VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Loved it !

Small resort which we like . The staff were great ! Entertainment is ok but it’s not Vegas . If you want Vegas style then go there . I found the food a little repetitive after a week but certainly didn’t go hungry . Going for our third time next month !

Lifestyle Tropical Beach Resort: Excellent resort!

The hotel is very clean, with nice rooms, a nice view to the garden; it is close to the beach, with very friendly employees, and variety of good food and drinks. The barmaids are not looking for tip to serve you; it is up to you to leave a tip or not. The restaurants around are very good with lot of choices.

Marien Puerto Plata Hotel: Amazing fun filled week

This resort is very clean and the gardeners are constantly tending the grounds. Food was great always had a variety of food to pick from. The pool was nice as well as the beach. Windy at times but still amazing . The staff were extremely friendly and helpful. Hoping to return.

Royalton Punta Cana Resort: Lovely resort

To be very honest I thought the resort itself was a little tired and in need of some freshening up. Some of the seat covers in the buffet restaurant were worn and the bathrooms needed a bit of care. We were a group of 14 and we wanted to eat together at dinner time and we had a great deal of difficulty making that happen even though we upgraded to the Diamond Club. It was upsetting to me because the trip was to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary with our children and grandchildren and w [... read more]e had hoped to have dinner together every night. Despite having room available at the various restaurants, they would not move tables to accommodate us, without pressure on our part, which was upsetting to me. The Theatre where the night time shows were held had many broken seats which made it necessary for many people to stand. The Kids Club was not what we expected, it was just a very small area and there was no supervision. The family (ages 4 to 48) had a wonderful time at the Waterpark at the adjoining Royalton Splash resort. We would definitely recommend that for families. The beach was beautiful but always very wavy. There were some very strong waves and significant undertow which were easily handled once you grew accustomed to it but close adult supervision was needed for children or anyone who couldn't swim. Unfortunately, a man drowned in the ocean on the Saturday of our vacation and two more would have drowned if my son and his partner hadn't been swimming nearby and heard them call for help. After getting the two safely to shore my son swam back out for the third man but he could not find him in the large waves. It took much too long for the life guards to get to the scene and they were not properly equipped to save anyone. They did not have a boat which they had to go back down the beach to get in order to find the man. It took over half an hour from the time the life guards were first called till they had the boat and were able to find the victim. It was very upsetting to everyone present and I think people should be warned to swim at their own risk. Despite all of this I would recommend this resort to friends as we had a great time until Saturday.

Bahia Principe Escape Aquamarine: Nice resort

The pool was nice. You have to get a spot early though. By 9am all the pool chairs were taken. The beach is a far walk..10 mins. The beach is broken down by hotels (Bahia has 5 resorts on the property) lots of algae and the loungers were up on a slope from the sand. It was a strange set up and would be difficult for someone with mobility issues. there were lots of a la carte options. Some were good and others were average. The rooms were nice and the staff very attentive. Large resort so lots of [... read more] walking. Good for those who want to eat lots and walk it off! We did the gym a few times and it was very nice. My husband loved the sports bar. Had great snacks and good entertainment

Impressive Punta Cana: Good for the money

The grounds were beautiful, the food was good. Checking in was a nightmare. They wouldn't check us in before 3:05 pm on the dot and then two of our friends had to wait another 45 minutes to get their room. Didn't matter if your room was ready or not you did not get your room until 3:05 PM. They really lack bars and staffing at the bars. Lobby bar in the evening was the only bar and it was crowded all the time and difficult to get a drink. The theatre bar opened at 9:30 pm every night but t [... read more]hey weren't a full functioning bar but they had everything to be a fully functioning bar. Instead they set up a make shift little bar outside the lobby/theatre. Drinks weren't very good there either. Beach bar was lined up like crazy. 15-20 minutes to get a drink at times. You just don't want to be wasting your time waiting for drinks on your vacation. The beach was very nice but crowded. Rooms were nice and clean but small. My only advice would be if you were thinking about this resort, just book Impressive Premium and save yourself the headache. They have their own lobby for check in, own bars, own pool and pool bars, own buffet, larger rooms and own space on the beach with shaded beds. If we had went premium to begin with I think our holiday would have been absolutely perfect with no complaints. Japanese restaurant was really good. Snack bar food was good. They didn't open until 10:30 pm. Same for the beach bar so it was hard to even get a drink of water unless you went into the lobby. So do yourself a favor and just book PREMIUM! |We had a good time with good friends and nothing about the above ruined our holiday at all. We would go back and book PREMIUM.

Excellence Punta Cana: Relaxing Adults Only Resort

The beach was pristine and large in size; the ocean water clear and blue. However the waves were very rough and the red flag up almost everyday. Still so beautiful to sit and enjoy. The pools were clean and it was lovely to have the exclusive Club pools near our rooms. The Junior Suite Club level was very comfortable, modern and ultra clean. The walk in shower was large and very welcoming after a day on the beach. Restaurants were good - Mexican restaurant was fun and the buffet - The Kitchen wa [... read more]s a favourite for breakfast. Our only complaint was the "no reservation" policy. Wanting a 7 or 8 pm dinner time resulted in a 60-80-minute line up. No wait at 6 pm but that's a bit early on vacation. The staff, while more reserved than on other Caribbean islands were welcoming and friendly and smiling.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Very nice resort!!

The hotel was very clean and the grounds were well kept. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Our television went on the fritz the second night there, next day we had a new one. Food was delicious, we will be returning.

JOIA Bavaro by Iberostar: Beautiful All-Inclusive

We just returned March 24th, 2023 from a two week stay. We were there last year and loved it so much we decided to go back again this year.The resort is absolutely beautiful in every way. It is immaculately kept inside and out. The pools are wonderful and the beach second to none. The grounds are beautiful. The rooms are on the older side but wonderfully kept. The staff for the most part are great, so friendly. This is a 5 Star all-inclusive in every way. Now, the small negatives. This is  [... read more]an all-inclusive and they advertise 'no tipping'. However, we felt pressured and stressed over tipping everybody. When we go to an all-inclusive we seldom take much money. Now, you don't have to tip but you feel the pressure. In one instance a bar server came and put coasters in front of us and asked for a tip! We hadn't even ordered drinks.Iberostar needs to clean this up. Charge a little more but prohibit tipping, similar to Sandals. Everyone gets a butler, like it or not. How much do you tip these guys? They typically just make your dinner reservations and ensure the fridge is loaded with your preferences but you're in for $100 a week. The second issue is the food. We found the night buffet and the lunch buffet place had little to our particular tastes. Lots of weird choices. Their fries and pizza are great but you can't live on that. We were very disappointed in the dinner selections at the night buffet. No roast beef, no turkey, no homemade burgers, no Mac n cheese. The service in the buffets has gone down since last year. It would take 20 minutes to get a coffee in the morning. The reservation restaurants are great with excellent service but alternate choices to beef were not to our liking. The beef is fantastic. They need to expand their menu choices! Lastly, the place lacks a coffee, sweets, ice cream snack place. I suggest getting rid of the wine store which no one goes in and get a fun coffee & sweets place. Most all-inclusive have these. Finally, the Punta Cana airport is your worst nightmare and for that reason alone we doubt we'll go back to DR. Two hours in a row it has taken us to check-in to leave. You stand in line with seemingly thousands of people and barely move and we pay extra for Elite level. Just horrible. On top of that Sunwing was 1 1/2 hours late departing for no known reason.

Ocean Blue and Sand: Awesome!

The Ocean Blue & Sand was more than we ever expected. I'll note the one negative thing but please recognize that is no fault of the resort or staff. The beach as been badly damaged from the hurricanes of 2021/22, however there is work happening daily to restore it. Thank you for trying to restore it's beauty. The entire resort experience was amazing. The grounds are pristine with work happening all day to maintain it's beauty. The pools and Mike's Coffee were the favorite gathering spots. The  [... read more]food was excellent with many many choices everywhere. Really appreciated the fact there were no reservations needed, except for the Sensai (Japanese cooking show). The wait for any of the others was not unacceptable, but worth it. Check- in and out went smoothly and very accommodating. All the staff we interacted with were gracious, pleasant and grateful. Tipping is highly encouraged (from us) as 1 US dollar and a 'thank you' can make a huge difference in someone's life. It's sad to see the "attitude of entitlement" in these environments, some vacationers could use a huge attitude adjustment. The staff we met, at all of the amenities, were such a pleasure to interact with (English wasn't always strong but 'thank you" is a global understanding). We will definitely return and will tell all our family and friends to consider OBS for another vacation destination. Thank you for an awesome vacation.

Catalonia Bavaro Resort: Great Resort

The people at this resort are wonderful! The pool, washrooms and grounds are very clean and really lovely. Beach is gorgeous and lots of chairs. Open air eating at beach buffet for breakfast and lunch. Main buffet is edged with water and very nice. Food at buffet could have been hotter as with a lot of places, but we stuck with the chicken/beef stir fry and pasta and grilled meats so they would be hot and were very good. We didn't do the other restaurants so don't know about that. The sta [... read more]ff were all amazing and I had a wonderful time tipping everyone, including the landscape, sweepers and kitchen staff. Don't forget about them folks. Wish I could remember some names. We will definitely return. Muchas Gracias everyone!

Grand Bavaro Princess: not bad

platinum buffet is always cold unless you get something cooked on the grill while you wait, the supposedly hot plates have the food uncovered on them with air conditioner blowing cold air down in the food & i asked for a fresh hot dish of potatoes and the guy carried them out with his bare hands so i said it was supposed to be hot and it felt like he had just got them and the veg out of the fridge. also if you are platinum & go to the main area to watch entertainment there is no area to get your [... read more] international drinks they should have a little platinum bar in that area to accomodate the platinum guests who go to the entertainment the regular buffets are all hot & good so the chef at the platinum buffet should take a tip from the regular section buffet chefs

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: First trip since covid

One of the best resorts I stayed at From a very smooth check-in to one of the first time in many trips the request of a joining room was received, all the staff from the groundskeepers to the maids to all the bartenders and Waiters were very friendly and always helpful we specially liked our waiters and bartenders in the premium VIP lounge and beach bar, buffet and all the restaurants were very good especially like the octopus restaurant i had a amazing salmon dinner, pool and grounds were alw [... read more]ays well kept I love the beach every morning they do a good job of trying to clean it up and making sure it looks pristine enjoyed my hour walks every morning on it 100% coming back and bringing more family and friends with us

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana: Wonderful resort

Great resort for the price point. The staff at Majestic Elegange is a significant factor for our continued return. Our butler Juan is outstanding and always attentive to our needs. Shout out to the great service from Maxima, Santa and Angelina...not to mention the club attendants Ernesto, Walliam and Miguel. The piano bar and lounge bar were our favorite with Manolo, Roberto, Manuel and Gary serving up the greatest and most unique cocktails. The grounds were exceptional and cleaning service was  [... read more]more than satisfactory. Will certainly visit again.

Iberostar Waves Punta Cana: Perfect Escape!

The hotel exceeded our expectations. The grounds were impeccable. Everything was exceptionally clean and well kept. The food at the buffets was fresh, abundant, and there was a large variety. The staff were always friendly and smiling. The entertainment staff were fun and energetic and great at encouraging us to participate in everything from pool fitness to dance lessons. We ate at the Asian and Mediterranean restaurants and the food was very good. The fitness centre was wonderful and the yoga  [... read more]teachers were skilled! All around a fabulous vacation!

Dreams Onyx Resort and Spa: Good Time Stay

We visited with the family including children for one week during March Break 2023 and we all really had a comfortable good time stay. The Dreams Onyx Resort & Spa is very good value for a superior hotel resort in Punta Cana. The Onyx has 3 main pool areas being the waterpark, adult pool (Preferred Club) and general main pool. All were nice, modern and clean. The grounds were also clean, well kept and maintained. The beach was nice, and the waves were constant and great for boogie boar [... read more]ding. The boards are provided at the beach hut. We had no washed-up seaweed issues during our stay. The food was good enough to gain weight over our stay. Our kids are very fussy eaters, and they had no problem finding food they liked. There are 6 à la carte dining restaurants and all are 1st come 1st serve except for the Spice Pan – Asian restaurant. At the Spice you will need to make a reservation and time slots fill up fast. Our favourite was the Bluewater Grill and the Spice. At the bottom of the list was the Tamarindo Mexican Restaurant. If you have a gourmet palate, then try a different country. We had no stomach issues during our stay and after returning home. Don't drink the tap water anywhere in Punta Cana. The drinks were good especially at the main bars with a good assortment of top shelf liquors. We had joining rooms overlooking the waterpark pool and they were modern, clean and very comfortable. The room even had a sitting area and a balcony jacuzzi. The view was nothing special. The many palm trees obstructed our pool view. I believe the views at the main pool area appear to be marginally better. As usual we spent minimal time in the rooms, just enough to sleep, groom and dress. Entertainment was typically resort style and was fun and OK. The kids enjoyed it. The staff was amazing and excellent. They were genuinely courteous, helpful, engaging and very happy. That alone is a difference maker. Dreams Breathless resort next door is generally the same as the Onyx but is an adult only resort. Restaurants, bars and services are open to Onyx guests over 18 years of age. The only single issue we had was the noise from the room above us for a few nights. The ruckus was from large groups of chaperoned graduating high school students staying during March Break. Once we complained, the hotel managers, concierge services (Miguel) and security resolved the issue promptly and effectively. I would suggest to the resort that for future occasions student rooms should be located directly above or beside the parent’s or chaperon’s rooms. The matter it was nuisance, especially since we had young impressionable kids with us but we are understanding and tolerant people and we didn’t let the incident ruin our vacation. The Dreams Onyx Resort and Spa is excellent, well located and has everything you would want in a superior resort. Without a doubt we would recommend the resort to friends and family.

Bahia Principe Explore La Romana: Excellent Vacation Spot

The resort was beautiful in every way. The grounds and beach were groomed impeccably. Loungers and tables at the beach and around the pool were cleaned everyday. The food was awesome. So many choices and always presented and prepared to perfection. The staff were friendly and helpful and seemed to be genuinely happy that we were there. Every effort was made to make our vacation totally stress free.

Playabachata Hotel: Loved it

We were very happy with our stay at Playabachata Resort. Our room was good and in a great location. We were in the Coral Section which is the quieter end of the resort and located near the quiet pool and right near the ocean. The landscape of this resort is the best we have ever been at. The staff was wonderful and they work so hard all the time. We have to thank Maria at the front desk who helped us with a few small issues we did have. With the second buffet being closed at the time we were the [... read more]re the main buffet was very busy and that did create some issues at dinner time. We had breakfast and lunch at the snack bar in the Coral section and there had no issues at all. We always found food that we liked in all the different restaurants. We will definitely come back to this resort.

Playabachata Hotel: Not for me

This resort needs quite a bit of updating. The rooms (3 of them) that we had were in need of fixing up whether it was a broken faucet or the jiggly front door handle that moved every which way when opening or the faulty sensor/wiring on the sliding door that turns on and off the A/C. We did not enjoy the food. This is a 3 star hotel at best. We ended up upgrading to the resort next door

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Senator puerto plata was just ok.

We spent one week there and that was enough. We upgraded to swim up pool. Room was nice but small, we had a/c but no hot water and shower had no water pressure had to use sink to rinse hair out fully. Food was ok it got better as week went on. No complaints about service but staff does look for tips. We saw a lot of over serving of alcohol, some other hotel guest getting sick in pool and on sidewalks. Definitely won’t return.