Catalonia Bavaro Resort: Great resort!

Very very nice, extremely clean, friendly staff in all respects. Just not a fan of pressuring vendors a few nights a week. We will recommend family and friends, hopefully too to travel with as well. Great location with workers always cleaning the beach! Amazing!

Impressive Punta Cana: Beautiful resort.

The grounds are well kept and very tropical. Impressive Premium was worth the upgrade. Butlers and bartenders were great. Restaurants were great. Buffet was not as good as the restaurants. Food was not that hot.

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Needs improvement

Room in Catalina section 3rd floor,nice room,pool bird feces needs to solve this issue,buffet food ok,al a cartes not great Hotel manager Anthony not accommodating, not worth paying for premium superior room,entertainment needs updated more shows

Blue Bay Villas Doradas: Sun & Fun

Beautiful clean grounds, pool & beach area. The food was good, Ala carte Asian & Seafood, very good. Service was great. The hotel is old but kept very clean. The staff were excellent! Would return for another vacation.

Ocean El Faro: Buyer beware

From the minter got there the service, people’s attitude were red flags to us. Be aware of the imitation cigars (not what they say they are) and jewelry that they claim is worth hundreds of US $$. Service to get our bags to the room over 1 hour. Restaurants hit and miss. Your food might be cooked?? Get up at 5 am to reserve your pool chairs and then again line up at 7 am to reserve the Sukura restaurant if you want to eat there before you leave.

Casa Marina Reef Resort: Great location

This resort has many good quality’s!! I love the location. You can see whales some mornings. The problem with this resort was the food!! Probably the worst food I ever had at a resort outside Cuba!! The service was not the best. The word that comes to mind with this resort is cheap!!

Viva Heavens by Wyndham: Nice intimate resort

This is a smaller resort which we had not experienced before. It was nice to really get to know the staff as well as the guests. If you struck up a conversation with someone you were sure to see them again several times. We really enjoyed that. The staff provided excellent customer service. An example of this is that I asked fr an espresso martini and asked the staff if it would be possible to have a martini glass. You have to understand that because the main bar is beside the pool they don't us [... read more]ually serve drinks in glass , much less a martini glass. The staff too the time to go find a martini glass and for the entire two weeks we were there when I requested an espresso martini they took the time to find the martini glass for me. Housekeeping did great job of cleaning our room and ensuring we had clean towels. The variety of a la carte restaurants was great and my only complaint is that the food at the restaurants was not very warm. The service was good but the Mexican restaurant is so busy it could use more staff. The entertainment staff are great and Lucco was especially great to listen to every evening on the pool deck. His knowledge of music is astounding, and he lead a great volley ball game every day at the beach. The vendors at the beach are simply trying to make a living and once we said no gracias they did not bother us. Check in was quick and seamless as was checkout. We enjoyed the resort and because its changing to a family resort we wont return. I love kids but not on my vacation LOL. We were quite happy with our choice of resorts. The staff were quite diligent in keeping everything very clean!! Thanks Louise Endean at Trip Central for all your help and guidance!!!

Bahia Principe Escape Aquamarine: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

Lets start with The Ugly, and there is only 1 but its huge. They WATERED the liquor down. At my age I know the taste and effect of it and I can say with authority is was about 50% (20% alcohol by volume) of what was stated on the label. I am primarily a beer/wine drinker so when I go 2 fisting it from noon till 10 and go back to my room sober that pretty much says it all. This was not the case last year when I was at the same resort and don't know why it was this year. The Bad - not much real [... read more]ly. A bit short staffed by my estimation. The Sports bar didn't open until 6:30 PM despite the Grapefruit League games playing at 2 PM (Jays) each day and there's enough Dominican representation on the team is should be a natural. Its also the only AC'd place you can get a drink during the day if you want out of the heat. The Good - Lots, awesome staff as always, any small issue with the room fixed immediately. The buffet was good with lots of options and different theme nights. Grounds and beach immaculate as always. I'd go back in a heartbeat but not if they are watering the alcohol.

Marien Puerto Plata Hotel: Great resort

We just got back from a great 10 day stay at this resort from February 26 to March 8, we got awesome weather everyday not one drop of rain our whole time there. The service was great especially Franco "the pasta man" and our maid Felicita (hope I wrote her name correctly) to name a couple, the whole staff was great, excellent service. Food was good but sometimes could have been a bit warmer in the buffet sections but food tasted good just the same. The only thing we were a little disappoin [... read more]ted about was when we entered the water at the beach, there was quite a bit of rocks and weeds we had to be careful where we stepped when entering the sea not to hurt our feet on rocks or sea shells and such as my husband is diabetic he had to be extra careful, we don't blame the resort for this as this is not there fault. The ocean was beautiful and fabulous to walk alongside it. We found the evening entertainment could have been a little earlier in evening for us. Thank you to all the staff for a great stay. Also thank you to Kevin Dupuis from trip central for great service and patience with my many questions, look forward to planning another trip for next year.

Occidental Caribe: Not a great experience

The hotel rooms are outdated in need of a renovation. Public areas are nice enough, but the furniture is in need of repair or replacement. Lots of broken chairs.. Pool is lovely, beach is excellent. Customer service at this hotel was horrible. We were were supposed to arrive in the evening, but due to a flight delay we did not arrive until the next morning at 1030am and were not allowed to check in until 3pm (their normal check in time) . Their guest services could barely speak English a [... read more]nd were seemingly there to help only with dinner reservations in their specialty restaurants. We were supposed to have 4 reservations included in our package and were only able to obtain one reservation. The restaurant was only half full, I assume this was the case for the rest of them as well. Food was ok, not great, not bad. Bar service was excellent from the bar to the servers bringing drinks to our table/poolside. Tip these people please - they deserve it. We did find one large cockroach in our room. Only once, but it should be mentioned. The package we booked should have included: Bathrobes - did not ever get Slippers - did not ever get Beer in the fridge (replenished Daily) - never provided A bottle of Rum - never provided Coca Cola in the fridge (replenished daily) - no complaints (after $20 day 2 tip) Water in the fridge (replenished daily) - no complaints (after $20 day 2 tip) Beach Towels in the room (had to pick these up at the pool, not a big deal). Room did not have face cloths or a bath mat. We received a bathmat on day 5. The bed was surprisingly comfortable. We didn't let any of this affect our vacation, but we would never stay in this hotel again.

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: A Little Piece of Heaven!

A wonderful week away. While the resort is smaller than some of the Bahia properties, it has everything you could want. Clean, comfortable rooms, and a well maintained property. The staff went out of their way to ensure our comfort. The A La Carte dining was superb. Sun, Swim and Relax!

Melia Punta Cana Beach Wellness Resort Adults: A quiet well maintained Adult only resort

Pool was fairly large with a swim up bar, easy access from the shallow end and an area in the centre of the pool to have a drink and enjoy the sun while cooling off..👍👍 Bring a pool noodle or pool float. The grounds are clean and well maintained. A large resort, lots of walking..a trolley runs through the resort which will take you to the lounge, beach area and your assigned building. Unfortunately the beach and shoreline covered in seaweed, lots of seaweed, unable to swim in the water or  [... read more]enjoy long walks along the beach. Rooms are large, comfortable beds, clean. Lovely balcony with rocking chairs. Buffet good, lots to eat. Entertainment in the evening. Lots of activities to participate in..volleyball, fun pool activities, etc. Overall it’s a relaxing quiet resort…a place to rejuvenate, enjoy a swim a drink and most of all the warmth of the sun and island breezes.

Be Live Collection Punta Cana Adults Only: Okay-ish

You get what you pay for. Clean rooms, decent beds, but outdated, dingy bathrooms. Staff not very friendly or service-oriented. Food is nothing to write home about, but I also didn’t get sick like I normally do on beach vacations. The music at the pool and during the evening entertainment is LOUD, so plan your sleep & naps around that. You need to be on the beach well before 7am to get a chair and you will be pestered all day by vendors. Oh, and I caught COVID on my last day after managing t [... read more]o avoid it for the last 3+ years.

Royalton CHIC Punta Cana: Couples Trip - Not Worth The Cost

I had previously visited the Royalton Chic Punta Cana in February 2015 and absolutely loved the trip. I re-booked at the hotel with my husband for our honeymoon in March 2023 and was so disappointed. We booked a Diamond Club oceanview room. Here were the pros: - Beautiful view of the resort & ocean from our room - Our Diamond Club butler Ronald was amazing. He was super friendly, booked our dinner reservations, booked a spa reservation for us, and messaged us daily to see if he could do anyt [... read more]hing for us. He was one of the best parts of the trip. He even had a bubble bath with flowers drawn for us one day. - The massages at the Spa were amazing. - We enjoyed the food at the Ceviche/Sushi restaurant and Elements Buffet (breakfast and lunches were great) - Great gym, nice and clean - We told them it was our honeymoon and they didn't do anything special for us. And here were the cons: - The majority of the staff were not very friendly and were constantly on their phones - The resort needs cleaning and a ton of minor repairs. - The purple lights in our room were burnt out (we asked for them to be fixed and were told maintenance would come but they never did) - The bed creaked whenever you rolled over in it - The restaurant service was poor. In several restaurants, we waited over 30 mins to have our orders taken and over an hour for food. The restaurants were fairly loud and it was hard to have a conversation over dinner. - The Diamond Club exclusive areas weren't monitored by staff and anyone could use them so I'm not sure why we paid extra for them. - The shows were great but had limited seating. They also started late but we were told they started at 9 pm. - The evening dancing was lack luster it was hard to get the crowd going (like a bad wedding dance floor). We wish there was a dance club on site.

JOIA Bavaro by Iberostar: Amazing resort

We enjoyed this resort for it's clean rooms as well as the maintenance of the buildings and grounds.The resort was a nice size the eating areas were never crowded. The staff were very pleasant and well trained, very eager to please the guests. Food was always very attractively presented.Beach lounges were all very comfortable, which doesn't happen at some other resorts. We would go back again.

Sunscape Puerto Plata: Would Recommend

Perfect resort for a friendly getaway in the sun. The location was a 30 minute bus ride from the airport. Resort staff exceeded our expectations and were warm and welcoming! We left with full stomachs, happy hearts and new friends. Highly recommend the ocean fishing available and the golf course next to the resort. Overall, we had low expectations and this resort exceeded all of them for the cost associated.

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Iberostar… always our favourite!

The last six getaway trips have been to Iberostar in Jamaica twice , la Romana twice, and lastly in Varadero. After our three year absence due to Covid…. We ventured to the Iberostar Costa Dorada in puerto plata. Well, we were not disappointed.. it is a lovely and well maintained hotel. They are environmentally responsible in all areas. Impeccable service, spotless rooms and excellent food! The beach is nice and pool area is spacious and very popular! I highly recommend this resort.. proba [... read more]bly the best in puerto plata!

Bahia Principe Escape Aquamarine: Our initial room was as far from the beach as could be possible. i am a senior with walking challenges. The second room we got backed on to the lot which served as a main supply road for which was noisy and lousy view of the industrial lot. Our third room had a better view bust was still a far distance from the beach. The mini bus setup helps somewhat but is dangerous with people walking amongst the vehicles day and night. This was our fourth stay at the hotel (Esmeralda was best). Based on our most recent stay it will be our last

Service was slow and lacked professionalism. Food was good but not great. Best feature of the hotel was the beach Beach towels were hogged by guests. Focus on letting guest reserve spots makes the lack of towels the point of discussion everyday. OVERALL Focus is on the Privilege Club. Regular guest are and after through

Riu Republica: Amazing Resort

Awesome service, shows, food, ambiance! Would definitely recommend! All of the staff were very nice and welcoming, and there were a great variety of restaurants and activities. We spent most of our time on the beautiful beach, but we also really enjoyed the shows every night and especially the pink party on wednesday!

Playabachata Hotel: Great Resort!

I was on the fence about this resort due to the conflicting reviews, so I thought it would be helpful to write a more in-depth review as some things matter more than others to different people! Long check in process due to being busy and only 2 staff at desk but we were more than welcome to get drinks/use the pool while we waited. Ocean view suite was incredible, king size bed was comfy and we got clean sheets and towels everyday! Mini fridge in room was stocked with drinking water and pop [... read more], stocked every second day, coffee in room was stocked everyday, could request sooner if needed. Not really hot water at certain times due to everyone using it, but it’s the Dominican, it’s already hot! Requested an extra blanket as I’m a cold sleeper, it was there x2 before I even got back to my room! Kayaking, windsurfing, , and snorkelling are free, but we were unable to take part in these due to the water being super wavy because of the wind, but we went in February so that’s normal and we weren’t super disappointed! Note - windsurfing is a $20USD teaching fee unless you know how to do it, but than it’s free for the rest of the trip, so would be better to do it near beginning of the trip. Steak al a carte restaurant was not the best as the cows here aren’t the best, but the Italian al a carte was wonderful! Buffet style food had tons to choose from and they switched it up daily, pasta bar and omelette bar where they make them fresh were my favourite as well as the salad bar! And anything fish was fantastic! Cigars at the airport are crazy expensive, and the ones on the beach are trash, highly recommend going into town to the cigar factory if your interested in them. Coffee is amazing and doing a intown tour with the taxi company was great! We took all the time we wanted, saw the cigar factory and I got to make a keep a cigar for free! Went to a local coffee house and I had the best ice coffee I ever had in my life! Learned lots about the city and even got to stop at the grocery store to pick up cheap booze for home! We had 2 TVs in our room which was nice after a long day in bed, lots of Spanish channels, only a few English, which again is not a big deal, air conditioning worked fantastic and we could control it. Wifi in lobby was good and reached to patio so we could sit and enjoy drinks and cigars while checking in with family. We did bring items to give to the housekeepers like we do in Cuba, they appreciated it but not as much as they are able to get those things here, instead I wish I had brought English books I no longer wanted to leave at the book nooks near the pools as I was only able to find 1 English book to read haha Things I wish I remembered to bring… - Shampoo & Conditioner - A book - Gravol for when we went deep sea fishing 🤢 Check out was a breeze, basically dropped off the keys and waited for our shuttle while we had breakfast and great coffee! Resort is great and great price, would definitely come back again and no complaints!