Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Fabulous Resort

We have travelled to the Dominican several times, but first time to Samana, and first time staying at a Bahia Principe resort. The resort did not disappoint.... it was everything we had hoped for. The beach was amazing, you could walk for miles, do some snorkelling along the way. The resort itself was very clean, and always saw staff sweeping, dusting, etc. The staff is amazing, and always willing to help and always with a smile. The resort is very compact, which is nice for anyone with mobilit [... read more]y issues. There is nothing that is more than a few minute walk. The buffet and the buffet beach bar( lunch only) had a great selection. We ate at 3 of the specialty restaurants( Italian, French, and Brazilian) all were very good. The Brazilian probably being my fav, but my husband loved the French. The lobby bar is very nice, with s great selection of drinks, unfortunately it closes at 11:00, then you have to go to the disco to get a drink. Too loud if you just wanted to sit and socialize, but great if you wanted to get in a little more partying. All in all a great resort that has everything to offer. Would definitely go back!

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Great resort!

Overall the resort was great, friendly staff and entertainers. The food was really great except the Oriental night, the meat and vegetable was drenched in sweet sauce and food was not appealing at all. Every other night was great. The water park eatery only had hot dogs and popcorn, perhaps some fruits and veggies would make the parents happy =) The maintenance crew starts cutting the grass/trimming leaves as early as 9:00am which woke us up on our 2nd day. When we arrived at the hotel, we had  [... read more]to fill out a form with our name, DOB and address (I think!). Shouldn't the hotel have all our info already instead of making us fill out a form after a long day of travelling? Which by the way, I never received my hotel voucher via email from Trip Advisor which delayed my check-in at the resort and the man that was at front desk was no help at all. He told me to wait, I waited for him to put on the resort bracelet on every person that was on our bus and then he proceeded to tell me that I needed to print the hotel voucher out (for the 2nd time). First off I never received a voucher via email (I checked my sent, deleted and inbox) and second of all in this day in age, who prints anymore? Lastly, the Air Canada rep should've gave us the hotel form to fill out while we were on the bus. My in laws arrived few days later and had the opportunity to fill out their checkin form on the bus. On our way to the resort, our Air Canada rep asked the driver to drop him off at his home 30 mins into the ride and left the bus to fend for ourselves when we arrived at the resort. On the way back to airport, the Air Canada rep should've had all the airport forms ready to go on the bus so we can fill it out to make our checkin seamless when we got to the airport. My brother in law had email the hotel before we arrived to inquire if our rooms could be close together. We never received a reply and when we asked at front desk, they told us to wait. we never ended up getting rooms close together. Half of The kids movie at night were in Spanish which was a bit of a bummer. Actually this is the first resort I've been to where there were many non English speaking staff. That didn't bother me much though! To end on a positive note, everything was really close, the beach, pool and resort which made it easy when travelling with kids. Overall the trip was great, but there are few areas that could be improved.

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: Very Good Resort, lives up to expectations!

We spent a week here in late January after my having conducted extensive research into destinations. The hotel was as I expected - it is fairly represented by the hotel and in reviews. The views are spectacular - you must get a room with a balcony and a sea view. The buffet is gorgeous - open air, with sea views. It really feels like you are on the Mediterranean. The food is very good everywhere, though probably best at the buffet. The wine is drinkable, which is saying a lot for an al [... read more]l-inclusive! Good coffee and cappucinos as well. We really liked the beach, sandy bottom and big enough. There is an undertow and we did have some yellow flag days due to wind and wave. The pool is quite small, but I am an ocean girl anyhow. I got a head cold so I can't report on the snorkeling unfortunately. The only downside is that there is really little to do or see in the area. Personally, I would not spend two weeks here because I would be bored, but lots of people seemed quite happy to be there for two weeks! It is an older crowd - we are late 40s and early 50s and we were younger than many. It is quiet which we like, but evening entertainment we found a bit dull... We found the staff fine - neither abundantly helpful nor unfriendly. But we are not really joiners, and many people seemed to have fun with the staff. A good resort to chill for a week as a couple, but be prepared with some books!

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: Ontario Traveller

I have been on 7 all inclusive resorts. This one was the best for an older couple (50s) who want quality over quantity PROS Smoking, I smoke, But not in the room lobby etc, however enough spots to smoke that i was happy and not bothering someone else I could go for a long walk off the resort, feel safe and enjoy the countryside Fishing, I could fish off the walkway or by the rocks and have fun No salesmen Shows, small venue which aloud me to enjoy the performance, Relaxing atmosphere,I [... read more] could enjoy my food outside or in Friendly staff Service did not depend on tipping No line ups, ie bar, food, check in CLEANEST resort i have been to Service the best I have had More to do than you think, ie ping pong darts Cons: Stairs no night life after 11 meat twice undercooked 4th floor rooms did not have a balcony

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Delightful visit to the dR

Everything was in place to make this a wonderful respite from old man winter. Resort was wonderfully small yet well appointed with everything we needed. Didn't have that "city" feel when there just too many guests for the size of beach and restau etc. Whale watching was best ever.

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Warmth and sunshine!

The resort is well maintained and very beautiful. There is only one building with ocean view and unfortunately we weren't in it. The beach area was clean and raking was done throughout the day to get anything like seaweed that washed ashore. Snorkelling wasn't great, but we did see a few fish. The rooms were large with lots of space to put your clothes. The bathroom was also large with a walk in shower and a jet tub. It was a bit dated and slightly dirty (walls), but again lots of space wi [... read more]th 2 sinks. The food wasn't great and very repetitive and the service was slow. Some days we were over half way done our meal before drinks or coffee arrived. I did notice that French speaking people were served better, I am assuming it was because resort staff speaks Spanish and French. The restaurants were okay, but again the service was slow. The Brazilian Restaurant was the best food by far and best service. The entertainment was awful and there was nothing to do past 7pm until it started at 9:30. There is no hot tub and the pool is closed at 7. No lights on the tennis courts or area with pool table and the attendant leaves at 7 so you can't get the equipment anyway.

Wyndham Alltra Samana: awesome stay

Stayed at Grande Paradise January 24 to 31 Beach was beatiful and well maintained Food was excellent good variety An expresso bar would be a nice touch!! Room was clean and comfortable Staff were friendly and attentive tips Help All in all excellent for the price and will be back

The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: Nice quiet vacation

This resort was just what we asked for. A place to relax and enjoy the sun/shade. Our Sea view Villa was quiet, spacious and very clean. The pools and beachfront bar were excellent. We enjoyed the fact that shade trees/ umbrella's were common at each pool/ beach. The main buffet had theme evenings and the food was good. Depending on which area of resort you stayed , there could be many stairs for the active vacationer, BUT free shuttles ran from each area regularly to the main hotel or room [... read more]s if you wanted to ride. The views were amazing from all areas. Thank You to our travel agent Sandra for picking this resort for us

The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: Interesting view

This hotel was well kept and very clean. We up graded to golden junior suite when booking. Extra space in room and beach towels there, also one extra a la carte but we cancelled to go to buffet. A la carte nice enough. Most days pool lounge avaiable(three pool areas plus beach). Definitely not mobile friendly! Stairs to everything. Good if your looking for stair exercise!Shuttle avaiable to the door. Some elevators.Not very user friendly as you have to go down halls, up stairs, around the p [... read more]ool, etc. to get to buffet, lobby, etc. But weather was beautiful, meet some great friends. You can see town across the bay, boats, and quiet bay on other side.Overall holiday was enjoyable!

The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: Paradise with a few tiny flaws

We went to Grand Bahia Principe Cayacoa on January 4th for a week. The resort itself is really beautiful. The grounds were always clean and the trees and bushes were contantly trimmed which gave us some amazing views and pictures from every part of the hotel. It is a smaller resort so it had more of a relaxed vibe to the place but it also allowed you to get beach/pool chairs easily. The food from the buffet and ala cartes were all good except for a few items here and there. Coming from Grand B [... read more]ahia Principe Coba in Mexico, our standards were really high and Cayacoa did a good job of keeping on par. As for a few of the low points. Point one, the staff's english skills were lacking. It felt like any question i asked just went over their heads. Point two, the Grand Bahia market/shops in town. They have a trolley setup that takes you from the hotel to the shops in town every hour. They had these same shops in Mexico and they were great. Cayacoa had these shops but when we got there, they were all closed or boarded up. Other than that, the resort, the weather, and the drinks were perfect.

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: It was definitely not a 5 star

First I want to write that I was not happy with our trip advisor Louise Issa. She was very pushy to get me to book and booked without us paying. When I wanted to change that booking she said I couldn't (even though I had not paid). Once I went into pay she made me feel like I was bothering her. I had a few questions which initially she answered promptly and then just stopped answering them. I would suggest someone else. However, the resort she assured me was beautiful etc. It was averag [... read more]e and really not what I expected at all. It was mostly the food that was warm at best even if you arrived right when it opened. It is a very small resort with one pool (cold) but the beach was nice. The room was nice and I did have ocean view but I was on the second floor so I had to look over the spa to see the ocean ha. Also, the 1 hour from the airport is actually 1 1/2 or 1 3/4 because what they fail to tell you is they drop passengers at two different hotels first. I definitely would not spend the 3000.00 and go to this resort again, nor would I use trip central (louise)

Wyndham Alltra Samana: Beautiful Samana

This was our first time to Samana D.R. and the weather was absolutely wonderful. The hotel was very nice and very clean. There is a lot of work going on when we were there (Jan 15 to 22, 2017) in order to make this resort awesome. The beach was a highlight with beautiful blue water and white sand. Abundance of loungers so no need tyo fight over them. Our room was large and had been redone with a very comfort bed, hot water and a/c. Some of the other quests said that they were having trouble with [... read more] the a/c and others with the water. I think it was because there was so many upgrades going on at the resort. The food was good and the al a cart restaurants were very good. The staff were all very friendly. My only complaint was in the dining buffet area. They could have been more organized. It seemed that the staff were doing all the jobs rather than specific ones. Entertainment was OK. The first 2 nights we were not impressed and they had brought people from the audience and did lame games which we left early. The bars and bar staff were great as well as the all the drinks available. The pool was amazing and always had a lounge chair to relax on. Overall this resort was great. We had a nice relaxing vacation and would recommend it. It was approximately 90 minutes from the airport. A great value for a last minute trip. :)

Wyndham Alltra Samana: Amazing beach

The best part of this resort is the beach. New buildings are going up but the rest of the resort is tired. They say they are changing the water system, so hot water was very limited, and usually only in the afternoon. The grounds are not kept up and our "Deluxe Garden View" room faced the back of a fenced in transformer. We would not return to this resort. Good luck getting a aircondtioned room.

Wyndham Alltra Samana: Amazing beach

Beach was exceptional. Resort buildings were clean and most have been updated. Rooms were nice. Make sure to book a king size bed ahead of time (there are only a few). Air conditioning worked well. Hot water problems for a few days. Hopefully will not be an issue in the future. Food was good. Could use more selection. Staff need a course on customer satisfaction and friendliness. Select club didn't provide all that was promised. Ran out of liquor a lot. When asking for som [... read more]ething some staff member seemed put out. Some staff were friendly but only a handful. Quiet resort. Not many activities. Good place to relax. Overall we would go back.

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: Amazing resort !

Just spent a week at this amazing resort. The views are breathtaking . Excellent food...staff were so helpful and so willing to please. Perfect place to unwind and relax. The complex was so clean from the beach to the pool area to the dining to the guest rooms.

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: The resort was amazing and very relaxing.

The staff was amazing and very caring. We even witnessed the pool be scrubbed down before people entered the pool. The kitchen staff under the chef was super. In general, This was one very good resort to go to. Everyone worked to make your stay very enjoyable.

Bahia Principe Grand Samana Roulette: Beautiful Resort

"Roulette" option took us to the Grand Bahia Principe Cayacoa. They definitely look after the grounds and main part of the resort here. There was always someone buffing floors, wiping woodwork, grooming grounds, pressure washing and there was lots of soapy suds in the buckets when cleaning rooms. We had a large room with high ceilings and it seems that most rooms here have a good view. Either ocean, lagoon, or "city" view. The views are gorgeous all around this resort! There was a me [... read more]dium variety of food offerings at the buffet. It was well seasoned and the majority was good. There was less "mystery" dishes that at previous resorts we stayed at. The mini fridge was re-stocked daily and the drinks at the bar were good. Its been a long time at this price point that the drinks were good. The pool. Smaller that other resorts, but it didn't crowd up early. The water was a bit cold though. There was never a shortage of pool towels to exchange and the pool lounges were comfortable. The beach is small and seemed smaller even than in photos and was not a highlight for me. The hilly terrain was a negative point for my husband and I am definitely glad we were in the main resort at the top. The "beach" buffet is down on the lower level on a second water inlet and it desperately needs a new roof. Leaked in in several places when it rained. Can't say much about how the lower villas or pool was maintained as we didn't wander around too much due to the inclined terrain. Daytime generally was quiet with entertainment staff trying to get guests interested. We never stayed up for night time entertainment but the resort sounded like it had more activity in the evening/night as we could hear the activity from the lobby. (the roof top beyond our balcony had a 3 story palm tree growing up through the lower level, up through the lobby and out the top of the 3rd floor). Overall out of about 9 all inclusives in the last few years at about $1200-1500 per person, the resort was one of the more clean and well maintained ones although the beach was the smallest.

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: amazing resort

The hotel was beautiful The rooms where spacious and very very pretty The view from are room was breath taking you could hear the waves and smell the water ,The entire staff from front desk to the entertainment team where amazing..Our butler Roman was excellent from putting scents in our room to the extra pillows Always making sure we where taken care of' We traveled with two other couples..We all had a blast..The entertainment team was great always keeping laughing or doing some activities. [... read more].LUIS and BERNADO where amazing.. The food was great always something new displayed beautifully..The entire staff in the restaurants where all amazing even if you didn't tip they always made sure you where taken care of If you couldn't find something they would go look for you This hotel is one off the nicest places I stayed diffently would come back .

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: Amazing Resort

This hotel is amazing from start to finish. From the front desk to our rooms with a beautiful view. The staff here was great. What ever you wanted and you couldn't find it they would get if for you. The pillow menu and the scents in the room were great. Food was so good. Something for everyone. The beach was great, the ground were amazing kept. Love this place so glad we went.

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: Amazing Resort and staff

From the moment we arrived at the hotel everything was taken care of. Check in was a breeze as everything was already prepared for us when we arrived. Our Butler, Ramon was the friendliest and most helpful person we have ever met. He was always joking, laughing and went out of his way to say hello and talk with us wherever we were on the resort. The staff at all the restaurants and buffet were all very helpful and always greeted you with a smile, especially Pedro and Jose, my apologies to the [... read more] many who’s names I forgot. This is a very small resort and within a few days, the staff new us by name, very impressive. The entertainment staff, Luis, Bernardo, Martha and Jennifer were very friendly and always entertaining. They made our week very enjoyable. There were two gentlemen that came to the hotel daily to teach arts and crafts. We made paintings and other crafts that we were able to take with us as souvenirs. The grounds are immaculately kept. The lawns, trees and bushes are all impeccably manicured. The lobby and common areas are spotless and we always saw workers cleaning and dusting. The beach is a little smaller than I like; however there are no rocks to stub your toes in the water, just nice soft sand wherever you step. We had nice waves on the beach most of the week, but that just made it more entertaining riding the waves. The rooms were very clean and large. We had a beautiful view of the ocean from our balcony. I would definitely recommend this place to family and friends.