Iberostar Waves Punta Cana: GREAT RESORT

we,ve always enjoyed our stays at Iberostar our # one go to resort in punta cana . this year we could tell lots of new employees were being trained after 2 years of Pandemic . lots of familiar faces

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: An excellent resort for our 14 day holiday.

We paid for the "premium upgrade" on our room and it was totally worth it. Our room was larger than normal, faced the ocean and was very quiet at night. The upgrade also gives unlimited reservations to the "ala carte" restaurants and access to a private lounge with premium alcohol and coffee. Food selection at the buffet for meals was very good with plenty of choices that were sure to please everyone.

Bahia Principe Escape Ambar: Great COVID protocols

This was our third stay at Luxury Bahia Principe Ambar- adults only. Our last time was 4 years ago before the pandemic. We were very pleased with their safety protocols. All employees had to be fully vaccinated. Every employee had to wear a mask. In the buffet area everyone including guests wore a mask along with a plastic glove so you’re not accidentally touching something with bare hands. We felt the beach wasn’t quite as wide as last time but still beautiful and great for walking. The roo [... read more]ms are very spacious but basic. Tons of tv channels to watch the news if need be. The adults only pool was very warm. The evening shows on the main stage were ok but the magic show was excellent. The 10 pm start evening shows in the Ambar lobby were really great and well choreographed. The quality of the food has improved. We got to try 4 a la carte restaurants. We really liked Portofino, MEAT and Rodizio the Brazilian steakhouse. You must make reservations and due to limited staff and CoVID restrictions we couldn’t get into all of them. The buffets give a large variety. The brand new Las Olas beach house is a beautiful spot for buffet lunch overlooking the ocean or the evening dinners if you can get a table at one of the 4 restaurants in this big new building. We walked a lot which we loved but the tram is there to use as the property is huge. We got our CoVID rapid antigen test tests performed by a nurse on Monday morning and our flight left Tuesday afternoon with Air Canada vacations. Great new 777 planes. We had our results emailed to us with plenty of time before departure. We were pleased with all safety protocols and the standards at this resort. Amazing value for the money. The staff are all very friendly and try hard to please the guests. We would definitely go back again.

Be Live Experience Hamaca Beach: Be Live Hamaca is Horrible

We have been travelling to Dominican Republic since 2015 (once or twice a year) mostly to Puntacana. It was our first trip to Boca Chica Santo Domingo and it was horrible. The resort we went in Feb. 23rd 2022 for 10 days is called “Be Live Hamaca Beach”. It is a very old resort, with all the issues we experienced are as follow: Lobby: The first day we entered the resort, we noticed that the water was pouring down (not leaking) from the ceiling of the main lobby… the lobby was mostly f [... read more]ull of water. The second day the pouring the water happened again from a different side of the ceiling in the lobby… same issue, the lobby was full of water until it was fixed few hours later. The staff weren’t friendly, and they hardly speak English except for one of them who was always on the tiktok. Room: There was no hot water for couple days, so we had to take cold shower. The toilet wasn’t flashing properly, and the bed had a broken leg. When I brought this up, the guy in the reception heard my complain but without doing anything, he continued watching tiktok on his cell phone. When I told him it is urgent, he pointed to a service desk which was at the other corner of the lobby, but no one was there. The guy told me to wait for him to report the issue. When the service desk person should up, there were lots of other people waiting for him and the line up grow long. The service desk person recorded my issues; however, no action was taken except the hot water was resolved. The 3rd day the doorknob came off, so I took it to the service desk, and it took them 2 hours to fix it. Restaurant: There is only one buffet restaurant which the food is almost the same every day. Not too many varieties or options to choose from. When you walk in, no one will set you up to the table, so you pick a table and wait for the waitresses to bring you the cutleries and drinks. Some time the wait is too long so we went to grab our own drinks. We booked those speciality restaurants, however there is only one restaurant that changes the name and menu every day. There is about 12 items on the menu and most of them are not available. The food is not good, and services were not in our satisfactory. Overall, the “Be Live Hamaca” resort is not a place we will visit again. And as per our experience it won’t even qualify for 3 start standard rating.

Secrets Cap Cana: Excellent experience

Best hospitality I have experienced in the Caribbean. Beautiful resort. Highly recommend. Enjoyed that it was close to the airport, transfers were quick and efficient. Rooms were nice, 24 hour room service was amazing!

Playabachata Hotel: Playa Bachata February 24 to March 3 2022

Our stay at Playa Bachata puerto plata. This is an average resort. Nothing real special, nothing really bad. The buffet is almost always the same but there is much choice. If staying for a week you can find something new and tasty each meal. The shows in the evening were ok. Very simple nothing to big. Only one pool was open. It was ok. A bit of wear but daily activities going on pool side. The beach is ok but if you vacation for the beach this place is not for you. We always found lounge [... read more]rs but alot of them were broken. There was alot of local people at this resort which I enjoy however it seems that the bartenders cater to the locals and the rum is not of great quality for the Dominican. Our house keeper was so nice. She didn't speak much English but she was grateful and took care of us. We went on 3 excursions, all were good. There is no covid protocol. The resort says there is but only employees wear masks. That was ok with me. Our sunwing rep gave us false information about our covid test. It wound up that we had to get our test on a different day then what he stated. Im going to chalk that up to the rules just changing. We did have one bad thing happen. Our toilet overflowed the second night covering our whole floor even the bedroom. Bad plumbing I believe as other reviews speak of the same thing. They say it is your fault you used to much toilet paper. No I didn't. The mess was cleaned and we were given a new room. There are liquor dispensers in room as advertised but no liquor to go in them so don't expect it. We paid 775 each for the week all inclusive and I believe I got my moneys worth. Nothing fancy but ok.

Dreams Onyx Resort and Spa: Amazing resort

We just got back from the most beautiful resort we have ever been too. Amazing beach, we had a swim up room and the staff were amazing and so happy to be working again. Covid protocols were really good and my fears about going were eased right away. The food was amazing, drinks were awesome and I will definitely book here again! Only complaint I have is how rude some other tourists can be especially towards the staff , who i felt were going above and beyond to make sure our stay was beautiful

Excellence Punta Cana: Amazing Rsort

Grounds, hotel and rooms were wonderful Beach was very quiet and great for walking Resort runs along the beach and ocean and is always visible Pools run along the front of the resort and was easy for people to spread out. Great nightly entertainment

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: We love this resort@

The Senator is a great resort. The grounds are bright and well kept. The cleaning staff is amazing including the Ladies thst clean the restrooms near the pool and the sports bar! The staff are so friendly and fun. The entertainment staff are extremely fun and give love for free! Lol. Covid was left in the back of our minds, but we were cautious to sanitize and the staff all wore masks. Our masks were optional, some wire them others did not, no issues. The only little issue was when came time for [... read more] our departure antigen test, it was not clear where we were to be to line up and a little wait due ti lots of people needing one done, but up be expected really. I would recommend this resort and have been there 3 times now, excellent for the price point for sure.

Royalton CHIC Punta Cana: Wonderful resort!

Really enjoyed all of the restaurants, the food was great and the servers were friendly! The beach was beautiful and the grounds were clean. The rooms were a little smaller than expected, and the beds creaked with the slightest movement but were comfortable. The shows were fun, the entertainers were very good and interactive with the audience.

Bahia Principe Escape Ambar: Great place to return to

Love the beach and food. The people working at the resort are friendly and want to make your stay pleasant. We have made friends with some of the staff. Every time we come back to this resort we enjoy our vacation immensely

Impressive Punta Cana: Would not recommend

I would absolutely not recommend this resort. From the get go it was not impressive. When checking in they try to sell you the upgrade to Impressive Premium. We ended up upgrading which was a complete waste of money. The upgrade included a personal butler, unlimited room service, premium liquor and access to all the grounds. We tried to get a butler assigned to us 3 times without success. They kept saying that the butler would communicate with us through WATSAPP which we did not have and d [... read more]id not wish to communicate through this app but then reassured that he would call our room with our a la carte reservations. I ended up reserving the a la cartes myself and the butler never communicated with us. Room service ends at 10pm which is useless! and premium alcohol was not premium and if you wanted wine that was displayed on the shelf at the premium lounge you had to pay 90$ American for a bottle of wine that I can bye in Canada for 20$ Canadian. The service was horrible, the food in the buffet as well as the a la cartes was beyond subpar and I am far from being picky. The grounds were nice but the pools were very dirty. There was algae growing all around the walls of the pools. I have never seen this in all of my years of travel. The rooms were ok, nothing fancy but I never chose a resort by the rooms, rooms are for sleeping. The cleaning staff did a good job except that they did not exchange the towels every day. I had a towel that was clearly soiled that I left on the floor to indicate that it needed to be exchanged and it stayed there for 2 days. The mini fridge was not restacked daily. We had to call for beer as well as water and after a couple days we just gave up. From what I experienced this resort does not have the facilities for the capacity allowed to book. They were extremely short staffed and the language barrier was awful. Trust me, I never complain as I am a tourist in their country, I don't expect them to know my language but the people working the desk and answering the phone should have some understanding of the universal language. To rate this resort as a 4 and 4+ is crazy. This resort is closer to a 3 star, I wouldn't even rank it a 3+. I am very well travelled, I'm not one to criticize or find fault in anything but this resort was not at all what it portrayed to be.

Riu Republica: Rui Republica Lives up to its name

This is definitely a party hotel !! It’s perfect for 20+ & 30+ who are looking for that bar music, loud, party pool !! I took my 4 adult sons, ages 23,25, 25 & 29 and they had a blast !! I mean they partied until almost the next mornings many nights. So if you want a party hotel, this is it !! The rooms were nice, basic, very clean and yes they have the smallest pillows I’ve ever seen lol. They need to be upgraded lmao. The beds were ok, certainly not pillow tops but ok. Bathrooms very ni [... read more]ce and large glassed in shower. The food was ok… buffet has lots of variety, I would like the buffet to be bigger with more options but what was offered was good. The Al a Carte restaurants were good, not 4 or 5 star but a solid 3 1/2 star. The property was clean and neat The beach is gorgeous, the water is very wavy, big waves, so if you like to wave surf You’ll love it. Every day the water is the same, big waves but fun. The shows were ok, too short tho, some 30 mins, some 40-45 maybe, not the 1hr shows like at other hotels. Lots of nightlife, disco opens at 11pm, sports bar going all night Lots of nice places to sit and relax day and night ALL The staff were always friendly My boys were also happy because it seems like it was the European school break !! There were tonnes of young beautiful women from all over the world, especially from Europe & Russia My 4 boys would 1000% go back Me? I would go back but only if my wife joined me this time lol, because I hardly ever saw my boys because it’s such a huge party party party

Sunscape Puerto Plata: Low key and chill resort, just what we needed!

While the resort is getting a little old, everything was clean and in good shape. All staff was respectful of COVID precautions. They were all very friendly. Beach is absolutely stunning and so calm! Buffet is actually quite good, especially Dominican food! Entertainment is not first rate but I came there to relax after 2 years of COVID stress.

Occidental Punta Cana: Very Clean Resort

Grounds and rooms were very clean. Food was good but could have had more verity. Only negatives were, hard to get new beach towels and limited bars were open, pool bar for one. Beach bar needed more staff and keep running out of beer. Mixed drinks were not made from upper shelf liquor; therefore, did not taste very good. My wife and I did not finish one drink. Overall it was a great location, clean resort and very nice beach.

Wyndham Alltra Punta Cana: First Trip to Dominican

Where do I start… ok well the flight down was easy until we got to Punta Cana, that airport is crazy lol, please keep in mind this was my husband and I first trip to any resort, be prepared for long lines to get out of the airport but otherwise it was fairly smooth. We arrived at the resort and were instantly enthralled with the old style beauty. The staff were excellent and super friendly! Our room was nice and even though it was a bit dated ( especially the bathtub) it was clean and comforta [... read more]ble. The beach was fabulous I highly recommend that you do the preferred upgrade as the added perks make it worth the money. The drinks were great and the food was delicious! Highly recommend preferred club Oceana restaurant for breakfast and lunch! The lunches were amazing! The pool was awesome, you could walk from one end of the resort to the other and only get out once halfway and convenient located bar and bathroom :) The shows were great entertainment but it was the staff that make it enjoyable, so friendly! The most impressive thing we’re the gardens and surroundings, because the resort is a bit older then others it has the most incredible gardens and the palm trees are large enough to provide lots of shade. The trip home was long but the Covid stuff was not horrible. Overall I would rate this hotel an 8/10

Wyndham Alltra Punta Cana: Wonderful resort!

Dreams Punta Cana was absolutely beautiful from the moment we arrived in the front lobby! We could see the hills in the distance through the open air hotel entrance & got some great photos there. The staff were courteous and helpful. Our room was spacious with a good sized balcony and a lovely view of the pool. The clean, clear, warm pool runs the length of the resort with the rooms on either side. A great location for a swim anytime. The beach was the best part! Soft sand, lots of beach c [... read more]hairs, gentle rolling waves! Every restaurant had excellent food. Our favourites were Seaside Grill, Portafino (Italian) and Oceania (Seafood). The resort offers unlimited a la carte dining without reservations which was great because we could be very relaxed about timing and didn’t feel we had multiple appointments for dinner to keep. I didn’t realize how amazing that would be until we were there but it sure made a positive difference compared with other resorts we have been to. Overall I would rate Dreams Punta Cana as the best I’ve ever stayed at!

Grand Bavaro Princess: Beautiful resort but

The hotel grounds are beautiful, well maintained and the wandering peacocks and pink flamingos are beautiful. The beach is amazing and we never had a problem securing loungers. The staff are accommodating and the restaurants are very good. The only issue we had was there was no evening entertainment, no shows whatsoever. So there was really nothing to do after dinner except sit in the lobby or directly outside the lobby and listen to the piano or sax player (who were both great). And there i [... read more]s smoking permitted (think cigars, cigarettes and vaping) in the lobby bar which makes it very uncomfortable for non smokers. The rooms have either a king and Murphy bed or two TWIN beds. The Murphy bed was very uncomfortable.

Casa Marina Sosua Trademark by Wyndham All Inclusive: Amazing!

I would like to begin by saying WOW! This resort has drastically improved in every way since my last stay in 2014. The reception staff were quick with check in. My room was very clean and well kept. The buffet food was excellent and well protected from outside elements. The servers were the outmost professional considering how many guests they catered too and despite how rude, disrespectful, arrogant, and ignorant the Russian tourists were. The pools and grounds were very clean. The beaches are [... read more] beautiful and conveniently away from the public vendors. Even their public washrooms ate modernized. Overall my stay at the Casa Marina far exceeded my expectations

Be Live Experience Hamaca Beach: Don’t go here ! At best a 2 Star resort

This was without a doubt the worst vacation I’ve ever had . The room was not as appeared in the pictures. It was literally falling apart. The toilet seat fell off, the shower holder was held on by one screw and rolled sideways spraying water all over the bathroom when you turned it on. Oh,…did I mention there was absolutely NO hot water !! Completely unsatisfactory