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| Last Updated:
11 September, 2009 |
| Gran Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado |
Larry & Luba ~ Stoney Creek Ontario Canada |
September 2009
Arrival:
Gran Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado Sept 2009
Larry and Luba Canada
About Us: We're a couple in our late fifties and this was our eighth visit to the DR. and our second time to Samana. We got a very good last minute deal. There is a photo link at the bottom of the review which might help also.
Flight: Flew Air Canada on an Airbus 319. Seating was three seats per side and each seat had a
LCD screen in the back of it. Different movie and music options made for the most varied selection we've had so far on a flight south. I'm six feet tall and leg room was fine. It was an economy seat.
Had to purchase food ,liked this option better than some of the surprises we've had in the past.
Avoid the roast beef sandwich, has a very high amount of sodium. Go for the chicken sandwich.
Arrival: Landed at Samana airport, found the bus and was on our way. Bus has no washroom on board. Trip took around one hour but the scenery can be quite beautiful. Dropped off people first at GBP Cayocao and then on to the mainland reception office. Here we got all the resort / room. info.
Then took the ride over by boat and it was a 5-7 minute trip. They took care of the luggage the entire time, didn't see it again until we were in the room. Received our cards for the room door at the main desk at the resort. This is when we found out we’d been upgraded to a junior suite superior, which are located in villas. We had e mailed the resort four days before asking for a balcony, king bed and close to the ocean. We also said that this was our third time to a Bahia resort. Thought we'd be in the main building with a balcony, this was a surprise. Be aware that this resort is hilly, they have shuttles to move you around if you want.
Room: This was the largest junior suite we've had. The balcony was larger than our family room, on each side of the bed was between six-seven feet of space and the same between the bed and the dresser. Washroom was also very large with a double sink separate shower and a whirlpool tub.
Water pressure was good as was hot water. A little less pressure and hot water during the dinner hour. Towels changed every day, always enough towels and bar fridge filled every day also. Left tips each day for the maid and the fridge person. Air conditioning worked fine.
Restaurants: One buffet ( Orquidea) is located on the ground floor of the main building. Was surprised at the amount of very good quality food available here. Always received good service from very friendly staff. Don't miss gala night on Saturday. Some of the items were Duck, Rabbit, Steak, Lobster, Shrimp, Chicken Cordon Bleu, numerous appetizers and desserts. My wife liked the buffet better than the ala cartes.
The Gourmet (Don Pablo) we went to twice, once for the lobster with beef and the second time we tried the rack of lamb. We both liked the lamb the best, it was delicious.
The Mediterraneo we never went to, it had mediterranean cusine. Thought we could get this type of food at the buffet.
The seafood restaurant (El Pescador) we went to and had the lobster tail. It was good but had spices on it. Prefer lobster steamed and with butter. Other people liked it. Just different taste that's all.
The service at all restaurants was very good. The deserts were very nice also. Never left hungry and
never had any stomach problems
Took photos of the menus which are on the link which should help quite a bit.
Also had room service for breakfast one morning, very good, even had a table cloth. Took around
15 minutes.
.
Pools and Beach: There are two pools, a quiet and a beachfront. The quiet one is in the area of the villas and the depth is 1.4 meters. A bar and towel exchange is there as well as sun beds, palapas and loungers. One section has a very shallow area for children. On the way back from the beach would stay here for a while. Very relaxing. The beach front pool was more popular and was between the snack bar and the beach. Never went in this one, once I get near the ocean no way am I going in a pool. Also had some sun beds along with loungers and palapas. The beach is why we go on vacation and this was nice. There are two beaches beside each other, if one side is too rough just go to the other. There was some coral in places but it was easy to see. Great views of the resort and of the mainland when swimming. It was never crowded and because of all the trees there was lots of shade.
Palapas and shade always available. Always stayed under a tree no towels wars here. Loungers were very comfortable and in good condition. The entrance to the public beach was near the main hotel building. You sign a sheet with your name on it and what time you will be back. There are vendors there but we were left alone. Think it was because of the bracelet we were wearing. You pay for your drinks and the use of the beach loungers. Just sit on your towel. It is a very beautiful beach. I was told if you go around 4-5pm there's nobody there. Would recommend that you see it.
Bars and Drinks: Beach bar was close for anyone on the beach and also had ( but we don't need it) waiter service. Drink selection and quality was good, drink menus available. The lobby bar made very good drinks and was air conditioned. The upper pool plus the Jacuzzi had bars also although the Jacuzzi just left sodas and water on ice, never saw a person there. Photos of the drink menus are also on the photo link. You are never far from a bar.
Entertainment. After being on the beach some days for eight hours, by eleven pm I was done like dinner. They did have a Mister Bahia, comedy show, live band etc at the patio by the main building every night. Photo of the entertainment info sheet is on the link. That should help .I'm not the party animal I once was.
Weather: We've been twice to the DR during July so I thought we'd be used to it .September was more humid than July, must be because of extra moisture during hurricane season. Any way at night the air got really heavy and it felt like it was close to 100 per cent. That also slowed me down concerning entertainment. Rained maybe three times for 10 minutes each and for four hours one night and the rest of the time was sunny to partial cloud. Most of the time there was a nice breeze.All the restaurants plus the lobby bar are air conditioned so this helped, but it would have been nice to have it a few degrees colder.
Washrooms: Public washrooms are at the pools, beach, Jacuzzi, restaurants and main lobby. All were spotless and always being cleaned
Landscaping: It was beautiful. Never seen so many workers ,they even had them at night sweeping walkways. Parts of the island are hilly and they used the walkways and plants in interesting ways.
Tips: When I first got here I thought it would take forever to get from the villa to the main lobby area. The shuttle (Tram) comes around every five minutes. To get from the patio at the main lobby back to the villas take the elevator in the main building to the third floor and go to the back. You will come out near the spa and then to the walkway for the shuttle. To get ice, phone for room service and they bring it to your door. There is a walkway to the beach near villa seven. From our villa (eleven) it took two or three minutes all downhill. For the return trip take the elevator from the beach unless you want the workout. Great views from the top of the elevator. The resort has a gym and a spa also.
When booking the ala cartes you have two options. You can book with Customer Service during certain hours in the main lobby. I'd try after breakfast. If you forget and it's after hours you can book through a computer just to the left of the Customer Service desk. You use the code on the top left of the info envelope you received on the first day and enter it. From there chose the restaurant, time etc and you get a print out to give at the restaurant when you arrive. If you book with the Service desk you get a printout also .Either way take this print out with you to the restaurant. On your last night they send out a letter telling you time to be at the dock for the return boat ride. No guess work at all.
Asked for a wake up call and got it.
Summary: Excellent run resort. Never have seen so many workers per guest in my life. Not one issue at all with anyone who worked there. Treated them with courtesy and a smile and received the same. Believed they enjoyed my attempts at Spanish. Lack of Spanish wasn't an issue at all,.it was an enjoyable game between us. They have so much patience, wish all the guests had the same. One day I wore a sleeveless top into the buffet at lunch. I was stopped in the lobby before I could make it in. Told that I had on the wrong type of shirt I said I'd go back to the room and change. I knew it was my fault and I was ok with getting a different shirt. I was told to wait for a minute and they came back with a Bahia Tee shirt which they told me top put on .I said I'd give it back after lunch and they said no problem ,to keep the shirt. This was real classy on their part. No one but my wife and I knew what was happening the entire time. As mentioned at the start this was a last minute vacation and this is the best value we've ever gotten on our eight visits to the DR. The vacation was to unwind and to relax. The resort did this perfectly. Will always be envious of anyone going here.
Photos are at the link below.........
http://www.worldisround.com/articles/355244/index.html
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| Gran Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado | Ken & Lisa ~ Ontario, Canada |
March 2009
Arrival: February 23 - March 2
We arrived in Samana late morning after a smooth and uneventful flight out of Toronto. A comfortable coach bus ride lasting about 40 minutes first dropped off most of the passengers at the GBP Cayacoa and then the remaining 5 couples went on another 10 minutes to where the boat was waiting for us. Here in a separate, luxurious building we received our welcome envelopes with the room key cards, our identification bracelets, as well as a cold drink before boarding the boat. The island and hotel made a welcome and impressive sight as we approached. Once on the island, we were given cool towels to refresh, another welcome drink and and official welcome from the manager. In no time, we and our luggage were whisked away in a little buggy to our villa.
Rooms
Having booked the least expensive, standard grade room, and expecting a room in the main building, we were delighted to discover that we had been upgraded to a villa suite. The oceanview from our room was probably one of the best on the island. The room was gigantic and gorgeous, with a very comfortable king size canopy bed, separate sitting area, and a huge bathroom with jacuzzi tub. There was another sitting area with couch and chair and dinette out on the terrace. The room was stocked with beach towels, bathrobes, hair dryer, any toiletry item you could possibly need, free electronic safe, umbrella (we only had one little downpour one morning, that's all),bug spray (we never saw a single bug), coffee maker (which made excellent coffee), minibar with lots of bottled water, pop, beer, liquor, even Pringles chips! (restocked daily). The room was immaculate and kept that way. Every evening, the sheets were turned back and a little box of chocolates left on the bed. One night we came back to rose petals and a lit candle! The first morning we were suprised when a large fruit tray was delivered to our room. We truly felt pampered.
Restaurants and Bars
We only ate at the buffet restaurants. Breakfast had anything you could possibly want. There was a station where you could have omelettes and eggs made to order, lots of fresh fruit and fruit juices, etc,etc. Lunch we usually ate at the beach buffet which was good, but not as good as the main buffet. Theme dinners at the buffet were all very good, lots to choose from, especially for those who enjoy seafood. We thought that the bakery breads and desserts were especially good. Drinks and wine were very good as well. The service in the restaurants and bars was the best we have experienced. Drink orders were taken and delivered to you everywhere, even on the beach!
Beach/Pools/Grounds
The beaches were beautiful, sandy and very clean, although the waves were a bit rough at times for swimming. There were always plenty of chairs and shady or sunny spots to be found anywhere. It seemed as though the resort was only maybe a third full, very quiet, and relaxing. Many times it felt as though we had the place to ourselves. The pools were beautiful and clean, perfectly kept. There were canopy beds with linen curtains by both pools,as well as the chaises. You could exchange or get more clean beach towels any time as often as you wanted. The grounds were the most beautiful we've ever seen. They have left as many of the large trees as possible and landscaped the island with an incredible selection of flowering tropical plants and trees, all trimmed and tended beautifully. There are little brick roadways going up and downhill all through the island, which make going for a walk or jog truly a pleasure. That said, this resort would not really be good for someone with mobility problems.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
We really enjoyed using the catamaran sailboat and sailing around the island. The boat was in great shape and there was always a good wind for sailing. They ask you to pay 5 dollars per day insurance for the catamaran or risk a much higher cost if you damage it. We also went over to the public beach a couple of times. When the cruise ships were in Samana, the public beach area was packed, and otherwise it was completely empty. The public beach is beautiful and very nice for swimming. There were also some local souvenir vendors there who had much better prices and selection than the hotel boutique. We also went on a whale watching trip about 10 kilometres out toward the ocean, which was very rough, but extremely exciting. We saw many whales and despite the huge waves, got some good photos. The day after our whale watching tour, the whales were in much closer and the boats were right out front of the resort, so we sailed over in the catamaran and joined them. We saw the whales again! We even saw them one morning in the distance when we were sitting on our terrace. Other than the whale trip, we stayed on the island and enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. There were a few activities during the day for those who were interested, but most people seemed to be pretty happy to just relax amd enjoy the sun. There were books and magazines in many languages as well as games and beach toys that you could borrow. There was also free internet on two laptops in the lobby which were readily available. Many people brought their own laptops. The room safes are large enough to accomodate a normal size laptop.
Other Comments
We chose this resort based on the photos in the travel brochures, and the reviews we read here. We were a little leary at first on going back to the DR because we found in the past that a five star in the DR is not always the same as elsewhere. This resort, however, far exceeded our expectations. It was definitely the most beautiful resort and area we have ever been to. We love that this area is so untouched and undeveloped, and we hope that it stays that way. This was probably the best vacation we have had yet, and we would highly recommend this resort to anyone looking for a quiet, relaxing, and beautiful vacation.
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| Gran Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado |
Laurica & Gord ~ Saskatchewan, Canada |
February 2009
Arrival: Jan 7 to 21
A long taxi ride from Puerto Plata - approx 4 hours - kind of like a roller coaster ride!! A nice boat ride to the resort - 10 minutes.
Rooms:
WOW! Were in room 9103. Very large rooms and large balcony with hot tub. Very clean, supplies updated daily in bar fridge at no charge ie - small bottles of scotch, vodka,cans of soda and beer and lots of water. Coffee pot in room which was refreshed daily with coffee and tea.
Restaurants and Bars:
The al-a-carte resturants were nice, but the buffet had anything you could ask for - shrimp, lobster. There were daily themes at the buffet - Mexican, Italian, a lovely gala. Look for the following people - buffet - Wilmon, Ramon and Georgina. Sony at the lobby bar and Mickey at the ocean bar.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Gorgeous! No problems getting chairs at the pools or beach, however, be cautious at the public beach, as some people charge for the chairs. The jacuzzi pool is especially nice, particularily if you like to tan. Lots of towels and drinks available at all places.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
There was not a lot of activities - darts, volleyball. Lots of walking- there were little "cabs" that would take you wherre you wanted to go. Were not aware of any evening activities, as there is no information posted. We did not go on any tours - why leave paradise till you have to!
Other Comments:
This was a very friendly and quiet resort. We were happy to enjoy all they offered, I'm sure if we would have asked, we could have found more to do. This is a wonderful place to enjoy a laid back holiday. Would not really recommend this resort for children, as there is little for them (ocean is rough, no playground or children's activities, pools are deep...) Don't be shy - ask for what you want or need. There is Wi-Fi available in the hotel lobby - but the hotel has only 2 laptops for all the clients.
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| Gran Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado |
Cynthia ~ Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
December 2008
Arrival: November 24-December 1, 2008
The best reception we've ever experienced at a resort. First, the sight of the gorgeous island as you draw nearer in the boat - rocky headlands fringed by green grass, turquoise water, and that beautiful red-roofed hotel - a real tropical island fantasy. Secondly, the staff are friendly,and welcoming, with cool drinks on a tray, and introductions to all the key managers. We needed to change our room location and it was done without any hesitation.
Rooms:
Incredibly spacious, impeccably clean, very private. Our superior junior suite in a villa looked out onto trees and the ocean in the distance. We left our door open all night to enjoy the sound of the surf. Very, very nice quality.
Restaurants and Bars:
There are three ala carte restaurants, plus a beach grill and a buffet. All were good except the beach grill, which was a bit mediocre. The simply-prepared fresh fish was always excellent, the shrimps were fantastic. The soups at the buffet and the ala cartes were always excellent. The bars serve up tasty drinks and the lobby bar makes them good and strong. Great beach bartenders: Sony and Miky.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
A very special aspect of this resort is its stunning location. Because the island is "tall", you have views in all directions. A perfect combination of wild tropical vegetation - banana trees, coconut palms - and orderly coral-stone walls edged with flowering hedges. Absolutely lovely, and the resort is laid out in such a way that you never have the feeling of a "compound" as you do in many other resorts. There are two private beaches, and we especially liked one that was in a cove. The surf was heavy at times, and it was really beautiful. A beach with shallower water and smaller waves is also available, and that's where most people seem to hang out. Either is lovely. Then there's a public beach which is a short walk from the main dock. It can get busy some days, but offers very nice swimming and a more sandy bottom than the hotel beaches.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
This is a quiet resort. There's not much going on at night, and in fact, the resort could improve their offerings in terms of musicians in the evening. You can swim, snorkel, kayak, sail, etc around the island, and there is a good range of activities on the mainland. We did an all-day trip to a national park (by boat), where we explored caves, saw a bird sanctuary, and kayaked into a mangrove swamp.
Other Comments:
This is a beautiful resort and I highly recommend it. Because the resort occupies 90 per cent of the island (the only non-resort part is the public beach), you don't have boat traffic or vendors or hordes of people marching past. It's incredibly beautiful and peaceful. We've been to quite a few resorts and this one is very special.
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| Gran Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado |
Jennifer ~ Oshawa, ON. |
September 2008
Arrival and Flight
Check in was a bit chaotic and we spent a lot of time waiting, but once we got on the boat to get to the resort it was perfect. On arrival you are handed a cold towel and a drink and staff are performing a welcome dance for you. You don't touch your luggage once you get off the bus (it is loaded on the boat for you and taken to your room for you).
Rooms
Beautiful! They look exactly as they do in the pictures. They are big, clean and very romantic. We stayed in a superior villa - the balcony, privacy and the view was worth the extra money.
Restaurants
Delicious! The a la carte restaurants are all very good. I ate at all 3 during my stay and enjoyed the Gourmet restaurant best. I was getting married at the resort so the wedding coordinator had taken the time to pre-book all of our reservtions to make sure that we got to eat at each restaurant and she also took care of the 38 people in our group as well t make sure they got reservations. Each a la
carte restaurant is not open every night, they alternate. Reservations fill up quick because the restaurants are small and they do not overcrowd them. They do about 3 seating's a night with never more than 20 people in the restaurant at any given time. For our wedding we rented out he Gourmet restaurant. The service was Slow(Caribbean time) but the food was amazing!
The buffet was also very good. Breakfast was the best (champagne and O.J. every day on the veranda or Bloody Mary's). The service was excellent at the buffet restaurants.
Bars
Great! Since we had a large group (a mix of young and older) the younger (partiers) often went down to the public beach bar (which becomes a part of the hotel and A.I. after dinner) and partied all night long - great service and great music! The other bars are also great - never busy, beautiful setting and great service! Many days we laid on the beach or played volleyball games in the pool and had our drink orders taken and brought to us (this was the case at every bar).
If you prefer to stay in your room for the evening we had room service bring us drinks on several occasions and they are very accommodating. We also had numerous bottles of champagne brought to our rooms (as we were celebrating our wedding).
Beach and Pools
Gorgeous! Never busy and so relaxing and beautiful. The public beach was never busy during the week. On the weekends it got busy with locals and family members of the resort staff. It is worth going to the public beach during the week (the day after our wedding me and my husband had the entire beach to ourselves...seriously!)
The resort beaches are also never busy and always lounge chairs available. The water is rougher on one side and about 5 people in my group got stung by (small) jellyfish (they were fine). This didn't stop us from enjoying the water and the beach!
Grounds
If you are not staying in the main hotel there can be a lot of walking! The "boogie" (buggy) comes around often and you can call down t the front desk to be picked up. The Island and grounds are much larger than you imagine and you can spend the entire day walking from back to pools to bars to restaurants, etc.
The grounds are very well maintained and are beautiful. They are also never busy, sometimes you feel like you have the place to yourself!
Activities and Entertainment
Since we had a group of about 40 we were the entertainment. We participated in most events nightly and the staff really loved us. Usually it is a quiet, couples-type resort so they loved having some young people there to participate and have some fun!
The entertainment is pretty cheesy, but we made it fun. They had karaoke, dancing, magic show and sporting and dancing events during the day. It is a pretty low-key hotel and unless you are with a group of people the nightlife is not the highlight of the resort (which was fine with us and its what we wanted).
Departure and Check Out
No problems - very easy and efficient.
Conclusion
I would recommend this resort to anyone. It was beautiful and secluded. It was not busy and it did not feel like a cookie-cutter A.I. resort. You felt as if you were on paradise island - it was relaxation at its best! The service was great, the food was good (noone got sick), the beaches are gorgeous and our wedding was amazing (the wedding planner did a great job). We also had a baby and a 6 year old in our group who each had a great time - there were no other kids at the resort during the week and no activites for them, but the staff was very accommodating and they had a great time playing in the pools.
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| Gran Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado |
Dave |
March 2008
Travelled to this hotel for two days(one night) when we accepted an offer whilst staying at the GBP Punta Cana.
We were paid $200 in cash,free transfers,an upgrade when we went back to Punta Cana and a free whale watching trip was thrown in. This was because of the well publicised overbooking incidents at GBP Punta Cana.
Checked out of Punta Cana at 7:30am , leaving luggage we didn't need in their secured(?) storage area; first problem was no coach!Checked with Guest Services at 8:00am who first of all, told us not leaving til 9:15, then told us had gone at 7:00am - finally found out that the coach was waiting for us at the main entrance to the hotel as it had left from the Bavaro side of the complex at 7:30am.Was rushed over by porter to be slow handclapped by other(ignorant) guests already on the coach.Thanks very much Guest Services(Junior) for giving us the wrong information!!
Then followed a fairly hairy 4 hour coach trip through very varied scenery including crossing the hills on dirt roads - something I hadn't experienced on a coach before!
Once we reached the harbour on Samana we were transferred to a speed boat for an exhillerating ride out to (and around) the island of Cayo Levantado.The hotel makes a very impressive sight as you approach.
Check in went smoothly and we were allocated a room in one of the seperate 2 storey villas scattered around the absolutlely glorious grounds -room 4102.Only downside is that these villas are spread out over the hillside so if you have difficulties walking, probably need to wait for the little train which travels round the site in a circle.
Absolutely magnificent suite, huge bathroom with seperate shower room,jacuzzi tub,huge 4 poster bed - enormous well equipped balcony,totally secluded, looking out through the trees to the sea!
After showering/ changing we went back to the main areas for an excellent buffet lunch before departing on a whale watching trip out in the Bay of Samana.
Quite rough seas -a few people violently sea sick - but well worth it as we saw several females with their calves swimming on top and got some good photos and video.Local guide spoke excellent English(French, Italian....)and filled the trip in with lots of interesting info on the whales.
Returned to the hotel and spent the rest of the afternoon by a magnificent pool at the top of the site - very quiet - extremely well equipped with both standard sunbeds/shades and 4 poster sunbeds!Set in absolutely stunning grounds with a view of the "mountains".
Ate at the buffet that evening - food was extremely good- and then had a few drinks in the cool and airy main bar before retiring for the night.
Up early the next morning to take advantage of the fab surroundings.After breakfast we sat on the beach on our own for about an hour! watching the whales about 0.5 miles out to sea leaping and waving huge tails in the air! a really magical sight.
The hotel has two short sections of its own beach backing on to a large swimming pool; the perfect place to chill out.
There is a lift from this bottom pool back up to the top for access to the villas on the high ground and the other quiet pool.
On the island there is also a public section with its own beach which looked very nice from the speedboat.This area is completely isolated from the hotel however.
Once again, the travel arrangements back to Punta Cana were cocked up - we were told checkout at 12 noon, depart at 12:30 - we snatched a snack at the beach only to then find out that we weren't leaving until 2:15 so could have had a leisurely buffet lunch (thanks again Junior!!) In conclusion, we wished we could have spent the rest of the 2 weeks there - it truly is a 5 star resort.
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| Gran Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado |
Jane |
February 2008
We returned from a one week stay at Cayo Levantado on feb. 18, 2008. I would like to start by saying that for us it was almost the perfect vacation. The food, wine, drinks, beaches were lovely. The gardens were superb! The staff was friendly, but not too much,, you never felt that they were only looking for tips. If you go there look for Josephina at the main bar and Sony at the beach bar, very nice people.
I have only two related complaints. The technicians were slow, we had to wait for 5 hours to have an overflowing toilet fixed. It needed 5 seconds with a plunger! On our first night it was a long wait to get our inroom save fixed, again it was a very short repair. There was no need for several calls to reception to get some action. The other thing that didn't make us very happy was having to wait, sometimes until 6 in the evening to have our room made up. These things were pretty minor, when you are in such a beautiful place. We had a wonderful cottage, nice people, enought good food to make one worry about gaining weight, and drinks that made us worry about becoming alcholics.
If you are longing for a quiet, natural place this is a good one to consider
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| Gran Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado |
Jayne and Doug ~ Oshawa, Ontario |
February 2008
Arrival -
Jan 28-Feb 11/08 Flight with Skyservice was on time. Processing through airport was quick, Note: As well as the blue immigration form you will be given another form in the airport to complete, it is all in spanish. Found our bus and away we went. Approx. one hour to the boat launch. Check in is done at the launch before your board. Boat ride approx. 10 min. Wonderful greeting at hotel.
Rooms -
We were assigned our beach villa, 31102 and taken by buggie with our luggage. Beautiful location and room. Huge bathroom, canopy king size bed, television in front of bed. Livingroom with couch, two chairs, and another tv. Covered terrace with 2 loungers, 2 chairs and table. Open terrace with 2 person jaccuzi.
Restaurants -
Can't comment on the restaurants. We ate in the buffet for breakfast and dinner, ate lunch at the beach buffet. Food was good at all times, never disappointed.
Bars -
Since we spent all of our time at beach level I can only comment on the beach bar. Miky was always friendly and aiming to please. Drinks were very tasty.
Beach and Pools -
There are two beaches for the resort. We spent most of our time at the smaller beach. This is not a beach you can put your lounges on as the angle of the beach is quite severe. The water is very rough as the wind is constantly blowing strong. The waves are great for playing in but one must be very careful of the undertow and current. This beach area is nice and quiet. The larger beach is also rough and has a strong current. I would recommend water shoes. Snorkeling was not good, too cloudy. We found that for swimming we preferred the calmer waters of the south side of the Dominican (La Romana) as we are beach people, not pool people. The pool at beach level is well maintained and a good size. There was never a shortage of lounges.
Grounds -
The resort grounds are beautiful and well maintained. This area does appear to get alot of rain. The one thing we noticed compared to other resorts we have been to is that they don't have a sprinkle system for all the gardens. It rained everyday we were there as well as through the night it would really, really rain. As mentioned in previous reviews this is a resort with alot of hills, our calves got a real workout. There is the buggies available for those with walking issues.
Activities -
There were the usual activities available for those who wished to join in, eg. beach volleyball, bingo, morning stretches, etc. but they were never an annoyance or too loud.
Tours -
The whale watching was probably the most popular, however, be aware that this area can have very rough waters, there were alot of people who were sick on their outings. We did not take advantage with any of the tours available.
Conclusion -
This resort is very beautiful. If you want a relaxing, quiet holiday this is the place for you. We did notice alot more kids in our second week. When sitting on the smaller beach, (real windy side) we saw whales jumping about 1 mile out. The hotel staff are wonderful. Turn down service at night with chocolates is a nice personal touch. The only reason we would not return would be the issue of the beaches but everything else was perfect.
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| Gran Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado |
MayBeth ~ Niagara, Ontario, Canada |
January 2008
Arrival -
Bus from the airport took a little under an hour, bus was full but only 8 of us were the first to be dropped off going to Cayo Levantado. Boat ride over only to the island was very quick, between 5-10 minutes tops. Checked in was very quick.
*Note:
If I return I will definately choose the daytime arrival and departure, arriving and departing at nighttime just doesn't have quite the same affect as being able to see your surroundings.
Rooms -
Rooms are magnificent!! I had room 403, standard room, top floor, oceanview overlooking the front of the resort where the boat arrives.
Restaurants -
Breakfast buffet started at 7:00, very good, great selection. Basic breakfast buffet, someone to make your omelet or eggs the way you like and a great choice other foods.
Lunch at either the buffet (only ate here once and it was good) or lower pool restaurant.
Ate lunch at the lower pool restaurant most days, good variety.
Dinner:
Dined at the Seafood restaurant, El Pescador, lobster was fantastic. Don Pueblo, the Gourmet restaurant, Filet Mignon was probably one of the best I've had in my life. Meditteranean, I had the salmon and although the taste was wonderful, too many bones for my liking.
The buffet was always wonderful with a great selection. Different theme nightly.
Booked the a-la-cartes on the second day and ending up changing and rearranging when we met new people without too much trouble.
Bars -
Carlixto at the lobby bar is wonderful, please tell him MayBeth says hello, he is great and seems to work 24/7. Nice place to have a drink before or after dinner.
Beach bar is where the small bit of activity happens at the hotel during the day (emphasis on "small", this is a very quiet resort), they had games such as ring toss or horseshoes, easy way to win a prize while you're there (bottle of rum or t-shirt).
There is a bar at the public beach but drinks are not included with your stay at GBP. If they continue with the nightly entertainment and the location is the public beach, the drinks are included.
Beach and Pools -
there are 3 pools, lower which is close to the beach,this one has the most activity. Two pools higher up on the island, one almost like and infinity pool with the water right up to the egde of the pool and a pool with 3 jucuzzi's in the middle. Both these pools are very, very quiet. The hotel was only half full when I was there so naturally there wasn't a problem getting a lounge or one of the beds near any of the pools at any time.
Grounds -
The grounds are magnificent, flowers and foliage everywhere. It took me about 3 days to find my way around without taking a wrong turn. There is always someone available to give you a lift to your room or anywhere on the grounds but if you enjoy walking with a little bit of uphill or downhill climb you'll truely love this place.
Activities -
Basically, this is the one spot where this resort might not appeal to some. This is very, very quiet resort. There was an animation team that tried to get things going but it seems that the majority of the clientele are here for a relaxing vacation. I was told at the end of my stay that they were eliminating the evening entertainment (which in all honesty left alot to be desired anyway) and may possibly bring in entertainment from the mainland 2 or 3 nights per week.
I did go for 1 hobie cat (sm catameran) ride during the week but we basically just sat still in the water because there wasn't enough wind to do anything.
The water was only clear enough to snorkel one day but I did see many small fish and 1 harlequin pipefish (which I thought was a snake at the time but after coming home and doing my research I found out what it actually was)
Tours -
I went on the jeep safari and the horseback riding trip to Limon falls. I enjoyed the horseback riding trip more. One thing to keep in mind, your horse is led the entire way by a guide, it's tough work for them trudging through 6-10 inches of muck and mud while you ride a horse and then there's quite the hike down to the falls, not for everyone and they don't warn you about the hike beforehand. Be prepared to pay your personal guide on top of the price of the original tour.
Conclusion -
This is an absolutely beautiful island and resort. I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to return if I wanted a very, very quiet and peaceful vacation. I would not recommend this resort to people with children, personally I think they would be bored. It is definately geared toward the quiet vacationer.
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| Gran Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado |
Leslie |
January 2008
Jan 7 - 14th - afternoon flight. Arrived in the evening. Once you reach the gates the place takes your breath away. You really felt special getting off the bus then wisked off to the island on a speed boat.
ROOMS - The rooms are huge and absolutely spotless. Stayed in the main hotel with a beautiful view of the ocean.
The villas look georgous. Especially at night when they are all lit up.
SERVICE - The staff was first class and absolutely incredible. They were always smiling and always went out of their way to make sure you were happy and had everything you needed. I could not think a single situation when I felt I was being ignored. This is really the best staff I have ever encountered.
GROUNDS - The entire resort was spotless. The gardens are amazing. Very hilly so if you are not a walker you may rethink this hotel. There are always buggies around. I enjoy walking and was stopped constantly asked if I wanted a ride to where I was going.
BEACH - The island has 3 beaches (one public beach and two smaller beaches at the hotel). Only 1 green flag day while my stay but I did get a chance to see some fish that day. The public beach is spectacular. Saw free swiming dolphins.
FOOD - The food was absolutely amazing.
POOLS - There is one in between the beach restaraunt & beach. The other 2 are more quiter -one is a 3 pool jacuzzi. All pools have canopy beds.
ENTERTAINMENT - A mix of dancing, magic show , dance contests, variety shows...The entertainment staff were quite amazing. They worked very hard all day trying to get people to dance & play sports by the pool and put on shows at night. Unfortunelty from what I heard there will be no more entertainement at this hotel which is an absoulte shame. The resort is spread out enough that those that do not want to hear a peep can find a place relax but I guess the hotel may want to cater to the older. You may want to check the situation before going.
FACILITIES - There is a spa & gym. Free internet for 20 minutes.
BOAT - Leaves twice in the morning & returns twice in the afternoon. If you are on an excursion they will sometimes call a boat for you.
I trully can not think of a single negative thing about this resort. Truelly a paradise. The Samana area is also very beautiful. Very mountaineous. This was my first time to this are & I will most likely return as there is so much to see. On one of the excursions we spotted whales which was truelly a bonus.
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| Gran Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado |
sunosunosun ~ Toronto, Canada |
February 2007
We stayed 5 nights at El Portillo and 2 at Cayo Levantado as El Portillo was overbooked so I give you both. If you get the chance to stay at Cayo Levantado do it.
Check-In
El Portillo…Most people had their rooms ready immediately however we had an hour or so to wait. We walked around had a quick bite, some wine then were taken to our room, not a problem. The front counter staff was friendly and helpful. Some of the staff could speak Italian, English... If you did asked for something and they didn’t understand immediately someone who could speak English was there to answer our question.
Cayo Levantado…Domingo was quick to help us check in and told us if we had any problems at all to call him directly. During the first day he check in on us to see how we liked our room when we told him we were there to celebrate our anniversary he sent up a bottle of wine.
Staff
Smiles were plentiful and for the most part their English was better than my Spanish.
Rooms
Our room at El Portillo was sufficient, we had the basic Sunquest suite which we only used to sleep and shower in. It was on the third floor with the wooden cathedral ceiling which made the room seem larger. It was kept clean and the bar fridge was restocked daily. There was one day where the maid came in late in the afternoon, she apologized did a rough clean that day and did not touch her tip. The next day it was immaculate again. We were very satisfied with our room. People we met at El Portillo who had the Transat package were happy to get what they had paid for.
Our room at Cayo Levantado was stunning with its four poster bed and wicker living room furniture in an oversized room in a main floor villa. The bathroom was almost as large as the bedroom with a Jacuzzi tub looking through the bedroom and out over the terrace into the ocean. The terrace was partially covered which gave shelter to a table and two chairs, another outdoor sofa and chair. The bar fridge was stocked. The maids came in twice a day, once in the morning to pick up our towels, make our bed… In the evening while we were out for dinner two maids would arrive pick up our towels, turn down our bed and leave some chocolates and a rose on the bed.
Food
At El Portillo the food was plentiful at the buffet, we never went away hungry. We were quickly seated and served our drinks while we got our food. We only managed to eat at two of the al a cartes as we transferred to the Cayo Levantado five days into our vacation. (We transferred, not because we didn’t like El Portillo but to see another resort.)
The Oriental: I had the curried shrimps, and my husband the chicken. The large shrimps were light on the curry but well prepared I enjoyed them very much. The chicken was not to my husbands taste not to say that you wouldn’t enjoy them. DON”T order the gelle café sake or whatever it was ooooooooo so NASTY lol our table had a good laugh at it and sent it back. JMHO it was like an experiment gone wrong.
The Gourmet: I had the sea bass which was to die for IMO, and my husband the filet mignon, very tasty. Better than some restaurants at home was how he put it.
Both, the red and the white house wines were very sweet. If you wanted a dry wine you had to order it from the Not-Included menu which you had to ask for. Make sure if you are drinking any kind of rum drink that you ask for the Brugal it is a much nicer rum flavor than the Normandy. The flavor is noticeable even in your banana mommas or coco locos.
The Beach Bar was a great place to be…not too many people there and the pollo (chicken) rotisserie was a quick meal accompanied by a Caesar salad. The chicken was always juicy and very well done, one of my husband favorite meals/snacks.
At Cayo Levantado we only managed to eat at the buffets, the one in the main building as well as the beach buffet. Both were very good, again excellent service. Along with the normal buffet selections for lunch they included shrimp, lobster, chicken, pastas…. Drinks here were delivered to you on the beach, by the pool..... The wines were much nicer here as well their liquors and beers are the premium brands.
Beach
El Portillo’s beach was awesome, great for walking. Very tropical, miles of sandy beaches and palm trees, beautiful blue water and a sky that stretches forever. Nice firm sand and clear waters for the snorkelers. The stars in the evening against the black sky were entrancing.
Cayo Levantado had soft coral sand and the water was warmer. Here there is both a private beach for the resort and a public beach.
Conclusion
Worth the money? Absolutely would go back to either resort in a heart beat! We enjoyed both properties, my husband more the El Portillo me the Cayo Levantado.
If you are looking for a complete and organized resort neither of these resorts are there yet. (As of Jan. 27th anyway) If you ever have a complaint at either resort a call or walk to the front desk and it is quickly rectified. They ask you for your suggestions and comments be honest and give it to them. They are moving quickly to get everything smoothed out IMHO I feel they will truly be at their best in the fall/winter of 2007.
I am pleased that I was fortunate enough to have experienced both these hotels in my one week vacation my only regret was that it wasn’t long enough, unlike this review
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