Cayo Levantado Resort: Fantastic, peaceful, beautiful ahhhh love this resort

This resort is simply lovely right from the moment you pull up on the ferry. Think Fantasy Island. It is located on its own island and away from all the noise and hub other resorts have. The entire resort is beautiful and so well maintained. There are small touches all over the resort from flowers, to landscaping, to romantic Jacuzzi tubs they set up with rose petals and candles, to the greeters in all the restaurants where they always have greeting drinks and somebody giving you a squir [... read more]t of hand sanitizer. The food is fantastic. They mix it up well at the buffet. I enjoyed the ala carte restaurants. Also although this resort is spread out, it is very much wheelchair accessible. they have a shuttle that runs all day - very convenient . But if you like to walk as I do, I enjoyed walking all over the resort. They even have this awesome water chair that allows an individual with mobility issues to enjoy the beach and ocean. Speaking of the beach, this is also wonderful. You actually can enjoy both sunrise and sun set the way the land naturally is. There is ample space everywhere and you feel like you are on your own little resort on your own little island. Chairs are always available. Well done. I can't say enough great things about this resort

Riu Republica: Beautiful Resort

Very clean resort, clean rooms and grounds were nicely landscaped. great selection of food and drinks. Staff was very friendly! I love the beach with the white sand that seems like it goes on forever! I swam in the ocean everyday and walked the beach every morning. Our check in and out was very quick and friendly! Love the foam party and beach party! Definitely would book this trip again!

Occidental Punta Cana: A little misleading and not a 4 star but all in all a decent vacation.

Checkin is as described - Brutal. 2nd in line at the Transat private checkin and it still took 45-60 minutes to get a room and not a renovated room with a king which was what we asked for. Not all rooms are upgraded. They are under construction so one building was closed and being worked on. We were in an older building and despite asking several times to move we finally gave up as it was ruining our vacation stressing about it. To be fair the older room was not that bad, but a newer room w [... read more]ould have been nice. Our first time in Punta Cana and likely our last. The country is dirty and the people do not seem to have any pride so they throw their garbage anywhere and everywhere. Although nothing happened we never felt very safe off the resort even in the day time. The hotel had been purchased by Barcelo and part of the renovations took out all the palapas which we saw on the pictures and since my wife needs shade that was a bit disappointing to find out they were gone. They also advertised a casino but that does not exist yet. The hotel appeals to the Russians and although we met a few Russians that were nice the majority are pushy and want to always be served first, so this is an annoyance that I can do without when I`m on vacation. The majority of the staff were all friendly, but their was an expectation pretty well everywhere. At the lobby when getting change a tip was expected. Twice I asked for change for a $20 and both times I was shown $19 in the right hand and $1 in his left hand, the assumption being $19 for me and $1 for him. Probably would have tipped anyway, but don't like the expectation. Our Transat rep Antonio was only interested in what you had to say if you were booking an excursion. Other than that he had no time for you. A couple we met there went on an excursion to Saona island booked through Transat rep and she came back to the hotel crying that evening. worse day ever they said and unfortunately that was their last night so it leaves a sour taste in your mouth for vacation. They spent 5 hours on the bus going from location to location, dropping off, picking up, then the Rep let merchants onto the bus to try to sell them stuff and they hated that, they felt cornered, then they went on the boat and the Catamaran, both boats were so packed that they had very little space for them to sit and then when they got to the island the whole time they were there the merchants kept coming up to sell them stuff. Now the good The food at the buffet was quite good and 4 of the 5 a la cartes were also very good. We chose Lasagna at the Italian and that was not good at all. The pizza place was good, the Tacqueria was also good. The snack shack by the pool is also quite good for fast food and drinks. There was plenty to drink and even when there were lines, they moved pretty fast. The water at the beach is beautiful. There was a bit of seaweed which I hear is a problem but we did not really have an issue. The place never seemed that crowded and in fact they have a large pool that very few people use because there is no bar nearby so that pool which is likely the length of football field by about 30 yards wide is quite empty. Entertainment is as it is at most places and that`s ok. There is a disco that opens at 11pm but after midnight you have to pay for the drinks which we found odd. After my complaining they did offer to move us to another hotel but at this point we would have lost a day and we may have been moved to a worse place, so we decide 'better the devil you know'. We met some very nice Canadians (Punta Canada as they call it) and a few Americans and spent the majority of our days hanging out with them. The beach chairs and pools chairs were new which was nice.

Cofresi Palm Beach and Spa Resort: Great vacation

We just got back from our honeymoon at this resort, and for the most part everything was great. Grounds: great landscaping, beautiful plants and flowers and very clean. when we booked, we thought it was a smaller resort, not realizing it is in the middle of a giant time-share-esque property. We took the tour just for kicks and after that, no one really bugged us for anything. There are, of course, guys selling stuff on the beach, but they were pretty low key. Room: We had a Junior Suite, Oce [... read more]an View...I guess building 40 technically has an Ocean view; we could see some water over the roof of the restaurant in front of us. This truly had no negative bearing on our enjoyment, however. The bathroom was very nice, bed was comfortable, lots of closet and drawer space. minor complaints; 1.This resort does not keep your in room fridge stocked with drinks. They had 3 beers, 1 pepsi and a 7-up in there as a "welcome gift". This is the first resort I've ever been to that does this, and I found it cheap and disappointing. 2. We had to rent the lock and key for the in room safe. Again, this is not a big deal, it was only $3/day, but seriously?? I found this to be also, cheap and kind of silly. Restaurants: Not as large a selection as some of the other resorts I've been too, but every selection was very tasty and well prepared. All the a la cartes were great too. Beach; the beach was super fun and very nice. The VIP beach area was also excellent if you could get a bed. We enjoyed the shops on the beach, the puppies, and everything else down there. Bars; The VIP bar, swim up pool bars and disco were all quite good. Drink quality is better in the VIP area (planned that way, i assume). One thing I liked, was that, although the bar staff was happy if you tipped them, I never got the feeling that it was expected every time, or that they were only serving the big tippers. Juana, Henry and waitress Raquel were our favorites. One thing I found odd and annoying was how difficult it was to spend money there. I know that sounds weird, but follow me... We wanted to buy a nice bottle of wine at the first a la carte and were informed that there is no wine list and no options to purchase any. We found out much later in the week that we could buy a bottle at duty free and bring it with us. This is the first place I've ever been to like this. Then there is the bank machine issue...they only give domincan dollars...no option for American. Then, on two occasions, 2 ATMs were not working. Again, none of this ruined our vacation or anything, but it's just annoying stuff. BIGGEST COMPLAINT: This was our honeymoon. We contacted the hotel in advance to inform them of this. I asked if there was anything free or even for purchase as far as a honeymoon package. I was told that the Honeymoon package was free, but they could not tell us what it was. I thought we might get a room upgrade, or an extra a la carte, or a discount on spa services...you know...something honeymoon-ish. All we got was a small plate of fruit. Pretty disappointing. All in all, it was a really nice, fun, lovely vacation. I'd give this place a 7.5/10 overall. Puerto Plata in general, impressed us.

Viva Heavens by Wyndham: Pleasant surprise

First of all check in was a breeze,Jose on the front desk was pleasant and proficient ,our luggage was brought to our room within 3 min,the room was spotless, bright and spacious. because we arrived late at night we ordered room service which was delivered in no time.there are 5 restaurants ,we tried five ,the buffet served breakfast nothing special.the Mexican and Blend were excellent the Italian was very good too,this also serves as the lunch beach bar, not bad but the same every day, Pizz [... read more]a Hot dogs burgers fries .bit boring.no waiter service on the beach as advertised.but the staff at the bar were fantastic, the pool bar doubled as the evening bar, staff here were also fantastic , so friendly always a smile . this place could really use a lobby bar, the fact that there isn't would make me not return, the walk to the beach is 3-5 min not bad at all in fact i've walked a lot further at other resorts . beach is fantastic but could use a little more shade.the best part about this resort is definitely the Staff. both animation and wait staff superb, we had staff come and join us for breakfast more than once , a nice touch I thought, I guess it helps them with their English and you with your Spanish. would I go back ? If they changed the menu a little and put in a lobby bar and had the waiter service on the beach maybe yes but as it stands now No

Wyndham Alltra Punta Cana: Dreams Punta Cana

Dreams Punta Cana was no disappointment in terms of the resort, its facilities, it's beach, its a la carte restaurants and main buffet. The unique swimming pool is designed in such a way that it winds itself along the complexes and every guest has a piece of it at their doorstep - almost right down to the beach. The food was excellent in its variety, availability and taste. The rooms and balcony were nice in size and the beds were extremely comfortable. However, the rooms could be upgraded t [... read more]o include: a) a double dresser underneath the mounted TV (the space is there for it). The only place to put any personal wear is on open shelving contained within the closet; b) towel bars in the bathroom (there were none); c) the partial shower glass in the bathroom should be removed and a shower curtain installed in its place. You have to actually step into the bathtub to reach the shower controls and/or plug and to also test the water temperature - very inconvenient, not too mention that your feet could get hit with extremely hot or cold water; d) they need to move the toilet paper dispenser to the 'other' side of the toilet to make it more easily accessible. As it stands, you'd better not have shoulder problems - the backward reach is far. The only other noteworthy item for me was the service at the front entrance and in the main buffet. In my opinion, there could have been more staff. Last of the somewhat negatives were the flamingos on-site. They were cute and beautiful, BUT - they were very noisy and could be disturbing for guests that like to sleep in a little. Luckily, I was an early riser. On a positive note, however, I would definitely recommend this resort and also return there myself in a heartbeat - overall, the resort is simply beautiful and won't disappoint.

Emotions by Hodelpa Puerto Plata: The worse Resort we have ever been to.

Food was disgusting so we ate off resort most of the time. They kept turning our air conditioning off. Room was not cleaned until as late as after 7pm. Sheets never changed. Bed cover dirty/stained. Furniture broken. Fridge mouldy and bottled water not replaced. There was a fire/generator I believe. No power all night. Public washroom disgusting. No hot water most of the time. Staff saying they had not been paid in over 2 months. Renovating and putting people in rooms with just a bed. B [... read more]eautiful beach but should not be open until they complete reno and open all the facilities listed available.

Cayo Levantado Resort: Almost perfect

Beautiful place. Great attention to detail. Scrupulously clean and well-stocked. Friendly, attentive staff. Very good food: fresh, abundant, beautifully presented, excellent variety. Gorgeous beaches.

Grand Sirenis Punta Cana Resort: Disappointment ... big time - can not believe the rating assigned to hotel

We arrived Punta Canta only to find out that we were not on their list of arrivals to be taken to our resort - finally got on shuttle and arrived at resort only to find about a dozen people/families trying to change rooms !! Our room was NOT ready and we were told to come back around 3pm - it was 1230 so we went for lunch and came back (and were more or less ignored) as the front desk staff looked over our heads while the staff in the "back" room attempted to divvy up rooms available. We got  [... read more]absolutely nothing we requested and were prepared to pay for. Our room was finally assigned at 4:45. The room was full of mold and stunk bad with must. Within first five minutes, our door handle fell on the floor - the tub was blocked and as tub was only 4 feet, water sprayed around the bathroom and went out into the hallway. The door was rotted out at the bottom as a result of the water flowing freely. We asked for cleaning supplies and were told by maid service that they didn't have any, they cleaned surfaces with a brush only. Going to bed we had to request clean sheets as they had not been changed. We worked the next day to change our room - took again most of day - now two days wasted almost. The second room was better but not great as it too had MOLD but bathroom MUCH BETTER. In fact, since arriving back home, we have had to wash our clothing (dirty and not worn) three times as odor will NOT COME OUT. My suggestion is keep all your clothes in your suitcases and keep them closed. Grounds are beautiful, ocean fantastic, beaches just what your dream about. Buffets/restaurants provide a good variety, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables but more often than not food is cold (even when the restaurant just opens). Room staff and restaurant/buffet staff attempt to do all they can for you. Water slides great but have to walk a distance as there is no entrance when you leave the front door of the resort. Pools clean and areas around enjoyable. NO SMOKING signs in the main lobby / bar areas yet everyone smoking - what the hell is this ?? Lots of under age drinking. Casino - not really. Entertainment center okay and the young dancers/singers give it their all. LOTS of NEW RESORTS built around - told they will be revamping this one, but this will have to be major as they have to manage the mold situation and improve the front desk service. As well reps from Sunwing not available -- too busy in his words "making babies".

Royalton CHIC Punta Cana: Excellent Trip

We stayed at the Chic Punta Cana February 19th to the 25th. The hotel is beautiful and grounds well kept. The rooms are very spacious and modern. The staff of the hotel are the best I have ever seen. Luis, Frank, Ray and Valeria were especially kind and they took excellent care of us. The food was excellent in all restaurants, especially the steak house. We had a couple of issues in the room. One day no water, air conditioning went off a couple of times. However, all of these were fixed  [... read more]very promptly, within minutes and did not put any damper on the trip. The entertainment every night was excellent, fire show on the beach and a cirque de soleil act was very entertaining. The bubble machine at the pool was so much fun. All in all, a wonderful time at the Chic. I would return again and I would recommend this hotel.

Hyatt Vivid Punta Cana: Perfect resort for families

The buildings on this resort may be old but this is the cleanest resort I've ever been to & I have definitely been to a lot in the past 30 years & Punta Cana has been one of my favorites, travelling there 3 times. I would definitely recommend this resort to families I think they really cater to the kids, young to teens and even set up a special bulletin everyday in case of a rainy day I was there for 11 nights & I received a call every day from the concierge desk asking me if I was enjoying my  [... read more]vacation and if there was anything they could do for me. I was just a normal client to them, I was not on the preferred package. I wonder how much attention the preferred guest gets compared to the average, my husband & I were happy with the food & service we received there, the staff everywhere were very courteous. The entertainment in the evening shows were very professional, some were definitely outstanding. The gardens were gorgeous, my husband smokes and would not even consider throwing a butt out, always found an ashtray. On the beach where we spent all of our days, they would rake the seaweed a few times a day if needed. Yes I would recommend this resort & we will go back.

Cofresi Palm Beach and Spa Resort: Fair for the money

I got a one week all-inclusive (taxes included) for $1119. This is cheap considering the cost of other resorts for February 2017. I found that our room was clean, the air conditioning worked and the service was very good. There are only two things to note here for anyone considering this resort. First, there is a lot of walking since the resort is built on a hill. Therefore, going from your room to the upper level (lobby) or down to the beach will require some leg strength. Second, while t [... read more]he a-la-carte restaurants are very good, the buffets themselves don't have a lot of variety. All-in-all, a good buy.

Wyndham Alltra Punta Cana: Great resort, but is showing its age

This was our second time at this resort and we enjoyed it , good food excellent housekeeping staff, very friendly employees in general. The buildings were very well kept and grounds well manicured however its age is starting to show. We were a bit disapointed that some of the Specialty Resturants were often unavailable at supper times due to "private events".

Grand Sirenis Tropical Suites: Good Value

Checkin was smooth. Room was NOT renovated like in the pics. Old but clean. Double beds rather than queens like stated in the ad. Super firm matresses. Staff were friendly and helpful. Only 3 ala carte reservations permitted. Buffet was plentiful but slightly repetitive. Pool was huge and ideal for kids. Beach was beautiful but the current was too strong for swimming. Massage at the beach was amazing! Check out was smooth as well. Good stay but wouldn't return.

Bahia Principe Grand San Juan: Wonderful Bacation!

We really enjoyed the hotel. We thought the rooms were fine and liked the cathedral ceilings and balconies off the rooms. We enjoyed walking the long beach and loved the tradewinds keeping the heat very tolerable. The food was fairly good and lots of variety. We enjoyed the evening performances. The staff were very friendly and helpful and polite and hard working. The ocean water wasn't as clear as we expected and was not great for snorkelling etc.. We were disappointed that there was very poor  [... read more]free wifi connections and as a matter of fact we were unable to connect to the wifi all week. The mini bar in our room was not refilled every day as promised. The sports facilities were adequate but not great. The pool areas were lovely and we liked the open concept layout of the main building. Overall we were very pleased and enjoyed our relaxing vacation.

Catalonia Bavaro Resort: Awesome Resort

This resort was awesome. The grounds were clean and beautiful. All the staff was very friendly and helpful. Our room was always clean and well tended. The beach and pool areas were clean and well kept. Our overall experience was excellent and we will be back.

Riu Bambu: Okay resort

The resort was a little "tired" looking. I was surprised to find that we had an actual "key" with our room number on it and a large fob to carry it with. Not very secure if you had lost it! The beach there is one of the best that I have seen. Sand was beautiful and you could walk for miles. The rest of the resort was just okay. They had a lot of activities but I just found that the staff were not very friendly and if you wanted to have alcohol in your drinks you mostly had to ask for i [... read more]t. Sometimes they would put it in, sometimes not. Rooms were a little weird in that the toilet was separate but the sinks and shower were part of the room. If you go make sure whoever you are with you are not shy about undressing in front of them. Beds were okay although my daughter had to sleep on a pull out couch (there was three of us in the room). She said it was not very comfortable. Overall it was not terrible, just for an extra couple of hundred we could have stayed at the Riu down the road which looked from what we saw much nicer. Food was typical all inclusive fare.

Casa Marina Reef Resort: beautiful grounds

Loved the pools on the reef, hated that the beach was red flagged until the day before we left. The food was not very good (I had better in Cuba!) The room was basic, but the bed was comfy. Great location!

Cofresi Palm Beach and Spa Resort: Wondering Time

We had the time of our life, weather was great, food was excellent!!! But beware of the timeshare guys they are very push and try telling you they are only going to show you around the resort since it is so big, but that's not it, they will try everything for you to go with them. Overall was excellent.

Majestic Mirage Punta Cana All Suite Resort: Amazing Resort!!

Still a few bugs to work out as far as , hot water, electricity cutting out and so on, but overall, is a great place! I found the food at Elegance better last year than at the Mirage this year. again, something i'm sure they will get better at. Overall, awesome vacation!