Hotel Riu Bambu - All Inclusive

The beach was lovely, and the pools were decent. The main one was a bit dirty, but the quieter pool farther from the main area was cleaner, nicer, and had quicker service. The rooms felt dated, though we didn’t find mould, bad smells, or bugs. We left nothing in the safe and kept our suitcases locked. The staff were great, nothing was stolen, and we didn’t feel pressured to tip as much as some reviews suggest. The entertainment was disappointing. The violinist in the lobby one night was the only good part for me. I didn’t make it to the foam parties or spend much time off the resort. Food was just okay, and the buffet got repetitive fast, with much the same options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For the a la carte spots, get there before 6:30 since it’s first come, first served and you may not get a seat later. Mexican and steak house were the best; Italian made me sick, though I liked it at the time, and hibachi was good too. I wouldn’t spend time on the others. I’m writing this because the many one-star reviews almost made my girlfriend’s family cancel at the last minute. Thank goodness they didn’t. This feels like a 3.5-4 star resort, definitely not five-star, but I don’t understand all the one-star ratings and wouldn’t cancel a trip over it.

We stayed at Riu Bambu for two weeks from May 4th. The grounds are big, so there’s a lot of walking, but that didn’t bother me. The pools range from quiet to lively with music, and the Riu Parties were amazing. The food was very tasty, especially at Hibachi. Please feed the friendly cats around the resort if you can. I spent my last 14 days feeding a small gray female cat near room/building number 12, the last building by the Riu Party area, and I’d really appreciate help looking after her. There’s also a calico cat right by the Kulinarium restaurant.

The Japanese restaurant was our favorite, and there were several alacarte dinner options. Food was great every day, and the staff were excellent, spoke very good English for anyone whose Spanish is limited, and made us feel welcome. Bavaro beach Punta Cana is stunning, and the beach here is hard to beat. There are lots of bars and two large pools. The hotel is big enough to have room to spread out, but not so big you rack up miles walking or keep bumping into other guests. We really enjoyed our stay at this five-star Riu hotel and have no complaints. Thanks to the staff at the Riu Bambu, see you next time.

The RIU Party area was a major highlight, and the hotel has a lively party atmosphere. I also liked the clean pools, beautiful beach, and cute water park. But the room was disappointing: the shower is right inside the bedroom with no privacy, and the bathroom has no ventilation. Food was bland and repetitive every day, and there’s no pool service, so you have to fetch your own drinks. The male staff kept making passes at women, which made me uncomfortable. It’s fun for entertainment, but the comfort and service fell short.