At first we were a bit disappointed as the resort is really small with only a central small pool/area and the activities like pool, tennis table close at 7pm so in the evening except the daily evening activity/show there is nothing else to do. But after 2days or so you start to feel like home, the food is great (best I have ever had in an resort) the staff is super sweet, the beach has a reef so you can snorkel every day at low tide (your feet can still touch the ground and fishes are swimming around you!). As there is only one central main area with the pool the daily activities like games organized by the resort are all happening there so youre not going to be quiet by the pool there is very often music, laughter! But for adults only they have another dedicated pool with another lobby/bar which is amazing if you don't have kids!

The grounds and pool area are well maintained. The lighting at night is especially beautiful and the market place has a great vibe, with shops, ice cream and pizza venues. Lovely area to take strolls and lots of seating options. The entertainment crew work hard to involve guests and we (party of 7 ranging 11 to 80 got involved), Food in buffet and snack bar, excellent. A La Carte, bit of a let down. Sports Bar food, again not so great. Rooms are tired looking and there was issue with the toilets. Bed was AWESOME. We will come back, but will upgrade.

SECOND TIME BACK — AND SENATOR PUERTO PLATA DID NOT DISAPPOINT! We just got back from another AMAZING family vacation at Senator Puerto Plata, and this time was even more special because we came back with our family and booked SIX ROOMS! This was our second time staying at Senator, and we are so happy we decided to come back. From the moment we checked in until the moment we checked out, the entire team continued to make us feel welcomed, appreciated, and like family. This is exactly why we came back — and once again, you did not disappoint! A special thank you to Karen and your entire crew on the same shift. Thank you for everything you did to make our stay so enjoyable and memorable. Your kindness, hospitality, and attention to us and our family truly meant so much. A HUGE THANK YOU to all the amazing people who took care of us during our stay! BREAKFAST CREW — YOU GUYS’ ROCK! Our mornings were always better because of the wonderful breakfast crew. Luigi — our Egg Master! Always with a smile, always friendly, and always making those eggs just right! Also a big shout-out to Nunez, Ana Maria, Hidalgo, Silvero and Junior. Thank you for your amazing service, smiles, and for making our mornings so enjoyable. You guys made breakfast feel like visiting friends! DINNER CREW A special thank you to Vargas and his crew for taking such good care of us during dinner. Your professionalism, friendliness, and attention to detail did not go unnoticed. We truly enjoyed our evenings! LARIMAR BUFFET / RECEPTION There was also a lovely lady at the reception at the Larimar buffet who took such good care of us. Unfortunately, I forgot her name, but I hope she sees this because we truly appreciate everything, she did for our family. HOUSEKEEPING Ana Rita— you were AWESOME! Thank you for always being so pleasant and for taking care of our room. The refreshment boys — we loved everything! Coming back to a clean, comfortable room and having our refreshments taken care of made our stay even better. And of course, Julissa, who took care of the public washrooms near the buffet area, always made sure they were spotless. She did such an amazing job! AND NOW… OUR BAR CREW! A HUGE shout-out to: Ariel • Alex, Eddy • Lopez • Manuel • Sony • Domingo • Maria • Wilinton, Ismamol and of course Claudia. You guys took care of us throughout our entire stay and you did NOT disappoint! Thank you for the great drinks, amazing service, laughs, conversations, and especially the good vibes. You made our time at the bar so much fun! FRUIT STAND And we cannot forget the lovely lady at the fruit stand in the mornings! She was always offering us freshly squeezed juices and starting our mornings off right. Thank you for your kindness and those delicious fresh juices! ENTERTAINMENT — WOW!!! EXCURSIONS Our excursions were truly an experience of a lifetime! We made so many wonderful memories with our family that we will never forget. WHY WE CAME BACK At the end of the day, what makes Senator special isn't just the beautiful resort, the food, the drinks, the entertainment, or Puerto Plata itself. It's the PEOPLE. The staff are what make you want to come back. We came back for our second visit, brought our family, and booked SIX ROOMS — and honestly, we are already talking about coming back AGAIN! Every single person who took care of us played a part in making this another unforgettable family vacation. 101% RECOMMENDED! We LOVE you, SENATOR PUERTO PLATA! And to every staff member we mentioned — and even those we may have forgotten to name — THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! You made us feel like family, and that's something we will always remember. We just got home and WE ALREADY MISS THE PLACE! Until we meet again, Senator Puerto Plata! SERVICES THAT WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU AND YOUR FAMILIA! WE WILL DEFINITELY BE BACK!

Wonderful staff very friendly and accomodating. The food was good lots of variety, amazing beach was the best part of our stay. They should invest more in infrastructure, the rooms need some renovation.

We chose to be pampered by their Royal Service option and it did not disappoint. Upgraded room with ocean view in a spotless building. Access to an exclusive area of their wonderful beach ( with bala beds and padded loungers) where Aquino, David and team provided steady and impeccable friendly service. The beach is protected by a reef and is nestled in a bay so no issues with Sargassum or waves. The water was clear, clean, warm as a bathtub in June and one could spot some smaller fish amongst the rocks. Royal service has unlimited a la carte dinners which we enjoyed every night. Food was very good at all three and we were spoiled with upgraded wines included in the package. The buffet was very good but usually with a more limited variety.than some other AI's we have been to but quality was above average. We regularly took advantage of the Vintage club for mimosas and Spanish coffee in the morning and cocktails in the afternoon with upgraded ingredients.The staff at the Vintage lounge was friendly and service orientated. Pros - long, walkable, beautiful, clean beach. Consistently excellent service. High standard of cleanliness. Spacious bright room with modern air conditioning. Choice of two pools - one for families and a quiet pool for adults (except during high season).Well managed and safe. Cons - can be noisy and crowded during high season, door to balcony was stiff, limited outlets and hangers in the dated but super clean and freshly painted room,limited entertainment, no kleenex provided (byok),and the toilet paper was subpar (byotp). Not a party resort for the younger demographicalthough weekends can be noisy. Superior value and we are "hoping" to be back again every year for a week. As their slogan says, "Come as guests and return as family."

We enjoyed our stay tremendously! This is a budget friendly resort and was perfect! Before our arrival we were sceptic because of the reviews. I honestly do not understand why people would complain. This is a small resort but we loved that. 2-story buildings and we were right on the beach. Close enough to the coffee shop, buffet and snack bar. The staff are amazing! Helpful and have great attitudes. A special shout out Walter, Stephanie, Juan Carlos, Medranoq, Albert, Glery, to name but a few. From the time we checked in to the time we left we enjoyed our stay. If you want fancy, pay for fancy. We loved the authenticity of this place! Thank you Bachata!

Food was good.Beds were not king as mentioned during booking , our kids room washroom was flooded with water, there was leak from somewhere from tub . Ceiling of their room was moulded and leaking. Everyday they took awhile to put back towels for bathroom. There was no snack bar if you feel hungry in between breakfast lunch dinner , you can just have drinks only.

The hotel was great the entertainment staff was great two of them stand put the most shakira and monkey!!! Always making everyone feeling welcome and engaged!!! Monkey is crazy and funny and full of energy shakira is a sweet girl always sitting and talking with us!! The rest of the resort staff works hard and are friendly too The beach is ok the cove is great!!! Its windy on the beach too. Was exciting to see the big ships pull up!!! Food was good no complaints lots to choose from at the buffet but restaurant food was even better as it always is on any resort!! No complaints from me

The dining experience was not as expected. Food was either room temperature or cold, for all meals. The beach is beautiful, and is walking distance from the resort. The customer service was very poor. The waiters at the restaurant would not help us, we were responsible for getting our own drinks, cutlery and glasses. The locals are allowed to stay at the resort from Friday to Sunday. This caused the pools, and restaurants to be over crowded. The rooms are in great need of renovation, as our sink tap was loose (almost coming off) and our bathtub paint was peeling off. The toilets were not flushing well, sometimes it took 2-3 flushes for anything to go down the drain. Our mini fridges were only refilled with pop or water when we asked them too.

Just got back from a week long vacation with my family. There were 7 of us. We loved that everything was close by. The staff were amazing and very friendly. The buffet and Al a carte restaurants were delicious. There was always a variety. The only negative was that you had to reserve chairs at the beach early in the morning to get an umbrella. They need more palapas.

Honestly was not all inclusive hotel they preferred dominican people better they get al the right treatment we got bad room because we asked for 2 beds minimum bar only one night was free food wasn’t the best very limited drinks same no pops only Pepsi 7 up

The resort has a beautiful clean and sandy beach. Food was good ( many choices). I truly enjoyed Candita's omelets served with a beautiful smile straight from her heart. Entertainment could be better. I truly advise to buy jewelry at the tables at the airport. The resort stores had them very overpriced.

The hotel was amazing and the staff were friendly and courteous....food was awesome fresh and delicious...the room was very clean and tidy and comfortable...the resort is amazing the beach was awesome relaxing...I definitely go to the Dominican Republic Puerto Plata again...

This resort was amazing. The food was amazing. The buffet was always great and fresh with a lot of food to choose from. Room service was great. Always very clean and always stocked with clean towels and extra bottles of water and sodas. Customer service was very attentive. Any question and any doubt we had, they were always ready to assist. Entertainment, specially the pool entertainment was always good... music the whole day and some games and dance. The beach is amazing.... clear water, calm and the sand always clean of garbage and with enough lounge chair for everybody. I am not a person to return to the same resort but to this one I will definitely return.

The hotel is beautifully located and the ground are well maintained. For the price you get what you pay for. 3.5 stars. Check in was fast, our room was clean with exception on the headboard as it’s an old model I don’t think they notice all the trapped dust in the headboard. The room is spacious with a TV, mini fridge and and safe. Some English channels and the fridge is stacked daily. Washroom clean except for the peeling tub and brown water at times. The resort gets very busy on weekend with locals. It is difficult to maneuver through buffets at meal times or find seating for dining. Also, worrying about food handling. A lot of children handling the food especially, the ice cream stations. Which doesn’t seem hygienic. Also. Very crowded by the pool area and can’t find pool chairs to sit on. People put their towels on them and don’t come back for hours. Overall, the stay was okay. Not what we we’re expecting. The senator next door would be our preference if going back to peurto plata. But I think we will be more inclined to go to Punta Cana. The access to the gym, coffee shop and pizza was a plus but we mainly enjoyed the ice cream. Not enough to do for kids. Entertainment lacking.

My experience are mostly good at that resort, except that they change some of the food at the buffet it's not that great, they took out the best ones they had on the buffet, so you may want to eat outside a few times! This time we had a few roaches in our room, I complained 3 times at the reception for them to fumigate the room but they never did anything about it, so no this time was not so great but our vacation overall was and we are still going to return, it is close to everything, that's what's good about it!

Super friendly staff. Very well maintained. Great food, nothing fancy, but the basics are down pat. Grilled food, salads, diversity. Freshness. The soup du jour at the beach grill always interesting! I would have liked the hamburgers cooked. As a Canadian, I am more used to eat patties well done and nothing else… and that is the only thing I can come up with from a 10 days stay!!! Perfect!

The resort is older but clean. The first morning after Breakfast there are folks waiting for you so they can take you on tour of the resort to show you what you can buy. with our guy their was no pleasure to buy and you start the tour of with a gift and a drink. Did not mind this as it was a good way to see the resort around and learn. In the end we said no to buying and that was it no pleasure. The rooms where clean and the house staff was very helpful. The food was really good and the entertainment was good for both adults and kids. For what we paid for this trip it was a good week and no complaints I would recommend this resort

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at the Senator resort in Puerto Plata. Everything was easily accessible and the scenery was amazing. I would most definitely return to this resort. The staff were absolutely fantastic and made my stay that much more enjoyable.

The hotel was excellent—our room was very clean and the beds were extremely comfortable. The buffet and restaurants were fantastic, offering a wide variety of fresh food and drinks. Every day featured different meals, which made dining exciting throughout our stay.

Good hotel, nice beach. The food was very good and the staff are friendly and engaging. Beach lacked a bit of shade. Rooms were not bad, lacked a bit of furniture. Would definately strongly consider returning.

Beach and food is the only positive about this resort. Internet was terrible as it was only available at the lobby. Rooms are dated, tub/shower was tight and on one of the days brown water was coming out of the shower. It took them a day and a half to fix it. The air conditioner in our room could use service as it was blowing cool air rather than cold air. However, what made this stay real uneasy and disappointing was the staff. Many of the staff looked unhappy, miserable and unfriendly; some were flat out rude. We did not feel welcomed at this resort so I would not recommend this place to anyone I know.

The hotel was a great value. The hotel was clean, and our room was large, with a very comfortable bed. The main lobby was spacious and modern. Food was very good with lots of fresh options at the buffet for every meal. There is a beautiful amphitheater for the evening entertainment .. but the entertainment was poor, at best. The beach was lovely, and ideal to walk over to the souvenier shops to do a little shopping.

The grounds, food, bar and beach were great. The rooms are VERY old and outdated and in desperate need of upgrading. The bathrooms in the lobby are stifling and the lights constantly flicker off while you are in there. Forget about enjoying the weekends as the locals flood the resort and are very rude and entitled. You will be shoved out of the way at any food source and forget about getting in the pool. The beach is decent so if you can go to the pool during the week when the locals aren't there. The shows are decent but every night they spend 20 mins thanking every single person individually and its annoying. Overall, you get what you pay for.

We visited April 22-29. It was our third time to this hotel The room was very nice, perfect entertainment and we had fun. The quality of the food seemed to had gone down a bit from the last time we were there in 2023. I thought that the returning guests get a welcome back present ( we were given the special repeat guest bands) but that was it. I like it that this resort is small and compact and I would go back.

Beautiful grounds, food ok, drinks very disappointing, staff was average some just seemed miserable, requested king bed was given 2 queens on ground floor, room not very clean when we checked in, absolutely no where to store your clothes or hooks in bathroom

This was the best vacation I’ve ever had…..and I’ve been mostly to cancun, Mayan riviera and Cuba….the food was unbelievable omg….fresh juices were amazing….I had buffets for breakfast lunch and dinner…I didn’t want to do alacarts because I didn’t want to miss out on the amazing buffets lol ….the grounds were so beautiful and tropical… I loved walking around them…..it’s like the movie castaway you felt like you were far away on a desert island with the mountains around …. went with my sister….we loved the resort….i sat in a lounger right at the ocean under a tree…..wow….went to the gym every morning….there was a special coffee shop I loved….got my decaf coffee and desserts there a few times a day….wish I was back there right now walking around these grounds…..I was so lucky to get Natasha Alleyne from tripcentral to do this trip for us….she was amazing….called me or emailed me back right away with my questions…….first time I’ve used a travel agent …what a difference….you get emails notifying you of things to do or reminders of things …so happy we had this wonderful agent….we will book next year too! Still dreaming of being back there…I was there may 18, 2026 for a week….it was great weather every day….the pool was so lively and fun too….the resort was the cleanest I’ve ever been to…staff were cleaning washrooms and areas constantly …I was floored by this resort…and food was better than any resorts I’ve been to….the staff so friendly there

We are Canadians who love traveling to Cuba and normally visit 3–4 times a year. This time, we chose Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, and we were pleasantly surprised by the Senator Puerto Plata Spa Resort. The resort grounds are beautiful and well maintained. In the evenings, the pathways and gardens are beautifully illuminated, making it easy and enjoyable to walk around. The public washrooms were always very clean, which we appreciated. Our dining experience was excellent, especially at the Steak House, which was our favorite restaurant. Our room was clean and comfortable, and the Wi-Fi worked very well throughout our stay, including in the room. The beach is not the resort's strongest feature, especially when compared to the beautiful beaches of Cuba, but it was still enjoyable and provided a relaxing place to spend time by the ocean. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our two-week stay and would not hesitate to return. A special thank you to Emmalay Serrano, our travel agent(Tripcentral), for her outstanding service. She patiently answered all of my questions regarding Sunwing and WestJet and provided valuable information and helpful suggestions that made our trip safe, comfortable, and stress-free. Her professionalism, knowledge, and patience were greatly appreciated.

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

Trip Report May 15th to 29th Wow Being a Cuba vacationer for the past 3+ years we really took a gamble on VH Gran Ventana. Of course we did the homework, checked reviews and like resorts but thankfully settled on Gran Ventana. Prior to arriving I dropped Solange/Mr.Marcos an email indicating what area of the Catalina Building we would like and they came through for us 100% Club As we were going for 2 weeks, we selected the Royal Package which gave us some perks (Beach, Bar & Dining). I must say that we took good advantage of the package. Whether it be a la carte dining 12/14 nights, shaded lounger daily (no chair game stress), morning cappuccinos and nightcaps in the Vintage Club … oh and lest we forget bottles of champagne and booze for each week. I can’t thank the staff enough in the Vintage lounge Santa, Sujeidy and Ricardo et al. The one hiccup was they took care of the taxi reservation for a day … driver didn’t speak a lick of English other than “Yes”, this made it a challenge, but it didn’t ruin our day. Rooms Overall, the room we had 2115 was good. The cleaning staff kept it spotless and we had sufficient towels everyday. One day we needed face cloths, and the Santa/Sujeidy handled it well, as we didn’t go without for our stay. Beach Being a self diagnosed “Beach Bum” this was important to our trip. The beach was very wide lots of sand; the water was a bit limited as to how far in you can go without getting into coral/rocks etc. We always sat in the Superior/Royal section and had great service from Jose (Dirty Banana), Amable (Papa) as well as others. The only comment here is the vast number of people trying to sell you souvenirs etc. on the beach … 95% are no problem, but some are more persistent. Wind – not sure if it’s seasonal but the beach had a constant wind (right to left) which was great in the morning and early afternoon but kicked up a notch after 1ish. Food Like I said we dined exclusively at the a la carte Italian (Sempre de Mare?), Octopus and Beach Grill with two nights at the buffet (White Night). I must say after 3+ years going to Cuba the food was great! Breakfast was a steady dose of made to order eggs, bacon and fruit. Lunch was okay, but often we had fruit. General I did notice that the resort was open to locals on the weekends, but since we generally were on the beach and in a la carte we didn’t notice them as much. We found staff and management very approachable and genuinely happy. On site stores are crazy expensive (go to Jumbo) asking $7USD for a small box of Kleenex. Animation team did their best … people were able to participate if they wanted. Would we return or recommend Given the vast array of resorts/countries it’s nice to be able to find one or two that you know what to expect and fits your needs. So yes, we would return and recommend. Probably left out some stuff and may revisit to edit.

I felt that the resort had a good atmosphere the basic rooms where dated but good the food was good and the beach was nice the staff was friendly and attentive they could use a better fittness center but otherwise for the price I have no complaints and hopefully will return

Surprisingly good resort, clean in room and all around, good drinks available every bar not only Vip , very busy on weekends when the locals arrive leaving public washrooms disgusting.Not their fault but the policy in Dominican Republic giving discounted rates for local residents

This review is written from a senior's perspective as my wife and I are both in our mid seventies but still love the "all inclusive" resorts. The resort has plenty of pools scattered throughout the Property but only the main pool has steps for access and egress the rest are all ladders only. There are no elevators and most accommodation buildings have 4 floors. Our room (by prior request from Tripcentral) was supposed to be on the first floor but we were assigned a second floor room. After some deliberation Francis fixed us up with a first floor room that was poolside and superb. The food was so so, nothing outstanding but plenty of choice in the main buffet. A la carte restaurants (4) were by reservation only with the International restaurant being by far the best, the other 3 were located main family resort. The walkways in the family resort consisted of all uneven flagstone, walking could be a bit precarious. Plenty of small bars throughout the property, but all were in the open, bistro style with tiny table and chairs, no lounge bar out of the sun with comfortable padded chairs to enjoy a quiet cocktail. The booze selection was pretty ordinary mostly bar stock lower to mid range quality. Staff were outstanding, helpful, cheerful, service was excellent. The grounds were clean and generally well kept. Overall as seniors we would give this resort a 3 star rating, still good but there are better ones out there

This place is really clean, the rooms, the beach was above expectations, the staff was nice we just found it was missing entertainment at the pool . We love the fact that we did not have to fight to get a chair on the beach. The Playabachata is in front of the best quality beach compare to the Senator

Playabacha was an amazing Hotel The rooms were big the balcony was big the food was great and the entertainment staff really worked hard to make you have fun not to mention the beaches on one side and the mountains on the other gave for such a great scenery all around. Would come back for sure

Sent to West Jet still Waiting for reply This is my second time at this Hotel I was there the same time last year and had nothing but praises for the hotel, the service, the rooms, the grounds and the food was great zero complaints other than the lack of shade around the pool. This year was a disaster from the start my wife has mobility problems and can not walk stairs she had both knees replaced so walking is limited, our travel agent explained in our booking that we needed to be some were that has no stairs or a elevator. Upon arrival they had us on the third floor and the elevators were out of service, they then put us in a room in block 11 that was on the ground floor further from the amenities that we expected after they offered to change rooms the next day. That night the head board of the bed came down on use in the middle of the night and water flooded our floor, this room was in need of repair. the next day they were unable to find us a room and asked us to stay in this one more night and they fixed the head board and some of water from the air conditioner. At 8 am the following they asked use to leave the room so they could get it ready for other guest. They said they would have a room by 5pm. To recap day three of my trip suitcase unopened, not yet in a room. At around three pm I went back to the front to see if a room was available and check on my luggage which was in storage at the lobby. I finally got a room 4007 which was a nice enough room and we were satisfied with it until the next morning the toilet was not working and made gurgling sounds all night long after reporting the problem with the toilet it did not get fixed for three days they kept saying they would send someone I had been to the guest services at least five times over the toilet issue at one point the person at the counter said they were in the room as we were speaking, so I went to the room and no one was there I then asked to speak to a manager I did not appreciate being lied to, they assured me someone would be there shortly. You must realized we were using the lobby toilet, although they were not available at all times do to being closed I believe they were being painted. My toilet was fixed and worked fine for out last 4 days, Except when I come to my room to check the toilet my floor was flooded with water and when the maid made the bed my blankets were touching the floor and had suck up the water and my bed was soaked, the front desk said I needed to keep the door closed to prevent the air conditioner from leaking on to the floor. I believe it was the plumber abd maid that left the door open when they were there as we always keep it closed. We had a good time for the last few days of our trip but I am very disappointed with my first six days of the trip. Were I spent most of my time waiting to getting a room and repairs done instead of enjoying the trip. I find this year the resort catered more to the “elite guests” giving very little attention to regular guests and not having any type of shade. I witnessed an issue with a woman and her handy-cap daughter, there were no chairs on the beach so this lady let her daughter cross the rope into the section for the elite guests and sat in the first chair. The security told the mother her daughter could not sit there being she was not an elite guest, there was no one seated in the area and and she was surrounded by 10 empty chairs. Security contacted the manager and he said she had to move or they would be kicked out of the resort. In conclusion this trip and the services of the Wyndham Group has declined from 1 year prior. All the travel I done this was the first time, return guests were not recognized.

I always enjoy my stay at VH Gran Ventana, I believe this is my fifth time there, and each time is totally enjoyable. The food is always good and there is lots of it. The bartender at the pool,Andrea, is wonderful. She remembers all the people who were previously there before and treats them all like old friends.

We had an enjoyable stay overall and felt the resort offered good value for the price, especially during the first week of May when it was very quiet. The food was one of the highlights of our trip, with tasty buffet options, good à la cartes when available, and excellent grilled items. The beach was clean, easy to enjoy, and never too crowded, and we also received excellent service from Yulianna and the bar staff. That said, the resort could use some updates, particularly in the rooms and pool areas, and there were not enough umbrellas for shade at the beach and pool. Since it was low season, some restaurants, activities, and entertainment were limited and communication about cancellations could have been much better (when there were staff meetings being held). The room itself was clean, quiet, and comfortable, with working AC and hot water, so while the resort may not feel luxurious, it was still a pleasant and relaxing stay.

Being at this resort for a week-long vacation (May 11 - 18) for a first time in Puerto Plata, here are some thoughts that I wanted to share so that you can plan your vacation. I've visited D.R. many times at 5-star resorts in Punta Cana and am curious about Puerto Plata. My selections were based on reviews from travelers who had been there for the last six months with some judgements towards unpleasant feedback. I chose Gran Ventana with the Tripcentral' agent's advice and am very satisfied with her recommendations. For 4-star resort, this place is amazing in terms of service, delicacies and beach. Room is outdated but kept clean (Air conditioning is working fine). Entertainment is limited as well as daily activities at the pool and beach. Overall is acceptable, and I would recommend it.

Hotel service was great, the bedroom very clean and comfortable, the food was great and the beach was just beatifull! Service staff was very kind and helpfull. Flights was on time and also very kind staff! Please keep up the good service. We will be back.

It was our first time at VH Gran Ventana and definitely will not be our last! The beach is crystal clear with beautiful tropical fish swimming around us. The food is absolutely superb! The rooms could do with an update, but on an all inclusive you don’t spend much time in your room anyhow! Our maid did an excellent job everyday, we never needed any towels and our mini fridge was well stocked. Staff are warm, friendly and really make you feel welcome! Andrea at the pool lounge bar makes the best iced coffee! One small improvement would be to add more umbrellas to the pool and beach areas.We are already planning to return next year!

NICE AND CLEAN HOTEL WITH GREAT STAFF AND AMENITIES FOOD WAS GREAT AT BUFFET AND THE RESTAURANTS ON SITE HAD UPGRADED ROOM WICH WAS FANTASTIC POOL AREAS VERY NICE AND GREAT BEACH AREA 2ND TIME THERE AND WILL GO BACK AGAIN

I did like the resort. Everything close by. Rooms clean but outdated. Beautiful beach. Food plentiful and lots of variety. What did ruin the Damien our trip was that during the week the hotel has cruise ship people coming in anywhere between 30-100 people almost daily. Also no entertainment between 1130-330. Then very little. On the weekends the locals come in which is fine but they do seem to take over everything. We were unable to even get a chair with shade. Pool was like a can of sardines. No one anywhere gives out this information. The staff are amazing and friendly and hardworking. Tip well and you will get even better service and attention. We had the premium package and yet the locals were the ones being catered too. I would not return to this resort as I prefer adults only. Seemed great for families.

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

This was our second time at this resort and very disappointed. As a premium package holder that was fine never had issues with chairs at the beach the staff there was amazing. Rooms were fine but yes need upgrades. Food was great. The Italian à la carte was very disappointing we were totally ignored. We waited 1/2 hours between dishes and ppl that came after us were served and done before we got our main course. This resort now lets in cruise ship passengers and it gets over crowded also the locals and the paying guest are now over seen. The entertainment needs a lot of work there is no excitement in the staff. There is no music playing and they don’t allow speakers so the atmosphere is boring. They also could use more umbrellas around the deck. Overall I would not return.

Beautiful , clean , people are so nice and always their to help , pool is amazing , entertainment is awesome , night shows are amazing , the best is super man , happy boy , from entertainment , the best dancers , Eddy , and Randy We were very happy with our stay

Wonderful in absolutely every way ! One suggestion...would love to see the night shows but please have them start earlier for many of us older folk ...they are too late .?Loved the Horse on the Beach and the little shops in Caberate !

I cannot find anything negative to say at all the rooms are nice, the airconditioning is cold, as are the drinks. The food is really good here lots of things to do and the beach is beautiful. The staff at this resort can't be beat from the grounds people to the concierge and front desk staff are all amazing. Everyone goes out of their way to make your vacation a great one. The entertainment staff do an amazing job during the nightly shows. I have been to this resort now 5 times and will be going back again as soon as i can.

Having never been to the Dominican before, I only had Cuba and Mexico to compare this trip to. At first we were a bit worried the resort was small, but that quickly became one of the biggest pros. It was so easy to get anywhere you wanted whenever you felt like it. The beach is steps from the pool, and the bars are scattered throughout the resort so you’re never far from a quick beverage. The drinks were great, with Jackie’s Special becoming our go-to all week. I heard about the Ernesto Special on our last day and apparently it’s amazing, but unfortunately I never caught him to try one! The staff generally seemed friendly and always smiled or said good morning/hello, although there can definitely be a bit of a language barrier if you don’t speak Spanish. A few times we would ask for something and they just didn’t understand us (or vice versa). The resort itself was very clean though, with staff constantly around picking up cups and cleaning. Food was great overall and we never had any issues finding something to eat. Worst case scenario, the pasta station at the buffet always saved the day ? We tried the Italian à la carte and it was okay, but we absolutely loved the Ocean Grill. Both the food and the service were incredible and it was definitely one of the highlights of our trip. The “chair wars” around the pool were basically non-existent while we were there. We’re early risers, so we’d grab a coffee and sit by the pool around 7am with almost every chair still empty. One thing to note though: security does come around, so if you leave anything unattended, be prepared to lose it. We didn’t spend much time sitting at the beach because the chairs are pretty close together and while there are some shady spots, they go quickly. One of the nicest parts of the trip was how friendly the other guests were. It was really easy to make friends and chat with people throughout the week. Depending on what you’re looking for, this isn’t really a big nighttime party resort (at least not during our stay.) The first couple nights were busier, but by the third night the music was ending early because hardly anyone was there. Honestly, we go to bed early anyway, so it was perfectly fine with us! We didn’t upgrade to premium, so our room was a little outdated, but the air conditioning worked great. We were on the first floor right in front of the pool and loved the location; honestly wouldn’t change it. We had requested to be close to our friends and we were right next door! My biggest complaint would probably be that the buffet (or resort in general) doesn’t really have any common air-conditioned areas. Eating in the hot, humid air was tough sometimes, and our room was really the only place to fully cool off from the heat. The weather last week was unbeatable, although VERY hot for this time of year. At the end of the day, the most important question: would we return? Absolutely.

We had a wonderful trip, all staff were wonderful. Clean rooms very good service. Beach was awesome the only thing don't like is people selling things on beach your trying to rest.This was our second time and we noticed the zeroes a lot better this year Thanku

This was a great resort. The Beach was great, the pool was great as well. There were only a couple days at the beach where it was hard to find a chair. Limited shade available both at the beach and the pool. The hotel and resort grounds were very well kept. If you like quiet at night don't get a room that faces the pool or close to the swim up bar. People were up past midnight yelling and hollering. The rooms could use a dresser as there was not much to put your clothes away in. The food at the buffet and the restaurants were pretty good. The staff were an great. All in all I would definitely go back.

We traveled to the Senator with excitement! We had Ocean View. The buildings all smelt of Mold. In our room for sleep and get up to lungs full and can't breathe. Off to Dr at next resort. My oxygen was very low and heart rate very high. I had to have an IV right away or he was sending me by ambulance. It was MOLD and spoke to some others on this topic. They all agreed moldy air-conditioning systems full of mold and dirt. We couldn't run air and had to leave balcony door wide open. Our neighbour's bathroom glass shattered in her hand and cut her arm all up. Glass everywhere and had Noone to clean it up until next day. Crazy!

We like the hotel The people . The Shows every night , the service and the food selections We really enjoy the Puerto Plata excursions. I will recommend the hotel to my friends and relatives. Andy the tour guide is very resourceful.

Service - 5 star, be nice and you will get respect in return Room - 4 star, nothing fancy but the view was amazing (139) Food - 4 star, again nothing wow, but i was never hungry Drinks - 5 star at the select bar Well likely book again

Unfortunately, this resort was a major disappointment and did not feel close to a 4-star experience. I would rate it closer to a 2.5-star resort at best. The property itself is very dated, and many aspects of the stay felt poorly maintained. One of the biggest issues was the staff experience. Several staff members repeatedly hit on us throughout the trip, even after we politely asked them to stop, which made us feel uncomfortable rather than welcomed. The food quality was below average, and the liquor seemed extremely watered down. Our room key cards also stopped working almost every night, forcing us to constantly return to the front desk for replacements. The beds were very uncomfortable, hard, and you could feel the springs through the mattress. The overall atmosphere also wasn’t enjoyable for us. The resort catered mostly to an older crowd, and during our stay there were multiple loud arguments and fights between guests. Overall, this was not the relaxing vacation experience we expected, especially for the price paid.

The resort was clean. We had great service from the front desk getting us into a room , even though had to be moved 2 times after. The buffet service lacked. We were lucky to be met when we entered and lucky yo have some one return to see if a drink was wanted. The entertainment was very scarce. The seating around the resort was limited and found that people left their towels so no one had access. Many times we had no where to sit.

Grounds -beautiful scenery, minuture fountains and so many pools to choose from Rooms -rooms were nice, however, I had a upgrade that I would suggest to others Dinning-food was delicious and tons of it (Salsbury steak was to die for) Staff-very friendly........best staff I have ever met at any hotel ever

Beautiful resort with amazing staff. Gardens with aqua blue swimming pools in fabulous designs. Infinity pools that are well appointed over looking The North Atlantic Ocean. There’s not a poor location. Food is delicious!

The hotel as a whole was good, and I would recommend it. It is a good value for the money given everything you get. My only complaint was the drainage. When it rained, it poured, and one day the rooms on the first floor actually flooded. I would be cautious and make sure you get a room on the second or third floor, because they do not really have the infrastructure to protect your belongings from the rain. Relocating was a bit difficult for some friends of mine who were in different rooms; the staff just suggested putting a towel in front of the door as a barrier because the drains were overwhelmed and could not clear the water in time. Other than that, the food was solid. I would just be careful and watch where the flies land, because some of them sneak in past the double doors to the buffet. Also, be careful of where you sit if you are afraid of birds. Overall, it is definitely a 3.5 out of 5 stars for me. It is a solid hotel, and I enjoyed my stay.

good resort for a getaway in the sun food is very good - at both the buffet and a la carts buffet was always fresh- restocked and many choices pool was nice and fun times at the swim up bar good energy rooms are dated and need some tlc but are clean the resort is very clean beach isnt the best however it does the job

The hotel was very clean and the grounds were nicely kept.checkin was very easy and the line up moved smoothly.The buffet was excellent and the overall pool area was great. The room was very clean but somewhat a little dated but that didn't mean much for me. We went there to play golf and after our golf round which was roughly 2:00 upon returning to our room we had no towels to shower and had to chase down the maids for towels and that was pretty much each day. The overall experience was very good the food and the hotel were really nice however the friendliness of the service behind the bars and in general the people working there was poor. Not friendly at all never smiled or talked. I was not impressed with the attitude at all. At the golf course I can't believe how RUDE the employees were to us. I would not go there again to golf.

Just to start off I have been to this resort 4 times and this last one was ok. I travelled with 3 friends on a golf and relaxing vacation and we picked this resort due my recommendation. The resort itself has not changed and it is very clean and the grounds were beautiful once again. All of us raved about the food and we did not go hungry. The one thing we all liked was that it is a small resort and easy to walk anywhere around the grounds. The pools are well maintained and no issues with cleanliness. Our room was looked after and very clean and we had no issue with anything in room. We ate at all 3 al a carte's and all were very good. The buffet food was very good as well and well stocked and again no issue with it. Now lets get to the workers. The buffet waiters were ok but not one would say good morning or hello upon arrival. The lady at front as you walk in was the only one who smiled. When we finished and we left our tip on the table as we all did each meal they would almost push you out of the way to get the money and it seemed like a free fall to get it. I told one server the money wasn't going anywhere. The theme for resort is not to smile and ignore any questions. I went up to take my towel back the night before to get my card so I could check out and all I got was no "cards'. I asked how would I be able to check out and I got a shrug of shoulders. Took my towel when I checked out to front and the person really wasn't happy with it. There wasn't one smile on any of the front receptions and if you asked a question it was if I was bothering them even when there was no one around. If you think the resort people are not friendly don't go to golf course. We have travelled for the past 4 year golfing and at Playa Dorado Golf Course they were so rude and unfriendly that we would not go back there but that will be in another review. Overall I still like this resort but a more friendly vibe would be nice and just a hello goes along way.

Nice resort But the beach was disappointed But after all a nice good resort.Staff was nice food was good But a lot off days the same food Not a lot variety Entertainment was okay.They did had a lot of cats in the resorts That was sad Poor skinny cats. I felt sorry for that

MOLDY BAD RESORT! THERE ISNT A BUILDING OR ROOM THAT WAS CLEAR OF MOLD! I WAS SICK RIGHT AWAY! HAD TO WALKTO NEXT RESORT TO SEE DR. HE WAS INSISTANT ON SENDING ME OUT BY AMBULANCE. VERY LOW OXYGEN. HEART RATE VERY HIGH AND LUNGS FULL OF MOLD. AIR-CONDITIONING UNITS ARE FULL OF MOLD AND DIRT. NEVER BEEN CLEANED. CHANGE ROOMS AND SAME THING. TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT ROOMS AND THEY AGREED. THE ONE ROOM AIR DIDNT EVEN WORK BUT STILL MOLDY! WONT GO BACK!

Beautiful atmosphere, service was exceptional, room’s very clean.. always replenished fridge, etc.. Lots of huts and chairs around large pools.. all employees are so professional and friendly.. they go out of their way.. . Fabulous food selection at the buffet, never empty trays of food always replenished quickly.

The Marien Resort exceeded our expectations. This resort is very clean and they take pride in the high level of cleanliness, we were very impressed with that. The food also exceeded our expectations, great selection and variety of food. The only thing that could be better is the uncomfortable bed.. it is a typical resort bed that is very hard and did not sleep well as a result. Would still highly recommend this resort and we would certainly return .

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

Hotel was nice, rooms were clean. Bathrooms need some upgrade, grounds were kept clean, balcony would have been nice but for 80 per night not worth it, staff friendly, food good, entertainment good. Hesitant on giving bacon as they hide it i thought was a bit much. Speedy & Waldo the entertainment know how to get people moving.

Loved the layout of this resort.My criticisms would be:1) no handrails on stairs in lobby etc.2)No ramps on 2 steps getting the luggage to the main lobby area.. only one ramp in one area, and no Porter available.3) Slippery floors,as maids washing them many times during the day.4)Resort not equipped with safety features that would prevent falls or accidents for Seniors and guests with limited mobility. 5)A bigger main lobby washroom needed with more stalls.Always a lineup during mealtimes and early afternoons.Usually only 2 stalls working,as 1 toilet always plugged.6) Need a full length mirror on wall in rooms.7) Air conditioning too" cold".Everything damp in the room and in our suitcases.Difficult to sleep,as air conditioning was too "loud,"as well.Roommate got a bad cold and sick upon return to Canada.Safety should be a priority, as most guests were seniors with disabilities.Thank you.

The staff was amazing, smile with every interaction and very accommodating. Food was good and the public areas clean. The only drawbacks was the shortage of face clothes and hand towels. Also, cold showers and bathrooms need renovation.

The staff was amazing, smile with every interaction and very accommodating. Food was good and the public areas clean. The only drawbacks was the shortage of face clothes and hand towels. Also, cold showers and bathrooms need renovation.

We would struggle coming up with anything negative about this resort! They staff are pleasant and ALWAYS working to help your stay be the best it can be! It is so clean and even after a rain storm, the place was back to impeccable in no time at all! Food is great as well!

We had no problem staying at this resort. This was our second time here. I will be back next year, only longer this time. We truly enjoy our vacation. It was nice to see workers updating the room etc. Everything was clean and beautiful.

This is an excellent Resort to visit and stay for a week or more, whatever you want . The place is very clean and the food is delicious and the waiters (men and women) are very friendly and helpful, always smiling and kind to everyone. I would highly recommend this Resort. This past 10 days were great. This was my 4th time at this Resort.

This is an excellent Resort to visit and stay for a week or more, whatever you want . The place is very clean and the food is delicious and the waiters (men and women) are very friendly and helpful, always smiling and kind to everyone. I would highly recommend this Resort. This past 10 days were great. This was my 5th time at this Resort.

As always we had a fantastic time . The resort was at full capacity because of Cuba but the experience was the same. The staff were awesome especially the very friendly Rosa, Raul always trying his best to get us a table and Luis the beach bae bartender . Rooms smelled cleaned after the maid left , no issues with hot water or towels. Food was great . Only downfall was beach towels replacements and need more chairs and umbrellas especially at beach and pool. We will be back again to our home away from away back to family . Highly recommend (not a party place but to relax)

I'd like to give a Higher rating but fighting for chairs, be it pool or beach was no fun, ask the poor guy who had to babysit the chairs on the beach Noone was using with no ship in port, I had to comendere for myself and family one day literallynone to be had except the wmpty ones in the taped section. We stayed at playabachta last april 2025 and happened to walk over and see the Senetor which we said next year we'd try there and we did. Pros beautiful room I was given view of the cruise port and cruise ships pullen in. Cant use amber cove though not for anyone else but the cruise people, I loved it room 516 the view of water mountains wind turines and again the ships was awesome. however only freezing shower water though, and I mean freezing not even room temp. and a broken tv nobody came to fix upon several asks. but great wifi so didnt need it really . The Senetor has very limited beach with out rock on shore and the good part of it and chairs caters to the privilege people and the cruise people in a off limit taped off section sectioned off area full of chairs and no one using them better part of beach and the only beach bar service again for them only. Drinks are better at playa bachata more bars for sure over there seems more selection if you can walk the distance often. when it comes to the beach yes one could go down wayyyy farther near playa but the distance was way to far for my mother the heat and distance to our room was better to stay closer for her.another con people were saving seats at the pool at nite I dont mind early morning saving but not overnite for the duration of your stay quit rude and security i was told should be removing stuff no. not once was I able to sit at the pool our whole trip so busy not sure I'd wanna be in it very very full . A la catrtes were all booked up mostly. Weekends get crazy as locals come for it. Couldn't understand a word our rep was saying and he was very short in a hurry. The sports bar was great however always full extremely busy the Senetor could definitely use another bar lobby or piano just another not enough bars. The nitely Entertainment bounced back and forth from playa to senetor which sucks you have to get a seat early like 7 pm to get a good one sit and watch the lame kids Entertainment only to be told to go to other resort so I didnt see any or much Entertainment this time. There was one nite the buffet was to die for it was Saturday april 18th the choice of meat avaiable whole pig just wow. Some bar staff were amazing while others definitely not so happy half half sorta thing I found. Im not sure id return to Senetor maybe a swim up room. I am returning next april again and I'll be definitely looking at playa bachata or a swimup room maybe at senetor or totally more upgraded hotel with more bars and adults only area section pool etc. We will see. But the weather was amazing and Puerta Plata never disappoints me. I love this area of D.R. im forgetting something but for now this will do.

The grounds at Iberostar Costa Dorada are very nice and walkable ( we loved the Peacocks ) There was lots of palpalas and loungers terraced area, shaded areas at the beach ( pool loungers were taken early ) Lots of food choices at the buffet. The Beach BBQ was very good and they did Paella every day at the beach. The room was very comfortable and clean. Long beach walks and there was some garbage on the beach that was washed in but cleaned up every day. The activity crew and staff were awesome. No vendors on the property but a market nearby if you wanted souvenirs. Very nice lounge area for evening entertainment.

We had a one bedroom suite. This room is exceptional with two bathrooms, two TVs and two rooms..Oh and two balconies. The food at the buffet was good. We didn't even go to the specialty restaurants. Yes the VIP is worth the extra. Seven days of sunshine. No chair hogs at the VIP beach section.

The grounds were being cleaned constantly. The rooms were comfortable and the balcony was large. The staff were friendly, especially Y . FLouris at the buffet and Chocolate and Mariposa on the animation team. A special thank you to the head of guest services. We loved the large beach with many palm trees. Tropical Ave was a nice place to walk too. We enjoyed #7 beach vendor and the fellow with the monkey. We enjoyed the food The pool was kept clean and the foam party was pretty cool.

We stayed at the Grand Ventana and was a holiday my wife and I Susie, will never forget. The Food was top notch. The Staff always greeted us with a smile and kindness. We loved our early morning walks along the beach, and my wife loved the pools and never wanted to get out. Will recommend this resort and will defiantly come back to the same resort when we return.

The resort and grounds were absolutely beautiful. The food was amazing and there was lots of variety at the buffet and lots of different drinks to choose from at the bars. The room was clean, but did have a musty smell to it. I have mixed reviews of the customer service as some of the staff were friendly and other staff were not very friendly. Overall it was a great stay and I would recommend this resort to others.

This resort have everything we want, not too big bog too small .. very clean.. everyday they clean our,room make our bed, fresh towels and refill the fridge with drinks.. they have variety of food i buffet.. i love their fresh fruits, sea foods and drinks ( from the bar) the only comment i can say their entertainment, they need to have more fun activities for the guests. I will definitely come back.

This resort have everything we want, not too big bog too small .. very clean.. everyday they clean our, make our bed, fresh towels and refill the fridge with drinks.. they have variety of food i buffet.. i love their fresh fruits, sea foods and drinks ( from the bar) the only comment i can say their entertainment, they need to have more fun activities for the guests. I will definitely come back.

Hotel was full capacity! They are not prepared for this it seems. Not enough shade spots and loungers unless you wake up at 5am to reserve a spot you are more than likely not getting one - lots of arguments between guests over chairs it was ridiculous!! Coffee was made by an instant machine just press a button early risers have to go down to the beach bar to get a coffee until the buffet opened at 7am. Overall weather was great and food was good don’t bother with the seafood à la cart not great. We will not return to this hotel

Second time I've been to this resort "solo". It has everything I was looking for. Smaller resort, very clean, great selection of food, close to the beach. Close to airport. It has security on the resort and at the beach. They are so accommodating and provide excellent service!

Let me preface this by saying I have stayed at multiple 2-star resorts in Cuba. Which is a -10-star resort everywhere else. I have had zero complaints. And would return in a heartbeat and I sure hope to some day. I am not bougie, my expectations are low, I have an open mind. With that being said...... We arrived at 10:00am Sunday morning, not one lounger anywhere. Not enough loungers at the beach or pool. No umbrellas or palapas. When I asked about umbrellas they said they don’t like to use plastic, as I am sitting in a plastic chair at a plastic table. I have seen pictures since of other Viva resorts that ALL have umbrellas made of plastic. So along with 60% of all the other people - you are constantly trying to move your highly sought after lounger into the shade. The beach is a lounger maze, as well as pool side. Not enough chairs at the one and only bar/sitting (1) area. This is very loud since it is where everyone congregates. The line ups can go from 5 to 20 minutes. The lay out is awful. All very enclosed. At the bar there are tables and chairs but going around the corner there are maybe 10 comfortable chairs in a C format behind the main bar area. Then back outside where there is no seating. There is a very small bar by the pool, beach side. There beer is run through a cooler with ice (warm still), if they have a keg at all and honestly it hits your nose long before you take a drink, not good. They run out of coke first thing. Everything is kept in the sun. Cappuccino is available at the same bar (1) area at 8:00am, not a minute before which is wonderfully inconvenient since you must be up at the crack of dawn to be able to scoop a lounger. The coffee is generally not good. Very watered down, with sludge in the bottom which doesn’t make much sense, but the resort workers have nailed it. I had a mouth full of glass in one cappuccino – no one seemed to care. In the mornings, it started off you could self serve coffee to the left of the bar area, then on the counter at the bar, then poof no self period option period. So, you had to go into the buffet and chase someone down to get coffee because there is also no self serve option in there either. We were traveling for my birthday as well as my boyfriend’s (boyfriend is 6’2”), while on vacation, not before, not after, both of us were celebrating birthdays on this trip. Upon checking in I requested an upgrade, a bigger room, ocean front, second floor, any of the above. I also emailed requesting an upgrade (and how much it would cost) twice before we arrived. On a side note, my mother has worked at Wyndham Hotels for 25+ years, my father also works at Wyndham, for 20+ years. They have never traveled to a resort, received a resort perk of any sort, ever. She also reached out to the resort group asking for a perk/upgrade for our birthdays, something, anything. We received nothing. Our first room was postage stamp size; you had to do the trailer shimmy to the other side of the bed. No where to put luggage, we both traveled with full sized luggage as well as carry on luggage and back packs, we stayed 2 weeks. No dressers. The had a 2-door built in closet. One side was shelving, one side was hangers, under the hangers was a shelf with the safe on it. Oh, you have full length dresses? They shall be bunched up on top of the safe. We didn't even have a chair in our first room. Our room(s) were in the septic field. The smell was horrific. Our room was on the first floor, you couldn’t go on the patio because the bugs, oh the bugs everywhere and if you did manage to get out there to put your damp clothes to dry well then, the feral cats slept on them, and you couldn’t wear them anyways. We had no hot water, which Caribbean I get it, just take note. House keeping would come in the morning take all your towels and bring you towels again between 3-4:00pm. So many times, we would be ready to wash the beach off and you would have to call or go hunt down some towels. I was down at the front desk the same day we checked in requesting an upgrade, to be moved, somewhere. I was told to come back tomorrow at noon, and they would show me a different room at $20 per night/per person. The new room was bigger, partial ocean view (if we can call it that). Talk to front desk again to negotiate. Back and forth, back and forth, was told cash only so he wouldn’t have to ring it in (I know where this is going) finally agree on a price. It started at $480 ($20 per person/per night = 12 nights) we got him down to $300 total, fine, let’s do it. I ask how much in DOP, he gives me a number that is higher than I expected (I changed money in Canada before leaving). Turns out he we are negotiating in USD, I am Canadian, my passport that is in front of him is Canadian, I said I was paying in DOP, why would I even have American? So that was the end of that. We did not request anything else from Alfredo at the front desk. On day 8 when I learned nothing would come of requesting a room change, I reached out to Nexus/WestJet and asked to be moved from Viva Tangerine to anywhere else. And let me tell you how quickly things moved from that point on was wild. We were moved into a room with a separate bedroom, still tiny closet that would not accommodate dresses. Second floor so we could use the patio which was nice. And enter stage right = Cockroaches. Big ones, little ones, All the cockroaches. We had none in the first room. The AC would not shut off, you could turn it down, but it just kept going. The beach wasn't swimmable 92% of the time. The wind at the beach is a solid 40-60km/h every single day. You are being sandblasted at all times. The peddlers on the beach are terrible, same one’s day in and day out. They take loungers, put their wares on them and then when pretty girls are down at 11:00am looking for loungers they receive the ones being held by peddlers. At any given time, you have one or more within 10 feet of you, all day, every day. And wildly expensive, $25USD for a bracelet from China, $50USD for 2 French braids. Wild. They have “showers” at the entrances back up to the resort, but it’s a dribble and not accomplishing getting the sand off you. The pool was cleanish – until about 10:00am and then it got cloudy, every day. Not a pool I am getting into. One day someone put a dirty diaper 2 feet from the pool, in a busy walking area, that sat there for more than 5 hours. People walked around it, including staff, now I know it is not their job to pick up after ignorant guests BUT it does need to be picked up. Public washrooms in the “main” area are not well maintained. As these are the only washrooms that anyone knows how to find. In the ladies you will never find paper product what you will find is a very potent candle, only 2 stalls and toilets that are clogged daily. Outside of the washroom 10 feet is customer service, she has a radio and will have someone restock it, if you let her know. If you don’t like smoking this one isn’t for you. I had someone vaping next to me in the buffet, at her table. As someone that smoked/vaped for 20+ years I can tell you that is a big no-no. Do better lady. People smoke next to the signs that say no smoking, no one enforces it, anywhere on the resort.

We have visited three times and plan to return next year with our extended family. The staff are amazing, the food is excellent, the beach and pool are clean, and we meet lots of Canadian travelers every year.

Stayed at this resort from the 6-16 of April The resort had beautiful grounds well maintained The pool needs to be revamped needs new tiles and filter system The rooms were alright good air conditioning but a lot of humidity nothing dries in the room Fridge filled with beer and pop like the idea of no plastic in the room glass water bottle you fill yourself at water depos good water pressure and hot water great towel service Maids keep rooms very clean friendly staff everywhere Good Food everywhere in Buffet Restaurants Snackbar& Beach Lots of Activities Could Use bigger TV for sports I would rate this resort 7 out of 10

Older but good resort needs work at pool area algae around the pool could use weekly power washing. Buffet area was good could use more a la carte restaurant, beach bbq was excellent. Night entertainment could use some changes same dancers every nite but different themes. Beach area lots of chairs. Staff was excellent lots of games.

This hotel is very dated and the maintenance is quite poor. However, if you get a good room, they are clean, bed was comfortable enough and basic. When we first arrived, the bathroom had a massive leak. There was a puddle of water on the floor and the phone didn't work and there's no balcony or outdoor space on the second floor.,, so we asked to change rooms. We were given another room that was smaller, on the main floor with a patio,but at least there were no leaks. I asked them for a new coffee maker as the one that was there look like it had been through a fire. The hotel has the most amazing entertainment staff. I've been to many resorts and these people were great and the shows were hilarious. If it wasn't for that, I don't think we would've enjoyed our stay. The main problem is the hotel allows people to reserve chairs the night before they never enforce the rules that say no reserving chairs at the pool and the beach. For some reason, the pool area only has three umbrellas, which is weird because resorts should have umbrellas around all their patio chairs. In my opinion I've never had any different. Lots of sun beds at the beach but again people put their towels the night before and the staff does not remove them as they should so that makes it very frustrating. Everybody at the Resort was talking about it and they were all frustrated so for that reason you might consider whether you want to stay and go through the aggravation every day ...The food is good, but remember this is a three star hotel not a four as it is sometimes stated. You'll never run out of anything to eat. The desserts and ice cream are delicious. The bread is also very good and the pizza you can make your own pasta. They always have some meat or fish being cooked and the à la carte restaurants are good. The week we went, which was April 9-16 2026 it was pouring rain every night, but the first two nights we got there It was so bad that some peoples rooms were flooded. I heard stories of luggage is being soaked in 2 feet of water. Thank goodness there was five hours of sunshine every day. I had an OK time, but I won't go back to this resort ...just too many problems. Maybe if they do an overhaul like they need I would consider in the future.

Beautiful view but staff are rude not much to do at this resort beach was closed for 7 days overall not a great place food was ok same everyday do not recommend this resort at all hotel is really run down

I have been travelling the Caribbean for 30 years. Blue Bay Villas Dorado is by far the worst resort I have ever stayed in. If it were free I would never stay again. Our room flood completely two nights in a row, 6 inches of water. NO COMPENSATION! Told we can’t help if it t rains. Food was awful, resort is very poorly layer out.

The resort was garbage and would NEVER recommend it, staff not friendly unless tipping them, but place was clean. Food was not that great. Only had one pool and it had ladders NO stairs at all to get into pool. Pool with stairs closed over a year ago something the travel agent Joanna should have known about and not recommend this this PlayaBacahta resort. People smoking inside lobby even though no smoking signs were posted all over lobby. Front desk staff or customer service was not helpful or didn't seem to care when asked to switch rooms to something closer for my 75 yr old mom so had to walk far to get to the dining hall. Do not book with Trip Central, Joanna Latimer, her service was awful, she told me this resort was everything I needed for traveling with 3 ladies 60, 65 and 75. Joanna just booked our trip and then basically left me to figure things out myself, very stressful. Overall was the worst vacation ever!

Very out dated but it was just fine, we stayed there before and new what to expect. But it's not a good resort for elderly or mobility problems people. Way to many stairs it does not say that anywhere.

We did enjoy our overall experience at the Senator. We had to upgrade our room, as the our assigned room was very old! Our new room was great, building 2, ocean view. This resort is VERY clean, rooms, and the grounds. The entertainment was prob not the best ..... But it was entertainment. The food was good, yet very repetitive, especially breakfast and lunch. Exactly the same everyday we were there. The drinks were very unimpressive. Juices were weak,.wine was awful, spent all week trying to find a consistent drink I liked. My hubby drank beer and he enjoyed it. The staff were mostly pleasant, except the people who try to sell "time shares, or whatever they call it, can get quite insistent and almost aggressive or even pathetic begging you to "Attend a 1 hour demonstration . We did not fall for their tactics. The pools were clean, but the music was too loud for us, so we spent most time at the beach towards the Playa bachata. Overall it was a nice vacation. Would we return to this resort? Probably not, unless it was an incredible price.

Going into the vacation I really didn’t have high hopes. I do have to say I ended up having a pretty good vacation. Great pool, the restaurants are great. The beach is garbage and the rooms aren’t anything special. We also didn’t pay for the select side and only had garden view so that was kind of our fault, not sure if it would’ve been better with an upgraded room. The cleaning staff also didn’t clean our room in the mornings like we had requested multiple times which was annoying because then sometimes our room wouldn’t end up cleaned. The entertainment lacked. And not much for kids to do. Overall it was a decent vacation though.

The rooms were fine, but unfortunately there was a lot of noise from the hallway till 2 am in the morning, could not hear anything from attached rooms, just the hallway. The staff were great. The weekends were noiser than the week days. Unfortunately both myself and my friend got sick with e.coli, which was not a good experience, we are unsure if it was something we ate or drank from the resort. We did not eat or drink off the resort.

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

Room was average, needs some updating especially the shower. Resort staff very friendly, kept everything very clean. Food was ok, Japanese restaurant was the best of the alacarts. Pizza place in market area was very good for a quick lunch off the beach.