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Dominican Republic Smaller Resorts (A-Z)

Bahia Maimon - Dominican Republic

Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: Portland Direct - July 07

Opinion submitted in August 2007 by : SG - Kent (50,45,21,18,18,16)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

Hi,

First time we'd been to the Caribbean and was slightly worried reading some of the negative reviews.
Please don't worry if you have booked, we had an amazing time the people, Island and hotel all were great.
I have decided some people just like to whinge!!
The flight was fine, the hotel was lovely and the food was good. The steak house and the Italian were both worth visiting. The choice of food in the main restaurant was excellent.
The hygeine standard was good, the bars etc were alsmost sterilised daily, and they squirted you with antibacterial gel all the time (although it is worrying that many people turned it down)

I loved the Riu Bachata, the best of the three in my opinion, from stretching on the beach with Elvis and Spaghetti in the morning to swimming with the dolphins and the monster truck safari (the truck broke down serveral times but in this laid back country it just added to it!)
Go.... and have a great time

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - Feb 2007

Opinion submitted in April 2007 by : Mrs & Miss Rowland  - West Yorks  (49, 27)

Resort Rating: Poor

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

On arrival at the hotel following a long flight we were handed our room key and map & sent off to find your room. Not an easy task in unfamiliar surroundings, pouring down with rain & dark! After 2 trips back to reception for directions we finally found our room. The room had not been prepared for our arrival it was grubby, TV not working, no water or mini bar, supermarket carriers for bin liners,1 blanket, creased tatty throws, towels for 1 guest & shabby décor & furnishings. Not what you expect from a hotel with a 5 star rating.

We contacted reception & informed them of our dissatisfaction in the standard of our room and that no water or soft drinks had been supplied (we did not note at this point that the mini bar was empty too). We were told that the mini bar man finished at 6pm but if we went to reception they would give us a jug of water until tomorrow! Another visit to reception & we were sent a bottle of water & told we could change rooms the following day. If we were not happy about this to see our Rep in the morning, so it was back to our room.

The following morning we discussed the issues with our Rep who spoke to reception & was told that we had to return to reception at 2pm to see which rooms were available. We agreed at this point that if our room was made to 5 star standards we would be happy to stay there, reception agreed & said the room would be ready by midday. We returned to our room at around 12.15 only to find our room in the same condition as we left it. Another visit to reception & the Rep to see why the room had not been serviced resulted in the Rep & reception staff visiting our room. When asked why the room had not been serviced the response was shrugged shoulders! I then asked why only 1 blanket had been provided for 2 people & 2 beds I was told it was the hotels policy. Following a heated discussion we agreed to leave the room until 2pm & were assured it would be serviced for our return, the room was serviced but still no more blankets, these were left in a bundle at the foot of the beds later that evening.
Throughout the holiday things did not improve the fridge & mini bar were never re stocked without contacting reception. Many holidaymakers were seen running after the mini bar man to get fresh water. The cleaning standard leaves a great deal to be desired & a couple of times we had no towels left in the room. The food was often cold & very repetitive, the main dining room had sections closed off at what appeared to be busy periods leaving only half of the buffet area & cooking stations open which led to long ques.

We had several power cuts throughout our stay but we also had no running water on a couple of occasions. One day there was no water from 13.30hrs until around 21.30hrs & no hot water until the following morning. No apologies or explanation from the hotel management as to why it had happened or when the water supply would be restored. During the afternoon when no water was available we witnessed staff from the A La Carte restaurant filling water containers from the fire hydrant! We also observed a member of staff collecting & washing glasses from the beach in a bucket he was filling with water from another fire hydrant. We do have a photograph of this practice which will be forwarded to Riu & Thomsons. Also be warned you are unable to use a UK mobile in the resort & the Hotel does not allow the use of phone cards. Any phone calls have to be made via reception at aprox £2 per min. Take your phone out with you if you go out of the complex as a signal is available as soon as you reach the main road.
The animation staff were the worst we have ever encountered. On the couple of occasions that we did have contact with them, there main aim was to get you to get them a drink from the bar..
The Beach at the Bachata is not good was often full of litter & sea debris but also very little sunbathing area due to the large number of trees on the beach. The beach in front of the meringue is cleaner & has fewer trees.

Overall the holiday was the worst we have ever had. Lots of issues regarding rude staff & poor standards & nobody appears to give a hoot to improve this. We have in the past visited another 5 star Riu hotel in Mexico & the difference in standards is unbelievable.

This holiday was not at all as we expected it to be, the hotel is most certainly not 5 star more like a poor 3 star. Therefore if you are looking for friendly staff, good standards & 5 star service our advice is stay well clear of this hotel.

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson Jan 2007

Opinion submitted in February 2007 by : Stacey 22 jay 27-Honeymoon

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

All just a quick note about the "virus/bug" we were one of a few couples who fell ill on holiday. after a week we thought if we were ill we would have been but fell ill second week. There was no rep to help so we just stuck together and hoped it would pass we unfortunatly is hasn't as yet for me.

The hotel is rated as 5*, which i cannot see how from staying there. The rooms are large but some are full of damp and it can be noisy dependant which block of apartments your in. The staff are really nice too and the cleaners work every day 6 hours.

The food was appalling for 5*, the same food was served breakfast and dinner but tea was slightly different only if it was a theme night.

The drinks are all local produce but at christmas and new year the hotel provided named drinks for the canadians staying but soon put them away after. not acceptable in my opinion.

The hotel has a lot of canadians, germans and french. They all tended to be out at 7am reserving sun beds but would recormmend a 5min walk to merengine as beach is lovley here.

The pool was not cleaned everyday and tended to have a lot of floating items as i can only describe them, most likley due to the swim up bar.

The island itself is picturesque and i highly advise to go on the monster trucks, but do not take sweets, please take items for the children to learn or some old clothes. Do not give them money as they will not go to school.

Ocean world is worth a visit, although not huge is a good size to pass away 4 hours, the dolphin swim is a must at £85 cheapest in that area of world.

Phones, the hotel blocks foreign mobile signals meaning you have to use their phone which is £2 per min roughly, unless you wait until you leave the complex and take your phone in which case you get a signal at the top of the road from hotel.

Weddings are a rip off. one couple paid for an all inclusive wedding only to have to pay more money out on arrival for various items, also you need to be careful of the photographer.

Thomson, premuim class is not worth the money at all, the staff are always rude and not willing to help you.

All in all i would personally not recormmened the hotel or thomson unless you don't mind paying 5* prices for 3 star.

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - Aug 2006

Opinion submitted in September 2006 by : J & D Devonald and family (47, 45, 14, 12, 9) Swansea

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Having spent weeks prior to our holiday panicking about the reports of sickness in this hotel, we ended up having one of the best holidays we have ever been on. The hotel was spotlessly clean and the staff were brilliant.  The food in the main restaurant was very good and always plenty of variety to suit all tastes (but no fries for breakfast which were requested by a couple of Americans!!) There was always something going on to entertain you but were under no pressure to join in.  The swimming pools were the best of the three hotels in our opinion. 
The beach in front of this hotel wasn't as good as that of the other two Riu Hotels but the Bachata was closer to the sports beach which was in a sheltered area at the side of the hotel where the sea was a lot calmer.

We went to Ocean World and did the Dolphin Swim and the Sea Lion Experience, both were really good and worth doing.
We also did the Saona Adventure which was a long day(and expensive)but very enjoyable. The children particularly enjoyed the journey on a small aeroplane to the south of the island and also the power boat transfer to Saona Island.
The weather was hot and sunny with only a few showers during the entire two weeks.
Finally, I was the only one to have a bit of an "iffy" stomach but being as we were well stocked with Imodium, it only lasted two days max.
We would definately recommend this hotel.

P.S. Take plenty of sun cream as it is expensive to buy in the shops.

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - Aug 11 2006

Opinion submitted in September 2006 by : P. Hill Sheffield

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

I would like to put the record straight, (i wrote earlier about my concern's about a virus in the hotel)the holiday was fantastic. We had no problem's at all. I found out that two week's previuosly the hotel had been emptied and fumigated. I noticed the constant checking of the pool water by the staff, this  make's think that it was not an "air bourne virus". It is easier to blame the holiday-makers for the virus. 
Finally do not be put off this hotel, the staff / accomodation / food / position, 5*.  

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - Aug 2006

Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : P.Hill  Sheffield

Resort Rating: No rating

Accommodation Rating: No rating

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

I have found out from my brother that the hotel has a a virus in it, he stopped at it's sister hotel (Merengue)two week's ago. He had a letter from a rep pushed under his door telling him to stay away, as did all the other guest's. I have not yet gone on holiday (1 wk to go) but have tried to cancel / change hotel. You have guessed it, no chance (without incuring a large financial penalty). I spoke to Tompson who state that the hotel is OK, if so why were the guest's at the sister hotel told to stay away? I will let you know how it goes.

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson July 2006

Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Barbara Kavanagh 60,62,34,34,26,24,9,7.

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

the hotel was very pleasant,clean,the staff were excellant,always smiling and very helpful,gardens and grounds manicured,food very good.beach not to good,loads of seaweed and debri washed up each tide,although staff did rake up occasionally.as a family all in all we had a good time.

that is except for the  weekends,when locals are allowed in.they took over the pool and surrounding area,pinching sunbeds,and in general spoilt our holiday.many people complained as did we,at the time and on returning to uk.but to no avail.They were very rude and their behavior was totally unaceptable.Ihave been to Dom Rep on several occasions and have never experienced any thing like this before.Has anyone had the same problem?Iwould like to know,as Portland and Thompson do not accept it is a problem.

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - June 2006

Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : Brian & Sue Payne, (53 and 50), Forest of Dean

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The worse holiday we've ever had! 

We were both taken ill by the mystery virus that seemed to affect a majority of the British holidaymakers staying at the hotel.  We've had holiday tummy before but this was nothing like that. The whole holiday was ruined as you spent long periods in your room or in the shade as you felt so ill. The hotel staff were very good but the Thomson reps appaling - and we got no better treatment from Thomson when we wrote to complain upon our return so NOT recommended.  

The beaches were average, nothing like those we've stayed on in Costa Dorada and the pools, although clean were overcrowded, somedays you had no space and there were so many "locals" you felt overwhelmed. There were no quiet spots and you certainly did not get much sleep at night as the noise went on most of the night, even though we were in a block furthest away from the nightlife!  People drunk, kids drunk running riot, etc. The food was bland and a lot of the same things each night, the Steakhouse restaurant was appaling - we walked out half way through our meal as it was so bad, food and service wise. 

All in all we have been put off ever travelling to the Dominican Republic again and are amazed that the hotel is still in the Platinum brochure and bookings are still being made by Thomson to the hotel.    

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - June 2006

Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : amanda - sunderland (22,22)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

last year we enjoyed an excellent holiday at this hotel. this year was the worst holiday of my life.
we went for one week fri 9th to fri 16th june. this was just as the outbreak of gastroenteritus was occurring. luckily, if you can call it that, we didnt fall ill untill our last evening there.

on the flight home the cabin crew had to take my fiance to a different part of the plane where he could lie down. 2 days after getting home i was hospitalised and had to be operated on. i have two scars on my stomach.
having had this problenm last year you would think the hotel and thomsons would have been able to deal with the situation quite effectively. guess again.

apart from that, the resort was lovely. i recommend the shark and sealife encounters at ocean world.

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - June 2006

Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : Pam Wilson (38, 35, 8)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

When you arrive at the airport you will be met by men in green shirts who will try and take your trolley and will insist on showing you to your coach.  These guys are not doing this for the goodness of their health and will expect a tip!
Be prepared on your trip to your hotel/complex it will really shock you how the Dominicans live.  There is rubbish everywhere and it is very primitive!

When we arrived we received a welcome pack from Thomsons which included a letter advising us of a recent outbreak of illness at the Riu Bachata.
We spoke to numerous people that had been affected by this and pretty badly by the sounds of it.  Their kids had been hooked up to re-hydration drips after having a tummy bug.  The reps are insistent that this is not down to poor hygiene or food problems within the complex but seeing as over 200 people were affected at one point it does make you wonder.  Out of 6 in our party 4 experienced "tummy upsets" and I would recommend taking plenty of "Imodium" type medication and re-hydration sachets.
Make sure you use the "rub" they provide you with for your hands after using the loo and before eating.

The hotel is spotlessly clean and there is always someone cleaning or maintaining the pool area/gardens.
The rooms are functional but a little dated, however, all you do on your hols is sleep there and the beds are comfy so no problems there! The optics in your room are a nice touch and the fridge is stocked every second day with Pepsi, water and beer.The maids visit daily and change the towels and also leave some impressive towel sculptures! the kids will love em!

We did three excursions in total.
Ocean World - Fantastic! Swimming with the dolphins and sea lions is something my daughter won't forget for a long time. Lots to keep the kids occupied for the day.  Well worth doing.
Saona Island - Brilliant! Travel on a 40 seater plane to the other side of the island where you will then be taken by paddle steamer to some speed boats and then to a beautiful beach where we had lunch and then, finally, onto a catamaran.  Just watch out for the rum though!
Monster Truck Safari - Good if you want to see the real Dominican Republic.
With regards to food & drink wthin the complex we found everything thing to be quite greasy.  Also, if you have kids who are fussy eaters there is very little choice for them.  They do have pizza and chips but that's pretty much it.  We would recommend you try the speciality restaurants as these are very nice, however, again there is no kids menu which meant we fed the kids earlier at the snack bar.   The staff within the Bachata are fantastic!  Nothing is too much trouble.  Great with the kids and always smiling.

I would recommend that you take Dominican pesos and not US Dollars as I think you get ripped off.  Pesos are used widely and you can exchange pesos to dollars at the hotel reception.

Sun Cream - take loads! We went through lots of high factor sun cream.  In the Thomson Platinum lounge there is a basket that contains lotions left behind by other holidaymakers which is handy if you run out.  You are free to help yourself and also to leave any leftovers you may have.
That's really about it.  We tried the Dominican and were not disappointed I don't know if I would go back but if you have booked to go don't be put off by the illness and give it a try! 

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - June 2006

Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : Vanessa  & Jamie  - Eastbourne (46, 45)

Resort Rating: Below Average

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Take this report as you will but, I am posting it to caution anyone who wishes to book a holiday at this resort.  

We have just returned from 2 weeks 'Holiday from Hell' at the RIU Bachata.  During our two weeks there over 300 people came down with extreme Gastroenteritis, which spread around all nationalities staying at this hotel, including us, and it was an experience I would not like to repeat and do not wish on any other person.  

At one point people were being treated and on drips in their rooms as it was the only way that the medical staff could cope with the amount of people with this illness.  We have since found out that there was also an outbreak, of the same illness last year, when the hotel had to be closed for a 5 week period.  Apparently the outbreak started at the end of October 2004 and was allowed to continue until May 2005 !!  During this time they were still allowing holiday makers into the hotel and allowing them to become ill.  And, as you have read above, again they are still taking bookings knowing that this sickness bug is around.  

Thomson and RIU had no contingency plan in place to deal with the situation, you would think that they would have as they had been faced with this problem before and at the beginning of they outbreak tried constantly to ignore the situation and sweep the problem under the carpet.  In fact the two Thomson Reps were most obnoxious in their replies when questioned and when help was called for  It was not until one of our fellow British guests took the situation into her own hands, and called a public meeting, did Thomson's have no choice but to deal with the situation, before things got ugly.  From then on the situation was dealt with by the the head of Thomson's Customer Services in Dominican Republic, and two new reps were brought in.  

The actually hotel and resort is fantastic.  The rooms are fantastic, with air conditioning and central fan.  Cleaned thoroughly every day.  The staff are also very friendly and hard working, everything done whenever it was needed.  The food is acceptable.  The Steak House and Mediterranean Restaurant very nice.  

The beach is lovely, the pool area nice and clean etc etc It is just a huge shame that we were unable to enjoy any of these facilities to the full, due to us being so ill.  We could not eat most of the food, drink hardly any drinks, or go on any of the trips.  All we could do was staying in our room initially or sit in the cooler shade of the beach. 

Thomson are now stating that the illness was caused by an 'Airborne Virus' which is not in their control and therefore they are not to blame and there will be no compensation for the loss of anyone's holiday.  Suffice to say we will never return to this resort or to the Dominican Republic.  And, doubt very much if we will every book other holiday with Thomson again.  

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - May 2006

Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : Vicky & Matt Sth Yorks (25,26)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We have just returned from a 2 week holiday at the Riu Bachata, and it was the best holiday we have had in ages! We have been to several other Riu's in Mexico and this was just as good if not better.

Rooms:
The rooms were bright, spotlessly clean and very liveable for 2 weeks. There is a fridge, hairdryer, aircon and a ceiling fan in all rooms. The fridge is stocked with soft drinks, beer and water every other day and all rooms also are fitted with 4 optics with different sprits. Rooms are cleaned everyday and we were given new towels everyday also.

Restaurants:
The main restaurant is fantastic, with almost anything for everyone. I can't believe people who say they couldn't find anything to eat. There is so much choice, and everything we had was of a very good standard and always piping hot. The pizza is excellent and so was the pancakes for breakfast! The two al a carte restaurants were Steakhouse and Mediterranean. These were also very good, the menus were varied and always had 5 courses. I prefered the meditteranean because I liked the seabass.
We did use the eating facilties of the Mambo and the Merengue, but did prefer ours because it was bigger.

Pools/beach:
The pools were great, clean and well maintained. Always staff scooping out stray leaves that have blown from the trees. They were always checking the water for chlorine and stuff, so we knew the water was well looked after. The surrounding sunbathing area is huge and there was always plenty of sunbeds, we never had to rush to get a bed. One of the pools has a swim up bar, which is very cool and always a bonus.

The beach was also very clean and again loads of sunbeds. It is lined with palm trees so there is also loads of shade if you like to get our of the sun at mid-day. The beach is a little shingly, but we didn't mind. Some stretches are more shingly than others. We used to walk up to the Mambo section of beach, as the swimming area of the sea was better and not as much shingle. There are several bars on the beach and they are great. The sea was very clear and there are plenty of fish to sea if you like snorkeling. There is a seperate watersports beach at the back of the bachata. It is very quiet and relaxing on this side, so if you would like a quiet day, go down there.

Staff:
The staff at the Riu complex are fantastic! These people are so friendly and always smiling. The Animacion team at the bachata are amazing and always buzzing around keeping you laughing and entertained. Elvis, Mickey Mouse and Jamaica were very funny, bingo was a hoot! We used to mingle between the 3 hotels, and found them all to be very good with enetainment. The Mambo Animacion staff were fab, Capuccino, Pineapple Head and Gisela were very funny and always made us laugh, they had wierd sayings like Attack, you'll see what i mean if you go up there. They played loads of games like Horse shoes "Horsey Horsey", Olympic Games, Water Polo, Volleyball, Dancing lessons. The bar staff at the bikini bar were very good, especially Oscar the smiling boy!

Cleanliness:
We saw nobody ill, unless it was self inflicted and at each toilet and restaurant there was a maid with anti-bacterial lotion sqirting you before and after you came out. We thought this was a fantastic idea and commended the manager on this. The manager is very friendly and always walking around chatting to guests. 

Conclusion:
We thought this resort was A1, and all 3 hotels were fab! The staff were amazing, the food was very nice and the drinks were moreish. We will definately be back very very soon, and I can't wait.

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Portland Direct) Portland Holidays - April 2006

Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : Wood - Hampshire (37, 33

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Having just returned from this hotel, what can I say - EXCELLENT.
The staff are 100% helpful, the complex is extremely clean. 
The entertainment on an evening was ok, but on returning I discovered the other two hotels on the complex had better evening entertainment.  But that was our fault for being so lazy and not exploring enough.  The food was excellent, I am a picky eater and I always had plenty to choose from. 
One word of warning, there is quite a strong breeze on the beach!!! Hence both myself and my husband burnt quite badly on the first day (even with factor 25!!)
Looking forward to returning with my two children next year!!

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thompson - March 2006

Opinion submitted in Apr 2006 by : Richard Phillips - West Midlands (29,33)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We returned home from the Riu Barchata on the 6th April having had a fantastic holiday.

We, probably like many others, were a little concerned having read bad reviews for this Hotel having booked our holiday.

To make it helpfull I will try and break down into sub headings the catergories i feel able to pass comment on.

Rooms.

Not the lap of luxury but very clean and comfortable. Admittedly not comparable to 5* Hotels of a US standard we have stayed in but certainly not at all bad. The rooms comprise of two large beds a TV chairs and a table a large bathroom with a nice shower over the bath and a mini bar. The mini bar was not replenished everyday but whenever we ran out we just asked and got more - very promptly. We did tip but I dont think this would have made any difference.It contained beers pepsi tonic soda and optics. Cant speak for the optics we dont drink much shorts my wife has the occasional G+T and says the gin was fine. The rooms were spotlessly cleaned on a daily basis and we were never hassled by the maids they must work long hours as it is cleaned when conveniant for you. Television has a decent selection of channels. Only downside no kettle facilities to make coffee/tea if you enjoy caffine like myself take a travel kettle and some coffee!

Meals

I am an extremely fussy eater but without fail found good food and plently of it. People have said it to be repetitive I find this hard to understand. Admittedly, some of the same dishes are served daily but there is such a big selection you could have something different every night. The restaurants are not particulary different to the buffet-its just waiters bringing the food to you on flowery plates rather than you getting it. Certainly not worth getting up early to book we only went to the Steak House not greatly impressed but ok.

Entertainment.

We are a reasonably young couple 20's early 30's without any children we were never bored. We did not watch many of the shows put on but found plenty else to do. Lots of nice bars in the complex. We also went to the nightclub Pacha. It is not like any other nightclub we have been to but we enjoyed it nevertheless. Had a go in the Casino its quite small but ample for the numbers that use it didnt win much but didnt lose either!Cant really comment on the kids clubs/entertainment but certainly seemed to be a lot on and happy children so probably good. If you are a young single group out for clubbing and drinking probably not the best choice of Hotels. But any other age/group I think it will be fine.

Daytime.

Nice pools never had a problem getting a lounger. Entertainment is in abundance, though I was only brave enough to join in the water polo. Beaches are more relaxing, if thats what you want. The nicest beach is where the water sports are run from. It is secluded and not at all packed.

Trips.

We went on three.

1. Six wheelers- not recommended just treking over bumps, dirt and streams in carts that break down all the time. You are in the middle of nowhere with not a great deal to see.

2. Catameran Trip- Ok but boat way too packed. Nice to go to traditional Dominican village but takes ages to set off as they make loads of shuttle runs to the boat in a small speed boat and ages in a uncomfy bus to get back at the end.

3. Taxi Tour to Puerto Plata- Interesting and reasonably priced we paid about £25 for guide and driver to show us round in our own taxi for about three hours. Worth doing but they do take you to loads of tourist shops where they try to rip you off.

Staff.

Absolutely without fault always smiling and will do anything to help you.

Illness.

Neither of us ever felt ill or was ill and saw nobody who was. Despite previous reviews suggesting otherwise. The place is really clean and well maintained.

One downside was the gym/Fitness Centre - having read the brochure I packed my kit. Mistake-it consists of couple of bikes (not good). Treadmills where the belts are not fitted properly and weights, arguably as old as noahs arc. It also has a nice big poster saying "No Farting" on the wall and looks like some retro 1980's place. In short dont bother going or packing your training kit.

In summary we had a great holiday. Try not to take too much notice of the negative reviews. I also feel that value for money is faultless. We have been away in the winter to resorts like the canaries etc and spent much more money, when you take into account going out etc. I would recommend the place to anyone and certainly would go to another Riu- regardless of the dodgy gym!

Enjoy your holiday if your about to go.

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - August 2005

Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : Susan Skivington - Fife(37,42)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We went to this Hotel for our Honeymoon for a week and we loved every minute. The rooms were kept very clean and tidy,and the mini fridge in the room was filled every second day. Outside every block of rooms is a ice dispenser. The meals are top class, so much choice and top quality. We went on the Monster truck safari which was great fun and remember to take sweets and lollies for the children. We also went on the trip to saona island which was pricey but a fantastic day out, one you wont forget. 

All the staff are very friendly. You will be expected to tip $1 a time. We took peso's which worked out better but dollars is ok too. The gifts are very expensive but haggle. You will get hounded if you go to the huts beside the sports area,not worth going. 

All in all a fantastic holiday so much so we are going againg next year for 2 weeks and taking out 7 children with us!

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thompson July 2005

Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Kim Robinson Peterborough (46,45)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Wow this is an absolutely unbelieveable place.  

The hotel is set in a group of three RIU hotels and this is the best of the three, you are able to go to all hotels for drinks/food/pools/entertainment etc they just request that you use your base hotel for your main evening meal.  The food and service at the Bachata are second to none, absolutely faultless. Nothing is too much trouble for anyone and I mean anyone from the Manager to the gardener BRILLIANT.  The entertainment team work tirelessly, up to 14 hours a day with often 2 or 3 different activities going on at the same time, so if you are not feeling energetic enough for the aerobics then try the spanish lessons.  

All in all (despite the hurricanes Dennis and Emily) we had a brilliant time and are already looking at booking again for next year, what better recommendation could you have than that

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook - August 2004

Opinion submitted in Jan 2005 by : Dave Peterson - Lichfield (50, 48, 19, 17)

Resort Rating: No rating

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Overall had a fantastic and thoroughly enjoyable holiday in the Dominican Republic.

We were slightly sceptical about going to "the poor man's Caribbean" but we were very impressed by the high standards of the hotel complex.
The Riu Bachata in my opinion is the better of the 3 Riu hotels (may be biased as i didn't really see too much of the others). It certainly has the best pool of the 3. We actually booked on what Thomas Cook call the 'Riu Roulette', as were allocated to one hotel when we arrived, we had checked them out in the brochures and were happy to be in the Bachata.

We only stayed for the week which we felt was plenty of time to see everything without being bored at all. Our only complaint would be the entertainment, which although obviously suited many, we found to be repetitive and cheesy...but there is plenty to do so we ignored this problem.
Also, the Thomas Cook rep was never at hand when we needed her to book our trip on the catamaran and when she was there, there was a huge queue, whereas the Thomson rep on the next desk was a permanent fixture and never had a line.

The weather was beautiful all week, apart from a thunder storm on our last day, but this cleared in a matter of hours.
Flights there and back could not be faulted in any way, on time unlike the Excel and Britannia flights at the same time..arrived back into Gatwick promptly.

Well done Thomas Cook and Riu for a fantastic holiday and we are hoping to return very soon!

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Portland Direct) Portland Direct - August 2004

Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : G Keep 35 N Keep 37 M Keep 9

Resort Rating: No rating

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Just Returned from a fantastic 2 weeks at Riu Bachata.Weather really really hot, so nice to have a big pool to cool off in. Plenty to do if you want to. Animation team make everyone welcome.If you just want to relax there's no pressure to join in. Rooms kept really clean along with the whole hotel complex. Staff all very friendly and helpful. Food lots of it and varied choice, no need to go hungry. Take a trip to Paradise Island if you go,its beautiful. Monster Truck Safari.Good Fun for all the family, if you can, take sweets.pens,pencils for all the children you meet.  Six Wheelers - Half Day Trip- Big Boyz Toyz,The Dads loved it.Be prepared to get dirty,No designer clothes on this trip. 
The only disappointment for us would have to be the sea,lots and lots of seaweed,coral reef, you need something on your feet.Our party never spent much time swimming in the sea.

Take lots of insect repellent with you.We did get bitten alot by mozzies,day and night.The rooms are sprayed and there is a mesh over all hotel balcony doors.
Would definetly recommend this hotel to people and we would go back.    

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook  - June 2004

Opinion submitted in June 2004 by : Mike & Trisha O'Brien 47,46

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Having had a disaster last year trying to return from the Algarve for 2 days with Thomas Cook we weren't expecting a smooth travel operation. Thomas Cook often sub contract the flight and most parts of your holiday so they can disclaim any responsibilty when things go wrong. We travelled with First Choice and they were excellent. All as per schedule and the cabin crew were very professional and courteous.

The transfer time from Puerto Plata was about an hour. The road from the airport is a bit of shanty town in places. We were the only people booking in at the Bachata so there were no problems with check in. The rooms (overlooking the sports beach) were disappointing. Certainly not up to the standards of similar rated U.S. Hotels. Maybe it's true that UK people get the lesser accomodation.

The rest of the Hotel and adjacent hotels were excellent. We had a busy weekend when loads of Americans and Spanish speakers arrived en masse. But there were no problems. The Riu Bachata restaurant is excellent,loads of choice of food and very good quality. Service is quick and friendly.

We thought the main beach was really good, its long and had a nice breeze to cool you down. Around the pools it was mad hot at all times. There is a lot of coral especially at low tide so be prepared for that, but the sea was warm and any kids on the beach seemed to enjoy snorkelling and looking at the unusual fish.

The entertainment in the Riu Bachata was predictable and reminded us of Junior showtime. We went to the Riu Merengue a couple of times and found that there entertainment was very professional. We also thought that the Merengue had the better lunchtime restaurant as it was adjacent to the beach.

We went on the catamaran trip to Sosua beach for snorkelling. I thought it was fantastic, though my wife was a bit seasick. The snorkelling was great too. It was for me the best day of our holiday and the cheapest trip on the list. The crew were good fun and once the sails were up it was a great ride.

Do not eat the food on the Catamaran! I was still suffering 5 days later. my wife declined the food and was fine.

If you want to buy something in the Hotel shops or Carribean Street and you try to pay in a combination of U.S. dollars and pesos (to get rid of them) they will try to rip you off!

They tried every time with us. It is a bit confusing with different exchange rates but they will take advantage. While mentioning Carribean Street - 5 minutes should do it. It's a non entity so don't be disappointed.

We thought that the value for money on this holiday was very good indeed. All inclusive it certainly was and we hardly had to spend any money at all. We thought the complex was excellent and we had fantastic weather. The service was also excellent.

A great holiday, one of our best. Well worth the flight time of 8 hours and we would recommend it to anyone. We would also look at Riu Hotels in th future.

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thompson - May / June 2004

Opinion submitted in June 2004 by : sue ricketts-london (41,41)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

just got back from a week at the Riu Bachata.  had a brilliant holiday.  could find no faults at all with the hotel.  found all staff very helpful and friendly.  room was excellent, we were in the block just behind the pool, thought it may be noisy but it wasn't.  the restuarant was very good, there was plenty of choice, something for everyone no need to ever go hungry.  

plenty of entertainment during the day, the staff were not imposing, if you didnot want to join in it was no problem.  all rooms have a hairdryer so no need to pack one.  the save was free, when you book in you are given a key.  the beach towel service was excellent, no need to take a towell as you could change the towel as often as you liked. 

the only fault i could find at this location was the sea had quite a lot of reef so you will need some shoes to wear in the water, and who can moan about nature! if you are going to the bachata i,m sure it will be everything and more than you expected

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Portland Direct) Portland May 2004

Opinion submitted in June 2004 by : The Brysons 41,39,14,9,7

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

As the other reviews are so good, it would be a shame to spoil it......so I won't!!!!
This hotel is excellent and we have just returned from a brilliant holiday!!! The food is fantastic, the people so warm and friendly and as for the weather.....HOT! The horse riding trip was booked locally and was great fun. We booked the Monster Safari with Thomson and had another great day. Please wear foot protection in the sea as it can be quite rocky and also lots of different things in these waters!!!

If you are going soon, enjoy yourself and say "Hello" to Junior the barman.

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Riu Bachata - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook - May 2004

Opinion submitted in May 2004 by : Doug Bracey-Wright (54,51,57,61

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

WE HAVE JUST HAD A FANTATIC HOLIDAY AT THIS HOTEL IT IS THE BEST WE HAVE EVER BEEN TO.  ALL THE STAFF AT THIS HOTEL ARE FRIENDLY, WORK VERY HARD AND ARE SO HELPFUL WE COULD NOT HAVE ASKED FOR MORE.
BRILLIANT!  WE HAVE NEVER MET SUCH NICE PEOPLE WHO ARE PLEASED TO HELP YOU.
RIU HOTELS ARE THE BEST.

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Hotel Club Riu Mambo - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson-Feb2007

Opinion submitted in March 2007 by : Rachel + John Felton-Essex-(38,41)

Resort Rating: Poor

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Rain, rain, + more rain !!! We were just unlucky i think. mind u they did have brollies 4 hire so perhaps not. Gr8 accommadation + gr8 food + drinks.THERE IS NO SIGNAL 4 ANY MOBILE PHONES AT THIS HOTEL !!!!! Even if u have 1 of the latest, upgraded models. No tea or coffee making facilities in the room.

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Hotel Club Riu Mambo - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - November 2006

Opinion submitted in May 2007 by : Kim - Leeds (21,22)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

we visited the Riu Mambo in November 2006, and it was on ok holiday, but i definitly wont be going back. There was no mobile phone signal at all, and the phones in the rooms were a complete rip off, so there was no contact with home. also, it wasnt safe to leave the hotel complex unless on an excursion, so if you like to explore the surroundings on holiday, this is not the place for you.

the rooms were clean and spacious, but had a really strong damp smell, our clothes smelt really bad even when we returned home. the mini bar was free which was a bonus, but it contained mainly alcohol, and didnt contain enough water or soft drinks. the bathroom was very clean, and the rooms were cleaned by the cleaners everyday.

the food in my opinion was terrible, breakfast and lunch were always the same, and dinner didnt include much choice. i couldnt wait to leave to have a proper meal, i was even looking forward to the food on the plane and that is saying something!!! the 2 restaurants that had to be booked i cant comment on because the queues to book were ridiculous every morning.

the staff were very friendly, and the entertainment team were good, but could sometimes be a little pushy for you to join in! the nightclub was tiny, freezing and played music that was in the charts about 5 years ago! all the entertainment was geared towards families with children.

overall i would only recommend this resort to families, and would not recommend for couples at all. this hotel was no where near a 5* resort, more like 3*.

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Hotel Club Riu Mambo - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook november 2005

Opinion submitted in Dec 2005 by : emma sturgess - (31,54, 48, 42, 15,15,8)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

After reading reviews on other sites i was a little worried about staying at the resort but i was so wrong!!! Overall it was an excellent holiday which none of us ever wanted to end.I also think that the Mambo although the oldest of the three hotels was the best very often people of the other two hotels were visiting ours saying how the service was far superior.

Accommodation
Absolutely immaculate, there was a daily maid service who left our towels in pretty decorations, even the youngest childs cuddly toy was left in a different position on his pillow every day. The mini bar in the room was a nice touch and restocked every other day, it consisted of 5 spirits in optics bottled beer, soft drinks and a gallon of bottled water. The rooms were secure with bolts on the patio doors and the room door so as a lone female on the ground floor i felt completely safe. Any faults were repaired in an hour!! I reported my tv remote control not working and ended up with a brand new TV!!

ENTERTAINMENT
The animacion team were superb. You could take part in as much or as little as you wished. Deedee, DJ Lemarr and Harris were absolutely great and our favourite NoNo was absolutely hysterical, you only had to look at him and you were laughing. The kids club was well organised and we saw very little of the 8yr old for the fortnight. The teenagers never got bored either always finding plenty to do.The evening entertainment was also very good, watch out for the Mr and Miss Mambo nights, the magic show and the Michael Jackson nights and be prepared to laugh until your sides ache!! All the staff at the resort are so friendly and you can not walk anywhere without someone saying Hola! as one of our party said they all smile with there eyes, there is no falsness about it at all.

Food
Again an excellent range available in the buffet restaurant, so much so that we never felt the need to use the speciality restaurant. Several days at lunchtime there were barbecues on the beach including a hog roast.
As it was a quieter time in the season the main restaurant was not always open at lunchtime but the pool snack bar still offered a fantastic variety of food. Also you can use the facilities at the other two hotels on the complex but we never felt the need to.

BARS
There was a bar attached to the theatre area but most nights we used the smaller bar near the pool where the service is excellent. say hello to Toty and Tito and Smiley for us they are all absolutely brilliant and your glass was barely empty before you had a new drink in front of you!! Also Smiley has the a fab range of tricks,Tipping is most definetly not compulsory but these guys were so great we did because we wanted to! Also on the beach was a bar during the day and Diaz would make the best and beware the strongest drinks for you all day and he remembered everyone. With such great service it still amazed us how rude and obnoxious some nationalities could be and think they they should get good service for tipping a dollar here and there, we found a please and thankyou and a smile far more effective!!!

TOURS/TRIPS
We never took any trips but beware of the reps, the two guys in our trip wanted to go horseriding and the rep said that the closest was an hour away at 50 dollars for a half day.
The guys that run the free water sports on site actually did one for 25 dollars for a half day with no travelling required, they did not do it as we were quite content to lay on the beach for the day.
We travelled with thomas cook airlines and had two completely different flight experiences, on the way out the cabin crew were so rude and knocked into you everytime they walked past with no apologies however the return crew were just brilliant and nothing was too much trouble. The food on the plane was a little grim and i would advise people to have plenty of crisps/snacks for children as they workout expensive in the long run.

Shopping
There are several gift shops just up from the beach but be prepared to barter. The sellers come into the hotel 2 or 3 nights a week but again be prepared to barter I got a wood carving of the three wise monkeys for $80 bartered down from the original price of $280!!! I was then made chief of shopping!

Overall it was a fabulous holiday we arrived home yesterday and i am already looking for deals for next year!! I can not wait to go back.
Hope this helps anyone thinking of going to the mambo

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Hotel Club Riu Mambo - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - October 2005

Opinion submitted in Nov 2005 by : Jeanette & Del Longhurst (36, 32)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This hotel/resort in absolutely amazing!  This was our honeymoon and what a perfect place to spend it in!  Food and drink very high standard with lots of choices and themed nights in restaurant (i.e. Mexican night).  Staff cannot do enough for you and always with a smile.  The level of cleanliness and service was 10 out of 10.  Situated right on the palm tree-lined beach it's paradise!  Entertainment good, rooms cleaned every day, even included complimentary umbrellas for the unpredictable Carribean rainstorms! 

All in all, highly recommended and would go back tomorrow if not for lack of funds!  Maybe next year!

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Hotel Club Riu Mambo - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson march 2005

Opinion submitted in Mar 2005 by : Richard Liddell (42, 42, 15, 12, 9)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

just returned yesterday from the rui mambo in bahia maimon.

the resort as you probably know incorporates three hotels all of which are absolutely fantastic i couldnt fault the resort at all.the accomadation was excellent the food and drink top class and the levels of cleanliness and service brilliant.

the staff at the resort treat you like royalty helpful and genuinly happy that you have chosen to come to their country i cant speak too highly of them special mentions go to the animation team lachary, nono, jimmy, yanera(sorry about the spelling!)these guys work extremely hard and certainly made our holiday even better especially the kids.

the beach is great but can shelve quite sharply in places so be careful with the kids especially.all in all this was the best holiday we have had and will certainly be returning to a riu resort 

BUT now the downside we had a great time because we avoided the gastroenteritis which is rife throughout the resort still.I knew about it before we went so being a resposible family man i checked with THOMSONS 2 days before i travelled as to the current situation regarding this as i didnt want to risk ruining a five thousand pound holiday or put my family at risk of such a nasty bug.THOMSONS assured me there was no problem at the resort.The bug was gone.not the case at all scores of people are getting their holidays ruined by this bug we were very fortunate indeed i think due to the fact that we spent our days at the beach rather than the pool area that we avoided it,others didnt and were very ill.one guy on our flight home came from hospital off a drip to fly.THOMSONS in resort wont admit to a problem either.this resort is a fantastic place to holiday and the standards of cleanliness in the hotels are second to none but this is apparantly an airborne virus so difficult to control.please check with your travel agent before travelling im not trying to put people off as id go back tomorrow but its not cheap and it could ruin your holiday.i think more people will be putting reviews here with the same info soon as there were a lot of hacked off people in resort.i have nothing against Thomsons as such but i think it is irresponsible of them not giving customers the chance to make an informed decision as to whether to travel to a place with such an obvious problem.

As i said before but for the sickness problem (and a bank account with money in it)i would be on the next flight back its fantastic.check out Mels Tours on the beach(small hut at the mambo end next to the shops)same tours as Thomsons but a lot cheaper.we went to paradise island snorkelling for $39 dollars each thomsons wanted $92 each.   

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Hotel Club Riu Mambo - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson nov/dec 2004

Opinion submitted in Dec 2004 by : rachel birmingham (19,40)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Have just returned from a weeks stay at the Mambo hotel.Had a fanatastic time!
Flight was long and what you expect from flying with a chater airline.Got ripped off with our bags at the airport so carry your own as the porters pretend to work for the hotel as they know what coaches are going where so be very carfull.
Checked in very quick at the hotel, rooms were very good had fridge with beer water pepsi and optics with rum (dominican viagra!) vodka whisky and brandy. The room was cleaned daily.Asked for a room by the pool which was slightly noisey at times.

The hotel and sister hotels fantastic could not fault them. Beach was nice and pool area was really nice. Mambo itself has a good reputation and there were many repeat guests there.Very clean complex and it was good that you could use all three hotels, however you had to eat your evening meal at your own hotel.

Food was great,wide choice of food all cooked in front of you. Drinks were brill!Ask for the Barcelo rum as its nicer.
The entertainment staff were fab and worked really hard.You can do as much or as little as you liked.Say hi to Janet or attack!as she is known(you will undersatnd if you go).Jairo,victor and Kiko all great.
The evening entertainment was good and the best if seen.

The only bad thing that I can say is on a weekend the locals come and it gets really busy. They also get rowdy and there was a fight at the hotlel between a few so perhaps do a trip on the sta or sunday.
All in all had a fantastic time I will def return back next year without a doubt!!

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Hotel Club Riu Mambo - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - August 2004

Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Jim & Pat Jones - Stockton-on-Tees (53,50)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Three hotels in this complex, Mambo is the oldest and the best. You can use the facilities at any of the three but whichever one you use the staff are all really pleasant and always smiling, they never pass without an "ola". If you want a completely stress free holiday (apart from the airport) then this is for you, the biggest decision we had to make was "what time are we going to dinner tonight"

Look out for Crazy Frankie in the entertainments team and Eddie Murphy behind the bar.
The Dolphin swim/encounter (unbelievable) and the monster truck safari are worth going on, take paper, pencils, pens etc on the safari as the teachers and kids at the villages and schools visited are really appreciative.
We'll be back

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Hotel Club Riu Mambo - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - June 2004

Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : Claire Ross/Andy Clark (21,20)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

I dont really know where to start as there is so much to tell but basically this place is absolute paradise! 

The hotel is beautiful, bright, very clean and staff will never pass you without a smile and a 'ola. We had hardly walked a few steps into the reception area when we were greeted with a cocktail and bags taking out of out hands and delivered to our room by porters! 

The rooms are perfect, you cant fault anything, bathroom was clean, spacious with a large mirror. There are 2 double beds, very large wardrobe and ofcourse the minibar!The air conditioning and ceiling fan is great, sometimes it was too cold! It is really good value for money as it is like 3 hotels in one, i did favour the bachata though, that had the nicest pool and it had the swim up bar!

The beach is amazing but the sports beach i felt was quieter and the water is very calm aswell.I unfortunately suffered a bang to the head while on the banana boat and had to get stitches (i was stupid and wore sunglasses which cut above my eye) but the staff were brilliant, they took really good care of me and put me at ease before driving me to the doctors surgery where the doctor made a very good job of my stitches! Even after that all the staff who seen me, (you could hardly miss me with a stupid white patch across my forehead!) were so friendly and had asked what had happened and if i was ok. after that incident i decided to treat myself to a massage on the beach, it was great, so relaxing and well worth $25!

I had been a bit worried about the night entertainment before we arrived, i thought maybe it would be a bit clubby and boring, but i was so wrong! The entertainment team are superb, they work so hard and are really professional, they had a grease show and a michael jackson show, both were really good and it shows that alot of preparation and practise goes into it so i was ofcourse pleasantly surprised! We went to the nightclub pacha only one night but i think we went a bit early as the shows were still on so it was not very busy. 

We went on 3 trips but we were only there for one week so when i return, which i definetly will, i would go for 2 weeks although it would be nice if 10 days were available as i think that would be perfect! All the trips were excellent and good value for money. We done the dolphin encounter, we had originally planned to do the swim but this was booked a good week in advance so i would recommend that you maybe book before you go to avoid disapointment.

We both still thoroughly enjoyed the dolphin encounter at Ocean World, the park is brilliant with lots to see: sharks, sealions, stingrays, parrots and tigers! a great day out! Paradise Island was gorgeous but the speedboat out there was even better, it was like being in a james bond film! The catamaran trip was alot of fun and great way to end the holiday and top up your tan to the max! We also seen dolphins and they were jumping along the side of the boat, it was amazing! 

Well as you can see we had a fab time and are wishing we were still there so anyone travelling there soon, your in for a real treat!!!

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Hotel Club Riu Mambo - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - April 2004

Opinion submitted in May 2004 by : Nichola Cunningham - Newbury (40, 30, 8months)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was a fantastic family holiday. A great mix of people - all ages and nationalities and everyone got along brilliantly. The entertainment staff were 1st class as was the hotel in general. We were a little worried about taking the baby but they bent over backwards to help - liquidising food and offering to buy in foor for her breakfast!!!! I would recommend this for absolutley anybody and we would definately return to this hotel.

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Hotel Club Riu Mambo - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - Feb 2004

Opinion submitted in Feb 2004 by : Sarah & Bill Woodham - Cambs (20,24)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We went here for our Honeymoon and the only way to describe it was perfect! The Riu resort is great you can use all the facilities all the time at any of the other three hotels (except evening meals you must eat at your own hotel) this was a great bonus as it is not advisable to go out of your hotel unescorted. Caribbean Street is located between the Merengue and Bachata and has loads of souvenier shops, a hairdressers an all inclusive gym, jewellers and lots more!

The majority of entertainment is fantastic although i would advise to avoid the "crazy mix show" like the plague. also if your a Michael Jackson fan DONT see the show its just a let down! but other than that its all really good fun!

The animation team work all day and then do all entertainment at night - they are great with the kids keeping them occupied and even better for those of us who dont have any because they also keep them out of the way! Crazy Franklin is just that, crazy!! but saying that most of them are, but a really good laugh.

The food is great something for everyone and it never stops! they do a full english every morning from 7-10am. but continental starts from 5am! snacks 10-12, then  lunch 12-3, snacks 3-5, evening meal 6.30 - 10.00pm and then snacks again from 10-midnight!! you do have to choose between a 6.30 and an 8.30 sitting for evening meal, we chose the 8.30 at first but found that it was too late. we swapped to 6.30 with no problems at all and ate about 7.15 each night which was much better for us! all the staff are fantastic and nothing is too much trouble, i read reports on this site before we went saying that all the staff are really friendly but you cant grasp just how great they are until you get there, the gardeners and the maids really do say "ola!" everytime they see you and the bar men remember your name and with 100's of guests that takes some doing!!

We went on only two excursions which were swim with dolphins and scuba diving - but to be honest i was more than happy to spend my days in the hotel complex theres always something to do! swim with dolphins at oceanworld was great, i have always wanted to do it and it was overwhleming the trainers are all english speaking which i felt much better with,and you get loads of interaction wiht the dolphins. oceanworld itself is undergoing loads of building works as they are expanding massively, but once inside the park it didnt effect at all. Scuba diving was an experience and a half i personally wouldnt do it again but my other half loved it, just down to personal tastes! instructors are again english and its all very well prepared and they are there for you 100%

All in all a fantastic experience and we wouldnt change it for anything!  were hoping to go back for our anniversary hopefully next year but if not definately the year after that!! i cant wait!

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Hotel Club Riu Mambo - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thompson - 2004

Opinion submitted in June 2004 by : Hannah, Tracey, Ann - Birmingham (39,37,47)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Well, what can we say a FANTASTIC holiday all round. 

If like us you have been to the Dom Rep before and not had the best of experiences, don't give up, give this resort/hotel complex a try. We visited the Dominican in 2003 and stayed in Playa Dorada and whilst we had a fairly good holiday it wasn't the best hotel or resort, however we decided to give it one more chance and boy are we glad that we did.

We booked our holiday through Hays Travel and got a very competitive price for a 14 night all inclusive Thompson Pricebreaker called the 'Riu Selection'.  The deal was 'allocation on arrival' but with the advantage that we knew that our accommodation would be one of the three Riu hotels in the Bahia Mamon resort. On arrival at Peurto Plata airport we were met by out Thompson Rep Vickie who told us that we were staying at the Riu Mambo. Having looked through the brochure beforehand we were a bit disappointed at first, since the Mambo is the oldest of the three in the complex and the smallest,(although it still holds about a thousand guests I think) and we had quite fancied staying at the Merengue or Bacchata.  However as it turns out we think we got the best deal.

Being slightly smaller and more established the Mambo seems to have a 'cosier' and friendlier atmosphere than the other two hotels in the complex which, because of their size, seem to lack the personal touch that the Mambo has.  Having said that they are all very nice and I am sure it wouldn't be disappointing to stay in any of them.

The journey from the airport to the resort took approx 45 mins and on the way Vickie told us all the things we needed to know - very informative.  Refreshingly, unlike other holidays we have experienced where the only time you see the rep is at the airport or when they want to sell you an overpriced trip, Thompson have two reps assigned to each hotel and they are there every day should you need to contact them for anything.  In addition there is a 24 hour hotline that you can contact for emergencies. At the welcome meeting, held on the first morning, Emma and Tracy the Mambo reps told us all about the excursions available and all about the facilities in the hotel. 

Basically the Riu complex is three adjoining hotels all built along the beachfront. Guests are welcome to use any of the facilities in each of the hotels, such as the pools, bars restaurants etc with the only stipulation that you have your evening meal in the hotel where you are staying. Being all inclusive, food and drinks of all descriptions are available vitually 24 hours a day  - each of the restaurants and snack bars etc have plenty to offer and cater for all types of tastes.  The chefs work so hard and in the heat - I don't know how they cope. 

For those worried about the water/food -well don't.  The hygiene levels are excellent and the water they use for the salads etc is all filtered.  The only thing likely to give you an upset stomach is over indulgence in food and drink or too much sun. Unfortunately I fell pray to the 'overcast day syndrome' and sat out too long not realizing what effect the sun can have even when it is not obvious - so be careful and adjust slowly!

The atmosphere of the complex throughout is very relaxed, no need to feel like you have to dress formally, it's up to you. I don't think that long trousers are required in the restaurant for dinner but men do have to cover their shoulders  - no string vests! Apparently as is customary in the Dominican women are required to wear as little as possible at all times!

The entertainment/activities in the hotels is excellent.  Each of the hotels have a dedicated animation team who provide all of the daily activities and evening entertainment. The fabulous and best crew at the Mambo include Adonis, (Fab dancer and muscle man extraordinaire!) Crazy Frankie (who is crazy!) Sexy Suzie, Lovely Betty, Mr Alex, and Junio (I think that's his name - anyway he's the guy who plays the angel in the Grease Show - very funny guy!) plus a crew of dancers who work SOOOO hard to keep everyone happy.  Hats off to these guys who work from about 8.00 in the morning till 11.30 at night - always with a smile on their face.  Saying that all the staff , cleaners, gardeners and security are all friendly and never pass by without an 'Ola' - I don't know if they are told to do this but they seem genuinely friendly. (Typical of the Dominican people who are always friendly and happy)

As for the rooms, these are well presented, clean and have all the facilities you need.  On suite bathroom with loo, shower, bath, plenty of wardrobe and drawer space, TV, security safe (included so no need to pay extra for this), balcony and not forgetting the all inclusive mini bar/fridge with optics! Hairdryers can be borrowed from the reception desk for a deposit of 20US$, refundable when you return the dryer. The hotel staffs are quick to respond and keep everything in check, so anything you need just ask. Of course the weather cannot be guaranteed as is always the case in the Dominican, but we were lucky and had two weeks of glorious sunshine. Should you experience rain the hotel even provides umbrellas, plus there is plenty of undercover bars, so you won't need to miss out.

A few tips. remember to take electrical appliances that are 110v compatible, my phone charger and hair straighteners would not work properly because they were only 240v compatible.  Tri band mobiles are required over there if you want to phone home, but because the Riu complex in surrounded by mountains most mobiles will not pick up any signal whilst you are in the complex itself - so you may want to leave your phone behind or use it only when out for the day.  

There is an internet café - payable locally, plus the reps do provide phone cards which are around 15US$.  The local currency is Dominican Pesos.  If you do take US dollars most of the time you will get Pesos back for change, so we took pesos for general spends and only took US Dollars for the 10US$ entry fee and 20US$ departure tax. Sun loungers for the pool and beach are all included as are the beach/pool towels, so again there is no need to take your own beach towels if you don't want to - especially when the baggage allowance is so low and you need as little weight as possible.  

The baggage check-in was really strict at both ends so do check your weight allowances for both hold and hand luggage carefully before you go and on the way back.  On the way back there was a 20US$ charge per each kilo over the allowance so don't buy too many heavy items to take home if you don't want any excess charges.

All in all the whole Riu/Dominican experience was excellent and we would highly recommend anyone to try this resort/hotel.  Happy Holidaying!

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Hotel Riu Mambo - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook - Date Not Specified

Opinion submitted in May 2004 by : tony Kirton, Grantham 56,57.

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

No complaints, simply the best holiday we've ever had in all respects, paradise!

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Riu Merengue - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: Thomson June/July 2007

Opinion submitted in July 2007 by : Mandy and Sian

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We stayed at the Merengue from Wed 27th June to 11th July.
Everything about the place was perfect. Check in was very good, served us with a fruit punch whilst the staff sorted out who was there and our room keys etc. I had emailed the hotel 2 weeks earlier and requested a room close to reception, which they obliged. The room was a good sze, clean and comfortable and the air conditioning worked a treat. I called reception on 2 occasions - problem with the shower - a plumber arrived within 10 minutes and fixed it, and a spider in the room (wimp I know) which was dealt with in less than a minute. Very impressed.
All the staff are excellent and very friendly. They seem to enjoy their work and are always singing and smiling.
The food was good, no complaints.

I did have a bad tummy, but think that was down to the heat rather than anything else. Make sure you pack Pepto Bismol capsules and Diarohhea medicineas they are very expensive to buy there.
The guests were lovely too, I met some really nice english, scots and Welsh families.
I tipped the maid every day and left 20 pesos in the fridge for the refil man. If you do this you get extra in your fridge.

I would recommend taking both Pesos and American dollars as they work in both currencies, and often give you change in a different currency that you paid with. The exchange rate is always favourable to them, so you lose out a little. Dollars for the duty free and food/mags at the airport and for Ocean World, Pesos for the shops in the Riu complex and for Monster Truck trip.

Definitely the best holiday I have had. I met one couple who had been there 14 times over the past 10 years they love it so much. That says it all.

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Riu Merengue - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: First Choice-february 2007

Opinion submitted in February 2007 by : John and Bev 54,51

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We would agree with everyone else that this hotel has to be the best yet and we would definately try another Riu.If it hadn't been for the holiday camp style entertainment we would have given it 5 stars. You can't fault the teams enthusiasm though. Nevertheless it is easy to get away from it!
We did 5 trips,only the deep sea fishing was a dissappointment.The catamaran ,white water rafting,whale watching and v i p paradise island trip were all fantastic!
This is a beautiful but poor island, the people are nice but the cleanliness of the urban areas leaves a lot to be desired and the standard of driving is something else!!
We would thoroughly recommend anyone to go. See if you can beat our record of 5 people on one motorcycle!!

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Riu Merengue - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: thomsons - september 2006

Opinion submitted in June 2007 by : julie jon (39,42,16,10)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

first time going on longhaul,was worried about long flight but well worth it, excellent holiday, best ever, no comparison to ibiza or spain etc. Room a bit crammed with extra bed but not a huge problem, mini bar stocked well at all times, maids were excellent, cleaned to a high standard every day.

Pool & beach were lovely, not too crowded, the good thing is not having to use your own beach towels, they supply them every day.
No complaints about the food, i am very fussy & don't eat much meat, variety was excellent, although i always had the soup for starters.
Went on two trips, deep sea fishing & the sea world trip, swimming with dolphins is something we will never forget.
If you don't want to spend any money on holiday you would'nt av too, we only bought a few souveniers, but we spent alot on photos of the kids which was taken by a photogragher on a daily basis with various animals,(parrot, monkey,lizzard etc)

All the team were very friendly and happy all the time, would strongly recommend this hotel and have booked for next year.

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Riu Merengue - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson May 2006

Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : Jane O- boldon colliery (51,44)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

we have just returned from the Riu merengue and had a fab time. it doesn't matter which hotel you stay in as you can use the other two (apart from your evening meals). So if you don't like the entertainment one night, reception will tell you what's on in the other hotels. There are hairdryers in the room. Food was very good.

If you want to book Scuba diving, it's better to go down to the Dive Centre rather than booking it through the lady in the hotel. The staff at the Dive Centre are lovely, having dived in the maldives obviously it's not as good but the visibility was about 20 metres and certainly worth puting your fins on for. There was a photographer who did a DVD of our dives, which was absolutely fab, and only $40. The snorkelling is nothing special though. Dives are $45 each,£6 for equipment hire if you have your own mask fins and snorkels, but it's cheaper if you book a package.

i would  recommend this hotel, particularly if you like joinging in silly games! We would go back, although if we went again we wold book the "Riu roulette" as it would have been cheaper and would certainly go to a Riu hotel again -everything was so clean.

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Riu Merengue - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - 2006

Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Charlotte (44, 40, 19, 18, 18, 18)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This hotel is amazing; the cleanliness is really good, everytime you enter the food hall your hands are squirted with antiseptic gel, the same as when you leave the toilet. So you have no worries about stomach bugs or sickness. None of us had a problem with this.

The food was nice but became very repetitive after 2 weeks, but i liked it that they had a theme evry night so there was always one dish which was different.

The location of the hotel was quite secluded, this didnt make a difference to us as we weren't really that bothered about leaving the resort.

Horse riding is a must do, we done that twice, you can either go along the beach, where you will get to go fast and run on the horse or you can choose up the mountains where you will only walk with the horse.

The staff in the hotel cannot do anything more for you, they are so friendly. The animacion team are hilarious and crazy, especially romeo dicaprio. Cheeky monkey is so sweet same as Eddie murphy. Beware all they say is "wow", "i love you baby", dont feel scared they are just being friendly and taking the mick out of us english people.

Be aware of the massuses walking about in the morning, unless you are actually interested in having one then dont hestitate when they ask you as they will sit on your sunbed for ages hassling you, then you find it hard to say no (well i did).

Entertainment was ok, you could see they work really hard, micheal jackson and madonna show was excellent though. Pascha disco is good for us 18-30's it is jus like being a nightclub.

The sports beach is really good fun, i recommend the jet ski's and the banana boat, fantastic!! I went parasailing with my boyfriends mum, she really enjoyed it but i hated it as i didn;t realise i was scared of hieghts, but if your ok with hieghts then thats a great one to do as it had great views apparantly (i wouldnt know as i didnt open my eyes till got down on boat).

We arte going back to this hotel next year, it is a great all rounder hotel, it can be quiet and relaxing if you want it to be or really lively if you want it to be, that what was great about it.

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Riu Merengue - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - September 2005

Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : David Roberts - London (25,25)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was for my honeymoon and it was fantastic, the people were so friendly, the entertainment staff were excellent, beaches were very good, did the trip to Ocean World to swim with dolphins, this was worth every penny, unlimited choice of food which was great a very good holiday already booking up for next year.

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Riu Merengue - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - November 2004

Opinion submitted in June 2005 by : Debs 22 & John 22

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This place is amazing!! The accomodation is so clean, very well kept and the staff can't do enough for you. The people in the Domincan are so friendly.

We got married within the grounds of the hotel and the staff were fantastic, and made our big day so special and stress-free.

It's great being able to use the other two hotels - a definite plus side of this hotel. The water sports beach is lovely & quiet for most of the day.

All in all, a fantastic resort and you couldn't ask for much more from the hotel & the staff there. It's an amazing place to get married, and we would jump at the chance to go back! Enjoy it - we did!!!

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Riu Merengue - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - August 2004

Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : John Morgan - Kent (36,35,11,3)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Wow.......nothing more to add. 

Well, just a little then. This holiday lived up to all our expectations. Accomodation, Food, People, Service, etc etc. Nothing to moan about at all. We all had a wonderful time, weather very hot, no dash for the sunbeds, plenty to eat n drink, join in the entertainment, if you wanted to. Would recommend this and the two sister hotels. Riu know how to do it, next stop will be one of the riu's in Jamaica.

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Riu Merengue - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice-july 2004

Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : tony-lancs (35,37)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Absolutely fantastic hotel and resort,could not fault any of it.
booking again for next year

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Riu Merengue - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - April 2004

Opinion submitted in May 2004 by : Aaron and Nikki (25, 24)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Before travelling I read many reports on here saying how wonderfull the hotel was, We weren't disappointed!
Here's my thoughts,

Flight:
Very long and uncomfortable (8-9 hrs) but definately worth it.

Hotel Greeting:
We were greeted by a spacious entance lobby tastefully furnished and handed a fruit cocktail by a waiter as they checked us in. A porter will take your bags straight to the room.

Rooms:
Decent size and fully equipped with mini bar (free), 2 x double beds, tv showing recent film releases, balcony/terrace, bathroom and plenty of storage space. Very clean (maids are excellent) and the air con is a God send after a long day in the heat. Rooms are either ground or first floor and set within lucious greenery. We had room 1378, a first floor room set within the gardens (beautiful!)

Facilities:
Being shared with the Riu Bachata and Riu Mambo, you really have so much to do you won't get bored. Swimming pool is lovely however a little dirty at times with flies, wasps etc laying on the surface. (Bachata pool is the best one)The Carribean Street offers many non tacky souvenir shops, boutiques, a gym (not the best) a photo shop, a hairdressers, a medical centre etc. There is a seperate watersports beach too (very nice and quiet) where you can do many activities many of them free. The private beach at the hotels is nice but not quite the "Carribean" beach you would expect. Golden rather than White sands and blue sea rather than turquoise, but wasn't a problem.

Activities/Entertainment:
The animation team are the best I've ever seen. The energy those guys have got!! They work very hard to make sure that we guests are entertainted morning afternoon and night especially Donkey!! Ask him how he got that nickname! During the day you can join in organised activities such as beach football, volleyball, tennis, table tennis, water polo, darts etc, while at night you get a nighlty show at 9:45 which ranges from Grease, Michael Jackson, etc but Thursday nights are Carribean Street Party nights, DONT MISS THAT!!

Food/Drink:
Absolutely fantastic, compliments to all the fantastic chefs that work 25 hours a day to provide varied, clean and high quality food. You can eat virtually anytime of that day somewhere in the complex except between midnight and 05:30.

Whatever your food taste, you wont be disappointed, there's something for everyone but be prepared to put a few pounds on!!The only small drawback was that if you a party of 2 then you are often sitting very close to the next table so privacy isn't always the best here.The drink of course is all free and is served by the glass. The local beer (Presidente) is good, and the spirits you get are again local brands, although they do have Smirnoff if you ask specifiaclly for it. Cocktails are nice, try the Dominican Special!

Weather:
We were worried because I read reports that just before we were due to travel there had been torrential rain for 6 solid days. This turned out to be true but lucky enough for us it stopped a day prior to us arriving. In 2 weeks we only had one afternoon and two nights where we saw rain and even then it was brief. Beautiful sunshine, temp about 30-35 degrees some days ave 30. Very good sun tan!

Trips:
These are very expensive but most are worth it and can make your holiday more varied rather that sitting on beach every day. We did Ocean World where we swam with dolphins and sea lions (excellent but costs approx $170 each) We did the Outback Safari where you get to visit the "real" Dominacan Republic (fantastic) and we also went on the Catamaran Cruise (excellent booze cruise with excellent snokelling)
Some freinds tried the paradise island trip, they weren't impressed. Be warned it's just a small sand bank in the sea and nothing else, save your $85 each and try a differnt one.

The Dominican People:
The best in the world! Everyone you see be it the hotel manager, the animation team, the cooks, the bar staff (Hi Manuel, Louis, Miguel etc) the waiters, the miads, the gardeners, they all have a smile on their face and will give you a "Hola" and perhaps a high five. Even the locals outside the hotel, they treat you like royalty.
Remember, the Dominicans are poor and appeciate a tip here and there to help their poor wages, trust me just a doller here and there and you are treated like the King of the World!

Overall:
Beautiful weather, beautiful people, beautiful hotel (the best out of all three easily) and beatiful country. Will I ever return??? Get me a seat for next year!

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Riu Merengue - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - Feb 2004

Opinion submitted in Feb 2004 by : Jones - Co. Durham (29, 29)

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

As expected the Riu Hotel itself was very good.  The place is clean and the staff there incredibly hard working and friendly.

If you want a quiet holiday, then this is not the place for you.  It is impossible to relax on the beach or by the pool without any of the aminatio team herassing you to come and play football or something similar, or music blairing out.

This is one of those holidays where you either love it or you hate it, but you must be prepared to be involved in some of the activities.

The weather was excellent, although do be prepared to get the occasional rain shower. 

Good access for people using wheel chairs and excellent childrens facilities.

Food was good, with quite a wide range of choice.

Eceveing entertainment is what you would expect in a hotel, very repatative and cheesy.  Expect plenty of early nights!

The swimming pool at the Riu Batchata was by far the best out of the three hotels.  The best place to swim in the sea is opposite the Riu Mambo, because it actually gets deep enough to swim and it is mainly sand under foot.  Plus there is also a bar on the beach there.

In the reception area of the hotel you can arrange for a taxis and a guide to take you to destination of your choice, for a very reasonable price.

If you buy anything in the shops always offer a different price, they are all willing to haggle.  If you buy things in pesos you usually get more for your money, as they tend to round up amounts when you pay in dollars.  At the hotel and carribean street you can pay in either of those currencies or by travellers cheque.

Paradise island is worth a visit, where there is excellent snorkelling.  However make sure you get there early as in the afternoon there can be as many as 400 visitors on the island at once and it is only the size of a football pitch.

Overall as I mentioned earlier if you want a holiday where you want to play volley ball, boules, table tennis etc and you don't mind being woken up by the animation team then this is the holiday for you.  The facilities here are very good.  If you are looking for a holiday of a life time in that picture perfect carribean resort then I would suggest you go to the south of the island.

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Riu Merengue - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson far away shores-jan 2004

Opinion submitted in Feb 2004 by : G & S Underwood (25,21)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

After an excellant flight with Britannia we arrived in Dom Rep.
the first couple of days were a little rainy (hey, who can help that)! there was still loads to do and the staff went out of there way to ensure we received 1st class service.
we were no 1 the entire time, something that is often lacking in the more local destinations!

We went to swim with dolphins and though a little pricey was overall a fantastic experience. we also went on the trip to paradise island (snorkelling amongst coral reef) again wonderful yet pricey.

The complex was huge and you really could not want for anything else.

100% would go again and cannot thank all the staff (in flight/reps/hotel staff/tour guides) enough for making us feel welcome/special.

***Do not however let ppl take your bags etc from you, they expect large tips for even touching your bag let alone carry it...it's cheaper to do it yourself***

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Riu Merengue - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - 2004

Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Gill Vernon - Cheshire (27,35)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We booked this hotel on the strenght of comments place at this site. Thankfully we were not disappointed. 

On arrival you were welcomed with a drink, smoothly checked in and shown to you room.  You did not have to take your bag they followed shortly after for a £1 tip (Well worth it). We upgraded our room to a suite which was expensive but worth it, as the rooms were much more spacious and had a Sea view/Double balcony.  However some people we met were upgarded for free on arrival - Might be worth the chance. The Mini Bar & Optics were great, we got stuck into them the first few days to help the jetlag.  The people were really friendly and helpful, and couldn't do enuf for you.  The food was fantastic,you couldn't go hungry, and you could get something to eat most times of the day, you could even get a snack at 2pm on leaving the on site night club - bit cheesy but good fun.

It was great that you could have the use of the two other hotels, this varied the days, and all were as good.  We spent alot of the time on the beach this holiday, as it was quite windy, and it didn't feel like you were cooking as much. The beach wa also really peaceful for those days after a heavy night. 

We went on two trips the Catameran, and the Swim with Dolphins.  The catameran was excellent. Take plently of sun cream, bread for snorkelling and a underwater camera. Not a good trip if you are prone to sea sickness, abit rough at times.  When snorkelling the fishes are amazing, it was like being in a tropical fish tank.

The Dolphin trip although a brillant experience was a little disapointing, you walked round the tourist park for ages in the belting heat, then only get a little interaction with the dolphins - Just a glorified Chester Zoo trip.

All in all a great holiday.  Not a lover of visiting the same place twice - Big world and all that, but would definitely go back here.  We couldn't get over the amount of people we meet who were on the 7/8 time there.

Only one moan, our pool was closed for annual maintenance (5 days), I thought that we should have been notified at booking, but I feel this was Thomsons fault.  Get ya self there.

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Riu Merengue - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - Date Not Specified

Opinion submitted in May 2004 by : pet e and val timmins  (45, 50)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was the first time in Dom rep, but not the first time in a riu hotel.

It was not what we expected at all, I think the beaches are exagerated, when we arrived and went down to see the beach we were very dissapointed indeed, it had tons of broken shells, tiny bits that cut your feet. the beach in our opinion was not that clean, yes it is swept (in a fashion).

The sea is not clear at all, could hardly see any fish. The sports beach was filthy, the water was dirty with oil in it, getting into a boat was great wading through dirty water.

The hotel itself, was great, very clean (typical riu hotel) maids were very good, plenty of booze in your mini-bar.
Gardens are immaculate constantly  being kept in good shape.

Food, well it was cold most nights, they give you a lovely hot plate to put your cold food onto, food very repetitive.
You can go to the steak house if you pre book, that was lovely hot food, cooked to your wishes, no complaints there.
The food at lunch time was made earlyish and just kept warm (not good in such hot weather), no wonder people had bad stomach's.

Lots of people had bad stomachs and the runs. I think most people we spoke to would not return.

The staff were great, the entertainment staff (except for a few) just wanted you to get them free drinks all day, and the same ones selling you c.d.'s (for their own pocket), lots of times the entertainment was cancelled for some reason or other.

Trips : the highlight for us was the dolphins that is worth every penny, fantastic you can buy photo's and a video of your time with the dolphins (worth it).
We also went on the monster truck safari another good day out, you go and see a school and a family home. so poor it was very sad, but the people were very happy, like everyone else it is a good idea to take pencils, crayons, colouring books and sweets for the kids.

At weekends the locals arrive, we went out in the morning after breakfast to get a sunbed. (no chance) it was full of locals, no room for the holiday makers around the pool, not one free sunbed.

All in all a cheap holiday, but we would never go back there, we are not misery's and a few people had told us that it was not as good as a few years ago.

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Riu Merengue - Bahia Maimon

Operator and Date: Lunn Poly - Britannia flight - Dtae Not Specified

Opinion submitted in Jan 2004 by : Dorian, Patricia, Adrian (34, 24, 7

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was our second year in a row to the Riu Merengue - It was that good the first time we just had to go again!

Had another superb holiday - One never to forget as we had an earthquake the day we arrived. The earth moved for everyone!

It was the only major quake they've had for 60 years!

There were only minor superficial cracks although some people left and flew home soon after. I didn't see the point as the quake was all over by then. There were minor after shocks throughout our 2 week stay. Quite an event really...

This time around we went on the "Monster Truck Safari". Well worth it... a superb day out had by all. Excellent scenery and the river swim was superb.

The food was upto the usual high standard and the entertainment has also excellent. It rained maybe 2 days out of the 14 we were there... but it was warm rain and we stayed in the pool!

The only let down was the 8 odd hours of flying time from Gatwick and the jetlag when we got back!

Can't wait to go again... :-)

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Bahia Principe - Dominican Republic

Hotel Bahia Principe - Bahia Principe

Operator and Date: first choice 2007

Opinion submitted in June 2007 by : ronnie duff

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

i was very disappointed about my holiday as it let me down by the lack of infomation that over seven hundred drunken canadian students would arrive and cause havoc e.g fighting,swereing,vomiting and urinating in the pubic eye therefore i will not use this resorte AGIAN !!!

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Hotel Bahia Principe - Bahia Principe

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours-may 2006

Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : Geoff-scunthorpe 50

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Airtours claim this to be a 5 star holiday!
the complex is very nice & the staff bend over backwards to ensure you have an excellent holiday................However,
I would rate the accomadation no more than 2 star & that's being generous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I arrived late at night to a room with tiles missing in the bathroom,cover from an electric socket laid on the floor,exposing live wiring & to top it all off the door to my room was broken so i could'nt lock up.
The following lunchtime they arranged to have a new lock fitted,
however they didn't give the maids a key so i never had my room made up at all during the week.
I had to go to reception to beg for clean towells.
The air conditioning unit developed a fault,it became that loud i couldn't hear the telivision, i reported it to reception, they did nothing.
MINI BAR?
It's an old fridge that's never been defrosted it contains a bottle of water,a small bottle of coke & 2 small bottles of beer.
NEVER AGAIN AIRTOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

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Hotel Bahia Principe - Bahia Principe

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook august 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Alison craven, 42, 43, 15,13

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

An excellent family resort. I was surprised at a previouse review written from June 2005, unfortunately that family obviously were there when work was on going.
The accomodation was clean and comfortable. Yes some of the apartments are a fair distance from the main area,however all are very near a pool and beach and there is a lttle bus that continously drives around the resort. You can hop on and off at your will.
The beach,plenty of sun beds, very clean, and fabulouse blue waters. Pools, lots to choose from and never seemed overcrowded.

Activties for all ages all day long,E.G spanish lessons,dancing lessons,volley ball, games and watersports etc etc and all free. We found the watersports people very accomodating and only to pleased to help.
Restaurants all very clean, friendly staff and great menus. The main buffett restaurant had a wide selection of food. In 14 nights we only struggled one night to choose something from the buffett.

The main hotel area closes at 11pm and all noisy lively entertainment moves up to the street(a mere 2 minute walk away)meaning all noise is taken away from the apartments.Great for those with younger children who need to sleep.
Drinks are still on the all inclusive in the street bars unless you are in the internet cafe or casino.
Just as a closing note the thomas cook rep was excellent. Oh and there is an english speaking doctor available 24 hrs a day 365 days a year.Great if like us someone always gets a swimmers earinfection! 

Go and enjoy this lovely resort.

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Hotel Bahia Principe - Bahia Principe

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice-June 2005

Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Bert Richardson-Cambridge (53,51)

Resort Rating: Poor

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

What can I say.We were transferred from the Riu Merengue to the Bahia Principe due to the virus outbreak. I had read some bad reports about the Bahia Principe but thought they were from the usual whingers. How wrong can one be. 

The hotel is dated. It is supposed to be a 4* but is still being updated. There was work going on all over the resort. The noise from the air conditioning units on each block of rooms could even be heard on the beach along with the noise from the masonary cutting for renewing the pathways that was going on all the time we were there. Add to this the bites from the sandflies and the fact that palm trees were planted all over the beach whilst we were there this is now not a beach holiday for anyone thinking of spending their time sunbathing by the sea as there's not much beach left.

The restaurant staff were pleasent enough but if you're English then the food is not for you.We had trouble finding something to eat most nights.
The shop never has any change and is expensive so if you want to buy anything then make sure you have plenty of $1 bills.
I'm sorry if this sounds like a big whinge but all in all for a 4* we found this hotel very wanting.This is a 3* hotel trying to update to a 4*.

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Hotel Bahia Principe - Bahia Principe

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson March 2004

Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : W Jones, 32

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was my second trip to the Dominican Republic, the first being in 1997, and although not as good, I enjoyed it a lot. The rooms are very clean, and have great air conditioning, much appreciated, although they are set out over a wide area, and it can be a long walk to the complex.

I'm definitely a joining in type of person, but somehow, I was not drawn so much to the evening entertainment as I have been previously. I think that has more to do with the location of the entertainment room, and the lack of adequate seating, than with the team.

The pool and swim up bar is great, One day during a torrential (but warm) downpour. quite a few of us, mostly brits, dove in, and enjoyed the bar .... and the rain! Just one thing about the bar though. One of the barmen did admit to adding water to the rum because "people got too drunk", when they bring the bottles up in the morning, they are filled from barrels, and water is added, notice when they open the bottles, there are no seals broken. They are very loathed to give you shorts with no mixers, which a lot of people wanted to do, because of the 'weakened' alcohol. I never saw over the top drunkeness, but I'm sure it does happen, in that situation, then refuse drink to the drunkard, don't treat the guests like children. Most people can decide when they've had enough. Also the bar did shut early, when most people went to the 'village' within the complex, where they had great live music and dancing, plus the obligatory karaoke. Unfortunately there, you did have to buy your own drinks, which, as it happens, came in decent, non-watered down measures .... Go figure!

All in all though, a few niggles, but a great holiday.

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Bavaro - Dominican Republic

Barvao Beach

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - august 2004

Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : 

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

All was fine until tropical storm jean hit then first choice took us from our resort when they had no confirmation we would fly drove us through downed trees and live downed power lines to a flood airport where they left us to fend for ourselves for 48 hours they knew i was diabetic but all i received during this time was an inch of water and a small cup of soup when i was on the verge of falling into coma the reps told us to break into a shop to get food i would NEVER put my life in their hands again if you take people to countries prone to this then they should have contincency plans not leave us wallowing in filfthy water which gave me cellulitus and an infection while other travellers with different operators were taken to hotels we got finally a coach which we were promptly left on locked in no aircon or windows in stiffling heat for 2 hrs till someone finally heard us screaming they allowed the food on the plane to spoil on the tarmac while we went hungary and then when we finally got to leave had to divert to antuiga to pick up more food then we could finally eat all this and not so much as a decent apolgy let alone any offer of compensation these people behaved like rubbish amateurs not proffesionals.

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Catalonia Bavaro Beach Golf and Casino Resort - Bavaro

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice-Sept 2005

Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : Abi, Dean-North East (30,27)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

First time on all inclusive and we loved it!
This resort was gorgeous, the grounds were beautifully maintained, the rooms cleaned thoroughly every day, fridge restocked. A few english speaking channels on tv to choose from, oh and the round bath is lovely - fills pretty quickly too. The pool area and beach v clean also.

Our weather was great -1 overcast day and a couple of times it rained during the day but no more than half an hour then it was boiling again. Plenty of sunloungers on beach and pool.
The food here was better than i had expected. The buffet choice for breakfast was fab -toast, fruit,cereal, cheese, ham, doughnuts, omelete, bacon, sausage (these were a tad wierd) pancakes, cake, toastie machines etc....
Again same for lunch - there are hot dogs/burgers/chicken/ice cream/chips by the pool or another buffet with salad, meats, veg, sarnies, cake etc....
the evening buffet has themes every night so does change, but you also get 4 nights at the al a carte restaurants which are really good.

The drinks were v good, beer wine, cocktails, soft drinks-the bar staff were all helpful and friendly.
Didn't bother with the live entertainment so can't comment.
If you can, go on the outback safari-you get to see around the island and get out of the resort which makes a change, also the bavaro splash - you get to drive your own little speedboat and the snorkelling is great!
The only downside to this resort is I think it could do with another bar open in the evening - just for some choice-would be nice down by the beach or pool!! we managed with casino and lobby bar though.

I would definately come back here again.

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Catalonia Bavaro Beach Golf and Casino Resort - Bavaro

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thompson/Olympic April 2004

Opinion submitted in May 2004 by : Donster & Wife (29 & 34)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Paradise!
Perfect beach. Lots of activities. The people are really friendly particularly if you speak spanish. The whole resort is very clean and tidy. The rooms are impeccable and a dollar or two under the pillow guarantees flowers on the bed and bath and a few extra drinks in the minibar!
The food is really good quality, lots of variety and choice. Snacks are available by the pool from burgers to ice cream or you can go to the buffet and stuff yourself. The a la carte restaurants are not bad. Our favourite was the French. We had no trouble booking all our a la carte meals on the first day and got decent booking times.

ADVICE
BEWARE if attempting the horseriding. It is western style and the horses are not very safe. My wife fell off after the guide chased off to find his mobile and her horse decided to follow. The nag decided to rear up and throw my hatless wife off. The guide was more concerned about chasing after the horse than making sure my wife was ok.
SCUBA DIVING
I did 2 scuba dives with the dive school. I am an advanced diver and was appalled at the low standard of equipment maintenance. My breathing regulator fell apart at 12m deep, leaving me swallowing sea water instead of air. I dread to think how a novice would have reacted. Again, they were more concerned with recovering the components of the regulator from the sea bed that with my health.

On the whole, this holiday far exceeded my expectations. The resort was perfect in every way although I could not stay there for longer than a week as I would be bored. Perfect for honeymoons.

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Catalonia Bavaro Beach Golf and Casino Resort - Bavaro

Operator and Date: Oddessy, February 2004

Opinion submitted in Feb 2004 by : Maureen Chidlow- Kent (40,41)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We went after having read the previous review on this complex and never having done an all inclusive holiday before, expecting the worst and were very pleasantly surprised. 

The staff were very friendly indeed always had a smile and an hello when ever you met them. The a la carte restaurants were fairly easy to book as long as you were flexible on your times and on the whole were excellent, especially the Japenese restaurant. The bar staff at the main bar were always eager to serve you and those at the pool bar although busy would serve you as soon as possible, again always with a smile. We never found language a barrier at all, not all spoke english but if your prepare to have a go you could easily make your selves under stood.

We had fresh flowers in our bathroom and on our pillows daily and the accomodation was cleaned to a high standard. The fridge was re stocked regularly and sometimes to excess but who's complaining. The TV reception wasn't very good but in the end who goes on holiday to the Carribean to watch TV!

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Grand Palladium - Bavaro (inc Fiesta hotels)

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - December 04 & March 05.

Opinion submitted in Apr 2005 by : Peter North - Sussex  ( 54, 45):

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was our 10th time in the Dom Rep and our 4th to this resort.What can I say,do book a Junior Suite well worth the extra, rooms very clean, good standard of furniture. The beach and Ocean are both truly mind blowing, soft powdered white sand and Turquoise waters.

The main restaraunt La Catedral is large but offers an enourmous selection for brekfast and dinner inc Roasts, Pasta,Salads,Fish etc.Their are 5 speciality restaraunts Fish, Mexican, International, Chinese and Spanish.My favourite is the Mare Nostrum international at the Palace, my wife prefers the Bamboo asian, all the food is good and fresh with no signs of a bad tummy with ourselves or anyone we have met. The drinks are good and plentifull in any of the many bars or swim up bars.

Their is also a Spotrs bar, theatre,disco and Casino.

My wife and I have been all round Europe many times,Canaries,East and West Africa, Jamaica also and I can honestly say the Dominican people are really friendly and helpful and we will be going back to the Palladium this December and next March again because it is atruly fantastic resort. But both of us are fairly new, we meet people who have had at least 12 holidays here, that might just tell you something.
You can get a deeper insight from Debbies Dominican. com.  

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Grand Palladium - Bavaro (inc Fiesta hotels)

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - March 2005

Opinion submitted in Mar 2005 by : C, D 27/35

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

On arriving at the hotel everything is very impressive - reception and pubic areas very well maintained.  Rooms are lovely (small blocks 2 storeys high) - ours had hydromassage bath in the room - very relaxing after a hard day sunbathing.

A great choice of places to eat on the complex and the choice and amount of food was impressive, and I am a fussy eater!

Our only "complaint" was that the place is huge - it took us 10 minutes to walk to reception, so not the best place for the less able. 

The complex actually has three hotels on site and we based ourselves around a pool where we didn't speak to another English person for nearly 2 weeks.  The sheer size means that the place feels a little souless. The staff although very efficient in their roles came across as a little disinterested.

Cannot comment on entertainments as we mainly based ourselves around the bar, casino and restaurants rather than showtime.

The beach at Bavaro is considered one of the best in the region and I would have to agree.  Still on the Atlantic side it wasn't totally calm but clean and warm and turquoise.  The beach beautiful white sand and turning right leads you to local shops but we didn't get hassled too much and watching the fishing boats drive onto shore provides entertainment at 5pm ish.  Turn left onto the beach and you can walk for miles.

If you get the chance to go between January & March do not hesitate to book to go whale watching.  5000 whales go to Samana Bay to mate and although expensive ($470 for two of us) this includes flight and an awesome display that we will never forget!

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Grand Paradise - Bavaro

Operator and Date: (Portland Direct) Portland - JULY

Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : Glennys Wiggin - Cumbria ( 48 , 55 )

Resort Rating: Below Average

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This is a very short review on The Grand Paradise hotel from where we have just returned 2 days ago. We were very worried about this hotel because of the horrid reviews posted on this site. We had already booked when we started looking into this hotel and when Thomson dropped the star rating we tried to change our holiday--how glad we were that we didnt.The hotel is very nice, with friendly staff and lovely clean rooms. 

The maid service we had was excellent.There has been a lot of very negative feedback mostly from Canadian visitors about the food and the amount of tipping required in order to get attention what a load of rubbish. We never tip on an all-inclusive holiday until the last day when if we feel a certain member of staff has made our holiday special we give a small tip in appreciation. As for the food I can honestly say that as a seasoned traveller all over the world this is probably the best food Weve had anywhere in an all-inclusive hotel.I have had worse food in 5 star hotels the selection was superb always something for everyone--I put on 7 lbs it was that good. 

There is not a great deal of entertainment at this hotel the usual show in the evening and music in the lobby bar so in that respect this hotel will not suit everyone but if you want to relax with good food and friendlt service you wont go far wrong here. The hotel is busy the last weekend in July as are all hotels in the caribbean this is the time the Porto Ricans have their hols so every island is swamped with them its ok they are very friendly but can get a bit noisy at times. Not many Brits at the Grand Paradise but lets face it if you need the company of other Brits to enjoy your hols then you should be going to Benidorm. 

So to sum up -- a good little hotel not the hell hole a lot of people have described in their reviews No problem with the old tummy either--- if you drink plenty of non alcoholic drinks through the day and dont get dehydrated with too much sun youll be fine its only the booze that gives us the bad tummys on holidays--- believe me I know. 

The resort of Bavaro is a bit quiet not a lot to do outside the hotels and I think Thomsons should drop the price of some of their excursions--not brilliant value for money but you will need to do something as staying on the complex doesnt immerse you in the Dominican culture and after all thats why we travel to sample other ways of life and see how other cultures differ from our own. So if you are already booked here dont worry NO horrors waiting and the building work going on is so unobtrusive youll never hear anything. One thing on your return the airport in Punta Cana wont take credit cards so remember to save some cash if you are looking for last minute purchases.

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Iberostar Dominicana - Bavaro

Operator and Date: (Direct Holidays) Direct Holidays - October 2005

Opinion submitted in Nov 2005 by : Hayley -- Birmingham (19)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Hi

I have recently returned from the best holiday I have ever been on. I have not got one bad comment about the Iberostar Dominicana other than 14 nights isn't long enough! We did experience some tropical rain for a couple of days but that didn't effect our holiday in the slightest as it is expected in the Carribean.

Hotel staff are very friendly, will go out of their way to help you. Cleaner comes everyday and changes the sheets and towels.

Swimming pool, very big with lots of sun beds and umbrellas which are free of charge. The pool is very clean and refreshing when you get sunburnt!

The beach is fantastic,a long white sandy beach again with plenty of sunbeds. The sea is clear blue and very warm once your whole body is below water! You couldn't ask for anymore!

During my stay I visited the Capital City on an excursion booked with My Travel. There is quite abit of travelling involved but it is well worth doing, as it very interesting learning about the Dominican Republic History and culture, I would recommend you go!

PLEASE do not swim with the dolphins at the M.Park as the standards of where the dolphins are kept are below par, they are kept in small tanks which cause at least three dolphins to die each year. PLEASE do not go!

Plenty of variety of food at all three buffets throughout the day! Make sure you book up at the Al a Carte Restaurants especially the Steak house as its on the beach, the meat is cooked just how you want it!

A large variety of soft drinks, cocktails , spirits and local beers.
You couldn't ask for anymore at this hotel!
I will be visiting this hotel again in the near future!

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Iberostar Dominicana - Bavaro

Operator and Date: (Direct Holidays) Direct Holidays-may 2005

Opinion submitted in June 2005 by : tracey-burton-on-trent (59,38,12,8)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The flight to the Dominican Republic was 9.5 hours which seemed to drag on and was quite uncomfortable in the standard seats,so i would advise travellers to upgrade to premium seats for extra comfort.
Upon arrival into the Dom rep airport we had to pay $10 each and fill in a visa for each person travelling but you can get the visas before you travel and if you fill them in and have the $10 ready you can jump the queues. A portion of the visa is kept by yourselves and you hand this in when you check back in on your return to the uk along with $20 each.

Porters are on hand to get your luggage to your coach and it is customary to tip them approx $1 per case.
The journey to the hotel was about 1hr 50 minutes and wasn't that bad, you are able to see how the locals live and get a taste of the real dominican republic!

Upon arrival at the hotel we were totally in awe of how beautiful the hotel was-WOW!!
and we were not disappointed, everything was perfect.
Our rooms were spotless and very big with a very large bed!! it was cleaned every day and fresh towels put in every day and our fridge was replenished every day with soft drinks, water and beer.
The pool areas were also spotless and there is someone cleaning or sweeping all of the time!!
The beach was beautiful with white sand and plenty of sunbeds and shaded areas.
The restaurants were lovely with great food and service.
The entertainment was o.k and they tried to suit everyone which is'nt easy in a multi-cultural society.
The excursions are very good but can be quite expensive if you are in a large group, however if you didn,t want to go on any trips then you wouldn't need to spend any money at all as everything is free!!!

A truly fabulous holiday and I would recommend it to anyone and we will certainly be returning.

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Iberostar Dominicana - Bavaro

Operator and Date: (MyTravel Direct) My Travel - 2004 / 2005

Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Michelle Bevington - Essex (42, 28)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Went to this resort with 14 others as a wedding party for our two friends who had a fantastic wedding on the beach during the second week.

After a tiring 2 hr transfer from La Romana airport our first impressions of the hotel were good. This didn't chnage throughout the week as the standards of the rooms were very high, fresh bedding, drinks and lovely petal decorations left in the room each day. The only minor problem was the leaking air conditioning unit in the room but we were so happy with everything else we didn't bother to mention it.

Was a bit apprehensive about spending 2 weeks in the same place but there was plenty of choice from the organised activities (water aerobics, merengue dancing and rifle shooting etc albeit a bit on the un professional side) and free water sports such as sea kayaking and sailing catamarans (booked for an hour at a time in advance).

The selection of food was overwhelming and made more interesting by the occasional beach side barbecue and cocktail stands. The only time we felt that standards had slipped was in the Mexican restaurant where the attitude of the waiters leaved a lot to be desired.

The steak house was amazing but would recommend booking a few days in advance to ensure you get the time you want as quite often only the 9.30pm sitting was left. The Star Rock Cafe was the only other let down as for some reason they do not run on a booking system. We arrived one evening requiring a table for two and did not sit down for an hour and 10 mins!! The food was satisfactory thoough.

If you do tire of the resort then I would strongly recommnd the OutBack tour. The guide we had, Greg, was so full of energy and enthusiasm, it really made the day.

The Saona Island tour is also a good idea although do not expect to arrive at Paradise as at least several hundred other tourists will be there with you!!!

The few hints I would give are to definately make sure you buy your Visa before you leave the UK as the additional wait at the airport on top of what is already a horrendously tiring journey is awful and expect travel sickness as the roads of full of pot holes and the drivers have to continously swerve to avoid them.

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Iberostar Dominicana - Bavaro

Operator and Date: (Direct Holidays) Direct Holidays - November 2004

Opinion submitted in Nov 2004 by : Jenny Taylor - Warrington (26, 27)

Resort Rating: Below Average

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We have just returned from our honeymoon at the Dominicana, and to be honest, I was glad to leave the place.  We booked the hotel as the brochure suggested that it was an 'ideal honeymoon destination'.  I would seriously disagree with that statement.  We were left feeling disappointed, disillusioned, and wishing we had gone somewhere else.

We flew with Airtours and upgraded our seats to Premiair Gold - as my husband is 6'5'' it was definitely worth it for the extra legroom, but to be honest the service didn't seem to be any different from economy class.

We had not been advised by our tour operator that we would need to pay arrival or departure tax, and had to use the ATM at the airport - be aware!  After a horrendous 2.5 hour transfer to the hotel over the bumpiest roads ever, we had thoroughly lost the will to live, and all spark after our fantastic wedding had ebbed away.  First impressions of the hotel were good, although it was raining when we arrived and the gardens are still in somewhat bad condition after the hurricane. 

However, all that glitters is certainly not gold.  The food was appalling.  We visited all restaurants except the gourmet as another couple got food poisoning.  The chinese and tropical restaurants were bland and tasteless, however the steak and mexican are OK. The buffet is disgusting, food often cold and undercooked, surrounded by flies, and the same things every day.  We survived on pizza and chips, which seemed to be the safest options.

The drinks were also poor.  The cocktails are far to sweet, syrupy and artificial, and the measures in the long drinks (e.g. vodka and coke) are too strong to be able to drink. 

The entertainment was also bad.  It rained for 75% of the holiday and the staff made no attempt to organise any activities for the guests during this time.  The evening shows are OK, but be warned that everything is said in 5 languages, and loses a little impact after a while!  I found the star friends ignorant and patronising.

Overall, we were thoroughly disappointed with our honeymoon - and unfortunately we can't get that time back.  I would not recommend anyone visit the Iberostar Dominicana.

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Iberostar Dominicana - Bavaro

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - Date Not Specified

Opinion submitted in June 2004 by : Frank & Mandy - Bristol 44,36

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Well what can we say. This is one of the best holidays we've had. Beats the pants off Jamacia!!
The hotel and facilities were wonderful and set in brilliant gardens, which are immaculately kept. Flamingo's, Peacocks & the biggest fat rooster we've ever seen walking around the grounds.

We had a standard room which was huge.Excellant shower in the bathroom!
Mini bar fridge provided, but only stocked with beer and soft drinks. Only thing missing a Tea/Coffee facilities in room, which we think would go down well.

Room and hotel in general was kept spotless. No mossies,bugs or the like seen in whole 2 weeks there.

Only saw very small Gecko's on the coconut trees.

Beach is lovely with plenty of sunbeds available all times of the day. Same really for the pools which were fab to cool off in. Only complaint is that certain nationalities seem to ignore the "IT IS FORBIDDEN TO RESERVE SUNBEDS" signs (need I say nomore, we all know who they are!) 

Food: A well varied choice from the buffet restaurants (you can also use the one in the Punta Cana side)Very good selection for all meals.

Mexican: Can't rave about this enough! It was fab.

Gourmet: Well, they tried,but I would say not gourmet and if you don't like Lobster you're a bit stuck as it's a set menu.

Oriental: Again, fab! good choice of hot/cold staters, with a choice of main courses.

Steak House: Beachfront location which is set on the sand, so ladies, don't wear fancy clothes or shoes, although men are required to wear long trousers to all the speciality restaurants.
Food again could not fault.

There is also a Tropical restaurant,but we didn't try this one, so can't comment.

Star Rock Cafe: Set as an American diner, again this was really good too.

Trips: Would definately recommend the Outback Safari day trip...Excellant!
Don't be put off,they Do Not allow the children to beg. Proceeds from the trip and donations can be given, which are passed onto them.

Santo Domingo day trip. Again a good day out but very long journey by coach from Bavaro, about 3 hrs each way. Interesting to see, good lunch provided and time to get some bargains in the shops with no real hassle.

Smokers paradise as fags are really cheap, about £5 for 200 Marlboro Lights. Cigars cheap too,but shop around.

Overall, this was rated in brochure as 5 star and we felt it was. Would highly recommend to anyone.

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IFA Villas Beach and Spa - Bavaro

Operator and Date: SUNMASTERS.CO.UK JUNE 2007

Opinion submitted in June 2007 by : LISA READ ESSEX 35,32,8

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We have just got back from IFAVillas bavero.  

We had a room overlooking the main pool.  There was building work opposite us and they would turn up the music so loud to drown out the constant banging.  The other pool was better near to the spa nice and quiet.  

We got burgled on our 3rd day from going home, the front door had been broken open, they stole 2 mobile phones and a digital camera.  Luckily we had the safe with everything else in, but could not fit it all in.  The hotel guest relations luckily took us to the police station thank god as they never spoke a word of English.  After that we had to carry everything around with us, which is not ideal.  The hotel is definitely not a 4 star more like 3.  The position of the hotel is excellent it just needs a complete re-furb!  The room is very basic and lots of things are loose or hanging off! When we first arrived the patio doors did not lock but they sorted that out straight away, also there was mould growing in the bathroom .  The people are really friendly.  

If your looking for a cheap hotel than this is adequate just make sure you do not take any expensive items with you.  If we had not been broken into we would have had a really good holiday.  Just wanted to warn people before hand.

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IFA Villas Beach and Spa - Bavaro

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - SEPT 2006

Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Angela ,Tony,Natasha,Jordan Ellison - (42,42,16,14 )

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

After 9hr flight we couldnt wait to get to our hotel. We didnt have transferes so got a taxi very easy as there were loads waiting outside airport, we were charged 20 dollars which was a very good price. Everyone at hotel was very friendly and helpful. We had no rep to help us with excursions but the hotels service desk was open 24hrs and helped us with day trips and buses to shopping centre. Went swimming with sharks (vegetarian)got there by catamaran had a brilliant time, went to Queens ranch kids over the moon driving the buggys. 

Food was lovely also had Japenese, Mexican and caribbe restaurants which was no bother getting bookings for. The beach was fabulous, pure white sands and clear waters. There was a range of fun water activities to enjoy, we tried the paragliding which was a lot of fun. Resort had everything there you needed but a little expensive, cheaper to take bus to shopping centre (30pesos).We met a very nice barman called Kevin he could speak very good english. The entertainment was fantastic, their shows were out of this world, the dancers were very professional. 

I would recommend this resort as it was fun for all ages.

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IFA Villas Bavaro Beach and Resort

Operator and Date: Broadway Travel - July 2006

Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : Patricia Hart (47, 39)

Resort Rating: No rating

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We would like to warn all travellers we would not recommend the IFA Villas Bavaro Beach Resort.  This resort is advertised as a 4 star 3 hotel complex.  None of the accommodation is 4 star.  

The first room we were put into, after waiting for over an hour to check in, was right at the back of the complex, nowhere near the pools or bars and restaurants and was extremely grubby and shabby.  The bathroom was abysmal with a badly stained bath, rusty taps and cracked and dirty tiles.  We complained to reception and were moved to another room slightly nearer to a pool, which was even worse.  It had all of the problems of the first room, plus the bath tap was hanging off the wall, the shower did not work at all, the air conditioning was not working properly, the ceiling fan was hanging on a slant and extremely noisy when turned on and the fridge rattled and clunked.  

The morning after we returned to reception and demanded a full refund and a taxi to the airport.  After a lot of shouting at their inept and uninterested staff, we were moved to a room which was a step up - working shower, air conditioning etc, with a beach view.  However, the bath had been painted and the paint was peeling off in sheets.  Definitely not 4 star accommodation.  

The food in the buffet restaurants was very poor, with the cheapest cuts of meat being used - lots of fat gristle and bone and the fish was always overcooked.  Unfortunately there are no covers over the buffet units where the food is left so flies and the local birds are helping themselves and walking all over it.  There are 3 a la carte restaurants for which you have to make a reservation, which will entail at least a 30 minute queue in reception.  The Jalisco (Mexican) is buffet style, but the food could hardly be described as Mexican and was of extremely poor quality.  The Bambu (Japanese) serves Sushi, which consists of smoked salmon and cream cheese, clam soup made with new zealand green lipped mussels and not a clam in sight and uses the same sauce used in all the other restaurants for meat and fish dishes on their version of chow mein, which had a very strange flavour.  The Caribe (Dominican food) was about the best of a bad bunch, with small portions but better quality meat and fish.  

The bars were very hit and miss with a lot of the staff not knowing how to mix cocktails that other staff at other bars could.  There is only Pepsi, Sprite, local lemonade, Banana Mama and Coco Loco (the last two made with cordial not fresh fruit) soft drinks available at the bars.  No fresh fruit juices are available anywhere in the resort.  Some of the staff are down right surly and others try their hardest to please there customers with what little the resort has to offer.  

However, the beach is extremely beautiful with white sands very clear seas (not really suitable for children as there are strong currents).  There is a fantastic private sea food restaurant to the left of the IFA resort as you walk on to the beach called Jellyfish.  We can highly recommend their fish dishes, which are all freshly caught and cooked to perfection.  Needless to say we were very good customers of Jellyfish.  

The excursions are good and well organised, we took the trip to the Isle of Saona - the beach and sea there is even more beautiful.  The beach vendors can be a bit of a nuisance but easily ignored and the lunch and drinks were excellent.  We also went on the Caribbean Festival snorkelling on the reef of Bavaro and swimming with nurse sharks and stingrays, which was fascinating.  The Caribbean Festival is a real party boat with entertainment and dancing all the way inbetween snorkelling.  We also visited Maniti Park which was extremely good fun, you can swim with the dolphins, there are shows throughout the day (the parrot show and the dancing horses were brilliant). 

This in all is probably the worst holiday we have ever had - mainly due to the hotel and having to spend most of our money on eating out - when we have paid for all inclusive instead of going on more excursions.  Travellers beware!!!

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IFA Villas Bavaro Beach and Resort

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours- March 2006

Opinion submitted in Apr 2006 by : Kerrie- Preston (23, 23)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

I went to the Dominican Republic to the IFA Villas Bavaro as a last minute holiday and came on here to read about the reviews others had given it. When i read the reviews on here i was worried about going there as people had put bad reviews on it. All i can say is i had one of the best holidays i have had in a long time! I totally disagree with the negative reviews. 

The accommdation was good, just want u would need as your not in your room hardly, i stayed in the villas part of the resort and it was lovely, we had a fridge with fresh bottled water put in everyday and the cleaner came everyday too. The food was really good, the two buffet style ones were good and didnt repeat the menu, and there was loads to choose from, the waiters were really nice too. The al a carte ones were brillant and i couldnt say which was the best as i enjoyed all of them. I read in the other reviews that the staff didnt speak much English well i admit some spoke better then others but all staff could understand you and could talk back. 

The entertainment was fab everyday, when you go to the Dominican all i'll say is when you go home you'll be able to dance! The staff taught us all different dances and was fun. The day entertainment was fun, you did aqua areobics to vollyball to spanish lessons, and the night entertainment was good, they did dance shows, discos and fun competition games. The disco at night was good too and if people didnt want to be woken up by it, it was just on the beach so it wont wake people up. 

Our rep Emma was brillant, she would try and do everything she could to help you if you had a problem and she was on site nearly everyday and left contact numbers at the resort if you needed her. All i can say about the beach was WOW! it was stunning, the perfect picture of a beach in paradise, but the only thing i would say is be careful if you want to sit and have a lie on the sunbeds dont leave it late to get there as they get used up quickly, the 3pools were lovely too, each with its own uses, such as, if you wanted a quiet morning you would go to the pool by the villas, or if u wanted a lively area where the games where go to the middle pool where the entertainment was! There were loads of trips to go to so if you wanted to get off site you wont have a problem. 

I had a lovely holiday and would recommend this resort to anyone, you have a big mix of people from couples, to groups of friends, families with young and old children too. The only thing i founf strange was that you cant put toilet paper down the toilet as it would block up the loo and u needed to use the bins, i found this odd and worried about the hygiene side but i need not worry as the cleaners came rounf regularly to change the bins which was good. 

All in all i had a brillant holiday.

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IFA Villas Bavaro Beach and Resort

Operator and Date: (MyTravel Direct) MyTravel

Opinion submitted in Jan 2006 by : R Costello

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We looked into this holiday on review sites which said a variety of things so i feel i have to put my comments on 

We flew with my travel and were delayed by 1/2 a hour going out once on the plane we were in the two inside seats and were squashed all the way on the 9 hour flight and with the lady on the outside asleep and blocking us in tried to avoid eating or drinking so we didn't need the toilet the staff seemed too busy to be helpful and when I received my "vegetarian" meal i had a ham & cheese sandwich when i questioned it the staff shrugged and blamed it on who ever had labelled it wrongly in the factory
And was asked if I would like some bread...

Our first impressions were good upon landing in La Romana as our bags were sat waiting for us we were then put on a small bus and taken down the bumpy roads for two hours to our hotel.

Upon arrival check-in was quick a bell boy was sent and we were taken on a cart to our room, when in the room the bell boy showed us how to work the air con and the lights but soon left in embarrassment when two of the three lamps didn't work, in the bathroom our bath was filled with rust around the plug hole area but apart from this it seemed large and we had a TV and a fridge with two bottles of water.

As it was about 4:30pm when we arrived we got a shower and went to get some dinner at one of the two large buffet restaurants. Me - as a vegetarian didn't find much choice but chips, pasta, rice and salad which i ate for two weeks except for when we tried one of the themed restaurants which were like gold dust the booking for these opened at 9am but people were queuing at 8:30 and it usually took over an hour in the queue only to be disappointed the following night by the not so special meal.

The staff did not speak any English we didn't get a proper drink all the time we were there if you asked for a spirit you got rum no matter what you asked for they were often rude and would serve someone else when you had been there 15 mins for Christmas dinner me and my partner had chips as the celebrated Christmas on Christmas eve which was just champagne at the entrance to the restaurant new year was the same and then we all went to the 600km walk to the beach where there were no fireworks only those from other hotels .

Sunbeds: if you want a sun bed you must be up by 7:30 as after this time you will not get one!!!! (even though there are 3 pools and a beach they do not have the facilities for the size of the complex)

While we were there, there was a mugging and a robbery food poisoning and lots of accidents which cost thousands of pounds for the poor people that suffered.

Do not go to dolphin island it cost $85usd each we were taken by boat and spent an hour on another beach before getting to go and spend 10 minutes in the water with 2 dolphins not swim with the just touching them (not like on the leaflet!!!) Then after 3 hours and being forced back to the island to look at photos it was dark and because we were wet it was cold we were left on the beach to walk back to the hotel.

Not one person we spoke to enjoyed their stay one even asked if we wanted to stay another week so he could go home early - we declined.

On previous trips to dom rep have been excellent so I would blame the hotel itself.

On return home we upgraded to premier gold seats for the leg room this was the best part of the whole trip and we enjoyed the flight home.

We have just been and booked Cuba for next new year hopefully this will be better.

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Melia Caribe Tropical - Bavaro

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - June 2004

Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Sarah - London (26, 24, 24, 23, 23, 23)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

There are two sides to the hotel, Tropical and Caribe. They are both mirror images of each other, we were lucky and was inbetween them both.  The hotel is huge and it took us 15 mins to walk to the a la carte restaurants and lobby each night.  The walk was very pleasant though as the gardens are very well kept and there are peacocks and ducks roaming around and also some flamingos.  If you don't fancy the walk then there is always the trains (wally trolley) that run to and from the apartments to the hotel reception.

The a la carte restaurants were very nice but service does tend to be a bit slow.  The restaurant we enjoyed the most was the Japanese, it was lovely although difficult to get booked.  The French restaurant (Ma Maison) was also very nice.  The organisation for booking the a la carte restaurants was appaling, we had to spend 1 hour each morning queuing to make a reservation and sometimes we walked away without a reservation.  On our last few days they were changing the way you make reservations so the system might be more organised now.  Whatever you do don't book over the phone as we did this one day and the phone was engaged constantly for an hour. 

We did go to a couple of the buffet restaurants which were ok but nothing special, the service in these restaurants were terrible.  We had to ask 3 times for some water and another 3 times for some wine, in the end he got fed up with us asking and gave us the bottle!  The beach buffet restaurant was the best for lunch, they had the best pizzas!

We all had bad tummys whilst on holiday, we spent a lot of our spending money on Immodium but it didn't spoil our holiday.

The bars in the Melia are aimed at the Spanish and do not play English music.  All the nightly entertainment is Spanish and after 2 weeks the Spanish music really does get to you.  The Fun Pub also played mainly Spanish music, we did ask the DJ to play some English or American music and he did on occassions but only 6 songs then back to Spanish again.  One night just us 3 girls went in and asked for some English music and he let us play what we wanted all night so it might of been because we were 3 girls on our own!

The casino was good although we did not know what we were doing on the slot machines as it is all written in Spanish.

All the staff at the Melia are very friendly but do not speak very good English so it might be helpful to take a small phrase book with you.

Our rooms were always spotless, the maids did a very good job and would come in daily to replenish our towels.

It is a good idea to take quite a few $1 bills for tips, we didn't tip all the time but in the a la carte restaurants we did cause the service was much better and we made sure we tipped our maid at the end of the holiday.

It was one of my friend's birthdays whilst we were on holiday and we asked whether a cake could be arranged for her birthday in the Japenese restaurant, they did this at no extra cost and it was a lovely surprise for her!

We did three trips through our hotel rep, we did the Monster Trucks Safari; James Bond for the day (speed boats) and Sasou Island.  They were all fun.  The monster truck safari was really good although quite upsetting to see how the people live.  The children there were getting excited over a pencil they were given, its a real eye-opener to see how the less fortuate people live.  Before we left we gave a load of our clothes and flip flops to our rep to give to the poor children and we know it was greatly appreciated.  Sasou Island was a good day although when we went it was raining so probably not as good as it would of been on nice day.

We did a few free activities that our hotel provided, we went out on a catamaran which was good fun and we also did a bit of snorkalling.  If you are going to do snorkalling from the hotel walk left all the way up to the multi-coloured house and do it there, the fish are lovely colours.

There is nothing to do outside of our hotel so if its a lively holiday you are looking for then Bavaro is not for you.  We wanted a fairly lively holiday and although it turned out to be a relaxing holiday we still thoroughly enjoyed it!

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Occidental Allegro Punta Cana - Bavaro

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - July 2004

Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : o'connor - Liverpool (40,39,14,7)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was an excellent holiday and we would definately return! the hotel is a very nice 4* and should definately be a 5*, the hotel has loads to offer, all day entertainment , a lovely swimmingm pool,beautifully kept grounds, very high security, food AVAILABLE ALL DAY, WATERSPORTS ALLWAYS ON OFFER,  a very nice beach and a lot more at the occidental allegro punta cana.

The staff at the hotel are the freindliest people we have ever met and the whole situation has far much to offer and is far better than any european holiday we have had!

The entertainment at the hotel is fantastic, there is always something going on all day for all ages , the shows of a night are fantastic and they have so much effort put into them!

A must do is go to the island of sdaona it is a lovely island and is remote and peaceful we booked it through iour tour operator and although it was expensive it was worth it!

Alltogfether we had a fantastic holiday and can guarentee that who ever goes to the occidental allegro punta cana will have a fantastic time 

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Ocean Bavaro Spa and Beach Resort - Bavaro

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice june 2004

Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : jenny - rich 20,21

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Well what can i say about this resort it is paradise.

It has everything you could possibly want.
The Hotel is located directly on the beachfront with 3 huge swimming pools 5restaurants 1buffet and too many bars to count.The beach is breath taking and there is always enough sun loungers for eveyone even if you go to the beach late in the day.we preferred the beach as it is very humid around the pool and the beach always had a cool breeze.

There is an entertainment team on the beach who try to get everyone involved in stupid games my advice would be to get involved its so much fun.At night there is a theatre which has cabaret show which is always good to watch after a meal(but watch out they may drag you on stage.)

This resort is caters for evey need for the young there is a night club and the older there is a number of quieter bars.there our 5restaurants which you need to make reservations for first thing in the morning the men need to wear trousers and shirt(short sleeve0as the dont allow t-shirts or shorts.I would recommend the Italian.The rooms our very spacious but if you go try to reserve a room in block 5 or block 6 as i heard quite alot of people asking to be moved.

There are a number of trips you can go on i would recommend Saona Island which is beautiful.James bond day where you can race speed boats and snorkell and swimming with sharks and rays.These trips will stay in my memory forever the guides on the trip make you feel welcome and look after you like you were royalty.

over all i wouldnt change nything about my holiday and i would definitly go again.

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Ocean Sand Golf and Spa Resort - Bavaro

Operator and Date: first choice may 2006

Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : patsy and colin mccormack 28,27

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

First of all if you can upgrade your seats on the plane do so to premium its well worth it.
Bavaro beach is fab white sand and crystal blue waters, food is nice and if you like seafood we recommend the seafood resturant on the beach,this hotel is more catered for americans and it was first choices first time with this hotel and its great.
Recommend mikes coffee shop and route 66.
The rooms are clean and quite big its not worth upgrading your room because its got everything you need two sinks in the bathroom ,jaquzzi,coffee maker,iron and ironing board,safe,umberellas for when the heavens open.
Weather was fab but some advise sunbathe at 9 till 1 sun is far to hot between 2 and 4 and bring high factors i normally use 10 but had to buy 40.
Excerssions we recommend the outback safari what an eye opener.
If you have booked this holiday you wont be disapointed or if you are thinking about booking book it.

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Punta Cana Princess - Bavaro

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours - April 2006

Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : Peter Stanmore - West Sussex (44, 42)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

We went to the Dom Rep in search of the white sand and palm lined beaches and certainly found them in the East at Bavaro !!

The reports on the PCP all seemed good and turned out to be entirely true.

FLIGHTS - unfortunately we departed with the airline still on the winter schedule which meant 6:00 AM from Gatwick to Manchester first with at least an hour on the tarmac and just a shortbread bicuit for breakfast during the flight, even we had left at 3 in the morning for the airport ! Mind you we had taken advantage of the previous days check-in to drop-in the hold luggage and pick-up out boarding cards......so after around 12 hrs on the plane we arrived at La Romana airport rather than Punta Cana (another part of the winter schedule routine).
At the airport watch out for the porters who are keen to get hold of your baggage, just be clear and firm, unless of course you need their services.

The coach transfer was around 1.5hrs and not the most luxurious coach with non-existant air-conditioning (no wonder the curtains were drawn at the airport).
The longer journey took us through areas that really showed the true Dom Rep away from the beaches.

HOTEL - On arrival we were dealt with quickly and allocated a room in Block 5000, our bags soon followed. Block 5000 overlooks the pool and is next to the beach, we were ground floor but not a problem. The room was very clean and the mini-bar stocked.
The maid made the room up every day and we had a 'turn-down' visit most evenings.
 
The hotel blocks are all three stories and overlook the central landscaped and manicured gardens and pool area which are kept immaculate with all the paths scrubbed every morning.

FOOD - the tour operator website only mentioned the restaurants on this site an Italian and Mexican together with the Buffet however staying at the PCP you have access to around 9 restaurants in total by going to the adjacent Princess reosorts which are easily walked or there is a small shuttle bus. We went to the Guest Services desk before breakfast every morning and were able to book for the next day. In all we tried 5 others in all, which were all of a reasonable standard together with themed evenings in the buffet which always had a good choice of dishes together with some speciality dishes.

We went expecting to have to be careful with salads, ice cubes in the drinks etc but were informed that the cubes are made from bottled water and salads are all washed in bottled water which is always in plentiful supply, just ask.

ENTERTAINMENT - This is very low key at the PCP in the reception bar with the major venues at the adjacent hotels if you chose to go. During the day there was some activities around the pool which usually started around 3 and on the beach, volley ball etc

BARS - as mentioned the reception bar got a bit busier, however there is a bar on the seafront which is much quieter, go and see Hector the barman he is very friendly and welcoming.

STAFF - friendly and welcoming describes all the staff on this resort from the maids to the gardeners to the barman all very helpful and the odd US dollar passed from time to time, especially to the maid who filled the mini bar, is appreciated but not expected.

BEACH - the main focus of our holiday, very clean swept in the morning and after deposits of seaweed after a higher tide (although the tide varies very little) and kept safe by the onlooking security guards keeping any touts at bay. There are a number of beach shades and sunbeds but these go early in busy times so Im afraid that reserving of the sunbeds is required if you want shade as well. Towel service is efficient and available and the sunbeds kept clean and with the Beach bar attendants happy to keep plying you with the neccesary refreshments what more can you wish for.
Once settled what a view, the colours of the sea and sky in contrast to the white sand are truely breath taking. This is a resort coast so there is a continuous stream of walkers along the shoreline enjoying the views. We didnt particpate but could see there are a few activities on the water.
The sea is warm and there is a rope and bouys to mark the swimmwers area, although the beach does slope quite quickly once you are in the water and the tide can be strong on occasions.
All in all paradise warm with a cooling sea breeze most of the time.

POOL - as you would expect more sunbeds and grass shades line the pool although they are not packed-in, the pool is warm and there is a swim-up bar. There is a Spa adjacent to the beach with a large jaccuzi type pool amongst other items.

RESORT - the PCP compared to the sister hotels Caribe and Tropical is a lot more spacious and much quiter but that was just what we were after, we certainly made the right choice in going the Punta Cana region and can see ourselves returning in the future, possibly sooner than anticipated.  

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Riu Bambu  - Bavaro

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thompson - June 2006

Opinion submitted in September 2006 by : Katie & Lloyd (23,30)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was truly a fantastic hotel, and I can not fault the accommodation. The rooms contained two large beds pushed together which when its that hot you dont particularly want to be squashed together so this was good. Rooms were also air conditioned and contained ceiling fans which was good. Maid service fantastic and if you want to lie in they will keep coming and trying and ensure your room is cleaned every day! Bathroom was abit cramped and toilet directly behind the door - only problem with the bathroom was the door which was made of wooden slats so anyone in the bedroom can hear you!

Food was great, huge choice for everyone, we stayed for 2 weeks and I dont think we had the same thing twice! Plenty of choice for kids aswell.

The beach was truly beautiful and the sea was wonderful to swim in. Pool area was slightly rowdy and you had to get up very early to ensure a 'decent' sunbed by the pool, but the beach was alot better.

Went on 3 Thomson approaved day trips - the first Saona island was a great dissappointment, we were not told about the 4 hour coach trip to the location which really ruined it! Beach is not as secluded as you think with about 4 other hotel excursions there! Catamaran trip was lovely though cant fault that part - however expensive for what it was.

Second trip was to the Sealife park which is located in the North of the island and includes a 1 hour plane trip there. Flight is sold as a beautiful trip over the island etc etc however more like the most terrifying experiance of our lives in a rickety old 16 seater! This excursion is not for those who have a fear of flying!
Swimming with dolphins though was a fantastic experiance and one I would thoroughly recommend (just ensure your staying in the North of the island so you dont experiance that awful flight if you go here!)

Third trip was the Speed Adventure which was the most impressive, half day trip which includes a trip on a mini-speedboat (which you drive yourself) and then snorkelling with your own guide! The guides are fantastic and take your underwater camera from you - some fantastic photos of both of us together - really was an amazing day this one - highly recommended.

However, unfortunately our holiday was ruined by a stomach upset. Both of us suffered from severe diarroeah and stomach cramps - even the large amount of imodium couldnt help us - our illness came on 4 days into our 2 week holiday and also included a hospital trip for myself due to the severity! Were very careful not to drink the water etc but still became ill. This completely ruined our holiday and has completely put us off ever going back to the country again. The infection was so bad that I also attended hospital after the holiday in England and even now (September) I am still having the same symptons, the annoying thing is noone has any idea what it is!
We were very disappointed with the Thomson rep on the holiday and felt she wsa very unhelpful with our sitution. Since we have got back we have also been very upset with Thomson and have found them very unhelpful aswell.

All in all we can not fault the hotel or the staff there, they were all very friendly and the place is very clean, food was delicious and available 24/7! Would recommend the hotel 100% however dont forget the imodium!

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Riu Bambu  - Bavaro

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - April 2005

Opinion submitted in Apr 2005 by : Andrea & Andy - Newcastle (34, 36)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

My husband and I both stayed at the Bambu from Wednesday 30 March to Wednesday 6 April.  I had been very anxious after reading the previous reviews about this complex and to be honest I never truly relaxed the whole time I was there, waiting to come down with the virus.  Although I can say that neither of us were sick, we have both suffered with pretty bad diarrhoea and stomach pains during the holiday and still now, a week after returning from holiday.  Luckily though we suffered nothing worse than this and on the whole it did not spoil the holiday.

I don't understand the previous reviews about the rooms being small, all I can say is we both thought the room was a good size.  There were two double beds pushed together, plenty of wardrobe and drawer space, and certainly enough room to move around.  I was very impressed with the room, which was very clean and nicely maintained.  I agree about the bathroom - on opening the door the toilet is directly behind but if you're in the bathroom with the door closed this is not a problem and there is enough room in there for what you need.

The staff were extremely helpful.  On arrival we had our case taken to our room for us, very quickly.  After about 5 minutes in the room reception rang to ask if everything was okay.  We asked for more pillows and to change the bottles of Pepsi to Diet Pepsi.  Within a short space of time both of these were delivered, and reception rang again to check the request had been dealt with.  All through the holiday we would just ring if we needed more water or anything and they promptly dealt with any requests.

The beach as described by other reviewers is truly breathtaking - I don't normally like swimming in the sea, but here you wouldn't want to do anything else as it is crystal clear and the sand is a beatiful white which goes directly into the sea with no pebbles or uneven surfaces, perfect in fact.  It stretches for miles either side of the resort, but after walking up the beach in both directions, my husband and I both agreed that the beach at the Bambu was by far the best.  There was never any problem in getting a sun lounger as there are plenty to go around.

The pool areas weren't as good as other hotels we've been to but we didn't really spend much time there.  The pool with the swim up bar was always very busy and very loud - we did go there one afternoon and enjoyed a couple of drinks and the atmosphere but for the most part we preferred the peace and quiet of the beach.

This hotel really does have everything to suit all tastes.  If you want an active holiday there are plenty of facilities and loads of entertainment, but if you want a quiet holiday the beach is lovely and quiet and nobody disturbs you so you really can have the best of both worlds.  We didn't see much of the evening entertainment being too tired after long days but it seemed to be okay, and it's nice to sit out under the stars with a cocktail in your hand.

I agree with other reviewers that the food wasn't brilliant.  There is a lot of choice if you like Mediterranean type food and the food is adequate in itself, but to be honest there wasn't much that appealed to me, especially at lunchtime when it was the same thing every day - burgers, sausages, toasties, chips and some salad.  Very repetitive and if I had been there two weeks I would have been fed up with the choice of food.

We did two excursions organised through Thomson - the monster truck safari which is a great day out and definitely worth the money.  I wish now that i had taken out some gifts for the children as it breaks your heart to see them waiting at the side of the road.  Just small things like pencils and crayons are gratefully received.  One tip wear old clothes on the trip as it gets very dusty and dirty on the truck and you end up looking worse for wear by the end of it, but definitely the best way to see the true Dominican Republic.

We also did the speed venture trip which involved driving speed boats out to a platform where you went snorkelling from.  I loved the speed boat, I drove on the way out and my husband drove back.  They call it the James Bond trip and you do feel a bit like an action hero putting the boat into full throttles.  Ladies, have a go, it's truly exhilirating.  The snorkelling was brilliant too - the fish are fabulous and there are so many.  This was my first go at snorkelling and you are given a guide to every 4 people so he takes you out and shows you where to go.

There is so much more I could say about this place, but to cap it off, I will say that it was a fabulous resort - very clean with plenty of facilities, a to die for beach, fabulous weather (in the 30s every day) and helpful staff.  Only slight complaints would be about the food and obviously the concern over the virus.  Not sure if it was the virus that gave my husband and I stomach upsets and it wasn't so bad to ruin the holiday but it has marred it slightly. 

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Riu Bambu  - Bavaro

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - Feb 2004

Opinion submitted in June 2004 by : Emma & Iain (28,29)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was our 3rd trip to DR, having previously stayed in Playa Dorada & Juan Dolio.

This hotel was excellent, we had a thoroughly enjoyable time.

The rooms were very clean, maid service every day.  The mini bar and optics were re-filled every day.  If you didn't like the choice of alcohol...just ask reception for your favourite and they will change it within the hour!  Satellite TV in the room was lovely after spending the day on the beach.  It was nice to relax and watch a film before going for dinner.

The Beach was gorgeous.  It was definately better than the beach at Juan Dolio, and marginally better than that at Puerto Plata/Playa Dorada.  The water was of a nice temperature to go swimming and it was very clean.  Lovely sand, and lots of palm trees for shade.

The hotel has a fantasic pool, although we spent most of the holiday down on the beach, the pool has a swim up bar and is also great for those wanting shade as it has lots of palm trees surrounding the whole area.

The food was of a very good quality.  You can use the restaurants in all of the Riu Hotels on the complex with the exception of the Palace.  But we didn't feel the need to as the food in the Bambu was nice and always plenty of choice.  We ate at the poolside snack bar at lunch time, and went in the main restaurant for dinner.  One of the good things about this hotel is that you are given a table in the restaurant on your arrival and that table is yours for the duration of your stay.

ALL of the staff at this hotel work very hard to ensure you have an enjoyable stay, we like to tip them occasionally for their hard work but this is not expected....and even if you don't you would still receive an excellent service.

The animation team work very hard to provide activities all day for both adults & children.  Although nobody is pressured into doing anything.  Evening entertainment is a bit boring, but who cares after 6 rum and cokes! ;-)

TRIPS - we went on the Speed boat trip during our stay....for those who like an adreneline rush....it is excellent and well worth the £45.00 for half a day.  You get a chance to go snorkelling and feed the tropical fish, or just relax on the boat and drink lots of rum.

We also went to Saona Island, I have to say that this was pretty dissapointing.  We paid about £150 for us both, and I would much rather have gone on the speed boat trip again.  The island is NOT as secluded and Idyllic has the reps would have you believe (it has lots of the beach vendors trying to sell paintings etc).  But the Catamaran ride was good.  We were also unfortunate to have rain that day which didn't help.  But having said that the speed boats to the natural swimming pool was worth it.  Totally clear water with star fish and white sand.  BEAUTIFUL!  But I wouldn't bother going again it wasn't worth the money and was a long day. We spent 4 hours atleast in a coach!

Summary - HOTEL FANTASTIC.  Would go again next week :-)

Choose trips carefully - they can be expensive and disappointing!!!

Would recommend this hotel to anyone.

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Sunscape the Beach - Bavaro

Operator and Date: (Portland Direct) Portland Direct - March 2007

Opinion submitted in April 2007 by : Barry & Doreen melling, 59,54.

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

From the minute you arrive at reception, met with a cold towel and cocktail, it just gets better. The buildings are lovely, the food excellent (especially Dreams restaurant) the staff are very friendly. The bedrooms are spotless, the pool areas are fantastic. Plenty sun loungers, but be aware that towels are used to reserve them well before 8am, even down on the beach. The spa facilities are gorgeous, book a massage and spend the hour before in the spa free, I can't fault this resort, unless to say it perhaps should be adults only, there's not THAT much for children to do.

Would I go back? YES, YES, YES!

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Tropical Princess Hotel - Bavaro

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thompson - Feb 2004

Opinion submitted in Feb 2004 by : Mike Serridge-Helen Serridge-Crewe-(45,45)

Resort Rating: No rating

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We can recommend this hotel,we stayed for a week all-inclusive, the food was excellent, you could eat all day if you wanted to, in a variety of different places, also you could pre-book at a selection of restauraunts on the complex. The staff were very friendly and the place was always being cleaned. 

The entertainment was really good with some excellent dancers who even put on a show of The Lion King one night-they mimed the words but the costumes were outstanding on par with the stage show which we have seen.

The beach was loverly and also cleaned every morning. We can also recommend the massages at the beauty salon,apart from the massages being good the place itself is really beautiful and tranquil. As we were only there for a week we didnt see any of the island-just chilled and relaxed-but we would definately go there again.

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Bayahibe - Dominican Republic

Canoa Coral by Hilton- Bayahibe

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson  2006 may

Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : jill thomas

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We have just come back from the hilton conoa Coral.  It was a bargain last minute break which was great value.  I had two teenagers with me and my husband but we met a wide age range who all had a good time. The highlight of the holiday for my daughters were the chocolate friends who were superb entertainers and did not stop with their dedication and energy! The food was good the italian being the best food.  Everyone who we met and I mean everyone had diarrhea and we were all exchanging bottom tablets amongst guests!  On a serious note younger children were in their rooms vomiting and quite ill.  I mentioned this to a rep who tod me that it was common with the heat but we were in Sunscape  the beach in Feb and no one was ill there and we travel 5 times a year and it ws first for our party. 
The sonoa trip was enjoyable but not value for money and the trips from the beach hut/boats is much cheaper and just as good.

On the down side my bootle of perfume I had hidden(chanel 5 £45)  in my wardrobe was stolen which upset me, and also the maintenance left my room open after repairing the air conditioning.  So please put anything valuable in your safe and it is not safe!! 

The rooms were fine could do with a revamp but we had two and the beds were comfy, clean.  Problems getting the right amounts of towels though and you have to phone to make sure they put soda,s and beer in your fridge as you don,t get your quoter!! And we tipped everyday! Aso don,t phone in the reception they charge you each ring and even if you don,t get through.  Go to Bayahibe telephone echnge much cheaper and $10 return in taxi plus there are cheaper shops there.
The waiters were wonderful and we did have a ball.  There is a wonderful beach with pelicans flying in.  Wonderful shells if you walk up the beach.

You will have a lovely relaxing holiday but take loads of immodium just incase, loads of insect repellandt and factor 40 suncream.  iT IS VERY EXPENSIVE IN THE SHOP, we new this beforehand but you do need high factor so take loads it reached 110 degrees in May.  We had no rain except one 10 minute if that shower.
Have fun we did.  P.S THERE IS A BEACH TOWEL SERVICE AND AN IRON AND BOARD IN THE ROOM AND HAIRDRYER!!

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Canoa Coral by Hilton- Bayahibe

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - June 2004

Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : Julie and Andy Bryder - Kids Jacob, Tegan & Kyle (35,33,4,3,1)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Just returned from a fantastic two weeks in the sun. Arrived home 9th July, and we are already looking to book up for next year. Definitely going back to the Dominican Republic, wont be going back to this Hotel.
The Hotel itself is beautiful, very well tended gardens, wonderful ambience, fantastic staff. It was the accomodation that lets it down. Definately not 4 star.
Considering that it is only five years old, the furniture and decor are very tired.The room felt damp, the beds were uncomfortable, and overall a little dark and gloomy. But it was cleaned everyday,and you don,t spend your holiday in your room do you.

The pool was very clean, we liked the fact that it was 4ft deep all the way round. The only let down here was the fact that there is no kids pool attached to the main pool. The kids pool was part of the kids club area, which is not near the main pool . My kids didn,t use the kids club at all. 2 of them were too young and the whole thing was in spanish. The girl running it asked if they would like to see a film they were showing. She said it would have English subtitles. What use is that for a 4,3 and 1 year old.

The food was fantastic! we ate loads! we went to the snack bar for the kids at lunchtime cos they did burgers and fries and stuff they would eat. My eldest are typical fussy eaters so this seemed the sensible option as the buffet didn,t really cater for a childs menu.

The entertainment in the day was good, lots of water sports on the beach, and the Chocolate friends, the entertainment team were fantastic! Not much for the kids, but they are at the age where they were happy to be in the pool with us, or playing in the sand.
Evening shows were fantastic, very professional. The only drawback we found was the fact they didn,t start until 9.45pm. Which would be ok if my kids were a little older, by 9pm Kyle was asleep and the other two were on their knees.They could do with something for the family a little earlier.

The staff loved the kids, they bent over backwards to help with highchairs and drinks, and hot milk for Kyle.Everyone spoke very good English.

We didn,t do any of the excursions as the rep said they weren,t suitable for our young family. they were also very expensive because a lot of them were in the north of the island ( like swimming with dolphins,) and they had to fly you up there.

I went horse riding which I booked at the hotel through a bloke called Chocolate.It was 46 dollars. We left at 9am and returned to the hotel at 1pm. It was very nice, but don,t bother if you're an experienced rider as you are put with non riders and walk the whole time.

At the time we stayed at the Hotel, there was only one other English couple. It was predominately French. If we had been made aware of this at the time of booking, we would have chosen a different Hotel. Not that I mind the French, it just gets a little lonely in the bar at night when all around you are speaking a foriegn language. The rep informed us that on an average occupancy, only ten percent of holiday makers are British.

General Hints and tips.

Make sure you buy an American 2 pin style adaptor for all electrical equipment.
Take your own sweets, nappies, suncream, and make sure the insect repellant is specific to this area, as all the above cost an absolute fortune.
Make sure you get a key for the safe!(we had our mobile phone stolen from our room!)the key is free!
Don,t bother to take malaria tablets if you don,t want to. Our rep told us they haven,t had a case for 23 years. They are declared malaria free after 25.
Don,t bother to take towels, beach towels are free, and there are plenty in the rooms for showers.

Overall our holiday was fantastic! The bits that could be improved didn,t spoil it at all so don,t be put off!
Enjoy the Dominican hospitality and friendliness.  

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Hotel (Sunscape) Casa Del Mar - Bayahibe

Operator and Date: (Portland Direct) Portland Direct - May 2006

Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : Sarah & Rick - Chatham, Kent (28,38)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We had a lovely stay in the hotel Casa Del Mar.We flew with Thompsonfly and would recommend you go for the "extra" seats which give you a little more room.The flight is 9 hours and we were very uncomfortable in economy class.

When arriving at Puta Cana airport it did not take long before we got our luggage.If you do not want your luggage taken to the coach then you will need to give a firm "NO" because there are people there who will take your luggage for you to the coach who are wanting a tip.We were met by our Thompson rep who informed us of what coach we required and then we were off.

Be prepared for a long 1 hour 45 mins coach journey to the hotel (not what you really want following a 9 hour flight)on a hot coach, air con not that good. Buy a bottle of water to drink on the coach, your need it.It was a very interesting coach journey, you can see how the locals live (makes you realise how lucky you are) and we were told about the local rules on the road (there isn't any!). But don't worry we arrived safely at our hotel and we were the first stop off.

The entrance to the hotel is about 3 miles from the reception which we think is for safety reasons. The hotel has there own security staff who  patrol the grounds and make you feel very safe.

we were welcomed with a nice cool drink (the ice and water are safe to drink as the hotel uses purified water).Check in was very quick. We were each given a key card for our room and a card each for a beach towel where you can get a clean towel every day at the yellow kiosk on the beach. Make sure you don't loose it though or you will get a $20 fine. You can buy a safe key for the safe in your room (you do not get the money back). The bellboy brings your luggage to your room within a few minutes.

Our room was in building 3, ground floor (room 3138). It was very basic but very clean and had a lovely BIG and comfortable bed, which we found very hard to get out of in the mornings!, a fridge containing 2 beers, 2 bottles water and soft drinks. The mini bar should be re stocked daily but this did not always happen. However if you call reception and ask then they will send someone along which what you require.The rooms are cleaned daily. There is a TV which has lots of channels and has some good films for when you need to stay out the sun.The only negative point to make about our room was that it was very damp which we felt was because of our room being on the ground floor. We had spoken to another couple who had a room on the third floor and they did not experience any damp. The damp did make all of our clothes damp but the air con was brilliant and did reduce this a little.

The hotel has it's own beach right on the doorstep which has nice soft sand and the sea is cyristal clear when the sea is calm. when the sea is rough the water can be murky and can have a lot of sea weed which is brought in by the waves. There are plenty of sun beds, many rows of them in fact. Some in the shade and it is lovely sunbathing on the beach and then swimming in the sea to cool off. However if you are not into activities like volleyball or other team games then keep away from the area just in frony of the beach bar as you get the entertainment team coming around trying to get you to participate. We got balloons tied to our feet the first time we sat on the beach. However i did have a go at the game and it was quite funny.But if you would rather not participate they are ok about it.

The hotel also has a big swimming pool, with a mini childrens pool and jacuzzi and the hotel provide free floating sunbeds to use in the pool which is really nice and helps to keep you cool.

The food is lovely something for everyone salads (all washed in purified water)lots of it, pasta dishes, fish, meat, rice, veggies, soup, chips, pizza, lots of different breads and best of all lots of lovely tasting cakes. One of our favourites was the chocolate cake, I have never tasted one as good!.This was in the main Bayahibe buffet restaurant which we felt was really nice so ate here most of the time. We did try the Saona grill which we didn't think much of, they do not seem to cook beef like they do at home.

We were a bit concerned before going on holiday about getting upset stomaches but I can honestly say that I did not get any sickness or diahorrea while I was there. However my partner was a little unwell following the meal at the saona restraurant. However I do think that it is the coconut oil that they cook in that gives the British an upset stomach because we are not used to it and I didn't have anything fried so i think that is why I was ok. I kept to salads, pasta, pizza,rice,chips and sometimes the stewed beef.

we went on a trip to Saona Island with Thompson which was definatly worth the money. It was a great experience. We went to a local village and had a ride on a boat down the river which was beautiful and were served Rum and cokes as much as we wanted. Then from that boat we climbed onto a speedboat and had a 45 min ride, that was an experience in itself. If you get seasick then take travel sickness pills with you (pack then in your suitcase)you will need them. The ride was very very bumpy I got the bruses to prove it!. We sat at the front and was off my seat most of the time!.Then we got out of the boat and could have a swim and I have never felt sand on my my feet like it. So soft, it felt like velvet! and the water again was even clearer than at the hotel and if you were lucky you could find some star fish and pick them up. After more Rum and Cokes we climbed aboard again and went over to saona Island where we spent the rest of the afternoon sunbathing and having a beach BBQ, plus more Rum and Cokes!!!. Then later we had a ride on a catermaran back to the Dominican republic. This was a really nice calm crossing, took about 2 hours but you will want it to go on forever. You could even sit in the nets at the front of the boat and of course have plenty more Rum and Cokes. Then when you reach the end the people staying at the Casa Del MAr go back to the hotel via speedboat (smaller one less bumpy) So you don't even have to go on the coach. It was one of the best experiences ever and so much fun, you cannot go to the Dominican republic without going on this trip.

we only did the one trip and stayed at the resort for the rest of the time. we think 14 nights was too long and felt 10 nights would be better.This was because it was felt it was unsafe to explore the resort, plus the fact that the entrance to the hotel was 3 miles from the hotel we thought that was a sign to stay in the resort.we were not on holiay to keep fit!.

This hotel was very much for families and children it did remind us of a mini Butlins with so much going on particulary for the children and with so Many games to participate in. we do not recommend this hotel for couples who are looking for peace and quiet and wanting to find a quiet place on the beach, to be alone, it's not very romantic. however we were able to take a walk along the pier at night and along the beach and that was nice.

We did not rate the hotel entertainment that much. however there was a good Michael Jackson show and the variety show that was good.Beach party was nice you ate your meal on the beach beware of the people trying to sell you things. they appear at pool parties and beach parties. i brought a necklace and bracelet for $15 and original price was $300 so be careful, just pay what you think it;s worth.

As for mosquetos we only got bitten once or twice. We used insect reppellent every evening when we went out which I felt really worked. We also took malaria tablets which is recommended by the doctor with no side effects. We took Proganil 200mg daily.keep your patio doors closed as much as possible to reduce the insects getting into your room and keep the air con on as much as possible as this reduces them.

This holiday overall was a good one and the staff were very friendly and would do anything for you. our favourite member was gregio waiter in main restrarant say hello from us if you happen to meet him.Santos works hard too (odd job man)keep an eye out for him too. I would definatly recommend it. Value for money was good with Portland Direct too. £1700 all inclusive for the two of us including flights and insurance.take extra money and go on the trips it will be worth it and will make your holiday more enjoyable.By the way take plenty of suntan cream. The shop did not have any factor 15 left that we wanted all factor 5 or below! and shop very expensive. $30 a bottle Nivea, only one left! Happy holidays!!!!!!!!!!!

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Hotel (Sunscape) Casa Del Mar - Bayahibe

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson -October-2005

Opinion submitted in Nov 2005 by : Tony maidment -Southampton ( 62, 49, )

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was our second holiday to the Dom Rep and by far the best holiday weve had.
The only drawback was the nine hour flight,but when you arrive there,that is soon forgotten.
We were met by Michelle the Thomson rep and she was very helpful and informative throughout the two weeks.

The Casa del mar is an  excellent place to stay. Our room was very spacious, overlooking very well kept gardens and the sea beyond.It is fully air conditioned which was very welcoming.
All of the staff were very welcoming and smartly dressed and we always got a "hola"from them all. the food was excellent and my favourite was the Asian restaurant. We could go to the speciality restaurants as many times as we liked and we did not have to book them in advance.
our room was cleaned and the towels changed daily and our fridge was stocked up with water and soft drinks too.

The beach was tidy and there were more than enough sunbeds for all guests.no need to put towels out at all to reserve them.
The entertainment team were brilliant and they put on some good evening shows in the theatre.

Service from the bars was excellent too and even on the beach we had waitress sevice most of the time.
We had done the day trips last time we were there and had just gone there to chill out this time.

All in all we had a great fortnight there and intend going back next year and i would recommend the hotel to  anybody of all ages.

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Hotel (Sunscape) Casa Del Mar - Bayahibe

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - June 2005

Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Webb family - Kent  (27,25,7,3)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Visited the Casa Del Mar from June 9th to June 23rd.
Had a fantastic time.
Travelled with Thomson. Flights were on time both there and back. Lacking legroom on the Britannia flight, food could have been better.
On arrival at the airport, each had to pay $10 for a Tourist visa, we were met by Michelle, the Thomson Rep. We were taken by coach to the hotel.
On arrival at the hotel, we were given cookies and a nice, cold drink while waiting to check in.

Our luggage was taken to our room by a porter, there are no lifts in any of the buildings, so it made sense to take advantage of this service as we were on the 3rd floor!

Our room was in Block 2. The room was large, with 2 double beds. We upgraded to a room with a seaview when we arrived and were not disappointed. The view of the beach and hotel gardens was lovely. The maid service was excellent, and the fridge in our room was restocked daily with water, beer, diet coke, coke, sprite and cartons of orange juice. We had no problems with the air conditioning and it was a God-send! 
The voltage was very low, so we were unable to charge our mobile phones, so be aware of this and maybe just switch on your phones when they are needed. Luckily voltage was high enough to charge our camera and camcorder.

The beach was lovely, nice and clean. We preferred the end near the children's Explorers Club, as this was quieter. Never had a problem getting sunbeds on the beach, were always plenty and in the shade too if wanted.
Our children went in the childrens club a few times and loved it there. They were even taken horseriding while there. Grisel who works there was fantastic with the children and they loved her. We were given a pager when we left the children, these would then vibrate and lights on it would flash if they ever needed us which was reassuring.
The pool was very big, with lots of sunbeds all around it. Never had a problem getting these either. There is also a small childrens pool and a jacuzzi.

The staff at the hotel were fantastic, they couldn't do enough for you and always greeted you with a smile and "Hola!" This included every member, from the entertainment staff, to the gardeners and security guards. They especially loved the children.

The hotel grounds were immaculate. From 6am in the morning, the gardeners were out and about cleaning pathways and removing fallen leaves from the grass! Everyone there works extremely hard.
We didn't have any problems with the food. We ate in all the restaurants, liking the Asia restaurant and the Saona Grill best for our evening meal. The Italian was also very nice. The buffet was quite repetitive, but was quick and easy and the food was fair.
The bars were all open till late, with one being open till 5am! Wide range of drinks available and lots of very nice cocktails!

The spa was very nice, even if you don't go there for a treatment, be sure to have a walk around the grounds. There is lots to see, including fish and baby turtles.

We found our rep, Michelle to be very helpful. She provided our children with buckets and spades and gave my husband some shaving foam when he realised he hadn't packed any! She was very informative and always made time for her guests, even when she wasn't "on duty!" Thomson are very lucky to have her.
We booked 2 trips through her, we went in a 20 minute ride in a helicopter from La Romana airport, a 20 minute ride away from the hotel. We took our 7 year old and she loved it. It was well worth the money and was nice seeing the hotel from the air!

We always went to Saona Island. We travelled to Altos De Chavon, again about 20 minutes drive. This is a lovely replica Italian village. We spent about an hour here looking round, then climbed down 300 steps to board a speed boat on the River Chavon that took us out to sea. We stopped at a natural pool on the way. This was paradise. Shallow, clear water, where we were given the chance to have a swim. Our guide who was brilliant handed round a tray of fresh fruit and drinks. We then carried on to Saona where we spent 2 hours enjoying a beach BBQ. We travelled back on a Catamaran that took us right back to the hotels beach!
The other trip we went on was to the Marinarium in Bavaro. Here my husband and daughter had the chance to swim with (harmless)sharks and sting rays. Something special to tell her friends at school! This too was a trip well worth the money and very enjoyable, even for those who didn't want to brave the water - like myself!!!!
The shows in the evening were very good, we especially liked the Michael Jackson show, try not to miss this one, it was very entertaining.

Our only downside was upset tummies, but then we usually get these when we go away. Be sure to take medicine with you just in case. Only got a few mosquito bites during our 2 week holiday,went expecting much worse! Take plenty of sun cream as we managed to get through 3 big bottles full. We found we burnt even if it was a cloudy day. The price of anything in the hotel shop is ridiculous, so make sure you bring all you need!!

We would definatley recommend this hotel and would love to go back again.

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Casa del Mar - Bayahibe

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson  april05

Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : glynn & debbie dack -middlesbrough (38,36)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

WOW! This is the holiday of a life time. With a beach to die for,the crystal clear sea is breath taking and the service you receive is second to none.

We were met at the airport by Michelle the thomsons rep.she is very friendly and a great asset to Thomsons. Nothing is to much bother for her and she goes out of her way to make sure you make the most of your hols.

We went on the monster truck safari which i would highly recomend it gives a insight to how the locals live but it was quite upsetting to see the kids.If you go take some pens &pencils for the kids or maybe a couple of caps or t shirts.

The entertainment in the hotel was great,and the food was fine there's plenty of choice and always somewhere open. We had room service  couple of times which was also great this is also included in the all inclusive package.We went for our eveening meal 1 night in the steak restraunt and there was no seats available inside so they gave us a phone and bleeped us when our table was ready!

We didnt take our kids this year but we are next year there is plenty to keep them busy. this hotel should be 5* with out a doubt

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Casa del Mar - Bayahibe

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - november 2004

Opinion submitted in Nov 2004 by : beccy king - bristol  (25,28,4)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This has to be one of the best hotels i have even been to.
the rooms , food , drinks , staff , wereall excellent.
The beach was fantastic and they had a water trampoline in the sea which was great for the kids.
The day time entertainment was great and there were always things to do.
the evening entertainment was good but felt it could be better.
The food was wonderful and there was food
all day long and was to a very high standard.
Cant wait to go back and will return to this hotel...

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Casa del Mar - Bayahibe

Operator and Date: go travel direct sept 2004

Opinion submitted in Dec 2004 by : suzy ferguson,chad blacklaw (32,45)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Had a great flight, with "go travel" you are flying to canada, to let canadians off that are only going that far, then once through customs (again) carrying to the dom rep

once in bayahibe, we didnt see much (not much too see)

the sunscape "casa del mar" is fab.

Great place,should be 5 *

the only thing thats lets it down is the rooms ( not so much tired, as esxausted!)
but clean & comfortable. mini bar stocked every day (2 beers,4 soft drinks)

the staff are great, best ever!!!!!

full marks to pablo (picasso) he was a gem. we didnt go in for the on the beach,lets do games,kinda thing. but pablo,was such a laugh. he really stood out from the rest of the team.

bar staff were fab,always happy to help,& serve.

ok,hurricane jeanne!!!!! we endured it,& survived it!!!!!!

couldnt fault the staff, they worked so hard!! there are no words that would describe the service they gave us throughout the hurricane.

we had martin & liz ( avonbridge - scotland) & beth & steve (n.s - canada) to help us along. we laughed & we endured!!! these guys where as dissapointed as us when the "winds whipped up" but the sunscape casa del mar did fab!!!!

what else can i say, 5 * (room exception), we will go again, (non hurricane season) the shows were great at night, the food fab, the beach - to die for, the pool was ace, and go travel direct (and fernando - is a hurricane angel - wasn't there, but if you needed him, he was on the end of the phone!)

one warning - dont buy anything from the shop - if you can help it................rip off isn't the word.

all i can say is.....a fantastic managment team, fantastic hotel, fantastic beach..............just dont go sept!!!!!!!!!!!!!

beth & steve/ martin & liz......lv you all & lets do a hurricane again sometime soon...........ha ha ha.

xoxoxoxoxoxo

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Casa del Mar - Bayahibe

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - June 2004

Opinion submitted in June 2004 by : Hamish & sharo Fleming - Fife ( Both 41 )

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

My wife and I have just returned from this hotel. It can only be described as a hidden paradise. 

We have been to the North of this beautiful island before so decided that we would go to the South side this time. Weren't we lucky to select this hotel. We read the reviews before we went just to see what to expect and we were not dissappointed. 

The Hotel has a 1.5 mile drive way from the main road and the drive way gardens are well maintained. Then you come down to the reception lobby, and you realise that you have selected a perfect hotel to relax in. From the bellboys to the entertainment staff, the maids, the waiters, the chiefs, everyone is just so welcoming and go out of their way to make your stay a pleasure. The welcome drink on arrival just gets you into the mood. 

The rooms are well maintained and spotless, I'm sure the maids just wait on you going out to during the day, to do their work as everytime we went back to the room it was spotless, even turning down the beds at night. We had a minor problem with the television on our first night, when we weren't getting all the channels. One call to guest services and this was fixed. The Thomsons rep (Michelle) has a great relationship with the hotel management and is very helpful at both the welcome reception and the Thomson cocktail evening.

The A La Carte restuarants are excellent and the waiters and servers can't do enough for you. This best ones probably being the Saona and the Asian. The Bayahibe Buffet meals are excellent as well. We used the A La Carte more often just to get that personal touch. There is a show each night in the theatre which is very good and the entertainment teams are superb. The Spa facilities are set in excellent relaxing surroundings. The prices are reasonable and the treatments first class. There is a managers cocktail evening and a beach party each week. Besure to check at the Bayahibe Buffet which night the A La Carte restuarants are open as they are posted on the noticeboard for the whole week. 

The animation team try to get people involved in the beach activities but if you don't want to they don't force you. The Blue Hawaiian's, Coco Locos & Dirty Bananas were our favourite cocktails. Definately a hotel that we would reccommend to anyone going to the Dominican. We only done one trip whilst there and that was the Thomson tour to Santa Domingo, our guide for the day was Rafael, who spoke very goof English and was very knowledgable on his history of the country, this is a trip well worth doing, but can involve a fair bit of walking in the later stages. 

Can't commend the hotel and staff highly enough

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Casa del Mar - Bayahibe

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - January 2004

Opinion submitted in Feb 2004 by : Michaela & Paul ( 47, 52)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

In terms of value for money - this is an excellent deal. I must add that we did not speak to anyone who had paid full price and most had only booked 6 weeks or less beforehand (as we had done).

I would echo the comments of the other reviewers regarding the staff and the facilities - we had a great time and the staff made the place.

I would have found the following information helpful so I hope that you will too:

Travel - the main issue here is the width and the pitch of the seats on the airplane - they are far too small for a long haul flight. Be aware that all seats with leg room are booked and paid for in advance so there is little point in arriving at the airport expecting to get a seat with leg room. Trust me - it is worth paying for if you can actually book one.
Unfortunately although I had some room - I could not see any of the very small video screens on the way out and this was the case for quite a few people which made the flight quite long and boring.

It takes about 2 hours from landing to getting on the transfer coaches on arrival plus a further 1.5 hours coach journey so be sure to have something to drink with you.

Unlike all the other companies we saw - Thomson guests were not offered any welcome drinks and fruit on arrival - not sure why this was.

On the return home - we were taken out of the hotel five and a half hours before the flight and were in the airport for 4 hours. Due to the time we left the hotel we could not have lunch so remember to have a big breakfast - the airport has few facilities and is very expensive eg 3 US dollars for a Coke. There is no where to change money etc so make sure you have some cash or take the water bottles from the mini bar in the room before you leave. As it was so busy - there was not enough seating for everyone so you may end up sitting on the floor.

Rooms - these are clean but quite basic. The lighting is dim due to the voltage and there is only one small mirror (apart from the bathroon)
The adaptors needed are the flat, 2 pin variety.

The hairdryer in the bathroom is good - quite powerful. The hotel also supplies shower gel, shampoo, conditioner etc so again not worth the hassle of bringing these with you.

It is not worth paying the supplement for a sea view as this does not guarantee you will get one. We did in the end but only because we refused to take the first room offered and sat in reception until we were given a suitable room (ie one with the view we had paid for).We met some others who had paid the supplement but had no view. In these cases the reps were not interested in helping.

The paper thin walls ARE a problem - given that it was term time there were a surprising number of children in the hotel of all ages and quite a few people we spoke to got litle sleep as a result. The best way round this is to take some earplugs to wear at night!

The hotel dress code for the evenings is quite casual and the laundry service is excellent and cheap so we can recommend taking less luggage and using this service.

When you leave the country you will be charged $10 per kilo for excess baggage so using the laundry service will help to avoid excess charges. The hotel provides clean beach towels every day so no need to add weight with your own towels.

Weather - it can be quite cool in the evenings so take a sweater or similar to wear. The hotel has some great beach parties where you have to eat supper on the beach so again it helps to have something a little warmer to wear for these.

NB - the plane was FREEZING and they do not have enough blankets and pillows for all the customers..........

There is no problem with finding sunloungers on the beach or around the pool. If you do not like the noise of the music and activities - the end of the beach by the dive school is peaceful and does not get crowded.

NB There are not very many parasols for shade and these tend to get 'reserved' with towels at about 7am - so get up early or find a tree to hide under!

Welcome party - the sole purpose of this seems to be to sell trips and provided no useful information about the hotel so it is not worth dragging yourself out of bed at 8am for this on your first morning. The Rep was leaving when we arrived - the new Rep Michelle who took over in the second week was lovely and very helpful.

Trips - shop around as all the companies charge different rates - however it is really worth getting out of the hotel,seeing the beautiful countryside and meeting the people.

The evening entertainment was good fun - remember that it has to appeal to all ages and nationalities so take it in the right spirit and you will enjoy it.

The 'disco' only plays local music so do  not expect to be dancing to European music - however it it still fun to go there once or twice.

The food is good and varied - no problems for vegetarians and good to try some different things - green banana puree for breakfast for example. We did see one lady eating melon and cauliflower cheese for breakfast one day..........

We can recommend the fruit smoothies and the caesar salads which are made to order.

So - a great value for money holiday, a lovely country and probably the nicest staff we have ever met at a hotel.

Hope you enjoy it as much we did.

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Coral Canoa By Hilton - Bayahibe

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook - October 2004

Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : Dean & Sarah - Clacton On Sea (28,23)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We have just returned from the above hotel after spending a week there and had a really great time. We booked our holiday 12 hours before we left so it was a Last Minute holiday. The flight over was fine we flew with First Choice Airways. The only complaint as always about the flight was the lack of room around your seat. On arriving at Punta Cana airport we made our way through Immigration and got our bags and got on the coach for the transfer very quickly indeed. The transfer took around 2 hours which after a long flight is something to bear in mind especially if you are travelling with children. If you can fly into La Romana airport which is only a 30 minute transfer.

Arrived at the hotel the bell boys will grab your cases and deliver them to your rooms for you (They expect a tip!!). Check in was fine. There are I think 10 blocks + 4 Villas in the complex. We were in Block 5, our room was fine 2 double beds and bath,shower. Ok yes the rooms could do with a lick of paint but don't forget you sleep and get dressed in your room and thats it.

The food was fine apart from the Italian restaurant where the service was not that great.

Drinks were also good plenty to choose from.

The swimming pool was huge you have plenty of room to do what you want.

Make sure you go down to the beach and make use of the catamarans and go snorkelling and see the clear blue sea and the many tropical fish.

The entertainment team were great "The Chocolate Friends" they work long days but are always lively and have a smile on there face. Go to there shows every evening at the open air theatre.

All in all a great holiday I would rate this hotel a 3* Plus.

** Please note that you need $US20 per person to get out of the country and do not be over your luggage allownace as they will charge you $7 per kilo you are over!!!**

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Hotel (Iberostar) Hacienda Dominicus - Bayahibe 

Operator and Date: Thomas Cook June 2007

Opinion submitted in June 2007 by : Nikki, Reay - NI 44 and 38

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Have just arrived back from two weeks in the Hacienda Dominicus and had a good time.  The bus journey from the airport was not good and took nearly 2 hours.  On arriving at the hotel we were very pleased with our room which was near the pool and on the ground floor.  The rooms are quite large and very well airconditioned. Whilst we were there the hotel supplied coffee making machines and are in the process of supplying irons to each room.  In a review I read that straighteners didn't work so didn't take mine but everyone else didn't have a problem with theirs.  I think maybe you need to leave them on for a long while. 

There were four speciality restaurants, our best were the Mexican and the Japanese (very much like Chinese).  The steak restaurant was ok but nothing special.  The Fish restaurant was also very good. The buffet restaurant was far too hot as it is open plan so no air con which made eating in there very uncomfortable.  The food was of an ok standard but nothing special.  The chefs were quite miserable. If you miss breakfast then the pool restaurant is very good.  Although they say it is continental, they have bacon egg, omelete etc. Overall the hotel is very nice but the pool area could do with a facelift as many of the tiles in the pool were either missing or coming off and there were large cracks around the pool edge.  The pool bar also looked a little tired and could do with brightening up.  If you enjoy sports and games make sure you know when they are as if you are around the pool you won't hear the guys calling.  Best to stay on the beach and watch for the games.

There isn't really much near the hotel but if you walk along the beach for 5 mins towards the Wyndam hotel and cut through the car park you will find a street with a few bars, restaurants and some shops.  We didn't discover this until two days before we were due to leave. They also have two cash points. We had a problem with the cashpoint machine in the hotel as it was out of order for the last week.
We went on the Santa domingo trip which takes about 2 hours to get to.  Glad I went but would rather have had more time around the town.  The tour is mainly museums.  The Jeep Safari was very good and lots of fun.  

Overall the Holiday was very good and would recommend the hotel.

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Hotel (Iberostar) Hacienda Dominicus - Bayahibe 

Operator and Date: First Choice June 2006

Opinion submitted in September 2006 by : Nicola and Karl 23,20

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

well what can i say apart from wow, best holiday ever.

First i will start with the bad comments, and there are only two, first there is a really bad smell when the sprinklers are turned on, mainly because they use recycled water, which obviously helps there country, you get used to the smell but the first time you smell it its like nothing you have smelt before!! and second the first choice holiday rep, not satisfactory at all, he was a nice friendly chap dont get me wrong but i found more out talking to the thomson rep no offence, he was never there at the times he said, never really gave you information until you asked or said you had heard something from someone else, he would never contact you with any problems but would wait until last minute, oh and one more bad thing the transfer time to the airport is horrible, on the way there not too bad on the way home the coach had no air conditioning so people were being sick, horrible experience, apart from that an amazing holiday, the points are not really that major!

hotel is outstanding everything from the buffet to your rooms to the lobby is amazing, the speciality restaurants are to die for and are all in tradition with the style of restaurant, everything in the hotel is set out perfectly, everywhere is within distance.

Beach is beautiful although there are some nice shops on the beach they do pester but once you say no they do leave you alone to relax or have a nice stroll on the beach!

Pool is amazing, staff could not help enough always getting you drinks making sure you was okay although we got a courtesy call from reception one night at half 11 and a wake up call at 5am which was not for our room!!

i got a bit poorly whilst there but lost half a stone which i had been trying to lose at the gym for about 6 weeks so although it sounds bad i was happy.

i know they recommend taking maleria tablets whilst there but alot of people we got friendly with stopped taking them because it was making them poorly, i stopped taking them half way through but the damage had already been done as they were already in my system and continued to be poorly for about 4 weeks, not down too the hotel food though it was just the tablets.

there was always sun loungers around the pool to use.

entertaintment good but not as good a previous iberostars i have been too and also being a uni student studying dance and drama i have high expectations any way my fella thought they was great but that is probably because the female dancers were always wearing thongs too dance in, not my cup of tea, especially when a couple didnt have nice bums!!

i would definitely recommend this hotel to everyone and anyone something too do from young to old!! went on the jeep safari and had leandro as a guide who was hilarious, cant tell you in words how much of an amazing guide he was, we had so much fun, he knew loads of 50cent songs so was trying to sing too us! great excursion!!

have a brilliant time if you go i know you will!! 5 star hotel, also use the laundry service so cheap and your clothes come back immaculate!

excellent holiday all round!!

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Hotel (Iberostar) Hacienda Dominicus - Bayahibe 

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson- sept 2005

Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : Caroline Tipper  West  Midlands

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We had a fabulous time,Fantastic hotel , couldn't fault anytyhing.food was lovely.

rooms was really clean and all staff was really friendly. and we went late september and it was boiling hot , in fact the heat was unbearable.we had never been before and didnt know what to expect , read some reviews and they said there were monster cockroaches which put me off, but we didnt see one! If you want a umberella on the beach be up early and even then the  foreigners still try and push you out from under it.all restaurants are fab japanese and colonial are by far the best , they treat you like royalty.we took travellers cheques and now wish we had took just dollars still ended up with a pocket full of smelly peso's, we knew we had to pay 20 dollors on return at the aiport but when we arrived we had to pay 10 dollors each,so as we had only tok 50 in cash we hadn't got enough and the hotel will only change cheques into peso's .They had told us that you MUST pay in american dollors at the airport but we hadn't got any neither had our friends, so they had to have peso's , they didnt like it but it was that or nothing

.......All in all it was FAB 5 star all the way and would definately go back... the staff deserve medals from dawn till well into the early hours they were all still smiling and happy after 18 hour days .If you want paradise then this is the place.......

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Hotel (Iberostar) Hacienda Dominicus - Bayahibe 

Operator and Date: Eclipse Direct - May 2005

Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : Andrea & Kevin Parkinson - West Yorkshire {35,33,13,11}

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

My husband & I travelled with our 2 children to the Hacienda Dominicus on May 18th from Manchester. 

All flights were originally with First Choice airlines as Eclipse are one of First Choice's sub companies. We were supposed to be travelling on their brand new aircraft both ways, but a couple of months before travel we were advised we would now be flying with Brittania {Thomsons}going out & First Choice coming back as not all their new planes were ready.

The flight out was not too bad. The usual economy standard, but at least the food was edible!!

This was our 3rd time to DR but our first to Bayahibe. We have previously been to Bavaro & Juan Dolio & stayed in 3* & 4* hotels. This holiday was to be a luxury as the resort is billed as a top notch 5* resort.
We flew in to Punta Cana airport {previously we had only flown to La Romana, so this made a nice change!} The airport was a breeze and soon we were on our coach waiting for the transfer, which took approx 90 mins.
On arrival we were greeted with a cold welcome drink, wristbands, luggage tags, key & towel cards & given a quick orientation tour with the help of a map of the resort. After that we went straight to our rooms which were in block 1. Ths block is close to everything except the beach.

We had 2 rooms which were interconnecting, one had a kingsize bed {my daughter & I shared this one}& the other had 2 smaller beds,which became the "boys" room!

The rooms are very nice. The room with 2 beds had no bath but a massive walk in shower. Massive is kind of an understatement, we could have fitted all 4 of us in it & still had room!!!
The bathrooms are quite a spacious size for a hotel room, as was the main sleeping area.
Each room comes equipped with shower gel & shampoo, hairdrier, TV with remote, safe, balcony & mini fridge {restocked every other day}. Maid service is daily & they do an excellent job, leaving the room spotless!
Your luggage is brought to your room a few minutes after check in & soon we were off down to the pools.

There are 3 pools at this resort. The main pool is a big lagoon style pool, with a jacuzzi in the middle {which is cold!}. One is a rectangle {activity pool} and the other is round & 5ft 4" deep [scuba pool}.
There are lots of palapa's & loungers round the pools & we never had trouble finding one. There are even foamy mattresses for the loungers, which you help yourself to.

All 3 pools were great although we did have a problem with the main pool starting ear infections in 3 of our party of 4! We had complained to our Rep several times but he kept brushing it aside so we went to Guest Services to complain to the manager. The lady at guest services was very helpful & said she would speak to the manager about the problem. The next day, the pool was spotlessly clean & we even saw them cleaning it & doing pool tests, which had not previously been evident. After that, the pools were ALWAYS kept clean! My advice would be; if you get no joy from your rep, go to guest services, they are excellent & they actually listen!!

There are 5 evening restaurants.
The buffet - This was very nice, with show cooking & special themed nights. It was SO nice, we didn't really want to go anywhere else! Great variety of food & always something for everyone. All the food was well cooked & very tasty!
The Steakhouse - This is the snack bar during the day & then becomes steakhouse at night. We only ate here once as none of us are big meat eaters, but the food was very nice & they don't just do steak. They also offer pork & chicken {chicken was lovely!}
The Mexican - Fantastic! Lovely fajitas, but not much choice on the menu. Hubby & I ordered different meals but when they arrived they looked identical & tasted pretty much the same! Good food though & great service. We were asked if we would like Tequila after our meal & the restaurant manager spent a while showing us how to do them properly, before laughing at my husband burning his throat downing his first shot, but he was impressed & asked Kevin to have another go!! Watch out though...they are lethal!
The Japanese - We did not use this restaurant as none of us like Japanese, but we heard nothing but good things about it.
The Gourmet - Again we didn't use this one. I think there is a supplement for eating here, but I'm not sure.
The snack bar during the day is fantastic. So much choice! Even the Starfriends eat their meals here!! You will not starve with the snack bar here! It even has an ice cream machine!

The beach - What can I say? We have been to Bavaro beach & to Jamaica and I can honestly say I have NEVER seen a better beach! It is glorious! White sand {watch out, it gets VERY hot} & clear, shallow water of the turquoise variety. How much more blissful can you get?
Lots of loungers & shade, but get up fairly early if you want or need the shade on the beach, as they seemed to be gone awfully fast!

There is a lovely beach bar, in the shape of a lighthouse & it even has a small seating area.
The evening entertainment was good. It ranged from not quite so good to excellent during our stay, with the highlight being the Lion King show. You MUST NOT miss this one, it's exceptional!
The starfriends try so hard & work such long hours & yet they are always smiling! We made friends with quite a few of them, so if you see Freddy, Elvis, Jay-Z or Lili, tell them their white bambinos said hi! They really are so much fun!
All in all, this resort is fantastic. It has to be the best resort we have ever been to & we're already thinking about going back again next year.
I would give it 9/10!!!

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Hotel (Iberostar) Hacienda Dominicus - Bayahibe 

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - 2005

Opinion submitted in Mar 2006 by : Steve 46 Moi 42

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Firstly I would like to say a very firm thank you to all the people who have reported their experiences of this FANTASTIC hotel, for which I found more than useful in making my decision to go. Now its time for me to give something back.

No problem getting sun beds at the beach or pool, we arrived at approx 9-30 to 10-30 each day on the beach mainly, yes there were the few greedy selfish people who reserve but not many, in our view we liked the area on the beach near the archery section as it was nice and quiet, and still got the sun and had parasols. as for the pool area again the greedy selfish slobs who reserve sun beds but there are loads to go around, and the reserved ones were usually by the bar, in summary we are very picky about where we sit on the beach or on odd occasions at the pool and we always found a nice spot to stay.

Nationality of guest's

Approx 10% Brits, 20% Americans 40% Germans 30% French

Animation Team

A smashing set of people approx 10 of them will be seen dotted around the place all day in different locations, one girl may come to you on the beach and ask if you want to take part in the Archery, a swift reply of No I'm just here to chill will send her on her way, with no hard feelings, same goes for Alberto who will come to you in the bar and ask if you want to see the show, again a quick no thanks will send him cheerfully on his way, after a while he gets to know you and tailors his approach accordingly, the others also very polite slapping your hand with a high five every now and again, but none of this felt like nagging.

You have to book the ala~carte restaurants at the guest services desk by the lobby bar open at 08-00 AM you need to queue but never more than 3 people in the queue when we were there, you can only make 2 bookings per visit so say book Monday and Tuesday on the Monday and go back on Tuesday to book Wednesday and Thursday etc... You need to be flexible with times as we had to eat at 8-45 or 9-00 some evenings which worked out well as we stuffed ourselves at breakfast and lunch which gave us time to make room for dinner!!! What FANTASTIC food.
The first day you arrive you will prob need to eat in the Buffet, please don't feel miffed by this as we were at first, it's because by the time you arrive the bookings will have been made for that day, but don't worry as the buffet restaurant is in our opinion to die for!!!!!!! With an excellent choice of food all brilliant quality and service as all of the hotel second to none, you get treated like royalty!!! You don't see mounds of fresh smoked salmon in a UK buffet. Or bucks fizz at breakfast!!!

The food throughout was superb. not so keen on the French Gourmet restaurant, had very limited menu, poor ceaser salad for starter, potato soup and lobster for main, followed by a cake for desert, no other choice. ask to see the wine list which they have, but don't advertise. Instead choosing to serve poor house wine.

Japanese restaurant a bit disappointing, not much on offer but the thrill of seeing it cooked in front of you is nice, not for the too shy as you will be sat around a table with approx 10 other people mixed nationalities.

Pool appeared fine could not see any missing tiles as I was also interested in this, I did see them cleaning the pool quite often it looks immaculate.

There is a good selection of cigars on site but wow what high prices, you may choose to go to the better of the 2 duty free shops at the airport terminal 2 at Punta Cana airport on the way back.

Don't even worry about bottled water, as soon as you arrive to your room there will be a big 1 gallon container of purified water on the dressing table, and a fridge full of approx 4 bottles of water 2 sparkling and 2 still, if you drop a couple of dollars each day on the dressing table you will have your fridge restocked every day, and 2 bottles of beer they give you each day plus 2 bottles of diet coke and fanta etc...
All water provided by the restaurants is safe purified.

Take US dollars with you and try to get them in singles, so you can give the odd tip like in the bar at night when the martini girls will bring you your order, you can also go to the bar as well if you prefer.

Don't be worried if you see poor weather forecast's before you go, we did but was nothing like they said, scattered cloud yes but it makes no difference, rain maybe but is over as quick as it arrives.

Hope this helps, You can be sure you will enjoy this hotel.

Drinks most international brands but more choice given on local stuff.

A word about Thomson who we booked with

Had to look for a while to found them at the airport in Punta Cana, not something you want after a 10 hour flight..but no worries Thomson, we asked the Thomas Cook staff who were their to help instead.

Thank you Thomson for putting us onto a coach that got a puncture during our trip to the hotel from the airport..ok not you're fault it got a puncture but what about the bald tyre don't you check these buses for safety!!!!!!!  Maybe it was the fact it was bald that it did puncture.

When we left the hotel to return to the airport there was no sign of any Thomson rep, although we did get a letter explaining some of what to do at the airport, but not telling us enough, there was no one from Thomson to guide us to the correct area for check in, but again no worried as the Thomas Cook girl was there again to help us.

I have always thought a lot about Thomson but must admit I think standards are slipping now.

Currymonster

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Hotel (Iberostar) Hacienda Dominicus - Bayahibe 

Operator and Date: Eclipse Direct - October 2004

Opinion submitted in Nov 2004 by : Rich and Faz - Leeds (31, 30)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was the best hotel we have stayed in the Dom Rep. 

The hotel decor and surroundings were excellent. The staff were very friendly and helpful and the whole hotel was spotlessly clean. This hotel was a gourmet's paradise, both the buffet restaurant and speciality restaurants were better than any 5* restaurants in the UK. In the off peak seasons however only two of the speciality restaurants were open at any one time, so book at the begining of your holiday to avoid disapointment. There are only two bars open in the evening, the lounge bar which was busy earlier on and the theatre bar which opened with the shows. In both cases it was difficult to find somewhere quiet and at times even a seat. 

The beach was spotless and totally tropical, but at peak times it would be difficult to find a bed. The dive centre staff were very helpful and joining them on one of their snorkelling trips is well worth the money, they were more personal than the ones organised through the tour companies (no crowds!!). 

All in all , an excellent hotel with plenty of style, food and activities!! We would use this hotel every time we visit the Dom Rep from now on.

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Boca Chica - Dominican Republic

Coral Hamaca Beach and Casino - Boca Chica

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - May 2004

Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Nicola Woodmass - Carlisle ( 28, 29, 3)

Resort Rating: Poor

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We were married here 5 years ago, everything about the place was amazing.  So we decided to go back for our 5th wedding anniversary.

We wish we'd never bothered.
They have extended this hotel and have absolutley ruined it.
It was more like a Mexican 18-30s holiday who were very loud and, swearing, taking over the pools and being vulgar in front of young children.

The waiter service in the hotel was poor, as was the food.  Often it would run out and on occasion it was raw.  There wasn't enough room in the main restaraunt for all of the guests.  The italian restaraunt didn't open at all whilst we were there and the Mexican was only ok.  The seafood restaruant used to be free (and underneath the hotel where it is now used to be a beautiful beach bar), but now has to be paid for.
The entertainment is geared more to the French and German and Mexican as Englih are the minority there.
Ihad to complain to the hotel staff of prostitutes on the beach 'performing to video camera for their clients'.
Guests regularly brought back pr*stitutes, staff said there was nothing they could do about if as they had paid.

A dissapointing holiday we won't go back for our 10th anniversary.

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Dominican Bay - Boca Chica

Operator and Date: Med Hotels - Jan 2004

Opinion submitted in Feb 2004 by : Andy, Jade - Sheffield (29,22)

Resort Rating: Poor

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was a holiday nightmare. The room was an absolute disgrace which you wouldn't have boarded your dog in. Filthy floors, air conditioning that didn't work, bed sheets that didn't fit the beds, which were actually orthopeodic beds (I kid you not), a toilet that worked only when it felt like it, which wasn't too often and a bath with what I can only discribe as a tear in the outer lining which had slowly gone rusty over a period of time.

The hotel mainly caters for French and Germans with a small splattering of Americans and Canadians. We both got fed up of being ignored by the bar staff in favour of the German and French guests without any acknowlegement that we were actually there and would be served next. 

The nightly entertainment mainly leans towards French and German guests which is not really entertainment at all. It mainly involves a woman coming on stage a 8:30pm and dancing to Agadoo, I Am The Music Man and Superman with any kids that might be their. At 9pm they have half an hours worth of Merengue dancing with all the same music and after that it is some sort of mad game that usually invovles dancing and a lot of clapping of hands to the Vengaboys.

You can go down to the bar at the beach where the barman usually has a local radio station on and sit looking at the Carribean. At first it seems really like the holiday you booked. That stop when you step outside of the hotels boundaries and are accosted by somebody trying to sell you drugs or trying to get a drink off you from the bar. Add to that the number of single men who seem to stroll back to the hotel via the beach entrance with young ladies on their arms who happen to look suspiciously like ladies of the night then it does become a completely different picture.

Finally the food, for a hotel with over 400 rooms the choice of food is appalling. You have a choice of just six lukewarm dishes of which at least two will be some vegetable of a description, one will be rice and a meat or two if you are lucky. None of the food looks edible and if you do eat in the Hibiscus restuarant you will probably share your table with the leftovers of the people who were there before you. Thats right, the staff are that slow at clleaning the table you have to move the plates to one side yourself. Dirty glasses are left on tables until you make it obvious that they are not yours and on five out of the seven nights we were there we had to go and fetch ourselves either a knife or a fork from the cupboard.

However the weather was nice so at least we got a little somthing out of it.

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Cabarete - Dominican Republic

Barcelo Punta Goleta - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - September 2005

Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : C McCool,  (25 and 23)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

I have just returned from a 2 week holiday from this hotel. I have to say although the hotel rooms were very basic compared to what we have stayed in before in the dominican republic, they were very clean and looked after. We had a really good holiday considering i had my knee in a big splint and was hobbling about the hotel.

Although i couldnt make it over to the beach because of my knee my husband showed me on it the video camera and it looked nice and clean. The pool area is immaculate and is kept clean as is cleaned if not every night most nights. The sun beds were cleaned every few days and the staff work so hard to make your stay most enjoyable.

The restaurant offered a varied selection of foods and was always nice didn't have a bad meal once and even the italian was nice. the staff in the restaurant looked after me so well and was always asking me if they could get me anything ie food drinks ice cream as I had to rely on my husband to get me my dinner.

The entertainment staff worked really hard and althought its not the 'west end' whatever show they done or arranged they worked hard to make sure we enjoyed it and during our stay we got the chnace to see their amazing water show which they put on and do by themselves its def not to be missed. The entertainment staff were always asking you to join in their games and at night time the merengue lessons and i only wish I could have taken part. The entertainment staff including louis, andre and john were so funny and always had me laughing.

We had a good holiday and as long as you know the rooms are going to be basic don't let it spoil your holiday as you can have fantastic time there.

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Barcelo Punta Goleta Beach Resort - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (Direct Holidays) Direct Holidays with Airtours - June 2005

Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Couple aged 27,28

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We arrived thinking this was going to be a basic holiday as we paid very little for it. We were somewhat surprised by the 3 star rating when we arrived as I would put it as a 1 maybe 2 at a push.

ACCOMODATION
The hotel is newly painted and the grounds are very well kept and from the outside the hotel is very nice. We did have room problems though. On the night we arrived our bathroom flooded, the patio doors would only open 10" there was mould on the walls, the advertised in room mini bar didnt exist (in any room as we asked over a dozen other gueats and no-one had one), the tv/radio was smashed with the front panel missing and cracked down the side, we were on the top floor and the wildlife (scuttling and screeching so not birds) in the roof kept us up all night. The beds had been made but the room had not been cleaned as we found things belonging to the previous guests in the drawers and bathroom. We went to reception at 8am and were moved within half an hour with no problems from the hotel staff at all. Bonus! If it rains be aware that there is nothing at all to do other than go to your room, there is no part of the hotel that is under cover at all.

FOOD/DRINKS
The food was all buffet style, during the week it was lovely, lots of variety, mexican, italian, english, dominican. At the weekend the hotel is a retreat for local people and it was really nice to stay in a hotel with other nationalities to our own, the only problem was the the menu was changed and the only food that was served was Dominican recipies. This consisted on mashed banana with onion (I kid you not!)and salami stew for breakfast, fried banana and again salami stew for dinner and again for supper. You can book to eat in the italian resturant but you need to give 2 days notice and there are only 2 sittings. It is worth it though as the food here is really nice. The beach bar serves between 12 and 4 but only serves chips, burgers, hotdogs and fried chicken every day, there is no variety at all. Monday to Friday though the food in the main resturant is really nice. It is not like any other All Inclusive hotel I have stayed in before. Usually it is unlimited food and drink from 8am to 12pm but here, after your evening meal, there was no food available unless you wanted to pay for it in the gift shop( crisps etc). There are drinks available til 12 though.

OUTINGS/TRIPS
The trips offered by the hotel reps are very very over priced, If you go to the beach or into Cabarete, you can get EXACTLY the same trips 1/3 cheaper.

ENTERTAINMENT
Basically there was none. During the day it was musical chairs or water polo in the tiny pool that was cloudy and gray looking, during the evening from 8 to 10 it was the same kids disco with the same entertainers and the same music. By day 3 all the children knew which songs were coming up in which order and the dances. Even the easily entertained toddlers were bored. The evening adult entertainment (from 10 to 1130)was a magic show and men in womens clothes or thongs throwing each other in the pool (this was the paid entertainers not the guests), which was a laugh on the first night but on the 4th day of the same thing it was terrible.

BEACH
The Beach is really nice. There was a hurricane last year which means that there is quite a steep incline to get down to the beach as part of it was ripped away. The sunbeds are usually gone by 930 so get there early. There are a lot of people on the beach selling things who, if you are asleep, are not bothered about waking you to try to sell you something. You can walk into Cabarete along the beach in about 15 mins and it is really worth doing. The beach is a lot wider and less crowded. There are bars and eating places all along the beach in Cabarete which are really nice. It is very windy but without the wind you would pass out as the heat is incredible. I tan really easily and I could only get down to a factor 15.

OVERALL
If you want a Butlins/Haven/Pontins style holiday, this hotel is for you.
If you want a calm relaxing holiday, hit the beach during the day and leave the hotel at 8pm and head to one of the beach bars in Cabarete.

If you want a lively, dont go to bed til 5am holiday, stick to Cabarete town and some of the beach bars.
I apologise if it sounds like I am moaning and complaining about the holiday, It was a lovely cheap break but badly advertised in the brocure, If you venture into Cabarete and do lots of trips, you will love it. Cabarete is amazing. Do take lots of spending money though as you will need to leave hotel after a few days as it is like groundhog day, every day.

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Barcelo Punta Goleta - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours Far & Away- Sept 7 to 28, 2004

Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : Ron & Val Kirk-Sheffield ( 59, 58)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Accomadation clean and tidy, site fairly well laid out but only 1 pool so if you didn't want to join in activities there was nothing to do. 1 small bar which catered for about 50 oeople so if you didn't get round it when it rained you were confined to your room to keep dry as there was nowhere else to go, also if you didn't want to see a similar show every night there was nowhere to go for a quiet drink. 

As we got hit by hurricane Jeanie it made a lot of mess but the staff worked very hard to tidy it up. The meals varied a lot, breakfast was good, lunch wasn't bad either but evening meal was cr*p, very little variety and what was supposed to be hot was generally clock cold. There was a lunch grill on the beach and although not much choice it was very good. 

It is also very prone to having robberies, the day before we arrived somebody had there room broken into at gun point and had all their valuables and good clothes stolen.

On site is a small a la carte resturant which very good and changes the menu weekly.

Cabarette is only like a village but it is a lively place with plenty of beach bars where you can sit 20 yards from the sea and watch the sun set. If you go to Cabarette the Irish bar (Jose O'Sheas) is worth a visit to have a decent drink(including Guiness) and some excellent food.

Ocean World is worth seeing and the dolphin encounter is out of this world.
Also Gri-Gri lagoon is also worth spending a day out for some of the best swimming on that coast.

Overall the holiday to Dom. Rep. was worth it and would certainly go again but not to Punta Goleta for obvious reasons. The Airtours rep. was very helpful to us and very pleasant

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Barcelo Punta Goleta - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (Direct Holidays) Direct Holidays - August 2004

Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Johny Kelleher (21,20)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was our first holiday to the Caribbean and we were not disappointed. 

The hotel was excellent with a wide range of food throughout the day and a good selection of drinks. The Italian Restaurant is a must, the food was lovely and the staff were very friendly. Throughout the day there were plenty of activities to join in with, with the lively and friendly animation team, activities such as volleyball, water polo, football and crazy games. 

Evening entertainment was varied, for the kids there was a mini disco and then the adults entertainment began with excellent shows from the reps. 

We went on a couple of excursions: one to Ocean World where my girlfriend and myself had a dolphin encounter (a word of advice DO NOT book the dolphin swim, you'll be paying $45 dollars more than the dolphin encounter to do absolutely nothing else). We also booked an excursion to Paradise Island, however this was not with out tour operators this was with a guy on the beach called Silvio, he offered us this trip for £45 whereas the tour operators were asking for nearly $80. The snorkelling was brilliant at Paradise Island and i would definately recommend it. 

While on the beach we were approached by many lucky lucky men, we haggled with them alot and thought we were getting really good deals however when we went into cabarete town the prices that we bought things off from the lucky lucky men were halved. We had an excllent two weeks and are hoping to go back in the near future.

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Barcelo Punta Goleta - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours August 2004

Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : louise whitmore 30, 25

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

just arrived back, very nice hotel, staff are helpfull and the entertainment team is very good fun, rooms are clean and the gardens are imaculate. problems that we occured were the beach is across the road over a large bridge when it is hot the walk is a little to much but its not far. The water sports although free are in the main town which is a good 15-20 min walk, no motorised (JET SKI ETC) equipment available for hire.
Although the hotel put on free bus to next town which provides these. Food in the hotel was nice but VERY limited with only a small selection. ok if you are not a big eater.

rooms were fumigated every few days to reduce risk of mosi bites only had 2 all hol. so it works well

Trips

rafting was execellent once there but be warned it takes a good 3 hrs to get there.

catamaran, excellent and only 30 mins away

outback safari, well worth a look, it takes you to locals houses, boogie bording in the afternoon to instruction very informative with guides speaking good english.

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Barcelo Punta Goleta - Cabarete

Operator and Date: Air Tours - June 2004

Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : The Butler family 46 44 23 20 18 15 11

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

What a fantastic holiday! You know what its like you read the reviews and you worry yourself sick but at the end of the day know one can tell you whether you are going to enjoy your holiday or not its up to you. We all had a fantastic time, the Staff the Rooms and the resort were all brilliant the food was excellent with plenty of variety and everyone that worked in the hotel made our stay memorable. 

The Airtours rep did the usual spill trying to sell us many overpriced trips but I took the advice of many previous reviews and booked my excursions with Sylvio on the beach, he saved us $40 on the paradise island trip (An absolute must see with the best snorkel reef in the Caribbean) cost $48 and another $24 on the Catamaran trip, again an excellent trip where we boarded the Banana Republic catamaran complete with flume slip, high diving platform, snorkel equipment, good food and plenty of rum the crew were amazing a right laugh it was a great day out which cost just $58.

The entertainment crew at Punta Goleta work extremely hard and long hours but they are fantastic company, my 18 year daughter often went out with them after hours into Cabarete or Sosua for the nightlife the whole place is completely safe provided you use the local taxi service which is very cheap. 

Would I go again, YES in an instant but the worlds a big place and there is plenty more to see. If you are going any time soon have a great time, you wont regret it.

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Casa Laguna - Cabarete

Operator and Date: Oddysey - March 2006

Opinion submitted in Mar 2006 by : Chris, Oxford (46, 47)

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

My wife and I have just returned from a week staying at the Tropical Casa Laguna. I had read the reviews before going and was not sure what to expect. The Dominican Republic is still very much a third world country and when you exit the airport this can be a bit of a culture shock. The guys at the airport will expect a tip to load your cases onto the trailer which is attached to the minibus taking you to the resort, a couple of dollars is sufficient. 

The resort itself is split into two divided by the main road through Cabarete, this can be a problem at busy times to cross but nothing significant. We stayed on the garden side of the resort so had to cross the road to get to the beach. Our flight had been delayed so we didn't get to the resort until late at night, our first impressions were apprehensive and when we were shown our room we were disappointed to say the least, I had read in reviews that some rooms were in need of renovation and this must have been one of those rooms (1031). The room looked shabby, the air conditioning didn't work, in the bathroom the shower curtain was full of mould, the window frame disgusting, the toilet continually flushed itself and a procession of ants marched across the basin. The next morning I complained about the room and was offered room 822 in the block adjacent to the pool, this room was much more pleasant and in a better decorative state. If you are going to the resort request a room in either 700, 800 or 900 blocks (these are the blocks around the pool) and the room will be fine. When talking to other quests, many had had a similar experience (some even with the same room), it would seem that any room in the 1000 block (this is also the office block) should be avoided.

We found the food fine although we did prefer the breakfast and lunch buffet to the dinner buffet. There was always plenty of choice, the fruit and salad bars fresh, deserts were a little disappointing though. The staff were friendly and getting drinks in the restaurants was not a problem (as reported in some reviews). The two evening restaurants, one a Mexican and the other an Italian (effectively the same restaurant divided into two) were OK although the choice a little limited. In the Mexican make sure you order rice or other side dishes with the main course, in the Italian the size of the pizzas is very small so order two.

The service at the bars can be slow at times and trying to get a drink at the pool bar is almost impossible but that's the way it is. In general when you get to know the bar staff and the way they work its fine (we always had more than we needed!). The drinks are local brands but you soon get used to it.

The pool areas are fine but you do need to be up and about early to claim a sun bed either by the pool or on the beach. On the beach, the only free sun beds are those directly in front of the hotel restaurant, a foot either side and you will be charged.

The beach itself is OK with other resorts fronting the beach further out of the centre of Cabarete, There are plenty of traders on the beach who can be a pain but a simple no thanks works. You will also find that prices are much cheaper in the shops along the street than those of the beach traders. There are a handful of bars/restaurants along the beach front which come to life at night after the all inclusive hotel bar close at 11.00pm. The prices in the bars are reasonable (less than £2 a drink) but avoid the Irish bar as this is double the price of other bars. In general a good friendly atmosphere although you do get the local girls there applying there trade.

The best currency to use in Cabarete is the local Peso, there is a ATM directly outside the resort. You will need US dollars to pay the $10 entry tax and $20 exit tax per person at the airport.

In summary, we enjoyed our stay at the Tropical Casa Laguna and the Dominican Republic. If our experience is anything to go by, the first day you will be apprehensive, the second day you will think its OK, after a week you will not want to leave.

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Casa Laguna - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - Feb 2006

Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : Mike and Anne - Bradford (58,52)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The Tropical Casa Laguna is a poor standard hotel along with its sister hotel the Casa Laguna Beach Hotel which is beachside across a very busy road. You can eat in both hotels except for the evening meal which is in the Beach Hotel. The standard of food is very poor with undercooked food and mainly cold food all the time. There are 2 al a carte restaurants (Italian and Mexican) which you have to book for but again the food is poor and the standard of service terrible. One young man is expected to take orders for food and drink, serve these and clear tables too for up to 20 people at a sitting. Its impossible for him to keep up with things.

The entertainment in the hotel is very poor most nights and you are expected to join in otherwise theres nothing taking place. There is not enough tables and chairs for everybody to sit on and so people drift away.Also all bars close at 23.00 for the night with no facility to even pay for further drinks.

Its the same during the day with not enough loungers and again no tables chairs and parasols for the number of people there.

The main road outside the hotel is manic with cars, motor bikes and trucks flying along most of the day and night with exhaust fumes bellowing out (one day we thought it was foggy). You get harassed all the time by shopkeepers some of whom get very aggressive when you say no to them.

The beach is very nice but again you are constantly bothered by beach venders - it does get on your nerves.

We went on the monster truck day out which would have been a great day out if the truck hadnt got stuck on a river bank and then brokaean axle going down a pothole (2 hour wait for a new truck to be sent).

The people are very poor and so you constantly have beggers all over you when you go out.

We have been to Dom Rep before (to the Playa Dorada resort and we did feel a lot safer there than out in the middle of this town.

We would not go back to Cabarette and especially not to the Casa Marina hotel.

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Casa Laguna / Tropical Beach - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - August 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Matt Hancock, Lucy Horne - Barnsley (24, 26)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Well where do I start. This was our first trip to the Caribbean and it wont be the last. When we first arrived and was on the coach to our hotel we thought we had made a huge mistake. The houses and villages that we passed just looked as though we were in mid africa and looked very poor (this later added to the attraction of the Island).

Our first impressions of the hotel was quiet good. The road looked busy but don't believe other reviews that say you need to take your life in your own hands as its really not that bad. As we checked in with very friending reception we was escorted to our room.. on the way to the room we passed through the gardens and pool area (we were staying at the Casa Laguna side) which were immaculate. The room was what you would expect for a 3*, basic but comfortable and the view from the balcony was brilliant, over looking the pool and gardens... request a pool view.

The first few days we spent trying to find our way around and in this time we soon learnt that the entertainment team consisting of Lewis, Wellington, Kenya and Micheal spent their day trying to get everyone involved and having as much fun as possible. We joined in on all the games and over the course of the holiday we struck up a great friendship with lots of people just by taking part in the games that they had. Special mentions have to go out to Lewis Cucoluga (all inclusive) and Wellington aka well in black... they bent over backwards to make people happy and went out of their ways to do things for you and over the 2 weeks we went on to become good friends. They work from early in the morning until late at night but are always happy.
Our brochure had bad reviews about the food and we werent looking forward to this part of the holiday but i can honestly say that the food was fantastic.. different food each night and a excellent Mexican and average Italian (pre bookable) to split it up. One piece of advice would be to eat your dinner at the Casa Laguna side as it always seemed to be nicer.

The majority of the bar staff were very friendly and you got served more if you tipped them occaisionally.. we were all inclusive but tipping them really meant a lot. The only issue that we had with the bar staff was with an individual with glasses who seemed to like making you wait and throughout the holiday there was numerous people that we spoke to that told us they had to wait for up to 20mins to get a drink... get 2-3 when you go to the bar to keep you from having to go back and wait again. They only had one bar staff on in the evening which was inadequate to say the least.

Tip: Go for lunch early and go to the pool area to grab a table as there isnt many tables and chairs and you may have nowhere to sit for the evening entertainment. The entertainment is nothing special and although its cheesy it does make you laugh.

Trips: I went Scuba diving (with the hotel) which cost 60 dollars for 45mins in Sosua and this was definatly the highlight of my holiday. You got to swim around the coral and saw so many nice things.. the occaisional jelly fish but dont let that put you off.
The monster truck safari is highly recommended, make sure you take some sunglasses to keep the dust out of your eyes and take along some sweets /  pens / pencils etc for the children that you drive past. Really was a worthwile trip and the company gives 40% back to the poor people to help rebuild the villages.

I would really recommend a trip to Sosuam, we went to the nightclub a few times with the entertainment team which was good and also went to Sosua beach.. this was a typical caribbean beach with calm clear waters as opposed to the windsurfing beach of cabarete.

Cabarete is the place to be with all the bars and for the guys out there go to O'shays, very expensive and does nice cocktails but also shows plenty of English football live. Also try Lax which was cheap for food and drinks and for a dance later try the bamboo beach club.. all these are on the beach and at night it looks very nice with the tables out and soft lighting.

We were sorry to leave but I would recommend this to anyone and we are already planning to go back next year. 

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Casa Laguna / Tropical Beach - Cabarete

Operator and Date: ODYSSEY- AUGUST 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Judith Naylor- Yorkshire (45,48,11)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We have just returned from the Dominican, we stayed at the Tropical Casa Laguna Hotel. Having read reports before we went we have some reservations. when we arrived we were very pleasantly suprised, the check in was very efficient and we were quickly shown to our room. This was quite large and spacious, a double bed for us and a single for my 11year old son. 

The back balcony was overlooking the neighbours piece of land which was quite unkept, but the front terrace more than made up for that, we overlooked the main pool and the stage area, but could also see the bar area and the lower pool. We dropped our bags and went to explore, the pool and the gardens were kept immaculate at all times. We crossed the 'main road' easily but at times it can be busy and you do need to watch out for the motorbikes. The beach is lovely, the sellars do approach you on a regular basis but a polite 'no thankyou' and they move on. If you buy from them barter with them they ususally drop the price by 50%. The food at the hotel was OK, yes as others have said a bit repetative, but you are in another country and you can not expect home cooking, we went with a very open mind, took everything in our stride and had a fantastic holiday. 

The animation team are brilliant, very amusing and very firendly. Anyone going, please give Luis, Christopher, Wellington, Kenya, Ellie and Sexy Boy our Love - Phil, Judith & John. We also went on some of the trips- many available, we booked through Hurra Travel on the main street - cheaper than the reps. The rooms are cleaned every day and the maid are very pleaseant, people that did have small problems with rooms or air condiditoning units, the maintenence team were quick and effective to repair. 

We simply did not want to come home at the end of the 2 weeks, other families did though. It would not be everybody's cup of tea- but if you go to enjoy yourself - you will. We did not go out in the evenings but some of the younger couples did and had a ball by all accounts - coming back at 5am from the clubs. Talking to other holiday makers there were more people that had a good time than the few that did not enjoy the holiday. If anyone wasnt to know anything further or more photogaphs, please email me - I am more than happy to help if I can, I could write for ever, and would go back tomorrow. Thanks

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Casa Laguna / Tropical Beach - Cabarete

Operator and Date: Odyssey - April 2005

Opinion submitted in May 2005 by :  Lynn, Karen, Donna - (45, 36, 31)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Well, what can we say about this absolutely fantastic resort?
Quite a lot so read on and you will probably be jumping on the next available plane!

The Flight -
not the best start to our holiday, we flew with thomas cook and was NOT impressed. we was given a bottle of water free and expected to make it last the 9 hr flight or spend a small fortune in the air, staff were not very accomodating to passengers wishing to sleep but we made it to the dominican eventually! the flight home was with britannia and the staff were very nice, the plane a lot smoother.

The Hotel -
the hotel was split in two with the main road running in between, the tropical beach hotel is on the seafront and the casa laguna is situated across the road.
from the moment we arrived the staff bent over backwards to make our stay as pleasant as possible. 
we stayed in the tropical beach which was the quieter of the two hotels - you can chill out around one of the small secluded pools or grab a cocktail at the beach bar which in our opinion is THE place to be.
the casa laguna, across the road was where the entertainment team were based, here you could have a drink at the swim up bar, try your hand at pool volleyball, learn to dance or speak spanish, take in the evening show or book a table at one of the speciality restaurants.
the rooms were clean and nicely decorated.

The staff -
each and every member of staff were absolutely amazing.
Amouri was based at the beach bar and had us giggling like schoolgirls every night, he doesnt smoke but is always ready to light your cigarette for you, he will help you with a bit of spanish but id look it up before you use it - haha!
he was the best barman ever and was genuinely sad to see us leave.
luis is quite funny too
Margo is based on the beach and is always ready with a big big smile, he loves to sit on the beach all day and entertain you with connect 4 and dominoes. ask him to show you his drawings.
the entertainment team are all fab. theres erica, wellington and leo to mention but a few.
take time out to get to know all the staff here as they will make your holiday that much more special.

Cabarete - the resort
life here is paradise, the people we met were out of this world.
look out for stan the rasta man, this guy will have you smiling and laughing throughout your whole holiday but watch out - he is married with 10 children.
also look out for russo the russian policia, he is drop dead gorgeous but another one to watch - hes definately a ladies man but hes a very nice guy.
kennedy is another sweet guy, dont know exactly what he does but you will find him on a sunbed near the beach bar
If you are going to buy jewellry on the beach go and see number 53 - nicholas, hes a lovely guy and has 2 beautiful children. dont buy from number 44 - hes very rude!
raymond is the guy to see if you plan to do any trips, you can haggle with him and he is much cheaper than the tour operaters.
Santos is the guy to see if your interested in timeshare. if your not interested but firm enough to say no then go for the sales pitch and santos will get his commision, you get free drinks and it only takes about half hour of your time.

we fell in love with this place so much that we have already booked a flight back for next week, go to cabarete and you wont be disapointed. the people are so friendly and are willing to do anything to make your stay more enjoyable.
we didnt stop smiling from the moment we stepped off the plane until the very last day and that was only cause we was so sad to be leaving.
our bodies are in england but our hearts are still in cabarete!

tips -
stay away from jose o shays, its very expensive and they add on tax. i paid £15 for two pints of guinness!

remember to haggle for everything, you will be amazed at how much the dominican is willing to drop in price if it means a sale.

check out the bamboo and the caribbean bar, the bamboo is the best place to be later in the evening and the caribbean bar is good for the merengue.

dont carry mobile phones late at night if you are down the beach drinking and only carry small amounts of money, get a safe.

if you are women out there alone beware the dominican men - they love all women all the time!!!

make the most of your holiday, just be safe and have plenty of fun!!!

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Casa Laguna - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - June 2004

Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : Denise and Andy (28,25)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Our first long haul flight and no problems not as bad as we thought.

Hotel

Grounds - lovely

Room - Spacious and we got a great view over the pool which was good.

Pool - very nice and chilled and no problems getting a sunbed.

Food and Drink - Ok, but after two weeks this did get repetitive.  We ate out a few times to break the mould.  Try Jose O'Shay's the 'Irish Bar' (great cocktails and burgers and Ho La La's for a loveky woodoven pizza. 

Beach - Was lovely but we did spend most of the time at the pool.

Trips - Try White Water Rafting (long day but well worth it),Monster Truck Safari (very good), Paridise Island ( good but the island was rather crowded and sort off spoiled the whole point)

Overall - We made the most of our first holiday together and had a great relaxing time.

Enjoy xxx
Denise & Andy 2004

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Casa Laguna - Cabarete

Operator and Date: Odyssey-March 2004

Opinion submitted in Mar 2004 by : Sally Knight-London

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The hotel itself was split into two, with the main road in between. We stayed in the Casa Laguna which is across the road from the beach.  

The rooms were clean and spacious with free air con and cable TV, most have a view down over the pool. The pools in this part of the hotel were big and were kept clean, and the hotel grounds were kept immaculate.The only bar in this hotel sits on the edge of the pool, so if it rains there really is no shelter here (it rained a few times in the evenings!)

Quite difficult to get a drink, it seems you have to slip the bar staff a tip at the beginning of your holiday for them to actually notice you. The hotel is all inclusive mainly, but can also be B and B. The bar only serves drinks in plastic cups, and the cocktails are made from their cheap brands of spirits- beware, they are very strong, and the cocktails arent made well at all (tasted awful)

Foodwise, we ate out every night, as everyone we spoke to, had dodgy stomachs at one stage or another caused by the hotel food.However the breakfasts were ok-could have done without the flies on the pastries and fresh fruits though! Entertainment was dire. Consisted of about five entertainment staff, all under the age of 22. During the day, you will get hassled by the pool to play water volleyball, aerobics, water polo, darts and boules, which admittedly we did and had a laugh. In the evening, they put on what they call a 'show'. This basically consists of about three dance routines they put on to three different songs. This happens every night, about two or three times and usually a couple of times during the day as well.You will be singing these tunes in your head constantly!Does get a bit monotanous after third day!Also if you are a single girl, watch out for the male entertainment staff, they seemed to have a different female guest each every week!

The resort itself was OK, the beach was nice-the sea can get a little rough, not good for weak swimmers. However, very good for windsurfing and kitesurfing which was the main thing going on in the resort. The bars and restaurants were good, had a good meal every night. They all tend to spill out on the beach in the evenings, with fairy lights in the palm trees.Enjoyed the only Irish bar there- Jose Oshays- make great cocktails.

Excursions we took included a trip to Puerta Plata, we just got a cab ourselves, but when you get there a guide will suddenly pounce and insist on taking you everywhere (mainly to all his friends shops!)He will cost about twenty US Dollars- but you can say no.Take a trip on the cable car- not if you are afraid of heights though! Another good trip is to Paradise Island.Basically a sandbank in the middle of the ocean! You get out there by twenty minute speedboat ride (excellent)and then when you get there, you can go snorkelling or sunbathing, which is basically all there is to do.Good day out though.

All in all I enjoyed my holiday and I would go back, but I would not go all inclusive!!Cabarete is on the North side of the island which is the Atlantic Ocean,but I think next time I will go to the south which is the Caribbean.

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Hotel Paraiso Del Sol - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - Oct 2006

Opinion submitted in November 2006 by : Hayley - Portsmouth (19,20)

Resort Rating: Poor

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

i had the worst holiday of my life. The only reson i ever smiled on this holiday was because of the weather,the people we met and the Rum!

The security guards are scary they don't speak any english, the maids steal clothes from you, and someone takes money from you.

The room in itself is less then to be desired! Our shower didn't work , you had to hold it over your head! The air con leaked all over the floor and when we went to complain all of a sudden the staff speak no english.

If you've already booked here then good luck, go see the animation team and they will take care of you!

Good Luck

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Hotel Paraiso Del Sol - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - May 2005

Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : Vicky Sharpe (25, 29)

Resort Rating: Poor

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was quite simply the worst hotel i have ever stayed in. It was filthy the food was atrocious, the staff were rude and nothing worked.

We were offered dr*gs, my partner was offered pr*stitutes, not exactly the setting for a relaxing holiday :D

The hotel is being sold off as timeshare and the "hotel" part of the complex is going to ruin. drinks are watered down, the air con does not work, the rooms are dirty.

over all an utter nightmare.

If you have booked all i can say is take some medication for the runs.

or get your hotel changed.

to make matters worse on complaining to thompson all we got was a 100 travel voucher----- like we ever want to travel with them again? i think not

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Hotel Paraiso Del Sol - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (MyTravel Direct) My Travel - April 2005

Opinion submitted in Apr 2005 by : McMahon - Berkshire

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

On arrival, everything appeared fine and we were welcomed by the staff. Accommodation was clean but nothing exceptional. Things started to go pear shaped from then on...

On the first day we were told that the cable was down so we couldn't watch the television we had in our room - not a major problem as we weren't expecting to be watching television anyway due to the entertainment we were informed about by our tour operator. However, the entertainment was pretty much non existent apart from the dogs roaming around and the birds that slightly entertained us by flying into the restaurant, sitting on people's plates and eating their food - marvellous!

Also at tea time, our snacks consisted of tea, coffee and cake (but you had to get there before the birds! - no really!!)

If this wasn't enough to wind the most patient holiday maker up, our air conditioning started to blow out hot air in a sweltering climate. We were informed that the air conditioning unit was to be fixed for the whole building immediately but by DAY 13, I spoke to our rep about it because nothing had been fixed and the outcome of this was a letter under our door later that evening to say that we could move to another room across the road for one night! We were returning home the next day so declined the offer.

For two days, we also had to phone reception and request WATER to wash with as we only had fresh air coming out of our taps!!

To top it all off, my husband and I developed a bout of 'diarrhoea republic!!' and had intense stomach cramps which resulted in a weight loss of half a stone each! So, we got something  good out of the holiday - eat your heart out Weight Watchers!

Seriously though, we had to seek medical advice once we got back as it wasn't only us that suffered. A number of other people in the hotel had diarrhoea and some were even on drips!

My advice is to select a different hotel if you wish to visit the Dom Rep. It's a beautiful country but the accommodation we stayed in didn't reflect this and it was a shame!

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Hotel Paraiso Del Sol - Cabarete

Operator and Date: Odyssey - March 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Yorkshire (27,28)

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The resort of Cabarete has a lovely beach popular with watersports and with lots of bars/restaurants overlokking the sea.  the main road is very busy with traffic and is noisy and dusty.

The Paraiso del Sol has a very windy beach, which can be nice to cool you down.

The hotel itself, however, is definitly not recommended.

The food was not covered and was fly-infested.  While we were there lots of guests were very ill, ourselves included.

The garden staff were very friendly but the reception staff were not.

The Odysset rep was rude and unsympathetic.

We would recommend the Monster Truc safari - a great day - and the Dominican Republic.
But don't go with Odyssey/Olympic and definitely don't go to the Paraiso del Sol!

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Hotel Paraiso Del Sol - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - August 2004

Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Family of 3 - Wales (40, 32, 7)

Resort Rating: No rating

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

TURDS IN THE POOL AND COCKROACHES IN THE ROOMS!!!!!!!!!
The true Holiday from Hell!
Sold to us as a family resort - no chance! Full of teenage French out to cause a load of trouble - fighting in the pool and using knives - just what you want your kids to see.

All the restaurants are open air (so no relief from the heat) and if you are really lucky you will see the rats as well! The main bar has no seating you are left to sit on sunloungers. The glasses used are handwashed in cold local water - no wonder we were all really ill for the whole holiday and for a week of returning to the UK.
The main pool was very nice until there was (three times) turds floaing in the pool and French spitting in there.

The kids club is non-existant and no child friendly foods in any of the restaurants in the evenings.
The rooms are not too bad (bare in mind you will be sharing with cockroaches) - but beware of the bed legs, both of our beds had at least 2 legs missing out of 6, an accident waiting to happen.
Do yourselves a favour and AVOID.

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Paraiso Tropical - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook april 2007

Opinion submitted in April 2007 by : sullivans, chandlers

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

28.3.7.-11.4.7. Paraiso Tropical changed it's name from Paraiso del Sol and Sea Grape. Listed as Cabarete but is an hour's walk or 40mins by shuttle bus ride (4 daily) from the nearest shops in Cabarete otherwise a  cab ride $40 US into Puerto Plata which after Sousa is the nearest main market place or town.

The hotel is not known locally as Paraiso Tropical cab drivers still use the previous names and appear baffled at the use of the new name. Very friendly staff apart from a girl on reception who did the opposite of anything you tried to request or wrote the wrong room number down against any bookings for the themed restaurants ie Mexican (everything came out of a packet fajitas,tortillas),Italian (food stone cold served on a hot plate or steak so tough you couldn't cut it, Thai was the only edible themed restaurant but this was served, everyone together like school dinners, no choice for each course, and 1 hr for each sitting.So no one could arrive early or late, which of course they did, so your hour was constantly interrupted and the waitress couldn't speak any language but Thai so no one understood anything she said.
The main restaurant was excellent for food but the waiters took ages serving drinks so it was best to get your own from the bar before dinner and take it in.

Accommodation was tired, maids changed the towels daily, sheets once in the fortnight we were there. The ground floor rooms were flooded from the nightly heavy rain. People we met there changed rooms up to 4 times. We stayed in the same one on the first floor overlooking the quiet pool,one of the lucky families that had a fridge in our room.The hotel said there were only 3 available. This wasn't quiet at weekends however as a large group of local amorous teenagers turned up from the hotel over the road (dark blue wristbands)on Fridays at lunchtime leaving Monday at 1PM and spent the entire time shrieking, screaming, heavy petting and much more in the pool! getting noisier and clearing the pool and bar areas of holidaymakers who were too embarrassed to ignore their antics and didn't fancy using the pool after what they had got up to in it. Their noise etc completely ruined our weekends.The security woman and male staff on reception did speak to the teenagers after loads of complaints.

There isn't a lot to see or buy in Cabarete but excursions to Ocean World and sea fishing were great. Don't book through your rep as they rip you off then are never seen again, the local firm Mel's Tours or Freddy's, just outside the hotel, are fully insured and much cheaper. Don't get ripped off by booking VIP room at the airport as you spend most of your time upstairs in the dutyfree shops and there is TV, choice of food etc more flight info available up there.In the VIP room the magazines were 4mnths old, stale curled up processed cheese sandwiches, boiled sweets, pepsi, the local brew unhelpful girl, gave us flight delay info after our flight time and then only because we asked.

All in all a good holiday  mainly because of the sunshine, fresh fruit, desserts and salads in the big restaurant and friendly people. Hotel could improve a fair bit.We found the lack of games during the day a shame. At night it didn't start until 9.45pm much too late for kids stiil adjusting to a 5hrs time difference. 

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Punta Goleta - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours - march 2004

Opinion submitted in Apr 2004 by : Marie - (38, 40)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

We have just arrived back from an 'allocation on arrival' all inclusive. This hotel was fab. Room had two double beds, excellent air con, kept very clean daily by friendly staff. Towels were changed daily, in addition to the towels in the room the hotel supplied large towels to use by the pool (plenty of sunbeds) or on the beach (again plenty of sunbeds). The 'animation' team worked very hard encouraging holiday makers to join in the games, competitions, aerobics in the pool, water polo and volley ball etc.
We took a free bus to Sasoua for some 'pressie' shopping, don't forget to haggle! Ate a very reasonably priced and delicious pizza in P.J's- worth a visit.

the Monster Truck Safari was excellent with superb views, and a chance to discover how the locals live, swim in the river and have lunch at the River Ranch, listening to the local live music (which did grate on our nerves after a while)
Evenings were spent watching the entertainment and then on to Cabreta by taxi (very reasonable) where there are numerous bars with a couple of discos. Locals were very friendly and drinks reasonable. Jose O'Gradys irish bar served some fab cocktails!

Food- nice variety but we only stayed for a week. We had no tummy problems and had been advised that the salads were all washed in water that would be fit for 'the British stomach'. But, do use the 'on tap' water from the bar or restaurant for brushing your teeth! The waiters were extremely helpful in the resaurant but we did end up 'tipping'.
One night we ate in the 'pre bookable' A La Carte restaurant but weren't very impressed with the food or service.
All in all a fantastic week with the only complaint being that the water was not very hot in the shower most of the time. Would definately visit the Dom Rep again.
Ps, the airtours rep was not friendy and at times, quite abrupt.

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Hotel Seagrape - Caberete

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook - May 2005

Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Lauren & Andrew (20 & 25)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Beware the rainy season!! It was very humid and the rain was the type that hurts your skin where it's so heavy!!
The second week was much nicer, but the sun goes in about 3-4pm most days so you're stuck with nothing to do until the evening meal. It has no nightlife and if you leave the hotel, it's jungle and are likely to get mauled by starving animals.

It was all inclusive and the food was edible but after about 4 days you'd rather eat anything than the food they serve was it is all so bland with no imagination.

Our first room was awful. It was tiny with 2 small windows. There was about a foot to move around the sides of the double bed. The air conditioning was broken and the shower had a window next to it with no curtain so if you're a tall woman you're in trouble!! Luckily I am not!! Also the porter broke one of our lamps on arrival, so we were in darkness!! So dingy!!

They happily changed our room to a massive one but we never had any hot water which was so depressing.
The staff were so friendly and willing to help, but beware the 'cute' kid who hangs round the pool, he's smarter than he looks and will try to con you out of money!!
Toilet blocked twice. Nothing to do, even the old people were bored. Would never go again unless in a decent resort.

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Seagrape Beach Club - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (Sunset Discounts) Sunset - March 2005

Opinion submitted in Mar 2005 by : Karen Morgan-Jones - 35

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Well I just had a fab 2 weeks! Met some great people,got a wicked tan and have some brilliant memories.

You need to bare in mind that this is a cheap as chips package holiday so the Seagrape is VERY basic. The rooms are shabby.....I had to ask for a different one because the first one was awful! If you are a fussy eater you won't be too impressed by the choice of food. The beach could be cleaner but there is miles of it to chose from!

But saying this, the staff were excellent (except a coupe of rude bar staff). The animators ( DJ Tupa, Jose, Henry, Victor, Michael etc)were a great laugh. Though keep an eye on your teenage daughters around them......the Dominican men are outrageous flirts!

The Seagrape is on the outskirts of the resort, but the hotel does a free bus in the day and/or a taxi costs you 200 Pesos (aprox £4). The nightlife in town is good...especially the Party atmosphere at Easter and spending St Patricks Day at Jose O'Sheas was bizarre!
You will pay anything from 50 to 90 Pesos for a drink....keep an eye out for various happy hours.

2 things I wish I'd known beforehand:

*Take mostly Pesos because you end up changing your dollars to Pesos anyway.
*The Mosquitos are savage! I took Benys 95% Deet repellent and they still managed to feast on me.

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Sea Grape Complex - Caberete

Operator and Date: (Sunset Discounts) Sunset holidays january 2005

Opinion submitted in Feb 2005 by : paul & lynette, 41, 43

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Hi to you all my wife and i have just returned from caberete dom rep. what a dissapointment! 

hotel not very good for a 3 star accomadation. rooms poorely decorated, towels (only 1 each) would not be suitable for a dog, off white and full of rips. sheets changed once a week, bed full of bugs! only had bites in bed. after telling the manager all this after a week the bed was changed and we had white towels. 

food was average but noticed the restuarant could not cope on the second week. beach was full of debrie washed up every night by the sea. never enough sunbeds to go around and the majority should have been scrapped. the entertainment (5 boys) was worse than pontins or butlins. not suitable for children. 

we read other reviews and thought we would be ok but not true. craigs review was spot on. we dont want to put anyone off but if you are looking for a caribbean holiday please please dont go here!!!!! you will be dissapointed. we all felt the same and just made the most of it within each others company. we are not at all stuck up as we have been to lots of places around the world but have never had such a poor deal. we will go back to dom rep to a place called casa marina reef/beach in sosua where we have been twice befoe and is also 3 star (more like a 6 star) excellent hotel all around and feels like paradise in the carribean, unlike seagrape, which felt like hell!

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Sea Grape Complex - Caberete

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook-June 2004

Opinion submitted in June 2004 by : Sharon&Doug-Cannock Staffs(46,48)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

A wonderful greeting awaits at Puerta Plata airport,music from a local band.The hotel check in was very quick and efficient,the friendly porter took our luggage to our room,he was lovely.

Our room was massive with a large terrace which opened straight onto the pool.FANTASTIC.The food was good,plenty of choices.Our rep Ruth was very good, really friendly and helpful.The only disappointment we had was when Fiona arranged a night out to a restaraunt in Caberte,approx 24 people but she never arranged the bus we were told we were going on,its difficult to fit 24 into 6 seater taxi,consequently we never got there,and no apologies from Fiona.Apart from this our time here was fantastic!!!Everyone is so friendly.I recommend FREDDYS tours,good and cheap.Dont miss the Monster trucks,a good day out and take the 30 minute helicopter ride,absolutly FANTASTIC.No complaints what so ever.

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Seagrape Beach Club - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (Sunset Discounts) Sunset - 2004

Opinion submitted in Mar 2005 by : David Butt, Kathy Butt 44, 43

Resort Rating: Below Average

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Room:
The first room they gave was terrible even after taking the lamp shade off it was still dark there was more light in the bathroom.
The sheets smelled as if they had not been changed. The second room was better it had glass doors and was an upstairs room, but after saying that it was small and the plug sockets melted our plugs.

Hotel Facilities:
What facilities the hotel seems a bit run down in all areas. If it rains the main restaurant and bar cannot cope with the amount of guests and the service is poor at best,

Food:
What can I say about the food except that it was very bland (and thats being kind) and repetitive, for an all inclusive hotel you would definately think you were being cheated on the food side of things. The food seemed better at lunch time than it did at the evening meal. If you missed lunch then you prohably wouldn't have much on that day.
A tip book the ala carte as much as possible at tleast you eat something.

Entertainment:
The entertainment is non  existent or if there is any thing at all it's not advertised you find out by accident. Like an earlier reviewer said like pontins but only worse.

Beach:
The beach it self was not to bad, but you could not swin in the sea it was to rough.
All the beach loungers need replacing as they are falling apart. Most have been welded as repairs to the frames.The beach vendors can be a bit of a pain some are ok but one or two you need to tell them to bu*ger off as they will put on the puppy dog face and be a nuisance.

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Tropical Casa Beach Club / Casa Laguna - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson-april 2007

Opinion submitted in May 2007 by : katie o'hare & kevin gorman-liverpool

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

It was last week that we arrived home and i'm gutted this holiday was the best of my life.
i went with my boyfriend and after reading some reviews we were abit worried! but i have to say there was no need we enjoyed everything about it and we will deffo go again.
our hotel was 3* but we would rate it more like 4*, people said the food was abit repetative but we had no complaints i am a fussy eater and there was never an occasion were i didnt like anything. it was great going all inclusive but we did go out to  a bar called jose o'shays that was boss and their cocktails are lovely, and if your a sports fan they have loads on there.
when your relaxing on the beach you do get the "lucky lucky men" trying to sell you things but a polite no gracias and their on their way,we even made friends with one of them they are just really trying to do their job.

i would mainly recommend this holiday for couples because it was so romantic walking down the beach at night. i really really really love this place and if you are thinking of going to the tropical beach club then its worth paying the extra for the superior rooms which are located on the beach side,it was lovely to wake up open your curtains and look onto the gorgeous beach.the sea is boss because of the atlantic ocean there are big waves and their fun to dive in but if you have kids i wouldnt let them go in the waves on their own as they can pull you under.
we went on 3 trips;
ocean world-the best experience of my life,swimming with dolphins was amazing and we also done the sealion encounter i cant describe how fab it is, you will just have to try it!!

monster truck safari-you go to the jungle and see how the people live it is sad because reality hits you and you realise how lucky you are.you can take stationary or sweets to give to the school there.

paradise island-we have never seen anything like it, the island is magical the waters are pure blue and the sand pure white. you can go snorkelling and you see all these fish called sergent major fish (they are the stripy ones which are nosy hahaha)

honestly this holiday was the best experience of are lives and i felt like crying when we were leaving! if anyone goes there if you bump into a "lucky lucky" man with number 32 on his top say katie n kev from liverpool say hi.

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Tropical Casa Laguna - Cabarete

Operator and Date: Oddysey - March 2006

Opinion submitted in Mar 2006 by : Chris, Oxford (46, 47)

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

My wife and I have just returned from a week staying at the Tropical Casa Laguna. I had read the reviews before going and was not sure what to expect. 

The Dominican Republic is still very much a third world country and when you exit the airport this can be a bit of a culture shock. The guys at the airport will expect a tip to load your cases onto the trailer which is attached to the minibus taking you to the resort, a couple of dollars is sufficient. The resort itself is split into two divided by the main road through Cabarete, this can be a problem at busy times to cross but nothing significant. We stayed on the garden side of the resort so had to cross the road to get to the beach. Our flight had been delayed so we didn't get to the resort until late at night, our first impressions were apprehensive and when we were shown our room we were disappointed to say the least, I had read in reviews that some rooms were in need of renovation and this must have been one of those rooms (1031). The room looked shabby, the air conditioning didn't work, in the bathroom the shower curtain was full of mould, the window frame disgusting, the toilet continually flushed itself and a procession of ants marched across the basin. The next morning I complained about the room and was offered room 822 in the block adjacent to the pool, this room was much more pleasant and in a better decorative state. If you are going to the resort request a room in either 700, 800 or 900 blocks (these are the blocks around the pool) and the room will be fine. When talking to other quests, many had had a similar experience (some even with the same room), it would seem that any room in the 1000 block (this is also the office block) should be avoided.

We found the food fine although we did prefer the breakfast and lunch buffet to the dinner buffet. There was always plenty of choice, the fruit and salad bars fresh, deserts were a little disappointing though. The staff were friendly and getting drinks in the restaurants was not a problem (as reported in some reviews). The two evening restaurants, one a Mexican and the other an Italian (effectively the same restaurant divided into two) were OK although the choice a little limited. In the Mexican make sure you order rice or other side dishes with the main course, in the Italian the size of the pizzas is very small so order two.

The service at the bars can be slow at times and trying to get a drink at the pool bar is almost impossible but that's the way it is. In general when you get to know the bar staff and the way they work its fine (we always had more than we needed!). The drinks are local brands but you soon get used to it.

The pool areas are fine but you do need to be up and about early to claim a sun bed either by the pool or on the beach. On the beach, the only free sun beds are those directly in front of the hotel restaurant, a foot either side and you will be charged.

The beach itself is OK with other resorts fronting the beach further out of the centre of Cabarete, There are plenty of traders on the beach who can be a pain but a simple no thanks works. You will also find that prices are much cheaper in the shops along the street than those of the beach traders. There are a handful of bars/restaurants along the beach front which come to life at night after the all inclusive hotel bar close at 11.00pm. The prices in the bars are reasonable (less than £2 a drink) but avoid the Irish bar as this is double the price of other bars. In general a good friendly atmosphere although you do get the local girls there applying there trade.

The best currency to use in Cabarete is the local Peso, there is a ATM directly outside the resort. You will need US dollars to pay the $10 entry tax and $20 exit tax per person at the airport.

In summary, we enjoyed our stay at the Tropical Casa Laguna and the Dominican Republic. If our experience is anything to go by, the first day you will be apprehensive, the second day you will think its OK, after a week you will not want to leave.

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Tropical Casa Laguna - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (Olympic Direct) Olympic - Sept / Oct 2005

Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : John Lloyd Wolverhampton

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We have just returned from the tropical casa Laguna hotel in Cabarete, and can truthfully say that we had a great time and the hotel was exactly as was described by Olympic holidays .

The rooms were spacious ,pleasant and regularly cleaned , the staff were pleasant and helpful and while the bar did close at 11 pm you were served as many drinks in that time as you could want as quickly as you could want and no rola cola in sight.

The food was fine a bit repetitive but mainly because we do not like fish which was plentiful, the air conditioning worked all the time and was free ,a charge of 30 dollars was made for a safe for the 2 weeks, the road outside was easy to cross with just a little extra care than normal and the beach sellers did keep coming to you but were polite and left when you politely declined to buy.

For the price we paid £562 a.i we feel we had a bargain and would go back again although we would rethink if we had to pay a lot more definitely a good 3 star holiday with beautiful gardens.

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Tropical Casa Laguna - Cabarete

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thompson - august 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : tracy home( 34,36,13,10,7

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

you got to go here to see the place it is amazing. 

the kids really enjoyed everything about the place. there was activies for the kids morning noon and night. the staff were very helpful. the food was good too. the only problem we found was getting a drink hard after 9.30 there was only 1 barman working and if it was raining there was no cover. but overall holiday brill top marks to all staff working at the hotel they kept everyone amused with crazy games and kids disco on a night time.food was ok but did not cater much for kids my kids lived on chips and mayonaise. but everyone has different tastes. you got to try the monster truck safari was brill had water fights with other trucks brill kids loved it. you got to see how the locals live  and swim in river. its a long flight 8 hours and 20 mins and if you tv does not work on the plane  its a long time keeping the kids amuzed. 

but overall holiday excellent.

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Tropical Casa Laguna - Cabarete

Operator and Date: Odyssey - January 2005

Opinion submitted in Jan 2005 by : Tina & Ian (38,41) Heckmondwike

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We booked this holiday 6 months in advance and was a little worried after reading other reviews, this was a second honeymoon for us so we wanted something a bit more special than the spanish costa's.
The nine and a half hour flight went rather more quickly than I expected, we flew with Thomas Cook Airlines and were well looked after.
We arrived at the airport mid afternoon and were transported quickly and efficiently to the hotel.

The first room we were allocated had a terrible view of a half finished building next door, we felt we deserved a better room as we had paid full brochure price 6 months in advance, the receptionists were friendly and efficient and moved us no problem, we got a lovely room over looking the pool.

The gardens were beautiful. We went bed and breakfast after reading bad reviews about the food - we are sooooo glad we did - the first day at breakfast the staff in the restaurant were moody and unorganised, so the second day we went over the road to the sister hotel, where the staff were friendly and the food seemed much fresher, it also meant we could eat our breakfast overlooking the ocean.

The thing that struck me about the sister hotel was the pools were very dirty and the gardens unkept - rather a shame as it is dearer to stay in the sister hotel as it looks over the beach - we had the opportunity to upgrade to the beach side but were so pleased we had saved our money, the breakfast was the only good thing about the beach side.

The entertainment was appalling - we had enough after 1 night and decided to get out and see some of Cabarete, I think all inclusive guests who never left the complex to eat or drink were missing out big time.

There are some superb restaurants in Cabarete, the restaurants are mainly on the beach and the atmosphere on an evening are fantastic with fairy lights in the palm trees and the cool breeze from the sea. Our favourite places were Jose O'Shays (Hi Frank & Mike!!), Ho La La, DND and the chinese on the main street - the chinese was unbelievably cheap!!
The Hawkers on the beach were no trouble really as long as you didnt encourage them - a polite no thank you was usually enough.

The main street is very busy and you need to keep your wits about you.
Watch out when you are dealing with your money, they are much more accepting of US dollars, and if you try to pay in Peso's they try and charge you double and can catch you out if you are not quick at conversions in your head - this is especially so at the airport where we got two drinks and the barman asked us for 4 dollars (about £2.00) we didnt have dollars so we asked him the price in Peso's to which he replied 200 peso's which is about 4 quid!!!
The beach was nice, a nice breeze and had a quiet end and a more crowded end - the sunbeds cost about £1.20 each a day.

We went on two trips - Paradise Island - Fantastic snorkeling but it takes four hours to get there, and Horse riding - BUT beware this is not a novice ride - in and out of the rain forest and many crossings over very swollen fast flowing rivers.

We would definatley go back to The Dominican but would maybe see some of the Caribbean side next time.
Fantastic Holiday!!!

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Viva Wyndham Tangerine - nr Cabarete

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - November 2004

Opinion submitted in Jan 2005 by : Steve and Sarah (28 + 22)

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Although this hotel was new for the brochure we booked from, we were a little disappointed when we first arrived, The pool was a little smaller than expected and the weather was overcast.
So onto the review:
Entertainment:- These guys were really good in what they did but the only downsides were the Leader of Animation (Piopio) got on everyones nerves when he announced each event  followed by a high pitched "hee hee hee piopio" and the other thing was the choice of activities.. Not everyone wanted bingo and merengue followed by spanish lessons.
The evening shows were pretty good though, you must see the wizard of Oz and sing along (I did)
Food:- On first accounts it did look a good set up although after a while it did get repetative, the italian was OK and the mexican was very good. Pizza was main dish of the afternoon!
Drinks:- Very well catered for throughout the day and night, (Ask for a barman special!!)
Weather:- Like i said before, it did rain nearly every day but still came home with a fantastic tan.
Rep:- Pops was superb, looked after everyone and was really down to earth.
Location:- In between Cabarete and Sosua so was a little awkward getting to either one. DON'T BUY FROM THE SHOP IN HOTEL nearly cost £60 for disposable camera and few postcards!! go over the road outside and buy from the store.

All in all, i did enjoy it and would still go back again.

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Cofresi - Dominican Republic

Hacienda Tropical - Confressi

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - Sept 2005

Opinion submitted in Feb 2006 by : Jason and Karen - Milton Keynes

Resort Rating: Below Average

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We arrived at the hotel and seemed surprised after the reviews that we had read, it seemed that it wasn't the hell hole that we had read about. The first week we couldn't really complain, accomodation and food were average, but.. the second week is a different story!!! 

Virtually the whole complex went down with a stomach bug which we believe had something to do with the warm (not hot) food or the fact that they were putting chlorine in the pool in the afternoon when people were swimming. Our patio door in our room broke and after calling reception 6 times someone finally came to fix it. On the last night we had lizards and cockroaches in our room and we were on the 3rd floor....... thank god it was our last night. The first Choice Representative was never around when you needed him and I can honestly say I never saw him!!! 

I would not recommend this hotel to anyone and I certainly would never go back.

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Hacienda Tropical (Ramada) - Cofresi

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice June 2005

Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : Peter & Sharon - Bristol (28,48

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

After reading reviews here and on other sites, we panicked and were expecting some half built rat infested hole, what a surprise we had. The hotel was Very clean and well decorated (for the Dom Rep). We did n't get the room we had paid for, (Tour operators error), however this was rectified immediately.

Rooms cleaned everyday (even in the evening if needs be (some kind person put a do not disturb sign on our door all day, when we returned at 6pm the room had n't been cleaned and we could really complain about it ten minutes after we took the sign down two cleaning ladies we knocking on the door to clean the room. Never had that before!!!)) Pool cleaned every morning at about 8am. and treated every night after 11pm.

FOOD - not the biggest choice I have ever seen (but it does stop you over eating!!!) and it was all edible, tasty and recognisable as well as being replenished as and when necessary.

Entertainment - Nightly and very watchable and funny, the animation team worked extremely hard to keep us all entertained especially Carlos and his impersonations of Mr Spaghetti (you will have to go there to find out about that.

On a whole the hotel was quiet and relaxing (apart from when they left some locals in for the weekend (they literally took over the hotel - which made a change from the British doing so) and if I was the sort of person to go back to a resort twice I would go back there again.

If Flying long haul with First Choice, I would recommend flying Star Class Premiere - well worth the extra for the legroom and the service - not to mention as much alcohol as one can drink in a flight without getting arrested.

One thing to note, the beaches at the North of the island are n't anything special (similar to the ones at home)- dark Atlantic waters with strong waves and dark sand only it's a lot hotter.

We did get some rain. most afternoons for about 1 hour and a couple of thunderstorms too, but it was hot and sunny at all other times

So, for anyone who has read bad reviews on this resort, please think again - whilst it has it's faults, and it is n't the best hotel in the Dom Rep, it is a VERY VERY long way from the bottom of the list.

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Hacienda Tropical - Confressi

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours

Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Couple, Scotland, 22 & 30

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We travelled to the Hacienda tropical at the end of May 05 and we were supposed to be staying in the Garden Club however when we got on the bus we were told this part of the hotel was under construction and we would be placed in the main tropical hotel.

When we got to the hotel it looked lovely, we were presented with drinks and our luggage was taken to our room. Our room was fantastic. It has air conditioning, a fridge, a queen size bed, plenty of wardrobe space, American cable TV, huge bathroom with hairdryer and plenty of power points. We had a nice balcony with a good view of the pool and sea.

The hotel has 2 large swimming pools and there was never any problem with getting sunloungers and there was always plenty of staff on hand to help. The weather was fantasic. It did however rain every day in the early evening for about an hour but it was always warm.

There was always plenty of bars and places to eat or drink open. The cocktails are fab. There was plenty of evening entertainment and shows from the entertainment staff. There were also plenty of things to do during the day.

We went to the italian a la carte restaurant twice. The only thing with these a la carte restaurants is that they are only open twice per week each. It was alright however the food on a whole at this hotel wasnt great.

There is a good shop on site and there is also an internet cafe, jewellers and gift shop. At nights market stalls come to the hotel near the main buffet area and sell their goods which is nice.
This hotel is very quiet at night and very family orientated however for myself and my partner there wasnt much nightlife.

On the whole a fantastic hotel, poor food and quiet at night. very relaxing though.

Ramada Hacienda Resort - Cofresi

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice, March 2004

Opinion submitted in Apr 2004 by : John and Linda, Walsall (29 and 36)

Resort Rating: Poor

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Spent two weeks at this resort in the main 'Tropical' part (14/03/04 to 28/03/04).  The hotel has been taken over by Ramada (last year?) and is in urgent need of total refurbishment. We stayed in the 'better' part of the hotel.  Apparently Ramada have made great improvements to this hotel since taking it over.  I would have hated to see it before ...

Reception area/hotel grounds

The reception areas are OK and the grounds are well maintained.  However, that is where the praise ends.  The hotel is, in our opinion, a potential death trap.  We lost count of the number of guests we saw falling over on the slippery surfaces (totally unsuitable for a beach resort) and we saw a lot of guests on crutches and with their ankles strapped.  My boyfriend slipped in our room and bruised his shin.  The surfaces around the resort are in a terrible condition - chipped and raised.  We even saw a pool of blood by one of the swimming pools!  We spent the entire holiday carefully picking our way around the resort as we were scared of falling over.  They also had maintenance staff painting various areas but not bothering to put up wet paint signs - cue hands in paint etc.!  We saw more paint on the floor than anywhere else.

Rooms

Very, very basic. We stayed in the 5000 block on the first floor and we had to have our mattress changed as it was damp, smelly and stained!  The mattresses are old and hard and the pillows lumpy.  The throw on bed had paint on it!  The sheets were also too small for the bed and so you ended up with them strangling you in the middle of the night. Did not have one decent night's sleep the entire holiday.  

The wardrobes did not shut properly and had mismatched door knobs on them.  An attempt had been made to tart them up and they had been painted inside and out very badly. The other bedroom furniture (black!) was also old and shabby and the drawer in my bedside unit was broken.  The patio doors were filthy with finger marks and smudges all over them There was a fridge in the room - old , noisy and dirty which had two bottles of beer, two bottles of water, a bottle of Pepsi and a bottle of 7UP when we arrived but this was never restocked.  You had to ask to get water. 

The towels were thin and shabby. Our shower head was loose and did not stay in the upright position unless forced completely back into a 90 degrees position.  We had no hot water for the whole two weeks but did manage a tepid shower a couple of nights when we showered before 6:00pm.  When we mentioned the lack of hot water to reception we were fobbed off. We were told by other guests not to bother as hot water was a novelty and mostly there was none! There was no ceiling fan (as stated there would be in the First Choice brochure) and the air conditioning was antiquated.  Thankfully we did not get a ground floor room as we noted that water seeped out of these onto the corridor due to the air conditioning units.  People we spoke to who were in these rooms told us they had to put towels down constantly to mop the water up (this was the hotel's idea!!). 

Food

Very bland, cold, undercooked, repetitive.  We are not fussy eaters but this is the only holiday we have been on where we have not put on weight.  Plates were cracked and chipped. Breakfast was OK.  Fresh omelettes and smoothies.  You need to make reservations for the speciality restaurants (Chinese, Italian and fish).  The reservations are made between 8:00am and 10:00am.  If you want a reservation, get in line at 7:30 and queue!!  If you are not at the front of the queue you will not get in and the surly woman making the reservations will not let you book for the night before unless you suck up to her.  She will tell you that the restaurants are fully booked but you will walk past them during the night and see that they are not.  

Do not bother with the fish restaurant - you have to pay a supplement for lobster ($20).  Do not bother.  Go down the beach for 5 minutes to Chris & Maddy's restaurant where you can get a great meal for two for £40 (with drinks).  Everyone we met had someone in their party get a gippy tummy.  We lost count of the times we cut into meat and blood flowed out.  Sometimes you could not even tell what sort of meat it was.  More than often, we made do with a sandwich.  Oh yes, and I got a cockroach crawling up my arm in the buffet restaurant! 

Beach/pools

The beach is public and is not very nice.  The sand is vile and the beach is dirty.  Take care to shower down when leaving the beach as the sand is heaving with sand mites and they will get into your clothes and your room and bite you to bits. We found broken glass several times whilst on the beach.  There are rocks in the water so you cannot boogie board unless you want to rip your body to shreds.  There are much nicer beaches on the north coast.  The pools are cleaned every morning but we did see anyone taking any readings throughout the day.  They always looked dirty and slimy.  The surface on the bottom of the pools are rough and I took all the skin of my toes whilst having a game of water volley ball.

Bars/entertainment

There is a bar on the beach (just until 6:00pm), a bar by the pool, a bar in reception and a bar at the beach grill area where there is also a stage for shows when the weather is bad.   Word of warning - try to avoid the toilets down there.  The female toilets have no doors and what you see on the seats in both male and female toilets - yuk!!! The entertainment team do try their hardest but it is the usual miming to tracks etc.  If you have children, they will be bored.  There is nothing for them at all.  There is a disco (Hurricane) but you have to pay for drinks.  Did not go so cannot comment on it.

Trips

If you do only one trip, make it the Outback Safari.  Great day out and a percentage of what you pay goes to building new schools for the Dominican children.

We also went to Saona Island on the South side of the Island (where they filmed the Bounty ads).  Beautiful.  Worth every penny of the $224 each.

Electricity (or lack of)

After having really lovely weather for the first ten days the weather took a turn for the worse and we had three days of complete downpours.  It was raining like we had never seen rain before.  Anyway, the electricity went off for 48 hours and we had no water for 12 hours.  Guests were filling up their waste paper bins with rain water to flush the toilet.  We even saw the kitchen staff filling up the silver trays the food was served in with water from the pools!  There is no back up generator which is just unacceptable.  Everywhere else has one, why not here?  No explanation was given to us as to why there was no electricity although prior to this we all received letters under our doors to say that they were updating the generator.  We were then told the generator had flooded and they were awaiting a new one.  Well, when we left there was still no electricity. There was no sign of a manager to complain too.  When we asked to speak to the manager we were met with blank faces and told to speak to the surly reservation booking lady!!! Eh?????  First Choice/Signature had to draft in an extra rep to assist with the complaints.  There were no complaint forms so everyone wrote out their complaints twice and got the rep to sign off one copy.  First Choice/Signature even sent someone over with money to compensate us for the lack of electricity for two days ($100 each).  Many people got to be moved.  Luckily, we were leaving.

General

This hotel is in urgent need of a complete makeover.  Ramada need to shut it down and do the work required properly and not just paper over the cracks and hope for the best.  First Choice should ditch this hotel now if they want to maintain their reputation.  If you are not a fussy eater, do not mind roughing it and are quite happy sitting around doing nothing, then this hotel will probably suit you.  They also need to have more English speaking staff on reception and get some proper management in there.  This place is in the dark ages and our assessment of a holiday is to ask "would you go back?" and "would you recommend it?".  Well the answers are NO and NO.

If you have booked this hotel, try and get your agent to change it.  If you cannot change and have any problems when you get there, dig your heels in and demand to be moved.  First Choice are going to be inundated with complaints from disgruntled holidaymakers and we are quite sure that they are more than aware of the problems with this hotel.

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Juan Dolio - Dominican Republic

Barcelo Colonia Tropical - Juan Dolio

Operator and Date: (Olympic Direct) Olympic/ Odyssey Worldwide - Feb 2004

Opinion submitted in May 2004 by : Andy & Tammy King (37, 30), East Yorkshire

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We went to Juan Dolio on Honeymoon, having got married on St Valentine's Day 2004, and were absolutely blown away by it.
We checked in at the hotel following a long flight and a very long transfer from Punta Cana (almost 2 hrs) but were welcomed by a lovely cheery chap at reception (Junior) who told me that my new husband had booked us the honeymoon suite and promptly got on the telephone and barked in Spanish at someone to take us some fruit and a bottle of rum up. We went all-inclusive and were staying at the Colonia but had full use of the sister resort, Barcelo Capella Beach Resort across the road.
We were gobsmacked when we got to our suite; it was huge with a king size bed, private balcony and whirlpool bath. The chambermaids had put beautiful flowers on the bed, in the bathroom and in our towels which were folded into the shape of flowers and swans.

We had a good explore the next day and found the place to be a perfect paradise, the restaurants were all excellent with a fantastic range of dishes and a different theme every night. Every morning i went in there with good intentions to just have fruit and juice and i came out stuffed having tried it all! We did exactly as we had planned to do on our perfect honeymoon: lazed in the sun on the beach or at one of the pools (both of which had sunken bars), strolled down the beach to take in the views, or just through the grounds (if you go, you will see the flamingoes, they are there permanently and are just beautiful to look at). For the more active they do a Merengue dance class on the beach every hour and loads of people joined in, it looked like real fun. All in all, we didn't see one person with a miserable face, which just goes to show what a brilliant laid back place it is! The evening entertainment was geared towards the kids early on, which got them tired out and then later there was cabaret and stuff going on for the parents, although we had usually gone to our suite by then... well, we WERE on honeymoon!!

There are lots of trips available to go on, we can recommend the beach trips as they are the stuff dreams and travel brochures are made of. You will never see whiter sand or bluer sea than in the Caribbean. For February, the weather was grand, although we had a couple of days where it rained heavily for half an hour or so, it didn't spoil it as it was over 100 deg every day and it soon dried up. One word of warning though: The reps tell you not to buy the phonecards as they get eaten up too quick, and to use your credit card on the automated service from the hotel room instead. BE WARNED we did this and when we got home, the next month the statement came through and for 7 calls, we had been charged just over £170 and there's nothing we can do about it. It's because they are on an American network or something, but i think that's just a little bit TOO expensive. Your moblie will work over there if it's tri-band.

All in all, we had a fantastic time and are are currently looking at destinations for our summer holiday in a couple of months. Needless to say, the Caribbean/ Dominican is coming up as a strong possible. GO!!! It's a dream of a holiday.

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Barcelo Talanquera - Juan Dolio

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours  jan21st-4th feb 2004

Opinion submitted in Feb 2004 by : dave t-oxford (41,45)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

just got back from this resort,well what can i say?,

TRANSFER:
time from punta cana airport 2hrs 45 mins minimum.
not good after a 9h20min flight,then kept waiting on coach for a good 1hr in carpark for rep to sort everything out.

WEATHER:
it rained about 5days out of 14,not to worry though stops as quick as it starts.
If you are lucky enough to travel in daylight hours,you will see how poverty stricken this country is,it is absolutely filthy with litter,rubbish everywhere,unemployment extremley high,they rely on tourism and sugar cane as their main income.people are very friendly,and wave as you go by on the coach.

HOTEL:
Has quite a grand reception,and the grounds are lovely,well tended and being swept all the time,although it is a bit manic to check in,and a bellboy will take you and your bags to your romm for a small tip.great pools very clean,and jacuzzi's are nice too.2 pool tables,2 bar football tables

ROOMS:
we requested a room with high floor sea view,got crappy room ground floor back of beyond,no view of any kind,no balcony or terrace, nothing, except carpark.This room was dark and damp broken bed and damp bedding,and extremley very basic.We did kick up and got moved to another room, but it took 3 days to get moved to the beachside complex.Great room right on beach,but had to put up with disco racket from 11pm-0200pm (every night)then all the noise of the drunks slamming doors.you get used to it after a while.

BEACH:
man made,loads of sunbeds TIP:(get down beach around 07:15 to put towel on sunbeds otherwise you will not get one,all the GERMANS,FRENCH,ITALIANS,CANADIANS do it then clear off for breakfast,they also put towels on sunbeds in the pool area aswell just to edge there bets.)plenty of hawkers on beach selling baech shoes, coconuts, hats, sarongs, watches, or having braids in hair,manicure-pedicures,just say no thanks and they do go away.

FOOD:
the food is quite varied,and there is something different all the time if your willing to try new types of quisine.In the cocola restaurant there were never enough cups or glasses and the food was mostly warm only english people queued germans/french always pushing in waiters are good though,TIP:(if you find an empty table,put room key or something  on it before you get meals,otherwise you will come back and find somebody else nicks your table) We found the beach restaurant was best for lunch open 12:30-4:00pm.

ENTERTAINMENT:
ok if you like to watch a lot of latino type dancers,or audiance participation games.on the whole not that good after you've seen it a few days, quite repetetive.always start and finish with their resort song/jingle.

TRIPS OUT:
there are a lot of trips you can do but it isn't cheap,we do recommend the SAONA ISLAND trip if you want a taste of real paradise this is a must.It takes about 1hr30 on coach to catch a speed boat to island,speed boat is excellent and the island is a national reserve,totally unspoilt clear green/blue water snow white sand and lovely palms.cost us 78 dollars each,but a great day away from the complex.

TIPS FOR SMOKERS:
MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR ENGLISH CIGS AT YOUR  DEPARTURE AIRPORT OR ORDER THEM ON YOUR OUTBOUND FLIGHT FOR YOUR RETURN,AS THERE WERE NO ENGLISH CIGS AT PUNTA CANA AIRPORT AND ALTHOUGH YOU CAN BUY THEM ON YOUR RETURN FLIGHT STOCKS ARE LIMITED,AND RUN OUT PRETTY QUICKLY.DEFINATELY PRE-ORDER ON OUTBOUND FLIGHT,TO AVOID DISSAPOINTMENT.

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Coral Costa Caribe - Juan Dolio

Operator and Date: sunset june 06

Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : jim antrobus 59 barbara antrobus 58

Resort Rating: No rating

Accommodation Rating: No rating

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

travelled with monarch,the seats where the most cramped we,ve ever experienced.the flight was 9hours and the trasfer 3 hrs so we were exhausted by the time we arrived.there was a fridge in our room and was suppossed to be stocked daily with 2 waters 2 sodas 2beers. there was none on our first night and we spent all our first week complaining. 

the food was excellent the first week but not as good the second. the beach was good and the pool bar right next to the beach.monday to friday you got well looked after by the staffbut come weekend the hotel filled to bursting point with locals, the hotel became a nightmare with locals taking over the restaurants pool and beach.hilton operate a time share from this hotel so you also get annoyed by their staff.one plus we had two weeks without any stomach upsets.

the entertainment was pretty poor.on the day of our return home we had an early pickup which meant we had 3 hrs wait at punta cana for our flight home so acting on advise from our rep we booked the v.i.p. lounge at the air port,it was excellent,nice food ,nice drinksair conditioned and well worth the money.

i would not go to this hotel again

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Coral Costa Caribe - Juan Dolio

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson august 2004

Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Gillian Wilson - Liverpool (28, 28,29,25)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Flight/ Transfer
We flew into Punta Cana airport, which was three hours away from our hotel.  the transfer was long and in the midday heat was quite exausting, however the coach was fully air conditioned.

Hotel
When we arrived at the hotel we were greeted by "the chocolate friends" and we were made to feel really welcome, the checking in process was made quite pleasant.  Our cases were taken to our rooms by the bell boys (who like being tipped)

Rooms
we were really impressed by the size of our room, it had two double beds in, air conditioning, an iron and ironing board, a fridge and a television. 

Restaurants
The food in the hotel was superb in every restaurant.  Our favourite restaurant was the italian, we were treated like kings and queens.  The Captain made us feel at home, i would recommed the beef tenderloin with blue cheese, it was lovely. as well as the italian there was also a mexican restaurant, a dominican restaurant, a grill, a buffet and a snack bar(24 hour)

Entertainment
This was a bit of a let down, there was quite a big team called the "Chocolate Friends" however they concentrated on the evening shows but didn't go out of there way to make anybody feel welcome.

Bars
There were a range of bars and all pretty much the same as the rest except the bar around by the casino, jose who worked there was just the nicest man you could hope to meet.

All in all we had a brilliant week and we would recommend it to anybody looking for a relaxing week in the sun.

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Talanquera Beach - Juan Dolio

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook - Sept 2006

Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : barry cubin  cumbria   (50, 45)

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

 ive just returned from talanquera bch resort on 20th sep 2006 .after reading the bad reviews .

after the long flight from manchester we arrived at punta cana airport to be told we had a 3 hour tranfer to the resort.at arriving at the resort we checked in and was shown to our room.the room was comfy and clean but other guests had a few problems with damp and faulty plugs but were soon sorted by the rep and moved to better rooms .we were in the block 400 .the rooms were clened daily with clean towels daily.the food was basic but edible breakfast was good but you must try the omellets the grounds are perfect more like 5 star with a large pool area and no problem getting sunbeds.down on the beach is a different matter as its a small beach but clean the problem is you get hounded all day from beach sellers just say not today and they go a way .the stuff they try and sell you is expensive and you buy your gifts half the price down the road at the chocolate plaza only two mins from the resort.

the entertainment is terrible the same dancers nite after nite so we sat at the beech bar with the other guests.the staff work so so hard and like a tip or two.a doller is alot two then we had a couple of trips with we enjoyed the jeep safari and soani island you go by speedboat and sail back on a catamaran with time on the island and swimming so dont miss this trip and your lunch is included the biggest problem is at the weekend friday till sun when all the locals come your pushed out the way and the resturant is packed so book for the italian resturant its free but you must book it. the resort is for people who want two chill as there is not much to do and the kids will soon get bored as there is nothing  for them to do so if you want to lay on the beach allday and do nothing else its ideal but not for me.then after all that its an other 3 hour drive to the airport but watch your bag weight as they charge you a fortune 

i wont be going back

barry  cumbria

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Talanquera Beach - Juan Dolio

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook (Sunset) April 2004

Opinion submitted in Apr 2004 by : Pauline Muggeridge, Essex (group of 16 aged between 4yrs and 54yrs!)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

We have just returned from the Talanquera Beach Hotel. Having read many reviews, mostly adverse, but with the odd complimentary one, we went with open minds - everyone has their own level of expectation.

We were a group of 14 adults and 2 children, celebrating 18th and 50th birthdays and a 30th wedding anniversary. One member of our group is disabled, and unfortunately on the morning of our flight had slipped and twisted his 'good leg'and was in a lot of pain. I know its not really allowed to 'name and shame'on this site but I have to say that Gatwick Airport's response to our request for wheelchair assistance (especially bearing in mind that we had already requested disabled support on booking the holiday) was very poor, and we ended up pushing him around on a luggage trolley until he was transferred to the boarding gate. What a difference at Punta Cana Airport though - as we left the plane we were immediately offered a wheelchair, they got our luggage for us, dealt with our visas,and we were whizzed through Arrivals so quickly and efficiently we didn't even stop for the welcome photo!

Beware the transfer times from the airport - it takes 2½-3 hours from Punta Cana or about 1½ hours from La Romana, so make sure you have plenty of drink with you.

Anyway, back to the hotel - Guest services provided us with a wheelchair from the hotel clinic, apologising that we could not keep it for the holiday duration due to it belonging to the clinic and the spare wheelchair belonging to the hotel having already been allocated.

We were allocated ground floor rooms in the block adjacent to the beach and just opposite the resort entrance and restaurant, so ideal for our disabled son in law (who fortunately recovered a couple of days into the holiday and was able to get around)- there are ramps everywhere for ease of wheelchair access. The rooms were large and clean, although disabled access to the bathroom may have been a problem as there was little room to move a wheelchair around had we needed one longer. The beds are HUGE! TVs with a large choice of channels are provided (including Disney channel!) , and when you get your room key you are given a TV remote free of charge. Safes are provided in every room, you hire them for the 2 weeks for a total of $38 - we didn't hear of any instances of theft while we were there, but better to be safe than sorry, and the safe was large enough to take all the valuables from 3 rooms, so it worked out relatively cheap.Towel cards are provided - you don't need to carry your own beach towels with you, just get a clean towel every day from the Animation desk. Don't lose the cards or towels though - they will charge you $15 if they don't get back either a card or a towel at the end of the holiday!

The exchange rate at Reception is comparible with the exchanges locally. If you need to phone home, there is a phone in the reception area, and this will work out cheaper than using the phone in your room - a VERY brief call home cost 340 pesos (roughly £5!!!) We found that it was better to use Dominican Pesos rather than US dollars, despite having being told the opposite.

The hotel has extensive grounds, very lushly vegetated and well tended. By the main restaurant you will find a flamingo pool (occupied by 5 of the noisiest flamingoes around!), and its not uncommon to see crabs and lizards roaming around freely, and also the occasional frog!

I had read that people were unable to get sunbeds around the pool or beach after 7.30am - we never found this to be true, although the pool beds were generally all taken by about 9.15am. There are adequate sunbeds on both the pool and beach areas. The pool areas are kept very clean - if guests put their rubbish, empty cups etc in the bins provided instead of just leaving them on the ground the staff wouldn't have to work half as hard as they do! All the pools are relatively shallow, which meant that the youngsters with us felt quite safe whichever poool they were in. We went to the Kids Club once, but the young girl in charge speaks very little English, and it seems that although the club is for 4-10 year olds, you can't leave the little ones in there on their own, which would have made a nice break for their parents.

There is an Internet cafe at the hotel, $2 for 30 minutes, $3 for an hour, and the connection speed is faster than mine at home! They also have Playstations in there for use.

Entertainment during the day is not OTT - the water aerobics workout is hard work though! Beach volleyball, water polo and various afternoon competitions are available. Evening entertainment kicks off about about 8.30pm with the Kids mini-disco followed by a different programme each evening, mainly audience participation competitions, but amusing!The only comment I would add here is that sometimes you would have a large pause between the minidisco and the adult show, which rather broke the evening up.

Food,sadly, is where I would downscore this hotel - plenty of choice but very repetitive and fairly bland - you may never want to eat chicken again in your life! It wasn't chips with everything either - there was always an alternative potato selection. Although not a vegetarian myself, I noticed that there was a fair choice for veggies, and there is a pasta bar where you can choose your own contents such as cheese, peppers, onion etc. The fresh bread and rolls(baked daily onsite) are fantastic. There is a separate Kids Bar, with a selection from the main menu and also hamburgers and hot dogs, but my two grandchildren (aged 7 and 4) found the height of the bar meant that they were unable to select food for themselves, which rather defeats its purpose. A similar menu is available at the Beach Bar if you can't be bothered to leave the beach area.

Restaurant staff work very hard to clear tables, and rarely did anyone have to wait more than a couple of minutes to have a table relaid. If you have a celebration, you can order a cake free of charge via Guest Services (before 11am!) On the day of our daughters' 18th birthday we left it too late to order a cake, and told our waiter, Tomas, this as we started our evening meal - he said he would "'ave a leetle word.." - the next thing we knew was the noisy approach of a line of waiters banging knives and forks together singing 'Happy Birthday' to our daughter, led by Tomas holding a cake with a candle on it! The French restaurant incurs an additional charge, and we didn't bother with it, but our daughter and her fiance used the Italian restaurant a couple of times - you have to book it at Reception around 12.30pm though.This restaurant is part of the all-inclusive package, but items on the menu such as lobster or scampi will incur an additional charge.

If you're a shopaholic you'll get withdrawal symptoms unless you go to Santo Domingo or San Pedro de Macoris - there are a couple of shops in the immediate area of the hotel, but its very much a case of same items, different layout.

Beach vendors can be a pain in the backside, but a polite refusal sends them away, until the next time! Don't try the trick of 'we're all inclusive, we have no money on us' - it doesn't work, they just offer you credit - 'you pay me tomorrow' and believe me, they don't forget a face!!!! If you do decide to buy something, be prepared to haggle like crazy - they love it! You won't get any trouble with them, as the security guards that patrol the beach and hotel areas are always close at hand. The beach isn't huge, and has many trees on it, but this does offer protection from the powerful sun and is very welcoming at times, especially if you have kiddies with you. You don't really need to have beach shoes as the sea urchins are mainly on the rocky reef, but the water's edge can be a little stony so it may be advisable if you have tender feet. I wore plastic flip flops and was fine - the beach vendors will try and sell you the shoes though, its up to you if you buy them (pay around $10 or less, no more!)

Don't go to Manati Park - we had planned to go there and swim with the dolphins, but the park has had several dolphins and various other animals die there in the past year and are under investigation. Saona Island is a good trip - take seasickness pills if you're not a good traveller though as you go by catamaran and come back by speedboat. Beware the waterfalls if you do the Dominican Discovery trip - its not generally mentioned that its a very steep incline to get to them and the waterfall itself is so powerful that jewellery can be literally ripped from your body - one of our party lost a ring that was normally quite tight-fitting.  Trips booked via the reps are generally around $20 more expensive than if you book through outside agencies such as Broughton Tours, about 100 yards right of the hotel entrance, or the Chocolate Box, about 500 yards further on. Saona on its own is about $75, but you can book Saona, Catalina Island (snorkelling) and Jeep safari for $115 for the 3 trips by going to Broughton Tours. The hotel reps will try to dissuade you,after all, they are losing commission, but we booked through Broughton and had no problems whatsoever.

One trip I would definitely recommend is the half day San Pedro de Macoris visit (about $25)- we learnt more about the island and its history in that half day than in all the other trips put together. We visited a local fruit market, rum factory, cigar factory, candle factory and a Dominican plantation where we saw all kinds of plants - the Dominicans believe very much in natural remedies, and the 'tea' offered at the end of the tour is supposed to have aphrodisiac tendencies - it looks foul but was surprisingly quite refreshing, with the addition of a little sugar. We saw grapefruit and pineapple growing, and bananas just an inch long growing in a most exotic looking flower.

As part of this half day trip we also visited a Government-funded housing estate occupied by Haitians who work in the sugar cane fields. We went into its local school - the Haitians live free of charge on this estate and earn around 100 pesos a day (just over £1)at a rate of 50 pesos per ton of sugar cane harvested - it is a condition of residency that their children attend the school, and this is where we gave out all our pens and pencils that we'd taken out with us, along with handfuls of sweets, all eagerly grabbed at by the kiddies, some as young as 2 - you'd think we'd given each child a set of Crown Jewels! The schools provide printed books, but each child is expected to provide their own stationery and writing books - a packet of cheap exercise notebooks costs pennies here and weighs very little in your luggage, but will mean so much to these children.

This is my opinion of this hotel and all it has to offer - you have to make your own mind up but I hope this is useful.I would recommend this hotel to anyone - value for money its brilliant - don't go expecting 5* luxury for 3* prices and you won't be disappointed - we had originally tried to book at the Metro Golf and Marina, a 5* hotel further along the beach, but were glad we couldn't as we found the beach there was horrendous, very rocky with sea urchins along the waters edge (you would definitely need beach shoes here), very little sand area, what was there was invaded by some very large and very angry looking wasps,and apparently complaints from hotel guests there were plentiful!

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Luperon - Dominican Republic

Luperon Resort Hotel - Luperon

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook may 2007

Opinion submitted in May 2007 by : proberts (wales)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

we booked this hotel last minute had had a very good price much cheaper than med holidays so we thought what ever we get we,ll make the best of.ARRIVAL the airport was brilliant from landing to being on our way to the hotel was 30 mins. its very easy to pass through airport with your arrival taxes etc no problems at all.outside ther are porters to help you if you require a doolar or two will be appriciated. the transfer to the hotel was uneventful but the roads are something else but its an experience, not too bad at all.we arrived at the hotel its not as smart as some others but its a three star and price reflects all! the staff are very helpful, the porters take your bags to your rooms which are allocated before you arrive(hint: email hotel before hand to ask for a particular room) we had room 21310 which over looked the ponds with the pink flmingos in and the pool with the waterfalls. 

the room on first arriving i thought was a let down they are a little shabby but you have everything you need a tv aircon (even when the room is empty) fridge with water daily and yes it is very safe to drink as is from the bars BUT dont attempt to even brush your teeth with water from the taps. we didnt suffer a lot with mozzies i had more problems in majorca than here. but repellant is a must as is sun protection the lowest i got to was afifteen and usually i use a eight! 

the food was fine lots of choice every evening hubby is very picky and he had no problems , especilly with the snack bar with burgers, the drinks are not up to much we drank all night and they,ve not really got any kick to them.the al,acarte resturant was a nice change air con and waiter service , right big question everyone asks about the weather FAB! what can i say we were lucky day we arrived it rained and we thought here goes a fornight in the bar but next morning 30 degrees and stayed that way till we got home.the sun does get very fierce at times and it touched 40 a few days there were a few burned people.there is loads to do at the hotel horse riding tennis games water sports banana rides the beach is nice but you have to be aware of the rocks there are nasty sea urchins waitng for you but there is a safe place you can use. night time there are shows and a disco afterwards . we used to walk back to the room using the beach path (which is very safe as there is security guards placed around the hotel and beach)on the whole for a cheap hol it was lovely the animation teams and staff are brilliant any problems you only to ask and they,ll fix it.spends: well what can i say we only spent on tips and arrival and departure taxes about £200 all together but we didnt do any trips which there are plenty if you want them.

HINTS: we took dollars plenty of one dollar bills if you can get them. the reception will change them to pecos if you want.take some face wipes and hand sterelising gel(£1 in tesco) also a small torch they do have occational power cuts which the water then goes off so their handy when needing a quick wash, we booked the v i p lounge for the return journey we think a must air con lounge snacks and drinks all in mags to read, we toke a bottle of water from there for the flight home no probs you can book this with the rep bev 20$ each and worth every penny the staff at the lounge even go and sort your departure tax out and come to get you when the flight is ready, brill highly recommened those who didnt book this (to expensive!) were left in a hot and humid airport having to buy thier own snacks and drinks which were not cheap. 

on the whole an enjoyable holiday but please remember this a three star hotel score out of ten would give it a six. happy hols

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Luperon Tropical Beach - Luperon

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook  may 2005

Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : john 42 amanda 38

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

the dom repuplic what a lovely country flight was  a bit uncomfortable very cramped we flew with monarch the trip to the hotel was about 1 hour 30 mins was worth it when you get there a lovely hotel very clean but basic maid sevice was every day and everything was changed food was spot on no complaints there beach was out of this world very nice to relax and so warm to swim in the sea this wasour honeymoon and there for a week all i can sat was it wasnt long enough we will be going back hopefully next year and will stay in the same place

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Luperon Tropical Beach - Luperon

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - August 2004

Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : Alexis Hunter & Brian Michalski (45,44)

Resort Rating: Poor

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We arrived in the Domincan Republic and were put into a ricketty bus, which was only just big enough for the passengers.  The luggage was put into a trailer being towed behind and some of the cases had to be tied to the top.  It was a very unpleasant hour and a half, where we were nearly run off the road a couple of times.

We arrived at the hotel and the reception area looked very impressive.  It ended there!!  We had to find our own room, which smelled mouldy, the toilet was full of dirty brown water and only flushed once and refused to work after that.  The small fridge in the room didn't work, the TV didn't work, the shower wasn't attached properly to the wall, the tap of the sink didn't work - it spat dirty water at you and the bath was too rusty and dirty looking to use.  The only saving grace was the bed was clean.

Our balcony overlooked what looked like a storage area for old, rusty scaffolding poles.  We were told this was a 'tropical paradise', but unfortunately it was very far from being that.  The beach was dirty and had rats running round and, when we asked, we were told that none of the water sports were available (some were supposed to be included in the price).

The food in the restaurant was inedible and if we had to stay there, we would have starved.  We could find nothing good to say about this resort and had the First Choice rep not managed to find us other accommodation, I would have found my own way home.  We complained vehemently and were moved to another resort the next day, which saved our honeymoon from being a complete disaster.  We were told, when we booked, that Tropical Luperon is a 4* resort, but the rep told us it is only a 3* and we think he was pushing the realms of imagination with this.  We would be hard pushed to give this resort a 2* rating and that is being kind to them.

Give this place a miss!!  After our experiences, we will never go back to the Dominican Republic.

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Luperon Tropical Beach - Luperon

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - August 2004

Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Shanley  -  Blackpool= 38, 37, 12

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We had read alot of bad reports about this holiday resort, and were quite disappointed to hear them when we had booked a late booking to what we thought would be a holiday of a life time.  We went open minded and when we arrived in the Dominican Republic we were very surprised at what we found.  

It is a very poor country, but beautiful.  The journey to the hotel was approx 1hr 30 minutes in a small bus, but comfortable.  It was certainly an eye opener to see how the locals lived but very exciting. We arrived at the hotel and again we were very pleased with the hotel and how comfortable it was.  They were basic rooms, but had everything that you needed.  The food was excellent and so much to choose from.  The hotel was right on the beach, which was just as you expect a tropical holiday to be like.  White sands, Blue seas and skies. It was a dream come true. There were bars at the beach for eating at lunch time, from burgers, to chicken, BBQ, Pasta, Pizza, everything you needed.  The restaurant in the morning was fabulous as they do all the food cooked to order. The entertainment at night was fine, you could go to the piano bar or the Amphi Theatre where there was entertainment every night.

The trips on the island made the holiday even more special.  We went to Ocean World and swam with the dolphins.  Outback Safari which was a fantastic day out.  And a trip to definately go on was Paradise Island.  It was the best day out ever.  Snorkling around a tiny island in the middle of nowhere.  The scenery in the dominican Republic is fantastic.  Go the to Luperon Beach and decide for yourself, but make the most of your holiday and stop moaning.  

We had the best holiday ever and would definately recommend it to anyone who wants a good time.

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Tropical Luperon - Luperon

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Sunset - August 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Liz Thorpe - Thatcham, 29. 26

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Tropical Luperon

I am a fussy traveller - Last year we went 5 star to the Maldives.
I have to say that after reading the reviews on here I did not hold much hope, however I really was pleasantly surprised.

The flight was with Thomas Cook. We all had individual TVs in the headrests in front of us. The flight was fine. The seats are narrow but the legroom is ok. We also had decent films on the way there and back. Flight time on the way out was 7.45hrs and on the way back around 8 hrs.

We stayed in block 20, which was almost empty, so lovely and quiet. Our room was very large with 2 king-size beds, which were extremely comfortable. We had a TV with some good American channels that show films most afternoons and comedy in the evenings. We had a great balcony overlooking beautiful, lush tropical gardens. These really were lovely, with large fishponds and flamingos.
Our bathroom was fine and very clean and the shower was good. Always had hot water and we had fresh towels every day. Our maid was brilliant - always remember to say Hola! And leave a tip - it really helps.

The food in the buffet was good - I am real foodie and was expecting the food to be terrible but it really wasn't. There was a great choice - to the point where we did not get bored of the food in the 2 weeks we were there. The great thing is that you can also go to the 4 a la carte restaurants once per week - which adds to the variety. The food and service in these is really good.
The food was always piping hot and nobody that I knew of was ill.

The pools were all really clean and had lots of shady areas.

The beach - one end - that is not really for hotel use is very dirty - full of rubbish but that is the way that the local people use the beaches  - as dumping grounds. The main area of the beach is great though - clean and great to swim in. There are quiet areas in the middle of the beach where you can sit and chill.
The snack bars at lunchtime by the beach are a great - BBQ chicken and salad, freshly made stone baked pizzas, chips, pasta etc. - all really good.

Whilst there I would really recommend taking a trip to Luperon. It is nice to wander around and sit in the few local bars.

The entertainment was fantastic - again, I have no idea what people who say it's awful are on about. They are great - the dancing is great and they try really hard.#

The best thing and the worst thing about this resort is the people. The best - the locals they are great. I don't understand the comments that are on here about them over running the place at the weekends and behaving badly - what a load of rubbish, Just smile and be friendly and they will take a genuine interest in you and what you do.

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Playa Grande - Dominican Republic

Eden Bay Resort - Playa Grande

Operator and Date: Peng - Feb 2005

Opinion submitted in Feb 2005 by : Sally & Jonathan

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We have just returned from a fabulous 2 weeks at Eden Bay. This is a 4 star all-inclusive naturist resort. The food is not the normal buffet style served in trays but it is all cooked to order. This means that you have to wait for your meal but the friendly staff keep topping up the wine so you don't even notice.

As with all REAL naturist clubs and resorts Eden bay has a lively mix of all type of people.(if you think of s*x or swing*rs you have got the wrong idea, so stay away).
 
When we stayed most people were from the US but we had about 6 different nationalities from around the world.

When we first arrived we thought that it was a little quiet as only about 50 or so people were staying at the time. This made it extremely pleasant as we knew everybody by name and for some strange reason every body knew our names before we met them ;-)

The entertainment was all organised by Peggy and Mike. Every thing from water volleyball to a magic show staring Nudini and Boobetta. Also at Eden bay you can make your own entertainment like my version of "Love me tender" with every other word replaced by hedgehog!!

Leave your troubles and clothes behind you and relax

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Rio San Juan - Dominican Republic

Bahia Principe - Rio San Juan

Operator and Date: first choice july 2007

Opinion submitted in July 2007 by : Laurie Herbert

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Excellent holiday all round with a mixed age group of 51 to 16We all had a fab time, Boat trip from resort Dolphin/Shark swim at ocean world,horseriding at beach, massage on beach, the only bad trip was a deep sea one where no fish were caught and a lot of sea sickness, the hotel is lovely and clean the food excellent with something for everyone and its is good to be able to have a meal with table service too.  You need to arrange to book the restaurants early though as they do get booked up.  We thought it was going to be unbearably busy and we did say we wouldnt want to be here during peak season but you can find quieter areas if you dont want to join in the fun and games around the main pool. Evening entertainment was also very good.   

We would definitely recommend this to people of all age groups.  We also saw a lot of weddings.

Will be back to this resort soon.

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Bahia Principe - Rio San Juan

Operator and Date: First Choice- July 2007

Opinion submitted in July 2007 by : Lucy Brown- Edinburgh (49,30,21,17,12,12,3)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Just got back, and cant believe it is all over. I went with my whole family- 7 in total with ages ranging from 49 to 3 and everyone loved it.

When we arrived we were upgraded for free to the 'diamond' class. We all agreed that this made our holiday, as we got to use the diamond pool, buffet, beach and the rooms were better. Our pool was nothing like the jam-packed noisy main pool (which the kids did enjoy). Instead, our pool was peaceful and quiet (great for readers like us!)
The main buffet, used by everyone seemed like a school cafeteria, so we stayed away and only used the diamond one. This was fantastic, with a chef cooking things from fresh for us including lobster, salmon, prawns etc... yummy! Also great for fussy eaters and kids! We went to the Italian twice and really enjoyed it. The seafood was fantastic too. The mexican however, was so bad that we had to go back to the diamond buffet and have another meal!
The resort itself was beautiful. It was maintained to a great standard, and the landscaping was lovely. The cabaret at night was entertaining, especially for families.

While we were there 2 of our party ended up in hospital (an ear infection and chest infection) and the clinic on site, and our rep Max were fantastic. Although it was scary going to the hospiten in pueta plata, it was actually really nice, with friendly staff who mostly spoke good english. However, one word of warning is make sure you get good insurance, and that they can be contacted 24/7, and dont use your credit card, as it is hard to get the money back from insurance companies.

We went on one trip- the Jeep Safari. It was absolutly brilliant. You learn about the dominican culture, and see a lot more than you do if you just stay in the complex. We went to Balboa beach which was breathtaking, and to a laguna which was also amazing. All the family enjoyed this trip, and you really dont need to take anything with you other than swimming costume, towel and suncream. This trip is definatly a must!

All in all a great, once-in-a-lifetime trip which the whole family enjoyed. We loved the complex so much we are thinking of visiting the Bahia in Mexico.

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Bahia Principe - Rio San Juan

Operator and Date: first choice july 2007

Opinion submitted in July 2007 by : beth 43 42 17 16

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

after reading quite a few comments on here we were a bit wary about staying at the bahia principe, well all i can say is that some people just seem to on holiday for a good moan, the hotel, its staff and facilities were excellent the food was lovely, if want food like you have at home then you should stay home. 

We ate in the italian, mexican and med and every meal we had was lovely, the entertainment staff were great even if the show was not what you usually like they put 100% into it, also you cannot beleive how hard they work, when we went to get our towels at 7.30 in the morning they were there they then did quite a bit of entertaining throughout the day then they put on their show in the night and then when we went down the strip there they were til about 2.00am and always had time to speak and have a laugh with you.
The grounds that the hotel is in is so pretty and well kept even the gardners took time to be nice to you.

The beach is lovely you have a bit more room on there you dont seem quite on top of each other, plenty of sun loungers on the beach and around the pool, all in all i would say that this is a great holiday for families and couples but you must remember that you are in a third world country and things are different to home here (which is why we go abroad in the first place)

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Bahia Principe - Rio San Juan

Operator and Date: Airtours - june 2007

Opinion submitted in June 2007 by : Helen - Manchester (33,33,4)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

we have just returned for the second year running from this value for money excellent family holiday,
we can not fault a single thing and every family we spoke to felt the same,
Dont get me wrong we went last year at the end of june and yes was out run by canadians who were some very rude! but this year we went in the school holidays in may and met so many english familys.
The food, entertainment and facilities are very good, please book on the Outback safari trip that was really good seeing true Dominican culture,please take pencils and books and sweets for the poor children who beg on the streets.
The people are poorly paid in this country so to get a job in a hotel to them is a lottery win so to hold down these jobs they have to preform to such high standards and believe me THEY DO!!!
It shows in the food they prepare, the maids cleaning the rooms and the waiters are so helpfull you only need to empty your glass, put it down and magic you have a new drink!
These people have so much talent and really put us to shame on how perfect everything has to be and that is just what his holiday was PERFECT!!!

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Bahia Principe - Rio San Juan

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours - May 2007

Opinion submitted in June 2007 by : shaun 35 cath 38

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

hi just come back from this hotel on the 31/05/07 and thought i would have to write in as i think i can help those who are going to this hotel.

firstly the rep met us and was very good he was dominacan so was very helpfull on arrival the reception was very quick and we were soon on are way to are rooms.

the rooms were very clean and the mini bar had been stocked up and was on a daily basis all thought you only get 2 beers 1 coke 1 sprite and 1 bottle of water which was a shame because the beer was much stronger than the one in the hotel grounds on all pleased with the room.All the hotel grounds are well looked after and all the staff are very frendly not one complant their.The food in the main area was ok allways something their to find to eat even if your fussy.The burger bar was also good if you did not fancy going back to the resturant in the day and as for the a la carte resturants they was brill a real treat my fav was the seafood one i had a barbecue grill which was baby lobster salmon and trout very nice.the pools are very clean and the water is tested daily .the beech is ok but not the picture post card as the sand is quite dark and sea is not clear.The entertainment is ok apart from the kids one as they do the same songs and dances every day .

Right the trips we did most of the trips last year so only had the pardise island so we booked that the bus ride was 2 1/2 hours to the speedboats which was great the snorkeling was brill too even the dinner at another beech was good but then the bus journey home it took 4 1/2 hours as they take you to a supermarket or shed as we would now it as the company get comission this spoilt the whole day as it is just to much to sit on a bus for that long .

right so summing up our hols was brill the hotel is great and would go back tomorrow a word of warning if it rains heavy the bottom rooms flood as a happend 3 times when we was thier so if your on the bottom dont leave anything on the floor  

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Bahia Principe - Rio San Juan

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours August 2006

Opinion submitted in September 2006 by : Andy Bacon - Cambridge (44,45,12,6)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The complex is large with almost 1000 rooms, fortunately we were in the Diamond area of the complex well away from the hustle and bustle of the heart of the complex or " Butlins "as we nicknamed it!!

The rooms were clean and reasonably furnished with Daily maid service which incidentally improved as our holiday neared its end.

The Beach is lovely and stone free, with shallow waters allowing the kids to play well within their depths.

We didn't use the main pool area and stayed the majority of time in and around the beach and Diamond pool area.

Food was always well presented and generally hot with a somewhat repetetive theme of either grilled pork Beef or Lamb for both Lunch and Dinner.Good selection of Fish, salads and desserts

The Restuarant staff in the International Buffet were extreemly helpful and were always smiling.

 My Daughter made use of the free internet access 10mins per room per day in diamond reception although after 8pm they were allowing 15 - 20 minutes.

The holiday was exactly as we had imagined it, we had no cause for complaints.

My onl