Impressed for First Stay

My friend and I booked this resort for our second trip to the Dominican Republic, hoping to explore a new area after a great previous experience. We knew the pool was under renovation, but as neither of us are "pool people," it wasn't an issue. The resort's smaller layout was charming, and we loved the 10-minute walk to the beach, spotting turtles, birds, and fish along the way. The beach itself was lovely, with plenty of lounge chairs, and we especially enjoyed the wood-fired pizzas and diverse [... read more] drink options at the snack bar. The animation team kept us entertained with a variety of daytime activities on the beach, from darts and Zumba to mixology classes. The food truly exceeded our expectations; we tried all the à la carte restaurants, with "The Blend" being our favorite. The buffet had a wide selection, including a fresh pasta station and an egg station. We found a creative workaround for the lack of a toaster by using the panini press for delicious grilled cheese sandwiches. Our room met our expectations, and we appreciated the eco-friendly touch of a large refillable glass water bottle instead of plastic. This commitment to sustainability was evident throughout the resort, with reusable cups, paper cups, no straws, wooden stir sticks, and large pump bottles for toiletries. The nightly entertainment was a pleasant surprise, featuring engaging dance shows, karaoke, and even a talented magician. Overall, I was very impressed and plan to return to this resort in the future!

Had a great time!

Wonderful staff very friendly and accomodating. The food was good lots of variety, amazing beach was the best part of our stay. They should invest more in infrastructure, the rooms need some renovation.

Very good overall.

Good hotel, nice beach. The food was very good and the staff are friendly and engaging. Beach lacked a bit of shade. Rooms were not bad, lacked a bit of furniture. Would definately strongly consider returning.

Needs work to be a 4 star

Beautiful grounds, food ok, drinks very disappointing, staff was average some just seemed miserable, requested king bed was given 2 queens on ground floor, room not very clean when we checked in, absolutely no where to store your clothes or hooks in bathroom

Good resort

Hotel was nice, rooms were clean. Bathrooms need some upgrade, grounds were kept clean, balcony would have been nice but for 80 per night not worth it, staff friendly, food good, entertainment good. Hesitant on giving bacon as they hide it i thought was a bit much. Speedy & Waldo the entertainment know how to get people moving.

Amazing Resort!

Second time I've been to this resort "solo". It has everything I was looking for. Smaller resort, very clean, great selection of food, close to the beach. Close to airport. It has security on the resort and at the beach. They are so accommodating and provide excellent service!

Average, would not go again.

Service was not so great. No one is willing to address service issues if they are not selling you something or trying to get your money they are not interested in you. Had an issue with the room request. Asked for 1 king bed for 50th birthday celebration got room with two double beds. Front desk was very dismissive when we tried to get the issue resolved and it never was. We were told no request was sent to them and there are no rooms with 1 king bed. The day of my birthday it rained hard al [... read more]l day. The tile used on the walkway from the hotel to the beach is very slippery when wet, no signage at all. I was walking barefooted but still slipped and fell hard, banged up my right knee pretty badly and twisted my right ankle and toe. I limped my way down to the beach restaurant and bar as we were closer there than to the lobby. When we got there I was bleeding, the staff just looked at me but offered no help. Another guest saw what was going on and offered help, he called his wife over, she spoke Spanish and she got the staff moving to call someone to help me clean and dress the wound. Food was average, very salty overall. When we mentioned it they said oh yes we like the salt in DR. Overall it was somewhere to escape the cold so that was ok but we will not be going there again ever.

Expected more

We checked in the hotel on Tuesday January 27and the room we were given was very nice.There were so many little things that made this resort feel cheap,like only two complimintry pop for the week,we had to get our own drinking water.the premium drinks went to guest who paid extra.There was very limited entertainment and only 2 bars,with one shutting down early. The staff was friendly but we didn't like the constant harassment to buy goods and services from the locals on the beach and the lack of [... read more] seating both on the beach and by the pool. This was our 10th carribeen vacation and one of the least enjoyable.

Viva Heavens Puerto Plata

I thought the staff were very friendly and accommodating. Resort was a perfect size. Food was good, however three in our group were sick, including myself. I had ate at buffet not sure what caused the food poisoning. I was terribly sick! Pool was somewhat concerning when we arrived. Lots of algae in the pool and very green.

Good holiday destination

The hotel was very good. Good food, service and location. The hotel staff were very friendly and helpful. Good variety of restaurants. The area near hotel was safe and great for walking. one area for improvement would be the gym equipment.

Okay resort

Resort felt very small and overcrowded. Rooms were outdated and uncomfortable, and the music/entertainment was boring and repetitive. Overall disappointing—would recommend choosing a better resort. Go somewhere else

Resort was OK

Beach was very good, Grounds were nice also, Rooms could be better, Food was ok, not enough bars. yayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayyayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayyayayayayayayayayayyayayayayyayayayayayya

Overall a great hotel

My wife and I were satisfied with our stay. Good hotel. Especially excellent food beach restaurants. We took the cheapest economical option of the room. Accordingly, the renovations were not the best But everything necessary for accommodation was. Thank tripcentral!!!!

Resort good, but small.

Small resort which could use a swim up bar and/or a sports bar. The all together room was a little bland. But Henry was kind enough to switch us to an amnesia junior room which was a great improvement. We had asked for a room on a higher floor but the all together room was on the lower floor and it really was not a pleasant room. Henry from front desk moved our room to 3rd floor and it was a huge improvement.

Okay vacation but more of a 3 star experience!

I travelled to this resort with my family celebrating a birthday. it was a short 4 day experience yet I was happy to go home. The hotel is very dated, and the pictures online make it look nicer, and larger. The rooms smelled musky and moldy and were nothing special. During my stay I was woken up on two occasions to loud guests screaming and fighting, with one of the incidences having the police called to the resort. The cocktails and drinks were made well and tasted great. The buffet had lit [... read more]tle to no variety with many of the dishes recycled daily, especially at the beach bar buffet. The a la carte restaurants were okay but nothing was fantastic, a lot of the food tasted bland. They did a nice thanksgiving dinner spread which was the best meal we had. The beach is nice with many options for seating. The staff is friendly and accommodating, however this doesn't change the overall feeling that the resort is much for of a 2.5-3 star rather than a 4 star. Overall I wouldn't recommend this resort, the negatives out weight the positives and even if you're on a budget pay I'd bit more for a better experience.

Great small resort with excellent service

This was our third trip to Viva Heavens. Love this small resort. Everything is immaculate. The rooms are huge and the air conditioning is great. Wifi works throughout the resort. The food was great. Lots of choices and variety. Loved the fresh rolls and bread. Although we didn't participate, the animation team were friendly and seemed to get people involved. My only complaint is that there is no coffee available in the restaurants. We'd like to have a coffee after our meal, but you have to leave [... read more] the restaurant and go to the bar to get a coffee. The bartenders were not as friendly as before and although I got a "brown cow" the first night, ANY liquors (amaretto or coffee liquor) were not available after that first night. A very relaxing quiet week. The beach is clean and beautiful and so nice to walk along the "strip". During the off season the resort does fill with locals on the weekend, but they were friendly and polite.

Do not recommend

Was here to celebrate my birthday, I am a frequent flyer to Dominican, first time at this hotel. Was not greeted warmly at all upon arrival and everytime walked by front desk never a hello. Never given a map, a tour or anythng just room key and had to find it ourselves. Room smelled of mold, no balcony very small and stuffy so could not dry any wet towels or bathing suits etc. Very long walk to beach so be prepared. Long waits for a drink as only one person working at a time so be prepared  [... read more]for a line up of the same drinks day in and out. Bar staff very friendly though. Coffee shop amazing, the best thing about this resort really. One buffet, same food everyday, was good though. One mexican restaurant that was really good but you have to book it despite saying you dont. One other dominican restaurant that they neglect to tell you are only open on Saturday and you have to book. Rec staff very sweet and friendly, they have salsa classes and games going. Went there on Dominican holiday and the locals would just walk right infront of you and be served regardless if you are in line they would cut right in front and were very loud playing their own music disregarding those around them. I am a frequent flyer to dominican usually staying in a condo but I wanted my daughter to experience an all inclusive. I actually left the hotel three days in and rented a condo even though I was booked for a week, no reimbursement whatsoever. Staff didn't seem to care. The good reviews are definately fake. Forgot to mention towel rental. Went up at least six times in a couple hours to get blue towels, was told they are in the wash, not an issue I get it. But after the sixth time the towel girl (who is sitting on red towels that are larger and better quality) says "these are usually for the dominicans but since you have been waiting you can have these". Overall, I would rate this a two star. Thank goodness for the beach as the pool was small and not very clean.

Amazing Resort

First trip solo and this resort is exactly what I was looking for. I felt very comfortable and safe all the time. It's a smaller resort. Close to market and shopping mall. The beach was a short walk and beautiful! Lots of chairs shade or sun! Resturant and bar right there too. Security guard on beach and resort at all times. Vendors were at the resorts and very respectful. My only disappointment were the women that were offering pedicures. Very aggressive and asking for ridiculous cost and t [... read more]oo persistent. Beware!! Food always a great selection and very good. Room was clean. Entertainment staff were so much fun. Definitely my go to place again!!

Good Value Resort

We visited the Puerto Plata area for the first time and had a great experience overall. The resort offered good value for the money we spent. It’s small but cozy, and thanks to the low occupancy in mid-October, we were able to relax and really enjoy our stay. A big plus goes to the entertainment team — they did a fantastic job! The beach was beautiful and clean. The only downside was that the beach bar didn’t open until 10 a.m., even for coffee. However, the bartenders and resort staff were a [... read more]ll very friendly and welcoming. The pool area was small and not very deep. On weekends, when more local guests arrived, it quickly became crowded and a bit dirty. The buffet food was generally good, though the selection was limited and quite repetitive from day to day, with only minor variations. The à la carte restaurants were open just three nights out of our seven-night stay, likely due to the low season. Overall, it’s a good four-star resort — clean, cozy, and well-maintained.

Great value for money

This resort provides great value for the money. Sure it is not really a 4.5 star resort but you are not going to get that at this price point. The suite was new and spacious , the staff was without exception helpful and friendly . The pool was nice and warm and the beach was long and beautiful . Great for walks. The food was tasty , keeping in mind that you are not going to get premium steak at this price point. Others have mentioned not great variety in the buffet which is true but there was e [... read more]nough to keep us satisfied for the week. The drinks were good but no premium alcohol. One complaint would be that they advertise unlimited a la carte dining but there a were no a la carte restaurants open for three of the seven days and often only one or two on other days. We did attend all four and they were good with the Mexican being the best and the Italian being our least favourite . All in all we were quite satisfied based on the approximately $1000 per person that we paid for an all inclusive week in a suite in early October. Great for the trip with kids and grandkids. We have been to nicer places but paid way more for those.