My wife and I decided to take a Christmas trip away from home for a change and booked a trip to the Bahia Principe because it had fairly good reviews. Here is our take on the vacation: DOWNSIDE: 1- The trip to and from the airport is horrendous..the roads are bad and it does take one full hour. Get ready... more

We didn't get to stay in the Bungalows, even though we had booked a two bedroom suite back in August 2008. Upon our arrival, we were told there was an electrical problem and we would have to stay in Sun Village until the problem could be fixed. The accommodations they provided were a huge disappointment when compared to the Bungalows.... more

i went to the barcelo puerto plata for christmas and new year with my friend and her family, i loved it i have just arived home and did not want to leave (i cried), i would go back again in a heartbeat, i loved the entertainment and have learnt the club dance off by heart, how sad. the rooms were... more

I stayed at this resort with my family and had to move after 2 nights. The rooms are in desperate need of renovation. It is not really an all inclusive resort. You can't eat in the restaurant on the day you arrive because you need a day's notice. You can only eat in the restaurant 3 times for a 7... more

I agree with all reviews before about the cleanliness of the resort and helpfulness of the staff but having just returned from the resort I feel I have to warn all about the lack of entertainment hence my 3 star score. On the 15th Dec all entertainment was cancelled by the new manager and his entertainment manager rafael, Many of... more

riu mambo dec 2008, just returned i have to say the staff were great , the room we were in had smelly pillows ,and the linen did not get changed as offen as i would of liked . it seemed to me that it was very much a german orientated hotel ,and trying to get a sunbed round the pool... more

What can i say. A fantastic hotel! Which is why i am going back for my 4th visit in March 2009. Staff helpful, friendly and willing, Rooms cozy and clean ( a cleaners tip and a small note always gets you extra beer in the mini bar and choccies on your pillow ) Saona Island is a must!!! Its made... more

We agree with many of the comments. The hotel is pretty good value and the food selection is large - you can always find something yummy to eat. Tips also help getting things faster and the way you like it. If you want to do tours, there are independent tour guides outside closer to the other hotel. Ask for "Zachary"... more

I stayed at Barcelo for Christmas time this year. The resort is very nice, but a little bit old and the rooms need a bit of work in it (leaking roofs, tv dont work all the time, etc... Try the Club premium rooms, you wont have any problem there + you have private pool and chairs). The staff was so... more

My wife & our 2 children (age 13 & 15) & myself stayed at the Celuisma Tropical Playa Dorada during the week of Christmas and had a great time. We flew with Sun Wing out of Montreal and they served us a glass of champagne on they way to the DR as well a very good hot meal with red... more

We booked our three week stay at the Gran Ventana through Thomson and flew from Gatwick. Apart from the cramped seats on the Thomson flight, this was the best holiday of my life. The staff at the Gran Ventana are incredibly polite and bend over backwards to help you. The currency used there is primarily US Dollars but they will... more

Intro: We were a couple aged 23 and 26 looking to catch some sun, relax, see the local area and maybe have a few drinks/party occasionaly at night over the Christmas period. Hotel: The Hotel overall had an excellent lay-out, was very clean and definately looked like the best out of the hotel within the Playa Dorada area. (infact we... more

We stayed at the BlueBay for two weeks over Christmas, and had a good refreshing time. It's a worry-free and kids-free zone where you could let your inner child free. We didn't like the food but there were other things more interesting than food ...such as pool volleyball and jokes by the entertainment team. I miss these really. We liked... more

Nothing I would classify as ugly. The bad.... The rooms we stayed in, in building 4, were a little out of date. They were certainly comfortable, the beds good, the bathroom clean and overall fines for what we needed (sleeping and bathing). We had an ocean view with balcony and I would suggest springing for that level of room as... more

This was our first time to the Dominican Republic and we were really happy with our holiday. The staff at the hotel were very welcoming and friendly, the hotel is kept incredibly clean and the room was very nice. The only element I didn't like was the entertainment, but that is a purely personal choice, I felt it was a... more

The animations team was amazing, the food and the food was great... the staff was not so pleasant, i've certainly had more pleasant in the past at other resorts everyone had attitude, almost every employee you spoke to which is very odd for the dominican republic. There was constantly a towel shortage either no towels in your room or none... more

We spent two weeks at this hotel 13th - 27th Dec 08. The transfer from the airport was really quick although Puerto Plata airport is a bit chaotic - if you are used to airports in wealthier countries don't expect anything like that - Dom Rep is still a third world country. The check in was slow and a little... more

I went to Bahia Principe San Juan: Dec 25 2008- Jan 1 2009 with my husband and my 8 month old baby. Overall I think this place was good. I would go here again if the price was right. If you are looking for great food and an amazing beach then this place is not for you. However, if you... more

We arrived on Friday Dec 19, 2008-- Check in was fine, we were at the hotel in good time, however even tho we requested early check in we did not get our room until after 3PM..... OK we can wait, we had swimwear in carryon, so we changed went for a walk, checked out the beach area, found a nice... more