RIU Hotels & Resorts is offering up a first look at the refurbished and newly reopened Riu Palace Bavaro in Punta Cana.

RIU calls the property’s renovation “a watershed refurbishment” in terms of what the chain offers in the destination, and around the world.

Moving in on the Riu Naiboa’s former site has given the chain the space to offer what it never has offered before: 32 food and beverage venues, including a food court, exclusive kids’ areas and a select Elite Club zone.

Riu Naiboa, located on an adjoining plot of land, was demolished to make way for the expansion of Riu Palace Bavaro.

Let’s Wok, one of several food court style eateries at Rui Palace Bavaro

New Family Area

Riu Palace Bavaro has a family area with a wide assortment of water and outdoor activities, its own food and beverage spots, another exclusive area for Elite Club guests and an all-new food court for everyone.

Of the hotel’s 994 rooms, 255 are designed for families and groups of friends, with three ample beds. The family zone offers 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 is also offering a diversified range of entertainment for the three different ages, including a recreational room and a cupcake-decorating station at RIU Art.

​Riu Palace Bavaro’s mini splash park

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. Guests 18+ can take part in the four themed RIU Party evenings held every week at the complex.

The private pool for Elite Club guests

32 Dining Venues

The Riu Palace Bavaro’s new tally of 32 places to eat includes a food court concept with everything from a pizzeria to a Wok-Poke station, fried-chicken area, a taqueria, another Pepe’s Food, an ice-cream parlour, a sweet station with crepes, waffles and donuts, a bar and more. “Without doubt, this has been a significant innovation to what RIU offers in the destination which will allow its customers to try out various types of products from culturally-different cuisines,” says RIU.

Meanwhile Riu Palace Bavaro continues to offer 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 specialties; a steakhouse with different cuts of meat; and the new American-style diner offering all-American favourites. There’s also the Elite restaurant for Elite Club guests.

Riu Palace Bavaro offers 32 dining venues

Elite Club Perks

Elite Club accommodation comprises 108 rooms, 60 of them with a private pool. There’s also an Elite Club swimming pool with bar, priority check-in area and a lounge bar. Elite Club benefits at Riu Palace Bavaro 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.

Riu Palace Bavaro’s elegant neutrals and lots of natural light is a décor scheme that carries through the rooms and common areas as well as pre-existing and new restaurants, and all eight bars. These include the Sports Bar (open 24 hours), Joe’s Bar (for the best cocktails), the lobby bar, the theatre bar and three swim-up bars, as well as the two Elite Club bars.

Stylish accommodation at Riu Palace Bavaro

RIU’s D.R. Footprint

RIU’s footprint in the D.R. is extensive, and the hotel company says it now offers a completely new set of hotel options in Punta Cana with a total of 4,528 rooms across its five properties.

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 Canain 2018 and the recent refurbishment of the Riu Palace Macao at the end of 2023.

Source: Travelweek