Bahia Principe Grand Punta Cana

Gina

We had our visit mid September for a girls trip. The weather was beautiful & the beach was clean. The staff go above and beyond to make you happy. Tip: they love it when you try to speak their language even if you suck, and especially when you call them by their names. We felt very safe. They have these large golf carts or "trains " to transport to and from wherever you are. This is extremely appreciated as it is a mega resort. All of the Bahia Principe resorts are in one location. I feel like this is important to know when you come here. It's very easy to get lost so we were so appreciative that they had people running the trains regularly. All of the drivers really seem to care about your safety. They would even stop us occasionally and say "do you know where you're going" ? Many times we did not! 😅 They love it when you try and speak their language. Our room was perfect for us girls. The beds and pillows including the pull out sofa were firm memory foam. We're all in our 50's so you know how important that is. The pools were all very well maintained and clean. **You do want to get there early and save your seats.** So why only three stars you ask? It's because of the food. We went to a teppanyaki and it was not good, fish restaurant was hit or miss. But by far the most disappointing was the buffet. They made beautiful presentations of the food but at the end of the day it was just, meh. They have stations to appease pretty much any pallet so that was nice. We had a couple of foodies in our group and they weren't happy. The other thing that really frustrated us was there was no air conditioning in the buffet dining area. PS: as of mid-september we did have to deal with the Sargassum. We knew ahead of time so we were prepared to make the best of a bad situation. It comes and goes each day. The pools were a great alternative. PSS: BE SURE TO BRING MOSQUITO SPRAY. We did not and we had these little bites that itched horribly.

Shamim

Our first visit to Punta Cana turned out to be one of the worst travel experiences we've ever had, all thanks to our stay at Bahia Principe Grand Punta Cana. Check-In & Staff Behavior: From the moment we arrived, we were met with rudeness and indifference. The gentleman at the check-in counter, Smiles and basic hospitality were rare it felt like guests were an inconvenience rather than valued visitors. Voucher Deception & Privilege Club Pressure. We were offered a voucher in exchange for attending a Privilege Club presentation, but the pressure to join was relentless and uncomfortable. Wellington and Lisa kept on pushing for us to buy the Privilege Club package they were very friendly and joking with us. However as soon as we said show us some numbers and we will decide at another time they’re behavior changed asap, Wellington didn’t even say bye and gave us such a dirty look and left. Clara Garcia was the one who gave us the voucher and pushed us towards the Privilege Club. Staff seemed more interested in selling Privilege Club memberships than providing genuine service. If you declined, you were practically ignored. Misleading Pricing. A massage advertised at $59 USD for 50 minutes in the lobby TV screens was charged at $84 USD for a 25 min. neck and shoulder session simply because we used a voucher. The receptionist misrepresented costs as we going to use the voucher. The voucher’s value was not honored we were charged more than the advertised rates. This resort prioritizes upselling and profit over guest experience. The lack of transparency, poor customer service, and aggressive sales tactics made our stay miserable. We will never return and strongly advise friends and family to avoid Bahia Principe resorts altogether.

Wellington Fava Roque

Well, my experience at Bahia Principe Grand Punta Cana was great. The resort complex is large, with good infrastructure for guests. When I needed to rest, the room was excellent—comfortable, clean, and tidied up daily. On the days I wanted to have fun, there were parties, clubs, a beautiful beach with inviting waters and lounge chairs on the sand. Even though I had read several complaints about the staff, I was always well treated by everyone, regardless of tipping. They do their best to provide good service within their limits, since the hotel has a high guest turnover compared to the number of staff, especially the bartenders. Speaking of which, I had a hard time getting up from the lounge chair and walking a few steps to get another drink. But on the beach, there’s always a bar nearby. If you're part of the premium club, the staff handles that for you in the premium area. I also read a lot of negative comments about the drinks, but every cocktail I had was delicious. And even though they use local spirits in some drinks, Dominican rum is among the best in the world. I didn’t get a hangover from low-quality alcohol. The local beer is also of good quality. As for the food, breakfast, lunch, and dinner offer a wide variety. The menu is diverse, and even though some dishes repeat throughout the week, you won’t be able to try everything in a 7-day stay. People who complain probably don’t appreciate international cuisine and stick to pizza, burgers, and fries (usually Americans). The beach is beautiful, even if the seaweed shows up for a few days—that’s just part of the lush nature. Lots of interesting people, a vibrant and laid-back atmosphere. The staff really tries to communicate with you, but I believe tourists should keep in mind that when you leave your country for one with a different language, you should at least learn a few basic words to express yourself. No one is obligated to speak another language in their own country. I think they go above and beyond to communicate. If this were in Brazil, we probably wouldn’t even try. Visitors should figure it out or hire a translator. In the end, I didn’t have enough days to enjoy everything the resort had to offer. It was an exceptional experience. Whenever I think of vacationing in the DR again, I’ll want to return to this hotel—provided they maintain the same level of service I experienced this time.

Rachel Cotter

This was our first time visiting DR. Overall, the resort itself is large and well kept. Most of the staff are friendly and welcoming and there is a lot to offer. Unfortunately we had some major issues during our stay. Our first room was a connecting room and the lock on our side was broken, the toilet wouldn’t flush even after maintenance came, and the room had a terrible musty/moldy smell. They did accommodate a room change, however the new room had the same bad smell. The buffet was another disappointment, minimal selection and staff were quite unpleasant. One of the included restaurant we went to, Tequila, was also a terrible experience. It took about an hour and 40 minutes for our food to arrive, and when it did most of the order was wrong. The restaurant was not overly busy but our waiters were more focused on taking videos and having shots with the table next to us instead of serving our hungry kids. While the resort has some positives, these issues made it hard to fully enjoy our vacation. I would recommend spending a little extra and choosing a different resort.

Ellie Coleman

Had an amazing time at this hotel. Upon arrival we were given a free room upgrade. This room was cleaned by Jolanda everyday who always made sure the room was spotless and we had clean towels. The pools were not very busy and the bar staff were very helpful to everyone. They have shared tipping rather than the tip going to that specific person. There are sun beds available at all times. We stayed in September so the beach did have a lot of seaweed but the staff were out everyday trying to get rid of what they could so guests could enjoy the beach. The only negative would be how the waiters and waitresses treat some guests at meal times in the main buffet - we got ignored on a regular occasion and had to go out our way to get drinks whereas other tables around us would be getting their drinks refilled at the table and brought to them. Buffet food was delicious and had such a great selection with different themed nights. We went to the Asian and Italian restaurants which I would also highly recommend booking. The ground staff were constantly working hard to repair the cracked floorings (assuming from earthquakes), and the gardeners were always out making sure everything was up to standard. Overall we had an amazing experience and would definitely look at coming back in the future.