Punta Cana Princess: Worst Resort We Have Ever Stayed At
The grounds are clean and well maintained. The in-room service staff and restaurant staff were pleasant and efficient. It rained frequently and suddenly and the multiple entrances into the continuous corridors between the blocks of units was helpful. The beach was beautiful despite always being windy, however the frequent vendors were annoying. Therefore we went to the pool early morning to reserve 2 chairs in the shade. That is the only good thing we can say about our 14 day stay.
The room w[... read more]e were assigned is badly in need of maintenance and upgrades. The sliding patio door wouldn't lock. The door on the cabinet for the bar fridge was falling off and only held on with duct tape. You couldn't plug in the coffee maker or you would trip the electrical circuit breaker for the room. The pipes in the ceiling leaked one evening. The bath tub wouldn't drain unless you unscrewed the drain plug. The bathroom sink was badly cracked and the lighting in the bathroom was very poor. There was no nightlight in the bathroom nor a door so when frequenting the bathroom at night, one had to turn on the ceiling light which disturbed the whole room. It was far, far from the 4+ star rating advertised.
The music by the animation team at the pool was so loud at 3:00 pm that it chased us away daily (when we were healthy enough to be there).
Of the four advertised specialty restaurants, only two were open on any given night but this wasn't made publicly known anywhere. Despite the fact that the resort advertised that no reservations were required for the restaurants (you couldn't make reservations in any event) you had to line up starting at 6:00 pm and, unless close enough to the entrance to getting a 'first sitting' seat in the restaurant, you had to make a seating request for 8:30 pm and come back then. The food was mediocre at best and food handling was very questionable at some locations. We did on occasion make dinner reservations at their sister resort - The Carribe. Too often, meats were undercooked and raw food waiting to be cooked may not have been properly chilled. Shortly after dinner at Swiss Fondue our third night, my wife had severe diarrhea, then started vomiting followed by spending the next two days in bed with fever and chills. I was fortunate to suffer only mild diarhea for a couple of hours. Early in our second week at the resort, my wife had severe diarrhea a couple of hours after eating dinner in one of the other restaurants and spent another two days in bed with exhaustion. Again I was fortunate to only suffer mild diarhea for a couple of hours. Then the last couple of days of our stay, I came down with severe chills and high fever which lasted until we returned home. I went to our local hospital's emergency department the morning after our return and was diagnosed with a salmonella infection of the blood stream for which I was hospitalized for 5 days and treated with intravenous antibiotics for 14 days. My wife's diarrhea returned 3 days after we got home and she was diagnosed with a parasite infection for which she is still receiving treatment.
We have been to many all-inclusive resorts, but this was by far the worst two week all-inclusive vacation we have ever been on and one we wouldn't wish on anyone.
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Private -
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Zel Punta Cana - All Suites: Beautiful and very quiet. Great for relaxation, not for kids and parties.
The hotel lives up to its name! The grounds are beautiful and filled with trees and greenery. You are very much surrounded by the most picturesque tropical gardens! Unlike any other resort in the surrounding area. There are plenty of palm trees and sun beds that are well shaded! The pools are everywhere. The staff is very kind and welcoming. Short 7-8 min walk to the beach or you can take the cart ride for a min or, 2. The food was good! The buffet isn't very large and lacked variety, but there [... read more]certainly was always something to satisfy. The a la carte restaurants were also very good! The resort did lack evening entertainment and nightlife, like the title, it is very quiet. Not much for kids to do either. We were extremely disappointed that they did not grant us access to the neighbouring resort for the kids water slides and kids club. This should have been included in our package, and was listed during the time we booked, but access was taken away before our arrival. The resort is small, quiet, clean and beautiful. Not a place I would recommend for families with young kids simply because there isn't any kids club or fun activities to entertain them. We were told that the resort will eventually become an adult's only...
Having travelled to this resort previously, we had assumed we would have a similar experience.
Upon arrival, we were greeted in a friendly manner by Guest Services. Upon check in, we were given 2 wristbands, with no explanation why. We asked on day 2 and were informed they granted discounts around the resort. After check-in, we were escorted to our room and had to ask where the buffet was - at no point did Guest Services offer up this information.
The next day, we decided to take a shower[... read more] before heading to breakfast. The shower was extremely hot. It took more than 10 minutes to get it cool. This was an ongoing issue for the entire week. On day 3, we asked housekeeping to come in and take a look. The were unable to help. On day 4, we headed to the front desk and requested maintenance to take a look. We were told to wait for 10-15 minutes and someone would be up to see us. No one showed.
Housekeeping-The room was not once cleaned completely. There were toothpaste marks left on mirrors and counters, coffee rings, bar fridge not restocked (until we asked for it), missing face towels (last 3 days). Also, broken glass found on the floor in the bathroom. When we spoke to housekeeping, our concern was dismissed. Mattress did NOT have a protective cover. It was completely stained with some form of body fluid. ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING!
Telephone-telephone did not connect to concierge, etc after day 4. Again noted to Guest Services, nothing done about it.
Wifi Connection-very, very unstable. Many times we had to connect and reconnect.
Room Keys-we needed to reprogram the keys at least 9 times through our 7 day stay. We were told it was due to close proximity to our smart watches and phones. The keys were kept in separate locations on our person and even this did not work.
All inclusive is NOT all inclusive:
alcohol: the only items included was beer on tap and low quality spirits. If we wanted a bottled beer, there was a fee of $5US. If we asked for Bailey's, it too required money. We were also denied beverages at one of the swim up bars not at our location. Again, why???
a la carte: on our first day we attempted to book our a la carte meals. As we were aware, many of the restaurants service all the other resorts (ie/ Ambar, Punta Cana, etc), which resulted in very late reservation times. When we asked how we could actually book to a reasonable time, the concierge said to go to the restaurant and ask if they had availability. EVERY restaurant we went to had lots and lots of availability. This is just a ploy to get you to eat at the buffet. This is very shady business practice. In addition, the website indicated that long pants and semi-formal to formal attire was required. Not true, people walked in with shorts and sandals. This needs to be updated.
lunch restaurants: we went to the concierge to ask if there were other options available to us for lunch, other than the buffet. I told the concierge that in the past we could use the other restaurants in the other locations just not the buffets. No problem, we did not want buffet. Apparently this is no longer the case. The concierge, Marco Ramirez, said our only option was the buffet, however we already were aware of the poolside Grill. When we said we did not want either of these two options, he said 'I don't know why you don't want the buffet'. It was none of his business why we didn't want to eat there. He then went on to explain how to book the a la carte restaurant - not at all what we asked. And finally, when pushed again, he said there was a snack bar in our area that served food. I found his attitude extremely condescending and unwelcome.
Entertainment-we had no idea what entertainment was happening at any of the other locations within the resort.
Excursion-recommended by our representative. Said it was amazing as we would be at the Seaquarium where we would Snuba, snorkel, swim with the sharks and stingrays. The Snuba involved walking along the sea bottom, holding a rail, while a diver fed banana to the fish and we posed for photos. The snorkel did not have any fish to see as they were all attracked to the Snuba. The sharks and stingray were captive and not active. The food! Wow, we paid $150US each to have half a sandwich that consisted of one slice of meat and a slice of cheese. AND we had to pay for beer, but spirit was free. This was an outright photo opportunity and money grab.
This whole experience has left us with a very sour taste for Bahia Principe and we will not book any vacations with this chain.
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Pina -
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Bahia Principe Explore Punta Cana: Amazing weather resort needs to be updated
We stayed 10 days with glorious sunny weather. The grounds are impressive. Pools are very nice. The activity personnel especially the pool closest to the beach were great. The food was very good, lots of choices to eat, buffet à la cart or burger joint. All good. Our rooms were not what I expected. Very dated with many broken or not functioning items. First room a/c not working and very loud. Got a new room but took 5+ hours. Second room very similar to first but a/c was working. Room was full [... read more]of mosquitoes. They fumigated but took a full day. Next day our room was full of mosquitoes again. Cleaning staff leaves room door wide open when cleaning. Asked them not to do so but English is not spoken by many staff. So ongoing mosquito problem. The check in process should be reviewed. It took so long and was archaic. Many visitors were visibly angry with the process. Not a very good first impression. Would I go back to this resort, yes but would upgrade to better building. The Punta Cana Grande or Bavaro need to be upgraded.
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Venturacupcakes -
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Serenade All Suites Adults Only Resort: Amazing Vacation!!!
We had an amazing trip at Serenade All Suites. Can't really complain about anything. The food was excellent, the staff were all nice and accomadating. The rooms were spacious and the bed was very comfortable. The grounds were very clean and the beach was absolutely beautiful, white sands and the ocean was very clear. We would definatley come back to this resort in the future.
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Happy Nova Scotia -
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Hyatt Vivid Punta Cana: Amazing stay
Our group had the best time, the food was the best I have had and the bartenders make ever drink I asked them for. Such wonderful people, the resort was clean and the pools were lovely. Found the pillows a bit large on the beds and the matress was just ok but we were there for sun sand and great times and that's just what we got!!!!! Hopefully we will return again next year ?
Hotel was clean food was delicious ?
pool was excellent and lots of entertainment ?
service could use so.e work I'm the past they went out of their way for you this time I felt I was an incontinence that was my only disappointment ? the 1 excursion we went on was a huge disappointment, we never got what we paid for
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Private -
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Bahia Principe Explore Esmeralda: Great family place!
Very satisfied with my recent visit, extremely happy with the staff and all the amenities. The food is top notch definitely recommend to everyone especially families with kids. My family and I will be going back for sure!
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Lucy -
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Zel Punta Cana - All Suites: Fantastic resort
My recent stay at Garden Suites by Melia was simply fantastic. From the moment I arrived, I was greeted warmly and treated to impeccable service. The suite was spacious, elegantly furnished, and featured a delightful private garden terrace. The resort's facilities, including the tranquil pool area and rejuvenating spa, were top-notch. Culinary experiences were a highlight, with a variety of delicious options to choose from. What truly stood out was the exceptional service provided by the staff, [... read more]who went above and beyond to ensure my comfort and satisfaction. Overall, Garden Suites by Melia exceeded my expectations, offering a blissful escape in a stunning setting. Highly recommended for a memorable vacation experience!
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Private -
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Barcelo Bavaro Beach: Golf vacation
Rooms are dated. Not like the photos. Food was sub par or below, service in most restaurants terrible, shows were boring, Sport's bar was good, had an excellent variety of sports on the TV’s, pools were great, awesome beach, golf course in great shape.
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Private -
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Royalton Splash Punta Cana: Our Third Visit
This was our third visit to the Splash and it didn’t disappoint. We booked Diamond club (our butler was not good at all) but we enjoyed the benefit of being able to eat at the Royalton PC. If we return, we would just book non DC there instead.
Water park was fun for the kids, kids club was great for a mid day break while we had a bite at the cafe right outside the clubhouse.
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Private -
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Sunscape Coco Punta Cana: Great Resort
Resort was great
Food was Great
Beaches where great
Resort was great
Food was Great
Beaches where great
Resort was great
Food was Great
Beaches where great
Resort was great
Food was Great
Beaches where great
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GMH2 -
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Lopesan Costa Bavaro Resort: Beautiful resort!
The hotel and grounds are stunning, the room was spacious with a beautiful balcony and well stocked. The pools and beaches are gorgeous!
Good drinks, and a variety of food options although the Al a cartes were a bit disappointing.
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Jill -
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Riu Palace Macao: A little piece of Paradise
We were very impressed with the renovation that was completed on the hotel. The rooms are updated and lovely. Very calming colors. The theatre is wonderful. Instead of being inside the building it opens up to the outside which is great. So much wonderful seating everywhere and great viewpoints from every chair.
The decor has been upgraded in all restaurants and is really very nice and the main lobby is great.
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Joanna -
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Hyatt Vivid Punta Cana: Jewel Palm Beach is an amazing resort!
From our first day to our last our large group of 18 people were completley satisfied with the Jewel Palm beach resort and staff and have all decided to rebook for next year. We usually always go to different resorts, but not this time as the Jewel Palm stole our hearts.
The resort grounds are beautiful and very well maintained, the workers are constinatly cleaning up the grounds and beach.
The Food, no one in our group had anything bad to say about the food. We loved the Buffet and the rest[... read more]urants equally. The drinks were delish, frozen slushie drinks to the best chocolate espresso martini, you can find it all.
We have already recommend to a friend and they have booked for this April.
We will be returning to this resort for sure!
Joanna
My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Colonial Majestic Resort.
The hotel is beautiful, the grounds so manicured and lush. We absolutely loved the large pool and would do the full length every morning just to start our day, it would take us an hour and a half or so, floating and wading all around. My husband walked the beach after this, then we would meet up and go to the adult pool where we would meet up with so many friendly people. The swim up bar was lots of fun, the bartender[... read more]s were great and always so happy.
Our room was in the adult complex and it was very spacious and well appointed. We were very comfortable and the room service was very good.
We enjoyed eating at the buffet, as there were so many choices, and there were theme night such as seafood night, continental night, Mexican/ Dominican night and we got to try so many different foods.
There were American style foods, Asian style foods(sushi) Italian pastas, pizza etc.
The food was very good and great variety and quality.
The buffet down by the beach was very good for breakfast and lunch, and for dinner it became a steak restaurant in one half and a seafood restaurant in the other half.
The beach was wonderful and there was always lounge chairs available throughout the whole resort.
It is a wonderful resort and we are thinking of returning in the fall with our family.
Loved every minute!
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Private -
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Dreams Flora Resort and Spa: Amazing Resort
The food quality and variety were both excellent.
Each member of the Resort staff were friendly and very helpful when required.
Plenty of seats at the pools and beach.
The rooms and grounds were well maintained
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HeatherD -
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Wyndham Alltra Punta Cana: Girls Trip 2024!
The hotel & resort was amazing!! Staff were so friendly and helpful. The beach was clean, service on the beach was prompt & the staff were great at making suggestions & getting us what we needed or wanted. The water was calm, peaceful, clear & warm. I cannot wait to visit again!
The property was gorgeous. The food was great. The staff was friendly. If you’re looking for night life there isn’t much, it’s more of a relaxing place. The crowd is generally older and keep to themselves.
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Rick -
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Majestic Elegance Punta Cana: Another awesome vacation
We are returning guests to this Resort for the third time. Each time it seems that the resort has raised the bar. We had zero issues. Check-in was fast and easy. All of the restaurants and buffets were quite enjoyed by all of us. It is awesome to not have to worry about really booking anything, you just show up. The staff were attentive and the grounds were kept impeccably. Super clean and fresh. Santiago was our Butler on the Elegance Club side. We have met him in the past and he does his very [... read more]best to ensure that your stay is outstanding. We cannot thank him enough again for any assistance he provided. All in all, the resort is a definite go to. We have traveled extensively to many resorts and this is the only one that we have actually returned to knowing what we are going to get.