Marien Puerto Plata Hotel: Substandard by any definition

First of all the food was bland, repetitive and overcooked. Fake orange juice and under ripe fruit was the norm. The rooms were extremely outdated with a septic tank system requiring used TP to be garbaged rather than flushed. The hotel refused to honour its rule to not allow reserving pool lounge chairs in the shade, many being left unattended for hours on end. Entertainment was pitiful- recycled MJ tunes and similar. On the plus side- nice beach with minimal seaweed. Would I go back? Not  [... read more]a chance.

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana: Great family resort

Rooms are showing their age but grounds and public areas are beautiful and well maintained. Staff are very helpful and friendly. Food was varied and quite good. Beach was clean but large waves so not so good for small children. Would recommend.

Majestic Colonial Punta Cana Beach Resort: Majestic Colonial Punta Cana

The resort, the beach, the pool, entertainment and staff were amazing. It is too bad that we can’t say that for the food served at the buffet. The buffet had same food served for lunch and supper everyday. And only a la carte at seafood and tepaniaki were a great. We liked the resort but didn’t love it enough to go back.

Melia Punta Cana Beach Wellness Resort Adults: Stunning property with a few flaws

Stayed at the Melia Punta Cana April 3-10 2023. The property itself is very beautiful, if not spectacular! It's a big property but well laid out and easy to navigate. It is a fair distance from the lobby to the beach ( 10 min brisk walk, although its a lovely walk) however there is are trolleys that run about every 5-10 mins. There are basically 2 room areas. The 'beach side' rooms which are close to the beach, main pool and the breakfast/lunch buffet/ beach bar and the 'pool side rooms' which I [... read more]'m not sure why they are called that because they are not near the main pool but are close to the lobby area where the dinner buffet and two of the 3 non level al carte restaurants, the spa and a small very quiet pool are. There are level rooms and non level rooms in each section. There are also 'wellness rooms' which include 30 mins of spa services/day. We stayed in a beach side, non level, non wellness room in building 2 which was a great location as it was right near the breakfast/lunch buffet and beach bar. We were a 30 sec walk to the pool and 1 min to the beach. We had a view of the pool (which is spectacular at night) and a partial ocean view. I would say buildings 1, 2,3 and 16 have the best locations and best views if you are on the side facing into the resort (although there are no actual ocean view rooms.) The beach is spectacular. Nice wide, level, soft white sand. Lots of chairs and palapas ( you do need to get down there early to get shaded seats in high season. The pool seats fill up even faster). You can walk for long distances in either direction and the water is calm in this area even on windy days. Walking down the beach I would say the Melia does a very good job managing the seaweed compared to most others but it wasn't a big issue during our stay. There is a huge main pool which is gorgeous with a bar which has a swim up side and a walk up side. The pool bar tenders are a lot of fun. There is a small very quiet pool next to the spa (in the main lobby area) and another one next to the beach buffet which almost no one uses and there is also a very small level only pool very close to the main pool. Food was in my opinion, by all inclusive standards, quite good but of course that's a person to person thing. The breakfast and lunches were pretty similar each day but lots of variety. We ate at the dinner buffet 4 nights and there seemed to be something different each night. There is also a lunch/snack buffet beside the beach bar with burgers, hot dogs, chicken wings, nuggets, nachos, salads, fruit etc that opens about an hr before the lunch buffet and stays open after lunch buffet closes). Essentially you cane get food from 7 am until the dinner restaurants close around 10ish. We never used room service so not sure of the hrs its available. We ate at each of the 3 non level ala carte's once and they were all quite good. The breakfast/lunch buffet is open air and has a stunning view of view of the beach. The main buffet and Mediterranean and Vietnamese ala carte's are indoors in the lobby complex but are very nice. The 3rd ala carte is down by the beach and is beautiful at night and was our favorite meal of the week. (The jerk chicken was excellent). Level guests have another buffet and ala carte along with a roof top bar in the level building which is by the main pool. Rooms are nice enough but definitely getting a little tired. The only real complaint I had was our A/C was very noisy. So much so that we would crank it up while were out for the evening and then shut it off while sleeping because it was loud enough to keep you awake. Drinks were so so depending what you like to drink. Beer was fine. Presidente on tap at bars. Coors light in mini bar in room which I hate but I put a note in the fridge with $5 asking for non light beer and came back to find 6 Heineken. If you like blender drinks or rum and coke etc they were fine but if you like cocktails like martini's, whisky sour or straight scotch, brandy, tequila etc they were bad. All of the non level bars only have local no name liquor. My understanding is level bars have premium brands but only in the level lounge where you mix your own drinks and at the Quimera roof top bar which is only open in the evening. Wine was typical all inclusive. As in not good. White was ok red was like decent homemade wine. You can buy good wine but its as much or more as it would be in a Canadian restaurant. Also this is the first time I've every been at an all inclusive where the drinks were anemic. I've often heard complaints of 'watered down' drinks at all inclusives but that has never been my experience til now. Basically you get 1 measured once per drink where as any other place I've been they were free poured and fine. However if you asked for doubles they were happy to do so. As they call it at the pool bar a '2 happy' (vs a 1 happy) If you were filling a thermal cup they woud put however many shots you asked for in it. I think my biggest complaint was that every bar had tons of premium liquor on the shelves ( Tito's, Goose, Don Julio, Patron, Johnny Walker, high end Dominican rums etc) but it was only for purchase of the whole bottle at prices higher than in Canada. They also have bottles of Corona and Presidente for $5 each. This resort is at a price point where there should be name brand booze available even if just at the lobby bar. Service was very good at bars /restaurants and staff very friendly. They did a great job cleaning rooms etc. For things like room issues they are on typical Dominican time ie nothing happens too quickly. (our ceiling fan didn't work all week and no one came to look at it) This may be a pro or a con depending on your likes and dislikes but this is a very quiet resort. They do have entertainment in the lobby bar area every night but its rather sedate and that's exactly what we were looking for. If your are looking for a party atmosphere this is not the place. Overall I would say this is a good solid 4.5 star resort and if you are looking for a laid back vacation in paradise you couldn't really go wrong here. I would certainly be willing to return. The grounds and beach more than make up for the dated rooms. If premium liqour is important to you either book the level (which was about $300 CDN/ person/week when I booked. I talked to someone who upgraded on check in for $350 USD for 2 people for the week) or just get yourself some premium booze for your room at the duty free at the airport. Most were about half of what it would cost in Canada. Just FYI premium booze in the shopping areas is more $ than the duty free and other than rum is very pricey even by Canadian standards

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Very Nice Resort

Our fourth stay at an Iberostar Resort. Although this hotel is a little older than the others we stayed in it was very enjoyable. Hotel and grounds and beach are all kept very clean. We had a pool view room on the third floor. Was excellent. Room and balcony a nice size. Always found something good to eat at the buffet and the Italian and Japanese Restaurants were excellent. All in all we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Costa Dorada.

Playabachata Hotel: Amazing resort

Beautiful and breath taking , beach was clean and the pool party was amazing. This was my 2nd time here in 2 months , will definitely recommend this resort to friends.staff was very pleasant , loved the free stuff on the avenue

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Very good resort

This hotel is just as offered it has a nice beach, specifically if you are on premium or royal package. Rooms are average but clean and comfortable. Service was very good and both the buffets and ala carte restaurants provided a good variety. Overall a good experience on our vacation the Gran Ventana.

Secrets Royal Beach: Beautiful But....

Beautiful Resort, I went 4 years ago and had the worst experience. They changed the name and upgraded the rooms, I had an amazing time and was impressed. Food was amazing, Pools were fun. I am not too sure why they say its a party resort. I feel the only people that were partying were the people I went with. I am 35 and I felt super young, its an older crowd resort so if you're over 45+ you will probably enjoy it. A few downfalls to mention 1. The Disco played the same music every night and the [... read more]y didn't take any requests. So frustrating! 2. You have to be "Preferred" to get Coronas or premium drinks. Id think spending over $3000 you'd be considered preferred but its an additional $1500 which I feel is unfair! 3. There are Drug dealers on the beaches..so be warned! Kind of unsafe considering their "shops" are right next to the resort. I don't know their names but Mini Mike Tyson, Sexy Beach Grill Cook, Fedel (not castro) you guys have been amazing and we love you!!

Bahia Principe Explore Legend: Great resort and customer service

Loved the resort, the rooms are great, especially for families with children. The Buttler service is amazing, Areson was so helpful and friendly, he contributed to make our stay a great experience. The buffet and restaurants were also good, great food and the staff will accommodate your kids' needs anytime you ask them. The kids loved the water park and pool. All the staff is responsive and professional. Will be going back for sure!

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Great resort

This was our first visit to Dominican Republic. We liked everything about the resort - pools, beach, food and accommodations. Rooms were very clean and well looked after. Resort area was also clean and well looked after. Great bonus was the friendly staff.

Cofresi Palm Beach and Spa Resort: Not a 4 ⭐️

We didn’t check in until 1230am. The front desk did get us to our room quickly, and gave us a map. The part they didn’t do was explain where anything was or how to get there. In the morning and the rest of our time we had to figure it out as we went. I found the resort misleading as it stated around 600 rooms. I had no idea it was attached to other resorts which made it like 1200 rooms. Resort was clean, lots of stairs and distance to things. Room was ok, a bit tired looking. No lightbulbs i [... read more]n half the lights. The ceiling in our bathroom was bulging above the toilet and water was constantly coming down. They attempted to fix, but it still was leaking. Food was good, bartenders awesome as well as the cleaning staff. I would rate this place only as a 3 star.

Ocean El Faro: Would book again!

The hotel is beautiful and the staff is super friendly. The rooms were very clean and the staff always left us extra bottles of water, pop and beer when requested. The food was pretty decent. My 11 year old son struggled but he is picky. But he never went hungry. We really enjoyed the Italian restaurant, Steakhouse and Japanese a la carte's. The pool bar staff was so fun and friendly and made whatever you requested. We had a great vacation!!! If you spend the majority of your time in the pool, r [... read more]equest building 2, it is a perfect spot and close to the buffet, sports bars and entertainment. The beach is not great, but there is a nice lagoon right off to the side that was stunning!

Marien Puerto Plata Hotel: Nice resort but horrible beach

Small and nice resort, friendly staff. The pool and beach are missing a lot of palapas. If you are not up by 7:00am good luck on finding any shade. You are not supposed to reserve any chairs but that is not enforced at all. Some guests reserved both pool and beach which is not fair for other guests. We reserved the Adult only section which we had sunbeds available which was great but by 1:00 the wind on the beach was so strong you couldn’t stay there at all. Because of the wind the waves were [... read more] strong and the sand was moved so much that there could be a step down or up of a foot or more to get in or out of the ocean. You couldn’t see your hand in the water because of the churning of the water. I love the ocean but only went in twice in 7 days. The food was OK but nothing to be mentioned. If you are a beach lover I wouldn’t recommend this resort.

Viva Heavens by Wyndham: Met my expectations

I didn't expect much of this resort post COVID, as I knew the draw was the golf course literally across the street. The food was OK and the location is fine but the amenities need updating. Very loud air conditioner and a safe that didn't work did not help with my experience. The staff were OK, but none really stood out.

Viva Tangerine by Wyndham: Great time with the entertainment crew

The rooms were lacking some modern conveniences such as a mini-bar but we did not spend too much time in the room. The entertainment crew worked very hard at keeping everyone entertained and engaged. Daily activities included water polo, darts, dancing classes and far too many to list... they kept us busy. The Beach is well kept and watching the kite surfing was an amazing new experience for us. The only negative about this resort was honestly the main bar when it got busy. The bar staff simply  [... read more]were unable to keep up with the demand but we thought they are trying to get reorganized after covid-19 and the lack of clean glasses slowed down the servers. The food caters to an American crowd but was very good and always lots of variety and fresh fruits and veggies. The Chef was always overseeing the food and ensuring it met high standards, we surely appreciated this. There are many activities to enjoy both on and off the resort including horse back riding and a variety of water sports, The beach always has a nice breeze which keeps people cool but makes it difficult for some activities such as snorkeling. Overall we had an excellent vacation at this resort and can not stress enough to remember the entertainers and security guards with tips and gifts from home as they do not always get remembered for the hard work and safe environment they provide in paradise.

Select Sosua Adults Only, Trademark by Wyndham All Inclusive: Not worth the Money

Spent a week here with 7 other nurses for a bit of a breakaway. Budget price with budget service. Would not go back. Staff albeit front desk ,servers or bar tenders were disengaged . We tipped regularly however it did not seem to change their demeanour. Front desk Francis was difficult to deal with, after several requests we gave up and had to share a single key, something that should not be an issue. Food variety and quality was poor, any drinks other than regular rum/coke were not available. F [... read more]or four days we were told the blender was broken. I could go on at length about how disenfranchised the staff was exempt of one poor soul William. We have been to DR many times and have always found the staff to be friendly attempting to make your stay enjoyable , not the case here. DO NOT waste your money, book any where else . So disappointing .

Marien Puerto Plata Hotel: Totally Enjoyed!

Great experience! A special note to my room cleaning personal for room #4118, "OUTSTANDING" Can't say enough about all the staff. Very accomodating in all fields. If there was one downfall that I had to share, (In my opinion.) Would be the lack of daily entertainment! I will be returning!!

Majestic Mirage Punta Cana All Suite Resort: Awesome place!

First, i would like to thank Oneil Graham from Tripsentral for helping us once again book this fantastic resort! This is our fourth time at MM we absolutely love coming here. The hotel has a family section but mostly adults. The food is very good with lots of options And no limit speciality restaurants. We also love the friendly staff, the really go above and beyond!! The beach is incredible with lots of loungers. We love the swim out at this resort called Mirage club adults.) the lobby [... read more] bar and evening music at the square is lovely, Then you can watch a live show with Dominican dancers. We love the resort so much we will be booking for December.

Bahia Principe Escape Aquamarine: Good resort but no polite stuff at all.

pools always full, impossible to sit in the pool because the chairs are marked every day, the drinks are bad and made with porr quality , difficult to communicate with the staff because they don't speak any english, they did not fill the minibar, I spent 3 days without water to drink in the room and Etc.....

Bahia Principe Escape Bouganville: Not a luxury, not 5 stars ...I wouldn't recommend it, I think you can do better in this price range

Just came back from our holiday .... I start with the positive notes, excellent service at all restaurants, good guest service, good job on cleaning. We enjoyed our food at the buffet and la carte restaurants. Booking la carte was very easy. However, hotel rooms are in serious need for update. The room condition doesn't correspond with five star rating, I would give it 3 stars at the best. We had the most uncomfortable matrass we have ever slept on during our entire life. Matrass and bedding qu [... read more]ality was obviously not in line with the hotel rating. We spoke with many guests and have heard many complains towards the same matrass problem. The washroom needs update too, it was very outdated. Ridiculous problem with shortage of beach towels. I find it rather strange when 5 star hotel post a sign "One beach towel per day" , simple and easy to fix solution, buy more towels. Imagine on a rainy day when we cover ourselves from rain with a towel and had it totally wet, we were refused towel exchange based on the hotel one towel per day policy! Beach disappointed us too. For us beach is main attraction for Dominican holiday ... Not only water was very murky, it has a color of a swamp. Moreover, there is bee or wasp ( I am not sure I could distinguished these insects) infestation at the hotel beach and to our surprise hotel management does nothing to manage the situation. For people who are allergic to these insects, please be warned. On top of that loud music from the pool where party never stops was really annoying. Practically no equipment to enjoy water sports, 1 catamaran for 2 big hotels, second one was broken, we hadn't have a chance to book it once. Unfortunately I wouldn't recommend this hotel and won't be back to it. If you already bought a trip, try to make the best out of it. There is another beach 300 meters away from the hotel, we spent all our days there. Much cleaner ocean over there but you have to bring your water or other drinks with you, no service there. I should mention that perhaps water in the ocean next to the hotel is clean, but the color of it makes it unattractive. Some people were writing that water stinks, I haven't felt it. I must admit that I ended up at this location by accident, just booked a wrong Bachia hotel on line. It was not my place, but I would like to thank all service team again for good service. Overall we tried to make the best out of this experience. We took a trip to Saona Island and didn't enjoy it either. It was badly organized, too much loud music and too many drunk half naked tourists really spoiled this experience for us. Again it might be different experience for you.