I once saw a poster put out by the Dominican Republic Tourist Authority that says quite simply, "Republic of Colours." It is the intensity of colours, deep blues, blinding white, and dark greens, rather than a broad spectrum that impressed me. No Renaissance painting here, but instead a Kandinsky, with bold swashes of paint contrasting with each other.
We stayed at the Rui Palace Punta Cana for our conference. It is the most upscale of 5 Riu resorts that are beachside at Punta Cana, that curious resort area created out of the mix of sand, water, and sky. The hotel reminds me of a Moorish palace, in the shape of a U, with wonderful gardens and pools lining the promenade that leads to the beach.
Although we were in conference, we did manage to enjoy much of the resort, swimming in the ocean every day, having a cool drink poolside, and enjoying a meal in the restaurants.
The hotel is listed as a 5* resort, but is probably a 3 1/2* only. It misses the mark in a number of critical places. The service is inconsistent, wash cloths in the rooms some days and not on others, the food that didn't vary in any of the restaurants for the entire week, no variety in the wine that is offered, the lack of cleanliness. An often repeated remark on forums is the presence of mold in the rooms. This may seem unfair, after all the resort is in the tropics and the humidity is intense, but other resorts, such as Majestic Elegance, seem to be able to deal with the problem. We found mold on our curtains.
While on conference we did visit several other resorts, including the sister resort of Riu Palace Macao, which is right next door. The expanse of these properties is such, that right next door is a fifteen minute walk. The Riu Macao is built in Colonial Style, with shorter wings. We approached from the beach, walking through lush gardens, the resort gradually coming into view between palm fronds and hibiscus plants. This resort is geared more for adults and Karen and I had a drink on the patio one night, which was one of our most enjoyable evenings; the sky streaked with pinks and purples.
There is a piano bar at the Macao, small and intimate. In fact the resort differs from the Riu Palace Punta Cana because of the emphasis on couples. Gone are the grand walkways and bold architecture. The Macao is the nicer of the two.
The final tour was of Majestic Elegance. Listed as a 5* it is very close to that level. It is the resort that Karen and I would return to. The reception area is open air, with wonderful wood paneling. We descended a level and out into a pool area, where we were entertained by a jazz trio. It created a buzz, then we toured the resort. Rooms were simple, yet elegant, with jacuzzi's in most. Colours were neutral in comparison to other resorts. They had successfully managed the moisture in the air.
We went to the for dinner. On the seashore, the dining area open, with beautiful wood and fixtures, it provided the best meal while we were in Punta Cana. A great fine dining experience! There was a great wine list, the steak was perfectly cooked (medium rare), and the dessert was exquisite. All to the sounds of the sea. I could not recommend this resort enough.
We stayed at the Rui Palace Punta Cana for our conference. It is the most upscale of 5 Riu resorts that are beachside at Punta Cana, that curious resort area created out of the mix of sand, water, and sky. The hotel reminds me of a Moorish palace, in the shape of a U, with wonderful gardens and pools lining the promenade that leads to the beach.
Although we were in conference, we did manage to enjoy much of the resort, swimming in the ocean every day, having a cool drink poolside, and enjoying a meal in the restaurants.
The hotel is listed as a 5* resort, but is probably a 3 1/2* only. It misses the mark in a number of critical places. The service is inconsistent, wash cloths in the rooms some days and not on others, the food that didn't vary in any of the restaurants for the entire week, no variety in the wine that is offered, the lack of cleanliness. An often repeated remark on forums is the presence of mold in the rooms. This may seem unfair, after all the resort is in the tropics and the humidity is intense, but other resorts, such as Majestic Elegance, seem to be able to deal with the problem. We found mold on our curtains.
While on conference we did visit several other resorts, including the sister resort of Riu Palace Macao, which is right next door. The expanse of these properties is such, that right next door is a fifteen minute walk. The Riu Macao is built in Colonial Style, with shorter wings. We approached from the beach, walking through lush gardens, the resort gradually coming into view between palm fronds and hibiscus plants. This resort is geared more for adults and Karen and I had a drink on the patio one night, which was one of our most enjoyable evenings; the sky streaked with pinks and purples.
There is a piano bar at the Macao, small and intimate. In fact the resort differs from the Riu Palace Punta Cana because of the emphasis on couples. Gone are the grand walkways and bold architecture. The Macao is the nicer of the two.
The final tour was of Majestic Elegance. Listed as a 5* it is very close to that level. It is the resort that Karen and I would return to. The reception area is open air, with wonderful wood paneling. We descended a level and out into a pool area, where we were entertained by a jazz trio. It created a buzz, then we toured the resort. Rooms were simple, yet elegant, with jacuzzi's in most. Colours were neutral in comparison to other resorts. They had successfully managed the moisture in the air.
We went to the for dinner. On the seashore, the dining area open, with beautiful wood and fixtures, it provided the best meal while we were in Punta Cana. A great fine dining experience! There was a great wine list, the steak was perfectly cooked (medium rare), and the dessert was exquisite. All to the sounds of the sea. I could not recommend this resort enough.
