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Hotel Class: 
3.5 Stars - 2 Reviews and 3013 Opinions
Playa Bavaro, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Caribbean
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3015 Opinions
Sweetpi
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Flight: Left from Montreal April 2005,with Sky Services, Very small charter flight, left on time, friendly staff…had even an extra pillow. Arrived at the Punta Cana Airport on time.
Arrival: They are fast and very helpful, even take a picture of you when you arrive. You pick it up on the way out. The bus ride to the hotel though was a bit ruff, thought we lost the luggage in the back of the bus a couple of time. Travelers beware the Dominican’s do not drive like us Canadian’s. Hotel Room: Arrived at the Hotel and was received very well by the hostesses with a fruit punch drink and 2 dancers. This resort is beautiful… Our room wasn’t quite ready when we arrived but that was fine, cause we are on vacation so we walked around a bit in the front lobby, just smelling the warm air felt good. Once we did get to the room 32212 was very clean, fresh towels, king size bed, Satellite TV, and the fridge wasn’t quite full missing water called and 5 minutes later it was delivered, services was impeccable. Beach towels supplied to us every day. The maid service was good. We had the pool view which was better than the swamp view. We had 2 mosquitos in the room. The Resort: This place is clean, very clean. The grass is green, flowers are beautiful, tall palms trees. The washrooms were very clean also. The Staff: Cannot complain at all. Very polite & even try to speak your language if you try to speak there’s and very funny. There all great!
Unique Quality: The Food: I’m not a big eater when it comes to the heat, but trust me I ate; my boyfriend (at the time) was even surprise at how well I ate. The food was great at every buffet, even the restaurants you had to choose from. Our favourite was the Café de Paris. It was the top notch restaurant of the resort, the only one we really we were not crazy for was the Fish restaurant. Near the beach, But after all it is a different country and I have really no complaints on the food. Excursions: We did 1 only went with the Bavaro Runners; we were a small group and had lots of fun. Visited the island a bit more, but we really wanted to relax so only 1 excursion was done after a long cold winter you need to relax in the sun.
Will we go back? Definitely in about 5 years time for it to grow and see the difference. But will surely recommend it to anybody it’s worth the 5 stars that it’s rated for. Had a wonderful time at the Bahia Principe
Gran Bahia Principe Bavaro Ambar Photo: Great Coco Loco Drinks!!!!
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montrealsky
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Here is our experience at Bahia Principe, 24April 2005 - 1May 2005
SICKNESS
Three of us had some kind of stomach sickness. We didn’t take Imodium with us, nor did we use Malaria pills. It is advisable to do so, as there is a swamp full of mosquitoes in the middle of the resort. A mosquito repellent bought from the resort at an exorbitant price didn’t help: mosquitoes landed and ate comfortably from areas of our skin previously sprayed.
RESTAURANTS
Be on time at your a-la-carte restaurants! At Mikado we were late by 12 minutes. The manager wanted us to reschedule, since the persons with whom we were scheduled to share the table were already there. We refused to go away: being in vacation and not in the army, a 12-minute-late wasn't such a big crime. Finally, the manager agreed to squeeze us in, saying we would have to skip the Miso soup and the Tempura shrimp, our co-table partners had time to eat in those 12 minutes we were late!? However, he seated us at an empty table. While eating our sushi, he came and said: “I see you are eating very fast, so I can offer you our Miso soup, too.” We refused, as we didn't like to be treated as if were at someone’s mercy.
KIDS-CLUB
As its location is next to the ecological swamp full of mosquitoes, we asked for our daughter not to be taken on their outside playground. There were no special activities, probably because there weren’t enough kids. A teacher also advised us we couldn't leave her with them more than 3 hours at a time.
FLIGHT BACK
Our flight was scheduled to leave from terminal #1, which isn't airconditioned. We found very hard to breathe surrounded by smokers and the fuel "breeze” coming from the planes (this airport is an open one :) However, in the adjacent terminal #2 that is airconditioned, one can enjoy breathing, and also eating at some restaurants, or shopping at the duty-free shops. As there are no chutes or shuttles from the airport to the plane, walking to the plane in the tropical heat and fuel vapors was also annoying.
Unique Quality: HOTEL CHECK-IN
TIP: It was well worth the Bahia Principe Golden Club upgrade, as they did our check-in while we were in the bus to our hotel!
RESTAURANTS AND FOOD
We would recommend going to the French restaurant, “Le Gourmet,” even four times. It was the best! In general, at the buffets, the food was plentiful and there was a good variety but we all seemed to have a problem finding something we liked.
RESORT & BEACH
Awesome room-service (thanks Ramona!), awesome aerobic classes on the beach (thanks Jose and his colleague who’s name escapes me!), and awesome beach (thanks God!). Very, very friendly staff!
TIP1: If you want a hut that is closed to the beach AND the swimming-pools, get up early. Around 6:30 am they were all taken. The tip I’ve read that you can throw your towel on a chair by the midnight wasn’t helpful, as they clean the beach and stack the chairs on almost every evening.
TIP2: Don’t miss the shopping village located a 20-minute-walk from the resort. They have very good deals on oil-on-canvas paintings! They can wrap you the canvas, so it is easy to transport them back home.
CONCLUSION
We would go back to this resort tomorrow!
NOTE
I have posted a more detailed version of this comment on tripadvisor.com, where I am also a member, yet under a different nick.
Gran Bahia Principe Bavaro Ambar Photo: Bahia Principe, Punta Cana
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My original tip goes into great detail about the resort and why I would recommend it.
However, it is not the Ritz Carlton nor is it a Holiday Inn.
It is modern, yet charming.
The wonderful people make up any deficiencies at the resort. If your entire goal of a trip and staying at the Bahia-Principe is to come to eat, drink, play and relax, then you will not be disappointed.
Again, my original tip will go into further detail.
The Bahia Principe is an all-inclusive resort we stayed in November 2003.
It was very well priced, the food was excellent, and the entertainment was constant. there were three different restaurants you could make reservations for if you didn't feel like eating in the buffet (what? You don't like the buffet? Whats your problem?).
The main prblem was that the area it was in did not make for the most scenic part of the beach, and it was pretty dirty and desolate in the back areas compared to the hotel I had been to the time before. The great part about this hotel was the hilarious shows they put on, and the events like "dress up in a sumo outfit and try topush eachother down"...Geez, I made it sound dumb, but it was pretty funny...
It was still a beautiful resort, tennis courts, gym, bicycle rentals...but what can I say...I am biased to this Country.
I have to admit, it was one of those times, when R&R (rest and relaxation) were what the doctor ordered (not literally!)
If you're not in the mood for hostels, museums, finding a restraunt, etc., etc., this is the place to be! We enjoyed a wonderful week of fun and relaxation. The all inclusive resort had much to offer including several restraunts, nice hotel rooms, a beautiful beach, live entertainment shows, and the highlight for me being the water sports (aroebics, snorkelling, windsurfing and sailing).
The Travel Slut Top 10 Tips for Bahia Principe Resort & Spa in Punta Cana:
1) Upgrade to the Royal Golden Principe club which entitles you to a room closest to the beach area and several other worthwhile amenities. If you do, remind your driver to drop you off at each special lobby.
2) Bring a "coozie" or insulated cup if you plan beach or pool time. Ice in your drink will melt before you can reach your lounger.
3) Expect staff to greet you with "Ola" and a smile no matter where you are on property.
4) Different color wristbands identify your classification as regular, diamond or gold members.
5) Bell service is essential. They are quick and friendly and run 24-7.
6) Be sure to check out the Principe "Village" of shops, casino and outdoor entertainment near the resorts' entrance.
7) Ask for two room keys. You can then leave one in the power socket so when you exit the room the air conditioner remains on.
8) Make your dinner reservations for the theme restaurant of your choice early in the day as they tend to be filled up after 3 PM
9) If you want to check daily activities or check a map of where you are on property, look for the large marquee-type signs at various tram-trolley stops along the resorts central walkway.
10) Be sure to allow plenty of time for check-out. You will need an exit ticket from reception indicating you have settled your bill prior to leaving
This resort came recommended and I can see why. The resort's 1,500 junior suites on 3 separate but adjoining properties all have modern amenities, are spacious, & clean, My room was #1101 & closest to the beach & pool. 24 hour room service included.
There are 6 bars including a swim-up bar. Odalis is the best bartender @ the lobby bar. He's funny, charming, & makes a great "Dirty Monkey".
There are several themed restaurants: Japanese, Mexican, Steak House, Fish & Spanish. All require reservations & dress-up.
There are 5 pools, a childrens section and all are very nice.
Non-motorized sports & activities are included @ 1 hr. per day. There's an activity director w/staff who keep people busy poolside/beachside if so desired. All watersports are offered. Remember at latitude 17, you will sunburn quickly. I didn't use the spa/gym this trip but they are full service and new.
The resort property is HUGE. It's 1/2 mile long trolley-tram service between lobby & beach-pool area is in a loop so excessive walking is not a major concern.
Food: good variety & selection, above average quality, & choice of buffet or reservation-only/sit-down dinners. The teppanyaki-style Japanese dinner I had was OK & similar to a Benihana's.
Drinks: Domestic beer & rum offered. Top shelf liquor was available but not included. NOTE: premium wine was not available. Someone found me a "premium" bottle @ $24 U.S.. It was a $5 Woodbridge white zin. Pool bar drinks were not as good as other bars on property.
There were enough loungers & beach/shade.
Entertainment: Staff did nightly shows outdoors & while the music & dancing was fine, it was too hot & some people left early.
A few things I did not understand:
1) The in-room safe required an extra charge
2) The available wine was limited to primarily 1 brand
3) The outdoor entertainment was uncomfortably hot at night.
4) Why are the pools shut down at 8 PM?
My girlfriend and I have just returned from a 14-day holiday in the Bahia Principe Resort in Punta Cana. As far as we are concerned, this hotel is excellent.
The buffet is wonderful, offering a wide variety of salads, seafood, meat, vegetables, dessert, and so on ... As for the a la carte restaurants, we especially liked the seafood restaurant El Pescador and the French restaurant Le Gourmet.
As for the drinks ... no need to worry. The staff fixes you a nice cocktail with whichever ingredient you like. In general the people working at Bahia Principe are incredibly helpful and nice.
The pools, being cleaned thoroughly every morning, and the beach are fun. If you like sport activities, then you will surely find something to do (beach volley, beach football, nautics, ...)
Anyway, my girlfriend and I (24) had a great time at Bahia Principe!
As for the reviewer who wants to warn U.S. travellers and states that European travellers can afford hotel´s screw-ups ...
First of all, if you are not able to appreciate this resort, then I can not imagine what you are used to. There are some minor details than can be improved (such as the water problem in the bathroom), but not enough to consider this hotel unworthy a visit.
Secondly, if the language difficulty seems to be an incredible problem, perhaps this is because of the fact that US citizens lack any linguistic knowledge other than the English ... We, as Europeans, of course have a much wider language variety and do not have the least problem in having a conversation with the hotel staff.
In 1995 I spent a weekend in the beautiful hotel. The house is build like an old caribean manor house with bowfronts, very lovely ...
The hotel belongs to the Occidental group and I believe that it is still good ... Don't remember the price but anyway it would have changed much during the last years.
Great room amenities, room service, great food, mucho restaurants and quite decent snack bars. The beach is totally awesome, make sure to go snorkeling, there are some very fishy reefs in about 4 meters into the deep. Good-Looking volleyball coach:) Very nice night club. The hotel is quite large, so when you are getting your room keys ask for a room close to the beach (I believe it is called Golden Bahia Principe).
Now the lacks: alcohol drinks make u wish for mucho-mucho better, no good wine selection, evening entertainment is very low quality, so in the evening you are pretty much on your own.
I am one of the minority from the UK that stayed at the Bahia Principe this summer. We booked our trip independently ( teletext and flights through Thomson.com) so had no tour operator etc to meet us at the airport or to look after us when we got to Dominican Republic. Although this was a bit daunting at first, it did not cause us any problems, and we stumbled across Carlos, in the Apple Vacations tour office, who was really helpful and booked all our trips for us - well worth checking him out!!!
We got a Taxi from the airport ( $24 - dont pay any more) which was about a 25-30 minute ride. when we got to the resort, we did not have the customary welcome that you might have if travelling with a tour company, but we were the only ones checking in so were in our room within 10 minutes of arriving.
The resort is huge, but very impressive and well worth the 4.5/ 5 star rating it has aquired. The rooms are immaculate ( we stayed in a Club Golden Suite although booked a junior suite as we had 2 children staying in the room with us ) and the room itself was enormous. There is a jacuzzi bath in the huge bathroom and two double beds and a sofa bed in the living area. More than enough room. Nice large terrace/ balcony area and all rooms look out onto well tendered gardens.
All the staff are very friendly, some cannot speak English, but will always find someone who can if you cannot speak Spanish. It was not a problem for us - we always seemed to get by - somehow!! The animation team were great ( even of the shows were a bit repetative) and tried very hard to create a fun environment. As a result, very few people ( us included )made use of two beatiful pools, halfway between the reception area and the beach,and spent most of our time at the pool by the beach, but thats the whole idea of the place- you have a choice!!
On the beach there is a variety of watersports on offer. Anything non motorised is free and anything that involves a boat, costs. We did alot of windsurfing and sailing the Hobie Cats which were alot of fun.
The Food is very good and really there is nothing more you could want. The A La Carte resaurants are all of a high standard- we tried them all - and your favourite will be a matter of taste so I am not going to say that one is better tn the other- you can decide for yourself!!
Over all I would say that the Bahia Principe is an excellent resort, and I am sure will be very popular with the brits once it is released to UK tour operators in the future. Majority of clients staying there at present are Spanish, with some American and Canadian Guests and a few French. We had two weeks of pure indulgence and relaxation - well worth a visit.
Room #1101 of Bahia Principe, Punta Cana
Anyone heard any news about virus problem at this hotel in san juan as my friends are travelling soon with small children and worried as news in UK papers details problems here.
All I have heard is what it in the news:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6936180.stm
i read a newspaper article today and read that 3 people have died and the virus effects the liver. The virus was due to a water works sytem failing and contaminated.
My friend too is meant to be going in September but now has too cancel as the condition is getting out of control.
That looks like an excellent site Jeff!
HOTEL CHECK-IN
TIP: It was well worth the Bahia Principe Golden Club upgrade, as they did our check-in while we were in the bus to our hotel!
RESTAURANTS AND FOOD
We would recommend going to the French restaurant, “Le Gourmet,” even four times. It was the best! In general, at the buffets, the food was plentiful and there was a good variety but we all seemed to have a problem finding something we liked.
RESORT & BEACH
Awesome room-service (thanks Ramona!), awesome aerobic classes on the beach (thanks Jose and his colleague who’s name escapes me!), and awesome beach (thanks God!). Very, very friendly staff!
TIP1: If you want a hut that is closed to the beach AND the swimming-pools, get up early. Around 6:30 am they were all taken. The tip I’ve read that you can throw your towel on a chair by the midnight wasn’t helpful, as they clean the beach and stack the chairs on almost every evening.
TIP2: Don’t miss the shopping village located a 20-minute-walk from the resort. They have very good deals on oil-on-canvas paintings! They can wrap you the canvas, so it is easy to transport them back home.
CONCLUSION
We would go back to this resort tomorrow!
NOTE
I have posted a more detailed version of this comment on tripadvisor.com, where I am also a member, yet under a different nick.
1 members live in Punta Cana
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Q: Vacation "My boyfriend and I are going to Punta Cana in Sept....Can I wear a thong swim suite....and what should I take....we are going to..."
A: "Why not take the thong and also some other bikinis? Then wait until you are in the resort before you decide what to wear. You see, even if it's ok you don't really..."
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Address: Playa Bavaro, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Caribbean
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