Bahia Principe Grand Bavaro

First of all, I would like to say that most bad reviews are complete BS. The check-in is slow, and that's correct. You will spend at least an hour there, but the bar is right in the lobby , so you can have a drink. Now about rooms. If you pay more, you will get renovated room, which is amazing. Can't say anything about old rooms, just that the staff is very helpful. Maybe a little slow , but it is a huge resort, so be patient. You will be taken care of. The room is cleaned every day if you want to, and it's really clean after. We tipped the lady every day, and she was happy and made us happy. Food: I read some very bad reviews about food quality. If you want Gordon Ramsey , you pay Gordon Ramsey. There is food for everyone and it is very good. The buffets have a good variety, and they are decent. You have hot stations as well. I had a different breakfast and lunch every day. Garden Grill is the best restaurant of 5 we went to. But Italian, Japanese, Oriental and Mexican were excellent as well. We heard from other people Indian is amazing too, but we had 5 dinners only. 3 free, and we arranged 2 invites. The whole resort is super clean and you will see the hard working staff all day at 40 degree weather. Beach is beautiful with palm trees and white sand. The see is so warm , you can stay in all day. The pool I didn't like because it was too warm for my taste. You need to cool off in that hot weather. Bars around the pool will help you with that with decent variety. And, they don't use tap water for ice and drinks! If you get sick, it is from a virus that you get from people. Food poisoning get hundreds of people, not just you,so don't blame it on the resort. And one more thing that I hear a lot about: no, there is no a lot of mosquitoes. Keep your balcony door closed, and you will enjoy your cool room. A/C only works with door closed, and it's too hot to have the door open anyway. Bring money to tip hard working staff that really want to make your stay awesome. Don't be so picky and you will have a great time and rest [Details]

Everything was amazing. [Details]

Everything was Excellent , except for the coffee machine in the lobbies . Out of order every night??? [Details]

Overall great stay. The food at buffets and a La cartes were phenomenal, kitchens and staff were exceptionally clean along with the resorts, rooms, balconies, and common areas. Staff were incredible. I do recommend learning the basics of Spanish before going out of respect! However there were some issues. We were told we had access to everything in aquamarine besides their buffets as bavaro guests which was not the case leading us to pay to upgrade to stay on the aquamarine, I had a birthday while staying on resort and was told many times by staff they would do something special for me, this didn't happen, very upsetting, and we had a terrible mess up on our last night for a reservation for an a La Carte showing no reservation leading to messing up our entire night. Not only that, when switching to the aquamarine having everything arranged hours before, we were left waiting in a hot lobby for HOURS waiting for a room key. [Details]

Beautiful grounds, above average pool area. Outdated and poorly maintained accommodation and poor guest services. Visited guest services 5 times in first 2 days with room issues, nothing resolved. Moved to different room on third evening which was slightly better but still poor service. Very few staff could speak limited English. Everything about the resort was catered to Spanish speaking only. [Details]

Excellent resort, very clean, friendly people. They come fast when an item (s) is requested. Food is superb, delicious, variety of foods. The activities are entertaining. I'm sure coming back again. grand bahia pricipe bavaro is well recommended [Details]

Overall a pretty nice experience. Check in was smooth once we understood what was happening - prior to arrival at the hotel we had been warned not to go off with 'people in white shirts', that they would try to sell time share type experiences. So, when we arrived and were met with two staff members in white shirts who ushered us into a room (verses front desk) and who then wanted our passports for check-in, it was a bit concerning. Ultimately it was to make check-in easier, but it was not the best start. Nor were we met with drinks on arrival (which I've been used to in other resorts).
The resort was huge - we knew that before going but I don't think I really realised just how big, it really was like a small town with shopping/market place area etc. Ultimately it was easy enough to navigate, our building (23) was really close to the beach pools and beach, so a great spot for us. The transportation/shuttles in the resort were super efficient so it was never a problem. Being in a bigger resort it became more challenging to get to know staff (a bit of a down side). The resort was very clean and people worked hard to ensure that it stayed that way.
Room - had a bit of a tired feel but it was clean. No obvious concerns/damage good water pressure, air conditioning etc.
Staff - only one or two really went out of their way, the rest were nice enough (never encountered anyone rude) but often had to get our own cutlery, find our own tables, get our own drinks (even with waiter/waitresses were around) etc. So all in all, not particularly attentive. Bar staff worked hard and it never took long to get drinks despite how busy it was. Pool waiter service was very limited which was a shame, but there were enough bars to choose from.
Pools - were great, very clean, well kept. They did close early (6pm) since it was still winter season, bars at the pool closed at 5:30 which was really surprising since there were people often out till past 6:30, but we made it work. As mentioned, it was super busy and while there were lots of chairs (and lots of shade for people who needed it), if you hadn't gotten a chair by around 10am you were mostly out of luck, so be prepared. Same with the beach.
The beach - beautiful, white sand, clear water, but lots of seaweed. I'd read that before, it certainly made it less enjoyable to be in the water. That being said, staff worked very hard to try to clean the beaches, particularly in the morning, but clearly they were fighting a losing battle.
Food - was good, lots of repetition at the buffets, but also a few other different choices at times - the grilled tuna was good. Didn't reach out to the a la carte options because our needs were met with the buffets.
Entertainment - the crew worked super hard and had lots to offer, from children's activities, to yoga on the beach in the morning, to aquafit, bingo by the pool, dancing lessons/competitions. The late evening entertainment was OK - sadly light rain ended the Michael Jackson show quickly, but what we saw was really good.
Check-out, transfers - all very smooth, no concerns whatsoever.
So all in all, would I go back? Yes for the resort/location, but after experiencing smaller resorts where you get to know the staff, I'd likely lean more towards that experience as a preference. [Details]

The resort is large and very well kept. It took us a day of walking around to get a feel of the resort and to find our way around. There is a shuttle that will pick you up and drive you around also but we enjoyed the walking and taking in the beautiful scenery. We found everything clean, the landscaping is immaculate and the staff are great. Very friendly and always trying to assist you. The room was very nice and clean. Beds are on the harder side but otherwise it was great. At the pools it does say that you cannot hold chairs by leaving towels on them but guests still do it. We could always find a chair by the pool as long as we were by the pool by 9:30 am but we were never able to find a chair at the beach. We would recommend this resort as there is a large variety of things to do. The evening shows were great and there was also a casino and shopping on site. We would come back again to this resort. [Details]

The hotel was fantastic. The food was great. The staff...INCREDIBLE [Details]

The resort was awesome. The staff at the resort were outstanding which makes the service outstanding as well.
Would highly recommend friends and family to visit this resort.
Will be going back for sure! [Details]

Upon arrival noticed that the language of English was limited, although friendly staff. Hotel was beautiful, just needed some minor upgrades, like the free wifi not only in the lobby for 60minutes access should be granted to where you are going to eat as well.....Although for a small fee you could have it all over the property. Got lots of sleep on this vacation which was needed however outside of that night life was more catered to the older couples or young couples with young families like 11 and under. Though they always had a smile on their face you could see that they were not going to take that extra step and try to understand your English language....more like shy away from you and nod their heads and say no speak English.......Pool and beach were beautiful and I liked the fact that I was not harassed to purchase any gifts or excursions. [Details]

Good facility with great service. Good food except for the Japanese Teppanyaki A La Carte [Details]

Not what we expected. Paid extra for Diamond club and was ripped off.
Rooms were very dirty. Did not received upper level room like requested. 3:30 the next day before we received new room. [Details]

We arrived in the afternoon and were given a room with a gardenview. The gardenview turned out to be a view of dead trees, alot of dirt and a chainlink fence at the back of the property. The fridge was broke and leaking water, the bathtub didn't drain and the it had one king bed when I asked for two double beds. We went straight back to the front desk and Franklin looked at us like we were crazy when we told him about our room. He knew he didn't give us the room we requested and his answer was "I don't have any other room to give you today but I can move you tomorrow." I could tell this was how they did business. They over book all the time. The next day they did move us to a nice room with a gardenview on one side and as we walked out of our room we have a pool right there. From then on our trip was perfect. We did get tired of the buffet afer a few days but that was just because the food was the same day after day not the quality. Overall I had a great experience. The shows were fun and the drinks were great the beach and the people were beautiful. [Details]

The hotel and grounds were beautiful. The rooms clean and spacious.The pools were wonderful and the ocean and beach very clean with soft white sand. The restaurants were lovely and the staff was very helpful. The only complaint is for the age of our kids 11 and 13 not enough on site activities for them to partake in. This place would be perfect for couples. [Details]

Had an excellent vacation. Food was delicious, hotel was spotless, beach was awesome, and our maid was so friendly. Would recommend this resort to anyone and will diffently go back again. The only problem we had was with sand flies, which is not a fault of the hotel. [Details]

Had a great time, even thought we wanted to be near the beach..it worked out even better! [Details]

We had a wonderful family vacation at this resort. We experienced good service and food. Pools and the beach were crowded, which would have been okay if there were sufficient lounge chairs for everyone. All in all, we had a fantastic time. [Details]

Elena the family concierge was very helpful. Fun water park for kids. Beautiful beach. Nice pools. Enjoyed being VIPs as we we're return guests. [Details]

This hotel is definitely not 5 star, not even 4 star but offers what one would expect of a 3 star resort. There is no service whatsoever unless you are in the lobby. The beach is overcrowded and you'll have difficulty in finding a place if you arrive past 8.30 a.m. Rooms were clean but only 2 towels provided, no face-cloths and no matter how many calls you place to get extra towels, you'll be lucky if they ever arrive. Food was beautifully presented but was repetitive and same limited fare at the beach buffet every day. Restaurants had the same food as the buffet except that the main course is ordered off a menu. 24 hour access to snacks should be provided. [Details]

The hotel was a 4 star. It is too big, has lost personality. It is like going to a town where you don't know anyone. If we had an issue it would fall on deaf ears. Nice beach but it took us a 10 minute walk to get there. Unless of course you wanted to wait 10 minutes to get the little truck and trailer to ride there. To its credit they did keep it relatively clean. I would not go back unless I had family wanting to go as well. If you wanted to lounge on the beach you needed to go down at 6am in order to put your towel on the lounger to reserve your spot. In fact if you wanted to get a good spot at the pool you would need to do the same. We enjoyed our excursions to Dr. Fish Spa, and Marinarium snorkeling. But, there is not much else to do here in Punta Cana. So, if you plan to come for longer than a week, you might want to look for a place that has more to do off the resort. We got a good deal on this trip. But if I had of paid as much as most others, I would have booked somewhere else. [Details]

We had a lovely vacation. Hotel was clean, staff was friendly, food was good,grounds were very well maintained. Pool activities and evening activities in the lobby were great thanks to Victor, Cristobal and Charlie! [Details]

We were thoroughly satisfied with the resort. The food was very good. There was always a wide assortment available: local, American, international, kids fare. There was a large assortment of different tasty breads and rolls. I enjoyed tasting a large variety of different fish and seafood. The food was always well prepared and tasty. We ate at the Japanese, Italian, Dominican and Steak a la carte's and each one was exceptional. All of the staff were friendly and courteous. I was very impressed at how clean and well maintained the resort is. To me this is very important. There was an army of staff that were constantly cleaning, painting and gardening. Everything was in it's place. Because the resort is very large, I was worried that it might be too large for my liking but that was not the case. There are three shuttle bus lines that run very frequently and at all hours of the day. One nice benefit of being such as large resort is that there are a large number of shops on the property (I have been to smaller resorts where there are only one or two shops). The beach, of course, was beautiful as well. This was our second visit to Bavaro beach, one of the nicest beaches anywhere. I would definitely come back to stay at this resort. [Details]

Have been to a grand Bahia in Jamaica. Jamaica blew this resort out of the water in every aspect. Did not regret going however definitely would not return. [Details]

Both my wife and I had an awesome time at this resort. The staff we very friendly and accommodating in all ways. Always smiling and going out of their way to give you an enjoyable experience no matter if it was the buffet attendants or the bar tenders. Ornie, Yuly, and Melvin the bartenders at the pool opposite Villa 34 were the best, they gave us laughs and fun everyday we were there. These guys deserve great recognition for their efforts to go above and beyond. Check in staff were very helpful with all questions and concerns we had. Most every employee who we asked questions spoke very good English. When we booked this vacation we had asked for a king bed, pool view and first floor. When we arrived at our room we had all 3 request as asked for. (this does not happen very often). The resort property was very well maintained, grounds people always trimming and cleaning up. The only negative thing that I can say is that the pool and beach areas could use more loungers, as there seemed to be too many people who did not get a lounger if they where not early risers to go and put their towel out to save the lounger. After saying this it really was not huge deal for my wife and I as we had the most enjoyable vacation ever. We would definitely return to this resort again. Thanks again to all the staff at Grand Bahia Principe Bavaro. [Details]

excellent stay, well run, and a pleasure to say "well done" [Details]

Amazing vacation. Everything was perfect for us, but you must know that if you're staying in the Premier section, you will be doing a lot of walking or taking the trolley to the beach because the resort is huge. It's basically 5 resorts all in one, but each resort has it's own lobby, pool, restaurants, etc. The service here was the best I've ever had in the D.R. and I've travelled to the D.R. at least 10 times. The employees are always smiling, dancing and ready to please. The grounds, the rooms, the washrooms are impeccably clean. We ordered lobster one night at the French restaurant, 33$USD for 1 kg, delicious! As for the rest of the food, very good too. Sometimes, the beach is crowded, must get your chairs early. No problem for the chairs at the pool.
And the beach, well it's Punta Cana beautiful, no seaweed, some waves and the warmth of the east Caribean sea.

Would go back in a heartbeat! [Details]

This is my 5th visit to this hotel. Beautiful property and beach. My only disapointment is that i am not recognized as a repeat customer. Its up to me to tell them if want something. As a frequent repeat customer it would be nice if i would get an upgraded room. Very nice hotel overall. [Details]

Food wasn't great. Shows weren't anything special. Pools were great. Beach was beautiful. Rooms did the trick. HUGE resort. Had to pay to use the in room safe. Room service not included despite what the website said. Overall, I will not be returning! [Details]

the beach and pool and weather was great. the rooms were maintained as well as the resort grounds. what we ( a group of 17) were not happy with, was the lack of customer service. The food in the buffet was ALWAYS cold and the coffee/tea/water drink service was nonexistent. The a la carte dining was also a disappointment, as out of the 4 nights we reserved, only ONE night were we accomdated for our group with seating. i feel we over paid for the service we got. and the wifi was also NON exisitent. [Details]