As expected

The rooms were nice, and staff were excellent. Friendly and helpful. The food was okay but seemed largely local cuisine. This didn’t bother me too much though, as thats not the main reason for travel. My only complaint would be the massive amount of locals that come on weekends and their behavior, which is surprisingly allowed. Nothing is peaceful-they listen to music on the beach at a loud level and subject everyone else to that, which is not nice when you’re trying to relax and read a book. Th [... read more]ey also let their kids go crazy, it is quite unpleasant.

Made Us Miss Cuba – Not the Experience We Hoped For

We recently spent 10 days at this resort, and while there were some highlights, the overall experience did not meet our expectations. To start with the positives, the food was consistently good in both quality and variety. There was always plenty to choose from, and we especially enjoyed the fresh papaya and pineapple daily—both were excellent. Unfortunately, mangoes were not yet in season. The resort offers three à la carte restaurants, all of which had great menu options. During our stay, w [... read more]e were able to book 9 evenings of à la carte dining, which was impressive and added nicely to the experience. The rooms, particularly in the adults-only section, were another highlight. This area consists of two buildings with access to a more private, quieter environment. We hadn’t originally booked this upgrade, but chose to purchase it upon arrival—and we are very glad we did. It made a noticeable difference, as this section was significantly more peaceful compared to the rest of the resort. However, this brings me to one of the major downsides. From the moment we arrived, we were constantly approached by staff trying to upsell various upgrades and services. This level of persistent selling was something we had never experienced before at a resort and found quite irritating. Another key issue was the overall atmosphere, particularly on weekends. The resort primarily caters to local Dominican guests, and during weekends, we found ourselves in the minority. While we respect that everyone wants to enjoy their vacation, the short-term nature of these stays seemed to result in a much louder, more party-focused environment. At times, it was so disruptive that we did not feel comfortable using our balcony, and even the private pool area became overcrowded and very noisy. This made it difficult to relax, which is ultimately what we were looking for. The resort layout and amenities were also lacking. The lobby is quite small and becomes very crowded during peak check-in and check-out times. Unlike many other resorts, there is no proper lobby bar. In fact, the only main bar is located by the pool, and all drinks are served in paper cups. There is no dedicated space to sit comfortably, enjoy a drink in proper glassware, or socialize in a relaxed setting—something we have always appreciated in other destinations, particularly in Cuba. Evening entertainment was underwhelming. Over the course of 10 days, we only attended three shows, as they were mediocre at best. Outside of that, there was little to no evening activity, so most nights we found ourselves returning to our room shortly after dinner. The beach experience was also disappointing due to constant and at times aggressive vendors. There was ongoing pressure to purchase braids, pedicures, and various trinkets, which made it difficult to fully relax. Additionally, the Air Transat representative was on vacation for five days during our stay, with coverage provided by phone only, leaving guests without support during that time. Overall, while the resort has some positive aspects—notably the food and the adults-only section—we would not recommend it based on our experience. We truly missed the level of comfort, atmosphere, and hospitality we’ve experienced in Cuba, which in our view offers a much more refined, relaxing, and enjoyable resort experience.

Nice resort!

Rooms were spacious and clean. Food was ok, noone got sick. Easy to book à la carte restaurants. Staff were very friendly. Only downside is it would be nice to have indoor bars especially when raining. Shows were kinda lame. A resort more for an older crowd but we had a fun time.

Mediocre Resort (sorry)

It's a small hotel. This hotel was for older people and with Families. The food was bland compared to what I am used too with reference to Punta Cana and Mayan Riviera. The drinks are minimal in choices. I guess you can get better drinks if you upgrade.But I was not prepared for that. Entertainment was mediocre and there was not much happening after dinner. Overall I would not go back here.

Very Nice Resort

This resort is a nice quaint resort on the smaller size, which I like. The beach is huge and beautiful. I really liked all of the restaurants. A lot of different options. Loved the grouper that was offered almost every night at the buffet. The drinks were amazing!!!! Def not watered down like others have said. Just like at any other resort, there are people reserving loungers at the beach and pool for sometimes more than 6 hours. That can be rather annoying. We were in one of the adult buildin [... read more]gs which was great because it had it's own pool and bar, plus it was a very quiet area all the time. The room was nice and always had hot water. The rooms were cleaned daily and the fridge stocked daily as well. The people trying to sell stuff on the beach weren't rude at all. You say no thank you and they move on. Very respectful. I'm not a big fan of the "VIP" staff trying to get you to upgrade but I get it. It's their job. A couple no thank you's and it's all good. Overall, I would def come back.

Great Resort

The Hotel Emotions by Hodelpa Puerto Plata has well manicured grounds. All the staff were very friendly and helpful. There was always a large selection of food choices at the buffet. The food at the buffet and Al a cart restaurants were delicious and well presented. The rooms were clean and comfortable. Overall the resort was amazing. The only feedback with regards to improvements is that the app to book the al a cart restaurants needs to be improved as it was difficult to book or the site was [... read more] down

Emotions

Overall this was a very nice resort with very friendly staff. We had great weather and enjoyed relaxing by the pool or the beach. Booking for the 3 restaurants is a challenge as the wifi is very weak so made it difficult but the on-site buffet was a good alternative with lots of variety. Hotel rooms are very basic but are clean.

Great smaller resort!

Loved the size of the resort! Everything was in close proximity. Close to the beach, pool and restaurants. Loved the restraunt sizes. Room could have been better, bathroom door didn't close all the way as well as the shower door, poor lighting in the bathrooms and the sink wouldn't drain. Friendly staff, and great service.

We will definitely be back!

This hotel was great. The food was excellent and there was always enough for everyone and even my picky eaters found stuff to eat. The room was okay. When we checked in initially the room was not cleaned properly. I called reception and less than 5 minutes later 4 people came into the room to clean up. The AC worked perfectly. The rooms were also cleaned everyday. The pools were great. The pool and beach bar served nice drinks all day. The coffee shop also had coffee, hot chocolates and pastries [... read more] all day. The beach was stunning and very clean( they actually sweep off the seaweed every morning). The three restaurants were great and I liked the Dominican one(Oregano) was our favourite and we visited twice during our stay. I liked dressing up to go to the restaurants. ALl the staff we met were friendly and looked like they loved their jobs. We took a day trip downtown to see the sites and it cost 40$ in total. Our guide, Angel was great. They will try to sell you the Elite collections and I would advice you just get the meeting over with. They will stop bothering you afterwards. We did get coupons for massages and photoshoots and gifts for the kids from attending. You just have to be firm with what you want. In all it was a good vacation and resort. We will surely be going back!

Not worth the money

I recently stayed at this hotel and overall I’d rate it a 2/5. Pros The hotel is very clean. Staff are constantly picking up garbage and maintaining the green spaces which really stands out. They even spray the walkways early in the morning so there aren’t many ants around. Cleanliness here is honestly one of the best I’ve seen. The beach is also beautiful and definitely one of the highlights of the stay. However, there are quite a few downsides. Cons A big issue is the constant pr [... read more]essure from salespeople pushing “elite” upgrades. It feels excessive. Made you want to avoid the main pool and beach so you dint have to deal woth them. I personally upgraded my room and it was a complete waste of money it didn’t add any real value or anything extra to my trip. For an “all-inclusive” resort there are a lot of extra charges. Only 3 out of the 6 restaurants are included as à la carte. The others cost extra and even within those restaurants many menu items are what you get at least once in your buffet. It’s not like other resorts where all restaurants are included and only premium items cost extra... here, it feels like almost everything is an upcharge. The food is mediocre overall. It’s not terrible and there’s always something you can eat but it’s nothing special. In my opinion the buffet was actually better than the à la carte restaurants. The pools are very crowded and you need to be careful with your towels. If you lose one you’re charged but we were never given towel cards to begin with which was frustrating when our towels were taken. Also people will take towels off chairs even if you’re using them which isn’t the hotel’s fault but still adds to the blah experience. Booking a tee time for golf is nearly impossible. It doesn’t seem like the hotel promotes it or puts much effort into helping guests access it. There is a small mall nearby which is nice for picking up souvenirs. The hotel itself feels older and refurbished, and honestly it seems like it may need another update soon. That said the staff are clearly doing their best with what they have. If you are gojng to take anything out of this review it is this!  ****If you’re booking excursions... be cautious. The one I chose was heavily embellished compared to what was actually delivered. I’d recommend talking to other guests who have already gone on them before booking.**** Overall breakdown: 1 point for cleanliness 1 point for the beach 1 point because the food is not terrible and gives everyone a option to eat. But between the extra costs(being my biggest pet peeve of this place), lack of value in upgrades, communication barriers-very basic English and the overall experience....it feels overpriced for what you get.

A nice resort!

Liked the resort is smaller. Food was adequate, rooms could have been cleaner, like they need a good deep clean. Elevators not working so when carrying luggage it was a bit problematic. Overall a nice resort.

A nice resort!

Liked the resort is smaller. Food was adequate, rooms could have been cleaner, like they need a good deep clean. Elevators not working so when carrying luggage it was a bit problematic. Overall a nice resort.

A nice resort!

Liked the resort is smaller. Food was adequate, rooms could have been cleaner, like they need a good deep clean. Elevators not working so when carrying luggage it was a bit problematic. Overall a nice resort.

Nice resort.

Would not return to this resort. 9/10 of our group became sick… nausea, vomiting, diarrhea . Probably Food related…. Still recovering after returning home. This was our 3rd time to this resort…very crowded this visit… . Staff were all very pleasant .

Vacation at Emotions

Lovely grounds that were well kept. Staff was amazing. Buffet very good. Restaurants good but very difficult to book with group of ten. Rooms were nice except bathroom had a constant sewage smell. It was nauseating. The worst was 8 of 10 people were sick with vomiting and diarrhea. Beach was lovely but vendors were very annoying and constant.

Emotions

Unfortunatley our stay at Emotions was a bit different this year. I got food poisoning and dioreha. The cleanliness of the hotel wasnt as impressive luckily i brought lysol wipes and cleaned the room myself :( overal i wont be supporting or recomending Emotions in the future.

Ok resort

Excellent staff, nice grounds. Nice beach.Adult pool had kids daily.Pool bar very small and no stools. Room. Fridge needed replaced. Safe needed a technician to fix it. Bathroom overall below average. No lip on shower door. No hand towels. To get hot water you needed to turn on all taps for about 5 to 10 minutes and then slightly warm.Room doors very heavy and extremely loud when being shut. Huge banging noises all day long .Afternoon and nightly entertainment was unbearably loud. Majority of gu [... read more]ests were seniors and families with small kids. Forget about an afternoon nap or early sleep. Lastly the beach vendors were annoying constantly . Would never gi back to this resort.

Absolutely amazing

This resort is absolutely awesome. Rooms were very clean and done everyday. Food was beyond amazing and the staff were so wonderful. Absolutely loved and definitely will be our January trip next year. Only thing we didn't like were the very pushy people trying to sell you time shares. Beyond it's annoying and would follow you to the beach. We had to be rude after many attempts to get rid of them

December vacation

This review is long due to some discrepancies and wanting to give an honest review. Check-in & Room: Arrived before 3pm check-in on a Sunday. They did not have our reservation (Tripcentral were advised and responded it had been confirmed). Gave us bracelets to grab a meal and returned at 3. They had the only room left in the hotel ready, not our top floor preference but 2nd floor, Superior with king bed. (We did not book upgraded rooms) The room looked great (swim-up rooms below) but a few t [... read more]hings weren’t working.. which were taken care of promptly by the Housekeeping Supervisor - fridge was replaced, 2 patio chairs were brought, hair dryer replaced. Shower hose was broken (could not shower), so after no replacement on day 1, we waited at reception until maintenance brought a new one - had to assist maintenance on using a washer and that was fixed. All was smooth from then on. Shower stall has a small lip that overflows onto the floor (needs caulking under glass too) - we heard another room in a different building had the same issue. Bed was comfy - pillows too firm for us (hubby used a towel). Not many storage drawers in the room, and bathroom vanity is just sufficient for 2 people’s personal travel bags. Bath amenities were in pumps & more than enough for our 2 weeks use. TV has minimal English channels (WB & sometimes HBO). Balcony is large - nothing to dry suits on except chairs. The morning we left, there’d been rain overnight and the toilet was gurgling so we’re not sure if there was going to be plumbing issues - the ceiling in bathroom was dripping on our backs at the sink. Room 16210. Meals: buffet is good with daily Dinner themes. On weekends, lots of domestic bookings and with it are crowds and mostly Dominican style breakfasts. Weekday breakfasts include bacon, smoked salmon/capers/cream cheese. All days include omelette station, pancakes, banana or papaya smoothie station. Lots of cereal, oatmeal, hot cocoa, fresh fruit. About 14 hot plates with variety of choices for all 3 meals. Small Lobster in paella or seafood stew one night/week. Beach restaurant: same menu daily: burgers, hotdogs, nachos & cheese, fried chicken pieces, small salad bar, fruits, buns, dessert. Coffee/tea service are in mini cups. A La carte: 2 per 7 night stay - book with bar code 3-4 days ahead, or at customer service 2 days ahead. Lolita’s Mexican was our fav & the only time we had avocados (recommend corn soup, shrimp tacos) - Amici Italian was very good. We didn’t get to Dominican resto. Wait staff everywhere were friendly and helpful. Some very professional. Entertainment & activities: gym looked great. Lots of daily activities.. more than we typically see at a resort - schedule wasn’t posted on a board.. changing to electronic bar code at reception - we obtained a schedule from customer service. We enjoyed mini golf, archery, cornhole games. They also have tennis, batting cage, various competitions like darts. Oh yes, pool foam party every week was fun to watch - and nice to see a safety barrier for young kiddies. Very active team organize water exercises, sports, bingo. Pools do not have a lifeguard so please watch your little ones as their pool is between 2 other pools. Beach: amazing deep, white sand beach - very well maintained. Lifeguards are at the beach and police patrol regularly on ATV. In 2 weeks we had 2 red flag days from high winds/surf and they made sure no one was swimming. The water has a strong current pull so little ones need to be supervised. Generally it’s a gradual walk into the water, but there can be holes with tides changing. Bars: 24 hr is by the pools and do not use glass (kudos as it’s next to pools). At the beach bar, buy a fresh coconut $4, or whole pineapple. Bartenders are great and keep the lines moving well. Cafe: we loved the cappuccinos and Frappuccinos - small desserts avail too. There’s a price list, but it’s included for all-inclusive guests. Only item we’d be charged for are $5 fresh fruit popsicles. Milwaukee sports bar - we didn’t bother, except for popcorn, but theres snacks and billiards, TVs. Nightly entertainment - we were in the room or sitting by ocean at night, so have no opinions on it. Beach party one night. Overall, it seems some rooms maintenance or an upgrade will be coming in future. We were very pleased to get everything fixed in the room easily, and preventing a room change, because who wants to spend precious vacay time doing that! We loved our stay and would return.

A Resort I Recommend Very Highly

My travel partner and I travel 2 x a year to All Inclusives primarily to Dominican Republic and I tell you folks, this has been one of the best. The price was reasonable, the resort itself was amazing. It is on the smaller size so everything was just a short walk. We did not go VIP or Elite. We stayed for 9 days. Our room and our maid was great, lots of towels, hot water, soaps, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and had the perfect view of activities from the 3rd floor. Staff on t [... read more]he beautiful plush grounds, in the restaurants, front desk and entertainment areas and bars were so helpful and personable. The buffet food and a la cartes food was delicious. The entertainment was moderate but always fun ! The beach was clean and beautiful, lots of chairs as did the pools. I never heard any murmurs of complaints, only positive remarks. I hated to leave.