Marien Puerto Plata Hotel: Truthful details..good and bad

Pros: +Pool is great +Easy to get pool chairs Cons: -Food is horrible -Only Mylos has edible options. I went to Playa Dorado to eat -Old and needs repairs -Much of the staff acts highly entitled I would definitely avoid this place unless is is almost free and your goal is to lose weight!

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: As expected

Returned March 8th after 9 days. This resort is supposed to be a 5 star, but it struggles to get to 3 star. Food in the buffet was always a repeat, mostly cold even though thy had hot plates to set it on. Breakfast was fairly better with excellent omelettes. Do have to say all three restaurants were excellent. The pools at the Senator are in need of repairs or replacement, algae ring, uneven bottom due to sections broken or missing, and a weird swim up bar with a stepped up approach and few sto [... read more]ols. The four jacuzzi are a joke, not heated and only one working jet for all four jacuzzi’s LOL. I visited the sister resort, and all their pools were in much better shape and kept clean. None of the pools in either resort are heated The beach is not the best, lot of broken coral, uneven bottom and fairly strong undertow. I suspect this is because of the channel for the cruise ships to enter bay next to the resort. Which is interesting to see them come into dock in the morning. P.S. cruise passengers are not permitted on the resort. The room we stayed in was old style Rui with nice colony wood, clean and functional, no complaints and always had hot water. The check in was fine and the front desk was very accommodating if you needed anything looked after. The rest of the services seemingly appeared mismanaged, except for the bars, which were well run and accommodating. The grounds were very well kept and very clean This resort has what is known as a V I P section which once you pay up you get free rooms at other Senator resorts worldwide, but you still have to pay for your all inclusive and transportation to get there. No really a great deal. Not returning any time soon. Paul & Joy Roberts

Playabachata Hotel: Nice

The room was beautiful. The food was really good in all the restaurants. Our biggest complaint is that we could not get any help with our baggage or rides to the main restaurant or reception. I hurt my leg and could barely walk and my husband couldn’t manage all the luggage. I called the front desk 3 times before we left begging for a cart to take our luggage and us to reception for check out. I was told the carts were reserved for members of The Senator. The sister time share resort.

Sunscape Puerto Plata: Nice resort

The resort had a great beach . Pools were adequate . The staff at this resort were always pleasant and helpful. I was very impressed with the service. The only major issue was the alacart restaurants. It was very difficult to get in and there was very little choice . Only 2 open every night. The buffet was good and well run but needed to change up a bit to keep it interesting. The beach restaurant was not open and this was a major disappointment . The grounds were well kept and everything was cl [... read more]ean. Overall a good resort for a restful vacation

Playabachata Hotel: Playabachata Resort

It was better than I thought it would be, based on the negative reviews before I left. The cleaning staff did a great job and I always had water and clean towels. The entertainment staff seemed to work long hours to keep us entertained. I enjoyed the aquafit classes, it was fun and gave me something to do. The beach was good with lots of shade trees because its hot there. Snorkeling is not good there the waves stirred up the water so not clear. The buffet was so so, depending what time you went [... read more], I went at 9 am so maybe a bit late.There was never clean plates, utensils or anything set on the tables. Some hot food was cold. So better to go earlier. I also thought it was so busy. Too many people for the amount of staff. The night shows were good. The bar staff worked their butts off. The a le carte I thought was so so. I expected faster service, sometime's we would wait for just a drink for an half hour. Wine is terrible! Front desk staff were good , she changed my room to be closer to family members.

Viva Heavens by Wyndham: Excellent Adults only resort!

First time at a small resort and we loved it. The staff were outstanding, from the front desk, to servers, to entertainment staff to security. The food was excellent in all the restaurants, could have been hotter but still not worth a complaint. We enjoyed the scenic walk to and from the beach for exercise, as well as wonderful quiet beach walks. I am giving it a five star, as we certainly got our moneys worth and more. So very disappointed that it will not be adults only resort after Ap [... read more]ril 1,otherwise we would be returning regularly.

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Needs improvement

Room in Catalina section 3rd floor,nice room,pool bird feces needs to solve this issue,buffet food ok,al a cartes not great Hotel manager Anthony not accommodating, not worth paying for premium superior room,entertainment needs updated more shows

Blue Bay Villas Doradas: Sun & Fun

Beautiful clean grounds, pool & beach area. The food was good, Ala carte Asian & Seafood, very good. Service was great. The hotel is old but kept very clean. The staff were excellent! Would return for another vacation.

Casa Marina Reef Resort: Great location

This resort has many good quality’s!! I love the location. You can see whales some mornings. The problem with this resort was the food!! Probably the worst food I ever had at a resort outside Cuba!! The service was not the best. The word that comes to mind with this resort is cheap!!

Viva Heavens by Wyndham: Nice intimate resort

This is a smaller resort which we had not experienced before. It was nice to really get to know the staff as well as the guests. If you struck up a conversation with someone you were sure to see them again several times. We really enjoyed that. The staff provided excellent customer service. An example of this is that I asked fr an espresso martini and asked the staff if it would be possible to have a martini glass. You have to understand that because the main bar is beside the pool they don't us [... read more]ually serve drinks in glass , much less a martini glass. The staff too the time to go find a martini glass and for the entire two weeks we were there when I requested an espresso martini they took the time to find the martini glass for me. Housekeeping did great job of cleaning our room and ensuring we had clean towels. The variety of a la carte restaurants was great and my only complaint is that the food at the restaurants was not very warm. The service was good but the Mexican restaurant is so busy it could use more staff. The entertainment staff are great and Lucco was especially great to listen to every evening on the pool deck. His knowledge of music is astounding, and he lead a great volley ball game every day at the beach. The vendors at the beach are simply trying to make a living and once we said no gracias they did not bother us. Check in was quick and seamless as was checkout. We enjoyed the resort and because its changing to a family resort we wont return. I love kids but not on my vacation LOL. We were quite happy with our choice of resorts. The staff were quite diligent in keeping everything very clean!! Thanks Louise Endean at Trip Central for all your help and guidance!!!

Marien Puerto Plata Hotel: Great resort

We just got back from a great 10 day stay at this resort from February 26 to March 8, we got awesome weather everyday not one drop of rain our whole time there. The service was great especially Franco "the pasta man" and our maid Felicita (hope I wrote her name correctly) to name a couple, the whole staff was great, excellent service. Food was good but sometimes could have been a bit warmer in the buffet sections but food tasted good just the same. The only thing we were a little disappoin [... read more]ted about was when we entered the water at the beach, there was quite a bit of rocks and weeds we had to be careful where we stepped when entering the sea not to hurt our feet on rocks or sea shells and such as my husband is diabetic he had to be extra careful, we don't blame the resort for this as this is not there fault. The ocean was beautiful and fabulous to walk alongside it. We found the evening entertainment could have been a little earlier in evening for us. Thank you to all the staff for a great stay. Also thank you to Kevin Dupuis from trip central for great service and patience with my many questions, look forward to planning another trip for next year.

Sunscape Puerto Plata: Would Recommend

Perfect resort for a friendly getaway in the sun. The location was a 30 minute bus ride from the airport. Resort staff exceeded our expectations and were warm and welcoming! We left with full stomachs, happy hearts and new friends. Highly recommend the ocean fishing available and the golf course next to the resort. Overall, we had low expectations and this resort exceeded all of them for the cost associated.

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Iberostar… always our favourite!

The last six getaway trips have been to Iberostar in Jamaica twice , la Romana twice, and lastly in Varadero. After our three year absence due to Covid…. We ventured to the Iberostar Costa Dorada in puerto plata. Well, we were not disappointed.. it is a lovely and well maintained hotel. They are environmentally responsible in all areas. Impeccable service, spotless rooms and excellent food! The beach is nice and pool area is spacious and very popular! I highly recommend this resort.. proba [... read more]bly the best in puerto plata!

Playabachata Hotel: Great Resort!

I was on the fence about this resort due to the conflicting reviews, so I thought it would be helpful to write a more in-depth review as some things matter more than others to different people! Long check in process due to being busy and only 2 staff at desk but we were more than welcome to get drinks/use the pool while we waited. Ocean view suite was incredible, king size bed was comfy and we got clean sheets and towels everyday! Mini fridge in room was stocked with drinking water and pop [... read more], stocked every second day, coffee in room was stocked everyday, could request sooner if needed. Not really hot water at certain times due to everyone using it, but it’s the Dominican, it’s already hot! Requested an extra blanket as I’m a cold sleeper, it was there x2 before I even got back to my room! Kayaking, windsurfing, , and snorkelling are free, but we were unable to take part in these due to the water being super wavy because of the wind, but we went in February so that’s normal and we weren’t super disappointed! Note - windsurfing is a $20USD teaching fee unless you know how to do it, but than it’s free for the rest of the trip, so would be better to do it near beginning of the trip. Steak al a carte restaurant was not the best as the cows here aren’t the best, but the Italian al a carte was wonderful! Buffet style food had tons to choose from and they switched it up daily, pasta bar and omelette bar where they make them fresh were my favourite as well as the salad bar! And anything fish was fantastic! Cigars at the airport are crazy expensive, and the ones on the beach are trash, highly recommend going into town to the cigar factory if your interested in them. Coffee is amazing and doing a intown tour with the taxi company was great! We took all the time we wanted, saw the cigar factory and I got to make a keep a cigar for free! Went to a local coffee house and I had the best ice coffee I ever had in my life! Learned lots about the city and even got to stop at the grocery store to pick up cheap booze for home! We had 2 TVs in our room which was nice after a long day in bed, lots of Spanish channels, only a few English, which again is not a big deal, air conditioning worked fantastic and we could control it. Wifi in lobby was good and reached to patio so we could sit and enjoy drinks and cigars while checking in with family. We did bring items to give to the housekeepers like we do in Cuba, they appreciated it but not as much as they are able to get those things here, instead I wish I had brought English books I no longer wanted to leave at the book nooks near the pools as I was only able to find 1 English book to read haha Things I wish I remembered to bring… - Shampoo & Conditioner - A book - Gravol for when we went deep sea fishing 🤢 Check out was a breeze, basically dropped off the keys and waited for our shuttle while we had breakfast and great coffee! Resort is great and great price, would definitely come back again and no complaints!

Cofresi Palm Beach and Spa Resort: Don't waist your money

The hotel looks nice until you take a closer look. My husband and I have been to many different resorts in the Dominican and have never had any problems BUT this resort..... to start it took over an hour to check in. Also... 1. The pools were pealing, the water was very cold and there was a lot of stuff/dirt floating on the surface. There were not enough umbrellas or chairs at the pools. 2. The water system was much to be desired. We had a trickle of water in our shower. My husband had to put [... read more] water from the sink in the ice bucket and pour it over me to have a shower and vice versa. After complaining 4 times about the shower (and them coming 4 times to try and fix it) we finally had pressure for two normal showers at the end of our vacation. Water was a big complaint of everyone we talked to. Some only had cold water. 3. Nine of us went down to this resort and only two didn't get sick. Some had diarrhea and some were throwing up. My husband and I had food poisoning two days before we went home. We had the same thing for lunch and ended up throwing up and diarrhea before supper which continued most of the night. I still have a sensitive stomach two days after getting home. 4. Like most resorts we have been to in the Dominican you do not drink the water from the taps in your room.The problem with this resort was there were ONLY two bottles of water a day in the rooms. By the time we made coffee and my husband filled his cpap machine there was no water for brushing teeth or taking pills or to drink. The two bottles are replaced each day but you only ever had two bottles. If you used one only one would be replaced. 5. The resort had a septic problem. You could smell sewage all around the resort. All toilet paper was to be put in the open garbage can beside the toilet and not in the toilet, not just in your own bathroom but the public bathrooms as well. Very unsanitary!!! 6. This is a very large resort with a lot of stairs. They wash the walkway and the stairs but it can get slippery on the stairs and we saw someone slip on the stairs one morning. This was supposed to be a 4 star resort but I would have a hard time giving it a one star. If it wasn't for the awesome staff, it wouldn't have a star rating at all. I think tripcentral needs to look more deeply into the resorts they recommend. We are very disappointed with this resort.

Cofresi Palm Beach and Spa Resort: Disappointed

We stayed at the confederacy February 26 to March 4, 2023. We were scheduled to arrive on February 25 but due to flight delays we didn’t arrive until February 26. Although we pre-paid for seven nights accommodations when we arrived on February 26 we were told the room wasn’t ready. We arrived at approximately 9:30 AM February 26, and had to sit and wait until almost 4 PM for our room. Difficult to understand how a room that we had paid for for the night of February 25 wasn’t available? The [... read more] service at the main reception check-in was deplorable. There was no empathy for the amount of time we were delayed arriving at the resort, nor was there any level of positive customer service when we inquired about our room availability. The Transat rep was very sarcastic and belittling. The resort itself was ok. However, the food was below standard of a four-star resort and undercooked. I would not recommend this resort and will certainly not be returning for another stay.

Playabachata Hotel: Very dated resort

The rooms of this resort are in desperate need is repair and TLC. For the number of people staying at the resort they need to open more restaurants asap. Our room had mold under the Air conditioner, the safe was broken, the chair broke when my husband sat in it and there was a sewage smell that circled the resort. The crowds in the dining room were excessive making cutlery and plates and glasses impossible to find. There is a huge disconnect between the two different front desks so communic [... read more]ation is poor. Overall I wouldn’t rate the hotel ver high and will not return.

Viva Heavens by Wyndham: Average hotel

The hotel seems to be old and in my opinion requires improvements. For example: Closing rooms door from outside require slamming the door which creates a lot of noise. Room Cupboard are not closing properly. Some food in the kitchen is over cooked, especially chicken. It is basically impossible to eat. The good think is the staff. Always friendly and happy to help.

Viva Heavens by Wyndham: Small, Adult Only Until May

This is a small, well appointed resort. It is clean and well maintained. The rooms are spacious, but are lacking in drawer space and could benefit from more hooks to hang towels and bathing suits on. If you use facecloths, bring your own, they do not provide them. Likewise with Kleenex. The pool is in full sun until mid afternoon and the beach is beautiful! The food is quite good and the specialty restaurants do not require reservations and open at 6:00 pm. The music at the pool was too l [... read more]oud for my enjoyment, but I know that others like that. However, the music after dinner was lovely.

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Outstanding Resort

This resort was the best that I have ever been to. The beach was clean, the water clear. The staff was super friendly and offered many entertainment throughout the day. Everything was within short walking distance. The rooms were very clean and the beds comfortable. The food was very good and none of us got sick during our stay. The view was magical. Everytime we would enter the dinning room, the ladies would great us with hand sanitizer and a smile.