excellent place for a relaxing vacation

gudapeluda Jul 8, 2009

Would recommend to a friend!

We really love this hotel. Rooms were super clean and comfortable. The entire staff was friendly and professional. Day and ... night shows were entertaining and the food had a little bit of everything for everyone. We really have NO complaints about this hotel. We were looking for a great price, fun environment, and a flavor of Dominican paradise. This hotel had all these and more. Just one thing: Try to get all the stuff you need before coming to Punta Cana. Stores are incredibly pricy and you can buy the same stuff (flip flops, sunglasses, deodorant) really cheap back home. Also, be open minded when it comes European beach style. Girls are very free spirit (topless) and guys too (speedos). It's kind of shocking at first, but after few days we're OK with looking so much skin everywhere!!

I loved it!

Jodi Jun 15, 2009

Would recommend to a friend!

Great value. I loved the food and the life performances at the hotel. The pool was beautiful and huge, staff friendly and ... helpful. It was a walking distance from the beach and there was ability to dine at other hotels in the chain that were directly on the beach. I was dissapointed with lack of services that hotel listed as available on the website, like hairdryer in the room and by no working electricity outlet. Otherwise, great value. I will definitely come back.

Worst Anniversary ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Worst Anniversary May 18, 2009

This was the worst experience of my life. The front desk staff were very unprofessional and not helpful or friendly at all. ... When we arrived they switched us to the Taino, they did not let us know why or even ask if it were okay with us. We were given a room near the maids work area, where our view was of the curtains and towels drying on the bushes outside of our room. We were not provided with face cloths until 3 days after our initial request. On three different occassions we were moved, all of which had a mildew smell and a infestation of cockroaches. Also one day as my husband and I made our way back to our room a rat ran across our path, as we were making our way to our room. The pool was so cold that that no one really got in, it felt like the tempature was only 35 degrees. The jacuzzi had not jets and was just as cold as the pool and located in an area surronded by trees and too small. The RIU has five hotels within one resort area, but there is not one ATM machine on the property. I found this hard to beleive because they have a Casino on the premises but no where to get money. The location that you have to walk to in order to get to the ATM is in a very dangerous area, where pictures hang around the ATM machine of people who were previously assaulted in this location. The buffet food was not good and was the same day in and day out, not to mention the fact that after 10pm you could not find anything to eat and after 2am you could not get anything to drink, everything is closed after those hours. The mini bar in our room was not restocked in the 8 days we were there. I called Orbitz and incurred a $400 cell phone bill trying to either switch resorts or return home. Orbitz was not helpful with either request. This was the worst vacation of my entire life! I will never use Orbitz again and I surely will not ever stay at any of the RIU resorts and I will make sure to tell evryone I know about Orbitz and the RIU.

Spring Break with friends

J May 4, 2009

Would recommend to a friend!

The hotel was good. The main buffet restaurant was good. Breakfast was served only until 10, a little bit earlier than we ... prefered. In order to go to the other restaurants at the hotel you had to wake up really early to make a reservation (at 7 am). I suggest that reservation could be done one day in advance. Besides, the stake house was not good at all. To much waiting for nothing! And we were never able to get reservations for the Italian. The drinks that were served in the hotel were not so good. The wine and beer had water. The rooms were ok, but we had some problems with the air conditioning, which were noisy. The first days the room smelt moistful. Nightlife near the hotel was not good. Better go with a big group of friends!! Hotel didn't have Internet free anywhere, not even in the reception area. Too bad!

BRING EXTRA CASH! ONLY 1 ATM!

kmk Apr 7, 2009

Would recommend to a friend!

We stayed at a RIU in Puerto Plata in the DR and had a great time so we booked a trip at the RIU Naiboa in Punta Cana. It is ... about 35 mins from the airport and we had to pay a $10 per person arrival tax before going through customs which is a total scam and the country's way of making money off of vistors. Taxi was about $35 to RIU- cab driver will try to ask for more and we basically told them we would only pay $35 and he accepted. Beaches are beautiful, staff was friendly but we speak little spanish and we had problems communcating. Since we are American, we were a little shocked by all the topless women and men in small revealing speedos! Bring cash! There is only 1 ATM on the hotel grounds between all 5 RIU hotels and the staff has an area where they sleep and they use that 1 ATM, too. The ATM was out of money for 4 days. It was horrible. No where takes credit cards. There is not free internet access- $6 for 30 mins and $2 to print out 2 pages. We could not use this service since we did not have any left over cash and ATM machine was out of money. Food was decent but it gets old after a while. Alcoholic drinks are very sweet. The beds in the room were extremely hard and hurt our back very badly. The pillows were like pancakes and were very flat. Our toliet broke but it was a minor problem and was fixed. If you walk along the beach, be aware of the wild dogs (not dangerous or aggressive! keep to themselves and just lay by the shops) but it is sad to see the dogs with their small puppies. Beware if you are walking with kids. Beach was only a 2-3 min walk and the water was warm and beautiful in April. Weather was beautiful. Overall a good trip, just the ATM machine and the hard beds made us ready to come home!

Terrible Vacation

Unhappy Vacationer Mar 10, 2009

The food was difficult to stomach, we couldn't drink the water. Apparently, they were supposed to provide each room with ... drinking water, but we didn't see that until the last day. There were large bugs in the rooms. The staff was very rude everytime we had requests. They have a casino but no ATM. All in all it was a terrible experience.

very dirty

Vanessa Aug 29, 2008

Riu Naiboa was a very dirty and uncomfortable hotel. It was far from the beach which is not a good thing. The other Rius were ... really nice, and it's good that you can use the pool and the restaurants at some of the other Riu's. The AC was terrible, in the room and in the restaurants.

very family friendly

Ana Jul 21, 2008

Would recommend to a friend!

riu naiboa hotel is confortable ,rooms always clean and you feel like you know every body there for many years,they are very ... friendly..but the restaurants around the pool area need more care food is expoused ,open , where birds are allow to get some and be contaminated with any dissease...

Get what you pay for

Donald Feb 27, 2008

We visited this hotel in February 2008. We had a great time staying at the Riu complex. The staff was very great and polite. ... However, I would recommend staying at one of the other hotels on the complex. The Niboa hotel is very outdated and old compared to the other hotels on the property. We were very disatisfied with the rooms at the hotel. They are in desperate need of updates and remodeling. There is only two restaurants to eat at at the Niboa. You can use the amenities at all of the Riu hotels on the complex, but you can not eat at the other restaurants with the exception of lunch. The other hotels have many more options to choose from. The beach and pools were amazing. One of the best beaches I have ever been on. I highly recommend staying at a Riu but not the Niboa. The Niboa is the cheapest, but for a reason. I always say you get what you pay for.

Uncomfortable Happiness

Chebito Sep 25, 2007

When we got there they told us we would get an upgrade the next day after 1:00pm to a suite. The next morning we came down ... with our bags because ants were all over the room and our suite was not ready at 10:00 am. So we left our bags at the front and visited the area until 1:00pm. When we retured we were given keys to two Suites that STUNK, but was told these are the best Suites in the House! We were given a room like the one we had when we first arrived. I must say that if you are a wash cloth user, bring your own because they do not supply them (you must be creative, or use you hands). You can not use the tap water for drinking (no filtering system) and they supply you with gallon jugs of water. My wife became very sick (Cold like symptoms) we went directly to the ER once we landed in the USA. Of course I have a touch of what my wife has. What a vacation! We spent more time at other Hotels that had better dinning and swiming pools. The Beach was nice but, I noticed the futher you walked down the beach to other Resorts the leveage in the water differ. For instance, In front of our resort if you walked in the water 10 feet water would come up to your hip and if you moved 6 inches you would drop to neck level. One of the best things about the Naiboa is that it is on a main little street that will take you pass shops and straight to the beach. I will go again but I will not be staying at the Naiboa.

Great resort, stay at the better hotel

Jill Aug 29, 2007

Would recommend to a friend!

We stayed at the RIU resort this past August and we had a great time on the resort. The resort was really beautiful and very ... well kept. Outstanding beach, landscaping, etc. The all-inclusive was a great deal and the drinking was quite good. Though we didnt speak Spanish, the staff was as accomodating as they could be at the restaurants and bars. The only downside to our vacation was the hotel that we stayed in. We stayed at the Naiboa which is the cheapest hotel on the resort. The air conditioning is basically just a fan that took no moisture out of the air which made our clothes smell like mildew for a few weeks after the trip. Also this hotel only includes a few dining options which makes the food choices get a bit repetitive after a while. My recommendation is stay at the resort, but definitely try to stay at one of the nicer hotels on the property.

Good Bang for Your Buck

Liese Jun 16, 2007

Would recommend to a friend!

Riu Naiboa was an overall great place to stay. My fiance and I had a great time there this summer. I would reccommend the ... hotel. My only complains are that the air conditioning in the room did not work very well and the al la carte dinner did not change their selections very often. The beach was great, the entertainment was great and since it is on a complex with a few other hotels, you don't get too bored b/c you can hang out in other bars and pools. I would recommend doing at least one excursion so that you can see the reality of DR rather than just the beauty of the resorts. I highly recommend the ATV tour of the country side and beach.

Very friendly staff

Charles Jun 9, 2007

Would recommend to a friend!

The Riu Naiboa staff were the friendliest my husband and I have ever met. We loved our stay. The grounds are beautiful and ... there is plenty to do here. One of our only complaints was that the a/c didn't cool very well so our nights were a little uncomfortable. If you want a great place to stay and enjoy the beach this is the place.

Great Hotel for the money

Jillian Apr 24, 2007

Would recommend to a friend!

This hotel was a great budget hotel. I like the fact that you can use other three hotels withing the complex. Friendly staff ... and great shows.