VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: First class resort

The staff are the best ever, always smiling and helping with all our needs, and they work very hard. Room is large and very clean. Fresh towels and bedding every day. As return guests we had an amazing special dinner in beach restaurant. We had the best Grouper and all the trimmings. We booked premium package which included acces to Vintage club for top of the line drinks and fancy coffees.we also had all our a lacartes booked for us. We had a private space on the beach, with waiter service f [... read more]or drinks and food. We will be returning soon to meet all your staff who felt like family

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Love this resort

We just spent a week at this resort from March 26 to April 2, 2019. This was our 6th visit to this resort and it’s like a second home. Reception employees and the concierges are great especially Manual. The oceanview rooms are beautiful and our room was cleaned beautifully everyday with a cute towel ornament displayed. The food was great and the buffet has a different theme every night. The Japanese restaurant is entertaining as well as having great food. The grounds have been upgraded [... read more] with beautiful lighting at night. The beach is gorgeous and there was never an issue with finding an umbrella with chairs at the beach or near the pool. The pool needs some upgrading as it needs tiles to be fixed and a fresh coat of paint. The entertainment is probably the one area that could improve the most. The MC’s are fantastic but the singers are weak and the choreography was too intricate for the level of the dancers. The Star Band was great with talented musicians. The costumes were gorgeous and of course the Michael Jackson show was super! Overall we had a relaxing time. We highly recommend this place and can’t wait until our fall trip and will extend our stay to 10 or 14 days!!!

Bahia Principe Grand San Juan: 5 star resort

This resort was Awesome..The staff was amazing. Our room was clean.Maids did an excellent job. Food was delicious I would definitely recommend this resort!! THankyou Lisa Selig for all your help in booking this resort for us!!

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Relaxing resort

While it did not feel like I was in a traditional local resort (felt like it could have been anywhere in North America) it was very relaxing and guests and staff appeared to be very laid-back and relaxed. Many staff were very young and the entire resort felt like they were still refining their procedures and routines. The free wifi everywhere on the resort was a huge plus. The ala carte restaurants were delicious and well-run, but the buffet lacked a lot of choices from day to day (same items ev [... read more]ery day) and did not have me anticipating the next meal. The Avenue Shops were convenient (if not pricey). A big disappointment was the lack of somewhere to self-serve a coffee or tea early in the morning. I had to bring my own selection of Tea for the room as they only left Peppermint, and would only restock the fridge upon request (not automatic) I believe that shortly they should have the bugs worked out, and will be much better. They advertise as a 5-star resort, but I do not think they qualify for the 5th star.

Blue Bay Villas Doradas: Just an okay2.5 star resort 2.5, but not worth the price

This resort has maintence problems with their rooms, specifically plumbing problems. There were numerous people that I talked too that had leaks and floods. That may be par for the course, but the food was at best three star and the entertainment was at best 2 star. During the week there were 2 staged shows. On the remainder of the nights it was the audience that provided the entertainment through karaoke (people who think they can hold a note) and tired old couples games and contests. The be [... read more]ach was okay but a good nightly raking would do wonders to clean up the trash. Don't be fooled by the 4 star rating, keep looking and stay elsewhere. This is a tired and run down resort.

Blue Bay Villas Doradas: very comfortable Resort

This is a great resort, the staff really work hard to keep you happy. The grounds and buildings were well maintained and clean. This resort had the nicest beach area I could see for miles with bar & restaurant right on the beach. Entertainment was a blast, guaranteed to laugh! Our agent Diane Newick really made sure we had everything wee needed plus more

Puerto Plata Village: according expectations

grounds good, room needs improvement, specially washrooms ( leaking water from the ceiling), service good dining good, maybe food too repetitive, on the beach I think should be more activities,BIG thank you for organize a mass on Sunday

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Everything you need for an inexpensive vacation

This place is absolutely fine for an inexpensive vacation. Everything we needed, no complaints. Nothing fancy but absolutely more than the essentials here. Anyone complaining otherwise is clearly a difficult person. This place is lovely and the food is all you need for a basic yet fulfilling time! If you're reading this before booking, you can totally book here. As long as you know you aren't paying for luxury. Background : this is our second ever all inclusive. We've travelled a lot and mos [... read more]tly to less developed countries and usually not for vacation. We love vacationing in Thailand which is way more fun than an all inclusive in the Carribean, but sometimes you just want a cheap vacation closeby with a direct flight. I offer this background so you may understand the context of my review. Tips & tricks : if you're reading this review for tips and tricks once you've already booked, welcome. We didn't buy the upgrade to anything. It's fine without it. We were in the Beata building (further away) and it was nice to retreat to peace and quiet. Most people here were middle aged or multi generational families. They all played cards even on sunny days. The buffet : the food was totally fine. We like to eat healthy and there was plant on offer to make yourself a giant protein salad at lunch, to choose from sides with lots of veg, and overall just a fine selection. Everything was fresh, salads were homemade not overly grocery store fake dressing-ed. If you can't find something to eat here you must be one of the people who only ate platefulls of fries all week. Yes I saw grown-ups doing this. By far the best buffet meal was Wednesday night, what they call "world buffet". Don't book an à la carte that night and enjoy nice cheeses. The à la cartes were sort of like pre-plated buffet food. There is nothing wrong with the buffet. But this was nothing like a restaurant experience. I knew some reviews said the restaurants weren't good and now I understand. Keep low expectations. The Italian was by far the worse, smoked salmon and caprese entrées were comical. Instead you should play "pretend the buffet is an à la carte" and surprise your travel partner with one course at a time of your choosing. Much tastier than the a la carte. The entertainment was very lacklustre but you can come to enjoy the sights of the other vacationers who drank a lot that day. Mostly tacky audience participation events that also use all clichés of women vs men. The beach is great. It's huge. You can always find a chair, or get one yourself from the big pile. Didn't find the wind problematic and we spent most afternoons napping and reading out there. Wifi : we did not pay for hotel wifi. We used the free WiFi in the activities area which worked best when no one was around, so think 10 am when everyone's at the back rather than 10pm when everyone is watching entertainment. A few days in we went to town using uber, but it can only pick you up outside the gates of Playa Dorada by the main road. No big deal, 3$ fare to the phone store called Claro. Bought a sim card for 3$ and then a 5 day 5GB data package for another 3$. I'm sure it was much more reliable than the hotel wifi for 35$ USD. In town, we got a pedicure for 400 peso (vs. 960 in the hotel) and enjoyed a yogen fruz. We wanted to go for sushi but they were only open for dinner. We looked into renting a car for some adventure, there is an Avis rental counter very closeby which had good rates. Tell them you have collision insurance through your credit card and it's around 45$ USD for a 24 hour rental of a small car. The '"mall" next to the hotel has a bunch of tourist stores. Prices for alcohol were a bit more expensive than the grocery stores in town but not that bad considering how close it was to the resorts. We had an EXCEPTIONAL meal next to the mall at Passatore Italian restaurant. Best carpaccio I've ever had and a beautiful tuna tartare. Incredible service. Recommend you have a fancy meal here! The gym leaves a lot to be desired. It's not very clean and the machines are quite worn out. None of the free weights had weights written on them. It's fine for a few days, but don't expect much.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Amazing resort

The resort was beautiful and well kept, very clean. It is still being renovated with lots of new restaurants still to open. The staff were absolutely amazing and would go out of their way to get you what ever you needed! We would definitely go back. The only negative would be more poolside activities and they need a spot to do the night activities if it rains! Other than that perfect!

Cofresi Palm Beach and Spa Resort: Very Good Resort

The Cofresi Palm Beach Resort is a physically challenging resort with lots of steps although a very beautiful one. Best feature was the beach - lots of space, and no problem getting loungers. Food was very good as well - buffets were excellent although we found the Casa was better than the Pearl. The 3 a la carte restaurants we dined at included: Bellini (Italian), Trapiche ( Mexican) and the Blue Lagoon (seafood). We found both the Mexican and Blue Lagoon to be great and the Italian no so gr [... read more]eat. The snack bar at the beach was a disaster - meat not cooked. Our first room had no water and we moved the next day to another which was nice although the ceiling in the bathroom continued to leak from upstairs. Maintenance came and cleaned up quickly. Great hot water and air conditioner worked fine. Shuttles were necessary to get around this large resort - although you sometimes felt you did nothing but drive around on shuttles. Staff were not particularly friendly or helpful - probably because they did not speak English. My reason for not recomending this resort relates to 2 things: 1) difficult for seniors to navigate even when mobile 2) the hard sell for membership which wasted 2 hours of first day

Blue Bay Villas Doradas: Great week but definitely not a 4 star

Just got back from a week at the Bluebay Villas Doradas with my boyfriend. This is my 4th all inclusive, been to Mexico and Cuba, it was a great week but wouldn't go back. Start with the positives: Food was pretty good, I'm picky but my boyfriend enjoyed everything, fish a la carte was the best one, very fresh seafood. Buffet was good but small but makes sense with smaller resort. Room was clean, staff was super friendly. Animation staff were excellent, Julio, Waldo, George, Veronica, Alfredo [... read more]. They are so passionate about their jobs and are so engaging to talk to, definitely know how to throw a party! The shows were pretty good, entertaining and the ice breakers before were a good way to get the crowds involved. Beach area was big and private, no hotels on the right side which was a bonus and no rocks or anything when you walked in. Negatives: Older resort, rooms were small, we asked for a king bed and got two double beds together so not really a king. Not enough shaded areas at the beach or the pool, had to get up super early to reserve your spot if you wanted shade. Another negative with the beach ha a lot of the cigarette butts, would have been nice to have them clean it more so you aren't stepping in them. Beach towel service was hit and miss, if you wanted a fresh towel they didn't always have them. Wifi was terrible, it was only available in the lobby and only about 10 people could be on it at once and even then it was super slow.

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Good resort on the beach

Overall, a nice hotel. The food was delicious and plentiful. The pool was warm and open till 7pm. The beach was clean and safe. The room was clean, however, lacked a nice sitting area, even though there was space for a couch. The free Wifi is horrible, but if you are on vacation, it is irrelevant.

VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort: Great resort!

Pretty resort, food was great, drinks were even better. Nice pool and beautiful beach! Entertainment was fun and the Sunwing representative was amazing at welcoming us! We had a superior room and it was very simple with a view of the road but we had enough of the trees to give privacy to our deck. Our room was in the 3rd building which was roughly 2-3 minute walk from the main resort but they did have a tiki bar and quiet pool in the court yard of our building. The à la carte restaurants [... read more] were good, the italien restaurant was mediocre but the other 2 were great! The bar fridge was stocked with the local beer until the last 2 days when they started stocking with coors light which was disappointing. Overall I would recommend but spend a little extra and get a upgraded room if you want that true resort feel!

Bahia Principe Grand San Juan: Great Fun!

The resort was good, but a bit outdated. I wish they would upgrade everything, it would make the experience better. However the service by everyone was great, from the moment you arrived at the resort and lead to your room. The drivers always had a smile and we're ready to drive you to where you needed to go. The bar tenders were great at making the drinks, especially the one located near the lobby. The buffet staff were also amazing, always cleaning up. Also I have to mention the resort washroo [... read more]ms were always kept clean, which was great especially travelling with my toodler. We also experienced the spa service and that also was great. The maid service for the room was phenomenal, we would always come to a clean room. Also loved the replenishment of fresh towels when needed. I would only say that the food could've been a lot better, the taste was very off and lacked flavours. The local food we tried on our paid tours were far better than the resort food. The fish had a weird and funky smell to it. All in all, it was a good resort, but for me the food is the main component to a great experience.

Blue Bay Villas Doradas: Nothing Fancy

We travelled to this resort on March 22-29th, 2019. PLEASE BEWARE!! there is currently a new building being built very close to the beach right next to the resorts beach section. I wish we would have been advised about this before booking as it did kind of ruin the beauty of the beach for us a bit. Saturday and Sunday was a nice break as there was no construction during the weekend. The bad: - the rooms/building are very dated, the pool area was also very dated with many broken/cracked tiles [... read more] - Extremely annoying vendors on the beach (but I believe this is the same for every resort on Playa Doradas) - Time share people on the resort were quite annoying as well (one guy even asked our friends straight up for cash for beer after work after telling him they didn't want any part of the time shares) - Bartenders seem very overworked and tired most of the time - The buffet was just average - The white wine wasn't very good - Lobby bar was premium liquor "cash only" extra $$ if you wanted to get a drink there - Rusty old room safe was not included and had to pay extra $$ to use it - Only 1 key card per room or you had to pay extra $$ for a second (also A/C only worked if you had the key card in a slot for it) - Half of the loungers are broken or old and stretched out that they require a pillow to be used with them - You had to get up and reserve your lounger at 7 am or earlier if you wanted a none broken lounger and a shaded area on the beach (maybe for the pool as well but we spend 90% of are time at the beach) - Unfortunately the foam party is only once every 2 weeks and we stayed during the off week and never got to experience it - Shower water pressure was quite weak and one day the entire resort had no water pressure for several hours The good: - The beach is very nice (5*), it was a shame that there was construction when we went and the irritating vendors - The beach bar/snack bar is great! Its right on the beach and had a discotheque beach party at night twice a week - Ice water dispensers at all bars - The Oriental and Steak house a la cartes food was amazing - Lobby and restaurant seems fairly new and nice - Resort seem relatively clean everywhere - The garden and ground were very nice and well maintained - There was an area that had orchids and a pond/waterfall on your way to the beach that was very cool - There is a natural ravine with a board crossing over it (to get to the beach) where you can see plenty of wild birds/turtles/fish - Resort was a short drive from the airport - There is a shopping plaza 4-5 mins walking distance from the resort that has a disco-tech club/bar and a sport bar/restaurant. (Note most of the shops is all the same stuff the vendors try to sell you on the beach) I'd strongly recommend booking the catamaran tour with freestyle on the beach for $55 a per (all you can drink and a lunch included). We had a blast with them and really enjoyed the snorkelling and all. Also I would recommend going to the little restaurant at the for western end of the beach called "Le petit Francois" were you can order a Poutine (fries, gravy and cheese curds). Francois, a guy from Quebec, Canada started his own restaurant there and it was delicious. Overall we made the best of our trip and still had a pretty good time but I would not recommend this resort to anyone until it gets some major renovations done to the rooms/buildings and more chairs/lounger as there is not enough for everyone if the resort is full.

Cofresi Palm Beach and Spa Resort: Cofresi Palm Beach and Spa Resort

If you have mobility issues - do NOT go to this resort. If you have children in strollers - do NOT go to this resort. From the majority of rooms, there are 69 stairs to climb to get to the bar or 50 to get to the restaurant. The shuttle buses only run every 25 minutes and they are disgusting - cracked seats, doors open with ropes. The standard rooms are not very clean and very dated. We had no dresser in our room in which to store our clothes and we were there for 12 days. The mini bar is f [... read more]illed ONCE, before you arrive, so don’t except replenishments every day. Wifi is NOT included and neither is the safe. Our fridge was so coated with ice, the door would not close and we constantly had water on the floor. The majority of the rooms face the winding pathway that is used for the shuttle buses, the workers and all their vehicles and the golf carts that are used by the VIP guests and it is extremely noisy. Good things - service by the buffet staff (Pearl) was excellent for the most part. Other staff members of the resort eat in this restaurant and they could be pushy and arrogant at times. The life guards at the pools were a nice touch. Everything at this resort is outside, so when it rains, you will get wet. The only bar open at night is right beside the main pool - but out in the open. Transat labels this resort as a 4 star, but it is more like a 2 star.

Senator Puerto Plata Hotel: Excellent resort

I was here 4 years ago and the changes that have happened and are currently happening are nothing but amazing. The buffet food is great the restaurants are impressive. Just a great time would go back again.

Cofresi Palm Beach and Spa Resort: Very bad resort!

The resort was very dirty, the rooms you see online are not the rooms you receive, to have the rooms online you have to pay an upgrade which costs 20$ USD per person per night the rooms we're also disgusting and very old. Food is poisonous you most likely will get food poisoning, no wifi what so ever you have to pay 70$ USD for one week of wi-fi from 6am to 8pm also nobody cares for your needs for example, you will have very early check out you wait 4 hours in the lobby you cannot use anything f [... read more]rom the resort because they cut your bracelet, I also waited an hour for towels and I called multiple times and they always said someone will be there soon and they're wasn't any hot water, the sheets we're dirty, the ceiling in the bathroom was falling down. If you still decide to go to this hotel I suggest you buy the upgrade, I personally wouldn't go there for me it's not even worth 2 stars. If you are looking to have a good vacation stay away from this hotel!!!!

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Amazing place

Very beautiful resort . staff was extremely friendly and helpful. Entertainment by the pool and at the stage was very good with excellent performances. Beach was very nice with lots of lounge chairs . pool was very nice as well with swim up bar . all the wait staff and bartenders are very friendly . the room was very clean . cleaned up daily and fridge was restocked as well and a beautiful view to the beach off the large balcony . will definitely be returning here again .

Cofresi Palm Beach and Spa Resort: Huge resort

The hotel was nice, lots of space for many guests, room was musty and the ceiling leaked in the bathroom, air conditioner leaked in the bedroom. The a la carts were delicious, especially the Bellini! The shuttle was a handy way to get around , there were many stairs not good if accessibility is an issue.