Amazing time

We stayed at the VH Gran Ventana .We have been there a few times now and had a great time every time the beach was great the food was ok the service was great! The flight there and back was a breeze and going through customs was so efficient and fast

Great staff and beautiful beach

We went during the rainy season so the resort was quiet but relaxing. The staff was awesome, the food wasn’t to die for but it was definitely enjoyable, and there were usually plenty of options. The rooms were pretty basic, the bed was a little firm but always made well. The mini fridge seemed to take forever to cool our drinks. Internet costed money which is okay if you don’t have people to keep in contact with. My main complaint is that the sellers on the beach are RELENTLESS! I feel the  [... read more]resort owners should monitor it more so that their guests can enjoy it more as sometime we just wanted to relax and we couldn’t because people were non stop swarming us to sell us something. Some of them would accept your no and others would keep pushing and get in your personal space. Overall, I’d recommend going here, although I don’t have anything else to compare it to as it was my first all inclusive.

Amazing staff ,amazing Place

we have traveled extensively over the years and this resort lived up to its reputation as a top notch resort ,Our room was spacious and had awesome air conditioning ,The food was delicious and the staff attentive to our every need. Beach area was fantastic great for swimming and snorkelling.

Great holiday

The only negative comment would be the rooms are very dated but are spotless clean. The resort and grounds are beautiful the food delicious. Location close to airport and city. Staff are all so nice and can’t do enough for you ! Great place. Plan on going back !

Wonderful Time

Well kept hotel. Room was well stocked and clean, Beach area very nice. Just beware you will be constantly approached by vendors. Food was average. Staff was extremely friendly and very helpful. My only concern is that the main pool needs to be renovated. Pool has some jagged areas as the cement is crumbling due to its age. My granddaughter cut her foot on the bottom of the pool. This was my 4th visit to the resort and I would return. All the entertainers were wonderful.

Amazing Resort

Myself, 2 daughters, son-in-law and grandson, booked ourselves this vacation for the week of Aug 9 - 16th. We all had a fantastic time, grounds were well maintained as were the rooms. Food was fantastic, and the others loved going to the beach to snorkel

Amazing Trip at the VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort

We were a group of 5 ranging from ages 13-62. Upon our early arrival at 11am we were told the rooms may not be ready until 1pm or 3pm. The staff was accommodating to provide our 3 rooms as close as possible unfortunately that meant 2 of our rooms weren't ready until 3pm. This is understood though that this is check in time and we proceeded into the hotel to check out the grounds. From here on out I will break this review down. Grounds/Pools/Rooms The grounds were immaculate. I did n [... read more]ot see a cup/ straw/ cigarettes/ paper plate anywhere. The ground looked swept and mopped at all times. The hotel uses hard plastic reusable cups and there are no plastic straws, cups, plates that can be easily littered. I like this aspect as it's better for our environment. There was always a lounger by the main pool and the quiet pool was a nice break from the crowd. Rooms was kept clean and the maid service was impeccable. They attempted to clean rooms if it was inconvenient for you well into the afternoon. I have one suggestions for those that like an afternoon "siesta" the beverage guy came a little late and would wake my Mom up during her nap but through the week he accommodated her as well! 5 stars Food/Entertainment/Beverage The food options were amazing. We had not one complaint from our group and we had a strict Vegetarian travelling with us. She was able to find something at every meal. The buffet was never a let down. The A la Cartes, we only indulged in the Octopus and the Italian as they booked up very quickly. The Italian was fantastic we all thoroughly enjoyed our meal. As for the Octopus this restaurant did not have much in way of Vegetarian options aside from the "cheese sticks" and my Sister indulged in about 8 of them, they were to die for! I ordered the Lobster at an additional cost of 35US but I received 3 lobster halves, potatoes, garlic butter, medley of vegetables. I barely finished the plate and it was a sight to see! There is a VIP bar if you upgrade that is airconditioned and inside we didn't choose this option but you can go up and charge a drink to your room if you're craving a Bailey's after dinner. The Entertainment was okay the staff work hard but I've seen most of the kind of shows that they put on at resorts. There were pool tables and ping pong as well. We opted to play cards most of the time after dinner as a group. The Bars close at midnight and there is no Disco which for me was a bit of a disappointment as the drinks at the off site disco were very high. About $10 Canadian for a Corona so if you're looking for a "club" night be prepared with cash. Conclusion Although this is a calmer/smaller resort than what I am used to it was a breath of fresh air. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at this resort, the customer service is by far some of the best I have experienced and you can tell they enjoy their job when you try to speak Spanish with them. It's the small things that help when visiting someone else's country so a little effort goes a long way. I have no complaints about the VH Gran Ventana and will return one day.

Excellent resort

I must say I was surprised. I usually go to Cuba, but decided to try Puerto Plata. I was pleasantly astonished to find out that the rooms and food was much better than Cuba. However, the ocean is very rocky. You will find rocks that are 2-3 feet tall. However, that is not the case everywhere. There are certains parts that are flat and no rocks whatsoever. There are lots of waves as well, but I personally did not mind that. Staff was always friendly. Overall, great vacation!

Average

The buffet was understaffed. We had to chase someone for water or coffee every morning. It was worse on the weekend when nationals came for 2 days. There was no extra staff and it was vastly over booked for the staff and restaurants that were there. One day we had to wait for plates, seats and glasses before getting our food. Food was average but only select sit down restaurants were available daily. Also watch out if using taxis into town as they take you to their places they get a cut and not  [... read more]where you want to go.

Un très bon hôtel, tout y est on a eu un séjour magnifique on va y retourner

Malgré tout ce qu'on entend sur la République Dominicaine on s'est sentis en sécurité et tout était excellent à cet hôtel. Je le recommande. Plage aussi très bien avec beaucoup des palapas mais un peut venteux. Du soleil toute la semaine passé mais pas sentie la chaleur il y avait une bonne brise. Et à souligner qu'il y a pas des moustiques très apprécié le soir.

Good Resort

This was our second time back to the VH Gran Ventana. We love this resort, food is amazing, workers are great, drinks are good. Always have a good time when we are there. We were a little disappointed this time around though, any time we went to the buffet we would never got water or we would get it once and they wouldn't come back to refill. Also the gentleman upon check on was pretty rude but the woman we had after was great. All in all it is a great resort and I do recommend it for sure ! Fee [... read more]l like the pool and some rooms will need updating soon though.

Nice Resort

This was our second time at this resort and we went back because we loved it so much the first time. Second time wasn't as good as the first time. I found that the service was not as good. We had to ask for water and coffee when we were dining in the buffet restaurant, some days we didn't but more often then not we did. The food was very good and they had a lot of variety. The a la carte restaurants for non busy season were always booked even though we inquired at 9:00am.yet when we di [... read more]d get to the a la carte there was always empty tables. The main pool is in need of repair. There are cracks in some areas and the bottom of the pool felt crumbly also the walls were stained. The room was decent and cleaned but our shower did not have much pressure.

3* at best

The rooms were outdated and old. The black out curtains were all moldy. We had a desk but no chair. There were no irons or ironing boards. The safe is an extra $16 U.S. dollars. The pool was dirty sometimes, they need to clean it more often.

Definitely NOT a 4 Star

This hotel was very basic, not that nice service was not great- we had a few nice staff in the dining area but other than that not friendly. Food was good, but not 4 star quality. My son got sick the last day after eating lunch. Would not return. And it was empty barely any people checked in and lots of local Dominicans. The bathroom stunk every night like backed up sewer so we asked to change rooms and the new room had a broken shower head and broken tv that didn’t work. No irons in the room  [... read more]and when I requested one they brought me one thy didn’t work. You have to pay for the safe lock and wifi in your room.

Great Vacation, but not resort

The grounds are beautiful and clean, the room was under furnished; tv was not working well, no iron, no coffee maker ; safe box was not included in the package - that’s extra $; food and drinks were mediocre; pool dirty; but beach was very good. Stuff was friendly enough ( if you tip). I will not be going back to that resort. Not a 4 star resort.

Great Resort!

Perfect place to spend a vacation- not too busy in middle of May. Food was excellent, resort was very clean and staff extremely helpful and friendly. This was our first time at an all inclusive. We will definitely return.

Awesome resort

This was our eighth visit to the Gran Ventana in Puerto Plata. As always, everything was wonderful. The resort is extremely well maintained, the rooms are spotless. The food in the buffet, beach bar, and the three a la cartes is delicious. The drinks are equally as tasty. All staff from the bell hops to management go out of their way to help you. The beach is beautiful with lots of lounge chairs and cabanas. Can’t wait to return!

Family Vacation

We really liked the layout of this resort, rooms, restaurant, pool and beach were all close together. We felt safe letting our kids roam around. Pool and beach are wonderful. Great for snorkeling at the beach. Rooms were good, the only complaint we kept being locked out of our room. It was finally fixed on our last day. The resort caters to locals on the weekends during low season. Can get crowded at pool and restaurants. Unfortunately the locals we had to deal with were rude, we were glad to [... read more] see them leave. The service was great all week until the locals came than it changes, staff seemed grumpy and overwhelmed. Food is not great. Breakfast is the same everyday. Italian restaurant was good. There is a mall about a 5 minute walk which was nice. The weather was fabulous! So you can overlook the bad. I would go back if the price was right.

Family Vacation

We found the Gran Ventana Resort to be exactly what we were expecting. The hotel is kept very clean, the staff is very friendly and helpful, and the food in my opinion was above average. The location is very, very nice as far as beach and close to shopping. Playa Dorado is a fabulous area in the D.R. for a vacation. The ocean in front of the Gran Ventana was crystal clear which made for great snorkeling. We had the royal service upgrade and that got us free wifi, room service , private area on t [... read more]he beach with waiter service, upgraded mini bar, and access to the Vintage Club where they served premium drinks, and beach towel service in our room with premium quality towels. Food at the buffet was quite good for every meal throughout the day, the burgers and chicken at the beach eatery was very good, food at the Ocean Grill and Octopus was also very good but I disliked the food and service at the italian restaurant . All in all I would definitely consider returning , as a matter of fact my wife has requested we return for our Nov. vacation

Great location and beautiful beach!

WE loved the clean beach, snorkel right there! Nice easy access resort. (no trolly to the beach needed here! - steps away!) Not too big and not too small. I have been to several, to compare, great easy layout, 3 a la carte and great food. Beach bar and buffet were always on point. zero complaints about the food. The staff were always lovely and the drinks cold. Great value for the dollar.