Caution with this resort

Just to put context on me and my family, I have been working 2-3 jobs to pay for this lifetime vacation for me and my family (wife and 2 kids 16years old boy and 19 years old girl). First everything went well with airport and flights. The problem started with arriving at the Hotel Bahia Principe Grand. First deception is that none of the request I made for room were granted – Close to Beach – upper floor - at least 1 room with 2 beds. NONE of this was given we were really far from beach and [... read more] put on the first floor and my son 6foot 1inch had to sleep on a rollaway bed for the first night. This was a real letdown; I know request for rooms are not guaranteed but none of the 3 request is a big big disappointment. After the first night my son told me the rollaway bed he did not sleep well, so I decide to go to the lobby and demand another room. THIS IS WHERE THING WENT SOUR AND WERE I WAS PROBABLY TRICK, EXPLOITED, CHEATED OUT OF 450$ US DOLLARS BY BAHIA PRINCIPE FRONT DESK STAFF. When I ask for another room, I was told it was not possible except rooms in the newly renovated room called Premium room. I ask the person at the front desk is these room right beside construction site because I notice on the first day that there was lots of construction on the first day, the person at the front desk told me and assured me it was not, so I trusted him and paid the 450 dollars for the room upgrade so my son would not have to sleep in a rollaway bed. Once we arrived at the room 3112 in Villa 3. I saw that I was lied to and deceived by person at front desk, this room was the closest from construction there was and my kids (Teenagers) who like to sleep in the morning were not able because of screaming construction employees at 7h30AM and heavy construction starting at 8hAM every morning. Also, my son made me notice that they had small ants in the room. The 3rd day my son told me, Dad this vacation was supposed to be to relax, rest and fun. This made me very frustrated, so I went to the front desk again because I paid for this not acceptable upgrade and lost 2hours on day 2 to move all our stuff, I ask the front desk to find us other rooms and they said resort was full!!!!!!! So I demanded my 450$ back and they said it was not possible. So at this point I was very upset and try very hard to not let this ruined our vacation but this was not the last story of these room from HELL…… 3rd night 11hpm Room 3110 my wife goes to toilet and then I ear screams, big big insect cockroach in the bathroom I try to kill it and could not it lodge itself under the toilet, I call front desk and finally at 1h30AM someone show up with a can of Raid, spays under the toilet and leaves. 4 day we notice a refrigerator is not working called front desk but never got repaired all 8days we were their also we notice really bad smell in room that’s when I notice bad stains of MOLD all over our selling in the room….Also the air conditioning in our room was barely working I had to hop in the shower 2 times a night and take a cold shower so I could sleep!!!! At this point if it would a been possible to leave this resort I would been out off their in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, this story is not over. When had visit from cockroaches for the next 4 nights, again my wife went to the bathroom at 1ham et another cockroach so I called front desk they said someone would come, 2ham nobody shows up, so I had to go cockroach hunting at 2ham after I that I did not call front desk anymore and killed every cockroach we had in room. I went back to front desk but was not taken seriously for bugs in room, bad smell and mold also they told us old refrigerator and air conditioning is normal , which was not because my kids room was so cool and refrigerator too. I did try to reach by email TripCentral to the person that I had as email contact when I purchase my vacation but like the resort, they had my money and where not interested in helping me. I that time I just gave up with front desk and TripCentral to recuperate my money 450$ because I was trying to enjoy my vacation. Is there anyway I get my 450$ US dollars back and some kind of compensation from tripcentral for leaving me there and not respond to my emails. I HOPE A GET A RESPOND FROM THIS

Great Holiday

We stayed at this resort in June 2024. Overall worth the cost. The grounds were well maintained. Abundance of food and options for all. Staff were kind and tried their best to help when needed. The resort is quite old with some issues which required attention like room updates, leaking ceiling, appliance not functioning but were fixed for us. No room service available. Food truck has awsome snacks . Pools were clean, seaweeds were cleaned daily. Would definitely return but not in June due too  [... read more]extreme heat and massive amounts of mosquitoes.

Disappointed

Our room flooded water pouring through the roof our 1 year old daughter slipped on the huge puddle on the floor smashing her head hard. Requested a new room as water was coming through the ceiling and they began to say someone will be up with a mop and bucket soon. Again I insisted NO I’d like another room and they were annoyed at my request it’s 9pm now and I’m waiting for a new room they placed a family of 4 with two small babies on the third floor having to hike 3 flights of stairs with strol [... read more]lers and beach/ poor gear. My daughter had sever allergies with anaphylaxis I emailed the hotel prior and they said go to guest services for a special card to give the chef.. (so I felt confident when booking) when I did the chef couldn’t confirm anything is there was egg in dishes or milk or nuts all three very severe allergies .. my poor daughter ate hardly anything all week I felt awful.

Vacation with friends

Here is my honest review: This is not a 4.5 star hotel. The rooms are outdated but this was not the problem. Lots of mosquitoes in the room and the room is dusty and was not clean! Avoid first floor. Sewers smell in some area of the hotel even in the main buffet. We booked a superior suite, it is better to book premium if you really want to stay in the hotel. I have been to a 3.5 star hotel in Bavaro and never saw a bug on the floor. The stairs to my room were always dirty with dead bugs. Not fu [... read more]n having to sit in the terrace where they had entertainment at night and be bitten by hundreds of mosquitoes. Management should do something. The bartenders, the reception (Catherine and Valentina) and the waiters (Elisabeth) were very kind. There was entertainment at the main pool next to the beach every day. The beach was ok. The Garden grill, Japanese and Mediterranean restaurants were good, I did not like the Brazilian restaurant, I was disappointed. All in all it was an ok vacation because we were a big group, I would not go back to this resort.

Very good vocation experience

Very convenient location, lots of delicious food and drinks, no lines on main and beach restorans. Beautiful resort, nice beach, lots of green space everywhere!!! Definitely come again!!! Thank you very much ???

Nice resort but too much mosquitoes!

The rooms are old. We are a group of 12 people. We had to change 3 rooms at the first night, we couldn’t sleep because of the mosquitoes everywhere even in the bed! The grand floor is the worst . We moved to the 3 floor and it was acceptable No one told us about the renovated rooms near to the beach that we can upgrade until we went there and they asked for 30 US$ extra per night! Otherwise the food was good and the service was good too.

Great Trip

The newly renovated rooms are very nice but we did have to pay extra to get the same room we usually stay in . We had no idea they were renovating and still are…. We still enjoyed our stay as we love the resort. They entertainment crew are the best !!! They are awesome ??

Amazing weather resort needs to be updated

We stayed 10 days with glorious sunny weather. The grounds are impressive. Pools are very nice. The activity personnel especially the pool closest to the beach were great. The food was very good, lots of choices to eat, buffet à la cart or burger joint. All good. Our rooms were not what I expected. Very dated with many broken or not functioning items. First room a/c not working and very loud. Got a new room but took 5+ hours. Second room very similar to first but a/c was working. Room was full  [... read more]of mosquitoes. They fumigated but took a full day. Next day our room was full of mosquitoes again. Cleaning staff leaves room door wide open when cleaning. Asked them not to do so but English is not spoken by many staff. So ongoing mosquito problem. The check in process should be reviewed. It took so long and was archaic. Many visitors were visibly angry with the process. Not a very good first impression. Would I go back to this resort, yes but would upgrade to better building. The Punta Cana Grande or Bavaro need to be upgraded.

Worst trip Ever

Do Not Stay Here ! This was hands down the worst Resort I've ever been to ! The customer service was horrible!! The rooms were disgusting ! Line ups for everything. We were lied too over and over again. Never ever have I been treated so bad. Our friends room was leaking from their ceiling. Nobody would help us. We paid for excursions that we were lied to about. We waited 3.5 hours to check in and the manager refused to get us water !! They just don't care at all !

Worst trip Ever

Do Not Stay Here ! This was hands down the worst Resort I've ever been to ! The customer service was horrible!! The rooms were disgusting ! Line ups for everything. We were lied too over and over again. Never ever have I been treated so bad. Our friends room was leaking from their ceiling. Nobody would help us. We paid for excursions that we were lied to about. We waited 3.5 hours to check in and the manager refused to get us water !! They just don't care at all !

Beautiful surroundings

This hotel was better 10 years ago. 1 out of maybe 15 staff spoke English. Not enough staff, long waits for buffet, drinks, questions to be answered, when a complaint was lodged NOTHING was done about it, no wifi in my room, husband's jacket was taken, pool and beaches was like being in a sardine can. Will never come back to this resort.

Excellent break from winter in Canada

Background: We were four friends, in our late 50s, visiting the resort to get out of the Canadian winter. We chose a direct flight from Ottawa and 10 days. February 11 to 21, 2024. Both couples are well traveled and have visited many all inclusive resorts over the last thirty years. Beach and pools: We spent all the time at the beach. Some sand washed away and the beach is narrow, but the quality is excellent. It is very busy and to get the best chairs requires getting up at sunrise and placin [... read more]g towels. Space opens up after lunch. Services: All excellent and we unfortunately required medical attention for one person. The doctor was excellent and she was sent to a local hospital for review. Medication and treatment administered and she returned in the afternoon. A good lesson for those who wonder if medical insurance is worth it. Cost would have come to $3000USD. The insurance settled while they were in the hospital. Tons of excursions. We favour renting a vehicle and doing our own thing. Not advised for inexperienced travellers as there is some unrest in the neighbouring Haiti. Food: We booked five restaurants. Thai is fusion but highly recommended. The best is the Brazilian style meat on skewers. Simply excellent. All the restaurants are good. I do recommend to either skip desert or go with fresh fruit. I'm not fond of any of the deserts served. Having said that though, North American pallet loved the baked pastries, jellos and chocolate deserts. There is always very good ice creams as well. The buffet is very good. Choices are vast and there are also rotating and fixed stations for fresh cooked food. Some conduct of guests can be better. Rooms: We had Junior Suits. Good enough and we had no issues. Our electronic door lock had a flat battery one afternoon, but maintenance smoked up on a bicycle and fixed it very quickly. Value: Gone are the days of deals. But I would say it was reasonable for the value: $250/day all included. Property: The property consists of six hotels under one umbrella. It is very large and we did a lot of walking. There are electric carts going up and down. We enjoyed the gardens. Many shops on the property as well. Recommendation: It is very busy and maybe not for people wanting a boutique or small property where you get to know the staff and guests. However for a family with kids or a group it is recommended.

Bahia principe punta cana no more!

I've been going to the DR Bahia Principe for years! I've stayed at the Ambar, Turkesa, Fantasia and now the Punta Cana and this last one NEVER again! Much lower quality of food and service that I'm used too at the Bahia! Buffet staff completely ignored us every meal although I had been tipping very well as usual! Not worth it at all!

Good resort !

The resort is quite large ! The grounds were well maintained. But the room was just ok . When we got in we had no TV remote and the safe box was not working. Got it resolved the next morning. The beach is amazing ! One big problem were chair availability. If you got to beach or pool after 8 a:m , you had no chair ! We had to be there before 7 a:m to reserve one with shade , like everyone else . Even though there are signs everywhere saying-no reserving chairs . I think there should be better man [... read more]agement with that . We noticed people reserved chairs near the beach and didn’t show up till afternoon . Not right ! No complaints with the food . Overall a good experience.

Wonderful vacation!

This was my first all-inclusive vacation and first time away in a long time so I did not know what to expect. The grounds are beautiful and the staff lovely and very helpful. The room was ok but a few disappointments: beds and pillows uncomfortable, leak in the bathroom and TV reception poor. We had to call the front desk 3 times to get a remote for the tv and our room cleaned on day 2, then housekeeping left no toilet paper on day 3. It never occurred to me to ask for a different room. The food [... read more] was ok, not great. A la carte restaurants definitely better than the buffet. And one area of the seating area of the buffet had a weird smell. The beach was glorious and swim up pool bar a nice novelty but I much preferred the ocean. I would definitely go to the Bahia Principe again but next time try the Esmeralda.

HORRIBLE HORRIBLE

How this hotel ever got a 4.5 Stars is beyond me.. I honestly have no idea. I have been travelling at least once a year for the last 30 years, and this is the worst hotel I've encountered. The rooms were ANCIENT, but that would be ok if they were actually clean. I wasn't willing to take a bath in that bathtub, disgusting! The resort as a whole needs to be refreshed, doors in any of the bathrooms are disgusting and dirty. Food was cold, everywhere, ALL THE TIME. Beach was sooooo packed, you can't [... read more] get a chair unless you get up at 5:30 in the morning, SARDINES on a beach!!, incredible.. Forget about any beach sports. Massive resort, no bathrooms at pools or near the beach (ONE pool, far away, close to the main lobby, had bathrooms). Bars at main pool were so packed, it gave a new meaning to the word 'all-inclusive', it's more like, do I really want/need a drink? And no servers were seen (aside from one day at the beach).. The only 2 good things about this place, is they have trains running frequently for this CITY of a resort.. And obviously the staff was all smiles and AMAZING! Definitely would NEVER recommend this place to anyone. (The only good restaurant was the Indian.)

Worst resort ever!!!?

Service was terrible, from front desk, customer service and managers! The service in the buffet was even worse! Food was always cold and not cooked, even coming right out of the kitchen! Allacart restaurants we not even decent. As for the rooms, multiple rooms including ours was infested with bedbugs!,,,,,,,??? You couldn’t even get near the beach, so congested no chairs. I would not refer this place to my worst enemy!

Disappointed

Not the best for seniors. Pool Loungers difficult to get out of. No chairs to sit. Buffet food was cold. Rooms dated. Staff were excellent. Grounds beautiful. DO NOT TRUST the team selling adventure packages, they lie. He sold a parasailing package claiming 3 people can go, but were told by the operator only 2 can go at once. We booked the surf pool and was told they would charge it to the room once it's used. It was charged to the room immediately with no refunds. Won't be returning

Great resort

Very large resort - luckily there are carts to take you around. So much to do. Great entertainment. Great a la cart restaurants. Clean. I would have liked better service (we did tip). There were lots of flies at night biting us, even with bug spray. The spa was very nice.

5 star resort falls short

The resort had beautiful buildings and the bloomless landscape was in winter season so could not be rated. The rooms were old, the mattress was terrible and should have been replaced five years ago. The shower/tub was slippery and not suitable for seniors. The housekeeping staff left the laundry and trash in the villa lobby which I found distasteful. The food at the buffet would have been delicious if it was properly heated. The beach/pool loungers were not suitable for seniors. It would have be [... read more]en better to have some tables with umbrellas and chairs too. The one thing outstanding was the service provided by the staff