Casa Marina Beach Resort

First of all they are two hotels one regular one select. Select one you have a private restaurant and a coffee shop rooms are more updated.
Regular rooms are nice "ok" very clean. The buffet is big never had any issues with finding a place, meals are very tasty and you have a good chose but the same meals are camming back shortly. For 7 day's trip its ok if more at one point maybe you can feel redundancy. [Details]

Been there several times and love that its easy to get around the hotel and the small town its in. [Details]

Overall the hotel is nice. Rooms are well cleaned and water bottles supplied daily. The location of the resort is a great benefit, can walk out into town and enjoy other entertainment or restaurants if you desire. Access to Playa Sosua (great beach) only 10 minute walk. [Details]

The Beaches were amazing! The Hotel itself was very dated, my room had mould in the shower, and on the curtain rings. I found the TV remote under the bed. The food was the same everyday with hardly any switch up. They only had 3 a la carte restaurants. And out of the 3, only 2 were available each night. [Details]

Pros: Overall resort is good,
-beach is nice and clean.
-Nice friendly staff.
-Food is fresh but not much fruits.
-Nice show

Cons:
-dirty plates and cups. It is hard to find clean plate and cups 95% is dirty, sometimes you can see even from distanse leftovers from food stickied on it. Horrible filling when you asks 3 times to change dirty cup and finally didn't receive clean one ...you still receive dirty one and leave your breakfast without drinking coffee..... [Details]

I would strongly recommend the Select side of the resort. You will have to pay more, definitely no free upgrades at this resort. The standard side of the resort would only be a 2 star at best. [Details]

This is our 4th or 5th trip to this resort and we would not hesitate to go back! This resort is well situated in Sosua City, 15 minutes from the airport and a great little city to explore! The food is always plentiful at the buffet and we quite enjoyed the a la carte dining as well! Basic rooms are not fancy but are adequate! If you want a better room, you can upgrade! Entertainment staff are fabulous and my message team took good care of my problem knee! I have nothing whatsoever bad to say about Casa Marina [Details]

This hotel had all the options to fill your needs. Although we are used to a smaller hotel, we quite enjoyed our holiday there. The ocean was a bit rocky for most of our stay but had the three infinity pools to cool ourselves. [Details]

The location of this resort was perfect. The beach was beautiful and closed off from the public. The pools were clean, large, and very refreshing. The food was good but the seafood restaurant could use improvement. The downside to this resort was the service. Only 2 meals out of the entire week at the buffet were we served a drink. No service around the pool or on the beach. Front desk staff was not friendly either. The resort felt understaffed for the size. Bartenders were great and same with the a la carte staff. Overall an enjoyable experience and would recommend. Recommend the Select side for Adult only and better service. [Details]

Very clean, staff friendly. Did not like the extra charge for internet usage or the extra charge for the beach umbrellas. [Details]

The staff were very polite and always said hello [Details]

First room on main floor was in rough shape and had black mold. They offered to clean it. I opted to pay for an upgrade rather. Was much better. Friendly staff, great beach and clean pools. Mexican and Italian restaurant service was lacking but food was good. [Details]

What you see on the hotel's website doesn't match to what you will actually have.
Flies were buzzing around food area and dinner table, probably this is why i got sick.
In the restaurant, rum is diluted with water. [Details]

When we arrived the staff at the front desk told us and the other two couples that were with us that we would be all together in the same room areas! To come back at 230 that our rooms were not ready! When we went back our rooms were not together and when we asked why not they lied and said they never told us no such thing! Our rooms were as far apart from each other even in different building! That was diappointing! Then the air conditioning in our room did not work I reported it to the front desk for here days after that I gave up and knew they had no intentions of fixing it! We bought internet cards at the front desk they were for 24 hours we only got a few hours and it would not work it took we three days arguing with staff to correct this issue and finally got our time back! The staff at the front desk are not easy to deal with! Resort was nice clean and most staff at the bars were friendly one lady did not even do much smile the entire day that's to bad! [Details]

Overall, quite a nice stay at Casa Marina...the pools , ocean and grounds all very nice and well kept...had an issue with our room the first night, but management quite accomodating and hooked us up for rest of stay in better room.Clean and comfy. Food very good. Staff quite friendly. [Details]

This was my first time traveling to Casa Marina Beach and Reef Resorts with my family. It was better than what I had expected. The food in buffet restaurant was really good and always had choices for all tastes. There were a lots of drinks for selections in bars, and domestic beer and wine were available during meals. The beach and pools was perfect. The hotel room was clean. It was worthy for the cost. It was a great week, and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. I would recommend this resort. [Details]

Casa Marina Beach and Reef Resorts were great. The rooms were good, the views incredible and room service was great. All staff were friendly and courteous. The resort outside was perfect. The beach and pools awesome. These resorts are the perfect ones for family vacations with kids of all ages. The food was really good and always had choices for all tastes. I would recommend these resorts to anyone wanting to for a family vacation. [Details]

Casa Marina Beach or Casa Marina Reef are great resorts for the person who is not looking for posh, but just a clean, friendly resort with a great location. The rooms have recently been renovated but you won't find a coffee maker or ironing board in your room. What you will find is clean floors, clean sheets, clean bathroom with hot water and great customer service. The food here is good.. if you need awesome food you only have to walk out the front entrance to find dozens of good restaurants, bars and dance clubs. Because you can use both the Beach and the Reef side of this resort you have two beaches and two pools but the most fun is the tubs overlooking the ocean. The view from the three tubs at sunset is priceless! Don't want to take one of the numerous excursions around the Puerta Plata area? Casa Marina is located right in the town of Sousa so there is lots to do right outside the doors. And don't forget that for Canadians the currency exchange is awesome, helping your dollar go further. Not that it is expensive to go out for dinner, shopping or dancing to begin with but every little bit helps. Do you know how to tell if this resort is a gem? I have been here 9x and you will meet a lot of repeat customers here. To me that's like a restaurant with a full parking lot, people are going there for a reason. If you are looking for a 5* resort this isn't it, but if you want friendly fun and a relaxing vacation, this might be what you're looking for. [Details]

We paid to stay at the Beach side of the resort however; were given rooms on the reef side which is not as quite or nice. Booked through PC Travel (and Sunwing). Hotel was pretty dated. When we first arrived, it was dark, NO one showed us to our rooms and we were left to find on our own. Our toilet was clogged with someone else's feces when we arrived. They were sold out of the locks for the safe for the first few days, no beach loungers were available all gone by 6 am... beach towels were hard to get fresh ones, we went two days with none as they were always out, curtains were ripped and lots of light in the early am. The electrical sockets pushed right into the wall and unsafe to use. Cold water, and no pressure in the am for showers, but fine later in the day. Food was pretty simple, and the same most days. We ate off the resort every day. We were unable to get into the a le cart dinners are they were already booked solid for the week when we arrived. None of the front desk staff cared that we were unhappy about our location (reef is cheaper price)or the safety hazards. Sunwing rep was hard to get in touch with - waited 1 hour ea time two days in a row before giving up to speak with him. Beaches are beautiful, weather was fantastic. Otherwise stay away. Not worth the $ we paid. Would not return. [Details]

It was a great week, and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The grounds are beautiful with a beautiful sandy beach and large pools. Interesting vegetation all about. The hotel faces west so the sunsets can be spectacular and it is great to sit with a drink at hand and watch them. A good mixture of guests: Canadian, Spanish, locals, Germans and a few Scandinavian. [Details]

We had a great experience and would go back in a min,it was nice that resort was in town,15 min from airport was a bonous,you could walk off the resort and feel safe.The resort itself was clean,and cleaning staff were awesome,it is a fairly large resort,but could find things easy.food well that could be abit better,but there is always the resaurants off the resort,and the bars,some are Canadian,and that was great.overall would go back. [Details]

There are many things to like about this resort, nice beaches, decent rooms, a great shady terraced area with small Jacuzzi type pools. Too bad the service was almost non-existent. [Details]

Super location at beach, small enough to be friendly [Details]

I just returned from my holiday at the Casa Marina and want to return already!
My first reaction when we were pulling up to the resort was "what have l gotten myself and friends into", but once you get past the front lobby, you exit to your right and walk into a beautiful place!
Keeping an open mind when travelling is always important, the food is not always what we expect but it was good and plenty of bars to go round!
The service was good and the staff always friendly!
We ventured into town to a local bar (Jolly Roger), we felt safe and had the best time there!
If you know your rating system then its a 3 1/2 star well worth the it!
I would go again!!!!! [Details]

As this was my first time traveling to the Dominican, it was up to what I had expected, Everything was great, except the front desk staff thought that they were a bit on the Rude side. The Ocean was Red Flagged everyday due to waves, had gone in a few times but was rough, security was there to chase you out of water.

Food was great although repetitive for all meals, Vendors are set up around the beach bar from 4-8 Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.

I will return someday. [Details]

This is my 8th time to Casa Marina Beach, I love it! This time I took my daughter and granddaughter and I saw it again for the first time through their eyes.

The resort is not posh but it is clean and has all of the amenities you need to have a great vacation. Most staff speak English. Casa Marina Beach and Casa Marina Reef are really one resort with two sides, which you can use the facilities at both.

There are then a total of 3 pools, 2 buffet restaurants, 3 a la carte restaurants and 7 bars (8 if you include the disco). The rooms are clean but basic, the food is good, the drinks are good with lots of variety, the pools are cleaned 3x a day, the beach is clean but you are on the Atlantic Ocean so it does get a bit rough now and then.

Note: The bars close at 11 pm but the disco is open til 1 am and drinks are included. Two doors down from Casa Marina, in town, is a great bar where a lot of Canadians go. Drinks are cheap, DJ Sunday to Thursday, Band on weekend. This is a solid 3.5* resort working on being a 4*.

Now having said of all this, the best part of Casa Marina Beach/Reef is that the resort is located right in Sousa. You step out the front doors of the resort and you are in town where you will find tons of restaurants, bars and of course, shopping! There is a 420 vendor flea market at Sousa Bay, which is a short 4 block walk away, and the beach there is calm and excellent for snorkelling. A must for anyone in the area.

Sousa is very safe during the day, I have walked to the flea market by myself on numerous occasions. Of course, common sense is always required at any time.. don't wear a lot of jewelry, don't flash money, etc.

On this vacation we did the Outback Safari excursion, went to the Jarabacoa Waterfalls, and my all time favourite, we went to the Monkey Jungle!

The Outback Safari is an excellent excursion for anyone who wants to learn and understand the Dominican culture. You visit a Dominican home, see and experience the fruit and coffee orchards, visit a Dominican school and go boogie boarding, all while the tour guide (Julian is the best!) explains how and why things are done in the Dominican Republic. You also get a great lunch on this tour. This was my third time on this tour and I still learned a lot. $79 per person

My daughter went on the Jarabacoa Waterfall excursion. You MUST be in good shape to do this tour. You have a guided tour along the way to the waterfalls, you then climb up the mountain and once at the top you slide down the waterfalls. Even though she goes to the gym daily she was sore the next day. Don't attempt to do this tour if you are not in excellent shape. $45 per person

The Monkey Jungle is absolutely awesome! It was created in 2010 to offset the costs of the free medical clinic provided to the Dominicans. Chuck and Candy have done an excellent job and your support would be appreciated. You can go the Monkey Jungle two ways: through a local tour agency (Mel's Tours in Sousa) $89 per person, or by taxi. The taxi cost $50. The monkeys and zip line combo is $70 adults, $50 children, or you can do just monkeys alone or zip line alone at a cost of $50 per person. No lunch with the tour agency or if you go by taxi.

There are two types of monkeys here, one is free range, one is caged. They give you a plate of food and the little squirrel monkeys come to you to get food. These monkeys are so fun, they can't help but put a smile on your face. Once the monkeys are fed you are taken on a tour of the monkey jungle including meeting the caged monkeys. After you have spent about 40 - 60 minutes with the monkey it's time to go zip lining. I have been on many canopy tours and I personally think that the zip lines at the Monkey Jungle are the best and safest. Everyone, from Chuck and Candy to the monkey guides to the zip line guides, go out of their way to make you feel safe and at home. My granddaughter said that this was the best day ever!

Don't be tricked at the resort by the excursion sales people who will try to sell you a different zip lining tour, it is not the Monkey Jungle. There is no kick back to the tour agencies because the Monkey Jungle is non profit so they don't sell it, you must go to a local tour agency or just take a taxi. Do not miss this one if you are in the area, this is a fantastic way to have an amazing time and help the local people.

FYI... if you are planning on going to the Monkey Jungle, any donations of eye glasses, bandages, etc is greatly appreciated. I went to a few of the doctors in my home town and gathered some equipment that to them was old but in the Dominican is new.

I have and do recommend Casa Marina Beach (quiet) and or Reef (busy).

I am a travel agent and have been to many resorts in the Puerta Plata area, I always come back to Casa Marina! [Details]

Hotel is very clean, food was good also, the beach was nice but the ocean is very rough with high waves. You also have to rent umbrellas which I have never been at a resort that we had to do this. The rooms need updating but they where clean. No shade or umbrellas at the pools either.It was nice that the town was walking distance.Also management kept taking the good loungers away to the other pools. [Details]

When we first arrived, the lobby greeter was nice, giving us a welcome drink. When we got up to the front desk however, the woman was EXTREMELY unpleasant and not helpful at all. We were told to wait for a bellhop, but after a few minutes, we decided to find it ourselves. The room numbers are very confusing, as they are un-sequenced. To summarize, I will list the good and bad points of this resort:

GOOD

- The resort is very nice. It is kept clean, pools were well maintained.
- The view is really really beautiful. The reef hot tub was great for watching sunsets.
- Luis. He is the leader of the entertainment crew. EXTREMELY friendly and outgoing. Made everyone he passed feel special.
- They give out board games, books, volleyballs, basketballs, ping pong paddles, etc. for entertainment.
- Food. Very good selection and very tasty. Buffet style you so you get to choose what you like or what you'd like to try (deserts aren't great).
- Drinks. They have a fun selection, with a 'drink of the day' that changes daily.

BAD

- Salesmen allowed onto the resort. I am away on vacation to relax, not avoid salesmen. They have guys EMPLOYED by the hotel trying to sell you on another 5 star resort that is owned by the same company. Very annoying, as the same guys will approach you several times on different days. They also have a bazaar every second day from 4:30 PM - 10:30 PM on the resort, lined up along the path to the buffet, so it is impossible to avoid. You must say no to about 15 high pressure sales tables trying to sell you their merchandise. It is very stressful and a huge nuisance, as they all make you feel bad when you don't buy anything from them.
- Water. VERY HARD COMMODITY to get. They supply you with 2 water bottles in the room, even though we had 4 people (2 adults, 2 kids). When we asked for 2 more, they said we had to PAY for them... even though they did not supply enough to accommodate all of us! You can not drink the water, so you must find a filling station to fill up your bottles.
- Staff. Very unpleasant to deal with. If you do not speak Spanish, do not expect to get good service. They do not smile or make eye contact with you. The entertainers are good (people in Orange shirts), but bartenders, waiting staff and front desk personnel are not helpful or friendly, and anytime you need something, you are made to feel like you are inconveniencing them.
- Towels. We could not get extra/clean towels. We literally had to beg the staff to give us fresh towels.
- Nightly shows. Not great. We were there for 7 days, and only 1 show was actually a professional show. Most of them were crowd volunteers or Karaoke.
- Room bathroom. The water is shut off for a period at night, where you can not wash your hands or flush your toilet. When they decide to turn the water back on, it makes such a loud noise that it wakes you up. The beds aren't comfortable.

There were also a lot of small things that add up over the course of the stay. One example of a small thing was we were at the beach, and opened an umbrella. We immediately had a guy yell at us from the top of the stairs and come running down. He informed us that if we wanted to us the umbrella, we had to pay $3. At an all-inclusive resort, I would have assumed that included the use of an umbrella that was on their beach...

Overall, the resort itself is nice with a great view. It is all of the other things that bring the rating down significantly. These things didn't start getting annoying until about the third day. It did ruin the trip a little bit.

I would not recommend this resort to most people. If you are the type that can easily say no and not feel bad that you are 'ruining their lives' by not buying something from them so that they can feed their family (I was actually told I was ruining someones life by not buying anything), then it actually is a nice, romantic view.

I have been to a 3 1/2 star all-inclusive resort in Cuba, and had a MUCH better experience.

Overall, I would NOT recommend this resort. [Details]

Loved everything about this resort [Details]

Will be back,very nice resort, very few bugs, meals were more than adequate, town flavour very close and safe [Details]