Is the RIU PALACE MACAO really a 5* resort?

i am currently booking a vacation through apple vacations to the riu palace macao ,is it really a nice resort ?.i am having trouble finding much info.on this resort ...has anybody stayed there who can give me some insight into what to expect? this is my first trip to DR any help is greatly appreciated!. Chris falaney@netscape.net

I have not stayed there but have toured the property. The rooms are medium-sized, pretty, but they are not suites. Feedback on the food is excellent, and the hotel's woodwork is precious. It is relatively small, so you don't get the mass tourism feeling so much. The beach is of the best. This hotel is mostly frequented by couples. Expect to have lots of time to enjoy each other's company. This is an excellent choice if relaxing is a priority. Summing up, yes, it is a nice resort. Don't expect much on shopping, and most tours will take a whole day.

Re: What does 5 stars mean?

It may really be 5 stars, but note that hotel star ratings in the Dominican Republic are very liberal and relative to other properties in the country. They have little parallel with the star rating system used to rate properties in the USA or around the world.

The organizations rating the hotels are local and are controlled by representatives of the hotels themselves, which is why these ratings are only good for comparing the properties to each other within the country.

When it comes to ratings in tour operator guidebooks, each tour operator has their own rating system. This will become clear to you when when comparing the same property offered by different tour companies, showing different ratings. Some rate on a scale of 1 to 4 symbols, others use 5. They also pick their own symbols. My Apple Tours guidebook rates using apples.

So, 5 stars generally would mean the hotel is among the best in the country. Does that mean it will measure up to the 5 star rated Ritz Carlton in NYC or Aspen. No it does not so don't expect it. You can get a better feeling about what to expect by reading individual property reviews.

Personally, most 5-star rated properties in the Dominican Republic would only get 2-3 stars from me, and only the beauty gets 5 stars. Then again, the price reflects that. You aren't going to get $300-500 a day service for $75, even in the Dominican Republic.

Jim Hinsch JimHinsch@CSI.COM

Re: What does 5 stars mean?

Jim I hate to say this but I do agree with you!!! From 4 years experience as destination representative in Puerto Plata, I have never seen a five star .... as our North American 5-star rating. Hotels showing or claiming 5 stars are really 3+ star... I would say very good ... and the best we can expect in the D.R.... at least on the north coast.... and for the readers... at 3+star hotel is highly recommended... Noelle

Let me explan . how they rate a 5* in Puerto Plata

One fine summer's day I was walking through the Playa Dorada complex, when I came across a man standing on a latter with a paint brush in one hand and a can of red paint in the other.. I asked him Sir just how many stars are you going to paint on this hotels front gate? He looked at me and then he looked in his paint can and said that he thought he just might have enough paint left to make it a 5* True story..believe it or not!

Re: What does 5 stars mean?

Jim what about a guide such as Frommer's that has given a resort in the DR a 5 star rating? Do they actually go there?

Re: What does 5 stars mean in Frommers

I couldn't say one way or the other about how Frommer's comes up with their resort star ratings or whether they actually visit the place. I bet somewhere inside the Frommers guide they tell you about how they come up with their ratings and what they are supposed to mean.

If you tell me the name of the resort they gave 5 stars to, I may be able to give a personal opinion from my experiences relative to other resorts in the DR, the Caribbean, and around the world.

Jim Hinsch JimHinsch@CSI.COM

As the Riu Palace Macao isn't on an all-inclusive plan, reviews of it are almost non existent, as the majority of tourists chose to go all-inclusive. But generally, the Riu chain has an excellent reputation. The all-inclusive hotels in the chain have received very good reviews - you can probably find some in the resort database here, or try www.debbiesdominicantravel.com.

You can get more information on their own homepage - it is not that good: www.riuhotels.com, chose English for language and then chose the Dominican Republic.

Enjoy your trip,

Regards, Susanne

The Riu Palace did go all inclusive as of Nov. 1999. I am booked there for April 2000. I too am anxious for new trip reviews from people who have visited there recently.

Re: What does 5 stars mean in Frommers

Thankyou Jim we are going to the Capella Beach Resort (I think it was formerly called the Rennaisance somthing???) Do you know it Frommers gave it 5 and 1/2 * and our travl agent said it is good but I don't think she has ever been. It is in the Juan Dolio area. Thanks for your help. K

Re: What does 5 stars mean in Frommers

I know the resort and the area but I have not toured it or stayed there. 5 1/2 stars? I wonder what the scale they use. 5 stars as I am familar with it means EVERY little detail is beyond perfect, approaching extaordinary. As you can see, they are using a system different than what most people think of when they hear a "star" rating, since 5 is as good as it gets and is rarely awarded.

Jim Hinsch JimHinsch@CSI.COM

Re: What does 5 stars mean in Frommers (Jim)

Jim,

Have you seen the Conde Nast's Traveller Dec. 99 issue? They have their annual top 100 voted by their readers. In the Caribbean category, the usual resorts appear again. Not that I disagree with the fact that the ones listed are indeed legendary (i.e. LDB/Caneel, Malliouhana, ect.). Who designates these stars in the US? Is it the AAA assoc.? What about the Chateau Relais list? Only Virgin Gorda's Biras Creek made it on that list.

regards, Natasha

Re: Rating the propeties -do they deserve 5 stars?

I don't know where the original "star" rating concept came from. Nowadays, very two-bit organization gives out a rating. As any travel agent will tell you, ratings vary widely amonst the raters and need to be considered suspiciously. Even trip reports about the some property, posted here on the web, vary from "it's the best" to "it's the worst, never again." That's why the reports that go on to give details and say why are the best. I may not care that the front desk doesn't followup to see that service requests were completed or that the red wine selection at the buffet was limited.

I remember sitting next to a couple from Belgium at the Bavaro Beach Palace. They were very disappointed with the 5-star rated resort. They told me that in Belgium, if one visits a place and everything is perfect, they are awarded 1 star and it goes up from there, and that only 2 restaurants in the entire country have ever been awarded 5 stars. In his mind, the resort deserved 0 stars. While I think that might be a little overkill, I'd like 5 stars to be the limit and should be applied only, as I said earlier, when every detail is beyond perfect, approaching extraordinary.

To be honest, I've receive higher quality service, attention to detail, and concern for a happy customer from a visit to McDonalds Hamburgers and Motel 6 in the USA than some "5 star rated" resorts. It seems a lot of people in the Dominican Republic think an awesome looking lobby, a big pool, and white table cloths mean the property should get 5 stars.

It continues to baffle me how a resort can, with good conscience, rate one of their restaurants as 5 stars, yet allow guests to sit through half of their meal waiting for their drinks to arrive or never having had somebody pass by the table to see if everything is all right.

I think it is worse to raise an expectation and not deliver than to have never placed the expectation to begin with. I can easily live with what I've experienced vactioning in the Dominican Republic. It's great. Just don't lie to me telling me it's something it isn't.

Jim Hinsch JimHinsch@CSI.COM

Re: Rating the propeties -do they deserve 5 stars?

You can have all the luxurious grounds, beautiful pools, great beaches, marble interior etc, but when service is a foreign concept, it?s hard to give anyplace a high rating.

The highest rating I would give to any hotel in the Dr, based on European or US standards would be to the El Embacjador (not certain of spelling)and that would be a 3 1/2.

The Ritz Carlton is the Only Hotel in NYC to receive a 5 star (Michelin) and NYC has some wonderful properties that rate on 3-4

Just back from Riu Taino Punta Cana the Palace Macao is really a 5 star hotel it's the first time of all inclusive.

Re: Rating the propeties -do they deserve 5 stars?

And as far as know from working with hotels in different areas... there are no five stars in the D.R. This does not mean that there no good hotels though....