Upon walking in the hotel the views were great. The room also looked great minus the minor panelling chips however, there were many mosquitoes as I don’t think there are any systems in place to deter them. Every night I killed at least 6. In addition to that our tissue box never got refilled once it was empty and I noticed that the soaps both in the room and public bathrooms did not get replaced either. A lot of my family ended up not feeling well by the end of our stay so I am not entirely sure if it was the food or the bars but it was very unusual for all of us to experience similar symptoms. The pools/beach and entertainment were great

Had a great time , The resort was very clean , friendly staff, food and drinks were great. No problem at the pools always chairs available. Lots of bench loungers . The beach was clean , no garbage … Will be back

We had an excellent time at the Riu Palace Bavaro. Our biggest concern is that they do not have a designated smoking area. We are non smokers and to see people smoking and vaping in the swim-up bar was disgusting to us. Also upsetting is seeing children in the swim-up bar that is clearly for adults. The Riu hotels we have visited in Panama and Costa Rica had clearly marked designated smoking areas and we would like to see that at the Riu Palace Bavaro. Those hotels do not allow children in the swim-bars either. The disco is much too loud and can be clearly heard from the surrounding blocks of rooms. Needs to be turned down. We would highly recommend this hotel to friends, but we have already told them about the smoking issue and loud music.

Absolutely stunning property. Grounds impeccable, rooms beautiful and immaculately clean. Really good food selection in the buffet and a la carte restaurants. Top of the line liquors with excellent service in all areas. Good selection of pools, one for families and one for adults only and a separate pool bar which could be very loud on occasions. Lots of shade on the beach and around the pools, so no necessity to save seats. Very good shows in the evening and we were there 14 days and shows not repeated. Separate section of the hotel geared to families and Riu parties at the Riu just down the street. All in all very good resort. Also only 30 minute drive from the airport.

I miss this place already. Two weeks of paradise. Hotel was very beautiful. Christian from Elite was amazing person. He made us feel very special. Big thanks to Christian. Food was very good, room was always clean. There were a lot to do and two weeks was not enough. The beach did have a lot of seaweed and some areas did really smell bad. Beside that I cant wait to go back.

Returned from a week's vacation at RIU Palace Bavaro where we had an amazing time. The resort is super clean and spread out nicely. The staff is very friendly and helpful, even fighting to have you sit in their section at breakfast haha! The food was good with lots of choice, I especially liked the meals at Krystal and Zen. We had a great time sitting at the tables in the pool meeting people from other places. The rooms were nicely decorated and laid out well. Of course the beach was spectacular with lots of loungers and plenty of trees to grab shade. I would highly recommend this resort!

Just came back from 5 days at Riu Palace: Elite Club, Swimout room. Before listing the items, I have travelled to many all inclusive in the Caribbean, last year staying at the Royalton Bavaro. I'm providing my objective review and you can decide what is ' good for you'. General Hotel Grounds and Lobby: Nicely kept. Beautiful upscale lobby with marble floors, and sculptures. Looks like a nice hotel in a big city rather than a Caribbean hotel. Beautiful. Lobby had a coffee shop and a bar. Hotel is not excessively big and everything seems to be within a reasonable short walk. NOTE: the kids area and waterpark is at the very front of the hotel. We only knew it was there because we passed it while on the bus-ride in. This could be good or bad depending on if you have kids or not. But, it's not close to the rest of the resort. Pools: There are 5 main pools (excluding the waterpark section). Elite Club and Adults only: VERY quiet. only a handful of people at these pools on any day at any time. Great if you want COMPLETE quiet. Activity Pool: Basic rectangular pool. Empty 90% of the day with the exception of water aerobics once a day. Drinking Pool: There is a separate pool with in-pool tables and bar. This is only for those who want to sit drink and chat all day. No swimming. Main Pool: Given the above, the main pool is very busy. As with most resorts, people reserve their chairs. if you want a seat in the 'front row', then you will have to do the same. But, if you don't mind being a row behind, then there are seats available. These back 'rows' also have a lot of shade. This pool can also be loud with kids. Given how far the waterpark is, I guess most parents just bring them to this pool. Surprising, no music or entertainment group throughout the day. They have some games a little later on (4pm), but nothing other than that. I would have at least expected some music playing on the speakers. Pool Service: There are waiters coming by taking orders, and a bar cart there during the day. I never had to wait for a drink. Room: Elite Swim-out: Swim out was kind of a waste (Royalton is 100% better). There are stairs, going into the 3ft pool. So, there is nothing you can do with it... if you go in, you are basically standing there. Royalton, had a shallow platform and had the two loungers partially submitted in the water. This has a patio area with loungers, but they couldn't be in the pool. Main benefit was you are on the main floor. Room was large and clean. Separate 'room' for the toilette (water closet), huge shower and restroom with double sink. No complaints. Elite Club: Your room will be closer to the pools. Separate loungers on the beach. These were at the back of the beach, so you couldn't even see the ocean. Not sure why they would have them so far back. Separate Pool: very quiet if you want that. Only Elite can make reservations at the restaurants for either 6pm or 8pm. This is helpful, but others just walk in since they don't see to be overly busy. Overall: My opinion, there isn't much benefit for paying for Elite. The only benefit is that you know you will have a room in a good location. Other than that, I don't see much use for it. Beach: When you walk down from the pool to the beach, it is VERY crowded. BUT... if you walk to the left for 30 seconds, you are still infront of the resort and the beach is almost empty! Huge beach area (length and depth), many chairs, and a lot of palm trees for shade. No seaweed, no rocks. We walked along the beach in front of other resorts (Grand Bahia to the left and Iberostar to the right). Riu had the best beach area (for size, flatness, and seaweed). Restaurants: Buffet: Large with a lot of selection. Lunch is the same everyday with little change, but there are many options. Dinner is mostly the same, with some variances for 'theme' nights. Nothing amazing, but always something good to eat. Food Court: There is a food court closer to the main pool. About 8-10 small restaurants, with Fried Chicken, Wok bowls, ice cream/crepes, hamburgers and Tacos. Fresh made tacos were great. Nice place to grab some quick eats without having to go into the buffet. AlaCarte: They were all good. If you are Elite, there is an Elite Cub restaurant which was the best. Service is top notch and food is excellent. American: Ribs, wings, etc Italian: good with antipasto buffet Elite: Great Krystal: High end. Very good. Japanese and Mexican: did not try Menus are outside the restaurants, so you can decide accordingly. Overall, the resort was very good and I would definitely go back. Everything was good with nothing to complain about. Nice hotel, good rooms, good service, no lines, and great beach area. I would put it inline with Royalton Bavaro, but Royalton would have a slight edge due to better SwimOut Room, slightly better restaurants and Diamond club amenities (ie beach loungers). But, you will not be disappointed with this hotel.

Clean, newly renovated. Service was quite good (some above and beyond, and some mediocre moments - but mostly good). Riu's overall do not have enough washrooms - quite a long hike to find toilets from the buffet/restaurants. But lovely resort overall.

The resort was very well layed out and well maintained. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The beach was beautiful. Unfortunately the food was terrible. Most of the food was cold and deep fried.

Well layed out resort. Staff are very friendly. Beach is beautiful and well maintained. The food however, is much to be desired. We have stayed at Riu's in other countries where the food was excellent and this one did not stand up to those standards.

Beautiful resort! Beach was where we spent the majority of our time. Food was good and lots of options for my vegetarian wife! Room was clean but the elevator was problematic. Manuel and Jesus were incredible service people.

The Riu Palace Bavaro is a bit dated colour wise but it was clean and comfortable . I thought it's layout and various pool configurations were better than the other attached Riu resorts that we had privileges at. Staff were friendly , food good and drinks all depended on your bartender but mostly good. There is construction going on behind the main hotel building . It didn't bother us and was somewhat entertaining to watch before we headed out for the day. The best rooms are the Villa rooms although ours was just fine in the main building looking out to the central square . Best to have the upgraded room so you have privileges at all pools and not just the main noisier pool. The sandy beach and ocean water was gorgeous. You can walk forever down the beach.

The Riu Palace Bavaro is a bit dated colour wise but it was clean and comfortable . I thought it's layout and various pool configurations were better than the other attached Riu resorts that we had privileges at. Staff were friendly , food good and drinks all depended on your bartender but mostly good. There is construction going on behind the main hotel building . It didn't bother us and was somewhat entertaining to watch before we headed out for the day. The best rooms are the Villa rooms although ours was just fine in the main building looking out to the central square . Best to have the upgraded room so you have privileges at all pools and not just the main noisier pool. The sandy beach and ocean water was gorgeous. You can walk forever down the beach.

The hotel and the gardens were beautiful, well kept, and clean. We were satisfied with the size of our room as well as the view from the balcony. The best part of our stay is the service we got from everyone working there. They were friendly, courteous, and always willing to please. However there was one thing that was most annoying during the week and that was the fact that the elevators were out of commission most of the time. This proved to be a hardship since I had surgery on my ankle recently. We were also disappointed that although we booked as a group we were all in different sections on different floors. We travelled with our children and grandchildren. Overall, we enjoyed our stay at the Riu Palace Bávaro and wouldn’t hesitate to return for another vacation.

Grounds are neatly maintained, shrubs & greenery are well preserved. The hotel structure & decor are outdated, elevators sometimes doesn’t work, common comfort rooms are far from dining areas, beaches & are on disarray, broken lounge chairs are common, beach are not maintained regularly, empty plastic glass, bottles, coconut husks & shells. No one practices CoVid protocol, staff, cooks, servers.

My boyfriend and I stayed here from October 15th-22nd 2022 for our first trip. We appreciated the intake process where the lounge offered food and drinks while we waited to be checked into our room. After a long flight the snacks were much appreciated. We were introduced to our butler Victor Alexis upon arrival and given his contact information once we checked in. Having the ability to contact him with our questions, reservation requests, and seeing his daily messages about the schedules and menus of the day made our stay very comfortable. He was very attentive and friendly when seeing him on resort. Room: We booked the Mirage Club Sky View Suite with Rooftop Jacuzzi and were not disappointed. Being part of the Mirage Club meant we were in the adult only section with just a 2 minute walk from the beach. Our rooftop looked out over the Seaside restaurant and bar, the pool and the beach. The room had air conditioning and our mini fridge was constantly stocked. We were also left extra waters beside on our bedside tables which were much appreciated after late nights. Housekeeping was amazing and kept everything very clean. We never ran out of towels or cleaning products. Our club access also included access to the adults only lounge which stocked drinks, alcohol, a variety of snacks and fruit all day. It was a great addition to the regular food offerings this resort had. Food: The food options were endless. The buffet was great for breakfast offering variations of eggs, pancakes, crepes, meats, etc. They had lots of fresh fruit and fruit juices along with yogurt and other dairy products. As someone with celiac disease navigating buffets can be difficult. They had clearly marked gluten free muffins, sourdough, and croissants as well as an omelette station that was great for avoiding cross contamination. For the most part the buffet is very straight forward regarding what is and isn't gluten free. Most of the staff that was knowledgeable about gluten free food worked in the restaurants not the buffet. The staff in the French and Italian restaurants were great with recommending gluten free options during both of our first dinner visits. There was some confusion at the Italian (lunch) and French restaurants (2nd dinner visit) so just make sure you double check with a knowledgeable staff member. It can help to have a spanish description of gluten free food saved on your phone. The Kabuki restaurant was awesome for making sure the food was gluten free! They used gluten free soy sauce and made sure to keep the cooking area and food separate from the usual food they had cooking. It was a great experience. We typically went to the Seaside buffet for lunch which offered both traditional dishes from the Dominican as well as fresh salads, fruit, and seafood. This buffet was a bit harder to navigate so be sure to find an employee that knows gluten free food to guide you through it. There was also a coffee shop open most of the days that offered great food and speciality drinks. Entertainment: There was always something going on during the day or at night to keep you busy. There were lots of activities in some of the pools as well as beach activities. The nightly shows featured popular music and impressive acrobatics. I recommend getting a seat early if you're looking forward to a particular show. They also had entertainment in the courtyard area that was easier to drop in on before or after dinner. We even picked up a painting from one of the performers. Beach: The beach was great! There were some days with seaweed and some days without. They did make an effort to keep it clean as best they could. There are a lot of people trying to sell things on the beach which can be helpful if you're looking for souvenirs but is a bit overwhelming. Most of the sellers are polite and move on if you are not interested. There were lots of chairs but be sure to try and to get a bali bed early in the day if you want to spend any time on one. The drink service on the beach was a plus. Bars: The piano bar is a perfect place to go for fancy drinks. Antony at the lobby bar was amazing! He always had drinks ready when he saw us coming and had his own speciality drinks when we weren't sure what to order. The seaside bar is the best place to grab drinks when you are on the beach. The ladies there are very friendly. Rafi was also awesome at the Tiki bar if you're spending the day in the pool. If you're part of the Mirage Club make sure to visit the exclusive bars beside your lounge or in your pools which are less busy. Check out: Check out process was quick an easy. Our bags were picked up while we went to breakfast and loaded onto the shuttle for us as we left. Overall we had a great experience and will be returning hopefully to see the same staff members that made the trip memorable.

Hotel staff, restaurants, grounds and rooms were all very nice. We were upgraded to the Villa after a small incident. I would highly recommend the Villa for a more quieter vacation. Sunwing representative communication was great. The only issue was a huge delay at the Toronto airport upon departure to Dominican Republic.

Everything great except the main courses in the buffet. Extremely salty compared to previous visits. There was constant confusion whether or not a la carte restaurants were open or closed. For example the restaurant staff said that the Taino Steakhouse would be open Wednesday and Thursday but they were closed. The local Sunwing rep was so so. We had to figure out things ourselves

Lovely hotel Very clean Amazing staff Delicious food Lovely beach and pool Music and entertainment Lovely Riu partys Wow Reception area Lovely Each and every corner of the resort was detailed and beautifully designed

I would not recommend this resort. It should be 3 star at best. Very outdated. Beds are terrible. I didn't sleep for a week. Needs an entire update. If you can book the Riu Punta Cana would be a better resort for the same price. We were supposed to be in the Riu Punta Cana but our terrible agents at Tripcentral stuck us in the Bavaro and then would not answer or return phone calls!!!!!! Never deal with trip central again. I travel every year and they were the worst customer service I have ever experienced!! Good thing I didn't have to get ahold of them for anything really important. They only take your money then never take your calls. Although the hotel is dated and the booking company sucks there were lots of good things. Staff at hotel was amazing. Food was amazing. Beach was amazing. Very clean.

At first presentation it was all we could have hoped for, we arrived late and grounds stunned us so well kept and clean, Room air conditioning was cooled for the humidity upon arrival. Location was perfect steps from Ocean or Pool, and staff we exceptional. Food quality was excellent. We will definitely be back to this resort.

This Resort was amazing ,, beaches were gorgeous,, staff bend backward to make u feel like u are in a adream ..Food was above & beyond .. Activities were constant and very cheerful.. Would go back again no hesitations..

Amazing resort, staff was great the resort was very close to the beach, rooms were clean, fridge was stocked up everyday. Sports bar had the all the games and was open 24hrs. Would come back again and will recommend to my friends and family, thank you trip central

Just returned from the Dominican Republic where I stayed with a friend at the Riu Palace Bavarro ( June 5th - 12th /2018 ). I have been there a few times prior to this visit and once again , was not disappointed. The hotel is kept immaculately clean, rooms freshened up daily, always lots of fresh towels each day. Staff always had a cheerful greeting each morning to guests. Only real negative thing I would have to say is that the food in the buffet could have been warmer. When the food was prepared at a station ie: pasta or omelet the food was fine. I noticed that the a la carte restaurants never seemed to be filled to capacity so not sure if that was an indication of what the food was like or not. The buffet did offer a wide range of food choices, so picky eaters could still find something that would agree with them. I also visited the other Riu hotels on the complex and did find that they had gone thru major renovations to bring them up to the Riu level one would expect. One , the Riu Palace Punta Cana was closed for reno's so did not get a chance to see inside that one but did notice they are expanding towards the beach area. I took a walk down the beach to visit the Riu Republica ( adults only ) and found it to be more of a young persons resort as it seemed to cater to the under 50 group. The hotel is set back quite a ways from the beach which is located behind a large sand dune. There are two main buildings set a fair distance apart. I spoke with a number of guests while having a drink and got a mix bag of responses. The hotel is new so going thru the early growing stages. Overall, the week was great and would have no qualms about going back. Big plus, the hotel is 20 minutes from the airport.

Staff: mostly nice untill u get to the buffet and it gets worse when you stop giving tips. Beach: beautiful but dirty and no waiters.my wife found a big Peace of broken glass sticking out of the sand. The pools: cigarette butts all over the place no one cleans up. People spitting all over the place disgusting. The other restaurants on the resort I would give it 2.5 out of 10 my wife and my buddy's wife both got food poisoning and my buddy got a little sick. The only store on the resort: Do not buy anything from there the workers overcharge and pocket the rest it's rediculous. The Rooms: so dirty our sink wouldn't work. No air fan in the washroom. No blankets just a very thin and very very cheap blanket knockoff.

About 20 minutes from Punta Cana airport. This resort is in great condition. No signs of any hurricane damage from this past fall (2017). Easy check in at front reception with friendly staff. Access to Sunwing rep in lounge was always easy for planning excursions. Food was good at the buffet and multiple restaurants. WIFI is exceptionally good at this resort. It is free everywhere on the resort and in the rooms. There is a small fitness centre in the spa if you want to work out. Bavaro beach has beautiful white sand and you can walk for miles.The closest casino opens at 7pm but is so small it is not worth going to. All in all a great vacation location.

Room was very nice and clean. Always had a well stocked fridge, bottled water and fresh towels. Grounds are amazing and clean. Three different pool areas and gorgeous beach with plenty of chairs for everyone. Food at the buffet was always good and steakhouse was awesome. Staff is very pleasant and friendly. Thanks to Kevin Dupuis from Trip Central for helping us with all details to make this a wonderful trip. Would definitely go back.

Stayed at the RIU Palace Bavaro July 16-20th. Bus ride from the airport was only 30 minutes, and when we arrived we had a very easy check in process. We were upgraded to the VIP section. Our room was very spacious and clean. Walk to the pool, beach & restaurants was very short, as the resort is not large. Food was really good. Service was good. Only ate at the buffet restaurants as the other restaurants have a lot of fish & seafood on the menus (which didn't appeal to us). Bars were good, enjoyed the coffee bar in the lobby - they served good coffee and soft serve ice cream. We went to the shows each night and they were not the best shows we have seen but they were entertaining. Beach was nice, not overly crowed and could always find a beach chair (same for pool but it was a bit more crowded). Only complaint about the beach was all the seaweed. I did see them out clearing it one day but they could certainly do it more frequently. Overall really liked the resort.

We had a 1 week stay at the Riu Palace Bavaro, Punta Cana Dominican Republic. We found the resort very well appointed. Rooms were updated, clean, spacious and modern. The food was very good, with lots of selection on the daily buffet. The restaurants were okay, but we found we had a few picky eaters and they prefered the options the buffet provided. The resort pools and beach front were very nice and clean, and ample beach front with plenty of shade from the numerous palm trees. The bar could of had more premium liquor options, but otherwise there was plenty of selection of beverages. The evening shows were entertaining and the day activities were just right if you wanted to participate.

The food and service was very good, the hotel rooms were clean, the beachfront was spectacular. Not many activities/games took place during the day - other resorts appeared much more lively. Entertainment at night was ok.

Great place to stay. The rooms are very clean , and towels and sheets changed daily. The variety of food was amazing. If you couldn't find something you liked ! , I would be amazed. The staff were really friendly and helpful. The beach was heaven. I would recommend this resort to all of my friends and family.

The hotel is great, rooms are well kept and nightly entertainment is fantastic. Some nights restaurants were closed without explanation. There were no reservations of the restaurants that were open so you show up and take your chances. This is s very poor arrangement. As a long time RIU member I prefer reservations.

Had a great vacation at the RIU Palace Bavaro! The food was amazing, the resort was very clean and the rooms were modern and big. We travelled with 3 teenage children and they also had a great time. We will return to this hotel.

The resort did not live up to what I expected from a Riu. Appearance wise the resort looks beautiful but lacks a in a lot of other areas. From any other resort I've been the a la cartes have always had the better food here the buffet was better as all the other reviews say. Our room key didn't work more than 7 times, each time we had to go all the way to the lobby so that they could send someone to fix it. Another time our safe wouldn't open. Someone came and fixed it but the same thing happened again the following day which led to it having to be broken. The manager, Roberto I believe was very helpful and helped us quite a bit. The other thing that they may want to stop doing is putting flowers on the beds and scattered in the room. Everyday we would find numerous ants crawling around the flowers. It's a nice touch but when it brings so many bugs into the room maybe another approach should be taken. The sports bar is very nice for the only problem being people constantly smoking. We had to go early so that we wouldn't be exposed to as much second hand smoke. The shows in the evening were amazing! Definitely one of the best shows I've seen at any resort. The beach had a lot of seaweed making it hard for anyone to go into the water. Not sure if it was the time of season or if it happens all the time. Overall I would not recommend this resort to anyone not worth the money.

Stayed at the Riu Bavaro 7 days, entertainment in the day and at night was great. Room key did not work on 7 occasions, had to make the long walk to the lobby to get keys changed, similar issue w/safe.

Very nicely kept resort!Not very big so it is easy to get around;the staff is very friendly and do an excellent job at trying to accommodate their guests.The food is somewhat limited in choice though.

Beach was nice,pools were dirty,the resort was small so easy to get around.Service was mediocre,entertainment staff is pleasant.Shows were good.Food is terrible,rooms are terrible.Wine and beverages were terrible.Too expensive for what is offered.Place needs a refacing.Difficulty getting internet access and phone access.Staff does not speak enough english.Definitely not a 5 star as rated.

We have stayed at several Riu Palace's and this is by far not up too the standards that it should be. The food was exactly the same day after day. The beach was none existant in front of our hotel, just hugh boulders trying to stop tge errosion. The rating of the location really should be dropped down because there is no way it should have a 5 or 4.5 star or palace rating. Be careful just because it says it is on Bavaro beach doesn't mean the location is good. We made this mistake. We have stayed at Barcelo Bavaro beach 5+ time and the beach is beautiful so we assumed that it would be just as beautiful.....you know what they say about assuming! !!!!!!!

We enjoyed our stay at the Riu Palace Bavaro. The good points include the room - great air conditioning, very clean, great maid service, beds a bit firm, but good. The jacuzzi tub was comfortable. The bar service was well run in the entertainment area. The servers were very friendly and efficient. The food had a good variety at the buffets all meals including lunch. The service at the a la carte restaurants was not very friendly. Our best service was at the Steakhouse. We went twice. We always tip and perhaps many guest do not and perhaps that is why the service seemed unfriendly at the a al carte restaurants. VIP section was nice, but not much special treatment other than our adult only pool. Should have had more waiter service dedication. Bar should have stayed open in the evening the same as the Sensimar section. I heard this section was primarily for the Europeans. Or they could have allowed the VIP people to access the pool bar in the evening. The coffee bar should open at 8 am rather than 10 am. The front desk personnel were very friendly as well as our towel/pool attendants in all areas. Overall, we would recommend this resort.

Clean, well kept grounds Good service at front desk and at a-la-cart restaurants Maid service was inconsistent (se days they came early and did a great job, other days they didn't come until dinner and did a half fast job) Service in buffet was also inconsistent (great service some days, at some meals we were not even served water--at one of these occasions the wait staff were arguing for a tip left at a table instead of serving us) Food was good, wide selection of drinks both alcoholic and non alcoholic

I have been to many RIU resorts and this one is the best, the new standards for the palaces. Food was amazing, presentation and variety, the service, the rooms, everything was excellent. I have been recommending to anyone looking for a resort in DR.