Secrets Royal Beach: Room for improvement to be a 5 star

This is a hard review to write as there were a lot of good things this resort has to offer. I would rate the resort a 3.5 out of 5. We booked though TripCentral and had a great experience with them. Everything was in order and they handled all our requests. 1st let me start by saying that my wife and I travel about twice a year to Mexico and this is our first time to the DR. We have stayed at Secrets Silversands, El Dorado Royale Casitas, The Royal in Cancun twice (it is now the Hyatt Zilara), S [... read more]un Palace, and Secrets the Vine 3 times. Based on that, we have been spoiled by the level of service and realized that the little things and attention to detail really make a huge difference in our experience. Let me start with the Pros of this resort: The resort is beautiful, lush, and very well maintained. They work countless hours to keep everything in order. Clean - This resort is spotless. From your room to the public washrooms, they do a fantastic job keeping everything clean and fresh. Pools/Lazy River are very clean and amazing. One of the nicest beaches I have ever seen. Yes the seaweed can get bad, (very bad on some occasions) but the beach is wide enough where it will not affect you. Every lounger by the pool and beach has a hut to block you from the sun which is great to get a break from the heat. The rooms are excellent with a private bathroom (If you have been to Secrets the Vine before you will appreciate the privacy of the bathroom at SRB) Balcony is private with a 2 person Jacuzzi tub. Having access to the Now Larimar was an added touch. With more variety of restaurants to choose from was an added benefit. If you like a buffet breakfast and lunch, the larger buffet is on the Now side. For the most part the food was good. Our favorite restaurant was the Italian one on the SRB side called Portofino. Amazing nightly entertainment. I was able to see the circus show and they are very talented do a great job in entertaining the entire audience. I want to highlight several staff that were exceptional in what they did and really made an effort for us to have a special trip. 1st is Raquel Torres the E-Concierge. We were in contact with her prior to arriving and she did a fantastic job taking care of our reservation and our upgrade to preferred status prior to arriving as well as a few other requests. You were a great help and thank you! 2nd, Marcelo our butler, went above and beyond to ensure things were in order. He checked in on us daily and even took a few special requests. Thank you for everything Marcelo. 3rd, Gendry and Angel at the main pool were the best servers we have ever had as a pool side server. They spent a lot of time talking and getting to know us. They even helped to teach us some Spanish. Their timing was excellent with bringing us our next round of drinks without even asking. They also helped us with getting seats each day by the pool. Even though there were always lots of seats it is nice to know they were there to help. Thank for the excellent service and Angel, good luck with your bambino Now for the cons. Even though there were a lot of positives so far. I cannot rate this a 5 star based on knowing what 5 star service is. To get a 5 star you need to close the gap on a lot of the small things. 1st is getting the food and drink order right the first time, maybe even the 2nd time would be nice....(Not including the pool bar, as Gendry and Angel always got it right) There were several times during the week we would go to a restaurant and order food and it would come wrong. For example: We went to Seaside grill once for lunch and my wife ordered a chicken burger with pickles and tomato's. (On the menu they even have pictures of the toppings to choose from) Well the first time it came with just the tomato. When we asked for pickles again, they brought a plate of onion's and lettuce. We said no, we want pickles. Then they brought us cucumbers and guacamole......What? How can you get this wrong twice???? I blame this on language barrier but they should be able to get it right after pointing it out on the menu. After the 3rd time we just got up and left in frustration and went to the buffet. At another restaurant we ordered a couple of drinks and we each ended up with wrong drinks. We ordered them again and again they came wrong. It is very frustrating that waiters cannot take a proper order and actually get what we asked for. This happened about 6 times during the first 3 days. It came to a point we just started to go to the buffet to serve ourselves as opposed to ordering something and it comes wrong. If one of us got something wrong the other would wait and then our food would get cold while waiting to eat together. This should not be the case and should be improved. You could either write down the order or if you are not 100% on what we are asking for find some else to come and clarify. 2nd Lack of bottled water. Daily the resort would run out of bottled water around the same time (1-2PM). If you go to any pool bar and ask for a bottle of water they would have none. They should know this was a pattern and be proactive to order more the day prior. I figured it out on day 2 that they had a shortage of water. They should know it too and address it. All they need to do is restock the water at each location between 12 and 1 when people go to eat to have enough for the rest of the afternoon. Same thing with Coors Light and Budwieser. We had to ask several times to our concierge for extra bottled water, daily actually and still sometimes would not get it. 3rd The service at the buffet on the Secrets side. When you first arrive no one brings you to your seat. When you want to seat yourself one of the servers IF they make eye contact will just point and aggressively say "sit there". It just comes off as being very rude that I have to sit at that seat as opposed to first being greeted and escorted to a table. I know they are busy but there should be a hostess there to escort you to a seat. Then to get coffee or water is a chore. We would each ask for water and coffee. Just getting a glass of water was very difficult. You would have to ask 2-3 times and they seemed very annoyed to give it to you. We would leave to get food at the buffet and only come back to either one coffee on the table or only one glass of water. Then the process would begin to get a 2nd cup. This seemed like a common thing that if 2 people sit down that each would be serviced water even without asking. I expect that at any restaurant no matter where I am at. They did not seem to get that concept. My wife and I would each like our own glass of water and not have to share it. By day 3 we sat near server’s station just so we could serve ourselves a glass of water as this did not improve. By day 4 we tried the Now breakfast buffet and it was a treat that our server actually came to greet us with a pitcher of water. They kept refilling our water without us asking which is what we expected at the SRB side. We ended up going to the Now side the rest of the week and enjoyed a wonderful level of service there included with smiles. 4th Barefoot Grill is disgusting and needs to be changed. I know it is just a little spot outdoors to grab something fast to eat. If you watch them you can see that they are using the same utensils for both chicken and hamburgers. This is not sanitary and I would not eat there. When we first experienced this we did not notice that they leave there chicken soaking in grease until after we ordered it. My wife ordered a chicken burger and I ordered a hamburger. Not really paying attention at the start but while he was cooking we noticed that he was flipping the chicken and the hamburger with the same tongs. When someone else came up to order he used the same tongs to get a new piece of chicken from the grease pit and put it on the fryer. Flys were on the buns and the toppings looked like they had been there for way too long and out and open as well. At that point we both just walked away as we knew we would not be able to eat that without getting sick. 5th The Gym. My wife and I are very physically active and start each morning with a workout. The gym on the resort is very small and not inviting. There are 4 little rooms with very little equipment which is hard to maneuver around to do anything. I watched the person running the gym approach several people during the week if he did not like what you were doing. Someone came in and he asked her to go outside and wipe her sneakers before coming in. It was not raining and her sneakers looked very clean and dry so no need to make her feel like that. I watched him tell some women that they could not do step ups on a bench or split squats using a bench. Another person came in to look around and he was asked to leave as he had flip flops on. I know it is not save to have flip flops on in a gym but at least let him look around for a minute before asking him to leave. We have been to a lot nicer resort gyms and this one needs some improvements. They also left the door open a lot which meant the temperature was over 25 degrees Celsius which as you can imagine is pretty uncomfortable to workout in. We closed the door just for them to open it again. The gym was very clean though, one positive. Overall it was not a great trip, but maybe a good trip. As I mentioned at the start. We have been spoiled from experiences at other resorts. Our last experience before here was Secrets the Vine, so coming to SRB was disappointing with the drop off in the service. We do love AM Resorts and the Secrets brand (no we are not members) which was one of the reasons why we chose this resort. In the end we will be returning back to STV for our next trip.

Riu Merengue: Fantastic Stay with Family and Friends!

The resort was what we had hoped for, excellent rooms, plenty of food and drinks and nice atmosphere. It was nice having access to the other hotels and venues during the stay. Shows during the evening were well done.

Riu Merengue: Nice Resort but...

The resort overall was very nice. The rooms were clean, the food was good if a bit repetitive. The pools, grounds and common areas were kept nice and we always saw people working hard to keep it so. The beach was also nice. I was a bit worried after reading other reviews about the locals coming on the weekend but we had no problems. Our main complaint was the flies that were on everything. Out of a group of 18 people, 16 of us got sick to varying degrees. I don't know for sure but think it could [... read more] have been the flies that were all over the food. However, overall we had a great trip and found the resort and its staff very nice.

Sunscape Coco Punta Cana: I would give the resort only 3 stars.

The hotel itself nice,rooms need lots of upgrades they smell. Public areas not to bad but also need to be a little better. In over all the outside was really nice and lots of space sunny,weather nice.

Barcelo Bavaro Beach: Open Air Dining and Ocean Views.

Every all inclusive resorts have their good and not so good points. Overall, the Barcelo Bavaro Beach Club deserves praise for the things it does right. The beach location is good with a beautiful walkway joining the larger and more extravagant Barcelo Palace which is family friendly. The Beach Club is an adult's only resort with average, but clean rooms. The beauty of these accommodations is that all rooms have an ocean view. Maid service could be better. The buffets were satisfactory but, wher [... read more]e the Barcelo stands out, was in the quality of its a la crate restaurants. There are many to choose from spread throughout the multi hotel complex. These are true a la cartes not the hybrid varieties found at other resorts. No salad, appetizer buffets here. You order all dishes from a menu and they are served to you. The perfect date night! Probably the best I have experienced. The beach was good with the water not too deep and plenty of clean washrooms within easy reach. It was easy to get a spot under a palm tree any time of day. bar service was good and there was entertainment every night. The hotel had a beautiful pool. The Barcelo has a small open air feel. We enjoyed our week's vacation there. Our only concern was that we weren't there to see every palm tree lit with Christmas lights.

Bahia Principe Grand Bavaro: Huge resort with many amenities

The huge resort grounds are very lush and well maintained. There are 5 Bahia Principe hotels within the complex. BEACH: The beach loungers were packed even though I was there in the off-season, but I could still find seats. The sand condition was great. Staff was continuously cleaning the beach by raking seaweed. GETTING AROUND: There is a convenient and frequent trolley transit system that takes you to all areas of the resort. Walking is also easy. SPORTS ACTIVITIES: The free sports activities  [... read more]are minimal. I only tried the limited 45 minute bicycle ride in the morning and mini-put golf. The boogie boards were only good for an hour. The snorkeling equipment for an hour is useless because it's only good for the shoreline which had too many waves. There was no bow at the archery. The bumper car area was extremely small and only had a few working cars. EVENING ENTERTAINMENT: Good entertainment, but the shows do not repeat on the same night. So if you miss a show, hopefully they'll have it on a separate night. I think the entertainers travel from resort to resort. DINING: I tried the Santa Fe, Japanese and Caribbean buffet a la carte restaurants, which were all fair at best. The general buffets are just as good or better with a very large selection of international cuisine. ACCOMMODATIONS: My room was is good condition, but the bathtub and roof above was worn out and needed some extensive repairs (Room 79103). CHILDREN: The resort was very accommodating and friendly to children of all ages. My child was only 11 months old and he had a great time. However, I had to request a crib several times, but it did come with extra padding and sheets.

Grand Palladium Punta Cana: Great stay at this big and amazing resort!

We enjoyed our vacation at this resort, very clean, great service, a great variety of restaurants and buffet. Love the tropical look of the resort. Lots of people on site but found our way to tranquility. It's nice to take the carts to drive us around. Very happy!!!

Occidental Caribe: Perfect Resort

I plan to return for my next vacation, beautiful, can't say enough about how perfect the Excellence is. The pool is amazing, lots of restaurants and bars. Beautiful beach although the ocean is very choppy. This was not an issue as we spent most of our time at the pool.

Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo: The best resort we've stayed at by far.

This resort had great staff very acomedating, always Curtious. It's clean and easy to get around. The food was amazing lots of variety to meet everyone's needs. Also lets not forget the beach it also great, it's like your on a private beach. There were times that got busy but for the most part quite and relaxing. Overall amazing resort.

Majestic Colonial Punta Cana Beach Resort: Super resort and staff are very friendly!

This resort was beautiful and we stayed on the club side. Christian our butler was very helpful and courteous. Francisco Marla and Toni Salivellas in the Colonial Club were always cheerful and willing to assist with anything from booking restaurants to check out. We loved Juan Carlos who was at the Colonial Club Pool concierge and it was very hard to say good bye to him. I hope he makes it to butler status one day. Jefferson from the Entertainment team was a lot of fun and ensured we were up dan [... read more]cing every night by the outside lobby bar. Izequiel the lobby bartender was quick to serve us and always with a warm smile. The only downside was that we went off season and that is when the resort does renovations and a few places were closed. The spa and Japanese restaurant were not available due to the renos however the sister resort next door was available for both of these items. The main buffet was closed due to renos and we used the pool buffet which had a good selection but not as much as the main buffet would have if it were open. I would absolutely recommend this resort as it is clean, staff are genuinely friendly and helpful, the rooms are lovely and spacious and the beach is beautiful.

Marien Puerto Plata Hotel: Its a Grand!

I stayed at Be Live Grand Marien in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic from November 26 to December 3. It was an awesome experience. The food was really good, the entertainment crew is amazing especially Blondie. The night shows are a ton of fun, and the disco will always create laughs, new friends, and memories. You may remember me as the guy who kept doing the worm on the dance floor, and the karoke duet Whenever, Wherever by Shakira. Do not drink the tap water as it will get you sick, I've seen [... read more] it. All I recommend avoid eating the vegetables as they probably are washed in the tap water. I have to give a shout out to Tina from Trip Central who was very helpful with helping me choose Be Live Grand Marien in Puerto Plata!

The Eurostars Grand Cayacoa: Amazing resort and beautiful location

I had a wonderful time at Grand Bahia Príncipe Cayacoa. The scenery was absolutely stunning and they had a variety of excursions available. The food was delicious and the service was absolutely fantastic. I would recommend it to anyone.

The Reserve at Paradisus Punta Cana: Wonderful week away.

The hotel and the rooms were excellent. The staff attentive, we never felt pressured to tip. Ovi our concierge was very professional, personable, attentive and helpful. The Master suite was more than expected, wonderful bed, relaxing hot tub and more space than most single apartments back home. Great selection of food with Lobster and Fillet on the Gabi Beach Buffet every night, did not make going to the restaurants a requirement. Beautiful beach even though mother nature tried to cover it in se [... read more]a weed every day. The resort was immaculate, clean and kind to the eyes. The gentle man selling the art work at the lobby flea market was wonderful, a respectful gentleman with nice wares! The one excursion we took "Zip Lining" was fantastic. Summary: Would return in a heart beat". A few "cons" that did not ruin the vacation but could be addressed: a few aggressive and rude vendors at the lobby flea market, and sometime s the wait for a glass of water or attention at the buffets was a little excessive.

Bahia Principe Explore Esmeralda: Lovely resort

The rooms were very modern and clean and the food was delicious. The beach wasn't great and too crowded. That is the only negative. The service was really good. I would definitely return to this location.

Wyndham Alltra Samana: Great resort

Good food. Nice ocean view room staff were very friendly. Nice beach but trouble with seaweed which staff worked hard to clean every day. My husband celebrated his birthday while we were there and I happened to mention this to front desk, they left a bottle of rum and fresh fruit platter in our room

Royalton Splash Punta Cana: family resort

It"s a very large resort shared with Royalton so lots to do and see. They offer a train every 5 minutes which is very helpful. Staff is very friendly and hard working. It is clean and many pools and water-park very safe. Myself and daughter did get ill and had a few problems with proper care. There were other traveller's sick as well and if I would of taken antibiotics with us on trip, would have not lost 2 days . Plus had trouble paying for hospital visit,taxi,medical and medication so i was de [... read more]finitely not prepared . Beach was very wavy and no shells so could not do any snorkeling. But booked a all day trip with joesph from nexus water sports hut on beach to isle catalina and that made up for everything. If you visit Punta Cana gotta visit catilna island.

Royalton Splash Punta Cana: Very nice and fun with the water park

The hotel is nice but cleanliness and quality varies greatly between buildings. We purchased our trip 4 1/2 months prior to our trip and requested second floor, adjoining rooms as my husband and I are disabled. We were a group o 6. When we arrived we got 1st floors in building 3 & 9. They apparently could not move us even though my daughter had booked a wedding ceremony, we spent approx $10,000 together. My daughters room was, as I said, on the first floor right by an open area and they were pla [... read more]gued with lizards and little worms in their room. This after they alone paid $4,400 plus approx $3,500 for the for the weddingAnd expenses. We ended up being moved the next day to the same building but not adjoining rooms and on the first floor. That is when we realized the difference in quality in buildings. From observation I got the impression that if u paid to be in the diamond club, $35 per person per night, u got into a certain building. We could have paid less for our trip if we waited but decided, upon advise, to book early to get what we wanted, not worth it, u go where they put u and tell u they can't switch u. We would probably go there again because of the water park but wait to book for a more reasonable rate.

Bahia Principe Escape Samana: A must visit resort

This resort was simply amazing from the views of the ocean to the gourmet food choices an very attentive staff for all your needs . The animation staff was great from running games during the day to night time shows to the bar staff that seem to have everything you could possible want . If you are thinking of coming to this area this resort is a must from leasure relaxing on the beach to excursions that wow was simply or best expereince so far .

Grand Palladium Palace: Great Resort

The rooms were clean and inviting, great view. Maid service was good clean towels every day. Bar fridge stocked everyday. Beach was wonderful, walked and swam in ocean everyday. Entertainment good. Great vacation will go again.

Bahia Principe Escape Ambar: Beautiful Resort!

The Ambar was a very beautiful resort. We thoroughly enjoyed the many restaurants with great dinners to offer. The staff was friendly! The beach was beautiful and kept as clean as nature would allow. One issue was being offered an opportunity by some agent to take part in a what seemed like a timeshare offer for travel. The persons offering this option wasted two hours of our day. They were pushy about you having a credit card and signing for this outrageous sales pitch. When asked if we could h [... read more]ave some more information on this so called Privilege time sharing. Three people said no there was nothing, yet they wanted you to sign and pay for something with no fine print to see just word of mouth. They send a Privilege letter to your room stating you won a gift or could qualify for a week vacation. Avoid this!!! Overall The Ambar and surrounding resorts were very fun and gorgeous! Highly recommend a vacation here. Awesome!