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| Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR |
Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR: Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR Reviews |
| Total User's Score 4.0
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By Occasion... |
By Traveller Type... |
| Based on 15 reviews |
| Excellent |
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8 |
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4 |
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1 |
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2 |
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3 |
| With friend |
1 |
| With Group |
1 |
| With Spouse/Partner |
11 |
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| Gran Bahia Principe Punta Cana--9 days is too long here.....A 4 Star at best.. |
| Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR |
User Rating:
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Celeste >
1 contribution(s) United States of America |
| Jul, 2010 | Leisure | Family
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| We stayed at Gran Bahia Principe Punta Cana from 6/29/10-7/7/10. A friend and I traveling with our kids. I am a 39 yr old single mom with my 14 yr old son and my friend who is a 36 yr old single mom with her 2 daughters ages 16 and 12. I WOULD PROBABLY GO WITH ADULTS ONLY NEXT TIME. My first time to DR and my friends 2nd time. Last year they stayed at Iberostar PuntaCana. She didnt want to return to Iberostar this year as it felt like a 3 star resort and wanted something better like a 5 star which is why we chose Bahia Principe..however after being here they liked Iberostar much better and she stated this was NOT a 5 star. Some reasons were that this resort is VERY large and alot of time was spent walking or taking the trolley to either the beach, lobby or their shopping/entertainment plaza. The grounds are beautiful and well kept, the rooms are large and clean and yes you will get some buggies but that's expected in the tropics. This hotel did however spray an awful smelling chemical into the air from a truck to kill the bugs which was helpful. My perception is that you will probably get the same at most resorts here, so pay less if able...I can't imagine they know how to do 5 Star as americans know 5 Star. |
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| Your Arrival |
| We arrived to resort at 1pm and told to come back to check-in at 3pm because our rooms weren't ready(which we expected as check in is at 3), we were given bracelets and told to enjoy the buffet in the main lobby restaurant. We asked if we can upgrade closer to beach/main pool by the beach and was told we need to check with manager at 3pm. We went back to check in at 3 and told our rooms still not ready to come back at 3:30, so we did and asked for the manager but he didnt come in yet and told now only my friends' room was ready and we were ok with it and decided to take my luggage to her room until my nearby room was clean. We were given rooms furthest from the beach and pools even tho we requested villa closer to both or either and they were unable to accomodate us so we took the rooms they assigned. Bellboy took us and our luggage to villa 18 just to find out the room only had 1 bed and 2 beds were needed for the 3 of them. Highly frustrated now we asked the bellboy to take us back to lobby and we asked for the manager. Again we are told he isnt in yet and no other rooms with 2 full beds close to each other was available but to check back at 4 or 4:30pm, now we are extremely frustrated, and tired from traveling since 4am and demanded they find us our rooms. The manager then walked in and seeing he was dressed in a tie I asked if he was the manager and to speak with him. The manager was very nice when we told him what was happening and surprisingly found us 2 rooms right outside the 2nd pool closest to the lobby which was fine, we didnt get into a room until 5:30 pm--highly unacceptable and this left us a bad taste in starting our vacation. |
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| Rooms |
| Large and clean but never seemed cool enough and I don't feel it was the ac but that it was just miserably hot the whole time all day and night and the ac was unable to keep up. The maids do leave pretty flowers around---but throw them out as soon as you get them...this brought the bugs. I didn't purchase the safe as they wanted only cash for it at about $8 USD, and I only had my debit card, therefore I used my friends' safe. The Iberostar did not charge for using their safe. |
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| Restaurants and Bars |
VERY SLOW serving! But that is everywhere in DR I am told. There are 2 main buffets, 1 in Punta Cana lobby which is one we used often and 1 in Bavaro lobby both air-conditioned but yet still not cool enough. There is a 2 snack/buffet-like bars by the beach and main pool down by the beach that we thought was a little better than the main buffet. All in all I didn't like the food and I am not a picky eater by any means but it was worse than a cruise buffet. I filled up at breakfast as this was the better meal of the day, skip lunch most of the time and had light dinner. Every day had a theme for food but yet the food seemed to be exactly the same but in different variations. After 2-3 days of same food I got sick of it and stuck to rolls with butter and olives and cheese, the kids had fries and nachos with cheese sauce...you can only have so much white rice. I tried alot and didnt like it, the meats and fish taste different perhaps because of the spices used I am not sure but I had no desire to eat most of the time. NOW the specialty restaurants are a different story. We were allowed 3 reservations that we couldnt get into until our 5th,6th and 7th day there. We went to Japanese Hibachi, Tex-Mex and The Garden Grill Steak House...all were very very good..Garden grill the best. If they only served the same quality and prep of these foods daily then I'd say it was definately 5star quality food.
Lobby bar closed fairly early around 11pm and you could not get anything to drink anywhere except in the shopping/entertainment center called Pueblo Principe in the front of the resort. Sports bar there charged for drinks as they had domestic booze, the karoke bar and theater section served the free drinks. The drinks at the swim up bars were weak most of the time, depending if you tipped the bartender. Their frozen drinks were through a slushy machine and when liqour was added it was no longer a frozen drink..I'm guessing because the liquor was very warm as expected being outdoors. |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds |
| We took the trolley to the Beach as it was way too hot to walk for 15 minutes..thats how far we were from beach. The trolley runs continously so it was efficient. Twice at beach we were unable to find a hut let alone any shade which was well needed...we were only able to tolerate the sun and heat for a couple of hours so we headed to the main pool right behind the beach. Water looks gorgeous of course, sand fine and white, workers raking up seaweed, clean. The water was a little murky until you got about waist deep or higher, there were waves, not big but still ok to boogie board on. I personally enjoyed the pools more. Alot of activities at main pool(by the beach). I like the Pool by our villa in middle of resort best, especially the animation team there that made it enjoyable,bartenders very nice. Pools and bar at pools close at 6pm but most people stayed until about 8pm. Beautiful grounds but I understand most other resorts also have nice kept grounds. |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
| Our kids were bored from doing same thing daily=swim,breakfast,ping-pong tournament,water aerobics,swim,more ping-pong,lunch,bingo or darts at pool, water volley,dance lessons,swim some more,dinner,shows,Pueblo Principe(shopping/entertainment within resort)to play pool,live music, but I did enjoy myself regardless. I thought the shows were great, you must not miss the Michael Jackson show which is actually a tour group in DR that goes from resort to resort to perform and they were incredible and the audience went wild...even I loved it and I am not a fan of MJ. Do not miss the comedy show..the staff of the animation team perform this and it was absolutely hysterical. We missed the Lion King show but caught the tail end and we were sorry we missed it because it looked good. Get involved in the dance lessons, the water aerobics as the animation team once again is a blast...especially Amari..he made it so much fun for all of us. If it rains head to the main lobby and all activities are done there. We didnt do any excursions because we were too hot. The casino is small but quaint..I won $100 USD. The vendors in the middle of Pueblo Principe are extremely pushy and outrageously over priced..NEVER pay them what they ask for!! I got a photo album for 5x7 pics to fit 50 pics,a medium-sized clay PuntaCana doll/statue, a Lava rock necklace for my son, totem pole bracelet for son and they wanted $65 USD, I said no way, the "boss" put items in a bag and told me to take it to room and come back tomorrow with $35 instead. I did go back the next night with the items and said "I will give you $20" he grabbed the money without hesitations. On flea market night these vendors come into the resort and set up tables outside the villas..again very pushy, they grab your hand and tell you to look,they place jewelry on you etc...ONCE AGAIN never pay asking price..I bought a ring-costume type flower ring-they wanted $25..I told them the same ring sells for $5 in US stores and started to walk away and they offered it to me for $7--i took it. |
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| Other Comments |
| Bottom line--dont bring tweens/teens here, the kids' club is for ages 4-12 but should really be 4-9. This is a HUGE lovely resort,beautiful beach, awful food (other than specialty restaurants)but you will find something to eat. Nice pools and Americans are the minority amongst tourists. Mostly Canadians whom were rude to us and made comments often, others from Spain,Italy,Russia, Belgium. The staff was very friendly, kind people and fun. It helps to know a little spanish but most of the staff speak english. I tipped about $35 in the whole 9 days and was treated very well...$1-$2 tip a day goes a long way. Very hardworking staff here and they deserve it. A lot of smokers everywhere. Great to just unwind,relax, soak up the sun and fun but not for 9 days...5 days or nights is max here. Lastly at airport going home few travelers who stayed elsewhere all got sick with stomach issues...we did not at all. Those travelers stayed at Majestic Colonial & Excellence, Melia Caribe, Iberostar Domincana. Bring alot of sunblock--they charge $23 bottle, if you like american snacks bring that too...snicker bar=$2.00each, bag of Lays Classic chips=$10, small can pringles=$5...and these are only snacks available. have fun!!! |
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| good but could have been better |
| Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR |
| User Rating:
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Debby >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Jun, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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Beautiful facility and beach. Service ok. Great bar drinks and overall service. Food was below expectations. A number of people got sick - must have been food as we were all careful with water.
Overall, great vacation. Not for singles but definitely for couples who want a wonderful time.
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| Your Arrival |
| Some confusion upon arriva.. They drop you off at the Bavar and then shuttle you to the Ambar. Was somewhat a pain as most events took place at the Bavar site. |
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| Rooms |
| Large, clean and very nice. |
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| Restaurants and Bars |
Bars were great.
A la carte: Suggest the Japanese and the French restaurants.
Buffet: OK but not great. Always the same and never enough of the feature meat. Service at the buffet was not that great. |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds |
| Beautiful grounds. Great pool! |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
| always had to go over to the Bavar. Somewhat of a pain. |
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| Other Comments |
Would suggest that the hotel review its buffet operations.
Great facility and service.
Would suggest more entertainment on site versus having to make your way to the Bavar. Often shows were full with Bavar guests and we had to stand. |
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| Wedding in Gran Bahia Principe Bavaro Resort |
| Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR |
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jacky >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Jun, 2010 | Leisure | Family
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| is a great place to get married. Lovely and gorgeous.... |
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| awesome resort |
| Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR |
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charlene >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Apr, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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| Your Arrival |
| well our arrival was just a little off nothing to do with the resort though.We were to arrive at the resort around eight in the evening and we are still in the air it almost felt like we were going in circles.Well in fact that is exactly what we were doing the captain comes over the speaker and tells us that we had in fact been going around in circles and almost out of fuel as we are going to have to land in la romana as there were no lights on the punta cana runway.He said this could take one hour or six hours.So we landed for fuel and had to wait for further instructions of what three planes were to do.After sitting for about two hours we were given the clear to take off although not quite yet all of a sudden we saw airport management running to the plane and then we hard this banging what now our tow bar is stuck to get the plane off the ground.Finally we are on our way to the airport arriving at our hotel around two.Everyone was grouchy sleepy and just plain frustrated but once we got through all that the rest of the week not a complaint about anything.Just a beautiful resort to enjoy |
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| Rooms |
| We found the rooms to be very large and beautiful.It had a beautiful king bed and every day the maids were in by eleven doing our room every day leaving a new towel art that we hadnt seen before.Every night we would come in to our bed being turned down with chocolates on the pillow.we were in room 61211 which was very close to the pool and the beach.We had a stacked mini bar which we did not use.The bathroom was large and spacious with a large walkin shower.The room also had slippers and robe and an unbrella which we never had to use.Upon arrival we found two bahia shirts a bottle of rum a fruit plate and a letter from management what a way to start a holiday |
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| Restaurants and Bars |
| First off the buffet even the pickiest eater could find something to eat.One of the things that i liked the most about this resort was the presentation of the food all the vegtable and fruit carvings and the variety of the food.I prefered the main buffet to the beach buffet.As you walked in their was a girl with a smile good morning and she would put hand sanitizer on everyones hands.The restaurants well the one that we preferred not as much was the italian restaurant at ambar nothing wrong with it just nothing stood out with it.Next don pueblo totally different story very very nice it was so cool to watch the chef come to your table if you ordered chateaubriand and cook it right in front of you to your satisaction and also watching him make flaming bananas chambeau right in front of you.We went to the gourmet grill which was also very nice but the real highlight restaurant was hands down the italian restaurant at the new esmeraldo chocolate mousee to die for.We did so enjoy this.Dining with some special friends andre and kathy whom we had just met put the icing on the cake.This resort was awesome as well.We got to see in one of the rooms the rooms were beautiful but still i preferred the ambar.It was so quiet and laid back |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds |
| Well we only went to the beach once as i found there was quite a undertow which me not being a swimmer was not pleasant but having said that up every morning at six to secure a palapa at the pool.I was so concerned before we left home reading the reviews about not being able to secure a palapa but getting up and watching the sunrise everyday securing a palapa was one of the best parts of my day.Being fairhaired i really had to have protection from the hot sun.The pool was amazing and enjoyed every day with our new friends that we just met george and cavell from oshawa grant and janice from halifax and cathy and andre from bathhurst new brunswick. Thankyou guys you are the best |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
| Normally we do the shows but not this time we did go to the michael jackson show but left very quickly as there was no where to sit down and the screaming was very loud through the whole show from the audience.We did no tours this time went down with just the idea of relaxing and enjoying hubby and i being together only one day that i would mention after being at the pool with book in hand waiting to to breakfast one of the staff cameup to us and told us that we had to leave for about half an hour and take our stuff with us.Why well there were taking pictures of the pool and they didnt want anyone there for a new website well let me tell you that was not well received by money as now there would be a mad dash for the palapas next they said they were going to cancel the shoot in the end it did happen |
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| Other Comments |
| There was so much that we liked about Ambar their entire staff,Everywhere you looked the entire staff was always working cleaning gardeners cleaning staff desk staff everyone .You would watch the maids every morning out picking their flowers for the rooms.Oh i did forget to mention the lobby never before have i seen a more beautiful lobby new flowers everyday real orchids every day marble floors nice furniture absolutely beautful lobby.The cleaniness of this resort absolutely unbelievable.Oh and the butlers i cant forget them.I can home the last evening to a jacuzzi full of bubbles red flowers and petals in and around the tub a note from the butler saying enjoy your last romantic evening in punta a mat in front of the tub saying i love you.What a way to finish off a totally wonderful week.Without question we will return to this wonderful hotel.Been to a lot of resorts through the years but this one sure is a keeper and already planning our next trip back. |
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| Wonderfully Quiet Resort |
| Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR |
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Tammy >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Apr, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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We visited the Ambar from April 1 - 10 2010.
Service in the resort was wonderful, staff very attentive and friendly. Loved the rooms, pool and the beach. We dined in the open air restaurant for breakfast and lunch daily, nice selection and no crowds. Dinners in the main buffet were always wonderful. Went to the Maiko Japanesse restaurant for the Show cooking. Had an Excellent dinner and met some nice ladies from Saskatachewn. We also ate in the meditarian restaurant - excellent dinner. We missed the Don Pablo due to an excursion that lasted longer than anticipated.
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| Your Arrival |
Arrived at Punta Cana Airport at 12:00 noon. Air Canada rep was waiting and took us directly to a van with 4 other new arrivals and after approx 10 minute wait we were off. We were delived to the Main Lobby of the Bahia Principe (Bavaro) Bell Captain immediately signaled a trolley and we were loaded and on our way in less then 5 minutes. Check in was a breeze, while we were getting our instructions and reservations, a lovely young lady arrived with a cold drink for us. Very nice reception.
One of the two rooms was ready, we were placed in Villa #67. Wonderful location, closest to the pool and beach. Room was exactly as discribed - beautiful.
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| Rooms |
Room was just what we expected it to be. Beautifully appointed, clean, and very comfortable and welcoming. Bed was firm but comfortable.
One thing I'd not read in reviews was that theres a night maid who came in the evenings. I had read about turn down service but not that she cleaned the bathroom and exchanged your wet towels and bath mats. That was a very nice touch. Maid service was great. Room was always cleaned by noon with fresh flowers left around the sink and in the bathroom daily.
Only had towel art left one day but that was only a small thing to me. |
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| Restaurants and Bars |
Loved the pool bar, Innocentsia (sp) and Juan FSC(Fransisco)were fabulous. Loved to chat with them.
Restaurants were always very quick to seat you, offer wine, and water or Coffee. Very quick to remove plates etc...
Great food as well. Everything was cooked well (with the exception of a couple of mini burgers) Scrambled eggs were not hot. Otherwise food was great.
Drinks were never the same twice but always good. |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds |
The pool is wonderfully maintained, clean and lots of room. Not a lot of shade but always a spot to sit. The swim up bar is great, and the bartenders and staff are wonderful.
The beach was amazing. Clean, not crowded a great place to spend the day. Loved it. We had winds daily which was probably a good thing, I dont' know if we could have sat at the pool in that heat. |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
We attended the Micheal Jackson show, which was everything people say. Not to be missed. The staff have put so much into that production and it shows. I was particularly impressed with the breakdancers - WOW.
We did three excursions - we parasailed from the resort. First time for any of us and we all loved it.
We also did the SeaQuest - a divebell like helmet is worn and you walk on the ocean floor. It was a very interesting experience for a Non-diver. Following the ocean walk theres a catamaran cruise, snorkelling with Sharks and stingrays and a party in the Natural Pool. Great 4 hour excursion. We really enjoyed it.
Also did the Canopy tour Zip line. It was a good trip, however its 1 1/2 hours in a truck both ways - NOT the 35 minutes we were told. We missed our dinner reservations because of the time issues.
It was OK, but not great. |
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| Other Comments |
Loved the "camomile" pillows, and our butler Constant was amazingly attentive. We loved the suprise bubble bath on our last night.
I was a little dissapointed in the security or lack of security on the beach. At times finding Ambar guests having to go looking for lounge chairs while seeing Orange, blue and various other colour arm bands sitting in large groups, some with children. Of course during those times there was never a security guard around.
This was our first trip to the DR and also our first to an Adults only resort. I will definately return to the DR, and will likely now only look at Adults only resorts.
Overall I give the Ambar 5 Stars. Great Resort! |
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| Gran Bahia Principe Ambar March 20 to April 3 |
| Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR |
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Chuck >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Mar, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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| Your Arrival |
| The arrival went fairly well. We got to the resort at about 10:00pm so there was no waiting for our room. Check in was fairly quick, and one of the “butler’s” gave us our welcome package, and wrist bands. Then a bellman assisted us with our luggage and took us to our room. We were assigned to villa 61 on the ground floor. I had sent an email to the resort about 10 days before asking for a second floor, but this did not happen. Also there was nowhere to get any supper, so room service had to do. |
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| Rooms |
| The room itself was a corner suite, which was quite large; however there were some drawbacks to being on the ground floor, which I will explain later. There was a king bed as requested, a small table with two chairs, a sofa and a chair with ottoman. The room was always keep very clean, the housekeeping staff was excellent, and there was a nightly turn-down service, but it was hit and miss. We always left the maid a $3.00 tip each day, and that was greatly appreciated. We also left the night girl a tip as well, but not always collected, as she did not always show up. There were also lots of toiletries, shower gel, shampoo etc. but we brought our own from home. |
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| Restaurants and Bars |
| The ala cartes were all very good; we ate the Gourmet twice, the Italian twice, the Mediterranean once and the Japanese once. The remainder of the time, we ate at the buffet. The food was OK, but seemed to be very repetitious. There seemed to be a lot of fish, and we are not real big on fish, and compared to other resorts we have been at, I would not call this great food. The breakfast seemed better that the rest of the meals, but seemed to lack an assortment of fruit, again hit and miss. The pool/beach buffet was open for breakfast, but limited selection. The lunch menu again was almost the same thing everyday, a little more variety would be better. There are 3 bars in the complex, one at the beach, one at the pool, both of which close at 5:30pm and then the lobby bar closing at 11:30pm. If you want to go for a drink, after 5:30pm, then you only have one option, not very good planning in my opinion. The drinks were OK, again hit and miss depending on who made it. |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds |
| The pool and the grounds were outstanding. Well cared for, and clean, and well maintained. The gardeners are the unsung hero’s here, as they keep the property in pristine condition. The beach however could use some work, apparently it was washed out a couple of years ago, but there are no indications that there have been any efforts to repair it. There is about a four or five foot drop to get down to the ocean, and there are tree roots that are easy to get tangled in, in a few areas. They should consider some wooden stairs to make access easier. |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
| There was the usual animation team stuff around the pool. Things got pretty loud about 3:00pm so we decided to pack it in about that time as it got to the point we could not stand it any more. We did take the circle tour with Puntacana Mike, and it was well worth the $65.00 per person cost. You get to see the “real” Dominican Republic, and not just the flea market vendors. We did go to the market square between the Punta Cana and the Bavaro resorts. Beware of what and where you buy, you may not get what you bargain for, and some of the quality is terrible, so buyer beware. |
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| Other Comments |
You are paying for adults only, but that is not always the case. As I said earlier there were issues with the building, we had children playing in the hallway during the day, when they were told they were not supposed to be there, they just ignored it and kept playing. There were people walking with strollers through the hallways as well, to get out of the heat of the sun. Families also showed up at the pool coming from the beach. The signage for the Ambar was not very good to indicate it was an adults only resort.
Then there was the rule about not saving your lounger or palapa. You had to go out by 6:45am and get your spot, then you have to sit there until 8:00am or security will pick up your belongings and put them away. I almost wound up in an argument with another guest who had put belongings under a palapa, only to have security pick it up. Only when a third party verified this, did the lady walk away. There seemed to be quite a few rules at this resort, but nobody tells you what they are, you have to find out for yourself.
I must say that the service staff at this resort is excellent. They go out of their way to try and give you what you ask for, or assist in any way they can. There were 3 or 4 special ones that made our stay a little more pleasant, specifically Juan, Eduardo, and Leticia at the buffet.
Check out was not very smooth either as there were issues over the spa bill, and then when I tried to pay with travellers cheques, they did not want to accept them. Had to go to the cambio and exchange them there, and then took a 3 peso on the dollar hit on top of it.
Would we go back to this resort? Probably not, because of all the minor issues combined, it made the whole experience rather negative. We try to go to a new spot with an open mind, but this one just did not work out for us. We will most likely look at a new resort for next year.
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| Beautiful Resort Better Than I Expected |
| Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR |
| User Rating:
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Patricia >
1 contribution(s) United States of America |
| Mar, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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| Your Arrival |
| We arrived at the Punta Cana airport at 12:15 and we were at the resort about an hour later. We were greeted by Jorge who personally checked us in and oriented us to the resort. He was very friendly and answered all our questions. Many of the people at the resort do speak English and Spanish as well as some speaking French (lots of Europens at this resort). You might have a bit of a language barrier with your room maid and some of the workers on the resort. Not a problem they are all very friendly and a simple Buenos Dias or Hola goes along way. Our room was not ready when we arrived (no problem) so we went to have lunch and when we were finished we were excorted to our room. |
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| Rooms |
| We were in room 67208. Building 67 second floor roomn 8. It was a corner room so slighly larger than some of the others and it was on the garden side with a slight view of the ocean through the trees. It was nice and quiet which we enjoyed. Our balcony was also slightly larger because of the corner location. We liked building 67 very much as it was steps from the pool and ocean and the beach buffet. The rooms was very clean and everything worked well, air conditioning, safe, shower etc. There were fresh towels twice each day and we even had towel art a few times. The Ambar provides robes and slippers in each room which we liked and there is also an iron and small ironing board. One night we came back to a bubble bath with rose pedals which was done by our butler..nice touch and very sweet. I will say the lighting is a bit low but for us not a problem. The bathroom is spacious with a large shower and two shower heads and each room has a jacuzzi tub. Lots of amenities provided in the bathroom as well. |
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| Restaurants and Bars |
| We ate all our evening meals at the Ala Cartes and breakfast and lunch in the buffets. The main buffet has plenty of selections so even a picky eater should be able to find something good to eat. Remember this is the Dominican so don't expect what you would get in a five star resort in the states. We enjoyed the selections and of course tried many of the native Dominican dishes. The beach buffet is somewhat smaller but still lots of choices. I especially liked the Paella at the beach buffet for lunch. As stated by some the food at the buffets is not piping hot but it is kept warm and really not a problem for us. I did enjoy having the homemade omelets for breakfast and they were piping hot. We ate at the Don Pablo twice, the only true ala carte on the Ambar side. We had chatau briand one night and lamb the other it was very good. On the Ambar side we ate at the Italian and the Mediterranean. We enjoy our meals though the Mediterranean was our least favorite. On the Bavaro side we ate at El Pescador(fish), Maiko 2 (Japanese)which was fun and very good) and the Gardern Grill where we ordered their Churrosco (marinated skirt steak) and this was excellent. On the Esmeralda side we ate at the Italian restaurant and we enjoyed this one as well. All is all we thought the food was fine and the service very good. The waiters all spoke english, spanish and many spoke French. They were always refilling our water, wine and coffee (some people complained that this was not so.) The pool, beach and lobby bars were all very nice. I did't feel they skimped on the liquor and I did ask for mucho dark rum in the sweeter drinks and they did accomodate that request. |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds |
The beach is beautiful and the water was walk in warm. White sand and turquoise blue water. One day there was a fair amount of seaweed but this is not the fault of the resort it just depends on the way the tide flows. The beach was always clean the workers racked the beaches in the morning and did keep it neat and tidy. You do play the towel game if you wante shade. We were on the beach each day by 8:30 and had no trouble getting a shaded area. If you want to be right up to the ocean than plan of getting up and reserving your chair by 6am. We always sat back by the beach bar and bathrooms and liked this location. The beach and pool bathrooms were kept very clean. The pool was lovely and warm. Again if you want shade be up very early to get the
few shaded areas around the pool. There is a jacuzzi type area at the pool as well...not a hot jacuzzi but since it is so hot out probably wouldn't have enjoyed that. The swim up bar was very nice. |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
| There are beach and pool activities each day if you wish to participate. We did do one dance lesson on the beach and it was fun. They have yoga and stretching on the beach in the morning and I think a pool exercise class in the afternoon. There is a gym on the resort as well. We enjoyed listening to the music in the lobby bar in the evening and we did dance there as well. If you want more entertainment in the evening you will need to go to the Bavaro side. The trams run often so this is not a problem. We did do two excursions off the resort Boca Yuma tour with Punta Cana Mike and this was excellent..a great way to see the Dominican. Mike only takes up to 8 people so it is not a canned tour and very personal. We also did the Fun Buggy tour with Kurt where you actually drive a car around the island. It is an all day tour(as was Mike's) where you cover about 75 miles and again very informative. If you want to know more you can google both of these and get their websites. Book early as both of these tours fill up early and they usually are not advertised at the resort or with the tour company you booked your vacation. |
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| Other Comments |
| We throughly enjoyed our 10 days at his resort and we would return again. The entire Gran Bahia complex is large but the Ambar side is a perfect size and much more quiet than the Bavaro and Punta Cana. We meet lots of people from Canada and Europe...and everyone was friendly. I don't think you will be disappointed if you vacation on the Ambar side. |
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| Beautiful Resort - Watch the food |
| Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR |
| User Rating:
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Marion >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Feb, 2010 | Leisure | With Group
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| Everything about this resort is beautiful. The grounds, the rooms, and much, much, more. |
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| Your Arrival |
| Don't fly Skyservice if you can avoid it. Nothing wrong with the flight or the service but they have the seats in the plane so close together you begin to feel like a sardine. The seats are very uncomfortable and even worse for someone of any size. |
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| Restaurants and Bars |
| The buffet and the gourmet restaurant (Don something) are the best places to eat. If you go to the buffet, track down Juan (he always wears at black suit and is only there at lunch and dinner); he was the nicest most attentive server we've ever had. If you enjoy a good bottle of wine, you won't find it here. Bring your own if you can. |
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| Other Comments |
| Finding shade at the pool can be tricky, although they are trying to enforce an 8:00 a.m. rule. Also, be careful with the food. My husband was mildly ill from the start and I became very ill half way thro' the vacation, but we both have very sensitive stomachs. Our friends ate everthing but the fish and drank mostly beer and they had no issues at all. |
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| We had the best time and we could not find one thing to complain about. |
| Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR |
| User Rating:
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Cindy from Peterborough >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Jan, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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| I can't say enough about this place. We had the best time and we could not find one thing to complain about.
The food was awesome, the room was great and the bar at the pool was amazing!! They really know how to make your stay great.
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| Rooms: |
| Our room was a corner room in building 62, second floor. The maid was awesome and did a good job, we always left her something on the pillow. The bar was always stocked also.
The day of our renewal we came back to get ready for dinner and our butler had been in our room and had run a bubble bath for us, left a bottle of champagne and lite and insence stick for us...how beautiful.
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| Restaurants and Bars: |
| We ate at the Japanese restaurant and liked it best, the Italian one in the Ambar wasn't the best. We prefered the buffet most days over any of the a la carte restaurants. |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds: |
| The beach was amazing!! We spent most days at the pool and hardly left it. I already miss our walks on the beach. |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel: |
We did the Tropical Storm tour. Its was worth the $79 that you pay. Its an all day cruise but remember to bring a towel. Our travel agent told us we didn't need to but yes, make sure to bring one. They make sure you have a drink at all times if that's what you want.
We also did the parasailing off the beach and that was awesome!! $89 for tandome sailing. You have to try it!!
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| Other Comments: |
| We had never been to the dominican and wanted somewhere special to go for our 20th anniversary. We managed to find a minister that lives there (he is from the U.S. origonally) and he did our ceremony and we could not have asked for anything more. If you have any questions don't hesitate to email me. |
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| Photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=345679&id=581055413&l=9d2f366edd |
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| Was everything we wanted and more |
| Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR |
| User Rating:
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Jayne >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Jan, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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| Your Arrival |
| Arrival as usual into Punta Cana was smooth sailing and on time with Air Canada Vacations. On to the bus and away we went. Since we were booked into the Ambar we were let off at the Bavaro lobby and taken over to the Ambar. Short sit down on the terrace to fill out registration, went for lunch, came back and our room was ready. |
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| Rooms |
| We were in the building we had requested, ground level as requested, corner unit as requested...Perfect. Maid service was always good and anything we wanted was supplied. |
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| Restaurants and Bars |
| We ate of the buffet in the Ambar every night, excellent food and selection. We ate at the Gourmet one night and when we return we will stick to the buffet. I have never eaten so much on a southern trip as I have on this one. We even tried unusual looking things that we usually stay away from and everthing was delicious. There was also quite alot of seafood selection. There were no stomach issues for my husband and I. |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds |
| The beach is huge and wonderful but you do have to play the towel game if you want shade both at the beach and pool. I did notice some people with the bracelets for the other resorts in our Adults only beach part. The waves were great, we were there when the earthquake hit Haiti and I think the current was a little stronger than what it usually is but it was fun to play in. Never felt the earthquake but we did hear it (like thunder) |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
| The section does not offer activities, you have to go to the Bavaro or Punta Cana section for this. |
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| Other Comments |
| We have been to GBP Cayo Levantado once and this was our first trip to the Ambar. They are both of the Don Pablo Collection so very similar, however, the Ambar has by far the better beach. We will most definitly return to the Ambar. |
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| Glad to Be American |
| Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR |
| User Rating:
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Judy >
1 contribution(s) United States of America |
| Jan, 2010 | Leisure | With friend
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Positive and Negative comments on our visit to Gran Bahi Principe Ambar Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on December 27, 2009, for 11 days. Our first trip to the Dominican Republic.
Positive
The plane trip from and to St. Louis (Chartered and Preferred) was a fantastic flight to Punta Cana. It was a four hour trip there and five hour return trip. Having the Preferred Ticket we did not have to wait in line and were given tickets to purchase drinks and snacks on the plane. The hotel was huge and since we stayed at the Gran Ambar (adult only hotel), we were given access to the other two hotels, restaurants, and activities. The pools were numerous, huge, clean, and nice. The beach had beautiful white sand, the ocean was sparkling shades of blue and warm, the sky clear and blue, and the weather perfect. One can walk as far as they like along the beach with no restraints. Even though women can go topless on the beach area only, few did. A safe, Jacuzzi, and umbrella were made available in every room. (Do not bring an umbrella to the Dominican Republic as it will be confiscated at the airport since it can be used as a weapon). Water in the room was always hot for taking a shower or bath. Bottled water was provided daily. In the lobby there were two computers which we had access to for 15 minutes a day. TV had three English speaking channels. No English newspapers available. The spa was great. They held Mass on Sunday at the resort.
Negative
The staff at the hotel did not speak English and less than 1% of the visitors were from America. Most were from Canada. We were definitely foreigners in the Dominican Republic and did not feel welcomed. A Spanish/English Dictionary is a must although we were not sure this would have helped. We found most staff Unfriendly, Unsmiling, Uncaring, Unapproachable, Unable to communicate in English, and not honest or trustworthy. There was a huge lack of communication even between the staff employees.
Hotel room: A common theme throughout the resort, including us, was no access to our room ½ of the time. We had to continually walk to the front desk for a new key at wee hours of the day and night. There was not enough lighting in the room even when all the light bulbs worked and it was impossible to read in the room. When a light bulb went out we couldn’t explain to them what we needed (or they chose to ignore us). The lighting in the hallway and stair cases were non-existent (light bulbs not functioning) and it was extremely dangerous for walking and going up and down steps. One night there was a three hour domestic disturbance outside our room. We called security and even though we were told they would come, they never did. It was only in the morning they went up to see if the woman was ok. The sheets were rough and contained some kind of soap particles |
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| Once you've stayed at a Riu 'Palace' Resort, nothing else can compare. |
| Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR |
| User Rating:
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Dave from Oakville >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Dec, 2009 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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| The Ambar section of the resort was beautiful - unfortunately, due to the arrival of several individuals that arrived on the fifth day of our vacation, what was a beautiful week away turned into a nightmare. These males and their spouses/girlfriends were extremely intoxicated around the Pool Bar, throwing Footballs in the Pool and used extremely fould language. Security had to be called due to the extreme intoxication and abusive behavior of two of the individuals. Once male came close to being arrested due to his abusive bahaviour towards his wife/girlfriend. I'm saddened to say that these repulsive individuals were Newfies now working in Alberta. They were an embarrassment to our Country. |
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| Rooms: |
| Rooms were large, clean and beautiful. A walk-in shower along with a Whirlpool Tub. Unfortunately you could hear every noise that occurred out in the hallways. It seemed each and every morning around 6am that the staff had a 'toss the plate' contest. The noise was extreme. We left the Maid(s) gifts and money each and every morning, mainly because of the Christmas season. As a result, we received extremely good service with respect to the cleaning of the room, towels and Pillow service. |
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| Restaurants and Bars: |
| The Restaurants were superb with the exception of the Italian Facility. Best of all, our group liked the Japanese Restaurant. It should be noted that at the main lobby Bar, not all alcohol is included. There's a middle 'shelf' area that holds alcohol considered 'top shelf' that will cost you. Johnny Walker Black for instance or Gran Marnier... in my opinion, 'not' top shelf. This main lobby bar closed at 11pm each evening. If you drink Rum & Coke... the coke is terrible. |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds: |
| This is our 6th. trip to the Bavaro Beach area of Punta Cana. It's always been a world class beach in my opinion. Water was a little rougher this time around which caused a lot of ocean vegetation to wash ashore. |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel: |
| The Resort is supposed to be very quiet in the Ambar section... which is why you're there. No kids running around screaming. Too bad about the drunks. You will however find kids on the Beach. We found the French (France) people to be very arrogant and rude. They would think nothing of taking towels off reserved chairs on or near the Beach, throw them on the sand and take over the chairs they wanted. |
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| Other Comments: |
| Although it was a very beautiful Resort, ie: grounds were extremely well manicured and the staff were friendly, we would never return to this Resort. I'm a firm believer that once you've stayed at a Riu 'Palace' Resort, nothing else can compare. |
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| Fantastic Vacation |
| Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR |
| User Rating:
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Gordon >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Dec, 2009 | Leisure | Family
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My wife and myself spent two weeks from Dec 16 to Dec 30 at the resort and were joined by 7 family members (making 9 in our group)for the second week. For 6 of us it was a return to this resort, which shows that we were pleased with our first stay. There are some perks for returning guests which we enjoyed.
The overall vacation was amazing.
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| Your Arrival |
As we travelled in 3 groups our arrival spanned 7 days. The staff at the desk got to know us well. This is a large resort and while we enjoy being able to take long walks and explore, we were concerned that we might be assigned rooms that were far apart. We had written in advance explaining our situation but we also realized that as we were there over the Christmas season the resort would be at or near full capacity. The staff were most accomodating in this regard. We were assigned 4 rooms in the same building, including a ground floor room as requested for our daughter, son-in-law and 8 month old grandaughter, and 2nd and 3rd floor rooms for the other couples.
The attention we received from the staff in this regard was one of the highlites of our vacation. They were also carefull not to promise anything until they were sure they could deliver. When we first asked we were told that rooms were assigned only 1 day before arrival, but 2 days before the last group arrived we were told that our request had been met and we would all be in the same building and were given room numbers. |
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| Rooms |
The rooms were clean, large and well appointed. Maid service was excellent, although as always in the DR face cloths are a problem. We have gotten to expect this (been to DR 4 times) and just laugh about it now. Our room had a great view of the pool, but view is the luck of the draw when being assigned rooms in a resort. Same with location, we don't worry about it, if you're close to the beach your along way from the lobby and vice versa. And there is good shuttle service, and even walker can use it after a long afternoon in the ocean.
One nice thing at this resort is that late night entertainment in confined to 1 area which is not close to any of the rooms, so no loud noise. |
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| Restaurants and Bars |
Great meals with lots of variety, even being there 2 weeks. We also found that even though reservations are required for A La Carte restaurants, if we were willing to eat a little later, we could go to guest services and ask what was available and they would find us something.
Tastes differ and to say which was our favorite would require more than 1 answer, but the Japanesse, Garden Grill, and Spanish were definately on the list.
Buffets were also very good and some items were rotated from day to day to add variety.
There are lots of bars and we visited them regularly. Premium drinks cost extra but we never had any, the house brands are fine. |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds |
If you have been on the beach in Punta Cana I don't need to say any more. If you have not been there and are a beach lover, GO. It is amazing and any resorts we have seen keep their beaches super clean.
The grounds are lush and well kept. I love the plants especially the flowers with all the bright colours.
Pools are cleaned regularly. Having a view of the pool we witnessed two events which made us feel more secure. First was an inspection which was conducted on the pool and pool bar that was very through and included many samples.
The next was the cleanup of a spill of something (we don't know what) into the pool. The response was immediate and efficient. The area was closed and cleaned with great care. |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
Off the resort members of our group took part in zip lining, horseback riding, and 2 tours ( 1 to Santa Domingo, 1 local) and everybody was pleased with their adventure. Some of us did not leave the resort at all, and only 1 person went on more than 1 outing.
On the resort we found plenty to do and the time just seems to vanish. The only problem we had was that some water sports were shut down a few days because of wind. We enjoy playing in the surf so this replaced some of the normal activites for us.
One note is that the tennis courts are good but not great. If you might play tennis once or as we did it is not a problem, but if you are an avid tennis player who plays every day you might like something better.
I understand there is golf nearby but we don't play. |
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| Other Comments |
Christmas:
We were there at Christmas and the resort was full. If you want to be where the action is, it's great but if you want a quiet vacation some other time might be better. |
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| I would stay there again but it wouldn't be my first choice |
| Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR |
| User Rating:
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Hayley from Edmonton >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Dec, 2009 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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| Arrival time was good and everything was efficient, we took a large bus to the resort and everyone was very friendly and greeted us with a cold cloth and drink....very pleasant. |
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| Rooms: |
| The room was nice but NOT a 5 star. It was large, but we also had a corner suite so it added more room. The only part of the room that was 5 stars was the bathroom as it was beautiful! We had a plate of fruit waiting for us as well it was decorated for our anniversary. We had housecoats, slippers, and a letter greeting us. The bed was VERY hard but once we went to sleep we didn't notice it, also our bed at home is very soft. The AC worked excellent and all the things we needed were stocked in the room but the room itself wasn't stunning or anything it was nice though, i found the pictures i viewed before hand a bit deceiving. The maid was very gracious giving us what we needed and more if we asked, she cleaned very well and was very friendly. We also were on the top floor which we had requested even though we didn't have a confirmation we would get it. The only problem with that though is that i found it odd they have no elevator:( |
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| Restaurants and Bars: |
Because we were on the Ambar side we had a smaller buffet. The food was pretty good but pretty much the same everyday, however more than enough selection for anyone and stocked well. The only problem we had was service some days when it came to getting water and coffee, i guess they were on dominican time when it came to that part. When we walked it they gave everyone hand sanitizer which was great! I found the dessert selection could have been better but no big deal. One thing i found horrible was their bacon! it was the disgusting and i would not recommend even trying it unless you want to see what i mean:)
A La Cartes
I had a big problem with this but this is only because i have personal issues with food hygeine so it is opinion only. We went to the steak house that was actually really nice. Then we went to another that had the lobster split in 2...both us ladies were repulsed by its presentation and i couldn't touch it, i also saw many other people with the same look on their faces! It was sliced in half and stood upright, which is fine but i felt like i was about to eat something that looked so disgusting i couldn't stomach it! First none of the guts and insides were cleaned out and it was grilled which turned it a gross black color, the eyes were bulged out and right in your face and the legs all furry and sick looking. When we took a tiny bite we pushed it away, i felt like i was eating a dead bug (yes i know same family) but this looked terrible. It was very overcooked and i didn't like it at all! We went to the japanese one too and i left half way through it being prepared, i also noticed people pushing food around on their plates wondering if it was safe. Reason being when he cracked the eggs one had a big hole in it and when opened was a nasty color on the grill, we all agreed (4 of us) not to touch it. When the rest of the food was being prepared it just didn't seem very safe contamination wise plus most of it sat on the grill making it overcooked for the people that did eat it. I had to leave because it was making me sick to my stomach, also our cook wasn't the best entertainer compared to the other rooms. So we pretty much did buffet most of the time.
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds: |
| beach-stunning, pool-stunning, grounds-stunning! no complaints with that at all! |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel: |
| We did the Bavarro tour and it was a real eye opener to how poor people are there....when we booked we were told we would visit a school but i guess they stopped that since it was too disruptive for the kids, totally understandable. If you take this tour bring dollar store toys, little kids run out of their poor houses and are almost in tears knowing they are about to get something that is considered nothing to us, it brought tears to my eyes at their excitement. The tour was good and our guide was Mimi he was EXCELLENT!!! please read up more on this tour there is so much to it and is really nice but is not a relaxation tour, its more of a reality tour, worth it for sure. |
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| Other Comments: |
| Well i think i was spoiled by the majestic elegance so i am not sure if this resort was for me. It was my 3rd time going to punta cana and i would rate this the 2nd best. I found staff made me feel like i was just another number and dollar sign but being that this resort is so big i can see why. I found the resort to be too big and would highly recommend the Ambar side (no children)to any other, as we toured the rest of the resort. Prices were very high in stores there. This isn't a 5 star either, the grounds and beach were but the hotel itself was about a 4...it was nice but nothing special really. I would stay there again but it wouldn't be my first choice. It wasn't horrible or anything i just felt lost in a group of thousands of tourists and it felt too "resorty" to me. It was worth the price we paid but like i said if you want luxury, perfection and a stunning room, i would go to the elegance again. |
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| French? Smoker? This is the resort for you! |
| Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR |
| User Rating:
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Karin >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Dec, 2009 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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| First time - had high hopes since this hotel received many good reviews. The resort itself is beautiful. The food on CanJet is awful - incredibly stale bun, stale cookies and incredibly SLOW service. Eat before you leave. Very friendly crew though. |
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| Your Arrival |
| We landed at 1120pm (special package deal - never again!) - arrived at hotel, amid chaos - had to find our luggage in the dark, get on a shuttle to the Ambar - arrived at the Ambar lobby which was 90% dark - one person at reception - no water, punch, snacks, or friendly smile. Finally got to our rooms at 220am... in the dark, with little direction. |
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| Rooms |
| The room was spacious and lovely. The bathroom was ok - the shower was missing part of the door (which we reported the first morning there...), hence the floor was often wet. The lighting was poor. There was a mouldy smell the first night, but leaving the door open and the A/C on took care of that. The mini bar was not stocked regularly. Butler service? Not while we were there! Maid service was adequate. |
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| Restaurants and Bars |
| The buffets were very good - lots of variety - 4 star for sure. The Italian and the Japanese restaurants were not great. The service at both was mediocre. Loved the Don Pablo and the Mediterranean restaurants! Most staff did not speak English and my attempts with my limited Spanish were met with blank stares. Most were not very service oriented. There were a few excellent exceptions. |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds |
| The Beach and the grounds are fabulous! So many beautiful plants and flowers, very well tended. The pool was too warm and noisy, but very nicely laid out. If you want a palapa, be prepared to get up early. We were down there every morning at 0600, watching the sunrise - gorgeous! The beach is beautiful white sand and stretches for miles. The water is pure turquoise and the perfect temperature. |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
| We went to relax, so that's all we did. Comments form other guests about the activities were all positive. Gym? Not really - in the basement, stuffy, mouldy, broken equipment... |
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| Other Comments |
We travel extensively and have stayed in many 5-star resorts. We were disappointed with some aspects of this vacation. Concerns were not addressed - a manager was never to be found - we were told daily "he will call you" - it got to be a joke. Service is virtually non-existent. The lack of English speaking staff is a detriment. Internet is very intermittent or non-existent.
We will not be returning. Smoking was prevalent - many European guests. |
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| Departure: |
| There was a very long time between check out and our departure time, so we spent a great deal of time waiting in the lobby. On the bus back to the airport, the guide only spoke French (despite being asked to translate), giving information regarding exit documents and security procedures. |
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| If you speak French and smoke, you will love this place |
| Gran Bahía Príncipe AMBAR |
| User Rating:
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Sue from Ottawa >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Dec, 2009 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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| Arrived at 1am (husband booked a seat sale, never again)and there was mass confusion at the Bavaro lobby. Had to locate your luggage in the dark. At the Ambar lobby, long line up with one staff who was not helpful. Again, had to find our room in the dark. No welcome drinks or smiles. |
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| Rooms: |
| Very nice. Spacious and clean. Nice bathroom but the water leaked from the bottom of the shower so the floor was constantly wet. Mini fridge was stalked most of the time. The 'pillow' selection was a joke. Had the feather pillow for the first two nights, then it was taken away never to be seen again despite the constant calls throughout the days. Apparently they don't have enough. Heads-up: the maids will knock once then walk in, even with the door locked, so keep the 'do not disturb' sign on your door if you want some privacy. |
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| Restaurants and Bars: |
| Staff here were a hit and miss. At most times you would be totally ignored, but the odd time you could find a staff that would crack a smile and maybe even be helpful. The food is not a 5 star, 4 at best. We tried to order a bottle of imported wine, but they were out of stock. |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds: |
| Beach was amazing! If you needed a palpala, you better set your alarm for 6am. We needed the shade so every morning we would see the sun rise which was very nice. The water was wavy but you could swim in it. Lots of fun. Pool was nice but too warm. Crowded and loud so we stayed on the beach. |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel: |
We did the full day Saona Island catamaran/snorkel tour. Lots of fun! You don't see much of this island, mostly cruising on the boat and snorkeling.
The gym at the Ambar was a joke! Located in the basement, wet floor, smell of mold, the two elipticals did not work and the equipment was very old. No staff present. Why bother setting up that embarrassment?
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| Other Comments: |
| If you speak French and smoke, you will love this place as it seems to cater to such a group. Lots of Russians too. Having stayed at many 5 star resorts over the years, this is not! The food and service staff are a 4 star at best. The grounds/beach and rooms are a 5 star. We would not return. |
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