Surprise Escapes: Not surprised we got Chic, but great hotel!

Excellent small adults only. Not crowded. No reservations required for al a cartes. Modern and very clean. Comfortable Beds. Fun entertainment. Buffet was not very good, and beach very windy and wavy most days.

Barcelo Bavaro Beach: Fine hotel and beach

Very clean and orderly. Adults only environment so party hardy is not outrageous, but good clean fun. Food very good. Alcohol includes popular brands such as Johnny walker, etc. Staff very polite and helpful. Beach well kept, and no harassment by beach vendors.

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: Amazing resort !

Just spent a week at this amazing resort. The views are breathtaking . Excellent food...staff were so helpful and so willing to please. Perfect place to unwind and relax. The complex was so clean from the beach to the pool area to the dining to the guest rooms.

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: The resort was amazing and very relaxing.

The staff was amazing and very caring. We even witnessed the pool be scrubbed down before people entered the pool. The kitchen staff under the chef was super. In general, This was one very good resort to go to. Everyone worked to make your stay very enjoyable.

Barcelo Bavaro Beach: beautiful resort, but....

The first night we were locked out of our room because of "faulty card keys". At bedtime I was left standing in the hall for a good ten minutes while my son returned to the lobby yet again so we could gain access to our room. The next day we were locked out again in the morning and again in the afternoon. The mini fridge had only pop and beer no alcohol. The shower was horrendous, that huge shower head fell off every time we showered, hitting me and also my son on the top of the foot [... read more]. We decided to use one of the drawers and found two syringes inside!!!!! One day instead of being taken by the "train" directly to our room we were chauffeured around the grounds and I must say I was stunned. The grounds etc were absolutely beautiful. The kids area with the swimming pool and large water animals looked great. I was amazed at how large and gorgeous the property actually was. We were compensated with two half bottles of Barcelo Bavaro rum and a plate of chocolate which were very nice and totally not expected. So yes, I would recommend Barcelo on the given that all the above problems were resolved.

Bahia Principe Grand Samana Roulette: Beautiful Resort

"Roulette" option took us to the Grand Bahia Principe Cayacoa. They definitely look after the grounds and main part of the resort here. There was always someone buffing floors, wiping woodwork, grooming grounds, pressure washing and there was lots of soapy suds in the buckets when cleaning rooms. We had a large room with high ceilings and it seems that most rooms here have a good view. Either ocean, lagoon, or "city" view. The views are gorgeous all around this resort! There was a me [... read more]dium variety of food offerings at the buffet. It was well seasoned and the majority was good. There was less "mystery" dishes that at previous resorts we stayed at. The mini fridge was re-stocked daily and the drinks at the bar were good. Its been a long time at this price point that the drinks were good. The pool. Smaller that other resorts, but it didn't crowd up early. The water was a bit cold though. There was never a shortage of pool towels to exchange and the pool lounges were comfortable. The beach is small and seemed smaller even than in photos and was not a highlight for me. The hilly terrain was a negative point for my husband and I am definitely glad we were in the main resort at the top. The "beach" buffet is down on the lower level on a second water inlet and it desperately needs a new roof. Leaked in in several places when it rained. Can't say much about how the lower villas or pool was maintained as we didn't wander around too much due to the inclined terrain. Daytime generally was quiet with entertainment staff trying to get guests interested. We never stayed up for night time entertainment but the resort sounded like it had more activity in the evening/night as we could hear the activity from the lobby. (the roof top beyond our balcony had a 3 story palm tree growing up through the lower level, up through the lobby and out the top of the 3rd floor). Overall out of about 9 all inclusives in the last few years at about $1200-1500 per person, the resort was one of the more clean and well maintained ones although the beach was the smallest.

Occidental Punta Cana: Has Potential

This resort is still in need and presently getting upgraded but are experience was very satisfactory even after a shaky start to our vacation (leaky room, no TV, no beer in fridge) but we moved rooms within the hour and were happy with everything after that. Food was good, service was excellent (resort was not too busy though), maybe could have had more on-site activities going on during the day on the beach and around the pools, night time music/shows were very good. All in all a good experienc [... read more]e and wouldn't hesitate to go back at the price we paid.

Ocean Blue and Sand: Good and Bad

The resort itself was good. The grounds were always clean, the room and food was excellent, and the staff were amazing. However there are three issues that we had with the resort. First, for the a la carte restaurants, it was based on a first come system. That meant if you did not line up at 4pm, the chances were you would not get in. The second issue was the beach. It was small and extremely crowded. It was our understanding that a storm washed away at least 15 to 20 or more feet of the beac [... read more]h, reducing it to a patch of sand. The last issue was the persistence of the "vacation club" sellers. They would not leave you alone and essentially ruined the holiday. They would not take NO as an answer.

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: amazing resort

The hotel was beautiful The rooms where spacious and very very pretty The view from are room was breath taking you could hear the waves and smell the water ,The entire staff from front desk to the entertainment team where amazing..Our butler Roman was excellent from putting scents in our room to the extra pillows Always making sure we where taken care of' We traveled with two other couples..We all had a blast..The entertainment team was great always keeping laughing or doing some activities. [... read more].LUIS and BERNADO where amazing.. The food was great always something new displayed beautifully..The entire staff in the restaurants where all amazing even if you didn't tip they always made sure you where taken care of If you couldn't find something they would go look for you This hotel is one off the nicest places I stayed diffently would come back .

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: Amazing Resort

This hotel is amazing from start to finish. From the front desk to our rooms with a beautiful view. The staff here was great. What ever you wanted and you couldn't find it they would get if for you. The pillow menu and the scents in the room were great. Food was so good. Something for everyone. The beach was great, the ground were amazing kept. Love this place so glad we went.

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: Amazing Resort and staff

From the moment we arrived at the hotel everything was taken care of. Check in was a breeze as everything was already prepared for us when we arrived. Our Butler, Ramon was the friendliest and most helpful person we have ever met. He was always joking, laughing and went out of his way to say hello and talk with us wherever we were on the resort. The staff at all the restaurants and buffet were all very helpful and always greeted you with a smile, especially Pedro and Jose, my apologies to the [... read more] many who’s names I forgot. This is a very small resort and within a few days, the staff new us by name, very impressive. The entertainment staff, Luis, Bernardo, Martha and Jennifer were very friendly and always entertaining. They made our week very enjoyable. There were two gentlemen that came to the hotel daily to teach arts and crafts. We made paintings and other crafts that we were able to take with us as souvenirs. The grounds are immaculately kept. The lawns, trees and bushes are all impeccably manicured. The lobby and common areas are spotless and we always saw workers cleaning and dusting. The beach is a little smaller than I like; however there are no rocks to stub your toes in the water, just nice soft sand wherever you step. We had nice waves on the beach most of the week, but that just made it more entertaining riding the waves. The rooms were very clean and large. We had a beautiful view of the ocean from our balcony. I would definitely recommend this place to family and friends.

Bahia Principe Grand San Juan: wow wow wow

Like People - Very friendly and Helpful Hotel Room - Clean , decent size, bathrooms were clean Food - Great food options for Non Veg. Transportation - We were picked up from the airport on time. Games - Animation team did a great job entertaining guests. They had regular sports activities. Can Improve Hotel Room - Toilets were leaking, Back door not locking properly Food (Veg.) - Hotel can provide more food options for vegetarians Sports activities - TT table , Pool table were [... read more] not in playing condition. Tables were dusty and old. There were no hot water tub or whirlpool for the guests.

Grand Palladium Palace: Beautiful trip

Let me start by saying thank you to all the staff at the Grand Palladium Palace, they made our stay very memorable. We have stayed at their hotel in Mexico and we will gladly return to others in the future.

Bahia Principe Escape Ambar: Exceeded our expectations

This resort is manicured and inviting to take a stroll or just sit in the many areas. We enjoyed the many a la carte restaraunts in the Ambar area, the food was delicious! The buffet's were equally as good. The resort is a 5 star experience from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave. The beach area has plenty of covered recliners and the beach luncheon buffets are very comfortable and again, wonderful selection of food and delicious. The beach is sandy and inviting to walk or swi [... read more]m. We are 2 women business partners looking for restful and comfortable holiday. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Casa Marina Sosua Trademark by Wyndham All Inclusive: Friendly Resort

Casa Marina Beach Resort was a huge place, the grounds were well kept and very nice. The rooms, well our room was fantastic right on the beach. Unfortunately the beach was closed due to high waves most of the week and opened the Monday the day before we left. The food was just OK, I liked the ala carte restaurants better. Over all it was a very nice place, not sure if I would go back there have to wait and see. Won't be travelling in January again though too rainy...

Casa Marina Sosua Trademark by Wyndham All Inclusive: Good resort

This was about my eight time in the late 3 years stayed in a small hotel last year and never again. The people at the hotel are great anything you need you just have to ask. Took a friend down in oct and he loved it took another friend last week and he had a great time. We rent bikes with a motor on them and travel (scooters) .

Casa Marina Sosua Trademark by Wyndham All Inclusive: Casa marina in Sousa Dominican republic

The hotel was OK once we got in the area we paid for. The food was very good , better then we have had down south. It rained for 9 out of 10 days and 1/2 of the beach was washed away. We were not allowed to swim in the ocean for 7 days. I am not a good swimmer so would never try to swim at casa marina beach. One young woman drowned on the public beach at Casa Marina and we were told one pregnant local woman died at Sousa beach. We had a nice time as we were with 12 other tourist from Saskatoon [... read more] and Winnipeg and walked around the area and talked with locals the group all new. Locals are very friendly. To use telephone to call home it is very cheap when you go to a telephone shop about 2 to 3 blocks from the resort. Would not recommend to anyone with children. If your NO T a beach person and just want to lay by pool then it is OK.

Marien Puerto Plata Hotel: Great vacation

The food was great with a lot of variety. The hotel and grounds are kept very clean. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The beach and the pool were great places to lay around and relax. I was sorry to come home.

Riu Merengue: Above Average

We were there the week of Jan 10-17 weather was rainy and cool which is out of our control. The resort was at full capacity which made getting chairs by the pool impossible if you weren't out saving them by 7:30 am. Stormy weather also caused excessive sea weed on the beach all week which wasn't dealt with in a timely manner. We had 5 rooms booked with our group and the problem we had was we were all split up all over the property and they wouldn't move us closer together for 3 days. Buffets.  [... read more]Breakfast was standard fare along with lunch. Dinner seemed the same as lunch, chicken, pasta, pizza, pork, fish and beef. There was only one themed night which was Mexican and it was good. No shrimp or other types of shelled fish. Went to the Italian restaurant which took way to long and food was OK. Doesn't sound like a good review but weather had a lot to do with our unhappiness.

Bahia Principe Grand San Juan: 4 stars for a 4 star resort!

I travelled to the Grand Bahia Principe San Juan Jan 8-15, 2017 as a family of 5 (myself, husband, and boys age 4, 7, 14). I read hundreds of reviews for weeks before we left and was incredibly nervous because the reviews were so mixed-either excellent or completely awful. It's confusing because some websites advertise this resort as 3.5 star, some as a 4, and others as a 5. If you go there expecting a 5 star, I think you'll be disappointed. If you're looking for a solid 3.5 to 4 star with good  [... read more]value for your money I think you'll be happy. Although it wasn't the Carrebian family vacation I had hoped for, our experience was by no means a "jail sentence" as another reviewer wrote. Unfortunately the weather did play a role in our experience, but not the fault of the resort. Our week was filled with rain and wind with some sun. Rain affected the pool side entertainment and our beach party. The wind affected our ability to do any of the water sports they offer. The kids club-The wonderful lady, Dahiana, who usually runs it was away for the first few days of our trip and there was a language barrier with her replacement-I couldn't understand how or where the activities were-or if they were even running. Our kids just ended up tagging along with some of the adult games during that time (bean bag toss, darts, and bingo). My 4 year old really enjoyed the mini disco in the evening and it was nice when they offered a game for the kids on the stage after the dancing. Some of the nightly entertainment was fantastic and other shows were less entertaining. I wasn't expecting a very nice beach based on other reviews and after all the rain and wind it wasn't nice at all (as many beaches would be after lots of rain and wind). Dark, wet sand full of seaweed and some garbage. As it started to dry up the sand at the top of the beach did become lighter and soft and my kids did enjoy playing in it. My kids enjoyed swimming in the ocean and never cared about the condition of the beach or water. There are sand fleas and mosquitoes, but we are campers and came prepared so this wasn't an issue. My 7 year old literally painted himself in sand and the only spots he came home with were ones that resembled mosquitoes on his legs that he never really complained about. 4 pools in total. They were nice. I would rate the buffet as about average. Enough selection for everyone to find something. We really enjoyed the hot meats they served. The cold cuts, cheese, fruit and salad bar was pretty much the same every day. There was an omelet station in the morning and pasta station during lunch and dinner-sometimes there were longer waits than others, but I've experienced this at any other resort I've been to. We did 2 of the 3 a la carts-Japanese and Italian (both twice) and they were great! Buffet appetizers and main served to you. The service at the buffet was spotty. We tipped when we received service but there were many times we had to search for someone to bring coffee or utensils because they tables weren't set properly. None of us were sick. In good weather there is lots to do at this resort-mini golf, basketball, tennis, soccer, biking, paddle boards, kayaks, pool side entertainment including games and activities, bingo, darts, ping pong, ring toss-I'm sure I've missed some. The resort is a distance away from excursions-maybe research this before you go if that's what you plan to do. I found the there was a language barrier with many people working at the resort, but most of them smiled and said "hola" when you past. The resort is older so the buildings look a little tired but the grounds were well kept, clean, and beautiful. We had a suite-it was 2 rooms made into 1-it was perfect for our family! 2 tvs, 2 bathrooms, a king sized bed on one side, a pull out couch AND 2 cots on the other. Most of the people there work hard and often long hours. If your looking for a newer resort with a beautiful white sand beach and 5 star service, I don't think this is the resort for you. If your looking for a good value and can look past some imperfections this is a good resort. We booked through Lisa Selig at tripcentral. She made sure we didn't miss our payment deadline, answered questions I had leading up to our trip, and followed up with us after. Thanks Lisa!