Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: The best Bahia Principe I have ever stayed at

The resort is amazing, the people are extremely friendly and very accommodating. The food was good and always a variety. I loved the tropical fruits which I grew up with and was amazed to find it there. The only thing I would like to see in the suites is a long mirror as there is enough big empty walls to put one up for when the women get dressed.

Viva V Samana by Wyndham: Nice and quiet

It was à nice and quiet hôtel. The room was comfortable but unfurtunatly had a bad humidity smell. The food was fine but nothing spectacular. The beach was the best feature. Always chairs available. Lots of shade. Safety can be an issue but the hotel mad sure there was security gards all the time

The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: Great views

Super nice resort, great ocean views from the the rooms, restaurants even the pool. Small beach, never that crowded, had lots of shade. If stairs are problem, stay in main building. Went whale watching, saw 4 whales, went to the waterfall, both tours were time well spent.

The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: The resort was great!

The resort was very clean, welcoming, and friendly. The food was very good. The variety of food at every meal was amazing. In our room the drain in shower had an issue. We mentioned it to front desk and they fixed it promptly.

Wyndham Alltra Samana: You get what you pay for

The resort was a three star. It was a nice resort but the service was terrible. I would say only about 30% of the staff was pleasant and friendly. On the first couple days we had no hot water in our room. We were told to let the water run for about 15 minutes and it was a hit or miss whether we would get hot water. There was no remote for our tv, no hairdryer, and no coffee maker in our room. The pictures posted on their website don't match the resort. The kids play area shows on the we [... read more]bsite lots for kids to do but when we were there the play area was just a fenced in area with no play equipment. The only shopping boutique on the resort was a "Dominican Walmart". It had everything that you needed but was really small. As for the service, it was faster to get your own coffee than to wait to be served. When we would sit down at a table we would tell them there was 6 of us and they would bring water for four. The only events going on during the day was aerobics by the pool. there was a firs show at the pool one night and we left half way through it was that boring and terrible. They did not walk around and serve you (drinks) at the pool. You always had to go to the bar. Any other resort I have been to they serve you at the pool. The beach was beautiful, views were beautiful and you could even walk down the beach into a small village that did have shops where you could buy items. It was an hour and a half bus ride to the resort. The ride was fast, winding, up and down with frequent stops for bumps in the road. People were nauseated and some even got sick to their stomachs. We did have a great time. There were nine of us that went together and we all had fun. I know I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much if it was just me and my husband.

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: Jewel of resort

Our 2nd time at this hotel and loved it again. It is a small hotel with beautiful views from everywhere. Clean and everyone friendly. Sometimes communication is a little problem but easily fixed with patience

The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: Beautiful Weather

We visited this resort on the recommendation of someone we know. We were not disappointed. Food in the buffet was good, a la cartes were excellent. The resort was clean and the grounds well maintained. The beach was small and sometimes seemed overrun by locals who were very loud. Some of the tourists at the resort did not appreciate their presence. Staff at the front desk were very helpful and accommodating. The weather was beautiful the whole time we were there - 30+ everyday. Overall we had [... read more] a great week.

Viva V Samana by Wyndham: Acceptable resort - not a real 4*

First impression is nice. The resort is small and easy to walk around. The grounds are well kept. The rooms are small but modern and clean. Mosquito nets are not available in all rooms. The food is good but there are less choices than other resorts are offering. The swimming pool is beautiful but it could use more sun umbrellas. Safety is compromised when raining, as the pavement becomes very slippery when wet. Sloped beach with strong waves. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. We real [... read more]ly enjoyed the evening concerts. During our stay there were a lot of mosquitoes and sand flies that have given us a lot of bites and restless nights. It would be nice and fair to provide some warning for the tourists when they arrive so that the ones who are sensitive can protect themselves better.

Bahia Principe Grand Samana Roulette: Nice place to stay

Hotel is good,staff is very nice,food is ok,beach is very crowded,local people asking for food and money in the water,this is not good.Ee wish that shows start early ,everyone on the beach were talking about it,overall this is a nice place,for older people.We are enjoyed our one week vacation 🏖

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: FANTASIC VACATION

THE GOOD:-- FOOD, all buffets and al a carte excellent. A few morning buffets you could tell the main chef was off as the food was stale . SEAFOOD NIGHT WAS AMAZING. BRAZILIAN NIGHT AMAZING, DON PABLO amazing. Room service food - NOT GOOD-not a wide selection and cold. Last Day was a night mare. Our bus came for 7:30 am. We ordered breakfast night before. It came at 7:15am. An hour late. My husband is on meds that he MUST EAT. BUFFET IS CLOSED. Lucky for us bus was delayed ROOMS-  [... read more]We were in Building F , 2nd floor, wonderful view, good size, CLEAN CLEAN, I didn't hear there was a bad view or room in the place. As long as you have a view of the water it was great. JR> SUITE:We had upgraded to the JR SUITE. Size was smaller than the Superior Suite with BAY VIEW. NOT SURE WHY? SEEMS everyone had butler service too. I can;t figure it out. I do not think you need the JR SUITE because the size is the same if not smaller. I do NOT know how you get the corner suites. STAFF: ALL WONDERFUL - TO NAME A FEW EVENING BUTLERS- Marisal, Claudia, Jennifer- thank you for the wonderful scents and turndown service BULTER- Wanly- not sure I spelt that write. RM 2105 if that helps Management figure it out. GLEN- getting us towels for our day trip when hut closed ELENA- Hostess- I don't think she ever went home, what are sweet hear JORGE MANUAL/JOSE wonderful Servers and Room Service MASSAGE: Sorry I don't remember the ladies names, but it was wonderful! POOL- nice , cosy, small, warm, just lovely- Im not going to mention the SEAT HOGS. They know who they are. Same group from Canada at every hotel south. LOL BEACH: I loved it. SMALL is TRUE. But Soft , sandy, warm, clear water. LOTS OF GARBAGE FROM SHIPS EVERYDAY, STAFF KEPT IT CLEAN AS POSSIBLE. Nice area off to side to snorkel too. THE BAD: FRONT DESK STAFF- this is where you want the English speaking staff, Management. They were use less or atleast pretended to be. One guy didn't want to take to our BREAKFAST ORDER for the last day. They lead us on wild goose chases often. I will get to that later ISOLATED AND MISREPRESENTATION ON THE WEBSITE: I go to the websites for my information on properties before visiting. WHY? Because you would think this is the most updated information. At least better updated than the Tour Books. We knew the beach was small but we counted on 2 things to keep us physically moving here: 1) WATER SPORTS- kayak or wind surfing etc etc. THERE ARE NONE 2) WALK TO BEACH AND TOWN- both times we went to do this security stopped us FLAT. The road is too busy , the beach is polluted and both town and beach are unsafe. FOR $100 dollars US we could have taken a cab to town and they wait for us. Lots of wild dog packs in town. SO YES FOLKS, IF YOU ARE LIKE ME AND NEED SOMETHING TO DO AT LEAST SOME OF THE TIME OTHER THAN SITTING ON BEACH AND SWIMMING DON'T COME HERE TILL THEY GET SOME WATER SPORTS. ANDY , the sports DIRECTOR was totally confused and kept telling us one thing and then said Management responsibility The "WE" Director,( GOOD HEALTH GUY) ignored us. I think his job is to sit on his computer all day AND VICTOR( the Air Transat Rep) what a joke that was. After 3 days of explaining and explaining and explaining he decides that after our BOAT TOUR of the Los Hiatuses Nation Park , which was to end at 1pm, we would stay at the Island "Sister" Resort for lunch and Kayaking and other water sports. OF COURSE it was impossible to get a Kayak brought across the bay to our resort, even though the website and some of the tour books indicate there are water sports, and the front desk told us there were some too, they just didn't know where. LOL Back to the story, We finally got the Island at 3:30 starved and said forget this and came straight to our hotel.WHY? Because the last shuttle was at 4:20pm 1) Victor- you sent us on a FULL day and not a HALF Day tour. LOL 2) Victor- you knew full well that we would not get to the Island till 3:30-4pm and would not be able to stay as the last shuttle comes back at 4:20pm. 3) Victor and the Management took no responsibility as usual in the DR for the advertising mistakes. We were not the only guests that were upset over this. So here is my advice: If you want a hotel that is clean, about 1 hours bus ride, small beach, sandy, warm, great service, small, great food, great bar service and drinks then come here. If you want water sports or need a walk other than the treadmill , don't come here. AIR TRANSAT: Please get your flight attendants with hair down to their butts to pin it up. I sat in the aisle seat row 1 fight TS2851 March 23 from Samana to Ottawa. The Asian Flight Attendant hair was in my food, my drinks and my face. Disgusting. She flung her head back and forth every time she walked by. I will go to their website to report this too. AND FINALLY- As for those passengers that think they are going somewhere before the plan stops and the door opens. SIT THE "F" down till the plane stops and the SEAT BEALT SIGN GOES OFF. WOW HOW STUPID ARE SOME PEOPLE. That's it folks. GET WATER SPORTS AND I WILL BE BACK IN A HEART BEAT! OH AND BEV JOHNSON FROM TRIP CENTRAL YOU ARE AMAZING. YOU WERE THERE BEFORE, AFTER AND DURNING MY TRIP. Thank you

Wyndham Alltra Samana: Awesome time!

I really enjoyed my stay at this hotel. The food is good, nice layout and it is located on a beautiful beach on a bay. I have knee issues so even though there was walking involved, it was all on flat ground. The tours off the resort are amazing at this hotel as well. Do not miss going on the buggy ride where you go off roading in the Dominican countryside. I would recoomend this hotel but the only thing that bugged me was that there is really not much shade unless you pay to upgrade and be  [... read more]a select customer; you don't get any umbrellas at the pool for shade. Only the select pools and select areas of the beach get decent shade. Shade should not come at a premium.

The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: Excellent resort.

Everything about this resort was very good. The grounds, public areas, room was very well serviced. The dining and A L’Carte restaurants was excellent. This was our 2nd visit to this resort in the last 2 years and we will definitely go back. I have also recommended it to friends who went and they enjoyed it very much too.

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: Great Resort

After a 75 minute bus ride, we arrived and we were instantly treated with drinks and the service at the front desk was quick and easy. Our room was an oceanfront with a balcony. Best views are on the 4th floor. Very clean and always kept clean. We met our butler for the week and he was fantastic. It's a small resort and everything is close by. Be aware there are lots of steps to the beach, pool and rooms. The grounds were beautifully kept. The beach was small, so don't expect long walks . No sea [... read more]weed and a very swimmable area. It has a beach bar with full service. The bartenders were amazing. Be specific when ordering because they do like to put too much liquor in when making drinks. The pool area was always fun to be at with many activities throughout the day. The animators were very friendly and always tried to get everyone involved. It wasn't too noisy either. The pool bar had easy access and the bartenders were awesome. Washrooms were close by and seats were always available. The night shows were typical of any other resort I've been too, so don't expect too much. Also, after 11 pm, there is really nothing to do. The bars hours should be extended and there should be some sort of music playing at least until 12 am. The biggest disappointment was the food. Most reviews raved about the a la carte restaurants, but the food was subpar at best. Always cold and not too appetizing. Out of the 3, the Brazilian was probably the best but the food was very salty. The buffet is your best option with lots to choose from, but its the same almost everyday. The best night was seafood night (Thursday) at the buffet. Service at all restaurants was exceptionally good. Overall, we had a great time especially relaxing by the ocean. The people were wonderful. I probably won't go back, as we like to try different places. Cheers!

Viva V Samana by Wyndham: Nice small resort

My friends and I stayed a week at this resort. It is very small and no matter where you are you do not have more than a walk of a couple of minutes. The rooms are clean with nice showers however the pillows are awful and then beds are hard. The pool area is beautiful but small. They do have beds and igloos along with lounge chairs and a couple of umbrellas. If you want a bed or igloo you must get up at 6:30 to lay claim. Otherwise enjoy the scorching hot sun all day. It is the same situation dow [... read more]n at the beach. Towels are not an issue and you can take as many as you like. The drinks are great - not watered down and many options. Food is fine. The buffet has decent choices for breakfast and lunch but it does not change much day to day. The coffee is awful. Service is good but you cannot get your own drinks and often you wait half your meal until you get a drink - even just water. There are 3 restaurants - Mediterranean, fusion and seafood. We did not like the seafood one except for the dessert. You do not need a reservation and can go as many times as you like. The food is much better than the buffet and you have 4-5 choices of appetizers, first, second courses and dessert. Most of the workers are extremely friendly, the grounds are immaculate and the entire effect is paradise.

Cayo Levantado Resort: Great, but not perfect

We have stayed at numerous resorts throughout the Caribbean, and this was definitely one of the best. The grounds are absolutely beautiful. How they maintain them to look so amazing, and with such varieties of plant life, is beyond me. The island is not flat, so be prepared to walk up and down some small hills from your room to the other parts of the resort. Nothing unreasonable, just something to be aware of if you have mobility issues. We booked a Superior Junior Suite, and the room [... read more] was huge, with a beautiful 2nd floor view of the ocean. It appears that all rooms surrounding the property were equally big and luxurious. There are also smaller rooms in the main hotel area, so I am happy that we booked the Superior Junior Suite. We had a few issues during our stay, but they were dealt with quickly. No air conditioning when we arrived, but that was fixed the next day. The safe did not work at all, but that was fixed within an hour. There was no hot water one day, forcing us to take cold showers, but that was resolved by early that same evening. We were assigned a butler, but only saw him on the first day, when we arrived. This is in contrast to the Chic Resort that we stayed at in Punta Cana, where your butler is always checking in on you, booking your dinners and massages, dealing with any room issues, and making sure everything is perfect. Our butler at Bahia Principe was invisible. We had to deal with everything ourselves. Not a big deal, but a bit of a disappointment after having a completely different experience at another 5 star resort. Food was very good, at the buffet as well as at the 2 restaurants we tried: Don Pablo (French) and Rodizio (Brazilian). I especially liked the welcome drink that was available at the buffet every morning at breakfast (mimosa) as well as a unique drink every dinner that was tied to the buffet theme of the night. There are effectively 3 beaches: 2 next to each other by the activity pool, and the public beach. The beach by the activity pool gets quite windy in the afternoon, making it a bit uncomfortable. But it is possible to find some shelter further down the beach. The public beach has boats coming and going during the day as part of their excursions, since it is a beautiful beach. It was fun to hang out there one day, although you will get kicked off of the lounge chairs, since you did not pay for an excursion. Every night, the hotel uses the public beach as a disco party area, which is always a fun experience. My wife and I just loved hanging on some lounge chairs by the ocean sipping on some drinks under the stars, with music playing in the background. My biggest issue is that the resort does not have a true "adult" vibe. It just seems to be a standard family-friendly resort, with no kids running around. The shows were all the same shows you would see at a standard family Dominican resort (Micheal Jackson show, Dominican show, Vegas show, etc.). Contrast that to other adults-only resorts we have been to, where the atmosphere is more like a club, with go-go dancers, more adult-oriented humor and games, pool parties with foam, etc. None of this was to be had at Bahia Principe, which was a disappointment. I understand that the resort will become family oriented later this year, so maybe that is why. It just could have been much more fun than it was. Overall, I would say this is more of a 4 star resort than a 5 star resort, since we have been at other 5 star resorts in the Caribbean where they treat you more like royalty (eg. bringing ice cream to everyone on the beach, replacing your wet towels with dry ones throughout the day, etc.). Still a nice resort to go to, which I summarized in the title of this review: "Great, but not perfect". It might do better as a family friendly resort.

Wyndham Alltra Samana: Decent resort!

The shuttle bus from the airport is quite long (2 hours) but was neat to see other Dominican culture and the pretty scenery. There was not much direction given once arriving at the resort. We were pretty much on our own to figure things out. Front desk people are not very good at English so communication was a big barrier. Animation staff were amazing! Very good at engaging people and making all the activities fun. Night shows were great however quite late. (Kids show starting at 8 and adult  [... read more]show starting at 930... could be pushed an hour earlier.) Food was great! Lots of selection and very good tasting.

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Great Resort

Best resort I have visited for the price. Great service, clean grounds and wonderful food. The easy check in on the bus meant no line up and the choice to go directly to our room to drop off our bags and organize our things before returning to the main village to eat.

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Wonderful Holiday!

Totally enjoyed our vacation. Resort clean, excellent food, excellent people. Only down fall was the internet, possibly better instruction. Reception was good, but no info given. Example,we got to the lunch buffet on day of arrival, and waited to be seated, as this is what we were used to from previous vacations. At this resort you seat yourself. Was not informed of this. Other than that, it was an incredible holiday.

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Nice place.

This is a beautiful clean resort.The food is pretty good. The brazilian a la carte was great. The service was good. Lacking in emuntrtainment. Beautiful long beach to walk.Must have been march break for quebec. Alot of french families. A lot of young children. Its our second time to el potillio. Ithink we will try somewhere else .

Viva V Samana by Wyndham: Very nice place!

We were very happy with our stay here. Beautiful location! Resort very clean and beautifully decorated. Staff were amazing and so friendly! Mix of guests, most expecting quiet...some need to be friendlier and relax and have fun!!! Loved being on ground floor with patio and plunge pool. Food was very good, we do not agree with other complaints of food, as many options including the 3 a la carte restaurants. Air Canada was only complaint, issues travelling both ways and would seek out diffe [... read more]rent airline next trip.