Sunscape Puerto Plata: Average

Please note - I take an all inclusive trip with the girls once a year and have visited ten all inclusive resorts in various areas of the Carribean. The Barcelo is showing its age. Rooms are roomy but damp and old. The restaurants are okay. Same old food being recycled at the buffet. The buffet has limited fruits and the selection gets tiresome. The beach is nice. Plenty of chairs and great for walking. The vendors are always around but you get used to it. I am not a very picky person. I look for [... read more] a good beach, clean rooms and good food. I would not go back to the Barcelo. There are much nicer/better resorts along this strip. We had the misfortune to be at the resort where the S trip kids-(March break -17-18 yr olds - aprox 200 teens) were this year. Wow. Loud,obnoxious and drunk. Everything smelled like vomit after the first day. The next time I book an all inclusive the first question will be if the resort is part of the S trip booking.

Sunscape Puerto Plata: Great vacation

The hotel was nice, it was clean, not fancy rooms, but you are only in your room to sleep. Staff were very helpful and friendly. The nightly entertainment was good they get you involved in the dancing.

Occidental Caribe: Not Impressed

- Started with a 6 hr delay in the flight to Punta Cana - The bed was so bad that we had to stuff pillows at our sides to stop us from rolling into the middle. We ended up sleeping on the bed sideways - Balcony door was broken and would not lock. We were on the second floor and used the room safe - Cold water cut out while taking a shower - Water was leaking from the light fixture in the bathroom above the sink - Alarm clock in the room had no power cord. I asked for one but it didn't come  [... read more] - Soap dish in shower was on a 45 deg angle. Broken - Ice machines were out of order ( 2 ) closest to our room - Elevator was on again off again. about 50 - 50 - My wife got ill the first night and spent 4 days and 3 nights in the Bavaro Hospital. ( no fault of the hotel ) - Staff at the Barcelo Punta Cana were 4 out of 5 - Doctor 5 out of 5 - Food 3 out of 5 - 2 out of 5 we return

Occidental Caribe: Beautiful Grounds!!

The grounds were absolutely beautiful, the food at the buffet was good but the a la carte restaurant food and service was even better. The rooms were not very nice, outdated and the freezer in the fridge was broken and the mirror in the bathroom was also broke. There were also not enough beach/pool chairs to accommodate all the guests at the resort. Aside from that we had a great experience! The rock climbing and trapeze was fun! The massages at the spa were excellent. The beach is amazing and y [... read more]ou can walk for miles!

Barcelo Solymar: Friendly resort

It was my second time to this resort , the staff are all exceptional , the beaches were nice . The food may need a lil upgrade but I had a relaxlimg vacation. Would go back In a few years need to explore other destinations. Rating this 4 out of 5 stars.

Barcelo Tambor: BEST TRIP SO FAR

Well where do I start. This was the first time we have traveled to Costa Rica and It wont be the last. After a 5 hr plane ride to San Jose We were greeted by Nolitours and off to the Ferry at Puntarenas. Great scenery and lots of hills. The ferry ride was more than an hour but beautiful view of the gulf of Nicoya. Wish we had the option of flying direct to Tambor and save more time to enjoy the Resort. Arrived at Paquera and off to Barecleo Tambor. Arrived and had no problem booking in to our ro [... read more]om as there was only 4 of us that was on the mini bus.The grounds are magnificent and well taken care off. The Iguanas, squirrels, and doves kept busy looking for hand outs but didn't bother us at all. The scarlet Macaws flying over head and in the bird sanctuary were breath taking to see and its good to see the re introducing of endangered animals back into the wild. The parrots greeted us with Ohla. The howler monkeys religiously arrived around 5 pm to bask in the shade and cool off. What a hair raising sound they make!! The pool was clean and warm and enjoyed every minute. The pool activities helped wear off some of the drinks. The weather was nothing but perfect as we had 7 days of full sunshine and no clouds. Couldn't ask for better. The bartenders especially Kaylor in the main bar beside the stage was so amazing in making us feel like a close friends. I told him how to make a peralyser drink and he liked it. He should be recognized for his efforts as he works so hard at what he does. The bingo they had before the main entertainment was hard to follow. I know that Spanish is you main language, but it would have been nice to understand the jokes as we felt out of place. We laughed anyways. The food in the buffet was excellent and always a variety for everyone. The only draw back was at the steak house. My wife asked for here steak to be well done and it came between medium rare to medium. The ceaser salad was supper salty and the portions of veggies were small. The beach was fabulous and took a walk at low tide to Tambor, a small village at the west end of the beach. We purchased some liquor and as we were heading out of the local grocery store the worker came out and gave us a a small bottle of the local Costa Rican 5 year old rum as a gift. That made our trip even more unbelievable. At night the stars were so bright and felt like you could reach out and grasp them. The security was present all the time and we felt very safe at all times. Went to Tortuga Island snorkeling and had a blast. Saw tons of fish and lots of crabs running along the white sand beach. The bbq was excellent and the beers were cold. Went to the Curu wildlife reserve and Douglas our guide was awsome and we would recommend him as a guide as he new so much as if you went by your self you would enjoy it as much. We learned many things about the animals and foliage of Costa Rica. About 10 white faced capuchin mokeys gave us a show and were almost at touching distance. The pictures were amazing. Saw local deer, butter flies, rodents, and herons. This trip was the most memorable one we have taken and plan on going back to this resort as its a resort away from the big cities and we felt soooo relaxed. The only thing is that we wished that Nolitours gave us the option of the plane ride not the Ferry to bet us back to San Jose airport as getting up at 3 a.m. and the ferry ride at 5:30 a.m. then the long ride to the airport used up to many days of enjoying the resort. Didn't get home till 1:00 a.m. the next morning and made for a long long day. Thanks again for a wonderful experiance Barcelo Tamabor Beach Resort.

Sunscape Dominican Beach: Exceeded our expectations

We stayed at the Barcelo Dominican Beach March 4- March 11, and were extremely happy with our stay. We traveled with 3 couples and were impressed right off the bat when checking in they were able to get us all king size beds, even though our package was for doubles. We stayed in block 7, the room was great, ac worked perfectly, water pressure a little weak. The grounds are impeccably kept, music on all the pathways. 3 different buffets, 5 a la carte ( food was good no complaints and a big select [... read more]ion) the cafe is amazing - surprised you don't have to pay extra...the drinks in general were all right...found the vodka to taste a bit like tequila, so maybe stick to rum, or buy a bottle at the supermarket like we did. We spent our time on the beach and had to get up at a decent time to get chairs, but the American spring break was going on so I believe it was busier then normal. The grounds are large enough that we could avoid their mayhem :) the pool seemed more difficult for chairs but we didn't spend much time there. There's 3 pools, we liked the far quiet one :) I had a massage at the spa, highly recommended , Nullie was awesome !! Overall, we were looking for a good deal, and were really impressed considering this is a 3.5 star. Would stay again and recommend to others.

Barcelo Solymar: Okay but not great

If your looking for nice beach and greT location this is good spot The room cleaning is poor The beds are uncomfortable The pillows are more like tree logs Recommend you bring your own Food is good but desserts are poor Waiter staff is good Lobby is pretty with a live music nightly

Barcelo Solymar: barcelo solymar in Varadero

The food was the worst food at any resort i have ever been to and I have been to many. The staff were the most unfriendly staff i have ever encountered. The resort was not clean but the actual room was ok. ie. some guy dropped a plate of food on the bridge over the pool and it was still there the next morning when i was walking out to the pool. The fridge in the room was not plugged in so nothing was cold (they knew we were coming, plug it in). the shower doors almost fell off. Water came out fr [... read more]om under the tub whenever you had a shower. If you asked the desk staff any questions they acted as if you were bothering them and they also knew nothing eg where any specialty restaurants were. You couldn't pay me to go to this place. Its a one star at best. The only good thing about it was the weather and the beach. Worst resort I have ever been too. Was nice tho that it is close to downtown Varadero. Avoid resort at all costs. They also stop serving alcohol at 11.

Sunscape Puerto Plata: Great resort!

The hotel was very nice, clean and the people that worked here are amazing! The a la carte restaurants were fantastic!! We ate at them all, and enjoyed every meal. The room was spacious, and the cleaning staff did an excellent job. We would love to go back again!!! We even had friends staying locally come to spend the evening with us.

Barcelo Karmina: Fantastic Resort!! Very Beautiful Grounds

Karmina Palace is a beautiful place! Grounds are very beautiful, pool areas and beach are very nice. Not a problem to get chairs if you get out if bed before 9 or 10am.. Restaurants are very good, with lots of choices for everyone. The rooms are nice, but have a step down to sitting area, or beds if you have double suite.. My girlfriend had to buy a nightlight for safety reasons.. This hotel is very busy, with lots of large groups travelling together

Barcelo Maya Colonial: Great Holiday

Overall an excellent place to stay. Service was great, food was good (not great, but good), pools we fantastic, beach was was good, lots of activities to do if you wanted, and the staff were very accommodating.

Sunscape Puerto Plata: very nice resort with super friendly staff

This resort exceeded my expectations in every way! I was there APR 23-MARCH 01. The staff were all smiles and were particularly impressive with children; they treated everyone in a friendly and professional manner, (even when customers were demanding and rude). They all seem to speak at least three languages and work very long hours, six days a week. They appreciate tips and toys, pencils etc, but do not seem to expect it. The entertainment at night is very impressive, and the activities during  [... read more]the day are frequent, varied, and fun to watch or participate in. The pools and bars are fabulous and it was never a problem getting a lounge chair or a drink. The beach is long, clean, and accessible, and it's easy to swim or paddle in. The food is fine - there is a big selection with some new selections each meal, lots of vegetarian or fussy eater options.I only went to one a la carte (Japanese, good entertainment, lots of food) because the buffet was good, maybe better. There is only wifi access in/near the lobby and it costs $5usd for an hour. My one, very minor, complaint is that some activities are not publicized very well. I heard indirectly about an evening synchronized swimming show that was spectacular, and the same about the gigantic paella cookouts, but I'm sure lots of people missed these. There was an interesting and varied mix of people from Canada, France, Germany, Chile,France, Russia.... and a range of ages from very young to very old. I'll be back next year I'm sure!

Occidental Caribe: Great place!

The Barcelo Premium provided my boyfriend and I with a great experience during our stay in DR. Beautiful beach/pool area, amazing a la carte restaurants, and friendly staff ! I would return to this resort

Sunscape Dominican Beach: Need to speak spanish

The beach/ocean was really nice but the employees were not very nice to you if you did not speak spanish. I went last year to a different resort and i had a much better time! Even the guests all spoke spanish so it was really hard to talk to people. They also clean your rooms super super late in the day.ex: you spend all day at the beach/pool come back to your room and they haven't or they're cleaning it at 5 pm. It was really frustrating happened all week.

Sunscape Puerto Plata: Staff needs to improve on customer care

The resort was beautiful and being in club premium is definitely the way to go. The selection of food was excellent. As for the service and friendliness ... that is something to be desired. I found staff at this resort were rather rude and really didn't seem like they wanted to help you. The staff at the "Italian" ala carte were down right horrible and beyond rude. We sat and waited and waited .. people even got up and left due to the poor service.

Occidental Caribe: Amazing Resort!!

Everything is great about this resort! That staff was excellent. Pools and beach were perfect and didn't have to walk long to get anywhere. Entertainment was not as good as it has been in the past years at this resort but overall I love the resort!

Barcelo Solymar: Barcelo party!

Stayed in the villas, maids were very nice kept out rooms clean and stocked up with beer and essentials. The A la carte restaurants are your best bet, we personally didn't enjoy the buffet food it all tastes the same :S Not a whole lot of entertainment during the day, but the disco was pretty busy at night. The booze was a steady flow but they tend to run out of vodka:( All the staff was very friendly, and helpful! It was a huge party all week, we went during spring break so there was lots of yo [... read more]unger people! Over we had a great time :)

Barcelo Bavaro Beach: Great place to relax

Very quiet section to relax, if you want more action ... Just need to walk to the Bavaro Deluxe. Only comment limited access to catamaran and food are not always clearly identified could be a concerns if you have some allergies or food intolerances such gluten. But the is a rich varieties of food and drinks to satisfied everyone

Barcelo Maya Palace: Wonderful vacation

Facilities were great, service was excellent, food was terrific. Beach is crystal clear and view of the fish was remarkable. Plenty of things to do while on site. Shopping exercise rooms etc. Would return again for sure.