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On May 19th my wife and I flew from Philadelphia to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. We were going to a friend’s wedding. The resort was the RIU Palace Punta Cana. This is advertised as a 5 star, all-inclusive resort. I booked the trip through Liberty Travel. After dinner on Wednesday night a group of guests decided to go over to the casino. The Casino was located within the hotel connected to our resort. It was inside the RIU Palace Macao. The casino is listed on the RIU website and on all the resort pamphlets. There are no disclaimers that the hotel does not own the casino.
When we entered the Casino a young woman greeted us at the door and said that they had a new game in the casino and gave us each a $5 chip to play the game. The dealer explained that the game was easy and if we began to play he would show us how to play. I played the game by throwing a cup full of seven red balls into a wooden wheel similar to roulette. As the balls dropped in to the various numbered holes the dealer would spin the wheel towards himself so that he could quickly count the total. I did not question this since in the beginning of the game I was winning a large amount of the time. As I later found out this is a key part of the scam. Why would anyone question a winning spin?
The goal of the game is to accumulate 100 points to win the jackpot. I quickly accumulated 99 points. Now that I was only 1 point away, the only number totals I got were the ones that doubled the amount of the next bet and jackpot. At this time the dealer slows down and shows you how the balls fell into holes that total the number that does not win any points but doubles the bet and jackpot. Since I’ve already gotten 99 points so quickly the thinking is that it would be easy to get just one more point. The dealer is cheering for you saying that someone just won a huge jackpot last week and he hopes that you will tip him when you win. He says that the only way the house wins is if you can’t make the next bet. Since the bet and the jackpot have been doubled many times at this point it was a 10, 000 bet to win 400, 000. The scam is that I was never getting any of the red balls into numbered holes that would total a number that gave points to me.
As I checked online I found many similar stories of people being scammed. I felt comfortable using the Hotel casino where I was staying. It is a International corporation and it was a five star resort. As it turns out there is no casino oversight and enforcement in the Dominican Republic.
The casino manager never explained that the credit card was being used as a cash advance. They also never explained that they were charging larges fees on top of the cash advance. They charged two different credit cards for a total of $33, 000.
Once went online and discovered how many people had experienced the same scam I tried to contact the hotel manger of both the RIU Palace Punta Cana and RIU Palace Macao. I left several messages and neither returned my calls or answered the phone when I called. The casino manger never returned my call either.
I contacted a customer service number for RIU Resorts. The person who answered the phone was in Mexico. They said they had no names or phone numbers of anyone I could speak to in regards to this problem. They offered me an email address. I sent an email and after a week of not getting a response I called the customer service number again. I explained that I needed a response and was given more email addresses. I got a response that told me it would be four weeks to hear back after they investigate my issue.
I called my Bank of America mastercard the next day to tell them to dispute the charges. they said that since I willingly gave the card that there was nothing they could do. I asked them to send me a dispute form anyway, which I have never received.
Riu resorts is a filthy rip off. the casino is a scam!
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I want to express my appreciation for the excellent service provided by the Riu casino during my vacation. Particularly, I want to commend the very friendly hostess who welcomed me at the door. Thanks to her guidance, I was able to enjoy playing, despite my initial skepticism. Achieving 100 points and winning a substantial amount of money was truly remarkable.
As a loyal patron of Riu hotel chains, especially in Punta Cana, I would like to highlight the exceptional management of the Diamond Casino. It's gratifying to see that the dealers and supervisors are known by name, which speaks volumes about the quality of service they provide. Additionally, witnessing a relative win a significant sum of money while playing Sic Bo for the first time made our entire vacation unforgettable
Despite the excessive cold from the AC at max power all night, the RIU casino's thrilling tables and vibrant atmosphere made for an unforgettable evening. Though small, the casino packed surprises, and despite losing $350 at blackjack, luck at Sicbo turned things around with a $2,000 win. The fantastic hotel staff ensured an enjoyable stay, compensating for minor discomfort.
I enjoy the hotel because it has always been a place of relaxation and peace, but currently, due to spring break, it has become chaos, full of noisy teenagers everywhere, causing disturbances. There is no peace anymore. Although the RIU casino provided an unforgettable evening with thrilling blackjack tables where I won quite a bit and did well, and roulette, the excessive cold due to the AC at maximum power all night was a notable downside. However, the vibrant atmosphere compensated for this inconvenience. Although I wished for a larger space.
The experience at the new bingo casino was genuinely enjoyable and completely free, offering quite an entertaining time. However, contrasting this with my usual enjoyment of the hotel, known for its tranquility and serenity, the current spring break scenario has transformed it into a chaotic environment, teeming with noisy teenagers causing disturbances everywhere. The peace I once cherished seems elusive now. Despite this, the RIU casino managed to deliver an unforgettable evening with its exhilarating blackjack tables and successful rounds of roulette, although the persistent cold from the air conditioning set to maximum throughout the night proved to be a significant drawback. Nevertheless, the lively ambiance compensated for this inconvenience to some extent, although I couldn't help but wish for a more spacious setting.
The experience at the new bingo casino was genuinely enjoyable and completely free, offering quite an entertaining time. However, contrasting this with my usual enjoyment of the hotel, known for its tranquility and serenity, the current spring break scenario has transformed it into a chaotic environment, teeming with noisy teenagers causing disturbances everywhere. The peace I once cherished seems elusive now
Adding to this dynamic mix, the casino entertainment options, from vibrant live shows to engaging daytime activities, ensured there was never a dull moment. However, the peace I once appreciated now seems unattainable due to spring break, transforming the place into a chaotic environment full of noisy teenagers. Additionally, the renovations have left a lot of dust in the air.
Despite this, the RIU casino offered an unforgettable night with its thrilling blackjack tables and successful roulette rounds, although the maximum air conditioning was an inconvenience. The lively atmosphere partly compensated, though I wished for a larger space. It's worth mentioning that at the Pasha disco you have to pay, as it is not included in the all-inclusive package. On the other hand, the bingo experience at the casino was genuinely enjoyable and free, offering considerable entertainment.
The RIU casino offered a memorable night with exciting blackjack tables and successful roulette rounds, though the maximum air conditioning was too much. The lively atmosphere helped, but the space felt cramped. The casino's varied entertainment, from live shows to daytime activities, ensured there was always something to do. The free bingo was very enjoyable and entertaining. However, the peace I once loved is gone, replaced by the chaos of spring break and noisy teenagers. Recent renovations have also left a lot of dust in the air. Additionally, note that the Pasha disco requires an extra fee, not covered by the all-inclusive package.
Despite some inconveniences, the RIU casino offered an unforgettable night with its thrilling blackjack tables and successful roulette rounds, although the maximum air conditioning was a bit uncomfortable. The lively atmosphere partly compensated, though I wished for a larger space. It's also worth mentioning that at the Pasha disco you have to pay, as it is not included in the all-inclusive package. However, the bingo experience at the casino was genuinely enjoyable and free, offering considerable entertainment. Though small, the casino packed surprises. Despite losing $200 at blackjack, luck at Sicbo turned things around with a $1,000 win. The fantastic hotel staff ensured an enjoyable stay, compensating for minor discomfort.
I had an amazing time during my stay at the hotel. The staff was so friendly and accommodating. It was a shame that the disco area was closed for maintenance, but I made the most of my time at the casino playing sicbo and blackjack, and I even won a lot!
I had a mixed experience at the hotel. While the shows weren’t very entertaining, the food was excellent—I enjoyed every dish. One of the highlights was winning at sicbo and roulette in the casino, which made the trip more exciting. I hope they improve the entertainment, as the rest of my stay was quite enjoyable.