Riu Bambu - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

4584 reviews

• 

  Wouldn’t recommend

  I have previously stayed in 4 & 5 star Rui resorts in Mexico, Cape Verde and Spain and despite reading all of the mixed reviews on here for this resort I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. Sadly, I have to agree with all of the negative feedback. I’ll start with the positives. - The Riu Bambu is part of a huge gated complex with 3 other Riu hotels. You can walk freely between them via a path on the beach which makes the space feel very safe. - The layout of the resort is great. All the rooms are in smaller bungalow type buildings in beautifully landscaped gardens, away from the lobby and entertainment area. Meaning that if you want some quiet time or an early night you will definitely get it. - The facilities by the pools are good. There is a bar and toilet by every pool and there are several pools and plenty of loungers with shaded areas. The rest is unfortunately not great and nowhere near a 5 star (as advertised on their website) or a 4 star as advertised on Tui’s website. The Food - To say awful feels like an understatement. It is completely inedible. Most of it isn’t even labelled so you have no idea what it is. As a vegetarian I am used to having limited options at All Inclusive resorts but this is terrible. - I have no doubts that it’s highly likely that the other Riu hotels will be serving the same slop so I would also consider that before paying more for them. - Despite having several “different” restaurants, they all serve exactly the same thing! Burgers, hotdogs, watery pasta and fries. The Service - The staff here are SO rude. Every restaurant or bar we’ve been to has been faced with disinterested and impolite servers. This has been the most shocking part of the trip as it is noticeably different to the service levels at Riu resorts in Mexico and Cape Verde. - During one interaction a server actually shouted at me for trying to enter a restaurant at 8:05am as they weren’t ready to open (the advertised opening time was 8am) and there were no signs or staff advising otherwise. - The restaurant’s are dirty and not cleaned properly. After sitting down for dinner at the “Italian” restaurant I realised I had stood in banana and avocado that had been left on the floor under the table. When I let the server know he just looked at me and walked off. No attempt to apologise or clean it up. - During one interaction at the lobby bar the server made a couple of frozen margaritas for someone in front of me. When I then asked for the same he just poured the remaining crushed ice into glasses and handed them to me. Whilst I appreciate I didn’t pay for these drinks as it’s All Inclusive, for a 4 star hotel o would’ve expected he actually made the cocktails I asked for. The Room - This is where the hotel really shows that it is nowhere near a 4/5 star. The decor is tired and worn. I have attached photos which paint the picture but they aren’t dissimilar to those shared by others. I would recommend Mexico over the Dominican Republic

  Feb 02, 2025
• 

  Go somewhere else! Especially if you’re English.

  My advice would be to book elsewhere.. this is by no means a 5*, in fact I think a 3* would be pushing it. Room: Very basic. In total need of an upgrade. Towels are always threadbare. Optic drinks look like they’d fall down if we touched them. And what’s inside is anyone’s guess. One of our parties towel rail fell down when they touched it. Another didn’t have working air con or a working fan. There’s just nothing that says 5* about the rooms at all. Food: Main restaurant is so busy and loud. We’ve witnessed people helping themselves with their hands and eating in the buffet section as they go round.. very unhygienic. Food is hit and miss whether it’s hot or not. Other restaurants are included but do not take reservations and work on a first come first served basis so if you’re not in the queue by 6:30, especially for the more popular options, then you won’t get a table. Why not just have people make reservations like any other hotel?! The steak restaurant: steak was tasty although basic and no variations of sides. And they’d ran out of the alternative starter so you got what you were given. Kullinarium: Atleast the service in here was better than anywhere else we’d received in the hotel. And better option of wine. Service: Don’t come if you’re English. I can’t work out the staff are so tired and grumpy, unhappy working here, or if they just don’t like English people. Of course, there are the odd exceptions where we’ve had service with a smile (like I mentioned, the kullinarium) but usually it’s with a grunt. Pools: very busy and almost impossible to get a sunbed. There is always lots going on around the main pool though. TUI pool is somewhat better and quieter. There does always seem to be wet sand around the pools though, and I do question whether the areas get cleaned. Beach: the beach and sea are lovely. But busy.. like, thousands of people. We’ve stayed in a Riu before which was lovely but this one is a total let down.

  Jan 31, 2025
• 

  It started out quite bad, but it got better

  We are now eight days into a 14-day vacation. We have stayed at RIU before, but not in the Dominican Republic. Our first night saw us fairly far from the main areas. But the layout has us by our own pool, bar, and restaurant, so it was not as disappointing as it first appeared. I did ask if there were any upgrades for purchase but was told there were none. Don't listen to your travel agent about asking when you get there. Book ahead. What was very disappointing was the next morning they started to renovate the unit next door and by the afternoon, the noise and smell of paint and glue were overpowering. We were given another room but no apology, nothing. Why would a resort like RIU even consider putting a guest in that situation? After that, we settled in, and the food was excellent. The service was great, and the staff were as welcoming as the guest is polite. The resort is very well groomed, grounds are neat as a pin, but some guests are very lazy with returning glasses or dealing with their trash. Our room was well kept and cleaned every day. It is a party resort, but which ones aren't? If you want quiet, you can find it here too. The beach is gorgeous, but very busy. All in all, it's is going well and it is well worth what we paid. Looking forward to the last days before we go back to the snow.

  Jan 30, 2025
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  Disgusting rooms

  The hotel room was absolutely disgraceful I have videos and pictures I’m very disappointed that I meant so much money and the room was very nasty I reported to reception and they advised me to just put a towel on the floor wasn’t helpful at all !

  Jan 29, 2025
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  Such a beautiful resort with amazing staff!

  The staff were all so friendly! Shout out to Wilfredo in the buffet- so sweet! Every day setting our table with flowers, always high fiving the kids, going the extra mile! Beach was perfect- hard to find a chair if you go late. Our room was great- it was one of the newer ones… we stayed in one of the older ones for a few hours at the end of our stay because flight was delayed and it was a bit of a difference … your could see where some might say it was outdated. But it was all so amazing! We had a great trip!

  Jan 29, 2025