Serenade Punta Cana Beach and Spa Resort: Family-friendly with great staff, but in need of maintenance

We just returned from a one-week stay at Serenade in the Dominican Republic, traveling with young kids. Overall, I’d rate it about a 6.5/10 — we had a good time, but there are definitely some areas that need improvement. Pros: The staff were absolutely lovely — friendly, warm, and great with kids. The resort is very family-friendly, which made traveling with a toddler and a baby much easier. The water play area was a big highlight: there’s a fun splash zone for little ones and larger water s [... read more]lides for older kids, which kept everyone entertained. We also really appreciated how actively the beach was maintained — staff were constantly working to manage the seaweed, which made a noticeable difference. Cons: The biggest issue is that the resort feels quite run down and in need of maintenance. Our room had no hot or even warm water for the duration of our stay, and the mini fridge didn’t work. We reported both issues, but unfortunately they were never resolved. Communication was also a challenge, as the staff answering the phone didn’t speak enough English to fully understand the maintenance requests. Around the resort, there were several maintenance concerns: • Public washroom stall locks were rusty and didn’t align, making them difficult or impossible to lock • Broken tiles around the pool bar with sharp edges and exposed adhesive (a safety concern) • The kids’ play area, while very fun, was noticeably dirty and could really benefit from a deep clean and proper sanitization The food was okay — the buffets always had enough variety that we never went hungry, but overall the flavors were fairly bland. We didn’t get a chance to try the à la carte restaurants or attend the evening entertainment, as our toddler’s schedule didn’t quite allow for it. Final thoughts: This resort has a lot of potential, especially for families, thanks to the great staff and kid-friendly amenities. However, the lack of maintenance and upkeep really holds it back. With some improvements in those areas, it could be a much better experience.

VIK Hotel Arena Blanca: Nice resort... Could just use a facelift

We are frequent travelers. We have stayed at many resorts and private residences both in DR and other parts of the world. We booked this trip for a quick, cheap get-away and, after reading the reviews, we were a little hesitant. We were pleasantly surprised. The resort is quite nice. The grounds are beautiful. The beach was nice (a little small but exactly what we expected). The rooms were decent but could use some updating (furniture and a fresh coat of paint) and the food at the buffet was p [... read more]retty good most nights. The breakfast buffet had everything you need to start your day with trays being replenished frequently. We were on the main floor in Building #4 so we were close to everything (pools, snack bar - great pizza- and the beach). Our air conditioning was working great but we were a bit cold through the night so we asked for another blanket which ended up taking 3 days to obtain after asking front desk at least 6 times. SHORTFALLS.... the staff... not very pleasant -especially the front desk. I'm sure they are overworked and underpaid but they were miserable from the time we arrived until the time we left. NOT ENOUGH POOL CHAIRS... UGGGH! well aware that this is a problem in almost every resort but have not seen anything like this before.... fights breaking out at the pool most every day... get there early to reserve... like at 6:00am...We brought our own coffee maker so we were good for the morning. Would suggest this for any early morning coffee drinkers(there is a fridge in the room for cream or milk). NO NIGHTLY ENTERTAINMENT... they could have used a night or two of entertainment but resort is very quiet and I'm guessing most guests didn't really miss this. All in all we were pleased with the resort and agree that this is a 3+* and good value for the price we paid.

El Beso Adults Only at Ocean El Faro: Where are all the loungers?

Lots of good things but also a few problems...including a severe shortage of loungers at the beach and the pool. Lots of space to add more so not sure why the space is not being utilized. The lack of loungers really brought out the worst in people. Changed the vibe of vacation. For this reason I would probably not recommend El Beso. Other issues; next to impossible to book a reservation at al a carte restaurant unless you have Privilege package. Tried on the app everyday at 8am and only 53 [... read more]0 or 930 available. Plus no where at El Beso to get a good coffee first thing in the morning! Lobby bar doesn't serve until 830. Mikes too far and the lineup is INSANE. Otherwise layout is great. Easy to walk most places. Resort clean. Staff friendly. Beach bar is lovely. Beach rocky but lagoon is steps away and excellent for swimming. Warm and water is calm. Ground floor rooms are quite nice with walkout to pool.

Sunscape Coco Punta Cana: Old resort updated good job

The 1 major complaint we had. Was the main Lobby ( which was nice layout) The furniture in the Lobby was in very Poor condition, and not plentiful , Too bad because this is the first thing people see when first arriving, or have to gather to on raining eveing,s which we had too. The addition of better furniture and more plentiful would be a big asset for that Hotel. We were at this Hotel aprox 8yrs ago known as Belive, the upgrades made for nice inprovements.

Sunscape Coco Punta Cana: Beautiful Resort

This hotel could use some newer lobby furniture. But otherwise the hotel was modern and fresh looking. Grounds were well kept. Staff were very friendly. We were assigned building 16 for the swim out room. Staff informed us that it was a long walk for my partner that had mobility issues. The next morning we asked to be moved to a closer room to amenities. They were accommodating and upgraded us to the Club section for $60 per night US. On seeing the room, we were impressed and enjoyed the rest [... read more] of our stay. We must say the food was good but the choices never changed much from lunch to dinner. Breakfast was great. Room service was slow but food was still warm when brought to the room. I would stay in the Club section again because of the convenience to all amenities.

Barcelo Bavaro Palace: good resort.

Its located in a nice area. Its a very busy hotel, good value for price. beautiful beach, nice room facing Golf yard. generally speaking I would recommend it if you have kids and if you want to have a beautiful beach experience. Restaurants were really average...

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana: Great Resort

Resort is beautiful very well kept beautiful beach that’s swept for sea weed daily very little to none. Service was excellent provided by friendly smiling staff. Highly recommend, only issue we had was the venders on the beach

Riu Republica: Loved this Resort!

I loved staying at the Riu Republica. Yes, it's very large. Yes, it's adults only so you can expect a party vibe. I enjoyed staying at the back of the resort, even though it was far from the beach, because it was quieter and more relaxing. The food was delicious, especially breakfast at Mangu. I enjoyed the Italian and Japanese buffets, and the Prime Rib at the pink restaurant (that begins with a K) was worth going back for. The Steakhouse, in my opinion, was a disappointment because m [... read more]y ribeye was overcooked. The service everywhere was fantastic. Shout out to Yuma, Reyes (del Sol), Made, Rudy, Roa, Angela, and Sandy for their excellent service and friendly conversation. I enjoyed practicing my Spanish. My room was clean, well attended to, and comfortable. The front desk took care of any needs that I had, although I had to walk to the lobby because the room phone did not work. It should be noted that North American style plugs DO work in the room so no need to bring an adapter. The resort store is well-stocked, but expect to pay inflated prices for gifts and goods. I would recommend taking extra sunscreen because it is very expensive at the store! I would definitely go back!

Live Aqua Beach Resort Punta Cana: Amazing Stay!

Our mother-daughter trip was absolutely wonderful. The resort itself was clean and included all the amenities needed. The food was great - the buffet was exceptionally good and the restaurants were fairly good. The vibes were more lowkey (it wasn't a huge party resort) which was nice. However, there were opportunities to drink/party more if that's your style. The staff was incredibly kind and because the resort is small and wasn't overly busy, we barely ever had ot wait for a drink or to get [... read more] into a restaurant. Lastly, the beach was very nice and not overcrowded which was very important to us. I really don't have anything bad to say about our experience!

Punta Cana Princess: Perfect

We were pleasantly surprised with this resort. The things we loved: small resort, amazing staff, good food, very well groomed grounds and amazing beach. Only 2 things we didn’t love: we had room 5012, we loved this room, however it has 2 single beds. The first bed is completely wore out and needs to be replaced. Very uncomfortable and needs a new pillow as well and when guests play their booth tooth at the beach. We loved the beach and go there to relax and listen to the waves, not someone’s pl [... read more]aylist blasting. All said, I would definitely recommend this resort and, hopefully, will be back. Thank you so much!

Breathless Punta Cana Resort: 100% recommend

Everything you wanted and more. The room was huge and amazing. Food was 5 stars and the drinks keep coming. You are steps away from the blue water beach with relaxing spots to be in the sun or not. Would go again

El Beso Adults Only at Ocean El Faro: Trip from Hell El Beso Adults only at Ocean El Faro

Room needs lot of work, doors need repaired, fresh painting. Grounds are not kept up. The pools need repaired tiles coming off. Restaurant need better cooks . Maids need to clean a little better. Upper management a little more friendly to guests. When something happens at resort they should do something about it. Air conditioner went and water leaked all over our clothes and they did wash them but we waited 1 1/2 to get them to come and get them. Two shirts ran on a white shirt and they did noth [... read more]ing about it.

VIK Hotel Arena Blanca: Good food , pretty beach , the rest just okay

Good family vacation 2026. This was a good hotel but not great. Definetly have many things that are just okay. I would NOT likely return to this hotel. Pros - food is great. We don't have complaints about food. We had Mexican which was fantastic , buffet always great as well. International we had was okay but not great. We didn't try Italian. Beach is beautiful. Rooms are clean and housekeeping does a very good job. Dislikes - BEACH/POOL CHAIRS. We had to set our alarm at 5 am(on vacatio [... read more]n)to reserve chairs. By 6 most shade was not available. One day we tried to do late night as we arrived back late and next day out towels taken off the chairs and my clips were never returned to us. No trying to relax on beach as Dominicans are constantly selling stuff to you. Coffee is not great. Coffee machines are not always working in lobby and we had early flight home and no coffee at all at that time. Coffee in buffet is OKAY but only have hot milk to mix which was not ideal and made me not want any. No Safe. We had 3 rooms for our family of 6 and no one had a working safe. Luckily we had no issues with housekeepers taking anything. Still felt a bit unsettling. Lots of mixed reviews on Hott water in room although we didn't have issues some others we knew did. Seems air conditioning was hit or miss , we found too cold and blanket was to thin. Others changed rooms as no air at all. Staff - I only recall a select few that were nice and would smile. Most had no smile and seems to very much be unhappy to be working at hotel. Not much good customer service in my opinion. Most bartenders were miserable and never cracked a smile. 1 at buffet was good 1 at Mexian restaurant. Entertainment crew was pretty good , 1 guy made a lot of effort to talk to me and my family. Entertainment - not enough going on especially at night. Disco that they did have was apparently closed for a year and we met people that went for that specifically. When there was dancing at night there was not much variety of music at all and short amount of time. Many of same songs too. Dance/stage shows were very short. Daytime they did try to get people involved in a few things.

Royalton CHIC Punta Cana: Amazing travel agent and resort

The resort was well laid out, everything was clean, and the restaurants and the food were great! They had a wonderful little coffee shop and their barista was exceptional and very friendly. The pools were very clean and all the bar staff were courteous and fast. We had a larger group and they accommodated us with our dinner reservations.

Ocean El Faro: Great resort

This hotel was great. Grounds are beautiful and clean. Stall was friendly. Great service around the pool. Unfortunately we couldn’t book a reservation for à la cartes the whole week we were there. Need to come up with a different plan for reservations. Our Air Canada rep was not very helpful and actually rude.

Catalonia Royal Bavaro: Never Going Back

Our stay at Catalonia was… an experience. Let’s call it “character building.” Check-in took a solid 50+ minutes, highlighted by one staff member that looked lost, that was on a never-ending radio call. Meanwhile, we just stood there… (there were 3 people in a line up) The service was a mixed bag: most waiters stared like we personally ruined their day, but shoutout to the two absolute legends who actually smiled and helped us --- true MVPs. The room had a strong “vintage humidity” vibe. [... read more] No ventilation, musty bedding, and even our clothes joined the scent club by day two. The toilet was backed up as we arrived (1am) - the plumber showed up the next day to fix it. The soaker tub stopper was leaking water so you couldn't fill up the tub with water. All could have been checked and fixed before our arrival. Day one, we got an 8AM wake-up call (after arriving past midnight) from guest services, who then proceeded to WhatsApp-bomb us and eventually escort us *surprise!* to a sales pitch disguised as lunch. Nothing says “vacation” like being held hostage over a travelers club presentation. The scenery? 50/50. Half beautiful, half “let’s go back to the room… oh wait.” Would we come back? - Never.

Dreams Flora Resort and Spa: Another great family trip to Dreams Flora

We could not wait to return to Dreams Flora after our first trip there two years prior. Some faces have changed but our experience was just as enjoyable. This was a resort where we dined in the buffet in the morning, the beach bar at lunch and the à la carte’s each evening. The staff, from chef to cleaning staff, were excellent and are the real lifeblood of this resort. We’ll be back

Ocean Blue and Sand: Amazing

Our trip to Ocean Blue and Sand was fantastic. Beautiful room in Building 10, gigantic pools, lots of restaurants to choose from, gorgeous beach, incredible staff and lots of options for activities around the resort in addition to entertainment. We splurged and went privilege which I highly recommend doing. The service and extras are fantastic and make your trip all the better. A great family resort with very caring staff.

Serenade Punta Cana Beach and Spa Resort: A bit tired and dissappointing

First of all, our family was at this resort 2 years ago & had an amazing time. This time we were disappointed in the appearance of the resort. In just 2 years we were shocked at the condition of the resort. Our room had a sewer smell, the sink tap was rusted, the shower backed up each time we used it. Our children's room didn't have hot water, only lukewarm & no coffee service. The food was abundant but had no seasoning or taste. The bathroom around the resort didn't have a door that would c [... read more]lose properly & the lack of pool loungers meant a 6 am alarm to secure shade during the day. The app to book dinner reservations was hit & miss to work & difficult to book. The staff were great, very friendly and a bright spot in this disappointing experience

Ocean Blue and Sand: Excellent Resort

This was an excellent resort and I would book here again. The grounds were really clean and well kept, the rooms were very nice with a large patio and also very clean. The guest staff were exceptional good especially Guillermo at guest services desk. When we first arrived our room only had a king bed a pull out couch and we requested two queen beds so Guillermo was great and switched our room the very next day to the ground floor pool view with two queen beds. Our luggage was moved with no probl [... read more]em by the staff and brought into our new room. The restaurants were superior and the food was excellent. There is only a few things that we would like to see changed is more entertainment with a updated agenda of entertainment events within the week you stay there that is provided to you once you check in and no towel cards were provided upon check in either as we had to ask. Check in time was too late in the day and there were no ashtrays in the room provided as you had to request that. The gift shops were very good but the staff kept changing the prices from what was marked on the shelf to when you got to the till the price increased especially one lady with long black hair it was like she was trying to make a profit off of everything you bought as she increased the price to what was marked. Need new staff in gift shops that don't rip you off and give you the price that is listed on the shelf. Awesome resort!!!