Departure
We departed from Pearson airport in Toronto. Check in was a breeze as the lines were not too long. There was a bit of a delay at security, however, the lines here did not even come close to comparing to the huge line at the Tim Horton's outlet beyond security.

Flight
The flight on Air Transat was uneventful. We were treated to an on-board movie and got to eat a soggy breakfast sandwich from Harvey's. Coffee and tea was served to those on board. I was quite surprised with the amount of legroom in economy class.

Arrival in Samana
We were greeted warmly in Samana to overcast skies with scattered showers and warm humid weather. There were 2 exits on the plane so we deplaned quite quickly through the rear exit door. We breezed through immigration and quickly retrieved our bags. There were no locals grabbing at our bags here at El Catey airport. We carried our own bags a short walk out to the waiting buses. There we were met by our Air Transat rep who steered us towards the right bus.

Bus ride to El Portillo
If you are the type to get ill on bus rides, by all means, bring some medication for motion sickness. The ride to the resort is probably the most scenic I have ever seen. However, driving in the DR is not an exact science. The trip there will be rough and you will be tossed around. Also, you should be aware that there are no facilities on the bus so take care of that detail before you leave. During the bus ride, we were pre-booked by an El Portillo rep as our rooms would not be ready on our arrival. We were issued bracelets which would allow us to eat, drink and have fun at the hotel till our rooms were ready. Rooms were promised for 3pm, but were ready shortly after 2pm.

The Resort
Upon arrival at the resort, we got off the plane and were warmly welcomed to El Portillo with a welcome drink (a Maitai) and by a show put on by the animation staff. We really felt welcome.

One thing that is very much obvious is that this resort is kept immaculately clean. There are workers everywhere cleaning, sweeping and waxing floors, doing landscaping and making sure the resort is always looking it's best. The main building has a spacious lobby. Here you will find the guest services desk as well as 2 internet terminals. Internet was free for Golden Package guests and I took advantage of it on 3 occasions.

Tip : When you get to the hotel, visit guest services right away and reserve your à la carte dinners. That way, you'll have a better chance of getting the times you want. Aialla or Jennifer were always quite helpful at this desk.

If you are travelling with Air Transat, you will have a meeting at some point with your travel Rep. We met with Robert that afternoon. He gave us a list of all the do's and don'ts. You can also book your tours directly through your travel rep.

Our room
We were in room 1104 in Villa 1. This is the villa closest to the beach, the pools and the main building. Our room was immaculately decorated and contained a king size bed. There was a balcony which overlooked the Jacuzzi, the beach and the beach-snack bar. When you arrive in your room, you'll have to place your key in a slot by the door. This will activate the air-conditionning. As a side-note, if you open the patio door, the air-conditionning will stop working. We had a slight issue with the drain in our shower, but eventually Jennifer from guest services was able to get the message to the right person and it was fixed. There is a safe in the room but be warned that it costs 31$ to get a key.

The Beach
The beach has soft golden sand. You can walk for miles on either side of the resort. If you walk 90 minutes west, you`ll arrive in the local town of Las Terrenas. We did not walk there but others who did said they felt very safe. There was a lot of coral in the water, however, it was visible. If you are looking for a place to swim without coral, head west right near the watersports hut. There is a section there where there is no coral. The waves here are not big at all as they are absorbed by the coral reef.

If you plan on snorkelling, you can get equipment from there. We saw plenty of fish and marine life right in front of the resort although Pierre, at the watersports hut suggested going to the points east or west of the resort for the best snorkelling. We stole some bread and some bananas from the buffet and this allowed us to attract all kinds of fish for an up-close and personal experience. There were plenty of loungers on the beach. However, if you wanted a palapas, you had to get to the beach fairly early. There were vendors on the beach although they left you alone if you said you were not interested. Jewellery and gifts were cheaper in Las Terrenas.

The pool and Jacuzzi
The pool was smaller than we expected it to be. However, with this being a smaller resort, this was not a huge issue. The loungers by the pool were the most comfortable at the resort. The Jacuzzi ended up being one of our favourite spots. We ended up there just about everyday. It was always very quiet. Just remember that it is a cold Jacuzzi… not a hot tub.

Animation Staff
The animation staff are a lot of fun. They have a schedule and every day they do different things. Merengue on the beach, aerobics in the pool, ping-pong, bingo, archery… there`s something for everyone. Diego and Fabio seem to be running things most days. The animation staff also seems to take care of much at the night-time activities. We only went 1 night and it was kind of hokey, but they were trying hard.

The Food
The food at the buffet was varied and tasty. We were always able to find something good to eat as we are not at all picky eaters. The ice cream was particularly good. Staff at the buffet worked really hard cleaning tables and keeping your glasses filled. The breakfast buffet was the only place on the resort where you were able to get fresh fruit juice… everything else seems to be juice mix. The breakfast smoothies were fantastic.

We also ate at the 24hr beach and snack bar. The roast chicken was quite good, as were the chicken nuggets.

While there, we got to visit 2 of the à la carte restaurants.

The oriental was our favourite of the two. The spring rolls were fantastic and the sushi contained cooked fish. The deep fried ice-cream was also quite good.

The gourmet restaurant was good as well. Although the beef carpacio was not appreciated by anyone we spoke to.

The bars
Bar service was always quite good. There was very few time spent waiting for service. Our biggest gripe about the bars was the lack of consistency in the drinks. One drink at one bar would be really good and then you would order it at another bar and would not even come close to tasting of looking the same. All bars have blenders but the staff seldom use them. Pina Colada's and banana mama's come from a slushy machine which we really did not expect.

Excursion
We took the 1 day jeep safari (75$ per person) provided by Bavaro Runners Safari Adventure. It was a long bumpy ride, but well worth it to see the Dominican countryside. We visited a typical Dominican home, a rubber factory (very cool) and then had a FANTASTIC lunch. After lunch, we were brought to a local beach where we were able to body surf some waves. The beach here was not very clean… the beach at the resort was much better. Warning. : the tides here are VERY strong. Weak swimmers should not wade into water deeper than their knees. Afterwards, we were brought to the Lulu Waterfall where I was able to swim in the waterfall. Water was a bit cold and I was the only one to go in. Our guide Pedro (spoke English, French and Spanish) and our driver Manuel took good care of us all day, even when our jeep got a flat tire. During this ride, you will see some of the nicest panoramic views you will ever see. Do bring a camera along for the ride.

Staff
The staff is very friendly. You will always be greeted warmly. They do not speak much English, but with pointing and sign language, you will do fine. We tipped some staff but noticed that whether you tipped or not, they were always willing to please.

Nightlife
We found the nightlife to be practically non-existant. Perhaps this is due to the age demographic at the resort which seems to cater to a bit older crowd. There were very few 20 or 30 somethings.

Las Terrenas
We took a cab to Las Terrenas (10$ each way) to do some shopping. Most stores do not open till 10 so don't go too early. Also keep in mind that they close in the afternoon from 1-4. We were able to negotiate at some shops, but those owned by Europeans did not seem to be flexible on price.

Departure
Departure was smooth. Security was quick. Do not pack ANY liquids in your carry-on. Your rum will get confiscated. There is now a small snack bar at the airport where you can get soda and snacks. They will not let you bring your drinks onto the plane.

We arrived in El Portillo on Jan 31/07. We flew out of Vancouver and landed in Samana. As of this time there really is not much at this airport.

The bus ride to the resort was fine. We knew that is was to be 1 1/2 hrs long, so it was really no big deal. There was only 5 or 6 couples checking in so there really was not problem. We were in Villa 5 and had no problem with our room.

I think the main thing that might be holding this resort back at this time would be the staff. This is a first time job for a lot of these people, and there english is not that great and most of the bar tenders have problems with the drinks on the menu. But everyone is happy and they do not mind when you help them make you a good drink.

Some people seemed to be having a problem with the a la carte restaurants, most of the time it was not what you expected but all the meals were good. If you did not get enough at the a la carte then you could go to the buffet.

The weather was really hot, the ocean was lots of fun and we had a great trip.

We did go on the jungle tour, which would have been better. If the guide would have spoken to the three people who spoke english, a bit more and not most all the time to the other 12 who spoke french.

The construction that was going on did not bother us. The shopping center and the Club House were not done when we left. For this reason we got $200. back each week. So in total we got $400. back so that was a bonus.

We spent the last 4 days of our 2 weeks at the Cayo Levantado. This was due to over booking at the El Portillo. Now there is only a 1/2 star difference in these places or so the book says. It was like night and day. Very fancy was nice but we had more fun at El Portillo. But is was sure nice to be pampered like that at the end of our trip.

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.

Date - We stayed at the Gran Bahai Principe - El Portillo Jan 9- 16

Skyservice/sunquest - Very disappointed with these companies, for our flight going there was so badly seated, my husband and I were at totally opposite part of the plane, some people were booked 2 people per seat. They seemed to be doing there job amateurishly. Many unhappy customers! I suggest booking your seats in advance.

Airport - as you have already read probably the trip from the airport to the hotel is 1 and a 1/2 hours not 45 min since the road over the mountain is not safe for tour busses. This was particularly disturbing since it was a long day we left Ottawa at 7 am we then landed in Puerto Plata dropped off people and then went on to Samana, by the time we arrived at the hotel it was close to 5pm, a long day.

Hotel - Very beautiful, has 5 star potential but it is a long way from getting there. We stayed in a standard room, it was decent, we had everything we expected plus we had a whirl pool bath which was a pleasant surprise. I believe our rooms we had were a part of the old section, we seemed to have everything but this was not the case of some of the other guests. We saw occupied rooms receiving furniture within the week we were there, one set of couples were even missing the door between their adjoining rooms! Construction was still ongoing when we were there, your woken to construction noise.

The employees - many who work in the hotel this is the first job they have ever had, and they have a while to go to get rid of their laid back mentality. Also some of them do not seem to know what they are doing, I think that Bahai principe in Mexico was so well run they should send some of there staff here to train these people properly. The maid well she did an ok job at best she forgot toilet paper one day , forgot shampoo another, left the floor dirty another, and I don't think this hotel owns face clothes. The front desk forgot to give us a wake up call on 2 separate occasions. Also the front desk does not know how to speak English or French.

Restaurants - 5 restaurants

Buffet - Dinners choices varied were pretty different it was good, lunch pretty much the same, breakfast exactly the same every day. I was happy at the beginning of our stay since the themes for dinner wore good Tues, wed and Sunday but the rest of the week the buffet was ok. at best. I have to warn you I am fussy and most people would find the food fine. I just expect to see stuff like romaine lettuce instead of iceberg lettuce for one. And just more variety night to night. Breakfast - I expect at a 5 * hotel to have fresh juice, like they served at the Bahai principe in Mexico

All 3 a la cart restaurants were kind of slow- I think they have not been at this for very long and they are just learning. Book them the day you arrive otherwise they will only be able to get reservations at 9 pm or something like that. I think what they do is not to overwhelm the staff they stagger the reservations throughout the night without turning over any tables. Fish restaurant - was decent - my recommendation is have the fish and seafood, skip the appetiser and the desert and go to the buffet for dessert. Gourmet - surf and turf -very good, shrimp linguini good, soups good (we liked this restaurant) Oriental - Ok at best, a little bland Snack bar - pathetic& scary!! you have to order your food, I think they just reheat long cold food there. The only safe things I think is perhaps the fries maybe chicken. Very seldom did I see people eat here although the balcony is gorgeous to have a drink on.

Beach and Pool - was nice, beach was the nicest I have ever seen. Great for peaceful long walks. If you walk to the left of the resort you can in 1 1/2 hours walk along the beach all the way to Las Terranas. When we first arrived there was not much wind and the seas were pretty calm snorkelling would have been good then. Later in the week I tried and the surf was stirring up so much sand that I could see nothing in front of me. I did not like this since you could not see the reef until you were almost right on top of it. Actually one lady this happed to her and she was not able to avoid crashing into it and she scraped her leg pretty good.

Kids - We did not travel with any children but I would say they had lots of activities for Kids under 6, the kids this week seemed to be having a blast. Little shows ect.

Night Entertainment - Every couple of nights they hired a guy between 8-10 to play keyboard and sing he was very entertaining. Also between 8-10 they had karaoke in the theatre also enjoyable. The night shows are kind of boring but some people seemed to enjoy them. After 11 or so they had the disco hardly anyone went.

Outings -
El Limon - The view was worth it but I would not do it again. Make sure you are physically fit - my legs were jello for 2 days later. Make sure you wear clothes you do not mind ruining, The red mud is really difficult to get off. Another note this is a very difficult ride up & down the mountain part by horse and part without. The part by horse is so difficult that they have a guide for each person to help you and the horse through this rough terrain. When the outing was done I gave my guide $6 tip, I think she was expecting more. The tour operator said he thought $5 was fair but sometimes people gave them more. Some thing to think about

Deep Sea fishing - I do not suggest it, the boat operator that is parked right at our hotel was so happy to bring us out he did not care that perhaps the seas were to rough. They just want the money, I think they are counting on the passengers to get sick so they can come back in early ( ps 3 of 5 of us go sick) - we only caught 1 small fish. We have fished from Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, and now here we have never been successful. If you want to bring in lots of fish go to cape Canaveral in Florida we have always brought in lots of fish there.

Nancies Fancies - never actually made it here but we met the lady that owns this business in the lobby of the hotel the night before we left. This is one of the nicest people, she seems to know everyone, everything, and she just loves to chat. Ps she is English. Her store is to the right of the hotel right down the road not far, beside the little air port.(you can walk)

Rebate: There was one tour company giving $200 rebates per person because the hotel was not complete yet. This was not my company but I will be looking into getting this rebate.

Overall I enjoyed my time here for 2 reasons, I needed a peaceful time to recharge which my husband and I got. Two, we met so many wonderful people on this holiday, the hotel is a nice size, kind of like a small close community we will miss them all!

Let me say right from the start we had a great time. We are early 50s. We didn’t have our kids with us. We normally stay in 4 stars. Went with Air Transat Jan 7th- 14th. Received $200 each back from Air Transat

Flight:

Arrived early. Book row 13 if you want extra leg room.

Samana Airport: Went quickly. We were the only flight arriving. Tip: They only have a couple of pop machines and some chips so take stuff with you when leave hotel for your flight home. Had no problems taking rum bought in town in my carryon.

Bus Ride:

Yes it is 90 minutes. Buses are new and in good shape. The road to the hotel is long and windy. Up and down hills. It didn’t seem that long as the scenery is some of the prettiest you will see. If you have ever been to the DR you know how they drive. If you haven’t don’t worry they know what they are doing.

Check In: Take 2 buses full of people and show up at any hotel in Canada and see what would happen. It is slow and they need to come up with a better way. Tip: Sit near the front of the bus and have one go straight to the checkin counter and one go for the drinks. They unload all the bags to one area.

Room: They are beautiful. We had a junior suite(Royal Club) The Junior suites are larger and have a shower and separate bath tub and private toilet area, all done in marble . We started in building 7 but switched to building 1. We had sent an email requesting close to the front because one of us has a bad knee. Tip: Bring a copy of the email with you to show you had made a special request. We had no major problems with our room. Fridge didn’t get very cold so talked to customer service desk and someone looked at it right away. Little things that might bother some people don’t bother us. (First day had 1 large and 2 small water bottles in room. Next 2 days only 2 small. Saw large ones on maid cart. Asked the maid. For the rest of the week we always had 3 large 2 litre bottles in our room.)

Food: Buffet food was good. Service for drinks was always quick. There is always a good selection of different foods. If you like lobsters go to Wed night buffet

The Restaurants - Fish, Oriental and Gourmet. Make your reservations all at one time at the customer service desk. If you don’t get the time you want one day go back the next and try to switch. They seam to only release so many tables for each time every day. The portions are not large. One night my wife’s steak was small so she asked for a bigger one and she got it in a couple of minutes. Service in all was fast and we never had to wait for our next course.

The Oriental: Ask for rice with the main courses. The fried ice cream is good. The portions are not large at this restaurant and it's only 3 courses.

The Fish: Had the deep fried shrimp, squid and fish. Very good

The Gourmet: My wife’s favourite. We ate there twice! She had surf and turf both times. There was no additional charge for lobster. I had the filet and it was very good.

The beach Grill: Ate lunches a couple of days. Food was only ok in my opinion.

Bars: Bar service always was fast. All outdoor bars have self service pop, juice and frozen drink machines. Tip: They do have Diet Pepsi, but they call it Pepsi Light.

Trips: We went on the day long Jeep Safari. It was well worth the money. You go to a typical DR home. Went to a real market. Not a tourist Market. Had lunch at rural restaurant and saw a demonstration cock fight. Visited small rubber factory. You go on roads that don’t really look like roads. The scenery is very beautiful up in the mountains. Took a taxi into Las Terrenas. $10 dollars each way. Find some people to share they are mini vans and you can split the costs. Found Las Terrenas interesting but most things seamed a little expensive.

Entertainment: The staff was always running activities all day long at the pool or the beach. The evening entertainment was not that great. This is one area of the hotel that needs a lot of work to become a 5 star resort.

Beach & Pool: The water was warm, shallow, sandy and there are coral reefs all along in front of the hotel. We never had a problem finding a spot to sit. The sand is a light gold colour and very soft. The staff is always cleaning and picking up garbage. You can walk into Las Terrenas, about 80 min along the beach. I went for walks every day along the beach and always felt safe. The beach is unspoiled without hotel after hotel on it.

We went snorkelling and kayaking. The hotel offered windsurfing and sailing as well. The hotel has snorkelling gear to use if you need it.

Shopping: There were some beach vendors, but they weren’t aggressive. There is a small shop in the hotel. Prices were comparable to Las Terrenas shops, but very limited selection

Yes they are still building some more building and the shops. I think it will be some time before the shops area is open. The staff is still learning english, so they may not always understand but they will always find someone that does. We spent a week at this resort and saw a lot of people that were having a very good time. Forget the small problems and have a good time. This resort is a good 4 star at this time. When all the work gets done and the staff fully trained it has the potential to be a good 5 star.

Hello Everyone,

My wife and I just got back on Saturday January 13 from the GBP El Portillo. We flew out of Toronto on January 6th with Sky Service. The flight was 3.5 hours, and immigration at the new Samana airport was easy as we were the only flight incoming at that time. After you get through immigration you are greeted by the travel rep and directed to the bus. The busses are very comfortable, and the 1.5-hour drive is very scenic, through the mountains with spectacular views of the ocean. Check in took a little while, but as we were leaving I spoke to the tour rep, and she told me that they were working on making it more seamless for the next week.

We had a great time at this resort! The resort is under construction, but interference is minimal. We were in building 19, which is at the back of the resort, and it was great. It was clean, quiet, and very enjoyable. The room had a comfortable King size bed, a Jacuzzi tub, mini-bar (for a $1 and a little note asking for extra cerveca you can get as many as you want), balcony, coffee maker, and satellite TV. Our first night we had a small leak from the ceiling in our bathroom, but we told the front desk, and it was fixed immediately. The front desk staff is more than willing to help!

The food at the resort was good. There was always something for everyone. I won’t get into details, but overall we liked what we had to eat. We ate at all the restaurants, and we never left hungry. We also had no problems ever at the bars. The bar staff was always friendly and wanted to make you happy.

The beach was my favourite part of the resort. The sand is not the white sand of Punta Cana, but rather a golden sand, which is fine, and very comfortable for walking. The water was very beautiful, with waves crashing against the Reefs about 50 meters from shore, leaving the beach calm for the awesome snorkeling. My wife has never snorkeled before, but she has now become an addict. There were so many species of fish in every size, shape, and colour. It was breathtaking!

We also did the Los Haïtises National Park tour. I would recommend it to anyone! It also takes you to Bacardi Island, where you get to spend a couple of hours on the beach!

Overall, I would recommend this resort to anyone who is looking to have a good time in the Dominican Republic, in a place which is sure to be the next big development spot. I have read all the reviews, and forums and was skeptical before we left, but we still had a great time. The people at the resort are learning, and if they know there is a problem they will try their best to fix it. We spoke to people who were at the resort for 2 weeks, and they said that the stuff that was the obvious problems in their first weeks were corrected by the second week. Things were getting better each day. The key thing to remember is “Don’t sweat the petty stuff, and don’t pet the sweaty stuff!”

We stayed at the Bahia Principe El Portillo Dec. 31 - Jan. 6. We have been to the Dominican 10 times before, Puerto Plata and Punta Cana. This trip was the most disappointing and stressing we have ever been on.
To begin with the Samana airport was understaffed. We stood in line for an hour and half to go through customs. Luggage no problem. The bus ride a hour and half at best (not 55 minutes) we were told that right off on the bus by the representative. Check-in at the hotel, another hour in line. Not to get your room but just to get a bracelet. Told to come back for room at 3:00. Came and told to come back in 10 minutes (twice). Finally got room key at 4:00. When we asked about the safety deposit key we were told to come back again. Waited in another lengthy line and finally got the safety deposit box key. We then go to our briefing and our representative asks if everyone got their call from the tour company offering compensation because the hotel complex wasn't finished yet and the services offered were not all available. Most did receive the call but we did not.

Hotel - Very nice and has 5 star potential but I would give a 2.5 for the week we were there. Our room (a junior suite) was very nice. It had everything the brochure said except the phone jack for the room. We were told we would get a room closest to the pool or ocean and paid extra for that. We got a room behind the lobby overlooking the parking lot.

Room Service - Cleaned daily, very basic for the first 5 days. 6th day was great and we even got the turn down service that we were supposed to get all week. Beach towels were supposed to be in the room (according to the upgrade) They were there the day we arrived and they were not delivered again.

Restaurants - There were 4 restaurants available. 3 a-la-cart and one buffet. The food was good at each one. Portions small at the a-la-cart. Service extremely slow at all 4, a-la-cart were the worst. At one point we waited 1 hour between soup and the next course. The restaurants were half empty at each sitting. We were supposed to be guaranteed 4 reservations but were only allowed two The buffet restaurant had trouble keeping up with clearing tables when guests left to make room for more guests. We observed people (and did it ourselves) clear dishes off a table so we could sit after circling the restaurant several times looking for a spot. Towards the end of the week the doors of the buffet were locked and people were let in a couple at a time, as the staff made room for the guests. There was also a 24 hour snack bar on the beach. We only went there once. We placed our order at 2:00 for a hot dog, fries and a club sandwich and finally received at 4:00 after reordering it twice.

Beach and Pool - We really liked them. The pool was basic, not the nicest we have seen but it was adequate. The beach was not the white sand of Punta Cana but a golden sand. Very fine sand and great for long walks on the beach. You can walk for hours if you want to. The grounds staff get a 5 star rating for the work they did keeping them clean. You could do great snorkeling within several feet of the water. The pictures you see in the brochures do not show weed but live coral. Lots of fish. You don't even need a snorkel to see them. Wow! Taking a banana with you makes them come even more.

Bars - Very poor service all week. New Year's Eve they ran out of ice. Pool Bar ran out of pop every day. The beach bar ran out of rum everyday. It even ran out of beer. When they ran out they were not concerned about it and did not get it in for several hours. At points the bartender (only one at each bar) would leave and not come back for half an hour. Water only offered in small glasses on the beach, not bottles. Sand often got in the glasses.

Beach towel service - Two days the beach towels didn't arrive until 3:00. The dryers were down and they had to send them away. If you didn't have the previous days towel to use, you didn't have a towel.

Day Activities - Not posted anywhere. They were sort of following the Christmas schedule, but not always. Selection of activities was poor. Aerobics, Volleyball, darts, ping pong and sometimes some game at the pool later in the day. That was it.

Animation - Nightly entertainment was poor. Untrained staff.

5 Star?? Who decides that anyway...?

Just got back from a week in Samana...

The beach was phenonminal! You could lounge on the provided beach chairs within the "human parking lot" or thankfully, you could walk for miles and miles in either direction to find your own remote piece of paradise. White sand, clear turquoise water and coral reefs at every turn. Exceeded our expectations by a wide margin!

The food was average at best. The service during meals, while very friendly, was interrmitent and certainly not "5 star". Service in general at the resort (bars, front desk etc.) was always friendly, never timely, and not "5 star".

We had no expectations of prompt service as is usually the case with most tropical all-inclusive vactions, but we did encounter more than an acceptable amount of inconvience. We paid for a suite and got a standard room , the phone and t.v. didn't work for the week, we had no running water (toilet, shower, sink) for one day and our room wasn't cleaned twice. To book a late checkout took 5 visits to the front desk. All of which are not a big deal and did not take away from our enjoyment of the beach and ocean, but combined with so-so service left us wondering if we would want to come back.

It was ok. Yes, just ok. Definitely not 5 stars like the Sunquest brochure said.

The brochure said 'newly renovated" what it didn't say was that it was actually still under construction. There was literally mud, tarps, garbage and rats! everywhere. Our room was ok (patio door did not close or lock, this took 4 days to fix. I repeatedly spoke to the front desk and even the guest services rep. Maid service was terrible. We waited 2 days for towels and toilet paper! The resort lost water one afternoon.

Service in the a la carte restaurants was terrible. We actually walked out of the Gourmet restaurant at 9:30 because we still didn't have our meal (8 pm reservation). The pool was the only nice thing.

The airport is not 45 min away like the brochure said. More like 1-1/2 hrs.

Just back from a fabulous 1 week vacation to Samana, Dominican Republic. We couldn't get two weeks thru the holidays so settled on one. We stayed at the Gran Bahia Principe El Portillo Royal Golden. It is a beautiful resort. As we have stayed at this chain of resorts several times before, both in Punta Cana and the Mayan Rivera, it was like coming home for us. We are a married couple with no kids and in our forties.

Resort: The hotel is smaller than most Gran Bahia Principe Hotels that we have visited, but it has everything you could possibly need or want. Because of it's size, it makes for easy access to front reception, the pool, the lobby bar, the buffet and the beach. No trams needed at this resort. Immaculately clean, beautiful lobby, large buffet with outside seating available, 3 a la cartes, one large pool and one separate Jacuzzi pool area, lobby bar, pool bar and beach bar. Very tropical and plenty of palm trees. We had a welcoming dance by the animation staff and a welcoming drink of champagne and tropical juice. As the resort just opened November 6, 2006 with guests from Spain and Germany, we were the first plane to arrive from Vancouver, Canada to the new Samana airport on December 20th. The hotel was not nearly full. We expect it was so they can get their staff used to their jobs and the routine, and throughout the week, more rooms opened up as more planes arrived from Toronto and Montreal. They are still building more suites and have not yet opened the Pueblo Principe shopping area, just inside the front entrance of the resort. It is scheduled to be competed by January 1, 2007. If it's like the other Bahia Principe resorts we have visited, there will be ample shopping at a good price without having to venture off the resort.

Location: The location is on a endless stretch of beach, light caramel in colour and if you wander far enough west, it becomes almost white. The sand is soft and clean and since this is the only resort built so far, you can walk endlessly in either direction and feel as if you have been dropped off on your own private peninsula. Very impressive. The water is clean and clear and Caribbean turquoise in colour. There is a large coral reef out front, which makes for the best snorkeling we've seen right out of your resort. Endless varieties of fish. The morning sea was a bit murky, so we would recommend snorkeling in the late afternoon, when the sun is shining. Visibility was amazing. You can use the hotel's gear or bring your own. Point of note: snorkeling gear (fins, mask,snorkel), if packed separately does not get included with your weight of 20 kg per person with Air Transat. We did have mosquitoes bitting us at night, not in our room, but some where outside, perhaps while watching the nightly entertainment. We never did see them. Off Skintastic spray didn't seem to work. Others have recommended Deet. It might have been the time of year as we usually travel in February and have not had any problems.

Rooms: Check-in was seamless and we were assigned room 1206 (second floor). We went first to the buffet for dinner, as we arrived at 10:00 p.m. Samana time from Vancouver and the buffet closes at 10:30 p.m. After that, the bell boys escorted us with our luggage to our room. At first we thought we were assigned to villa #12, going by our room number, but it was villa #1 right by the beach. We must say, the Club Golden section is the way to go if you travel with Air Transat Holidays. You get junior-sized suites (as this resort does have regular-size hotel rooms as well), you get the villas closest to the beach and robes and slippers to use in your room.. Villa #1 is closest to the beach, you just have to look out the balcony and there it was, with palm trees and the ocean staring right back at you. Amazing!

Food: The buffet was delicious, always so much to choose from and different each day, ie: vegetables, pasta, seafood, pizza. The salad bar is much the same each day but has a very large selection of toppings. There was always a type of fresh fish, chicken or pork to choose from. Each day they have a different hot meat carved up for you, ie roast chicken, roast pork, ham, and turkey on Dec 24th. The holiday buffet included all the grilled lobster tails you could eat (tail sections cut into three), shrimp sauteed in garlic butter and one of the best chocolate buffet we've seen. The three a la carte restaurants were as follows:

The Gourmet - our favourite. You could order lobster and steak and their mushroom and vine cream soup is delicious. The rich chocolate dessert is also very good.

The Oriental - our next favorite. The sushi was good (comes as a shared plate for two), so we also ordered the chicken egg rolls as an appetizer and shared them as well. The curried shrimp dish was good (I know, curry in an Oriental restaurant is a little different, but it was very good). My husband ordered the beef stir fry and found it too salty, they quickly exchanged it for the shrimp dish. The Oriental restaurant is seating at a dining table. We missed the typical venue where you have a chief chopping everything up and cooking in front of you. The fried ice cream was pretty good with brown sugar and cinnamon.

The Seafood - our least favourite. Slower than the others, seafood chowder was fishy, although the salmon was good. It seems that one kitchen services all, so service can be slow, but I think they are just getting used to the new routine and that will improve in time.

Snack Bar - one of the best views in the resort, looks straight out to the ocean. Some mentioned the service was slow, but we never went for food during the day, we went just for the view. We ordered twice at night and the roast chicken is delicious.

Bar Service: We found you can get Smirnoff vodka, amber Anejo or Carta Dorada rum instead of white rum, you just have to ask. So far, there is no Clamato juice at this resort for you Caesar lovers' (I'm one of them), but with a little coaching I had a mighty fine Bloody Mary mixed up with salted rim and celery stalk. It's the next best thing. I'm going to e-mail the resort and recommend Clamato juice (they now have it at the Bahia Principe Punta Cana and Tulum, Akumal, Coba in Mayan Riviera). Once the bartender knows what you like, he remembers for your next drink order. Be sure to tip. We took lots of US $1.00 bills. We found out from one of the staff that they are not paid for the first month they are in training, so it's a great idea and kindness to tip as their average wage is $6.00 US per day as per our tour representative. Hilaro at the pool bar makes the best Coco Loco we've tasted. We recommend bringing along insulated cups or mugs, they are handy at the beach or pool area.

Entertainment: We have to say, the animation staff was the friendliest we've seen. Perhaps because it's a smaller resort and more intimate, you see them more and they get to know you. Very friendly, not pushy and happy to make you smile, as they are always smiling. The shows were okay, they need more dancing routines and less 'pull the audience out of the crowd' shows. Shows starts at 10 pm and the disco (dancing) is at 11 pm all in the same theatre. Hats off to Sugeily (pronounced Suhaily, Gendry, Albert, Diego and Fabio. They also had a wonderful three member band pay music in the open court yard where tables are set up and you can dance.

Shopping: Once the Pueblo Principe opens ups, I'm sure there will be lots. Right now they have a lobby shop with a limited number of items. We did buy our Brugal amber rum there, as the new Samana Airport does not yet have any services set up there. Speaking of the airport, it is very clean, new and air conditioned! with clean spacious stainless bathrooms stalls. Some ventured into Las Terrenas (a small fishing village) for shopping. It's about a 1 1/2 hour walk down the beach and about a 15 minute taxi cab ride for $20.00 return trip. We shopped on the beach with the licensed vendors who wandered by. Very friendly and not pushy and you were able to barter. I got a beautiful silver ring that flips over, with a pink Coral stone on one side and a turquoise blue Lorimar stone on the other. My husband got a chain made of black shinny lava rock and blue stones which the vendor made longer to fit his neck size at no extra charge. We got both items for $20.00 US cash. Speaking of cash, American Express US travellers cheques are almost impossible to cash. It took several trips to the front desk, a word to Tony, the front desk manager and some help from Ailia in guest services to get the hotel to change a few travellers cheques into US dollars. Remember, you need $20 US cash for each person to pay the airport tax on departure. We recommend you bring cash and visa for shopping and forget the travellers cheques.