Hotel Riu Palace Bavaro
Hotel Riu Palace Bavaro reopened at the start of September 2024 after an extensive refurbishment and expansion, and the traveler response has been strongly positive. Riu demolished the neighbouring Riu Naiboa and spread the Palace Bavaro over its land, which turned a property that drew mixed-to-positive reviews into a 994-room resort split into distinct zones: a family area with 255 three-bed rooms, standard Junior Suites, and a new Elite Club tier of 108 rooms, 60 of them with their own private pool. The Elite Club has become the standout feature; guests describe it as peaceful and private, with seamless check-in and a room category that justifies the premium. The Arena Gorda beach it sits on is one of the best stretches of the Bavaro coast: flat, white, calm, and photogenic in every direction.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +Reopened at the start of September 2024 after a top-to-bottom refurbishment and expansion onto the site of the demolished Riu Naiboa next door, and guests who have stayed since consistently describe the rooms and public areas as fresh and well maintained
- +The Elite Club tier created in the 2024 works is the standout: 108 rooms, 60 of them with a private pool, plus an exclusive restaurant, a private pool with its own bar, a lounge, a premium spirits dispenser in the room, priority restaurant reservations and late checkout until 1 pm
- +Direct beachfront on Arena Gorda, the stretch of the Bavaro coast with flat white sand and calm turquoise water that is easy to swim in
- +Access to the Splash Water World water park is included in the all-inclusive, which makes it one of the better family or group activity resorts in Punta Cana
- +RIU Party nights, the foam and theme parties the chain is known for, are included for guests and run several times a week; check the schedule at check-in
- +A dedicated family area with 255 three-bed rooms, the RIU Land kids' club for ages 4 to 12 and children's pools, which solves the multi-family logistics problem most large resorts fail at
- +Ten restaurants that cover a lot of ground: Montecristo main restaurant, Geisha for Japanese, La Bambola for Italian, the Taino steakhouse and a food court with American Country, Pepe's Food and a taco station, backed by a dozen bars including swim-up, sports and cappuccino bars
- +The inclusions run deep for the price tier: 24-hour room service, a 24-hour gym with RIU Fit classes, the Renova Spa, and non-motorised water sports such as kayaking and snorkeling
Cons
- −Food quality gets called out as lower than the Riu Palace properties in Mexico; that Dominican all-inclusive cooking trails Mexico is a recurring traveler observation across the whole Punta Cana market, and this resort does not buck the trend despite the renovation
- −At 994 rooms after the 2024 expansion it is one of the largest resorts in Punta Cana, so you are always part of a crowd rather than getting an intimate or romantic experience
- −Elite Club access comes at a significant premium, and standard room guests can feel the gap between their experience and the upgrade tier
- −The renovation made it more expensive, narrowing the value gap versus premium Punta Cana competitors like Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana or Excellence El Carmen
- −Punta Cana airport transfers can be chaotic and expensive during peak season; budget extra time and money for ground transport
- −Entertainment programming, while solid by Dominican standards, does not match the scale of the mega-resort shows at Hard Rock or Royalton
- −Multi-generational groups report logistical challenges despite the family area: the footprint now spans two former hotels, and keeping elderly relatives and young children together takes planning
The on-property experience benefits from the Riu group's infrastructure. Access to the Splash Water World water park and the RIU Party nights (foam parties and theme nights that couples in their 20s and 30s consistently describe as a highlight) are included. The ten restaurants cover Japanese at Geisha, Italian at La Bambola, a steakhouse at Taino, the Montecristo main restaurant and a food court with American Country, Pepe's Food and a taco station, with a dozen bars including swim-up, sports and cappuccino bars, two adults-only pools among the pool areas, 24-hour room service, a 24-hour gym with RIU Fit classes and the Renova Spa. Where it stumbles is the food: the Dominican Republic consistently underperforms Mexico on all-inclusive cuisine, and Riu Palace Bavaro does not buck that trend despite the renovation. If food quality is your top priority, Mexico is the better call.
Riu Palace Bavaro is best for couples and families who want a complete, well-rounded resort experience in Punta Cana with a great beach, good party options, and solid value since the renovation. It is not the right call for food-first travelers or anyone seeking an intimate boutique experience; at nearly a thousand rooms it is a small town. For multi-generational trips covering elderly parents and young children simultaneously, the family area, the RIU Land kids' club for ages 4 to 12 and the varied amenity tiers make it one of the better Dominican options available.
Common Questions
When was Riu Palace Bavaro renovated, and did it make a big difference?
Is the Elite Club upgrade worth it at Riu Palace Bavaro?
What are the Riu party nights and how do you access them?
How does Riu Palace Bavaro compare to Bahia Principe or Majestic resorts in Punta Cana?
Is Riu Palace Bavaro family-friendly or better for couples?
How big is the resort, and how many pools and restaurants does it have?
Restaurants (9)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Buffet | Taino, Food Court |
| Mexican | Agave |
| Italian | La Bambola |
| Asian | Zen |
| Steakhouse | The Steakhouse |
| American & grill | American Country, Pepe’s Food |
| International & fusion | Krystal |
From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown. All are covered by the all-inclusive rate, per the resort.
What's nearby
Bávaro Beach25 min drive · 8.6 mi
Macao Beach20 min drive · 9.4 mi
Cap Cana Marina35 min drive · 20 mi
45 min drive · 23 mi
More things to do (21)
- Playa Blanca · beach30 min drive · 18 mi
- Juanillo Beach · beach35 min drive · 20 mi
- Scape Park · adventure park45 min drive · 24 mi
- Punta Espada Golf Club · golf40 min drive · 23 mi
- Higüey · town50 min drive · 24 mi
- Arena Gorda Beach · beach14 min drive · 4.0 mi
- Los Corales · town15 min drive · 5.8 mi
- Iberostar Bávaro Golf Club · golf7 min drive · 1.9 mi
- Cana Bay Golf Club · golf10 min drive · 3.5 mi
- White Sands Golf Course · golf11 min drive · 3.6 mi
- Cocotal Golf & Country Club · golf15 min drive · 7.1 mi
- Vista Cana Golf Club · golf20 min drive · 9.1 mi
- Catalonia Caribe Golf Club · golf25 min drive · 11 mi
- Dolphin Explorer · adventure park25 min drive · 13 mi
- Barceló Bávaro Golf · golf30 min drive · 9.1 mi
- Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park · nature35 min drive · 19 mi
- Dolphin Island Park · adventure park35 min drive · 9.9 mi
- Deep-sea fishing charter · excursion35 min drive · 20 mi
- Hoyo Claro · cenote45 min drive · 24 mi
- Cabo Engaño Beach · beach50 min drive · 16 mi
- Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia, Higüey · historic site50 min drive · 24 mi
Amenities
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Style & Rooms
Room upgrades
Seaweed & sargassum
Punta Cana gets sargassum, typically worst May through August.See the month-by-month guide →Google Reviews★ 4.4 · 6,364 reviews
“We would like to leave a very positive review for Carlos, the beach waiter. He always brings everything on time, works quickly, and is extremely attentive to guests’ needs. His service is consistently excellent, and he truly goes above and beyond. We...”
“The hotel is absolutely fantastic! The food in every restaurant is exceptional — delicious, beautifully presented, and of top quality. In addition to the restaurants, guests can also enjoy a lovely café and an ice cream parlour, both serving wonderfu...”
“Hotel itself 4/5 for the price! We payed ~$450/day for family of 4. My family with kids enjoyed our stay here. Below I'm ranking this hotel by different categories: - Cleanliness 5/5 - they constantly clean and mop every surface indoors or outdoors,...”
