| Holiday-Truth Readers Reports |
David from Welsh travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Sun Quest
on a singles holiday.
There were 2 adults and 2 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 12 2008 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness |  | | Location |  | | Staff |  | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: Hi my family has been to the Rui Bachata twice now and were going to go back again next year.I meet up with my bartender we meet there last year and I went to his house to meet his wife and child I had a great time after that we went to a fish house and what a great time. he took me on the back of his motor cycle man do the drive wild down there.away the hotel is fantastic and the anamation staff
were great and the kids club is great for the kids the look after the kids and you get a little piece and quite from the kids. the food is all right in the main dinning room the people we meet are very nice we don't have anything bad to say about the Rui Bachatta
Dave and Karen..
Click here for more information on this hotel, resort and region
|
| |
Joy Heggie from Falkirk travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
MYT
on a couples holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 09 2007 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: This was our first visit to a Riu hotel and we were not let down, the rooms were cleaned daily with frequent linen and towel changes. The food was second to none with a vast variety each day and extremely well cooked. the location was perfect and the beach beautiful. Hotel staff were very polite and accomodating and the animation team worked so hard and mingled and chatted with residents, they put on great shows each night.
I would not think twice about visiting again or recommending the Riu Bachata.
|
| |
Soph from Birmingham travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Portland
on a family holiday.
There were 4 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 07 2007 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment |  |
| said: I love the hotel i stayed in as this has been the second time i have stayed ther, all inclusive is excellent with a wide choice. you can also use the other two hotels connected with ours so if you fancy some different entertainment each night you have three hotels to chose from. entertainment in the day from our animation team was brilliant me and my friend our 17 and we travelled with my mom and dad, and they got all of us involved with some sort of game. we got along great with them and barstaff and they take great care of you.
evening entertainment isnt that great but its definatly not the worst i have seen. club pasha on site is ok if you want to stay out late or you can use the 24 hour bar.
you can use there facilities also.
hotel cleanliness was really good, rooms get cleaned evryday, me and my friend shared a room and we had a double bed to ourselves.
the food was nice, im a fussy eater but ther was enough choice for me everynite.
location was good as it only took about 25 minutes to get from the airport to the hotel.
|
| |
lizzie & nigel from lancaster travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
thomson
on a couples holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 06 2007 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: This hotel was fantastic!!
The rooms were cleaned every day and were spotless. New towels everyday. Beds were massive enough for you to both sleep like starfish after a busy day soaking up the sun. TV in room with some English TV. Mini bar and optics in your room filled daily, lots of water and soft drinks in them to.
Food was plentiful. Even my husband who is really fussy eater loved the food as there was something for everyone. Fresh fruit every day and it tastes so much better than you buy in ASDA! BBQ on the beach during the week which are a must do, one day they cut coconuts from the trees and we we all sat around drinking from them with a seafood BBQ, it was fab. Massive choice of dishes so you get what you want as much as you want.
Entertainment was fab always something to watch or do. Things going on all day long you wont be bored. water aerobics with Elvis69 is great he really makes it fun, he's very easy on the eye as well if you know what I mean ladies!!!!!!
Every second Thursday they hold a great Caribbean party night in the shopping street inside the hotel grounds, there is dancing, games, bars and stalls. Great night.
Beach is clean and well looked after, water sports really good but I wouldn't recommend the diving. Not that the dive school did anything wrong its just there is nothing to see. I did 4 dives and was not impressed, I've been spoilt in Eygpt.
Hotel staff are only to happy to help. Do not buy anything from the hotel shop as its an independent shop and they charge massive prices for essentials. Sun cream as £20 a bottle, no joke!! Not hotels fault though. If you go with Thomson ask the rep for some as they get everything that's left in the room and are only to happy to pass it on.
All in all this hotel was excellent and we will be going back for sure, loved it all, cant say enough really apart from Fantastic!!!!
|
| |
|
|
Claire from Nottingham travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
thomson
on a family holiday.
There were 2 adults and 1 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 05 2007 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: This was our 3rd visit to the Riu Bachata in just over 2 years.
The hotel is fantastic and makes for a great holiday for all.
The whole place is spotless and no-one in our party has ever suffered from sickness on any visit here. We met up with some friends from last year and at one point there were approx 12 of us. We were all healthy throughout.
Anyway........the rooms are perfectly adaquate. This year we had two beds pushed together but one huge mattress on top so no falling down the cracks!! the famous Riu minibar and optics are still there so you get a choice of spirits,beer and soft drinks in your room which are refilled every 2 dys. We personally only used the water and pepsi and we tipped the minibar man a few dollars on the first day and he made sure he overflowed the fridge with just those drinks!!
The maids are great and come and make up your room every day. We left approx a dollar a day for her and she made the most fantastic towel animals each day and put flowers on the bed etc.
The food at the buffets is great. I am probably the worlds fussiest eater and i found loads to eat. Tuesday is mexican night (my fave!!!) Most nights there are cooking stations in the restaurant doing things like tacos, suckling pig, roast lamb, beef etc and that is in addition to all the other selections!! There is always a veggie option and loads of salads and pasta. In the daytime there is a good selection at the snack bar including chips, burgers, hot dogs and salads. The is more or less unlimited food all the time!!! The fresh fruit is lovely as well and for breakfast they serve everything you can imagine!!
The staff at the hotel are brill. The animation team work from 9am till about 11pm under the fantastic supervision of David. The team has changed a lot over the past year but are still doing a great job for hardly any pay. No-one is ever without a smile and this goes for the barmen, maids etc. We did tip our waiters each night in the restaurant and they would have our drinks ready and sometimes flowers on the table the next night. They always made a fuss of our daughter and were ultra polite and friendly.
The pool area at the Bachata tends to get rather busy as it is the best laid out and the most active of the 3 rui hotels, this means that people who stay in the Merengue and Mambo can and do use it too. We did have to reserve sunbeds as there are limited umbrellas to provide a little shade. If you want shade you have to claim your bed before 8am.
Also a small down side is that the Riu's still give day passess to the locals at the weekend. This tends to send the noise level and occupancy through the roof. We never had problems with the locals but we did retire to the beach each weekend for a little peace and quiet. We were expecting this as returning guests but I can imagine it may freak people out who do not know about it beforehand.
The evening entertainment is good. Obviously the budget and resources are limited but if you get involved a little you cant fail to enjoy it. Different shows such as Michael Jackson and Grease are mixed with the audience participation stuff such as Mr Riu and the Perfect couple. Cheesy yes, but what do you expect???this is not the west end!!
One thing to mention is that you cant get food and drinks 24hrs from the bars as sometimes advertised. The bar next to the casino stops serving at around 2pm and the Merengue snack bar serves food till around the same time.
All in all we had a fantastic time once again and would not hesitate to recommend this hotel to anyone!!!
We met some fantastic people from England, America and Wales last year and we all met up again this year - it was fantastic!!!!!
|
| |
julia from surrey travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
thomson
on a 18-30s holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 03 2007 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: The Hotel was spotless and everywhere was very clean and well kept.
The food was plentiful and as with anywhere the choice on the buffet can be a bit repeatative..but thats because there is so much choice in the first place.
I don't know if they have had problems with sickness but there is a maid outside every public toilet block with hand sanitiser and they also ask you to use this before entering any of the restuarants - so I can't fault them on hygiene. No-one we met had a problem with sickness
We had a great time...whether on the beach or by the pool.
|
| |
pat from birmingham travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
thomson
on a family holiday.
There were more than 6 adults and 3 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 07 2006 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: Hotel rooms were large spotlessly clean and could not be faulted.
How anyone can say the food is repetative is beyond me there is so much choice it is unbelievable and all was freshly cooked and presented.
Staff at the hotel were the most friendly we have ever met from the maids to the gardeners, chefs and waiters
The animation team were the most hard working and fun people we have ever encountered
I can honestly say that I did not have a trace of illness and although others had mild symtoms these can occur in the carribean spain or blackpool for that matter.Take some of these reports with a pinch of salt.
We would visit this hotel again without hesitation and wish we were there now.
Maybe some of these complaints are from people who do
not have their vaccinations or are the people who refuse to use the handwash on the way in to the restaurants.
The reps from Thomson were helpful and courteous and so were the reception staff.
|
| |
Leeanne from West Bromwich travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Thompson
on a family holiday.
There were more than 6 adults and 1 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 07 2006 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: This was the first time most of our group went on a long haul holiday. The hotel was spotless and the maids cleaned rooms daily, supplying fresh towels and refilling mini bar. The food was excellant, very good variety with all 13 members of our group finding something enjoyable each night.
The hotel was fantastically placed as there were 2 other hotels we could use but we found the Riu Batacha the best hotel. The hotel staff were all well presented and pleasant. They could not do enough for you.
There was always something going on wheather it was horse shoes on the beach, show at the centre stage or disco in the night club. We would all go back to this hotel and only wished we had booked for 3 weeks.
|
| |
J Williams from Wales travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Thomson
on a family holiday.
There were more than 6 adults and 3 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 07 2006 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: We returned to this hotel for the second time and had a fantastic time. If anyone is worried about this hotel don't be, it is very clean, the food is excellent and the people can't do enough for you. There were 13 of us in the group and some of us had a few days of upset stomachs but that was due to the change in diet and too many cocktails etc rather than lack of hygiene. I would recommend anyone to stay at this hotel, it is a wonderful place I can't fault it in any way!
|
| |
|
|
Lynda Dye from Rotherham travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Portland Direct
on a family holiday.
There were 4 adults and 1 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 07 2006 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: Three years ago we stayed at the Riu Bachata and then it was a first class hotel. Some of the services we received three years ago have vanished, which is a shame. Hotel staff are very polite and quite friendly. The food was good, if repetative. The entertainment was very poor on this visit. I would definately not stay at this hotel again.
Before heading out on our holiday, I read some damming reports about guests of the hotel getting sick with some gastic illness. I contacted Portland Direct and Thomsons who assured me that this had been an air bourne virus that had now passed. We received an e-mail from Thomsons stating that an Health & Safety Hygienist had been out to the hotel and confirmed that everying was ok. So having this reassurance we set off for our holiday on the 21 July 2006.
The following Friday, my husband started with severe stomach cramps, which followed by diarrhoea and sickness. Early Sunday morning I started with the same. My husband's symptoms have eased, but not cleared, by this time and on Tuesday he sent for the doctor for me. The doctor put me on an IV drip and administered several injections. I was in bed for two and a half days. The rest of the holiday left us feeling half dead, not eating and wishing we could go home.
We are back home, but I am now off work.
DO NOT GO TO THIS HOTEL - DO NOT LET THOMSONS TELL YOU THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR
|
| |
Sarah and Dave from Doncaster travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Thomsons
on a family holiday.
There were 3 adults and 1 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 07 2006 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: Having switch to this hotel at the last minute we were a little worried by the previous reviews, however we were pleasently surprised.
The hotel was spotlessly clean.
The food delicious with so much choice.
The staff are so nice and friendly.
The entertainment team work very hard.
The only downfall is all the weight you put on eating all the food and wonderfull fresh fruit.
We are already trying to book for next year but this time for 3 weeks.
|
| |
GARY/ANN from WALES travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
THOMPSON FLY
on a couples holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 07 2006 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: We found all inclusive great because the food selection was excellent.
Cleanliness and hygiene were of a first class standard and the staff were friendly and polite from cleaners bar staff and entertainment team.
The location of the hotel was away from town but only a taxi ride away.
|
| |
john -Rosalind-Lisa from Edinburgh Scotland travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Thomson's
on a family holiday.
There were 3 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 07 2006 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: Riu Bachata having stayed at this hotel for the ninth visit I find it very difficult to understand the recent adverse reports this hotel has received. We met many Scottish and Welsh persons and I have yet to meet anyone on all of our visits who was confined to a drip, due to illness.
The hotel is spotless clean and hand cleaning solution is available at all the restaurants and toilets administered by Riu staff at entrances.
The food offers something for everyone and the restaurant staff cannot do enough for you.
The cleaners, bar staff, entertainment staff and reception staff are all pleasant to everyone.
The animation team work very hard but do not push you in any way to join in the activities.
The only downside we feel is the influx of local Dominican people who visit the hotel at weekends and also day passes which we find ourselves taken over by them. As this is a Thomson platinum hotel we feel this problem should be addressed by Thomson/Riu.
We have no problems with this hotel and have already booked January 2007 and July 2007 possibly the people who did fall ill were very unlucky as this hotel and staff cannot be faulted where we are concerned.
|
| |
Wendy from Leigh travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Ryanair
on a family holiday.
There were 3 adults and 1 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 06 2006 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: We stayed at the all inclusive part of the hotel so it was kind of good because it was all free!
The hotel was very clean but if you went to the reception it was quite dirty.
The food was great especially the soup they had there. The vegtable soup was great.
The location was only a short walk to the beach so we could go early when there was not so many people there.
The staff was always there when you needed them.
The entertainment was very good giving I thought it would be awful.
I would definitely like to visit this hotel again.
|
| |
Alan Fish from Huddersfield travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Thompson
on a couples holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 06 2006 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: Do not go to this Hotel my wife caught Dysentry here and we are currently waiting for a settlement from Thompsons along with hundreds of other people
|
| |
Jason Goudie from Lancashire travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Thompson
on a family holiday.
There were 2 adults and 2 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 06 2006 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: Our recent family holiday between Wednesday 14th June to Wednesday 28th June 2006 was spent at the RIU BACHATA FIVE STAR PLATINUM HOTEL in the Dominican Republic. The trip was booked through Thompson.
The holiday has two areas that as a result made this trip a distressing “holiday nightmare” and I can honestly say it was the worst experience I have encountered in my life, to date. Firstly there was a Basketball Tournament by a party, I believe were 500 in number. The ratio of children to adults in this party was approximately 5 to 1 and their ages ranged from around 8 years old up to 16 or 17 (mostly boys). This created an atmosphere that was is in no way compatible with relaxation. This view was shared by every fellow guest I spoke to. The second issue is that of a violent illness, highly contagious in nature that can best be described as an epidemic. I will attempt to explain both as succinctly as possible.
Basketball Tournament
To say the hotel was overwhelmed with the guests attending this tournament is an understatement. A group booking of this nature should have suggested nothing less to the management of Thompson & Riu! The result of which, created an overcrowded and overwhelmed restaurant that resulted in no service and long queues for food. It was impossible to enjoy an evening meal due to an atmosphere that could be likened to a busy supermarket or military canteen. It also resulted in large groups of children, unsupervised, having the time of their lives running around the complex. I am not anti-child. I have two of my own! I also voluntarily assist in the running of a Judo Club for 50 to 60 young children.
These points were brought to the attention of the manager of the hotel, who stated that he was not aware of such a party attending the hotel, till two weeks before they arrived, as bookings were out of his hands and done through travel agents. It seems bizarre that the website for this basketball organisation clearly shows a pre planned holiday with Riu hotels logo and an advertisement for the Bachata within the booking details. I am also aware, from a friend, who was at the Bachata the same time last year that the competition was held then! If only I'd have seen him before I booked!!!!
Illness.
I became ill on Saturday 17th June which initially started with violent vomiting, crippling stomach cramps and sporadic fevers. This then escalated to diarrhoea and vomiting at the same time. My two children (13yrs & 11yrs) were also ill with exactly the same symptoms as myself. We were eventually given a room visit (clearly the nurses were inundated with numbers of ill guests) and a nurse put me on an intravenous drip and gave me a number of injections. My daughter was also given an injection. At the height of my daughter’s illness she collapsed whilst returning from the toilet, she later became delirious and was hallucinating. It came to a point where my wife had to re-attend the doctors with serious consideration given to her attending a Dominican hospital. Our symptoms persisted for around 24 hours and eventually got to the point where I was vomiting blood. There were also a vast amount of people who were all sick with like for like symptoms for a number of days throughout the hotel. The impact this had on the remainder of my holiday was as follows,
•My ribs, back and chest were extremely painful from the stomach cramps and vomiting for six days.
•Anxiety, worried that the illness would come again.
•Total lack of appetite. I survived on soup and bread for the vast duration of the holiday.
•Total lack of confidence in the manner the situation was dealt with and hygiene of the hotel.
•Lethargic throughout the holiday.
•Had to force our children to eat.
•Symptoms would appear randomly throughout the holiday.
•Became ill on the day of my return home and am still ill now, with the same symptoms. I am currently off work. My children off school.
•All my family has lost weight.
I should also point out that after making the Thompson rep aware of our situation that no contact call or welfare check was made.
It is also worth mentioning that after this illness we attempted to make the most of our holiday and show the Great British attitude of "get on with it". We booked a night in the al a carte. We saw two rats running along a path near to the swimming pool en route. We then saw another two rats (or could have been the same!) run along the dining area near to the hotplates. I was going to make a fuss but my wife, still exhausted, told me to leave it. As you can guess we left our meals, and I guess that was the "straw that broke the camels back".
The seriousness of this illness was highlighted by the fact that the incoming guests on Wednesday 21st June were put in the Mambo or Meringue, as a “matter of health & safety”. It seems bizarre that guests of the Bachata were free to mingle amongst those two hotels after bringing in this countermeasure. Excursion trips were also still taking place with Bachata guests meeting the people of the Dominican Republic!
I have liaised with several guests who suffered this illness, none of whom had a sample taken which would have immediately identified what this illness was.
We received a letter which was slid under our room door on the evening of Monday 26th. This letter, summarised, stated hygiene checks and samples of water and food had been tested and were all negative. The likely cause of sickness was that of a “virus similar to that of a winter flu bug”.
In summary, what should have been a family holiday that was looked forward to, in a five star platinum hotel was in fact a survival exercise that has left all my family extremely ill. It has also left us all suffering personal injury and caused serious alarm and distress to us all. My wife and I also feel bitterly disappointed and extremely aggrieved.
All these points were brought to the attention of the Thompson reps in a complaint form upon my recovery. By this stage, the reps were overwhelmed with complaints. The situation exacerbated when the guests who should have been located in the Bachata on Wednesday 21st, arrived in numbers to vent their anger. Chaotic best describes the situation.
My motivation in writing this review, ………………Because it is extremely unfair and dangerous to put people in this potential situation, in sympathy to fellow guests who suffered in the same way! I have genuinely never suffered anything like this illness. To see my children suffer and be unable to assist them has deeply aggrieved and upset me. I would not wish any other person/family go through the same ordeal and waste their hard earned money. I also think I should “stand up and be counted”. There is clearly a problem. I had my annual holiday nothing less that ruined. I cannot have another two weeks off work or afford another holiday.
I am currently in the process of obtaining legal advice before contacting Thompson. I would love to hear from anybody who suffered in the same way, who was at this hotel at the same time. I would also urge you to add a report to this website and avoid the British attitude of “put up & shut up”. People need to be informed.
|
| |
Vanessa & Jamie from Eastbourne travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Thomson
on a couples holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 06 2006 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment |  |
| said: Take this report as you will but, I am posting it to caution anyone who wishes to book a holiday at this resort.
We have just returned from 2 weeks 'Holiday from Hell' at the RIU Bachata. During our two weeks there over 300 people came down with extreme Gastroenteritis, which spread around all nationalities staying at this hotel, including us, and it was an experience I would not like to repeat and do not wish on any other person. At one point people were being treated and on drips in their rooms as it was the only way that the medical staff could cope with the amount of people with this illness. We have since found out that there was also an outbreak, of the same illness last year, when the hotel had to be closed for a 5 week period.
Apparently the outbreak started at the end of October 2004 and was allowed to continue until May 2005 !! During this time they were still allowing holiday makers into the hotel and allowing them to become ill. And, as you have read above, again they are still taking bookings knowing that this sickness bug is around.
Thomson and RIU had no contingency plan in place to deal with the situation, you would think that they would have as they had been faced with this problem before and at the beginning of they outbreak tried constantly to ignore the situation and sweep the problem under the carpet.
In fact the two Thomson Reps Mark & Helen were most obnoxious in their replies when questioned and when help was called for It was not until one of our fellow British guests took the situation into her own hands, and called a public meeting, did Thomson’s have no choice but to deal with the situation, before things got ugly. From then on the situation was dealt with by the Natalie, the head of Thomson’s Customer Services in Dominican Republic, and two new reps were brought in.
The actual hotel and resort is fantastic. The rooms are fantastic, with air conditioning and central fan. Cleaned thoroughly every day. The staff are also very friendly and hard working, everything done whenever it was needed. The food is acceptable. The Steak House and Mediterranean Restaurant very nice.
The beach is lovely, the pool area nice and clean etc etc It is just a huge shame that we were unable to enjoy any of these facilities to the full, due to us being so ill. We could not eat most of the food, drink hardly any drinks, or go on any of the trips.
All we could do was staying in our room initially or sit in the cooler shade of the beach. Thomson are now stating that the illness was caused by an ‘Airborne Virus’ which is not in their control and therefore they are not to blame and there will be no compensation for the loss of anyone’s holiday. Suffice to say we will never return to this resort or to the Dominican Republic.
And, doubt very much if we will every book other holiday with Thomson again. We now have a claim in for compensation with a major group of Solicitors who dealt with the claims from last year’s incident. Anyone reading this who has suffered like we have we suggest you do the same.
|
| |
june from hemsby travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
thomson
on a couples holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 06 2006 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: We said at this above address and it was a holiday from hell there was a bad bug sickness and diohrea and bad temputure. It was really bad people were droping like flies. My husband and I were ill for 10 days out of 14, I was finally allowed to see the docter after collapsing and was put on a drip. We were told this happend last year and the resort was closed down. I also think it very unfair that customers are not informed about this bug thomson insist it is airborn.
It is not a very nice place\would never go back there the rooms are not cleaned that well we had to beg for clean towels and toilet paper when we were ill.
The entertment staff are to pushie it was a well expensive holiday for what we got.
|
| |
Helen from Yorkshire travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Thomsons
on a couples holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 06 2006 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: Hotel is pleasent enough but not the best 4* plus hotel have been in. The beach is nice surrounded by hills. Some people have complained it's too rocky and although the sea bed it coral we didn't find it a problem.
However the hotel has major problems with illness - to the point that Thomson stopped new guests staying. The hotel/Thomsons also gave free medical care which seems tantamount to accepting liability. I would guess three quarters of the hotel would have been ill at some point and half of those been put on a drip. People were being hospitalised. My partner collapsed, was put on a drip and couldn't leave bed for 4 days. Thomsons reps claimed it was an airbourne virus but seems obvious it was the food - and even the site doctor said as much. We are now back in the UK and still now 100%.
If you are already booked the steak house/mediterranean resturant seemed the safest bet for both lunch and dinner, food was the closest you can get to being cooked to order. Also I didn't eat much meat and felt alot better than most.
If you're considering booking...don't. I wouldn't recommend this hotel to anyone. Further reviews on www.tripadvisor.com. It seems to be a major and on going problem at the hotel and all 3 have been closed in the past.
|
| |
Claire from NOttm travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Portland Direct
on a family holiday.
There were 2 adults and 1 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 05 2006 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: This is the second time we have stayed in this hotel in the last 8 months. All aspects of the hotel and resort are excellent.
The rooms are nice with fan and aircon (necessary!) you can request a ground floor room before you travel but there are only about 12 steps up to the first floor.
The whole place is spotlessly clean - you can't turn a corner without seeing maids cleaning or gardeners sweeping up leaves etc.
The location is great for us as we are not big sightseers, prefering to visit the neighbouring hotels Mambo and Merengue of which you can use all facilities. There is a choice of beaches, the main beach or the sports beach (which is generally quieter)both are nice. Obviously watersports such as pedelos are free from the sports beach. My daughter also went parasailing for $40 which was great and lasted about 1 hour. The pool is great but not many umbrellas if you like shade so you do have to get up early for those!
The food is lovely with plenty to choose from every day. I am a very fussy eater and always found something lovely to eat. There are food stations most nights cooking things to order such as seafood but also omlettes in the morning. Fantastic.
The staff at the hotel cannot do enough to please you. They do encourage you to join in with darts, volleyball, horseshoes etc but do not hassle you if you are too lazy....like me!
They work about 14 hours every day and are always cheerful and energetic - even when faced with rude guests who do not even give them the time of day. This goes from the bar staff, cleaners, waiters and not forgetting the fabulous animation team. We tipped throughout our holiday as they earn so little for very hard work. Ok the shows are not west end standard but come on you don't pay enough for that do you?....the shows range from traditional dominican folklore to Micheal Jackson, with a lot of audience paticipation along the way, we had a great time every night and met some fantastic people who all shared our opinions of the resort.
We did not experience any sickness in the hotel and the couple of sick people we saw told us that they were sick through too much booze and sun. The hotel is immaculate and i cannot fault it in any area. My family and i are planning a 3rd trip to the Bachata next year to meet up again with the fabulous friends we made this year.
I also have to mention that many people go back to this hotel again and again which surely is testament to the quality and service.
|
| |
terrynewpack from Bradford travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Thomsons
on a couples holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 05 2006 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: We booked this holiday very much last minute and it was one where acommodation was allocated on arrival although we did know it was to be one of the three hotels on site.
We have been to the Caribbean on about a dozen different occasions and we have always avoided the Dominican Republic because of health concerns. However when we saw this holiday we checked on here and other sites and were surprised to see so many good reviews and that gave us the confidence to book.
We flew with Thomsons on a new route from Doncaster and everything went well with the flight and the transfer.
Checking in at the hotel was simple and efficient and everyone was offered a welcome drink.
The room was sparkling clean and big enough and yes you do get a mini bar and four different spirits on optic!!
The food in the restaurant was excellent.
I am a bit of a fussy eater but the choice was tremendous and there was always something to eat. The breakfasts were tremendous and anyone who has been to the 'all you can eat' buffet breakfasts in Florida will be surprised to find twice the choice here and food that was always served warm.
The drinks choice was adequate although I don't think the standard of the wine was too high. Nevertheless it went down and stayed down. There were no reports from anyone of any illness and everyone we met and talked to were impressed.
The beaches were fine and we concentrated on the sports beach because we found it quieter. Lots of shade under the palm trees but still enough sun to get an excellent tan in the week we were there. Seems to be a bit of a problem around the pool areas where it seems you have to get up early to book your seats. Mind you there is or there was a rather large proportion of German tourists in during the week we were there. The hotel does ask its guests not to reserve seats around the pool.
It seems that the hotel is fairly new and that means it looks new. Most things were of a high standard and the buildings were quite attractive. Whilst we were there Arsenal appeared in the Champions League final and they installed a big screen tv for guests to watch.
The only disappointment we had was the night time entertainment. Whilst it is not usually up to much in the Caribbean this was probably the most awful we have ever experienced. Little or no details of the entertainment is available and of course the entertainment is repeated at all three venues so if you miss something truly appalling you can always catch it again just down the road at the next hotel!!
To sum up it was an excellent holiday in great surroundings and probably the best bargain we have ever had.
Terry
|
| |
Kenny Murray from lochcarron travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Thompson
on a couples holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 10 2005 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: The hotel was superb from the food to the drink, from the maids to the gardeners from the bar staff to the entertainments staff all made for a totally relaxing holiday.
The Dominican people are great and they really appreciate when you speak to them and tell them what a good job they do.
The hotel grounds are amazing and immaculate the pool is clean.
The rooms are very well appointed with no luxury left out.
You must visit the beach for a massage.
All in all a great hotel and a great holiday.
|
| |
Angela and Danny from Wirral travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Thomson
on a couples holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 10 2005 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: The Riu Bachata was an excellent hotel, the staff couldnt do enough for you and were all always very happy. The food in the hotel was fantastic, we are both vegetarian and there was plenty of choice every day. I would highly recommend this hotel for any age it was amazing.
|
| |
Deb and Nick from East Yorks travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Thomson
on a couples holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 09 2005 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: This has got to be the best holiday ive ever been on. The hotel is faultless.
The rooms are lovely and cleaned to perfection everyday. You have a free minibar and OPTICS!! Which are refilled free every other day. There is also ice machines at the end of every other block so you can refill ya ice bucket as and when ya need it.
The food is fantastic and lots of choice for all tastes. You will never go hungry. The hotel grounds are perfect and spotlessly cleaned by gardeners every day.
The hotel staff work very hard to make your holiday the best. They are all very very friendly, try to pass a worker (be it a gardener or barstaff) without them saying hola and ya doin better than me!
The swim up bar in the midday heat is a must. Try one or two of many of the cocktails. The animation team work hard to make ya stay as enjoyable as possible. Activities throughtout the day include beach volleyball, boules, darts, table tennis comp, horseshoe, waterpolo, dancing and loads more comps.
Try the watersports beach if ya fancy a bit of peace and quiet and want to come home with an excellent tan. The sea is so clear ya can see fish as ya swim. Snorkelling, wind-surfing, peddaloes, and sailing are all free with ya all inclusive.
They have themed nights like beach party and caribbean night too. If ya fancy a dance until the early hours try the nightclub Pacha, all inclusive too and air conditioned, open until 2am. If ya hungry when ya leave ya can use the snackbar at the merengue just next door its open until 2.30am.
All in all this holiday is fantastic and ya can just chill out or join in the activities and not spend a single penny your whole holiday, unless ya wanna leave the hard workers a tip or two at the end of ya stay like we did. Big hola to Miguel, Camelio, Pablo and Tuelli (barstaff) Usher, Donkey, David. Jonathon Banana, Big Mama, Jonny Bravo, Speedy (animation)
I would recommend this hotel to anyone and will definately be going back next year!!
|
| |
Steve & Angela Browne from Nafferton East Yorkshire travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Thomsons
on a couples holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 09 2005 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: We stayed at the Riu Bachata for two weeks from the 7th -21st Sept 05. We were greeted by a highly efficient reception staff and promptly given our room and safe key. Porter service was available if you wish. We entered our room and was amazed and the 'towel display in the shape of a snake!' The rooms are immaculate and the cleaners take real pride. A different towel display appeared each day providing you looked after the maid in some form of gift or money!
The hotel can only be discribed as 1st class, how any one can say different is beyond me, don't listen to the wingers looks at the poitive reports to get a real picture!
There are two restaraunts and you have to book early to get into the steakhouse, but it is worth it. The food is very good and a varied and wide selection for all tastes!
Waiters will top up your glasses as soon as they get low and the choice of wines, water coke e.t.c. The Chefs make wonderfull displays out of Water melons. The restaraunt has fans and air con so never gets too warm and you can eat out on the balcony if you desire.
The complex is well maintained and the pool area has two good size pools and well shaded, be warned that the best pool chairs go by 0830 taken by the dedicated sun lovers so when in Rome...
The pool bar is a welcome retreat and serves an array of cocktails ,spirits, beer and soft drinks. These are unlimited so do't get carried away!
The beach is never over crowded and offers palm tree cover and plenty of beds. Beach is v, clean. Be warned the sand by the water does contain coral so purchase water shoes before you leave home as they are $18 in Carribean st shopping complex.
The sea contains an array of beautiful fish and is a Snorkling Heaven. The fish will eat from your hand. We were ill for 3 days due to a bad reaction to the Malaria tablets and were forced to stop taking them.
Dispite this a wonderful holiday was had. Due to the distance a week would not be long enough so we were glad we booked a fortnight. The entertaiment team work hard to please expecially 'Donkey' they will ask if you wish to enter the darts, water polo, ping pong events and if you decline "no problem" at night they put on shows which are ok but repetative.
You can visit the other two sister hotels the 'merengue and mambo and drink in their bars and eat lunch for a change.
A trip not to be missed is to 'Saona Island' this is in the south of the island and involves a 45 min flight, speed boat a stop off on route to a crystal clear sand bank in the carribean sea then onto Saona for a BBQ lunch and pleny of "medicine" as Rambo our guide desribed the Cubra Libra (rum & coke) of which plenty was drunk!
A catermarang for 1.5 hours returns you to the mainland, quick coach ride to airport for return North, it is a long day starting at 0600 and getting back at 1945 but what an unforgetful day, superb!
This hotel pound for pound was outstanding, we met some new friends took some great photo's and despite the conditions the locals and staff live in they are some of the friendliest people I've ever met.
Will we go back again, for sure no doubt. Remember you cannot please everyone all the time but if you go out with a positive attiude in mind you will not be disapointed. Go for it !!!!
|
| |
joanne from norton travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
portland direct
on a couples holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 09 2005 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: I have absolutely no complaints with this hotel it was outstanding.
Very clean and staff were constantly cleaning.
Food excellent very wide variety.
|
| |
Ian Forster from Hartlepool travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Thomson
on a couples holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 08 2005 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: What a fantastic holiday, could not find fault with anything at all. Food was great with an amazing choice, and there were no separate sittings in the buffet restaurant in the evening as we had read in previous reviews.
We ate in the steakouse a couple of times and it was very good. A good tip is to book this for a Friday or Saturday night when the hotels have a lot of locals in and it gets really busy in the buffet restaurant.
The beaches are not the best in the world, a lot of seaweed. We found the watersports beach behind the Bachata the best, nice and quiet, nice to put sun lounger in the edge of the sea and sunbathe with the water lapping over you, heavenly.
The complex is pretty big like being in a small resort, nice to go for walks around the Merengue and Mambo stopping off for drinks on the way of course.
We went on a few trips nothing else much to spend money on (unless you want to pay over the odds for things in Caribbean Street eg. £6 for a fridge magnet, everything much cheaper at the airport and good choice) the best of these trips being the monster truck safari, one of the best trips I have ever been on anywhere, brilliant.
Overall one of the best holidays we have ever had, and have already booked Riu in Mexico at Playacar for next year after recommendations from few people we talked to this year who said it is even better than Bachata, find it hard to believe but can’t wait to find out.
|
| |
Tasha from Aylesbury travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Portland Direct
on a family holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 07 2005 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: We went to Riu Chicalana last year in Spain, so we knew what type of service to expect from Riu. The hotel had the same sort of lay out like the Spain hotel.
We were a bit worried before we went as we had found out that the hotel and the other 2 Riu's on the resort had been closed. I must say that Portland Direct where no help towards this at all. We basically got told that it was none of our business.
But saying all of this, the hotel had been re-opened, they were very high on cleanliness. After you had used the toilet staff would be in there wiping and cleaning it after you. They also where very high on the bacteria stuff that they made you put on your hands. This was after using the toilet and when entering the restaurant.
None of us was not ill once, not even with a slight bit of stomach upset. Although we had a rough idea that we might get something as you are bound to as it is a lot different from the U.K. So we was prepared. We took Pemto - Bismol which they sell out there anyway. We didn’t have to use any of it at all. We where all perfectly fine. So to be honest I don’t know why we began to worry so much.
The food was great and I would highly recommend the Steak house! All the staff where really friendly and would do anything to help you.
The Mambo which is the hotel at the far end of the complex was still shut, when we arrived but at the beginning of our second week it did re-open.
We also watched the entertainment in the Merengue one night. As the 3 hotels all belong to Riu and you can use any of the facilities. Although I would say to stay in the Riu Bachata than the other 2 as it is like what the reps tell you, bigger, newer and better than the other 2. The Mambo its self was a very small hotel and the reception was dark and small.
Beaches where great, lots of trees to cover you if you just prefer the shade. The weather was great we had some rain although it was nice as it broke it up from the sun.
|
| |
DEE & BILL from NOTTS travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
PORTLAND
on a couples holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 03 2005 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: We arrived at this hotel for a 2 week stay. When arrived the surroundings were absolutely fabulous and we thought we had landed in paradise.
Enjoyed our first day relaxing until the second day when my wife became unwell we then contacted the site doctor to be treated. On talking to other guests the day after we discovered there was an airborne virus present in this hotel. Over the next 4 days my wife had 12 lots of medication to combat this. The hotel management were very helpful and concerned they could not do enough as the place was permanently being cleaned but guests had to disinfect their hands at all times. By the 6th day our travel insurance brought us home one week early. I’d say we were very lucky talking to everyone else. The doctor was sending people to speed banks for cash instead of people showing their Insurance.
I think this is a massive shame as this hotel is in fantastic surroundings with a workforce to be proud of and I hope this virus can be combated for the sake of this group. A customer had a letter saying the virus could have originated as a notorious virus from Canada bearing in mind 80% of the guests are Canadian
|
| |
Karen from Glos, UK travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Thomson
on a family holiday.
There were 1 adults and 1 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 02 2005 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: When looking at the Riu Bachata, you need to look at it along with the Mambo and the Merengue as you are able to use the facilities at all three hotels. The only thing you are required to do is to take your evening meal at your hotel.
We were very wary of travelling due to the illness problems that had been widely reported from early in the year. On arrival, the hotel had precautions in place for the prevention of the spread of infection, and these were removed during our holiday but were put back into place when signs of the illness returned. Yes we were ill during our holiday but this would not stop us returning to this resort if we chose to (we just think there are too many places to visit to return to the same place twice!
We were on an allocation on arrival at the Riu Resorts and while we would have been happy to have been at any of the hotels we were more than happy to be at the Bachata, this is the newest of the 3. We went on an all inclusive basis, which for me and my son was obviously quite an expensive option as I had to pay adult price for him.
Upon arrival at the hotels you were greeted by very friendly reception staff, a cold drink and a very quick check in. We were even shown to our rooms by the Manager of the hotel who you will see during your stay quite a lot! Our luggage was delivered to our rooms by the porters.
We were lucky enough to have a view of the sea and beach at the sports beach. These blocks are furthest from the restaurants/bars but still only a couple of minutes away and it meant you did not get the noise. It takes about 10 minutes (longer with kids!) to walk from this end to the Mambo at the far end, but there is a wonderful walkway behind the beach which links all of the hotels.
The rooms are spacious, 2 queen size beds, plenty of cupboard, wardrobe and drawer space and a large spacious bathroom with bath and shower over with some of the best water pressure I have ever had!! The bathroom also had a hairdryer! We also never had a problem with hot water although we did endure a power cut which meant you couldn't see in the bathroom as there was no natural light.
The rooms had a balcony with chairs, sliding doors/mossie guards (shame there was no lighting to be able to sit out at night), excellent air conditioning and TV. Various channels including American/Spanish and Cartoon channels - even had BBC America...sport etc. No coffee making facilities but near to bars where coffee was served and you could go to restaurant in mornings and bring back jugs of coffee.
Rooms were cleaned daily, sheets changed daily also and towels were, if you left them in your bath. The staff work endlessly cleaning through the resort from early in the morning, from the housekeeping staff, through to the gardeners and general maintenance people also, our building was scrubbed on the outside also during a stay, even the roof was scrubbed! You cannot fault the cleanliness of the hotel, the gardens are beautifully kept, restaurants, bars etc are the same. Even the beach is raked every morning picking up leaves etc
You have an excellent choice of where and what to eat and if there was any criticism of the food it would be that we struggled to find alternative things for the little one to eat (age 4 and fussy). But if kids like pizza, meat etc then there is lots of choice. But breakfast had a wide choice of cooked items, freshly cooked omelettes (cooked to order in front of you), cereals, breads, cakes, as well as continental foods with salads, meats and cheese...free flowing coffee, etc and wonderful blended juices of banana melons etc.
For lunch you could dine in the main restaurant or at the snack bar by the pool...excellent fries! And at the Bachata free flowing Whippy ice cream - ice cream available at all of the hotels but whippy only at the Bachata! For dinner you must dine at your hotel, but there was always an excellent selection of meat, vegetables, salads, cheeses etc By far the best food was on the Mexican themed night - the ribs were to die for and some of the best we have ever eaten. You could also book for the a la carte restaurant either Mediterranean or steakhouse, but we didn't use these and stuck with the buffet.
All inclusive included the bars as well....great choice of cocktails and it did include the mini bars in the rooms which included optics of vodka, brandy, rum and whisky, the fridge included soda, tonic, Pepsi and diet Pepsi and bottled water. Bars were topped up every other day, although it was easy to get extras if you needed it.
We did eat lunch at the bar at the Mambo and in the Mambo restaurant a couple of times and while the food was good, there was not as much selection as there was at the Bachata and the setting was not as nice either.
The hotel is located about 9km from Puerto Plata, it is easy to get into the main town by taxi, which if there is a group of you is the cheapest way to travel. While at the hotel we went on several trips which we booked through the tour rep as it was cheaper for just my son and I...We went on the Monster Truck Safari, 6 wheeler amphibious cars, Puerto Plata City tour (included rum factory, amber museum, jewellery factory, Cable car), trip to Sosua beach and a memorable trip to Ocean World to swim with the dolphins. We found it a relief to be able to get off the resort for a change and to see the country we were visiting.
One thing you will not fault is the excellent levels of service from the staff, they are the friendliest people I have ever met, always a "Hola" and a smile from everyone you see. I think in the whole 2 weeks we only came across 2 people who were the exception to this rule.
The hotel staff were always friendly and smiling. We tipped the maid who cleaned our rooms and came back to find towels in shapes of snakes, elephants etc, and we always had a table saved for us for dinner with an excellent waiter. Angel really was excellent and my little boy loved him. The staff cannot do enough for you and there was no problem having requests carried out and were always followed up. Even getting clean bedding at 3am when we were ill during the night was not a problem.
Unfortunately during our stay we met, and used, the services of the resort doctor, but even there the nurses and the doctor were friendly. Note though that you are required to pay up front for medical treatment from the doctor and claim it from insurance when you return home. They even drive you to a cash point if you have no money to pay!
This was the only downside to our holiday, but know that you can get ill anywhere, but it does put a dampener on a holiday and makes it difficult when you pay for an all inclusive holiday but cannot eat or drink the things on offer
The animacion teams work endlessly from early in the morning to late at night, and while the entertainment in the evening will bring memories of Butlins, what they lack in professionalism they certainly make up for in enthusiasm. Some excellent dancing though, especially of local dances of Merengue etc. Kids have their own mini clubs at each of the 3 hotels, although we were at the Bachata we did tend to use the kids facilities at the Mambo more. It was friendlier and activities were better, also the kid’s pool at the Bachata was poor and was only about 5 foot in diameter, it was about 4 times the size of this at the Mambo.
They have a kids mini disco at 8pm and then dancing and shows in the evening...plenty of bars and of course a casino at the bachata (note if you get drinks inside the casino you have to pay as the casino is run by a separate company - just go outside to the 24 hour bar and get your own and take them in!)...
Would we visit this hotel again? At the moment....no, but we would, but in different circumstances. I wouldn't choose to travel there while my son is of such a young age and the resorts I feel in general were aimed at teenagers/adults more than the younger kids, but saying that he had a great time, enjoyed the kids activities...and the beach. If he were older then maybe we would choose to go back, however on a personal level I do not think that there is enough to draw us back to the north of the Dominican Republic or to these resorts, although I would be happy to stay at a Riu hotel in another location.
Beaches are lovely, plenty of sand and space, plenty of loungers always available. Watersports beach is quieter and more sheltered, excellent for paddling or for snorkelling or going on jet skis etc if you chose to.
All in all the Riu Bachata, Mambo and Merengue are in a lovely setting, the grounds of all three hotels are very well kept and very clean, wouldn't agree that it was rated a 5 star, (4 for Mambo and Merengue) but certainly was excellent, clean and high levels of service.
People were friendly and we did have a good holiday apart from the illness encountered.
Good weather helped as there isn't that much to do when the weather changes, unless you are happy to sit in a bar or in the room, we had a couple of days of rain/cloud but the rest of the holiday was hot and lovely.
|
| |
Natasha from New York travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Vacation Store
on a couples holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 11 2004 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: Riu Bachata is very nice. Among three Riu resorts I would say Bachata is the best in Puerta Plata. It is also new. The downside is the beach, it is beautiful, but in the morning there is no sun, just the shade from trees, and a lot of rocks in the water. My parents just came back from Coral Marien by Hilton and said that the water was great, no rocks either.
|
| |
Aileen from Wishaw travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
Thomson
on a singles holiday.
There were more than 6 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 11 2004 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: I went to the Rui Bachata last November. It was really nice and the rooms were really big in size. You get optics in your room which are replenished everyday!!!!
The food wasn't brilliant, put everybody doesn't like the same food!!!! So others did enjoy it in my group I guess I'm just fussy.
The grounds at this hotel are massive and very well kept. It may be in a small resort however you can use the 2 sister hotel Mambo and Merengue.
I think I would go back to this hotel cause it was really nice and definitely worth the money.
ENJOY.
|
| |
carol busby from Plymouth travelled to Riu Bachata ClubHotel with
cosmos
on a couples holiday.
There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 07 2004 |
rated the Riu Bachata ClubHotel as follows:| Cleanliness | | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment | |
| said: We have visited the Caribbean many times but never Dominican republic. We expected lovely friendly base like we had on visits to Jamaica.
We stayed Rui Bacata, not realising just how close the other two Rui hotels were, also not knowing that all their guests preferred our pool (because of swim up bar). As you can imagine it can become very crowded. Yes the hotel is beautiful and it has every luxury you could wish for, but luxury accom isn't everything! We felt it had no soul.
Also what the brochure fails to tell you is that they allow the locals in and they don't seem to limit the amount of people they let in, although some locals are lovely, there are others that take all the sunbeds, are incredibly loud and rude.
Also when it comes to evening meal in the buffet restaurant, they think there's no reason to queue like the rest of us and just proceed to the front of the queue.
We were unfortunate to have a couple of locals staying in rooms above us for the night, what a racket, they don't go to bed just party all night and I mean all night as we saw them the following day checking out and it looked like they had emptied the mini bar and optics!!! So if you wish for a peaceful comfortable base to explore then there are better places that don't cost the earth and you are safe to explore on your own ...
If you like to experience what different cultures are like, and your a couple or a group of adults only, then try Club Ambiance Jamaica all I can say is brill!!!!
|
| |
Subscribe For FREE Updates
Sunny Says there
are 44 visitors online