Punta Cana - Riu Palace Macao or else

We're planning to go in one of the Riu hotels or any other 4-5 stars in Punta Cana. We are two ladies and we want a little shopping besides the best beach of the place. Please would need any comments or suggestions before we decide. We're going next March, but would like to reserve soon to take advantage of the early bird prices. Thanks so much in advance.

The Riu Palace is the closest one can get to a five star hotel in the Punta Cana area. You will find mostly couples, with very few children, if any. The Riu hotels offer a small shopping street, so if you want a "little shopping" this will be possible there. Their beach strip is very good, too. The food is excellent, service too. The complex is not big, though. I would say it is quite intimate. The Riu hotels share the Pach? Disco, which is open to guests from all hotels.

See <A HREF="http://www.idoweddings.com/accommodations/1-44.html">http://www.idoweddings.com/accommodations/1-44.html</A> for one site's relative ratings of the hotels in the Punta Cana area (and elsewhere on the island).

The only real shopping in Punta Cana is at Plaza Bavaro Centro Comercial, an outdoor sidewalk style shopping plaza of some 75 or more businesses and the largest commercial center in Punta Cana, including 2 discos and 2 outdoor bars. This is about 500 feet outside of the Melia Bavaro (see review at <A HREF="http://dr1.com/hotels/database/EasPunMeliVJ5LUOD1.htm">http://dr1.com/hotels/database/EasPunMeliVJ5LUOD1.htm</A> and photos at <A HREF="http://www.debbiesdominicantravel.com/jimmelia.html">http://www.debbiesdominicantravel.com/jimmelia.html</A> and <A HREF="http://www.debbiesdominicantravel.com/jimmelia2.html">http://www.debbiesdominicantravel.com/jimmelia2.html</A>).

Most of the hotels in Punta Cana have roughly the same quaility of beach - all perfect. The main difference is in how well they groom the beach, the quality of beach chairs they provide, and how crowded their area is. About 6 months ago, I walked from the Melia Bavaro to the Riu Palace and thought the Melia Bavaro and Melia Paradisus had the best overall setup. Honestly, almost every hotel along the strip was grand.

Jim Hinsch JimHinsch@CSI.COM

We can tell you when you go you will have a great time in the Riu we have gone 4 times and all where super. we are going in novembre too Taino we like this vere much. its like heaven on earth for us its paradise. The shops are not much all the same. othing like states or europe

but the beaches mmmmmm veeeeery nice

Thanks to all for your answers. We are pretty sure to go to a Riu hotels, but we don't know which one, as everyone has their own expectations for holidays. For myself I'm going with a girlfriend and we don't want to walk half of mile within the property at night after the show or the disco to go back in our room. We love to walk on the beach and we don't like to fight for a palapa on the morning. So if anyone has one of the Riu to suggest, it would be very appreciated.