Riu Palace Bavaro - All Inclusive

Customer ratings & reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

10888 reviews

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  Perfect relaxing holiday

  We had a perfect holiday Arrived and were given a pool view room in 6800 area - Room was clean spacious and well serviced and the air conditioning was amazing ! Waking up due to jet lag there were some people in the pool in the early hours but you could not hear them from the room - only if you were out on the balcony . Breakfast was plentiful and always a great choice , coffee brought to the table and staff were attentive but respectful. We had our pick of sunloungers and went to the adults pool most days - if you were that way inclined then you wouldn’t have to move as staff made regular laps around to serve you drinks . We did venture into the swim up bar but it just wasn’t for us but also respect that for users of this pool - that is why they had come on this holiday . Food court had fantastic choice & great location . Beach area on our visit was clean and well maintained- 2 days of seaweed but then it was clear . We found that the Rui staff were all accommodating- if you wanted anything they would oblige and if you didn’t they would leave you and it appeared that they respected each holiday maker Some people would leave cups etc round the pool and this I think is a reflection on them rather than anything you could criticise staff for as staff would be round so frequently checking if you needed anything around the pool . Restaurants- we ate at a few and never had an issue getting a table but it could be tricker if you had a larger group. The buffet restaurant still had high standard of food The weekends do get busier but nothing that disturbed our holiday . We loved the coffee shop and cocktail trolly in the loby We wanted a relaxing holiday and that is exactly what we got and we would recommend the hotel in a heartbeat

  Oct 05, 2025
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  Came here for the water park, hotel and pools were nice.

  This hotel is the closest to Splash World which my kids loved. The hotel was nice and clean and in good condition. The pools and chairs were plentiful and you didn't have to fight for chairs under shade which I very much appreciated. I was also impressed with the accessible features if that's something your family needs. The food was ok, better than many all inclusives.

  Sep 30, 2025
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  Awsomy

  RIU makes our trip fabulously. Thank you for all things that you’ve done for people all around the world

  Sep 30, 2025
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  Don’t bother book Mexico

  We ordinarily should have been staying at the Royalton but heard they have had issues with food poisoning so thought we would play safe and stay at a RIU how incorrect were we! This hotel is not much better! The main buffet restaurant has flys in the Dining area (we moved around) everywhere you sat there were there , they also have fly’s around the food with a table open to all the elements full of patisseries in the morning, we only dinned in this restaurant twice absolutely disgusting and not one healthy option. We thought we would try Krystal’s it was our Anniversary so I was able to book a table they expected a tip for doing this ! At other Riu’s the table is decorated and you receive a bottle of Carva in the room absolutely nothing happened! But saw it happening in the hotel and rooms ! I guess if you Tip it will happen how bad is this ! Other RIU don’t expect a tip I don’t mind tipping bit when it’s in your face like this it’s rude ! In Kristal had what we normally have in any other one we have been to and when it turned up it was a little different not a problem but when we tried it it was completely laced with salt so we decided to skip straight to the mains , again we had the same (Chicken) and it was on the bone not the normal. We cut in to it only to find it was pink and if you cut in to it further it was served to us at FRIDGE TEMPERATURE! We decided to leave and had a meal in the American dinner, on one occasion we had a meal in Zen and my chicken was served to me pink and cold (a side dish) I question if this hotel can actually cook food or serve it up as almost every meal I had was not hot . The main lunch food court looked to be a lovely idea cut not that clean and if you look further every station has food hygiene issues, the customers don’t help a drink man took to much and dropped some on the floor only to place the food he dropped back in with the other food for customers to have ! Staff appeared not to be interested and if you asked them for something it was like the world had ended! Some of the staff were lovely but most had an attitude towards you as they expected a tip for no reason. If you a female it’s different they would constantly stare at my wife’s chest until their eyes fell out of their head ! The main pool was absolutely disgusting! It was cloudy and people eating RFC in the pool empty drink cups and plates around and staff not cleaning up, the adults only pool was a little better but not a clean as you would expect and glass in the bottom of the pool,we spent most of the time at the rear pools near the villa’s as they were new and looked much cleaner, however still not quite what you would expect, not once did I see them clean up at the end of the day or even get a hose pipe out , the slabs had dirty marks on and used drink sticks around, the staff were slow on picking up used cups around but when they did they emptied out the drinks in to the bush hence why there was a massive ant problem in that area. The restaurant area on this side was a little more hygienic but not great! Staff didn’t seem to care about customers or know when it actually opened and were rude to myself and my wife on a few occasions. If you want a highly quality experience thinking this is a Palace and all the party American’s will not be there think again, they turn up load and full of it Friday and go at the latest Sunday along with the attitude! One chap was walking around the whole hotel with load music playing all night. The noise stops around 6am! I witnessed on 3 occasions a fight because of the drunk kids ! I like a drink don’t get me wrong that’s why I do AI . Also when it’s the weekend invasion expect load music to be played in the buffet restaurant and all around the pools in competition with one another (Guests) there is signs everywhere saying no music boxes and staff do absolutely nothing about it , my 1st week the corridor’s leading to the rooms were cleaned every morning with staff talking extremely loud at around 7Am almost like they wanted you out of your room in order to clean! The second week no cleaning of the floors but still extremely loud staff trying to get you out and up ! The second week the floors were absolutely awful in places . The evening Entertainment was the worst RIU entertainment I have ever seen and that’s saying something if you know what RIU entertainment is like . They kids entertainment is on prime time and finished around 8:45 with not many children staying at the hotel when I was there, the shows were some I have seen before but not much effort was put in to it unlike RIU Gran Canaria. Ok on a plus my room was clean with no problems but I would have expected the floor to me mopped on a regular basis, black marks on the slippers we took and this happened only on day 3 ! The mini bar was stocked up wall and a constant amount also. Plenty of bottled water but you need it as the water keeps going off at sporadic times. The hotel is tastefully decorated and modern this was one of the main attractions to this hotel and the bars actually kept clean but don’t drink lather on tap as it’s cloudy ask for a bottle. The pool party area is not clean at all we’re all the RIU hotel’s come together for the RIU party’s but not for us anymore as we are 45 it was good to see it and have a laugh you must give it a go we stayed out of the water 🤦‍♂️😬 In my opinion this is not a 5 star hotel it’s missing the finer details and RIU want the cake and eat it . I have stayed at many RIU hotels and also RIU Palace I will never return to this country it’s dirty also outside I recommend Mexico for the little bit extra you pay it’s a better all around experience and it’s safe in every way. Don’t book this coming from a RIU Gold member!

  Sep 30, 2025
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  Last-minute Dominican booking

  Avoided the coach transfers to and from the hotel but the hotel was excellent. The Rui Palace Bavaro offered a wide range of food and places to hang out, excellent pools, grazing offerings for lunch at the Food Courts near the pools and good service at the Sports Bar. The steaks were tasty in the steak houses and, despite the deluge of rain on day five, there was no disruption or flooding.

  Sep 28, 2025