Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Great resort

Just returned from a week at El Portillo, a fantastic resort. From the moment we arrived the staff was friendly and welcoming. Our room in building 25 was great and very convenient to all amenities, cleaning was done daily to a high standard. The staff at the Sports and Beach bars were all very good, too numerous to name individually. The buffet staff was likewise friendly and hardworking. We dined at the Greek, Italian and French restaurants, all very good. The entertainment staff was very  [... read more]lively and engaging, with a special shoutout to Gerson, one of the friendliest and lively staff members we have ever encountered. The beach is very nice and overall a fantastic resort.

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Trilingual Staff- Hotel Gem "Hidden In Plain Sight"

I was surprised by the gorgeous solitude of the beaches while walking a half hour in each direction ~Beyond- the East and West edges of the Bahia Principe. Where is everyone, this place is gorgeous! Buffets and A-La-Carte were amazing, specifically the Brazillian giant BBQ red meat skewers [3 feet?] the waitstaff walk around with and slice fresh to your plate. Pool was a good size but we prefer the Ocean, and they provided afternoon and evening entertainment including fire performers, mixed danc [... read more]e troops, and singers. Nearby EcoTours highly recommend LimonWaterfall [horseback through the muddy trail then you climb down 800-900Meters of big stairs] please bring $25USD cash tip, we were not told ahead and it's awkward offering "volunteers" who look after the horses a payment via CreditCard. Also I suggest to tip the Bahia bar staff 50DRP or $1USD for each 2 drinks [small cups] you order or your Margarita will be sugar and salt with a splash of booze. Alternatively order beer on tap. They work really hard and "All Inclusive" doesn't mean they see much of your nightly fee. Vibe is relaxed, good mix of ages for guests, hotel wasn't overrun by screaming running children but there also weren't the loaded and loud party crews. Put your hands over your ears during the jingle at the beginning of the entertainment or it will get stuck in your head and you'll be singing it on your Excursions. Literally when I Googled it, the A.I. said guests noted singing it years after being on the trip. :]

Viva V Samana by Wyndham: Judge for yourself

We almost cancelled based on the reviews. We were there January 24-31, 2026. The one and only complaint we have is that the food was never warm enough. It wouldn’t matter what restaurant you went to the food was cold. As for people saying they were sick, you’re in a different country eating and drinking differently so yes you may have an upset stomach. We all ate the food and no one was ill. Take what you read with a grain of salt. After being there we are glad we didn’t cancel. We will return.

The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: Nice resort but….

The beach is public. And it is nice but too small for the amount of people. I had 2 nights of no sleep as the ceiling in my bathroom was leaking a substantial amount of water. No compensation was offered to me.

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Nice surprise

This resort was more than we expected. The front desk staff were outstanding and went beyond their regular responsibilities. Special shout-out to Danny, the general manager. He bent over backwards to help with resolving a reservation issue that we had. The entertainment staff was top notch and Victor was the best. Lots of fun.

The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: Nice, but not what advertised....

The hotel sat empty for the last 2 years and just re-opened in November, and you could tell. Our toilet never worked the first day, they fixed it same day though. We lost all water 3 times in our 2 weeks. Inconvenient when its out for hours at a time before dinner. Our sliding glass door didn't close properly. Rooms facing the town and the hotel entertainment court had to put up with loud music until 3am. First from the hotel entertainment until 11pm, then from the town disco/bar?? continued unt [... read more]il 3am?? we moved rooms to the poolside and it was quiter there. Management told me they were trying to get town council to deal with the late music. Also got undercooked hamburgers at the beach bbq, they should use a meat themometer. All that aside, the staff and all the food everywhere else is awesome. The buffet is good, the 2 a la carte restaurants are nice, great food. Awesome people work there. We went there for the location. Samana Bay is a great whale watching bay from Jan to March. We went to the Eurostar Grand Caycao thinking it was a 5 star and payed for a 5 star. But its at best a 4 star.

The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: Place to appreciate life!

14 days of peace, Amazing food, Fantastic atmosphere, Perfect service. Considering the world is upside down, this place let you forget about everything. Food and fruits so fresh daily. Location fenomenal! I would recommend a separate location for smoking. The beach is small, but you can walk in the small town. Our room was , ocean view. Fantastic. The place is still under reno. Let's not forget Covid caused financial damage everywhere. I really enjoyed!

The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: Place to appreciate life!

14 days of peace, Amazing food, Fantastic atmosphere, Perfect service. Considering the world is upside down, this place let you forget about everything. Food and fruits so fresh daily. Location fenomenal! I would recommend a separate location for smoking. The beach is small, but you can walk in the small town. Our room was , ocean view. Fantastic. The place is still under reno. Let's not forget Covid caused financial damage everywhere. I really enjoyed!

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Excellent Resort

This resort is spotless. The staff are amazing. The grounds are beautiful. But the best part is the beach - the miles and miles of beach you have access to and can walk freely, explore the reefs, enjoy the palm trees.

Viva V Samana by Wyndham: Amazing resort

Just returned from Viva V Wyndham in Dominican Resort is the perfect size for a quiet couples vacation. Beach was great, Hotel clean and well maintained. Food was great Close proximity to the airport. Great vacation.

The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: A work in progress

The hotel has only been open since November so it needs time. Only some of the resort is open. The description suggest a newly remodelled resort but that isnt the case. Only two restaurants are open and one rather small pool for the number of guests. The staff is friendly but many dont speak English so be prepared to practise your Spanish. The location is spectacular. It sits on a cliff overrlooking the ocean on one side and the town of Samana on the other. If you go get an ocean view room. An [... read more]other issue is what I might call crowd control. Smokers are everywhere. They need to establish smoking areas and enforce them. The same goes for noise after midnight. The activites staff are entusiastic but everything around the pool activities is very loud. This is very much a resort for young people and there is no quiet area or pool to go to. In general I hope this resort makes it and in time they might get the resort completley finished and bring it up to a 4 or 5 star resort.

Wyndham Alltra Samana: Wonderful experience but few things to fix

The hotel is nice, clean, well maintained in the outdoors, beach and pools are pretty good, chairs in the beach are available in good quantities, enjoyable place to stay. And the personnel was fantastic, front desk, doorbell, housekeeping, buffet service, all personnel was so kind. However, the hotel management needs to take care of few services, some rooms have the shower manifold inverted and the hot water is difficult to come out. Also, and this is critical, after 10:30pm there is not a sing [... read more]le option opened for food, this is a big issue, they need to create an option for food that last longer, it is not acceptable to have a food blackout from 10:30pm until next morning at 7:30am!!! Same for coffee and hot tea, they can set a coffee machine as the one around the hotel, in the lobby that works all fay around, or at least during the blackout period. Another big issue, the a la carte restaurants need to improve, it is not acceptable to wait 2hrs plus to eat in a restaurant that does not accept reservations, lack of personnel was evident, just 4 workers to attend all the floor, there was tables waiting to be set for more than an hour and a big group of customers waiting in the lobby to be sit inside.

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: Perfect Peaceful Escape

We had an amazing stay at Bahia Principe Grand Samaná and couldn’t have chosen a better resort for a peaceful getaway. A special thanks to Colleen, who helped us pick this resort — it was absolutely the perfect choice for what we were looking for. The resort is quiet, relaxing, and very well maintained, ideal for couples or anyone wanting to disconnect from busy, crowded resorts. The private beach is beautiful, clean, and never overcrowded. You can always find a quiet spot to sit, listen to t [... read more]he waves, and truly relax. The food exceeded our expectations. There was a great variety at every meal, with fresh ingredients and flavorful options. The à la carte restaurants were excellent, and even the buffet felt well-curated rather than repetitive. We especially enjoyed the fresh seafood and desserts. Staff throughout the resort were friendly, professional, and genuinely helpful, making the stay feel welcoming from start to finish. The rooms were spacious, clean, and offered stunning ocean views that made mornings and evenings extra special. Overall, Bahia Principe Grand Samaná is a hidden gem — peaceful, scenic, and perfect for a relaxing vacation.

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Great resort plenty to do beautiful location

Very nice and well maintained resort with an excellent staff. The food is good with plenty of choice. The beach is very pleasant but the surf can get rough at times. There were plenty of people snorkeling but I don't so can't comment on how good the view is. Lot's of entertainment and activities and kids seemed to be having lots of fun. The pavilion that acts as reception and lobby is beautiful and a very pleasant place to just sit and do nothing out of the sun. Would definitely recommend for [... read more] couples and families.

Viva V Samana by Wyndham: Great beach and locatiom

Our room was in the newer section and very nice. The resort was well maintained and nicely decorated for Christmas. There were some minor shortcomings; sun loungers had no cushions, towels and sheets all looked grey, food and drink quality was inconsistent. We enjoyed ourselves very much and the price was great so we would recommend.

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Great resort!

We love our vacations at this resort. This is the third time we have been to this resort because it is everything we are looking for. The main attraction is the beach which is a lovely sandy beach. There is no need for beach shoes as the sand continues into the water for some distance. Further out there is a coral reef so there are great opportunities to snorkel if you wish. Many people feed the fish so you can also see them without a snorkel. The buffet at the resort is lovely! Great food at ev [... read more]ery meal! The a la carte restaurants are fabulous! The Brazilian would have to be our favourite one followed by the Italian. This is just my opinion and my preferences, however. The room was fine for the price we paid with a few little things that could have been improved upon.

Viva V Samana by Wyndham: Best beach ever, However !!!!

Our third visit to this resort and 4th time to this beach. In all of our travels, this is the 2nd best beach ever to walk and experience. The V room with plunge was worth the little extra expense, doubles the patio size, although the pool was cool and you couldn’t retract the awning for the sun to warm up the pool. Pina coladas were 7/10 from a slushy machine. Other drinks like a Singapore Sling, Mai Tai, were, well let’s just say horrible. Wish I would have booked the bungalows. Otherwise, our  [... read more]room was in the 600 block. Request 600 block rooms 6111-1114. Or 6211-6214, 6311-6314 as these are on the end on the 6 block and have full ocean view. 6314 would be the ultimate private balcony. There’s no need for the towel game as there are enough lounge chairs, but you do need to get up by 7 and play the game when you need the cushion for the lounge. MOST IMPORTANTLY, there is a gastronomic virus circulating and the Air Canada rep tells you although Air Canada doesn’t. We both were sick for 2 days. Apparently all over the DR. The restaurants are so/so. Menu doesn’t change. For the price, it’s a good deal.

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: very nice!

beach:+++++ clean water, no seaweed, no wave, snorkeling close : just wonderful!!! -------- not enough palapas; towels are very thin and old; rooms:+++++ bed is very good, pillows are very good, very clean; -------AC is not great, very old bathrooms, TV is too old and small, everything else is REALLY WONDERFUL!!! don't expect any great shows or super singers..

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Great Resort

I have been to a few Bahia Principe resorts and this one rates at the top. Great layout, food and staff. I would definitely recommend this resort. It is about an hour drive from the airport and the coach was very comfortable.

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: Lovely easy walking Beach

I had heard I would want water shoes but not at all as the Corral areas were obvious and all soft sand wear you swan. I snorkelled several times and always found schools of fish quickly along the coral areas. We walked barefoot 45minutes either direction from resort and not a stone or sharp shell even. Lovely area. Well maintained grounds. Never felt overfull Buffet or most sitting areas. Bar drinks were well done e.g. Expresso Martinees, Mojitos or Brandy Alexanders. Was disappointed there w [... read more]as no Pickleball lines on the tennis court. Bahai Principe is missing out on PB group vacationers. Food was good. I usually only do the Buffets at resorts, as I don't like to have a scedule, but did find the Ala Carts to be better and worth attending.