Serenade Punta Cana Beach and Spa Resort: Serenade Punta Cana - worst vacation

This was our 4th time in Dominican. Lets start with: Airport pickup: Longest time we ever had to wait to get from airport to Resort. Considering that we bought privileged package - i believe this is not acceptable. Check-In: Once we got to Resort our checking supposed to be done at privileged desk. Apparently, it was closed - never saw that in any other resorts. They had privileged desk open for 24/7. Speaking about privileged desk - had to go couple times asking to fix elevator butto [... read more]n - we couldn't get to 1st floor due to bad button. Told that that would be done ASAP - never happened for 5 days - i am not sure if it is fixed right now. Rooms: They were great - we had 2 rooms in one suit with 2 bathroom and showers, 2 TVs as well. Room service was done every day and was pretty good. Restaurants, Bars and Food: All ala carte restaurants needs to be prebooked. In our case they were booked for us - time was not good. We had to rebook few and after visiting one we simply gave up on going to them. We had to wait to hours for our meals. Many people were giving up and going to buffet. Buffet food was OK, nothing very special but still a descent variety. Service in the buffet and restaurants is awful. I never had to wait for server before, this time in most cases we didn't even see one, unless i was going and asking for something. In previous resorts as a privileged guests we never had to book any ala carte restaurants and were able to walk to any at any giving moment of time. Most of the time we spent at rooftop bar. It is only one location there service was exceptional. Funny - but it was closing at 6 pm as well as most of the pools. Why? Beach: Technically doesn't exist. That small sand walk way is hard to describe as a proper beach. Rest of water front is covered with seaweed. Privilege section was OK but we never saw a single server around. Every time you need something you had to go to bar. Shows: You can forget about them. They start to late in my opinion. If you travel with kids - it is going to be hard for them to wait until 9 30 am. There is not enough air flow in theatre. Shows themself worst i ever saw. Check-Out: Was good, except i ask for golf cart to take us to lobby with our luggage - never showed up. Had to wait almost for an hour before van showed up. I would not recommend this Resort to anyone. Dominican resorts always were outstanding, this resort is 3 star Cuban Resort.

Bahia Principe Explore Punta Cana: Won't Return

This was not a fabulous experience and I can assure you, with all the choices out there, we won't be back. This was hardly al inclusive when many restaurants and bars were not included. Too many meals were buffets which were the same day after day. Too often the draft beer didn't work at many bars and the only option was to purchase another product. On two occasions the resort was out of ice. And one time out of vodka in all bars for half a day. Beyond all this service was average and the bea [... read more]ch smelled like sewage. We are not picky though expected a lot better for the dollar from this large brand name resort and we have enjoyed much better at other resorts on previous trips.

Caribe Deluxe Princess: Beautiful, clean resort

This hotel was everything we could need. The rooms were beautiful, the grounds are kept so well. The workers there are always cleaning and so helpful and kind. I went with my 5 year old son and he loved it, from the tram to the waterslides, the bowling and arcade, something to keep him busy. When we checked in we received a 2 queens room vs. the 1 king i requested, but by the next day they had us moved to the king room no issues whatsoever. Noise level was quite low and everyone was super k [... read more]ind and helpful. Definitely not so much a party resort so if that is what you are looking for this wouldnt be the resort for you, but families or a relaxing holiday most definitely!!

Grand Bavaro Princess: Very nice resort.

I found the resort to be very big for my liking. Although trolleys were readily available. Grounds were beautiful and the resort was very clean. My room was amazing. The main pool water was a little cloudy and it could use a refurbishing. It would be nice to have drink service at the pool and on the beach. The restaurants were all very good and service was excellent. The buffet table service wasn't the greatest. It was hit & miss. It would also be nice to have some type of shows or enterta [... read more]inment in the evening. I had an amazing vacation.

Excellence El Carmen: Excellent Experience at Excellence El Carmen

This was our second trip there. Last time was April 2018. The largest difference I found since COVID is no assigned concierge attendant for each Excellence level building. Other than that the entertainment, food and service was wonderful. A special shout out to our beech waitress Carmen who looked after us so well 5 years ago and again this trip.. she remembers what you drank 3 days ago.. she offers exceptional service while on the beech!

Royalton Bavaro Resort and Spa: Great Resort

the hotel is large so if you don't like walking than I wouldn't recommend it to you. The grounds were always clean, the staff were super nice, the food was good and the beach was always clean of any seedweed. I stayed in the junior deluxe room and it was amazing. The shows were good also. My only complaint is that there was suppose to be no reservations for the steak house Hunters but you have to line up. We were there approx. 40 mins before it open and was 5th in line so we thought for sure we  [... read more]would get in on the first sitting, than a bunch of people came in and said they have reservations and they were all let in and we couldn''t get in, I heard if you pay the run up front you will for sure to get in....I don't like that but I know it goes on. The Italian restaurant was my favorite, and the buffet was my 2nd as they had a different theme dinner everyday plus your basics, pastas, etc. the food truck had great sandwichs we had lunch there everyday as it was a different sandwich each day, they serve hamburgers, hotdogs and chickenburgers everyday also in case you dont like a sandwich, plus they had great fries. They have plenty for little kids to do, they had there own pool, play area plus there was a lazy river which everyone could use. Overall I would give this resort an 8 out of 10 and planning to go back to it next year.

Ocean El Faro: Could be so much more

The resort is nice, pools are awesome but the beach is less than desirable. The service seemed way understaffed for a resort of that size. You have to wake up at 430am to get in line to make a reservation at sulfurs their Japanese restaurant to maybe get a seat when they come at 7am. All the other restaurants you have to start lining up at 5pm for when they open at 6pm to hopefully get a table just to show up at your reserved time to find every restaurant half empty “due to them supposedly  [... read more]only being able to seat at 50% capacity” their bartenders are very slow and do not like to acknowledge children. The resort could be so much better if they staffed it appropriately for its size. I do not feel this being a 5* resort but maybe a 2*

Zoetry Agua Punta Cana: Perfect Resort

The rooms, food, pool were so enjoyable and it was the best food I have ever had at a resort. I opted for a smaller resort this time just to try, now I am hooked on smaller resorts. I found the personnel often thanked me for being their guest when I am the one who should be thanking them for being so gracious and kind to me and my husband. No complaints 'only" a great vacation with spacious rooms, great weather and just what the doctor ordered.... lol...Thanks Henry and Luis Miguel and "Happy" w [... read more]ho are always "up" putting everyone in a good mood. Your kindness will not be forgotten, Cheers to the person(s) who book with Zoetry.

Secrets Cap Cana: FIVE STAR Experience

Chose this resort to spend a week away for a girls trip. Knowing it was likely going to be full with honeymooners and those celebrating anniversaries, made it even more compelling. We wanted something laid back, with some entertainment, but where we'd be able to get to sleep without the pounding disco music found in some resorts. The size of the resort was perfect, the room was amazing, clean and right by the pool. Service was impeccable with some of the regular servers learning our names and [... read more] our preferred drinks. We DID NOT elect to go the 'preferred' route, it wasn't needed. In fact, the beach done at the preferred side after some rain got very hard and uncomfortable. It is very safe. Didn't for a moment feel uncomfortable, and it being in a gated community means there is no one selling you anything on the beach. Lots of shade available and palapas that you can use. Get there early if you want the best ones at the front of the beach, but honestly they are all great! Just the right amount of activities during the day, some amazing live performances by the pool and at night they have shows, karaoke, and dancing outside in the lobby by the bar. Very laid back vibe. Dinner at every restaurant was superb, except the night we went to the Asian Fusion for a la carte. Service was slow, and our server was a little 'too friendly'.

Ocean El Faro: Fun in the Sun

The hotel was clean, pools were clean. The lazy river was fun. The water park looks great for kids. I think they are having staffing issues. The restaurants(except buffets)were only half filled so getting in wasn't fun. I guess they changed their reservation process. There is no online booking. Had to stand in line early. Sometimes still only ate at 730pm or later. Ala Cartes open at 6pm. Seaweed is a problem and the beach has rocks on the shoreline. Nature is beautiful but if you like to swim  [... read more]at the beach that might be a problem. Overall it was still a good trip.

Be Live Collection Punta Cana Adults Only: It closed before we arrived!

We did not even end up going to this resort because of their closure. We originally booked the adult side swim out for April 9 to the 16th then I find out on another social media that they were actually closed. Thank goodness I purchased insurance for a switch I switch to another resort and had a great vacation.

Serenade Punta Cana Beach and Spa Resort: Vacation April 2023

We had an amazing time at this resort. The food was good, we had 0 problems. We actually have a child with a dairy allergy. He kept on asking for dessert but we had no idea what any of them were made of. The chef confirmed all the ingredients in all of the desserts so that we were able to get something for our son. The staff was great. Yes there are sometimes a bit of a language barrier but honestly it wasn't an issue! The pools are amazing, especially the water park area. It is great for k [... read more]ids (and adults) of all ages. There are multiple pools so if you want to be out of the kids zone you can also go to the "quiet pool" which is closer to the beach. I would recommend putting a pool towel down on a chair in the morning as by 8-9am they were usually taken up by the pools. The only down side would be the beach. The sand was white and beautiful and overall that portion was good, but the water isn't great. You don't see the amazing turquoise water that you are use to in Punta Cana. As for the room we stayed in the Luxury Master Suite. The space was huge. I liked that the room was separated so that if you had young kids (like we do) you can put them down for a nap or to bed at night and still be able to relax in the room or on the patio without worrying about waking them up. The patio in the suites are HUGE! which is an added bonus.

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Punta Cana: Average Resort

The resort property was nice however there were things that were bothersome. All though we purchased an all-inclusive package, they nickel and dime you for everything. Bowling, mini golf, bike path, etc. all cost extra. Even buying suntan lotion was $50 USD which is astronomical. We didn't find the rooms overly clean and the majority of the staff were so-so. No hello's when passing in the hallway or how are you, just nothing. The staff at the pools were friendly however we were tipping them t [... read more]he whole time. We weren't overly impressed at all with this resort.

Occidental Caribe: Awesome Resort

Great pools, food, people, and the best beach ever! There were a few minor disappointments made to the resort since 2018 and they’re working hard to return it to the new normal. Nothing major for the fun in the sun we had 😎

Bahia Principe Escape Ambar: Excellent resort

Grounds are exceptional, service was very good. Good selection of food and there was always enough. Excellent coffee bar at this resort and the sports bar was a nice place to relax as well.The beach area was well maintained… The crews were out every morning early cleaning the seaweed from the shoreline. They did a great job.Also want to mention Kevin Dupuis from trip central.He was an excellent travel agent to book with… I highly recommend using him.

TRS Turquesa: Outstanding Resort

TRS Turquesa is a well established resort that is perfect for a vacation if you want excitement or a quiet relaxing time. This was not our first time and we noticed that they have done a lot of upgrading to the resort and also to the rooms and beach areas. We like a swim up which is what we enjoy the most. The Butler Service is very accommodating to the needs of their guests. Hats off to Claudio and other butlers. All staff are friendly, pleasant and you can see that they enjoy want they do. [... read more] The grounds are immaculate and beautifully landscaped and you can see there is a pride in their work.. You are able to enjoy 4 eating areas in the this Adult Only resort, but you also have the opportunity to enjoy it at least 10 more restaurants with varied menus to choose from with reservations plus a variety of different styled Bars. You also can enjoy Spa treatments, Gym, a Casino, Live Entertainment, and a Dinner Cabaret plus some sport areas. We will be booking again in the future.

Occidental Punta Cana: Ok resort

The food was good ketchup was not so good our room had no Working AC complained 6 times but was not fixed properly had to ask for clean towels and drinks in our bar fridge daily . They need to get better entertainment it was mostly in French or Spanish not much English but I had an amazing time joining dancing on the stage with staff , played bean bag toss and ball into holes water polo was so much fun the girls remembered my name every time I recorded the shows loved the robots and the beach p [... read more]arty went into to town to shop saw a guy making cigars was very interesting how much processing to do before cigars are ready to be sold must wear sunscreen as I didn’t got burnt on my shoulders and bottom lip was swollen like I got lip injections lol but now it’s extremely dry and sore lesson learned for next trip lol

Catalonia Bavaro Resort: Good family resort

Hotel was good for family vacation Privileged Rooms were nice, clean and spacious Over priced for privileged for what you get. Really other than the room and a section of the beach for privileged not much else is offered. Food at the buffet was average not great. A la carte restaurants were average. Steakhouse wasn’t good as I was looking forward to it they burnt my steak and I told them and they returned another burnt one. Japanese restaurant was the best one. Pool was nice and  [... read more]big divided into 3 sections. Staff friendliness and courtesy was hit and miss.

Grand Bavaro Princess: Amazing vacation !

My partner and I stayed in a bungalow suite, we did not upgrade to platinum yet still felt we had an amazing time and exceptional service . Our room was close to the beach building 33 . We had no issues with mosquitoes or lack of hot water as I’d seen in other reviews. The room was nice and very clean, beds were extremely comfortable . The beach was beyond beautiful.Food at the resort was very good , a variety of options for everyone. We especially enjoyed the omelette bars at the buffet in th [... read more]e morning and often booked the a la carte steak house in the evenings , it was exceptional. Staff were generally all very nice and accommodating, many could speak English and if not were patient and considerate as we tried to communicate with them. It was overall an amazing vacation and I hope to return soon ! My only complaint would be that breakfast isn’t served until 7 am and one day we did an excursion and had to be ready for 6:30am, we did go to the 24/7 pub hoping we could get breakfast there earlier but the only option was hotdogs and hamburgers . It wasn’t the end of the world still glad to be able to get something and it wouldn’t deter me from going again by any means.

Breathless Punta Cana Resort: Breathless Review

Hi Overall very nice resort ate all all restaurants except the Hibachi because everyone we spoke to advise it was horrible however we ate at all of the other ones and did not have a bad meal. We did purchase an Xhale pkg and liked the option for sit down breakfast and lunch. We did have a butler but he did not do much and some days never saw him at all. We mostly stayed at the quieter pool as we are in our fifties, the other party pool is that exactly mostly young crowd very loud ban [... read more]ging music with lots of intoxicated people even saw one day they had bottles of champagne and tequila in the pool passing in around to share When we were in our rooms late afternoon that pool was heard all over the resort.... No real complaints we will try another resort next time.