VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Best resort beach, food and staff!

It was our first time at VH Gran Ventana and definitely will not be our last! The beach is crystal clear with beautiful tropical fish swimming around us. The food is absolutely superb! The rooms could do with an update, but on an all inclusive you don’t spend much time in your room anyhow! Our maid did an excellent job everyday, we never needed any towels and our mini fridge was well stocked. Staff are warm, friendly and really make you feel welcome! Andrea at the pool lounge bar makes the best [... read more] iced coffee! One small improvement would be to add more umbrellas to the pool and beach areas.We are already planning to return next year!

Casa Marina Sosua Trademark by Wyndham All Inclusive: Great Time at Casa Marina Sosua

NICE AND CLEAN HOTEL WITH GREAT STAFF AND AMENITIES FOOD WAS GREAT AT BUFFET AND THE RESTAURANTS ON SITE HAD UPGRADED ROOM WICH WAS FANTASTIC POOL AREAS VERY NICE AND GREAT BEACH AREA 2ND TIME THERE AND WILL GO BACK AGAIN

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Okay resort

I did like the resort. Everything close by. Rooms clean but outdated. Beautiful beach. Food plentiful and lots of variety. What did ruin the Damien our trip was that during the week the hotel has cruise ship people coming in anywhere between 30-100 people almost daily. Also no entertainment between 1130-330. Then very little. On the weekends the locals come in which is fine but they do seem to take over everything. We were unable to even get a chair with shade. Pool was like a can of sardi [... read more]nes. No one anywhere gives out this information. The staff are amazing and friendly and hardworking. Tip well and you will get even better service and attention. We had the premium package and yet the locals were the ones being catered too. I would not return to this resort as I prefer adults only. Seemed great for families.

Emotions by Hodelpa Puerto Plata: Made Us Miss Cuba – Not the Experience We Hoped For

We recently spent 10 days at this resort, and while there were some highlights, the overall experience did not meet our expectations. To start with the positives, the food was consistently good in both quality and variety. There was always plenty to choose from, and we especially enjoyed the fresh papaya and pineapple daily—both were excellent. Unfortunately, mangoes were not yet in season. The resort offers three à la carte restaurants, all of which had great menu options. During our stay, w [... read more]e were able to book 9 evenings of à la carte dining, which was impressive and added nicely to the experience. The rooms, particularly in the adults-only section, were another highlight. This area consists of two buildings with access to a more private, quieter environment. We hadn’t originally booked this upgrade, but chose to purchase it upon arrival—and we are very glad we did. It made a noticeable difference, as this section was significantly more peaceful compared to the rest of the resort. However, this brings me to one of the major downsides. From the moment we arrived, we were constantly approached by staff trying to upsell various upgrades and services. This level of persistent selling was something we had never experienced before at a resort and found quite irritating. Another key issue was the overall atmosphere, particularly on weekends. The resort primarily caters to local Dominican guests, and during weekends, we found ourselves in the minority. While we respect that everyone wants to enjoy their vacation, the short-term nature of these stays seemed to result in a much louder, more party-focused environment. At times, it was so disruptive that we did not feel comfortable using our balcony, and even the private pool area became overcrowded and very noisy. This made it difficult to relax, which is ultimately what we were looking for. The resort layout and amenities were also lacking. The lobby is quite small and becomes very crowded during peak check-in and check-out times. Unlike many other resorts, there is no proper lobby bar. In fact, the only main bar is located by the pool, and all drinks are served in paper cups. There is no dedicated space to sit comfortably, enjoy a drink in proper glassware, or socialize in a relaxed setting—something we have always appreciated in other destinations, particularly in Cuba. Evening entertainment was underwhelming. Over the course of 10 days, we only attended three shows, as they were mediocre at best. Outside of that, there was little to no evening activity, so most nights we found ourselves returning to our room shortly after dinner. The beach experience was also disappointing due to constant and at times aggressive vendors. There was ongoing pressure to purchase braids, pedicures, and various trinkets, which made it difficult to fully relax. Additionally, the Air Transat representative was on vacation for five days during our stay, with coverage provided by phone only, leaving guests without support during that time. Overall, while the resort has some positive aspects—notably the food and the adults-only section—we would not recommend it based on our experience. We truly missed the level of comfort, atmosphere, and hospitality we’ve experienced in Cuba, which in our view offers a much more refined, relaxing, and enjoyable resort experience.

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Very disappointed

This was our second time at this resort and very disappointed. As a premium package holder that was fine never had issues with chairs at the beach the staff there was amazing. Rooms were fine but yes need upgrades. Food was great. The Italian à la carte was very disappointing we were totally ignored. We waited 1/2 hours between dishes and ppl that came after us were served and done before we got our main course. This resort now lets in cruise ship passengers and it gets over crowded al [... read more]so the locals and the paying guest are now over seen. The entertainment needs a lot of work there is no excitement in the staff. There is no music playing and they don’t allow speakers so the atmosphere is boring. They also could use more umbrellas around the deck. Overall I would not return.

Playabachata Hotel: Amazing resort

Beautiful , clean , people are so nice and always their to help , pool is amazing , entertainment is awesome , night shows are amazing , the best is super man , happy boy , from entertainment , the best dancers , Eddy , and Randy We were very happy with our stay

Viva Tangerine by Wyndham: Amazing!

Wonderful in absolutely every way ! One suggestion...would love to see the night shows but please have them start earlier for many of us older folk ...they are too late .?Loved the Horse on the Beach and the little shops in Caberate !

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Beautiful Place to Vacation

I cannot find anything negative to say at all the rooms are nice, the airconditioning is cold, as are the drinks. The food is really good here lots of things to do and the beach is beautiful. The staff at this resort can't be beat from the grounds people to the concierge and front desk staff are all amazing. Everyone goes out of their way to make your vacation a great one. The entertainment staff do an amazing job during the nightly shows. I have been to this resort now 5 times and will be [... read more] going back again as soon as i can.

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Perfect way to relax

Having never been to the Dominican before, I only had Cuba and Mexico to compare this trip to. At first we were a bit worried the resort was small, but that quickly became one of the biggest pros. It was so easy to get anywhere you wanted whenever you felt like it. The beach is steps from the pool, and the bars are scattered throughout the resort so you’re never far from a quick beverage. The drinks were great, with Jackie’s Special becoming our go-to all week. I heard about the Ernesto Speci [... read more]al on our last day and apparently it’s amazing, but unfortunately I never caught him to try one! The staff generally seemed friendly and always smiled or said good morning/hello, although there can definitely be a bit of a language barrier if you don’t speak Spanish. A few times we would ask for something and they just didn’t understand us (or vice versa). The resort itself was very clean though, with staff constantly around picking up cups and cleaning. Food was great overall and we never had any issues finding something to eat. Worst case scenario, the pasta station at the buffet always saved the day ? We tried the Italian à la carte and it was okay, but we absolutely loved the Ocean Grill. Both the food and the service were incredible and it was definitely one of the highlights of our trip. The “chair wars” around the pool were basically non-existent while we were there. We’re early risers, so we’d grab a coffee and sit by the pool around 7am with almost every chair still empty. One thing to note though: security does come around, so if you leave anything unattended, be prepared to lose it. We didn’t spend much time sitting at the beach because the chairs are pretty close together and while there are some shady spots, they go quickly. One of the nicest parts of the trip was how friendly the other guests were. It was really easy to make friends and chat with people throughout the week. Depending on what you’re looking for, this isn’t really a big nighttime party resort (at least not during our stay.) The first couple nights were busier, but by the third night the music was ending early because hardly anyone was there. Honestly, we go to bed early anyway, so it was perfectly fine with us! We didn’t upgrade to premium, so our room was a little outdated, but the air conditioning worked great. We were on the first floor right in front of the pool and loved the location; honestly wouldn’t change it. We had requested to be close to our friends and we were right next door! My biggest complaint would probably be that the buffet (or resort in general) doesn’t really have any common air-conditioned areas. Eating in the hot, humid air was tough sometimes, and our room was really the only place to fully cool off from the heat. The weather last week was unbeatable, although VERY hot for this time of year. At the end of the day, the most important question: would we return? Absolutely.

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Our stay

We had a wonderful trip, all staff were wonderful. Clean rooms very good service. Beach was awesome the only thing don't like is people selling things on beach your trying to rest.This was our second time and we noticed the zeroes a lot better this year Thanku

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: A great resort

This was a great resort. The Beach was great, the pool was great as well. There were only a couple days at the beach where it was hard to find a chair. Limited shade available both at the beach and the pool. The hotel and resort grounds were very well kept. If you like quiet at night don't get a room that faces the pool or close to the swim up bar. People were up past midnight yelling and hollering. The rooms could use a dresser as there was not much to put your clothes away in. The food at the [... read more] buffet and the restaurants were pretty good. The staff were an great. All in all I would definitely go back.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: MOLDY BAD RESORT!

We traveled to the Senator with excitement! We had Ocean View. The buildings all smelt of Mold. In our room for sleep and get up to lungs full and can't breathe. Off to Dr at next resort. My oxygen was very low and heart rate very high. I had to have an IV right away or he was sending me by ambulance. It was MOLD and spoke to some others on this topic. They all agreed moldy air-conditioning systems full of mold and dirt. We couldn't run air and had to leave balcony door wide open. Our  [... read more]neighbour's bathroom glass shattered in her hand and cut her arm all up. Glass everywhere and had Noone to clean it up until next day. Crazy!

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Amazing Resort

We like the hotel The people . The Shows every night , the service and the food selections We really enjoy the Puerto Plata excursions. I will recommend the hotel to my friends and relatives. Andy the tour guide is very resourceful.

Select Sosua Adults Only, Trademark by Wyndham All Inclusive: Great spot

Service - 5 star, be nice and you will get respect in return Room - 4 star, nothing fancy but the view was amazing (139) Food - 4 star, again nothing wow, but i was never hungry Drinks - 5 star at the select bar Well likely book again

Blue Bay Villas Doradas: Would Not Come Back! Very Disappointed

Unfortunately, this resort was a major disappointment and did not feel close to a 4-star experience. I would rate it closer to a 2.5-star resort at best. The property itself is very dated, and many aspects of the stay felt poorly maintained. One of the biggest issues was the staff experience. Several staff members repeatedly hit on us throughout the trip, even after we politely asked them to stop, which made us feel uncomfortable rather than welcomed. The food quality was below average, an [... read more]d the liquor seemed extremely watered down. Our room key cards also stopped working almost every night, forcing us to constantly return to the front desk for replacements. The beds were very uncomfortable, hard, and you could feel the springs through the mattress. The overall atmosphere also wasn’t enjoyable for us. The resort catered mostly to an older crowd, and during our stay there were multiple loud arguments and fights between guests. Overall, this was not the relaxing vacation experience we expected, especially for the price paid.

Blue Bay Villas Doradas: Average

The resort was clean. We had great service from the front desk getting us into a room , even though had to be moved 2 times after. The buffet service lacked. We were lucky to be met when we entered and lucky yo have some one return to see if a drink was wanted. The entertainment was very scarce. The seating around the resort was limited and found that people left their towels so no one had access. Many times we had no where to sit.

Casa Marina Sosua Trademark by Wyndham All Inclusive: Beyond Enjoyable

Grounds -beautiful scenery, minuture fountains and so many pools to choose from Rooms -rooms were nice, however, I had a upgrade that I would suggest to others Dinning-food was delicious and tons of it (Salsbury steak was to die for) Staff-very friendly........best staff I have ever met at any hotel ever

Casa Marina Sosua Trademark by Wyndham All Inclusive: Fantastic resort!

Beautiful resort with amazing staff. Gardens with aqua blue swimming pools in fabulous designs. Infinity pools that are well appointed over looking The North Atlantic Ocean. There’s not a poor location. Food is delicious!

Casa Marina Sosua Trademark by Wyndham All Inclusive: Good Resort

The hotel as a whole was good, and I would recommend it. It is a good value for the money given everything you get. My only complaint was the drainage. When it rained, it poured, and one day the rooms on the first floor actually flooded. I would be cautious and make sure you get a room on the second or third floor, because they do not really have the infrastructure to protect your belongings from the rain. Relocating was a bit difficult for some friends of mine who were in different rooms; th [... read more]e staff just suggested putting a towel in front of the door as a barrier because the drains were overwhelmed and could not clear the water in time. Other than that, the food was solid. I would just be careful and watch where the flies land, because some of them sneak in past the double doors to the buffet. Also, be careful of where you sit if you are afraid of birds. Overall, it is definitely a 3.5 out of 5 stars for me. It is a solid hotel, and I enjoyed my stay.

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: solid resort for a getaway in sun

good resort for a getaway in the sun food is very good - at both the buffet and a la carts buffet was always fresh- restocked and many choices pool was nice and fun times at the swim up bar good energy rooms are dated and need some tlc but are clean the resort is very clean beach isnt the best however it does the job