Viva Tangerine by Wyndham: wonderful and homey

Highlights were beach.pools.grounds...best beach ever been on . Water so warm. Only one buffet but they tried very hard to refresh menu. Something for everyone. Staff exceptional. Rolando.junior .kenny eliazer and hostess girl became. Like family to us. Just sweet people that worked hard to please . Loved our balcony in the sun with a view. Room 2213. There 14 days and didn't get bored. And yes would love to return if price was right

Marien Puerto Plata Hotel: gorgeous

The hotel itself it gorgeous , we had an amazing week ! The only thing really was pretty much 85% of the guests spoke Spanish so it wasn't really like you could mingle too much. Food was good and the service was friendly but you do feel pressure to tip while there.

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Beautiful resort, exceptional staff and service

The rooms were bright and beautiful....bathrooms could be a bit better...the grounds were so well taken care of and the service.....I will never forget how well I was treated! The daily food kept my belly singing and the staff were all so happy and courteous..always looking for ways to brighten our day no matter how big or how small! I cried the day I left.....it was very hard leaving such a paradise. I wish though we could have swam in the pool after hours ..it was so looking forward to wading  [... read more]in the pool in the moonlight.... it was my first time in the Dominican. ...and it will definitely will not be my last...it can't wait to come back to Iberostar Puerto Plata! Oh and a very special thank you to Barbie, chocolate, chocolaka pepsi cola, Romero, Boss and many many others..you went above and beyond to make our vacation so memorable! Thank you again!

Casa Marina Sosua Trademark by Wyndham All Inclusive: amazing resort

the hotel was clean, food was good, the pool was great, LOVED THE BEACH, service was great would go there again, maids was so friendly, people were so nice that area was right in town but we didn't care we still like it,

Viva Tangerine by Wyndham: Friendly staff

Just returned June 3Rd 2015. the resort was very beautiful and you recognized there was consistent upkeep of the place. The food was limited for buffet breakfast and dinner. Repeated the same stuff over and over during our stay. Oatmeal was very soupy... Room was very clean and decent.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Very good!RIU everyver it is RIU!

Rooms 100 % clean and comfortable.Entertainment good . Staph was very professional and friendly .Garden is beautiful.Security system 100%.Bars and drinks unexpectation. I am ready recommend this resort.

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Nice resort.

We stayed in room 1101 and were pleased with the room. Everything was close by. Pool was just down the stairs, the beach was to the left once you were on the ground level. The main lobby was clean and well managed with a lobby bar and another bar were the entertainment was held was opened at night so there were no long waits. The pool bar was amazing. There was a swim up and walk up on the opposite side. The food was excellent in my opinion. The a la carte options were enjoyable. Japanese was pr [... read more]epared in front of us, the Mexican was very good, we had beef skewers instead of tacos and we were extremely happy with out choice. The Brazilian was also well done. We had the skewered choice there as well. The pool side buffet was perfect with snacks for all palettes ie burgers, pizza and fries and much more. There were 2 days were paella was prepared on the beach which I did enjoy. There was a beach barbecue that I missed. Entertainment and activities at the pool were very entertaining to watch, I didn't volunteer or participate but I enjoyed watching. The bikini competition was fun to watch, bingo daily, sports like competitions etc. At night there were some hard working, very physically fit staff who performed shows and had audience participation including children. The same performed the evening entertainment. Very hard working young men and women. Service staff worked tirelessly on the gardens and trees, the pool, the water gardens, the bars and the buffets. The housekeeping was immaculate. It really was an incredible experience to stay at this resort. I have nothing negative to say. The price is moderate and you get everything you pay for and more. We enjoyed our vacation immensely, would we go back? Unsure, I like hopping around but would not hesitate booking with Iberostar resorts.

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: OMG You gotta stay here!

We are returning fans of the Iberostar Costa Dorada. Cannot say enough about how well you are treated. From the front desk, cooking, cleaning, grounds keepers, bartenders, meal servers... THEY ARE ALL THE BEST! The entertainers are amazingly wonderful. Wow, these guys and girls make sure you have an enjoyable and memorable trip. Chocolate, Chocolaka, Pepsi Cola, Blackie...(cannot remember everyones names:() There was always something to do. Great for all ages, the activities had something for ev [... read more]eryone. The pool was clean, thank you cleaning staff!! Food was AMAZING!! So much variety hard to choose & always available. Very clean & always well kept. Food 24/7, the late night snack is a full on buffet. Pool buffet is huge, gotta try the guac! Loved the local musicians every night, lots of room to dance. The Star Band is spot on. The beach is beautiful, the trees are welcoming in the hot sun. Hats off to the beach groomers that keep the beach a wonderful sight. The beach party was a blast. The orchid garden is wonderfully beautiful and great for pictures. They grow their own mint and aloe vera for use on the resort! Live flamingos & peacocks roaming around. Very cool, got a chance to see the babies this year. Will be returning with a larger group next year. Thank you Julian, my private guide for chocolate and honey :)) Check out the Del Oro organic chocolate factory, finest you will every indulge in. See you soon!!!

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Terrific Location

lush grounds, cleaner rooms, energetic and polite personnel, delicious dining, people flocked to the rocky part of the beach, enjoyed the nonstop activities on the pool, and of course gazed at the beautiful surrounding hills. Also had a private cable car excursion, visited E&F mountain park, market, castle, museum ..etc All for a very reasonable price ,Sure, it is one of the places I would return to.

Blue Bay Villas Doradas: So so average

This place is nothing like it claims to be. The only saving grace is that the staff are incredible. I have traveled a lot i've never encountered staff like this. Every employee was willing to help you or direct you to what you needed. If you're a couple, this would be really chill place to hang for a week.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Amazing resort

The grounds of the hotel beautiful and clean, the public areas enough for every body, the staff are professional, dining areas nicely decorated and comfortable, meal is very good, features attractive and interesting.

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Incredible resort

All areas were clean and welcoming. The ocean and sand were beautiful and the beach was quiet. The pool area was crowded and noisy however we remained on the beach. The food was delicious. That alone would make us return. We did the xtreme excursion and that was so much fun! We will certainly be returning.

Marien Puerto Plata Hotel: No more than a 3 star

Everything was alright until the locals were let on the resort for the weekend, it made it much more difficult to get a drink, get food, go in the pool; one girl even threw her bag and towel on the chair I was laying on. A quiet and very small resort, book your excursions for the weekend to avoid the absolute craziness of the weekend.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Fantastic Trip

I deal wit Tammy Beamish and after being disappointed with the accommodations I arrange without her input last year , this year it was fabulous. I had requested an oceanview for our romm and boy did she come through with flying colours We looked out over the point for a majestic view of the ocean and with wide panoramic view of the beach and the ocean and the beautiful sunsets The Riu Bachata was as anticipated for the chain with first class accommodations and service for the entire stay. I woul [... read more]d recommend the resort to any one wishing to go to Puerta Plata.

Sunscape Puerto Plata: Great vacation!

Great hotel, nice beach, confortable room, good location, friendly service, very large pool (with swim up bar) and animation all day long! Main buffet offert a large sélection of choices and it changes every day

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Potential Balance Unparalleled Beauty

My husband and I vacationed at Iberostar Costa Dorada April 22-29, 2015. We booked a regular room through Tripcentral and travelled via Air Transat Vacations, and we received first rate service. We base this review on the experience gained form 15 all-inclusive vacations at three repeat 5-star resorts in Varadero Cuba, Punta Cana DR, and Puerto Plata DR. Upon our arrival at Costa Dorada we were overwhelmed by the vast numbers of guests checking in along with us. We quickly discovered this would [... read more] not be a problem. We were efficiently greeted, offered a cold beverage, then assisted by a professional clerk, given our room assignment, key cards, instructions on beach towel card usage, a map of the resort and a meeting appointment with our Air Transat Rep. We were given a King room on the first level of building 6 with a partial ocean/beach view. While our luggage followed timely in the capable hands of a smiling porter we headed eagerly to check out our accommodations. We discovered our entrance was off a beautiful garden courtyard. The room itself spacious, a large bathroom to the right, with in tub shower, single sink marble vanity and hairdryer. Then past that to the right a huge King size bed with double night stands along the wall, then a high round table with two chairs. Upon entering to the left was a luggage bench next to a large seated desk area, offering a coffee maker with essentials and an ice bucket (ice machines located throughout each double building block) with glasses. Next to this a flat screen TV sat on a cabinet containing a mini fridge. The fridge held beer, soda pop and water, this was replenished daily. Our quiet and very private patio sat outside a large sliding door. It offered two comfy chairs with a table with a view onto a private, quiet, green area near the child daycare facility. There was never noise from outside, night or day. A partial view offered of both beach and ocean gave us reason to unpack our swim suits and head out to explore. We were very happy to call this room home base for the next week. We discovered the beach just a few steps away. We walked around the corner, from our room, along a flagstone pathway in front of building 5, past a foot wash/shower station onto golden sand. The beach is wide, with plenty of natural shade close to the Beachbar and beach BBQ/Grill area. There are palapas offering shaded areas and plenty of beach beds. Daily removal of washed up seaweed leaves the beach clean. The water depth drops quickly in some areas but this changes day to day depending on wind/sea conditions. The 'yellow' slightly saggy beach beds were a problem for us, they do not fully recline and prove to be very uncomfortable when laying on ones belly. We have been to 4* resorts with fully reclining 'blue' chairs that offer much more support. You are thinking we have a dislike for yellow but I assure you the comfort level and style was also pale in comparison to the sturdy blue recliners of other resorts. During our stay we had 7 days with no high wind and a gentle surf. The ocean temperature was very warm, sea bottom mostly sand with occasional areas of seaweed. We noticed that schools of fish were abundant. The buffet is a very large circular restaurant, divided seating areas, high palapa center ceiling, open along the exterior half wall to the outside, with option to lower curtains during wind or rain. The buffet is located close to the Spa/Gym and not far from the main lobby. From our first evening onward we chose to sit near the garden and, on occasion, we would see several of the resort's resident peacocks strut along displaying their colourful plumage. Our waiter Domingo was there at breakfast and dinner every day during our stay. He would greet us with warmth, offer a few mini Spanish lessons and always remembered our drink preferences. Following breakfast we went to either the pool or the beach. The first two days we choose the beach, the same palapa, daily became our private little retreat. As I mentioned earlier, I found the beach beds uncomfortable and by morning of the third day decided to book a therapuedic massage at the Spa. Poolside days that followed, allowed me to rest in comfort on a thick mattress of a fully reclining sunbed. During the mornings that followed I enjoyed few delicious mimosas, followed by short naps in the shade and a short walk to the beach for a relaxing ocean dip before lunchtime, oh the fun! We always lunched at the poolside buffet. The food here was excellent. Succulent rotisserie chicken, yum! Selections of fish, beef burgers, pork chops, steak, a variety of cooked vegetables, French fries, fresh lettuce and various vegetables, nachos, salsa, chili, cheese, breads, rolls, fruit, and deserts. Both poolside and beach activities were non-stop. Morning pool aerobics, beach yoga, Latin dance lessons, Spanish lessons. Silly poolside games, bingo, darts, washer toss, archery, shooting, zumba, tennis, on and on. If you want a busy fun filled day you will be kept entertained. If you want to relax, these games will not be a distraction, the music or noise level was never intrusive at either poolside or beach. We enjoyed both the games and the relaxation at our leisure. Aside from morning mimosas I suggest the pool swim up bar between 4-6pm. It is lively, a time for those who are young or young at heart, not for those who are prickly about a few adult jokes and conversation. It's a time for sharing a shooter or two, poured with finesse and expertise. Many thanks to pool bartenders including Angel, Yara, Juan Lewis and Emmanuel. The staff at Costa Dorada are 'mi familia'. You will be adding to your face book friends list after a week at Iberostar Costa Dorada. After our first dinner experience at the main buffet we didn't restrict ourselves to bookings and chose instead to dine where we knew the food and service to be excellent. During our stay we heard positive things concerning all of the a la cartes, especially the Japanese, however can offer no personal opinion. Following dinner we either walked the manicured grounds or along the serene glowing poolside, visited the exquisite orchid garden, browsed the market area, took in vendor displays, or headed to the lobby bar for an after dinner drink. During early evening there is a children’s time in the theater, followed by an occasional mid evening interlude of musical entertainment, then the evening theater show, ending with nightly disco time starting at 11:30pm. During our stay there was very little mid evening entertainment. This was disappointing. One evening a local band played both a variety of slow to fast paced latin and international music in the courtyard. We enjoyed this romantic time, dancing under the moon in paradise. This one evening gave us a teasing taste of what should have been a nightly feast. On another occasion, a one man piano/guitar entertainer, not so tasteful, played/sang his rendition of Elvis and Beatles songs/music. He was annoying, his performance unprofessional. He would start the song, laugh, then stop, restart, so on, if this was meant as humor, it was not perceived by the audience as being funny. The courtyard area is open, spacious and offers a venue in which nightly mid-evening activity could be offered, I hope this situation improves. How to be polite yet remain brutally honest. The animation staff work hard-check, they give 110%-check, therefore, the following opinion is not a reflection on the “entertainment team”. They work all day, then they are expected to work all evening as performers, this is not good management! A resort that booms during the day has to fall apart at night when working the same staff! Outside shows, troops, groups, need to be brought in at least 4 out 7 evenings. This would give the Iberostar staff time to recharge and an opportunity to mingle with the guests. They deserve100% review feedback. We strongly feel the evening/nightlife is sadly lacking, at least it was during our one week stay. We feel our week should be the reflection of any average week as most all vacations are either, 7, 10 or 14 days. A resort of this rating and potential should offer more “spirit” after dark, instead it is tired, slow, and, at times, boring. We went to the disco only one night, simply because the early evening boredom set a mood of tired eyedrooping. Located behind the main lobby bar area, past the lobby washrooms, this space is air conditioned and offers modern trendy decor and design. You have to take a look inside, even if you don't plan on indulging in a late evening of dance and/or drink. The music started out as true 70's early 80's disco, this was actually amusing and offered moments of nostalgia to a few exuberant couples. We enjoyed non-stop dancing to a good selection of top 40's modern dance mix music. All age groups were on the floor, everyone seemed to be having fun. Then things went to latin, loud and booming. The dance floor emptied and everyone had a look of puzzlement. Even with the lacking evening entertainment, we still feel this resort is a well deserving 4.5 star. It has a warm, welcoming atmosphere, it quickly becomes your resort, your place, your personal paradise. Resort staff are omnipresent, pleasant, helpful and gracious. Would we go back? Yes, without question, in a heartbeat. The critiques we've given offer suggestions with a positive, hopeful attitude. We hope the balance of night and day entertainment will be realized. Thank-you Tripcentral. Thank you Iberostar. We had an amazing experience at Costa Dorada, where azure ocean meets luscious land, truly a place of balance and beauty. Pauline and Don Spurrell

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Outstanding Resort!

There is not one thing I would change about this resort. The food was great, the rooms were nice with a beautiful view, the beach was beautiful, the pool was clean, and there was always various entertainment.

Marien Puerto Plata Hotel: Nice resort, but definitely not a 5 star

Nice resort, could use alot of updating, especially in the standard rooms. No swim-up bar. Proximity to beach, pool, buffet, a la cartes and the pool bar are all very close. Staff were very efficient and friendly, no complaints. Food was good and lots to choose from. Location from airport is excellent, only a 20 min drive.

Emotions by Hodelpa Puerto Plata: resort dump

nice grounds yes nice grounds, pool and beach, bad stay home and go to sand banks, oh don't look under the bed LOL what can I say nice ground yes very nice ground, now I am having a flash back,so I am off to the park, its that under the bed thing. Enjoy sorry La cuenta

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Almost there

We stayed Apr 16-23 in a Junior Suite 2nd floor in the quiet area overlooking the Beatta pool. The room was very spacious, with great air conditioning. We travel light, but I could see other people might have an issue with there not being enough drawers for clothing. We appreciated being away from the noise, and the walk wasn't far. It was also pleasant relaxing at the bar, away from the noise. The overall layout is well thought out. It doesn't feel cramped, yet everything is a short walk away. [... read more] It's also nice being able to take a walk to/through the other resorts on Playa Dorada There was quite a large variety of food at the buffet. Most of the food was quite tasty. Even picky eaters should be able to find something. We tried 2 of the 3 a la Cartes. The Octopus was fair. The mixed grill at the Ocean Grill was delicious. People mentioned in other posts that they had difficulty making reservations. We got in late at night, so went the next day after 10am, and had no problem. There is some great snorkelling (when the water is calm enough). Entertainment is hit & miss. We have been to other places with better. The staff is very friendly, and aim to please. Now, the Bad (I believe these are management issues, NOT staff): They say in a brochure in the room that they are water eco friendly, however daily they removed our towels off the racks to wash them (even when it was obvious that we hadn't used them) That bothered me greatly, there is no need for it. How many people wash their towels at home daily?. Apparently they have a towel shortage in the resort. They collected ours in the morning, and didn't return them until the evening, which left us without towels for most of the day. Nothing to wipe our hands on after using the washroom, we couldn't shower mid-day. In short, this is crazy. They would not give us washcloths, unless we asked for them. We had to do this on a daily basis. We did not always get a full complement of towels/bath mat. It's supposedly a 4 star resort, but no bathrobes, or slippers. You should NOT have to pay for a safe. I have travelled the world, and this was a first. There are not enough loungers & umbrellas, selfish people come pre-dawn and claim them by putting towels on them. There is a sign saying that staff will remove towels etc if it is unoccupied for 15 minutes. The staff NEVER does anything. 15 min is a bit short, as people might be swimming, BUT if they are unoccupied for 1/2 hour then staff should open them up for people to actively use. Their free Wi-Fi was absolutely horrible. More often than not, you couldn't use the internet without huge delays. Many times we just gave up, as we couldn't access anything. In this day, and age it's ridiculous to make your guests pay for Wi-Fi. The bed was closer to rock than a firm mattress. The pillows were way too soft, they offered zero support. Would I go again? It's a maybe.