Recommend March 2013 - (Page 90)

This photo: Jacuzzi suite at the RIU Palace Bavaro. Right: Poolside at the RIU Palace Macao. onsitereview S E P T E M B E R 2 0 12 RIU Punta cana deserae del campo Five properties in one. Yes, you read right. In Punta Cana, RIU does not play around. Its RIU Punta Cana Complex is made up of ﬁve separate properties that come together to offer what Armin Kaestner, v.p. of sales and contracting in Caribbean & Mexico for RIU Hotels & Resorts, calls “a very complete product. You see this in the different hotels we have, starting with the lower-end properties, such as RIU Naiboa, to our high-end products [such as RIU Palace Bavaro]. We offer something for every budget, no matter what hotel, and guests will experience excellent service, which is important for travel agents because the last thing they want is a client coming home and complaining.” it’s a high-five for riu RIU’s ﬁve properties that make up the complex (totaling over 2,500 rooms) are nestled side-by-side on an immaculate 1.2-mile stretch of palm tree-lined coast named Playa Arena Gorda (“fat sand beach” in Spanish), and not one RIU hotel on the complex is the same. The properties, offering 24-hour, all-inclusive services, themed restaurants, multiple swimming pools, spa services…and, well, everything that is best about taking an all-inclusive escape to the Caribbean, exude their own unique design, style and ambiance. The properties are: RIU Palace Punta Cana, RIU Palace Macao, RIU Palace Bavaro, ClubHotel RIU Bambu and the aforementioned RIU Naiboa. Before booking, your clients should know that access to the properties is limited depending on where they stay, although all guests can walk about the entire complex. We were at the RIU Palace Bavaro, which opened last year in December and is the newest addition to the complex, and that granted us access to bars and restaurants at all RIU properties excluding RIU Palace Macao. 90 march 2013 90-91 CB RIU onsite.indd 90 RIU Palace Bavaro is ultra-modern and chic. The lobby and room accommodations burst with colors of vibrant yellow, lush pink and deep purple. Amenities include four swimming pools, a spa, gym, a kids’ pool and club, four specialty restaurants, and of course, 24-hour, all-inclusive service. Guests can either stay in the main building or choose a villa suite closer to the beach. Only a few amenities differ from the villas to the main building such as complimentary WiFi and bathrobes. The Villa Jacuzzi Suite is deﬁnitely for the client that wants oceanview accommodations, a separate and spacious living room, ﬂat-screen TV, and a jacuzzi on a large balcony big enough to accommodate at least a dozen people. Our posh Villa Junior Suite included a comfortable king-size bed, liquor dispenser, stacked mini bar, bathroom with double sinks, shower and hydro-massage bathtub. The lack of wall dividers left plenty of open space between the bedroom and bathroom area, so traveling with a friend might be difﬁcult if your client is hoping for a bit of privacy. Dining at the RIU Palace Bavaro is a real treat. The property delivers on its all-inclusive product with attentive service and staff—it was always nice to hear “buenos dias” (good morning) on our way to breakfast. At Monticristo, the resort’s buffet-style restaurant, we looked forward to the fresh tropical fruit smoothies made every morning and recommend the cucumber and parsley smoothie, a genuine picker-upper. RIU Palace Bavaro’s a la carte restaurants offer a vast selection of cuisine: Geisha, serving Japanese; Taino, a classic steakhouse; and La Bambola, Italian dishes. Krystal restaurant, serving cutting-edge fusion cuisine, is only located at RIU Palace properties on the complex. It was at Krystal where we feasted on a banquet of delights during a 7-course menu selection of diverse and savory bites, from the blueﬁn tuna and eggplant with honey and soy reduction sauce recommend.com 2/21/13 1:47 PM http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend March 2013

Editor's Notes/Agent Speak
Hotel Desk: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Tour Talk: Travel Indochina
Safaris in Southern Africa
Un-Cruise Adventures in Alaska
Alaska is Celebrating in 2013
"Hard Rock" Chicago-Style: Rock out in the Windy City
Mexico Destination Weddings & Honeymoon Planner
Girldfriends' Getaway at Eden Roc, Miami Beach
Kyushu: The Rising Sun of Japanese Destinations
The New All-Inclusives in Jamaica Claim Their Turf
RIU Punta Cana
Costa Rica: A Trio of Detours
Touring Central & Eastern Europe

Recommend March 2013