El Beso Adults Only at Ocean El Faro: Beautiful & Clean

We arrived at El Beso adults only on Monday, January 20. Check-in was quick and the Bell boys brought us and our luggage to the room in a golf cart. We arrived in the evening, This hotel is massive and although we were staying on the adults only side, we would walk every morning and evening to the Ocean El Fero side for coffee, buffet and restaurants, entertainment, and to book adventures. There was a golf cart train that circled the entire resort every 15 minutes for people who need assis [... read more]tance or didn’t want to walk. We walked approximately 11,000 to 13,000 steps per day which we enjoyed. The cart was nice when we were too hot, too tired, or if it rained.. We stayed in block 17 next to the beach and there was also a beach bar and beach restaurant on the adults only side. We managed to get beach chairs each day at the beach and spent most of our time swimming in the lagoon. We brought our own snorkeling, equipment, and saw sea turtles, small fish, and sea urchins at the lagoon. The lagoon was huge and the water was turquoise with a Sandy bottom and just enough waves coming in. The main beach was rocky, and the waves were very strong. The lagoon was only a five minute walk and well worth it.. Our room was extremely clean and staff came to clean every day. We couldn’t get the air conditioning working properly and we found it quite cold in our room. We just went to guest services and got an extra blanket. Staff brought pop, beer, and water every day to our room. The buffet was our favourite place to eat, but we did try the steakhouse and the Italian restaurant. They had a coffee shop which was fabulous and offered everything that Starbucks does. Our last night we tried the route 66 restaurant, but it was extremely greasy and we left most of our food on our plate.. We didn’t spend much time at the pool because we noticed everyone drinking at the swim up bar never left to go to the bathroom. That kind of grossed us out, but we loved the beach and swimming in the lagoon. We had the option of Privilege, but decided it was not worth the cost of $60USD/day. We tipped well but didn’t buy anything from the gift shop as it was very expensive. We decided to purchase one adventure from our Air Transat rep to go zip lining for half a day in the mountains. $90USD Was well worth it. When we checked out of our room at noon Saturday, we didn’t leave the resort until 5 pm. We were able to spend four more hours at the beach and then we’re able to book one of two shower rooms with a bathroom and change room. Shampoo, body wash, and towels were all provided. We would definitely recommend this resort and would go back again.

Viva Tangerine by Wyndham: Decent resort but definitely not a 4 star

This a decent resort, food is okay, à la carts are much better than the buffet. The beach is beautiful, we had a few days with red flags, and a few with yellow flags. Be prepared when you go to the beach, it is a public beach. We always found seating around the pool or at the beach. We didn’t like the upselling at the resort from the staff, we came to have family time, but continued to try and sell you their membership, photos, diving activities ect. This would happen on a daily bases. When  [... read more]we booked this resort, we booked Queen beds but only doubles. The pool could be cleaner. Often there would be random things floating (lettuce, tooth pick, ect) The lifeguard really liked to blow his whistle when children were jumping into the pool. Stopping them from having fun. This was not on the set of rules, it was like he made his own set of rules up. The pool would also would be nicer with easier access to get into the pool if you don’t want people jumping in. As well, they didn’t play music during the day. Unless there was entertainment going on, it was just other peoples little speakers. When you have music, it completely changes the vibes. We had it one day during the foam party, and it brought out a lot of fun for people! This hotel also only has one bar, so be prepared that you could be waiting a minute to 25 minutes for a drink. The staff tend to talk more to each other than work. There isn’t a lounge bar, there isn’t enough seating if it’s raining, and no where to go. There was never enough towels, the towel guy would only give out to women half the time, not enough supplies in general ( we had to tell someone to leave our daughters silverware as they wanted to clear it despite everyone still eating and plate still full). Public bathrooms are very few and far between. Makes you wonder how many people pee in the pool. There were days that we didn’t have a maid clean our room but she would take the towels. Hydro went out daily, if you were not up early enough or late enough you didn’t have any hot water.

Occidental Punta Cana: Stay away

The grounds are well groomed and the beach is gorgeous but if you want good service, good food and people that speak English this is not the place. Mostly French clients. They advertise 3 pools. The main pool is only about 4’ at the deepest. The other two pools are about ankle deep. Any entertainment was in Spanish or French.I would advise another resort!

Lopesan Costa Bavaro Resort Spa and Casino: A pretty perfect vacation

Lopesan Bavaro is a stunning, clean, modern resort, with incredibly polite, friendly, and helpful staff (no, they don't all speak English, but we always figured it out), a gorgeous beach, more pools than you can ever swim in, and very decent food. I had read reviews about warm rooms and fridges (our air conditioning was perfect throughout our 14-day stay – almost too cold!), humidity (none), smell (none to faint in less air-conditioned areas), and food poisoning (never). There were always chai [... read more]ses available by the smaller pools even at 9:30-10:00 a.m. during our January stay, and the noise level is by no means party-all-the-time, which suited us fine. This resort has a lot of activities, but it's not jam-packed with them; it's more of a relaxed vibe. Evening entertainment is just below cruise level but the effort and passion are there, and the costumes and lighting are great. We enjoyed morning walks on the beautiful beach after a fantastic buffet breakfast, where the selection is vast. Restaurants were I'd say a 7/10 (pretty good for a resort feeding thousands of people), with some dishes being amazing (e.g., the octopus at El Asador; the pizzas and spaghetti bolognese at Gondola). The meat is thin and can be tough (not always), but they know a thing or ten about stews and slow cooking (the caramelized plantains at breakfast are already sorely missed). We were always greeted with an "Olla" and a smile by the staff wherever we went, for all 14 days. Managed to catch our NFL football games in the Valley Restaurant and made a few friends. Just an absolutely lovely time and I can't say enough about how great this resort is. It's large enough to be continually interesting, but not so vast that you can't get around without a tram. I wouldn't hesitate to return.

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Very Nice place

We had a great time at this resort. Rooms were clean and nice, but ac could have been a bit better in our room. Food at this resort, we found to be good. You could always find something good to eat. We went to the Italian and Japanese, restaurants, but they are not that great. We found the buffet to be much better. The people working at this resort were very pleasant, and helpful with everything. Pool was large and nice and never felt crowded. The beach is huge and you can find lots of shade, an [... read more]d thats a huge bonus. You can walk a long way either way on the beach. The water is not clear at all, but was warmer than the pool. Not a place for snorlelling AT all. The shows at night, were a disappointment, we found them HOOKEY at best unfortunatly. All and All we really enjoyed our 10 days there and would ABSOLUTELY return.

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Expectations Exceeded!!!

This resort was fantastic. An exceptional bang for your buck. This is listed as a 4 star it had everything you could possibly need and more. The food was outstanding (both buffet & A la carte), the service was great, A+ for cleanliness, welcoming & friendly staff and lots of chaise lounges both at the beach and at the pool. Small resort with lots of bars and places to eat. Buffet was always great; had lots of variety and changed menu daily. The three A la carte restaurants were all very good [... read more]. For lunch there was an option to eat at the buffet (12:30-3pm) or The Ocean Grill (12:00-5pm). While we were there, they opened a pizza terrace from 4-6pm. The pizza was offered daily at the buffet as well. There are three main buildings for accommodations. We were given a room in the quiet building (Beata) which was only about 120 meters from the main lobby just past the tennis courts. The other two buildings are around the main pool. Some reviews called it the overflow building (which it's not). We enjoyed our stay in this area of the resort. There was a coffee station, a pool and a bar on site. The signup desk for the a la carte restaurants was also located there as well as the Italian restaurant. We spent most of our day the beach or large pool and then relaxed in a more quiet setting on our balcony. The resort is located in a gated community with other resorts, a small mall with a sports bar (watched a few Leaf games) and golf club. The only part of this stay I would not give a 5 star review is the beach (4/5). Don't get me wrong, we loved our time at the beach and the beach front of our resort we kept immaculate. There were lots of chaise lounges. We always got one no matter what time we got to the beach. The water can be rough and therefore, not very clear. We had many days with a red flag in the morning, but by the afternoon it was lifted. There are some small patches of reefs which have lots of varieties of fish swimming around the area, bring googles to have a better look. We could walk in both directions for quite a distance. A few resorts are empty or are being renovated and the beach front there was not in good shape. Lots of plant debris/garbage on the beach in some areas as well. There were many of vendors walking up and down the beach between the chaise lounges but if you said a polite 'no thank you', they moved on and didn't hound us. We did an all-day trip through nexus tours & our WestJet rep at the resort into Puerto Plata. It was a worthwhile excursion: toured the small Fort San Felipe, central park, went up into the mountain with some open trucks, had a nice lunch, sampled rum and went to a chocolate factory. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and gave us some great history lessons. The weather was good though we did have a lot of sun and cloud mix with a bit of rain. We would go back any time. We met some guests who had been to the resort 18 times. Bring lots of small US bills for tips. I was unpleasantly surprised that many guests did not tip. Leaving a dollar or two (or 5 at the a la carte) is a token show of appreciation. The service is fantastic, and the employees work extremely long hours. Though the rooms are a little bit outdated, they were perfect for us. I don't need fancy just clean, bright, spacious and comfortable. Speaking of comfortable - the bed was not. They had plush white comforters, lots of pillows but extremely firm mattresses. My husband slept well every night. I ended up sleeping on the plush comforter which helped. Each room has a balcony or terrace (first floor). We were on the second floor facing the pool and had sun on our balcony all day. The rooms facing away from the pool may not be as scenic. Bring snacks if you get the munchies at night as the snacks at the gift shop and mall are very expensive. If you stay at this resort, you will not be disappointed!

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: Beautiful resort

The room was spacious with lots of storage and cupboard space. The ocean view balcony was the highlight! Loved sitting out in morning enjoying a coffee. Food was good but we were disappointed that the Italian restaurant is no longer operating. Also the Sunset bar has been closed. The beach seemed smaller than it appeared on YouTube videos that we had watched. We found the days to be long as there were no activities offered. Lots of different areas on the resort to relax and read. Staff are extre [... read more]mely helpful and friendly. Lots of stairs which might present a difficulty for some. Perfect resort if you just want total relaxation.

Zel Punta Cana - All Suites: Great Stay for soft opening of Hotel!

We just got back from a week’s stay, it was nice and we felt very safe at this resort. Service was great! Food was amazing at the Volcan and Nokio restaurants… Although Tacorini was a major letdown. If you have the chance do the show at the Nokio restaurant! Buffet was average, they need to do some work on the buffets but there was always something to find. Definitely need to work more on temperature control for the buffet. Found the breakfast better than the lunch in my opinion but the om [... read more]elette guy was great! Bar staff and wait stuff was amazing! Never had to tell them what we wanted, they knew when they saw us with our Yeti cups. A special shoot out to Frailin who went above and beyond everyday to stop and check on us and see if we needed anything. We were also given a free 5 hour late checkout which was nice as our flight didn’t leave till close till 10:30PM. We did notice that ceiling fans and a couple of the wicker styled lights didn’t work in our suite, but with the AC we didn’t really need it but just something we noticed. I’m thinking it’s an oversight where they rushed to get the rooms opened and someone didn’t check the electrician’s work. And the lights didn’t make much difference cause they were just accent lights… Loved the music they played all day up until 9:00 when they switched to the daily live music. They should look into having a dance floor or something similar. All in all, we’d come back again. They were working daily to improve with meetings as they had just reopened from renovating and rebranding a few weeks before we had arrived.

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Very Nice

Pros: The hotel is exceptionally clean, the food is very good, especially the a la carte restaurants however if you wish lobster you must pay extra in US dollars. I purchased the lobster dinner and it was very good. The beach is very nice and you can walk along for quite a long stretch. The water can be rough when there is a wind. The pool is nice but can get very crowded when the resort is full. The value is good. It is a popular place for families with small children and French Canadian [... read more]s. Most of the staff speak at least 2 languages. For the most part, the staff is very good. Cons: The water is undrinkable and it is difficult to get extra bottles of water for your room. If one bottle isn't enough then you must go to one of the bars to get glasses of water or fill up your mug. No extra bottles of water are available. By 8:30 a.m. most of the chairs on the beach and the pool have been saved. There are rules against diving and jumping into the pool but they aren't enforced which makes it difficult if you are in the pool and parents allow their children to dive bomb you. Sometimes you can wait awhile before you are served water or drinks in the buffet. It seems as if they are a bit short staffed.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Decent Value, But Far from Perfect

The Pros • Potential for Improvement: Senator acquired this property from Riu, and while it still needs significant upgrades, there’s noticeable potential. • Our Stay in Building 7: Though this building had some quirks—issues with pumping, outdated chest of drawers, and older electrical outlets—it felt justified for the price. We were offered an upgrade to Buildings 2 or 3 (Ultimate Club), but for an additional $500–$800, it didn’t seem worth it. The rooms were similar in size and also lacked  [... read more]functional chest drawers. • Access to Playabachata: The neighboring property added variety to our stay with more pools and amenities. • Beautiful Landscape: The resort’s setting is stunning, with lush greenery and natural shade from palm trees. There are also long walking paths and multiple pools spread across three properties. However, be sure to pack bug spray! • Entertainment & Amenities: Entertainment was typical, but having two theaters between the properties was a nice touch. The market street stood out with its delicious coffee and free ice cream shop. The Cons • Food & Health Concerns: o Several guests experienced stomach issues, and we observed questionable food safety standards at times. o The food itself was inconsistent—some meals were enjoyable, others not so much. Still, there was always something I could eat. Shoutout to Juan, who provided excellent service at the outdoor buffet tables! • Beach Quality: o The beach wasn’t ideal. The sand is coarse, and the water entry is steep and rocky. o Garbage occasionally floated into the bay, and the water visibility was poor—not great for snorkeling. • Crowded Pool & Beach Areas: o There aren’t enough lounge chairs to accommodate all guests. Many chairs were “reserved” with towels early in the morning and sat unused for hours. o The central pool area, for example, has only two umbrellas. • Cruise Port Visitors: Being next to a cruise port, the property is often flooded with day visitors, making chairs even harder to find. Final Thoughts This resort delivers fair value for the price, but it’s not without its shortcomings. The beautiful surroundings and access to additional properties are strong positives, but challenges with food safety, overcrowding, and aging infrastructure can’t be overlooked. It’s a case of “you get what you pay for,” but it’s worth comparing other properties in the area for potentially better options.

Caribe Deluxe Princess: My Honest Review

This is an honest review, but ultimately it is from my perspective. First, the hotel: Room: Well-thought out room lay-outs. Comfy bedding, black-out curtains. We love the key bracelets! Efficient, quiet air-conditioner. Plenty of storage space. Wonderful hot showers with great water pressure. Double sinks, although one didn’t drain properly leading to a yucky mess. Reported 3 times to no avail. We had a ground floor room in Block A, walk out to patio, flush with ground. Those that have a step  [... read more]down have perspex barriers. We did lose power a few times in the early morning which was a problem for me because I use a CPAP machine. Our friends next door ‘blew up’ one hairdryer and another shorted both our rooms. Other times, power failed within seconds of my partner leaving the room. Coincidence I’m told. The grounds are fabulous. Workers are constantly clearing, cutting, pruning and maintaining the grounds. Walk the path from lobby to rooms… a slice of tranquility. Love the wild life. Dining: Buffet: Lots of choice and variety each night. Surprising buffet dishes included lagostina, smoked crab legs (huge) and duck. A la Carte: We only did 2, but did the Teppanyaki in Tao twice because it was so good. Servers and chef here were excellent. However, the Italian La Tagliata was very disappointing. The seafood risotto only had shrimp. When I asked where the muscles, calamari and white fish were, I was told there was none. I wish I had been told this when I ordered. What I had was excellent, and the tiramisu dessert was delicious. Two of my friends had the pasta. Different content in each: one had shrimp, one didn’t, one had white-fish and calamari (remember there wasn’t any in the risotto) and the other didn’t. I hear the lasagna is excellent from others who ate there. We also felt rushed here. We were in and out in 50 minutes. Not what you expect from an a la carte, but does show how efficient they can be! Best food of the week: the fried chicken at the Beach House! A daily staple. The Beach: The highlight! Powder white sand, long for walking. Three little shops close by for souvenirs. We reserved our spot early to ensure shade. For 2 days, jumping the waves was fun, but not a sea for swimming in. Nice sandy entry. Some days the waves were knocking grown men over! Great for fun, but not swimming. No sargassum at beginning of holiday, but as wind picked up, sea got rougher and some came in. The 3 pool areas: Disclosure, we didn’t go in any. First, the ‘fun’ pool. Swim-up bar. Aerobics daily at 3. May have been other activities. Music playing. Foam party once a week. Second, the quieter pool. Had the most sun. Third, the kids pool with a great looking play area with slide etc. Beware here… we met a lady who missed a step-down by the bar, fell and broke her shoulder. Apparently, many people have taken a tumble here, and for some reason the hotel will not put any warning signs or mark the step. (Something to do with admitting there’s an issue and therefore liability, I’m told.) Entertainment: Out of 10 nights, we only had music at the outside bar once… our last night. Solo guy (playing guitar and playing back tracks) sang covers and was excellent. Would have loved to see him more. I hear most entertainment was up at the lobby theatre, which is a hike in the evening. The trolleys running between lobby and rest of resort are fabulous though running frequently during the day and evening. Finally the big downer of the week: the service. Everywhere. We constantly had to go in search of towels or a hand towel or a bath mat. Face cloths were hit or miss. Once our room didn’t get made up at all, but we missed breakfast that day so probably our fault despite letting them know. I’m sure I wasn’t the first person to complain about the blocked sink, but after 3 days, I realized it was a waste of time. After the first power failure in Block A, it took a couple of hours for someone to come to reset the tripped fuse. In the buffet area, Ana, Christian and Morales were pleasant and personable, but the majority didn’t seem happy or smile. At breakfast, even if it wasn’t busy, we always had to wait for the coffee person and if the table wasn’t laid when we were seated, it still wasn’t laid when we got back. It’s almost as if there was a reluctance to provide good service, which IMHO may be an in your-face for the supervisor’s constantly watching them. It doesn’t take a lot to make guests feel welcome: a smile, a hello. Maybe some attitude training? Summary: We were a group of 4 and had a great time. Were we to go back to Punta Cana, we would go here. It wasn’t a massive resort, and the beach didn’t feel over-crowded, maybe due to the vacant lot beside it. However, as fabulous as the beach was, I personally like sea I can swim in.

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: A nice relaxing destination

This is a very nice resort. Small, only about 150 rooms, very close to the ocean so you can have the surf lull you to sleep if you choose. It was an hour drive from the Sumana airport. Our room was in the smaller separate building. Our room was well appointed and clean with a balcony looking out over the ocean. The elevator was out of order for the first few days but the staff brought our bags up for us and it really wasn't an issue. The grounds are lovely and nicely landscaped. The prope [... read more]rty has several stair cases and would not be suitable for people in wheelchairs or with severe mobility issues, although there were folks with walking sticks and canes who seemed to manage. The pool area was very nice with lots of lounges so it was never necessary to "reserve" or "hold" a chaise lounger. There was music playing at the pool and was not too invasive most of the time. I expect if I had asked it would have been turned down to a lower volume. There was no animation or games around the pool side and it made for a relaxing atmosphere. There really is little to do at the hotel, but relax in one of the seating areas or around the pool, or on the beach. I might have enjoyed a game of bingo or something in the afternoon to break up the day, but it would need to be somewhere away from the pool area as to not disturb the other guests. There were musicians playing at the lobby bar most evenings from 8-10pm and some of the guests enjoyed some spontaneous dancing to the music. There was a small gym on the premises with some good universal weight machines, treadmills, boxing stuff, and yoga mats. I would have liked a thicker gym mat to do exercises on but there was enough stuff there to get in a work out. We were warned not to walk out of the property on the road, and we were disappointed as we like to explore. There was good reason for the warning as the road has no sidewalks or even shoulders and the traffic is busy enough to make it dangerous to walk. We saw no one walking on the road, not even the local people. For $20US each way you could order a cab to the nearest town, which was the port for cruise ships and geared to tourists. The road can be noisy, as it is a main road with all types of traffic during the day, including large trucks, but we had an ocean view room and it was not an issue for us. The wine included at the buffet was quite bitter/sour to me and I wouldn't recommend it. The wine in the a la cart restaurants was very nice. There was one bar open all day, either near the pool area or in the lobby. These were never too busy. The biggest concern we had was with the temperature of the food on the steam tables in the buffet. For the first 5 days most of the food was not in the safety zone where bacteria cannot grow."Hot foods should be held at 140°F or warmer. On the buffet table, keep hot foods hot with chafing dishes, slow cookers and warming trays. Cold foods should be held at 40°F or colder." We noticed that most of the guests were keeping away from the cooked meat dishes on the buffet and this could have been the reason. The was a grill at all times and so you could get freshly cooked omelettes at breakfast and cooked to order fish and meats at dinner. Except for the concerns above, there was a good assortment of nice food at every meal, and we never had any stomach issues. We enjoyed our stay, as I said it is a very nice, quiet hotel. The staff were attentive and nice to deal with. There were no drunk or obnoxious guests, there were people who were seniors and younger people as well. It was quiet at night, and a nice to place to chill out.

Sunscape Dominicus La Romana: Worth the price

Hotel was great. Very busy lots to do. Food was ok. Service was hit and miss. Good one day not so good the next. Room cleaning same good one day not so good the next. Minor issues throughout the week but nothing to cry about. Overall we enjoyed every minute.

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: Not amazing

Clean hotel/Always hot water/Tub and shower combination/Would have preferred walkin shower/Lush gardens/Friendly staff/Noisy road beside resort/No activity staff/Very quiet resort/Many stairs/Anyone with mobility issues this resort is not for you/ Food was never hot always lukewarm/Definitely not 5 stars

Occidental Punta Cana: Not impressed

Very dated. No attention to detail. Worm in my food. Small gym with not much equipment I would not return. Vvbvvvvvvbbvvvvvbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb

Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach: Not even a 2.5 star resort

Located about an hour from the airport, fairly large resort. Grounds are nice, maintained well. Our room was okay, clean, power would flash the room lights at all times for about a week, difficult sleeping, reported to customer service 5+ times, not fixed. Buffet food was mostly cold, concerned about food safety. Hard to get items for non-gluten diet. Good, warm food in the a la carts. Very long nice beach. Surprised by the lack of a beach BBQ or beach bar. Staff wasn't overly friendly.

Majestic Colonial Punta Cana Beach Resort: Amazing experience in paradise!

Majestic Colonial did not disappoint in any way. Food was fantastic across the board. The resort grounds were always clean, staff was friendly, and our butler Darel was especially helpful. Evening entertainment was enjoyable, and if you're a beach person, the beach area was top notch.

Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach: I would not recommend this resort

This resort is crowded the food is all served cold .Lights in my room went off and on all night for days .Terrible smell in bathroom. Long line ups at pool side bar as there is no bar at beach so they come to the pool bar. Most employees very rude the only service is the bar ,room and alacartes that where pleasant .There was 14 of us on this trip and half of us had stomach issues It was rated as a 4.1 when we booked it's more like a 2.3 at most

Sunscape Coco Punta Cana: Excellent

The grounds and pool areas very clean. Room was great. Had a great time at the slide park area. Buffet, snack truck and pizza shoppe all excellent. Would be good to have more snack trucks through out the resort to help with line ups.

Bahia Principe Escape Ambar: BP Ambar was a great resort

The resort grounds, beach and pool were all outstanding. Ambar guests have access to everything at all resorts, except their buffets. Food was very good. Staff keep beach and pool clean. Beds were a bit uncomfortable.