Bahia Principe Explore Esmeralda: Our first time and now we're hooked!

This was our first stay at the Gran Bahia Principe Esmeralda and we're definitely coming back. The resort is clean, beautiful and just steps from the beach. It was nice to not have to take a shuttle to the beach. The two pools are big and not too busy as they are exclusive to Esmeralda guests. There's also an adult-only whirlpool in between. The buffet and A la carte restaurants are very good, but at peak times they may be under-staffed. Food selection is huge and should satisfy everyone from yo [... read more]ung to old. The hotel staff is friendly, helpful and eager to cater to your every needs. This was our first sun vacation and we will be coming back again for our next escape to the sun.

Melia Caribe Beach Resort: Beautiful but less family oriented than expected

The rating I gave was based on all aspects of the resort because I dislike when I read reviews that are negative about everything when only one aspect was not favourable. So I'm going to review different aspects of the resort before mentioning our experience with our first room, which, along with the behaviour of some of the patrons, was the only drawback to our vacation. Beach/ocean Probably the most beautiful beach I have ever been to (including Cayman's 7 mile beach). Perfect sand. Great to  [... read more]walk in, never too hot. Lots of lounge chairs. Fortunately, not too many smokers on the beach (we only moved once because we were involuntarily inhaling smoke, instead of the beautiful ocean breeze). Very safe, lots of security guards and not many beach vendors. If a breeze is blowing from the ocean you can even find a spot where you can't hear the blasting music from a pool or a beach speaker. There were some seaweeds in the shallow part of the ocean but they did not prevent me (and many other patrons) from swimming. Water was very calm and warm- my 9 month old loved it too. Resort / restaurants Beautiful finishes and material throughout the resort: cherry wood, marble, natural stone, onyx...The grounds of the restaurant were immaculate with lots of exotic birds. There's a train that runs throughout the resort: it's a pleasant 10 min walk from the main building to the beach otherwise. I thought that taking the train takes as much time because it stops so often. Many restaurant options - no need to make a reservation which was great and very unlikely all other all inclusives that I've been to. We tried the American Grill, Hacienda (texmex), Thai and Dominican restaurant, all of which had decent food. The main buffet (Marketplace) had a lot of food options at all times and was my favourite. I thought the food at the beach grill (Grill Agora) wasn't as good as the Marketplace buffet but that was my personal opinion. Overall, there were so many food options that unless you have a chef at home who cooks 10 different equally delicious meals every night, you should be able to find something you'd like :) The only downside to the restaurants was that some patrons did not care about the dress code. It would be nice if the "no shirt, no (especially wet) bathing suit, no service" policy was reinforced during the day (not fun to sit on a wet cushion at lunch time) and if people showing up with tied-up beach dresses and beach shorts at a la carte restaurants in the evening were turned away. It really takes away from the beautiful ambiance of a nice restaurant to have patrons looking like that. Transfer from the airport/check in A very comfortable, short ride from the airport. We had a very smooth check in, and were given an upgrade to a beautiful jacuzzi family suite, which unfortunately, was also very close to a very loud lobby bar. Other patrons There was a mix of Spanish, Portuguese, German and English speaking patrons (U.S. And Canada mostly). Some of the patrons were considerate, others unfortunately very rowdy which is not something I expected as we purposely booked in what we were told was the family-oriented part of the resort (not the adult-only). We had to move a few times on the beach not to hear drunk adults yelling at each other in the middle of the day. I was disappointed to see that some patrons were there for a frat party. Our room 6034 room (jacuzzi suite) is very nice but very loud: the first night the music and loud cheering went on until 2am. We asked for a different room in a quieter section but were told that we were in a quiet area?! and the loud noise was not an everyday occurrence in the area we were in (right next to the main building). Unfortunately, it was. One night the music didn't stop the entire night and I woke up at 3 am to people yelling 'shots, shots, shots'. We eventually insisted on another room and got one for the last 2 nights. Room 4514 was not ideally situated (the first room on the ground floor of a building so everyone walks by it) but we appreciated being able to sleep for at least the last 2 nights. It is unfortunate that we were misinformed about how loud the first room was and that we did not get another room right away, it would have made a world of difference.

Zel Punta Cana - All Suites: Amazing Family Vacation

This year we decided to kick off our Summer vacation in Punta Cana. This was our second trip to DR. We opted for the Reserve Paradisus Palma Real due to the good reviews it had. We we were there from June 5th to June 12th. All I can say is that this resort is the best resort we have stayed at. The staff is very friendly, pleasant and respectful people. They were always attentive to our requests and always made sure we had everything we needed. This resort has the best staff we've ever experienc [... read more]ed. The food is really good. The Gabi Club buffet is kind of small, but you will always find something delicious to eat. Our favourite restaurant was the Hydro Grill next to the main and kids pool. We also tried the Aqua restaurant which has an elegant/classy ambience. The food there was excellent. There's also the steak house, Rare which was delicious. We also tried Fuego which was okay. Our least favorite restaurant was the Mexican restaurant. The food was edible, but wasn't that great. The facilities and pools are really clean. The rooms are spacious. The rooms have the set up of a small apartment. Wi-Fi is also available throughout the resort so this is also a plus. My only suggestion for this resort is that they need to update the reception area. It doesn't have the feel of a high end resort. Some of the furniture there needs to be upgraded. I would like to thank Freddy for helping us with our a la carte reservations. This was truly appreciated by my family and I. I also like to specially thank Yaneira Saldaña for been such a sweet person. She always had a genuine smile to offer. And truly cared about customer satisfaction. She always made sure we were taken care of while eating at the Gabi Club. It was a real pleasure meeting her. We actually felt like we were leaving a family member behind when we said our goodbyes to her. We missed her warm smile. We really hope to see her back. Thank you to the Reserve Palma Real for an unforgettable Summer vacation. We will definitely be back in the future

Ocean Sand Golf and Beach Resort: Amazing Trip

Great resort!!! Food was fantastic! Rooms and restrooms are kept clean and staff are very friendly. Francisco the pool bar man was outstanding. The beach is beautiful minus the seaweed. Overall a great resort for couples and families. Lots of a la carte restaurants and the resort cafe was awesome. La Brisa buffet by the beach was beautiful and served great lunches. The resort also STRIKE bowling alley and pool tables with Wii gaming systems. The grounds are kept beautiful and the atmosphere is g [... read more]reat. Would recommend this resort. Had a great stay at Ocean Blue & Sand. We'll be back!!!

Bahia Principe Grand Bavaro: Great resort, great people!

The hotel was very nice, very well up-kept, the food at the buffet was very good, a little bit for everyone, the buffet was huge so never went hungry! Every day there was something different at the buffet so it made for a nice change. The restaurant choices were equally excellent. Activities at the resort were great. Very relaxing stay. Staff was friendly, nice gift shops around, excellent alcohol! Location is great! Would go back for sure!!

Bahia Principe Grand Bavaro: FANTASTIC

Absolutely stunning resort. Easily satisfies all types of groups including families and party groups. Buffet was great but the a la carte restaurants were my favourite! The service was great to. Dont shy away because of the size of the resort because they have buggies that run every 2 minutes to take you from the point A to point B. Also, with the size of the resort comes more things to do because everything is on site (casino, club, kids water park/pool, jungle gym, basket ball courts and a gym [... read more] just to name a few that we used). Easily the best resort I've been to.

Grand Palladium Punta Cana: Amazing Resort

Beautiful grounds, friendly staff, excellent food - especially the a la cartes - Brazillian and Mexican was delicious! Awesome beach party and foam party at the Punta Cana pool. Fantastic bartenders, especially at Hemmingways.

Catalonia Bavaro Resort: Great Resort!

The hotel overall was kept very clean. The grounds were maintained very well lots and lots of palm trees. The public areas were very accessible which is why we picked this resort. The only issue I had was the privileged area had the beach area accessible set up very nicely, but the regular beach area was not. It would have been nice to have both options. The rooms were okay clean but nothing special. The nightly shows were not that great. The part I enjoyed was about an hour before the night sho [... read more]w we would have entertainment in the main bar lobby which was wonderful.

Grand Palladium Punta Cana: Relaxing vacation

Facilities & Rooms - very clean - the cleaning staff will only leave ornamental towels if you tip them. Service - ok, but not over the top exceptional. The sports area offered the best service! All staff were helpful though if you needed something and asked for it. Drinks - mojitos were delicious, but otherwise they were overly sweet & not a lot of alcohol unless you asked for more. Food - buffets were ok, but you should do a-la-carte every night for the dinners. ** The a-la-carts do not take re [... read more]servation, so if you want to get a table at the good ones (Steak House) you need to get in the line up 20 minutes before they open. Even still you will be in line for an hour, but at least you can sit by the bar **

Bahia Principe Explore Punta Cana: Perfect getaway!!

Beautiful resort! Grounds were well kept. Room was beautiful! We upgraded to the Golden suites and found that it was definitely worth it. Our room was on the third floor. King sized bed. Balcony overlooking the garden. 2 min walk from the beach. Beach was clean, clear turquoise water. Service was great. Nightly entertainment was great, especially the Michael Jackson and the circus shows

Grand Palladium Punta Cana: Beautiful resort

This resort has all the amenities you would want. It's a big resort that is divided into four sections with shuttle services through out the sites. There are activities and entertainment if you so desire to participate. My family of three had a great time and would definitely return to this piece of paradise.

VIK Hotel Arena Blanca: Great resort.

The resort is great. Ground are kept clean and food was amazing. We stayed for two weeks and everyday there was something new to eat. The beach had a lot of sea weed but they cleaned it often. Staff is great as well..

Grand Palladium Palace: Great pools

Service: few people spoke English and not very welcoming. Food buffets were better than expected. Steak, Japanese, and Mexican were good bit lower expectations if you go to high end restaurants. Pools:amazing, had midnight pool, cold pools, deep pools, everything except water slide

Occidental Punta Cana: It was worth the money I paid and I would return a

Air transat preference club is ideal. The resort was big and well maintained. The food was good and so much to choose from. The buffet restaurants at beach and hotel where so comfortable and choices of all foods great for kids and adults. Ice cream, pizza, fries and bacon every day. My room looked just like brochure. Had some issues with my av, but I don't need it. Fan is great for me. View from room overlooked pool. No elevators so 3 floors of stairs helped get my exercise. Private beach area a [... read more]nd bartender Franklin as great. Service as always polite and great. The shows started late and were classic dance quality. The disco as ok. I have been to better. It said two hrs free drinks but I as only given one free drink ticket then had to buy. It closed for part of week too so that is mentioned. I recommend this hotel and operator to everyone.

Bahia Principe Explore Esmeralda: We will definitely be coming back!

My wife and I visited the Esmeralda from June 6th - 12th 2015 and had the time of our lives. The Resort was absolutely beautiful everything is very well maintained. The rooms are large and cleaned every day with the mini bar being re-stocked. The food is amazing tasty and fresh and there is always lots to choose from. The beach at the Esmeralda is picture perfect with lots of available shade huts and the waiters also come around to serve you drinks which is nice. All in all I would rate this res [... read more]ort a 5 star as advertised because the service and people are so friendly and helpful and make it their duty that you have the best vacation possible! Can't wait to return next year and a big thanks to Trip Central for the recommendation cheers!

Riu Naiboa: Friendly resort

very good entertainment, preferable to have air conditioner at lobby, more fruits at breakfast and lunch, beach was clean, very good location between other Riu resorts Ideally for 4 stars Strongly recommended

TRS Turquesa: Just what we needed

My husband and I were looking for a peaceful getaway and this was it. Food was great. Breakfast at Royal G patio every morning. Beach service amazing. Pool bar a great place to meet people. Beach and private pool for alone time.

Occidental Punta Cana: Amazing Value and Resort

The hotel and grounds were excellent. Plenty of food choices on the buffet and snack bars. All bar staff and hotel staff were great with service. The grounds are well maintained and the rooms along with mini fridge kept up daily. We stayed for 2 weeks.Not into Alacart dining so I can't review. The rooms are well appointed but if you are looking for modern contemporary design it wasn't there. My only complaint is the relentless VIP programs representatives that won't quit. Say no to one, another  [... read more]one starts on you, just keep saying no but its annoying. The beach alone was worth every penny spent!! It was my first trip to Punta Cana but I've been to Puerto Plata and Soshua in the past. I've never had a bad time or resort in Dominican |Republic but this was the best trip so far!!! Loved it and got exactly what we paid for.........VIP upsales and time share sales have to go or accept the word NO ;)

Ocean Blue and Sand: Fantastic Resort

We had an amazing time at Ocean Blue!! The rooms were nice, modern, and clean. The pools were fantastic as they were both huge and there was never a shortage of places to sit- like there usually is at most resorts. The entertainment staff was an absolute blast and there was always something fun going on if you don't feel like lounging. They had games in the morning, and afternoon, as well as dance lessons. There were karaoke nights and beach parties, and the disco was never dull and always a goo [... read more]d time if you plan on staying at the resort in the evening. My only critique would be the food service.. When at an all inclusive I expect to be able to eat when i'm hungry, whenever that may be. We arrived on a Saturday night and slept until 10 the next morning.. We woke to find out that there is no food available between 10:30 and 11:30, because apparently they flip all of the buffets at the same time.. It was also difficult to find anything to eat after the dinner buffets closed in the evening.. the only thing open all night was the sports bar that supposedly serves pizza all night, but they were always out of pizza. If you like to stay out late and enjoy the night life, make sure you store your own food in the fridge for late night and late morning snacking!! They also do not have coffee stations in the restaurants, which can be frustrating to those who need there coffee first thing, as it was often difficult to get the attention of a server. I would like to see this change by my next visit, but I would ABSOLUTELY recommend Ocean Blue to a friend. :)

Blau Natura Park Resort: great resort

this was a very nice hotel with only a few problems. There should be more to do at night time. This hotel also lets the people on the resort that sells there tours so they always are bugging you, The grounds are nice and well cared for the food is good and most of the staff are nice