Bahia Principe Explore Esmeralda: Sun and fun

We stayed at the Bahia Esmeralda in Dominican the hotel is huge I prefer a smaller hotel. The hotel was very nice adult pool that was nice when you had enough of kids. Franklin front desk was very personable friendly and helpful. The entertainment team was great Jennifer and Ledy went out of her way to make sure all ages got involved. Joselito very fun. There entertainment supervisor not friendly at all rather rude. Xendy from the Jasmine was so nice kind and helpful a positive addition to [... read more] your team. The beach was so nice be prepared to get up at 6 to get a chair, I suggested you bring clips to put on towels for the chairs. Over all a great trip

Ocean El Faro: Great resort!

Really beautiful all around. Spectacular room, lobby, restaurants, beach, activities, and amenities. Waterpark for kids was NOT a disappointment. There is a soliciting/selling ruse going on there regarding their “privilege club” that put a downer in our stay when approached but thats the only negative aspect. The ladies that ran the kids club went above and beyond for the kids. The shows at night were a pretty big production and were EVERY night! Esolran took care of our room and and provide [... read more]d exceptional service daily. Lazy river was the best part. It had a bar, was so much fun and lots of shade while you're in there so can go even when the sun is at its strongest.

TRS Cap Cana Hotel: Nice resort

Clean and well maintained resort, not a place to visit if you are a beach lover, small cove. The views are spectacular from the beach side restaurant, small canel separates the property from the next one. Do not get trapped into visiting there sister hotel, as they try to sell you vacation packages @ $20000.00 us. Overall good vacation.

Occidental Punta Cana: Pros and Cons

Beautiful hotel. Good food. Beautiful beach. Clean beautiful rooms. Terrible service. They cater to the locals/Spanish speaking individuals. Good luck getting service, even if you tip. Front desk was not helpful. The same miserable woman was always working there, and she could care less about you. I got my own silverware, napkins, and often ate full meals without a drink. There was one woman and one man that provided good service in the buffet, amongst all of them. I would finally flag down a [... read more] server, ask for a drink and they wouldn't come back. 2 male bartenders in the lounge would serve you in sequence of you "turn", and the younger boys in the late night (upper) bar served you appropriately. They were super nice and fun, made for a good experience. Were always smiling and genuinely having a good time, which in turn helped you to have a good time. They even played songs we requested. Best employees of the place. Pizza guys were friendly also. Great spot, but they definitely need to work on service and friendliness. Often times we felt unwelcome.

Iberostar Selection Bavaro Suites: Loved the resort

We absolutely loved the resort. What we liked was the big open spaces, the open buffet and the whole layout The staff were always extremely helpful, the rooms were clean and well laid out and we would certainly go there again Our one criticism was the entertainment. There was no variety and it was so loud we went down to the beach area to avoid it

Royalton Splash Punta Cana: Our trip to Royalton Splash Punta Cana (April 2022)

We stayed at the Royalton Splash Punta Cana for 8 days in April 2022. This was our first trip with our 3 year old and we had paid for the best package which was the Junior Suite Jacuzzi Diamond Club. Firstly what I can say is that the Diamond Club "extra" is not worth it... ok we had the "private" check in upon arriving however a few families were in line thus, it took longer to check in than the "regular" clients that checked in at the front desk. Also, this lounge is very far away from the roo [... read more]ms so, it is easier to grab a drink at the pool, bar or coffee lounge than to walk over there for the snacks and drinks/coffee they are offering daily. Additionally, the "butler's service" was awful... we met him on the 2nd day and gave him a fair good amount of tip. We thought this would encourage a good service for the week... we thought wrong! This butler told us he would take care of every night's "à la carte" dinner reservations... Given we have a toddler, we asked for the dinner reservations to be before 7:30. They exchange with clients with the "what's app" and we had to ask him numerous times per day at which restaurant we would be eating that day and at what time... sometimes it would take 2, 3, 4 messages before he would respond and we could have a response at 5PM/6PM and, for the entire week, our reservations were at 8:30PM. Even with a complaint to the "butler's supervisor", nothing changed... It would have been easier to book them ourselves. We got nothing more from this "butlers service" that week. No extras attentions... and the "premium alcool" is not available at the Splash... you have to cross over to the Royalton Punta Cana to access a "VIP" lounge and enjoy the premium bottles (which is a 10-minutes walk). The diamond club pool is very small and doesn't have much chairs. Overhaul the hotel is nice and clean. The main pool is at the centre of all the building thus, very accessible. If you want a chair by the pool, you need to put your alarm clock early... at 7AM they were all taken! Same for the beach no matter if you have the diamond club or not. To access the beach, you need to cross over to the royalton Punta Cana which as I said before, is a good 10-minutes walk. You can take the mini bus (but during the day or at dinner time, you will be lucky if you have a spot on it thus, you have to be patient- we found it easier to just walk). As for the restaurants, 3 of them are at the Splash and the rests are at the other hotel (royalton punta Cana). We tried almost all of them and we were never disappointed! The theatre and entertainment is also at the other hotel. Not much entertainment at the splash at night... we had an outdoor area to enjoy a few drinks after dinner and that's about it. The coffee place is very nice and the pastries and coffees are amazing! As for the buffet, personally there wasn't much choices and almost none for toddler's. The buffet at the royalton Punta Cana was WAY more attractive and they had a LOT more to offer... we ended up eating breakfast at the Splash and lunch at the Royalton Punta Cana. The service at the buffet of the splash was OK... not to say bad... at breakfast, you were lucky if you had a cup of coffee or water before you finished your plate. The waiters always seemed in a bad mood... 1/2 the time we didn't get a hello or a smile. This was a first for us... total different story at the buffet of the royalton Punta Cana. As for the room, on the first night, they made a mistake and we had 1 queen bed instead of 2... my husband ended up sleeping on the couch that night. Also, the room floor was covered with water (it was raining)... so our first night wasn't the best! The next day we transferred in another room. It was clean and spacious HOWEVER, the shower hadn't been cleaned as I found a bunch of long hair in the floor and walls... YUCK! I wrote a note the next morning and gave a generous tip to the cleaning lady asking to clean the shower which she didn't... after 3 days the hairs were still there and we ended up throwing them away ourselves. Beside that we had towels, water and a clean room the whole week. As for the water park, we didn't spend time over there... unfortunately little kids cannot go in the big slides even if accompanied by an adult and the little kids section did not interest him. It was pretty nice but you need to arrive EARLY if you want a chair. So overhaul, we spent way more time at the other royalton and if we were to redo it, I would definitely book at the royalton punta Cana as it gives you access to the royalton splash anyway... we are not deceived but, we were expecting a bit more considering the amount we paid for this trip.

JOIA Bavaro by Iberostar: Great Place to Stay :)

Iberostar Grand Bavaro, for us, has been one of the best all inclusive Caribbean experiences in the recent years. The hotel is clean and is being continuously cleaned by staff members. Hand sanitizers are everywhere. Staff wearing masks at almost all times to ensure guests safety. The rooms are cleaned more than once a day. Rooms are modern and spacious. The food is consistently good. From the buffet experience (be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner) to the speciality restaurants, the food that is b [... read more]eing served is versatile and of good quality. We could not have asked for a better experience and if we come back to Punta Cana, Ibersator Grand Bavaro will still be our number 1 choice for the stay. Special thanks to Alby, Jose, Ruth who helped make our experience that much more better. We are truly grateful for every member of the staff who made our stay relaxing, joyful and memorable.

Impressive Punta Cana: Beautiful resort, terrible service

The resort grounds were beautiful and very well kept. I think the gardeners were the only hard workers there. We upgraded to premium upon arrival which didn’t get us any better service or amenities. Our safe didn’t work, we waited an hour before someone came. The battery in it died everyday, we called and waited and waited. Ran out of toilet paper, we called because we couldn’t find a maid…3 hours later and still no one showed up. We weren’t the only ones complaining about the serv [... read more]ice. Any one we talked to were trying to leave earlier then supposed to. We were as well. We were sad watching people leave because we knew we had to endure another few days before we could go home. The Air Transat rep at the resort was useless or you couldn’t find him. Good thing I had the app

Majestic Mirage Punta Cana All Suite Resort: Amazing Service!

The hotel was absolutely gorgeous, clean, well maintained. The staff were excellent! Only disappointment was arriving late evening and missing out on the welcome drink, and grand tour with a butler. Felt a little lost for the first few days and room request was ignored. We would return in a heart beat, armed with knowledge, and a staff willing to work out the kinks.

Royalton Bavaro Resort and Spa: Okay resort - beach is lovely

Grounds are nice and pools are lovely. Beautiful white sandy beach and warm sunshine. Food leaves a lot to be desired. Resort generally clean and comfortable. Not a lot to do other than drink and lie in the sun.

Ocean Blue and Sand: Nothing extraordinary

To say the least the hotel is ok. Nothing to write about that is out of the ordinary. Food is ok. There are variety of prepared meals for everyone. A la cart restaurants do not need reservation but wait in the evening could be long (1-2hours) so in my opinion it would be better to book restaurants so you can plan where and what to eat throughout week. The only restaurant that required reservation is Sensai (japanese). There were evenings that half of the restaurants were closed so you do not kno [... read more]w where you are going to end up for dinner. In all restaurants (closed spaces) masks are required and most people followed the rules. Staff wears masks everywhere even outside. Gloves were handed to guests at the entrance of the buffet so nothing was touched by bare hands. Staff was disinfecting tables and chairs after each person. One annoying thing about hotel was pool and beach chairs. People would reserve them early in the morning (leave towels on them) so if you come to pool or beach around 9,10 there is no free sunbed. It seemed that there is more hotel guests then available chairs. Room is clean but a few issues that we come across are : no hangers in the closet, safe was not operational, we got coffee pack and cups in the room but no coffee maker, no hair dryer ( only after 2 complains to different staff we got it). We also had to ask for towels to be replaced. Staff is friendly and helpful but some of them do not speak a word of English so no use of talking to them about issues. Pools and ground is well maintained All in all we had restfull vacation and I did not want to get upset over small things.

Bahia Principe Escape Ambar: Great time at Ambar

We are repeat guests at Ambar, first time back since covid. Many new staff since last visit. Other than some issues at check in we enjoyed our vacation. Good friendly service especially in the restaurants MEAT, Limbo, Portofino a-la-cartes and at the buffet. Pablo, Frailin, Ricky provided great service. Ambar area of the beach very busy, if you want shade have to get down at 6am. Beach drink service they are always around. We spent our days at the beach but if you want music and entertainment  [... read more]team games pool is the place to be. Rooms are comfortable except for the pillows lol. Mini fridge with chips, water, Pepsi, etc. Although it's a beautiful clean resort not "luxury" more like 4* but we like it at its price point provides value compared to other resorts we've stayed at.

Bahia Principe Escape Aquamarine: Great resort

We stayed in a Junior Suite which was large and roomy even for two girlfriends to share the one big bed. The rooms and resort was very clean, even the common bathrooms had attendance checking up on them. The buffet was ok, normally had the same items every time. To be able to utilize the other restaurants from the next door resorts was very nice. Would recommend to do that for supper, BUT was hard to get booked in at times. The entertainment at this resort was ok, but again u can wonder over to  [... read more]the other resorts to see bigger better shows. They do offer shuttle service to get around which is super great. The foam pool party during the day is a blast. The bartenders need to be trained more, none of the mixed cocktails were ever the same. There was 4 of us and we all ordered the same cocktail and was made by the same bartender and all 4 drinks were different

Excellence El Carmen: Amazing Resort

This resort is absolutely stunning! This was my second trip to the Excellence El Carmen and I wasn't disappointed. Very Clean, great food, beautiful beach and excellent service. The staff are so friendly and welcoming and make your stay extra special.

Occidental Punta Cana: Great to be back on vacation

The Hotel is nice and clean, the grounds are well kept , staff is friendly , they even helped me learn a few words in Spanish just for fun. It’s our 10th time in Punta Cana over many years , so we have a reasonable idea of what’s available in the area . Rooms were nice , room was cleaned well each day . We are not picky eaters but we found the food to be “just ok”. I think it’s as much to do with ramping back up after a long haul during COVID , so we are happy to give them a break whil [... read more]e they get back up to full speed and staff. We love the beach, and the long daily walks we were able to do, over 3km each way and each direction on the beach each morning . We enjoyed going in the Ocean , and about 50’ in being able to just float with waves while able to still touch the bottom. On Good Friday the local residents are able to come and use a day pass, that day was very busy , and loud , but still family oriented, just be aware it changes the feel of the resort for that day greatly. The worst part for us was the amount of vendors persistently pushing what they had to sell, from sunglasses , to clothing, parasailing, etc etc etc . Also the constant attempt on the grounds to upgrade to a higher level area , that was more than we were willing to accept , and might be a deciding factor whether to even return or not . Some people seemed to enjoy the bantering with the vendors, I’m in sales myself , but on vacation I just want to not have to deal with that .

Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana: Fabulous Resort

From the beaches, to the pools, to the food, the rooms and all the staff that work at Hyatt Zilara; it’s one fabulous resort. From the minute we arrived we felt very welcomed. It’s also one of the best resorts we’ve ever vacationed at. I highly recommend it.

Majestic Mirage Punta Cana All Suite Resort: Another wonderful stay at the Mirage.

This was my second trip to the Mirage, last one in November 2021. This time I stayed 7 days with a friend. Check In: Check in was quick, they have a wonderful check in lounge where you can relax and have a drink and a snack while they do the heavy lifting. Butler: We were met promptly by our butler Jeffry who was spectacular. He offered to take us directly to the room since I had been there but I wanted my friend to get the full experience so he did the full tour. Download WhatsApp befor [... read more]e arriving and connect this way with your butler. Jeffry checked in on us daily, either in person or through whatsapp. Room: We booked a mirage club 1 bedroom suite however we were offered an upgrade for a mirage club swim up suite in building 4 and I definitely took it. It was the last room before the lounge, couldn't be any closer to the beach. The room had some details that needed updating but overall was clean. Tipped housekeeping and mini bar stocker well the first day and got more than enough snacks and drinks. I highly recommend the swim up suites! Beach: Okay, I love the beach. I do resorts for the beach. I understand as much as they say not to reserve chairs, everyone does it. The resort was full capacity and it was hard to get beach chairs after 9am. I made friends with a number of the animation staff and they would help me find chairs and bring them to the shade. It's frustrating when people reserve the bali beds in the morning and also take chairs. Service: Servers are all over the beach, at the different pools, at the plaza and the theatre in the evening. They work hard, remember your drinks, and are all super friendly! I would often ask for a drink with tequila or rum and some thing fruity and would get a great drink! Try the Majestic with rum...their signature! I can not state this enough, the service here is fantastic! I will note, if you don't put in an effort to be kind and get to know them, you may not get the same service. Food: Seaside buffet for lunch and dinner is a must. The view is spectacular. Note: I am a picky eater when it comes to meat, I could always find more than enough. It's a resort buffet, the food in the buffet is warm rather than hot. I have no issue personally. There's not a huge amount of variety day to day, which again doesn't bother me. The quality and availability is good, so no complaints. Italian, Steakhouse, Seaside and Japanese (reservation for tepanyaki but not sushi) are all well worth it. I have not tried French as that is not my type of food. This is the other restaurant that needs reservations. Didn't have to wait at either Italian or Steakhouse to get a table. Room service is slow, and definitely not hot. The snacks in the lounges are good to tide you over and you can order meals there as well if you prefer. Pools: Honestly, didn't spend too much time in the pool however the one day I did we noticed broken lighting. It was brought up to management and addressed. If you like the pool, you're in luck...chairs at the pool are easily available. Spa: I booked a package at the spa called "Day to Relax" which included the sauna and bath circuit, a massage, a facial and a pedicure. Even if you don't want spa treatments I highly recommend the hydrotherapy circuit! Beautiful spa and services.

Riu Republica: Stunning!

Riu Republica was hands down the cleanest, most accommodating and fun resort we’ve ever been to! The resort was spotless, even the communal toilet facilities were sparkling clean. The staff was incredibly friendly and always wearing masks. Lots of activities available with the smiling staff leading the way. Food was great and not a single person in our group got the tropical food sickness! The room was clean and comfortable, and the cleaning staff was prompt and did an amazing job! The pools w [... read more]ere clean and warm. No negative things to say about this resort!

Grand Sirenis Punta Cana Resort: Nice Resort

The grounds are beautiful & well kept. Resort is laid out very well. Was disappointed to find that the Resort has stopped offering disposable gloves at the buffet restaurants. In my opinion this is not good as Covid is still very much with us. Cleaning of tables has also diminished. Overall, cleanliness of the buffet restaurants has become less of a priority. Washrooms in the lobby areas however are kept very clean. Room was okay. A basic room. Was cleaned to my liking each day. Had a couple if [... read more] problems but they were attended to quite quickly. The pool was very crowded. This Resort is lacking a quiet/adults only pool. The pool is too small for all the kids that use it. I think they felt that a quiet pool was not necessary due to the Aquagames section of the resort. I will not visit this resort again as I love the pool scene but this resort does not give me a pool scene that I can enjoy. Too many unsupervised children crawling all over you. The beach is beautiful but needs more chairs. Snack bar at the beach was awesome & the Sports Bar/Coffee Shop was great. However, we were ignored at the lobby bar on more than one occasion which was frustrating. Bartenders seem to have favorites.

Grand Sirenis Punta Cana Resort: Great family resort

My bestfriend and I (mid 20s) decided to take our first all inclusive trip together. The resort was great, an extra shout out to a few front staff Brelin, Wahgner, Andry, Edward, Carlos, Breilly and ismrel! Also a shout out to our favourite bartender Victor as the resort lounge bar! The beach and pool is about a 5-10 min walk from main resort area. We stayed in building 13, our room, wasnt so great. It was extremely humid, to the point where all of our belongings were damp and musty by the time  [... read more]we left. Also if we left a key card, or anything plastic in the same spot for two long it would actually be WET under it. We discussed with a few other stayers and they said they didnt have that issue, everyone we spoke to was not on the first floor, we stayed in room 1305 so I would suggest staying clear of that building on the first floor. All the staff was great help all the time, no long drink wait times, food was decent, lots of options. If you are going to an all inclusive BOOK YOUR DINNERS IN ADVANCE(before your trip or the morning of your first day, you can book up to 4 at a time) we did not and never got an earlier time than 930pm. Lastly, it was a great place for kids and families, if you are in your 20s looking for excitement and friends, I would suggest an alternative resort. Lots of children, families, and older couples. Did not make it to the water park but we also didnt hear great reviews from anyone older, also sounds like it is mainly for children! Pools were always busy, if you want to get a chair at the pool id suggest getting there early, or set out a towel in the early morning. A lot of people were very rude about pool chairs and will claim them for the whole day but never actually sit at them or use them. Over all the experience was probably about a 7/7.5! Also it is quite far from Punta Cana and the airport so be prepared for 30-60min drives if you leave the resort!