Hacienda Tropical, Puerto Plata

Advantages: Clean, nice food and lots to do
Disadvantages: Not much night life, book early at resturaunts

...I stayed at this 3+ star hotel for 2 weeks last March and overall i was pretty impressed. This hotel located at Puerto Plata was beautifully decorated and very clean and well kept, it seemed more like a 4 star hotel that a 3 star. We paid a little under £2,000 for two weeks all inclusive and this was for a double room with sea views. The hotel is right on the beach so the views were absolutely amazing.. We found most of the staff friendly and we got checked in within 15 minutes. On arrival our bags were collected and taken straight away so we could go straight to the reception to check in. This hotel is ideal for keen golfers and watersports fans as the hotel is right on the beach and has a large golf course to the side of the hotel. We were amazed at how nice and 'grand' the hotel looked when we got there. This hotel... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Gorgeous setting, lovely and friendly staff, superb food and drink
Disadvantages: N/A

...at that. Bahia Principe is actually just before the town anyway so chances are you'll not even see the town itself unless you go out on any excursions or go off wandering on your own. The resort itself is situated out and out of all other resorts (which appeared to be the norm for all resorts on the North of the island from what I saw on the excursions we went on). You'll be flying into Puerto Plata more than likely which is the main city on the island (albeit not the capital). The resort is about an hour and 15 minute bus drive from the airport in Puerto Plata. The staff at the airport and on the bus depots are all friendly and helpful though so no worries on that one. Now the first thing I was pleased with was the fact that our coach to the resort was lovely and cool. I have heard someone who visited the island a few years back... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Top class all inclusive hotel
Disadvantages: Isolated from other resorts

...education and fun if you get the right guide, driving up through the towns with the rum distilleries, through the fields of sugar cane to the workers villages where you can see the cock fighting arena and into the wilder country, driving through rivers to the rest point where you get a buffet lunch and a chance to have a swim in the river. Other excursions available are the usual all inclusive catamaran trip, we set off from Puerto Plata and went don the coast to Sosua where we went snorkelling on the reef and fed the fish banana out of our fingers (although this didn't work with the fish back at the hotel!) and then back up to Puerto Plata where a school of dolphins followed the boat! Also on offer at Bahia Principe is the Laguna Gri Gri trip. Save your money and go yourself! You can get a taxi outside the hotel who will drop you off in San... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful