The Riu Palace Bávaro – Punta Cana, República Dominicana
I had the opportunity to spend three days at the Palace in December; this was something I wrote after visiting.
Brushing up on our Spanish, we asked for tres cervezas at the lobby bar; it was too inviting to step a foot past, and still being dressed business casual, we were hot!
We were brought to a junior suite; ours being a 4th-level room that, from the front door, overlooked the newly renovated Riu Naiboa. Room colours were purple offset by black, something new for Riu, and it works. This was the lead-in room category and a definite improvement over industry standard; each is a junior suite and they all have jetted tubs in every room, with the bigger suites offering an extra hot tub on the balcony or terrace.
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The gallery showcases the beautiful open-air dining area near the beach; the view from our room on the 4th floor; the entertainment area from above; and the fire dancers!
The resort is large, offering a multitude of flavourful dining options, services, activities and drinking holes. Twenty-four hour room service was actually delicious; the club sandwich being the best thing on offer. There are three a la carte restaurants; Krystal, Fusion; Geisha, Japanese; and La Bámbola, Italian. Entertainment at night was great, especially on our last night as the red carpet was extended to us; a V.I.P. party for the 80 or so travel agents attending the Grand Opening, showcasing masked men on stilts handing out glow sticks, hors d’oeuvres of sushi followed by champagne, and the work of the Executive Chef and his kitchen in a fascinating evening beach. Afterwards, a fire-show, live-DJ spinning some Spanish beats mixed with Dubstep, Top 40, and some more electro, and a dance floor built over the sand to move to said music, was a great way to end the celebration.
The water and beach were amazing, of course, and is what Bávaro beach is renowned for.
We got the opportunity to do some exploring on this trip, too. An early rise for the 9-am scavenger-hunt across all Riu properties was pretty eye opening to what was available; some good; some bad; some really outstanding and totally unlike brochure pictures, such as the Riu Palace Punta Cana. The rooms there are not as retro-styled as the Palace Bávaro’s are, sporting a more classical Spanish feel; some may prefer this. The fountains running the length of the main garden are depicted in the brochures as pools. In real life they are just fountains. The pool is down near the beach; a less profound place to go for a swim. The Naiboa, which is the only non-oceanfront property at Riu, has been newly renovated. We all agreed that it is a hidden gem for those looking to get a great deal; no longer warranting the low reviews it has received in the past.
If you do feel like spending some pesos, there are many shops to purchase from, including the ‘Caribbean Street’ between the Macao and Bávaro properties, but be careful; know what your country allows you to bring home, you could lose the Christmas gift you bought for your mother to the garbage can at customs.
All-in-all, this was a great adventure to La República Dominicana. Thanks to our friends at Riu Hotels and Sunwing Vacations for making it happen!
Check out the Riu Palace Bávaro
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