Booking - Transat
Booked using Netholidays.ca. Actual price charged to my Credit Card was over $300 more then what I had booked!! Contacted Netholidays, refund of difference was in my hands in less than a week. Was angry for a little while though, turns out it was a computer problem on their end. They were cool about it, no problem in fixing it right away.

Flight
Flight going and returning was great. Westjet rocks!! They have TV's but they don't work all the way down, you get maybe 1 hour to 1.5 hours of satellite tv... better than nothing.

Airports
No problems whatsoever at either Halifax or Punta Cana Airports. Punta Cana is open air, so smoking is everywhere, if you're interested. Mosquitos at the airport near the gate were plentiful... a few even got onto the plane and one poor guy got a huge bite behind his ear. There's a Wendy's at the PC airport... burgers and fries were yummy, didn't trust the drink though, not sure where they get their ice.

Check in/Front Desk
Check in was pretty stress free. We arrived early, at noon-ish. Check in is at 3, so we had to lug some stuff around with us for a few hours... no biggie.

They allowed us into our rooms at 2:30. I had emailed a few weeks in advance to request 3 rooms in a general location and they had obliged!! I was very pleased and most impressed!! Actually, the front desk folks were among the best we have dealt with anywhere. Even though there were no vacancies, on our last day for late checkout purposes, they allowed us an extra hour... free. They also allowed us to keep our towels after check out until we were finished with them. They will store your luggage in a locked building if you have a late flight. There is a shower available... but no towels.

Room
We booked a Junior Suite and were quite glad we did.
The added space makes a huge difference. Lots of room in the bathroom too. It was spotless each and every day, and I mean spotless. The room has TV, a free in room safe that uses a code, hair dryer, coffee maker, phone, ice bucket, mini fridge stocked with a couple of beer a couple of soda pop and a couple of bottles of water. The fridge takes a while to cool stuff down though. Air conditioning was ok, not too noisy and would only really keep the temperature around 23-24c.
No problems pluggin in our batter charger or cell phone charger... no adapter needed. Each block of rooms was in a 2 story building and it was also spotless. Very impressive actually, just watching them clean up, they are hard workers!

Property
The property is large. Time should have been taken just exploring and finding the shortcuts!! I got lost on the way back to the room on the first night... then we started carrying maps. The Palladium group seems to be all about cleanliness. Even the common washrooms were not "scary" like we have seen elsewhere.

Food
We ate at 3 ala cartes... not bad, but really, the buffets were just as good. The ala cartes are great for a relaxing atmosphere though. The buffets are "hustle and bustle". Lots of choice though. What I hated about the buffets... and I mean, hated... were the people, the tourists!! Not all of them, but MOST of them. What is wrong with you people, you're supposed to be on vacation!! Stop running around with a big snarl on your face, butting in front of people and muttering!! Slow down, there's lots of food there, or more coming!! Don't worry you'll be able to eat your moneys worth!!

POP/Animation
The People of Palladium were amazing. We thought they were the best animation team we had ever encountered.
They were on the go from early morning to late at night... every day!! Give yourselves a round of applause!! Next time, chew the antacid pill first before trying to swallow it, Sylvia!!

Service
The bar service and waiter/waitressing was fantastic.
I think it helps to get to know them a little. I watched some really ignorant people waving dollar bills around at the beach bars, only to be ignored, much to my delight. And there were the same goofs that were harrumphing around the buffets, snorting and butting in front of me at the beach bars. Nothing better than having the bartender ignore them until you get served. I got a lot of smiles out of the activities of the beach bar staff. They know "people". The lobby bar was our favorite early evening haunt.
Really enjoyed the Brandy Alexanders after dinner.
Rosaria, we miss ya honey. The guys in the band like to chat, invite them to your table while they are on break... they won't take a drink of anything though, they are professionals.

Sports bar
The sports bar seems unimpressive at first glance, so we didn't spend much time there. As it turns out, there was pretty good food! The thickest BLT sandwich you'll ever see. I did not find the bartender there very personable though, he was the exception. Maybe it was the noise getting on his nerves.

Shows
The evening shows. They serve their purpose. They fill the time between your after dinner drink and hitting the disco. A couple of entertaining shows... watch for the flame spitter... looks kind of dangerous!! I enjoy the shows, always do. I have to say that I liked the Africa show the best. Fermin, you were great in the audience participation shows... such an evil laugh!! I was the Cat-man in the Monday night show and got dragged up on stage by the POP staff to make a fool of myself singing "La bamba" with Fermin the next night... I apologise to anyone in the crowd on either of those nights.

Disco
The disco was pretty lively actually. Lots of folks dancing up a storm. Music was a bit repetitive from night to night, but that's OK... maybe we weren't supposed to be there every night!! Waitress service here was outstanding... in fact, that's a trend all through the resort... great service. Well, except for during the shows, it's quicker to go to the bar and get your own, just too many people. But the bar staff at the theatre bar were great!!

Shops
There are a few shops just outside of the main lobby.
Some cool stuff in there and some reasonably priced...
except for the necessities... they are expensive!! We did the wander around looking at and in a lot of shops down the beach, not my cup of tea though. Had heard that the beach vendors were aggressive... actually, they were kind of fun. Once they realized that we were not shoppers, they would just stop and chat on their way by. Some nice guys.

On... and on..
Could go on and on, Pools, Casino, Minigolf, Beach, vendors, train, bellhops, just too much that could be said, and all good. I would go back here, and I would recommend it to anyone. Good clean place with excellent service on a gorgeous beach. I cannot think of anything negative, other then towards the majority of the guests carrying chips on their shoulder, to say about this resort. This resort carries ratings anywhere from 4 to 5 stars depending on the site you visit... compared to others we have been to, this one is accurately rated. You will not be disappointed here.

My wife and I went to the Grand Palladium Bavaro Resort and Spa from April 9th to April 16th, 2007. We traveled with two other couples. We had 7 days of Sunny hot weather which made for a great vacation. This was a wonderful spot and I would recommend it to anyone.

Travel –
Our trip was run by Transat Holidays and we flew on West Jet. The West Jet folks were great. The cabin crew was very entertaining the whole way. There was no shortage of jokes and silliness on the flight down and on the flight back. This was very refreshing compared to most airlines which the crew is very somber and serious all the time. We had some friends that went to a neighboring resort at the same time and they flew with Can Jet. They made an unscheduled stop in the Bahamas for fuel which greatly delayed their trip. Can Jet did the same thing to us when we went to Cuba 2 years ago. They must get cheaper fuel in the Bahamas. They should make sure their passengers know in advance that they will be sitting on the runway in Nassau for a couple hours waiting to refuel before heading to their destination. After our Cuba trip 2 years ago we renamed them to Can’t Jet.

Reception –
When we landed at the Punta Cana airport we were directed by a Transit Rep to our bus which took us to the resort. The ride wasn’t too long, maybe 30 minutes. There was some road construction that we had to go around. Check in went smoothly and the folks at the desk were able to put all three couples close together. 2 couples in one building and the other in a neighboring building.

Room –
We had the deluxe room which was very nice. It was clean, well kept, and in very good condition. One of the couples had a Junior Suite which had a sitting area (sofa) in it and a larger bathroom with a large tub. It was very nice. I may consider spending a little more next time for the upgrade.

Staff –
The staff was wonderful. Always smiling and willing to help. The POP team (People of Palladium) were great. They worked hard to get people involved in activities at the beach, pool, and in the shows in the evening. I can’t believe the energy these young folks had. They worked from dawn till the late hours at the disco trying to keep everyone happy and involved, always smiling and energetic the whole time.

Food –
There were two main buffets on the Resort and Spa side that we used most often. The food was always good and there is no reason anyone should go hungry as there is a huge selection to choose from. You also had the option of dining in the neighboring resort because it is also a Grand Palladium (Fiesta Hotel) but we only ventured over there for our a al carte meals.

The a la carte dinners were a nice change from the hustle and bustle of the buffet. It was very relaxing and quiet. The only trade of is you don’t have the wide variety of foods to pick from when you dine a la carte. But if you don’t find something there you like you can always go to the sports bar later for burgers, fries, pizza, natchos or a BLT. The sports bar was open 24hrs so you could satisfy those late night munchies (or thirst) at any time.

Activities –
We didn’t do any organized excursions because of the extra costs involved but we did visit some shopping areas. I don’t like the haggling much but my wife did a good job and got some jewelry and a couple cheap bottles of Brugal Ron for us. There is shopping on the resort as well and there is no haggling there. We bought a nice painting there to and in our Caribbean themed family room at home.

At the beach and poolside there were activities like aerobics, dance lessons, water polo, and a beer drinking contest.

The nightly shows were very entertaining. There were a few with audience participation which my group always seemed to get involved in. We were known as the Punta Canadians by the time we left. There were a few musical and dance show as well. The performers were very talented and put on a good show.

After the show people would move to the disco for an evening of dancing which lasted well into the early am. There was a lot of Latin dance mix music so don’t go here expecting to hear music from the MTV or Much Music countdown. Again the service and staff were great. The POP team was always busy looking for anyone who looked bored and dragging them up on the dance floor.

Beach/Grounds –
The beach was beautiful. My wife and I are beach bums so this was the best part. There is beautiful white sand, palms, and gentle warm breezes. Shade is important, we had to depend on the palm trees for that because the little huts are always taken too early in the morning. We didn’t like to wake up too early so we just used the trees for shade. The grounds and gardens were immaculate. Everything was in blossom so the colors were amazing. They did a wonderful job taking care of the place.

All in all it was an awesome trip. When we booked the trip online it said it was a 4 star. I would have to say it was probably a 5.

Below are links to video clips and a photo slide show on youtube.

You Tube Video Clips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mooHeCAHIZw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91Zaq--5Dsc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx93s1-sTmE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOplpfA4E-g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSHRd2_NVPQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_f1HytKk20
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XCTiZsPqhE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VshkbUlt9qQ

Steve and Rita's complete review with photos

We were very pleased to be joined on this trip by our friends, Joann and Kevin who are also from Burlington, Ontario, Canada..

We were so happy with our Mexico trip and we talked about it so much that our friends decided they had to go somewhere..And soon!!..A little sooner than we had planned but it really didn't take much to get us signed up as well..

Once again we dealt with the Flight Center Travel Agency Office

We weren't as worried about the unknown this time and we pretty much decided where and when to go by ourselves..We did consider some last minute places but since we wanted a particular property, we found ourselves watching the prices..They did go up and down and we almost lost the chance to "get in cheap" by waiting..So when the price went back down we booked..About 1 month ahead of our departure date..We continued to watch the prices for future reference but they just kept getting higher as the property filled up..Less rooms available at higher prices..And we didn't just watch Flight Centre either..Their prices were compatible with the other last minute places..We really think that if you want a certain property there really is no sense in waiting until the last minute..

As before, we took our time and did our research..We ended up deciding on the Grand Palladium Bavaro in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.. Our vacation hosts were Air Transat and they took care of everything from getting us there to making sure we had fun while we were there by providing an Air Transat Rep right in the hotel and to getting us home

We chose an all inclusive package this time as well..There really is no way we'd do anything different..Eat all day..Drink all day..Its not that we gorge "cause it's free"..But it is nice not to have to worry about the budget every time you want to eat.. We would recommend this resort without hesitation..All the pictures are thumbnailed so please feel free to click away for larger versions..Hope you enjoy your visit to our little adventure...

I`d have to say this was our favorite meal of the day..We ate so much all day that this was probably the only time we were actually hungry..Most mornings we would all hook up and go to breakfast together but some days we`d do our own thing..Breakfast was always at the Catedral Restaurant and there was more than enough variety to keep things interesting..No complaints at all about the breakfast buffet..Eat, eat, eat...We were never crowded or waiting in lines and the resort was very full..

The Arrecife Restaurant is located right by the beach..It was a great place to visit for lunch..Again..The buffet was awesome..I would suggest you don`t bother with the beef dishes as they seem very tough..But leaving the beef aside is really no problem as again you will find plenty of variety..A favorite of ours were the burritos..Yummy..Just enough spice to make you enjoy your beer, but not overly hot..Which we prefer..But make sure you visit the chefs..They are always cooking up something and it is some tasty stuff..

A la carte is very nice..The meals were all excellent..We did three of the restaurants and our biggest complaint was that we really weren`t that hungry..Eat eat eat..Drink drink drink...But it is really nice to get dressed up and have an evening out..We liked it more for that..THe food was great, but all the food is great and you get more selection at the buffets..I think next time we will just have one night out instead of three...It will be more memorable..But we do recommend you try at least one..All the ones we went to were great..Pick your favorite flavour(they are all different nationalities)..We`re sure you won`t be dissappointed..

At the Catedal again for dinner..When it wasn't A la carte this is pretty much where we ate..Every night was a different country theme..First night was the United States..haha...Good hamburgers though..haha..

The rest of the nights pretty much covered the cuisines of the A La Carte restaurants..So you could have the choice of a la carte dining or just get a mixture of stuff at the buffet..(our preference was the buffet)..But on the other hand..The A La Carte was cooked and served right away(not overcooking under hot lamps)

THE BEACH:
Listed as one of the ten most beautiful beaches in the world

It really was an awesome beach..White powdery sand and beautiful blue/green waters..When that sun was out, which was EVERY DAY, it just looked so green.

As with most resorts you have to be sure to reserve your lawn chairs first thing in the AM by putting your towels on them for the day...We were getting up as early as 6:30 am to do this..And not being early enough..We really think that by the end of the week people were going back to the beach late at night rather than early in the morning..Keep that in mind.....

THE POOL:
Our pool was called the Piscina Pool...Thought that was a funny name for a pool This was our favorite spot by the pool..The pool is right in front of us..The whirlpool tubs are right behind us..And the POP guys are getting things going with their daily acticities right in front of us as well..But we are just far enough away not to be sitting right on top of them.. Again..If you want a spot under a shelter or even if you just want chairs you have to reserve them at the beginning of the day..Decide between beach or pool and get there early..

THE SHOPPING:
Our Transat Rep, Jane, sent us to this shop in El Cortecito..Apparently, the guy who discovered these blue colored gems named them after his daughter (Lari) and the ocean(mar)...The lady was very nice and her prices were good..All different sized pieces to fit your budget..Ask Jane at the Transat desk in the hotel lobby for directions..I`m sure even if you don`t fly Transat, she`ll point you in the right direction..

As for the shopping..We found a few places..If you go past the Beach boundery to the south you will come to some open markets..Just be ware that you will be hounded by the hawkers..

If that's not your thing, turn right immediately after you pass the boundery flags..You still go through a few stalls and get "bothered" some, but its really not that bad.."No thank-you" and keep walking usually does the trick..

Turn left at the first corner and you come into El Cortecito..Here you will find a general store..The Jewellery store mentioned above and a cigar store (among other places)..We walked in there, but the smoke was just a little too thick..But apparently, if you are interested, the cigar store in El Cortecito is the place to go..

Another place is by the Theatre in front of the lobby..There is a great little store there that has just about anything you'll need/want..And a T-Shirt shop??...

And you can also go to the couple of stores up the street from the Casino..Most of these stores have the same sorta stuff but we did find stuff in on e that wasn't available in the next..In fact, two of the things we bought were only in one store each..

BAVARO RUNNERS:
We decided right from the start that we only wanted to do one trip..We actually were interested in just doing a half day trip but we found this one to be quite interesting..It was a full day and by all accounts, it was well worth the price of admission..We really enjoyed ourselves and that was due in large to our guides and the group we went with..Everyone was great...Check it out for yourself..Bavaro Runners

Our first stop was in a sugar cane field..We got to try some sugar cane and see the guys working hard to harvest it..Cow drawn carts and machetes were used to harvest miles of fields..Wow!!

Our ride was basically seats in the back of a truck..We didn`t see much of our driver, but he did a great job too...As mentioned..We had a great group of people with us and that really made the whole experience so much betterGood thing our driver knew the roads very well and knew when to slow down for the big dips..It was actually a pretty comfortable ride....We stopped at the top of a hill for this photo op of the countryside with the mountains in the background..

At the same farm, we were treated to something we have never seen before in Canada..It really was interesting to have the "trainers" explain how they run this sport..What constitutes a loss, how they train the roosters, and just how much a good rooster can go for...Up to $4000 US..Yikes...We were treated to a little scrap and we are sure the real thing can get a bit more violent but it was still interesting to see a bit of it..

Our Bavaro Beach Ranch stop..
This stop was a working tobacco farm(on a small scale), a horse ranch, a buffet, market and a beautiful beach all on a large ranch...We rode..We ate, we spent money and we swam in the ocean..Wow!!

Our next stop was at a local school..Schooling is mandatory in the Dominican, but it seems that only the kids in middle class and higher actually go to school..They still have to buy their own supllies and uniforms and the lower class just don't have the money..At our other stops and this one we always saw the poorer kids begging..It really was sad..It was nice to see the Bavaro Runners do try to help out the kids though..They sell hats and shirts with some of the proceeds going to the kids..If you are planning on an excursion, it might be an idea to visit a `dollar store`before you leave home..The kids really light up when you give them anything and they appreciate it..We did find them to be a little more `grabby`than in Mexico, but we think they have to be a little more pushy so they don`t get pushed aside by the next guy..

Our next stop was this cave that apparently goes on for miles..In ancient times it was used as a worshipping place as well as shelter from the storms..Which we are sure they still use it for today..Another great stop..

Some snaps of the mountains as we head back south to Punta Cana..Those are rice fields in the foreground..We didn`t realize rice was a Dominican crop..You always learn something on these trips..

Our last stop was some Dominican people doing some traditional dances.. Accompanied by the guys and their drums & percussion instruments..Was a great end to a great day..We highly recommend this adventure...We enjoyed everything about it..The drive around the east coast to the visiting with the dominican people..Everything was a pleasure to see and do...The one thing we noticed in The Dominican is that there weren`t a lot of options for excursions, but this one was well worth it...We were all glad to have done it..

THE HOTEL:
The first person we met when we got to The Dominican Republic was our Air Transat Rep, Jane...She met us at the airport..Got us on our bus and went with us to the hotel..She arranged our orientation meeting for the next day..This truly is something you want to attend...She will answer every question you can think of and we highly recommend that this is the best way to start your stay at any hotel in any country..
By the way..We want Jane`s job..She is Canadian..She lives in Canada except for the winter months when she flies down to the Dominican and does her tour rep thing..How cool is that??

.In your room package you receive when you first get to the resort you will receive this map...You need it..The resort is kind of big but we were surprized how easy it was to get around..Any walking we did was only five minute trips at the most..Unless we "went for a walk"..But generally, you didn't have to walk far to get places..We were in building #19..Very close to the main pool..Very close to the beach and just a little further to the Catedral Restaurant..

Speaking of room #s...Thanks to our research on the net before we left, we had an idea how the room numbers worked..We were in room #1193...That's all the info you get..You have to figure out that 1=the 1st floor,19=the building#, and 3 is the room..1193 is the actual # on your door though..Good luck!!..haha..

THE ROOM:
This property features 636 rooms in 62 two storey bungalows and 5 two-storey villas. We were supposed to get the Deluxe room, which has air-conditioning, 1 king-size or 2 double beds, bathroom, hairdryer, satellite TV, telephone, coffee and tea tray, minibar, in-room safe, iron and ironing board & balcony..Fortunatley we were upgraded when we checked in..Never asked for it or even saw our rooms yet..But both couples were in neighbouring Junior suites..Which are the same as the Deluxe rooms but the bathrrom has the whirlpool tub and there is a larger sitting area.. Our room was beautiful and we were in awe right from the point of walking through the door..No complaints whatsoever..

THE GROUNDS:
We can not say enough about the grounds at the Palladium Resorts..The greenest grass without blemish, the plants were all very colorful..Everything was just so well maintained and clean..

Be sure to take a train ride around the resorts to get a lay of the land..You will find that you don`t use this for transport at all...The train goes around the edge of the resorts and it really is quicker and an easier way if you walk where you need to go..One nice thing to do though, is to go from the Casino to the Theatre..That's a bit of a walk and although it is a longer route via the train, we think its still quicker and way easier on the feet....(it's actually about the same distance as walking when you go from The Theatre to the Casino)

PERSONNEL OF PALLADIUM (POP):
.They do an awesome job of getting everyone involved..We are not really the join in kind of people(Hey..We can`t help it, we`re Canadian)..But even we got a little involved..And if nothing else we enjoyed having these guys around..By the second day they knew who we were and were always so very nice to us..

And they were there all day..We saw these guys on the beach at 7am and they were at the shows at 11pm..

They usually started their programs with dancing and exercises on the beach..We joind in for awhile doing that..But it is very tiring running around on the beach..Joann and Kevin lasted a bit longer than Steve & Rita did in that.. As for the shows..Very good..Every night was something different..A few nights of different dance groups..One night was Karaoke(some really good singers signed up for this)..And one night was the Michael Jackson Band(didn't we see that in Mexico??)

My name is Dave and this was our 3rd trip to Punta Cana in 13 months. My wife and I absolutely love Bavaro Beach.

This resort is all that the other reviews say. It was a wonderful vacation. I won't get into repeating what other people have already stated in their reviews but I will restate that the food was great and there was lots of it with a great variety.

Punta Cana Airport: Arrived at 9:30pm. Beautiful and hot! Pearson should take lessons from this airport. Baggage was off in a matter of minutes.

Check-in: We had a full coach going to Grand Palladium Bavaro and I was worried that we would be in the lobby forever. This was not the case at all. Talk about organized!!! We were all off to our rooms almost immediately and our luggage arrived to our rooms a short while later.

Food: Very good as I mentioned earlier. Everything in the buffet was well cooked. This wasn't the case in the sports bar. I tossed a half cooked burger in the garbage. Not a big deal. I am a picky eater and don't want to get sick on vacation so I always check my food when I eat out. Not only in the D.R., also at home.

Staff: Very friendly and helpful. Service was absolutely fantastic. One evening we were eating in the buffet and one of the waiters forgot to bring one of our 7ups to our table. His supervisor was watching him and tore a strip off of him. The second 7up was to our table in seconds. I felt sorry for the poor guy. These people work extremely hard long days. Tip them well. They work a lot harder than Canadians and we have to tip at least 15% when we go out for dinner. Izadora at the lobby bar is the best. What a sweet lady. Her smile will brighten your day! If you have some left over consumables at the end of your trip eg. hair spray, lotions etc. put them in a bag and give them to your favourite resort employee. They really appreciate it and these things are very expensive for them to buy. We saw most people weren't even tipping a dollar. Don't be so damn cheap. If you can afford a vacation like this you can afford to tip a buck here and there.

Beach: Breath taking. This is why we go to Punta Cana. Enough said.

Resort: Three words Beautiful, Clean, LARGE. Be prepard to do some walking. Or wait for the train. If you are lucky the train won't be full. We walked most places.

Buffet: We took the train over to the Palace buffet every night because it was quieter there. Food selection was a bit smaller but mostly the same. Bavaro buffet was packed and noisy. One small thing that did bother me is that at the lunch beach buffet you had to wear shorts shirts and shoes or sandals. This isn't a big deal but a bit of a pain because it was so hot. There was a line up at lunch also. We had to wait for half and hour to get in for lunch a few days. I got the feeling that this resort has more guests than what it can handle. I definitely prefer the Riu resorts over the Palladium in this area. The beach buffet at the Riu resorts will allow you to eat in your bathing suit if you wish ( HELLO, we are at the beach!!!!) Getting a table at the Riu's immediately was never a problem but it was a huge problem at the Palladium. This is the only negative that I have with the Palladium.

A la cartes: Didn't got to any. Couldn't be bothered booking any and the food at the buffet was great. Most resorts have the same food at the a la cartes and the buffet anyway.

Room: King bed close to the beach. Nice size and very clean. Didn't spend much time here at all though. The weather was too nice to be inside.

Special note: If you want to go shopping you have a few choices here. Plaza Bavaro is only a 10 min. walk from the gate. Be prepared to be dragged into all the shops here. The vendors will do anything to get you into their shop. Just take a quick walk through and smile and thank them on your way out. One phase that works well is, "your merchandise is very nice, but not for me." If you are nice to them they will be nice to you. option 2 is the beach shops just past the Royal Suites. Same advise as previously mentioned Option 3 and the best option. Walk just past the Royal suites and go right just as you reach the market then turn to your next left. Walk about half way down this street and you will find a grocery store that sells Brugel rum for about 12 dollars U.S. for a one liter bottle and a large bottle of pure vanilla for just over 1 dollar. There is also a lot of other things that you may need and this is where the most reasonable prices will be found. There is also a cigar shop and shop that sells Larimar. These two shops are the real thing and they have prices on everything. Don't buy cigars or Larimar off the beach. You don't know if they are the real thing or not and you will get ripped off. There are also a couple of other stores that carry gifts and so on that also have prices right on the product.

1 U.S. dollar is equal to 33 D.R. pesos, take time to do the math before you pay.

We just returned from a one week stay at the Grand Palladium Bavero Resort and it was wonderful !

The food was fabulous and there were so many items to pick from. There shouldn't be anyone complaining about the food.

Each night there was a theme in the main buffet dining hall plus all the old stand bys. The theme is posted outside the diningroom in the hallway. There are many Al a carts to choice from but a word to the wise, book them the first day. We only got to go to one but it did not matter the food was great in every place. The one we did go to was the Mexican restaurant and it was wonderful. They were taking your drink away before it did get warm and replacing it with a new one.

The staff were friendly and helpful. The rooms were great. We paid for a deluxe room and we had a room with a double hottub. The safe in the room is included in the price and there is an ironing board and iron in the room. One would think that this is not important but on day 5 when everything is balled up in the suitcase its nice to have the option.

We were in the villa #45 which is close to the main lobby of the Bavero section but our friends were in #19 and #65. Which were way on the other side of the resort so they walked alot. Its a wonderful HUGE resort and the walk doesn't kill you but you do feel it in your legs.

The beach towel is also included in your price. You just have to present a card to the fella by a pool and he gives you a towel.Return the towels at the end of your stay and get your card back and then give it to the front desk on departure.

Here is something good to know, we live in Nova Scotia,and the rep from Air Transit told us if you want to call home do it dirctly from your room. Do not call collect as it is more expensive. Pay for the calls at the end of your trip at the front desk. I think its $1.30 per minute. I had no problem calling through and I talked to everyone and it cost me $14.00 US for two calls. I didn't talk long as no one wanted to hear it was 35 and sunny where I was and it was -27 with the windchill where they were. They do have international cards you can buy there but she told us that it cost more to do it that way.

I did try to send an e-mail to the folks back home but it never did go through. You buy 1/2 hour for $5.00 US or 1 hour $8.00 of internet time, there is two sites on the resort. I am no computer wiz so I am certain it was my fault.

We did go into the little town at Punta Cana just off the beach on the resort. Alittle pushy the vendors are but they took no for an answer eventually. There is alittle shop in this town that Jane,the Air Transit rep,told us about. This young lady sells Larimar and amber jewelery that she makes herself. Good prices compared to the resort shops.

Just a quick note about the excursions wew went on. Before we left Canada we booked a Deep Sea Fishing trip for the three fellas. The sea was rough that day,the girls didn't think so from the beach, but two out of the three threw up the entire time. It was $590.00 for 4 hours of private charter fishing. The guys that were sick said they would have paid $800.00 to go back to shore. They caught 4 fish so that was good. Oh well it gave them a good story to take back home.

The fellas went on the helicopter ride over the beach and they thought that was wonderful, worth every cent.

We went on the Marina snorkeling tour,swimming with Stingrays and nurse sharks, wonderful and funny. The crew on the boat is great. Half day tour well worth the $156.00 for a couple.

I recommend this resort to everyone. It looks by far the nicest from the road. Alot of people on the excursions from other resorts said that the Grand Palladium looked far better then the one they were at.

Flight: Transat - Really Bad! The flight there wasn't too terrible considering we got window seats but on the way back we didn't and it was awful! So many people were getting sick on the plane, they were just getting restless flight home was 7 hours. Crazy!

Food: Unbelievable property. If anyone complains about the lack of food choices or quality at this hotel, then really I don't know how you possibily could or what exactly your expecting. This is a 5 star hotel. The food was amazing, neither of us got sick (party of 8) everyone enjoyed the food. We never ate at the a la carte restauarants at all. We did however discover that the El Bohique is the best restaurant in the resort for buffet. The Le Cathedral is so/so. El bohique the one by the pool in what is technically the Punta Cana side with the way the resort is divided. (The one closer by the sports fields). The breakfast was one I looked forward to the most, fresh juice, waffels and french toast and churros oh my goodness it doesn't get any better then waking up to that. I think people discovered this restaurant was the best closer to the end of our trip as we had to wait in line for a few minutes before entering the restaurant. This restaurant the El Bohique is more "restaurant" of a feel then a buffet. Very good!

The other one the grill in the palladium casino side very close to the beach by the royal suites is very good for lunch! It's got a grill that has many varieties like steak, chicken, hamburgers etc.

The New years: The gala we went to also was fantastic. Great food again, they gave out bags with a new years hat, grapes (must be a spanish tradition) yes the fruit, then we got a special drink before we went into the gala. The resort also has 15 minutes worth of fireworks that were amazing, better then the ones our city here at home in Canada puts on!!!

Hotel Room: VERY clean we had a jacuzzi and two beds, was very clean the maids would clean the room and make it spotless every few days, we only got it cleaned every 2 instead of every day to give them a bit of a break. NO BUGS! Whatsoever! Okay, maybe like a little ant on the balcony/walk way but I mean this is the tropics!!!!

Hotel Property: The property is VERY well maintained and VERY Clean, the STAFF ARE SUPER! Very nice, courtious, I've never seen such pleasant staff before anywhere! Truly 5 star. The only downside is some of the staff know very little english, but enough to get you buy, there is usually a few in reception that know English and they will know enough to get you through the time there. Honestly, it is there country and really they shouldn't be expected to know English, alhtough it will be nice in such a huge resort I doubt it will happen that easy, but if you try to speak with them in Spanish even if its from you little travel companion book they will really appreciate it and respect that. Remember to say GRACIAS and HOLA! Wherever you go in the resort. THe staff all say HOLA everyehwere they see you, which is kinda amusing in the first couple days if your not use to it!!!

The hotel also has SECRUITY GUARDS EVERYWHERE! Especially on the beach, they also have Dominican Police escorting the guys who try to get you to buy stuff from them off the beach, which honestly is nice because its a bit annoying. Its very good, if you think about it. You feel really safe! We never even put our stuff in the safe (ie. passports) we just put them amongst clothign in luggage and it was fine!

Beach: Oh my goodness, what can I say, my pictures from the beach I brought back people were flipping them over to see if they were POSTCARDS!!! No kidding! It looks that fake! Its beautiful, if that's even the right word! Amazing beach long stretch of it! Its a long beach unlike other resorts we saw while walking the beach they have like almost no beach. This beach has tones of space, palm trees and the huts are at the back further at the back of the beach area. To get a hut you have to get up early. Got one only the last day. But if you get your towel out there and then just go back and eat that works as well, thats what most people do, which yes, is unfair but that's how its done.

Sports: Lots of things to do, including my favourite Soccer/Football - They have two fields made of Field Turf (or something along the lines of that) couldn't believe it, they have one that's actual size, then they have a smaller one. Also within the sports facility is: mini-golf, beach volleyball an actual court in the sports facility, badminton, tennis-lots of courts, archery, etc. Lots of stuff. Soccer was mostly played at night as it was too hot during the day. THey also have a basketball court.

There was also beach volleyball and beach soccer. ON the Beach. People would just get together and play Some activites were scheduled, which you will get the schedule when you get to the resort.

We are 55 years old and this was our 5th trip to Dominican Republic. Previously we have always stayed at Barcelo Bavaro Beach Resort but the last time we were there, in 2001, we noticed the condition of the resort had deteriorated significantly since our first stay there in 1996. We decided to try the Grand Palladium Bavaro Resort based on reviews we read at this site and we are glad we did. We are not demanding guests but we do expect things to be clean, safe and in good working order. For those who want everything to be just like at home, we advise that you stay home.

1. Flight – Nothing to do with the resort but since it is part of the package vacation I’ve included it. Air Transat, as always, is cramped and crowded but thankfully they have started serving only sandwich type foods – much easier to eat in a confined space than the slippery pasta dishes they used to serve. Travelling from Edmonton was easy and uneventful. The trip home, however, was brutal. There were at least 6 flights of people all arriving at the Punta Cana airport at once and lining up to check in. It took about two hours of standing in line in the heat before we were checked in. The plane was full, smelly and many passengers seemed to have colds. Arriving home at 3:00 AM is not fun.

2. Hotel – Check-in was very quick. We stayed in villa 61, which has about 20 rooms, room 6113 on the ground floor. There are some villas with fewer rooms but we wanted two beds and the smaller villas have one kingsize, I’m told. The room was lovely - marble floors, Jacuzzi tub, even facecloths, which is unusual. Everything worked and there were no bugs in the room. At Barcelo, we frequently found that the air conditioning worked poorly and we always had tons of little ants in our room and usually water on the floor around the toilet. None of that at Grand Palladium. We never saw a single cockroach anywhere.

3. Food and Drink – There are several buffets which mostly serve all the same stuff but it is all of high quality and lots of variety, with a different theme each night. There are also several a la carte restaurants included in the package, for which you must make a reservation. We tried the Mexican, the Spanish and the Asian. All of them were very good but our favourite was the Asian. Neither of us was ill at any time. There are many bars with the usual array of drinks. Here you are asked if you want rum in the slush drinks, otherwise they contain no alcohol. There are pool bars and bar kiosks all along the beach so refreshment is always close at hand. There is also a “Sports Bar” open 24 hours a day so you can always get something to eat or drink.

4. Staff – We found the staff and Grand Palladium to be superior - always friendly and very accommodating. The front desk staff all spoke English and many of the other staff spoke enough English that it was not a problem making ourselves understood. It also helps if you learn a few Spanish words and phrases, which we did. Tipping is not required but we did tip the maid $1 US each day and our regular waiters and waitresses a couple of dollars before we left.

5. Beach/Pools – I liked the beach at Barcelo better because of the palm trees which provide shade. Grand Palladium has cabanas but get out there early if you want one. The water at Barcelo is very calm so non-swimmers like me could go in the water. At Grand Palladium the water is fairly rough and there is a lot of boat traffic. Even my husband who swims, found the water too rough. That was really the only disappointment we had as it is nice to cool off in the water. The pools are all nice and have some cabanas but we came for the ocean so the pools were irrelevant to us.

6. Miscellaneous – Although there were people our age and older, we generally found a younger crowd at this resort, though certainly not rowdy. Something we appreciate is washrooms in the common areas, around the pools, so you don’t have to keep returning to your room – and they were clean too. Bring everything you need from home as toiletries, etc. in the hotel shops are astonishingly expensive. I saw a bottle of shampoo that was $34 US. Even the local rum is more expensive than at home. Probably cheaper at the flea market but you don’t know what you are really getting. There are people selling things on the beach but not many and they do not pester you.

Introduction
Hi, my name is Marilou and I travelled to Punta Cana, at the Grand Palladium Bavaro from October 22 - 29, 2006. I am a newly single 25 year old who went with my best friend for a girls getaway. This was my third time to Punta Cana. Resorts previously visited were the Ocean Bavaro and the Superclubs Breezes. I have also travelled to Mexico and Venezuela. This was the first trip for my best friend, first plane ride, everything. The purpose of this trip was a lot of R&R as well as letting loose a little and having a good time. This will be a long report, so if you are not interested in the long stuff, here it is, nice and simple, it was fantastic! Do not hesitate to go!

Arrival
We arrived at the hotel at approximately 5:15PM. We were greeted by very professional staff who assigned us to room number 1232 in villa number 23. Prior to departure, I had e-mailed the resort, asking for 2 double-beds, 2nd floor and as close to the beach as possible. Villa number 23 was fairly close to the beach. Our room was on the first floor and had 2 double beds. We went to the front desk to ask if we could get something else and they did propose other 2nd floor rooms, but we really liked the location of Villa number 23, so we stayed there. Note: the reception desk staff are the most competent and friendly I have ever encountered.

Room
Our room was gorgeous, and really big. Two double beds, one couch and table in sitting area, tv entertainment cented with mini-fridge and coffee stuff, small make-up desk with sitting bench. It was extremely spacious. The lighting was perfect and the closet space was out of this world. As you can well imagine, two mid-twenties girls travelling together had lots of stuff and we had more than enough room. The bathroom was also huge, with different stalls within the bathroom for toilet and shower, a 2-place jaccuzi tub and double sink with large counter space.

Maid service was excellent, always rearraging and cleaning the room. Towel art showed up occasionally. The maid team was really nice and always smiling. We really appreciated their hard work. Mini-fridge contained water, beer and soda and was refilled 3 times a week.

The resort
The resort is huge. It is made up of 4 sections. From the north to the south, First is Grand Palladium Bavaro, then there is Grand Palladium Punta Cana, then there is the Grand Palladium Palace and then the Royal Suites Section. We explored the resort a little bit, however, it is so big, we mostly stuck to the Bavaro section, which is where most things are anyways. The theatre and the disco are at the Bavaro section, near the shops, the lobby bar, the sports bar, the buffet restaurant and the 3 of the a la carte restaurants. It is nice that they have grouped this all together as everything is pretty close together at night and one does not need to move around a lot. Everyone staying in the Bavaro, Punta Cana and Palace Sections have exchange rights for all facilities at these 3 resorts. Royal Suites is exclusive to those guests and they, however, have access to the rest of the resort. In my opinion, the Bavaro Section is the best one to stay at. This is the section that has the nicer and bigger buffet, more a la cartes, the disco and the theatre. It also has the 24 hour sports bar along with a fancy piano bar.

Rooms in the Bavaro Section are made up of 8 room two story villas. There are several of them and trust me, when you arrive, you will be confused! Everyone got lost! No big deal, after the first day, you can figure it out pretty well.

The beach
The beach is gorgeous. I love the Punta Cana beach, this is one of the main reasons why I keep going back there. The palladium beach stretch is really long and one can find either loads of peace and quiet or games and music, depending on preferences. The water this week was really rough, with lots of waves, cloudy water and some seaweed. This is unusual for PC. It was still quite pleasant and a nice change to play in the waves. Water tempature was nice and warm. There is plenty of shade on the beach, however, for a prime spot, you do have to get there early.

The pools
There are 3 or 4 pools. We mostly stuck to the Bavaro Section pool as it was right next to our room. The pools are well maintained. Very clean. Tons of wait staff around the pool. The pool bar bartenders were fantastic.

The bars
There are so many bars at this resort, it is crazy. We didnt even come close to visiting all of them. There must be about 10 bar kiosks on the beach. Every pool has a pool bar. Every lobby has a bar. There is a piano bar, a cocktail bar, a sports bar, theatre bar and disco bar. Service was excellent at all of them. There is a very good variety of drinks and they will pretty much make anything you want.

The animation team
There is different animation teams for the different resort sections. I will comment on the animation for the Bavaro section. Well first of all, the actual people on the team are fabulous individuals. Very big thanks to Glenny, Doris, Alexander, Wilson and Hugo. These people work so hard to get lazy tourists off their butts to do activities and have a good time. They are very respectful yet actually participating in the activities is a lot of fun. Activities at the pool, including stretching, aerobics, dance lessons and games are from 10AM to 12:30PM. Activities at the pool including, dancing lessons, water polo, aqua aerobics, games are between 3:00PM and 6:00PM.

Entertainment
Besides the animation team activities, there is several other forms of entertainment. There is a show at the theatre every night between 10 and 11. It is mostly dancing shows and couples competion-type shows. These shows are pretty much all the same in all DR resorts. They are all right. Some people like them, some people do not. It depends on your preferences. There is always a band in the Bavaro lobby bar, and some nights there is dancing. They are very talented and it is very relaxing to listen to the sound of the music. The disco opens at 11:00PM, after the show finishes. It is a fabulous, perfectly sized disco, two stories with really amazing music. They play dance/techno music to start off the night and then they do the hotel dance and merengue, salsa. The animation team is there until approximately 12:30AM to dance with the guests and generallly entertain. Hugo, who is the DJ all day for activities and at night at the disxo, is very knoledgable about music and does a really good job with music variety and sensing the crowd's mood for music. He has a great computer/mixer set up and the acoustics are great.

Restaurants
The main buffet at the Bavaro section is called La Cathedral and this is where they serve breakfast and dinner. The variety is truly astonishing and the quality as well. This hotel has by far the best food of any DR resort I have been to and actually rivals Mexico food. A buffet is a buffet, so I am sure some people find a way to complain, however, it really was great. We actually only used 2 of our 3 a la cartes reservations because we wanted to be at the buffet on our last night. Guillermina and Francesco at this restaurant were truly fabulous individuals who took really good care of us. We were actually known as Guillermina's amigas at the buffet.

We went to the Don Quijote Spanish restaurant and had a fabulous dinner there. Service was exceptional there, not too fast, not too slow. The food was great. I had garlic mushrooms as an apetizer, lamb for dinner and cheesecake for dessert. Everything was perfect. The decoration at this restaurant was gorgeous. We also went to El Arrifice International restaurant. It is located close to the beach, in the same location there is the lunch buffet. It is a surf and turf kind of a restaurant. I had steak and my friend had chicken, both were really good.

As I said earlier, the buffet restaurant for lunch is loacated on the beach. It is fairly large and has an ok selection. I was never hungry for luch as it was way too hot. Our favorite waiter there is Santo. He is a really nice guy who always looked after us and liked to practice his english and we loved to learn some spanish from him too.

The negatives
There are only very few negatives. The one that really stands out is the sollicitators on the beach. There are sollicitators from the Spa, the Watersports Center, the hotel shops... There were several and although they were nice and not too agressive, it becomes a little annoying to always have to explain why you sont want to do this or that and then see them be disapointed. As well, they allow sollicitators from Captain Cooks restaurant in Cortecito to come and give their sales pitch and they were a little more agressive and would become real upset if you did not listen to their sales pitch. That was just too much. I would suggest that the Palladium management at least reduce the amount of sollicitators if not completely get rid of them.

The guests
Occupancy was probably about 60% and this is a total estimate on my part. It never seemed crowded, however it also wasnt eerily quiet. It just seemed like perfect resort capacity. There were not many canadians or americans. There were a lot of people from Spain, Germany, Italy, Belgium.... Mostly couples and groups of friends in their 40s and 50s. We were a little disapointed that there werent many people in our age group and would have liked to see more canadians and americans so we could have socialized a little more, however, no big deal as all staff and especially the animation team made sure we kept busy and had a good time.

In summary, we absolutely adored the resort. It was great. The food, the rooms, the weather, the beach, everything was fantastic, however, what really makes this place, and this country for that matter, is the people, the staff. All staff memebers made us feel like we were right at home and quite frankly, now that I am back in my real home in Montreal, I really wonder what the heck I am doing here! A million thanks to the palladium team, management and especially staff for making this the perfect vacation.

If anyone cares to see my pictures, you can find them here:

http://community.webshots.com/user/marilouemard Please keep in mind that these are my personal photos, so although there are some scenic and technical shots, there are also several personal pics you might not be all that interested in.

We just got home from Punta Cana yesterday, and I already miss the place. My wife and I, both twenty-somethings from Missouri, had a great vacation staying at the Grand Palladium Bavaro. We have small children, and chose to only stay 4 nights away from our kids, which was about the right amount of time. We would have probably stayed longer if our kids were grown or we were childless, but in my opinion-- the Grand Palladium resorts are not a good place to bring small children.

Our flight, booked on USA 3000 Airlines through Apple Vacations, wasnt bad-- and the friendliness of the staff goes along way to overcome the defecencies of using a discount airline (lack of legroom, etc). Once we landed in the Dominican, we had no troubles getting through customs or on the bus to the resort. Before you get to the paradise that is the Grand Palladium complex, you do drive past some of the extreme poverty that makes up much of the Dominican Republic. But keep in mind that just by visiting this country, you are doing your part to help.

The Grand Palladium complex features three resorts: the Bavaro, Punta Cana, and Suites. For the most part, each resort has access to everything on the other two-- which makes the whole complex rather large. Our first couple days there felt a little bit overwhelming, and we got lost a number of times-- but it really doesnt take very long to walk from one end of the resort to the other. We stayed at the Bavaro side, which I honestly think is the best of the three (even tho it is the biggest and cheapest). The buffets are better, the beach is more active, and it is closest to all of the best bars.

One of the first things you'll notice about the resort (and the rest of the Dominican presumably) is the lack of people speaking English. All of the resort employees and many of the guests will be speaking Spanish, but you'll hear plenty of German, French, and Russan as well. Throughout our entire trip-- everytime we heard someone speaking English, we would run up to them and talk to them. We ended up meeting at ton of people from Canada and the US,and hanging out with many of them. The high percentage of Euros at the resort isnt a problem or anything, just something your should note of so that you arent taken completely by surprise. If you like to stay up late (and we did), almost all Europeans seem to be go to bed by 11, and most people you see will be speaking English. It would certainly help you out in communicating with the employees if you know a little bit of Spanish, but you can still get by without knowing any. All food is labelled in multiple languages, and if you can say "hable' ingles?", you'll find an employee that speaks english in most parts of the resort (especially the bars and lobby).

We spent our first two days at the Palladium checking out what the resort had to offer. We checked out the beach for a bit and got some sun, played some beach volleyball, hit the swim-up bar for a bit, and got a bite to eat. We watched one of the employees scale up a 50 foot high palm tree just so the guests could shoot photos of him. The beaches at the Palladium are world class and much nicer than the pools, and the resort and activity seems to be geared around this. In the days, we had a great time hanging out as a couple and doing activities, in the night we generally hopped around from bar to bar and made our own nightlife-- with the help of the other couples that we met down there. I would definately recommend talking with the other guests on the resort, swapping stories and laughs, and having fun together.
Unless its your honeymoon (wink, wink), isolating yourself really isnt the way to go when you're in another country.

[[ ACTIVITIES ]] - We signed up for a 60 minute massage at one of the huts right on the beach. It cost about a hundred bucks for both my wife and I. My massage was great, and the girl took care of the whole body, front and back. My wife however, said that her girl really didnt know what she was doing, and my wife's back was aching for the rest of the day after the massage.

On our third day in the D.R., we took the half-day party cruise excursion put on by the Kontiki folks. This cruise was fantastic, and everyone on the boat had a great time. The first part of the cruise was snorkeling, which was so-so, but once the party began it was amazing. The crew did a great job of keeping everyone dancing and everyone having fun. Michael Jackson and Prince made an appearance, and the booze was flowing aplenty. There was actually a huge rainstorm that was going on during our party cruise (after the snorkeling), and it just added to the effect. I highly recommend it.

[[ BEACH ]] - The beach at the Palladium is amazing. The sand is white and sugary, the water is clear green and warm. The employees clean off the seaweed every morning, and there is hardly any at all on the beach. We never had a trouble finding a chair in sun or shade, and there are large beautiful palm trees all over the beach. Yes, there are lots of topless women on the beach, but after a day or two-- you barely notice. I didnt mind at all when my wife ended up surprising me and joining in with the euro women in going au natural. She joked that she felt like less people were staring at her when she was topless (remember, Americans are the minority here) There are plenty of beach bars, non-motorized sporting activities (catamarans, kayaks, volleyball, bocce ball), and you wont be harassed by vendors. There are merchant huts available if you go to the beach and walk right, and I had fun negotiating with them one day for some cigars and toys for our kids.

[[ POOL ]] - The pools are never quite as crowded as the beach, but there are always people there. They seemed a little disappointing to us at first, since the only other tropical destination my wife and I had visited was the Moon Palace in the Mayan Riviera, which features probably the best pools in the world. But there are swim up bars in each of the pools, and the entertainment staff does bingo, water aerobics, and water polo (but not very often, and only at some of the pools). We didnt spend a whole lot of time by the pool-- but if you just want to curl up in a lounger with a book, there is certainly plenty of opportunity to do that.

[[ ROOM ]] - We didnt pay for an upgrade of any kind on our room, but it was fantastic. Not as nice as our room was in Mexico, but definately top knotch. The room had a mini-bar that was stocked every other day, a large jacuzzi tub right in the middle of every thing, vaulted ceilings, a large balcony, marble floors, and cable tv with at least 50 channels. The room was clean without any bugs at all, and the maid service was good. We did bring 2 gift bags for the maids, and I know that they were appreciated.

[[ FOOD ]] - The food at the Palladium is good. Dont let anyone else tell you otherwise, seriously. We ate at 4 different buffets and all but one of them was fantastic (avoid Ariffice by the beach). For dinner, they do a different theme every night at the main Bavaro Cathedral buffet. There are seriously at least 60 different things to choose from on the buffet, including a "grill section" and a nightly noodle bar. Our favorites in order: Mexican, Italian, Asian, American. Lunch is best at the buffet next to the Punta Cana pool, as the Cathedral is closed for lunch. This resort gives you coupons to make reservations at the 7 or 8 a la carte restaraunts, but the day that we arrived-- each restaurant was booked up for pretty much our entire stay. We ended up getting reservations at the DominiThere was a large balconcan restaurant (La Uva), and we went there one night. We ordered off the very limited menu there and waited almost 90 minutes without getting as much as our appetizers-- and then we just left and went to the buffet, which was fantastic. We ended up skipping our later reservation at the Spanish restaraunt because we wanted to eat with our new friends. Breakfast is also good on the resort, altho they stop serving at 10am which seems early. Definately get the cafe' con leche, as the Dominicans are very proud of their coffee.

[[ DRINKS ]] - Our stay at the Palladium was overall a great experience, but the biggest negative about the resort was the drink selection. There is really no top-shelf American liquor available (except Bombay Saphire Gin at the Bavaro lobby), which was a disappointment. They also don't have some of the juices that are commonly used in American cocktails (no cranberry juice, and the orange juice is from powder). The local domican rums are certainly not bad, but I dont think they have the alcohol content of their American counterparts. The only beer that the hotel has available is the Mexican El' Presidente', which isnt bad, but isnt great either. We certainly drank alot of them regardless. We met some people who went to some other resorts down there (Secrets, Princess Bavaro), and had no trouble getting top shelf liquor or American beer. But that said, the Bartenders are creative and just about anyone could find something to drink here. My wife highly recommends the "Aculpulco", which you can find at the Bavaro lobby bar (tastes like Strawberry Ice Cream). Also, I should note that there were days were it seemed like we drank all day long and still didnt get drunk. Very odd.

[[ NIGHTLIFE ]] - I realize that some of you who just read what I wrote about the drinks will think that we are just American crazy party people-- but in reality-- we have two small kids and rarely go out at home. That said, we tried to have a good time in the evenings with the other couples that we met. We spent time in the Bavaro lobby bar each evening, where the service and drinks were always top knotch. There was a live band, some people dancing, and the ambience was georgeous. We also found our way over to the Casino a couple of times, where plenty of people actually won money.

The Casino is very small, however, so don't expect much (just Roulette, BlackJack, and a dozen slot machines). We spent another evening in the Sports Bar which is a nice place to mingle, and open all night. The discotecque is o-kay, and you can make it fun if you go in there and act like a total goofball (we did one evening for a half hour or so). Every night, the employees also put on a show near the Bavaro lobby. We went to the Magic show, but ended up leaving after a few minutes. Some people appeared to be enjoying the show, but maybe since we dont know very much Spanish-- we didnt get the jokes. Some might say that this resort doesnt have much nightlife, considering that it gets awfully quiet after midnight-- but we made our own nightlife with the Americans and Canadiens that we met down there and had a blast.

My husband and I flew from Toronto to Punta Cana for a one week vacation at Grand Palladium Bavaro with Air Transat. Overall: highly recommended.

Flight: Check in with the airlines did not require us to open our luggage, this saved a lot of time and stress on both ways, especially on the way back from Punta Cana airport, which is an extremely noisy airport. The noise came from both continuous announcements which were too loud to hear and from the poor passengers who kept wandering around not being able to find themselves a seat in a overly crowded, under-seated airport.

Arriving at the hotel: We were given an ocean view room without any requests. In fact we were done with check in even being offered an attractive looking refreshment drink.

Room: Our room has a jacuzzi, tv, a mini bar filled up every other day, king-sized bed, towels. Our building is numbered 30 and is the closest building to the beach, 30 seconds walk. There are only two levels and our room is upstairs so for people who like some walking but not too much like myself it's perfect. Having to walk up two levels like in some other resorts I've been to after a big good meal is not desirable to me.

Beach: beautiful reef-free gold sandy beach with blue ocean and coconut trees along the beach. We had no problem getting a hut and chairs everyday.

Food: Food is of good quality and variety. Loved the fresh juice every morning and the crispy fried long bread. The yogurts were also very nice.

There are several buffet and a la carte restaurants. The buffet ones were organised into a different theme every night such as Oriental, Dominican Republic, etc. We were given 3 vouchers to book 3 a la carte restaurants. There's a sports bar which you can get food like a hamburger and frenchfries and popcorn 24 hours. We didn't experience any alaria syndromes.

Staff: the waiting staff was fantastically nice and friendly. Few speak English but if you happen to ask those who don't, they'd make sure there's someone who does to assist you properly. The personnel at the front desk was a little snotty, such as the checkout female receptionist and the public relation person.

After booking an all-inclusive stay at The Melia Caribe Tropical, myself and two friends were informed during check in our room was unavailable due to construction. Not having any vacancies we were rudley and quickly moved to the Grand Palladium Bavaro.

Check-In went well considering we did not originally book any reservations there. Our villa was 44, very close to the beach and pool. The only complaint was an employee at the desk who took a pair of scissors and tried cutting my pinky and a friends hair "as a joke" . Moreover, you'll find the male employees to be a bit more flirtatious than what is acceptable... prepare to be bothered, hit-on, and gawked at if you're a female.

The room was very nice and room service do their best to keep things clean but on more than one occasion we found stains on our sheets.

Beach- white sands and crystal blue waters...beautiful... only one problem, the resort has from time to time a problem with oil spills on the beach. Imagine our shock when we found our feet covered in it! The hotel had employees stationed at the pools with gasoline to remove the oil from visitors feet. During our stay housekeeping complained the hotel had not reacted quickly enough and had not stationed enough staff members around the hotel because many visitors were tracking the oil back into the rooms and making a mess!

Food was as good as can be expected. The buffets offers a tremendous variety, with every night having a different theme like Italian, Mexican, Asian, etc During our stay, for 6 days we were given two reservations at their restaurants. We tried El Quijote and La Uva and enjoyed both meals.

Management- Customers are not always right here! The management was rude and not accomodating. The lock on our door broke at 2 am. We had to walk back and forth to reception twice to try to get someone to our room to fix it. The next morning it did not work again and I was told I had broke the door slamming it shut too hard. Finally, someone came and had to replace the entire locking mechansism due to an electrical shortage. When I spoke to the Supervisor and advised him how many times we had reported the problem and what I was accused of, he gave an unsincere apology and we were not compnesated at all for our inconvenience. That same day, I overheard several others visitors at the help desk complaining about their locks not working either.

My husband and I just returned today from 7 days (3/15 - 3/22) at the Grand Palladium Bavaro, our 6th trip to the Dominican Republic. We booked with Apple Vacations and flew out of Detroit at 6:00 a.m. on US Air 3000 and arrived in DR at 11:00 a.m. Our service in flight was great, and we enjoyed the extra beverage and movie to help pass the time.

Upon arrival, we were met by our Apple rep, and quickly boarded a small bus to our resort. Customs is a breeze in DR. 25 minutes later we arrived at the resort. Our room was not ready yet, so we went to a lunch buffet, walked around a bit, and when we returned to the desk we were escorted to our room on a small taxi. The room was lovely, with a large jacuzzi tub and spacious balcony.

After being at the resort for a day, my husband commented that he thought perhaps we had been at this resort before, but I did not think so, as I would have remembered the name of "Grand Palladium". Later that day, we came to realize that part of this resort is the old Fiesta Bavaro, that we had indeed stayed at a few years ago. Now it has expanded to the next two resorts and has been renamed as the Grand Palladium. Our only complaint was that it is possibly "too big". We still made wrong turns to our room after several days. We rode one of the trams around the entire property one evening and discovered buildings we did not know existed such as Casino, more markets, theatre. Since we are not big night owls, most evenings we were content to have dinner at the buffets, walk around a bit, and then watch a movie in our room. We are early risers and would enjoy sitting on the beach shortly after 7:00 a.m. and watch a few morning joggers and enjoy the sunrise.

Food is as acceptable as anyone could ask for. There is certainly plenty of variety, but after several days, one buffet started to look like another. We ate each day breakfast at the glass enclosed restaurant by the pool, and then lunch was always at one of the buffets on the beach. We varied our choice of dinner buffets throughout the week. We did not go to any of the specialty restaurants this year, although we have at other resorts, but just found that with all of the restaurants available, it was just easier to stick with the buffets. My husband did experience one day of stomach cramps, but just cut back on what he was eating and it passed in 24 hours.

Since we have been to Punta Cana several times before, we knew what to expect and what to avoid. We are "beach" people, so did not go to the pools. the beach allows plenty of room and there are plenty of chairs for everyone. We also wore 30 sunblock but still sought shade late each day. Even doing that we brought home beautiful tans.

Our biggest problem was the language barrier. We know enough spanish to be able to ask for what we want in the restaurants, but we did not meet many english speaking folks on the beach. In fact, this year we felt that there were even fewer americans/canadians than in our previous trips. The one thing that was not as superior as other resorts was the activities staff. We really did not see more than two activities staff members on the beach all day, and they were not that enthusiastic about getting participants in the volleyball, etc. In fact, we did not know when many of the activities were going on, unless we happened to be sitting directly in front of where they were taking place.

All in all, we had another wonderful experience in Punta Cana. The dominican people are gracious and appreciate the small tips we left for our room cleaning and at the bars. I also left behind a