Clubhotel Riu Bachata Hotel

, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
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Clubhotel Riu Bachata Hotel

, Puerto Plata
Bahia de Maimon - Puerto Plata - Dominican Republic Hotel Website | 809-320-1010
1757 Traveller

Reviews - Clubhotel Riu Bachata Hotel

8/10
Great Vacation
Submitted by: Kevin in 28/10/09
  • Age Group: 31 - 40
  • From: United States
  • Traveller type: Family Traveller
This was a great Hotel, I stayed there with my family for five days in October. The place was very well maintained and staff over friendly. Food was AWESOME, stayed at other AI resorts in DR, but by far this hotel takes the award on food. I cannot say the same of the adult beverages. The only spirit I recognized was Brugal, everything else was a no name brand. We made the best and enjoyed the pool and beach. Do not expect 24 hour meals, since disco closes at 2AM which is the same time the last available grill station closes. What is left are some cold slice bread sandwiches at the main bar. Overall, we were looking for a budget vacation and received more than we expected. Thumbs up to Riu Bachata and staff..
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2/10
Not the place to go in July/Aug
Submitted by: Paul in 29/08/07
  • Age Group: 41 - 50
  • From: Dominican Republic
  • Traveller type: Family Traveller
There is provision for local people to move into the hotel during these months and it makes it so busy at the weekends as to be uncomfortable. We had to complain about parties at the pool and other organised events regarding noise etc up to 3.30 in the morning. On 3 occasions somebody had left feces in the pool and it had to be closed. Be advised that the hotel staff are afraid of some of the local groups and will do nothing to help you should you have a problem.
9/10
Loved this place - First class people!
Submitted by: Robbi in 12/12/06
  • Age Group: 41 - 50
  • From: Canada
  • Traveller type: Sun Seeker
I just returned from a week at this hotel, and have never had so much fun. The staff was excellent without exception, and made our trip. The complex is very well organized, and even with 10 family members in our party (of all ages), we never had trouble locating everyone when we needed to.

This is probably not the place to go if you're a beach-sitter or snorkeling fanatic, as the sea is rough and murky with a brutal current and rocky (coral) bottom. I went out a few times, but a big wave would come along and knock me over, and by the time I managed to get my footing again I was about 50 yards down the beach. The other coast (where the watersports are located) is slightly calmer, but quite weedy and muddy. I had always vowed to stay in the sea and away from the pool on vacations like this, but found the pool much more enjoyable most days at Riu Bachata.

The food at the buffet was excellent and we found there was always a good selection which was always fresh. The one thing that was severely lacking at the buffet was the wine - they serve only house wine from large casks, and it's not good by any means. You'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between the red, white, and rose wines with your eyes closed.

Also lacking were the 2 a la carte restaurants. Both are located in what during the day is a snack bar, and the food was average at best. Don't expect to get a rare steak or lambchop here, or you'll be sorely disappointed! Still, the staff was excellent and made up for the average food.

The entertainment was really exceptional. ;) Some shows are better than others, but there's a good variety and the entertainers work their tails off every single night. I've been to other all-inclusives and found that a lot of the time the entertainers seem bored and don't appear to be trying very hard - I don't believe this could ever be said of the team at Riu Bachata.

Kudos to the entire Animacion team - these folks work long, long days and are still ALWAYS upbeat and fun. They make it their mission to entertain and make sure you're having a good time, that there's always something to do, and that no one is left out. I have immense respect for them - they are first class all the way.

The rooms are well appointed and comfortable, and the maid service is excellent. By the end of my stay I had more towels than I could use, and the maid found creative ways to entertain me even in her absence. I heard some complaints about the air conditioning not being sufficient, but I found that I had to get the spare blanket out of the closet at night - so the air conditioning worked fine for me.

Make sure you take part in the organized activities, as this can make your stay. I'm not normally one to jump into the pool and do aerobics with 30 strangers or dance on the beach, but the staff at this hotel has a real knack for making everyone feel like part of the family and you will really be missing out if you don't give yourself a chance to get involved. ;)
3/10
Mixed feelings- won't return...
Submitted by: Tony in 21/05/06
  • Age Group:
  • From: United States
  • Traveller type: Relaxation Seeker
The staff,the resort and the food and drinks were outstanding. The skimp on the little things: Not enough towels in the room, no mouthwash, shower cap, moisturizer or conditioner. Exchanging cards for beach towels was kinda cheap. The mini bar was supposed to be restocked every other day. It was done just once and only because we called them several times each day until they decided to come.
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Historical Traveller Reviews of Clubhotel Riu Bachata Hotel

s all Hype! The Service SUCKS!!!

from A TripAdvisor Member
My family and I went to Riu Bachata last week for 3 days. I was very impressed with the appearance of the hotel, but was extremely disappointed with the service. For instance, there were no towels in the room, the room was short one bed, the air conditioner stopped working one night, a dirty underwear was left behind from a previous guest. Overall, I had to call about 20 times to get these problems resolved. Oh, and the pools were DIRTY. AND employees focused their attention on the european guests. My family and I will never return to this hotel because of the poor service and the discrimination we experienced. If you're looking for a friendly atmosphere at a reasonable price, I suggest Paradise or Casa Marina. It's not as luxurious, but you'll be treated like everyone else and the employees are very friendly. Oh, and the beach at Casa Marina is AMAZING!!!!
~;o)

Fantastic

from little_devil69
I stayed at the Riu Bachata in August 2002 and I really enjoyed it along with my mum and nan. Only thing that spoilt it was my mum falling over a braking her hand!

All the staff were brilliant especially Miguel, Jaime (at the Mambo), Spaghetty, Skarfalt and JT! They all made us feel really welcome and some even remember my name!

Food was lovely although after 2 weeks you start to get a bit board of eating the same stuff! Some nights the food in the buffet restaurant changes to a theme. E.g Italian or Mexican.

Rooms were clean and kept that way by the maids throughtout the holiday.

I would definatly go back and enjoy the lovely hotel again!

Great resort, but skip the beach!

from A TripAdvisor Member
My husband and I (31 and 25 years old, respectively) just returned from a week long stay at the Riu Bachata in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

The resort is absolutely beautiful, and spotlessly clean. There are two pools, three bars , two ala carte restaurants and a buffet restaurant all surrounding the pool. The staff could not have been more pleasant or helpful, and were quick to assist us in any way that they could!

Upon arriving at the resort, my husband and I raced to the beach, and were extremely disappointed by the condition of the water. Please be aware that despite the pictures shown in the brochures and on the web site, this water is NOT the crystal clear, blue-green water that we have seen in many other Caribbean Islands. The ocean at the Riu Bachata is cloudy and filled with sea weed. It reminded us of the water at Jones Beach which is about 15 minutes from our house.

Although our travel agent promised great snorkeling, we could not even see our feet in the water, and knew that we would not be seeing any fish. When we did attempt snorkeling, my husband and I were shocked to discover that we could not even see one another when we were snorkeling only about 2 feet a part. Needless to say, we only ventured into the ocean in paddle boats or canoes for the remainder of our trip. Since we love to snorkel and swim in the ocean, this was very disappointing.

Despite our dismay about the beach conditions, my husband and I enjoyed the rest of our stay lounging by (or in ) the pool. We were a bit surprised by the many topless women and Speedo clad men that hung out in this area, but soon got used to the amount of skin displayed.

The highlight of our trip occurred when we took a catamaran excursion offered by Coco Tours, which took us to the crystal clean waters of Sosusa. There we were able to snorkel, swim, at laugh at the "shows" put on by the crew.

Although we may just be picky New Yorkers who are used to amazing food, my husband and I were not thrilled by the food in either of the ala carte restaurants or the buffet. Breakfast was definitely the best meal of the day, and we tried to fill up as much as we could at this meal. We bought a bag of Lays, a bag of Tostitos, and a small jar of salsa one day, and were charged $12.00 (American)! The sad part is that we were so hungry we forked over the money, despite the hefty cost.

Overall, our trip was very relaxing, but not what we had expected. Despite the beauty and cleanliness of this resort, we would not return to the Riu Bachata.

Double standards for European Tourists and Latino Tourist

from A TripAdvisor Member
I am of Dominican descent and visited this resort with a group of five from NY some Puerto Ricans/Dominicans and one lonely Ecuadorian. :P

I truly found myself having a wonderful time in the beautiful Riu Bachata, until I noticed that every other guess in the Hotel did not have a bracelet and my group did. It turns out that they TAG the Hispanics to make sure they were not skipping into the grounds.
Althought, I understand their situation, there is no need for only a small group to be singled out like this. They should just stop trying to be different from the other chains and use bracellets for all guests like everyone else does. Futhermore, the guard at the entrance had an attitude as if we didn't belong there, maybe it is because we decided to take a taxi cab from the bus stop in Puerto Plata instead of coming in one of those big tourist groups setup by names like apple, I don't care no excuse! Once I started speaking English to this ignorant gun totting self, I found him to be a lot more cooperative and the same goes for the rest of the staff.

Let me just make something clear, the staff was vey nice. Other than the guard they never mistreatred us. But I did notice that they were extra nice once they saw we were tipping or that we spoke English fluently. And I am sorry, but that is just disturbing that I go to my parents country and have to actually act as if I am better or different than they are to be best service possible.

Will not go back much less recommend.

On the other hand, the Jack Tar was a lot more simple and Economical but I had a blast, since the the place was not busy the staff gave us that extra attention. We became friends with those people; great I tell you! Just don't expect 4 star facilities, but who cares the Riu facilities had a lo of eye candy but nothing else no interesting features nor real quality.

And don't even get me started about Punta Cana and the racist front desk in Occidental Allegro! That is for another time.

canadian girls having fun

from A TripAdvisor Member
My best-friend & I went to Riu Bachata the second week in Jan./03. We had the time of our lives. Great pool, with a swim up bar. The best part was you had exchange privleges with two other resorts. A disco bar in the middle. I love the dominican and would go again. The best food.
We ate like King's, and were treated like Queen's. We met a lot of guys to hang around with, but I would most definately recommend it to couple's and family's. Dayna & Trish

Caribbean heaven

from A TripAdvisor Member
My wife and I spent Christmas and New Year 2002/03 at the Riu Bachata. We e-mailed the hotel a couple of weeks before, and requested a quiet room, preferably with an ocean view (even though we had only paid for a mountain view). We were delighted when we arrived to be greeted by the concierge who quoted our email and informed us our requests had been met. The room was fabulous - definitely five star luxury ! The free mini bar was a welcome addition. The little touches the maid left each day (towels arranged as a different animal each day, decorated with flowers) added that something extra. Every day the room was left immaculately clean. Being vegetarians we are always hesitant about the food on holiday, but we found the standards and selection at the Riu to be second to none. Even the steak bar restaurant accomodated us with ease. All staff were highly professional, friendly but not intrusive. If you wanted to join in you could, but if not they left you alone. Facilities at Riu are amazing. To have a casino and a quality shopping street on the complex was an added bonus. In short, there was so much to do at the Bachata that we barely visited the other two hotels. We would definitely recommend this hotel to couples and families wanting that luxury, all inclusive holiday in the caribbean. We will definitely be booking with Riu hotels in the future.Rob and Emma

best holiday ever

from A TripAdvisor Member
we went to the riu bachatta 30th march 03 for 2 weeks, i can honestly say it was the best place we have ever stayed.the resort is beautiful and spotlessly clean,the food and drink are fantastic there is something for everyone.the hotel staff cant do enough for you and they never stop smilig,we went on two trips monster trucks and horseriding,we took lots of sweets pencils,pen etc for the local children.i would recomend this resort to anyone

re looking for cheap getaway - this may be the place for you

from A TripAdvisor Member
May 2003My husband and I just returned from a week long stay at the Riu Bachata on April 29th. Out of the three hotels on the property, I would definitely pay the extra money to stay at the Bachata (given it is a 5 star). We usually vacation at the Sandals resorts to receive utmost level of quality/service and do not mind paying the extra amount to get this. We decided to try Puerto Plata and the Rui was recommended given its reputation.Room: When we first checked in, the hotel gave us a room near the main pool (which I requested), however, the room was still dirty from the last occupants. Needless to say, I was not happy about this (first impressions...you know). My husband called the front desk and within 10 minutes someone was taking us to our new room. We stayed in 528 - Oceanview and still close to the main pool (and better yet - it was clean!).The room had lovely decor and was spotless (I'm a clean freak... so I look for this stuff). I had no compliants. Even through the week, the maid did an excellent job at cleaning our room! I brought little gifts for the maid - little soaps/bubblebaths/shampoos, etc wrapped up with dollar bills. I left one everyday for her. Apparently, this stuff is quite expensive in Dominican and the staff usually appreciate these things. The maid did towel sculptures with fresh flowers all over our room. (It was really neat).The mini-bar was "usually" stocked up. My husband had to get more bottled water (as you couldn't drink the tap water down there). Right when we arrived at the hotel, we put the bottled water in the bathroom to remind us to use it when we brushed our teeth, etc.All in all, the room and maid service was top notch. No complaints.Food: Everything was buffet here, except for the a la carte restaurants (which you can only eat at once/week - this was not mentioned in the Sunquest tour book). My husband and I like a la carte - which is main reason we go to Sandals resorts (all of their restaurants are like that). I am a picky eater and I must adthe variety of dishes and the amount of Vegetarian dishes too. We ate at one a la carte and decided that we would stick with the buffet - the food was better.I saw a few things that were of concern that I did point out to the manager of the resort.1) The restaurant by the pool - I WOULD NOT EAT IN. When we were there the first day, my husband and I went in and we turned right out and waited till the main restaurant opened for lunch (at 1pm). I was totally DISGUSTED!!!! They allowed people to walk out of the pool, dripping wet, no coverups... up to the buffet table and pick up their food. Imagine... hairy men with no shirts (and wearing speedo's) scratching themselves as they pick up a burger.....I think that this is really gross and unsanitary (certainly not up to my standards).After witnessing this, I discussed the matter with the manager. She simply stated that people are on vacation here and that restaurant was not going to change their practices. She did indicate that the main restaurant had a dress code and that everyone should wear coverups. On numerous occasions, in the main dining room at lunchtime, women and men were coming into the main restaurant with no coverups. I saw the restaurant manager tell some people that they needed to coverup. Although, he didn't tell everyone. Because I was there for a week, I tried to make the best of it. But I would almost NOT go back to the hotel just for this reason alone. (Usually at the sandals resorts they have stricter dress codes)2) At the Bachata they have this daytime activity where the hotel manager and restaurant manager will give you a tour of their kitchen. My husband and I were debating on whether or not we wanted to do it (you know... somethings are better when you do not know...). We decided to attend.... wish I hadn't!!! They allowed about 25 people on the tour... some of which attended in their bikinis.... yes... the kitchen area!!! There was this little boy who was topless, dripping wet out of the pool and he was leaning up against all of the counters, fess to say, given my comments above, we left the tour. I didn't want to see anymore. I wasn't impressed with the cleanliness of the kitchen either. (I tried to block this out... so I could enjoy the rest of my vacation.)3) Service at the restaurant was good. Sometimes you waited a awhile to get your drinks. My husband finally tipped our server and had no problems after that. He was quick to bring us our drinks.Entertainment: The entertainment was not all that impressive. The only show we stayed around for was a "Michael Jackson Show." That was the best thing they had all week long. The entertainment staff was sometimes annoying. If you didn't participate the first time they asked.... they wouldn't take the hint and leave you alone! The entertainment women kept coming up to me and stroking my hair and kissing me.... would have rather not have her bother me.The disco was pretty cool. The bartenders in there were really cool.General Comments: The resort gets a lot of Europeans who attend - not a lot of Canadians or people who speak english. Hardly any of the staff at the resort spoke english and this was sometimes challenging. If you are looking for value for money, then this is the resort for you. Would we return? Undetermined ... not unless we were looking for a quick/cheap getaway.

What a holiday!

from A TripAdvisor Member
Just returned from a seven night stay at the RIU Bachata in Puerta Plata and had the most relaxing and fun vacation. Booked the trip through Apple so my partner and I had pick up to and from the airport at Puerta Plata. The hotel was beautiful. The food fantastic and the beach wonderful. Lots of room to swim in their two pools, one a swim up to one of the outside bars. At the beach lots of shade but a word of warning, best to wear swim shoes, some rocks. Plenty of longe chairs and areas to have privacy. The food was great. Lots of choices and always fresh.

A great honeymoon

from A TripAdvisor Member
I spent two weeks in the Dominican for my honeymoon. My husband and I had a fantastic time. The hotel was pristine (the brochures didn't do it justice) the food was great and had lots of variety, the staff were really friendly too. The beach was okay, riddled with palm trees but you get a really nice view from all sides, there's even a mountain behind the hotel which looks just amazing.I found that the hotel had entertainment for all ages, however it lacked a little romance when it came to couples.The only thing I disliked about the place was the seating arrangements for dinner. The restaurant could be empty and yet they cram you next to total strangers and that was uncomfortable. But the waiters are fantastic, especially Eduard, Ivan and Vladimir.The rooms are also of a high standard, we got a larger room overlooking the beach, which was great, because I don't remember requesting it.I would advise anyone going there to bring mosquito repellent. I got bitten really badly and felt like a leper. If you like snacking, buy your pringles and chocolates at home. We got charged $6 for pringles and chocolate in the hotel. Shocking.The entertainment team are really friendly and there's always something to do all day, like pool parties and street parties, which are great fun. I would encourage anyone to venture out of the resort at least once and go on an excursion. They're slightly overpriced, but priceless for memories.I would love to go back again because we had the time of our lives, we had the variety of relaxation and action adventure when we desired it. Its the kind of place where anyone can go and have a holiday to remember.

Top Local Tips for Puerto Plata

ocean World We all went on an excursion to ocean world and enjoyed the Sea Lion & Dolphin encounters. Truly memorable and hysterical family experience-- and worth the $$$.

Please read to save money on your trips during your visit!!!! DO not book a single excursion/trip online. We were double charged by doing this, we could have had enough money for another trip had we waited. There are never any sold-out trips. These people want you to be accomodated, they go out of there way to give a better deal and to make sure you are taken care of.

Porters Watch your bags or you will be tipping a porter to carry them a couple of hundred feet. Especially when you return to the airport. The airline check in counters are right in front of you, but a porter will try and grab your bag to walk it a couple of feeet.

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  • Address: Bahia de Maimon - Puerto Plata - Dominican Republic
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