Marien Puerto Plata Hotel: A Great Week

We had a great week at the Be Live Grand, reception was welcoming, rooms were fine. The pool was great, friendly staff ( shout out to Joel!!) and the wonderful lady at Building 8!! Above and beyond. Lots of activities, or time to read and relax. Food was very good, loved all the venues. We would go back!!

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Great Resort

The Resort grounds were well kept and public areas as well. We really enjoyed our room and the view. Food was very tasty. The wifi could have been better. The nightly shows were very enjoyable and the interaction with the audience made it even better. Great time, with no snow.

Cofresi Palm Beach and Spa Resort: Beautiful, Friendly, Authentic Experience

I visited this resort with my boyfriend over reading week this year. It was my first trip anywhere down south, but my boyfriend has been on several trips, including Costa Rico and Hawaii. He said that this resort is definitely one of his favourites. I loved the spanish colonial style of my room. We had a king bed, huge bathroom and an even bigger balcony; with a garden view. We did not have any sewage smell in our room (building 310) but we could definitely smell it when we walked around the low [... read more]er 300's. Upgrading to the Junior Suite really isn't necessary, we absolutely loved our room. The entertainment and other staff were all very friendly. The food was good, we were there for 7 days so we were able to pick and choose which foods we found we liked and which foods might upset our stomachs. The best a la carte was the Brazilian, definitely try the grilled pineapple! The resort was huge so the shuttle service made it really convenient to get around, and gave you a tour of the beautiful VIP section of the resort. We also went to the Ocean World adventure park, and it was one of the most amazing days on our trip. We also did the paradise island tour and the monster dune buggy excursion; all of them were really fun in their own way and gave us a look at the Dominican culture outside of the resort. In all, the resort was huge so we were never bored. The pools were cool, the adult only pool was a nice thing to have on the days when there were too many kids in the main pool. The resort is built on a hill so there are a lot of stairs, but it really isn't that big of a deal. It also gives the main pool area a beautiful view of the ocean because it is so high up.

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Perfect Trip

Just got back from a relaxing, entertaining and enjoyable trip. I can't say enough positive things about this resort. Everything was situated in a good location, the bars, the pool, the spa, the restaurants (food was excellent and large variety) and entertainment was exceptional. Staff was extremely polite and helpful. The Star Friends truly made the trip what is was. Enjoyed the enthusiasm and direct connections they made with the vacationers. I would definetly go back to this resort and recomm [... read more]end it to others. We booked an excursion through the resort and it was most enjoyable and our tour leader was great.

Bahia Principe Grand San Juan: Loved it!

The hotel was very nice. The pool was great! There was a little too much sea weed on the beach. The staff was very friendly and the animation team was awesome! Both the Italian and Mediterranean A La Cartes were great but the Asian was not good.

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Average

We stayed as a couple from Feb 13-20. Overall the resort is ok. We upgraded to the Royal Package. I would highly recommend upgrading but you really do not need the royal service. There is no real difference between royal and premium upgrade besides price. Roman our beach waiter was AMAZING!!! He remembered your order and brought you drinks before you had to ask. He also brought us our lunch so we ate right there on the beach. He was a superstar. All of the food at the A la Carts are fabulous. No [... read more] complaints at all. Some improvements could be made with the buffet service. In the morning it was very hard to get coffee, coffee mugs and water from a server. There seemed to be no structure as to what server served a section. They all seemed to just go all over and you constantly had to flag or go up to them to ask for water and/or coffee. The staff in the Vintage room was also great, always pleasant and ready to help. I was a little confused that not all the premium drinks were included. If you wanted Corona or Budweiser beer you had to pay for it. That was a first for us at an all inclusive. The room and bathroom were small with no storage but we had read previous reviews so we were not shocked. We did not spend much time in there. If you want quiet you should ask for a room away from the main pool.

Casa Marina Sosua Trademark by Wyndham All Inclusive: ok

Casa marina is ok...nothing more...nothing less....we travelled with another couple from February 13th to 20th 2015. First impressions are huge...and they failed big time. ..absolute caos at the front desk.they didn't have a room for us right away...which we expected, we arrived quite early in the day...but when we did go back to check in..we could only have 1 room key "later" we could have another. No keys available for safes "one hour" we could have one...you see the pattern!!. Food and drink  [... read more]What there was was very good...the buffets were plentiful..and well looked after...same food though repeatedly. Dining room staff could have been increased. A la carts were great. They are generous with the liquor for sure...but don't have a great selection. Rooms Dated for sure...but clean...and who really cares about the room anyway!!! Pool and Beach Public beach and a private beach...both seemed to be well looked after...small infinity pools along the reef are very nice (although maybe more maintenance would hurt..they were looking a bit greenish) and the huge pool area was very good. All in all...it's a 3.5...service is very different from a 4 or 5 star...but it isn't terrible.

Sunscape Puerto Plata: Just Ok

The hotel itself is nice enough, check in took close to an hour and a half. The pool has a gross thick feeling and has these weird floating things in it. The food was decent but as I type Im here sick. The highlight of my trip was the 12 waterfalls and Big Lees Beach Bar.

Paradise Playa Dorada: Solid 4 Star Resort

I have been to a lot of resorts in the Caribbean...and this resort is a solid 4 star resort. The good things: The buffet....for the most part was different every day. The staff were really friendly and helpful. The rooms were clean. There were three options for a beach areas (one to the left near the activity centre had music playing and a little protected from the wind, the middle beach which was like a little cove but was windy and the one on the far right much quieter but had the most wind).  [... read more]Lots of little activities to do: mini golf, basketball, shuffle board, beach and pool volleyball, kayaking, snorkeling, casino, disco. The bad things: Beach chairs - not enough of them as many of them were broken. You have to get up at 7am every morning to get a beach chair. Good luck getting a pool chair as people would leave their stuff on the chairs overnight to ensure they had one the next morning. The bedding.... you get one sheet on the bottom that "acts" as the fitted sheet, and you get two sheets on top to cover yourself for sleeping. Although it was very hot, I like to have something a little more substantial to cover myself when I am sleeping. Limited mixed cocktails.... every mixed cocktail is based on either the pina colada slush mix or the lemon slush mix...which made them all taste the same. But I expected this from a 4 star resort. The beach was not great this year....lots of seaweed in the water on windy days. It was cleaned up everyday from on the beach. The staff were saying that this year was not a good year for enjoying the ocean. Excursions: we did the scuba diving excursion. Did the 30 min scuba session in the water first, then went into the open water dive. Again, because the ocean was not good, we had a one day opportunity for this excursion. The scuba takes place at San Sousa... it was good. Great instructors, small ratio. This was my first time doing an open water dive and I felt very safe at all times. I heard from others that the water fall excursion was really good. And we also heard that the carnival in the city was really good to see (it is every Sunday afternoon).

Bahia Principe Grand San Juan: BAHIA PRINCIPE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

THE HOTEL WAS GREAT EXCEPT THERE COULD HAVE HAD A COFFEE MAKER IN ROOM, YOU HAD TO WAIT UNTIL 6:30 AM TO GET A COFFEE WHICH IS A BUMMER IF YOU ARE A EARLY RISER, THEN YOU HAD A FAR WALK TO GET ONE, ALSO THEY SHOULD SUPPLY FACECLOTHS, WE TOOK OUR OWN BECAUSE I READ REVIEWS BEFORE WE LEFT, FOOD WAS GREAT, ALCARTE WAS SUPER,AND DRINKS WERE GOOD, BUT BRING YOUR OWN GLASS FROM HOME AS THEY SERVE DRINKS IN SMALL SIZE, STAFF WERE FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL, IT WAS A VERY CLEAN RESORT, POOL WAS CLEAN AND LARG [... read more]E, LOTS OF GREAT ACTIVITIES, WEATHER WAS NICE.

Riu Merengue: Amazing service througout this resort!

Service was excellent throughout the resort, including the reception desk, room, pool, restaurant, and bar attendants. Your concerns were promptly addressed and the employees seemed very happy in their employment. They were always smiling and polite. We visited the Bachata a couple of times....they were not so happy and also not so polite. Beach was lovely and loungers were always available. Occasional bar service on the beach was a welcome change as well. Pool area was great; not an "endless"  [... read more]but more than adequate. Very clean, and lots of huts and high-end loungers. Rooms were spacious, clean, well equipped, and the balcony was amazing! Buffet restaurants were nicely decorated and clean. Thanks to Domingo, who made our week very special with his excellent service ( definitely an asset to be appreciated. He is "cruise ship" quality and you don't often find that kind of service in an all inclusive). Unfortunately, other than the omelets, crème brule, carrot dishes, and pork dishes, the food was not as good as I've experienced at other resorts. Wine and tea were terrible, as well. Room for improvement here for sure. Only went to one a la carte (the Steakhouse) and we were not impressed with service or the steak. I've been to 7 all-inclusives and this was the most disappointing. I specifically asked if the steak was tender and told that it was "very" tender. Yeah...I could have played hockey with it. The entertainment staff were excellent, around the pool, beach and resort as well as at the evening shows. The dancers (and choreograpy) were spectacular. The shows themselves could use improvement; too much lip sync and a little tired in the themes....couldn't take another version of "Grease". The only real negative aspect of the resort is that there was too much "smoke". There should be designated smoking areas (not in the lobby main walkway). Non-smokers should not be subject to unhealthy, second-hand smoke. Overall, the Riu staff at the Meringue are doing a great job! Please note that I provided the reception desk with a hand-written review of the resort on the day I left.

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Good holiday, good food, service just OK

Check in was smooth but to still have to pay for a safety deposit box with a key to carry around is a pain. The room was clean, slightly dated, and lacking in drawer space(for clothes) or and extra chair. We had the quiet side and 3rd floor as requested which was nice But a lot of stairs (no elevator if you need it). 2 pools (one quiet) across the driveway at part two of hotel, which was nice. Food was good, salads, fruit, a meat, deserts. Service was non existent, do well to get water at the ta [... read more]ble. No bar service around the pool(you go get it). Beach was nice, lots of space, trees for shade, most days enough chairs, vendors tiresome after awhile. We would return if price was right.

Paradise Playa Dorada: No complaints !

This Resort was great and I have no complaints. The food was great and there was a large variety at all restaurants, buffets and snack bars. The rooms were nice and spacious, as well as the cleaning staff were efficient and thorough. All the staff whether it be bar tenders, waiters or front desk personal were friendly and very accommodating to all needs. The beaches were clean and not crowded. Tourists are able to walk along the entire beach and there are many areas to play sports such as volley [... read more]ball or football on the beach. Some nights you could even find the owners mingling about the resort with their guests to ensure the quality of the resort is adequate. During the day there are many activities for guests to interact in and the entertainment staff did a great job in getting people to participate in their games. Nightly entertainment was very interactive and fun for all ages.This is a great resort for people of all ages. I would recommend going here to anyone!

Riu Merengue: 2nd trip did not disapoint

This was our second stay at the Riu Merengue. We came back because we had a great first visit, and our second trip waa just as good. We read a lot of mixed reviews so we were a little concerned, but Riu dies it right. The rooms were clean and the staff was always friendly. At our first trip Diaz the bartender made a great impression on us and we were happy to find him there again. It was a pleasure every morning to be greeted by Oscar the omelet guy at the garden restaurants. We highly recomm [... read more]end this resort...especially for first timers

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Excellent choice

This vacation was a very positive experience. The hotel was great; nicely designed, with covered walkways from building to building if you chose. Facilities were terrific; we tried Japanese, Mexican and Brazilian a la cartes. Buffet was awesome as well... food overall was the best we've had in some time. We had lobster (Paella and Fideua dishes prepared on the beach), shrimp and lots of other seafood. Beef was surprisingly tender. Many pork, chicken dishes as well. Breakfast offerings were outst [... read more]anding. Best assortment of cheese I've ever seen at a holiday resort. Soft ice cream and popcorn were a nice touch at the poolside restaurant. Bar service was also great, beach bar, pool bar, swim up bar, lobby bar... they made it look easy and selection was plenty. There were orchid, mint and aloe gardens. Spa had complimentary Turkish baths available. Star Band was very good and the nightly shows were not at all disappointing (as they sometimes can be). Staff at all levels tried their best to make it a pleasure to stay here.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: good resort, average

- Food was good, drinks have lots of variety... only issue is that each morning you had to book your a la cartes by 7am for that night only..no sleeping in. - Entertainment was alright, better at meringue though. Repetitive. - Clean and welcoming resort, friendly staff. Rooms were good except bed was very hard and the tub/shower small. - Waterfall excursion was amazing :) - I would give this resort 3.75-4 star

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Good resort for the money

The resort was clean, and the food was as good as we expected for the money. The beach was OK, although there was a day or two that there was some seaweed that came in with the tide, but since we don't really go into the water, it didn't bother us. Staff was friendly and most spoke good English.

Blue Bay Villas Doradas: That is not a 5 star and the pictures are badly

Never again ... I was totally disappointed the pictures on the site are misleading no furniture in the room like chair table bureau ...Food is so so well I think I have said what I think of this place

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Good Family Vacation with 1.5 Year Old

We stayed here with our 1.5 year old from Feb 9th to 16th. Overall a good resort for a young family. It is not too big, clean and updated. It is not a big party resort and a quick drive from the airport. We spent most our time at the pool, our son loved that he could walk into the pool on his own. We did have to get out early to get chairs with an umbrella. Beach always seemed busy. We would only go play in the sand for small amount of time every few days. So I cannot comment to the chair and  [... read more]shade availability. As many other reviews note - there are many vendors on the beach trying to sell. Food was average, buffet was better some nights than others. One night the chicken did seem undercooked. We were not offered water several times at breakfast, lunch or dinner. But you can get your own from the beverage station, as well as bottles in your room. The highchairs did not have a "seat belt" so our son could stand up which was a little frustrating. Food in the restaurants was good, we enjoyed everything we ordered. Service was quick as well. (other than the Caesar salad, personally it was a little strong for my liking) The room's are clean and updated but small. We were on the third floor. Not ideal with a baby for two reasons -- no elevators so we carried stroller up and down several times a day. The balcony railings are wide enough that our son could stick his head through with space still...so a little scary that he could fall through. Several toys did end up falling down between the railings. We did request a ground floor room at time of booking, but didn't bother trying to switch. The beds are the number 1 negative. We had 2 double beds, which are horribly uncomfortable for our liking. Very hard. The pillows were not very good either. The crib was rickety and about the size of a play pen, when our son stretched out he is touching head to toe. (Average height and weight for his age) He did not seem comfortable in there. Our room also faced the pool, so we did hear noise all day and until the entertainment theater show finished at night. That did not bother us though. Staff was friendly and our maid Petra was wonderful. Many of the staff would go out of their way to say Hola to our son. Overall, we had a nice stay. However we would not return as we enjoy going to new places.

Bahia Principe Grand San Juan: perfect holiday spot

excellent spot to relax. food and liquid refreshments great. beach cleaned every day and the water temperature in ocean warmer than air. the beach bar was our favourite place to have lunch. the staff was accommodating and knowledgeable