment Such as dancing, gymnasts and create their own crazy games to get everyone up and having a laugh! ( lots more too) The entertainers do long days but always make sure people are having the best time in their holidays day and night! Riu Pool Party - fantastic, well managed, safe and most importantly it’s good fun! Definitely go if you love a good party and dance!! They offer 4 parties a week from afternoon parties to evening ones - all included as part of the Riu hotels! Beach - beautiful beach, can’t fault it, looked after and despite people leaving rubbish and cups being careless, the hotel crew were always around picking rubbish and ensuring the beach remained clean and tidy for guests! The entertainment team also play games in the beach for adults and kids to join in with, from Volley Ball, Football to creating their own interactive beach games! There’s also a water-sports centre on the beach which is great if you fancy adding some adrenaline to your holiday! They also offer 1hr a day, free water activity such as wind surfing (more options too) as part of the hotel. You do have to book your spot in advance. Drinks - the bar service was great around the hotel, quick, easy and friendly service and if there’s ever a problem, let them know and they’ll do their best to sort it for you! Rooms - spacious, clean and big beds - slept like a dream for 2 weeks. Shops - they’re a little shop section to the resort as well which is great if you need a few emergency bits or some souvenirs - but as all tourist spots it can be a little pricey! Cons: Rooms - They definitely need a renovation, unfortunately the rooms are run down but with a little bit of work they could be fantastic. Little things such as plug sockets not working or half out the wall, mirror was worn and towels looked, smelt and felt old. The drawers were hard to open due to being worn. All these things that shows the hotel has been well used and could do with a refresh! Steak House Restaurant - the first time we went to this restaurant we had the mixed grill. It was nice but nothing exciting but enjoyed it regardless. The second time I had the burger - it was tasteless and was nothing like the image or described - little bit of seasoning would have made a hell of a difference to the dish but I was very disappointed! The downside of the restaurant being next to the beach is that it’s fly central which makes it hard to enjoy your meal when your waving your hands to get rid of the flies - again, flies are expected but should just be a few more things to help prevent masses and have some control. Again, nothing a little bit of revising over couldn’t fix and it would be great! Evening entertainment - the entertainment is more suited for kids and younger children, once it gets to the main show, it’s terrible and quite boring, especially for couples - it was unfortunately cheap entertainment. Beach sellers - not really a con but lots of people wanting you to buy all sorts and also pay for photos with monkeys and parrots, just be aware and if your not interested, respectfully say no and they’ll get on with their day! Smoking - for those who are non-smokers be aware that smoking is allowed basically everywhere but inside buildings, including the pools. ( again not a con, but a preference) Overall we had a great time at this resort, and was an excellent value for money being one of the cheaper hotels in Punta Cana! If you want a fun holiday, on a budget to relax and have a good time - this is the place for you! (also for those that complain about mosquitos, that’s part of the tropical environment not the hotels fault, something you should prepare for just like the weather!)…
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Date of stay: May 2023
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from RIU Hotels and Resorts, Owner at Hotel Riu Bambu
Responded 4 days ago
Dear Vikij99, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We are glad you enjoyed the food variety, the pool and beach area, the parties , however, it is disappointing to hear that you encountered the above mentioned inconveniences, as our goal is to make all of our guests´ stay memorable, exceeding expectations as we deliver quality service. Please rest assured that we have shared your comments with the corresponding department to reassure the standards are being met. We hope that you will give us the opportunity to welcome you again at our resort and share the best experience. Sincerely, Hotel Riu Bambu Online Reputation Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We are currently here now and where so I start, let’s start with the good things so far.Beach is beautiful the hotel has the nicer part on the stretch of beach as iv walked it all.Grounds are beautiful lots of lovely palm trees and banana plants. Steak house food is good . Breakfast plenty of choice.The bad things so far, people are aloud to drink and smoke in pools 24hrs so they never get cleaned. Iv seen them fish out a few bits no chlorine been put in or proper pool cleaning being done it’s disgusting. No designated smoking areas so cigarette buts on the walk ways around pool and on grass and on beach . I know it’s not the hotels fault it’s the selfish guests . But I looks awful and if they don’t try and put things in place the guest do what’s they want. No kids club and it does get hot so nowhere really for kids to get out of the sun.This hotel has the potential to be amazing such a beautiful spot. The things iv mention would stop us going back . Will continue review after we leave…
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from RIU Hotels and Resorts, Owner at Hotel Riu Bambu
Responded 4 days ago
Dear lee-anne d, We are very grateful to you for staying with us. Nonetheless, we regret to learn that your experience does not meet your expectations as our goal is to make your stay memorable. We will surely address your concerns with the appropriate members of our team for improvement. Best Regards, Hotel Riu Bambú Online Reputation Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This was the first holiday myself and my partner booked together. We have just returned with a lot of cons to this resort: PROS: - Waiter made the holiday. Victor who worked mainly at the colonial buffet restaurant was brilliant. He was so attentive when it came to drinks and made the evenings enjoyable. By far the best staff member and needs more recognition!!! - Overall we made the most of the holiday however we would not return to this resort. We would pay more money and go to the Palace or the Republica next door. CONS: - We stayed here for 12 days and not once did we see a lifeguard. There are plenty of pools around the resort and the few we did visit had no lifeguard. - There is construction work currently going on for the foreseeable future next door at the Riu Macao. The noise would start at 7am-7pm and last 6-7 days a week. This hotel also has the casino that anybody staying at the Riu hotels can use. Due to the work going on, this is closed and the nearest one is at the Hard Rock Hotel, which is $40 return trip and obviously not included in the price we are paying for all inclusive. - As you can see from the pictures, we got bit A LOT! Despite some of these being mosquito bites (with the use of a mosquito net and mosquito repellant) there are loads of other bites that look dissimilar to mosquito bites. I personally have never had bedbugs before but after reading a few recent reviews about the hotel I have become convinced this is what happened in our case too. - Because of these bites, we asked our cleaners to change our bedsheets everyday and each day we were given bedsheets with stains on them - The air-con in the room was freezing. Although this may be good for some people, it was that cold in the room that it has given my partner a cold. Our air-con would not turn off and when we turned the temperature up, the temperature in the room would not change. - Our room was easily a 10 minute walk to things such as the buffet, restaurants, pools, and most of the other facilities. With the heat, humidity, and my partner poorly leg, this was exhausting. - The swim-up bar (adults only) was swarmed with children on multiple occasions. The staff were told about this and continued to do nothing about it, while there were adults drinking and smoking around them. - The pools were filthy, mainly the swim-up bar. There was saliva, people pouring their cocktails into the water, cigarette butts, and sick in the pool. - Despite having a beautiful beach on the doorstep, there are constantly people swarming you to buy something. We even had this on the hotel grounds where people would come up and ask us to buy something. This really lets it down because the beaches in the Caribbean are one of the main attractions. I know this is something you get most places you go but it completely put us off going to the beach. - Despite advertising the restaurants as 'A La Carte', they are all buffet restaurants. The restaurants are also a massive pain to get into unless you want to eat as early as 6pm. Upon arrival we were told that the only restaurant that had to be booked was the steak house. We had tried to get into the other restaurants multiple times and was turned away multiple times. We usually would go down to dinner at around 7:30-8pm. When we got to the restaurants the staff would tell us they were all closed, despite advertising in the red book in the rooms that they were all open until 10pm. - We tried the steak house twice whilst being here. The first time was brilliant, service was great and the food was lovely, we decided to go again for our last night and were massively disappointed. The service was awful to the point that we waited 40 minutes until we got drinks. We both ordered the 10oz ribeye steak medium rare. They came out and my partners was medium well and mine was cooked through so I sent mine back despite my partner being that hungry he said he'd take it. I continued to take the steak back 4 times because all times it was cooked right through, no sign of any pink anywhere. The 5th time it was cooked medium well and was much bigger than a ribeye. Despite being so disappointed, I felt too embarrassed to take it back because people were starting to look and the manager was speaking to me about the steaks so loudly that everyone could hear. Overall would not recommend and is definitely not worth the 2 hour queue to book a table. - Due to the difficulty with the restaurants, we spent most meals in the colonial buffet. The buffet food was decent, it was your classic all inclusive buffet food. However, my partner and I ended up with multiple upset stomachs throughout our 11 night stay. Whether this came from the buffet or the snack bar we do not know. The snack bar food was much worse than the buffet with undercooked chicken wings and the same choice of food every day. - Finally, the entertainment in this hotel lacks. There is not much entertainment going on during the day. On some days we did see bingo and the entertainment team doing some dance at the swim-up bar but other than that there was nothing. We did watch the evening entertainment a few times however was disappointed. They had one man singing one night and the other nights there was just music coming out of speakers and Tui advertising their hotels on the screen. We did not see any kids club going on (we saw it was there) however we could be mistaken as none of our party had children. Overall, we would say to spend a few extra coins and go to another hotel. We would not stay here again because the cons totally outweighed the pros. …
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from RIU Hotels and Resorts, Owner at Hotel Riu Bambu
Responded 5 days ago
Dear Lucy A., We appreciate you took the time to leave your impressions regarding your recent stay with us. It is disappointing to read that despite our efforts we could not fulfil your expectations in some areas. We regret to learn you were not fully satisfied. if you wish you can place a formal complaint at: complaints@riu.com We will share your comments for further acknowledgement. Best Regards, Hotel Riu Bambú Online Reputation Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Our stay was absolutely fantastic! The staff couldn’t have been more helpful to both me and my wife. My wife has mobility problems so the really lovely receptionist made sure we had a room not far from the main building. From the gentleman who brought our cases, the maid/cleaner and to all the wait staff in the restaurants and bars, they all made our stay the best it could possibly be and they always had a smile on their faces. The rooms were very clean and spacious and the fridge was stocked with drinks every other day. My wife couldn’t sleep that well but that was due to her health problems. 10 out of 10!
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Review collected in partnership with riu.com
Date of stay: May 2023
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from RIU Hotels and Resorts, Owner at Hotel Riu Bambu
Responded 5 days ago
Dear Jill B, Thank you for your great review. We are really glad to learn that you enjoyed your experience during your stay at our Hotel Riu Bambu! We would be delighted to welcome you back in a near occasion. Have a lovely day, Hotel Riu Bambu Online Reputation Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PRICE RANGE
$156 - $235 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
riu bambu punta cana, riu bambu dominican republic
LOCATION
CaribbeanDominican RepublicLa Altagracia ProvincePunta Cana
NUMBER OF ROOMS
1000
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Claim Your ListingHOTEL RIU BAMBU - Updated 2023 Prices & Resort (All-Inclusive) Reviews (Punta Cana, Dominican Republic)
Frequently Asked Questions about Hotel Riu Bambu
Which popular attractions are close to Hotel Riu Bambu?
Nearby attractions include Arena Gorda Beach (0.3 miles), Splash Water Park (0.3 miles), and Escape Room Dominican Republic (0.7 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Hotel Riu Bambu?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include a swimup bar, a pool, and an on-site restaurant.
Which room amenities are available at Hotel Riu Bambu?
Top room amenities include a flat screen TV, a bidet, and a sofa.
What food & drink options are available at Hotel Riu Bambu?
Guests can enjoy a swimup bar, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Hotel Riu Bambu?
Conveniently located restaurants include Kukua Beach Club & Restaurant, Restaurant Maiko, and Restaurant Garden Grill.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Hotel Riu Bambu?
Yes, guests have access to a pool, a fitness center, and fitness classes during their stay.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Hotel Riu Bambu?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English, Spanish, French, and German.
Is Hotel Riu Bambu accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access and facilities for disabled guests. For specific inquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.