Sunscape Puerto Plata: Well worth the money!

Overall, this resort was great. Highlights were the beach (beautiful sand, beautiful blue water, no seaweed, and very safe the kids - 8 and 12 - to play on the sand and in the water), the staff, the layout (we loved that it's a small resort and that everything is so easily accessible), the cleanliness, and the grounds (beautiful and so well maintained). The food was ok - the à la carte restaurants were a bit disappointing (service was a bit lacking, the wait times can be very long as there ar [... read more]e no reservations, and the food was just ok) BUT there were pockets of awesomeness!! The Asian restaurant was amazing, make sure to ask for the chicken wings at the restaurant above the pool (to die for), don't miss out on the wood-fired pizza on the rooftop (couldn't get enough of it), and the beach grill had great and yummy lunch options. Also, a stop at Coco's Cafe is a MUST...the best caramel coffee and pastries! It's an older resort, so some of the buildings need to have things replaced but I think they're working on that. Ground floor level rooms are ideal - we had a third floor room the first night (but knew upon check in that we were changing rooms the next day). It was clean, spacious and nicely renovated, but with the vaulted ceilings...we were awoken during the night with chirping and scratching sounds in the roof. Didn't get any sleep that night. Our next room was ground level, clean, quiet, pool side, near the beach and nicely renovated - couldn't have asked for better! It's worth the upgrade to the Sunclub - you can have a more privated breakfast at the Sunclub area, premium booze, wait service at the beach and at the pool - it was great. We had such an amazing time at this resort, had plenty of food options for us to all eat really, really well (kids as well as adults), LOVED the beach, has a blast at the pool...Overall, I would recommend this resort - for the price point compared to other resorts, it was well worth it.

Marien Puerto Plata Hotel: Great Value

Beautiful property. Well laid out. Huge swimming pool with lounge chairs for everyone. Choice of sun and shade around the pool. Lovely beach with lounge chairs too. Different nightly entertainment each night of the week. Buffet restaurants cater to all international travelers' tastes. Be sure to make reservations in advance for the three restaurants on the resort. Early check-in is not possible but you have use of the resort if you arrive before 3pm. All rooms are spacious with a balcony an [... read more]d mini-fridge that is stocked with very minimal soda and beer. Free large bottles of filtered water are provided in all rooms.

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Wonderful Stay

We spent one week at the resort which covered New Years and it was a special night. The food was fabulous as was the staff. The grounds are very beautiful and clean. This was our second time staying here and we would come back again.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Christmas at the Senator

We travelled as a group of 14 for 14 days at the Senator over Christmas break. Let me start by saying we booked back in February and got a great deal - $1739/pp for 2 weeks. We met people at the resort that paid ~$2700 for 1 week. Due to the price we paid, my review is a little more forgiving. This resort thinks they are a five star based on their website, but they have a really long way to go to get there. We have travelled to many resorts 4-5 stars, all over the Caribbean so we know what [... read more] to expect - service being key to getting that five star. This resort is somewhere between a 3-4 star, depending on the type of room you book. FOOD/GASTRO/RESTAURANTS - The buffet isn't bad for a Caribbean resort. There are a tonne of food choices, some better than others. The first week the service was pretty good, the second week it all went down hill. Tables were not reset, condiments scarce (specifically salt & ketchup). One of the waiters actually went and got me a new bottle of ketchup on our last evening and was yelled at for doing so. Our favourite waiter was on the breakfast/lunch team. His name was Ferreria. Such a nice guy and went above and beyond. One of the cleaning ladies, Anotonia, also on the same shift was very sweet. She always made a point to engage with our baby and was always had a smile on her face. The a la Carte system is a joke. You can only book one a la Carte at a time for that specific day. You must get in line an hour before guest services open in the morning to even have a chance of getting a reservation before 9:30pm the same evening (earlier times are reserved for members). The Japanese was definitely the best. We had a reservation for 7:30pm (early rise that morning to get the reservation). Seated us late and didn't start our meal until 8:10pm. The meal itself was very tasty. The Italian was a late night. Reservation was for 9:30pm. Staff was very rude and started closing down before we even finished our meal. Lasagna was served cold-we didn't eat it. The rest of the food was OK. We late talked to some other vacationers who told us one of their group ate the cold lasagna and ended up with a $4000 doctor's bill because they had to be treated with an IV drip daily for the duration of their trip. We dined at the Steakhouse 3 times during our, twice as an a la carte and once for a wedding. All three times they were out of the Beef Tenderloin. For the wedding they offered us a T-Bone as a substitution. Almost everyday, one of using our group had tummy issues. So don't forget to bring the immodium! INTERNET/WIFI - Pretty good throughout the resort. A little spotty at the Pool Snack Bar and at the beach. The last day of our vacation Im pretty sure they turned off the wifi throughout the resort intentionally. When one of our group asked about it, they said that it was gone throughout the Dominican (so island wide), so no one anywhere had access. However, people were able to get on if they turned their data on. We had heard a rumour that it would be black on at 9pm. Just before 9pm a bus load of new vacationers arrived and within a few minutes it miraculously came back on. Just beware..... TOWEL GAME - strong at this resort. If you want a lounger, set your alarm for 6:55am - most people go out at 7:00am. If you need an umbrella, go out and hour earlier. Umbrella's are scarce. ROOMS/SUITES - So there are 2 different types of accommodations at the Senator. We travelled with Air Transat and were booked in the "Amber" section. These rooms are much older and dated, but they are very clean. They are more hotels and not like a suite at all. They are extremely small - suitable for 2 people in my opinion. Bathroom is very small as well. I wish I had taken some specific pictures. They are of the older, brown color scheme. I know it's not for the amount of time you spend in your room, but they're not pretty. There were no robes, but there was one pair of slippers. There was an older style coffeemaker and supplies to make coffee. An iron and ironing board were also in the room. You may or may not have an umbrella. The newer "luxury" category rooms are much more modern and have the amenities you would expect. Both categories have limited English channels. There is TCM - older movies, BBC, and 2 CNN channels. Might want to make sure you have some movies/TV shows downloaded on the iPad. One thing that I didn't like is that there are 3 different staff going into your room on a daily basis. One to clean, another to bring the towels and one to re-stock the minifridge. I don't like so many people in and out of my room, not to mention that they all showed up at different times everyday. A couple of time I did meet the guy re-stocking the fridge and he will bring you what ever you want, within reason of course. I told him I needed extra water to make bottles for our baby and he would bring at least 4 bottles a day. Somedays I would leave him a sticky note with what I need and it was always there. BEACH - darker, coarse sand, gets nicer the further you go to the right (towards Playabachata). Punta Cana's Bavaro beach is 100 times nicer. SERVICE - this is where this resort is lacking. This is how you get that 5* rating. We've been to 4* resorts that have stronger service Don't get me wrong. There are a lot of hard workers at this resort. When we booked this resort we requested a crib in the room for our baby. Upon our arrival there is was no crib. I called the front desk and was told someone would be there in a few minutes. I waited 90 minutes and no one showed. I then went to the front desk. They told me someone would bring the crib and I didn't have to wait in my room. We went for dinner - it was now getting close to bed time for baby. Back to our room, still no crib. I again went to the front desk, asked the same lady for the second time about the crib. She could tell I was unhappy. A crib was finally sent after the 4th attempt! There is zero service around the pool. No one comes to take a drink order, unless you are a 'member.' The service at the beach snack bar is soooo slow. Often waiting for over and hour for Mac N Cheese or a Club House & Fries. They got to the point where they wouldn't even take a drink order. Management had mandated you had to go order your own drinks from the bar, they didn't have time to get you your drinks at a sit-down restaurant. The 24 hour sports bar was more of the same. Waits of well over an hour for food. If you get my drift, you can tell that they are extremely understaffed. One of the busiest travel times of the year and they didn't have the staff to support it. Management needs to hire more employees or they will never get to that 5* that they claim to be. ENTERTAIMENT - OK. They tried and they were friendly. Pollo was awesome! I was surprised based on other review that we were never once approached to attend their VIP/Member meeting. Pardon me for saying this, but I feel it's important. One the weekends they let the locals in. It becomes very crowed and they think they own the place. Pair that with the vacationers from a particular Canadian province that is French speaking, you do not stand a chance getting served. The locals and the French have no problem butting in front of you in any line and it seems like the workers allow it for whatever reason. The English/other vacationers are second class. With all that said, would I return? For the right price, yes. That price being under the $750 mark. I would not pay more than that amount to go back. It's not a place that I would tell people they HAVE to check out unlike some other resorts we have been to that I would recommend.

Viva Heavens by Wyndham: Great vacation

It was a positive surprise! the hotel is small and easy, but well designed. The beach, the pool, the food were very good, really nothing to complain when all that happend on a week with perfect weather. Our first day was December 31 and we were treated with very good party, including life music, dancers and fireworks. We had the Amnesia Junior Suite, very spacious, with good balcony and amenities. Little things could be improved, but not really a deal breaker. For example the bathroom does no [... read more]t have a single hook or towel rack where to hang your towel. The wifi is pretty good around all hotel spaces, including in the room and on the beach. One other think that people may not like much is that the lobby is super small, and has only a shop, but not a bar. The pool bar is basically the only place to have a drink, regardless the time of the day. The buffet food was good, with god service and decent selection, never crowded, and with long working hours. The animation team is very good, they run activities around the pool, the beach and late evening and did an amazing job, given it is the same people. Mama Bee, their boss and MC on all activities is really the key person that makes it all so good. The area outside of the hotel is very safe, pretty and pleasant for walks, including at night, as it is part of gated Playa Dorada area, around the golf course. There were some mosquitoes, but not that much,but bug repellent and AfterBite is good to have with you.

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Best trip ever!

Lots of fun, volleyball was awesome. Good variety of vegetarian cuisine. Rooms were comfortable. The disco was a lot of fun and the shows were entertaining. We met a lot of people and there were a lot of areas to hang out.

Sunscape Puerto Plata: Wasn’t amazing but wasn’t terrible

The grounds were very well kept. Our rooms were cleaned beautifully everyday. Unfortunately our room shower leaked all over the bathroom floor leading into the room and soaked our luggage’s. 3 other people in our group had the same problem. Staff all looked overly miserable. Food was okay, we ate more burgers and fries then we did the buffet food. We noticed there was more locals at the resort then when I’ve travelled other places. Also the resort does not give out wrist band [... read more]s, literally anyone can walk into the resort from the beach. The night light was pretty boring. Although I know this is not the resorts issue, the beach is CROWDED with sellers. Every few minutes someone would walk up to us asking to sell something, it got quite annoying. I’ve never experienced this much annoyance on vacation before.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Very nice place - service a bit of a let down

overall the Senator is good. the grounds are beautiful and very well maintained. the pools, beach and common areas are also top notch. the food is ok. if you go with that expectation you won't be disappointed. there are two levels of rooms. very recently renovated (buildings 1, 2, 3) and rooms that are probably 20 years old. if you care about design its worth the upgrade to the newer rooms. really the only let down with this place is the service. some of the staff are great.  [... read more]most try hard to be fair. the bigger issue seems to be from the top. they have rules in place that are either worthless and the staff won't be willing to budge or worthwhile and the staff sometimes seem willing to budge. can't take food away from the sports bar for example, which is silly. my kids kept wanting chicken fingers by the pool and I felt like I was smuggling contraband to them. you can only book the a la carte restaurants for same day and you have to line up at the front desk. they start taking reservations at 8:30am. most times they are full and will let you book a day in advance. one time when I lined up and finally reached the front I was told there were no reservations available for the next two days. I asked if i could book three days out and I was told that is against their policy. My mom went by the desk a few hours later (after the booking window had closed) and they let her book something 3 days out. this is why it's so hard to get a reservation. they will book depending on their mood. overall the place is very nice. if you go with the attitute that the food is decent (and abundant) and don't expect too much or speedy service, you won't be disappointed. if you can afford the upgrade to the nicer rooms it's worth it. they are 100X nicer. they are actually posh very the other rooms which are semi crummy.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: An amazing time!

I would recommend this resort. Cannot thank the friendly staff at the bar, sports bar, buffet, and the pool bar enough! Rooms very clean! Excellent variety of food! The animation team were always entertaining and interactive with the young and old! Always a smile from staff members!

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Decent resort

The hotel was nicely decorated for the holiday season and the grounds were well looked after. The room itself was average. The bed was too soft, poor lighting and the toilets didnt flush well (ours got clogged but was promptly looked after). Unfortunately, our room was close to the theater. It was way too loud, and we got woken up several nights with drunken people walking back from the bar (likely related to the time we went as a lot of students were there). It would be nice to have more  [... read more]places that offer coffee in the morning. There was only one place at the buffet. The food was excellent on New Years but otherwise decent - could have been hotter. It also would have been nice to be able to reserve the restaurants more than once in our week stay. Nelson was an excellent server, he took good care of us. The pool activities were fun with energetic staff.

Marien Puerto Plata Hotel: Great family stay

Good flight down with Westjet Westjet represenatives on the ground was nice Nice Resort Clean, good staff, lots to do' VIP guys selling the VIP club could be less present Food was adequete, lots to choose from. The a la carte restaurants were good. Booze was ok, 4 Coor light in the mini bar , could be more

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Sorry we are out of it

We have recently returned from a 10 day stay with a group of 20 people at the Senator Puerto Plata Hotel. The location of the hotel is beautiful, beach is ok and the hotel grounds are nice and clean. The pools are nicely renovated. We asked for renovated rooms at the time of check in and were told that all the rooms are renovated which is not true. None of us got the renovated rooms as they are advertised on the hotel web site. We didn’t make a big deal out of it because the rooms were c [... read more]lean and not run down. The hotel is definitely understaffed. Things are constantly missing. 2 of our rooms were cleaned and we didn’t get any towels. Called the reception 3 times and got the towels 1.5hr later (not the ideal way when you’ve made plans to meet up for a certain time with the rest of the group to go to dinner) Most stuff at the hotel are not too friendly. Most of them look pissed off even when you tip them which we did. It didn’t seem to make a difference. Constant lineups at the buffet, missing bowls for soup, missing plates, missing cups for tea or coffee. The service is for the most part non existent. The chefs at the buffet they try to keep up but the lineups keep growing as there are not enough of them. The chef that’s looking after making pasta for each individual person has to look after the pizza station as well. People were waiting for pizza and there were no pizzas in the oven as the chef could not keep up. Food choices were too few, lukewarm and every day it was exactly the same. It only changed a bit for Christmas and New Year. Whenever you asked the staff for anything that was missing we were told “sorry we are out of it” We had the best service at New Years dinner because the a la carte restaurants were closed and the staff from there was serving at the buffet. Our kids enjoyed the entertainment staff. They were the only ones with a smile. Overall we give the hotel a 3* and would not recommend it.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: We a had a great relaxing time :-)

Our experience at this resort was great. There were a few issues but we would return if the price was right. Booking through Tripcentral was a breeze and an amazing experience. We are a family of 4 (kids 10 and 12). The flight: Air Transat was fabolous to deal with. The Option Plus was a bonus as we got it at no cost during a promotion. The transfer: The bus from the airport to the resort was good. 30 - 45 minute bus ride. The driver and porter expects tips but not necessary.  [... read more] The hotel: The check in was efficient. Staff was friendly. Rooms were not ready at 2pm but they were by 3pm. We had a few drinks at the sports bar and walked around the resort for an hour. The room: Our room was in block 4. It was older but still very clean. Our A/C wasn't working properly so I advised Luis the service manager and the Air Transat rep the following day. The day after they changed us to block 15. This block was newly "renovated". It was a bigger room with a king size bed and a double bed. There was a sitting area and a couch. The bathroom was renovated with new tiles and the bathtub was removed to add a walk in glass shower. The shower overflowed everytime. The tiles were not properly sloped towards the drain and the drain did not drain the water efficiently. The A/C in this room was working a little bit more....however not the same coldness as our canadian units. The maids cleaned the room everyday and appreciated the tips and gifts we left. We also tipped the mini bar delivery man and he made sure to stock our fridge with extra water, rum and pop. The pool: Was very nice and well maintained. However, the new parging was letting go in the pool and the bottom was covered in concrete parging pieces. My daughter cut herself on the broken parging. Another downfall are the smoking guests. People smoke all over (in and out of the pool) and they have no respect for non smokers. There should be designated smoking areas. The pool bar staff was friendly and efficient. I was up at 5:45 am evey morning to reserve chairs by the pool. We got caught the first day. I went out at 7:30 and there no more chairs available by the pool. Some guests reserve chairs and you don't see them all day :-( The beach: The beach has lots of shade and palm trees. Many chairs are also available. The beach is long and very coarse. This is not a fine white sandy beach but I thought it was still very beautiful and suited our needs. There were always many big waves and the kids loved it. Snorkelling was ok. Water is often murky from the waves stirring up the sediments. We saw lots of sea creatures (fish, orchins, jelly fish, sand dollars, etc) Got stung by a jelly fish. These things happen. Activities: There was always aquaerobics, beach volleyball, and other small games around the pool and beach area. This is not a resort with alot of activities and definitely not a party atmosphere. Although we enjoyed it very much. Relaxing and at certain times of day the animation staff came out and got the crowd in a party mood. It was the perfect balance for us. Restaurants: Buffet was good. Lots of variety. The À la carte was another issue. They insist on you booking your restaurants the same day. You cant reserve for the whole week. The first morning I was in line at 8 am for bookings at 8:30. There was maybe 40 ppl ahead of me. I did not get a restaurant that day. the following day I was in line at 7 am. There were 3 ppl ahead. I got the Japanese restaurant that evening. It was fabulous. The following morning I was in line at 7am again. We went to the steakhouse and that was also very good. After that I was over the waiting for 1 hous and a half to book a restaurant every day so we opted for the buffet and the sports bar. The sports bar had good food but the service was slow and they need to add more tables. Staff: Staff was friendly however, we were not impressed by every staff member using their cell phones at all times in front of us. They would always be on their cell phones even when you were trying to talk to them. Very unprofessional. We would go back if the price was right. Very nice resort. Rooms need to be renovated. They are trying to sell time shares so don't get caught up in offers. The swimout pools from your room are crazy expensive...so can be deceiving when looking at resort pictures. The rooms you get are very basic and not the new villas. However, they are comfortable and it's not like you spend alot of time in your room anyways.

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Overall, an average experience

Upon our arrival, we checked in and were promptly greeted by our Concierge, Oscar, who took us on a brief tour of the grounds before arriving at our Oceanview Junior Suite. The room presented well enough at first, but closer inspection revealed many failings. Our balcony door showed obvious signs of previous forced entry, and did not seal properly, allowing noice to penetrate our room that had been selected specifically for its remote location as an anticipated quiet retreat. 30 yards from our b [... read more]alcony, rather than a lovely ocean view, we were disappointed to find the exclusive, members only, open air lounge, complete with bright spot lights that were never turned off through our entire stay, and a large PA system that ruined any chance of peace as the speakers blared music from which there could be no escape. Additionally, the shower failed to drain properly, the climate controls were cracked and faulty, the electrical was a bit of a mystery, and the beds/pillows were substandard. Given the star rating, we certainly expected better. The real highlight of this trip was the food – plentiful, and great quality. It was a seafood lovers dream. Both food and drink are worthy of the star rating. Unfortunately, the troop responsible for our entertainment were average at best. The investment in show planning was obvious, but the talent just wasn't there. In particular, when it came to our New Year's Eve show, we expected something special, yet we found ourselves watching the same group of semi-capable performers attempting to run through a montage of rock music, most of which they were simply not able to accurately perform. As a musician, their lack of skill was obvious to me, but it was equally obvious to others, and the audience response was apathetic. Entertainment through the day was limited, but suited my desire for a more self-directed experience. The service at the resort varied widely. Our Concierge provided excellent service but was spread thin. Others ranged from enthusiastic to apathetic, and service was often delayed due to staff that seemed to be indifferent to the needs of guests. The grounds of the resort were very well kept and beautiful. The efforts to meet with eco-friendly objectives were admirable, particularly the elimination of straws and plastic bottles. Filtered water stations and refillable glass bottles replace plastic – a brilliant idea! Unfortunately, the resort is somewhat limited in size and scope, limiting options for a la carte dining (which was all good), shops, or the variety of hang-out/lounging locations. The beach was adequate, but not one of the better ones I've experienced, leading the vast majority of guests to spend their leisure time at the pool, complete with broken-down jacuzzi that showed no indication of being repaired any time soon. Overall, this resort was average, despite the great quality food, and not deserving of a 4.5 star rating. I would definitely not recommend this resort to others, and would not return.

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Enjoyable Stay

We liked the VH Gran Ventana. The food was excellent. The grounds were well taken care of and cleanliness was a priority. The beach was amazing and prime snorkelling only steps away. We were ANNOYED by the vendors on the beach. Perhaps a Market or them coming to the resort at a scheduled time to sell their goods would more appreciated by vacationers. More bar tenders are definitely required at all locations to speed up the service. Chilled pop and blenders would make better drinks! We purchas [... read more]ed the Premium package upgrade. We did not like that you had to remain in that room to consume premium drinks. Your bracelet should allow you to get premium liquor at all bars. The furniture in the premium area needs to be upgraded. The couches were disgusting. People should not be permitted to save beach and pool loungers when they are not present to use them. Often by 8 AM all the loungers were occupied by towels not people. New Year’s Eve Bash was FABULOUS. Overall we had a very enjoyable stay and are even talking about returning in March. The drawing card is the beach, food and snorkelling.

Playabachata Hotel: Plata bachatta

The layout is nice , the beach , a lot of place to walk on the resort , to swim or play volleyball. The service at the lobby is not efficient. We ask for extra pillows at the beginning, at the end of our stay still no pillows.Ask to change money not enough currencies. The food at the buffet was ok . Only 2 restaurants sharing the same space, Italien and steak house. We’re there during new year , animation was good . The room I give 4/10 Old , the water in the shower was a joke Overal [... read more]l 5/10

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Good resort

The hotel was in the beautiful place but the staff and the food was worse than bad. On the other hand it was so clean we love it. If you don’t care about the food , good place to stay whit the kids everything is very close , but nothing to do for them.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Senator Puerto Plata Spa Resort

Hotel and ground were quite nice and clean, I found that there were not enough covered space to hide from the occasional evening rain. The entertainment area is not covered which is lovely during a warm evening but when it rains everyone has to move I to the lobby. Makes it very crowded. I think the hotel is understaff, could use better trained staff in restaurant. They seem to be going somewhere at all times except our tables. And yes we did tip. Little more training and it will be fine. Fo [... read more]od was ok, nothing crazy. Room cleaning staff was amazing! Very friendly and helpful.

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Old but nice!!

excellent value for money. old resort but well maintained and pleasant staff. near convenience ! I recommand this resort for familly and couple not really for single !

Marien Puerto Plata Hotel: amazing trip superior staff

we stayed for 11 days over the xmas holidays have decided to never do xmas at home again the experience was awesome the work put into the decoration and the time to make travelers enjoy being there by the staff while being away from their own families was astronomical. The resort was clean the food was plentiful and the buffet at xmas was amazing. Have been to many resorts in DR with never a negative experience but have to say the workers at all levels at this resort deserve their weight in  [... read more]gold. They are working extremely hard to satisfy all. They could use more staff as they all looked sooo tired but never complained. The only peeve I had was the seaweed which is out of their control,and the amount us travelers litter the plastic cups would like to see a charge of maybe $15 upon check in to receive a bubba cup with name of resort and even smaller ones for kids which would advertise resort and act as a souvenir.