Hotel Information: Catering to an international clientele (possibility of topless sunbathing), the resort comprises three side-by-side hotels—, Riu Mambo, and Riu Bachata—sharing an 800m (about one-half mile) beach along the Atlantic Ocean. Connected by a paved walkway, the hotels resemble low-rise pastel-colored villages. Riu Merengue guests enjoy access to all resort facilities, entertainment, and activities.

Each hotel has its own pools, RiuLand children's club, open-air theater for nightly entertainment, activities schedule, and choice of restaurants, including theme-dinner buffets.

Guests may drink at all hotels' bars and eat breakfast, lunch, and snacks at all restaurants. Guests must eat dinner at their own hotel’s restaurants.

Riu Merengue Hotel was the first in the resort and is located in the middle. Like Riu Bachata, it includes a large, open-air, plaza-like bar, an amenity Riu Mambo does not have. A beachfront, water-sports center is located in front of Riu Merengue Hotel.

Riu Bachata Hotel is the newest and largest. The casino is next to the lobby. Featuring a swimup bar and jetted section, its pool complex is the largest and most elaborate. This hotel includes ice machines, which the other hotels do not.

Riu Mambo Hotel is the smallest of the three. Bars offer only domestic-brand liquors, although guests may enjoy international brands at the other hotels' bars. While all three hotels welcome children, Riu Mambo Hotel is especially family-friendly because it includes a supervised children's section in the main buffet restaurant at dinner.

Amenity highlights: This hotel includes a freeform pool and a children's pool. Guests also enjoy access to pools at the resort's other hotels, including one at Riu Bachata Hotel with a jetted section and swimup bar. Padded lounge chairs and thatched-roof sunshades flank pools. At the resort’s western end, Maimón Bay Beach features a water-sports center providing kayaks, snorkeling gear, sailboats, pedal boats, windsurfers, and boogie boards.

Insider tip: This area of the Dominican Republic is known as the Amber Coast for its rich deposits of the semi-precious stone. The Amber Museum in Puerto Plata 10 km (6.25 mi) east of the hotel is an excellent place to shop for amber.

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Rooms

The majority of amenities, activities, and gratuities at this Puerto Plata resort are included in the room rate; guests will not be charged extra for the majority of amenities and activities (scroll up to the All-Inclusive Details section for more information).

Riu Merengue offers 544 guestrooms and suites in 86 two-story pastel buildings (no elevators). Corner balconies and ground-floor patios are furnished with chairs and cocktail tables.

Decor features rattan furniture, tile floors, and granite bathroom vanities. Wood-paddle ceiling fans supplement air conditioning. Televisions offer European and U.S. cable channels. Compact refrigerators contain drink mixers, soft drinks, beer, and water. Liquor dispensers provide rum, vodka, gin, and brandy.

Room Amenities

• Premium TV channel(s)
• Cable/satellite TV
• Ceiling fan
• Air conditioning
• Blackout drapes/curtains
• Climate control
• Bottled water in room (complimentary)
• Refrigerator
• Wake-up calls
• Housekeeping (daily)
• Complimentary toiletries

• Hair dryer
• Shower/tub combination
• Child care (in room, surcharge)
• Iron/ironing board (on request)
• Window opens
• Clock radio
• In-room safe
• Television
• Television - Cable service
• Smoking rooms
• Rollaway beds
• Cribs (infant beds) available

Recreation

The majority of recreational activities and facilities described below are included in the room rate for this Puerto Plata resort (scroll up to the All-Inclusive Details section for more information).

This hotel, in Dominican Republic's Puerto Plata area, includes a 53.25m (175-ft) freeform pool and a 4.5m-square (15-ft) children's pool. Guests also enjoy access to pools at the resort's other two hotels, including a pool at Riu Bachata that contains an eight-person jetted section and a swimup bar. Padded lounge chairs and thatched-roof sunshades flank all pools.

Riu Merengue faces an 800m (one-half mile) Atlantic Ocean beach. Sand extending inland under palm trees includes sports facilities.

Maimón Bay, at the resort's western end, offers a beachfront water-sports center providing kayaks, snorkeling gear, Hobie Cat sailboats, pedal boats, windsurfers, and boogie boards as part of the All-Inclusive plan. Surcharges apply for parasailing, Jet Skiing, banana-boating, sailing lessons, windsurfing lessons, scuba-diving lessons and certification classes, and snorkeling and scuba-diving excursions.

All-Inclusive facilities include three tennis courts at this hotel and two at the adjacent Riu Bachata Hotel. The nearest golf course, Playa Dorada, is 14 km (8.75 mi) away.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site at Riu Merengue or near the resort in the Puerto Plata area; fees may apply.

• Windsurfing on site
• Snorkeling on site
• Surfing/boogie boarding on site
• Swimming on site
• Personal watercraft on site
• Sailing on site
• Scuba diving on site

• Aerobics on site
• Volleyball on site
• Basketball on site
• Horse riding/rental nearby
• Parasailing on site
• Fishing nearby
• Playground on site

Property Amenities

The majority of amenities, activities, and gratuities at this resort are included in the room rate; guests will not be charged extra for the majority of amenities and activities (scroll up to the All-Inclusive Details section for more information).

A Caribbean-style street of brightly colored shops runs between this hotel and Riu Bachata Hotel. The street includes an art gallery, clothing boutiques, craft shops, a pharmacy, a pool room, a photo studio/lab, a hair salon, a medical center, a fitness center, and a spa with a unisex sauna and services such as waxing, the Mayan Mud Wrap, the Tropical Fruit Wrap, and open-air massage in beach cabanas. Open 4 PM to 3 AM, a casino at Riu Bachata contains slot machines, electronic-poker machines, and three blackjack, one Caribbean Stud Poker, and two roulette tables.

Ground transportation:
Shuttle vans and private cars of varying prices are available. They can be reserved during the process of booking a reservation for this hotel, via this Web site, and added to the total trip cost.

• Swimming pool - outdoor
• Swimming pool - children's
• Full-service health spa
• Sauna
• Concierge services
• Fitness equipment
• Restaurant(s) in hotel
• Bar/lounge
• Nightclub
• Parking (free)
• Self parking
• Internet access in public areas - high speed
• Internet access in public areas - surcharge
• Business services
• Number of rooms: 544
• Multilingual staff

• 24-hour front desk
• Porter/bellhop
• Security guard
• Currency exchange
• Beauty services
• Medical assistance available
• Gift shops or newsstand
• Shopping on site
• Hair salon
• Tour assistance
• Dry cleaning service
• Casino
• Number of floors: 2
• Supervised child care/activities
• Wedding services
• Children's club

Policies

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Photo identification and credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.

• Pets not allowed
• Check-in time is 3 PM
• Check-out time is 1 PM

Dining

The majority of meals and beverages, plus all gratuities, at the following restaurants, snack spots, and bars are included in the room rate for this resort (scroll up to the All-Inclusive Details section for more information).

La Roca - Open-air buffet restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, theme-dinner buffets.

Macumba - Open-air restaurant/bar serving late-morning Continental breakfast daily and light-meal/snack buffet all afternoon. Snacks served from late night to after midnight. Bar open from late morning to late night.

Italian Restaurant - Half of Macumba restaurant becomes this à la carte dinner restaurant nightly. Reservations required. Dress code: No T-shirts.

Sample menu for Italian Restaurant

Sample menu for Italian Restaurant
Soup:

• Cream of potato-tomato
  Main courses:
• Sea bass in Mallorca sauce
• Chicken breast stuffed with spinach, cheese with Roquefort sauce
• Beef filet with mushroom sauce
• Cannelloni with spinach, cheese in tomato sauce
  Dessert:
• Bananas flambé

Steak House - Half of Macumba restaurant becomes this à la carte dinner restaurant nightly. Reservations required. Dress code: No T-shirts.

Sample menu for Steak House

Sample menu for Steak House
Soup:

• Cream of tomato
  Main courses:
• Ribeye steak
• Lamb chops
• Beef filet
• Pork chops
  Desserts:
• Crêpes Suzette
• Fruit flan with ice cream

La Plaza - Large, covered, open-air, plaza-like bar. Open from mid-morning to late night.

La Rumba - Open-air bar/lounge open from early evening to late night.

Pacha - Air-conditioned disco near adjoining Riu Mambo Hotel. Bar open 10 PM to 2 AM. (Hours subject to change. Minimum age 18. Closed Mondays.)

All-inclusive Details

The majority of amenities and activities at this resort are included in the room rate; guests will not be charged extra for meals, drinks, activities, gratuities, or use of both land and water-sports equipment.

All-Inclusive food and beverages

All-Inclusive food and beverages

• Buffet breakfasts and lunches at this and two companion hotels
• Dinners at this hotel's buffet restaurant and two à la carte restaurants
• Unlimited domestic- and international-brand drinks at bars in this and two companion hotels
• In-room liquor dispenser with rum, vodka, gin, brandy
• In-room refrigerator with drink mixers, soft drinks, beer, water
• Taxes and gratuities
  Not included: Casino-bar drinks; gift-shop snacks and beverages.

  Scroll down to the Dining section for restaurant/menu details.

All-Inclusive activities and equipment

All-Inclusive activities and equipment
Water sports

• Kayaks
• Snorkeling gear
• Hobie Cat sailboats
• Pedal boats
• Windsurfers
• Boogie boards
• Introductory scuba-diving lesson in pool
• Pool aerobics
• Pool volleyball
• Water polo
• Use of swimming pool/spa tub/beach and pool chaise longues/towel service
  Not included: Motorized water sports; scuba-diving instruction and certification course; scuba-diving and snorkeling excursions.

  Land sports

• Tennis
• Basketball
• Putting course
• Beach volleyball
• Beach soccer
• Bocce
• Horseshoes
• Ping-Pong
• Pool
• Darts
• Use of fitness center/sauna

  Classes/instruction

• Introductory scuba-diving lesson in pool
  Not included: Scuba-diving instruction and certification course; sailing lessons; windsurfing lessons.

All-Inclusive children's activities

All-Inclusive children’s activities
The RiuLand Kids’ Club offers children 4–12 a summer program of supervised activities and entertainment including:

• Sports and games
• Arts and crafts
• Group dancing evenings on theater's stage
  Not included: Child care outside children's-club hours.

All-Inclusive entertainment and nightlife

All-Inclusive entertainment/nightlife

• Nightly entertainment in this and companion hotels' open-air theaters
• Dancing in air-conditioned disco (Minimum age 16. Closed Mondays.)
• Access to casino
• Spanish and dance lessons
• Daily activities/contests

Not included

Not included

• Airport transfers
• Casino-bar drinks
• Gift-shop snack foods and beverages
• Spa/beauty treatments
• Salon services
• Hair braiding
• Motorized water sports
• Scuba-diving instruction and certification course
• Scuba-diving and snorkeling excursions
• Sailing and windsurfing lessons
• Outside tours and excursions
• Incidental purchases
• Telephone, fax, and Internet-access charges
• Medical services/pharmacy
• Laundry and dry cleaning
• Photo services
• Child care outside children's-club hours
  Airport taxes may or may not be included.

Address

Bahia De Maimon

Puerto Plata,

Dominican Republic

Nearest major airport:

Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic (POP-Gregorio Luperon Intl.)

Area:

Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic