The Reserve at Paradisus Punta Cana: Short & Sweet Review

Our week-long stay was too short; our overall experience was ultra sweet! Food was always excellent and varied in the Reserve buffet; reservation-only restaurants ranged from great (Vento,Bana) to average (Mole, Aqua); the grounds are SPECTACULAR; the staff super-friendly and extremely accommodating and happy in their work; the beach was pristine (they machine groom to remove seaweed several times a day); the shuttle service to the beach and main Paradisus hotel was unpredictable; the rooms wer [... read more]e spacious and VERY clean. Family Concierge service well worth the extra expense if you have kids. Everything at the Reserve portion Is a cut above—plus it is MUCH less crowded. Am going back!

Majestic Mirage Punta Cana All Suite Resort: Beautiful Resort!

The resort is beautiful! The rooms are very big, the coffee shop is fabulous, premium bar is amazing! There are many options for food- the Sports Bar was great and the Steak House is beautiful! The ability to go to th other 2 properties is fantastic. Definitely recommend!

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: We like it very much !

Yes , Indeed ! We like this kind of resorts, small, above 4 stars with a good staff and food. Room was very good with a breathtaking view. They still have room for improvement, I mean a night shows. It's all designed for young people, but most of people in the hotel were above 50. Overall, it's a great resort, to us it's a best place for a relaxing, beech vacation among all 3 nearby resorts.

Royalton CHIC Punta Cana: Chic Punta cana

We had a great time. Amazing location. Resort was not too big. Great daily fitness classes and variety. Culinary experience was really fun and worth it if your a foodie. Steak house was delicious! Great couples getaway.

Bahia Principe Explore Punta Cana: Good resort

Very good Resort staff was excellent. A lot bigger than Resorts I am used to. Very busy with people. If looking for peace and quiet dont stay here. Was told there were 4000 people on the whole property while we were there. Good place just wish it wasnt so busy.

Bahia Principe Grand Samana Roulette: Good Resort

Pool's where good Beach, okay not clear water Food-More fish than any fish lover would want Pool's where good Beach, okay not clear water Food-More fish than any fish lover would want Staff excellent Rooms clean Service Good Bus ride to resort was peaceful and smooth. Buggy rides to get around very helpful for people that cant walk step hills.

Hyatt Vivid Punta Cana: The good heavily outweighed by the Bad (Stolen $)

Cons ----- Con #1. I'll start with the cash taken out of my spouse and I's room, along with another couple we travelled with. One of the couples we travelled with had a $100 canadian bill stolen, pretty easy to keep track of. They were on the same floor as us. The next night (I count my money twice a day) I noticed my bag had been tipped over and my wallet was moved inside my bag, where I was missing specific bills I never touch. My spouse had her purse riffled through and wallet opened [... read more] where she kept her money. Did I mention none of the safes work at all? Upon our complaint to the front desk, we had "security" come and inspect our room only to tell us they can do nothing. They urged us "this is not common" yet they had PAGES of reports in their paperwork with the same issues. They offered to rummage through our room to help us "find the missing money" which we obviously declined. They then suggested we fill out a generic report, which had questions SPECIFICALLY laid out relating to theft. After spending a few hours explaining what happened (they were extremely rude and didn't care) we met with the head of security the next day, where he showed us the entry history into our room, confirming it was the maid being the only and last one in the room since the money was missing. Since they have no proof of her actually taking the money, they can't do anything. Which means no repercussions for future theft. We were given a gift card for one of the shops, which is better than nothing. After speaking with some of the employees we were friendly with, they re-affirmed that the amount stolen was "not that much" and that "wouldn't we want the money to go to someone who needs it?", their mentality is completely different than ours. Con #2 Upon arriving at the resort after 14 hours of travel, we were attempted to be upsold by the most rude and condescending front desk person I've ever encountered on vacation. It was obvious they had an entire sales pitch to get more money out of us. After finally declining for 20 minutes and sweating with our luggage, they gave us our rooms (which was the furthest building away from the beach). Not a great view at all, but unless you want to pay an extra $600+ U.S for a week, you have to deal with it. Con #3 The seafood gave four out of six of us diarrhea for at least a day. DO NOT EAT IT Con #4 Mold in the room made all of us sick by the end of the week, you could hear everyone coughing on the beach by the last day. Three out of six of us had to call in sick the following week at least one day it was that bad. A doctor confirmed it was a type of flu, for myself personally it feels like bronchitis. The shower had tiles coming out. Con #5 Don't expect much service at all at buffets, they might offer you a coffee then never come back. When we went to get our own, they would come and give us dirty looks and tell us they can get us one. Pros ------- Pro #1 Food was absolutely fantastic (don't eat the seafood), beach bbq was great, a la cartes were awesome, buffets were great. Pro #2 High-end liquor with mobile bartenders was a highlight. I don't drink often at all, but it was nice to have a higher quality drink, bartenders were very professional and great to interact with. Pro #3 Beach was very nice, lots of seating (hard to reserve though) Pro #4 Tons of events going on all day by the pool and by the beach, always something to do. Pro #5 Very close to the airport, was a great quick ride Pro #6 the gym was awesome, very small but good enough. (wish I wasn't so sick I could've gone more) Overall : I would not return to Dominican let alone Dreams Palm Beach due to the money stolen, the food poisoning and the mold in the room that got most of us sick. The customer service we received was mostly abysmal when we needed it. They all look down on us as entitled and will do anything to squeeze more money out of their tourists. Pay the extra money and go somewhere else, I definitely will. (Wait for a generic response from the resort claiming I'm not a victim with a condescending tone addressing none of the issues I outlined). Hope this helps someone with their decision out there.

Bahia Principe Escape Aquamarine: Another Excellent Holiday

Our 4th time at the Ambar. First time in the Green Section. Grounds were beautiful, food was excellent, we had an wonderful room overlooking the pool. Staff were very friendly and always offering to help. Sony our Butler, Maura, Lorenzo and Yohan at the restaurants were exceptional. Great vacation experience.

VH Atmosphere: Okay Resort

The VH Atmosphere was a nice modern resort. Very clean. Nice people but everything closed at 12:00am. Meaning, no food or drinks. Being that it's an adults only resort, it seems strange. The cleaning lady came at 8am to clean the room. We were still sleeping. This is too early. They need to adjust the times. The food was the same almost every day and the bee's and flies were bad. The international and italian food was very good. (Al-a-carts). They still need to figure out things to make it bette [... read more]r. The resort opened December 15th, 2017.

Riu Palace Punta Cana: Riu Palace Punta Cana

I selected this resort as had been to one in Jamaica as was pleased. While the hotel is older it was majestic. The rooms were older looking but everything was very clean. The first room was musty but moved to another room facing pool and was happy with that. The Jacuzzi didnt work but with in minutes of mentioning this to Sunwing rep it was repaired immediately. Pool small but spent most time on beach. Ocean rough most days but the beach spectacular. Food was great and presentation amazing. [... read more] Never got sick. Lots of choices. Only down side too much salt used in everything. I would definitely book with Riu again. Perhaps next time adults only. When looking at other hotels I think this was by far one of the best choices and other guests agreed.

Ocean Blue and Sand: Great stay.

This was my first time south and it didn't disappoint. The food was amazing especially at the a la cartes. Buffet was a miss only once. The pools were clean, cool and refreshing. Staff there were friendly and courteous. Beach was okay, ocean a bit wild but lots of places to sit. Only downsides were the H10 reps trying to sell their travel package, mini fridge wasn't stocked a couple of days and we had to find a maid for some beverages, Wi-Fi didn't always work and the room needed some attention.

Iberostar Waves Punta Cana: Amazing Family Resort

We stayed over New Years Eve !! Had a wonderful time. The grounds were very well kept, and because it was the holidays mini lights and Christmas lights were strung in every hedge and palm tree. The staff made sure we had a good time. Great Iberostar in the DR.......as always.

Dreams Onyx Resort and Spa: Family Vacation

We are four families (8 adults 6 children) who just came back from the Now Onyx. The resort was everything we hoped it would be and more. It is not too big so easy to get around. There are several pools and the most beautiful pristine beach! Our grandkids (ages 2 to 7) loved the kiddie pool which was nice and warm. The buffet is fine and the three ala cartes we tried were very good. The staff are amazing and so eager to please. This resort is excellent value and I hope we can all come back again [... read more].

Be Live Experience Hamaca Beach: No thank you

I want to start by saying that my family and I are not snobby about travel. We are very patient and very forgiving. We know that you get what you pay for and we try to remember that we are on vacation and together and that is all that should matter. I can honestly say that this is the first time that I found myself nervous about safety, uncomfortable in my room, unable to communicate and worried about my children (17, 15 and 13). I will break it down by areas. I can only speak of my exper [... read more]ience but if you are looking for family travel this may not be the spot. Flight-Sunwing and Arrival Times (6:15 am flight arrived hotel 3:45) Delayed 45 minutes (its Canada what can you do). We arrived in La Romana and spent 2.5 hours in the immigration line behind all of our fellow passengers because we had additional paperwork to fill out for our minors. People on our transfer had to wait in the bus for us to come through. They were not happy. We then had about 1 hour and 45 minute drive to the hotel with 4 to 5 stops. Once we arrived at the hotel (after the 3:00 pm check-in) we waited about 40 minutes in line. Our room was not ready. They asked us to come back in 45 minutes. We came back and got one of our two rooms. Two hours later we got the second room. *Tip* Do not let them pull you out of line to fill out extra paperwork if you have children with you. Either ask for it from Sunwing or stay in line to fill it out. Beach-Pool Beach-beautiful absolutely our favourite part. Pool at Hamaca Garden with swim up bar better than the one on the beach side. Mostly clean. Towels are $20 US but keep the receipt in your safe. They will not tell you but you get cards to turn into the towel guy. You only get your money back with the return of the cards and the receipt at the end of your trip. Lots of people out that money. Service No one spoke English at all. I have a seafood allergy and a child who is vegetarian. This made everything with food very difficult. Any questions or requests could not be responded to and the staff seemed rude and uninterested because of this. The only thing they could appropriately communicate was that they liked our daughters (super creepy). One bartender gave our 15 year old a “special” drink. They tried to offer both the girls alcohol. We were told untruths many times in order to get “rid” of us because they could not understand or accommodate us. Absolutely disappointing! We would have been more vocal but it hardly seemed worth it. Accommodations-Housekeeping Rooms were large in size. They were moldy and the doors were falling apart. My husband had to tighten the bathroom door handle with nail clippers. Toilet in our room ran and we had hot water but our friends (who upgraded for 350 US dollars) had no hot water and flooding in their room. They upgraded because their first room had a cracked toilet and blood stained walls. Elevator is old and there were several power outages every day so there were a few times people were stuck in them. Main bathrooms did not have flushing toilets and the hallways felt like an asylum. The resort is very old and smelly. Bring air freshener with you. I do have to say that Andrea our maid was sweet and did the best she could with what she had to work with. Food/Beverages It was okay. Kids liked the snack bar. Beer was fine but the wine was not very good and when I ordered white I always got red. Cats and Dogs do hang around the buffet so beware. Italian was fine as an a la carte but service was awful. Mexican was great food and awesome guacamole but service was blah. Bartenders at the Beach bars were not too bad. Mr. Rogers’s bartenders get thumbs down. The best one was definitely at the swim up bar. Entertainment Hearts in the right place for sure but all instruction in French or Spanish and even Russian but no English and the games were boring. There was only one girl that I liked and she always tried to be fun. WIFI is not clear on how to get it but it’s by the pool for one hour a day and super slow. Excursion to La Hacienda My boy who is very tall was not able to do the zip line which meant I didn’t either. He was super upset. I asked before we booked if there was a weight restriction and they said no. He was so disappointed and also missed out on the horseback riding. We were told it was 1 hour 20 minutes away. It took 3 hours after all of the pickups and 2 and half back to the hotel. I will be sending something to Sunwing about this. We also went down the beach a little ways and had a beer. The restaurant tried to charge us $50 US dollars for 4 drinks. We did go to Juan Dolio beach and that was okay but everyone everywhere wants money from you. Just say no thank you. they will usually go away. Overall, very disappointed! This was our first vacation in Dominican. Not sure we would ever go back. Sunwing should really think about their partnership with the Be Live Hamaca. Normally love and trust Sunwing did not love Be Live!

Cofresi Palm Beach and Spa Resort: worst resort ever

beach is bad,, seaweed, rocks all over..pools are dirty.. anywhere you have to go,, have to take a bus shuttle.. sometime waited 40 minutes at a time for the shuttle bus.. customer service is the worst. people are rude,, i had a sink leak , water was dripping on floor .. they took 8 hours after 6 ph calls . and came and shut off the water in sink.. i had to use the bath tub to brush teeth and everything.. i asked to change the room.. without checking front desk said , no rooms available.. it [... read more] was a disaster. and food was terrible..

Paradise Playa Dorada: Good value

Staff was very friendly! Everyone was smiling and ready to answer questions or help if needed. Food wasnt the best for me being a vegetarian.. lots of meats and fish. Veggies were all cooked in butter (which i dont eat). Few cold salad options. desserts were all a hit with my crew! First impression of rooms were good but when you look closely, there were some items that needed to be fixed. - towel bar was hanging, caulking etc. Pools were a bit cold and very sandy from people coming from the [... read more] beach. Beach was great. No seaweed, plenty of chairs, clean sand. Huge plus- No bugs and the endless supply of towels I wouldnt stay here again but if youre looking for a deal, this is one of the best resorts ive been too on a budget.

Marien Puerto Plata Hotel: Great Resort!

My Family and I really enjoyed our stay at the Be Live Marien Resort. The beach was very beautiful and clean, with lots of lounges to lay on to soak up some rays! The water was a nice temperature and if you like a few waves at times like us, you’ll love this beach too! The pool is huge and the entertainment crew made it very enjoyable also! Night life began every night with some live entertainment at the theatre and there were night clubs to enjoy afterwards and a casino as well if you want [... read more]. There is a multitude of food and drinks of many kinds, so you’ll never go hungry or thirsty and the staff all around look after people very well! We enjoyed our trip and highly recommend this resort to anyone

Occidental Caribe: Simply Loved It!

This resort had such a warm and friendly environment. We stayed in the Ocean Front Superior room. So clean. The buffet area is beautiful and the food is great, We certainly did not go hungry. The pool area for the kids was amazing and the bigger pool was fantastic. Our favorite al a Carte was the Italian. My husband is Italian and a very picky eater. We went twice. Loved it. We cannot say enough about the staff. They were very attentive and polite. I highly would recommend this resort.

The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: Wonderful time because of wonderful people/resort!

This is a great resort! I was skeptical at first - worried about my mobility issues (double hip surgeries) but no problems at all. They have shuttles and golf carts to take you to any area on the resort, to get to the beach a very modern and quick elevator. We were located in the main building, steps away from the amazing buffet and the main pool. What made this resort unique was the amazing people working there! I have travelled the Caribbean islands quite a bit - service people put on a p [... read more]olite - give me a tip please smile. People working at this resort are the real deal! Mercedes, Ana, Dady (especially Dady the manager of the main dining lounge WOW!) Pablo (Lewis) Raul the bartender made for a great stay. I never heard one bad thing about anything or anyone (other than a sour faced lady (?) who complained the music was too loud (go to the beach where there is quiet and peace if that is what you want! Your in the Dominican - ENJOY!) The meals - they were great. Lots of everything - mixed it up as much as possible and DO NOT book any a la cartes on Gala night. The resort must have brought in around 500-600 lobsters, plus mussels, clams, crabs (legs) oysters as well as chicken, beef. All servers are wanting to please and Dady will make sure that it is. We did have an issue with the room key not working but it was corrected as quickly as possible. The air conditioner could have been colder - but it was ok. I was leaving the cold - didn't need to be reminded of what was waiting for my return! The room was clean, the resort is continuously cleaning, painting, picking up and scrubbing. The beach is cleaned every morning the pools and hot tubs are scrubbed down every morning. The animation team tries to keep everyone involved and has games or will sit down and chat and make everyone feel welcome. Thank you again Pablo (Lewis) for explaining some of the Dominican culture to us. If you want a huge sprawling resort this might not be the resort for you but if you want some pleasant, and personable people looking after you with good food, lots of drinks that are very well made please consider Grand Bahia Principe Cayacoa.

Iberostar Waves Punta Cana: Very Good Value!!

The hotel was well taken care of, despite the age of the facility. Great service, good food, and lots of entertainment! There was lots of staff at the restaurants, bars, beach, etc. My only complaint was that the a-la-carte restaurants were almost completely booked when we arrived, so we couldn't get into the restaurants we wanted...besides that, a very good resort.