Planning a trip with three generations works differently than a couples’ getaway or a standard family holiday: you need to sort out privacy for each group, match wildly different rest schedules, and land on activities that leave no one out. Before booking, it’s worth looking at three specific things: what room types are on offer, how the resort itself is laid out, and how flexible the activity programme actually is. Once those are sorted, the rest falls into place.
Which Room Type Works Best for Three Generations
The most common mistake is booking one big room and assuming “everyone fits.” In practice, it works better to keep each generation in its own space while staying close by: parents and kids in one room, grandparents in another, with a connecting door if needed. That’s where connecting rooms come in — two independent rooms joined together — along with adapted rooms designed for guests with reduced mobility, a detail that’s easy to overlook when older relatives are part of the trip.
The Hotel Riu Bambu, in Punta Cana, is a good example of all three options existing side by side: it offers connecting Deluxe rooms for groups or families, more spacious family rooms with a sofa bed, and adapted rooms for guests who need a more accessible stay. As always, it’s worth confirming availability of each specific room type directly with the hotel before booking.
One Resort Complex, Two Different Paces
Another way to balance the needs of different generations is to choose a resort complex where a quieter zone and a livelier one coexist, without anyone having to stay far from the rest of the group. Several RIU Hotels & Resorts destinations are set up this way, with more than one hotel from the chain sharing the same grounds, each with its own personality.
In Punta Cana, for example, the resort complex on Arena Gorda beach brings together, among others, the adults-only Hotel Riu Palace Macao — well suited to grandparents looking for a calmer pace — alongside the Hotel Riu Palace Bavaro, which welcomes families and runs the RIU Land kids’ club for children aged 4 to 12, and the family-oriented Hotel Riu Bambu. Access to facilities between hotels within the same complex varies by destination, so it’s worth confirming directly with the hotel before booking.
Managing Rest Schedules Without Dragging Anyone Along
Timing is often the real friction point on a multigenerational trip: kids wear out early, grandparents tend to prefer lower-key days, and the adults in between end up running between both paces. Building in a couple of “free” blocks each day — an after-lunch rest, a plan-free afternoon — tends to work better than a packed itinerary. It also helps to pick a resort where the distance between your room, the beach or pool, and the restaurants is short, so getting around doesn’t turn into an outing of its own.
Activities That Actually Bring Everyone Together
Not every activity at an all-inclusive resort is built for every age group at once, so it pays to be selective: the best multigenerational experiences tend to happen around the dinner table, the pool, or an evening show open to all ages, rather than high-intensity sports or parties aimed squarely at a younger crowd. Within the chain, the Riu Get Together Party format — as opposed to the Riu Pool Party, reserved for guests 18 and over — is built specifically for that kind of shared moment across generations. You can see what this kind of experience looks like in this look back at how Riu Party events came together.
Plan Your Multigenerational Trip with RIU Hotels
Striking the right balance between privacy, accessibility and shared activities is the key to a trip involving several generations at once. At RIU Hotels & Resorts, you can explore the destinations and room types available for your next family trip, and keep browsing the blog for more planning guides.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
It depends on how much privacy each group wants, but connecting rooms tend to be the most practical option: they keep separate spaces without losing the physical closeness between parents, kids and grandparents.
It’s worth confirming directly with the hotel whether adapted rooms are available, how far the room is from common areas, and whether lifts or ramps are in place along the main routes.
It can work well when the group has very different needs — for example, older relatives at a quieter hotel and families with kids at one with more activities — as long as they’re within walking distance of each other.
Dining experiences, evening shows open to everyone, and family-oriented parties tend to work better than high-intensity sports or activities aimed exclusively at a younger crowd.
