VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Relaxing Vacation

We stayed at Gran Ventana during their slow season. So good for relaxing, beach was not crowded, ocean was warm and beautiful. Grounds were well kept, rooms clean but older. Staff was very friendly and helpful, they work very hard to please everyone. Trip Central representative, Melanie Johnson got it correct when she recommended this resort to us based on what we asked for. We were looking to relax in a quiet, non-crowded resort. Food was good. We like their local food. However, there was  [... read more]less variety in comparison to pre-Covid. A small Market just 15 mins walk along the beach. We purchased local food there at reasonable cost. Owner is from the Netherlands, it’s called La Petit Francois. There is hand sanitizer before you enter the Buffet restaurant. We were not concerned about Covid issues due to low capacity of people during our stay and we spent all of time outdoors by the ocean.Alacarte restaurants were good, Octopus was our favorite and Ocean Grill was our least favorite. Entertainment was almost zero, just one night had something meaningful, the Dominican night which showed Dominican folk dancing. Nothing else, no daily activities or other entertainment even though they post activities, there was no follow through. Other than that, we enjoyed our stay and would love to visit again.

Majestic Colonial Punta Cana Beach Resort: Good Times

What we liked: The resort was clean, the staff were friendly and helpful, and the food was nice. The various forms of entertainment were varied and well done (from the music in the plaza at night, to the theatre shows, to the beach party) and better than another local resort we previously stayed at. What we didn’t like: The rooms were dated, and smelled a little musty - probably due to the AC not being as strong as it could be (and turning off when you left the room). They really should ren [... read more]ovate the rooms. Compared to the other resort that is close by that we previously stayed at, these rooms were a step down. Would we return? Yes. Value for the money, the Majestic Colonial is a way better resort to spend our money at. And we enjoyed ourselves there a lot. So yeah, we’ll go back.

Bahia Principe Escape Ambar: Beautiful resort!

Beautiful resort & beautiful , friendly people! We travelled with some family as well & had a fantastic time! Resort was well maintained & employees were very friendly, efficient & kind. Food was very good , especially the MEAT restaurant.

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Continual revisits

Hotel is very clean, staff is awesome Osvaldo and Andrea- great bartenders - pleasant and friendly! Felix in buffet- very accommodating and friendly! Was very disappointed however in their client relations. This was my 2 nd trip to this hotel however my friend- it was her 6 th time there. No extras were given her way- over the years she has brought many people to this resort also. In fact, we were downgraded/ we requested the same room that has been requested over the last 6 times- this year [... read more] we were put in another building and on the 2 nd floor- we requested 1 st. The room was smaller, a horrible view, and picture this- 2 ladies trying to get ready without a full length mirror. We totally enjoy this resort at this time because we know it will be quiet and we enjoy tipping even more because we get the extra attention, however management needs to up their game if they want return guests to reappear the next year.

Royalton CHIC Punta Cana: Needs a face-lift

Nice hotel that has great potential but maintenance needs to be done . Had a great time but wouldnt pay the price we did to go back. Many things were broken including the pool bar counter and we were there 12 days and still wasnt fixed . Rooms were dirty and broken doors and mirrors.

Ocean Blue and Sand: I am recommending this resort to everyone!

My best friend and I stayed here for a week to celebrate our 30th bdays. The food was insanely delicious, there was seriously no need to explore the restaurants (although out of them all, the Italian one was our fav.) The people were beyond helpful and friendly. The resort grounds were stunning! Clean, modern, trendy aesthetics, and just fabulous. The beach was everything!! White sand, turquoise water. Lots of beach chairs and shaded areas to sit and tan. I am seriously recommending this resort  [... read more]to anyone interested in going to Punta Cana. Javier at the lobby bar was incredible! He was our absolute favourite person there that made our week so fun!! Biggest smile, talented at making drinks and different kinds of shots and just such a friendly gentleman. Go say hi to him!! Special shout out to Manuel at the swim-up pool bar too, he made the best cocktails! We'd often fill up our cups there before heading to the beach because the beach bar just wasn't as great as he was. We had a blast and will definitely be coming back.

Casa Marina Sosua Trademark by Wyndham All Inclusive: Great resort

The resort is great, the rooms are clean, the food is good except this time it was a little more quiet so a bit less choice on the buffet, everything is great but weekends get way too many Dominicans and they think they own the place when it's the tourists that pay full prices for their vacations and they are very loud, when they are there we have to wait big lineups just to get in the buffet! During the week it is quiet and very nice, great place to go, really nice weather all year round!

Bahia Principe Explore Legend: Decent but not great

Food: 3 star Room: 3 star Service 4 star Overall: 3star Food is decent when it comes to fine dining, but buffet quality is sub par. Food is mostly salty and lacks other flavours. Don’t even try their Japanese fine dining… no where close. Service: people are decently nice there. English proficiency is not the greatest though. Lots of misunderstanding. Room: the rooms are the biggest problems. Their resort design is flawed. The cart paths are too close to the hotel rooms. You can he [... read more]ar the noises of the carts going by. Their hotel lobby carry’s the sound throughout the whole building. If people walk across your floor, you can hear them very clearly. If you have young kids, you might want to avoid being on the main floor as it’s quite noisy. Mosquitoes are very scary there. Not much is done to help with mosquitoes in the rooms. Beaches are ok. But it is not deep enough. Beach is pretty crowded. Their cocktails are delicious. The water park is great for kids. Overall resort atmosphere is decent.

Lifestyle Residence Suites: spectacular

This hotel is very nice. It's clean, well managed, the people were friendly. The food was delicious. We were never hungry. We had different nationatility type resturants to visit. the bâches were clean , the pools were clean and fresh. the rooms was cool and just right. It was a very comfortable vacation. Everything was taking care of. There was security every where so we didn't feel scared at night walking alone. The shows were spectacular amazing, entertaining. We want to go bac [... read more]k. I love the fact that there was a bus to take us to and from the airport in Dominican Republic. It was great trip, highly recommend.

Casa Marina Sosua Trademark by Wyndham All Inclusive: Great resort

The grounds were very well kept, the staff very friendly and nice. The food was delicious. The only things I have complaints about is the water pressure in our bathroom (I travelled with a big team and everyone had the same issue) and our doorknob in our bathroom kept falling off from the inside locking us in the bathroom on more than one occasion. We managed to get out everytime but it was annoying. Also having to keep the keycard in the slot by the door just to have AC. Coming back into a saun [... read more]a of a room because we couldn’t keep our AC going was very frustrating.

Bahia Principe Escape Aquamarine: Great value

This was our 3rd stay at the Aquamarine, this trip 11 nights. Resort continues to be well maintained, grounds lovely, room clean , air conditioner works well, shower water a bit on the hot side but managed. The pool is getting a bit tiried, tiles missing, handrails a bit wobbly. Half of the pool chairs were brand new and the other half well used and dirty ( black mold looking ? ) and really should no longer be used. Pool guests and staff got very rowdy in the afternoons it was like a college  [... read more]spring break, some of the activities with the staff and guests were questionable , ie: extreme twerking! During our stay the main pool got closed twice for the day due to guests throwing up in the pool. For this reason only we will re consider staying again at the Aquamarine , I felt bad for the senior guests whom likely only stay at the pool, it was not relaxing .Beach is fabulous, tram and/or walking to the resort gets to be a nuisance. No area close to beach for breakfast . No premium alcohol at any bars any longer, no bathrobes or slippers. The app is great for booking dinners. Restaurants were great , breakfast buffet same each day , could have some variety from day to day as this is the only option for breakfast. No yogurt at the buffet and didn’t care for shared jam and Peanut butter jars! Overall great value for amount paid. Perhaps the time of year will dictate the age group of the guests.

Secrets Royal Beach: A Fantastic Stay at Secrets Royal Beach, Punta Cana

I recently had the pleasure of staying at Secrets Royal Beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and it exceeded my expectations in many ways. The resort provided a memorable vacation with its outstanding features, exceptional service, and remarkable culinary experiences. Here's my review, including the pros and cons of my stay. Pros: Culinary Delights: The food at Secrets Royal Beach is simply outstanding. The resort offers a wide variety of dining options, and each restaurant serves deli [... read more]cious dishes. I especially loved the French restaurant, where the cuisine was exquisite and the service impeccable. Every meal was a culinary adventure. We had dinner on the beach that was incredible and well worth the additional cost. Exceptional Staff: The staff at Secrets Royal Beach truly made my stay special. They were attentive, friendly, and always ready to assist. I want to give a special shout-out to Orlando, my butler, who went above and beyond to provide exceptional service. His attention to detail and willingness to accommodate my requests made my experience truly unforgettable. Preferred Club: Opting for the Preferred Club was definitely worth it. The exclusive amenities, such as a private lounge, upgraded room amenities, and dedicated concierge service, added an extra touch of luxury to my stay. The Preferred Club provides a heightened level of comfort and convenience. Great Drinks: The resort's bars offer a wide selection of premium drinks. Whether you're lounging by the pool or enjoying a night out, the bartenders are skilled at crafting delicious cocktails. The drinks were consistently well-made and a pleasure to enjoy throughout my stay. Cons: Local Vendors on the Beach: One minor downside was the presence of local vendors on the beach. While it's understandable that they are trying to make a living, they can be persistent in their efforts to sell their products or services. It's worth noting that a simple "no, thank you" usually sufficed, and they respected personal boundaries. Overall, my experience at Secrets Royal Beach was outstanding. The resort's superb cuisine, excellent service, and luxurious amenities created a truly unforgettable vacation. While the occasional interaction with local vendors on the beach was a small drawback, it did not significantly impact my overall experience. I highly recommend Secrets Royal Beach to anyone seeking a fantastic getaway in Punta Cana.

Royalton Punta Cana Resort: Great All In

The Royalton Punta Cana Upon arrival to the Royalton Punta Cana we upgraded to the Diamond Club and were introduced to Denis. Denis was our Butler for the time of our stay at the resort. Denis was amazing and he helped us with booking of all a la carte restaurants and was very caring and attentive. We especially enjoyed practicing Spanish with Denis and had a lot of great conversations. Denis made our stay at the resort special and it felt like we had a friend. The Royalton Punta Cana is [... read more] a nice hotel located on Bavaro beach. The beach (12 miles long) is beautiful with powdery white sand and turquoise waters. The beach is clean and maintained daily. The staff at this resort are very helpful and very friendly. The food is good and if you are a fruit lover you will enjoy the wide selection of fresh fruit. The best a la caret restaurant was Jade offering Thai food. In addition to several a la carte restaurants and a large buffet there is a coffee shop offering a variety of coffees, pastries and gelato. The resort also offers a few stores with beach wear, jewellery, perfumes, accessories and snacks. There are daily shows, kids club and yoga sessions in the morning. There is also a casino and a Martini bar. This resort is great for both families and adults (the Hideaway section of the resort). There are opportunities for excursions, sports and other attractions at additional cost. Overall for value I would recommend this resort as it meets the all inclusive standards.

Melia Punta Cana Beach Wellness Resort Adults: Such a beautiful resort

The resort and this vacation was such a relief from tight packed work schedule. Martine did a great job in understanding the requirements and helping us identifying the right place for us. Looking forward to collaborate with her more in future.

Riu Republica: Beautiful Resort

The rooms were clean, pools etc The staff stayed on top of everything and always made sure things stayed clean. I would 100% recommend anyone who asks me about vacation to go to this hotel and resort.

Lopesan Costa Bavaro Resort: Beautiful resort

I booked with Jim O'Neill - he was excellent from beginning to end! I would book through TripCentral again, but only if Jim assisted! Thank you, Jim! Extremely friendly and helpful and tolerated all of my questions. Hadn't done an all inclusive in 15 years, so I had a lot of questions. As for the resort, absolutely beautiful from the moment we walked into the lobby. The entire resort was clean and beautiful - had a spa like feeling to it with the warm colours and landscaping and just t [... read more]he overall vibe. The good: The room was clean and super spacious - housekeeping was great. Beach was nice, bit of seaweed, but it is an ocean The boats in the water were only periodically noisy, but I didn't find it annoying like a lot of people complain about - actually gave for some nice pictures and something to look at vs just the ocean Food at Inari (the Japanese restaurant) at the teppanyaki tables was fun to watch and delicious! Service at the adult pool was great - although there are no swim up bars, the servers come to the pool and serve, so basically the same Happy to have some shade at the ocean and pool areas Room Service - was very good. We actually became friends with Jose and are keeping in touch. He was so nice and wants to learn English :) The not so good: The Teatro - the show Emotions was absolutely horrid, we walked out early and chose to not go to any additional shows Booked the adult only package - however, there were some young crying kids on our floor at the hotel, so that was a bit disappointing Booked a flight package that left early in the morning on departure and early afternoon on the way home - for a higher price (the flight got changed to a later departure both ways - so felt we got screwed on pricing AND had to pay $25/hour at the hotel for a late checkout) We only stayed an extra 2 hours, but still thought that was crappy on the hotels part...and quite frankly, Sunwing too. The food - was okay, but not necessarily the buffet, it wasn't great at all. Wish they actually had a Domincian restaurant so we could try authentic food. It's just Dominican people trying to cook North American food, so it's average. The drinks - were definitely not watered down! Get a double espresso with Gressy! Amazing! Coffee - if you want to take some home, buy it at the airport, it's cheaper! Would go to this resort again and would recommend.

The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: Beautiful views

The hotel was very clean, beautiful and large. The layout was a bit confusing at first but original and this is what it makes the beauty of it. The staff was very attentive and professional, everybody with the smile. The villas situated on the beach level have nice views but you have to be ready to climb 70 stairs back and forth to get to the swimming pool, reception and buffet. So it is not for everybody. The resort is laid out vertically not horizontally. The views from different layers are a [... read more]mazing. the downside is you can not take a walk anywhere except it climbing or descending the multiple stairs. The food at the buffet was amazing: plenty of fish, vegetables, paella, all sorts of combinations of steamed or grilles vegetables. a lot of variety. the only disadvantage is we ate too much (haha). The beach is very small and not particularly nice. there are some stones in the water. plenty of shade though. The pool is amazing and large enough for a medium number of tourists. The entertainment staff did a good job. There are spanish classes with Shel Liana who is funny and teaches you well. The evening entertainment consisted of themes where guests participate which was a lot of fun. I particularly likes the couples contests where the guy has to do push ups with wife on top and say yo soy macho..that was hilarious ! there was also karaoke very good. averall a very pleasant stay.

Cofresi Palm Beach and Spa Resort: Just Meh!

Guest rooms were not the nicest I’ve seen from a resort. Room was outdated, mattress was comfortable but bed frame old and rickety. Not much in way of on site restaurants. Most were reserved for the VIP guests and of the ones that weren’t, only 1 was open and for a Sit down dinner we were in and out in about 45 min!!! So much for a nice relaxing meal. Food in general was ok. Overall cleanliness of the resort was not nice. They are still using disposable plastic cups which were EVERYWHERE [... read more] because god forbid people pick up after themselves. The beach area was not private and the hotel had locals there all the time. I’m glad that I had won this trip and not had to pay for it. Was a disappointment

Ocean Blue and Sand: Mediocre experience

I wanted to love this resort (arrived mid May 2023), but there are things that just made it a bit frustrating and I will not go back. I have also been to a couple of other resorts in the DR (4 and 5 star) and would go back to those. This is the first time I am writing a review on a resort because there are things people need to know about my experience. Let me start out with the Pros of this resort: Beach front is beautiful with a great bar! Lots of shade. Loved the lobby bar and the staff [... read more] who worked there. They were super friendly! I want to give a shout out to Bolivar who checked in my friend and I. He was SO great, friendly and deserves a raise. The two pools in the middle of the resort are huge and had great swim up bars. Cons of the resort: All of the restaurants and reception/guest services are at one side of the resort except for the beach restaurant which is open for lunch and a light snack (breakfast at this restaurant is only for "Privilege" guests). This means, if you are at the opposite end of the resort (which I was), you have to walk to eat...and it's a long walk. I have high arches in my feet and if I knew how much I had to walk, I would have specifically brought a pair of sandals that would provide more support to the feet. My feet hurt after a few days and for the rest of the trip. I like walking, so if I had the proper support, I wouldn't have minded it. Therefore, if you are prone to issues with your feet, bring a good pair of shoes! The restaurants that we went to were ok. Nothing stood out, however we didn't get to the Japanese place (which you need reservations for) but heard that was phenomenal. The resorts I have been to, there is always a restaurant or two where you can grab breakfast or lunch that is super casual. Most people go in their swim suit and either put on a shirt with their swim trunks or have a beach cover up. We were told that the beach cover ups we were wearing (I was wearing one where the sleeves came down to my elbows and length was to my knees - slightly see through but I was wearing a one piece swim suit) it was not appropriate and they would let us in this one time. Going forward, I would have to wear some sort of dress or shorts and tank top to be allowed in. I have never had this when going to other resorts. I understand that restaurants you go to dinner, you shouldn't wear a beach cover up with a bathing suit. It was just really irritating because all I had packed were beach cover ups, bathing suits and nice dresses to wear for dinner. What I also found interesting is there was no place to grab food or a snack after 7:30pm. You have to wait until the OverTime Sports bar that starts serving snacks at 11 or 11:30pm (can't quite remember). One of the most frustrating experiences was having to chase staff to get our fridge restocked. The second day, no one restocked our water, alcohol, etc. On the third day, we had to walk over to Reception to inquire and the person said that it's supposed to be restocked everyday and he would have someone do it right away. Thankfully, someone came. However, the next day, no one came again. Between 2:30pm and 11pm, I called Reception/Guest Services 7 times to ask if they can restock our fridge, especially the water. I also walked down to reception at 9:30pm that night because we kept being told someone was coming but no one did. My friend and I finally gave up and had to go the next day to Guest Services and lodge a complaint. We were told that they would make sure someone would come right at 9am. When we got back from breakfast around 9:15am, no one came. We went to the beach and came back around noon - no one was there. I called at noon and then again at 4pm to say someone still hasn't come. Finally, someone came. For the rest of the days we were there, are fridge was restocked except they didn't restock the small vokda, bacardi and rum bottles. I gave up and didn't bother asking about those as it was just taking too much of my time to chase the staff. Overall, my experience was mediocre at this place :(

Bahia Principe Explore Punta Cana: Increíble resort

We only have positive comments about this resort. From the friendly staff members, to tasty food and drinks and spotless facilities. We had an amazing time. The beach is quite clean and all the facilities kids friendly