“Me & my sister were there 2 weeks ago & our first impression was disappointing. Had to more or less find our own way to our room with some finger pointing direction. Found our room to be dated, unclean & a cockroach running about in the fridge. Management did move us to a slightly better room after some discussion.Food at the hotel was sub standard, plenty of choice but never hot. We hardly ate. Staff in the buffet restaurant were friendly & helpful. Staff in lobby bar were mainly off hand & the same at the pool bar & snack bar. Entertainment at night was pretty dire. My first time at this hotel & sad to say don't think I will be back. Badly needs refurbished .”
— Kay Jackson
“This was the first time hubs and I stayed at an all-inclusive resort, as well as our first time in Punta Cana. We stayed from December 2 - 9th. Our overall experience was wonderful. As other reviews have said, the resort is set up more as an apartment complex instead of a hotel, but it was nice to get some exercise and the walk was pleasant through the landscaped pathways.Food: The food was mediocre. Since we were there during the low season, all the restaurants were not open every night, and we only had one sit down meal at the steakhouse. It was by far the best meal, and hubs said the ribeye was cooked perfect. Every other meal option we had was buffet style and there was much on offer, but a lot of repeats each night. We never went hungry but weren't over the moon for the food. I will say they shine at breakfast because you have every egg, fruit and bread option you can imagine at your disposal - including an omelet station.Rooms:We had a king size bed on the third floor, overlooking the pool area by Ole'. The room was clean and cool. The bed was not comfy, but not the worst I've ever slept on. The girls bust their butts keeping your room clean and always made sure we had fresh towels, even if we didn't toss them on the floor. Our water/soda was always filled and we never had to ask for anything. We tipped them $30 for the week, which I think is very reasonable considering these folks work long hours and deserve a little extra.Entertainment:Again, we were there for the low season, so the resort was not super full. The entertainment staff rounded up people for Volleyball, yoga, aerobics as well as other activities throughout the resort. The foam party in the communal pool was a blast and must visit if you have the opportunity. I can't speak to the evening entertainment since we generally were back in the room before we could experience that.Bars/Drink:The bar staff is by far the most friendly and engaging. We never had to wait for drinks, and had many a long conversation with the guys that provide your beverages. Taking the time to speak with the locals and to learn about their culture is very much worth it. We speak limited Spanish, but with Google translate were able to have a more engaging conversation. Tipping is not required, but greatly appreciated. We made sure to tip the bartenders that we saw daily because they made sure to take care of us, many times before we even needed a refill. Most of the liquors are local, but they do have a few well knows vodkas and whiskey. The local champagne and red wine are very good and a nice break from the sweet boat style drinks. The liquor pours will be VERY heavy handed, so brace yourself. It's all inclusive, so ask for an extra soda water! Mama Juana isn't to be messed with...I'd partake with extreme caution, because she will do you dirty if you have too much.Beach:The beach is lovely. Seaweed is to be expected, and from what we heard from past visitors, this was not bad. The hotel staff does their best to keep it cleaned up, but since this is part of nature you should figure you're going to have to deal with it. The beach vendors can get slightly annoying, but if you just shake your head that you aren't interested, they leave you alone.Pools:We hung out in 2 different pools, the main one by the lobby and the one near Ole'. The main pool is always full, with lots of activities and music. The other pools are quieter, but still have great bar service. You can smoke in the resort, so the main bar pool tends to get a bit grungy from all the ashes.I will say overall our experience was a lovely one. We spent 7 glorious days soaking up the sun and relaxing. Our only real complaint was the quality of the food, and again...we didn't starve. We just weren't wowed. This resort is not 5 star, probably a solid 3.5 when considering the food. I will say the Bambu was probably the nicest of the resort family because as we walked towards the adult only sections for Riu, they seemed dirtier. If you temper your expectations, you'll have a lovely time as well.”
— Heather Trabucco