Samana

We have been in this hotel before covid and loved it so much. We tried a few times to return, but it did not work due to the different reasons. Actually, it was our first place from others, we stayed for vacation, we wanted to come back. Finally we succeed to come in December and were not disappointed, though there were some changes, slightly diminished our satisfaction. The coffee machine was not already available in the lobby for example, and vegetarian station was not existing anymore. It was mixed with other dishes. However, don't take me wrong, I still loved the place this time. It was a beautiful renovation of buffet area, which became more spacious, and life music at 7 pm was a great time to spend with others by dancing and playing games. The only restaurant we went was Brazilian, and it was the same high quality. The service everywhere is excellent. Everyone is very welcoming and cheerful, in spite of the massive crowd they have to serve every day. The meals are delicious, and there is a big variety of veggies and fish. The beach is amazing, long and quiet without waves and sea weeds. The staff cleans the sand of the beach every morning. the Entertaiment in overall was fair. We enjoyed the circus show. It was on a very high professional level and retro one was not bad. The entertainment team worked hard to make our stay even more pleasant. Our room was small, but clean and cozy. Everything you need was there. We appreciated the hard work from everyone, who made our stay refreshing and enjoyable. We will come again! Thank you El Portillo!!!

I picked this resort because the reviews that I saw, were of a similar age group to my self. (45-65) Advertised as a 5 star resort. I expected a relaxing time, with some good food, and some evening entertainment, which I could choose to enjoy, or not. I selected a room with a balcony, anticipating sitting out at night relaxing. What I got was a room over the pool, with constant techno musak blaring out most of the day, and unbearable volume at night until 11.30pm Had I known this, I would have selected a room as far away from the pool as possible. It's a small resort so just enough distance to make the musak bearable. The room itself was NOT 5 Star !! the bathtub was literally surrounded in mould. The bathroom ceiling looked like it could cave in at any moment. The a/c took 4 hours to fix the first night I was there. The small door on the cupboard to the fridge was hanging off !! The pool water was cold, as was the "hot tub" when I asked about this, I was told people wanted that this way because the weather was hot ! SURE !! ( The sea water was actually warmer than the pool ) This is a very tired resort, and apparently will be renovated soon. The food was mediocre at best. The Don Pablo steak house, had the right idea, however the kitchen door was always open and the kitchen staff could be heard shouting, and servers often shouted across the room to each other, spoiling any atmosphere they had tried to create. I tried the "Italian" restaurant, selected to try the "Roast Suckling Pig" which turned out to be dried pulled pork in pastry. ( say no more) I asked for a reservation at the Brazilian restaurant, I was told yes ! in 4 days !!! Really ? Premium liquor, such as Brandy was extra ( probably $8-10 extra shot) To me, an All Inclusive Resort should be just that ALL INCLUSIVE !! I usually go to Secrets Resorts for quality and service, where everything IS all included. This time I chose a more remote/secluded resort for the relaxing experience that I was looking for. My mistake. Would I recommend this resort ? NO. To me, this is a 3 star resort at best. If you can get a deal on the price, and are prepared to accept what you pay for, then all you have to take a chance on is the weather. On a clear sunny day, the beach is the best. ( in my opinion) Good Luck, and Safe Travels.

The hotel is not luxurious. We were in room 7213 in building 7. Buildings 6, 7, 8, 9 are "premium". They are nice but by no means luxurious. Everything is clean. Pool area is beautiful. Beach is gorgeous (calm waves, nice white sand, no seaweed, plenty of loungers). It was quiet the week after March break with locals making it more lively over the weekend. We chose this resort for value and access to local towns.

The location is gorgeous - the whole resort is beautifully laid out. The elevator down to the beach was really cool. The staff were all so friendly and polite. The entertainment team was lively and fun. And most of the bar staff were competent and personable. The whole place was very clean and well-run. Will definitely stay again. Thank you, Bahia Principe Cayacao!