Vista Sol Punta Cana: Excellent Resort!

The resort is laid out in blocks, and there are 3 pools, each close to your block. The main pool has the swim up bar. We had a foam party in the pool one afternoon. The food is good, large variety of cold food, salads hot food, pizza, pasta and lots of desserts! Staff are constantly cleaning the resort. We liked the "sports bar", which was close to the beach. That was nice because you didn't have to walk through the entire resort to grab some food. It is intended for people laying on the beach,  [... read more]and you pour your own beer on draft! I believe there are 7 bars overall. Nightly entertainment is good. There is a charge for the beach towel, but it is refunded when you return the towel. Rooms are clean, they are in the process of updating. Overall, excellent vacation!

Melia Caribe Beach Resort: Clean resort, friendly staff, great food selection

I have been to many all inclusive and there were things about the Melia that were excellent and others that did not meet my expectations. The animation team was one of the big let downs for me. They are not present at the pool more than an hour a day and have very few activities and games happening. This was something myself and others guests discussed many times on the trip and could really have made this a better resort. Also there is almost never music at the pool!? The rooms were clean and n [... read more]ice but if they are going to stick you in a room surrounded by peacocks that squawk all day and night they should make you aware. I have a fear of birds and this was a horrible experience for me. The food was great and so was the selection and the effort the staff made to accommodate and get everyone fed without having to made reservations. Much better experience than I have had at many other resorts in this area. The resort is big and a long walk but the people on the carts pick you up as much as they an and the trains come often. The staff were kind and happy for the most part and a pleasure to be around.

Vista Sol Punta Cana: Great solid trip!

This resort was affordable, clean and very good for the price. Staff were friendly. The grounds were beautiful, beach was stunning! There was plenty of shade with many trees on the beach and plenty of beach chairs despite it being march break. Beach was perfect for long morning walks. The entertainment crew was always on the go. We really enjoyed the stretch classes, merengue classes on the beach. Carlos was the best! They work so hard. Food was good, there was always something that pleased. It  [... read more]was hit and miss but we never have crazy high expectations - overall good. Drinks were great, beer was cold and delicious. Rooms were clean, some were more updated than others however the did the trick. We didn't use the pools but they were always busy. Overall, for the price and the beach we would return! Thanks to the Vista Sol.

Occidental Punta Cana: Just the right fit!

This hotel is the perfect size. No trains or trolleys to get around. Staff are friendly and upbeat! Beach is beautiful, food is good and the resort is incredibly clean. If you're looking for a quiet relaxing vacation in the sun, this is the place!

Grand Palladium Palace: Grand Palladium Palace in DR

Loved the facility and the service. Front desk staff were great and very helpful. Servers in the lobbies were amazing as they were always there right away as we sat down. They were always very pleasant. Restaurant choices were super. The evening lobby entertainment was available in five different locations every evening and was very good. You could tell by the number of people listening and dancing. Plus, the beach was beautiful and seemingly endless. The pools are well maintained and very relax [... read more]ing. Finally, the grounds are very all maintained and look beautiful. This is our second Grand Palladium experience (first was Mexico) and we will be back.

Bahia Principe Escape Ambar: Fabulous resort

Spent 5 days at the Ambar. Had a wonderful time. Beach was beautiful, food excellent. Service good. Would stay again without question. Housekeeping staff were awesome. Nice to have drink service on beach.

Grand Sirenis Tropical Suites: Great resort for kids and adults

Rooms were pretty good considering its been 18 years since it's been renovated. The main restaurants were very Hot and could use some AC. The water park was great. The food never seem to be quite warm enough, but still pretty good.

Barcelo Bavaro Palace: Incredible resort

Food excellent. ..grounds immaculate..beach clean and gorgeous..staff friendly and accommodating! ! We spent a week at resort and loved it. Food plentiful and delicious..staff friendly and accommodating. .The hotel is absolutely beautiful and clean.

Secrets Royal Beach: A Very Relaxing Resort

The grounds of this resort are beautiful and very well maintained. A beautiful beach with pristine white sand with a wonderful and plentiful natural palm shade area .The rooms were spacious and very comfortable. The food was very good and plentiful portion wise. The Italian ( Portofino) and the Beach side Grill were very good. The staff were the greatest asset...very friendly, very accommodating and housekeeping was exceptional . Fitness area is very good. Small but it has several rooms which ac [... read more]commodates varied workout activities....ie : weight room, yoga or stretching area and machines,,,,the only negative would be Amtours persistent and sometimes pressure sales pitches for their time shares which my wife and I ignored...

Iberostar Waves Punta Cana: Keeps getting better!

I was at the Iberostar Punta Cana 5 years ago and I must say that it has improved greatly. I have stayed at the Iberstar Varadero in Cuba and thought the one in Punta Cana had a long way to go to catch up, but I think it is now there! On our trip this March, the food, staff, animation team, guest services and entertainment were all wonderful. Guest services went out of their way to ensure we received wonderful service and receive good restaurant bookings. The circus show was the best I've seen a [... read more]nd I was so impressed. The 4 pm food and drink special down at the beach and pool restaurant every day was a nice touch. Also, the table outside the buffet set up each night with appetizers was terrific for those who had late dinner reservations and wanted to have a snack with their pre-dinner cocktail at the entertainment bar. For us older folks, the band playing every night on the Punta Cana side was also a nice touch. The only thing that hasn't changed is the vendors that are brought in one of the nights. Being Canadian, we greatly dislike aggressive behaviour, so tend to stay away. I think we would have shopped more if they weren't so aggressive (although, they were very nice). My daughter had a great time meeting other high school seniors from Halifax and a couple of young people from Argentina and because of the coziness of the resort, they were always able to find each other. They loved going to the disco and Karaoke bar every night and the fact that the buffet was open for 24 hours, was a huge bonus. I liked the fact that because of the mix of nationalities and age groups, it wasn't run over with spring breakers. Thank you Iberostar Punta Cana for making my daughter's graduation/birthday present so special!

Catalonia Bavaro Resort: Good Vacation, Beautiful Grounds but...

My husband and I just returned from the Catalonia Bavaro Beach. We stayed at the resort from March 22, 2016 to March 29, 2016. We travelled as a couple and have been to Punta Cana before. We chose this resort specifically because of a wonderful experience we had at the Catalonia Yucatan/Riviera Maya in 2011. I have been dying to try another Catalonia location since that trip. Prior to leaving I emailed the resort our room preferences, understanding of course that it is a request only and they g [... read more]uarantee nothing no resort does. I also emailed regarding my husbands birthday and made a special request for a Steakhouse reservation on that day, I received an email back that it wasn't usual to have reservations but they would make on for 7:30 for us where it was his birthday. We arrived after 3:00pm on the 22nd so our room was ready. Checkin was easy and quick but at checkin they tell you to go to the desk on the side of counter to see the 'concierge' for information on the restaurants. Don't do it, just don't. This is your introduction to the time share people. The guy talks to you blah blah blah and gives you a ticket he says you need to use to get into the restaurants. It is a rouse, you don't need it. He will also try to book a time for a resort tour, this is the timeshare thing. They hasseled us relentlessly for the next few days. We didn't even want to go up to the lobby it was that bad. My husband finally lost it with one of them. What a way to make someone feel on a vacation when all they want to do is relax. Honestly it ruined my whole impression of the Catalonia chain. If you say no, they should leave you alone. If you say yes or ask them, then fine but no one should be able to treat a guest like that. That is wrong. Anyway, our room was 2315. Great location and room was fantastic. Our maid was wonderful. Room was clean and stocked. No problems there. However, the resort was experiencing hot water issues while we were there. We were fortunate as we only lost it for one day but we had friend and met people who were as many as four days (Tuesday to Friday night). We were fortunate to only be without hot water Thursday night to Friday night. My biggest complaint with the water issue wasn't that we didn't have it, it was that no one communicated anything to the guests about what was going on and if you tried to get an answer from Catalonia staff, they walked away. Our poor Transat rep was fielding the brunt of complaints, even he couldn't find anything out. All Catalonia management had to do was put a notice under guests doors acknowledging there was an issue and give an estimate on restoration or let us know the problem was being worked on. We have been to hotels where things like this have happened before, but never have we had an experience like this one. Things happen everywhere and it isn't about the issue it is about how the issue is handled that matters. No one we talked even got a 'thanks for patience' in anyway once the issue was resolved. Anyway, bottom line it was handled very poorly. Other than the water and timeshare issue, this resort was great. As I said above, our maid was great. Anything we needed I just left a note and it was there. Lots of water and other beverages in our room everyday as well. The shower is very small, but you have a huge tub with a wand so all good. Building 23 was very centrally located. Very happy with that. For my husbands birthday, they did balloons and a fruit tray. Lovely! We kept the balloons all week! The grounds are spectacular. Probably the prettiest we have seen. Wonderfully well looked after. The food was really good. Buffet staff was excellent and they remembered us meal to meal. The pasta and stir fry are just yummy. We preferred breakfast at the main buffet over the beach buffet. The pool snack bar was great. This pizza there was just awesome! I don't eat pizza when we go south, don't like it normally but the pizza was better than most here at home and the chef was great! Loved it! There is also self serve beer here. Very cold, very good! As mentioned, I had pre-arranged a reservation for my husbands birthday at the Steakhouse for 7:30. When we went they had no idea what we were talking about. A little disappointing. The hostess was able to get us a table pretty quickly regardless. The meal was good. It was the first time we had been away for his birthday and I hoped they would do a Happy Birthday for him, but no. Someone else there had it done - it was pretty cool. We also did Mikado and the Italiano. Both good. No favourites though. All the food at this resort - a la carte, buffet or snack bar - was good. Crepes on the beach were tasty as well! Drinks were good. Coffee was good. Never had a problem getting served, except when guests pushed ahead. Staff did the best they could. Lobby bar was fabulous! I swear we had the same waitress everytime we went there. It was like she was personally looking after us. She was great! Casino was nice. We had some fun there. They have tables and machines and the coldest beer on the resort! Entertainment team was busy, energetic and full of fun! The shopping area was good, nothing too crazy priced. You can use a credit card or charge to your room. I just charged to my room, took the receipt back and set the money aside right then. I never use a credit card down south, I only carry it for emergencies. The beach, well it is Bavaro Beach so it is amazing. Of the three resorts we have been to in this area, it was my favourite beach. No chair issues, the water was calm, lots of fish and the natural pools were amazing. This is the first time I was in the water everyday. We walked and walked on the beach every morning. Pool was fun, no chair issues here either. It is a very pretty pool and has a designated kids area. Pool bar was very busy! We looked in at the kid and teen clubs, they both looked like they would be fun for the kids. We never looked in the gym, but there is one. Couple of other notes, the number of different colour bracelets at this resort is crazy. We wanted to see the royal side, but the only way to do that was with the timeshare people. So friends who were staying there 'snuck' us over. Looked beautiful from what we could see. We didn't see enough to know whether we would ever want to book it or not. We did do privildge at the Catalonia in the Riviera Maya, and depending on how much more it cost that could be worth it. There is no beach or pool service and washrooms in both areas are scarce. I didn't go in to water to the pool bar for that very reason. Washrooms for the a la cartes really need upgrading. Overall, not bad but the timeshare thing was enough for us to know we won't ever book a resort with reviews that include timeshare complaints again if we are travelling as a couple. While the resort is beautiful and with the exception of a few things we had a great time, I would struggle to recommend it to any of my friends who are also travelling as a couple. I believe we were targeted by the timeshare people specifically because we were a middle age couple. With a few changes this resort could easily be a 4.5 star. The two main ones being tame the timeshare people and management learning to communicate with the guests.

Occidental Caribe: Excellent resort!!

Had great time with girlfriends.,was an amazing beach,restaurants and food were also good.Great hotel for young adults during spring break!! Only complaint long waits for drinks at bar,bartenders were not really friendly.Would return to this hotel for sure!

Catalonia Bavaro Resort: Great holiday away! Something for everyone!

They had problems with rooms being ready but took us to have lunch until our room was ready. They had problems with hot water but did their best to offer other advantages for those affected - (only had hot water for two days). This did not bother us as we were in the ocean and pools all day long. Food was good and a la cartes were also good. Definitely worth signing up for privilege club as this is a large resort and the privilege club saved lining up for meals and separate area for eating - so  [... read more]no waiting. Snorkelling right off our beach - wonderful. The 9 hold golf course is right at the resort and was great, no waiting! All in all they did their best and we had fun.

Grand Sirenis Tropical Suites: Very good trip.

Grounds and beach amazing. Kids loved pools and waterslides. Good was reasonable. Only lesser feature was the rooms which were just a bit worn. Staff was friendly. Lots of places to get a drink. Over all good place for the money.

Grand Palladium Palace: Mega Resort - Nice Place, Good Food

Large but Nice Resort, Great Beach” 4 of 5 stars Reviewed 1 week ago Palladium Palace: This hotel sit in a mega Palladium resort that is composed of 4 distinct resorts: The Bavaro, Punta Cana, Palace and Royal. The first 3 are interchangeable and the Royal is the “adults only” that can go anywhere but is restricted to the others. The restaurants and pools are located around the resorts and there is transportation (Train, long golf carts, etc…) to move people around. Hotel: Quick check- [... read more]in and accommodating front desk. Hotel went out of their way to please us and we got a fantastic loft room with a view on the beach. We were in block 91 and the room was a little dated but they are in the process of renovating. It did seem that the renovated room were reserved for attracting “Club” members. Overall the room we had was acceptable. The housekeeper Luz did a fantastic job of keeping the room clean. Beach: The beach was well maintained and has some of the nicest sand in Punta Cana. There are plenty of lounge chairs around but the shaded areas and palapas are limited probably due to the fact that the beach is narrower for the hotel. There are some towel reservations games for the choicest spots but not nearly as early as some other places we have been. No good snorkeling on site but can be had nearby at a cost. Pool: The Palace has a large pool, clean & well maintained. The pool bar is easily accessible from both the water and the deck. They have activities for all who wish to participate and it make for an entertaining area. They even brought in a large inflatable structure to be used as an obstacle course. Plenty of palapas and tree for shade as well as areas for sunning. Entertainment Team: Active on both the beach and in the pool area. Not overly pushy and quite fun. Bars: Plenty of bars all over the resort and the choice of mixes is good. Restaurants: The buffets offer a lot of choice and the service is very good. Try the various ones at the other 2 hotels. There are multiple “a la carte” restaurants and our favourites are Mare Nostrum, Sumptuori (Japanese), Tapeo in that order but the others were good also. Outside Activities: Plenty of activities to be had but a bit of advice…shop around and bargain for the best price. Always pay by credit card to have an official receipt even if they offer a discount when you pay cash because chance are, you can get cheaper elsewhere. Overall we had a very enjoyable time at this resort and would recommend it to others. they have free wi-fi everywhere which is great! We rate this hotel a 4 out of 5. Room Tip: Block 91 is great

Barcelo Bavaro Palace: Beautiful resort

We stayed in the family suite and it was beautiful. The grounds were immaculate and the staff were really friendly. We tried several of the restaurants and enjoyed our meals at every one. We would love to go back for another visit!

Bahia Principe Explore Punta Cana: Worth the extra cost

The resort was absolutely beautiful!!! Nearly everything exceeded my expectations!! We were treated very well, however the housekeeping staff was fee hit and miss. Things got missed quite often and our fridge and other things weren't always restocked. Other then that my goodness what a vacation!!

Caribe Deluxe Princess: Amazing place....no disappointments!!

It was beautiful. Food was great, staff were excellent. Room was great.....no complaints. Great value for money!! We had amazing weather. We did the Boogie cart excursion and would recommend it to all.

Bahia Principe Grand Bavaro: Nice Beach and Hotel

Good food, Fair drinks. Not much variety. Frozen orange colored, red colored, blue colored sweet liquid with rum, vodka or whatever. No creativity in drinks. No blended drinks. No bananas with drinks. Clean room, Nice beach, Close to airport.

Grand Sirenis Tropical Suites: Would not go back if someone paid me to

Between the harassment of staff to buy into a timeshare (which they lie and don't tell you about - just go to the "VIP breakfast") and the mold in the room - i can't really decide which was worse. My daughter developed a respiratory infection, and the manager refused to move us. Beaches were beautiful (but the pool also had mold) and my daughter enjoyed the kids club. Would never go back.