Beautiful Trip

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  [... read more]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!

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.

Third visit - lovely resort.

Everything was lovely. A few touches i.e., some food at the buffet was cold… but overall food was really good. The resort provided an area downstairs from main lobby where guests could shower after having checked out of room and spending day on beach - before going to airport. The showers only had cold water and there was no soap in dispenser - it was an unexpected touch and maybe more attention could be given to thinking of checking on these things. Otherwise, had a lovely and relaxing [... read more] time. Staff was very polite and contentious. They always tried to be very helpful.

Love this Resort

This is the 3rd time going to Esmeralda and this past experience was by far the best vacation yet. Hyatt has partnered with them so there were many improvements The food is 10/10, the rooms have been upgraded and modern especially the washrooms our room was spacious and comfortable. The only negative is they always ran out of toilet paper at the beach washrooms so bring your own wipes because when you tell them it needs restocking they don't understand or speak English well so you leave frus [... read more]trated.

Awesome holiday!

we had an awesome time - the room was updated, the swim-up pool temperatures were amazing, the sports bar had the best cappuccino and the food and views gave us everything we needed. Thank you we will be back!!! Planning the next trip already...

Greatest resort ever

We have been to many resorts and this one beats them all. It set's a high benchmark to beat when seeking a relaxing holiday. It offers all of what you would expect from an all inclusive: clean and refresh resort; big room; great pools; great food; flexibility with the a la carte restaurants; easy access to the beach which were very clean; friendly and courteous resort employees. I would not hesitate to go back

Winter getaway Dominican Republic

Top notch. Grounds were exquisite. Hotel facilities very clean. Restaurants many choices from around the world to choose from. Tutra ( Mongolian ) was our favourite. The only downer in my opinion was the staff would wash all cups in running tap water no soap and reuse cups to new patrons.( (at swim-up bar ). Which makes me begin to wonder , how do they wash their fruits & vegetables before serving? Unfortunately, I was sick with gastric pain and diarrhea by the 4th day. I am writing this 4 days [... read more] after my trip and still suffer from symptoms which I’m treating with heavy antibiotics. Please be aware that this is my 2nd time at Bahia Principe Esmeralda and 8th visit to the DR. Never have I gone thru this experience. I would go again only this time would strengthen my immune system prior to vacationing. Also my wife was with me and had no health issues effect her.

Beautiful Resort!

This is a very nice resort. Our room was comfortable and very clean. Maid service was excellent. The staff was helpful and friendly. We enjoyed all the different activities and the large pools and of course the beach. Would book this place again

Great DR resort

Luxury Esmeralda had great landscaping and wonderful pools for swimming and swimup bars. Our room had a swimup to our room and it was refreshing after a long walk on Bavaro Beach. Our room was exactly what we expected and the room was always made up very well by the hotel staff. The service was excellent at the hotel. In particular Alexa at the front desk spoke good english and advices us on our stay and how to get around all of the Bahía Príncipe resorts. The activity staff did an awesome job a [... read more]s well. We joined in on Aquafit every day that we were on site. Overall, very good a la carte restaurants. We loved the Mongolian and Naan restaurants as well as the MEAT steak restaurant (Grand Punta Cana) the best. The sports bar was excellent to catch up on sports and their food/snacks were superb. Thank you for your hospitality!

Wonderful

The grounds were beautiful, well maintained. The staff were friendly and helpful, solved our problem for use. We weren’t sure about return pickup and Luis phoned to get the information we needed. The food was delicious. I particularly enjoyed the fresh fruit and the varieties of salad. I liked going to the a la carte restaurants off site. Great choices available.

A great week!

The resort was beautiful, with lots of swimming pools and shade huts on the beach. All the restaurants were exceptionally good. The most outstanding feature of this resort was the incredible service…a concierge in each villa who could deal with any and all requests. Villa 90’s Alfredo was super! Transportation around the resort for restaurants, shopping, sports always available.

Mixed Feelings

One of the main reasons I picked this resort was because it advertised that it has tennis and pickleball courts. Unfortunately, the tennis courts are in terrible shape, almost unplayable, and even dangerous because of the uneven surface, poor repairs, and improper surface paint. The pickleball court isn't much better. On the other hand, the food was very good and as was the service staff. Entertainment was also a bit disappointing: always a solo performer with an overladen set of pre-recorde [... read more]d backing tracks. An actual duo or trio would have been much preferred. A final comment: The departure at Punta Cana airport was a disaster, very poorly organized, as we had to stand in various lines (an hour and a half for an Air Canada bag drop) and another thirty minutes for security and customs.

Solo Vaycay! ☀️

Wanted to start this off by saying this is my third time returning to this resort, first time solo! The grounds, room and the beach were beautiful the new renovations at the renovations at the Esmerelda were beautiful! Always felt safe as a female solo traveler. Food would rate an overall 5/10 - was no variety even at the al la cartes, half the dishes were missing items that were supposed to be included per the menu unfortunately so if that matters to you, this isn’t the resort for you. But ever [... read more]ything was definitely edible! Although we were getting the after effects of Hurricane Melissa, everything was still perfect! Some staff were friendly but most just left me alone since I was solo. Overall would say it was a good experience.

Amazing Resort

1st time staying at Bahia Principe Luxury Esmeralda and definitely will go back. Grounds were amazing, so much to do. Staff was so friendly and helpful. We stayed in the Junior Suite, well kept room. Room was cleaned everyday by TANIA. Mini fridge stocked daily. 2 big pools, 1 relaxation pool with 3 whirlpools...lots of seating, cabanas included. Beach was great. Bars, restaurants so much to eat and drink.

Amazing People

The staff at resort were amazing. Alfredo Michel is the man and made everything too easy. The two guys in the entertainment named King Kong and Hector were some of the funniest people I’ve met in years. Really a great trip.

Amazing Resort

We had a fantastic stay at this resort and were so happy with our choice after visiting some of the other Bahia properties nearby. This one truly stands out. The food was excellent, the fridge was restocked daily, and our room was always cleaned with fresh towels. We never had an issue getting pool towels, which made things easy. There were plenty of chairs at the beach, and although the pool could get busy if you arrived late, we always managed to find a spot and bring it where we needed.  [... read more] The evening shows were wonderful, especially the outdoor fire show—absolutely captivating. The kids’ club was top-notch, easily one of the best we’ve seen: organized, fun, and well-staffed. We also loved being able to take the trolley to other Bahia resorts to enjoy fun extras like mini golf, soccer, and basketball. If I had to point out one small downside, it would be the sports bar, where the service was quite slow and wait times for food were long. Still, this didn’t take away from the overall experience. Now—the true highlight of the trip was Hector, the entertainer. I honestly can’t say enough good things about him. Hector isn’t just good at his job—he IS the energy of the resort. He’s warm, hilarious, and incredibly gifted at making every single guest feel seen, included, and welcome. His presence brings joy and connection in a way that few can. He remembers names, learns about families, and brings genuine heart to every interaction. It truly felt like being around family because of him. Without Hector, the entertainment wouldn’t be what it is. He Made our trip unforgettable. Also, Monica at the front desk and Adriana were wonderful during a health emergency—kind, calm, and incredibly helpful in a moment of stress. Their compassion meant the world to us. All in all, a truly wonderful vacation. We’d absolutely return

Wonderful resort!

The experience from booking to arriving at the resort was all wonderful. Everything was explained and straightforward from the moment we booked the vacation. I have recommended trip central to everyone.

Great resort for families!

Great value for families, spacious rooms, friendly and responsive staff. Food options were great too and the Bahia app made reservations very easy. Beach had lost of chairs and umbrellas. There were a lot of sargassum this year which is not usual for Punta Cana.

Great Resort for Families

My husband and I had a great time at this resort. Here are my thoughts on the various aspects of the place, as someone who has stayed at many all inclusive resorts and with relatively high expectations. Lobby/common areas/hotel grounds: Excellent, recently updated, lovely to stroll around in. Beach: Wonderful - why we keep returning to Punta Cana. The great thing about this resort is they remove the seaweed several times a day. The Esmerelda is also close to the beach (as opposed to Fantasia [... read more], Aquamarine, Turquesa which you'd have to take a cart to get to the beach). Lots of kids at this time of year and with the complex catering heavily to families (water parks throughout the complex). Main pool: Too warm in May. We spent most of our time at the beach. Rooms with swim up pool: we were fortunate to be upgraded to a room with a swim up pool, which was fantastic. We'd come back to our room around 3-4pm once we got too hot on the beach to cool down in the swim up which had cooler water than the main pools. Rooms: Adequate, relatively clean but could use a deep clean. You don't spend much time in your room so not a deal breaker. A la carte restaurants: Well worth the hassle to book ahead of time on the BP app. Food generally excellent. Our favs: Yurta, Maiko, and Limbo (at the Ambar). Good: Rodizio and Taino. Not good: El Olivo (at Aquamarine). Great to be able to try the a la carte restaurants at the other BP resorts in the complex! Buffets: Breakfast buffet was good - made to order omelets, crispy bacon, lots of fruit. Lunch and dinner buffets were not very good. We got by with the taco station at lunch and booking as many a la carte restos for dinner as we could! Service: Generally slow. Bartenders don't acknowledge you until you tip. Service in buffets very slow. Many of the staff don't speak much English, which is fine but unusual. A la carte service is better. Carts: For getting around the complex - slow. Give yourself an extra 20 mins to get to a dinner reservation at another BP resort, for example. Bugs: There were a few mosquitos and sand fleas; you'll get bitten more in a Canadian forest than you will down in Punta Cana. Bring some bug spray and after bite if you're worried; you'll be fine. Weather: generally sunny and HOT. Bring waterproof sunscreen. Rain showers sometimes later in the day/evening but not a big deal. An umbrella is provided in the room. Noise level: We heard from several people that the rooms more centrally located in the resort were pretty noisy and the hallways were echo-y. We were after quiet so I requested a room in building 97 at check in, furthest building from the theatre, etc. Bring earplugs/sound machine if you're sensitive (I am) - with these I couldn't hear anything :) Overall we enjoyed our stay and would return to the complex, probably to the Luxury Ambar (adults only).

7th time at Esmeralda :)

We were pleased that the service levels and general "organization" at the resort has settled back to what we had grown to expect and enjoy, vs our trip last year when service was overall not as good. The hotel is beautiful, clean and staff were friendly and attentive. The room and bed were very comfortable; housekeeping was satisfactory. We are not late night folks and having been here before, we opted to skip the evening entertainment and instead hung out at the Snack Bar for a drink or two  [... read more]after dinner to watch some hockey - great service!. This year we did 3 a la cartes - Yurta, Naan and Rodizio. Yurta and Naan were so great, Rodizio was ok. We find the buffet is full of options and we loved their fresh fish, scallops, calamari (so tender!) and grilled meats. The snack area beside the kids waterpark was not open so we missed afternoon nachos and ice creams/popsicles but that wasn't the end of the world. We didn't go off the Emseralda area this year and enjoyed what they had to offer. We stayed primarily at the quiet pool - Brenda around the pool was fantastic. For some reason the jets in the two "bubble pools" that attach to the quiet pool was not working and no one could explain why or get them working again which was too bad. They are a nice feature that we missed. We did a couples massage again this year and it was good. The worst part was the time from checkout to flight. It was two hours from the time we checked out to be ready for our transfer, to getting to the airport. It's only a 35 min drive, but there were delays in the transfer arrival and having to pickup at two other areas of the Bahia property. Overall, we recommend the resort for couples or families.