By the Caribbean Journal staff

Global resort giant RIU Hotels and Resorts has opened its new expanded offering in Punta Cana.

The Riu Republica adults-only resort on Punta Cana’s Arenda Gorda beach has debuted a major new expansion including an exclusive water park, four new a la carte restaurants, three swimming pools and 300 new rooms.

The expansion officially debuted this week.

The resort now has a total of 10 restaurants: two buffets for breakfast and dinner; the Italian ‘Tarantella’; the Asian ‘Kaori’; the steakhouse ‘Quisqueya’; two ‘Kulinarium’ fusion eateries; the Spanish restaurant ‘Olé’, which serves typical dishes from Spanish culture; a new jerk grill open daily in the pool zone; and the ‘Taj Mahal’ Indiana eatery.

The Riu Republica now has a total of 1,382 rooms, including 8 suites, 12 two-bedroom family rooms and six rooms for guests with reduced mobility.

Other amenities include eight bars (one of which is open 24 hours a day), a gym, a Jacuzzi, and the flagship Renova Spa wellness center.

The resort is aimed largely at couples looking for a romantic stay, according to the company.

Riu has 95 hotels in 19 countries around the world, including a significant presence in the Caribbean region.

See here for an-indepth look at the Riu Republica.