Riu Merengue Clubhotel

I have been to this hotel twice and both times I have loved it. This hotel is rated as a 4* hotel in the brochures but when you get there it is rated as a 5* hotel and it is obvious to see why. Upon arrival, you will be greeted by the friendly staff and offered refreshing cocktails. Then the bell boys will take your bags for you. Dominicans do not have a lot of money so they are very grateful of a 1$ tip although they do not expect it. ROOMS: The rooms are clean and large with plenty of space. They are bright and tend to have 2 double or king size bads. Rooms also have a mini fridge which is restocked every day and free optics. POOL: ...  Read the complete review

Although it has been a year (Apr / May 2008) since I stayed at the Riu Merengue in Puerto Plata I had such a good time and have such fond memories that I thought I'd still write a review. The Merengue is one of three Riu hotels on the complex, being inbetween the Mambo and the Bachata. I cannot really review the other two fully but having spent some time using their facilities (mainly pools and restaurants) myself and my girlfriend (I'm 25, she is 29) both thought the Merengue was the nicer of the three. We were welcomed to the hotel with a refreshing drink whilst the keys were handed out to all the new holiday makers. For us this was a quick and ...  Read the complete review

We stayed at the Riu Merengue in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic in January 2004. This is classed as a five star all inclusive, and is located on the North coast of the island. Distance from the airport is only about 30 minutes, so it's not long before you are settling in after the gruelling flight. Check in was quick, there weren't too many other arrivals at the same time thankfully. We were handed a nice welcome drink and wandered off to find our room. It took a while, even though we had some kind of map, but it would have been nice to have been shown to the room, as it was no longer daylight ...  Read the complete review