Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Beautiful beach!

The beaches at this resort are stunning! You can walk for miles on the bright white sand, admiring views of the turquoise waters, boats and kite surfers. The reefs were easy to access and fishes were plentiful. Much of the coral is dead due to high silt levels but still lots of neat things to see. Food was great. Lots of choices at the buffet and the a la cartes were a a visual and culinary delight. Rooms were comfortable. Staff always had friendly smiles.

The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: 5 Star Service!

This is a lovely hotel situated on a cliff with a panoramic elevator down to the beach. In our seaview room on the fourth floor we were still able to hear the surf pounding on the shore! All the employees go out of their way to provide excellent service with a smile and do not expect tips constantly like other resorts I have been to. The Gran Bahia standard of service is especially evident in the buffet where the Manager is constantly watching and coaching his employees to provide constant, a [... read more]ttentive service. Our plates were taken away as soon as we were finished with them and our glasses were never empty. The beach bartender works alone all day and is busy but always sings and serves customers with a smile, taking the time to make a quality drink each time. We never had any issues finding shady spots at the pool or beach at any time of the day. The beach is a public beach, however there were never any issues, it was nice to see the Dominican families enjoying the water. The first few days the water was wavy but once it settled down the snorkelling was amazing, many varieties of fish plus colorful coral. Best places were under the bridge and to the right by the rocks all the way over to the pier down by the snack bar. The food was plentiful, lots of variety with a different theme each night at the buffet. I wasn't crazy about the seafood restaurant, my fish was raw in the middle, the appetizer and dessert were good though. Loved the other two a la cartes. Lots of walking but I loved it as it gives you a chance to work off some of the delicious food and drinks! Loved walking the 'bridge to nowhere', very peaceful and perfectly safe. Would definitely recommend this resort and will hopefully return some day.

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Great Resort

lovely small resort. Food=very good Beach= great but not enough thatched sunshade umbrellas reserve at 6am can be brutal. Snorkelling within ft of beach Off the resort sadly has lots of garbage which seems typical in the Caribbean.

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Fantastic food, staff and employees

Dining 5 star everynight, food was excellent - staff very pleasant, beach beautiful. however 1 downfall, not safe to wonder off premisses during daytime or evening. One elderly man was attacked during the DAYTIME AFTERNOON @2pm on the beach for his cell phone, he was ambushed by a gang of locals and hit on the back of the head - bleeding enough to get 9-10 stiches. Then, during an evening after dinner a couple was sitting on the beach chairs and no security around was approach by 1 masked man [... read more] with a GUN. NO SECURITY - NO SECURITY !!! the Govt needs to get involved and clean up their act around the beach area and guard the tourists or the hotel needs 24 security like other tourists islands. I would recommend the hotel but if you wonder off to the local town or beach area - NOT SAFE for tourism.

Cayo Levantado Resort: Paradise Found!!

Phenomenal grounds, beautiful rooms, amazing service and really good food. The island isnt crowded-yoi're never sitting on top of one another or having to "reserve" beach or pool seating. There are little golf carts to take you everywhere you want to go-and the staff bends over backwards to anticipate your needs. By far the best Carribbean vacation we've ever taken-and tons of "repeat offenders" on site saying that this place spoils you from going anywhere else. We've been to a ton of spots and [... read more] will absolutely return-and spread the word. Special thanks to Frantz and his dedicated team for making this place a dream come true xxx

Cayo Levantado Resort: Lost in Paradise

This resort is truly paradise, on an island surrounded by lush flora and fauna. The staff were wonderful very attentive. The beach and pools were very clean and we had no problem getting loungers. The food and drinks are excellent, with top shelf liquor. From our arrival to the departure our trip was first class.

The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: Amazing Hotel.

Hotel and Staff were very friendly. Food was awesome including 3 restaurants. They had 4 pools to lounge around, plus 2 beaches. Hotel was very clean, and entertainment shows nightly. The town was only 5 minutes away, with free transportation hourly.

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Awesome!

The Grand Bahia Principe El Portillo was amazing. The staff was very friendly and helpful; the grounds were beautifully kept; the food was great. We had great fun engaging with the Animation Team. I would definitely recommend this hotel.

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Beautiful Resort

First time to Samana and to anywhere in the Dominican Republic. Would certainly go back again. The Grand Bahia Principe El Portillo is beautiful. Clean rooms, food was good, loved the pool and the beach. The staff were entertaining. Lucked out with the weather, no rain. We had a little mix up with our room but we were upgraded to a junior suite after they corrected the issue. Would definitely go to this resort again.

Cayo Levantado Resort: Great Resort!!!

Outstanding service, exceptional rooms and attentive hotel staff. Beach was rather windy most days but water was very warm. The only suggestion I would make to the hotel management would be to keep the main bar open beyond 11pm and full room service(wine or beer) was not available but for an extra cost so it's not fully all inclusive. But the overall experience was "Excellente"

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Would definately return!

Hotel was clean, comfortable and grounds were beautiful. They take great care in the appearance of this resort. Food was fantastic in both the buffet and the restaurants. The beach was amazing - only downside is people reserving chairs at the beach.

Cayo Levantado Resort: It was nice - but lots could be improved too

The hotel is lovely. Immaculate grounds and great staff. The buffet food was excellent, however the A La Carte food was poor. We couldn't even get an a la carte restaurant reservation until the 4th night of our stay - that's pretty shameful. When we did get into one of the restaurants, the ambience and service were both great but the food was not. Overdone beef and fish - no taste to it. VERY disappointing. The beverages were beyond terrible. We've gone to several all inclusive's - the bar h [... read more]ere was so watered down there was no point in even ordering drinks. We should not have had to pay for wine that was palatable - not when you're spending $6K on a 7 day vacation - yet we had to buy wine in order to have a nice drink. That increased the cost of the vacation and should not have been necessary. Even the Presidente beer was so watered down it had no taste. The rooms are nice, but the bathroom has no privacy - it has a large window looking into it from the bedroom. There needs to be a blind! The bed was as hard as a rock. I had sore hips every morning - and I like a firm bed - so it wasn't me..it was the bed. The free Wifi did not work most of the time. I ended up being stung with a large bill from my internet service provider for using 3G. That really should not be the case. It sounds like a lot of complaints - the resort is gorgeous but I would not say it is truly 5 star. Not when the food and beverage are substandard. We wish we'd not wasted the money. It was a pile and we were really disappointed.

Cayo Levantado Resort: Closest to Perfection yet!

Let me first start by saying that there are no true 100% perfect experiences. But this resort and its staff have come as close as we think is possible. It's how they handled the unavoidable little problems that happened during our vacation. Nothing remotely serious enough to even list. From the moment we arrived and were greeted to the time we left we were treated like close family members. Our Butler, Gabriel and his team of well trained staff looked after anything that we needed. The [... read more]ir regular question was “is everything perfect?” A special shout out to some of the staff that took great care of us: The Butlers – Gabriel (Head Butler) & Francisco – can't say enough about the service. Main Bar staff – Walki (our main Barman!!) and “Sony” the Bar Manager (but it's Walki's bar.... LOL), and of course Virginia is the “elegant ballerina” who served us when we were not seated at the bar itself. Beach Bar – Abel is the MAN!!! and Jose his faithful sidekick! Restaurants... Diego (Head Chef), Miguel (Food Service Manager) and Alphonso (Maitre D' ) – every night was special because of everyone that was working in the restaurants, but these three people need some accolades for their relentless work at making the eating experiences unforgettable. My friend who was travelling with us is a big fan of lamb... and he was rendered speechless one night (which is really hard to do) by the plate that he was served by Chef William in the Rodizio. Amazing. The Security Team is there ... but usually invisible – just the way I like it – thank you Alphonso! The Animation team as a whole was always ready to make our stay more fun with activities and shows. There are far too many of the staff that I have missed, so I will say “thank you” to them all and a special thanks to the management who have hired such fantastic people – Carlos, Frantz & Lizairi – you are all awesome! The entire staff always smiled while we were there... I think it's because they really enjoy what they are doing. Thank you from Lousha and j

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: One of the best vacations!

We couldn't have asked for a better place to relax and enjoyed the beauty of the surroundings. Maybe a little more rain than expected and probably would chose January or February if was to return. Basically a first class place!

Viva V Samana by Wyndham: Enjoyed our vacation

The resort is lovely. We chose it for its being adults-only and small--144 rooms. Also, it's about 20 minutes by bus through gorgeous hills and views of the ocean to arrive from the Samana airport. The room was on the small side but clean and attractive. Daily the fridge was re-stocked with pop, Presidente, and water. The bathroom had been updated and was pleasing with the glass shower stall. Our king-size bed was comfy. On the balcony were two wicker chairs with cushions. I think mo [... read more]st of the rooms would have a sea-view. We certainly did from our room in Building B, which is behind the buffet. Food was just satisfactory even in the ala cartes. This was quite a let-down. The wine and 'champagne' were dreadful. Beach towels were plentiful. The beach had sun loungers pulled up to near the shore so people were very close to one another. However, many people didn't mind being behind, and some even moved their sun beds to the grassy area. No palapas are present, which is sort of problematic since everyone has to move their beds to stay either in the sun or shade from the palm trees. Hence, the over-crowding. The pool was only four feet deep but was nice. A few Bali beds there are reserved early by people. We had a good time but it just isn't the resort for us. I must commend Kim Hartlen, our travel agent from Bedford, NS for being just fantastic! She is a total professional with a friendly touch. Despite my having to ask her some simple questions over the course of a few weeks, she was always polite and patient with me. We already have our next trip booked through her! 😀

Viva V Samana by Wyndham: Wonderful vacation

The viva wyndham Samana is a smaller resort which is exactly what we wanted. It has been beautifully restored. The grounds are well kept and lush. The rooms have plenty of space and storage all have some kind of view of the ocean. The bathrooms look great but are narrow. The showers are very good which to me is important especially after time in the ocean. The beach is great for walking in either direction lots of privacy lots of beautiful homes to look at . The food is good there. There was som [... read more]e items that were very good others not so much.. after a couple days you find what you like best.. you certainly won't starve. They are generous with the drinks they have top shelf liquor and a decent white wine.the service in the restaurants runs from good to awesome. The man who runs the smaller lunch area the turns into the Mediterranean restaurant in the evening is fantastic. He really helped to make your time there a wonderful experience. Look for Santos! I would definitely recommend this place to people who want a relaxing friendly personalized experience. It is the type of place where you can do as little or as much as you want!

Viva V Samana by Wyndham: Amazing Resort and Great People!!!

This hotel had amazing staff and grounds. It is definatly a 5 star resort with all the ammenities. The rooms were super clean and 24 hr room service is another plus. A well needed getaway and super appreciative. Thank you tripcentral.ca

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Amazing Resort

Everybody there is very friendly. The food is amazing. My boyfriend and I had such a great time as this was our very first vacation together. We both loved the entertainment shows and the a la carte restaurants. We went during the March break. The beach and pool is very clean and nice. We only did one excursion and that was zip lining. There were a total of 12 lines and the views are just breathtaking. We were so sad to leave but it was definitely a trip to remember! We will for sure be back!!!! [... read more]! :)

Wyndham Alltra Samana: Fantastic Family Vacation

We were a bit worried at the beginning, since the bus ride was very long (1-1.5 hr) and our name was not on the bus attendance sheet (we were Select guests) but we were greeted at the Select check in with champagne for the adults and Pina Coladas for the kids. The concierge, bartenders, waiters and ground staff were all very friendly and the service was impeccable. A few individuals went above and beyond to make us feel spoiled at the resort as well. My daughter (6) participated in the k [... read more]ids club each day and had a fantastic time (to the extent that she didn't want to hang with us she was having so much fun). Great shout out to Bombie the coordinator there. My son (9) loved the pool and the beach and the pool and the beach and the pool and the beach. Our cabin was beautifully located facing the ocean with a lovely cool deck area containing a lounge, a coffee table and two chairs. The grounds were beautifully filled with coconut trees and a few other local trees. The food was great, especially the food at the Select bar/reception area. We ate at the Japanese restaurant one night and had a fun meal that the kids really enjoyed, then on night at the seafood restaurant, at which the food was a little less enticing, but a nice change. There was always lots of space on the lawn chairs / loungers and nothing was ever crowded. Occasionally the main pool got a bit loud but it just encouraged us to try something different. We didn't try any of the excursions but there were many who had and raved about them. One small issue was the toilet in our room. It flushed but often needed "encouragement". Overall we had the most relaxing vacation in a very beautiful location. I would very much recommend this resort to anyone, but with the Select package, as it gave you access to some excellent perks!

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: Sensational

The hotel was most luxurious and beautiful, the food was exquisite in its taste and variety, the scenery overlooking the bay from our balcony was enchanting and magical, but by far the greatest feature was the staff. They always had time for a smile, a warm greeting and a chat: from the servers, to the bar tenders, the front desk, and even the chambermaids and the floor cleaner and time to say something nice to make you feel good. A vacation at Bahia Principe Samana Don Pablo Collection is to ex [... read more]perience a moment in paradise.