Riu Bambu Punta Cana

The Riu Bambu Punta Cana is a family oriented resort within the six resort Riu complex in Punta Cana. The Riu is a much cheaper option than either of the Riu Palaces and you get what you pay for – you will not be pampered at this resort to the extent that guests are taken care of at the Palaces.

On first inspection, you’ll notice that this is a big resort with a lot of things going on. The kid-friendly atmosphere of the resort results in a lot of kids running around and having fun. If you are going to Punta Cana for a romantic getaway – try the Palace.

Rooms

The rooms are quite small at the Riu Bambu Punta Cana, but are laid out well and the cleaning staff does a great job of keeping them tidy. All the rooms have air conditioning, complementary room safes and a mini-bar. Make sure you leave a nice tip and a note for the maid the first day – explaining what your favorite beverages are.

Many of the rooms at the Riu Bambu do have a kind of musty smell when you first arrive. I have long since stopped blaming this Punta Cana dilemma on the hotels. Punta Cana is a humid tropical climate – couple that with air conditioners constantly being turned on and off and presto – a musty room. Bring a cheap room deodorizer with you and the problem will disappear.

Restaurants

At the Riu Bambu Punta Cana, a table is assigned to you in the main restaurant for the length of your stay. There is a nice outside seating area at this restaurant, so pick your table wisely. There was a decent array of dining options available and we were always able to find something we enjoyed. The food here is a step down from other 5 star resorts in Punta Cana.

There are a couple a la carte restaurants (Steakhouse and Mediterranean) on the resort. The food is quite good and it’s refreshing to order something off a menu after several days at the buffet. Reservations for the restaurants are taken at the front desk at 7 in the morning, however we tipped $10 at check-in and had all our reservations taken care of – a much less painful option!

Pool

I don’t know why Riu builds such small pools when the mega-pool is the norm in Punta Cana nowadays. The pool is well laid out and has a really cool set of stairs going down into it. The pool bar is set up very well and always had a lively crowd around it. You will have trouble finding seating around the pool though. I think it’s because this is a family-oriented resort that a lot of vacationers tend to hang out around the pool – I guess some kids don’t like the beach.

Beach

Punta Cana is the most beautiful beach in the world and the Riu complex is on one of the nicest stretches of it. There are lots of palm trees and palapas to provide shade – beautiful white sand and turquoise waters. You do have to play the chair game at the Riu Bambu Punta Cana as most of the chairs will be reserved by around 8 AM. Go down to the beach before breakfast, reserve your chairs then go have your breakfast.

Activities at Riu Bambu Punta Cana

There are a lot of things to do here and the resort’s animation staff does a good job of getting people involved. You’ll find all the water sports here, so enjoy them. There is a kids’ club that runs supervised activities every day. The ladies do the best they can with what they have, but the equipment looks very dated and we weren’t always crazy about the supervisor to kid ratio. At some points there seemed to be over 30 kids to one adult – not a good idea!

Punta Cana topless

Keep in mind that Riu markets predominantly to a European clientele, an aspect of the resort that we like as you get to meet people from other cultures. However, when people refer to “Punta Cana topless” – this is it. Topless tanning is the norm in Europe and it is at the Riu Bambu Punta Cana as well. Believe me, you won’t even notice it after the first day. Another thing to keep in mind is that smoking seems to be much more prevalent in Europe. There will be a lot of people smoking at this resort.

Tips for the Riu Bambu Punta Cana

Bring a big wad of one dollar bills for tipping.

Try to make your a la carte reservations at check in.

Bring a room deodorizer with you.

There is not as strict of a dress code for dinner at the Bambu, many people wearing shorts.

There is a resort sponsored shopping area on their “Caribbean Street” leading down to the beach – it is VERY expensive. There is a nice beach market about fifteen minutes walk down the beach, try it instead.

Get out early to reserve your beach chairs.

For more reviews, maps, hotel and pricing information visit our Riu Bambu Punta Cana booking page.

Contact info for the Riu Bambu Punta Cana

Telephone 809-221-7575

Fax. 809-221-7373

Email: clubhotel.bambu@riu.com