My partner and i stayed here from 24/08/08 to 02/09/08. We booked through Portland Direct, part of Thomson and got an excellent price for a sea view suite (£1600). Flight was ok, plenty of leg room. A few weeks before we were due to arrive i emailed the Riu Merengue asking for some special towel art (see photos) for when we arrived, i was'nt to sure what we would get if anything at all but WOW!, on entering our suite there were balloons all up the steps and the most beautiful towel art, fruit platter and extra rum! They really did an excellent job!! Just to see the smile on my fiances face was enough for me. The room was fantastic, 5yds from the beach with stunning views. No problem with the air con in the room at all. We spent most of our time on the beach which was nice and peaceful. The sea warm but not very clear and very rocky but better outside the Mambo, loads of sunbeds. We didn't use the pool as it was very crowed and not very clean. Went to the Bachata pool once with the swim up bar but again very crowded and noisy. The staff were amazing, allways ready to refill your drinks with a smile. Nothing was too much trouble. The food was ok, nothing to shout about, very very hot in the evenings, too hot to eat really. ate at the steakhouse, service great, food average but could'nt finish meal as really hot as no air con also same at all other restaurants, biggest minus for us on the holiday and the only reason this hotel did'nt score a five with us........

We went on the VIP yacht paradise island trip, turned out to be the best day of our lives, what a trip. fantastic yacht, oysters and champagne, jumped in the sea and had drinks brought to us on a floating bar, the sea was so clear and warm. Then got on speed boat to have lunch at a beach restaurant, drank lots of coco loco (a fresh coconut filled with its own milk and rum..... YUM!!!) food there was good. Went on banana boat, good fun. Back onto speedboat to paradise island, yes ok its a sand bank but its beautiful soft white sand, shallow warm turquoise sea, stunning. Had more rum and coke then went snorkelling by the most beautiful reef, abundance of fish which fed from our hands. views under the sea were amazing of the coral and the depths just offshore. From paradise island got back in speed boat onto a hair raising trip through the mangroves!! was fantastic. And If thats not all we then stopped at a small cigar making factory on the way back and tried a cigar, very nice.... highly recommended.

Was bitten quite alot, had allergic reaction to the mozzie bites, also ear infection due to flight, saw doctor who was amazing and really helpful, she was better than some british doctors i could mention!!

Our rep, Fiona, was excellent, allways helpful and happy.

To sum it up this was'nt our ideal holiday as it was too noisy but great value for money and the staff made us feel very welcome. If you are looking for a quiet, white sandy beach this is'nt the place to go but we enjoyed our holiday very much despite this.

I really get annoyed reading some of these reviews - what do people want??? We arrived at the Riu with a warm welcome, cold drink and a smile - a good start to a holiday as far as I'm concerned - more than we got in a top rate hotel in Manchester.

Why is the room outdated? It was exceptionally clean and maintained every day. It had the essentials, a place to hang your clothes, stow your cases and put away your smalls. Two queen size beds pushed together, clean bed linen everyday, ample light, ventilation and air conditioning - a place to lay your head, get changed and prepare yourself for and after the day's activities, not somewhere to live!! Bathroom was no worse than anywhere else - its a place to have a wash and refresh! Hairdryer in the bathroom was adequate. Does it matter if there is a bit of enamel missing, or a crack in the mirror or a tile broken? If its not dangerous, does it really spoil the holiday?

Those that had cockroaches shouldn't complain - we had a snake at the bottom of our stairs - remember its a tropical country it has CREEPY CRAWLIES. I live out in the country and during the summer we are plagued with flies no matter what we do to avoid them, is the hotel responsible for every stray cockroach?

The staff were friendly and worked extremely hard. A bartender only earns the equivalent to £120 per month - ask yourselves would you be prepared to maintain a friendly and helpful attitude together with a constant smile (in some cases for 14 hours per day) for a bunch of ungrateful tourists for that amount per month?

We have a lot to learn in the UK about customer service - these guys know what its all about.

The food was brilliant and I'm a fussy eater. There was plenty of choice for everyone - different selections of meat, fish, pasta, salads - what exactly should be served? For those who eat anything - there was plenty of things to try. We saw people piling their plates up with food, it was quite off putting and chances are, they are the ones who had stomach upsets. The rep also stated at the induction meeting, have plenty of fluids, dehydration can cause stomach upsets and also, cocktails with coconut milk in them could cause a problem with it being a natural laxative. We never had any stomach problems, no more than any other 'holiday' tum which could be due to change of climate, travelling, water - its a change of scene, different ways of cooking - take some Immodium.

The entertainment was a bit repetitive but again, the team worked hard the only complaint we had was sitting through the 'kids hour' other than that, the entertainment was acceptable - if its not your cup of tea - there were other places to go off of the complex.

Beaches were exceptionally clean, plenty to do for everyone. Trips were good, dolphin swim, Paradise Island. Take the quad bike trip from Scuba Caribe and take a trip to the surrounding villages and if you've got kids - take them with you and show them how rich they are. We took pens, pencils, notebooks because they can't go to school without them and rely on us rich pigs to help them out. The kids had nothing and for the most part were polite and grateful. A very humbling experience - they don't whinge about the chipped enamel in the bath - they haven't got one!

Sorry to rant but some of the comments made here about this resort and the stupid 'complaints' they've got are totally unfounded. It is a third world country what the hell do people want. I work in a customer service environment and I can tell you, there are people out there who will never be satisfied wherever they go.

Take no notice of the idiots who have complained here - the resort is clean, hygienic and staff are friendly. There is plenty to do if you are prepared to do a little leg work yourself - like walk down to reception and book a couple of trips. The food is good and there is nothing to complain about. There will probably be people complaining about the hurricanes next!!

Have a good relaxing holiday.

Spent two weeks at the Riu Merengue which was risked during hurricane season. Out of 14 days, had 7 glorious ones but unfortunately, being very much a resort based hotel, the lack of amenities and leisure attractions (many trips are cancelled due to possible hurricanes) made the rain interrupted days seem very long. Not the ideal time of the year if the main priority is sun worship but if you manage to get the time of year right then its a perfect place for a reasonably priced, all-inclusive holiday. However, the staff are ALWAYS upbeat and happy, regardless of rain or shine, and we made several friends who made our stay memorable. One word of warning...make sure you have had a few rums before the 9.30pm shows! As energetic and funny as the Animation team are anybody over the age of 10 may find the shows and the continuous "Alvin and the chipmunks on speed" dance routines very irritating! Food was enough to keep even the most fussy of eaters full and the personalities of cleaners, maids and waiters kept a smile on our faces. "Drinky Drinky time and no cheapy cheapy!!"

Anyone thinking of going here should definately book it! The holiday was brilliant.
The hotel was lovely and clean, and we had no problems at all with illness. The maid comes in every day, and sometimes leaves art made from towels which was lovely! Tipping is a big thing over there so make sure you take enough as they do rely on it and work hard for it!
The food was good, although as expected from all inclusive can get a bit repetitive. The cocktails i found were very sweet, but cant moan as its all included!
The staff were absolutely brilliant. They are so full of energy, and they give you the opportunity to join in or you can just watch from the sidelines.
The sunbeds by the pools were always taken (towels were put down although no people to be seen) so we spent most of our time on the beach, which was lovely. I do advise to take some sort of shoes to wear in the water as there is coral around.
I would recommend doing some excursions as it gives you a better view of the island. We done the swimming with dolphins which was amazing, definately worth doing. Also we done the white water rapids which was the best thing I have ever done! If you're thinking of doing this make sure you wear suncream on your knees!!
Overall this was a brilliant holiday and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good getaway.
If you need any other info let me know, and enjoy your holiday!