Bahia Principe Explore La Romana: INCREDIBLE VALUE AND EXPERIENCE
FOOD IS SECOND TO NONE! every single day , consistent, huge selections, meats, pastas, You name it!, Drinks top branded!, exceeded expectations!, Beach was incredible, NO SEAWEED!, private type bay beach, resort super clean, rooms AC were amazing, Casino was incredible, I would recommend this place to anyone!!!!
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Norby -
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Dreams Flora Resort and Spa: Resort was good
i give it a 8 out of 10 the only bad thing was we could not enjoy the beach. The water was dirty and full of see weed. We like the beach and go swim in the water but could not do it any f the days nobody was in the water that part was disappointing. The resort and the food was excellent and the staff was great.
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Private -
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Barcelo Bavaro Beach: Barcelo Bavaro Beach - A Fantastic Adult-Only Escape with Exceptional Service
Dates: August 13–20, 2026
Resort: Barceló Bávaro Beach (Adults Only)
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4.5/5)
We recently returned from a fantastic week-long stay at Barceló Bávaro Beach. If you are looking for a beautifully maintained property with great entertainment and a relaxed atmosphere, this is a wonderful choice. Here is a detailed breakdown of our experience.
? Premium Swim-Up Room (Room 3021)
* Daily Use: Having direct water access from our terrace was a game-changer. We used the swim[... read more]-up pool every single day.
* Meticulous Care: The ground staff cleaned the pool area every morning and checked the pH levels throughout the day to ensure perfect water quality.
* Room Service: Prompt, attentive, and consistently great quality.
?️ Dining & Gastronomy
* La Brisa: Outstanding experience. The food was delicious and the service was absolutely excellent.
* The Buffet: While smaller than standard mega-resort buffets, the food preparation and flavour were vastly superior to most other resorts we have visited.
* The Main Downside (Palace Side A la Cartes): To attend the specialized à la carte restaurants, you must travel to the family-friendly side of the resort (Barceló Bávaro Palace). This area is incredibly chaotic and "stupid busy."
* The Commute: You have to take a small train ride over to a massive plaza, which you then have to navigate through just to find your restaurant. We found this overwhelming and a complete distraction from the tranquil, chill vibe we enjoyed on the adults-only side.
? Outstanding Service & Concierge
* Mister Amazing (Felix Ozuna): Our concierge, Felix, truly went above and beyond to turn our holiday into a special event.
* Highly Responsive: He was always available on WhatsApp to answer questions or help out (though, of course, the man rightfully deserves his time off with his family!).
* VIP Perk: Felix provided us with a complimentary excursion to Don Lucas, which was a massive highlight.
? Don Lucas Excursion Insights
If you get the chance to go, do not hesitate. This excursion offers a fascinating, in-depth look at traditional Dominican
products:
* Cigars: You get to see the meticulous process of manual cigar rolling and learn about the different tobacco blends.
* Coffee & Chocolate: They provide immersive educational breakdowns on how local cacao and coffee beans are harvested, roasted, and processed.
* Tastings: You can sample and purchase authentic, high-quality Dominican goods directly from the source.
? Property & Entertainment
* Grounds: The entire property is pristine, lush, and exceptionally well-maintained.
* Nightly Shows: The entertainment team puts on fantastic, high-energy productions every evening that are well worth watching.
? Final Verdict
Barceló Bávaro Beach delivers a top-tier adult-only experience, largely driven by stellar staff like Felix and excellent food quality. Just prepare yourself for the stark contrast in energy levels if you decide to cross over to the Palace side for dinner!
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Private -
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Riu Republica: Beau resort
Nous avons passé des belles vacances, la nourriture, la pina colada , les activités et la plage étaient magnifiques.par contre, la chambre 2148 que nous avons occupé allait être meilleure si la sortie de ventilation n avait pas eu de moisissures.
Bref, nous avons aimé notre séjour et c était la première fois que j ai vraiment profité de mes vacances.
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Allison -
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Royalton Splash Punta Cana: Amazing Family Resort for littles!
This was our first family trip with our 4 year old and 1 year old and Royalton Splash Punta Cana did not disappoint. There was always somwthing to do for both kids, whether it was the pool, the beach, or the water park. The rooms were fabulous and well maintained. Only thing that could be fixed was the showers did not drain well and would leak from the side to the floor. The restaurants were delicious and service was impeccable, particularly at the Mexican Restaurant. Overall, amazing trip and w[... read more]e would come back with family/friends!
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Private -
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Whala Bavaro: Beach Hotel (Lagoon-like shallow bay)
*RULE: No toilet paper permitted to be flushed down the toilets!!!! use waste basket--same rule as in Costa Rica.
**Pro: beach is beautiful, minimal waves! Food and drinks. Security. Friendly. Hairbraided for good price. Punta Cana Airport and near the airport is Starbucks, Burger King, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC.
***Con: Canadian Dollars NOT accepted in DR (vendors want their pesos or USD only) - so everything is very expensive, front desk is slow service and many don't speak/understand Englis[... read more]h, choking toxic fumes from boats/motorized rec vehicles, vendors along the beach that come up to your lounge chair non-stop, rooms have poor flushing toilets, restaurants around the area are loud with kids staying up really late at night.
****Comparing with Cuba----For this 3.5 stars, the cost of the trip was the most expensive one so far @ $2000 pp 2 weeks). Cuba 2025 Summer was $1300 for 5 star Grand Muthu Almirante (Emerald in English) Beach Hotel. Food tasted much better at Whala Boca Chica DR than any Cuban Hotel I've stayed at. Dominicans add spices and herbs.
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Whala Bavaro: Waiting for Cuba so this is the alternative!
Comparing with Cuba's standard of service and nature.
Pros: Beach is lagoon-like, so shallow and crystal clear for a long distance. You have an opportunity to visit Saona Island where some scenes for The Blue Lagoon were filmed. The buffet is better than Cuba's 3.5 star hotels - more variety. Wifi is available at the beach. Two beaches to enjoy with a beach-front private restaurant and public road (locals on motorcycles use) that leads to a dock for boats and jets you can rent. Lots of private [... read more]beach front restaurants to see along you walk on the shore. Tourist police patrol on motorcycle a few times a day and foot patrol by local police. Local grocery stores in a walking distance (Ole de Boca Chica is great). Burger King and Little Caesars.
Cons: Airport is in Punta Cana so 2 hour, white-knuckle drive in a mini-bus. 12-minutes ride to Santo Domingo Internation Airport!!!!!
This hotel has inconsistent service - bar, buffet and room cleaning. Can't relax --- "looky looky" aka view the merch (DR themed bracelets, t-shirts, towels), coconut/cashew brittle, flat bread deep fried, red candied coconut balls, corn on the cob, ice cream,
Lots of construction all over the narrow streeted Boca Chica beach front town. Lots of litter in the ditches and left by the locals or Dominican weekend warriors. Drinking in the water in the day and evening.
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Private -
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Sunscape Coco Punta Cana: Worst beach experience!
Stayed at the resort for 7 days not a day in our stay where the beach is cleaned from seaweeds. Water is dark brown, aside from weeds it looks as if the oil from all the yatch , boats that are docked there are all in the water. It didn’t say in the description that it’s a few feet away from marine dock.
We were also hassled by the people at the beach, hard to relax when they swarm you trying to sell you anything and everything. These hasslers also keep saying “Nihao” indirectly to me although [... read more]I’m not Chinese which I think is very disrespectful to the Chinese people and to me
The rooms smelled bad like sewer. The pillows are smelly although the cleaners changed the casings. The AC is not cold enough.
We were also asked to be in a meeting the next morning after we arrived but because we decided to sleep in and not show up for the meeting when I asked AirCanada rep in Sunscape about our pick up time the day before our check out he said “ you missed your chance, you are all not in the list because you didn't show up in the meeting” The meeting is just about selling activities of things to do in Punta Cana which are far more expensive than buying online. The rep gave us a hard time before telling us the pick up time for airport transpo. He was asking for eticket number which I couldn’t provide at the time bec it was in my email and there is NO WIFI at the front desk area and at the Windows buffet area. I was ready to loose it and call the airline itself.
We were also scammed at the airport by some dude named Miguel who lured us to go to Hard Rock Cafe for free breakfast buffet and discounted activities. On the way back to Canada 2 of my children were placed on stand by bec the plane was full they said. I don’t understand bec I paid for the package, I will understand if they seat at random spot and not together bec they didn’t buy preferred seats. Been on the trip with my family and it’s the first time I’ve experienced being harassed everywhere we go in Dominican Republic. Another thing, I do not know how someone from DR was able to make a $5.68 purchase using my account from the name “Rafael Mendez” which I denied bec I didn’t authorized him to make this purchase . I also recieved a reset password for my apple ?
This is my first and last visit there.
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VIK Hotel Arena Blanca: Good Budget Resort!
The staff was very accommodating! We asked to have an extra bed brought into the room and they had it done within an hour. Rooms were otherwise mostly fine. Our patio doors did not lock, but this turned out to be helpful since our room keys deactivated basically everyday. Food was good but repetitive. They could use more effective security on the beach. The locals selling excursions were VERY pushy; almost to the point of harassment. Pools are awesome though!
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Grand Palladium Palace: Great Resort
We had an amazing stay at this hotel. The grounds were always clean and well maintained, and the rooms were spotless and comfortable. The minibar was consistently restocked, with extra bottled water provided daily. We also appreciated the ice machines conveniently located throughout the resort.
The food was very good, and the service was outstanding. We were especially impressed by the quality of service from the staff, who were friendly, attentive, and professional throughout our stay.
The be[... read more]ach was cleaned daily, towels were always available, and most of the à la carte restaurants were excellent. The Spanish and Italian restaurants were my favorites, and the Japanese restaurant was also very good. One thing to note is that the portion sizes at the restaurants were extremely large. While the food was delicious, many dishes were much bigger than necessary, which resulted in a lot of food being left uneaten and potentially wasted.
Areas for Improvement:
Argentinian Restaurant: The service was extremely slow. We waited about an hour for our food, and we had to ask for bread and butter while waiting.
Boats Near the Beach: There are too many boats traveling back and forth close to the shoreline. They pass frequently, sometimes every few minutes, and the smell of fuel can be noticeable and unpleasant. It would greatly improve the beach experience if the number of boats were reduced or if they operated farther from shore.
Overall, this is a fantastic resort with excellent service, great food, and beautiful, well-maintained facilities. I would definitely recommend it and would gladly return.
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Patrick -
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Caribe Deluxe Princess: Nice to go
Très belle endroit, nous avons adoré notre séjour ! Le personnel était très accueillant ! L'endroit est magnifique ! Nous avons bien mangé. Nous avons été bien conseillé pour les activités. Je recommande fortement cette endroit
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Private -
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Viva Heavens by Wyndham: Had a great time!
Wonderful staff very friendly and accomodating. The food was good lots of variety, amazing beach was the best part of our stay. They should invest more in infrastructure, the rooms need some renovation.
Beautiful place well maintained clean delicious restaurant but sea weeds stop me to go in the ocean and I use only the pool , at least I have good weather , food was very good, service excellent, room clean and spacious.
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VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: The Crown Jewel of Puerto Plata All Inclusives
We chose to be pampered by their Royal Service option and it did not disappoint. Upgraded room with ocean view in a spotless building. Access to an exclusive area of their wonderful beach ( with bala beds and padded loungers) where Aquino, David and team provided steady and impeccable friendly service. The beach is protected by a reef and is nestled in a bay so no issues with Sargassum or waves. The water was clear, clean, warm as a bathtub in June and one could spot some smaller fish amongst th[... read more]e rocks. Royal service has unlimited a la carte dinners which we enjoyed every night. Food was very good at all three and we were spoiled with upgraded wines included in the package. The buffet was very good but usually with a more limited variety.than some other AI's we have been to but quality was above average. We regularly took advantage of the Vintage club for mimosas and Spanish coffee in the morning and cocktails in the afternoon with upgraded ingredients.The staff at the Vintage lounge was friendly and service orientated. Pros - long, walkable, beautiful, clean beach. Consistently excellent service. High standard of cleanliness. Spacious bright room with modern air conditioning. Choice of two pools - one for families and a quiet pool for adults (except during high season).Well managed and safe. Cons - can be noisy and crowded during high season, door to balcony was stiff, limited outlets and hangers in the dated but super clean and freshly painted room,limited entertainment, no kleenex provided (byok),and the toilet paper was subpar (byotp). Not a party resort for the younger demographicalthough weekends can be noisy. Superior value and we are "hoping" to be back again every year for a week. As their slogan says, "Come as guests and return as family."
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Yvonne L. -
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Playabachata Hotel: Stay at Playabachata
We enjoyed our stay tremendously! This is a budget friendly resort and was perfect!
Before our arrival we were sceptic because of the reviews. I honestly do not understand why people would complain. This is a small resort but we loved that. 2-story buildings and we were right on the beach. Close enough to the coffee shop, buffet and snack bar.
The staff are amazing! Helpful and have great attitudes. A special shout out Walter, Stephanie, Juan Carlos, Medranoq, Albert, Glery, to name but a fe[... read more]w. From the time we checked in to the time we left we enjoyed our stay.
If you want fancy, pay for fancy. We loved the authenticity of this place! Thank you Bachata!
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D&T retired -
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The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: Relaxing holiday
We enjoyed our vacation despite a few issues.
Our check in took until 5:30...room not ready. More discipline action needed by staff for improperly supervised children by negligent parents in pool and dining areas.
Our upgraded room was large and comfortable with balcony and awesome ocean view.
Our bath and shower needed attention (mold) which they took care of immediately. Housekeeping did a good job making up the room and keeping the fridge stocked.
Pool area was relaxing, lots of chairs an[... read more]d pleasant bartenders. Pool staff could be more assertive enforcing Pool etiquette at the swim-up bar (babies in diapers sitting on Pool countertop). Most people enjoyed spending their day at the beach along with the burger/chicken wing BBQ daily.
Buffet was average ... always something to eat but geared to adult diet. The 2 a la carte restaurants were delicious. Limited entertainment but staff kept us amused all day.
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Donita -
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Grand Bavaro Princess: Stay away!
I stayed 14 days it was a nightmare. Lots of things didnt work in our room. Its a big resort so please be aware there will be alot of walking. No buses, it takes forever. Food was horrible. Service was terrible. Beach had a bad smell and alot of sargassum. As a female I didn't feel safe and I'll not return.
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Private -
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VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Beautiful beach
Food was good.Beds were not king as mentioned during booking , our kids room washroom was flooded with water, there was leak from somewhere from tub . Ceiling of their room was moulded and leaking.
Everyday they took awhile to put back towels for bathroom.
There was no snack bar if you feel hungry in between breakfast lunch dinner , you can just have drinks only.
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Ira p -
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Dreams Flora Resort and Spa: Second review addition
In first review I wrote my opinion about my vacation at dreams flora. Just want to add special thank you to Juan Pena- incredible nice bartender of prefered club adults only pool. He is so nice, friendly, with good English guy making our vacation pleasant
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Private -
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Dreams Onyx Resort and Spa: Good overall experience
Overall, this is a good resort and we had a pleasant experience. The food, location, pools, and facilities are all good. However, my main issue is the price. They charge a significant premium, around 20 to 30% more than many comparable resorts, but I honestly did not find the overall experience to be 20 to 30% better.
A few things that stood out:
1. 24-hour room service: Having room service available 24 hours sounds like a great feature, but unfortunately the quality was disappointing when[... read more] we tried it. The bread tasted like it was a couple of days old, and the coffee was very hit or miss. After that experience, I did not order room service again.
2. Pools: The pools are good, clean, and enjoyable, but they are similar to pools at many other resorts. I did not find anything particularly fancy or premium about them.
3. Water slides and activities: There are some extra slides and water features around the pools, which are nice to have. I tried them a couple of times and enjoyed them, but after that they did not really add much value to the overall experience for me.
4. Lazy river: The resort highlights the lazy river quite a bit, so I was expecting something special. It is okay, but compared to other lazy rivers I have experienced, this one felt more like a pool with very slowly moving water. It was nice to try, but definitely not something I would consider a major reason to choose this resort.
The regular food was good, the location was good, and overall the resort was enjoyable. I am not saying this is a bad resort at all. My issue is simply the value for money.
When a resort charges 20 to 30% more than comparable options, I expect something noticeably better or more premium. I just did not find that here. The overall experience felt very similar to other good resorts that cost considerably less.
At a more competitive price, I would have a much more positive opinion of this resort. But at the current pricing, I personally do not think the extra cost is justified, and I would not return at this price.