hotel ok after complaining about room with mold 30 year old t.v. phone didn't work half comp bar the smell of bleach and mold yellow bed sheets allacart host was impolite the food no appetizer no cocktails no wine with dinner the steak was 3ouches 8th of a inch thick fries cold had to go to other bar to get a drink waitress was good but had follow host direction flight was delay 3 time had to move to three different gates lost whole day traveling suppose to depart 6:20 am departed 1:20 made it first room 8:00pm made it to second room 8:45pm the question on next line recommending hotel only after I tell them what question ask so they don't try to put them in bad room don't do the allacart almost all staff very nice and polite. question at bottom about food was good the second was good service from most was very good

After learning that Senator bought the Riu and the staff were all losing their jobs it made sense of the lack of service....shame on Riu for allowing this to happen as it impacted many people's stay...they could have made the deal to include the staff would remain after the sale...

We read the reviews and we thought it will be ok, but it wasn't. How could it have 5, 4 stars ? really? Here is what we experienced: Service: 1 star: they assigned us to a room with broken toilet!!! then they didn't try to fix it until evening, because I said : Where will I pee at night if need it? BTW, they didn't fix it, they moved us to another room. Food: 1 star. People, who left 5,4,3 stars reviews, you really need to visit other hotels, even for the same price. I believe nothing will be worse than this one. They have 2 buffets with exactly the same food in both. Very limited variety, I mean it: beef - one type and not everyday, pork- one type of a meal and not everyday, chicken - one type and every day, fish - one type and every day. We had lamb one day. That's it for animal protein. Vegetables: White potatoes, carrots, rice, - 2 different meals of those repeating every day, like fried potatoes/white rice/cooked carrots - every day, every day. other veggies only: eggplants, zuccinis, once we had asparagus, spinach (not every day) and no other vegetables. Fruits were : melon, watermelon, papaia and passion fruit - and nothing else. Desert was: 2 types of cookies and about 4 types of other deserts. all the food was very much the same every day. sorry, forgot about the soups: 1 or 2 soups per day, that soup will be served until we finish it, like all the other meals. For example, nobody liked minestrone, so we had it for 4 days. Still reading? will give you more now. Restaurants: 1 star: who said there are restaurants? what they do is that they convert the snack-bar to two restaurants by dividing it in the middle in the evening, so one side becomes Italian restaurant and another one is a Steak house. How ... it is? Food there is no good. Also, milk served is only the one made from the powder. I will give you a hint: if you want a real milk go to a bar and ask for a COLD milk, it will be real. Beach: 3 stars- would be the best place of that resort , but...I forgot to say it's a smokers resort - most of the people there smoke, therefore sand is full of cigarettes, not cool. Lot's of shade on the beach because of all the palm trees. The area of shallow waters is quite large and water is warm. Room: 2 stars- shabby, no shampoos, no conditioner (just for me when I didn't bring), one universal liquid soap. One day we didn't have hot water. Tours: do not believe anyone. We went to Paradise Island to snorkel, our tour agent said it's 45 min drive, the hotel said it's 15 min drive, when it was 1.5 hours drive. If I knew I would choose another tour. If I knew I would choose another resort.

The rooms are smaller than most resorts I've been to. Arranged in villas. Eastern part of the resort is unused apart from villas. Example eastern reception area staffed with one person who can't do much but direct you to the main reception. East Theatre never used. Several pool tables are on site but only one is in serviceable condition. The other two are in extremely poor condition.

Hotel room and service staff were good. Beach and resort needs upgrading. Food was not at 4star Resort standards. Number of Restaurants was limited. Wine was not good(almost undrinkable) This was my second time at this resort and was disappointed this time.

Well we enjoyed some things at resort however there my main concern was the staff at reception found them not helpful at all, very rude and when asked to get something would take hours and hours for them to bother, had to keep calling and they still wouldn’t help us. The maid also, we had lizards in our room and she wouldn’t kill them just sprayed and left. To get another room was a lot of effort basically had to camp out at reception to get their attention. We also had cockroaches in second room we had and hell of a time trying to get anyone to come kill them. The pool was dirty, the food was bland and not a variety of food either, only two al a carte to choice from and hard to book to get one. Beach was pretty and shows were great

Beautiful grounds, very lush. Lots of food choices. Staff very friendly and accommodating. Grounds, public restrooms and restaurants meticulously cleaned. Beautiful pools. Just two negative points: We did not have hot water most of the time and there was quite a bit of mold on the bathroom ceiling; the bathroom fan did not work. Lots of shelter on the beach but the sea was rough and red flagged every day. There was a noticeable musty smell to the room. But otherwise a very enjoyable trip.

We had the best time ever..There was always something to eat.The beach was fabulous. The staff was amazing.I loved that we could meander to the bachata resort also.We can't wait to go back.The night shows were amazing the costumes were fantastic.The rooms were immaculate..The balcony was spacious .All in all we had an amazing time.

I did the mistake of reading the reviews before leaving for my trip. As per what the previous reviews said , I was expecting all bad things. Once I got there everything was wonderful. The staff , the room , the service , the food , the drinks. Everything! By far one of my best trips. One thing I will suggest is to look around for the prices on excursions. There are people working on the beach selling the SAME excursion or even more , for alot less money.

Pros: Food and drink are amazing. Beautiful beach. Live music at night! Awsome houskeeping. Access to riu bachata. Lots of pools. Paddle boarding and kayaking available!! Cons: Hard to get coffee in the morning at the main buffet. Wifi only worked for 3 out of 7 days.

The physical features of the resort were all quite satisfactory. Problems were due to some sort of reorganization ie facilities on our end of the resort were either closed or curtailed for all or part of the week. Our main restaurant was closed all week. Our second but much smaller restaurant was open only for lunch from Monday through Thursday but then on Friday it started to serve all three meals. Besides the beach bar which which always closed early, our only other bar opened at 10 a.m.but closed at 5:30 pm until Friday, when hours were extended to midnight. Due to the closures and short hours we were forced to use the facilities in other parts of the resort which meant fairly long walks and crowded restaurants and bars when we got there. Because of overcrowding at these other facilities we encountered long waits, a lack of seating, no dishes or cutlery,etc. We even had to walk to the other area for beach towels/hair dryer. Not a good experience! Last year we attended the same resort and everything was very good overall.

Very nice beach and pools. Big resort with lots of people. Not recommended for singles, or young partiers. No real nightlife on resort...Disco charges for drinks (was always empty for good reason), and the bar that stays open passed 11pm is just a big hall....no music. Not a bad place for the price.

We stayed at Riu Merengue..the worst vacation I have ever had..in 7 days we had 4 rooms....mold in fridge..mold on walls..ac didn't work...when we called to get it fixed...they gave us the run around...people r not friendly..we slept out on the balcony cause the room was so humid and it smelled bad..facuets were broken....no hot water...no one to come fix it..tv well u couldn't even see what was on they were so old...remotes were broken...they don't stock ur fridge everyday...customer service does not exist...they have no clue what ur saying...this place should have a rating of minus1...same food everyday for 7 days...food was not good either....no blow dryer no coffee maker...no iron when it said it had all that in the rooms...i have never ever been so disappointed on a vacation like this one...and too boot when I sent emails....nobody bothered with what we were going through..read ur reviews before making ur choices....jammed packed and no place to even go...and locals also stay there...and the noise is insane at night....holiday from hell we r so not impressed....keep ur money in ur pockets....dont throw it away on a resort like this one....oh ya...we were not told this resort has been sold to Bachata...so please go somewhere....where u know u won't have all these problems.... Cristina (from Canada)

Booked last minute. Resort had nice grounds and a Nice beach. Loved how the rooms were set up in little buildings instead of a large resort. But The rooms smelled musky, and left all of our clothes smelling musky, even after 3 washes. Our door was also broken and I had to make a makeshift lock for it. Pools were nice, but the one with the swim up bar is at the Riu Bachata, which is connected. 24hr drinks and food are also at the Bachata. It’s an older crowd. Service was great. All the staff were friendly. Food wasn’t good and you 100% need reservations, even though it advertises “reservation free dining at all restaurants”. We arrived 20min early at our reservation, hoping to have some wine first, they wouldn’t even let us sit and have wine, even tho it was empty.

This resort was big therefor a lot of walking.It has beautiful grounds and well maintained. The rooms were good and clean.Touched a gecko first morning on the curtains,rather unexpected ha! ha! Food was really good and plentiful,although the buffet was quite a walk from our room. Staff were fabulous and friendly. We love to snorkel however the ocean was to murky ,it rained every day. Lots of beach chairs every where which was a plus.The shows were ok mostly audience based.

The hotel was recently sold and will cease operations in May. The staff have not been advised if they will be retained or not. Service people in all areas of the hotel are essentially walking dead. To reduce cost the hotel has closed half the restaurants and there is insufficient space for all the guests in the main dining room. Guests must wait to get a table and have to clean it themselves because there are not sufficient staff. Food lines are over ten minutes. This is a 2 Star hotel. I recommend that it be dropped from Trip Central and Sunwing sites to preserve your reputations.

After going to this resort 4 years (and loved it) we went again in Jan 2018. Huge disappointment. Rooms smelled of mold, food was absolutly horrible, and the a la cartes were worse than the buffet. Lineup for dinner reservations were full by 7am each day. We did find out that the resort was closing in June as it was bought out. Hopefully improvements will be done then. On a positive note, the pools were all clean, great entertainment and beautiful beaches. Staff were all amazing and friendly.

Liked everything there other than when sitting at tables aroud the bar as ashtrays, cups etc. would sit there, every once and a while somebody might come around and clean your table for you. Other than that I would say it was EXCELLENT!!! ESPECIALLY THE STAFF!!!

Very large resort. We stayed in the Merengue Village. The buffet was not opened in that section (only opened the following week) so we had to walk to the Merengue Garden. We were travelling with our children and my father therefore a lot more walking than we would have liked. The line ups at the buffet where very long since the resort was sold out and one buffet was not opened. Changed rooms after the first night since the AC was not working and the room was a lot further in the Village. We got a room closer however the AC was not all that great. For a family resort, I was surprised with all the smoking ANYWHERE on the resort.. Seemed everyone was smoking and it didn't matter if you were at the snack bar, pool, lobby (trying to hide from all the rain we got). The food tasted good and the variety was good.

Stayed here for a family trip, had everything we needed and no major issues. Buffet was good with lots of options, plenty of room on the beach, staff are friendly and helpful. Enjoyed the ‘villa’ style room buildings with balconies. Live shows every night, wifi in the lobby, easy and quick check-in.

Fantastic landscape and the most beautiful beach with lots of lounges and great scenery. The food was always good no matter what your preference. Rooms very clean and good maid service. Front desk staff were wonderful and the Sunwing rep was very helpful and always available on site every day. Good pool and plenty of shade when needed. Entertainment was good with plenty of auditorium room. One of the best if not THE best we ever have stayed.

Excellent service, very well maintained huge territory, nice beach line, good variety of food! We have been having great time there! Went for 7 days with family ( 2 adults, 2 kids of 5 and 7 years). Very spectacular night shows, well organized mini disco and animation program for kids. The Riu Merengue is joined with Riu Bachata. You can feel free and attend shows at the neighboring hotel too, as well as visit their restaurants and use their beach. So lots of options to make your stay not boring and not routined. There is the cruise ship terminal beside Riu Bachata and it was impressive to watch those huge ships coming to the harbour. The pool at Riu Merengue is not too big but you can always find a spot. And you can always go to Riu Bachata's pool which is bigger. I would definitely suggest going there !! Nice hotel for a good price!

The resort is a large open resort right next to the beach. The different pools are accessible, clean and you have a choice between a busy and noisy one or a very quiet one a bit further. You have bars everywhere so you won't be thirsty. Kids club was good for the kids even though it could have been a bit more organized to be honest. Food is honestly very decent. The only problem is the reservation system for the "a la carte" restaurant that doesn't make any sense. Rooms were clean, but a bit too cosy for a family of 4.

The hotel room was always kept clean, though the addition of toiletries would be nice and the bathroom is quite dated. We had requested 2 beds as we were travelling with our daughter and got 2 3/4 beds pushed together rather than 2 doubles or a double & a twin. There was never enough bottled water in the room. The beach had a lot of coral and rocks in the shallows, plus it has a major sand bar covered in seaweed so forget about swimming in front of the resort. There was an abundance of beach chairs and natural shade on the beach so it was never a problem to find a place to lounge. I like that drinks were served in washable plastic cups of a decent size or recyclable paper cups *like the eco-friendly approach*. The daytime animation was practically non-existent and the evening shows tended to include quite repetitive dance routines. The bar staff was friendly and efficient. The dining room staff was slow to serve drinks & clear plates. Food was quite good.

Fun and friendly hope to get back soon entertainment out of this world Bar staff are great room amazing great value for money would go back tomorrow food was amazing lots variety very safe resort I went alon

I need to first premise my review. I have lived in the D.R. for extended periods. I have been on vacation there maybe 30 times at 10 or more different resorts.My wife is Dominican. About the only good thing about this was the amazing people that worked there in reception, the bars and the restaurants. In saying that, this was the most disappointing resort experience I have ever had. The room was decent and we had a good location.The problem was that if you did not leave a tip it did not get cleaned very well. The fridge was never stocked like they said it would be. The last day we were there it was not cleaned at all. Food. from 1 to 10, a 2. It was the same thing every day with maybe 2 or three items that were changed. 3 days we had to wait over an hour to have dinner because there was no seating left. The food was quite tasteless and there were little flies always invading the fruit bar. Here is what made this resort miserable. They overbooked their day passes with 100's of Dominicans. This is where some people are going to think I am horrible. I love Dominican people but when get them in a resort they want to take over the place. They crowd in front of you at the restaurants and bars. They make the pool unusable, drinking in the pool and leaving the glasses (paper or plastic) in the pool. They were loud and obnoxious. Several times I would leave our loungers for a couple of minutes and found people trying take them over when I got back! One day I was sitting in a place where I could see the bathrooms. I did not see 1 person in a bathing suit go there! That is not conducive to me to want to go into the pool. I wish I had something better to say but quite frankly, I have more positive in my review than how I actually feel. I in no way have any animosity towards trip central. This may have even been a very rare event. Phil Dunn

Ok lets start from the beginning and work our way to the end. First off the check in was easy and the hotel was able to accommodate our room request for a room on the ground floor and close to most hotel amenities. The room had a slight musty smell, but it was not that bad and my wife and I got over it real fast. The beds were a bit lumpy but we were able to sleep on them. I found one cock roach on day 2 of the vacation in the room which soon became fast friends with the business end of a sandal. ( I kept my eyes open for the remainder of the stay and did not find anymore, nor did I tell my wife until we returned home!!) The grounds are nice and the staff were constantly working and seemed very happy. The beach was fair but the sand fleas were very active and fell in love with my legs.( still itchy as heck ) Lots of lounge chairs at pool and at beach. The food was not as good as I was expecting for a 4 or 4.5 star depending on the site you looked at. I was able to usually find one or 2 items each meal that was not that bad. For the a la cartes we went to the Steak House and that was disappointing. My steak was to be a medium well and it was well done and tough as old heck. The bars were clean and the drinks were not that bad. The bartenders were very friendly and service was excellent. The maid service was excellent as well and no complaints can I make about that. The on site activities were the norm for the Dominican. The team were friendly and approachable. Check out was as easy and painless as the check in process which was nice. Overall it was not the worst experience of my life, but I would not return to this resort.

It was fair. The food was better than when we visited in 2012. We thought the service was lacking this time. Also we found a huge cockroach in our room our third night as well in the public washrooms I saw them running around.

We enjoyed this resort for it's beautiful landscaping and long palm tree covered beach. No shortage of good selections at the buffets. Love the architectural detailing on the public buildings (lobbies, bars etc). Disappointed that the Merengue bar painted over it's original yellow details with all white, but still pretty. Improvements could be made by upgrading the room and safe keys, and more importantly - there are not enough pools, especially in Merengue section!

This is a beautiful resort which I have stayed at before. Friendly staff, long beach with both shade and sun. Food was wonderful with lots of selection and options (riu bachata breakfast and lunch along with pools, bars, etc included). Shows were quite good (don't miss the diva, magic and audience participation ones). Rooms were very well kept, current and large. No problems with water, a/c, etc. Room fridge and bar were stocked daily). Town is not far ($25 one way or $40 return) but you can also take the bus. 40 minutes from the airport. Small shopping street with the standard tourist items. Offers all the basic tours. It is a little isolated tho but great in my books if you just want a relaxing get away. Sand is tan (not white) and water not as clear as other places such as Mexico and Cuba (which I don't mind). Dive shop on site. Lots of water sports as well. Highly recommend. Taking a group next time.

Holiday started great. Room was always very clean, fresh towels daily, they would stock bar fridge every 2nd day. Never had a bug in our room the entire time. Excellent water pressure and always hot water whether morning or night. Food was remarkably good. Breakfast omellettes were fantastic, fresh pastries, coffee pot brought to your table. Smoothie bar. Lunches were okay but if you get a chance to have the special lunch made by the pool at noon, that was a nice surprise (cooked chicken, paella, Mexican pasta and all with a special punch drink). Dinners were very good at buffet. They tried to add different foods nightly, Saturday was the best w a Mexican night. Only went to Steakhouse restaurant because Italian was closed at the Village in mid April. Steakhouse was nice (definitely not Cnd Steak) but no complaints. Wifi was best early morning in lobby and two devices only. Lots of people rely on phones etc so lobby can get busy. Bars were all well stocked, most staff spoke pretty good English. They had different drink specials. The slush machines are okay but as soon as you add the booze they are not as slushy. Beer is Presidente but very good. Saw three shows and you can watch at either resort Merengue or Bachata, they seem to alternate days. (Michael Jackson, African and Magic Show.). All excellent. Unfortunately little to do as far as activities for kids but that could have been because we were in April. Spent most of the time on beach, ping pong, volleyball, and basketball. Village pool is the quietest all pools very clean and you can get fresh towels whenever you want. We didn't have to get up early to reserve a chair at pool. Village tons of chairs and same at beach. Garden area or bachata the chairs under the huts went first. Overall for the price we paid for a family of four we had an excellent time and no real complaints. I would give this resort a solid 3.5/4 star

The resort was a beautiful, no complaints what so ever. The flight with Sunwing was perfect and on time. Anyone who does not like the resort don't know what they are talking about because they are wrong. Staff are more than friendly and would help in any way they can. Food at buffets and ala cartes was excellent. Very very clean rooms. Beaches were beautiful. I would definitely visit this resort again in a heartbeat. I can't say enough good about it. It was just a fantastic trip. Also, the entertainment crew are great and the nightly entertainment was great. Staff at the resort work very very hard to keep it clean and fun for everyone. It is a five star for us.

The check in was quick and fast. They brought us drinks when we arrived. Our room was close to the beach and buffet. They offered hand sanitizer all the time. Lots of traditional/authentic Dominican food. Friendly cleaning staff. Rooms were cleaned well. Our cleaning lady was the sweetest lady. We received bottled water every day. There's a cute veranda to dry your clothes. The grounds were well kept on our side. Pretty vegetation and very pretty colours of the buildings. You felt like you were in the caribbean. The entertainment was really good. Cheeky Monkey was the best! He has the best laugh in the world. Great music, dancing, and theatre performances. Lots of games for the kids. There were lots of beach chairs on the beach. The beach was usually quiet, no loud music. Great way to relax on the beach. They offered many activities like beach volleyball, stretching classes, bachata classes, darts, ping pong, etc. They offered fresh coconuts to drink on the beach. They had a beach party on our last night there. Cons-There were not many non-smoker areas. There was lots of seaweed on the beach. Needs a larger gym. But the Pros definitely outweigh the Cons. Will definitely go back! Had a great vacation!!

Gateway to Atlantis!!! This PARADISE has been carved out of the cliffs of larimar! The beaches is absolutely perfect! Little to no vegetation in the water! If it rains during the day, it's only for 5min and then it's bright and sunny! The food!!! We got 4 places to choose from and then 2 more at the other resort we had access to! Never bored, always something to do ( massages, spa treatments, kayaking, paddle boarding, ping pong, beach volleyball, just to name a few) the staff was very friendly and giving, same with the market vendors. I went as a celebration for my 40th birthday and I think I will make an effort to visit every year!

The Riu Merengue was great. The staff are extremely helpful and friendly. The grounds in the Merengue Garden are well kept. The flowering plants were in bloom making for a very pleasant setting. The beach is constantly being raked to keep it clean, the water was warm and pleasant. The quality of the food has improved since our stay last year with lots of choice to suit every taste. All in all the Merengue Gardens is our resort of choice and we will be returning next year.

We stayed at the Rui Merengue from April 4 to 11. The resort grounds are well kept. Our room, a little small with limited space for luggage, lots of hot water for showers, but the bathroom got very warm after showering. As i am a fussy eater i was concerned about the food but i never had an issue filling my plate, lots of variety to choise from. The beach has lots of seats in the shade, but the water is always rough and the ocean bottom is rocky. The pool area is very pleasant to relax in but the water was always dirty. Our stay at the resort met or exceeded what we expected and with what we paid was a great value and we would return.

very friendly and helpful staff the grounds were well groomed ,my husband is in a wheelchair and was able to access all areas of the resort .our room was a disabled room which made our vacation stress free .when we arrived at the resort due to miscommunication we had no disabled room available but the sunwing representative looked after us and in no time there was a room available.we enjoyed ourselves met a lot of nice people if our health continues we are booking for next year.

Little ways from Puerto Plata makes this place nice and quiet. The food is good but I would add some day to day variety. The eastern part of the beach is more swiming friendly, although not a spot for snorkeling. The staff is awesome and really friendly everywhere on the resort. As far as the activities outside the resort, I suggest to use the packages sold at the resort; if you're trying to do it on your own, you will most likely ending paying more to get less. Bring some tip money!!!

The staff was very friendly ,very good service and fast,food was great ..the grounds were very well kept,the rooms were done every day and very clean..we got there right after they had lots of rain and big winds , it kind of put a damper on the beach but all in all the next 5 days it was better ,we have no control over nature...Its a big Resort ,no problem for restaurant and bars ,everything was very close ,beach also ,great pool,we met a couple it was there 18 time there and would not change ,they said they've been to many other Resorts and they made this one there regular place..We would go back there no problem...

The hotel was decent to stay at. The room was clean but a bit dated. The beds were not very comfortable. The pools and the hotel grounds are nice and clean. The restaurant serving staff and bartenders did an excellent job and were super friendly. The food was decent but I'm not a picky eater. The entertainment at night was ok... Don't think the hotel is spending lots of money on it. The front desk staff were not always accommodating. Overall about a 3.5 star hotel.

The part of the hotel we stayed was old. This was very visible. Room safes were very small and we felt unsure using them as they were a key lock. How many keys could there be? there was no fan in the washroom and no hairdryer in the room, had to go to front desk to ask for one. The food was fine and had a selection. The service in the buffet was hit and miss. The bar service was fine. The resort is large and spread out. There could have been a few more washrooms around as you had to search for them. The entertainment in the evening was more for the kids in the resort. I have travelled to many destinations and I feel this one was the worse for adult entrainment. Do not feel I will stay in RUI hotel again.

Nice beach with lots of chairs and shade, big resort so you can walk lots, entertainment was average, buffet was good lots of choices, however a la carte restaurant you have to wait in line and hope you get in and really not that special if you do get in! Don't use Canadian money the exchange rate varies from place to place and minute by minute and normally not good!

Food was great, buffet was always a hit so many options, beach was nice and the water was clear! Having access to all three hotels was great we spent most of our time on the beachs at the other resorts! Rooms were clean and nice equipped with a hair dryer. Great time great experience.

Hotel and grounds were well kept, rooms comfortable, air conditioning could use an upgrade. Food was great, variety and well presented. Service was great. People were accommodating. Sun Wing rep was questionable, his error cost someone in our party out of pocket money for their mistake.

Food was great and lots of shady spots by the ocean. Al la carte restaurants good except that you cannot reserve ahead of time Towels and lawn chairs always available Clean resort Older resort so many things tend to break down such as water taps fridges. Toilets and a/c Didn't look at our requests for same building for all 5 female travellers and 2nd floor rooms.

Stayed March 7 to 14 as a couple The resort met my expectations of a 4 star hotel and really I had no complaints. We got there at 10 pm and check in was just picking up our keys, it was perfect. We bought the 'super saver room' and yet both our room requests were met. In the AM I noticed our fridge wasn't working, we went down to let them know, had some food and checked things out and it was fixed by the time we went back in a few hours. Very clean resort and friendly staff is why I give this place 4.5 stars. There are three sections to the Rui and they all offer the same amenities besides the disco being at the merengue and the Casino at bachata. It's all close enough together if you are an able walker, check it all out and enjoy the scenery! It was very busy so if you want quiet this place isn't for you. Lots of fun entertainment and very family friendly!

My husband and I arrived at Riu Merengue in Puerto Plata, Dominican on Feb 24th for a 2 week vacation and I wanted to fly home on Feb 26. The hotel was advertised as a 4.5 star but I would give it a 3 or under. The Good - My husband had a birthday and they went out of their way to help with the celebrations. Our room was decorated, received a bottle of wine with dinner, received a bottle of mamawana and some coffee and had a special birthday cake. No time share hassles. I`m not sure if the hotel was just not up to par for time shares or if the Riu chain doesn`t allow them to hassle customers. Every evening after dinner they had a band that played dancing music, very nice to enjoy with a special coffee. Our Nexus rep, Stanley, mentioned that we should move up an excursion we booked because the weather was going to change. We did move it up and had a great trip snorkeling. Also did the city tour which was very nice. The Bad - Buffet restaurant was very busy and several times we could not find a clean table to sit down and eat. They have 500 rooms and they don`t have the facilities to accommodate the numbers in their dining room. They had 2 al a carte restaurants which only served 100 guests per night so you had to line up early to get in. No reservations. Italian was awful and the steakhouse was just OK. Ran out of keg beer on February 27th which was a holiday so the staff was scrambling to get canned beer from everywhere. In the buffet restaurant they had bread that you could cut which was great, however, many people didn`t use the napkin to hold the bread when they were cutting it and of course the germs on their hands were spread across the entire loaf of bread. They did have butter, some places have switched to margarine so I was glad that they offered butter. The Ugly - our first room 1611 had cockroaches. I have been travelling to warm climates for 20 years and have never had any roaches in my rooms. The hotel sprayed the room (which we didn`t like due to the impact on the spray for humans.) We meet with the NeXus rep and wanted to know what it would cost to move resorts or to fly home. The sales office was closed because it was a Sunday and Monday was a holiday so the earliest we could talk to a sales rep was Tuesday. My husband demanded to talk to the hotel manager and we did get another room on the 2nd floor and did not see any roaches in our room after that. They advertise that they have internet in the lobby - they don`t. We had to go to one of their other hotels to get internet - the lobby was so busy with people trying to communicate with others that it was insane to find a place to sit and most people had to stand. If you have any reaction to smokers, don`t go to this hotel. There was smoking everywhere except the dining room. Lots and lots of smokers. The dining room had a lot of flies. I believe this was because they had place mats that were never wiped off. I watched how they cleaned the tables and they would wipe around the place mat. It was kind of sickening that we had to swat flies as we tried to eat.

the resort was well keep , grounds and beach well groomed , staff were friendly -- just a very busy place with all three resorts packed together , alacarts were first come first serve no reservations witch made it difficult to get seating at times , over all we enjoyed our stay!!

The hotel is well maintained, beds need replacing through out. Food was very good and front desk and bar staff friendly. Housekeeping and dining staff not friendly. I did share the negative with front desk. Also because it is so large there is alot of walking. No bathrooms at the Beach.

Thoroughly enjoyed beautiful pools and its long beach with warm water, would return next week if I could!! Staff was great very professional and accommodating. Enjoyed myself and can't wait to go back!!! Two thumbs up!!

The place was decent. Should be a 3 star. No air conditioner for 2 days no water in our room for a day. Staff was nice. Food was good. Beach wasn't as nice as I thought. Very busy on the weekend and was hard to get a lounger.

Grounds were carefully taken care off everyday. People worked hard at whatever their job was. Maids at cleaning, servers at serving well and with a smile, reception at being helpful. We travelled with kids and absolutely every single service person made sure to play or be gracious with our kids. No one was creppy either. Food.... surprisingly for an 'all inclusive" food was outstanding. There was just 1 thing that made our trip a bit harder and was the lack of at ATM. The 3 RIU's are together hosting 3000 at a time and there was no ATM as it had damaged. This was unacceptable since we wanted to leave tips, buy extras or spend on memorabilias and liquor. Please administration - do bring a good ATM back its crucial. Overall We really enjoyed the RIU's and look forward to travelling again with them!

Been to this resort four times plan on going back againThis is a big resort Always clean great food lots of chairs and sun get to use pools and have lunch at the other resorts staff is very friendly always smiling

Its a nice resort to relax at. People are nice. Experiences vary. Overall, it was good sun, food and drinks. The week I spent there was good. I would go back, however, I would give other resorts the same opportunity.

Stayed here January 31st-February 7th, 2017 and it was our first trip to Puerto Plata. Hotel and grounds were very nice. Beach itself was OK, but there was lots of seaweed in the water and water shoes were a must. My only real complaint was "no coffee pot in the room".

I am so disappointed and while I cannot say much due to a lawsuit in progress I would encourage you to never stay here . From the cockroaches all over the dining room to the lack of fresh water to the excessive amount of bugs in the pool and the spiders in the room. RUI does not take pride in their property nor their management. I will see to it and make it a personal goal to ensure no one I know ever sees this resort. We are extremely disappointed in 85% of staff members and their lack of compassion and pride in their role.

This hotel was run down and needed a facelift immediately. The staff couldn't care less about their job or the people around them. They just chatted with each other. No one to take luggage to room. No air conditioning. No warm or hot water. We switched rooms from one side of the resort to the other side and had to carry our own bags. The bars were not open. Overall just lacking in customer service. Then there was the rats running around outside the restaurants and the cockroaches in our room. I would not recommend this location at all.

All was great at the Merengue resort. Good food, beautiful grounds, multiple hotels to share services and helpful staff. The room was clean, freshly redone and everything worked. Best of all was the way we were treated by the front desk staff, particularly Delmis. RIU resorts needs to clone him for all locations. We will be back!

Clean hotel with well maintained grounds. Friendly and helpful staff. We had a slight hiccup at check in, they couldn't find our reservation. Instead of making us wait the front desk suggested we go have lunch while they sorted it out. Even off the resort the friendly staff recognized us and gave us some helpful advice.

The front desk never did send a blanket to my room The maid only did her job 100 percent if you left a tip. (We didn't one day becaise we couldn't get small bills so she didn't give us any towels....and to add insult to injury, she even took the Swan towel that we kept by the bed) the food was good The entertainment was not. No swim up pool bar Dirty patrons that leave their cups and garbage all over the beach /poolside Bar service is great and quick if you have a dollar in your hand Beach was nice ...not cleaned/raked in my 7 day stay It was a good place... I'd recommend the Bachata over the merangue... better wifi, food and entertainment and has a swim up bar.

We arrived at the Riu Merengue on a Monday afternoon and upon entering our room, all we could smell was must and mildew. The bathroom ceiling had been previously patched from some former damage and the mold was starting to come through again. The smell was awful and I have allergies. We went to the front desk immediately and said we couldn't stay in there. They told us they couldn't get us another room until Thursday. Then they said someone was moving out of their room early Tuesday, so we could have that one when it was checked out. What really bothered me was they wanted us out of our original musty room early so they could clean it for someone else. Should musty and moldy rooms not be blocked off so they can be properly fixed before someone else has to spend a week there? The beds were so old and hard that we could barely sleep in them. They should have been discarded a long time ago. I know you aren't in your room much on vacation but if you wanted to watch TV, all the rooms still have a 20 inch RCA tube television. There were so many little things that we weren't happy with either. We've stayed at the Riu Montego Bay and we loved it. I don't know how this resort could possibly be placed in the same category or rating. The fridge in our Montego Bay room was stocked with twice as many items as it was in Merengue. The saving grace for the Merengue was the staff. They were so friendly and hard working. The grounds were impeccable. I am so disappointed that Riu doesn't deem it necessary to update the Merengue. My opinion of Riu has gone straight downhill. If we ran into these types of things in a cheap resort it wouldn't be surprising.

We were there the week of Jan 10-17 weather was rainy and cool which is out of our control. The resort was at full capacity which made getting chairs by the pool impossible if you weren't out saving them by 7:30 am. Stormy weather also caused excessive sea weed on the beach all week which wasn't dealt with in a timely manner. We had 5 rooms booked with our group and the problem we had was we were all split up all over the property and they wouldn't move us closer together for 3 days. Buffets. Breakfast was standard fare along with lunch. Dinner seemed the same as lunch, chicken, pasta, pizza, pork, fish and beef. There was only one themed night which was Mexican and it was good. No shrimp or other types of shelled fish. Went to the Italian restaurant which took way to long and food was OK. Doesn't sound like a good review but weather had a lot to do with our unhappiness.

Overall this hotel is decent. We did have some issues the first day with room location - they relocated us when we asked....but the new room had serious A/C issues which was a bit of a comical farce trying to get fixed...so we ended up going back to the initial room that night just so we could sleep in a cool room. The evening Manager said he was going to write a report....which truly was not helpful to us at all. We ended up staying in that original room the full week as I didn't want to waste time changing rooms again. Note to large families/groups travelling together: please remember there are other guests that have also paid money to enjoy a holiday and you need to be respectful of everyone's right to their holiday. Groups of unsupervised children running amok yelling and screaming at all hours, loud "conversations" between rooms and in hallways and "group togetherness" late at night is not ok...it's downright rude. Hot water was good...sometimes had to let it run a while before it heated up but once it was there it was super hot. Nice to have a room fridge with some water and soda, etc. in it. They won't refill your fridge if you aren't there to answer the knock so you might have to chase them down as it's not the room maid that does it. I thought the in-room liquor dispensers were overkill and not needed. Nice touch of an umbrella in each room for those evening sporadic showers. We really had no issues with the property or location. The food ranged from ok to some very good dishes. The staff were lovely when you made the effort to treat them as human beings and make eye contact, speak to them and ...oh yes...actually leave them a tip . I was appalled at the way the many guests from Eastern Europe treated the staff as if they were ghosts. Not friendly towards other guests either. They need to work on their social skills. I'm thankful everyday that the majority of Canadians have such good manners and are kind, pleasant and respectful people. It was a nice sized beach to walk on ...it's a lovely walk up to the gazebo on the cliff at the Riu Bacchata where you can see the cruise ships when they are in. It was very cool to watch the ships depart from behind the cliff and into the open ocean ...and see them disappear into the distance while you were sitting on the beach! We are beach people and didn't use the pool all week so can't comment on that. Entertainment was quite sporadic. Some nights it was terrific...others it was just plain odd. The Merenge has two sections - make sure you check out the offerings of both stages before you commit to watching a show - they varied greatly in quality. Down sides of this resort : 1) lack of clarity in the water. I hoped to snorkel from the beach but could not all week due to the murkiness 2) everything sold is priced in U.S.$....when you asked for the conversion to Dominican currency the price jumped 3) very expensive excursions A few years ago we stayed at a Bahia Principe in Samana and I would return there before this hotel/area of DR.

Our first of three rooms had two twin beds pushed together as opposed to the king size bed we had booked, it was like sleeping over at the girlfriends house when I was a teenager. The second room smelled of mildewed basement and old socks and finally the third room's air-conditioning didn't work. At this point we gave up on getting a decent room. The water and the beach were dirty and while at the beach we were constantly accosted by people trying to braid hair or sell tours not associated with the hotel. The food was mediocre when it wasn't bad, and the service at the ala-carte was horrendous. The pool area hasn't been updated since the mid seventies. If a refund and leaving early(as in the day after arrival) had been a option, we'd have left immediately. Never to return. Spend your money else-where.

We just got back from a week away. I was traveling with my 3 boy - 13,11,9. They had the BEST time ever. The staff was amazing. Always happy, and so friendly. There was always something to do. The hotel was nice, they kept it clean. They were really quick to take care of anything you needed. The staff is what made this trip so amazing. Mel

All in all this hotel was good and we did have a nice time together as a family. I was happy with the cleanliness of the resort and the facilities, the rooms were done every day and very clean, there were plenty of chairs at each pool (and options for pools) and the beach whether you wanted sun or shade, the buffet had a good variety and plenty of space to accommodate the 6 of us eating together and because you could go throughout the resorts you could pick which show if any you wanted to see that night. There were activities throughout the day if you wanted to partake. The things I was disappointed in was that there were only 2 restaurants at the Merengue that you could choose from and there were no reservations, you had to line up at 6:00 each night is you wanted to go. The other things was the service at some of the bars was not very friendly and only 1 bar in all three places was open 24 hours. Otherwise any other bars only opened at 10:00 am. The biggest complaint was the quality of the alcohol. You have dispensers in each room but the alcohol was watered down and tasted awful. Also they only restock beer in your fridge every other day and only 2 tiny Coors Light. I have been to other resorts in the Dominican and the alcohol was much better everywhere else.

The best thing I can say about this resort is that there are no time share vultures to avoid. The rooms are small, but the balconies are quite roomy, however a working toilet would have been nice. We made a number of calls to get it fixed and were assured they would send someone, no one ever arrived. In the end my husband had to fix it himself. On day three of our vacation we lost hot water, were kept being told it would be fixed soon, when we checked out four days later there was still no hot water. The air conditioning also didn't work properly. Some days it worked other days not so much. The service was inconsistent at best. The housekeeping staff did and excellent job and some of the wait staff were very good, however overall the impression you get is one of indifference from most staff. The front desk staff is the worst, they couldn't care less if you have a complaint and have no real intention of doing anything to rectify your problem. Calling this a four star resort is outrageous. Four star resorts have clocks and irons and coffee makers in the rooms. They also have working plumbing. The food was edible if a bit on the monotonous side, the same thing at every meal with very little variation. They say reservations are not needed for the restaurants, but good luck getting in. We were turned away, despite there being empty tables, at the steakhouse by Sandy (who seemed to be the head waiter). He was downright rude. There are much better resorts in Puerto Plata, take our advice and book anywhere else but at the Rui Merengue.

We found our overall stay amazing. The hotel was clean and the staff and servers were very friendly and quick. The food was really good and the entertainment was always great to see. We did have rain everyday, but no one can predict the weather when booking a trip but we still got our sunny days and a great tan.

Nice place for a weeks vacation in the DR. While it was not the Ritz it certainly was worth the price we paid. Generally : Clean and well kept Hotel although rooms could do with a little update and refinish. Water pressure is iffy and failed a few times but a call to reception got it reasonably fixed within a couple of hours - However be prepared for a testy person at the other end of the line when you call in to follow up. Food : Merengue has only 2 dining areas - The Steak House, which was only open for dinner once during the week we visited, and the Italian Restaurant which was turned into the only daily Buffet place. Food though was reasonably good (pan fried Mahe mahe and grouper were the best), accept at the pool side snack bar which only served the same fare every day - overcooked burgers (perhaps justified), pasta, fried /baked chicken, salad and fries until 6.00pm! Only problem in the dining area was flies! netting at the open windows would probably have helped. The Bachata (sister hotel next door) where you can also enjoy lunch but not dinner as part of the deal, did not appear to have this problem. Pool: Didn't step into it even once as we were there to enjoy the beach and the ocean!! so no comment. Beach: Nice and clean, although, expect the water to be choppy as it's on the Atlantic side. No shortage of beach chairs. Towels may be a problem occasionally. Sea sports: Not much to choose from. Lousy to non-existent snorkeling sites in the vicinity and if you Scuba you'll be disappointed. Service: Staff are generally friendly although you may cross the odd exception.

The hotel is old. You will get any actual key to open your door if you go with a friend they only give you one until you ask for another. The room had roaches crawling from the drain. The bathtub is small. The wifi is only avail in the lobby. Almost like a happy jail. The food meats like chicken/beef is undercooked cause they rush it. I ended up eating only fries for lunch and that was undercooked at times. I looked forward to breakfast getting a freshly made omelette ,I'm now I'm sick of omelettes and won't be having eggs for awhile. Italian fresh pasta night was very good. Flies are everywhere but on the beach I guess because it's an open concept it was a turn off for me after day 1. If you aren't a smoker like me you won't enjoy the lobby for wifi or the entertainment centre people light up like chimneys. The beach was my sanctuary. The sea bed is bit rocky and a rough under current. However, The sun is great and unlimited. Some of the staff don't seem to not give you the best service unless you tip them. It's 10 / hr US if you want a later check out if you have a later flight. Check out is 12pm if you leave at 6 that's 60 bucks US. The room is cut off to give more patio space meh. They should've use the upgrade to fix the drains and mold in the rooms. If you sunbathe at the beach you will be out of touch with the activities happening on the resort. There's a lot of older people that go there Enjoy your naps on the beach that's what's truly free and unlimited. Bring a lot of $1...American. Whoever is in charge upgrade the rooms! Pay your staff more so they don't rely so much on TIPS. I won't be back lesson learned pay the extra for a comfortable stay. Don't ignore this review this is the truth take it with a grain of salt. I'm glad I'm back home.

Perfect place for a vacation plenty to do room was clean and well stocked grounds were kept clean even though the weather wasn't good The nexus rep was exceptional went above and beyond with us would like the hotel to stop pumping the water out from beside pool bar to the ocean the smell was not good at all

On initial arrival to the resort I found the resort pleasant enough, room was clean and roomy for 2. As the week progressed we encountered several issues from late maid service (coming in from the beach and the maids just doing our room) to finding the room cleaned but no towels and having to literally chase down a maid to ask for towels. Each room had a stocked mini fridge and bar but the bottles were not refreshed when needed and phone calls had to be made to the front desk to have them replenished. The bar staff though working quickly to serve people were for the most part unfriendly to a couple of which were simply unpleasant and rude. As far as the food goes there was little change in the buffet daily. It became boring. The a la carte dinner offered was on a first come first serve basis and sat a limited number of people. One seating for a large number of people makes a very slow long dinner. It was about 45 minutes before we were offered a glass of wine. In general I was quite disappointed in the quality of the food. As I had heard very good reviews of other Riu resorts I was disappointed in this trip and will not be returning. I travel for this annual trip with a group of friends and although we do not demand 5 star resorts we do expect a pleasant atmosphere, clean accommodations and friendly staff which ensures a great vacation. There was an air of disenchantment among the staff. The main pool was often dirty and needed cleaning. This made me wonder if they were doing appropriate testing of the water. The entertainment was at times embarrassing for the people who agreed to participate in the on stage activities. Don't make you guests feel uncomfortable. Staff gyrating to music on the bridge over the pool is not entertainment. On the bus ride from the hotel on the way home the general consensus was that no one was returning to this resort and many stated they would not return to the Dominican at all. The week was quite rainy with only a couple sunny days, I think the hotel missed the opportunity to engage their guests by offering alternative activities to fill the rainy days. Not everyone wants to dance every day

Although i was not excited about going to peurto plata i was looking forward to going to another RIU. Trip began with a horrible flight with turbulence and a bumpy landing. Upon landing we were told we were in samana. We had circled and could not land due to weather. We had to refuel and develop "new plan". Ended up getting to resort at 3:30 AM. From then on trip got worse. Horrible service. Very unfriendly staff. Room didn't get cleaned for 2 days! And when they did come it was at 5pm. We had to call numerous times to get our liquor filled after being there 4 days. Woke up to a cockroach in a cup beside my bed. The next day there was another one in my suitcase. Beach was littered with garbage and had pails hanging on wood sticks as garbage cans. Rained every day. Weather can not be controlled but service can. Food was the same every day. Waiters did not clean off tables. 2 a la cartes. Although not open everynight. No champagne!!! Definitely not the quality or service I expected from a RIU.

I traveled with a group of 10 people. The experience at this Hotel was not a good one. Just to mention, the pool was dirty, we ran out of water, you cannot drink their water. The rooms were not cleaned by 2 pm when we returned to are room. I did not find the service good, the people were not friendly. We called the front desk 6 times before are needs were attended to. We were told that because of the heavy rains, people's homes were flooded. The hotel needs to go to plan B when staffing becomes a problem. The guests need to be attended to. I have been told that the Rue is a great hotel chain. This one is not a five or four star in my opinion. I do not like to paint everyone with the same brush. The bartender Nana, And Samuel were very friendly and great at the job they do. They are an asset to your business. I found the attitude and mood of the staff in general not to be a happy one. The Dominican Republic is a beautiful Island. I was their 26 years ago when tourism in Pureto Platta was not very old. The experience then was very positive. The travel group, will not return.

Everything about this hotel is subpar...the hotel was very dirty and food and services of very poor quality, staff were unpleasant and at times insulting when basic ammenities such as room cleaning and towels were requested, pool very dirty. The a la carte dining was first come first served not by reservation as advertised, adjoining casino at sister hotel though advertised has been closed for several years. We booked based on it being a Riu hotel and I have had great experiences with Riu all over the world...this particular hotel does not live up to the RIU standards.

The best part was the staff, the hotel itself needs some upgrades and the food could be better; however, our experience was fantastic, the beach and the pools were great!!! Very clean, organized and people really make an effort to serve you the best they can.

I've been to this resort 3 times and still love it! It is laid out nicely and you are able to view the beach & ocean from all three pools. Although it is an older resort, it is very clean. There are always maids in or close to all washrooms throughout the resort and keep them clean at all times. The food is great and deserts too! This resort is on its own in Amber Cove so you are free to walk the beach without being approached by vendors. It has a lovely shopping strip right on the resort, but you can also walk to either end of the resort for a sample of local shopping.The staff are friendly and the grounds are kept lovely. I would like to see a better set-up for the a-la-cartes (you have to book them each day for the day you want to attend, so sometimes miss out), but other than that, there is nothing bad I can say about this resort!

Could not have asked for a better vacation. Flights were great and the staff were awsome. Cheeky monkey and the entertainment group kept the pool lively and the beach was awesome. Rooms clean and comfortable and the food was great. I loved that the salad bar was enclosed so everything was cold and fresh. Now the best was our waiter Willy who kept us laughing and entertained .

Booking through through trip central was very easy and CassandrA was very helpful. Our rooms were very good and as requested. The staff was great ! The resort was very clean and food was incredible. The only thing I wasn't impressed with the entertainment. There was no music playing throughout the day or early evening. After dinner was kids show and then the after show was geared only to and older crowd and I'm 48 . I was bored with it and felt sleepy and wanted to go to bed . Other than that we had a wonderful time .

The grounds at the Riu Merengue were Beautiful and well groomed.I loved all the wide cobblestone walkways to and from the dining and living areas,so easy to walk on and most were shaded.There was a Great variety of foods for all meals and dining areas were very tidy and wonderful ambiance.I liked the idea that we could dine at the Riu Bachata for lunch which we did on a couple of occasions ,just a short walking distance away.

I loved the time spent at this resort.Everything from the food to the amenities to the grounds were top notch. The only downside was that there were never enough chairs at the pool side,the beds were hard ( like all resorts I have been to) and the lobby at our resort(the Village Merengue) was nothing special and needed updating. Otherwise,we would definitely go back and might stay at the Bachata.

This resort is in dire need of a complete overhaul. Our room was always clean and done so in a timely manner. That being said it was overrun by cockroaches and mosquitos. The furniture was falling apart right in our hands. None of the drawers would work and were falling apart in our hands. The shower head was falling off the wall . There were no toiletries in the room. We couldn't even get a Kleenex. The air conditioner was more like a humidifier than an A/C unit. We have never had such poor quality food in all our travels to the Caribbean including Cuba. The lowest quality and the same every meal. Smoking is a huge problem for the majority of guest who come from North America as the Europeans smoke everywhere including nonsmoking areas. One day we watched a waiter serve a guest several times in a nonsmoking area and do nothing until we called him over and complained. The beach was riddled with cigarette butts and never cleaned up. The ala Cart restaurants are not bad if you don't mind getting up at 6:30 to line up for a reservation. This is the last timeI will stay at a RIU resort.

Nice small report, grounds were well kept, nice beach. Food was okay, ice cream tasted like it had cough syrup in it though, but other than that the food was decent. Pool area fills up quick in the morning, the WIFI is limited and signal isn't strong.

Dining - not bad. Buffets were repetitive, but good. Tables could be cleaner! Wish there was an outdoor terrace for dining. Beach - not white sand, but nice. Ocean conditions are choppy. Lots of red flag days. Great for bobbing around. Pools - nice on Merengue side, little crazy on Bachata side Rooms - some great, some not so much. We asked for a room change and were given a beautiful room with balcony. Rooms are on the smaller side, but nice. All in all good resort for the price. Good for children.

When we booked we did not know what to expect. From the moment we got out of the air port to the time we got to the hotel the experience was better than other trips we had gone on. The service at the hotel was unmatched by other resorts we have stayed at. The grounds where well maintained with no shortage of hounds keepers. The room was of a decent size and the house keepers kept our room extremely clean and both the fridge and the wall mounted bar where also stocked each day. The beach was always clean and even thou it is not the white sand of some beachs you could easily walk with your toes in the sand (I would recommend water shoes in the water, it's a bit rocky). As far as food goes there was never a problem. Always something to eat no matter what time of day you could get a meal. The nightly shows where beyond what I expected. Some of them could have been Las Vegas style shows, with a bigger budget. The entertainment staff went out of the way to get people doing things all day long whether you where at the beach or hanging by the pool or you just felt like playing some fun bingo for prizes. The bars we had no complaints about at all and there was no shortage of the rum in the drinks. I would highly recommend this resort to anyone wishing to get away for either a quiet time away as a couple or as a group that wants to get away and party till the wee hours of the morning. You will find what you are looking for with this resort.

I travelled with 2 young kids (2 and 4y) to Riu Merengue and we enjoyed our trip. We were disappointed with our room, the furniture and bathroom was old/dented/scratched, but on the other hand very clean and really thats more important. The beach and food made up for it all. The sandy beach is long and not over crowded, a few 50-200m out there is a small coral reef with many fish that we snorkeled through. I recommend to snatch a lounge chair in the morning before breakfast. The food at the buffet was great - breakfast and dinner were amazing. But do not go to the a la carte restaurants, trust me!! A walk up to the light house was worth a great view.

The hotel rooms were great food was good entertainment was horrible staff were great was next to impossible to book an alacarte it rained for 4 out of the 7 days we were there all day all night and all through the night the beach was all rock .

The hotel was kept very clean. I had been there 3 years before so I knew it was going to be a good choice. My only disappointment was not knowing that I was booking a room on the village side. I would have preferred the garden side. The maid kept out room clean and tidy, and always brought fresh towels. Only complaint would be that the pillows could be a little thicker. The entertainment got pretty repetitive on the village side, same dances and what not, but we didn't watch much as we had to put our baby to bed at a decent time. The staff was incredibly friendly!!!! I can't stress enough about how amazing they all were. This is one of the reasons why I wanted to go back to this resort. The food was good for a buffet. Lunch had the most limited selection, but let me tell you, those pancakes at breakfast were always a huge hit!! Not going to lie Sunwing was a little disorganized when it came to figuring out what shuttle we were on to get to the resort, and the staff with Sunwing at POP airport weren't the greatest either. All in all, I would go back for a third time! :)

We had a wonderful time! The staff is exemplary in their efforts to please you and outstanding in making you feel welcome. They definitely deserve to be well paid. The only negative aspect were the beds. They are quite uncomfortable. Never went in any of the pools; ocean all the way! Staff on excursion were wonderful as well!

Riu Merengue is a great resort. I loved how all three resorts were attached. If one pool was busy we could just go to the other pools. Overal great experience but hated the locals pestering on the beach.

Grounds were lovely and well cared for. My first time at a resort. Easy to fill a day with reading friends and water. Lots of food but always the same. Most of our party had travelers complaint which was not good. Love the living quarters. Staff very friendly.

The resort was what we had hoped for, excellent rooms, plenty of food and drinks and nice atmosphere. It was nice having access to the other hotels and venues during the stay. Shows during the evening were well done.

The resort overall was very nice. The rooms were clean, the food was good if a bit repetitive. The pools, grounds and common areas were kept nice and we always saw people working hard to keep it so. The beach was also nice. I was a bit worried after reading other reviews about the locals coming on the weekend but we had no problems. Our main complaint was the flies that were on everything. Out of a group of 18 people, 16 of us got sick to varying degrees. I don't know for sure but think it could have been the flies that were all over the food. However, overall we had a great trip and found the resort and its staff very nice.

Facility was great, rooms were good, food was good. Too many flies on food at the outdoor buffet. A lot of people in our group were sick with a gastronomical disorder. Beach was beautiful and pools were great.

The rooms were very clean and kept clean throughout the stay. The weather was perfect. The beach was clean and beautiful. The red flag was up for the whole stay, but still enjoyed the waves hitting the beach. The bathroom in the rooms should be updated and a better/levelled bar fridge.

The resort was comfortable, outdated but that didn't bother us because it was very clean. The staff was very helpful, yet they hardly understood us. We could not go in the pool at the meringue because it was wall to wall full of locals, very, very dirty. We had no idea when we booked that locals were going to be staying at this resort. The Sunwing host Frank, was terrible, very cold. It was very intimidating, the "local" men and boys were very aggressive, especially since we had teenage daughters. The entire vacation the resort only spoke spanish during all shows and games. We were very disappointed not to know the truth about this resort.

airconditioner leaked quick fix patio door lock broke no fix toilet would not flush properly if at all bearing in exhaust fan squeal not fix .2daythen got the screamers lasted until I was home for 2 days. good way to lose 12 lbs.flight on time both way for a change also we got a up grade to a suite this were all the fun occured

Food was great, beach is amazing, staff friendly. A little too much North American music for my taste but still a wonderful vacation location. Safe and clean, rooms were well kept. Planning my next visit and have others interested in going as well. Wish our direct flight season in the Atlantic was longer tho... have to wait longer to go.

My best vacation ever! Amazing rooms, beach, food, drinks etc.etc. Absolutely no complaints about this resort. Only problem was the bug bites at night on the beach, forgot to take bug spray?! Perfect place and I would recommend to anyone. Cannot wait to return!

Rui Merengue was an excellent resort....rooms were clean and up-to-date, although no fan in the bathroom made for a very steamy shower!!! Open bar in the room was a plus!!! The food was excellent, offering alot of choice even for picky eaters and many familiar and domestic dishes to try. The facility was so clean, friendly staff and great shows kept you entertained every night. The beach was great, sandy but some seaweed in water and places of alot of coral so one had to watch their step!!! No shortage of beach loungers and sunshine...highly recommended and will likely return!!