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Bottled Water Recommended For Drinking And Brushing Teeth
ATM
In Some Hotels
Credit Cards
Widely Accepted
USD
Widely Accepted
Diving
Adequate
Sight Seeing
Limited
Car Rentals
Right-hand Drive - Available But Not Recommended
Water Sports
Good
Restaurants
Limited To Hotels
Bars and Night Life
Limited To Hotels
Golf
5 - 18 Hole Golf Courses
Casinos
Some Casinos In Hotels
Vegetation
Thick Palm Fringed Beaches
Rainy Season
May - November 16 Days/month, Heaviest In Jul/aug
Hurricane Seasion
Late June - Early November
Airport Name
Punta Cana International - Puj
Verified Tripcentral Customer Reviews
Rating4.1★★★★+(11301)
★Shabani -
Verified PurchaserRoyalton Punta Cana Resort: Not good at all
When it was raining my room was flooded and when I complained nobody cared about my problems after 3 days with lots of stress I put towel behind my door ?managers was so rude when I cried he walked away and never apologized.
Location3/5
Value1/5
Food2/5
Beach2/5
Rooms1/5
Service1/5
★★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserDreams Royal Beach Punta Cana: Beautiful Dreams Royal Beach
We had a wonderful stay at Dreams Royal Beach Punta Cana. Beautiful location, with a stunning beach, clear water (aside from some sargassum which it is the season for), and plenty of places to relax and enjoy our time away from home. Our room though a little old, was clean, comfortable, and well maintained. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, which made the whole experience even better, shout-out to our beach bartender Ambiorix who was always coming making sure we had a cold drink in our hands. We also enjoyed the food (portofino, mercure, and seaside grill were very good) and the variety of activities (games, dancing and singing) and amenities available. Shout out to the entertainment team Yumi, Rissa, London, Tupac, Pikachu, Rosa, Geoffrey, and Baby face for running energetic dancing lessons and entertainment at the shows every night. We loved the circus and rock show. The atmosphere was relaxing and perfect for a getaway. There was some construction during our stay but it was handled very well and didnt interrupt guests. Overall, it was a fantastic experience and we would definitely consider coming back!
Impressive Hotel for sure, beautiful green vegetation with many pool options. Everything is within walking distance including the beach. The food at the buffet and à la carte was ok, we were just not lucky with the Italian restaurant, the food was really bad. We enjoyed the shows, especially the great Michael Jackson concert.
Most staff could use a little bit of training to improve on their professionalism. They couldn’t be bothered, it was as if they just didn’t want to be there. The maids were extremely loud. It was not easy to sleep in, which is what most of us like to do when we are on vacation.
We were lucky to have Joel as our concierge, he was very helpful and very prompt in responding to our questions and needs.
Our welcoming committee did not give a good first impression. A gentleman nicknamed Macgyver took us to a corner and asked us intrusive questions, including what we did for a living. He also talked down on the airline that brought us to Punta Cana. We found all that to be very unprofessional.
Overall, we enjoyed our 7 day stay. If only the staff could be a bit more cheerful.
★★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserSecrets Royal Beach: Good resort! Fun time!
Overall we enjoyed our time there. The beach is beautiful and they really clean the seaweed very well every day. The pool area was also really enjoyable and people from the pool bar are very nice and constantly going around to serve you. I want to mention the only women at the pool bar Lady - she is a lady indeed - she is making awesome cocktails, not once mixing up an order and she is very funny always joking and with a smile on her face. The grounds are very clean and people are helpful and nice . Food was ok - at the buffet they could use a bit of variety in a 7 day vacation because especially for breakfast we had the very same pastries every day. But the omelettes and eggs and smoked fish was awesome and the ladies which make the omelettes are really good at what they are doing . All à la carte restaurants are good - we had very much fun, good food and very nice service at the Japanese and also the grill one - to mention here Marlon Brando- hard working and fun guy. Entertainment was also good, the shows were diverse and pretty good and fun.
★Chad pizza -
Verified PurchaserDreams Onyx Resort and Spa: It all about the beach !
No matter how great the hotel or food is the main part of taking a trip to a sunny destination where there is ocean is to
Enjoy the beach . Sadly we did not experience this at dreams onyx hotel and spa . The excursion was ok but again the beach we attended was full of seaweed . Will not be going to the Dominican Republic ever again and will not recommend anyone. Else to go .
We really enjoyed our stay at the Barcelo Bavaro Beach resort in Punta Cana. However, we were very disappointed as many other tourists in this resort to see the extreme sargassum situation on the beach, which made the beach unusable. The smell of seaweed from the beach caused a strong unpleasant smell in the pool areas. I believe when booking this area with a travel agent, the travel agent should be able to warn the consumer of this extreme situation. We are beach people and this put a damper on our vacation. We could not even walk along the beach. We chose this particular resort because of the calmness of the ocean. I know this cannot be remedied due to nature and extreme climate changes on the Atlantic Ocean side, however, to pay full price for a resort and not have the use of the beach proved to be very disappointing for us, as well as many other tourists on this property. I had done much reading and research and I was aware of this situation however upon arrival I was astonished to see the amount of sargassum which even the best of crew members were unable to keep up with. We enjoyed the fact that we were able to use the facilities of the Bavaro Palace it's sister property. However, in comparison the Animacion team and the shows differed immensely! We found the Barcelo Beach side was just too quiet with many activities cancelled without notice on their activities schedule and no vacation vibes music played throughout the resort. There was only one show on the beach side that we enjoyed. We found that we were always taking the train to the Barcelo Palace side to use the gym, the hydroptherapy spa, they included two free visits and the massive pools. The Animacion team made a valiant effort and the shows were of high caliber on this side as well. We did have a decent room with a King bed and much to our surprise we had an ocean view. The variety, presentation, and abundance of food was highly noticably, however even though they had advertised a gluten free station at their buffets, there were no such stations and I had a gluten free card, it was hard for them to accomodate my needs and, I am lucky that I do understand and speak Spanish since at this resort most of the employees do not speak English. They were more than happy to accomodate my eating needs at three of the a la carte restaurants that we ate at. Overall, the cleaninness and the abundance of pools and a la carte restaurants and buffets were plenty when were allowed to use both resorts.
★★Tony -
Verified PurchaserRoyalton Bavaro Resort and Spa: Not a good hotel for family
I stayed at this hotel from August 18 to August 26 with my wife and two daughters, and unfortunately, the experience did not match the 4.5-star rating at all.
The biggest disappointment was the food. There was very little variety, and many of the dishes were served cold. The selection of fruits and pastries was also very limited and not what I would expect from a hotel in this category.
The restaurants were extremely hot because the air conditioning was not working properly. It was honestly very uncomfortable to sit and eat, especially with children. During the first two days, all four of us were badly affected by the heat, which made the beginning of our family vacation very difficult.
The pool was another disappointment. The water was very warm, so it was not refreshing at all and did not help with the heat.
The room itself was acceptable, but the TV and internet were unreliable and did not work properly.
Overall, I expected much better based on the hotel’s rating and reputation. I would not consider this a true 4.5-star experience, and I would personally rate it around 2.5 to 3 stars. I would not recommend this hotel to families with children or to anyone who cares about food quality, comfort, and reliable amenities.
★★★Niki -
Verified PurchaserRoyalton Bavaro Resort and Spa: Very average
Overall, I would rate this resort three out of five stars, rather than four point five. While the room itself was decent, the overall experience was disappointing. The food had very little variety, and most meals were served cold. Fruit options were limited and not very good in quality. Housekeeping mostly just, tidied up rather than properly cleaning. The floors and bathroom were often not cleaned well. The Wi-Fi was unreliable and kept disconnecting, and the in-room TV internet rarely worked. One of the biggest issues was the pool. The water was extremely warm, which made it uncomfortable to swim, especially in the heat.
Overall, I had much higher expectations, and I don’t think this hotel deserves a 4.5-star rating. I personally wouldn’t stay here again, and I would recommend that anyone who values good food, cleanliness, and reliable amenities consider other options.
They only positive experience was the staff. They were very nice and friendly and they try their best to help.
Perfectly appointed hotel with fantastic food, large rooms, and an excellent pool with lots to do.
Staff were all smiles the whole time and made sure that everything was perfect during our stay.
Largely couples during our stay so may not be ideal for singles looking to mingle.
Location5/5
Value4/5
Food5/5
Beach4/5
Rooms5/5
Service5/5
★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserRoyalton Bavaro Resort and Spa: Royal Bávaro — Aug. 26 ? | Our 6th Visit + Current Thoughts
We’ve been to Royal Bávaro six times now, so I thought I’d share my current thoughts on the resort. Overall, it’s still a fun family resort with lots to do, great room options, and the convenience of being oceanfront and all-inclusive.
? PROS
• Lots to do: lazy river, FlowRider, shallow wading pool, mini water park, mini putt and playground.
• Food available throughout the day: two food trucks, outdoor grill, pizza window and Diamond Club food options.
• Great room options: one-bedroom suites and swim-up rooms are available, and the couches convert into pull-out beds — great for families.
? CONS
• Rooms are starting to feel rundown: our room had no alarm clock, the shower barely drained, and there was rust on some of the cupboards.
• Menus have changed: unfortunately, three of my personal favourite meals have been removed. ?
• Dinner reservations: can be frustrating and difficult to get. Diamond Club definitely helps with this. Also very warm inside the restaurants
• Nightly entertainment: not a ton happening in the evenings, especially for kids.
• Pool maintenance: we noticed quite a few broken/missing pool tiles. We also seen a young boy needing stitches after cutting his toe in the pool, which was concerning.
• Tons of seaweed. Obvi that can’t be controlled but there was nothing being done to try and tidy the beach.
? FINAL THOUGHTS
After six visits, I’d still say Royal Bávaro is a fun family resort with a lot to offer.
That said, I do feel like some areas of the resort are starting to show their age, and there are a few things I’d love to see improved.
Would we come back? Probably yes. The overall experience, location, activities and family-friendly setup keep bringing us back. ❤️?
★★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserViva Miches by Wyndham: viva Miches bt Windham is a superb resort.
Viva Miches by Windham is very good. we have no problem for the room, spacious, clean, food, lot of selections, crew are very polite, pools are good, beach calm, no big waves. My wife and I was happy. I will recommend this resort to my friends
Location5/5
Value5/5
Food5/5
Beach5/5
Rooms5/5
Service5/5
★★★★Vithya -
Verified PurchaserBakour Punta Cana Suites: Amazing Service
Hotel
I had the Junior Suite with two beds. The room was spacious, clean, and comfortable. The bathroom could use a little work, especially the stand-up shower. The pool was clean and well maintained. Overall, the hotel is a clean and pleasant place to stay.
Staff
The staff were amazing! After reading all the reviews about the staff in Punta Cana, I honestly didn’t have very high expectations. However, this place completely changed my opinion. The service was excellent, and the staff were very friendly, welcoming, and helpful throughout our stay.
Beach
The beach was the most disappointing part of our stay. It wasn’t suitable for swimming because there was a lot of seaweed and a strong smell. There were also a lot of boats and ships parked in the water, which took away from the overall beach experience.
★★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserDreams Flora Resort and Spa: Amazing resort
The hotel was clean and the staff was helpful and friendly. The food was great lots if variety and they accommodate my allergy towards dairy and nuts. The entertainment was for all ages. Pool side bar was amazing
The Resorts upkeep could have been better, the vent in our room looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in a while as well as the AC not working as intended leaving us in a hot room all week long not fun.
Location3/5
Value2/5
Food3/5
Beach3/5
Rooms2/5
Service3/5
★★★★Norby -
Verified PurchaserDreams Flora Resort and Spa: Resort was good
i give it a 8 out of 10 the only bad thing was we could not enjoy the beach. The water was dirty and full of see weed. We like the beach and go swim in the water but could not do it any f the days nobody was in the water that part was disappointing. The resort and the food was excellent and the staff was great.
Location4/5
Value4/5
Food4/5
Beach1/5
Rooms4/5
Service5/5
★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserBarcelo Bavaro Beach: Barcelo Bavaro Beach - A Fantastic Adult-Only Escape with Exceptional Service
Dates: August 13–20, 2026
Resort: Barceló Bávaro Beach (Adults Only)
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4.5/5)
We recently returned from a fantastic week-long stay at Barceló Bávaro Beach. If you are looking for a beautifully maintained property with great entertainment and a relaxed atmosphere, this is a wonderful choice. Here is a detailed breakdown of our experience.
? Premium Swim-Up Room (Room 3021)
* Daily Use: Having direct water access from our terrace was a game-changer. We used the swim-up pool every single day.
* Meticulous Care: The ground staff cleaned the pool area every morning and checked the pH levels throughout the day to ensure perfect water quality.
* Room Service: Prompt, attentive, and consistently great quality.
?️ Dining & Gastronomy
* La Brisa: Outstanding experience. The food was delicious and the service was absolutely excellent.
* The Buffet: While smaller than standard mega-resort buffets, the food preparation and flavour were vastly superior to most other resorts we have visited.
* The Main Downside (Palace Side A la Cartes): To attend the specialized à la carte restaurants, you must travel to the family-friendly side of the resort (Barceló Bávaro Palace). This area is incredibly chaotic and "stupid busy."
* The Commute: You have to take a small train ride over to a massive plaza, which you then have to navigate through just to find your restaurant. We found this overwhelming and a complete distraction from the tranquil, chill vibe we enjoyed on the adults-only side.
? Outstanding Service & Concierge
* Mister Amazing (Felix Ozuna): Our concierge, Felix, truly went above and beyond to turn our holiday into a special event.
* Highly Responsive: He was always available on WhatsApp to answer questions or help out (though, of course, the man rightfully deserves his time off with his family!).
* VIP Perk: Felix provided us with a complimentary excursion to Don Lucas, which was a massive highlight.
? Don Lucas Excursion Insights
If you get the chance to go, do not hesitate. This excursion offers a fascinating, in-depth look at traditional Dominican
products:
* Cigars: You get to see the meticulous process of manual cigar rolling and learn about the different tobacco blends.
* Coffee & Chocolate: They provide immersive educational breakdowns on how local cacao and coffee beans are harvested, roasted, and processed.
* Tastings: You can sample and purchase authentic, high-quality Dominican goods directly from the source.
? Property & Entertainment
* Grounds: The entire property is pristine, lush, and exceptionally well-maintained.
* Nightly Shows: The entertainment team puts on fantastic, high-energy productions every evening that are well worth watching.
? Final Verdict
Barceló Bávaro Beach delivers a top-tier adult-only experience, largely driven by stellar staff like Felix and excellent food quality. Just prepare yourself for the stark contrast in energy levels if you decide to cross over to the Palace side for dinner!
Nous avons passé des belles vacances, la nourriture, la pina colada , les activités et la plage étaient magnifiques.par contre, la chambre 2148 que nous avons occupé allait être meilleure si la sortie de ventilation n avait pas eu de moisissures.
Bref, nous avons aimé notre séjour et c était la première fois que j ai vraiment profité de mes vacances.
Location5/5
Value5/5
Food5/5
Beach5/5
Rooms3/5
Service5/5
★★★★★Allison -
Verified PurchaserRoyalton Splash Punta Cana: Amazing Family Resort for littles!
This was our first family trip with our 4 year old and 1 year old and Royalton Splash Punta Cana did not disappoint. There was always somwthing to do for both kids, whether it was the pool, the beach, or the water park. The rooms were fabulous and well maintained. Only thing that could be fixed was the showers did not drain well and would leak from the side to the floor. The restaurants were delicious and service was impeccable, particularly at the Mexican Restaurant. Overall, amazing trip and we would come back with family/friends!
★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserWhala Bavaro: Beach Hotel (Lagoon-like shallow bay)
*RULE: No toilet paper permitted to be flushed down the toilets!!!! use waste basket--same rule as in Costa Rica.
**Pro: beach is beautiful, minimal waves! Food and drinks. Security. Friendly. Hairbraided for good price. Punta Cana Airport and near the airport is Starbucks, Burger King, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC.
***Con: Canadian Dollars NOT accepted in DR (vendors want their pesos or USD only) - so everything is very expensive, front desk is slow service and many don't speak/understand English, choking toxic fumes from boats/motorized rec vehicles, vendors along the beach that come up to your lounge chair non-stop, rooms have poor flushing toilets, restaurants around the area are loud with kids staying up really late at night.
****Comparing with Cuba----For this 3.5 stars, the cost of the trip was the most expensive one so far @ $2000 pp 2 weeks). Cuba 2025 Summer was $1300 for 5 star Grand Muthu Almirante (Emerald in English) Beach Hotel. Food tasted much better at Whala Boca Chica DR than any Cuban Hotel I've stayed at. Dominicans add spices and herbs.
★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserWhala Bavaro: Waiting for Cuba so this is the alternative!
Comparing with Cuba's standard of service and nature.
Pros: Beach is lagoon-like, so shallow and crystal clear for a long distance. You have an opportunity to visit Saona Island where some scenes for The Blue Lagoon were filmed. The buffet is better than Cuba's 3.5 star hotels - more variety. Wifi is available at the beach. Two beaches to enjoy with a beach-front private restaurant and public road (locals on motorcycles use) that leads to a dock for boats and jets you can rent. Lots of private beach front restaurants to see along you walk on the shore. Tourist police patrol on motorcycle a few times a day and foot patrol by local police. Local grocery stores in a walking distance (Ole de Boca Chica is great). Burger King and Little Caesars.
Cons: Airport is in Punta Cana so 2 hour, white-knuckle drive in a mini-bus. 12-minutes ride to Santo Domingo Internation Airport!!!!!
This hotel has inconsistent service - bar, buffet and room cleaning. Can't relax --- "looky looky" aka view the merch (DR themed bracelets, t-shirts, towels), coconut/cashew brittle, flat bread deep fried, red candied coconut balls, corn on the cob, ice cream,
Lots of construction all over the narrow streeted Boca Chica beach front town. Lots of litter in the ditches and left by the locals or Dominican weekend warriors. Drinking in the water in the day and evening.
Stayed at the resort for 7 days not a day in our stay where the beach is cleaned from seaweeds. Water is dark brown, aside from weeds it looks as if the oil from all the yatch , boats that are docked there are all in the water. It didn’t say in the description that it’s a few feet away from marine dock.
We were also hassled by the people at the beach, hard to relax when they swarm you trying to sell you anything and everything. These hasslers also keep saying “Nihao” indirectly to me although I’m not Chinese which I think is very disrespectful to the Chinese people and to me
The rooms smelled bad like sewer. The pillows are smelly although the cleaners changed the casings. The AC is not cold enough.
We were also asked to be in a meeting the next morning after we arrived but because we decided to sleep in and not show up for the meeting when I asked AirCanada rep in Sunscape about our pick up time the day before our check out he said “ you missed your chance, you are all not in the list because you didn't show up in the meeting” The meeting is just about selling activities of things to do in Punta Cana which are far more expensive than buying online. The rep gave us a hard time before telling us the pick up time for airport transpo. He was asking for eticket number which I couldn’t provide at the time bec it was in my email and there is NO WIFI at the front desk area and at the Windows buffet area. I was ready to loose it and call the airline itself.
We were also scammed at the airport by some dude named Miguel who lured us to go to Hard Rock Cafe for free breakfast buffet and discounted activities. On the way back to Canada 2 of my children were placed on stand by bec the plane was full they said. I don’t understand bec I paid for the package, I will understand if they seat at random spot and not together bec they didn’t buy preferred seats. Been on the trip with my family and it’s the first time I’ve experienced being harassed everywhere we go in Dominican Republic. Another thing, I do not know how someone from DR was able to make a $5.68 purchase using my account from the name “Rafael Mendez” which I denied bec I didn’t authorized him to make this purchase . I also recieved a reset password for my apple ?
This is my first and last visit there.
★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserVIK Hotel Arena Blanca: Good Budget Resort!
The staff was very accommodating! We asked to have an extra bed brought into the room and they had it done within an hour. Rooms were otherwise mostly fine. Our patio doors did not lock, but this turned out to be helpful since our room keys deactivated basically everyday. Food was good but repetitive. They could use more effective security on the beach. The locals selling excursions were VERY pushy; almost to the point of harassment. Pools are awesome though!
Location4/5
Value3/5
Food3/5
Beach4/5
Rooms2/5
Service5/5
★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserGrand Palladium Palace: Great Resort
We had an amazing stay at this hotel. The grounds were always clean and well maintained, and the rooms were spotless and comfortable. The minibar was consistently restocked, with extra bottled water provided daily. We also appreciated the ice machines conveniently located throughout the resort.
The food was very good, and the service was outstanding. We were especially impressed by the quality of service from the staff, who were friendly, attentive, and professional throughout our stay.
The beach was cleaned daily, towels were always available, and most of the à la carte restaurants were excellent. The Spanish and Italian restaurants were my favorites, and the Japanese restaurant was also very good. One thing to note is that the portion sizes at the restaurants were extremely large. While the food was delicious, many dishes were much bigger than necessary, which resulted in a lot of food being left uneaten and potentially wasted.
Areas for Improvement:
Argentinian Restaurant: The service was extremely slow. We waited about an hour for our food, and we had to ask for bread and butter while waiting.
Boats Near the Beach: There are too many boats traveling back and forth close to the shoreline. They pass frequently, sometimes every few minutes, and the smell of fuel can be noticeable and unpleasant. It would greatly improve the beach experience if the number of boats were reduced or if they operated farther from shore.
Overall, this is a fantastic resort with excellent service, great food, and beautiful, well-maintained facilities. I would definitely recommend it and would gladly return.
★★★★Patrick -
Verified PurchaserCaribe Deluxe Princess: Nice to go
Très belle endroit, nous avons adoré notre séjour ! Le personnel était très accueillant ! L'endroit est magnifique ! Nous avons bien mangé. Nous avons été bien conseillé pour les activités. Je recommande fortement cette endroit
Beautiful place well maintained clean delicious restaurant but sea weeds stop me to go in the ocean and I use only the pool , at least I have good weather , food was very good, service excellent, room clean and spacious.
I stayed 14 days it was a nightmare. Lots of things didnt work in our room. Its a big resort so please be aware there will be alot of walking. No buses, it takes forever. Food was horrible. Service was terrible. Beach had a bad smell and alot of sargassum. As a female I didn't feel safe and I'll not return.
Location4/5
Value1/5
Food2/5
Beach2/5
Rooms1/5
Service1/5
★★★★★Ira p -
Verified PurchaserDreams Flora Resort and Spa: Second review addition
In first review I wrote my opinion about my vacation at dreams flora. Just want to add special thank you to Juan Pena- incredible nice bartender of prefered club adults only pool. He is so nice, friendly, with good English guy making our vacation pleasant
LocationN/A
ValueN/A
FoodN/A
BeachN/A
Rooms5/5
ServiceN/A
★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserDreams Onyx Resort and Spa: Good overall experience
Overall, this is a good resort and we had a pleasant experience. The food, location, pools, and facilities are all good. However, my main issue is the price. They charge a significant premium, around 20 to 30% more than many comparable resorts, but I honestly did not find the overall experience to be 20 to 30% better.
A few things that stood out:
1. 24-hour room service: Having room service available 24 hours sounds like a great feature, but unfortunately the quality was disappointing when we tried it. The bread tasted like it was a couple of days old, and the coffee was very hit or miss. After that experience, I did not order room service again.
2. Pools: The pools are good, clean, and enjoyable, but they are similar to pools at many other resorts. I did not find anything particularly fancy or premium about them.
3. Water slides and activities: There are some extra slides and water features around the pools, which are nice to have. I tried them a couple of times and enjoyed them, but after that they did not really add much value to the overall experience for me.
4. Lazy river: The resort highlights the lazy river quite a bit, so I was expecting something special. It is okay, but compared to other lazy rivers I have experienced, this one felt more like a pool with very slowly moving water. It was nice to try, but definitely not something I would consider a major reason to choose this resort.
The regular food was good, the location was good, and overall the resort was enjoyable. I am not saying this is a bad resort at all. My issue is simply the value for money.
When a resort charges 20 to 30% more than comparable options, I expect something noticeably better or more premium. I just did not find that here. The overall experience felt very similar to other good resorts that cost considerably less.
At a more competitive price, I would have a much more positive opinion of this resort. But at the current pricing, I personally do not think the extra cost is justified, and I would not return at this price.
★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserSunscape Coco Punta Cana: Ok resort
Service very slow. Front desk is slow took 2 hours to check in. Restaurant very slow. It takes 20 mins to get your drinks. Also asked for an extra towel and blanket on the app. Stayed for 7 days never got the extra towel or blanket
Location4/5
Value3/5
Food2/5
Beach4/5
Rooms3/5
Service1/5
★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserCatalonia Royal Bavaro: Family vacation
We have been to this resort last summer and this summer . We love this resort . Rooms can be updated and need to give all towels in size . Food is good steak out on adults only other one sucks with Italian sucks. Beach not go but we went to 2 beach’s off resort. They just need to take all the towels off the lawn chairs at night because people don’t know . Bar in pool should stay open until pool closes. Fridge should alway be filled with what is missing .
We are a big family with 3 guys that can eat and every restaurant we ordered each 2 to 3 plates at a time and we finished everything.there is a little shop down the beach it’s a nice walk down the beach even through the it looks like a lake. Entertainment at night was good always something. The beach party was wild . Casino needs an update and more machines. Need to update the people that work there. Someone was unfriendly. Do the boggie Excursions do the one with the beach same price longer and much better.
Nice hotel but never use the beach because was smelling and full of grass , so I don’t use at all for 1 week, not happy at all , I hope my family goes the next week and don’t find the same situation….
Location5/5
Value5/5
Food5/5
Beach1/5
Rooms5/5
Service5/5
★★★★★Steven -
Verified PurchaserSecrets Playa Esmeralda Resort and Spa: It’s all in the details!
We visited in late July and the resort was beautiful. When it comes to details, management and staff thought of everything. Our room included a walkout pool overlooking the main pool area. The cleaning and service staff did everything to make our stay extra special. I will surely visit and recommend this resort to others!
Location4/5
Value5/5
Food3/5
Beach4/5
Rooms5/5
Service4/5
★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserBahia Principe Explore Turquesa: Okay, but expected more from a Bahia
Room was dated and it feel like it as well. Balcony door did not lock, luckily we were on the second floor. Shower was falling apart and the toilet was making weird sounds for a while after being flushed.
Food was decent in the buffet. Breakfast and lunch was repetitive but dinner had some good options like lobster night etc. The lunch by the beach seems to be better than the one by the pool. Mixed drinks were a hit and miss. The ladies I traveled with felt they were being ignored by the bartenders sometimes serving the men first.
As for service, majority of the employees were good and attentive but there were a few that just ignored requests. Could be a language barrier but it would have been better if they just indicated they did not understand.
The Beach was infested with seaweeds. They try to pick it with a tractor but it was hopeless. Not the fault of the hotel and the workers were doing their best to control it.
Pools were good and enjoyable.
A la carte - a couple good ones. The Brazilian and Mongolia were the best of the ones visited. Sushi and Indian not so much.
Not a lot of good activities for kids. There were a few good shows like the magic snow and circus, but it started and 10pm. After a day at the pool, the kids were too tired to be up that late.
★★★★Slav -
Verified PurchaserVik Hotel Cayena Beach: Great memories from this little hidden spot
We have found this place by chance, as initially it was not near our top choices due to the resort's aging infrastructure. But since the the dates worked for us with our short notice trip, we took the chance. After staying there for a few days, I can confidently say that this was the most relaxing sun destination trip I have taken so far. The entire VIK resort complex is dated and not fancy, which is visible once you start exploring, but it was clean and comfortable. The staff at Cayena are very friendly, helpful and courteous. The guests that were there at the time also seemed to have developed a sense of care and relationship with Cayena, as quite a few of them continue to return on regular basis. The private beach section always offered plenty of loungers and hammocks. The pool was not overly busy during our stay. Many times, were were the only ones there. The Cayena exclusive a la carte restaurant offered great options for breakfast and lunch. We have tried almost all of the menu options and enjoyed every dish that was made for us. I really enjoyed having our made to order breakfast while sitting a few meters away from the ocean. The Cayena exclusive bar also provided us with all the necessities for our stay. All combined, the Cayena section delivered everything that we needed at the pace we wanted. We have not experienced any moment of urgency or rush, as almost everything was within reach and exclusive to us when needed. For the duration of our stay, we hardly ever needed to cross over to the main resort, with the exception of the evening buffet and entertainment. Now, the beach was covered in seaweed because of the season, so we did not get to go into the ocean. Erosion is also visible along the beach, which is a more widespread occurrence along many other resorts. However, with the way Cayena is set up, you can still enjoy the ocean views from the pool, the bar, the restaurant, the patio, and the rooms. I would definitely go back and definitely recommend for anyone that just wants to relax.
★★★★★MAZCAL -
Verified PurchaserBahia Principe Explore Punta Cana: An Unforgettable Vacation at Bahia Principe Punta Cana
Our experience at Bahia Principe Punta Cana was truly amazing from beginning to end. The resort exceeded our expectations with its beautiful surroundings, outstanding service, and the incredible Caribbean atmosphere.
From the moment we arrived, we felt welcomed and cared for. The resort offers beautiful gardens, a spectacular beach, relaxing pools, great entertainment, and comfortable accommodations that made our vacation truly enjoyable.
We would also like to give special recognition to Manuela Romeiro, our vacation travel agent, for his exceptional attention, professionalism, and support in helping us organize this unforgettable trip. Manuela went above and beyond to ensure every detail was taken care of, providing excellent recommendations, quick responses, and outstanding customer service. Her dedication helped make our vacation smooth, stress-free, and memorable.
Thank you Manuela for creating such a wonderful experience. We also highly recommend this resort and the excellent service provided by our agent for anyone planning a dream vacation in Punta Cana. ?☀️
We look forward to returning again!
The resort exceeded our expectations. The staff was incredibly helpful. The kids explorer club was great. The entertainment crew rocked it. The variety and access to food was fantatic. All our meals were delicious.
Bahia principe Ambar was the perfect getaway for us. The location was right on the beach and the resort enviorment was perfect for older couples. Food was excellent and we had mamy choices of restaurants to choose from as all of Bahia principe resorts in Punta Cana are conectred
Beautiful area of the country. Still undeveloped. Best beach so far. Food average and some ala cartes good and some not so good. Buffet good variety and staff are excellent. Front desk staff are careless and not very helpful. They tried to over charge for the preferred package not knowing I had researched how much it was from here. Wanted crazy money for something I didn’t think was worth. All you get is top tier liquor by their standard, extra restaurant and a butler. All of which have no value to me. Their area is gated off but not on the beach itself. The resort is new and nice but the area is being developed with other resorts planned already which are even higher end. Good to visit now to see the beautiful beaches as not sure how long that will last. Would go again but would try other resorts planned already. Overall a solid 4 star. Also was our anniversary and nothing special was done. Maybe the butler might have if I had chosen to pay thousands for preferred but not really worth a bottle of booze, banner and maybe a bubble bath set up.
★★★★Andrei -
Verified PurchaserBahia Principe Explore Turquesa: Good resort
It is good resort food beach activities show except reception guys which don't want to fix cold water in the sink in our room I'm ask them 3 times during our vacation and they still not fixed because only hot water coming any position and you can't do nothing water is very hot you have to step in bathtub to do your thing this is only one thing I don't like in this hotel all the rest it was perfect
Location4/5
Value4/5
Food5/5
Beach4/5
Rooms2/5
Service4/5
★Private -
Verified PurchaserBahia Principe Escape Ambar: NOT A 5 STAR
The only good things I could say is that the rooms were clean and the “Limbo” à la carte restaurant was good. That is were it ended. The meat at the Rodizio steak house was harder than my shoe. We went for a wedding and the chicken also was tuff to cut and was stuffed with raisins when it was supposed to be wild mushrooms. Most of our guests got sick and to top it off, all 4 toilets by the pool were locked the two days I had to use them.
The property was nice. Pools are good, Rooms are nice. Good gym
The issue we had was with the food - especially with the lack of food options during the day. The only coffee shop on the resort was off limited to us as we were at the Aquamarine and the coffee shop was only for those at the Ambar. So, machine coffee it is. The meals at the restaurants are OK, not great.
Went to watch a World Cup football game at the sports bar, during the day. The place was empty except for the 4 booths at the very back that were full. This is because no one was allowed to site the big screen without reservations. That entire area was empty! Also, beer was $5 at the Sports Bar.
The staff was polite but not friendly. I will not be returning to this resort.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 10/10 — An Amazing Experience at Secrets Cap Cana
We had an absolutely wonderful experience at Secrets Cap Cana! The service was truly 10 out of 10. The restaurant service, room service, and bar service were all exceptional, with friendly, attentive, and professional staff who made our stay even more enjoyable.
A very special thank you to Angelo and Francis for taking such great care of us and always being there whenever we needed anything. Their kindness, attention, and excellent service made us feel truly special.
We highly recommend Secrets Cap Cana and look forward to coming back again!
We loved the resort grounds, the food, the people. Room was very dated but clean. The AC worked and toilet flushed. Entertainment was good but often ended early in the evening. Liked that it wasn’t crazy far from airport too.
From start to finish this resort is simply top notch! Staff are incredible, grounds are amazing , rooms are heavenly and the food is excellent! Would go back in a heartbeat! Majestic resorts have it all! Perfect vacation spot!
There was black mold on our bathroom ceiling and I ended up with bacterial pneumonia hospitalized for 3 days which the doctor at the hospital said it could certainly be caused by mold They switched our room. The new room had a faulty electrical outlet. Theywere supposed to fix it but never returned. They put a huge cable outlet running across the room which could have ended up with one of us tripping. We got locked out of our room for 2 1/2 hours because of the faulty lock. No compensation given us whatsoever
★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserOccidental Punta Cana: Low budget hotel
1. It’s a Spanish owned hotel, not much workers speak English.
2. Food was a 5/10
3. Waited 1 hr in line at the reception desk to check into our room just to find out we have a royal level check in which is somewhere else that had no line. Workers were not working, keep leaving the desk doing other things even thought the line was long.
4. Beach was the highlight 8/10 just lots of seaweed by the shore.
Location3/5
Value3/5
Food2/5
Beach4/5
Rooms3/5
Service2/5
★★★Mrsbacik -
Verified PurchaserRoyalton Hideaway Punta Cana: Not bad but not great
The grounds of the resort are beautiful and the entertainment is top notch. For some reason is says I’m reviewing Hideaway but we were at the Punta Cana Diamond Club. Tried to get connecting rooms - no luck. Reserved rooms ahead of time - not honored. Our daughter has a shellfish allergy and it was a very difficult experience for her. We informed the resort of her life threatening allergies and on the second day we found a shrimp tail in the children’s pasta. We had a good response from the staff to help accommodate her need to use take out containers and eat in her room. On a few occasions we were stopped and questioned about using take out containers. The beach has beautiful sand but the water is not turquoise - it is kinda like swimming in an Ontario lake. The pools are super warm and both my kids got ear infections after a few days. Being ear drops because they are 35USD at the shop at the resort. The water park at Splash was a lot of fun.
★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserBahia Principe Escape Ambar: Good Resort
We have been to this resort 3 times in the last 4 years, we had excellent service from Rodolfo the beverage person. The house keeping staff was amazing, an issue we had was we booked a king size bed in November 2025 but we were given 2 twins. Which was disappointing as this was our 25th wedding anniversary trip. Some of the à la carte restaurant the staff were dismissive and rude. The Indian and Greek restaurants were disappointed in.
Pretty grounds, talented bartenders. Poor communication about shuttles to and from the airport
Food was amazing with new items everyday. Very nice house red and white. Bring singles to tip wworkers
Location4/5
Value4/5
Food5/5
Beach4/5
Rooms3/5
Service4/5
★★★★Alexis -
Verified PurchaserRiu Republica: very big hotel
this hotel was huge, plenty of lounge chairs, plenty of restaurants, huge buffet. many rooms lack air conditioning, we had to request a different room 3 times, eventually we got one that if you kept the blackout blinds closed with the ceiling fan and ac, you were able to bring the temp to 24 degrees. we slept comfortably as the bedding was thin and light. showers were huge, stingy on the shampoo, the staff works 12 days on 3 days off so they seemed tired. when we tipped some staff member we got better service, but at first they barely looked us in the eyes. the beach was beautiful, no seaweed, huge waves super fun jumping and splashing into the waves, i enjoyed the monkeys and parrots on the beach. dont do the saona beach excursion it was filled with bees and you spend most of the time in the car and on the boat, takes forever to get there. you had to take a shuttle to riu palace to enjoy the wild theme parties, the hotel itself was kind of boring at night. overdose of bachata music and performers. the activty pool and calmer pool had two speakers going at the same time, that was super annoying its like my ears had no idea where to listen. buteventually our super nice pool server said something and suddenly we had bachatta at the calm pool and regular top 40 at the activity pool. legit felt like two ipads blasting the same time.. mbut once we said something it changed instantly so that was appreciated.
★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserParadisus Grand Cana: 3 night 4 day Trip
At first we thought the distance to the beach would be an issue but it was not at all. It was nice to make the beach a full day event and plan for it. The rooms were great. The pools were cool and each building had its own pool. We only went for 4 days and 3 nights and that was perfect for us.
Location5/5
Value4/5
Food4/5
Beach5/5
Rooms5/5
Service3/5
★★★★★Verogarz -
Verified PurchaserSecrets Playa Esmeralda Resort and Spa: Total bliss & happiness
Despite multiple mixed reviews, we went with out gut to Secrets Michès and loved it. We received a warm and genuine service since arrival. Top coktails and drinks all day with Mildred, Dani and Pedro at pool bar and with Yafreisy at Lobby bar-- best Lemon Drop and Maracuya Martini we ever tried. Good food at main restaurant lead by Chef Alejandro and service by several team members like Yohan. Overall fantastic value. A la carte restaurants were good: we were surprised by the Mediterranean food Meraki and by Tierra which were our favorites. Did not wait long for a table at any of them. Fair live music and shows with the entertainment teams who work really hard and do a fantastic job. To the complaining Karens and Kens saying they paid for more than you get: if you are paying less than $1,000 USD per night per person, you are not overpaying!
★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserRiu Republica: Stay at Riu
This the 2nd time we stayed at Riu costa Rica and then in Punta Cana
We were given a room where the toilet and the phone did not work.they were kind enough to change our room
But here also the air con did not work although it was scorching hot.outside. we reported.the matter 3 times to the reception and.nothing was done until our return date after 7 nights. Not a gteat stay. We also got a.long hair in our food. Just imagine.
Location4/5
Value4/5
Food4/5
Beach4/5
Rooms2/5
Service3/5
★Grazia67 -
Verified PurchaserTRS Turquesa: Horrible resort would not recommend it
I would not recommend this resort, the food was cold at buffet restaurant and terrible at the Italian restaurant, the only decent restaurant was the Chinese restaurant where they cook the food in front of you and The Grill restaurant by the pool, the entertainment was boring and pathetic except for the shows that they had in the lobby, the entertainment crew were rude and there white party was a joke which they had at the soccer field, they should have had one at the TRS which was closer for the guests and the MOSQUITOES were terrible they were everywhere even in the rooms, the maids were excellent and very nice, the butlers were useless, Jaime the nice man who drove the carts was a sweetheart and very nice but in general it was a terrible resort
★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserPunta Cana Princess: Good Resort
I will give it a 6 in 10 the atmosphere was nice .
The room very quiet and spacious and clean .
The restaurants not that great but the staff very friendly.
We didn’t like the beach at all , that what really bothered us they didn’t clean the sargasso until the last day
So we didn’t get to enjoy it .
Location3/5
Value4/5
Food3/5
Beach3/5
Rooms4/5
Service5/5
★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserEl Beso Adults Only at Ocean El Faro: Great Resort
This is a beautiful resort... Spacious rooms, many food choices... lots of pools to choose from... plenty of on site activities... but the beach is its downfall.... plenty of seaweed with heavy waves rolling in.... If the beach is your thing then avoid this area...
Location3/5
Value4/5
Food5/5
Beach2/5
Rooms5/5
Service4/5
★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserJOIA Bavaro by Iberostar: Amazing resort
This resort had great food, great amenities and really friendly staff. The resort was very clean and spacious with well thought design. The coffee shop was my favourite. The fully loaded gym and the casino were a bonus because we had access to the other Iberostar resorts through Joia. The only part I would say needs improvement is the entertainment during the day and night. The night shows felt very repetitive and nothing special. There was also no dock/live games/dancing/entertainment at the pool during the day.
★★★★Savvy -
Verified PurchaserRiu Republica: Good budget resort
We had a good time at the Riu Republica last week. Airport transfer took a while because there were so many drop offs and we only got to our Riu after almost 2 hours. Check in was pretty quick. However I’d like to point out that we were sharing a room with our daughter( 3 people) and the check in guy said they only had twin beds and those would be really small and cramped!! He suckered us into paying an extra US 130 for a king and single!! Totally our fault for falling for this and not trying to check the room first!! Anyway just a heads up in case anyone else is in the same situation. The beds are big enough for 2. Room could need upgrades but when our AC leaked they came promptly to fix it. Bar was always full, room was cleaned, but sheets need to be changed. We were there for a week!! No complaints about the food or restaurants. Jerk hut was amazing!! Beach was great and we were very lucky to experience sargassum(mildly) on just one day. Pools were good, water park a lot of fun and service all round was very good. Staff were friendly and polite.
★★Disappointed -
Verified PurchaserDreams Onyx Resort and Spa: good 3 star resort
We recently stayed at the Dreams Onyx Resort and Spa for two weeks in mid-May, and unfortunately, the experience fell short of our expectations.
On the positive side, the pools were cleaned daily, most of the staff were friendly (especially when tipped), the à la carte restaurants were well-maintained and clean, and the property offers an easy, accessible walk between the two resorts.
However, there were several significant drawbacks. The lobby felt sterile, lacking any ambiance or music. The buffet food was consistently bland and repetitive. At the à la carte restaurants, we felt constantly rushed throughout our meals. While the pool surfaces were cleaned, the skimmers never functioned properly, leaving bugs and debris floating in the water all day. Furthermore, tipping felt mandatory for even the smallest service, such as receiving a bottle of water.
The service regarding pool chairs was particularly frustrating. Butlers would reserve chairs for guests who never showed up; despite rules stating that staff should clear unattended towels, this was never enforced, even when other guests made direct requests. It was also disheartening to see that butlers could be easily bribed; other guests openly bragged about paying $200 to receive "preferred" treatment without actually booking a preferred room.
We spoke with several other families from Europe who were there during our stay, and we all agreed that we would not return or recommend this resort.
Everything was impeccable.........................................the grounds, the pool, the restaurants, the unbelievable service for all of our fourteen guests. All the staff were incredible. We renewed our 50th anniversary vows under the gazebo and the wedding planner Eddiana wwas outstanding and the officiator was absolutely INCREDIBLE!!!!! We would highly recommend this resort to everybody.
Location5/5
Value5/5
Food5/5
Beach5/5
Rooms5/5
Service5/5
★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserIberostar Waves Dominicana: Another Great Stay
This was our second stay at this resort (the first was 3 years ago), and overall we had a great experience both times.
The staff were very friendly and hardworking. Communication could sometimes be challenging as many staff members spoke limited English, and we speak very little Spanish, but everyone was always kind and helpful.
The food was decent overall. We mostly ate at the à la carte restaurants, which could be a bit hit or miss. The French restaurant was our favourite. We also discovered the beach restaurant partway through our trip and ended up going there several times. The BBQ was excellent and probably the best food we had during our stay. Lunches by the beach were also very good, especially the burgers and steaks. The fresh pineapple was amazing, and the drinks were consistently great.
Our room was comfortable and well-maintained. We did find a cockroach on the first day, but given the tropical climate, it can be expected.
The beach was one of the highlights. There was very little seaweed compared to neighbouring resorts, and after walking along the beach to check out other properties, we felt our section was easily one of the nicest. Finding a lounge chair could sometimes be difficult later in the day, but if you went early, it wasn't a problem.
The gym deserves special mention. It's one of the best resort gyms we've seen, with modern equipment and plenty of variety for a good workout. We also thought the night entertainment was well done!
Overall, we really enjoyed our stay and would happily return again.
★★★★★Michelle -
Verified PurchaserSerenade All Suites Adults Only Resort: Great stay at Serenade All Suites Adults Only Resort from 4-11 March 2026
We travelled to Serenade All Suites – Adults Only from March 4–11, 2026, booking through tripcentral with Sunwing as the provider and WestJet operating the flights. We chose premium economy, and the experience exceeded expectations — comfortable seating, great service, and very good food.
The resort offers a beautiful, expansive beach that’s ideal for long walks, and several pools with different atmospheres, allowing guests to choose between quiet relaxation or a more energetic environment. Dining was consistently enjoyable, with the steakhouse and Asian restaurant being highlights.
Service throughout the resort was excellent. Staff at the coffee bar, piano bar, à la carte restaurants, and buffet were consistently warm, attentive, and welcoming.
Our king bed, pool‑view suite was spacious and well‑equipped. The only design consideration is that the shower opens directly into the main room, which may not be ideal for all travel groups. Otherwise, the room met all expectations.
Overall, this is a well‑run resort with great service, good food, and a beautiful beachfront. We would recommend it.
★★★★★Shitsue -
Verified PurchaserOcean Blue and Sand: Perfect all around!
I stayed at the Ocean Blue and Sand once before about 8 years ago and my friend who I travelled with has been there 19 times. This is a very clean and friendly place to stay. They have renovated their rooms and are continually working to keep it fresh. The staff are so welcoming and many are still there15 years later. Especially enjoyed Mike’s Cafe where we met Benjamin and Christopher for our evening cappuccino.
This Hotel is small and warm, compared to other resorts we have been to that are too large and not as friendly.
This is a nice hotel. The room was great, not dated. Food was good even at the buffet restaurant. Beach was okay, except for the sea weeds. There was no problem getting a beach chair at the beach or the pool. The entertainment team was nice and the games were fun. The night shows were nice too.
Location5/5
Value5/5
Food5/5
Beach4/5
Rooms5/5
Service5/5
★★★★MIA12 -
Verified PurchaserOcean El Faro: A good hotel!
Check in was quick and easy (but we were the only ones at the time). Everyone who worked there did a great job, people were friendly. Kids loved Jelly's kid club, the water park and the lazy river. Bring your own tubes or wait in line for a bit. Kids are picky eaters most meals they were able to find something, if not we went to Mike's Cafe and they were able to get yogurt and sandwiches. First resort that I found the a la cartes bland and nothing to write home about. I did like that there were 3 you had to book a head if time and the rest you could just go to whenever, the cons of that were some restaurants were closed on certain days. Using the barcode they provide can help you plan meals accordingly thou. We much preferred the buffet to the a la cartes (this would not be typical for any hotel I've ever gone to). We were unable to go to the ocean because of the sea grass so that was a bummer. Would I go back to this hotel? Nothing draws me back or away to be honest. I probably wouldn't choose to go back just so I could go to other resorts, but nothing happened that wouldn't make me want to go back.
★★★Neil -
Verified PurchaserSecrets Cap Cana: Some challenges for sure, but overall decent
When we checked in they put us in a room right behind the restaurant that was under construction so there were literally jack-hammers running all day. It was brutal. After the first night they moved us to a different building which was better, but you could still hear the construction. We were only at the resort for 5 nights so it wasn't worth moving again.
The food in the restaurants was decent, however they have very limited options for a restricted diet as we are both gluten free and dairy free.
I would not say this was a 5 star vacation, the facility is dated and needs updating in certain areas, but please let visitors know if there is signifcant construction going on as we would have picked a different destination. Our concierge Francis was excellent.
★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserGrand Bavaro Princess: Beautiful Beach and Grounds!
Loved the beach and grounds. So well kept and full of peacocks! The room was very well maintained and no complaints other than outside noise from people coming and going but then again we were on the first floor. Food and drinks were fantastic too!
Location5/5
Value5/5
Food4/5
Beach5/5
Rooms4/5
Service5/5
★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserRoyalton Bavaro Resort and Spa: Not a 5 star luxury resort
When you book this resort, there is the option of paying for an upgrade (Diamond Club). It is over $1,000 per person in additional fees. We didn't take this option. You also have the choice to book your own room, for an extra fee of $260 US minimum. We didn't take that option either. You are also asked if you want to upgrade to DC when you check in. We declined, and the room we were given was possibly the worst one in the resort. It was in the furthest building from the beach. The musty smell was overwhelming, tv was broken. The bathtub had rust. The view was of the wall of the Majestic Mirage next door (which is absolutely amazing, BTW). There were no extra locks on the door, even the peephole cover was broken. Our first impression was not great. When the hotel is not at full capacity and this is the room you get, it is very disappointing, and you cannot help but think it was because you didn't pay extra. We called the front desk. They sent up a dehumidifier. We stayed one night but couldn't stay there any longer. They did switch our room the next day, and it was much better, though a little outdated.
The room is cleaned every day. The fridge is restocked every other day.
The first few days you are there, there are people constantly after you to buy spa treatments or go to a meeting and learn about the Prime membership. It's pretty annoying. Not only do you have vendors on the beach, but you have hotel staff after you as well.
My husband and I love the beach, and one of the things we love is the Bali beds. One of the reasons I booked this hotel was because of them. It doesn't say anywhere on the website that these are for DC only, but apparently, they are. We were told by a security guard that it was DC even though 75% of them were empty. Another time, I had an issue making a reservation. We went to see someone, only to be told they usually only help their members.
Everything seems to be extra. You want lobster, it's extra, you want a really good steak, it's extra, you want rose wine, it's extra. We were at the Majestic Mirage a few years ago, where we could have had lobster every night, we had crab, shrimp, paella for lunch every day. At the Royalton, it was hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizza (to be fair, the restaurant on the beach was closed for repair).
We felt like second-class citizens, those who don't pay extra, go and stay in your little corner and don't ask for more.
There were some positives. The grounds are immaculate, the food was okay; however, the ZEN à la carte was amazing. The entertainment was good. For the most part, we didn't have any issues making restaurant reservations through the app. Most of the staff looked like they did not want to be there; there were some that were very helpful. Fernando at the beach was great, and so was Raudi at the sports bar!
One other note, this part of the beach has a lot of seaweed (we were there for 2 weeks, and only the last 2 days were seaweed-free). We had to walk to another part of the beach to find an area where there was none.
If you are thinking of going to this resort, don’t; it's just not worth the money.
★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserEl Beso Adults Only at Ocean El Faro: Nice Resort
Nice small walkable resort with a tropical vibe. Good food. Tennis club is excellent. Shower in the bathroom - the water is leaking past the shower door onto the bathroom floor. Only shower out of 2 was working.
Will definitely recommend this resort to family and friends
The place was clean, friendly environment and great food except the Truck snack bar.
The empanada and the chicken wings are not very appetizing.
The alacarte are really good and the buffet selection are excellent
Location4/5
Value4/5
Food4/5
Beach4/5
Rooms4/5
Service4/5
★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserOcean El Faro: Good but not great
Had issue with the room assigned to us for the first 3 days of our trip and then finally got the room which was included in our package. Didn't like the attitude from front desk when I initially brought to their attention about the room. If you are beach lover this is not your resort. They have nice short lazy river and many pools. Food is Okay
Location2/5
Value3/5
Food3/5
Beach3/5
Rooms4/5
Service2/5
★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserZel Punta Cana - All Suites: Zel Punta Cana – May 24–28, 2026
First and foremost, it is important to note that Zel Punta Cana is not located directly on the beach. While there is beach access via a short walk or shuttle, those looking for a true beachfront resort experience should be aware of this before booking.
What truly sets this resort apart is its people. Every single employee we encountered was genuinely friendly, welcoming, and eager to help. Not once did we feel like we were imposing or inconveniencing anyone. The staff consistently delivered exceptional service and were undoubtedly one of the highlights of our stay.
The resort itself is fairly new and offers a very peaceful, relaxing atmosphere. If you’re looking for a quiet, serene getaway focused on wellness and relaxation, this resort is an excellent choice. However, if you’re part of a younger crowd seeking a lively party pool scene, constant entertainment, and a high-energy atmosphere, this probably isn’t the resort for you. Zel is intentionally quieter and more laid-back.
The accommodations are impressive. All rooms are spacious suites that are modern, comfortable, and thoughtfully designed. We also never had any difficulty finding pool chairs, which was refreshing compared to many Caribbean resorts where reserving loungers can become a daily competition.
The fitness and wellness facilities are among the resort’s strongest features. The tennis courts are excellent, and there are numerous fitness and wellness activities offered throughout the property. The spa was pleasant, although not particularly memorable or exceptional compared to other resorts in this category.
One area that deserves more attention is the maintenance of the outdoor grounds, particularly the palm trees around the pool areas. During our stay, we observed several palm trees with large dead fronds and hanging branches that appeared overdue for trimming. Beyond aesthetics, this presents a legitimate safety concern, as falling branches could potentially cause serious injury to guests. Given the otherwise high standards of the property, this is an area that management should address proactively.
Unfortunately, the biggest opportunity for improvement is the food and beverage program. While the food quality was acceptable, the overall selection was limited and lacked variety throughout our stay. The buffet, when open, is relatively small, and menu options quickly become repetitive.
Room service was particularly disappointing. The menu is very limited and lacks many of the simple comfort foods that guests often look for while on vacation. Adding items such as pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, additional salad options, and other casual fare would significantly improve the guest experience. Even more surprising was the absence of a breakfast room service option, which feels like a significant oversight for a resort of this caliber.
Similarly, the lunch offerings around the pool were limited and repetitive. The resort has tremendous potential, but the dining experience would benefit greatly from expanded menus and more variety throughout the day.
During our stay, we also visited the neighboring Paradisus resort, which offers a completely different experience. Paradisus is a much larger property with separate family, adults-only, and more social or party-oriented sections. It features a larger buffet, more dining variety, and direct beach access. Guests seeking a larger, busier resort experience may find Paradisus more aligned with their preferences.
Overall, Zel Punta Cana is a beautiful, tranquil resort with exceptional staff, spacious accommodations, excellent fitness facilities, and a relaxing atmosphere. If your goal is to unwind and enjoy a quieter vacation experience, it is certainly worth considering. However, the food offerings, room service program, dining variety, and outdoor maintenance require attention if the resort hopes to deliver an experience that fully matches the quality of its facilities and service.
The hotel was clean, the food was delicious, and the staff was kind (especially Santa the waitress in the main lobby bar/entertainment area who always took care of us). The beach however had a lot of seaweed, which the staff did their best to clean each day. The bathrooms in the hotel rooms were also in pretty bad shape and need renovations.
We had a beautiful anniversary trip and made wonderful memories the week we spent here. Beach was stunning, and only minutes from our room. Our first night our air conditioning was broken as we asked several times to have it fixed until we had to go to the main desk. It really upset us as well as a fire alarm going off our first morning there. We addressed these concerns to the front desk and got put into a swim out suite. It meant a lot to us to have our concerns heard and dealt with. The vibe was right, entertainment was great, and food was good. You were never hungry and there were options. Was the food amazing? No. But it’s good and you get by just fine. Drinks were plentiful and the staff was friendly. Nice resort with maybe some miscommunication about how to book the kayaking but that didn’t bother us. We loved it and would definitely return. Thank you for an awesome vacation!
Just got back from a wonderful 10-day vacation at this awesome resort. Grounds are immaculate, very clean. Same with our room, we were in building 4. Close to gym, pool and beach.
Food is the best we've had in 7 trips to the Dominican. Lots of variety. yes, it repeats, but there is something for everyone. Top quality and fresh.
Would not recommend staying here if you have mobility issues as alot of walking is required. 13 mins to main lobby and buffet. While golf carts are back and forth, we found them passing us most of the time as they were full.
We will definitely be back!
★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserMelia Punta Cana Beach Wellness Resort Adults: Great week on the beach?️
The resort was lovely, rooms were very clean. Service was excellent; the staff were friendly. We really enjoyed the morning yoga & the foot massages on the beach. It’s a great resort for a relaxing low key holiday. We would definitely recommend it to friends & plan to return.
Location5/5
Value4/5
Food4/5
Beach5/5
Rooms4/5
Service5/5
★★★Claudia -
Verified PurchaserSunscape Coco Punta Cana: Great weather
Best part of entire week was the great weather.
Sunscape Coco was nice. Nothing to write home about. It is also quite large with 17 buildings with 14 of them on one side of the main pool, buffet and lobby. If you have mobility issues please make sure you request a room in a building close to the lobby/buffet as they do not have golf carts to move people around. I was disappointed by the food. Not much sea food for a resort right on the ocean.
But mostly I was disappointed by some of the staff, especially the main pool swim-up bar bartenders, and the guy at the main buffet grilling the chicken and beef (center grill). They made us feel like we were bothering them or taking from them even though we tipped generously. Sadly their attitude left a bad taste for us in regards to Punta Cana. Won't be returning there.
Having said that the hotel was clean, food was editable, most of the staff was nice and friendly, and the beach was nice.
We went to the Riu Bambu for the beginning of May. It is a medium sized resort in good condition. There were several a-la-cartes, but we found the buffet was the better place to go. Our group of 5 was made up of older adults, 34, 19 and a 7 year old. We all found the resort to be good. Kids entertainment was okay but did not seem to be to present through the day. It probably was more of a day care. The resort had small kid water parks and a much larger one at associated to the adjacent sister resort. There was also an "off resort" disco which was quite amazing. No charge to go and well guarded / supervised. It had a could of shallow pools, they did the bubble party thing with modern largely international dance music. Definitely drew the younger people from other resorts around the area. It was free to attend and drinks apparently were also free to Bambu clients.
The ocean and beach were awesome. Shade areas available, largely tall palm trees that set a great ambience. The 3 pools were good. One was adult only with the swim up bar. Music could become overwhelming and loud there. Some showers for rinsing around the pools did not work.
Food was okay, drinks were the typical syrups and lower end resort alcohol. Staff service we felt was pretty good with most the resort people we dealt with.
★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserBahia Principe Explore Legend: Great family getaway!
The Bahia Principe Legend was a great getaway for our family of 5, with kids ranging from 11 to 4.
Buffet had ample options, although could have been better quality/taste. Some of the à la carte restaurants were fantastic (e.g. Mediterranean and Italian), while some seemed like they were just repurposing the buffet food.
The pools, waterpark were the highlights for us. We pretty much lived there :-)
The beach was great… if it wasn’t for the sargassum “seaweed”. Sand was great and water was warm.
Overall service was good, not great compared to some other (higher end) resorts I’ve been to but nothing to really complain about.
The shows were enjoyable for the kids, although a bit repetitive. The Oneiro dinner & show was really fun, although we went through a long 3 course meal before it really kicked into the performance.
Overall, would rate this an 8/10 and certainly a great option for families that don’t want to bust the bank.
★★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserDreams Flora Resort and Spa: Amazing Resort
The grounds and staff were all excellent. Atanario our butler was superb. Danyyer was excellent and took excellent care of Our grandson Ian as he had Celiac dietary needs,Jandra,Jonathon,Mileiades,and Bienvido were all great at the Seaside Grill
Location5/5
Value5/5
Food5/5
Beach5/5
Rooms5/5
Service5/5
★Private -
Verified PurchaserRoyalton CHIC Punta Cana: Not luxury at all
This hotel is simply the worst I’ve experienced. Very short staffed , bad food and management ! The closed restaurants and canceled reservations because they’re under staffed . Checking in took over an hour because they only have one person working the front desk ! They sell you on upgrading to diamond luxury club which is absolutely useless and waste of money
They give you a butler that can’t do anything because the hotel can’t simply provide you with nothing ! We informed them that we’re celebrating my birthday and anniversary and nothing was acknowledged!
It is by far the worst experience and wasted money at this resort
★★Toronto -
Verified PurchaserRoyalton Bavaro Resort and Spa: Disappointing
Check-in was horrible. Waited 3 hours for our room as it was not ready. Our room needed updating, stains on bed sheets, bath tub was rusted and worn out. Ceiling fan covered in dust and mold. Buffet food was okay but the actual building needed upgrading. For example the walls and trim needed to be painted and the trim at least replaced as it was not attached to the wall most staff were friendly but some did not look like they wanted to be there. Overall it was very disappointing and we would not return.
Beautiful resort. Appeared to be well kept. We upgraded to the Level upon arrival. We were put in room 1516 the view was like looking at a dumpster. Loud motorcycles all day long and trucks back and forth. Very noisy when the patio was open. Housekeeping was disappointing. The room was average, nothing special at all. Day two the housekeeper did not put clean or any pillowcases on the pillows (had to lodge a complaint twice), the next day the room was not done by 230pm ( had to complain about that). I left a healthy tip each day and it didn’t make a difference. Honestly, it didn’t feel like an upgrade at all. Aside from that, I would recommend the Level upgrade for all of the perks that come with it. Private pool, etc.
The hotel was good enough, but the workers seem to be unhappy and often rude. When I came back from vacation, I talked to people and almost everyone had the same experience with Dominican Republic doesn’t matter to which hotel or resort they went to. This may be a cultural thing where they don’t know what means customer service.
Location4/5
Value2/5
Food3/5
Beach2/5
Rooms3/5
Service1/5
★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserOcean Blue and Sand: Relaxing
Very clean resort inside out with exceptional service. Would return again . The sun is king as it was amazing all 7 days. Keep the French Canadian fans away as they can be quit iratainting to say the least.
Location5/5
Value5/5
Food4/5
Beach3/5
Rooms5/5
Service5/5
★★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserLopesan Costa Bavaro Resort: Beautiful Resort!
We thought everything was amazing, the room; drinks and dining at the Italian, Steakhouse and Asian restaurants and the buffets (our preference was the Goldfish); the pools and the beach. The lights around the grounds are spectacular! We did not upgrade to Unique and don't feel like we missed out on anything.
Location5/5
Value5/5
Food5/5
Beach5/5
Rooms5/5
Service5/5
★★★★Donnamae -
Verified PurchaserBahia Principe Escape Aquamarine: Most beautiful grounds
The hotel is well laid out grounds are well kept well lit at night. The rooms can do with a little touch up.
Impressive buffet.
And of course the Bavaro beach is wonderful. Would like to have seen better quality drinks served if the hotel is claiming to be a 5 star and not have your guest pay for them.
Location4/5
Value4/5
Food5/5
Beach4/5
Rooms4/5
Service4/5
★★★★★Lovetotravel -
Verified PurchaserTRS Turquesa: Great Choice!
We spent 2 amazing weeks at this resort from April 25 to May 9, we are a couple in our early 60's, everything about this resort was amazing, food, rooms and service were some of the best we have ever experienced at any of our Caribbean destinations. Our butler Jean was excellent and catered to our every need, Angela and Stephanie at Helios were amazing and always looked after us when we arrived, the bartenders and waitresses were very attentive and always had a smile. Never a long wait for a shuttle and the drivers were always friendly and polite, overall a great experience and we will definitely return.
★★★★★Robin -
Verified PurchaserCatalonia Royal Bavaro: Awesome resort
Resort was exactly what we had wanted beautiful resort great food well kept property rooms were clean and spacious the only downside was the sea weed but of no fault of the resort and the staff worked really hard every day to clean it up . Would def recommend this resort and we will be returning !
Location5/5
Value5/5
Food5/5
Beach4/5
Rooms5/5
Service5/5
★★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserViva Miches by Wyndham: Wonderful resort
The property is beautiful, the staff are amazing and all of your expectations will be exceeded. The rooms are so comfortable and spotless.The food is delicious and the a la cart restaurants are outstanding.The coffee shop makes a delicious cappuccino.
You will enjoy the cats living on the property.
Originally booked at the adults only Punta Cana Beach but the other couple in our party booked Caribe Family resort in error. Punta Cana Beach had no room we moved to the Caribe side which is a family resort. We had a wonderful time and would not hesitate to book there again.
Location5/5
Value4/5
Food4/5
Beach5/5
Rooms3/5
Service4/5
★★★Anita L -
Verified PurchaserGrand Sirenis Punta Cana Resort: Average Resort
We made the best our our week at Grand Sirenis. This resort should definitely not be rated high. The food was not the best. There was no consideration for dietary needs. My friend got food poisoning for two days. We found the pools to be very dirty and the majority of the pool is fairly deep. One day the shallow pool had throw up in it. The employees are wonderful, especially Ana at the buffet and Anthony at the front bar. They do have shows in the evening, however everything pretty much shuts down by 11:00. It would be nice to be able to dance or have a bit of night life. The resort is huge so if you have mobility issues, I would avoid this one.
★★★★★Private -
Verified PurchaserCatalonia Royal Bavaro: Fantastic Resort!
The entire resort was clean, the staff were friendly and more than happy to take care of our needs! The food was excellent and the beach beautiful! We met some wonderful people while there on vacation. We are planning on going back very soon.
Location5/5
Value5/5
Food5/5
Beach5/5
Rooms5/5
Service5/5
★★★★★RickM -
Verified PurchaserBahia Principe Escape Aquamarine: Sun Sun Sun
We enjoyed 10 days of zero rain during the day. From booking with Cindy, to the end the trip was flawless starting with the WestJet flight.
We have been to four other GBP resorts and this one was fantastic. Beautiful Resort, grounds, rooms, and service.
Great value.
Location5/5
Value5/5
Food5/5
Beach5/5
Rooms5/5
Service5/5
★★Family of 6 -
Verified PurchaserBahia Principe Explore Esmeralda: May 2026
Nice hotel, clean rooms,close to the beach, however the service is terrible. We had a hard time getting a simple glass of water at the buffet breakfast and lunch. The à la cartes were fabulous. The food at the buffets is “meh”. The drinks were awful overall stay was okay. However, we will not be back. For the price we paid, I would have expected at top notch stay.
Big resort. Very clean (room and public spaces). Friendly staff. The only thing is the sargassum. But the beach was cleaned every morning. And it’s something nobody has control. The pools were cristal clean!
Location5/5
Value5/5
Food5/5
Beach3/5
Rooms5/5
Service5/5
★★Linabaccs -
Verified PurchaserDreams Cap Cana Resort and Spa: Not Worth It
The hotel is clean, the restaurants are very good, and most of the staff are friendly and genuinely try to go out of their way to help guests. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about the concierge, who responded to my questions as though I was inconveniencing her.
We also paid extra for the Preferred upgrade, and I would not choose it again at this resort. There did not appear to be many meaningful differences between Preferred and non-Preferred guests. The Preferred restaurant frequently ran out of food items and condiments, forcing us to eat at the buffet instead, and the same issue occurred at the Preferred bar. The Preferred lounge was underwhelming, and the Preferred pool was accessible to all guests.
Another disappointment was the beach access, which required about a 600-metre walk.
One of the biggest concerns was the hotel’s constant requirement for guests to provide their room number — during activities, at restaurants and buffets, and in other areas throughout the resort. This policy did not reflect an inclusive environment for individuals with disabilities who may struggle to remember room numbers. My brother, who has an intellectual disability, was unable to participate in activities and was even refused food on one occasion because he could not provide his room number.
★★★★★MariaMaria -
Verified PurchaserOcean Blue and Sand: Amazing Resort
I loved the resort! Felt like I was in Europe. The entertainment and staff 10/10.
The rooms cleaned and kept in order daily.
The special order of balloons for my friend’s birthday done beautifully and she was totally surprised. Shout out to Javier for his assistance and patience.
Food and serving buffets awesome too, one thing I was disappointed in was no single serving container yogurts. Severs amazing and happy ? .
Beach front the best, water shallow and really warm, disappointed having to get up at 5.30 to get an umbrella.
Mikes coffee shop the best!
Disappointed in the cocktail drinks, I’ve had better; there was an after taste in almost every one k tried so I stuck to water/beer or coffee.
Loved the spa too!
Loved the family oriented environment.
The entertainers made my evenings!!!
No 24 hour restaurant if you arrive late like I did.
Thank you to all the staff.
★★★★★Josie -
Verified PurchaserBahia Principe Escape Ambar: Very nice resort
Well kept resort. Clean rooms. Swim up room is very fun to have. Food is very good. They do serve Coors Light, amazing ! The only thing we did not like is people ''reserving'' chairs at the beach and at the pool very early in the morning, and they use them around 9 or 10am. Very frustrating !
Location5/5
Value4/5
Food5/5
Beach5/5
Rooms5/5
Service4/5
★★★★★Katch1964 -
Verified PurchaserJOIA Bavaro by Iberostar: Fabulous Resort!
JOIA Bavaro Iberostar is such a warm and welcoming place. You are catered to from beginning to end. The grounds, beach, pools and hotel are amazing!
I would not hesitate to recommend this adult only resort!
Kathleen
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