Riu Merengue: Okay resort

The place was decent. Should be a 3 star. No air conditioner for 2 days no water in our room for a day. Staff was nice. Food was good. Beach wasn't as nice as I thought. Very busy on the weekend and was hard to get a lounger.

Bahia Principe Escape Bouganville: Amazing resort!

Luxury Bahia Principe Bougainville........I have nothing bad to say......Rooms were very spacious, luxurious, clean and welcoming. The food.......Oh My God, the food.......phenomenal is the word that best describes it for me. Regardless of your preferences, there was always an excellent selection for all tastes. The pools, grounds and beach were impeccably clean and kept. There was a pool for every choice......livelier or more relax. The grounds were very well kept and the flora was amazing [... read more]. The beach was lovely. I have to say that the staff are some of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. All in all a 10 Star for me!!!!!!!!

Bahia Principe Explore Esmeralda: Better than expected

We were really happy with the Esmeralda. The rooms were clean and spacious. The grounds were beautiful, covered in emmaculate gardens and greenery. We stayed mostly at the quiet pool, which was clean and the swim up bar staff were so friendly and funny. Always made us feel welcome, even when they were busy. The food and restaurants at this resort were very good. The good thing is , if you didn't really like your meal, you always had the appetizer buffet to fall back on. The Buffet restaur [... read more]ant was also good. The beach is incredible in Punta Cana. loved it. The entertainment at night was perfect for us. We really enjoyed it and danced so much. The staff at Esmeralda went out of their way to assure we had a wonderful vacation.overall, this resort was better than expected and We will definately return. thank you.

Grand Sirenis Tropical Suites: A great, relaxing time!

We visited Sirenis Tropical Suites 12-26 February 2017. We picked this resort mainly for the wonderful beach. We had visited the resort twice in the past and always had a great time. The transport from the airport to the resort was efficient. The new road extension makes the drive more enjoyable and quicker than in the past. We didn't have to stop at any other resorts to drop folks off. Our check in was great. Because we had visited the resort before, our room was in the N building, close  [... read more]to the beach. We didn't have an ocean view, but we had great sun at the end of the day while we sat on our balcony relaxing before dinner. The room was a bit stuffy when we arrived, but once the ceiling fan was on, the mustiness went away. Since our last visit they have made some exterior changes such as changing the main walkway to the beach from wooden to tile and replaced the water feature wth gardens. The resort is one of the older ones in the region, and time, heat, and moisture take its toll on the buildings. That being said, even though the resort is looking "tired", it is well maintained. The rooms were well cleaned every day and the grounds are well cared for. We ate at all the restaurants except the Mexican one (closed for roof maintenance) and Route 66( didn't need to eat North American food). Our 2 favourites were the Italian and Steak restaurants. The Jade restaurant food was good, but it was a noisy place. The buffets had standard choices. At times the steam tables didn't keep the food warm. There were microwaves available to heat up your food as desired. Each morning you could get freshly made eggs or omelette and at night, they always had fresh pasta available which were good choices. The serve staff were great. At the buffet, Wendy and her team always warmly welcomed us. The concierge staff for our building were great. Javier and his team managed to get us dinner reservations at the times we wanted. The animation staff was great and busy. They started activities at 1000 and most worked until after the evening show that usually ended around 2200. There was a great variety of activities. All except 1 of the evening shows was performed by the animation and resort dance team. There was also a resort band that played in the lobby and for some shows. All the staff at the resort are very friendly. Wilson, the beach bar tender even knew that when I came with my thermos mugs I wanted water and ice - not beer like most folks did! The beach is wonderful. Being to the north of Punta Cana (Uvero Alto), there are not as many large resorts. You could walk north along the beach for 3 km and see very few people and only 3 other resorts. We could have walked further, but the security guard at the last resort didn't recommend it. There are lots of beach lounges and palapa at the resort. If you couldn't get a palapa, there are lots of palm trees to sit under. Lots of white sand and minimal sea weed. The pool is large and winds around the beach front of the resort. We didn't spend time in the pool because the beach is so nice. As in most resorts there are time share sales people. We were approached by them to see if we were interested in exploring their product. If you politely decline they didn't bother you again. We basically told them that we were here to relax and not worry about finances. I know other reviews indicated that the resort is tired and requires some upgrading. We were told that starting June 2017 they will systematically close sections of the resort and renovate them. I understand this process might take a year to complete. They need to bring the rooms up to current standards, freshen up the common spaces and improve the function of the buffets to keep the food warmer. I would be very interested to return to this resort once the renovations are complete to see the improvements.

Viva Heavens by Wyndham: Great resort

If you want a resort RIGHT on the beach, this is not it. BUT it's a great resort with great food , good staff and nice rooms. Remember it's also a smaller hotel with approx. 120 rooms which is nice. They have some nice extra's at this hotel. One being free 24-7 room service , and good wifi throughout the resort and your room. Found the food very good in the buffet which we stuck to a lot and also went to one specialty restaurant. The specialty restaurants also do not need any reservations which  [... read more]is also nice. Found the drinks top notch with better rum's and vodka's than the cheaper varieties. They also used small bottles of soda instead of fountain which was also fresher. Would for sure stay here again. Some complain of the five minute walk to the beach but we all need the exercise after eating and drinking ! Only negative about this resort was a shortage of cabana's on the beach and no one returning your emails at the office. (emailed hotel twice but didn't respond)

Bahia Principe Escape Bouganville: Best Resort Ever!!!

This was our 2nd time to this resort and it didn't disappoint. It has expanded and added more rooms, another pool, and a Gourmet and Japanese restaurants. The service at this resort is a 10star! We had the most amazing service all week, from our Butler(who was by far the best ever.. Fausto), our servers at the lobby bar, our breakfast, lunch, and dinners at the buffets, but the Gourmet restaurant is the cream of the crop. The food was amazing and the staff were so much fun, fast, and attentiv [... read more]e to every need you had. Going back again for sure

Melia Caribe Beach Resort: Amazing resort

The rooms are very huge, lots of pool for kids, great dinning lots of choice, huge resort , verry clean, people are amazing there,but price its a little high. Hope we can goo again next year if price gonna be affordable

Riu Republica: Great resort with a fun atmosphere

Rooms were clean, new and comfortable. The beach was beautiful and clean. Pools were well kept and there was always activities going on to keep everyone entertained. Food at the buffet had lots of variety and always replenished frequently. The specialty restaurants could use some more experience in the wait staff but with being a newer resort, it is to be expected. A couple small tweaks and this resort could be top notch.

Riu Palace Macao: Outstanding!!!

Have been to several Riu's before but not a palace. The palace is a step up from the regular Riu's which themselves are excellent. Everything at the resort was exceptional. We couldn't find anything to complain about.

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: MY VACATION

I felt that because it was my first time there that they should have given me info. at checkin regarding the resort and what was available . No special greeting by the resort staff when i arrived after a very long travelling day. Every other resort that i have gone to has greeted me with a nice hot towel and refreshing drink. My room had no dressers or comfy chairs or coffee maker. Staff extremely helpful however when i needed help. Good selection of food and beverages. The pasta bar was  [... read more]amazing....the very best ...even better than the Italian dining room. Within walking distance of the golf course and also a mall nearby.

Riu Republica: Destination wedding heaven

First off, I would recommend this hotel to any of my friends. The staff was phenomenal. They entirely made our trip. A special shout out to both Braulio who made our all of our meals an event to remember and Samuel (aka Babyface) who made the evenings quite the same. It was a trip my wife/family/friends won't forget. About the hotel itself. The rooms were very clean and staff cleaned them every day even into the early evenings if you wanted. The grounds were immaculate while the [... read more] pools and beach service being quite quick. Now the best part. The chefs cooked amazing food for buffets. Sure there were misses here and there but that is to be expected when they changed the menu every night. However, overall...wow my entire group was blown away. A piece I would caution about is the excursions. We went on 2. The first was a half day country tour detailing the daily life of a family. It was a rewarding and informational tour and Danny boy our guide could easily do stand up comedy. Great time. Then the 2nd trip happened and we went to the capital for a full day trip. We happened to be the unlucky bus with a crying baby for 3h45mins on a bus each way there/back. My disdain for the parents who made their 1 year old spend a full 8 hours on a bus ruining everyone's day has no bounds. While not the hotel's fault...be careful of the full long day trips which aren't of the party version. Friends told me those were quite fun. Our wedding itself was so memorable. The ceremony on the beach was so much fun with the minister and music on point. Our photographer Nicolas knew his stuff, was patient with me even though I'm terrible taking pictures and did an amazing job as evidenced by all the comments my wife has received since we returned. I apologize for the novel but all in all, best trip of our lives. Go here if you can.

Casa Marina Reef Resort: Amazing resort

Rooms were extremely clean Food was awesome Pool was great Would have liked to have more lawn chairs and more activities down at the beach Would like to have a 24 hour bar with food Awesome time at the resort.

Bahia Principe Grand San Juan: Somewhat disappointing

This was our 7th vacation at this resort. This has been our destination of choice mainly because of the service staff who work there, the wait staff, the cleaners, guest services, etc. We have travelled quite extensively but very simply, this staff, are the best. Professional, friendly and very social! They can't do enough to make your time with them pleasurable. Too bad the same cannot be said of management. This trip we decided to treat ourselves and book a suite. Upon arriving we were put in [... read more]to a regular room. We went to the main desk and were immediately referred to the guest services staff. We were told that the suites were being renovated and we would be in the room by Monday, this being Saturday. Come Monday, no room. We were now told Tuesday. However, we were told by people we had met that they had been offered an upgrade to another resort because this resort was over booked. So, on Tuesday, back to guest services and again, no available suite. I asked to speak to the manager and was told, surprisingly, that the manager did not speak to guests and left it to staff to deal with complaints. That was not an option for me so I insisted in speaking to the manager and shortly thereafter he arrived. I told him that I expected better treatment and wanted to know the truth; were the suites being renovated or was the resort over booked? He admitted that the resort was over booked, but he guaranteed us that we would be in a suite by Friday. This was very disappointing but as we were staying for 2 weeks we, at least, would have one week in a suite. Then we discussed the issue of compensation and although they would not refund cash, we were able to negotiate an agreement for various services that more than compensated for the loss of a week in the suite. However, this was not the only disappointing aspect of our vacation. One reason we keep returning to the D.R. is the quality, quantity and variety of food at the resort. This time, on several occasions, the buffet ran out some food, particularly at breakfast. There were several mornings that they ran out of bacon, bread for toast and one morning, eggs. This is unacceptable! Lunch and dinner in the buffet was usually varied as they had theme nights and the food generally good. The al a carte restaurants were excellent, although on the recommendation of others we met we did not go to the Japanese restaurant. We did have the romantic dinner for 2, on the beach, and cannot recommend this highly enough. We have been married many years but this may have been one of the most romantic evenings we have ever had. The setting on the beach, 50ft from the water, the mood lighting and soft music only added to the excellent food and service. We had a server named Jose who catered only to us and it was wonderful. My wife and I are in somewhat of a quandary. This vacation did not live up to our past experiences at this resort and we are questioning whether we would return, despite our love for the place. Our 1st vacation there as about 18 years ago and every time we went was a pleasurable experience. We just don't know if we would take the chance and return again. Grand Bahia has spent some money and every room has a new air conditioning system. Some renovations have been made but it is getting tired looking. Bahia has expanded its operation recently, opening several new resorts in the D.R. and they make be neglecting some of its older properties. If this trip was an outlier compared to other trips we've made then I would recommend it for a mid priced vacation, if for no other reason than to experience what a resort staff should be. We will be considering our options as to whether we will return or not.

Blue Bay Villas Doradas: Some Things Good, Some Things Not So Good.

We stayed for two weeks and upon checking into our room (superior upgrade) we were greeted with no hot water at 11 pm. The next morning there was still no hot water with which to shower and I reported it to the reception desk. During the two week period I found myself reporting no hot water in our room on no fewer than eight times. They reset the boiler and once done it was fine until it went awry again. The first couple of days were rainy and we noted people had the use of blue umbrellas so [... read more] we asked for one but were told if there was none in our room we would get one when someone checked out. Four days later no umbrella but the weather was sunny so we didn't need it. Other rooms had a small table outside on their balcony/terrace so we asked for one which we didn't get until my girlfriend raised the issue with them once again and also about the umbrella. She told the desk she was very disappointed with our small requests not being addressed but later that day we received a small table and an umbrella. Often the cleaning staff did not get to our room until 5 pm when were were wanting to have a shower and prepare to go out. The cleaning staff seems to be overworked and I believe the resort lacks sufficient staff to do the cleaning of rooms. Not too much to ask in my view. The pools were clean and the swim up bar was good with local drinks and local beer a plenty. There were lots of poolside games and events which were fun and the activity staff was great. The evening entertainment at the theater was excellent with us having taken in four shows put on by a local dance troop that was fantastic. Great music and great dancing. From 11 pm to 1 am the DJ moved to the beach area where music consisted of some hip hop/pop music but was mostly latin/Dominican flavoured. Fun stuff if you can dance to it. The food in the buffet restaurant was quite good with a good variety but lets face it you can't expect breakfast pancakes and French toast sitting in a warming tray to be good and it wasn't. I stuck to fruit, croissants (excellent) and scrambled eggs and the occasional prepared egg dish. The sausages were always dry and hard. Bacon was served only occasionally if you like bacon. The breads and rolls etc were excellent though. We found the coffee quite strong and bitter but we were able to ask for a cappuchino which was very good. There are a few machines throughout that dispense it or regular coffee. There are three a la carte restaurants one Asian, one seafood and one grill for steak etc. The food at all three was excellent and the service was prompt and courteous except for on our last night at the El Pescadore seafood restaurant. Reservations are a must and proper attire is required. A few days prior to our last night we made reservations at the seafood restaurant for 8 pm. Being our last night we got dressed up and were looking forward to a nice last dinner together on the beach. Upon our arrival at 7:55 pm I presented our reservation card to the server at the door and he told us they were not ready yet for us and that we could wait outside on the patio. We noted there were three empty tables the we waited outside. Over the ten minutes that followed three couples arrived and they were all seated quickly. My girlfriend asked last couple what time their reservation was for and they said 8 pm. Now well after 8 pm we had no table so we departed. The server only then came running out to tell us they were now ready for us and that we should come back in. We declined and departed after telling him it was not right to have had us wait while seating three other couples who arrived well after us. The incident was reported to the assistant manager who agreed that what he did was rude and improper. That said, everyone else we encountered at the resort was very kind, helpful and pleasant. On a scale of one to ten I would give Blue Bay Villas Doradas a 6 and no more. The superior room was less than that with no hot water, the lack of clean, fresh towels occasionally, few amenities in the room, things in disrepair etc. and inconsistent room cleaning. It has a price point and you get what you pay for. I have been to much better beaches. I have been to DR several times now and most other times I stayed at a higher end resort which is what we should have done this time around. It was okay but a bit of a disappointment.

Ocean Blue and Sand: Quite adequate resort, lots of families, building 3 pretty central to amenities and the beach

Hotel overall very clean, food pretty good. The beach seems to be the only one in the immediate area suffering major damage due to erosion and humungous sand bags (looking like beached whales) have been created to form a breakwater now. Therefore the beach is not very wide, and there is a steep grade in the sand to get down to the edge of the water. Lots of flat walking, but a shuttle goes back and forth from beach to reception constantly. The three story buildings are walk-up, no elevators.  [... read more]A nice variety of ala carte restaurants, but no reservations allowed except in the Japanese and then you have to line up to reserve for one of three sittings on the very day, not beforehand. The shower has those half-doors which cause water to run all over the place, even once you have learned to set the shower head to the best position. I left this complaint with the hotel, but doubt that will change. I did not see a bug at this place and we were there the end of February. Also, there did not seem to be many birds. Nice gardens. Rooms large. Overall very nice.

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Great resort

Great time, buffet was always hard to get a clean table, had a great server on the night shift though always tried to get a table for us as we were a group of 10 Food is great and always a great selection would recommend this resort

Sunscape Coco Punta Cana: Disappointing for a 5 Star VIP

Our biggest complaint was the food in the buffet. What they served at lunch was the same at super and always cold. There was only one cooking station . Most of the Menu at the Steak house and Mediterranean Restaurant Was not included, you had to pay.What you could order was not good and the service was terrible.We walked out both of restaurants.Our room was acceptable, clean and a beautiful ocean view, but there were several things that were promised not in our room and we had to waist a lot o [... read more]f our time chasing people down to get them.There I are other things that happened.Just to many to mention.We have been going to D.R. for 16 years. We will not return to this resort.

Bahia Principe Escape Aquamarine: Beautiful Resort

All were nice but to far from the Beach.I was disappointed on housekeeping,On the last day ,the room was not clean till 6 pm after complain and was done poorly,they didn't stock the mini bar or bring all the towels.Resort employees English is very poor specially waiters

Bahia Principe Grand Samana Roulette: Great Holiday

The food was great. Resort very clean! Staff friendly! Beach lovely. Slight musty smell when using a/c in the room but we used the ceiling fan most of the time. Second time to Grand Bahia Portillo and very pleased both times.

The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: Amazing Week

Just came back from this amazing resort. We had a great time! The food was great and the service was fantastic especially Douglas and Junior. The staff keep everything so clean and make sure that you are comfortable. Can't wait to go back and see everyone again!