RIU Resorts – There are hardly any resorts in Punta Cana that receive more conflicting reviews than this hotel. Considering the amazing value you get here, this is rather surprising, as it is one of the best mid-price resorts in Punta Cana. In this extensive Riu Palace Bavaro review I will tell you all the good, the bad and the ugly, based on our recent experience here. I will share some insider tips and the highlights of our stay including some suggestions for whom this all-inclusive hotel is the perfect pick and who should better avoid it.
What’s special?
RIU is one of the few resorts in Punta Cana where multiple expectations are met, combining a perfect ambiance for different types of travelers, for example:
- RIU Resorts is hosting the biggest resort parties in Punta Cana, but in a separate venue within walking distance, so that you don’t get disturbed when you want to relax on the resort grounds
- RIU Palace Bavaro was completely renovated in 2024 and offers now a contemporary and top-notch design of their rooms, including upgraded services and amenities
- the hotel is home to a new food court concept for lunchtime right next to the pool and the beach, where you can pick from 8 different food outlets, including unique Hawaiian-style poke bowls, freshly prepared Asian food from the wok or oven-baked pizzas
- considering RIU Palace Bavaro is a resort in the mid-price range, the selection and quality at the buffet are outstanding (incl. lots of seafood), the choices of premium alcohol brands are very extensive and they even serve lobster and surf & turf at one of their included á-la-carte restaurants
Interested in more details? Continue reading the following Riu Palace Bavaro review with all of our own experiences, observations and the negative points we experienced during our recent stay at this all-inclusive hotel in Punta Cana.
At a glance: THE BEST of Riu Palace Bavaro
This resort review is bringing you all the details you need to know about Riu Palace Bavaro in Punta Cana, but in case you don’t have that much time to read (even though it is highly recommended as you will find some experiences you won’t read anywhere else), here are a few of our top tips for Riu Palace Bavaro:
Further recommendations needed? Check out the following review and/or feel free to comment below the blog post if you have any questions.
Location: Where is Riu Palace Bavaro?
Riu Palace Bavaro is located within the large Riu Punta Cana resort complex in the Arena Gorda area, approximately. 15 miles away from the airport, which equals a 25-minute airport transfer.
The airport transfer is quick, easy and straightforward. It is recommended to prebook it to avoid any hassle or pushy taxi drivers at the airport. Here is an option for a particularly recommendable and well-established transfer from the airport to Riu Palace Bavaro*.
Travel resources
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Road-Trips & Self-Drive Tours: Info | Plan It
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Once at Riu Palace Bavaro, there is not much within walking distance outside of the resort. While Riu is one of the biggest resorts in Punta Cana and offers everything you need, including shops, a disco, a pharmacy, a doctor and lots of beautiful grounds and gardens, there is pretty much nothing around once you leave the resort. However, beach-wise, you can walk in both directions for a couple of miles with some of the best beaches in Punta Cana.
A short explanation of Riu Resort in Punta Cana
As mentioned, Riu Palace Bavaro is part of the large Riu Punta Cana Resort, which consists of a total of 4 hotels:
- Riu Palace Macao
- Riu Palace Bavaro
- Riu Palace Punta Cana
- Riu Bambu
- The 5th hotel, formerly Riu Naiboa, no longer exists. It was completely demolished and rebuilt and is now incorporated into Riu Palace Bavaro.
The 3 Riu Palace hotels are the top-tier resorts of Riu in Punta Cana, while Riu Bambu is the budget and most affordable resort option of Riu.
Riu Palace Macao (2023) and Riu Palace Bavaro (2024) are completely renovated, Riu Palace Punta Cana is a little bit older.
There is another Riu resort in Punta Cana, Riu República, which is the famous party resort. This is approx. 2 miles away and not part of the Riu Punta Cana complex, but guests from Riu Republica have access to the 4 times weekly Riu parties.
The Riu complex is also part of the famous Riu party venue, the Riu Splash water world (one of the biggest water parks in Punta Cana) and Pacha, the Riu disco. You also have several shopping opportunities on the grounds, as well as many different areas to walk, stroll or enjoy nature.
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Overview – a virtual walk through the resort
Riu Palace Bavaro is one of the bigger resorts in Punta Cana and features close to 1000 rooms. Therefore, the rooms are pretty spread out, but most of the amenities and shared spaces, such as pools, restaurants or bars, are all close to each other.
Let’s try to bring you the resort a bit closer with a virtual resort walk.
Once you enter the lobby, you can immediately feel that Riu Palace Bavaro is completely renovated, in all aspects, especially when you know the old classy design of the old Riu resort. Now it’s much more elegant, contemporary, cozy, with a much more welcoming feel.
Right beside the lobby is the coffee shop and the large lobby bar.
Once you leave this interior area, you open the doors to the outside and see most of the resort in front of you: the two large wings of the main building, the large tropical garden with plenty of palm trees and the kind of boulevard section with all the amenities on the ground floor, mainly the restaurants and bars.
To the left, you can find the 24/7 sports bar, the Elite Club Lounge and the entertainment plaza/open-air theatre.
To the right, you can find ALL the à-la-carte restaurants, the ice cream shop and a little bit further down the large buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Once you pass the main building and the buffet, you reach the pool and beach area of Riu Palace Bavaro. 5 pools are waiting for you here, including an adults-only pool, an activity pool and a pool with a swim-up bar.
The Riu Palace Bavaro beach is no less impressive than the pool count, as the beach area is 950 feet long and up to 200 feet wide, including some of the finest sand and dotted with hundreds of palm trees. It is one of the largest beach areas in Punta Cana.
Next to the pool area and just behind the beach area, you can also find the food court, which is so much more than just a regular beach snack. It’s the perfect area for lunch if you don’t want to head to the buffet – more about the outlets you can find further below in the restaurant section of this Riu Palace Bavaro review.
Even though you have arrived at the beach now, your walk through the property isn’t complete yet. There is one area missing, which is slightly in the back. You reach it by turning left from the lobby and the boulevard area. Here – in the old Riu Naiboa area, which now as been completely remodeled and newly constructed – you can find 2 more pools (including one with regular entertainment and a swim-up bar), another coffee shop, a water park for smaller kids, some more food outlets, the new Riu Arts center, some sports courts (football, basketball, beachvolleyball, tennis) and the kids club.
If you’re a pool lover, Riu Palace Bavaro is your top choice. You can choose between 7 pools on the hotels grounds and can use an additional 7 pools at the neighboring resorts, giving you a total choice of 14 pools.
The beach
As mentioned, the beach at Riu is absolutely stunning, as are most places along Arena Gorda and Bavaro Beach. There is absolutely no complaint, so if you’re looking for a resort with a perfect beach, you can find it here at Riu Palace Bavaro.
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Due to the long stretch of beach, beach chairs are always available.
As in most places along Arena Gorda, there are some slight waves; the water is not entirely calm, but it’s not particularly rough.
The sand is super soft and very close to white.
Snorkeling is not really an option in this area, but it isn’t either at most other beaches in Punta Cana.
Water sport options are available, mainly kayaking, windsurfing and Hobie cats.
The rooms at Riu Palace Bavaro
All rooms at Riu Palace Bavaro were completely renovated in 2024 and now feature a contemporary and refreshed design and all the amenities you expect from a resort in 2025.
The room categories at Riu Palace Bavaro are as follows:
Regular room categories:
- Junior Suite
- Connecting Junior Suite
- Junior Suite Tropical View
- Superior Junior Suite Villa
Family room categories:
- Friends & Family Room
- Friends & Family Room Tropical View
- 2-Bedroom-Junior Suite Tropical View
- Family Suite 2 Bedrooms
Elite Club room categories:
- Superior Junior Suite Elite Club
- Junior Suite Swim Up Elite Club
- Suite Ocean View Elite Club
- Suite Swim-Up Beachfront Elite Club
All rooms include turn-down service, bathroom with shower, double sink, makeup mirror, hairdryer, 110V, telephone, free WiFi, central air conditioning, ceiling fan, minibar, liquor dispenser, coffee maker, satellite TV with content streaming, electronic safe, iron and ironing board, balcony or terrace.
We just stayed in a regular Junior Suite. What most impressed us was the spacious room, the in-room liquor dispenser with international branded alcohol, the large bathroom with a large walk-in shower and the seating area with a comfy sofa, table and chairs. Of course, our room also had a well-working air-conditioning, a stocked minibar, a tea- and coffee machine, a separate toilet, bathroom amenities, fast WiFi and a very comfy bed.
Most of the rooms are very similar in terms of layout and amenities. The main differences are that the family rooms, 2-bedroom suites and connecting rooms offer much more space for larger families. Furthermore, the Elite Club rooms come with additional amenities such as better views, upgraded mini bars and better liquors, aromatherapy and a welcome gift. You can find all the advantages of the Riu Elite Club rooms further below in the review in a separate section.
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Booking: How to find the best prices for this resort
Riu Palace Bavaro can be booked on most major booking platforms. Years ago, Riu wasn’t listed on Booking.com, but even this has changed now, so that you can choose and compare where to find the best deal.
Exactly, that’s my advice for Riu Palace Bavaro (and most other all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana): compare the rates and pick what suits your needs most.
- If you’re looking for the cheapest rates, simply compare different websites, including the Riu website – see the table below for direct booking links to major (online) agencies
- If you’d like to have a carefree package with a personal assistant during your trip preparation, contact your nearest travel agent (and look for another travel agent if they don’t recommend Riu – that’s probably just because they receive bigger commissions from other hotels)
- If you’re planning to stay in various Riu hotels & resorts over the years, register on the Riu website for the Riu Club system and book through their website.
To make researching easier for you, here is an overview with direct links to the most important booking platforms when booking your Riu holiday in Punta Cana:
It’s also recommended to check if a package, consisting of flights and a hotel booked together in one step, is cheaper. You can do so through your travel agent or, for example, here with Jetblue Vacations*.
Culinary journey: restaurants and bars
Considering that we are talking about a mid-price resort, we were extremely impressed with the food and drinks at Riu Palace Bavaro. Here are a few key highlights why I think that Riu Palace Bavaro delivers an exceptional culinary value for the price you pay:
- Lobster dinners are included at the steakhouse (absolutely unique among mid-price resorts in Punta Cana)
- The buffet offers an exceptional quantity and quality, especially in terms of seafood, cheese, fruits and fresh juices
- The selection of included alcohol brands is unparalleled in this price segment (Herradura Tequila, Bombay Sapphire, Absolut Vodka, Barcelo Imperial (one of the best rums in the Dominican Republic), Chivas Regal, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Liquor 43, Jägermeister and more are included)
- À-la-carte lunch is possible at the American country restaurant, + you have the innovative food court concept with 8 food and drink outlets.
Of course, not everything was perfect. For example, the à-la-carte restaurants (except the Mexican one) were ok and good, but not exceptional. Especially the gourmet restaurant Krystal left a little bit to be desired, even though the vibe and decoration were awesome. But, this is complaining on a high level – in general, we were extremely satisfied with the food and drinks at Riu Palace Bavaro.
When staying at Riu Palace Bavaro, the following restaurants and bars are included:
- Buffet restaurant “Taino” (open for breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- Mexican à-la-carte restaurant “Agave” (open for dinner)
- Gourmet à-la-carte restaurant “Krystal” (open for dinner)
- Asian à-la-carte restaurant “Zen” (open for dinner)
- Steakhouse – à-la-carte restaurant (open for dinner)
- Italian à-la-carte restaurant “La Bambola” (open for dinner)
- American Country à-la-carte restaurant (open for LUNCH AND dinner)
PLUS
- Coffee & pastry shop “Capuchino”
- Coffee & pastry shop “Bakery”
- 24-hour room service
- 24/7 sports bar including snacks and full bar
- Ice cream shop “Candy” (from lunch to late)
- Around 10 bars including lobby bar, pop-up bar, dinner bar, 2 swim-up bars, 3 pool bars, theatre bar, food court bar, sports bar
Please note that Riu Palace Bavaro operates, as all Riu Resorts in Punta Cana, with a no-reservation policy. The restaurants are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Usually, when you go for dinner before 7.30pm, you always get a table immediately without waiting. If going before 8.00 pm, you just might have to wait a few minutes.
The steakhouse was always super popular – expect some waiting time, even earlier in the night. The Mexican restaurant always had seats available at any time of the night (and interestingly enough, it was our favourite).
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One particular thing we noted compared to other resorts was that in all à-la-carte restaurants, the service was super quick. For all three dinners we had, appetizers arrived within 5-10 minutes and main dishes were usually there within 20 minutes or less.
What we also loved at Riu Palace Bavaro was the Mexican restaurant, which had a super authentic Mexican vibe, including the original Tortilla containers and the super amazing appetizer buffet with tons of delicious guacamole, pico de gallo and prawns in all different flavours.
The buffet also impressed us with its selection, including excellent cheese (they had 6 different entire cheese wheels), seafood (incl. mussels, giant prawns, tuna tartar and a lot of fresh fish carpaccio) and multiple fresh healthy juices without added sugar for breakfast and for lunch.
Furthermore, we loved the concept of the Asian restaurant of ordering tapas style, imitating the street food hawker menus of Thailand and neighboring countries, even though the dishes could have been a bit more creative. The experience was super nice, though.
Alcohol brands were outstanding as indicated, you hardly find a resort in the same price category (I’d say there is none – maybe Serenade Punta Cana, depending on current pricing) with a wider selection of premium brands.
In case you have an Elite Club room, you can also take advantage of the following culinary amenities:
- Separate Elite Club à-la-carte restaurant for fine dining, open for dinner
- Exclusive Elite Club lounge with additional premium brands
- À-la-carte breakfast if desired
Entertainment and service
There are hardly any resorts in Punta Cana that offer so many entertainment options like Riu Palace Bavaro, respectively Riu Punta Cana in general.
Besides the typical pool activities, non-motorized water sports and evening entertainment, which you all find in nearly every resort in Punta Cana, Riu in particular keeps you busy with the following unique activities:
You also have two newly equipped gyms (the regular one at Riu Palace Bavaro plus you can use the slightly bigger gym at Riu Palace Macao), a spa, a kids water park, non-motorized water sports, beach volleyball, tennis courts and much more.
Service-wise wise everything was as expected and very professional. Except for a pretty boring and uninformative check-in, we have always been treated super well and quick.
Elite Club
During its complete renovation, an Elite Club was added to Riu Palace Bavaro, which is kind of the VIP Level of the hotel. All guests booking an Elite Club room have access to the Elite Club amenities and privileges, which are:
- Elite Club Rooms with better views/locations
- Premium drinks at select hotel bars and in the exclusive Elite Club lounge
- Exclusive Elite Club specialty restaurant
- Restaurant exclusively serving breakfast with an à la carte menu
- Exclusive area on the pool with a bar
- Upgraded Minibar with snacks and a bottle of wine, including upgraded liquor dispenser
- Early check-in (subject to availability)
- Late check-out until 1 p.m.
- Welcome gift
- Aromatherapy in the room
- Dinner reservations are available through the app
Is it worth the money?
It depends.
As always, it is important to consider two factors to determine if the Elite Club is worth the money or not:
- The additional price of the Elite Club rooms
- Your own preferences
Elite Club is particularly worth it for you if you enjoy some extra treatment during check-in and in your room, not so much throughout the resort. The extra specialty restaurant is a nice perk, and so is the exclusive Elite Club lounge.
Furthermore, it’s important to check the price. Currently, Elite Club room upgrades vary between 75 and 150 USD per room per night. 150 USD is a bit steep in my opinion, but everything below 100 USD per room per night is worth considering, IF you value the extra services.
Interchanging facilities between the Riu Palace Bavaro and other Riu Resorts
As mentioned above, Riu Palace Bavaro is part of the huge Riu complex and – the great news is – that you have access to some of the other resorts as well. Here is where you have access to when staying at Riu Palace Bavaro:
Riu has changed this policy a couple of times over the years, but these are the regulations as of now (2025) and with the renovations completed at Riu Palace Macao and Bavaro, this shouldn’t change too soon. Still, please note that not all staff members are super well informed about this, hence you might get an odd reply in some instances when asking about these interchanging privileges. If in doubt, just ask another staff member.
You won’t have access to Riu República.
Editor’s Choice: the best experiences 2025
Most unique experience in a small group: Authentic rum tasting* (rating 4.81/5)
Best Rated Punta Cana excursion: Isla Saona Premium in small groups* (rating 4.95/5)
Most booked through Punta Cana Travel Blog: Small-Group Snorkeling* (rating 4.92/5)
Best off-the-beaten-track excursion: Montana Redonda & Costa Esmeralda* (rating 4.77/5)
Best excursion for family fun: Jungle Buggies + Zipline Combo* (rating 4.89/5)
New and trending for 2025: Mimosa Cruise*
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Excursions
In case you’d like to leave Riu Palace Bavaro for any excursions, there is a whole array of tours available – try to experience at least one day out of the hotel to get a glimpse of Punta Cana and the Dominican Republic. It’s an amazing and fascinating country!
While families can check out Scape Park Cap Cana or the famous family-friendly snorkeling tour*, active adults can have a look at ziplining in the Anamuya Mountains or a countryside safari to get to know the area*.
To give you a better overview of what Riu Palace Bavaro excursions are available, here is a list of the best-rated and most-recommended tours according to verified reviews:
Summary: for whom is it worth to go – and when you should NOT go …
We were extremely pleased and satisfied with our stay at Riu Palace Bavaro – and actually even surprised. Even though we have been to Riu and Riu Palace before and knew the outstanding value they deliver (for usually very affordable prices), we didn’t expect that amount of highlights we received, among them the fully renovated rooms, the super well-stocked buffet incl. enormous amounts of seafood, cheese and fruits and the enormous selection of premium brands at the bars, just to name a few. And also our repeated visits to Riu Party fully delivered, as those events have not lost 1% of their craziness and positive vibes.
Therefore, we can highly recommend Riu Palace Bavaro. You will love your stay here if
- You want to visit one of the more modern resorts (the hotel is well-established, but as really EVERYTHING has been remodeled, it can count as a new resort in Punta Cana)
- You are looking to get exceptional value without breaking the bank, but also without sacrificing comfort (which you sometimes have to do if staying at some of the cheapest resorts in Punta Cana)
- You love fresh seafood, lobster and cheese
- You want modern and spacious rooms, good drinks, à-la-carte dinners without reservations, a large selection of pools and a wide stretch of beach with fine sand on a swimmable beach
- You like to party but don’t want to stay at a party resort
- You need a spacious, family-friendly room or a 2-bedroom suite – Riu Palace Bavaro has plenty of them
Riu Palace Bavaro is not for you if
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CHRIS
Author, Travel Coach & Industry Professional (Bachelor’s degree in tourism)
Hey, I am Chris, a born and raised German, travel-addictive and Caribbean soul, who has been living in the Dominican Republic for 6 years. I’d love to be your Punta Cana expert, as I have stayed at more than 45 all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana and the country, visited more than 70 beaches, explored more than 40 waterfalls and have seen basically all the attractions Punta Cana has to offer. I have also studied tourism for 3 years and worked in the tourism industry my entire life, which is why I am not only giving you recommendations and tips as a traveler but also the best secrets and travel hacks as an industry professional.
Do you need more information? Read more at my About Me Page, send me a travel coaching request or Contact Me here.
SHARING IS CARING! IF YOU ENJOYED THIS ARTICLE, PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS – I WOULD APPRECIATE IT A LOT.
CHRIS
Author, Travel Coach & Industry Professional (Bachelor’s degree in tourism)
Hey, I am Chris, a born and raised German, travel-addictive and Caribbean soul, who has been living in the Dominican Republic for 6 years. I’d love to be your Punta Cana expert, as I have stayed at more than 45 all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana and the country, visited more than 70 beaches, explored more than 40 waterfalls and have seen basically all the attractions Punta Cana has to offer. I have also studied tourism for 3 years and worked in the tourism industry my entire life, which is why I am not only giving you recommendations and tips as a traveler but also the best secrets and travel hacks as an industry professional.
Do you need more information? Read more at my About Me Page, send me a travel coaching request or Contact Me here.
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