Grand Paradise Playa Dorada Reviews

I went to Dominican last week of April and as this was my first trip south I did not know what to expect. I too had read the negative comments and thought it was going to be horrible! The food was fantastic, especially the restaurant, Eden's. The pool was cleaned early every morning and the beach was cleaned early as well. The staff from Franklin, Security, Florentino, the bell man and of course the V.I.P rep Luis.

I ventured off the resort to the Plaza which had many great shops.

Room Number:
1313

Arrival:
April 23-30

Restaurants and Bars:
Eden's was excellent.
At the buffet you could find anything for any type of eater.

Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Pool and beach cleaned daily....early morning.

Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Animation team was excellent. They made my trip. I started participating with them on my 2nd day and learned to dance with them, tried to sing with them and played other games along the way. Think the hotel should have paid me as I entertained the other guests just as much as the animation team.

Other Comments:
Try this resort. It does not have the shiny, marble floors but the staff that will take care of you are friendly and reliable. My friend and I went out with friends from Germany and it was the staff who helped us find a nice place to learn how to dance and even some would come with you on days, evenings off just to help you fit in.

I loved this resort. We had a great time and would go back in a minute. Other then the V.I.P. workers for the time shares offering us some white stuff lol it was a great vacation.

Arrival:
Check in was very quick we just arrived and were on our way to our Ocean View Suite. Friendly staff and Bell hop.

Rooms:
Room was awesome. It pays to pay the extra money for an Ocean View Suite. We were about 2 feet away from the sand from the beach. Room was clean and fridge was restocked daily. I would make towel animals each day for the maid with a tip on them but she would never make them back lol. Other then that the maid's were all very friendly.

Restaurants and Bars:
The Italian a-la-carte (i think it was Italian) i didn't much pay attention but i do know that i could not eat that food and the snack bar wasn't that great either but hey i am a picky eater so someone else may see it differently. The buffet however was great everyday except one which was their Dominican Night. I thought for sure it would be the best night but my husband and I after sampling some of the food went up to the shopping center and ordered Pizza Delight lol. The staff were amazing always there. they always were waiting to bring you whatever you need and always had an ashtray ready for when you were done your meal. And the gentlemen working the breakfast station always had a smile on his face and cooked our food to perfection and always said "Thank you Lady" when we tipped him.

Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Beach was beautiful it stretched for miles and the vendors didn't bother you too much a simple no thank you was enough for them to leave you alone. There was always a nice breeze so you weren't sweating too badly and the water was great. Always beach chairs everywhere you looked.

Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Activities were slim but there was always a crowd when they were around. And the entertainment staff were very friendly. The only issue i can think of with this is that I won a prize but they didn't have it at the time of me winning so i had to wait until that evening which is no big deal but when the evening came they didn't remember me or why i should of had a prize lol but they gave me my bottle of rum so it all worked out. We took in one of their shows at night which i regretted soon after it started. It is in the middle building where the computers and pool tables are and it is a very cramped area. the stage is so small and they really couldn't do a whole lot. I couldn't stay for the whole show cause i didn't enjoy it. I found the Micheal Jackson show at the Tangerine was the best so far.

Other Comments:
We did the Ocean Worl interaction with the Sea Lions and swam with the dolphins and it was an experience of a life time i would do it again. It is worth every penny. You can listen to all the complaints about this resort or you can make it what you want it to be. You need to remember you are going to a 3rd world country and it isn't the same as it is here. I personnaly don't like reading resorts because i swear some people think that the workers are slaves and should wait on them hand and foot all the time. They are people too and we all have bad days so i suggest you make the best of your own vacation and be thankful for where you live and what you have at home because weather they are having a bad day or a good day they still don't have anything close to what we have and deserve a little respect.

This is a resort definately NOT on our must go to again list. The front desk people were not friendly or helpful. They snapped out answers and turned away, couldn't have cared if you were satisfied. We have travelled a lot but have never been treated like this. Most places have a map to give you so you can find your way around, not here, there a couple of signs here and there to help you. It took us three days to find the theater, not that it was worth finding. The service in the buffet was almost non existent. They are totally understaffed and unorganized, if you didn't get there when they opened you had to wait for cutlery, glasses, napkins and drinks! The food was boring and not worth a second plateful. It would also help if the employees could speak more than one langauge, it took four people to figure out what we wanted and then it was still wrong. The animation team speaks four languages maybe the buffet staff should too. The one bright light in the buffet was the omelet cook, he engaged with the people and looked like he enjoyed his job.
The animation team seemed uninspired and mostly talked to young girls and people who had been there several times. Their cell phones were more important than their jobs.
The beach towels were hardly ever available. How can there not be any first thing in the morning? Once you got one it was hard to get a clean one. The girl there was rude.
The excuse was that they were at almost full capacity and could not keep up. Maybe they should spend some money to improve services and increase staff.
You take a chance no matter where you go for a holiday, but we did not expect the time share people right in the resort. They offer you a free gift for being there but you don't get it if you don't listen. The beach vendors were not pushy, they were friendly and excepted "No gracias" and kept on going. Manners go a long way, from tourists and staff.

Every day the hot water was not available to shower.
The food is never hot, and always the same. We both got sick the last 3 days there from the food.
The peddlers on the beach always approach you to buy something constantly.

Rooms:
Clean
ceilings leak

Restaurants and Bars:
Italian resteraunt food was not good
Buffet was terrible, never hot

Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Beach and pool areas were nice and clean

Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
average

Other Comments:
I wont go back

Good Price!

Room Number:
1715

Arrival:
I will begin by telling you all that I have never written, or even contemplated writing a review for a travel destination. I only do so now because I had read through literally dozens and dozens of negative reviews not only on this hotel but many others. This one is where we just returned from.
We are early 40's and traveled with another couple same age. We paid approx. $900.00 per person to fly there, be shuttled to the resort and bask in the sun for 7 days and I would return tomorrow if possible.
Check in was a piece of cake. Paid a cab from the airport to beat the bus crowd. Had a guided tour of the entire resort by some guy called Roman and looked at our room as well as a suite. We decided to upgrade to the suite with cash. It was easy, and we did it all before the bus crowd lined up for check in. (I recommend it every time) No issues with check in or check out at all.

Rooms:
Absolutley nothing wrong with this place??? Yep the lobby and some out building are painted turquoise blue..Ummmmm so what!

Our room was a suite. Was not musty or dirty. It was clean and one of the nicer rooms at any resort I have been. Modern and very large.
Hot water went down for about 16 hours during our week causing a frantic uproar among the older population. WHO CARES??? They fixed it as they said they would do! Jump in the ocean and have an extra few rum and call it an experience. Have a dominican splash bath in the tub to get the good parts ready to go and have some fun!!! A nice deck off the room to either smoke or play cards at night. Dry some clothes etc. We used it alot as our rooms were next to each other.


Lots of good American shows on TV to choose from as well but why bother?

Restaurants and Bars:
Very simply....Beef; Chicken; Fish; Pasta...Everything you would cook at home but add to it amazing beans and rice and vegetables with decent spice. Desserts...ice cream..etc. etc.
To complain of the food here is to be over 70 and nothing else to do but complain about everything. Trust me on this...we were not sick physically and definitely not sick of the food...NO ISSUES
We liked the food.

Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Beach was great...Nobody lurked in the trees waiting to run off with our towels. The vendors are just that...If you wanna buy, talk to them, otherwise be polite and let them know you are not interested. They get it better than you will read here! Same as timeshare people. They are there but they do not block your sun as you enjoy the beach. If you want a timeshare go for it, otherwise it's really quite simple. Pool was good too...Always clean,..I get up very early and walk everywhere with coffee so I see the chlorine and vac being done. Swim up bar is in the shade most of the time so it can be a little cool over there. So don't go? It's made of poured concrete so I must think that relocating it to accomodate Edith and Cecil on there week vacation is likely not an option. There are never line ups at the bars. If you tip as I do, there is never a line up anywhere. Grass areas and trees are always being trimmed. Coconuts are harvested daily from different trees throughout the resort.

Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Animation staff are over the top at every resort you go to. They are paid to be this way! This place is not an exception
Get involved, or don't? It's your holiday. Some of the activities around the pool were ok and got young and old and english and french to mingle a bit. We did it a couple days to pass the time while our wives were on the beach. (The beach is very safe)
Did a tour of Caberete (for a price)....Awesome place...Did a shopping morning in Puerta Plata with a cab and a guide..$40.00us Worth the while hitting grocery store for coffee and vanilla to bring home...CHEAP
The weekend entertainment is best because the locals come here to stay on the weekends. The disco is as weak as it is at every resort in this rating area. Did you really plan your vacation to disco anyway?
Lots of older retired people but lots of them have been returning for 15 or more years. Some of the best local travel information you will ever get is from these people. They always know the weather forecast for the week too. (LIKE YOUR MOM)...Where to wine, dine, shop and explore...Find one of these for great info.

Other Comments:
People write reviews, in my opinion, mainly when they are bitter about someting but seldom write them to acknowledge a good experience.
I saw miserable people there and heard people whining about the hot water or whatever it was.
You are there for a week!!! You paid for it...make the best of it for blank sake. I speak for my wife and our good friends when I say that we had a great time in a great place and we would return without question. Some call it 3.5 star and others 4.. I have been to 3's and 4's, and 5's as well.
You get what you pay for in CANADA. You get what you pay for in the Dominican as well. If you want 5 star luxury and beach waitresses...Go to a 5 star and pay for it.
This place is great...It's at a good price...and intelligently spread out tips will get you the service anyway...
I will happily share more info if you like.
Buenos Dias.....Mark

I was very dissapointed in this resort. It was up to local standards and that was it. The hotel staff needs to be trained on customer service. The people at the front desk were very cold and unapproachable. They looked like they could care less if you were staying with them and spending your hard earned money there. I think they need a briefing on job security and how to keep people coming back. Little things that you expect for your 4 star resort were not available like a drink to greet you after the bus ride, wash cloths in your room, a phone and a remote for the tv in your room. They wanted us to make reservations at the buffet. I have never heard of this ever! All was not lost because we did meet some nice people, mainly Gilbert. You will find him on the beach in front of the hotel and he offers daily exersions for half the price of the resort. We went on four exersions for the price of 2. Make sure you ask everyone where Gilbert is, you won't be sorry. Be careful when you go on the waterfall exersion. I am 51 and my hubby is 56, we climbed 7 water falls in a row and slid down them all after that. It was very strenuous and scary but exciting at the same time. The 3 strong guides helped us up and got us through it safely. That one is off my bucket list and so is deep sea fishing, tooooo rough to be able to enjoy yourself. I loved the picturess landscape with the mountains right out of our resort but I will not be returning to Peurto Plata because I find once is enough. Very windy all the time at that end of the island. The beach was rocky with broken sea shells when you went to go in the water and the snorkelling would of been good except it was too windy and wavy all the time so the visibility was very poor. I enjoyed Punta Cana 10 times better. Also I did not enjoy all the vendors bothering us everyday on the beach right in front of the resort to view and purchase their wares. Overall this resort needs to paint their roofs to help 90% with the overall appearance of this resort and study customer service seriously and learn that when you smile you get a smile in return. Also beware of JJ and Dali part of the staff. They approach you very friendly and tell you that they have a welcoming gift and then when you get up to the office to recieve it they try to suck you into an hour long session to listen to a time share presentation. When I said that I wasn't interested in sitting through this they became very rude and asked us why we came and I replied because I was told that I was coming for my free gift. Needless to say I didn't get my gift.

Rooms:
They were very standard rooms with no remotes for tv, no phones, no wash cloths and one little bar of soap offered for the whole week

Restaurants and Bars:
You wouldn't starve. You can always rely on chicken, thank god! All the deserts tasted the same. Not a good variety.

We were concerned about this resort following some of the prior reviews we had read but it was to late to change our minds at that point.
Pleasant surprise the resort was not taken over by locals on the weekend (there were some and they, like us, were there for a good time. We did not see any hookers in the lobby as reported in some of the reviews we read.
The rooms were clean and confortable, the food was what you would expect from a 3.5star resort, basic but good and a varied selection every night. We found the staff friendly and helpfull and the beach was one of the best we have seen.
We did have to ask for pop and water in the room but it was soon provided. Overall we had an excelent experience.

Room Number:
1104

Room Block:
1

Arrival:
Slow, we arrived late with a bus load so took some time to get sellted

Rooms:
Clean and comfortable

Restaurants and Bars:
Average

Beach/Pools/Grounds:
The pool and surrounding areas were kept clean and the beach was excelent

Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Lots to do but the Zip line and monkey tour were the best

After an initial mix-up where they did not have our bookings through Thomson, we were given a suite instead of a room and a bowl of fruit with their apologies. The quality of rooms and service can not be beaten. Best hotel holiday experience i have ever had.
Food very good, but great care must be taken by all us euros, as bad tummies are very common. Do not drink or clean teeth in their water... And you might have to stay away from salads and fruit.
The beach cannot be nearer, just a few minutes stroll away with lovely sandand calm sea.
My husband has difficulty in walking and i was able to "borrow" the hotel wheelchair for the whole two weeks at no extra charge, thats service...

Room Number:
4102

Room Block:
4

Arrival:
MIX UP, THEY DID NOT KNOW WE WERE COMING AS WE WERE NOT GIVEN A HOTEL VOUCHER. BUT IT ALL GOT SORTED AND THEY GAVE US ROOMS, BUT AFTER THOMSON GOT INVOLVED THE NEXT MORNING WE WERE GIVEN A SUITE AS AN APOLOGY.

Rooms:
EXCELLENT, NO COMPLAINTS, CLEANED EVERY DAY AND CLEAN LINEN EVERY DAY

Restaurants and Bars:
ALL VERY GOOD, NOT OVER IMPRESSED WITH THE MICHAEL ANEGELO.

Beach/Pools/Grounds:
PERFECT, BEACH A STONES THROW AWAY.

We are seniors, ages 70 and 80. We were very happy with everything we needed. The only problem was the arrival in the dark and an exhausting time finding our room. A bell boy leading the way would have been wonderful. If we travel again, would certainly come back. After 25 years of vacation, this would be the first return trip.

Room Number:
8103

Room Number:
9101

Arrival:
We travelled by Air Transat out of Toronto. Because my wife is seriously overweight, she would not go unless I upgraded to Cabin Class. This cost an extra $221 Cdn apiece roundtrip. It included extra luggage capacity (88 lb. instead of 44), champagne on arrival at your seat, an open bar, blankets, ear phones and the like. It was much nicer than travelling in cattle class, but the jury is still out on whether or not it was worth the extra cost

Check in (close to midnight) was quite fast and pleasant. There was enough staff on hand to handle the bus load of us that arrived within a reasonable time. No complaints there, or on checkout a week later. The only quibble I had with reception is that they would not give us a second room key even when I went back the next morning as instructed on arrival.

Rooms:
I had been corresponding for some days before we left with one of the senior members on Debbies’s, and it turned out that he knew the manager, Osiris Cid, and e-mailed him on our behalf (thanks, Bob!), getting a reply saying that he would “look after your friends.” And he did! On arrival, we found that we had been upgraded to a beachfront, ground floor, suite, no. 9101, which was absolutely lovely. I cannot comment on what other rooms are like because I was not in any others, but ours was very pleasant, and tidied and cleaned daily. The aircon was a bit odd, in that it needed a card, like a room key except that it wouldn’t open the door, and if it was removed, the power went off in the room. The maid seemed to remove the card when she cleaned the room. No problem as we didn’t really use the aircon anyway. The only oddity was that when the card was removed, the temperature reset to 70 so you had to remember to resent it to 76 or you would freeze at night

Restaurants and Bars:
The main buffet was Hibiscus, which is directly on the beach. The views were great and the food was typical Dominican buffet style– something for everyone and lots of it. There was a grill which did omelettes at breakfast and meats at supper. There was always a line, so we never bothered with it as the rest of the buffet was great anyway. We ate breakfast there every day, some lunches and most dinners.

Eden’s is next door and has a smaller buffet at lunch and is an à la carte restaurant at dinner. We reserved for it once and had a nice meal. The soup was excellent and so was the entré, although my kabobs were a bit underdone for my taste– my own fault for not specifying. Service was friendly. We did not eat at the other à la carte.

There is a swim up bar in the pool, but it is shaded and closes early (4:00 I think) so we never tried it, but there is another, Extasis, by the pool which is open until 11:00. They had live music there most nights, which was quite good, and we spent most evenings there. At 11:00, we moved down to the main bar, Sinners, which is at the beach between Eden’s and Hibiscus. It was open until 1:00. Bar service in general was good. Sometimes there was a rush on the bar and patience was needed, but often there was no one else around an service was quick. The bartenders did well under all circumstances. Beer was Presidente on tap, and the rum was Barceló. I prefer Brugal, but nothing wrong with what they had. Some of the other liquors were Classic, which is a cheaper brand. Every day there was a drink special of the day. My wife tried them all and liked them all.

Beach/Pools/Grounds:
The beach is great, probably the nicest in Playa Dorada, and certainly with the best snorkelling. There is a reef/rock formation a hundred yards or so off shore in about six feet of water at high tide where there are scores of fish. I even saw a lionfish one day. I did a couple of dives with Sea Pro at Sosua one day, and the fish were about as nice at Grand Paradise without the cost and travel. A twenty minute walk along the beach to the west brings you to a couple of markets. The usual game of reserving loungers with towels begins each morning, and many are often empty except for the towel for hours, but we never had a problem getting one.

The pool is quite large, but shallow, not over four feet or so, and has a net strung over part of it. It is not meant for swimming lengths, but is a good spot to cool off in fresh water. It was not heated and not heavily chlorinated so quite pleasant on a hot day.

Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
We did no excursions, although friends did and quite enjoyed them. I did a couple of dives with Sea Pro one day, but they now bus you to Sosua for them, and it ended up being a commitment of five and a half hours for two thirty-five minute dives. The dives were nice, but it was just as pleasant snorkelling at the beach with mainly the same fish to see.

Other Comments:
All in all, a great week, and I’d certainly go back there again, but for longer the next time.

Photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=31288&id=100000831464217&l=c4c269dcac