RIU Hotels & Resorts has announced the reopening of the Riu Palace Bavaro, in Punta Cana, after what it says is nothing less than a “watershed refurbishment” in terms of what the chain offers in the destination and around the world.
Following the demolition of the Riu Naiboa, on an adjoining plot, the Riu Palace Bavaro has spread over the former site to include new spaces for its own facilities, giving the chain the space to “offer what it never has offered before: 32 food and beverage points, including a food court, exclusive kids’ areas, and a select Elite Club zone.”
The hotel has a family area with a host of water and outdoor activities, its own food and beverage spots, another exclusive area for Elite Club customers and an all-new food court for all guests. This in addition to the extensive package of cuisine, entertainment and services characteristic of RIU hotels.
Of the hotel’s 994 rooms, 255 are designed for families and friends, and include three ample beds. The new family area also features a mini splash park, pirate ship, games park, cinema, multi-sports area and places to get food such as a patisserie, a taqueria, and a grill-style Pepe’s Food station.
The Kids’ Club located in this space offers a diversified range of entertainment for the three different ages, as well as a recreational room and a cupcake-decorating station at RIU Art.
Meanwhile, all hotel guests have access to the Splash Water World water park at the RIU complex in Punta Cana, which is rounded off by the hotel’s nine swimming pools.
Culinary
The Riu Palace Bavaro’s new tally of 32 places to eat offers a new concept compared to RIU’s almost 100 hotels around the world: a food court with a multitude of food choices, ranging from a pizzeria to a Wok-Poke station, fried-chicken area, a taqueria, Pepe’s Food, ice-cream parlour, a sweet station with crepes, waffles and donuts, and a bar.
Meanwhile, the resort continues to offer its customers an extensive range of restaurants: the main go-to restaurant for breakfasts, lunch and dinner; gourmet food at Krystal; an Asian restaurant; a restaurant offering Italian dishes; another for Mexican specialities; a steakhouse with different cuts of meat; and the all-new American Country diner offering All-American Favourites.
Among the bars are a Sports Bar (open 24 hours), Joe’s Bar (for the best cocktails), the lobby bar, theatre bar, and three swim-up bars, as well for Elite Club guests.
Elite Club
There will be a total of 108 rooms allocated to Elite Club customers, who will be staying in privileged locations with the best possible views, 60 of them with a private pool.
Guests also have an exclusive swimming pool, a priority check-in area and a lounge bar, featuring premium drinks, as well as à la carte breakfasts.
Implementation of the Elite Club service also entails the Elite restaurant, exclusively Club guests.
Elite Club benefits also include premium spirits dispensers in the room, a minibar with snacks and bottle of wine, potential early check-in and guaranteed late check-out until 1 p.m., a welcome gift and aromatherapy in the room, as well as the possibility of making priority bookings in the hotel’s themed restaurants.
Décor
Aside from the new entertainment and culinary options, the refurbishment of the Riu Palace Bavaro establishes the new style and design that RIU has chosen for all of its refurbishments and new-build hotels: discreet décor in subtle and elegant tones combined with greater and better use of natural light.
Dominican Republic
This new Riu Palace Bavara enhances RIU Hotels’ options in the Dominican Republic. The opening of the Riu Republica in 2016 and its subsequent extension at the end of 2017 was followed by the refurbishment of the Riu Bambu in 2017, the overhaul of the Riu Palace Punta Cana in 2018 and the recent refurbishment of the Riu Palace Macao at the end of 2023. RIU now boasts 4,528 rooms across its five properties.