Do you feel it is time to reload your batteries? Want to take a break from your busy daily routine? Few experiences leave you more relaxed and rejuvenated than visiting a Spa & Health resort. Here you will find serine surroundings which allow you to soothe your mind and the personalised care which will pampered you back into a divine state of balance for complete harmony of body, mind and soul.
Do you feel it is time to reload your batteries? Want to take a break from your busy daily routine? Few experiences leave you more relaxed and rejuvenated than visiting a Spa & Health resort. Here you will find serine surroundings which allow you to soothe your mind and the personalised care which will pampered you back into a divine state of balance for complete harmony of body, mind and soul.
Depending on the resort you will select, spa treatments may include hydrotherapeutic baths, steam baths, body wraps, saunas, massages, manicures and pedicures. Complemented by an often outstanding culinary experience you, once more, will realise that you are very special indeed.
Hotels/Resorts are added to our Review Index Pages as soon as we receive a review for that hotel. So if you have stayed at a hotel recently and don't see it listed yet, send us your review and it will be added to the Review Index.
I hear all the bad things about royal elite but in really life. My husband and myself went they in early 2009, after a 6 week trip to jamaica that end witha friend getting hurt. We had a great time and did buy a one bedroom, since then we have had a couple hickups but all has been worked out. We returned to sandos caracol in december and had no problems. no problems booking or with are stay. the have changed thing and are working hard to make it all right. we love the staff and the staff loves us no are money. like we found in jamaica they love your money not you.
cant wait to get back there
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
lots
Beach/Pools/Grounds
clean and nice
Restaurants and Bars
fast, good and clean
Rooms
nice clean and cleaned everyday with towel animals on the bed
This is our 3rd trip in 2 years and we were lucky enough to experience the Paradisus Varadero’s brand new Royal Service. I reviewed the main resort previously; this review is largely specific to the new Royal Service.
Butler service
The PV has chosen their most experienced, charming and multi-lingual staff for the Royal Service. They bent over backward to make our stay great. Extensive room service is available 24 hours a day.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
Spa and gym: A gorgeous, full-service 5* spa and fully-equipped gym are now available.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
The lovely private pool is surrounded by lots of those big, square palapas with mattresses, bolsters and room for 2 or more. Curtains tie up for sun or hang down for shade. Also very comfortable lounge chairs. It was marvelous to have the option of this (usually) quiet pool in the Royal Service, or the bigger pools with more going on in the main resort.
Other Comments
The rest of the resort: Well, we wouldn’t be back again if we didn’t love the place! Check out the newer reviews for more info on the fabulous beach, lovely grounds, great restaurants, big pools and friendly staff!
Restaurants and Bars
Pool bar
Has its own mint patch for freshly-made mojitos! Really great service unless there is a large group of guests on hand, in which case they need more backup.
Private restaurant
Excellent food, excellent service for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is the closest to really fine dining that we have encountered in Cuba - we have always enjoyed the food in the main resort but this is a step up! There are lots of choices of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes, as well as soups, desserts, etc.
Lobby bar
Air conditioned and therefore mosquito-free if that’s a concern for you. We didn’t encounter many mosquitos this trip but have on trips later in the summer. The 24-hour lobby bar is small and not many people used it – but we enjoyed getting an early morning tea or a drink after the show. If you’re looking for more action, head over to the main resort’s lobby or disco. You can always ask for a ride in one of the little guest transports.
Rooms
Most of the villas have 2 suites upstairs and 2 downstairs. Ours was downstairs and had a private patio with table, chairs and a lounge/sofa. The bedroom-sitting area is attractive and large, and has a couch, 2 armchairs and a coffee table, flat screen TV, built-in bar fridge (fully stocked) and picture windows/doors out onto the patio. Full water view. The king-size bed is more comfortable than the usual PV beds; still not luxurious but a definite improvement. There is a pillow menu, from which you can choose various shapes and fills. We tried several – lots of fun! Large walk-in closet with lots of hanging and drawer space and a safe.
Bathroom – yes, it rates its own review!
The bathroom is as wide as the bedroom, with a large spa-bath. There are various aromatherapy products for the bath and your butler will actually come and draw your personally-selected bath for you. I didn’t avail myself of this, but if you’re into that kind of service, have a blast! There are “his” and “hers” counters, each with a sink, large mirror, lots of counter space. Between the 2 counters is the door to your private Roman courtyard with a latticed roof for semi-shade and privacy, little palm tree, gardens and a path down the middle to the outdoor shower in the tiled wall. WOW! Gorgeous! I couldn’t get enough of standing in the warm Cuban air while showering. It was a very clean vacation!
Your Arrival
Once again, the best staff have been assigned to Royal Service. Check in, check out, questions, etc. were all handled very quickly and easily.
The entire reception, lobby, etc. is air conditioned and therefore mosquito-free if that’s a concern for you. We didn’t encounter many mosquitos this trip but have on trips in the summer. There's a nice little lounge area with a decent pool table for a lazy end to a long, hot day!
As many have mentioned the trip to and from the resort takes approximately 2 hours. No problem for us as we got to see other parts of Jamaica we may not otherwise see. You can let the driver know that you don’t want or need a rest stop half way and its “no problem mon”. The trip is great both ways and with a cold beer to start you off with a cold facecloth and champagne on arrival…its nothing but good news, sit back and enjoy the ride.
The rooms are spacious and very livable. Yes some are older and could use some remodeling, but overall absolutely nothing to worry about. The showers are extremely spacious and everything functions as needed. Voltage is North American (115V) so your wife can bring her hairdryer and all other tools of the trade and they will work perfectly. TVs are flat screens and work great with large selection of English speaking channels from the US, Canada and elsewhere. We loved our room.
It is mandatory that everyone who visits should take a few hours out of their schedule and walk the grounds. Beautiful scenery, shrubbery, flowers, wildlife and buildings at every turn. Don’t forget your camera at home. Yes there are a lot of stairs, but at no point did it cause us any grief and my wife had a seriously sprained ankle before we arrived. The Beaches are well maintained, raked and graded every day. The water is warm and shallow and wonderful for lazing in when the weather is hot. Both the A/N and clothed versions are excellent options. The Resort itself is laid out well with bars at both beaches, restaurants at the top and bottom with easy access to all. The restaurants are all fantastic with great choices for every person. I am a Vegetarian and my wife isn’t, but we had no issues whatsoever in creating menus that thoroughly satisfied each of our needs.Complaints that menus are limited amaze me, this isn’t some US based fast food joint with 200 menu items. The chefs are fantastic, and the choices you do have are all high quality, extremely appealing, and delightful! The restaurants are all 5 star in our opinion! Kudos to Natalia, Edgar and everone in the Palazzina. If this isn’t 5 Star service I don’t know what is….and with the BIGGEST smiles you’ve ever seen! The Tuesday Beach Party and Fridays Starlight Gala are impressive to say the least! Mingle with the crowd, sit with people from different countries and enjoy! The setups for both parties are spectacular and the food is indescribable. Lastly, whatever you do, do not miss out on the opportunity to get a couples massage. Relaxing, stimulating all set out in one of the most romantic and secluded areas of the resort. There is so much more to CSS, don’t let the few naysayers sway you from going to this resort, it is simply one of the best you will encounter anywhere in the world.
Photos so you can see for yourself!
Bay Gardens Beach Resort (BGBR) consists of eight 3-story buildings with 1- and 2-bedroom suites. Six of the buildings circle the pool with views of the ocean and headlands, while two face the beach directly. The resort is right on the end of Reduit Beach, just beside the entrance to the marina at Rodney Bay.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
Lots of watersports activities can be arranged directly through the hotel. We went on a Power Boat tour that took us to Marigot Bay, along the west coast of the island, and down into Soufriere, where we packed into a van for the land portion of the tour. We went to the Sulphur Springs volcano and the Mineral Bath before stopping for lunch at LaDera. LaDera is a beautiful open-air hotel situated in the hills between the two Pitons that St. Lucia is famous for--what a view! Finally, we snorkeled in the bay between the Pitons. Well worth the USD$100 each. Book with Andre on the beach at the blue hut.
Another day we drove to the Diamond Estate to see the Diamond Falls and Botanical Gardens. The drive is not for the faint of heart, but having driven along the cliffs and switchbacks in Amalfi, Italy, this was no worse, (it helps that we rented a 4x4). Took about 2 hours each way, depending on stops you may make. Plenty of lookout points, although there is not always a good place to stop. The Diamond Estate admission is just USD$5 each, and well worth it! You can hire a private guide to give you a tour; they will explain the fauna and history of the estate, but it's not totally necessary.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
Beautifully landscaped grounds, and the Reduit Beach has to be the nicest in St. Lucia. Rodney Bay is well protected, I guess, because the waves were negligible.
The free-form pool has lots of shallow areas to just sit & a cool off in, and there is a hot tub jacuzzi in the centre. The poolside is surrounded by more tables and chairs than deck loungers. Not a problem in late May--the hotel was at less than half occupancy--but it might be a bit of an issue to get a lounger in high season.
Restaurants and Bars
"Pebbles" bar services both the beach and the pool. Walk-up service only, though, and service is definitely on "island time", if you know what I mean. Reasonably priced, (USD$2.50 for a Piton lager and USD$5-6 for most other drinks), with 2-for-1 Happy Hour 5:30-6:30pm. "Hi-Tide" restaurant is also right on the beach and is good enough for lunch, but there are better options along the main drag in Rodney Bay for dinner.
Rooms
Rooms are very spacious, including a nice-sized terrace. Our room, (#611), was on the third floor and faced directly onto the pool and ocean. The nicest views have to be from the third floor, as I think that the view of the ocean from the first floor would be blocked by the beachside bar & restaurant.
Kitchen was well-equipped, (although the solid-core electric elements do take forever to heat up and then to cool down), including both a cooktop and an oven. The bathroom was large and stylish.
Fresh beach towels were provided each day in our room--no towel cards or anything like that required.
Your Arrival
Arrived direct from Toronto via Air Canada and rented a car from Avis. (St. Lucia is a former British colony, so driving is on the left and be prepared for roundabouts in towns.) Drove directly to the resort in a little over an hour. Might have stopped for some of the views in Dennery and to check out the rainforest, but left that for another day.
Fantastic Vacation
Hotel Dreams Resort and Spa
User Rating:
Derek >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Apr, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
The Dreams Riviera Cancun was a perfect blend of service, atmosphere and enjoyment. Yes there are children at this resort but we went as a couple knowing this and were able to still have a wonderful vacation.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
Lots of energy and activities if you wished to participate. Not overly agressive to gather people for events and the noise from them was never really annoying.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
Beach was unfortunately not that great due to the weather during our stay. Winds were strong and had a storm front for a few days of our vacation.
Other Comments
Excellent service, attention to detail and memorable experience. Would highly recommend and we plan to return soon.
Restaurants and Bars
Food was excellent...we really enjoyed the Japanese and French. Plenty of bars to accomodate a thirst of any nature. Good selection of liquors availble.
Rooms
Exact replications of what they portray on their websites. We found them stunning and almost all have some sort of oceanview.
Your Arrival
Nice and close to the airport with about only a 30 minute drive.
First visit, but not the last.
Hotel Occidental Royal Hideaway Ensenachos
User Rating:
D >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Apr, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
My wife and another couple visited this resort recently and it met all our expectations. The resort was beautiful and very friendly. We are going to book again for next year.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
The spa was great too. My wife has a massage and pedicure and said it was the best she had had.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
There are two beach areas that were amazing and both were great for snokeling. One has a sunken barge to explore and the other has a reef to explore. we spent several hours at both seeing many species of beautiful fish.
Other Comments
Believe it or not, we had no complaints at all about the resort. It was everything we were looking for. On a side note the only complaint was the French-Canadians that were there. Everyone there was so friendly and would say hi except them unless you spoke french to them. It wasn't just us, others made this observation too.
Restaurants and Bars
There are 4 restaurants and we tried three of them. We very quickly made friends with several waiters/waitresses and had excellant service. They couldn't do enough for you. I been to Cuba in the past and I wasn't expecting much in the way of food, however the food was excellant. And the bars were fully stocked.
Rooms
The rooms were very spacious and clean. Maids visited twice a day and even left poems and notes.
I'm 19 years old and i just returned from the Melia Cayo Santa Maria, in Santa Clara! My family and I went for a week and found it marevllous.
Our flight came in really early in the morning of our second day (i think it was around 3 am?). Air transat was picking up dropped flights from sky service....i hope thats not a normal flight time! Anyways, when we got to the airport in Santa Clara, it was time to go through customs and stuff. I mean it when i say, i would would rather go through the Customs in Cuba than the ones in Canada any day. Though it is a little bit on the slow side (a solid half an hour until we found our baggage) everyone was very pleasant and suprisingly good at communicating with us cranky Canadians.
I dont know where someone was getting 10 km from the airport, cause our bus ride was a solid 9 minutes or so. Shockingly, i can't complain about the bus ride. Im someone that gets car sick often but the ride to the airport was spectacular. You got a deep inside look at the town of Caibairien (sp?) which was a real eye opener into Cuban culture, as well as getting to learn the History of the infamous causeway as you ride on it.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
Generally after luncht we'd go and have a little siesta in our room for a couple of hours (the sun wears you out, ye know?). However there were some days when i just wasnt sleepy and would look for things to do instad. I didnt have to look far! I met a guy named Yoelkis, who was basically the resident sports guy! He showed me where the volleyball net was, started a gane of water polo, ping pong tables, archery, beach soccer, tai chi in the mornings, dance lessons , and MORE. Honestly, you are NEVER bored.
But if you are the kind that likes to chill in your room for a couple hours, be not afraid, you do get american/canadian channels. I must have watched ESPN and the Disney Channel every night before bed.
Also, there's buses to and from the market every two hours! Frequent and flexible!
Beach/Pools/Grounds
The beach is also marvellous. It's wide, first of all, and DEEP. i had friends stay at the Barcelo and few weeks earlier and they said their beach was HALF as deep as the Melia's was. The Man who worked on the beach....never got his name (we called him Dawn of the Chairs) was extremely friendly. He would offer to find you a Pilapila (cabana) as well as brush the sand off your chairs and lay your twoels out for you. It was unnecessary, but lovely none the less. The water was absolutely stunning as well. Beautiful turquoise and clear as crystal. The waves get pretty rough at night but there will always be a red flag if the staff thinks its unsafe to swim.
The pools are great too. Big enough so that you rarely run into someone, and alot safer than most because there's a ramp into the water instead of stairs, and it gets deeper GRADUALLY. There's also a killer swim up bar:)
Restaurants and Bars
The breakfast buffet was also wonderful, there's a seperate fresh fruit buffet in the middle of the dining room that serves fruit, juice, smoothies and yogurt and stuff, where the buffet that serves the hot food was in the kitchen at the back of the room.
One of the cooks, his name is Daniel, soon became one of my favourite people ever. He was polite, had eloquent enlgish, and made the best french toast i have ever had.
For lunch we generally went to the Pool side restaurant. We could have gone to the buffet again, or the Beach retaurant, but the one on pool side served the BEST chicken sandwiches i have EVER had, along with all the cervexa you could ask for :)
Rooms
Our room (all rooms, because they all look the same) was absolutely STUNNING. There were three beds: 2 doubles (Which felt more like queens) and a day bed. Luxurous curtains hung from the doorways, and the bathroom was huge. The toilet, badet, and tub were in a separate room off the side of the sink and linnen closet. The safe was digital and we had excellent water pressure.
Your Arrival
When we got to the hotel, we were greeted by VERY pleasant....bellboys i guess you'd call them. Since the flight me and my mother took was later than the one the rest of the family was on, we met them in the front lobby. The "Bellboys" (who i called the multitasking team) loaded our personal luggage onto the little car thing and took it to our room for us so that me and my mother could go have a dinrk with the family in the lobby bar.
The bar is 24 hrs thank god, and is a good center for entertainment. Every night, the activities coordinator (one of the most pleasant people i have ever met, and a downright cool guy) would organise a little show for who ever was in there for drinks. At one point there was a 4 piece saxophone band....thing. It was marevllous. There were also fashion shows, dancing, billiards, and more! Not to mention that bar tenders there were wonderful.
Truly one of the most beautiful hotels staffed by the best employees I have ever encountered. the only complaint is we get roped into a timeshare presentation under slightly false assumptions. The salesmen are extremely aggressive and I actually signed up for what I thought was a good deal. when I got home, I researched "Club Real Timeshares" and started to read the horror stories. I immediately sent in a cancellation notice. the contract indicates you have 5 days for a full refund. I am not getting any response from them at this point.
Enjoy the hotel, but DO NOT ATTEND THE TIMESHARE MEETING!
My Boyfriend and I, with a couple of friends just arrived back from the NH Real Arena lastnight and I would go back tomorrow. We loved it, the Service, food, rooms, everything was wonderful. I would definitly suggust it to anybody! Go stay there, you will LOVE IT!!
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
They had dancing, yoga and water arobics at the beach everymorning, but don't worry there was a quiet side too go if you just wanted to relax. There was also great fun at the pool everyday. The activities workers always were around having fun and getting people to join in on the fun. They were very good at their jobs.
The International entertainment was UNBELIEVABLE!!! AMAZING!! I've been to the DR from a 3+star to a 5 star and this, by far was the BEST ever!
Pre shows, beautiful singers. They had fire dancers, acrobats, dancers. Special people in the shows including, a Argentinan male dancer. Mexican Fire throwers. Cirque de Solie. And the disco tech was very fun and always full after the shows.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
Beach was perfect! as it always is. the best and widest! Pools were awesome! pool bar seperate (which is wonderful cause im not a big drinker all day) Big pool and a seperate quiet pool behind that. Also, two pools on each side close to the beach with there own pool bars for the Le Mirage Conceriage. The grounds were very well taken care off. Flawless!
Other Comments
This place was perfect and I would highly suggust it to anyone and I would go back myself in a heartbeat!
Restaurants and Bars
We didn't get to experience the A La carts, we had friends arriving 4 days after we did and we wanted to wait to book then. Well waiting was the wrong thing to do...BOOK YOUR A LA CARTS ASAP!! when you arrive at this hotel, they book up fast and they're not open all nights. Not a huge deal for us, but I wish I would have asked eariler, that was my fault. They have signs everywhere, at the entrance to the buffett and the lobby telling us what days they are open or closed. The Buffett was amazing tho, the had Oriental, Italian, dominican, international, mexican, and american nights. The food was always fresh and very tasty. Breakfast was to die for, Ommlettes, bacon, boiled eggs, lots of breads..everything. No shortage of great food!
Rooms
We got to our room and it was a garden view near the midpoint between the lobby and beach but a gourgeous view of a fountain and palm trees and gardens. There was a giant hole in the wall, which was interesting and not a big deal to us but might be to other people if they are travelling with friends, not much privacy!! The other couple with us got the Le Mirage Concerige rooms, which are closer to the beach but don't have holes in the walls, They had to switch rooms to an upstairs floor because the room was very musty and damp. Upstairs is definitly better in that section, their second room was better.
Your Arrival
We arrived around 12:30 pm at the hotel, got our room at 2:30. We booked the Le Mirage Deluxe and the room was excellent! The check-in was fast and the had drinks and snacks, a big screen TV and couches to lounge on to wait in the Le Mirage section of the checkout. The lobby was very nice!
3 time back
Hotel VIK hotel Arena Blanca (LTI Beach Resort Punta Cana)
This is our 3 year and every year we have stay at the Vic Arena Blanca and we love it the staff is wonderful and friendly when we got there we were on the 2 floor my husband just had knee surgery so this was not good i went to the front and with no problems they moved us to the first floor. People say why do you go to the same resort well first the resort is so clean and the staff are so friendly and we love the food breakfast is awesome and at lunch the burgers and fries and hot dogs are so good and there-always fresh fruit and cookies and cakes and dinner is fantastic especial our pasta maker i had garlic and butter with there amazing meat sauce also a red with no meat and Alfredo our rooms were cleaned every day and we came back to swans made from towels and always fresh flowers,I go to the Vic because of the food,staff,and how clean it is the T.v works the ceiling fan is great the AC works the rooms are wonderful remember if you want all the leisureliness of home then stay home also i feel so safe I work for Tim Horton and i start at 5 so i am always up at 3 so i would get the towels and go to the beach to get our spot the security guy Gabriel always walk with me to the beach watch me place my towels as we walk back we have a smoke he saw me back to my room.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
We have swam with the dolphin at Maniti Park which is beautiful they put on water show with sea lions and dolphin's we did the Eco tour which is done on Segways and the one I recommend if your only going to do one is the boat they take you to coral ref's and you swim with the sharks and sting rays we dance on the boat they had a wonderful lunch and drinks we had a blast they have a gym,spa night club a little every thing for everyone.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
always clean the guys every day raked the beach and cleaned up what ever the ocean sent in. also threw out the day staff pick up all cups and garbage you had they always ask do u mined we had games threw out the day and fun beach exerciser at night the had show for the little one and at 10 for the grown up the show witch usually are musicals are so good the staff puts on the show and they do a dam good job
Other Comments
Well when we return next year it will be at the Vic we had a wonderful week as always it a lay back quiet resorted and that is what i look for because I am there to relax and the Vic lets you do that You have to remember it's not home and if that is what your looking for then stay home
Restaurants and Bars
Fantastic and wonderful food night after night
Rooms
We had 2 rooms that were always cleaned and the cleaning staff went out of there way to see that we had everything we need it
Your Arrival
When you get off the plain they move you threw quick and on to your bus and on your way check in is a snap and the bell boys are quick your not waiting a hour for your bag
We were a family party of three generations ( 78, 52, 18) that travelled to this resort in November 2009 for 1 week. We all loved it. The flights were good - we flew on Sunwing in their Elite Plus section - we thought it was worth the extra money to have the extra legroom seats prebooked both directions, as well as the seperate check-in. We waited in a line of about 8 people instead of the line with about 150 people. We could also board early if we liked.
Sunwing gives you a glass of champagne and a snack soon after take off, then free headsets, choice of hot meal and free wine with the meal. Our flights were on time. Overall a good experience.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
Pool- large, clean. Has a swim-up bar. You can see the ocean from the pool. Lots of lounges. People get up early to save the best spots.
Beach was nice, but very rough wtaer when we were there. There was a hurricane that was at the far west end of Cuba and Mexico while we were there. We got torrential rain one day, and the ocean was rough the whole week, so we were not in it very much.
Grounds are well looked after. Nice plantings.
Nice bonsaii around the Asian restaurant.
Other Comments
Staff in the resort were very good. Professional, eager to please, welcoming, friendly. They always had a smile and a "Hola" for you.
Over all we had a great holiday and would reccommend it to anyone. As a matter of fact I am returning there in less than 2 weeks, this time with my husband and another couple.
Restaurants and Bars
Food was amazing! The main buffet has endless choices, beautifully presented. We ate every breakfast here, some lunchs and a few dinners. Staff was attentive, professional,friendly, welcoming, eager to please. If you couldn't find many things to your liking at this buffet, there is something wrong with you!!!
The a la cartes were all good. (least favourite was the Cuban, but still fine)
The service was always good. They try very hard to make your meal pleasant.
The restaurant by the beach had wonderful food at lunch - fabulous seafood.
The pool area restaurant was great as well. Casual.
Bars- good.
Rooms
Large, very clean and comfortable. A little bit dated decor-wise, but still nice. On 2 levels. Bathroom and bedroom on upper level, then 3 stairs down to sitting area. Sink area seperate from tub area. In area with tub/shower is toilet and bidet. Great water pressure in shower. Always lots of hot water. Lots of towels. Nice soap, shower gel, shampoo etc.
Air conditioning was adequate. Room was fresh smelling, not damp or musty, (2nd floor room), kept spotless by maid. Mini bar always replenished.
Your Arrival
You are greeted at the resort with a glass of sparkling wine and a cool towel. They have you sit in the lobby, and come to you to check in. Wasn't the fastest check in I have had, but definitely not the worst.
We were driven to our room by a bellboy in a golf cart and he carried our bags up to the room. The room keys didn't work so he took them back to the front desk to re-program them, and returned with-in a few minutes.
We changed, then went to buffet for late dinner.
Unforgettable!!!
Hotel Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya Resort
User Rating:
Sandra >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Mar, 2010 | Leisure | With Group
This is the second time I stayed at this resort and I will definitely be returning. We departed Ottawa on March 7 for 2 weeks and we all had the time of our lives, I know you can give 5 stars but if it were possible I would give the Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya 10 stars for excellence.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
We didn't do any excursions out of the resort but there were many to choose from.
They also have a beautiful spa and gym. You can take a nice walk there (about 5min) or you can have your concierge call the shuttle for you. The gym is state of the art, we went everyday around 3pm and there was always something available to use. They also provide you with water and towels.
The spa is without a doubt beautiful and the staff is very nice.
The shows in the evening were by far the best entertainment I have seen in Mexico and the animation team is fantastic. Always getting everyone involved.
The Disco at this resort is also very nice. You need to take a shuttle to ge there but it is a 5 minute ride an well worth it!
Beach/Pools/Grounds
We spent most of our 2 weeks at the beach, however the pools were equally beautiful. The beach can be a little bit rocky but not enough to need shoes although we saw some people wearing shoes.
The pools and the grounds at this resort were imaculate, there wasn't one minute of the day that we didn't see someone cleaning it, very well kept.
There is also a lazy river at this resort, very very fun and a perfect place to get a beautiful tan. They provide you with a floatation device and it takes you through the river very nice touch.
Other Comments
I would have to say that the Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya excels in every way.
A special THANK YOU to the Managment of the Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya you have created a world class resort. We thouroughly enjoyed our vacation and will be returning without a doubt next year. THANK YOU again and see you in 2011.
Adios!
Restaurants and Bars
There are 8 a la carte restaurants to choose from:
Italian, Mexican, Mediterranean, French, Japanese, Steak House, Cajun and Brazilian. We manageg to go to all of them because we were there for 2 weeks and they are all VERY VERY GOOD! My favourites would have to be the Steak House and the French restaurants.
The Buffets are equally good. I never had a problem finding something to eat and everything I ate was very good. Excellent!!!!
The staff at the bars are very nice they go out of their way to make everyones experience enjoyable. Look for Gabriel and Joakin these guys know how to mix a drink!!!!
There is also a coffee bar at this resort and you can go for a coffee at any time of the day, very yummy!
Rooms
The rooms are spacious, beautiful and very clean, nothing to complain about.
Your Arrival
We arrived in Mexico around 12:30pm and went through customs security very smoothly. We had to wait awhile after we got our luggage to go through security but we were in paradise so we didn't mind. We took a bus to the hotel that takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Check-in at the hotel was seamless. The bell boys were very friendly and assited us with our luggage. We were then greeted with a glass of chamapgne and guided to reception to check-in. The reception staff were very accomodating answering our questions and helping us fill out all the necessary paper work. We were then given our bracelets and our rooms keys. We then went back to the bell boys and we were driven to our rooms and our luggage quickly followed.
I have been to the D.R. 4 times and this was the first one i attended and all the others were a let down after staying here. The service was excellent. The resort was great and felt right at home there. We just loved it. Since then I got divorced and went to another resort by myself and won't make that mistake again. I am already planning a trip back to this resort. I recommend this resort to anyone that wants to get there moneys worth. I will be going back there very soon and hope to be greeted as I did last time. Hope to see you all there you won't be disappointed.
John Sorensen
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
Lot's to do. You never run out of things to do. And the prices were not bad even your average Joe can afford them. The resort is hard to explain it is just so beautiful everywhere you go. They treat you like royalty. These people know how to run a resort. Everything is so clean and perfect.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
The pool was awesome and very clean. The beach is something you will just have to see on your own. We just loved it. And at night could not get any better.
Other Comments
This is a great place to vacation and you really get your moneys worh and I will be returning soon. Like I said have been to the D.R. 4 times and this was the best place by far.
Restaurants and Bars
All food was very tasty and the bars were top notch and it seemed there was never a lineup for drinks. They are great people that serve you and have no complaints.
Rooms
The rooms had everything you could possibly need. The AC worked great which is a big plus so you can get a good night sleep.
Your Arrival
Was great treated like royalty
Will book again in January 2011!
Hotel Victoria Golf & Beach Resort
User Rating:
Ruth >
2 contribution(s) Canada
Mar, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
This was our 9th trip to the Victoria. We love this resort! The Victoria is small, quiet, has great staff, good food and special attention from Marlyn Mendoza of Guest Services. The one point I want to make in this review is that the Victoria has its own private beach and beach restaurant between the Barcelo and the Casa Colonial. Because it is not directly on the beach some people think they have to go to the sister resort the Gran Ventana and use their beach...not so. I also want to point out that this resort is not directly on the beach but just a 6 minute walk or a 3 minute golf cart ride. Most of the resorts claiming to be on the beach are actually off the beach behind the sand dunes and the lagoon and there is still a short walk to the beach. Not all the resorts that claim to be on the beach have beach front rooms, again they are behind the dunes and or the lagoon. The Victoria offers much more for much less! The beach bar/restaurant is the newest and best on the strip. It sits "on" the beach and is built up so that when you sit and have lunch or a drink in the bar/restaurant you have a beautiful view of the beach and the ocean. Do do not rule out the Victoria because it is not on the beach, there is always lots of room on the beach, the beach is very clean, raked every morning, they never run out of loungers and the view is spectacular.
After 9 visits and having tried other resorts in the Playa Dorada complex this is the best bang for you buck. The resort is clean, great for people wanting peace, quite and complete relation. If by chance you do want some excitment you can use all the facilites at the sister resort The Gran Ventana, the evening shows and specialty restaurants.
Ruth
Beach/Pools/Grounds
Very quiet, clean, and always enough loungers.Great Restaurant with wonderful view!
Many activities excellent animation group to keep everyone participating. Off resort tours can be purchased at the beach for a much lower cost than from the tour companies. Saona Island was beautiful but for a full day trip only about three hours allotted for exploring. I would recommend Catalina if you are interested in snorkeling.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
Beautiful long white sandy beach with turquoise water. Tons of beach chairs not many teaky tents for shade. The ocean is roped off, alonf the rope is a man made reef, snorkling is FANTASTIC along this reef. A MUST SEE! Pool is huge and pool bar is beautiful. Again not many teaky huts but lots of chairs. Grounds were well kept as well. Very serene.
Restaurants and Bars
Buffet served breakfast, lunch, dinner and all night snacks. Dinner buffet was the only one that I didnt really care to attend. Lunch and Breakfast were good. Snack bar by pool and ocean served excellent burgers, chicken wings, pizza and french fries. This snack bar alternates the seafood and Mexican dinners. Mexican was tradition and good (but I made the mistake and had the shrimp brochette and it was not good at all) We did not attend the Seafood but I heard the steak there was excellent. No crab or lobster. The Japanese did require reservations and you had to be at the guest service booth by 830 am to get a reservation. Surely worth it! Sushi starter, chicken, steak, shrimp and fish accompanied by grilled veggies and rice. Lastly the Italian restaurant was AMAZING!! Excellent apps and antipasto bar. The entrees were very traditional and delicious.
Rooms
Room was beautiful...Bed was soft and had a slope, bathroom needed improvements(faucet was off the shower wall a bit) There was an iron board/iron, fridge, television, hairdryer and large make up mirror. The fridge is stocked daily with 2 pop and 2 beer and 2 water. Safe lock fee is 4 dollars a day. Maid service was phenomenal. There were sand flies on the furniture but was to be expected. We stayed in block 12 which was right by the ocean and pool. Excellent view very clean and quite.
Your Arrival
Flew Skyservice when checking in baggage was said to be way over weight however in bringing more stuff back it was way underweight. In the future if this happened I would request my bags weighed at another station as I believe the Toronto Airport did not get the correct reading on our luggage. Landed in Punta Cana rather than La Romana airport. Could be anywhere from 1.5-3 hour bus ride which is nice to see the surrounding area and towns. Check in was smooth, had to wait for our room but were able to enjoy the facilities while we waited. Bell boy holds your luggage while you tour the resort. Bring swimsuit/light clothing in carry on so you can enjoy the resort while you wait.
As much as I'd like to say otherwise, but most of the reviews about the food are correct... It's terrible. As in REALLY bad- read below
Hotel Riu Palace Punta Cana
User Rating:
Adam >
1 contribution(s) United States of America
Mar, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
The resort itself didn't have that much of a night life. They had a Dominican band most nights but they stopped around 9. There was a broadway-type show at the theater which was amusing. Only one or 2 bars in the place were open past 10.
The water activities are amazing- Scuba diving is great even with a stronger than average underwater current. I really enjoyed it.
We also did a zip-line canopy tour, I'd highly recommend! It was fantastic and the guys there know how to have a good time. If you choose to do any of the off or on-site activities, do NOT book online as you can negotiage for far less once you're down there.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
Great beach! Water was perfect and the sand was white and soft. There is a reef off the coast a bit which really cut the hieght of the waves, which is good for kids and relaxing near the shore.
The pool was great too. Very warm water. But, tile was missing allover as well as some stool-tops on the swim up bar. The pool needed a bit of renovation as well as a filter change but didn't stop us from enjoying the festivities. You'll have to turn a blind eye to the taste of suntan lotion in the water. No resort in the world gets rid of this.
Restaurants and Bars
Disappointing... We expected the cuisine at a 5 star resort to be a highlight in our vacation. We were ready to leave after 7 days to eat some "people food". Due to the nature of all-inclusive, we were held captive and subjected to some of the worst meals I've had the displeasure of enduring. (Some worse than my time in the Marines)
In speaking with patrons of other resorts, the island has a problem sourcing quality meats and other foods. Combine that with the fact that yesterday's custodian is cooking tonight's main course and you get the picture. Although the buffet looked presentable, I had to stick to about 3-4 things that seemed edible. The breads and desserts must have been professionally prepared and shipped in from off-site as they were good. Not great, but pretty good.
The breakfast was a disappointment. I was hoping to satisfy my hunger with an omelet that looked amazing on the outside, only to be disappointed with raw egg on the inside. Great way to start your day...
No option for other, non-buffet restaurants for Breakfast and Lunch. You're stuck with a buffet. Enjoy…
The dinner restaurants were just OK. Some were more edible than others. Japanese menu seemed to be the most palatable of the 5.
Skip the Crystal room- the chef couldn't burn toast to save his life.
The Brazilian steakhouse was interesting: you get a diverse menu with plenty of options, but it's purely for decoration as they don't take an order. In Fogo-de-chao fashion, they bring a skewer of meats around to each guest; I can only assume its cat, rat, stray dog or other exotic mammals as it didn't taste at all familiar. Even the chicken didn't taste like chicken... The meats were dry, bland, cooked too slowly and weren’t trimmed and cut properly. Skip it.
The other restaurants weren't better or much worse and completely forgettable.
A quick note about the bars: The barkeepers are friendly, but almost uninterested in mixing up a watered down excuse for a drink without a tip. If you slip them a couple bucks early on, the service is quite good. But, the choice of booze is on par with the spring break resorts in Mexico; bad booze with an aftertaste similar to that of rubbing alcohol. I'm sure this does the trick for somebody in thier late teens/early 20's, but if you appreciate a good drink with top-shelf liquour, you're barking up the wrong tree.
If your palate can’t discriminate between Kibbles-N-Bits and a Filet Mignon, please disregard the above rant. You’ll enjoy the cuisine experience.
Rooms
Not quite 5 star in my opinion but didn't experience the musty atmosphere as others have. It was adequate and room service staff was OK. No theft, which is nice. We locked everything up in the safe. I would give it a 3+ star rating.
Your Arrival
Un eventful. We took a taxi as the bus from our booking service (Apple Vacations) was slow and packed. Got to the resort VERY quick thanks to the Dominican version of Mario Andretti. Ended up paying $35 and well work the $$$ for the fast service and adrenaline rush of a white knuckled ride.
Wonderful Experience
Hotel Grand Palladium Royal Suites Yucatan
User Rating:
James >
1 contribution(s) United States of America
Mar, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
We had the most wonderful experience in Mexico imaginable. THe service was excellent as well as the facilities. We had a small complaint and it was handled immediately. We have stayed at the Royal Suites 3 times and each time it seems to get better. So good that we bought 420 nights at the Palladium Travel Club. It's a bit like buying a car with the saleman but all went well. Sice we had been there 3 times, given the cost of these vacations, we should have bought years ago. We look forward to the future stays for us and for our friends and family.
Another fabulous vacation
Hotel Sandals Royal Hicacos
User Rating:
Sue >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Mar, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
We just returned from our third stay at this resort. The service is excellent and the beach is the best we have seen in our travels. The rooms are clean and spacious. The staff cannot do enough to make you feel special. There are several restaurants to chose from and a great buffet. We will continue to return to this resort because of the service that we receive.
The reviews didn't do it justice
Hotel Sirenis La Salina
User Rating:
Sherri >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Mar, 2010 | Leisure | With Group
I can honestly say I have little complaints with respect to this resort. I read the reviews before I left and was terrified we had made a mistake, but what I learned is that I don't think I'll take to heart reviews in the future. My thoughts are that your vacation is what YOU make of it.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
Shows at the theatre are excellent, a must see. Disco, kind of sucks, but again it's what you make of it. Catamaran tour was a blast. We had a great crew and had lots of fun. Havana tour was very interesting. Our tour guide was awesome.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
Very very clean. People complained about bugs. I rarely saw any. If I got bit, it wasn't noticible. Again if you are getting bit, cover up, same thing happens in Canada people, adjust for it. Always saw workers cleaning, and keeping care of the grounds.
Other Comments
Amazing resort and would go again for sure!
Restaurants and Bars
Beach Grill, by far the best restaurant. Japanese a la carte was excellent. Lots to eat in the main cafeteria. I read some complaints about cold food, but that was never an issue for us. Loved the quiet pool bar and the bar in the main lobby. Janet at the loud pool bar, Maylan at the beach bar, Eddie at the lobby bar, friendliest on resort, for sure! There were lineups if you chose to eat at standard breakfast lunch and dinner times. You just learned after a couple of days which were the busy times and you adjusted your eating time. Not a big deal. If you don't like crowds why would you ever book at a resort that has 1035 rooms. People be smart about it. If you are impatient, and need to go by a strict routine, this is not the resort for you. If you are looking to relax and just wing it, you will love it!
Rooms
Very clean, spacious, well kept. The only problem was our toilet paper dispenser was broken, but that really wasn't a big deal. I had heard that about 400 kids were at the resort the week before and had done a lot of damage. Housekeeping was there at the same time everyday and did beautiful art with the towels every day. Fridge stocked daily, with the exception of one day we had no water. I found our chambermaid and she gave it to us immediately.
Your Arrival
Upon arrival we were greated by staff with a tray full of a fabulous cocktail drink and who ushered us to the counter to receive our room information.
This was our first trip to DR. I found the food great and the place friendly. I was not so impressed with the beauty salon on the resort. I paid to have a full head of braids and only gotten half done....they did look good in about two hours the elastics started to break and by day 3 most had fallen out...My recomendation is to get the done on the beach. reminder for first timers like we were....toothpicks,facecloths and wet naps should be packed.
Closest thing to Heaven on this Earth!
Hotel Gran Bahia Principe Tulum
User Rating:
Allison >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Mar, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
We have stayed at various resorts in the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico and this one is by far our favourite. The weather was perfect, the room was clean, neat, tidy and always refreshed to within inches of its life. The staff at this resort are more than just a couple of notches above others. We recently tried the Barcelo Palace, RIU Maya and Gran Bahia Principe Coba, but the Tulum was so much better when we were last there, we rebooked. Now that we are back, we cannot wait to go again.
Highlights included the theatre (even Circus night was incredible); the food (the servers make you want to go back - incredible as it is, our favourite server was Manuel in the buffet, who remembered our names when we went back there on the second day for breakfast); the manager, who sought us out at supper one evening and presented himself to personally address any concerns, as it was out third time there); and a host of other issues.
For a huge hotel, this place is all about personal, and I do mean personal, service to each person. They make you feel like you are the only person they have to deal with at that time and they just want to make everything good for you. We took advantage of the spa and enjoyed that personal touch. We enjoyed the a la cartes (we did not use all we were offered, as we wanted to enjoy the buffets as well).
We have toured the ruins, pyramids, cenotes, zip-lining, jungle tour, Xcaret and other off site trips in past visits, so this time we stayed on our resort with a few hours in Playa del Carmen for some shopping. Oddly, the shops at this resort were dynamite and we preferred them to the shops in Playa for quality and value.
We will be there again next year if God is willing...
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
The shopping in Playa del Carmen is not as good as on the resort for trinkets and take home things. Value at the hotel is better. We went to Walmart in Playa. I needed dress pants since I packed in a hurry and forgot some items home on the bed... So, I bought the best dress pants I could find at Walmart. They set me back $12.50, which would be $50 at home, I would guess. I will see after they are washed this weekend. If they fit my little brother, then...
There is lots to do on the resort, if you want. Our lives go 90 MPH at home, so we went away to slow down. There were a few Mayan Monkeys and several vino tintos, though. Another drink I discovered is called the Riviera Maya. It is go-o-o-d!
Beach/Pools/Grounds
Clean.
Pools were a bit cold but after you were in, they became fine. The bathtub water was nice and warm in our room... I guess I am a bit of a wimp...
The beach water was cool, but again, I like a bathtub...
The grounds are impeccable. We watched the groundsmen pick weeds from the gravel beside the walkways... I felt bad for them, but they always were nice, smiling and saying Hola to us...
Other Comments
Just 340 more sleeps til we go again! I can't wait!
Restaurants and Bars
Waiters and waitresses were wonderful! Cheers to Senor Manuel Kuk in the buffet. His wit, charm and personality was welcoming and he is a reason why our experience was so great in the buffet restaurant. The food was always good. The a la cartes were excellent, especially the Don Pablo and the Japanese restaurant.
The bars are always good.
Rooms
Always cleaned to within a whisker of perfect.
Towel art was plentiful.
The chamber maid was very friendly.
Only downside was the biting insects that were out on the deck. When I spent some time there, my legs did get bitten.
Bed was two doubles pushed together but we got to accept that and they put an egg crate mattress on the top for us so it was a little softer. We slept great!
Your Arrival
Our check in took about 90 seconds. The people were great and the welcome drink was welcomed. Our room was ready and though the bed was two doubles pushed together, the hotel was booked solid and they would move us in a day or two if we would like. We declined as we are the type who will make do and if that is the worst thing that we have to deal with, then we must have had one HECK of a great vacation!
We have been to punta cana 4 times before this trip to Dreams resort & spa punta cana. My husband & I both said this vacation was magnificant! I read the reviews of this resort after it was booked and I was ready to cancel. I am not sure if it is other resorts that write in bad reviews so you don't go there but Im glad I decided to keep my first choice or we would have missed out on the very best trip of our life! The resort had 9 units with 3 or 4 floors to each unit. We were placed in unit 1 with a ocean view, balcony and the most beautiful room imaginable. Everynite our bed was turned down. We had chocolate on our pillows and red flower pedals sprinkled on our bed. We were not honeymooners, this was for everyone and the maid would turn on our radio with beautiful music to set the mood! We never came back until 2 a.m. every morning because we danced the night away in the great disco!
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
We go to relax at the beach and pool. We dont leave the resort. there are many things to do off the resort though. The pool activities are soooo fun because of the staff. The staff cannot do enough for you. Your glass is never empty and your face never without a smile because of the staff. Many thanks to Julio, Bernardo, Wilbur, 2Pak, maritza(one of our pool & beach waitress')Isabell and all the others who made our stay unforgetable! I mean that sincerely!! You literally "want for nothing". Its all there for you and more. Wait till you see the gounds! I will not even try to explain it. You so need to see it for yourself. All I will say is that it is BREATH TAKING!!!!
Beach/Pools/Grounds
The beach was beautiful. If you are a beach walker go to the left not the right. You can only go about half a mile to the right. To the left you can walk 3 miles out to the next resort(solice). The pool is one lazy river starting at the begining of the hotels to the end at the ocean. 3 feet deep all the way with rafts available. Just beautiful and very well maintained. Water bars right there. Great!
Other Comments
I cannot wait to return to this resort again next year! The weather on March 22-29 was in the 90's everday. Their rainy season is in may. dont book then!!!
Restaurants and Bars
What wonderful food! 5 resturants and a full buffet dinning room with about 14 different stations with unbelievable foods. If you leave hungry its your own fault. There are no reservations needed for the resturants. There is an Italian, mexican, japaneese, chineese & french. Unbelievable and most delicous. You can order anything and as much as you want. I thought the beef was of a better texture and taste than US beef. No joke. Dress is casual but nice. Men must wear long pants for french and mexican and japaneesse. Dress shoes for men, no sandels. ITs WORTH IT!!!
Rooms
The rooms are spotless,lite and airy. Beautiful open canapy bed(king size),plenty of clothing space in closet and drawers. Terrycloth ropes for your use for the week. chocolate on pillows and flower pedals on top of your rolled down bedding every nite. Hairdryer in bathroom and iron(planga) and board in closet. Balcony with table & chairs looking out on the carribean. WOW!
Your Arrival
I always love flying into punta cana because I love the thatch roof airport all open with a mariache band playing for you as you arrive. The girls at the airport are dressed in native red & white dresses taking your picture as you arrive. You can purchase this picture when you are sadly departing! And I mean sadly! Entry is smooth with lines moving smartly. No problems. Have passport & papers ready in hand.
We were 22 people at the Barcelo Maya Beach from March 6 to March 13 2010.
We got married on the beach on March 11.
Resort: The rooms are spacious; they are nice and very clean.
They always fill up the fridge with beer, water and pop.
The beach: Best beach of the 5 resorts, it was well groomed and the water was warm and blue.
Food:
The buffets were average. The lunch buffet was excellent but at dinner it was bland and everything tasted the same.
The restaurants:
The Mexican was very good and we paid extra to go to the Palace, La Brasserie and it worth every penny.
It was delicious. We were told by some friends that the Steak house and Spanish was also very good.
The Wedding:
The Wedding coordinator Xhail & Karen were fantastic, everything was perfect. They were professional and really make sure that this day was a special day. We took a package (mint), it was very affordable and we had a private dinner reception where there was 7 servers taking care of us (for 22 guests), we were spoiled. There was a nice bar, we had brought our own music and they provide us a music system, it was fun. The food was excellent and the cake also.
Thank you very much to Xhail, Karen and Roberto at the reception.
Overall, we would recommend strongly this resort to get married and to spend a wonderful time on the beach.
Candance >
1 contribution(s) United States of America
Oct, 2009
Arrival: August 2009
After visiting the Hilton Rose Hall Resort and Spa online, it was exciting to arrive and discover it was even better than imagined!
Rooms:
The rooms are small but have a lot of character and are clean.
Restaurants and Bars:
The restaurants and bars all served amazing food and drink and the staff was extremely friendly and helpful.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
The beach area and pools are incredible! The kids had a great time in the lazy river and on the waterslides and I especially enjoyed the beach. One employee in particular, Berton Hudson, was so friendly and helpful---I learned to windsurf and had many amazing hobie cat rides out to sea. I hope the Hilton Rose Hall Resort and Spa realize what an exemplary employee they have in him!
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
We went on a zip-line tour. It was very expensive, but extremely fun.
Other Comments:
I've been doing a bit of research and have discovered that the lifeguard staff at most of the resorts only make the equivalent of about $50/week! Please bring tip money! Most of these people, who are always so happy and friendly, have families to support which, even in Jamaica, cannot possibly be done with that kind of income. It is my hope that someday the Jamaican government along with the tourism industry, will raise the standard of living for all these hard-working citizens.
Stay at Sandals Grande St. Lucian
Hotel Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort
User Rating:
Sue & Marv >
1 contribution(s) United States of America
Oct, 2009
Sandals Grande St. Lucian Sue & Marv Weber, owners
Marvelous Travel & Cruise Planners, an American Express agency Plymouth Meeting PA
610.277.6165
August 29-September 5, 2009
We own and manage two travel agencies and we would like to encourage you to do what we did. But, before we review this wonderful resort and island attractions, a few negative words about St. Lucia's antiquated airport, the not so friendly Customs and Immigration personnel, and the pothole-filled roads. Although it's a gorgeous destination, St. Lucia needs to upgrade the road from Hewanorra International (UVF) in the south to Castries in the north.
After descending plane's portable staircase onto the blacktop tarmac (there are no jetways) for the long walk into Baggage Claim, an hour or more may go by before one of the rude guards at Nothing to Declare goes through your luggage then permits you to go to Ground Transportation. Warning before you get off your plane, fill in your Immigration Form completely both sides or you will be sent to the back of the line really! We saw this happen twice and thought we were back in elementary school.
The taxi transfer from Hewanorra to Sandals Grande north of Castries took another hour and a half. Although most of the road going to the north had been paved since we were last there in 2005, several stretches continue to wash out in the rainy season.
You might consider using the St. Lucia Helicopter service ($150 per person) to fly to Vigie Airport in the north, just 15 minutes away the Grande. It will give you a scenic overview of the island as well as start your vacation off on a high note (no pun intended). As an alternative to the helicopter transfer or your jet landing in the south, consider booking the American Eagle flight connecting through San Juan which lands in the small Vigie Airport (aka George Charles or SLU) in Castries.
Accommodations
There are 284 guestrooms and suites with ocean views on both sides of the property with natural-hued furnishings, crown moldings, and granite bathroom counters. The upper category suites are serviced by a dedicated concierge staff working from the Concierge Lounge or British-trained butlers accessible through private two-way telephones when you book in the highest categories of suites and penthouses.
The Beach Rondovals have direct access to private pool decks with outdoor showers, private whirlpools or plunge pools. They feature minibars stocked with premium-brand spirits and access to Gordon’s, the resorts special access, dinner-only, over-the-water gourmet restaurant.
Our oversized suite #2203 on the second floor of the Massade Building was unbelievably convenient to almost everything restaurants, beach, both pools, and the lobby. It had an enormous bedroom, Sandals' signature four-poster king bed with quality bedding and a great mattress, a 32 flat screen TV on a huge breakfront with lots of drawers, and a work desk. The sitting room was as big as the bedroom with a sofa, chaise lounge, three tables, another breakfront with drawers, and another flat screen TV. We had a master bath with a Jacuzzi tub, shower, and two sinks as well as another full bathroom with a shower and a reserved-daily beachfront cabana. This was the most luxurious week we have ever experienced.
Activities
Every imaginable resort amenity is offered – tennis, modern fitness center with aerobics room, a nine-hole golf course (at the Regency) and the Caribbean's most comprehensive all-inclusive SCUBA and snorkeling program including a resort certification course for first-time divers conducted in the resort's own SCUBA pool. You can also play beach volleyball, windsurf, water ski, sail and kayak.
The Red Lane Spa offers every treatment imaginable and its saunas, whirlpools and steam baths are complimentary to all guests. Nightly entertainment was low key and included live bands, a piano bar, karaoke and theme nights such as Charity Casino Night.
There are many excursions available (soon to be sold through a new branded Sandals program called Island Routes. Whatever you do off of the resort, don't miss the nearby Rain Forest Sky Rides for eco-adventure or the hip/funky Friday Night Jump-up in Gros Islet. There are great water excursions for whale-watching and deep sea fishing. Visit Castries, the island's biggest town just 15 minutes away, for value shopping at the enormous Craft Market. Ride horses at the local International Riding Academy. There are soft adventures doing mountain biking, ziplining, ATV and jeep explorations in and around St. Lucia's majestic twin peaks of the Pitons and the mysterious pools of the Sulphur Springs and the drive-through, active volcano in the south.
Arrival
We landed at 2:30 PM but it wasn't until 5 PM that we arrived at Sandals Grande St. Lucian, a four-diamond resort on two miles of the island's best white sand dotted with palm-frond umbrellas. It sits on the spectacular Pigeon Island Causeway with vistas of the bay and mountains on the Atlantic Ocean side and Martinique on the Caribbean side.
Now we will tell you the good stuff!
We were greeted warmly by Unita, the Returning Guest Manager, and escorted to the private Concierge Lounge for a private registration. After a brief orientation, welcome drink and a cold towel, we were escorted to a spectacular Beachfront One Bedroom Suite by Amos, our butler (more about him and his co-worker later).
Conclusion
We truly hope that air lift to St. Lucia will become more affordable and more frequent because, if you love the Caribbean, you need to experience St. Lucia, an exotic island paradise. Stay at Sandals Grande St. Lucian. We had a fabulous vacation there and you will too.
Sue & Marv Weber
Marvelous Travel &
Cruise Planners, an American Express Agency
610.277.6165
marv@marveloustravel.com
Dining
Dining at the Grande was very good to excellent. There are five dining options. The open-air Bayside Restaurant provides an international buffet breakfast and lunch as well as an ala carte menu for dinner. Barefoot By the Sea serves mouth-watering Caribbean cuisine and is located directly on the beach. The Olde London Pub serves traditional British pub fare for dinner and late night snacks.
We loved the cooked-to-order breakfasts at Toscanini and Italian cuisine for dinner. We ate three times at Gordon's (the specialty white glove restaurant for guests in suites). You can also order up room service all day long.
Since you have complimentary access to the two nearby Sandals resorts, you can do a Dine Around at a total of 11 additional restaurants. We hopped on the free shuttle two nights for French cuisine at the Regency and northern Italian at Mario's at Halcyon both were outstanding choices. Getting reservations at these venues was not a problem.
Staff and Service
Drinks on de wheel Latoya lustily announces as she pushes her beverage cart along the concrete beachfront path. She smiles at you, offers her special rum punch among several cold beverages and chats about whatever is on your mind as she makes you feel at home. She is the embodiment of the winning spirit of the entire staff at the luxurious Sandals Grande St. Lucian.
It is the staff's genuine enthusiasm and interest in our well-being that made our week so enjoyable at this hotel built about seven years ago as a Hyatt. Having already visited every resort in the chain Beaches, Sandals, Royal Plantation, and Grand Pineapple, we chose to return to this resort because of its size, the quality of its beach, and its relative young age. But it was the Grande's wonderful staff and their willingness to serve that impressed us most!
In fact, the saying, No pressure, no problem was all we heard during the week and it was absolutely true. We had the pleasure of having dinner with Winston Anderson, one of the best general managers in the Caribbean. His attention to detail and gentle yet efficient management style filters throughout the entire staff. The respect this staff and administration have for each other is amazing.
Amos and Giselle, our fantastic butlers, were at our beckon call from 7 AM to 11PM there was nothing they couldn't do for us. If we didn't need anything or have anything to request, they would make suggestions as to how we could be more comfortable or do more interesting things. It was our first true butlered experience and we can't wait to try it again.
Awesome !!!
Hotel NH Krystal Laguna Villas & Resort
User Rating:
Gordon >
1 contribution(s) United Kingdom
Sep, 2009 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
For a third world country we were very impressed , Hotel was clean , the food was good ( not as much choice as some other all inclusive hotels , but very good )the staff were friendly and polite .
Other Comments
people need to give this place a break , it is good value for money
Spoiled for Life
Hotel Secrets Maroma Beach
User Rating:
Leslie >
1 contribution(s) United States of America
Sep, 2009 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
My husband and I have been to Secrets Maroma Beach twice. The first time the resort was not finished. Unhappy you ask? Yes a little. However, on our second visit all the bells and whistles were finally finished and boy was it worth it!
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
Activities! Well you could never get bored. There is tequila tasting, wine tasting, salsa making, volleyball, water polo, kayaking, snorkeling, game room, etc. If you want to pay a little money there is excursions that can be booked and when you arrive they will let you know where and when to book. You can go shopping in Playa del Carmen, although you can grab a cab and do it yourself and its cheaper! You can go to Xel-ha, which is a ecological tourist trap...but I have to say it is fun! Worth the money? Nah but still fun! Tulum is awesome..I would say its a must if for nothing else but the view of the beach and the swimming. There are booze cruises and bar hopping tours. Trust me there is a ton to do on and off the resort. If you do nothing else check out playa del carmen..no matter how you get there!
Beach/Pools/Grounds
What would a mexican getaway be without beaches and pools. If you don't know Secrets Maroma is situated on one of the 50 most beautiful beaches in the world. I for one believe every word of that! The sand is soft and white and the water is so so blue! Nothing is better than getting a kayak and paddling out first thing in the morning! By the way the Kayaks are included and they can be found on the beach under a tiki hut. The beach is calming and soothing to one's soul. Magical!
As for the pools. I loved the pools. Sometimes the beach gets really hot so being able to hop into the pool is a great feeling. There are two pools. There is an infinity pool and the regular pool. The only complaint I have about that is that the pools are divided by a walkway and I would have preferred to have a bridge or something you could swim under to get to it. Other than that they were awesome! However, during the day at certain times they play pool polo and volleyball. if you don't want to get hit by a ball or don't feel like being pestered about playing I would stay away from that area during that time.
Other Comments
Amazing trip and I intend to take a third!!! OlaH!!!!!!
Restaurants and Bars
Ahhh my favorite part..eating and drinking! The swim up bar..seriously how can that be bad? A lot of my afternoon was spent drinking margaritas at the swim up bar! All of the restaurants are good. Some are better than others of course. My favorite was the italian and french restaurants, Bordeaux and portofino! The fiesta night is good too its all authentic mexican food and a pretty much a big party. The international cafe', I believe its called, has different themes on differents nights. You will be left the " Sundial " each night for turndown. The "Sundial" is a piece of paper that will tell you what resturants are open each night, the drink of the day, and what activites are going on and at what times. Check that little piece of paper otherwise you probably wont know what is going on at the international cafe' ... and it is definatly not something to miss!! All the meals I had there were great! If you are a sushi fan the Asian restaurant is GREAT! The best I've ever had! As for the lobby bar, the drinks were good and it was very relaxing!
Rooms
The room! Whats not to like? It was very modern and old school charming as well. The bed is HUGE and so comfortable. The shower in the bathroom area is small but very conveinent for us ladies who need to shave our legs before going out to beach, due to its bench seating! The vanity is huge and perfect for applying makeup before dinner! The mini bar has everything you could ever want, beer, soda, and juice. All of which you are able to have. Whatever you use they replace the next day. Plus, if you don't want a certain item just leave a note and they will replace it with what you want. For example, we don't drink Diet Coke so we asked them to only bring regular and they did! We had a Garden view room. We had a swim up room. A swim up room means that you have a private, well semi private pool outside your room. That was a great feature especially first thing in the morning before getting breakfast. You can just hop in the minute you get up..its very refreshing. However, although your little cove is private you are sharing the stretch of the pool with the other people who have the same types of rooms. All in all the rooms are the best!!!
Your Arrival
Upon our second arrival we were greeted by the same bellman we had been greeted by before and get this he recognized us! Although, we had been there twice in one year. We were also greeted by a wonderful cocktail and nice cool towels...ahhh home, at least for the next 7 days. The bellman whisked away our luggage and then we were escorted to our room!
As for the hotel, it is indeed beautiful but it ends there...
Hotel Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton Resort & Spa
User Rating:
Dorothy >
4 contribution(s) Canada
Feb, 2009
Arrival: Feb. 7 - Feb 18
We arrived in Montego Bay around 10:00pm....No problem with the airport..all went smooth. Found JTL counter for our hotel transfer, was ushered outside to our bus...sat and waited an hour for 2 more people that were going to Negril...just anxious to get to our hotel...Our checkin at the hotel went smooth as well...
Rooms:
Our room was beautiful...a huge jaccuzi which easily sat 4 people...an awesome outdoor shower, long chaise loungers on the balcony facing the ocean. Too bad the bubble was about to burst...A rock hard bed awaited us...I can compare it to sleeping on a box spring that someone forgot to put a mattress on...Not a good night's sleep the whole time....For a 5 star hotel and the price we paid we expected more comfort....everyone we met were commenting on the beds....room was clean and had no rpoblems during our stay...
Restaurants and Bars:
The buffets were cafeteria grade food.....The seafood restaurant at Sunset Cove was by far the best with a limited menu...The crab & cheese bread was delicious and were the mussels...Bubba's steak was so chewy.... left a lot to be desired....The Creole restaurant has good pork chops, we ate there twice it was tasty food with great service. All the bars were the same except the swim up bar is not easily accessible for those a little timid in deeper water...
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
The best beach is Sunset Cove....the others are for sunning only.... We spent a lot of time at the Adult pool, loved the chairs in the water....The grounds are lovely and will be quite stunning with the time....
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
We went To Negril and Rick's Cafe....15US per person was reasonable...The shopping wasn't the best, vry crowded...and the worst was the vendors market....it was like arriving in a slum area...garbage everywhere and very dirty....they harrass you the minute you step off the bus...many stayed on the bus....It poured rain on our way to Rick's cafe so we missed the sunset and sat on the bus for about half an hour while three got off to jump the cliffs....major traffic jam with busses when we left...those roads were not designed for tour buses...
We also went and did the Appleton Rum tour...very interesting, scary ride up the mountains...would I do it again ??? No way !!!!
Other Comments
This is my second visit to Jamaica...and the place has not changed in 12 years...Such a beautiful island to be spoiled with garbage everywhere and being hounded constantly for tips, I think the government needs to clean up their island and try to stop people for harrassing the tourists..after all tourism is one of their main incomes...After hearing so many negative comments while we were there, I think a lot of people will be going to other islands, we know we will... As for the hotel, it is indeed beautiful but it ends there...tiles missing in the pool, very shoddy workmanship...and most of the front desk staff had an attitude.
Sorry if I sound negative but for what we paid and looking forward to our annual vacation for a long time we were disappointed...
Forgot to mention no working ATM machines at the hotel and the elevator was broken....Our hotel opened in November, the Jamaica side opened in July....
This place is good value
Hotel Royal Decameron Salinitas
User Rating:
Keith and Stouffville >
1 contribution(s)
Jan, 2009
Arrival: December 29/08-January 5/09
As discussed in past reviews it is VERY organized arrival at the airport straight through to the room- excellent.(other resorts could really learn something from the way they handle check in.)
Rooms:
(Room 2344)Large,clean,close to ocean,great view,air-con works great,big shower- no complaints.
Restaurants and Bars:
There have been some mixed reviews on the food. We found the food (both buffet and a-la-carte to be good) not as good as a 5 star in Jamaica etc., but way better than Cuba. There was always lots of choices. The buffet at the end by the towers was the better choice with a pasta station, sandwich station, stir fry, as well as the regular buffet choices. The salad bars were always good and fresh(something that we miss when in Cuba!).There are LOTS of staff in the restaurants and are very attentive and quick to clean up plates etc. Actually all restaurants and the whole resort for that matter was VERY clean. Beer was good, mixed drinks could be hit & miss depending on the bartender (same as most resorts).
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
We were actually not as turned off by the beach as we were expecting to be. There was lots of sand, lots of loungers, shade or sun. There was a couple of beach volley ball courts. It is not your typical beach but it was interesting and the pools and beach club made up for it in our opinion. We have been to better beaches but we have also been to worse.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Spent one day at the beach club and really enjoyed playing in the waves. They are big and you need to be smart about not going out too far but as long as you use your head you should be ok. I wouldn't recommend letting children play by themselves but adults who are average swimmers should be fine! Other Comments: We have travelled to alot of resorts in the Carribean and South America from 3 star-5 star and this place is good value. There are many things about this place that could make you feel like you are in a 5 star resort. It is not much of a "party" resort but if you are looking for a place to relax and enjoy the PERFECT (absolutely PERFECT!!)weather, this might be a good choice.
My husband and I just returned from a vacation at the RIU Paradise Island (end of May) and travelled to the resort by Canjet.
Weather: Beautiful...with a daily high of 85-90 degrees. The pool and the ocean were both comfortably warm.
Activities
We paid $29 each for the tour of the Atlantis "dig" - it was interesting to see the different species of marine life in the big aquarium and the various lagoons, but the experience doesn't live up to the hype. The timeshare salespeople in the lobby of Atlantis (dressed in orange) are very polite, but persistent in asking you to attend a presentation of the new additions to the property. We were greeted by at least six of these sales people each time we walked through the lobby.
We spent most of our time near the pool or on the beach. The sand at the beach is very powdery - it really gives your calves a workout. We didn't even bother to bring down our snorkel gear as we could easily see that there were very few fish around the shore line. Jet skis are available for rent ($50 per half hour) on the beach. We didn't bother going on any tours as we've done that kind of thing so many times before, but we were interested in the sailing trip to Exuma. Unfortunately the cost was $190 per person for the day-long excursion.
We poked around the shops near the resort but didn't find anything special to bring home, except for a sweet Bahamian angel pin from the Diamond Centre and a couple of cigars from a liquor store.
Overall impression: 5/5. We would go back to this resort again as long as we got a good "last minute" package.
Food
The buffet was had a wide range of dishes for every meal - it was very good. I enjoyed the Bahamian food as well as the changing theme dinners (oriental, mediterrean, cajun, etc). We made reservations for the steakhouse one night - it was good, but we had a peek at the buffet in the other room later and wished we had gone there. The seafood skewer in the steakhouse was over-cooked. Another bonus was the freshly squeezed juice bar for breakfast - I tried a different juice every day. I've heard people rave about the donuts, but I didn't like them. I had a small piece of dark chocolate cake that was excellent.
Hotel
Very impressive lobby. Nice pool bar. The pool is a little small (and it's only 4 ft deep), but there is ample seating around the pool deck and on the beach. Large umbrellas are available for rent for $25 per day. Good size rooms with a nice view of the ocean, but not very luxurious. We got stuck with a room above the noisy air conditioning vents (room 618), so we didn't spend as much time on the balcony as we would have liked. We did get the king-size bed as requested. The TV in the rooms and the lobby bar have Fox Sportsworld (good news for you soccer fans) and HBO, so if you've had too much sun you can usually find something good to watch for an hour or two. The A/C worked fine. The fridge wasn't very cold and we called for service but they said it was working fine. The toilet ran pretty much all night - didn't bother calling for service again. Convenient room safe with programmable code (no deposit required!). The nice surprise was that the fridge was restocked with cans of beer and soft drinks on a daily basis (a six-pack of each) and there was a cabinet on the wall with 4 bottles of liquor for a self-serve bar. The dining rooms also had serve yourself draft beer (Miller and Stella Artois), which my husband enjoyed. The cans of beer at the pool bar are MGD.
Service
The bar staff were very pleasant and attentive - we didn't wait long for any drinks. They have slushy machines for Pina Coladas, Margaritas and Mudslides and they make a wide range of fancy drinks (blue ocean, hummingbird, etc.). The maids were courteous and did a good job of tidying the room each day. Most of the dining room staff are cheerful and are prompt at offering coffee, filling up your water, clearing your table etc.
Spa
We booked a couples massage in the spa - the attendants were very nice and the massage really helped to loosen our muscles. There is also a large jacuzzi pool in the spa, which is very relaxing.
My wife had 3 sessions at the spa. If you have visited spas back home this was not much different. The spa was nicely decorated but seemed thoroughly used. The common complaint my wife has with almost every spa that we visit on vacation is that they seem to scrimp on the time, her experience was no different here. My wife complained after the first session and they gave her extra time on her next session. The treatments are very expensive and are no better or worse than what you would typically receive at home. If you don’t mind paying the premium the treatments are reasonably good (so my wife says).
This was simply ridiculous. It was way behind the resort with no signs to follow, when I did find it…the hot tub was not working and covered with leaves, the steam room was out of order. It was the worst massage I had. The therapist was in a hurry. It cost $70.00US. Cuba is strange with the currency…sometimes they would take Canadian money, sometimes convertible pesos, we had to pay US for the massage. The price at the Spa for the massage was not quoted in US go figure.
The spa at Grand Palladium Resorts is operated by Renova Spa and is currently located near the beach at Palladium Punta Cana. It is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The gym, sauna, steam room, and Jacuzzi are included in the all-inclusive plan (reservations may be required). The gym is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
I went to the spa for a massage and it was wonderful. I had the 80 minute Stress Cure massage, s a combination-type massage - cost is $110.00 U.S. They have many different types of massages and body treatments available starting from $55.00 U.S., as well as manicures, pedicures, and hair salon services, There are also massages available at the beach.
A large new spa is currently under construction across from the Royal Gourmet Restaurant. They are building a huge new spa scheduled to be completed in December, it will be the largest in the area.
Natura Park
Amy
I recently visited the Metamorphosis Spa in Punta Cana at Natura Park & deceided to get a facial while I was there. I should have known it was going to be bad when no one could speak english in the entire spa, regardless I paid my $110 for pure hell! The lady who did my facial was not even in the room over 70% of the time, she would apply COLD rags to my face & leave, when i tried to tell her the rags should be warm, she claimed not to comprehend. Then she extracted my blackheads not with the little tool but with her finger & nails. I had to stop her, I thought I was on a hidden camera show! There was not one thing relaxing or enjoyable about my experience. All spas I visit they play relaxing music & friendly people, not here, the girl that did my facial kept taking deep breaths as if pissed she had to do this. I also noticed the sheet was a little dirty when I laid down & after my facial was done I realized they do not change the sheets after each person! I honestly feel my 10 year old son could have given me a better facial. When I tried to complain there was not a manager around & no one spoke any English. That place is a complete was of money & wish someone could of warned me of this. I should have been given a refund but I left for home the next morning & the resort claimed they could not do anything about it.
Sunscape Casa Del Mar
The girls and I (Mom) booked into the spa at 10:00. I was promptly taken away where I was shown where to change and then put into a sauna for ? time. I am not a big sauna person so was ok for a bit but began to get a little uncomfortable and not sure if I was to come out when I was ready or if they would come and get me. They did come and I was then taken for my treatments. It was wonderful 2 hours of pampering. We had all booked package deals although mine was a little bit more as I was getting a body wrap done as well as a massage, a facial and a spa pedicure. The girls had the same minus the body wrap. It was all wonderfully relaxing although I did feel like the massage was a little rushed and the girls had the same comment. We all met up at the same room for our spa pedicures and were all being done by the same person which might have been part of the reason it was very hurried and a little rough. A spa pedicure in Canada will usually get you about 2 – 1/2 hours of total pampering. We all were done in an hour so I was a little disappointed in that. All in all it was very relaxing but next time I think I would probably skip the pedicure. I would liked to have gone back for another massage and instead of a relaxing massage maybe have chosen the deep muscle one and enjoyed it more.. I would like to have tried one in one of the private outdoor beds in the ecological spa but never did make it back there. Still a very enjoyable 3 ½ hours.
Sunscape Casa Del Mar
Cate
For me, the most GLORIOUS thing about the Casa del Mar has to be the spas! I say this as a 50 year-old woman who loves to be pampered with massages, facials and pedicures. The building itself is very Spanish in feeling with stucco and dark wood, single and double cabins, sauna, Vichy showers and (something that looks to be out of a prison-camp) a Scotch shower -- a long concrete room with with handles mounted at the one end and a firehose-like spray. The absolute best and most beautiful feature is the garden surrounding this spa, with its outdoors jacuzzis, waterfalls, vine-enlaced pergolas that cascaded gentle lavender blooms above one’s head as they soaked, tea bars, hammocks and fish ponds. Just off the western tip of the covered walkway was the gate into the Eco Spa which is so peaceful that it is hard to believe that you are anywhere near people at all. Wooden trailways and bridges traverse streams and jungle areas; turtles and fish cavort in the salt water ponds that are astounding clear. In this spa, the massage huts, showers and bathrooms are rustic and primitive but spotless and serene. There are perfect little landings with benches and statuary for contemplation and meditation. You would book your treatments through the main spa to have services in the Eco Spa. While I was at CDM, I had two full body massages (aromatherapy and hot stone) and a facial with a wonderful masseuse, Gladys Aristy, whose expertise and magic touch are sure to leave you relaxed and renewed.
Sunscape Casa Del Mar
David
Several of us took advantage of the Metamorphis Spa, which was fantastic. I had two deep muscular massages and wanted one everyday after that but we have to control ourselves a little bit. They take great care of you from the time you walk in until the time you leave. After the massages you get full use of the Sauna and Jacuzzi both very new and very relaxing. Overall the Spa was a great experience and it offers a full range of Spa type treatments with a smile.
Metamorphosis Spas
Debbie
On my recent trip to Punta Cana, I had the opportunity to visit Metamorphosis Spa at Ocean Bavaro and Grand Paradise hotels in Punta Cana. Metamorphosis Spa operate spas in a number of other hotels in Punta Cana, including Melia Caribe Tropical, Natura Park, Occidental Flamenco Bavaro, Sunscape Punta Cana Grand, Superclubs Breezes, and Caribe Club Princess. They also have spas in all of the Viva Resorts and Coral by Hilton hotels in the DR. Their newest spa is at Sunscape Casa del Mar in Bayahibe. I had a chance to visit there, and it is gorgeous. They have an outdoor section called the Manantial, built into the forest and surrounded by nature. You can just stroll through it and enjoy the sights and sounds, or can have treatments in one of several outdoor treatment cabins.
Each location has a full range of spa services. Staff are trained by massage therapists, physiotherapists and estheticians. Prices are similar to what you would pay in Canada or the U.S. During my recent two week stay in Punta Cana I was able to enjoy some of the services they offer. At Ocean Bavaro the spa is located on the second floor of a building right at the beach, with a gorgeous view. I had a milk bath, honey and almond body wrap, followed by a combination massage, which was lovely. Another day I had a body scrub, vichy shower, mud wrap and facial. At Grand Paradise Bavaro I had a European Seaweed body wrap treatment, which was absolutely wonderful, and includes time in the sauna, a Jacuzzi tub, and ends with a massage, as well as a manicure and pedicure. A half hour massage is available from $30. U.S. ($45. U.S. for an hour). They also have packages and specials available at the various hotels. Definitely worth a visit.
Secrets Excellence
Lonnie from Illinois
This brings me to my and my wife’s FAVORITE part of our trip, the Spa. Heidy Corona, the spa manager was a sweetheart! We miss her “It’s a pleasure” already. My wife and I were the very first couple to book the new couples’ midnight beach massage. Heidy met us in the lobby at 11:45 and took us to the clubhouse for our outdoor massages. There was a bottle of chilled champagne and strawberries to celebrate our anniversary waiting there for us. Heidy was very attentive, helpful, and accommodating to our requests. We had to change a hydrotherapy treatment scheduled for the day after my wife got the blister from the horseback riding. Heidy changed the bill and our appointments without even batting an eye. We had another Swedish massage instead. My wife also had a European facial as well. It was a bit rougher than in the States, but still good. If there is one service you book, though, book the midnight couples massage on the beach!! Thanks, Heidy!!
Iberostar Punta Cana
Mandy from Houston
I did the one hour massage and aloe-vera wrap at the spa. If you do the massage, request that it be done out on the beach. It is great. I have to say thought that I tried a deep muscle massage for the first time and didn't really care for it. Sounds silly, but the lady's hands were "rough" in texture. Sort of took away from it. I should have gone with the traditional Swedish massage. But the atmosphere made up for it. The morning of our flight home, I had the aloe-vera wrap. Heaven for sun drenched skin! Highly recommend doing it just before you leave. They exfoliate you with an oatmeal mixture, brush on aloe vera gel, and wrap you in plastic and a towel. Don't know how long they left me there, but it didn't seem too long. THen they lead you to the showers to wash all of the stuff off. The shower was rather cool, which I didn't like, but then they had a hot towel waiting for me to dry off with. Felt so good! They bring you back to the room and give you about a 20 minute massage with a nice lotion to really soften your skin. It lasted right at an hour and my skin felt great the whole way home. Excellent way to end the week.
We found the treatments at the spa to be first-rate in every detail. The
women there DO smile and are very accomodating. To anybody who has
experienced less, I would have to say that it was your attitude or
personality that caused the problem. The truly stressed and burned-out
should experience the Chandra massage where your neck and head are worked
on. Simply amazing. I experienced a swedish massage that virtually left me
in a comatose "rubber" state. I have never had a massage like this. My wife
enjoyed a facial, two foot massages, reflexology, and a Chandra. The
treatments here far exceeded Grand Lido Sans Souci or Sandals. The best
part is that they are included in the package.
La Source
Scott from San Jose
I'm no spa expert and I didn't mind the spa. My wife is and thought the spa was weak. She said they felt "all inclusive" -- as in mass produced. Even the facial was an "express facial" according to her. If the top day spa in Silicon Valley is the Ritz, this would be the Comfort Inn. Sure, she's a spa snob. You might be tempted to come here if you are, too. Don't do it for the spa.
My husband & I just returned from a week's stay at the Ritz (4/19-4/26/04) and it was beautiful! I read a review regarding the beach on the property on another guest's stay about a year ago, and whatever problems there might have been then have definitely been addressed. It is a smaller, private beach, but it feels safe & secluded and the service on the beach is as unbeatable as any other area of the resort. Definitely the service the Ritz is known world-wide for! The spa was the best, though. My husband & I had a couples massage in a beautiful spa room built specifically for that purpose. There was a large two-person jacuzzi tub with flowers and candles perched on the edge, and a very large two-person shower with a large glass door, tile surround and two massage shower heads. Our message technicians were wonderful- skilled, discreet, and very gentle, although I still got one of the best massages I've had anywhere. They have a nice touch that I've not had with other massages- a warm, heated rolled-up towel is placed under your neck after the technician is done massaging that area, and it's wonderful! Really helped me to more deeply loosen up those muscles, and helped me to drift off to sleep. If you're not into massages, there is a full menu of other services, and the other couple we were traveling with got facials and reported that they were also perfect. Once your service is done, there is a large dressing area with sauna, showers, secured lockers and I swear every beauty need imaginable so that even if you forget anything from shampoo to razors, they've got it ready and waiting for you. Although I didn't have time to take advantage of it, I peeked into the adjoining fitness area and it was large, lovely and fully equipped with many cardio machines. The room overlooks a pretty garden area, with floor-to-ceiling windows, so you can work out in the air conditioning without feeling like you're missing the outdoors. I've been lucky enough to go to many spas worldwide, and the Rose Hall is definitely one of the best I've enjoyed so far. Definitely try to add some time to your stay here for the spa, even if only to enjoy the sauna and gym. The Ritz management should really be proud of their facility- great service and beautiful amenities!
Across the street from the Mayan or Lindo lobbies there is the Spa. I mention this because you can use their "wet services" at no charge. IT IS WORTH IT!!. The wet service includes wet and dry sauna's, 3 different large hot tubs each doing something different, 3 specialty showers, regular showers and a large indoor pool with built in water treatments. This place was great and never busy. I don't think many guests know about it because it's not directly attached to the resorts. It's a short walk away. There's also regular spa services you pay for. My wife says her massage / full body exfoliation was awesome.
Aventura Spa Palace
Patrick and Libby
If you can, do it. First off, the hydrotherapy area is so relaxing! They give you a nice soft robe and the comfiest slippers. First you start out in the dry sauna for 10 minutes, lying down with a cool cloth over your eyes. Then you go to a cold massage jet shower for a minute. Next is a vapor steam sauna with eucalyptus that really opens your breathing passages. After another minute in the cold shower, you go to the three whirlpools--first warm, then a cold plunge, then hot. An attendant offers you juice, chlorophyll, or water. If your stomach is even remotely upset from all the food you've been eating, try the chlorophyll. It tastes like mint tea, and I didn't have even the remotest bit of an upset stomach after I had a few cups of it. Once you're done with the whirlpools, you can move to a chair with a foot pool that has little pinpoint jets for your feet. The whole thing takes about an hour--it's worth it to get to the spa early and try it. After you're done, you get your robe back and go back to check-in, where they give you a warm, aromatic beanbag pillow to go around your neck, and you sit in the waiting lounge until your therapist gets you. I did a silk bath and a mud wrap--both were fantastic, but if I could only pick one I'd get the silk bath--it was the nicest spa treatment I think I've ever had. My skin felt so good when I was done!
Royal Hideaway
Marlene
The Spa is a full service spa. They offer a variety of facials ranging from $90.00 Us to $120.00, depending on what you want. Hair services include haircuts, shampoo and style, shampoo, style and intensive hair mask treatment, and Up Do’s. Prices range from $25.00 US to $50.00. The do braids as well with a full head priced at $50- $85 US, half crown, $35 US and individual braids at $4.00 US. I saw lots of people getting their hair braided in town and it’s probably cheaper there. This is the first time I did not get my hair braided so I can’t tell you whether they did a good job or not. They offer nail services, with manicures, pedicures and will even do acrylic nails. Prices range from $10.00 US to $50.00 US. Waxing is offered (ouch!) with prices ranging from $15.00 US to $60.00 US.
Different Spa packages are offered ranging from 2 ½ hours to a full day with pricing starting at $150 US and going up to $360 US (this was for a two day package).
8 different massage techniques are offered, which range in price from $80.00 US to $120.00 US. I have the price list for all services, so if anyone wants to know about a particular service let me know.
I used the Spa twice while I was there. I had a Swedish massage on the Friday morning. Margarida was my therapist and I’m pretty sure she has magic fingers and hands! The massage lasted for about 50 minutes, and by the end of it, I could have cheerfully slept for the rest of the day. I have never been so relaxed in my entire life. The Spa area is beautiful, with low lighting and soft music playing in the background. Truly an atmosphere in which to relax. You can have your massage on the beach if you wish, but I don’t think it is nearly as relaxing. They used my husband and I to demonstrate massage techniques on the beach one day, and it was very nice, but the atmosphere inside the spa really contributes more to the entire experience in my opinion. I booked the appointment through our concierge and they will ask you whether you prefer a male or female therapist, as they have both available.
On the day we left, Sunday, I booked an appointment to have a shampoo and style. I figured since we were leaving mid afternoon, and had to check out at 1:00, I could pack my hair dryer and curling iron and just let them worry about it.
A note for all you women out there! It is hot down there. It is very very humid down there. Now, I have naturally curly hair. Actually I have naturally fuzzy hair, if you want to get technical about it! I normally have my hair chemically straightened twice a year, because I just can’t deal with the fuzz. However, I had not had it done for a while and since I was going on vacation, I decided not to bother. I figured I’d be in and out of the water all day, and who really was going to care if I looked like the Bride of Frankenstein during the day? I did take my hair dryer in an attempt to make myself presentable for dinner though. I diligently blow dried and curled and styled. As soon as I stepped out of the room into the humidity, my hair went BOING! By Thursday I had pretty much given up and just gelled it and put it up. (yes the hotel rooms have hair dryers, but they are low wattage, and are difficult to use since you have to hold the button down to make it work. I’m much more comfortable with my own dryer so I always take it with me.) So, I thought, well, let’s just have the Spa handle this for me the day I leave! Well, let me tell you, leave LOTS of time for this.
I was told it would probably take about an hour, so I booked it for 1:00 since we were being picked up at 3:10. An hour and a half into this, I started looking at my watch, wondering if I was going to get out of there in time! They do your hair in very tiny sections and go over and over and over the same section. Now granted, I have “difficult” hair, but it normally takes me about 25 minutes to do my own hair and probably takes my normal stylist about 45 minutes. There was another woman there getting her hair done at the same time who experienced the same thing. I’m not saying they weren’t good, just have a lot of patience or do it yourself. Everyone is wonderful at the Spa and they really were concerned with doing a good job, which is probably why it took so long. The cost of having this done was $35.00 US plus tip. NOTE: tipping is not included in any of the Spa services.
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