We booked this resort because of they price and location. It was everything we wanted. The transfer from the airport was 1 1/2 hrs, but it was daylight so the scenery was great and it went by fast. The causeway to the resort is 48km long which took them 10 yrs to build…amazing! I walked to the causway one day (not far) and found 2 large Conch shells….I was thrilled!!
Your Arrival:
We booked and flew with Air Transat, and everything went smoothly. The Representitive handed us a package as we boarded the bus to the resort which contained everything we needed…including the room key!! We didn’t have to go to the desk when we got there, just straight to our rooms, then the beach…great!!
Rooms:
Rooms were very spacious and pretty…looked just like in the brochure. Tub and toilet were seperate from the vanity and lots of hot water, fluffy white towels and a complimentary bag of shampoo, body wash, soaps and lotion. The bed was a little hard, but that’s typical. Lots of pillows including body pillows! We stayed in 0918 which was central to everything and private. We had no complaints and our maid was wonderful. She even ran me a bubble bath with flower petals one night!! We left her a tip everyday and a gift when we went home. The bar fridge guys came around every day to see what you needed…very anxious to please you.
Restaurants and Bars: We only ate at the buffet and the snack bar….we don’t like being commited to a time, so no A’La Cartes! The food was OK…no need to go hungry! For breakfast they had omlettes, french toast and crepes, ham, sometimes bacon, cereals, fruit, etc. Daniel the french toast guy was great!! For dinner they grilled meats to order and pasta with different sauces and things like mushrooms and peppers you could add. The cooks were very friendly and accomodating. They heated things up for you if you wanted, since I think they need new warmers…some food was not hot. Lots of breads and the deserts were pretty good. The snack bar had a menu with good pizzas and grilled sandwiches and fries. We liked it there for lunch. I’m not a big eater but I did gain weight!
The bars were never busy. Drinks were good and plentiful! We brought Bubba Kegs and they liked those…they even got to know what we wanted in them. I drink diet cola since I’m diabetic, so that was important, but they never got it wrong! Rum was GOOD!
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
The beach was fantastic!! Long and clean. Lots of palapas and chairs…we never came early to get one! The water is the most beautiful color and clear. Some days it was calm and others huge waves. Two huge, shallow but quite cool pools. When we were there we had a few cool days so no swimmimg in the pool for us! Lots of chairs there too. The bartenders served drinks around the pool and the beach….they were great. The grounds are very lush and clean…lots of palm trees and flowers.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
We went to this resort knowing it was a long way from town so we didn’t do any tours. A cab ride to the closest town was about $80 + tip round trip we were told. We just wanted to enjoy the resort and be lazy! We have travelled lots and done the tours before. They did the typical dance, games, excercise, etc. daily, but were never pushy about you participating. They made sure you had fun if you wanted.
Other Comments:
I gave this resort 4 out of 5 stars only because I have had a little better food at some resorts in Punta Cana. I had never been to Cuba and I heard the food was not 5 star, but they are a country that is not "Americanized" so that we loved. I did not want to see any chain restaurants or stores. It is like a step back in time. But to be honest, I loved the atmosphere here, better than any place we have been…it made up for the food! We didn’t come for fine dining…we came for great beaches and friendly people, and that we got. And oh yeah, the rum too!! I loved it here and the workers never acted like they expected a tip…but they certainly deserved it. They were gracious and thankful when we did. Everyone was always smiling and saying "Olah!" I would love to go back and see them and we definitely will!!