Hotel Riu Palace Macao
Riu Palace Macao is the adults-only hotel inside Riu's big Punta Cana complex on Arena Gorda beach, and that is its whole appeal: an 18-and-over hotel with its own pools and beach, plus walking access to everything the four-hotel complex shares. It was the first RIU Palace in the Americas in 1994 and reopened in September 2023 after its second full renovation, with all 476 rooms redone in natural wood, beige and green. Compared with the larger Riu Palace Bavaro next door, it feels smaller and calmer, and travelers who have stayed at both usually prefer Macao for couples.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +Adults-only (18 and over) inside the otherwise family-heavy Riu complex on Arena Gorda, so you get the complex's extras without kids at your own pools and beach
- +Reopened in September 2023 after a full renovation of the common areas, restaurants and all 476 rooms, so the rooms are bright, modern and nothing like the tired product at older Punta Cana all-inclusives
- +Walk-in dining with no reservations: the Patio buffet plus Krystal (fusion), Kabuki (Asian), Volaré (Italian) and a steakhouse, with Krystal and the buffet's themed nights getting the most praise
- +Arena Gorda beach is wide, white and calm, right outside the door, with a separate Elite Club beach and bar for guests on that tier
- +Guests get the shared Riu complex amenities: the Splash Water World water park, RIU Party nights, the renovated casino, Caribbean Street shops and the Pacha nightclub, plus pool and lobby access at Riu Palace Bavaro next door
- +Three pool areas including one with a swim-up bar, a 24-hour Sports Bar and Pepe's Food grill with a burger bar by the pool, so late-night snacks are never a problem
- +The Renova Spa built during the 2023 renovation is Riu's largest wellness centre and is open to guests of the whole complex, alongside a 24-hour gym
- +High-energy entertainment team running water aerobics, beach volleyball and evening shows that guests actually turn up for
Cons
- −Some rooms still have dampness and a musty smell, particularly on lower floors, even after the 2023 refurbishment
- −The Elite Club tier creates a two-level resort: Elite guests get their own lounge, beach, bar, dinner restaurant, à la carte breakfast and the 34 swim-up rooms, and standard guests notice what they are missing
- −Sargassum reaches Arena Gorda seasonally, worst from roughly May to September; staff rake every morning but cannot keep up on heavy days
- −Follow-up on problems can be slow: guests chasing issues like laundry damage or room faults report unanswered emails, and some had to switch rooms more than once
- −Smoking is tolerated widely around the pools with little enforcement, which non-smokers flag as a real annoyance
- −Popular dinner spots get crowded at peak times because nobody books ahead; arrive around 6pm to 7pm for the widest choice
- −Pool-area music and DJ volume can be loud during the day, so it is not the place for total silence despite the adults-only label
Dining is walk-in across the Patio buffet and the à la carte venues (Krystal fusion, Kabuki Asian, Volaré Italian and a steakhouse), and nobody needs to book on day one. Krystal is the standout for dinner, but plenty of guests say the buffet's themed nights were even better. There are eight bars, including a 24-hour Sports Bar, a swim-up bar at one of the three pools and Pepe's Food grill with burgers poolside. Wi-Fi is free throughout, although signal in some outlying rooms is weaker. The Elite Club, launched with the 2023 reopening, adds 34 swim-up rooms with private pools, an exclusive lounge, beach, bar and dinner restaurant; it is worth it if you want a quiet beach section, and it is the main source of friction if you are on the standard tier.
Macao suits couples, honeymooners and friend groups who want a recently renovated adults-only base with the option of a water park, casino and nightclub a short walk away. It sits mid-to-upper in Punta Cana pricing, below Excellence and Zoetry but with a newer product than older Riu buildings. Punta Cana airport is about 25 km away, roughly 25 minutes by road, and Saona Island, Altos de Chavón and the Ojos Indígenas lagoons in the Punta Cana Ecological Reserve are all easy day trips.
Common Questions
Is Hotel Riu Palace Macao strictly adults-only?
Do I need to make restaurant reservations?
When was the resort last renovated, and what changed?
Is the Elite Club upgrade worth it?
What is the room dampness issue?
How does Riu Palace Macao compare to Riu Palace Bavaro next door?
Restaurants (6)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Buffet | Patio |
| Italian | Volaré |
| Asian | Kabuki |
| Steakhouse | Steakhouse |
| American & grill | 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 · golf8 min drive · 1.9 mi
- Cana Bay Golf Club · golf11 min drive · 3.5 mi
- White Sands Golf Course · golf12 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 park30 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
Atmosphere
Seaweed & sargassum
Punta Cana gets sargassum, typically worst May through August.See the month-by-month guide →Google Reviews★ 4.4 · 5,018 reviews
“My stay at RIU Punta Cana Macao was absolutely wonderful. The resort itself is beautiful, the rooms were clean and well maintained, and the staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming from start to finish. I stayed in a swim-out suite, which was def...”
“I visited during Christmas and New years with a group of six people and I'm glad to say that Hotel Riu Palace Macao has greatly exceeded our expectations! The hotel grounds were immaculate, incredibly clean, beautiful, and very pleasing to the eyes....”
“My wife and I just returned from a wonderful 7-night stay, and we couldn’t be happier! The resort is absolutely stunning – the grounds are immaculately maintained, lush, and spotless everywhere you look. The dining was a real highlight: every restaur...”
