Check in was quick with no problems. Staff at the check in very friendly and helpful. Room was clean and the bed made every day with fresh towels left. Mini bar in the room had rum, rye and vodka although I didn't drink much in the room it was there if one so desired. Finding ones way to the room was a chalenge for a few days until you got to know which walk too take, as some of the paths didn't take you to the main walk way.
Bartenders were very quick in serving especially Luis (flashman). Food at the buffet was great with a good selection. There is a non smoking section in the buffet which was great!
Beach was wonderful and kept clean of sea weed and garbage. If you walk down the beach a ways you'll come to a row of huts that sell rum, t-shirts etc. Don't be in a rush to buy without haggeling.
Be sure to take a trip to Santo Domingo. It's a long day but well worth it.

I was at Riu Palace Macao the last week of August, 2010 and went over to Riu Taino. The Riu Taino building is being demolished and in its place Riu is going to build a Riu Palace. Construction just started so is going to take a while. The Taino area has been completely fenced.

My sister and I stayed here from June 12 to 19, 2010. It was a great experience having been our first 'resort' trip in years.
The rooms are a bit outdated compared to 'contemporary' designs found at other resorts but still enjoyable. Really how much time do you spend in the room anyway.
We did however change our room once as it smelt very musty when we entered the first night. The reception desk was very accommodating and found us another room on the upper level right away.
The A/C was in working order, the satellite TV worked and the bathroom was very clean. Towels were a bit musty however we did bring our own.
The food was good, somewhat repetitious -- we never left hungry! The dining room staff as well as the poolside bar staff were fabulous -- great service with drinks ready for you without asking and the friendliness of all staff especially Wendy, Luis Miguel and Israel.
The beach is breathtaking and the grounds -- lush vegetation. We enjoyed walking around the grounds.
This was a relaxation trip and definitely came back feeling that way -- would definitely go back tomorrow!

Our Sunquest rep, Jean, was amazing -- he handled our concerns and made sure they were met by the hotel.

Please do not read bad reviews. For all those writing horrible reviews, please do yourself a favour and go to a 5 star resort in Spain or France, or even Florida if you are willing to spend a lot of $$$$$. To make it short, you get what you pay for and more. The resort old and the rooms are a little outdated but that's why it will be torn down in September and rebuilt. The beach is breathtaking, pools are clean and the landscape is immaculate. It was a treat just walking around the resort and enjoying the beautiful landscape.

Food is always fresh and the buffet has a lot of variety (No Caviar) but still delicious. (Unlike some who wrote a review on this site, I never found a hair in my food or saw a cockroach). Breakfast was great, especially the juice bar. The snack bars were OK (pizza, hamburgers and hot dogs) but keep in mind it is a snack bar after all. Drinks were excellent, not watered down at all, quite the opposite. Bartenders were great and always remembered our drink. Please don't be cheap and give them a tip because they work from morning to night for very little. They are appreciative of the tip but will always give you great service even if you don't tip them, unlike many other resorts.

The rooms are old and do have a moldy smell, but who spends a lot of their time in a room when they're on vacation. They were, however very clean and the fridge was always fully stocked. The beds weren't very comfortable and that is the only complaint I have.

If you're looking to complain about something, you will always find it no matter where you stay but if you are looking to have a great time and enjoy Punta Cana, you will love the resort. It is very lively and the entertainment staff work very hard throughout the day to make everyone's stay enjoyable. The staff was great and always willing to help even though their English is limited. The Caribbean shopping street is great and the prices are reasonable. All in all, it was a great vacation and if you take the time to walk around and see what's available, there is something for everyone.

The resort is quite big and there are a lot of things to do if you take advantage of it. Whether you like nightly entertainment, dancing lessons, water aerobics, shopping, the spa, or just enjoying the beautiful scenery you will have a great time. I would definitely go back and can't wait to visit the new and approved Riu Palace Taino when it's complete.