This was our favourite resort in 8 years. We usually do 4 stars and this was 4.5 star and you could feel the extra half-star. It is not a 5 star, but again, you are not paying for one either. We would go back next year without hesitation. Close to 2 golf courses, very well priced and easy access for golf. I think the resort is older, but well maintained with a very relaxed atmosphere. They did not seem to be full, as it was not at all crowded and we always got seats in the lobby, bar, beach and pool. Plenty of washrooms that were VERY clean. No-smoking in the restaurants and buffet which is nice for the non-smokers.
Your Arrival:
Arrived on time and just a quick drive to the resort. Check in was easy and fast. We got our rooms early at 1:00 instead of 3:00 p.m.
Rooms:
The room we had was fine. They are Junior Suites which gives you a little extra room with a small, wicker loveseat, chair, and coffee table. King sized bed was comfortable and bathroom more than adequate, with seperate room for toilet and shower stall and another room for sink and round tub. The terrace had 2 comfortable rocking chairs and an awesome hammock. The room was clean and well appointed. The air conditioning does not make the room really cold, but it is adequate. Safe, coffeee machine, hairdryer and mini fridge which is stocked daily as promised.
Restaurants and Bars: Great ! This is the best resort food we have had in the Caribbean in 8 years. All the a la carte’s had VERY good food as well as a good selection. The service was great. The Japanese is a lot of fun and the food (plenty of it) was fabulous. The buffet was large and food good for buffet food. Lots of selection, no reason to go hungry at all. There is another beach buffet which has good food ,as well as a place with pizza, chicken and ribs. The creperie and ice cream place which is by the shops is fantastic. Good ice cream, sundaes, crepes, cappiccino and good sit down service. you did not need reservations for the a la cartes, just arrived and were seated promoptly- we went around 6:30 to 7 most nights and had no wait to get seated.
The bars were all good. The lobby bar which also has cappiccino (pardon the spelling) offers hostess service all day and night. Very prompt and friendly. The beach and pool bars were all good, and had a fountin where you could serve yourself water, pop, juice, if you preferred.
Beach/Pools/Grounds: The beach…Ahhhhhh.. gorgeous, white sand, warm water. Yes, there was some seaweed in the water. This IS a beach, the sea..some seaweed is to be expected- it’s nature. It was not an impediment at all. There were lots of huts for shade and plenty of loungers. We never had a problem to get beach chairs. The pool is very large and lovely, with a fountain and seperate kids area, there are things going on, plenty of shaded huts and lots of loungers. The grounds are beautiful, lush and very well maintained. Some ducks, birds and fish around, very lovely.
It is easy to get around, although a large resort, nothing is too far away and is is easy to manage.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel: The beach party is lots of fun, they had it all decorated with a live band that was very good. The entertainment is pretty good by Dominican standards. Good dancers and the animation staff work really hard to entertain and ensure everone had fun. (Remember folks, this is not Vegas.) The circus show was impressive. All in all we enjoyed the shows. Nice stage and lots of props and lighting. You can sit in rows of chairs for the shows, or there are some tables and chairs set up behind, where you can enjoy the shows and get bar service at the same time.
We did not take in any outside excursions this year, but there are several to choose from. Be careful of ones offered but not part of your tour package (i.e. Sunquest, Nolitours, etc.) I heard there were some injuries on some of the other ones and people had to pay for their own ambulance, no insurance etc.
Other Comments:
This is a great resort and I would not hesistate to recommend it to anyone. Excellent service and accomodations, beach, pool, and food. I plan to return there next year for sure.