Playabachata Spa Resort

The resort was very clean but really outdated.....the bathroom was not in good condition...pics of the resort rooms are much nicer then they really are......most staff were very nice and accommodating.....food was good..and there was lots....same menu every day but you could switch it up everyday...the pool could def use a good uhaul and painting....wifi could only be used in the lounge......what I really didn't like was hustlers from the better newer resort down the beach trying to get you to buy their rooms......I went for a relaxing holiday not for someone to try and sell you their resort room........all in all we had a good time but def would try a different resort next time [Details]

We had a great vacation! We were looking for the sun, the ocean and the beach and that's what we got. The beach was very good, lots of chairs but they needed to be reserved early in the morning because by 10 am there were no chairs available. The ocean front was a bit rocky but no water shoes needed in ocean. Loved the palm trees on the beach that gave us the shade that we needed.

Hotel was very clean, especially public bathrooms in the lobby around the pools.

the 2 pools were definitely not big enough for a resort this size. We didn't use them, they didn't look clean enough to my liking. [Details]

Overall, we enjoyed our stay at the resort. It was clean and well maintained. The staff was friendly and helpful when they were needed. We were impressed with the quality of food. The vegetables and fruit were top notch and very tasty. We had a bout of food poisoning so be careful of what you select to eat. Salads may be an issue. The spa facility was excellent and the staff was courteous. Enjoyed the out of resort trips that were available. [Details]

Unfortunately, for my daughter's first trip South, this was not an ideal spot. Very dated rooms and washroom facilities. Mold on curtains in room, screen door with large cuts in screen, bathroom DEFINITELY needs upgrades, no toiletries provided at all, hair dryer and plug in washroom did not work, asked for repair several times, didn't happen. The food in the buffet was basically the same food every day, many dishes were not hot at all, hard to find seating during most meals, and both myself and my daughter had what we believe was food poisoning. The resort overall had a nice layout but definitely needs work. If I had to give this resort a star rating it MIGHT get a 2.5. [Details]

Nice people. Good food. Clean rooms.
The beach is covered with trees so searching shade is easy.
Pools are cleaned regularly.
Intertainment for kids and adults alike.
Be aware there is no lifeguard. [Details]

The hotel was as expected of a 3 star rating.
We had 2 towels, a soap/shampoo dispenser, drinking water, and daily cleaning. [Details]

Overall was a great resort. Loved our beach front room. Most of the staff working at the bars were unfriendly appearing to dislike the people and their jobs. The resort has character and felt cozy but way too many people. We enjoyed the food. Quality of alcohol was questionable. [Details]

The hotel was clean and had the amenities that we needed. The buildings were older and have not been maintained regularly. Our bathtub was stained, for example. The electricity and water were both down for half a day during our stay. We were also showering with cold water sometimes, it was very hit and miss. Our room was very spacious though, and we loved having a balcony with a little drying rack. We also tried a king-size bed for the first time, which was useful for us. The staff was friendly and generally seemed happy to be there and to help when we needed it. The food was okay, some dishes were really great while others not. There was enough variety to find something we liked for every meal, but I was expecting a little bit more changes from day to day. We loved the pool. The beach was very shaded due to the presence of many trees which was really great. The beach sand was hard to walk on though as there were lots of shells, coral pieces and vegetation bits mixed in. Once in the water, lots of places had rocks or reefs which were painful to step on. Having access to the whole beach was really nice though, we could look for a favorite spot to swim and relax. We only had access to a slow and spotty wifi in the lobby, but we weren't there for that so it didn't bother us- in fact, it allowed us to really disconnect from the world which was very nice. There is an area between this resort and the neighboring one that looks a little bit like a street with vendors (gift shops, pizza, ice cream, VR room, etc.) which we liked to explore (we could get ice cream, pizza, coffee for free there). Overall we had a great time even though there were a few inconveniences with the facilities. [Details]

We have a very good experience in this resorts! [Details]

If you are a traveller on a budget seeking safe, warm and eye-pleasing paradise-looking resort - search no further! We have left Playabachata just today but I already miss this place and wish our vacation here was longer. I was pleasantly surprised at the value this resort has provided us for a very appealing price. The water in the ocean was warm - the pool was on the cooler side but still swimmable. The resort is connected to a sister resort « The Senator »- the one that has renovated pools, nice buildings and serves as a natural extension of Playabacahata territory and beach. The beach is a long strip stretching from Playabachata and ending right after Senator - there are no other hotels in sight which creates protected environment. Since you can easily walk from one hotel to another along the beach, you can choose to spend as much time at the Senator (the beach, pool area and territory) as much as you like for « elevated » experience but you cannot use their facilities. Because location here is stunning, it never gets boring. During the day, you can easily rent kayaking, paddle boarding and snorkeling gear for as long as you like, which was a great plus. There are entertainment activities going all day long - the evening dances are especially worthy of your time - they are well choreographed and highly enjoyable. The territory is safe and guarded. If you are not a picky eater, you'll find dining hall La Roca pretty decent, especially during dinner time. We found Italian restaurant less appealing. Overall, we had amazing time here for a very affordable price and if you value balance between the two - this place is just for you! [Details]

We just arrived back from our 3rd time in Playbachata Resort, and we already have booked our 4th in January.
Let me tell you why we go back. We love the heat, the sunny sky's and clean ocean air. Add to that, a resort that is impeccable clean, has great food, has the most friendliest and helpful staff, fantastically tidy swimming pools and groomed beach, manicured picturesque grounds AND that's why. The best part is that this is not an expensive resort. It's a deal as compared to many others, and we have been to many others. It's a vacation of good times and fun for the normal expectations of most people. Highly recommend by us. [Details]

Overall it was a fun experience. Nice beach, nice pool, pleasant, polite staff. We took two excursions, Isla Bonita and City Tour Cable Car, both very good. Food was okay, nothing spectacular, although the two a la cartes were quite good. [Details]

The beaches were lovely, the food selection was excellent, the staff was helpful, the grounds were constantly being maintained, the evening entertainment was spectacular, the rooms were cleaned daily and there was always staff cleaning the common areas. There were a few downsides though: there was no wifi in the room, only in the lobby and it wasn't very good; the water pressure in our bathroom was terrible and made it very hard to have a decent shower; even though the rooms were cleaned daily our fridge was stocked every other day so we had to constantly ask the front desk for more water; and the entertainment crew had events 'scheduled' all day everyday but they never followed their schedules so we never knew when and where any of the resort events were. Despite the negatives our overall experience was fabulous and we would certainly return and recommend to others. [Details]

Good hotel for vacation! [Details]

The price was good but the resort is definitely not 5 star as it states. The hotel grounds are amazing, beautiful beaches with palms for shade almost to water line in some spots. Couple spots along beach had rock but nothing to worry about. Cool watching cruise ships coming in.
Service at the beach/ pool bars were good. If you eat at the lunchtime buffet you will have no service for drinks,(Covid maybe) you'll have to wait in line along with the beach/ pool crowd to get a drink.The food was pizza,salad, under cooked hamburgers, hotdogs, pasta everyday except they cooked pork chop on the beach one day and it was the best I had their my whole week.
The main supper buffet! We'll not even getting into that. (Same food, over crowded, lacking utensils long wait poor service)
We ate at the Italian restaurant and steak house for a nice relaxing meal with great service. (Would recommend over the buffet)
Our room was basic and kinda outdated (Key safe,metal bath tub, hard to control water temperature faucets, with two double beds pushed together for a king. Nice deck. Room was comfortable and always kept clean. I was disappointed they didn't stock our room with liquor like they say in there advertising. [Details]

What beautiful way to spend a week of winter vacation. The country and resort were fantastic at making us feel welcome. Due to my mobility issues, everyone was very accommodating in assisting us. The service was excellent. We appreciate the service all around. Loved our room location with the view of the ocean. We would definitely come back. [Details]

Playa Bachata
This is a combination resort, I think the names are Mambu, Merengue, Senator.
Senator is the renovated section and far better accommodations.
The grounds at all sections were lovely and well kept. Beach was great and has a beach bar on it.
Never an issue to get chairs at the pool or beach. Always beach towels available.
The food was excellent, good variety each day at the buffet. Pool snack bar is great.
We stayed at what I believe they call the Mambu, it was the lower end as far as quality goes. Although it advertised as 4* I feel it is more like a 3* as far as my experience goes. The rooms were dated but kept clean. Good air conditioning.
When I look at online adds for the resort, they are misleading as they mostly show pictures of the Senator section and do not make the distinction between sections. So, you think they are all the same quality and they are not.
Went to the senator to look around and it was by far the better place to stay. Tropical avenue has shops, a pizzeria and ice cream shop that are part of the all inclusive. The pizza was to die for. Found the staff at the Senator much friendlier also. We just visited but they were very friendly and helpful. Went out of their way to speak to you on the street and assist with whatever you asked for.
Nice perk is the 2 liquor dispensers in the room. One bottle of Rum and one of Vodka. Once empty we had to request, they refill it. Water and Pepsi in the room ever 2ed day.
Bathrooms in Lobby and Pool Bar were very clean, ladies worked hard to keep these clean by attending to them all day.
You can ask at front desk for additional water, but they do not always have it.
You can not drink tap water or even brush your teeth with it.
When you stay at one you can utilize some of the amenities at the other sections.
The Mangu did not have entertainment in the evenings and only had one a la cart a night (Steak House or Italian). You could go to a la cart at the other sections if you could get there.
No golf carts or carts of any sort to take you to your room or to the other sections. So, if mobility is an issue its not the place to stay.

Most staff were friendly. Rosario at the evening Buffet, Juan at the snack bar and a la cart, Jennifer at the buffet and Marcus at the pool bar were the individuals that stood out as exceptional servers.
Areas for improvements:
No one to show you to your room, no one to take luggage to and from your room.
No golf carts for transportation around the resort if you needed it.
Bar by buffet, hit and miss as to if it will be open or not. Even though they post certain hours there is no guarantee that it will be open. No entertainment at this section of the resort and we were there for 14 days.
No pool side bar service at chairs. No music or entertainment in the lobby.
Huge holes in the roof of the lobby, it rained 3 days and the lobby was like one big pond. They finally put large blue tarps on the roof to help with the flooding. Workers used small brooms and small mops to try and keep it under control. Workers worked tirelessly sweep out the water. Very slippery.
Plumbing not good, toilets have difficulty flushing. [Details]

Last year our experience was fantastic 4 star, that is why we returned. This year the place has really declined. Exposed metal on roofs, huge chips in pool, holes in ceiling where a fan once was. Had to change rooms due to fan not working, Plumbing was horrible, no pillow cases on pillows and only a sheet on bed, no blanket. Never seen a face cloth in 2 weeks. New management was too pushy trying to sell memberships, said only 90 minutes of your time turned into 4 hours, so lost half a day of our vacation. Other people received an $80 voucher, we were not offered the same. Spoke with many others who share the same feeling. Staff seemed so happy last year saying hi more and smiling. This year most staff seems subdued, just doing their work with very little interaction. The entire feeling felt disappointing. I was raving to friends to go last year, now I won't be able to suggest this Resort. New Management seems focussed on their future Renovations that the upkeep to the existing Resort is suffering. Spoke with a couple who had been going to this Resort for 11 years said this will most likely be there last trip and sadly for us as well [Details]

We were quite disappointed with our stay.
The room was ok, it was the bare minimum, unfortunately the A/C did not work for most of our stay, we made numerous complaints to the front desk to get this issue fixed, it was eventually addressed and a maintenance man did come and get it working.
The food at the buffet was exactly the same every day, the salad bar well stocked. The breakfast buffet was the best meal of the day.
The hotel is tired and needs to be updated. Entertainment in the evening was mediocre.
This hotel is not a four star.
We had been to this hotel eight years ago and it has definitely gone downhill. [Details]

Paid way more than most people - thanks Sunwing! Hotel rooms were always smelling of mould.

When asking for service they don't really try to help you no matter what the topic. They will avoid doing any real work.
Dining in the buffets there was never cutlery or napkins.
The food was bare and basic. If you were not there when buffets opened either in the morning or evening dinners you missed out on food. [Details]

We had a great time at the Playabachata resort. The resort was beautiful, the entertainment staff was the highlight of the trip and all other staff were incredibly friendly. The food was pretty good and we enjoyed having the choice of eating at a sit down restaurant or eating at the buffet. [Details]

Please see my strong and weak points [Details]

Location is good, resort structure dated but nice. Logistics of the resort crash and burn hard. After a four flight you have to wait 3 hours to get room and than have to move rooms the next day. Food you can sort of live on [Details]

La température était excellente, hôtel vraiment démodée, odeur d'humidité tellement présente dans les chambres qu'on a dû jeter plusieurs trucs en arrivant. Rien pour les enfants, nourriture bonne tout de même. Super bons spectacles! Je n'y retournerai pas certain!! [Details]

We had a great time at this resort. The hotel was clean and the grounds well taken care of. The resort workers were friendly but did not go above and beyond and we never felt pressure for tips. The food was really good and always available somewhere. The a la carts were not well done with not enough servers and the Italian one required self service with food that was the same as the buffet but the steak was done better and food was tasty. Beautiful beach with plenty of room to sit however the green beach chairs were well worn and too saggy to sit comfortably. Overall it was a great vacation and the resort was worth the value paid [Details]

From start to finish our experience at the resort was great.
- Check in was quick
- Room was clean with a nice terrace
- Food at the buffets was very good, always something for everyone, always something being cooked hot.
- The steak house a la cart was fine - we did not try the Italian
- The Caribbean Street had a terrific coffee shop, gelato & crepes spot, and a pizza place. All were good - we went for gelato and crepes every evening.
- Staff was pleasant and hard working - from the omelette station where our preferences were remembered after just one visit to the maintenance team that kept the grounds and buildings looking terrific.
- Check out was as quick as the check in [Details]

This resort is fine for people who just want to sit at a pool or on the beach and soak up the sun and eat and drink. Other than that, the resort doesn't offer much of anything. The beach is lovely. Clean, sandy bottom for swimming, ocean was fairly warm, lots of chairs available and a beach bar. Although not too long, the beach does offer a nice walk. There are tourist 'shops' available a very short walk from the swimming area. Very little peddling on the beach other than for hair braiding. The pool area is nice, as is the pool snack bar, however, the pools were very cold even though the weather was 30 degrees. The food was average. The mix for drinks is very limited and mostly consisted of adding slush. Be wary of the open bar as you need to upgrade to a different bar package if you want drinks other than the very basic. I was refused Bailey's and was not even permitted to pay for a drink. The rooms were okay but in need of some repairs. WiFi is only available in the lobby and was hit and miss. Seemed it was down more than it was available. The staff, not all but a good number, were not friendly - especially the bar staff. We asked for a wake up call as a back up to our own devices but never got it. The evenings are boring unless you want to just sit and drink. The entertainment was pathetic. There are excursions available but they are over priced for what is offered. There is no shuttle service to the town/market and to take a taxi costs $50 U.S. return. This resort was a RIU but was bought out a year ago and the new owners are clearly 'cheaping out'. Many people we talked to had the very same impression. One couple told us it was their 4th visit to this resort and this was their 1st visit under the new ownership. They said they won't be returning and either will we. [Details]

We had a robbery from our room. Hotel does not have cameras. Our door's lock was broken. Everything was stolen: money, our clothes, the presents that we bought for our friends, my make up, my phone, even the toothpaste. Our room wasn't cleaned three times during our vacation. We got sick after drinking water in the bar, so three days we spent near the washroom. Moreover, there was cockroaches in our room. If you decide to go there be prepared for rescue yourself. [Details]

Genesis at the front desk was welcoming and always friendly
LIZ makes the best Spanish coffee
Beach is beautiful at this resort [Details]