I visited Sunscape the Beach July 7th to 14th with my mother and sister to attend a family wedding.

My family, including 2 children ages 10 and 5 have just returned from a weeks stay at this more than fabulous resort. We cant say enough about it and will for sure return.

The grounds are just incredible and always being worked on. The resort is very clean and people are just wonderful, polite and friendly. There is so much to do or you can just sit back and relax. There is a inflatable iceberg at the top end of the incredibly long pool for kids to climb and that's where my 10 year old spent all his time. The Kids explorer club..well my 5 year old was asking to go there, he loved everything about it, that can even have dinner with the leaders so parents can enjoy a dinner on there own. Its very well supervised the ladies ..Claribel are just wonderful with them.

7 absolutely fantastic restaurants and something for everyone,,even the picky eaters like one of my sons!! No line ups and the food is always being topped up, service in all the restaurants and buffet is top notch.

The Staff Take it from Great to Excelente! I spent a fabulous week at Sunscape the Beach from January 19?26, 2007. I had high expectations, and I was not disappointed in any way. It was my first visit to STB and my first visit to Punta Cana. This review is long and detailed, but I want to share what I saw and experienced, a lot of which isn?t much mentioned in other reviews and commentaries. I am only reviewing the hotel and associated activities and not the flight or transfers.?

The "wow" factor is at every turn. The approach road leading to the resort is quite empty, with cattle, grassy fields, roughly hewn fences, and both palm and leafy trees. And then, like a mirage, STB looms on the horizon! The gate opens and you enter paradise. (But really! That?s what it felt like!)

The lobby is expansive and grand. Should you arrive as part of a smaller group, check in is quick and painless. On the occasions that the hotel is expecting a large group, a table is set up in another area of the lobby to expedite the group check-in. A big help for the group, and a blessing to those with other front desk needs as well. The upper lobby where you arrive has the front desk, Concierge--an outstanding team led by chief concierge Ruben Leyva, always wearing a smile, and the delightful Vanessa always eager to help--and the Rendezvous lobby bar. There is a wing off the lobby where you will find the Asian restaurant Himitsu (teppanyaki Japanese dining, and a Chinese menu) and the conference meeting rooms (3 separate rooms which can be made into one larger ballroom). The terrace in front of this area offers some of the most splendid views on the property: toward the wedding gazebo and pool, over the kids' Explorers Club, and across the jungle.

A magnificent staircase (which may be an understatement!) or elevator takes you down to the lower lobby level. The lower lobby is where you will find the tour company reps, Desires disco, Harrisons Fine Jewelry store, Bamblue Internet Cafe, a Photo Shop, a Farmacia and the Logo Shop. The schedule for pictures with the lizard or monkey is there and this is where you will pick up your pictures as well. There is a theater with very comfy seats, the Showtime bar and the Casino in the same wing. The World Cafe buffet anchors the other corner of the lower lobby. An entertainment wall lays out the activities of the day and there are living room style seating areas very conducive to conversation for groups of 2 to 6 people.

I was shown to a very happily situated honeymoon suite in building 8 with a west facing view toward the mountains. I made it a goal to be either on my balcony or in the west-facing lobby between 6 and 6:30 when the sun sets in January. The silhouette of the mountains in front of the setting sun is gorgeous. There is beer, soft drinks and lots of water in the mini bar, a coffee maker, hair dryer, shampoo/conditioner/body wash/face soap in the bathroom and a surplus of towels and extra blankets. I am a female and I usually travel alone. I had a 3rd floor room and felt safe in my room and at all times on the resort property when I was alone. I didn?t leave the resort property unless I was with another person. On one occasion I returned to my room later than usual and the property was extremely quiet. A staff member offered me an escort to my room which I declined. It is a fabulous policy, and if you feel inclined, seek out someone to ensure that you return to your room safely. Many employees have radios on them so if you check with the front desk or one of the security guards, they will find you the assistance that you need. Room service is available 24 hours a day with snacks, along with regular breakfast, lunch and dinner fare. The 620 rooms are categorized as one of a deluxe suite, honeymoon suite or imperial suite, having a partial ocean view, ocean view or pool view, as well as swim out rooms, which have between 6? and 20? of grass between your terrace and the pool rather like your own backyard with relatively private access. There are 5 handicap rooms in building 5. The room blocks are quiet at night, with all evening activities occurring in the main building (lobby, theater, disco). On the night of the scheduled Beach Party (they set up the entire buffet, tables, tablecloths, chairs covered in linens, dishes, glassware and silverware all on the beach) the evening show is subsequently held there as well. The Beach Party is currently scheduled for Wednesdays, weather permitting.

I arrived at night and took my first meal in the World Cafe buffet. I was waiting for some friends but could wait no longer once I reviewed the buffet offerings and came upon the coconut ice cream. Mmmm mmmm good! Everything was still fresh and hot and being replaced, though it was after 8 p.m. I recommend taking a walk around the buffet to see the full extent of what is offered. I found saut? mushrooms which were intended for the burgers that I put on a smoked pork chop and used some of the nacho cheese on my broccoli. Oceana (seafood) restaurant and Seaside Grill (American grill), which are by the beach, offer a buffet lunch by day and a la carte dining in the evening. A hostess charmingly escorts the guests to a table by offering her elbow for the diner to take. Beer is served in a chilled stein. Both are open air. El Patio is the Mexican restaurant, which only serves in the evening and is air-conditioned. Dreams is the fine dining offering which serves adults only and has a stricter dress code. Long pants and shirts with sleeves for men are required at Dreams and Himitsu. There are 10 bars. I really loved the fresh fruit boat along the main path. It is stocked from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily and offers a selection of chunks of juicy fruit of all kinds, on a stick. Very refreshing and easy to eat!

Chris Blizzard was the entertainer in the theater on my first night at STB. His song selection ran from "You Raise Me Up" through a Lionel Richie collection to the soul-inspired "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay". I'm an 80s rocker chick, but I approached the shows with an open mind and found Blizzard to be quite good and made easy work of keeping the room entertained for an hour. Other shows through the week included a "Musical Tribute", "Magicus", "Tropical Dancing" night, karaoke performed by both the talented entertainment staff and fellow hotel guests. A highlight during the week I was there was the show on Beach Party night?a set of performances showcasing the talents of the Sunscape entertainment team including comic numbers, familiar tunes and a Dominican Carnival segment. Another highlight and crowd favourite is the Michael Jackson tribute show. A dancer from La Romana named Ramon Ortiz is MJ and his back-up troupe is equally as talented. This act travels among a number of the local hotels and always gets a standing ovation. The Sunscape entertainment staff is no less talented or amusing. The personal touch of having spent the day with these people makes seeing them on stage enjoying dancing and performing that much better.?

There is lobby entertainment in the evening as well. You may find a saxophone and piano duo, or the very funny Dave the Pianist 3 or 4 nights a week. Dave offers adult entertainment and it is called that in the SUNDIAL newsletter that is circulated daily. He sets up for 11 p.m. at the Rendezvous lobby bar after the show finishes in the theater. Dave?s show is different every night depending on the music he plays (drawn from a repertoire of hundreds of songs) and the people in the audience. Dave plays until 2 a.m. (or longer as happened one night when we in the audience weren't ready for the night to end!).

The disco looks like a real disco! There is the lighting, bar, TV, dance floor, DJ and loud music. The entertainment team comes to start the night staying for at least an hour to ensure that there are dance partners. The theme changes daily, highlighting Latin music or the 70s and 80s, or Disco Party, or country night, etc.

I went to the Casino with a couple who had previously had some great success. At that time they were still up by $240, but then proceeded to drop $60. It is gambling and we take our chances to play! There are 2 Roulette tables, 4 Black Jack tables, 2 Poker tables, 1 computer Roulette and 18 slot machines. The slots are open from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. with all games running from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m.

When I took my first tour of the resort, I was amazed by what I saw. The property is massive (30 acres) and the grounds are lush and tropical and beautifully maintained. The main path from lobby to beach winds along one side of the lazy river style pool. The impact of the pool is so great that I thought that this resort should be called ?Sunscape the Pool?! Along the way are 3 benches in the shade to allow a break if needed, but I timed the walk and the distance (from lobby to beach) can be covered in 4 minutes at my strolling pace. There are bridges crossing the pool to access the room blocks on the other side of the pool. Those blocks are up against the pool with lawn separating them, rather than a paved path, and house the previously mentioned "swim-out" rooms.

The pool offers activity areas and lagoon areas. Pool floats are provided in great abundance and must be kept in the pool. There are areas with pool jets, a waterfall, and a "lower pool" area where the bulk of the Olympic pool games and scuba lessons and water aerobics take place. If you want activity, it's not far away. If you want quiet tranquility, look to the "upper pool" area. Manatees swim up bar is situated in the lower pool area.

There is a charming pond in the centre of the resort with families of a variety of ducks and flamingos, as well as fish. Food is provided at the pond so guests can safely feed the animals. The ducks and flamingos, as well as turkeys, roosters, peacocks, other fowl, and even rabbits all wander freely on the property. I went to sleep and woke up in a zoo!?

Once I reached the ocean I realized that indeed the name ?Sunscape the Beach? fits. It is massive--both deep and wide covering 2.75 acres. There are three distinct areas on the beach offering the water sports, a calmer area and an area of greater wave action. In the wavy area you will find some rocks under the water so caution is advised (and the wearing of water shoes). It takes little time to get used to the water temperature and it?s great fun to fight the waves, or have a float. Where the resort is currently alone on that stretch of beach, the only people you encounter are fellow guests. There is a shopping area on one end and further up to the north you will get to the local centre of Uvero Alto. Sea Pro Divers operate the dive shop set up on the beach and can sell you banana boat rides and dive lessons and water tours in Punta Cana, like the Kontiki cruise. There is a rep at the towel hut by the pool as well. I like to sit in a different spot on the beach each day so I never had trouble finding a chair and there is a lot of natural shade as well as palapas. You can exchange your towels at the dive shop on the beach and you needn?t go all the way back to the towel hut at the pool.

Diego, who quickly becomes everybody?s friend, sells the horseback rides and other excursions from the set up at the pool towel hut. I did the Laguna tour with Rancho el Diferente. I was really pleased with the condition of the horses and the care that the owner of the company showed to the animals, with loving caresses and swatting flies. The lagoon is gorgeous and the waves in that area are so exciting! Galloping along the sand was exhilarating. There is a separate Gallop tour, Sunset tour, and Countryside tour as well. They can also sell you the ATV tour that I took. I was picked up at the hotel by the Tropical Wheels truck and taken to the ranch 15 minutes away. You ride the 4-wheeler along back roads, main roads, the approach to Macao beach and to a cave where you can swim. If anybody sees the little cave boy who can scale the walls like Spiderman, please give him $1 from me. I can?t believe that I didn?t bring even a buck with me to be able to offer it as thanks for all of the pictures that I took of him.

The spa at Sunscape the Beach is so calm and tranquil and well appointed. The staff is gentle and well trained. From the moment you walk in the door you are assailed with vignettes of peace and beauty. I had a fabulous Swedish aromatherapy massage. Those of you who have experienced deep relaxation may know to what I refer when I say that I stopped breathing at about the 40-minute point of the 50-minute massage. I was fully aware of the fact that I wasn't really inhaling or exhaling but just "being". Was I in hibernation? My heart rate and metabolism dropped to nothing? This was my first massage ever, and it was a really neat feeling--rather addictive. On another occasion I had a pedicure and then French manicure in the new chinola (passion fruit) canopied garden. As with all other departments in the hotel, the staff again was among the best part. Fe (pronounced "Fay") told me that she gets as much back as she gives when giving a treatment. Does that not sound like a perfect massage?

The gym is upstairs of the spa. Since the beginning of January the hotel has been replacing its equipment (the older equipment being only as old as the resort itself?2 years old). On each occasion that I visited the large room, there were no more than 3 people using it. No sharing required.

Though I liken the resort experience to a summer camp for adults, there is as much planned for children as there is for adults. The Kids Club by the beach is for children up to age 3. They have their own pool and fountains, as well as an indoor area with toys and activities. This area is unsupervised as it is expected that the younger children will be watched over by their parents. The Explorers Club is from ages 3 ? 12 and is supervised. Activities are scheduled all day, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., closed from 5 ? 6 p.m. To ease children's transition and for the safety of all kids, parents are not allowed in the Club. The guides and activity leaders in the Explorers Club are all qualified with first aid and CPR training. As family friendly as STB is, and with as many children as I saw walking along the paths, it was interesting to see that I encountered few children at meals or where I was settled on the beach. I think it comes down to the fact that they have the infrastructure in place to accommodate the needs of the children and families which keeps them entertained in their own area, separate and apart from the adult beach or pool activities. Something different offered by Sunscape the Beach is the organized teenagers' schedule of activities for ages 12 and up. The schedule of activities for all is listed in the daily SUNDIAL newsletter, which is either provided in your room at turn down or posted in the hallways of the room blocks and main buildings. Some of the scheduled activities overlap, like the Bike Tour at 10 a.m. which is set for kids, teens and adults.?

The activities for adults run all day too. I really enjoyed the bike ride in the morning which took us down the main road and as far the Excellence Punta Cana before turning back. The ability of your group will dictate how far you go. Our guide, William, repeatedly checked with us to ensure that we were still feeling strong and we took a number of breaks. It?s a great opportunity to see the local area?including the Uvero Alto Commercial Plaza 10 minutes away which has a number of shops and services?as well as some of the wild flora. Make sure you bring a bottle of water with you from the hotel! The morning yoga-based stretch class in the shade on the beach was great and ended with a massage. Spanish with Santana was a hoot?and educational!?with a cheat sheet that you can take with you. The theme changes with each class (greetings or questions you need to know how to ask). There are dance lessons and crazy games and beach volleyball and water polo and water aerobics and cocktail mixing and cooking classes. The entertainment staff is really spectacular. They work so hard all day (9:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.) and always appear to be enjoying themselves, though you know it has to be difficult now and then. Even after the show in the theater you?d always see Andres dancing with the guests at the Showtime bar, before the team would head over to the disco to make sure that everyone had a great time there. They welcome you when you?re checking in and come to see you off when you?re leaving.

Wedding coordinator, Grisel Cordones, manages 2 ? 3 weddings per day from 5 p.m. onward. Grisel is in all places at all times, keeping the proceedings organized and the bridal couple calm. There are a few separate and distinct locations for weddings, and even more locations for receptions. Most of the weddings are held in the Gazebo or on the beach.

Sunscape the Beach is a one of the ?Summit Hotels & Resorts?, with very stringent rules of quality and service set for each property, inspected annually. It is the only Summit resort in the Dominican Republic. The Summit property designation means little to me personally, but the exacting standards mean a lot! You can see it in every aspect of the management of the hotel.?

Just returned from two weeks at the fabulous Sunscape The Beach Resort. The resort and gardens are lovely, staff marvellous and extremely friendly. The food was exceptional - we have done a lot of travelling and highly recommend this resort. The 3 foot floating riverlike pool was terrific. We can't say a negative word at all. We never go back to the same place twice but are considering a family reunion here next year.. Sunwing was wonderful as well. Pack your bags and go.

Our group of 6 adults stayed at Sunscape the Beach the first week of February. 5 of us were between the ages of 40-50 with one traveler aged 72. All have traveled several times in the Caribbean and I have stayed at another resort in Punta Cana (Allegro Gran Flamenco) 5 years earlier.

Tour Group / Flight / Transfer to Resort
We traveled on a direct flight from Hartford CT to Punta Cana via USA3000. The flight was excellent being only half full. They served a complete free mail on the flight both to Punta Cana and back to CT on the 10th. We had used Apple Tours with our travel agent to book the trip. We were completely happy with their service. They were always visible in the airports and resort with their bright Hawaiian shirts, and were very knowledgeable and helpful with whatever they were asked. After getting our luggage in Punta Cana the Apple representative directed us to our bus and we began the drive to Sunscape the Beach (STB from here on). Not much to say about the ride other than "it is what it is". Its long and bumpy. but I have to say that the area is much more built up than it was 5 years ago and the bus was way more comfortable than the one I rode back then. So the time went pretty fast. Our Apple rep was on the bus and gave a short talk and answered questions which was nice.

Check In / Room
Since our flight didn't land in Punta Cana until 8:50PM, it was well after 10PM when we arrived at STB. Our first impression was fantastic. The lobby was awesome so big and beautiful! We were immediately given fruit juices in champagne glasses and began the check in process. It was a bit confusing as the lobby was noisy with a band playing on the far side and some language barriers to overcome, but all was completed in a few minutes and we were on our way to our rooms in building 2. We got to our rooms and our luggage followed a few minutes later. We were thrilled to discover that all 3 rooms had a beautiful ocean view from the balcony. We had only booked run of the house deluxe garden view rooms so we were ecstatic. I attributed the upgrade to the fact that I had joined the Sunscape Forum Friends fan forum and had e-mailed our arrival info to the fan forum representative at STB. Everything worked in the room and it was immaculate. The room wasn't the biggest I have ever been in but it was certainly VERY nice in all appointments. Plenty of closet and dresser space, a nice bathroom with a wonderful shower and tub (BIG step up!). Air-conditioning and ceiling fan worked flawlessly. We were all certainly pleased. Maid service and mini bar fill ups throughout were excellent. We never saw the maid or mini bar guy...they always came during the day when we were out. The first morning I chose to leave the maid a $20 bill and a note in rudimentary Spanish saying that the tip was for her attention in the coming week. I have found that a gratuity at the beginning solves a lot of issues during the rest of your stay. And it seems to have worked perfectly here.

Property
Can't say much more than what so many have said, the property is beautiful! So many beautiful shrubs, trees, flowers and animals..it is incredible. the buildings are all maintained to the highest level...just a pleasure to walk around. The pool area is immaculate and the pool itself is certainly quite a sight. It dominates the whole resort and is beautiful. Getting around the resort requires a little learning. During checkout they directed us to our room by following the road behind the buildings. We found that the best way to get around is to follow the main walkway that borders the pool and cross over the bridge to your respective hotel building. The buildings and their room numbers are clearly marked on stone tablets at the foot of each bridge. Also this way is much better lit than the other side. You must be VERY careful when there has been a shower as the path is VERY slippery. Take your time and hold a friends hand! Also the tile floors in the building hallways are extremely slippery from washing or wet feet. Use care in the halls and especially in the stair wells (use the handrails). The only complaint that we had is that there are no benches at all along this walkway that travels the whole length of the resort from lobby to ocean. One member of our group has some chronic knee problems and she wished there were a few benches along the way to take a well needed break. Also it's so beautiful that a bench would be a nice place to absorb some of the scenery. If I remember correctly the Allegro resort had a bench out side every building for just these purposes.

Pool
As I have said the pool is certainly something to behold. That being said I only went in it one time. I have a pool at home and am most definitely a beach person. The other members of my party all used it to varying degrees and everyone seemed to like it. No problems finding lounges or floats. The float hogs were definitely around but there were enough floats to go around.

Beach
The beach is absolutely beautiful. Clear blue/green water. Some waves but not too many. I was thrilled with the beach...it was my one worry after reading all the reviews. It was always beautiful! Lots of sand not too much wind. Just right. Its not exactly the same as further south in Bavarro but it was fantastic. The coral area on the beach is well marked and provides a nice chance to snorkel for free. Just leave a $20 deposit at the towel shack and they will give you the gear. Simply swim along the left side buoy line marker and out over the coral, there is plenty to see. It's not the best reef snorkeling but its a nice perk to offer. If you want more and better snorkeling opportunities you can book a tour. Swimming to the left side of the marker line is the best swimming at the resort. Beautiful sandy bottom and no sea grass or sea weed. For more privacy drag your chair down the beach aways you will be by your self. Their are no resorts on either side of STB (although one is being built on the right as you face the sea) so it really is private. Every morning and throughout the day they rake up the little bit of sea weed that washes up on the beach so there is never any to worry about. There is drink service on the beach. Every morning after 9 Am Margarita the cocktail waitress would come by and take our order, and return in about 10 minutes with our choices. She would return several times though out the day with a big smile, a friendly word and our drink choices. There are plenty of palapas and palms for shade but get there early (9am -10am) if you want a palapas. There were always plenty of lounges and after the 2nd day when the sports guys saw me coming they would help me pull the 6 lounges down close to the water.

Weather
Perfect! 83-87 degrees F every single day. Several showers very early in the morning before the sun came up. Perfect!

Bars / Restaurants
All the bars are very nice and the bartenders are very friendly. Top shelf liquors were available you just had to request them. the Kafe bar up by the lobby buildings had fancy coffees also and we would go there after dinner for cappuccino.

We found the food to be excellent. It is a foreign country and things were not always the same as back home, but we enjoyed all the food. We ate in every restaurant and all 6 had a different favorite one . For breakfast the World Cafe (buffet) was excellent. The selection was incredible and the service quick and thorough. Be sure to have an omelet or fried eggs made to order by Felix. Some of us had room service and they raved about the HUGE continental breakfast they ate on their patio. For lunch, since we spent the whole day at the beach, we always ate at Oceana. Just put on your flip flops and a t-shirt or cover-up and you can go to a nice sit down lunch with an awesome view. Every day they had a nice buffet of salads and hot dishes and deserts. A nice touch every day was the fresh pasta station. Simply pick your toppings, your pasta, and the sauce and the chef will whip up a delicious pasta dish just for you. Excellent! We would arrive their about 10 minutes after they opened and never had to wait. A big hit was the soft serve ice cream station at bar on the beach...some of us went there several times a day!

Every night we tried a different restaurant. we would arrive about 10 minutes after they opened and never waited and were seated immediately. Some of my party can be pretty fussy but we all found things on the menu that we liked. The first Sunday we were there they had a huge super bowl party on the beach so we took that opportunity to go to Himitsu for Japanese Hibachi (we had read that is the hardest to get into). It was excellent! they cook so much! You don't order off a menu. The hibachi table seats 10...they give you a sushi plate and then a chicken based soup and then the hibachi chef cooks rice, vegetables, chicken, filet of beef, and shrimp. It was just as good as the Japanese restaurants back home. As I said everyone liked a different restaurant. El Patio (Mexican) was my favorite. The shrimp dish I had was delicious. Dreams (upstairs over Oceana) was beautiful. Its adults only and is easily the fanciest restaurant on the property. Also they have the best steak at STB. For seafood Oceana can't be beat...they have lots of fresh fishes and I enjoyed the mixed seafood grill. Several in our party are of Italian heritage and they loved La Trattoria which is inside the World Cafe. Its an a la carte restaurant to the right hand side of the buffet. They liked all the Italian food there. The Seaside grill (next door to Oceana) is a good place for ribs and chicken and other Bar B Q fare. Its the most casual of all the restaurants.

As far as the dress code. You can wear jeans to any restaurant on the property. Guys can wear a nice pair of shorts to all restaurants except Dreams and Hitmitsu. A simple T-shirt or polo type shirt is all you need for a top. Ladies can get by with slacks or capris or a casual skirt or dress. Its a lot more easy going then the web page and travel info say.

Entertainment / Tours
We went to all the shows. A lot of fun but nothing to write home by. They give the evening some focus and something to do. We always had a good time and a laugh. Don't miss the Michael Jackson show its easily the best of them all. I liked the magician a lot also.

After years of traveling and cruises, I have no interest in taking tours and side trips. I just like to lie on the beach, soak up the rays and swim in the ocean. So I didn't take any tours. I can tell you that there are way more things to do in the Punta Cana area then there were 5 years ago. back then it was Manitee Park or the Safari Tour and that's about it!

Staff
I never saw so many smiles or received so many HOLAS in one week anywhere else I have stayed in the world. The staff is so friendly and helpful you won't believe. they love it when you try out your Spanish on them! They all are the #1 reason why we will be going back next February and bringing more family and friends with us. they keep the resort clean and running like a clock.

We just returned from our 3rd trip to Sunscape the Beach (STB) and our 10th overall with Amresorts. Each year we go our vacations keep get better. The Managers and all the staff are excellent at this resort. Very attentative to you needs and wants. Since we usually stay on the resort all week so we want to be comfortable, with a top pool and beach, good food and smiling people around us. We have been to many other all-inclusive chains so we know what you get for your money.

Getting there: We flew USA3000. Very nice flights, good legroom, refreshments, food, headsets for the movie are all included. I flew commercial so I was able to take and extra 50 lbs for kids, things to donate. Arrived on time. Had a taxi waiting at the airport with our name on a sign. We were at the resorts in 1 hour.

Checking in: First of all you will be stunned by the beauty of the lobby and the 2 staircases which take you to the main level after you check-in. Since we didn’t arrive with a group we checked right in. If you are with a group be patient, check-in doesn’t take long. Check-in time is 3 PM so take a swim suite in you carry-on to go to the pool. If available they will offer you an upgrade for a price in check-in. A fruit drink and a moist towel will greet you.

Rooms: We had a honeymoon suite with an ocean view in building 6. I would have a hard time believing that there are many nicer rooms in PC. It is a double room with a huge amount of room. Very large shower, plenty of hot water. A double sink, a walk-in closet with shelves my wife used. I used the other closet that is also large with shelves. King size poster bed. 2 couches that can be made into beds. 2 Armoires, each with a TV. CD player. Hot tub on deck. Takes a while to fill but really nice when you get in to relax. The standard rooms are nice. They are not large but adequate for your needs. People seemed to enjoy the swim out rooms. They are lower level near the pool. You have your own private area to layout in your lounge chairs. No need to save chairs. All rooms have a pool view or ocean view to some extent. You can usually upgrade on arrival if you choose. The cleaning staff, turndown service, towels for the rooms were perfect. Room cleaning times may vary, probably due to who is checking in and out. Ours was always done by 3PM.

Pools: Huge! 3 foot deep, which is a nice depth. Water was cool to enter but the very comfortable. Swim up bar at one end towards the ocean with good service. There are many chairs and different nooks to lay. Many Palapas. The best spots go early with towels saving chairs. There are plenty of floats if people do not hog them. A waterfall divides the pool in half. Many chairs sit partially in the water and are very popular chairs. Two or three volleyball areas. Jacuzzis built into the pool. Not heated but have powerful jets. The pool is just huge.

Grounds: Amazing, beautiful, what can I say. I was there when the resort openened 2 years ago and it since has grown into a lush paradise. Ponds with bunnies, ducks, flamingos, roosters etc are along the main walkway. They ponds are lit at night and are very pretty. A main walkway runs the length of the resort so you do not have to step over people around the pool. Also very accessible for wheelchairs. The main walkway is lined with beautiful vegetation and lit at night with very soft but adequate lighting. The resort is large but with the main walkway it never seemed to be crowded and is very easy to walk. The resort was full and you never saw crowds of people, actually had an intimate feel.

Beach; Large beach, very light brown sand that is thick, soft and stays cool. Many places to lay and many chairs and palapas. Water is wavy but our last few days was very calm and warm. Sand on ocean floor was soft and smooth, no seaweed. Rock and coral are marked off where to avoid, mainly in the front of the resort. Most people stay to the right. You can walk as far as you want in either direction and see only sand and blue water except for a couple of scattered resorts.

Weather; average about 84 degrees. Clear blue sky. Very light breeze and intense sun. Evenings were a little buggy with no breeze and warm temperatures. Most of the nights were mosquito free but a few nights they were pests. Even after they spray it still depends on the weather no matter what resort.

Entertainment: The playmakers are all great and very talented. Activities all day from swimming pool games, volleyball, dancing, contests, etc. The nightly shows are typical of all-inclusive resorts. Michael Jackson show is the best and most popular. They have a sax and piano player in the upper lobby in the early evening that is very nice. Later at night on certain nights a piano player singer does a Karaoke type show that get a little wild. He starts with a disclaimer. They have a house band that also plays right after the shows. STB also has a Spa. It is very attractive and will have any type of treatment you are looking to have, they will offer a certain treatment daily at a discount so watch the newsletter in your room.

Food; I read all sorts of things about the food. I can’t understand why anyone would not be happy with the food and neither could most or all of the people I chatted with. The food is not the same as you hometown restaurant. The food was very good. Each restaurant seems to have certain dinners that are better than others. All the food we ate that week was very good, some was outstanding. There is a large selection and we were always full. The house wines are drinkable but not much better than that but the have a wine list with many nice wines for about $19 a bottle. Really reasonable. They also offer a lobster for $29 per person, again very reasonable. No reservations are required so you can decide that night or even eat a 2 restaurants it you can eat that much. Dreams and the Japanese restaurants can have waits, put your name in and get a beeper then go have a drink. Most times you will walk in and have a seat. Most people dressed a nice casual. Men in summer slacks with a collared shirt. Women were dressier at times but anything nice casual is fine. The beach party was the best I have ever seen. Mucho food, they served you drinks, constant entertainment on a beach stage. They even did their nightly entertainment show on the beach. Also have the football games on the beach at night with tailgate foods. Draws a lot of guests and fans. For lunch they even have a barbecue on the beach so you can eat in your bathing suit. Seven a-la-carte restaurants and one main buffet, all serving different foods. Dress nice, for all the restaurants have a different atmosphere but are all nice. Most restaurants never seemed too busy and the resort was at capacity.

Drinks: Bars are everywhere and offer medium to upscale liquors. Most have high end liquor and after dinner drink liqueurs. Bar vary at times with what they have available. The do not have Bailey’s but I was made a “Dominican Bailey’s” which tasted just like Bailey’s, surprised me. Beer is Presidente. To me similar to Heineken. Many places for espresso and cappuccino’s. You will be happy with the drink selections. Heard no complaints. You have to request if you want something specific or you will get local brands.

Weddings and Group functions: Many weddings, bridal parties and a few work functions. Many very nice places to have a function, wedding party or special occasion. The upper lobby outside Hmitsu, Dreams deck, Mexican deck, the beach, around the pool etc. The gazebo is very beautiful to get married. They have a very good staff to assist you in all your needs. We saw many private functions all week long. This is a very nice resort for a wedding.

Kids: They have the Explorers Club and a teenage program to entertain younger people. We do not have kids but the programs looks like they would have a great time. They have a kids buffet that is lower and has food geared more to kids so they can help themselves. During times when school is in the resort has mainly an adult crowd with some younger children. During summer months they are quite a few kids at the resort. The resort is almost a mix between an adult’s resort and a family resort depending on school schedules. I think any family with children of various ages would have a good time.

Staff: I go to Amresort properties because I think they are better managed than some resorts. The resorts are geared to English speaking people but it is still very international. Managers are everywhere so if you do have a question or problem they are there to help you. The hostesses, bartenders, servers, etc are all extremely nice people and are there to make you comfortable. They remember us from past trips, which is nice. If they do not speak English there is no problem with communication that a few hand gestures will not solve.

Location: STB is about 60 to 75 mins from the airport. The more remote location gives it a more tropical paradise feel with unlimited beaches to walk undisturbed. The sand is very light brown and the waves can be rougher than Bavaro. The waves can vary, a few days they were very still and a few days they were wavy. The sound of suttle waves breaking on shore sounds great to me.

My wife and I stayed at Sunscape The Beach for our honeymoon January 14 - January 22, 2007.

Flight: We flew USA 3000 Airlines out of O'Hare in Chicago. The flight went well and was on-time. Arrival: The front desk was polite, courteous, professional and spoke English very well. Immediately after we checked in, we went to our room. Our travel agent had requested a "room upgrade" since it was our honeymoon. We weren't looking for a free honeymoon suite upgrade, but thought it would have been a nice gesture on the resorts part to upgrade us. Seeing our "partial ocean-view room" was the furthest building away from the beach (building #5), we were a little disappointed. Wanting to check out the view from the balcony, we opened the sliding patio door, when the screen door fell off. We just looked at each other and laughed (wondering if this was a sign of things to come). Once we had picked up the screen door, we walked out on the 3rd floor balcony and closed the door not wanting what little A/C that was in the room to escape. Once we closed the patio door, we began admiring our view (which wasn't much to speak of, being so far away from the beach). When we had enough of views, we went to open the door to walk back inside, only to find ourselves locked out on the 3rd floor balcony of our room. Being on the 3rd floor, jumping off the balcony wasn't much of an option. We tried raising the attention of our neighbors to the left and right without any luck. We did have a nice view of the pool down below and apparently the pool-goers had a nice view of us also, because a few of them yelled up to us to try pushing up on the door as we attempt to slide it open. My guess is the same thing happened to them. After a few minutes of trying to get our locked door open, we did manage to open it from the outside.

After this, we went to the front desk and requested to be moved to another room, preferable closer to the beach. We were told the resort was "completely full" and they could write our name down and contact us 2 days later when more rooms would become available. Well, we never heard from the front desk and we learned to live with our "handicapped room".

The Beach: We didn't find the beach rocky at all. It was quite windy (yellow and red flags the entire trip) but we were told, thats how it is in the winter there. We spent many days walking the entire length both ways and found it very enjoyable.

The Restaurants: We spent most of our time in The World Cafe (Wesli and Willy were our favorite servers, always smiling and very helpful). Dreams restaurant was very good! The steak was outstanding! The Patio restaurant was also very good!

Location: One of the furthest resorts from anything. Unless you plan on doing excursions, don't expect much outside of the resort.

Maid/Room Service: The maid service was very good! Room service left a little to be desired. We ordered food one night, was told 45 mins. After an hour and a half, we fell asleep.

Entertainment: Don't miss the Michael Jackson show!!!!!

Shopping: A 5-10 minute walk down the road in front of the resort leads you to a small shopping center. It also has a bank in the mall, in case you need to make an ATM withdrawal like we did. Shopping is also available on the beach.

**** We scheduled an appointment with the resort photographer, (I wish I could remember his name) and I would HIGHLY recommend his services! He takes incredible photographs and will create many memories for you for years to come! ****

My boyfriend and I stayed at Sunscape the Beach from Jan 15-24th. We just got home!

First off. Any reviews where they say that "the staff is unfriendly", "the service is so so"., etc are LUDICROUS!

This was our first time to the DR but we travel to a different place every year. This was by far the best all inclusive we've stayed at.

The maids could not have worked harder. A sweet young man would come top up our bar fridge with whatever we wanted, someone would come in and sweep and clean up, someone would change our sheets and towels and then we would get turndown service. AND THEN they would call to make sure we didn't need anything else. They called us at least 4 times over the time we were there. Really great! If they happened to miss your room because you were in it, they were always cleaning on the floor so you could find someone in half a second if you needed anything.

And every one was so HAPPY!!!

We tried to eat at all of the restaurants. Most of them opened at 6pm so we would go right at six and never once had a wait.

We ate at himitsu both Japanese and Chinese. They were ok. The Japanese side is a lot of fun especially if you have a good group of 10 at your table with you. Food was good.

El Patio the Mexican restaurant was our favorite. Really yummy food and we had the best waitress. Like any were bad! lol

We ate at Dreams which was really nice. Great atmosphere. Really good food. We enjoyed that one.

We ate at the Seaside Grill once for lunch and it was good but we found it a lot like the World Cafe but there was more to pick from at the world cafe. We ate lunch and breakfast at the World cafe every day. We loved it. Tons to choose from! I gained 5 pound AT LEAST.

We did find that most of the loungers had towels on them early but we rolled out of bed pretty late so early bird and all...

The best thing we did was to bring a couple of chair floats with drink holders. They had mesh bottoms and were practically unsinkable. We would just toss them in, climb into them and float around the pool all day. We never even looked for loungers.

There were lots of floats kicking around. The staff would walk around and throw them back in the pool when people had them by the chairs. Everyone that wanted floats seemed to have them.

We played the games down at the sugar reef one day and had a great time. The staff does a great job! Nothing mortifying...just fun so easy to participate.

I didn't even go in the beach water not because there was anything wrong with it but because I couldn't get my lazy arse off my pool float.

The grounds for the resort are beautiful and there are men working on them all day every day. They are really gorgeous. The grounds not the men....ok...some of the men too.

I loved walking around and seeing the flamingos and feeding the weird little mohawked ducks. The bunnies. The peacock. Tons of butterflies. It was great!

Thanks to kaki for rounding all the forum friends up on our last night there! What a great time we had!!! A great meal. A great group of people! My boyfriend has not stopped talking about how much fun he had with everyone.

The only downside to the trip was the hellish wait at security at the Punta Cana airport on the way home. BLECH. GO EARLY! One poor woman had a seizure in the line up and everyone was screaming for some medical help. And noone would come. It was really hard to watch. A passenger finally came running back through security to help. It made me real nervous about getting sick or hurt in Dominican. That was the ONLY bad part tho.

I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed myself there. The staff was so helpful. We needed to box up this crazy sized statue we bought when we were far too full of wine to be haggling. The thing is huge! The staff rounded up a box, duct tape, scissors, packing and brought it all to our room in a matter of minutes.

Like I said. Great. Really great.

I would not hesitate to go back there. If you have a trip booked there, relax and enjoy it.

And for anyone getting married there...we saw 12 weddings in the time we were there. They handle them like pros. We had supper with one of the newlywed couples on night and they said they were panicked because the resort seemed so laid back about it all and they were worried it wouldn't all come together. The bride said everything was fantastic and that they did a really great job. She said they just handle it in such a laid back manner compared to what she was used to. Probably because they hold weddings every day of life.

I'm sure I'm forgetting lots. I'm still jetlagged from 24 hours of plane rides and waits.

My wife and I just returned from Sunscape the Beach and had a great time. I read enough reviews on this site (some of which were helpful) so want to offer some of our experience, comments and ideas. It was a surprise birthday present for my wife, (who hasn't stopped thanking me since), so understand that the following is based on two people from Maryland celebrating a 50th birthday and wedding anniversary looking to relax, get a break from our children, meet some people and just have a good time. Please take that into account when reading this, as your expectations may be different to mine. Any negative points below were taken in stride and had no affect on our good time. Also, take into account that we were there in early January and the resort was at full capacity.

• The bus from La Romana was 1.5 hours, and gave us a chance to see a little besides a resort. The time flew by with the Apple guide giving some info on DR. No problem.
• Check-in was without a hitch.
• Highly recommend up grading to a honeymoon suite for a special occasion. I got an early bird special so managed to contact the resort and get an ocean view room with a hot tub on the balcony. The room was great. The resort also threw in the Anniversary package, which included a bottle of champagne, discount at the spa etc. Ask for room #7303.
• Overall the food was very good. Dreams was our favorite and could be relied on for a good meal. The ocean-view outdoor bar outside the restaurant was nice for a quiet drink. The Mexican restaurant was our next favorite and had good food and margaritas. The Japanese and Chinese restaurants were together. Had to be in early for the Japanese. The food was good but if you have been to a Japanese chop-chop place, this is nothing new and not worth a long wait. Fun for kids though and they did a good job at it. When we go back we will probably pass on the Chinese restaurant next time as was just so so. The World Café had great breakfast and lunch buffets. Didn’t try it for dinner but heard good things. Did a “cooking class” at the beach, which produced a great seafood lunch. Room service was OK.
• We both had a slight case of the runs. Probably caused by eating a lot of food our bodies weren’t use to. Take your own Kayo as it cost $20 in the gift store.
• Don’t drink the water. Never had a shortage of bottled water though.
• The best drinks were served at the lobby bar. Their coffee was also outstanding.
• We only went to the Michael Jackson show. It was good but be wary of sitting in the first few rows or you may end up on stage performing a Michael Jackson imitation (like I had to).
• The spa was good and they did a good job. Didn’t hear any complaints from anyone (including my wife).
• The beach was really nice. Plenty of chairs and cover. swimming was good to left of the trampoline. Swimming was also good in a couple of areas a ways down the beach if you like to go for walks.
• The pool was also very nice. Everything said about the floats and chair situation is true. People get their towels on their chairs and grab floats early. The only way to beat them is to join them, which we weren’t going to bother with. Besides, we were there for the beach! The resort should do a better job of policing that because tensions did get a little high a couple of times, but remember, you are on vacation so don’t stress about it.
• The beach party is a must. Good food and get to meet a lot of good people. Good show also. We had 4-different nationalities sitting at one table.
• Don’t buy much at the gift store. There are better deals around. You need to learn to haggle because the prices drop significantly, even in the gift shop. If you walk on the beach outside of the resort you will have people approach you to try to talk you into looking at their gift store. Worth one visit, then you have to wave them off every time you pass. Bit annoying, but they soon get to recognize you and know that you are a waste of their time. They will also try to rip you off. They tried to sell me something for $125, which I ended up paying $35 for after the haggling. Got to try haggling at least once.
• The things you need to buy: Cigars, rum, and coffee. Again, there are great deals out there but you have to shop.
• Went on the “ Outback Jungle Safari ”. It was a fun time and a chance to get a better look at the wildlife and the people. I found a good deal on cigars on this trip.
• The staff at the resort were fun friendly people. Try your Spanglish on them as they apprec