Hotel Riu Palace Bavaro

enn0vy10 wrote a review October 2025
Queens, New York

Fun filled weekend

This was my second Riu stay and on both occasions I had loads of fun .. there was always something to do from walks along the beach or swimming to just chilling at the swim up bars ..
the colored pool party are also very fun filled and exciting..
the ambiance and aesthetic of the lobby makes you feel the vacation vibes om your entrance
The food could be a little more varied considering there several different counters they all served the same thing not much variety to chose from ..
overall a great stay !!!
For me when planning my trips I’ll always book Riu over anywhere else !!! Love it !

Date of Stay: October 2025

J5810JLalim wrote a review October 2025

Had Stuff Stolen!

We stayed 10/7-10/14 being our first time to the DR. We are avid travelers. Been to Mexico and Jamaica many times. Always stayed at RIU resorts. The was the WORST one we have ever stayed at. Upon coming home and unpacking it was clear that things were stolen from us. A bag a jewelry and money. We stayed in room 5403, beachfront swim out suite/Elite Club. In all of our traveling we have never had to question our stuff sitting out. The food wasn’t good. The entertainment 2 nights was awful. Completely kid themed. The music by the pool was on repeat all 7 days of the same 8 songs which was calypso music. We will never return to the DR. The pluses: great beach and liked the Elite Club lounge and restaurant which we ate at 5 nights because the food at other restaurants was AWFUL. Had we not had money and my jewelry taken I’d given benefit of the doubt. We are easy to please and tend to look over things as we realize we are guests in n another country.
Thankfully I don’t travel with expensive jewelry. But it’s the principal. They took it out of my jewelry bag and I didn’t notice until we were home. Conveniently they took the bag with ONLY my watches and bracelets. Nothing else. Not the bag of earrings or costume rings. Specifically the bag with 2 watches and bracelets. One of the bracelets had sentimental meaning. So very bummed about that. This was the first resort ever that doesn’t offer an omelet station. Made breakfast slim picking. Everyday but 1 they ran out of waffles. They have one tiny toaster area for such a big resort. It’s too bad this happened. Due to this we will never ever return to Dominican. Not a real good first impression at all.

Date of Stay: October 2025

cherylfG272UZ wrote a review October 2025

Beautiful hotel, unfriendly waiters!

My personal opinion of our stay in this hotel.. it is very clean & beautiful as are the grounds.
Nice beach & pools, with plenty of sun loungers.

However, first impressions- no welcome drink on arrival.
Checked in and went to room- corridor had a strong smell of cannabis, informed this is not illegal and a room change would not solve my concern. (Thankfully the unwanted aroma was short lived)
Lifts would be randomly out of service on a daily basis- this could be an issue for anyone that’s less mobile.
No straws for drinks ( wish I’d have taken some with me)

Now for the biggest let down- staff!
Friendly, engaging, helpful staff were few & far between.
I understand there’s a language barrier, but hola and smile is something we all know.
Tipping is always expected -I have no issues tipping when receiving good service (which I always do) although it should not be expected for a service when we’ve already paid thousands for a holiday for two. We are not big drinkers, we took Stanley water bottles that we refilled ourselves, only required a fresh water/soft drink with meals and maybe a couple by the pool.
The waiters in the food court were the worst- miserable and unenthusiastic unless they were getting good tips for every single drink.
Service at the specialty restaurants was not great either.
However, the waiters in the main restaurant were much better, smiley and always happy to provide their services.
The pool towel guys were also great.
As were the TUI reps, always there with a friendly welcome.
Excursion via TUI were brilliant, great guides throughout our booked trips.

Overall, this hotel is beautiful but really lacks atmosphere.
Unfortunately it hasn’t got the Caribbean charisma it’s renowned for.

No hotel is perfect, we all have varied expectations/ preferences and each will have their own opinion.

Date of Stay: October 2025

A9689FNwilliamm wrote a review October 2025
Central Florida, Florida

1st Time at a RIU.

1st time at a Riu and we stayed at RIU Bávaro Elite Club room 5003. Room was updated, AC ran super cold which is great but you may want to ask for a blanket until you figure out the perfect temp setting. Location of the room was good, close to the EC pool and the beach.

We had a swim out pool and it’s was about 3 feet deep which at first seemed to shallow but worked out fine to lay around in. I will say you have to be careful and make sure the chlorine levels are checked. We spent our first day in our swim out and the excessive chlorine bleached out some of my wife’s hair, fortunately it was only the tips but enough to make us weary. The positive is they shock the pool. The fail is not giving us a heads up. Double check and make sure. Other than that and wishing it was a little deeper it was fine.

Room service food was pretty decent. We were there for 10 days so we had a chance to try different things. Breakfast room service was a 10 out of 10. Make sure you’re specific when ordering ( including condiments) and double check and they will accommodate you. The buffet food had a lot good choices and good flavors for the most part. As with any Buffett it can get a little weird with folks who don’t know how to stand in a line or don’t realize they can make several trips to the food therefore there’s no need to pile mountains of food on a single plate. The specialty restaurants were just “Meh” except for the steak house. I was pleasantly surprised with the NY strip I ordered. Not bad at all. The other restaurants were not horrible food wise but certainly not my favorite.

Service was good. Definitely some language barriers but it is the DR and not whatever country we come from so very understandable. Good opportunity to brush up on Spanish and they will appreciate it. They all work very hard and deserve compliments ( and tips!).

Beach is beautiful. Trees all over and just one of the best views you can find. No bar service at the beach which is a negative but it’s not hard to walk up to the bar at the pool, grab some drinks and continue enjoying.

No golf carts to drive you around except one for the casino. The casino is small and has about 20 slots machines and a few tables. Good for a short visit to break up any monotony but if you want to do some real gambling ask for a cab at the lobby and go to the Hardrock. They will drop you off at there and it’s way better. Cost $20 buck USD each way and it’s door to door.

Coffee shop is awesome, sports bar was fun and the elite club lounge was very nice. Great drinks at the EC lounge.

Overall a good time and would rate it a 9 out of 10 based on similar resorts we’ve visited. I personally like large resorts with carts that allow you to visit the other facilities better but everyone has their own preference. It can have a little of a party vibe but if your at the Elite Club side you can just chill out or go over to the other pools if you want more of a lively crowd.

Date of Stay: October 2025

ivascaua wrote a review October 2025

The best!

The best hotel, excellent service, great location, clean and very good food! Thank you for all!🫶🏼
We are very satisfied!

Date of Stay: October 2025

2025_Andre wrote a review October 2025

Another stay in paradise

Second time, no regrets. Consistent service, very kind staff, pretty much everywhere. Special thanks to Stefany in the main restaurant, who is always cheerful and attentive. Everything else is great for solo travelers. Nice modern premises, versatile clientele, wonderful beach, and tons of fun with animation and parties. Can`t wait to return.

Date of Stay: October 2025

foxbrook3 wrote a review October 2025

Review

Excellent resort and it is beautiful. Great food choice options that includes a food court. Nightly entertainment could be better and offer more of a variety, but the Riu parties were wonderful. I contacted Riu customer service (not at the resort) via email and they gave me the run around for 2 months regarding a question that was related to points. I was able to get my question resolved once I arrived at the resort.
Overall, great experience.

Date of Stay: October 2025

CarmenDeea wrote a review October 2025
Northampton, Northamptonshire, England

Exceptional Stay at Riu Palace Bavaro!

I had an incredible experience at Riu Palace Bavaro! From the moment we arrived, the staff went above and beyond to make our stay unforgettable. Everyone was friendly, attentive, and genuinely dedicated to providing top-notch service.
The resort is beautiful, spotless, and well-maintained. The food was excellent with a great variety of options—every meal felt like a treat. Our room was comfortable, modern, and perfectly cleaned each day.
Whether we were relaxing by the pool, enjoying the beach, or taking part in the entertainment, everything exceeded our expectations. Special mention to the staff, whose positive energy and professionalism truly made the difference.
We can't wait to come back! Highly recommend Riu Palace Bavaro for anyone looking for great service, quality, and an unforgettable vacation.

Date of Stay: October 2025