Catalonia Bavaro Resort: If they have the chance to disapoint you they will

First the positives: The grounds were beautiful. Kids loved the ducks and turtles on the property. The size was convenient, it felt easy to navigate but not too small. Beach was great, with lots of loungers and places to play. Wide enough to not feel crowded, long enough to go for a beachfront walk. Food was decent, and the drinks that are included in the package are all well made. Most bar staff will do what they can to help you. A La Carte restaurants were excellent, and food overall was ok.  [... read more] Negatives: Privelege was a waste of money. Trying to get enough towels in a day to your room was very painful. Calling front desk, leaving notes in Spanish (with $5 USD tips) and many other ways, always left us disappointed with house keeping. The pillows and mattresses were terrible. Getting room service was very difficult as well. The rooms were just ok, still basic, although some of the higher number buildings that have been renovated to privilege had slightly nicer rooms. No bottled water poolside or at restaurants, no wait service poolside. The Pizza place is always running out, this system should be revisited. A general feeling at the resort of if you want anything above and beyond their basic offerings, it won't happen. I wouldn't go back, for a few hundred dollars more a person, you can get substantially more in Punta Cana. OR for a few hundred less, the same in Cuba.

Viva Heavens by Wyndham: Loved it!

My 14 year old daughter and I went to this resort on New Yers Eve. Check in was very easy, staff at the front desk were amazing. Got to our room and was shocked as it was a very nice and big room. We proceed to go explore the resort (it was 11pm) and they had a huge tent so for NYE and very classy! Fireworks along with champagne, it was very well done. Food was good (maybe a little more variety would be nice). Joel and Omar at the bar were fantastic, Esme and Valentina amazing entertainment. Ove [... read more]rall, I would definitely go back.

Riu Republica: Resort review

Do your homework before you go to this resort. I didn't and it's a party resort. Kids drinking until they get so drunk. Saw them hurt and smashed. I have stayed at a Riu in Jamacia and Mexico. The standards and food were a much better quality. Hot tub broken. Air conditioning terrible. Toilets didn't flush. TV didn't work.

Riu Palace Bavaro: Great Family Vacation

The hotel and the gardens were beautiful, well kept, and clean. We were satisfied with the size of our room as well as the view from the balcony. The best part of our stay is the service we got from everyone working there. They were friendly, courteous, and always willing to please. However there was one thing that was most annoying during the week and that was the fact that the elevators were out of commission most of the time. This proved to be a hardship since I had surgery on my ankle rec [... read more]ently. We were also disappointed that although we booked as a group we were all in different sections on different floors. We travelled with our children and grandchildren. Overall, we enjoyed our stay at the Riu Palace Bávaro and wouldn’t hesitate to return for another vacation.

Blue Bay Villas Doradas: Clean and well cared for resort

This is a resort with a good mix of quiet areas with more active options. The beaches were cleaned every morning and there was an abundance of chairs available at the pools and at the beach. The rooms were clean and comfortable. There was a great variety of food at the buffet and the staff were attentive. I appreciated the different themes of the evening buffet.The excursions were well organized with knowlegable and friendly guides.There small details that did not affect the overall trip but [... read more] could be addressed. The room key kept needing to be reprogrammed. The fridge nor the safe worked in the room. Not all the restaurants were available the week we were there. I would book another vacation at this resort.

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Feels Like Home!

I have been to this resort 4 times now. 3 times with my husband and once on a girls trip for my birthday. I do need to note that I upgrade to prestige every time I go to this resort so I can't elaborate on the base amenities. I love this resort mostly for the wonderful staff who make you feel so welcome and are extremely friendly. The beach is beautiful but it does get seaweed washing up, which the staff clean up daily if not numerous times a day. The upgraded bar selections are great and the ba [... read more]rtenders will gladly mix you any drinks you desire. Stella and Corona are only offered in the prestige level so you need the upgrade. I like the restaurants but the buffet is my favorite because of the selection. I am vegetarian and my husband is not but we both walk away full and satisfied. They offer late night food and the disco is fun! The rooms in the prestige level are not super fancy but they are clean and nice. The entertainment team is great and they do a beach party on Thursday nights. I will definitely be returning.

Dreams Flora Resort and Spa: Great resort

Great resort. Very nice beach. A lot of private pools for the swim up. Not stroller friendly. No reservation in restaurant so you have too wait to have a place (sometimes 1hour). Overall very nice place! Be careful because if you miss the information meeting on the second morning, the rep of transat will NOT give you the time of the shuttle to go back to the airport. (Will do a complaint about it).

Playabachata Hotel: Dated place with poor service

From the moment we arrived in Friday it was a bad experience. After traveling since 3 am, we faced a long line up at check in, only to be told our rooms weren't ready and to come back at 3. We were tired and hungry and just wanted to sit down and eat but we're accosted by an agent wanting to connect with us. This person would go on to hound us every day, cutting us off at the pass when we would leave our rooms to head to breakfast. After eating we eventually were given our rooms. This was  [... read more]a family vacation, with 3 of our children accompanying us and we found we were in separate buildings. On arriving in our room we found there were no towels, the phone wasn't working, and there was no wifi. We headed to the beach to make the most of the rest of the day, only to be told there were no more beach towels. At the beach there were no lounge chairs, it was very crowded and chairs were either occupied or “reserved” with towels. Saturday morning when we went to get a table in the restaurant a male employee waived us over to his section. A female employee started yelling at him about needing to show respect to her and she told ua to sit in her area. She tossed the coffee saucers on the table and didn’t bring us any milk or spoons. We faced the same problem trying to find chairs at the beach right after breakfast, eventually finding two broken chairs to use. When we went to find out more about the advertised “endless water sports, from windsurfing, kayaking, pedal boats, snorkeling equipment...and a diving test at the pool. All of these non-motorized sports are included.” we learned the windsurfing required a paid lesson and insurance fee, there are no paddle boats, and the kayaks and snorkeling equipment require a $25 usd deposit - cash only. We had been given 2 bottles of water when we arrived and the kids had drank theirs. They called reception earlier in the day and asked for the water to be restocked but nothing was done. After dinner we went to reception to ask and were brusquely told they didn't have any and to come back later. When I asked when they said to ask at the bar - who redirected us to reception. The rooms are dated, with rattan furniture, dirty tubs, and aged faucets. The cushions in the lobby are stained and some are ripped. Sunday night we kept our beach towels and Monday morning came to the beach around 8 to secure chairs. The kids were able to use the snorkeling equipment and a boogie board with a $25 usd cash deposit each. Using the kayaks only required a waiver. There is still a shortage of beach chairs but at least the restaurant isn't overrun with locals. Nothing against locals but the place shouldn't overbook. Staff continue to be disgruntled and unfriendly. The guy who had been attached to us seems to have disappeared since we didn't sign on to the timeshare. Tuesday-Thursday the beach was much less busy, and we found some wait staff who actually appreciated tips. No complaints about the food, lots of variety every day. Skipping ahead to departure day on Friday. Three staff hanging around at the desk talking to each other rather than welcoming us to the desk. During the checkout process another guest approached and asked if her bags could be stored. The staff directly in front of her said in Spanish to the other one “can't she see I'm busy.” Then the other one started speaking poorly of the guest, complaining that she had asked to change her room to be closer to her friend. Staff don't realize I understand what they say and they are quite rude about the guests. Playabachata has very mixed reviews for a good reason - every day is hit or miss with the customer service. If you book here know that you are taking your chances.

Royalton Bavaro Resort and Spa: Royalton Bavaro - the good and the bad

We travelled here in January 2024 with our 8 month old son, 6 yr old daughter and MIL. Overall impression is we would stay here again. Lets start with the good: PREMISES - clean and well maintained grounds. Pools were regularly cleaned of floating debris though opening hours were a little funny. Sign by the splash pad stated open at 9am but water features were inoperable until 10ish most days. ROOM - spacious and comfortable for our family of 4, though we were not able to get adjoining [... read more] rooms for MIL, we were in the same building on a different floor. Bonus points for set up on arrival - double queen room was also equipped with a crib for our infant and pull out couch was made into a bed for our daughter. Did not use the crib, but thoughtful none the less. POOLS - good varierty and layout. Splash pad kept both kids entertained - our son had fun standing up in his floatie and our daughter loved the slides and water features. Its also equipped with an awning to keep part of the pool shady. Childrens pool between infinity pool and diamond club pool was a great place to escape the hot afternoon sun, as it is fully covered by an awning. The lazy river was a hit for the whole family - the 2 slides were well loved and a nice surprise is that it's only 1m deep, with some sunny and some shady portions. STAFF - majority of the staff were warm and friendly, with a few at the buffet, bars and housekeeping going above and beyond to make our stay comfortable and memorable. BEACH - having taken a walk 2km in each direction, it looks like this resort has one of the widest portions of beach. We found that, like many other reviewers wrote, you had to put a towel down in the morning if you wanted a lounger. The water was clear and beautiful, made for great photos in the late afternoon. Its was pleasant to walk into, but unfortunately too wavy for paddle boarding/ kayaking. We brought a life jacket for our daughter and she had a blast. BUFFET - as far as buffets go, good presentation and variety at breakfast and dinner - only place we could dine with small children in a timely manner IMO - see restaurant reviews. Now, for the could use improvement: RESTAURANTS - not an option at dinner time (during our stay, at least) unless you were diamond club OR wanted to be seated at 730pm. One evening after standing in line for 30 minutes before open, we were able to secure a table at Grazie for 730pm. Food was not worth the wait - average at best and service was terrible from start to finish. After this experience we spent the rest of our dinners at the buffet, but saw a massive line up for tables on a daily basis. CHECK IN/ CHECK OUT - service was slow, and staff was uninformative. Too much of a language barrier to be able to get answers to questions about amenities. This could really use improvement. AIRPORT TRANSFER - though not a reflection of the hotel, worth a mention as it is part of the package. The staff at the nexus desk were completely disinterested in providing us with info about pick up times, providing vague and incorrect information to the point where we missed our transfer and took a taxi to the airport out of pocket. Overall these were annoying, but not significant, inconveniences. The resort was largely as advertised, and all staff were pleasant - some going above and beyond. Based on this experience i would return to a Royalton resort.

Playabachata Hotel: Great hotel with lots to see and do

Travelled with two kids and another group of friends. Never felt bored. Resort is constantly being cleaned. Lots of great food options. The resort is huge. Plenty to see and do. Be sure to visit the "old half" of the resort, as the restaurant and bars and less busy. And walk over to common area shared with Senator resort. Beaches are good. Workers are all friendly.

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Great Resort!

Just got back from a week at Iberostar Costa Dorada and it was awesome! First off, the resort itself is beautiful. Very well kept grounds and very clean resort. The rooms are very spacious and the bathroom is great also, with a barrier free walk in shower and rainfall shower head. The food at the resort was really good, especially breakfast with all the fresh fruit and fruit juices. Everything was delicious and very fresh. The only issue I had was with the bars/bartenders. They were really spari [... read more]ng with the alcohol, and for me who isn’t a big drinker to notice that it is a pretty big deal. For me to have to ask for more rum in my piña colada is really annoying.

Temptation Miches Resort 21 Plus: Disappointment

Arrived Jan 3-10 temptations miches punta Cana. No reply from sunwing or trip central that the resort changed ownership and was closing Jan 15. Resort was literally empty after 3nights and supply on the resort was cut back due to closing. Will rethink booking sunwing and trip central next trip. Glenn Winnipeg.

Bahia Principe Escape Aquamarine: Beautiful Grounds

We were repeat customers to this resort and have always loved it but found this time customer service was lacking. The younger staff if they did not understand what you were asking for, would just shake their head yes and never come back! Self-service has a whole new meaning for us! The grounds are beautiful and everything very well maintained.

Barcelo Bavaro Palace: Fantastic Family Vacation

Family of 3 (mom, 8 yo, and 4 yo) had a fantastic week in the sun. The kids loved all the water slides and the beach. We spent our entire days outside swimming and exploring. The Kids Club (child minding) was a wonderful break for parents and fun social activities for the kids. The food was bland but we always found something for everyone to enjoy (including lots of ice cream!). This was a repeat visit for us (we went 5 years ago). Resort is still in good shape with lovely green grounds. Lots [... read more] of fun and relaxation so highly recommend to all families.

Bahia Principe Grand Bavaro: Stay away!

Terrible (slow) service, run down and unsafe. Took 3 hours to check in and buffets were dirty and had bugs. They ran out of alcohol (tequila and rum) mid stay. We will not be returning and felt as though we paid for a 5 star but went to a 2 star max

Viva Tangerine by Wyndham: Great Small Resort

We had a fabulous time. The weather was great, the beach was busy but beautiful. It is the kite surfing beach. The rooms were dated but for the purpose of sleep, they were just right. The buffet and al a cart were okay. The Mexican and Italian were fantastic. The buffet had regular local foods but it was also Americanized. The pool was well maintained and the grounds were clean. The staff were so friendly and helpful. The entertainment was just enough and kept you busy if you so chose to. Th [... read more]ere is only one bar. So this did get a little busy at certain times of the day. Overall I would recommend if you like small resorts.

Sunscape Puerto Plata: Good resort

Everything was excellent at the resort. Very clean ! Only thing I can complain about was the wifi not in rooms and not many areas. Staff was amazing and very helpful. Walked the beach for miles. Walked streets for blocks we were in a gated areas that had like 5resorts .

Occidental Caribe: Acceptable for the price

Hotel installations were quite dated, a lot of maintenance is required around the hotel. Bathrooms in the rooms need to be improved. Staff is very friendly though. Beach and location are both amazing. No service on the beach, nor pool area. Enough food diversity, options to please anyone. Difficult to get cutlery and coffee and beverages during peek buffet hours… Restaurants a la carte aren’t amazing, difficult to reserve too. If you can get a good deal and are not too pi [... read more]cky I’d recommend. The hotel to me is more like a 3.5 star and not a 4 star hotel. We still enjoyed ourselves, but this review is a heads up for people that are picky for the elements mentioned above.

Majestic Mirage Punta Cana All Suite Resort: Exceptional

Wonderful spot for families and couples. We went as Grandparents to meet up with our children and grand-daughter and had all the fun we hoped for. Our room had a great view and wonderfully stocked up and clean. Service, food and entertainment were great. Checking in late after a long flight on New year's eve was disappointing though, as we were tired and just wanted to get to our room to rest. Our transfer to the airport back home after checking out never arrived and we had to pay for a private  [... read more]taxi to get us to the airport on time. Otherwise a great experience.

Majestic Mirage Punta Cana All Suite Resort: Exceptional

Wonderful spot for families and couples. We went as Grandparents to meet up with our children and grand-daughter and had all the fun we hoped for. Our room had a great view and wonderfully stocked up and clean. Service, food and entertainment were great. Checking in late after a long flight on New year's eve was disappointing though, as we were tired and just wanted to get to our room to rest. Our transfer to the airport back home after checking out never arrived and we had to pay for a private  [... read more]taxi to get us to the airport on time. Otherwise a great experience.