Hotel Riu Palace Macao - Adults Only - All Inclusive

Whilst in Dominican,hotel macao could not get a bed by the pool, people reserving beds with towels, riu you need to sort this out, I thought this was against your polices, it should never happen, first come first bed in my eyes, felt like a cheap holiday, might as well have gone to benidorm. We have always traveled to riu hotels I think they are amazing and the staff, it's just the towel situation that lets you down, might be looking elsewhere in future.

Definitely not a 5 star hotel. Geen mould GROWING on beds and walls. Please see pictures, had videos but would not up load Walls had mold growing on them, We could not stand the smell Tui have offered us £30 cash for 2 days ruined trying to find us a different room We payed £2500 What an absolute insult

We have been numerous times to RIU Bambu and Republica, and for this winter decided to try Macao. It was a good choice and a great vacation. Following are our notes and observations: Beach: Great as always in this area. Beautiful sand, some waves, no stones. There were more seaweeds this year than we know from previous visits, but they were promptly cleaned up. There are no palapas on any of the RIU properties, but a lot of palm trees for the shade. It's actually good this way. No problem finding empty chair any time of the day. One small problem: no facility to wash feet leaving the beach. Lots of people bring sand on the walkway which the staff has to clean constantly. Grounds: Very nice and taken care of. Personnel cleans all areas constantly during the day. Resort is very compact. Everything is close by. Pools: A little more difficult to get the perfect spot there, but there was always a place, sometimes not in the shade though. We hang around the swim-up bar pool, as a nice Latin music played there most of the day. Food: We only used the buffet, as we learned that the ala carte restaurants are not really worth it. The food was generally very good with a big selection. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor sections, the outdoor becoming a bit crowded at breakfast time. Service was fast and attentive. The only complain about food is that breads sucked and one of us is a bread lover. Bars: As usual drinks were hit and miss, sometimes diluted, sometimes too strong. Our favourite espresso martini was made with coffee liquor instead of Kahlua like in many other resorts in Punta Cana. There is a special coffee bar serving good coffees and a decent selection of pastries. Room: We got a nice room on upper floor with king bed as requested at booking. It was modern, spacious and functional. The bathroom had a night light triggered by motion and light projected into the bedroom through semi transparent wall. We couldn't figure out how to disable it and had to resort to turning complete power off at night. Entertainment: It sucked, as in other RIU resorts these days, especially in the evenings and especially on the days where there was a RIU party. We attended some in the previous years and figured out it's not what we like. Besides they are "seen one, seen all". The live band played only once, otherwise it was soloist or duet. The only original good show worth mentioning was actually a 3 tenors performance. Very surprising. The entertainment schedule is not always followed, and can change suddenly at the last moment. Nothing different from other resorts. Overall we enjoyed our vacation and despite some critical notes here, we will return again.

We came to this hotel from the cruise ship so one week cruise one week at the hotel . It’s not the best Rui we have been to , it’s a mixed bag for us . We are from England and there was some English here but predominantly very loud Americans . Which is fine it has not bothered us but they are very much act like entitled people which the British people are not used to we are a lot more reserved. What I mean by this , is the hotel allow smoking and drinking in the pools which we don’t do or agree with . There are 3 pool’s alltogether so the swim up which people drink and don’t come out of , so we named it the pissy pool , then you have the big pool and a smaller pool by the beach (which is where we laid our towels along with the beach ) the beach is lovley so is the sea and it can be quieter than the pool areas . There is a lot of saving Sunbeds and no bums on all day , but there are plenty to go round . Evening entertainment is not all that really , the shows are so loud it becomes distorted in sound . The bar areas are nice to sit and have a drink . You can use the hotels next door either side . The entertainment is a bit weird to us again not for the British really no nice soul relaxing music . The room is nice they are a little on the damp side but this is because it’s a very humid county that gets alot of rain . But it’s kept clean and we like it . We was on 3 rd floor in the middle so a floor below and a floor above , I would say the better rooms as top room you get pigeons and lower floor noisy depending where your room is . We was over looking the entertainment with pool view and side sea view and once the door was shut you couldn’t hear anything . The evening entertainment does not go on to late into the evening so it’s peaceful . All in all not a bad hotel small , but we won’t return to the Dominican as we have done that now and if we want winter sun we will go Egypt or Cape Verde far less flight time , If you come here tho expect heavy rain although warm . One note : there are no sanitiser's into the restaurant or anywhere an after being on ship where they was everywhere we did expect that . But if you want good food /drinks and a nice coffee shop and can put up with the Americans and loud music during the day on and off and fairly easy to get a sunbed then give it ago . The entertainment staff are full of beans and good and fun also the staff are nice and friendly .

Our stay at RIU Palace Macao was nothing short of incredible! From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with warm smiles, excellent service, and a beautiful resort atmosphere that made it easy to relax and enjoy every second. The resort itself is stunning—immaculate grounds, gorgeous pools, and a pristine beach that felt like paradise. The food was consistently delicious with plenty of variety, and the entertainment kept the energy fun while still maintaining that adults-only luxury vibe. A very special shoutout to the amazing staff who truly made our trip unforgettable: Stephanie – absolutely wonderful, attentive, and always made us feel welcome Oni – full of energy and kindness, always going above and beyond Willy – professional, friendly, and made every interaction enjoyable Uma/Coco – the life of the resort! So fun, engaging, and unforgettable Each of them brought so much personality and care to their roles, and they genuinely made us feel like VIP guests. Their hospitality is what sets this resort apart. If you’re looking for an adults-only, all-inclusive getaway with top-tier service, amazing staff, and a beautiful setting, RIU Palace Macao is a must. We can’t wait to return!

We stayed at RIU Palace Macao from 29 December to 12 January, and as a long-standing RIU member, I can honestly say this has been the most disappointing RIU experience we’ve ever had. We have previously stayed at: RIU Palace Mexico (twice) RIU Palace Riviera Maya RIU Palace Peninsula RIU Palace Pacifico RIU Palace Jamaica RIU Chiclana We are also booked for RIU Palace Maldives in 2026, which we are now seriously considering cancelling as a direct result of this stay. First impressions: On arrival, my wife and I were given one welcome drink to share — not the start you expect from a “Palace” resort. The only consistently positive aspect of this hotel was the bar and waiting staff. Their work ethic, enthusiasm, and friendliness were excellent. They worked extremely hard and genuinely deserved tips. Accommodation: Room 3002 Shower leaked badly, flooding the bathroom floor Cockroaches present in the bathroom (reported; cleaners attempted to resolve but the issue continued) Balcony overlooked the gym and car park — far from ideal Prior to travel, I emailed requesting a paid upgrade. I was told availability would be checked on arrival. At check-in, we were then told this could only be reviewed during our final 7 days. Meanwhile, we were informed by others that other guests had received upgrades by paying cash at reception, which was frustrating and inconsistent. Housekeeping was also unreliable — coffee sachets were often not replenished, and we had to chase the cleaner multiple times. Score: 4/10 Food: Initially, I thought some negative reviews were exaggerated — they were not. Buffet food was lukewarm at best. Multiple guests reported upset stomachs, particularly after eating Red Snapper at the Krystal restaurant. Overall quality was well below RIU Palace standards The Asian restaurant was the best option but still not exceptional Score: 5/10 Entertainment: We attended one event and chose not to return. Based on that experience, it was not appealing enough to comment further. Drinks: Drinks were up to RIU standard, with good service from bar staff. Score: 8/10 Service: Staff worked hard throughout the resort, but there was a clear lack of visible management. Stronger leadership is needed to ensure consistent standards. Score: 6/10 Pools: Pools are in serious need of refurbishment. Missing mosaic tiles, cracked concrete around pool areas, Generally dirty, particularly in the pool bar Score: 4/10 Overall Summary: This hotel is not a Palace. It does not meet 5-star standards. At best, it is a 3.5-star resort. For loyal RIU guests, this property is a major disappointment and falls well short of what the brand usually represents.

TUI All Inclusive 9th December 2025 to 23rd December 2025 Location fabulous - close to airport and great beach. We went for the run up to Christmas - absolutely no Christmas atmosphere (unlike other hotels we have stayed in at the Dominican Republic, at the same time of year) Only place there was “any atmosphere” was at the swim up pool bar - unfortunately it was so intimidating with very drunk, very loud guests so we never went in there. This was so disappointing as we always liked to have a quick drink on the way back from the beach, unfortunately we didn’t feel comfortable at this hotel! Rooms and house keeping teams were excellent. Unfortunately we had some really noisey guests next door who fought loudly both in their room and at the door of their room for the first two nights and then partied on the 3rd night with other people in their room until 4.30AM. It took 3 calls to reception over a 2 hour period on the third night to quieten the room down. Apparently there was NO security staff available. We reported this to customer services who said they would send them a note, they looked to see how long they were staying and found that they were checking out the next morning, so they said let’s see how it goes (no offer to move us to another room after 3 nights of hell) Food: first 2 nights the food was ok, then it deteriated drastically after that! Very repetitive food even on the themed nights and always cold and overcooked. Lots of casserole type dishes, obviously using up yesterdays left overs! Most of the Ala carte restaurants had limit menus which were the same as the normal buffet with the exception of the steakhouse, only advantage being was table service. I went to the buffet one night and had a burger, supposedly the same as I had eaten previously only to find it was certainly not the same as previous, it was the same as we used to have in the 1970’s out of a tin - absolutely disgusting, so we got up and went to the steakhouse. In there I ordered an Aberdeen Angus burger only to find it was exactly the same as the one I’d got in the buffet - rubbery outside and processed meat inside! My wife had food poisoning on day 5 of our holiday, after which see could only eat bread, toast and bananas and drink only bottled water. We understand my wife wasn’t the only guest to go down with food poisoning!! Service staff in the restaurants and bar were very much hit and miss. Entertainment was at best indifferent (4 decent nights out of 13, coinciding with the non RIU PARTY events. Overall the weather made the holiday acceptable. That was our last visit to the Dominican, due how we feel about the quality and the diminishing customer service standards. Certainly deteriated since our previous visits. It no longer caters for our type of winter holiday. In my mind the hotel seems to be managed by generally inexperienced staff, basically needs a shake up from top to bottom. The only staff who really shined were the housekeeping staff who did a great job!!

Very good hotel, very clean, everything seemed excellent to me. Good food, good drinks, the staff was excellent. Bermudez, the bartender, was very friendly and made good drinks, as did Juan. The entertainment was wonderful. The animation team was very friendly and accommodating. The manager, Sammy, was very friendly and sociable. The nightly shows were very good and varied. DJ Pedro was very good and knew how to control the microphone and sound. He also speaks very good English and is very accommodating with music requests both at the Pacha nightclub and in the hotel. He's a very good DJ, as is the other DJ; both are very good. It's an excellent hotel, there's no noise. Thanks to everyone, especially DJ Pedro... pacha disco excellent...

Easy check in process. Friendly and helpful staff. Rooms were clean. It’s a humid environment so the rooms felt initially musty but with fan and AC it went away quick. Food, beach, entertainment, and service was good. I would go there again. I do think the entertainment crew could do a better job with the pool/aquatic exercise daily group. Other places I’ve been to have better/more lively music and instructors for these daily pool exercise groups.

We stayed at Riu Palace Macao and honestly it was the most disappointing resort experience I’ve ever had. We're at the resort right now and can't wait to leave. From the moment we checked into our Junior Suite, the musty smell hit us hard. It wasn’t just unpleasant, it felt like a genuine health concern. There were no dehumidifiers, no effort to mask or fix it, just a damp, moldy odor amplified by an ancient, noisy AC unit. The room itself looked like it hadn’t been renovated in decades: depressing gray walls with visible wear and tear, rust on the bedside lamps, bathroom doors with gaps showing old construction material. Also, both TVs in the suite didn’t work at all. The whole vibe was more prison hospital than Caribbean getaway, and definitely not recommended for a romantic trip. Friends in our group stayed in the Elite Club section and said it was basically the same thing, just more expensive, with the same musty smell. When we arrived hungry around 4 p.m., every restaurant was closed except the sports bar, and the food there was awful: mushy burgers that didn’t taste like meat, over-fried nuggets, and processed cheese that felt straight out of a cafeteria. Staff was showing little interest or care. Amenities were mediocre, nothing memorable, and the only thing that was remotely decent was the beach. Overall, this resort is outdated, unhealthy, and not worth the money.