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 Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana   Location: Beach Front - Punta Cana - East Coast - 30 - 40 minutes minutes from airport All-inclusive - 865 rooms & Suites Description from resort website:This resort is located in the eastern part of the Dominican Republic, in the center of the well-known beach Playa Bavaro and is surrounded by exuberant tropical palms, white sand and clear turquoise waters. This resort is minutes away from Punta Canas International Airport. The resort is also in walking distance from the Nautical Club where international fishing tournaments take place every year and record catches of marlins abound. 9 restaurants - 8 Bars  ~ Reviews posted on this page — 32  Don't forget to send Debbie your review ~ Map of Resort  ~ Reader's Vacation Photos ~ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Save on All-Inclusive Caribbean Resorts with Travelocity Save on All-Inclusive Caribbean Resorts with Travelocity.ca |
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| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Megan ~ Saint John, NB, CAN |
Hello Debbie
I have just returned from a trip to the Occidental Grand Punta Cana with two of my girlfriends. We had a wonderful time a few mishaps, but overall a great experience, so I thought I'd share my experience with anyone who plans on attending this resort.
Arrival and Flight
Two of my friends I travelled from Saint John to Halifax on the bus and flew out of Halifax Stanfield International Airport, unfortunately we forgot to print off our hotel vouchers, so luckily we had 7 hrs to wait before our flight, so we found a security guard who was extremely helpful in finding us a printer to print off our vouchers. We did have to leave airport on a shuttle bus to the nearest hotel Quality Inn, where they let us use their business center for free, which was very generous of them, so we left the concierge a tip :)
When we returned back to the airport my friends and I played lots of cards, so I suggest if you have a wait its best to learn a few card games before you leave and bring a deck of cards.
Our boarding was quick & easy, the flight went by fairly fast, West Jet was lovely, they feed us and also served a light snack
Once arriving in Punta Cana airport we retrieved our luggage quick and easily and boarded the bus to our resort. There was other people on our bus going to different resorts, luckily we were dropped off first. On the bus ride the tour guide taught us some spanish words that would be ideal to know and also gave a round of Presidente, the local beer down there (with a charge of $4 US a bottle)
Rooms
When we arrived to the resort, we got there at 11:00 am, and we unable to check-in until 3pm. Our luggage was stored in a spare room our front of the resort. We were kind of uneasy about our valuables being taken away from us, but once seeing the beautiful resort you kind of forget about it. Unfortunately we had no idea what was going on, we tried to find a washroom to freshen up in. So note: Use the lobby washroom, don't run around the resort trying to find another washroom.
After getting freshen up we went and explored the grounds and hung out by the pool.
At around 2:30 pm we went to go see if we could check-in which we could. When we arrived to our room we were on the bottom floor. The rooms were very neat & clean, as well as very spacious. Since there was three of us girls we had three beds which was delightful, because no one really likes sharing a bed. However, I think we were suppose to be Premium Club which are buildings 23, 24, 25, we were put in 26 which is NOT Premium club, but the room met our needs so we didn't complain.
Watch out for little unwanted guest! We hadn't seen any lizards being there and on our last night we found a little gecko on the wall. Luckily my friend was a superstar a captured the little critter in ice bucket and threw it out of the room.
Also there was a lot of power outages, but this is to be expected. You are staying in a third world country, so please if you stay here, be accepting of these flaws, because honestly we saw a woman yell at one of the employees about this, and it wasn't his fault and there was really nothing he could do.
We also encountered a little setback at 5:30 am to our room flooding. One of the pipes on the back of the toilet busted and flooded our whole room. We just laughed it off and took tons of photos of it. We did go to the front desk to be moved to a new room. This was probably one of the worst moments of our trips and probably the only complaint we had, because the guy serving us at the reception desk was extremely rude! He laughed at our situation and when we started to become upset at the fact that he wouldn't do anything for us, he attacked us by saying we must be Canadians because were complaining so much. Finally after an hour and a half of arguing we finally ask another guy who worked out front driving golf carts if we could get a new room and seriously within 15 minutes we were in a new clean, dry room.
I guess the language barrier has a lot to do with it, but also the fact that yes they are from a different lifestyle which is much more laidback than our Canadian lifestyle.
Restaurants
The restaurants were ok at best, if you are Premium Club you'll get 5 a la' carte reservations made for you. Unfortunately most of ours were at 6:30 pm and this wasn't great because we'd have to leave the beach at 4:00 pm so we'd have enough time for us three girls two shower and get ready for our dinner reservation. After eating at the Italian and Brazilian restaurant we decided we'd stick to the Buffet, which was very delicious and always something to be found to eat. However, the first night eating here we were a little uneasy at what we could actually eat, because we had all been warned don't eat the chicken or the beef. Everything is very suitable to eat, we had no problems at all. Everything was well cooked and delicious.
The snack bar by the swim up pool was always nice for lunch. Us girls went everyday around 12:00 pm, never had a problem with line ups until the last day, I guess some kind of Beach Party was happening that night so more people were at the resort. Again this snack bar was great, everyone was so friendly and helpful. Also one of the gentleman that worked there brought his cat to work everyday, so I always had a little friend to say Hi to when we went there. Yes I like my cats! lol..I missed my kitties from home :)
The Pizza and Taco restaurants were very well liked. We never tried the Taco bar, but friends that we met there said it was very delicious. For the Pizza restaurant, its open until 6:30am, which is great from drunken pizza after the Mangu! I highly suggest eating after drinking, or you may not make it out the next morning. ;)
The pizza doesn't taste like home, the first time you try it you may not like it because the cheese tends to be a little runny, but seriously give it a try, it'll really grow on you.
Bars
The two main bars we went to were the one in the main lobby and by the theatre. Both are very friendly and fast! However, you really need to push yourself up to the bar or you won't be served for awhile. We would hangout by the Theatre bar while the shows were going on, and than move into the lobby bar later.
Tips $ were greatly appreciated, especially to the waitresses in the lobby, who serve drinks and pick up your empty glasses.
Beach and Pools
The beach is beyond words, we never ever had a problem finding a chair to sit on, but again we went in an off season, so if you go in March, I heard there is more trouble finding a seat on the beach, but in our case never a problem. Its much breezier on the beach, so don't be fooled that its not that hot WEAR LOTS OF SUNSCREEN!! I learned my lesson the hard way.
The beach has beautiful tall crisp blue waves, fine white sand, it truly beyond words.
Grounds
Very well maintained! These employees work very hard. Even after a rainstorm these men will be out sweeping away the water, so you don't have to walk through it.
The resort in itself is beautiful, definitely take lots of photos.
Activities and Entertainment
You will probably never we bored at this resort. They have a team call the Fun Club that have a schedule listed by the theatre they have planned activities all day that you can partake in. Unfortunately us girls were there to work on our tans, so we really didn't do many of the activities. We did however one day go for Spanish lessons. We were approached on the beach by one of the employees of Fun Club, so we decided to give it a try. They are all so enthusiastic! :) Its a really good time. For night time they have nightly shows at the theatre. Some are well worth it and others not so much! For the bad shows we mostly just stuck by the bar. Also try to partake in the skits, they are so much fun! My friend & I did karaoke one night, it was a lot of fun!
Also the MANGU is a must! They have the most interesting little characters running around there, there is a pimp, a little midget girl, and a Marilyn Munroe look alike. Its a lot of fun, if you like being cramped in a dance bar with techno music. We didn't go downstairs much, it was more of an older crowd with mambo music. It interesting though. Also, this bar doesn't close until everyone leaves so you can party all night!!
Also I suggest, bring cards would be a very good idea. Many rainy nights the girls and I would sit in the main lobby having drinks and playing cards.
Tours
For excursions, I had my heart set on swimming with the Dolphins, but after hearing about all the other excursions we decided to choose the Marine Resort where you snorkel with coral reef and tropical fish, than you move into a fenced in area with nurse sharks and stingrays! It was amazing!!! Def give it an A+! The cost was $83 US. After swimming you get back on the boat where you given a light snack and drinks, while also dancing to different songs! This was the party boat!! Def a lot of fun and totally put us into the party mood. You also get to swim in a natural bath pool which is about 4 ft deep, and you are served different kinds of alcoholic drinks. This excursion is probably more for the adventurous type, but there are plenty of others that were highly recommended. Such as the Rum Runners, were you get a look at the Dominican lifestyle and the Catamaran. We were going to do this one, since my friend did it the year before, but I guess I was looking for something a little more adventurous, so I preswaded the girls to go swimming with the sharks. They truly loved it!! :)
Departure and Check Out
As for checkout, this was a little bit of a mess. The night before we decided to pack our bags so we'd be ready for our early morning checkout at 6:30 am. However, we had a mishap the night before with a pipe bursting in our room and we had to switch rooms, which at this time we were very disorganized and had no idea where anything really was. Well this disorganization lead to my two friends misplacing their passports. They frantically looked every where but could not find their passports. No one working at the resort was helpful in trying to help them contact someone about this situation. Finally we got a hold of an emergency line with our travel agency Transat Holiday. This gentleman on the phone told them that a medicare card and drivers license would be suitable to board the plane, so at this time they stopped looking for their passports and we checkout quick and easily.
Once arriving to the airport we waited in line to check our luggage, when getting to the front of the line we were informed that medicare cards and driver licenses were not suitable to board the plane with, you need either a passport or your drivers license and birth certificate. Unfortunately, the girls didn't bring their birth certificates thinking they wouldn't need them since they had their passports. So I highly recommend bringing all the appropriate I.D, just in case.
Luckily there was our Transat travel agent at the airport trying to call different places to get the girls on that flight, but unfortunately it was West Jet that wouldn't let them on, so I had to board the plane alone and fly back to Halifax alone. The girls were very fortunate to find their passports hidden in their luggage and boarded a later plane that night out of Punta Cana.
Conclusion
Overall, this trip was quite an experience we had a lot of ups and downs, such as not having our hotel vouchers, the power outages, the flood in our room, the little extra guest we found in our room the last night, and the girls losing their passports, but at the end of the day we wouldn't change anything! These little troubles are what make the trip so memorable, if everything went smoothly, what is the fun in that. The girls and I have so many stories to tell, unfortunately you do have to be a certain kind of person to accept all these minor flaws, we are all fairly laid back, so it was more funny once we made it through these troubles. But truly we wouldn't have changed a thing!
This trip was def a 10 out of 10!!
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Carol |
Just returned from Punta Cana May 3, 2008 stayed at the Occidental Grand.
This was our 6th visit to Punta Cana, we always stay at a different resort this year it just happened to be the Occidental.
When we first arrived I was very impressed the grounds are beautiful and our room was very nice. I even told my husband that maybe the hotel should be upgraded to more than a 4. BOY WAS I WRONG!!!
We arrived on April 26th on Sunday 27th we came from the beach to have lunch, no power no water in the restrooms, they had large tubs of water for people to wash their hands, if you had to use the bath room they got really gross very quickly! Power & water restored after about 5 hours. I figured okay so the problem was temporary I WAS WRONG AGAIN!! On Monday the same thing again, Tuesday was even worse, we had no power in our building for over 24 hrs. After being on the beach all day and the public restrooms having no power & no water, we went to our rooms to shower and get ready for dinner. Well imagine your surprise when you have only bottle water and no power. At about 10pm on Tuesday night they gave us a room in other building they said the transformer had blown and they would have it fixed by noon the next day. We took the key and went to the assigned room, when we entered the room it was already occupied, I was just glad that no one was home! So we went back down to get another room when we got to the next room it had not been updated in years, the good thing is we did have water however. it was all over the bathroom floor the toilet leaked! Thank God that by 4 pm not 12pm the next day we were back in our original room. On Friday night we had rain and I was very happy that I only had shoes sitting on the one side of the room as the ceiling in our original room leaked!! This hotel has some definite maintenance problems. I would not recommend that you stay there!
As I said before this was our 6th visit to Punta Cana, in all of our visits only one other time did we encounter a problem with the power and that was after a rain for only a few minutes. So if you go and I would say go to Punta Cana don’t stay at the Occidental
Grand! We have stayed at the Riu Palace Maccao, The Majestic Colonial, Bavaro Palace, Bavaro Beach & Secrets (now Dreams)
We had good to great accommodations at the other resorts.
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Geraldine |
Just returned from a glorioius one wk stay at the Occidental Grand Punta Cana. Very Very Clean. Staff was friendly and helpful. They love Canadians. The buffett was great, even for picky eaters, we could always find something normal like turkey, fried chicken, salads, rice, pasta. It was great and everything didn't taste the same as on some of the resorts I've been.
A couple of small things, like our complimentary bottle of rum never did show up, even after mentioning to our AirTransat rep twice. As well, the couple travelling with us had a phone that did not work and complained many times, but it never did get fixed or replaced.
All in all it was a great trip, and Yes, the beach is the best one ever!
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Hillary ~ New York |
I just returned from two weeks at the Occidental Grand Flamenco Hotel. After reading terrible review after terrible review I was really nervous that the place would be awful. I couldn't have been more wrong!
First off, the beautiful beach and weather would have made my vacation alone. When we first arrived we received a 1st floor room, but it smelled slightly like mildew so we asked to be changed. We were changed the next day without a problem to a second floor room. The rooms were gorgeous, spacious, and well maintained.
My family and I traveled with Air Transat, which is a "Premium Package". This simply means that there is a special roped off area on the beach just for Premium members so that you do not have to fight for chairs as much. There was also a special breakfast place for Premium Members, but we preffered the buffet. The final difference was that premium members are located in four designated buildings, for whatever reason.
I read multiple reviews that complained about no hot water and power outages. The reality of that situation is that the Dominican is a third world country, it's not the United States! In my fourteen day stay, I might have taken two or three cold showers, and the power went out twice. This is only because the island has more demand for power than it can actually supply, therefore these incidents are common. Personally, this didn't affect me in the least because please--who wants to spend time in your room when you could be outside enjoying the beautiful weather?
As far as food went, the buffet was excellent. We also enjoyed the Oriental Restaurant, but we much preferred to serve ourselves as the food wasn't anything special in the restaurants.
As far as nightlife goes, I have one word: MANGU! Disco Mangu is currently the number one club in Punta Cana, and arguably the best in the entire Dominican! The first floor was modern hip-hop, reggaeton, merengue, and a few other genres. The top floor was techno/house music--both were exceptional.
I also heard many complaints of the staff not speaking enough English. Having traveled into the country to the real Dominican and seeing the schooling, I'm surprised that they can speak English at all! However, everyone I spoke to knew English very well except for a few bartenders. Some staff members even went as far as to try to help me learn and improve my Spanish. The staff is truly wonderful.
In conclusion:
I would recommend this hotel to anyone! If you're thinking of traveling to Punta Cana, the Occidental Grand Flamenco is an excellent choice!
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Tony |
We have just returned from a stay at the Occidental Grand in Punta Cana. As this is one of our many visits to the area, we feel qualified in commenting on this resort. Our stay was in the premium club with Air Transat.Our objective was to relax on the beach and just veg out, as we have done most of the day trips offered.
Flying on West Jet is a Dream. The Air Transat staff seemed to always be late and would apologize constantly. Told them to allow more time for meetings.
The hotel was very clean with friendly staff for the most part. Food in general was ok but we have been used to more variety in similar resorts. I found that when ordering drinks from the bars (not in a rush) that certain bartenders spent as much time doing shooters as they were working.
The room was clean and neat but the showers were terrible with little or no water pressure.
A trip to the Oriental restaurant was as follows:
1. seating at table for 9:00 and had to be shared( no problem very nice girls for company)
2. water in glass 9:30 with order taken at 10:00
3. food arrives at 10:40
4. exit at 11:00 before dessert arrives
Before you pass judgment read on.
A trip to Italian restaurant (which was busier) as follows:
1. seating at 6:30 with wine and water at 6:35
2. meal arrived at 7:00 after entries
3. desert including liqueurs at 7:30
4. left large tip with handshake at 9:00
As I run my own business, I know the value of good service and product, and would not rate this as a 4.5 star. Maybe a 4?.
My advice for you would be to spend a few more dollars and stay at the Bahai Principe and see what a difference there is. You get what you pay for.
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Bryan |
I stayed April 4th through April 8th and I must admit I have read others reviews and this being my first vacation in a long time plus leaving the states. I could not have been more pleased. The staff is so friendly, the rooms are clean and great. I too stayed on the ground floor and the balcony was very spacious. It's a great location if you want a little of relaxing, fun and sun. Be back in October 08 for a longer stay. One more thing, if your worried about the food, trust me no worries on this resort. The Lobster House Private dinning was more than one could expect and truly private.
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Rebecca |
I had the pleasure of staying at the Occidental Grand Punta Cana from March 25 to April 1. I arranged my vacation through Air Canada Vacations.
Check-in
As I was staying in the Royal Club, when I got to the resort my luggage and I were whisked away to the Royal Club reception. Check-in was quick and efficient.
Room
My room was spacious and clean and the bed was very comfortable. I was on the ground floor, so I had a terrace. The terrace was also quite spacious and surrounded by lovely greenery. My room was kept very clean. The maids would come in and clean it in the morning after I'd gone out, and would return again while I was out for supper to check my room for fresh towels and to turn down my bed for me. The fridge was always stocked with a variety of beverages, and all I did was leave a note for the maid if I wanted more of something. The bathroom had a tub and a separate shower. The bathtub looked like it had seen better days, but it didn't bother me because the shower was just fine. If I wanted to have a bit of a soak, I just went for a swim in the pool, which was nice and warm. The maids really appreciate a tip. Every day I left $1 and a small gift for her, and on the last day I left a bit larger of a tip because my room was always kept in tiptop shape.
Restaurants
The first day I tried the Home Rum Snack Bar. The food wasn't stellar, but it was quick and suited its purpose at the time. In the evening, I walked down to the main buffet. There was lots of choice, and what I tried was good. The next day, I went to the restaurant at the Royal Club. The food was fantastic and the service so friendly that it's where I ate from then on in. They were very accommodating to someone who was there all by herself. Their English wasn't perfect, but I had no problems communicating what I wanted or needed, especially since I have a nut allergy. I can't comment on the Beach Club or the a la carte restaurants, as I didn't feel the need to try them out.
Beach
The beach was absolutely beautiful and well-groomed. Every morning someone raked the sand and made sure that it was tidy. Empty cups and water bottles were collected regularly. Guests staying at the Royal Club had their own area roped off and had nice, cushioned beach chairs. There was plenty of shade if you had too much of the sun. It also had it's own bar that was exclusively for the use of Royal Club guests. The bartending staff was always friendly. I'm not much of a drinker, but I did enjoy my fair share of pina coladas.
Pools
I really only swam in the pool at the Royal Club, but I took walks around the whole resort and saw that the pools were all clean, well-maintained, and conveniently located.
Activities and Entertainment
There were lots of activities if you found yourself bored with just lounging around on the beach reading. I was provided with a schedule of activities when I checked in. However, for the most part, I was quite content to sprawl out on a lounge chair and read for almost my entire stay. There was nightly entertainment, which I hear was good, but I was so wiped out by the sun that I was in bed by 10 p.m. almost every night, which was when the nightly shows began.
Tours
I went on the Bavaro Runners Safari Adventure full day tour, which is $85 US if you arrange it through your hotel. It was a lot of fun and I met many interesting people and got a chance to see a bit of the Dominican Republic outside of the resort. Pipo, our tour guide, was very entertaining. The one place that I was looking forward to was seeing a school. If you bring supplies to donate to the school, you are able to go in and meet the teacher(s) and see the classrooms. Check out the "Giving Back" section of the Bavaro Runners website to see what kinds of things schools need. If you arrange your tour online, there is a bit of a discount.
I also went to Manati Park to swim with the dolphins. It was about 10 minutes and was in a pool, but it was really neat to be able to touch the dolphins. The rest of the park was lovely. You could walk around and see different kinds of animals and there were shows a couple of times a day, including a horse show, a bird show, a dolphin and sea lion show, and a recreation of a Taino dance in the replica Taino village. The package for swimming with the dolphins was $85 US, but it is much cheaper if you just want entry into the park to take a look around. A very colourful bus picks you up at your resort. You can catch another bus back at fairly regular 2-hour intervals.
Shopping
The shops on the resort are a bit more expensive and prices are not really up for negotiation. I took a morning to walk to the market outside of the resort. Most of the shops had pretty much the same thing, and you can haggle there. The shopkeepers can be quite aggressive, so it's not for everyone . . . and it's better to go with someone else, as I had a rather unpleasant experience with a shopkeeper who tried to get frisky and much to personal with me when I was in his shop alone. I think the best purchases I made were when I went on the Bavaro Runners tour. I also made an arrangement to be picked up to go to a shop called L'Torpedo, where they sell quality larimar and amber jewelry, as well as cigars. I also picked up some flavoured rum and coffee while I was there. The prices aren't cheap, cheap, but you were guaranteed that what you got was the real thing.
Overall
I had an absolutely wonderful time and definitely plan on returning. It was the best thing I've done in a very long time. Next year, my mom and I will probably go. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a relaxing time. I particularly recommend the Royal Club.
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Norma ~ Moncton NB |
On march 1st to march 12 we stayed at occidental grand Punta Cana. We were 8 and we totally loved this Resort. The food, the pool, the beach and the Disco were all that we wanted. We had had a great time. You can e-mail me for more details.
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Auley and Lesley ~ Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
Arrival & Flight: Dorval airport was a nightmare, leaving home at 4 am to make the flight for 6.45 am. Made the flight with not much time to spare! Flight just under 4.5 hrs – PC airport beautiful. Only problem was, this being our first trip to the Caribbean, I had not booked a ‘package’ so there was no transport waiting for us when we got there. Had to take a taxi there and back. We arrived at the resort around 1 pm but our room was only available at 3 pm. So we relaxed in the bar. Finally, at 4 pm our room was ready. This was the biggest problem we had, waiting for our room. Maybe our flight time had something to do with this as check-in is supposed to be at 3 pm. The key for the safe has been increased to $25 but well worth it. Now, a quick change and headed for the beach to take a look! No disappointment there. Beach is wonderful with soft, white sand. Lots of people but plenty of room.
Rooms: The room was just as the pictures show it on the website. Spacious, with a king-size bed, and very clean. We were on the ground floor in Edifice 24, 5 mins from the beach or the main lobby area. The toilet did run occasionally, but a little playing around in the tank and the problem was solved. No complaints about the room at all. I left gift bags on the bed every morning for the maid as we were told that things are hard for them to find and they don’t make very much money. Toiletries, hair accessories, perfume.
Restaurants: Lots to choose from. We did them all. We especially enjoyed the Mexican and Oriental. As it was our anniversary while we were there, we went to the Lobster House for supper that evening. Yummy! (BTW, where the beach buffet is during the day, it then transforms into the Lobster House in the evening! We spent 3 hours walking the beach that day looking for it, only to find that it was on the property!) There is also the pizzeria and taco house for night-time eaters. We had breakfast daily at the buffet, and a couple of suppers, and there is so much food! Something for everybody. Also, at the restaurants, you CAN drink the water they provide. It’s the tap water you can’t drink.
Bars: The two main bars are in the lobby and at the beach. Such friendly bar staff and the waitresses just as friendly. Give good tips and you’ll never be thirsty! They work hard to please with constant smiles on their faces. That goes for all the staff. So happy and eager to please. “Hola” to everyone they meet. Be warned about the guys that greet you in the resort, constantly. They are looking for time-sharers! We did get sucked in for a meeting, and learnt from that. However, did get a tour of the Royal Club etc, but found it too stuffy and boring for what we wanted.
Grounds: Exceptionally clean. But do be warned, it only rains for about 5 mins in the evening, and it rains! but the grounds can be slippery right after. The grounds crew dry them off pretty fast, but still slippery right after.
Activities: There are dance lessons daily down at the beach, along with beach aerobics, volleyball etc. Fun to just watch or take part in. Every night there was a show, some of which we watched which were absolutely incredible. The work that they put into it and the costumes! Amazing. I took so many videos. After the show, they all come back into the lobby and there would be dancing, or karaoke. Always something going on. Just a wonderful, ‘family-feeling’ atmosphere. You really feel like you belong there.
Tours: We didn’t do any excursions this time. Just wanted to relax, and that we did! We did, however, do the parasailing which was awesome. Definitely want to do the banana boat next time.
Departure: Except for the fact that we had to take a taxi back to PC Airport, everything went to plan. Except to arrive back in Montreal in shorts, with snow everywhere!
Conclusion: Starting to plan our next trip to the same place. Does that tell it all? We thoroughly enjoyed it and it was just what we needed. Before we left, we were trying to find fault with something, but there wasn’t anything that we could come up with. It is a perfect place for a restful, relaxing vacation. Would definitely recommend it. Any questions or information needed, send me an email at lesauley@videotron.ca.
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Rob-Roy ~ Nova Scotia |
Arrival & Flight: Departing Halifax was a tad slow due to maintenance issues. Flight was fine. Busy day at PC airport, but finding bus was quick. Transfer to hotel speedy and check-in was fast and smooth.
Rooms: Typical 3-storey resort buildings. Our room was in Building 12, just over half-way to the beach. This was a very quiet building, something to consider if you travel with two children (as did we) and want to get them to sleep on-time! Although our agent and brochure said "two-beds" the room had one queen and one pull-out couch (a twin bed is available on request). No problem though, as we are low-maintenance. After all the room is NOT whre you want to be on vacation. By other's account, it seems that the premiere rooms services are just slightly above regular room services, while the Royal club is much superior for those that need more catering or amenities. Some rooms have been recently renovated. Ours was basic, fine enough but perhaps not at the level of 4.5 stars. No problems though, nice and clean building.
Restaurants: Plenty to choose from. The buffet was fine, somethings were great, most were at least average. Always easy to find something suitable at nicer resort when choosing the buffet, the OGF is no exception. The beach buffet is only average. The a-la-cartes are not something our kids typically enjoy...so we stuck with buffets mainly. The Mexican appears to receive praise, however. Once again the Royal Club offers higher service and was well talked about on the volleyball courts! The evening grills on the terrace offer fantastic fajitas and pizza...great for those late-time munchers.
Bars: Plenty of them, very popular. Exceptionally fast and cheerful service and the bartenders appreciate small tips! Juan Carlos at the beach bar was the busiest man around, but always had a smile and a handshake for us. Lobby bar in the evening was a pleasant place to gather and meet other tourists.
-Beach and Pools: Beautiful beach, well groomed, kept very clean. Lots of loungers and towel service is efficient. Great and very safe beach for walking with markets about 30-45 minutes in either direction. Pools are clean, free-form and the kids loved them. Nice resort for those of us that enjoy sand, sun and water activity.
Grounds: Well groomed trees, clean paths and nicely painted and clean building exteriors. A pretty-loking resort.
Activities: Always something to please you. Julio on the beach is a fun guy to arrange Para-sailing, etc. with. We enjoy kayaking, banana-boating and so on. Easy to book anything you enjoy...3-person para-sailing was a blast. Great beach and pool activities...nice mix for kids and adults.
Tours: Lots available. As this was our 5th trip here, we generally beached-it.
Departure: Efficient, quick check-out. Tranfer to airport and departure fast and check-in went smoothly.
Conclusion: Fantastic resort for beach-lovers, for those wanting to relax or to play a little and to have a cocktail and put a few pounds on. No hesitation recommending the OGF to anyone of any age. It was our fifth Dominican trip, and the beach in front of this resort is the best we've seen. Consider the Royal club if you need pampering but overall this was a great vacation.
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Judy and Graham ~ Pubnico. Nova Scotia |
Rooms -
Super, clean and bottle of rum and fresh fruit in room on arrival,quick baggage delivery to our rooms. Each of us a pair of slippers and robes, cool drinks keep up everyday in room fridge, beach towels refreshed daily,all round cared for to the best.
Restaurants -
we only dined at one of the five restauart as we like the buffet and easy to go to after a beach day.ate at main buffet for breakast and evening meal, lunch at beach buffet all food was enjoyable and alot to chose from.The beach buffet there was a young man name Lewis, what a great waiter, friendly , never missed aday making us feel special.Also at the evening buffet there was also Robinison, cool guy and could ask for better service.
Bars -
We are not big drinkers but what we did try was great, staff always friendly.
Beach and Pools -
Beach was great, had to go early to mark chairs for the day, but that was fine, worth it to get a hut as my husband isn't a sun nut like my self.The club guys and girls worked very hard at keeping us entertained,they deserve a great big applause A, we became very fond of Yasmal, wish our trip would have lasted longer.Pool was very close to our room so was always nice to take a refreshing dip on our way back from the beach at the end of our day, always clean.
Grounds -
Well kept, clean and well lite at night time.
Activities -
Totally amazing, beach , pool activites, the club sure make your stay fun, they all seem to love and take great pride in there jobs, the long days and hours never seemed to be a problem with any of them, dance, party, smiles full time. Please give them special thanks from us. Miss you Yasnal.
Tours -
Only did Bavaro Runners Safari Adventure,day trip, very nice way to see some of Punta Cana, our guide " Mini Me" and "Rafael" was awsome, kept us on the edge of our seat,I would tell everyone to join this tour.
Conclusion -
Just Wonderful, Wouldn't change a thing, thanks to everyone, from check in to check out and all in between.
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Tammy and Larry ~ Nova Scotia |
Arrival -
We arrived shortly after 9pm and everything went like clock work. Customs was a breeze and our luggage arrived shortly after. Next we located our rep who gave us our Bus number. Upon finding our bus which was simple enough we were taken to the resort where check in was prompt and easy.
Rooms -
The room was just as shown on the internet. Clean ready and waiting for us. No Complaints, everything was great and kept that way all week.
Restaurants -
We had reservations for 5 of restaurant but due to a picky husband we only tried a few and setteled for the buffet. The buffet was great and had lots to fill the fussy one. We usally ate at the beach buffet at lunch and the main one for breakfast and supper. At night the Pizza place was a regular beacuse it was the best.
Bars -
As we don't drink we can only say the drinks we had were good and always cold.
Beach and Pools -
The beach was the best part for us and we went swimming every day. Most people saved their chairs early but we always were able to get chairs if we looked hard enough.
Grounds -
Grounds were clean and well kept. We saw very few bugs and never had a problem with any.
Activities -
We took in the nightly shows and enjoyed them all. The Michael Jackson show was the best of all. Hats off to all the performers and keep up the good work.
Tours -
I would recomend the Bavaro Runners Safari Adventure and had a blast. Denillo was the greatest guide and had a full day but never a dull moment. Everyone should take the tour,if you do nothing else.Conclusion -
This was our first trip to the Dominican, but not the last. I would not have a problem staying here again and planning for next year already.
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Ryan ~ Winnipeg, MB, CND |
Arrival -
The flight was about 5hours and 45 min, we flew with Air Canada. When we arrived at the airport we got through very quick but had to wait a bit for our luggage to come. We got on the bus amlost immediatley after and then we were off. The bus ride was only about 20-25 min long but we stopped for a cerveza on the way to the resort to kick off our vavction. The beer was only $4 for 1.5L and it tasted great. Royal Club had a private check-in so our check-in was fast and easy.
Rooms -
When we saw our room we were dissappointed we thought we were getting a jr suite being in the royal club and all but all we got was a king size bed and a bathroom. The bathroom was too pretty but it did the trick. We were on the 3rd floor which is what we asked for but we didn't get ocean veiw but the veiw was still good. So when you think you're getting a big suite with royal club your not what we got was the standard for royal club you have to upgrade again for a suite.
Restaurants -
Food was great no complaints of diarrhea or nauseau. The a la carte portions of food were on the small side but it was usually very tasty, especially the royal club restaurant. Buffet was great lots of variety.
Bars -
There is one disco and it's located a few feet from teh resort but still on the resort grounds. Locales go to this disco called Mangu and you ahve to pay for your drinks ($18 for a vodka and red bull and some ice drink with no alcohol) The bars located around the resort were awesome such good bar tenders who were a lot of fun. Even took shots with you.
Beach and Pools -
The beach is amazing thats all we can say, but lots of hasseling. There were 3 pools plus the royal club pool were nice pools. Go get chairs early but be there don't just save your chair and leave, people who want to be there often don't find chairs because people are saving them and not even using them. Royal is not for adults which we thought there were children in the pool so if you think your going to have adults only in royal club you dont.
Grounds -
very well maintained, nice walkways. Everyday staff keeping grounds clean and walkways clear.
Activities -
We didn't really do to much but when we wanted to play water polo at the scheduled time there was never water polo being played. Aquasizing is a lot of fun though, usually happened everyday around noon, great music to aquasize to.
Tours -
We only did one tour and that was going to the aquarimarina to go swimming witht he sharks and sting rays. This was a lot of fun and our tour guide "Mr. Sharky" was great fun. Golf at La Cana is great the course is beautiful. I booked this when I got there with my Air Canada rep. cost $170 US
Conclusion -
Great hotel we rate it 4 out 5 stars, would go back but not anytime soon would like to explore more destinations first.
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | W & W Brockville, Ontario, Canada |
Arrival -
We flew from Toronto with Air Canada Vacations. It was a typical 4.5 hour flight. Punta Cana airport was busy as usual, but this being our 3rd trip to Punta Cana, we knew what to expect, and went with the flow... we were through customs and on our bus in about 10-15 mins.
Rooms -
We took the Royal Club upgrade, and didn't have to get in the check-in lineup. We called a Bell-Boy, told him we were in the Royal Club, and he put our bags on the golf cart, and zoomed us to our private club... we were in our room in about 5 minutes. We had the suite on the ground floor of building 19... it was huge!!! The suites are the size of two rooms...wow. A fully stocked mini-fridge, rum, and things got a little blurry beyond that.
Restaurants -
No complaints... sometimes the pork was a little tough, quite typical of skinny Dominican swine, but we already expected that. I thought the Brazillian Restaurant was superb, as was the Royal Club Restaurant. The wood-fire pizza was terrific, though you can wait a while because of it's popularity... grab a drink or two, and socalize while you wait... it's fun. The buffet could sometimes be a little confusing, but some cultures go left to right, others go right to left... Some use both hands to rifle through the bread bin too... boy did that lady ever jump when I told her to use the tongs. Haha.
Bars -
Big compliment to Stanley who served us our drinks all over the Royal Club section, whether it was our private beach area, or the pool area. The Royal Club had that little extra service, but I couldn't find a bad bar on the property... they were all wonderful... then the blurred vision starts to creep up on you again after checking all the bars.
Beach and Pools -
Didn't spend much time at the regular pools, but I did enjoy the breeze on the beach, and swimming in what is probably one of the nicest Atlantic facing beaches in the world. We too had to put towels out early, even in the Royal Club private area... which we pretty much never got a seat in. I think that since they opened that area up to the "time share" customers a couple of years ago, it's always full now... yes, there are time-shares, but they don't hound you. No doubt you'll run into at least one sales person during your vacation. It's a common thing anywhere nowadays ... I was approched by three... I should make a t-shirt that says "Not interested in time-shares"... wonder if that would work. :-)
Grounds -
Always kept perfect... that's the only word I can use to describe the grounds & gardens. They should clean up the front entrance though, it looks like hell all the way up the road until you get to the actual lobby... once you're at the lobby though, it's terrific all the way to the beach.
Activities -
There were various activities, we just did the lazy thing though, but you can play volleyball, learn to look silly doing cha-cha or whatever it is they're trying to teach you through the language barrier... the ones taking part looked like they were having fun ... all kinds of stuff like that.
Tours -
My only complaint with most of the Dominican tours is that they burn off an entire day... which can be good or bad depending what you're looking for. There are really no "bad" tours... they're all a great learning experience. They're usually all focused on how the poorer Dominicans live on their farms etc. You can try their coffee, fruit, sometimes the sugar cane etc... As is very common in the DR, all of the tours include shopping and thousands of opportunities to tip people for just about anything... One young lad wanted to shine my shoes... I was wearing open toe sandals. Hahaha.
IMPORTANT INFO - I'm a Cigar Aficionado, and I really enjoyed the Don Lucas cigar factory... they'll come and pick you up, and bring you back. I personally like their cigars very much. Here’s some info you may or may not know… Don't buy the fakes on the beach. Those are just rolled up banana leaves even though the packaging looks quite good. Yuck. Any of the vendors selling cigars just outside the resort in the Plaza Bavaro are also selling rolled up garbage in shiny packaging. There is a cigar shop on the property in the "Logo Shop"... there are some better ones in there. An enjoyable cigar normally costs about 10 dollars, and a decent box of cigars should start at about 180 dollars ... I didn't see any below that price in the Logo Shop, although the shop owner immediately tried to sell me (by my research) a 3 dollar cigar for 10 dollars. They all try that ... they take it from a box of mixed brands, many of which are very well known, put it in your hand and won't take it back ... just set it back down and don't be intimidated. Do your research, and stick with the brand names... but not Monticristo or Cohiba, avoid those in Dominican... there are so many of those faked everyday that real ones are almost non-existent in the DR. Save those two brands for your next visit to Cuba... you'll thank me for that advice.
Conclusion -
This was our third trip to the DR, and the second time on this particular resort. I said it before, and I'll say it again, it wouldn't bother me at all to come back to this resort. It's a wonderful vacation... We'll probably see you there one day.
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Diane/Karma ~ Vegreville, Alberta |
Arrival -
Met at airport by AirCanada Vacations and promptly escorted to an airconditioned bus to be taken to our hotel. Checkin -rooms not ready till 3pm but you received your bracelet to go explore the eminities and the bellhops stored your luggage at the desk area. You have to pay extra for a safe key($15) for your room but it was worth it for the piece of mind. Language barrier but be patient-someone there speaks English!
Rooms -
Don't be fooled by what you see on the net .Our juniour suite was nothing like the picture but was clean and spacious with a huge king size bed- hot water all week anytime- one brief power outage the airconditioner died with that but was rectified with a call within 20 min. Toilet always flushed.Maid kept leaving the terrace unlocked though.We stayed in #12-ground floor. No complaints of bugs or floods as we were warned about-but it didn't rain either.Large umbrella comes with the room.Good service if you tip or not!
Restaurants -
We thoroughly enjoyed the buffet and were well fed - the variety and presentation was incredible. Lineups were in the eve but it seated over 300 people so you didn't wait long.pizzeria was good as was Home Rum snack bar.We went to Oriental restaurant on site -it was beautifully presented and tastey but next day we both had runs-so back to buffet!!
Need reservations for restaurants-only take in the am.Dress code for men.
Bars -
Always fast and happy to serve. Multitaskers++. Helps if you have a favourite drink that you translate your request into Spanish before you get there- not always English so one drink could be prepared 6 different ways- not all good. Very generous with the rum. Swimup bar and Lobby bar unequalled in service.
Beach and Pools -
Pool impeccably kept and varying depths. Outdoor showers @edge.We would bring our towels(we brought our own -bright colours) and put them on loungers on way to breakfast and noone touches them-can't save til 7am and we always found room. Many want in the shade and those go fast. Beach is very windy and it is public but security at entrance to hotel grounds.Lots of activities at beach-some seaweed but awesome colour of water . Temp was low 30s and spf 30 applied frequently was fine for my fair skin-I didn't burn.Many figure types- no need to feel self conscious!
Grounds -
Beautifully kept -clean. Friendly workers-learn to say HOLA to everyone! The walkways are very slippery when wet so be careful!
Tennis courts less than stellar but functional-book for early in the day-too hot!Saw 3 mosquitos all week but there are "noseeums" that can leave an itch-take afterbite . They do let the locals in for a few hours to sell their wares -avoid that area if saying no is not your thing.Activities -
Always something to do-contests and activities for all ages and talent.List in checkin package. Do as much or as little as you want.The evening shows could be quite entertaining-whether by audience participation or by the talented dancers.Tours -
We did the Outback Jungle Safari and had a great time-7 hrs so pack hat and sunscreen . Take alot of money if you want to buy cigars , rum,and coconut oil-we didn't take enough and we were sorry as this was where the lowest prices were, compared to the resort/dutyfree shop. Manati Park was kinda dull but we enjoyed swimming with the
dolphins($85) and happily paid for the 30+pictures they put on DVD for us.Plan the bus ride around the dolphin show-better than the others. Heard Sanoma Island and Sunset cruise were good but didn't go- most tours cost between $85-120 US.Conclusion -
Absolutely a package I would recommend. After talking with patrons of other resorts on the beach,who had to buy mosquito patches to wear to sleep at night,we definitely picked the best place to stay! When you see that the rest of the country gets power only 6 hrs a day and how much power the resorts use hourly, it is amazing there are as few outages as there are.Would definitely return!!!
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Mary ~ Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada |
Arrival -
We arrived at the resort at approx. 1 p.m. and were not given our rooms until after 3 p.m. We had to keep our hand luggage with us, and just sit in the lobby waiting.
Rooms -
The room was OK, but we had two single beds, instead of a king size bed. When I inquired at the front desk, they didn't have another room. After I unpacked, they called our room and wanted us to move to another room. We didn't. The toilet in our bathroom didn't stop running.....the shower had no pressure....if you didn't shower before 4 p.m, you didn't get hot water. One afternoon, we went back to our room to find about 4 workers out on our balcony, replacing the wooden railing. I would have complained had they not had a security guard with them.
Restaurants -
The buffet did not have much variety. The food was cold. The a la carte restaurants were not any better. The food was served cold! My fiance didn't eat much all week, because the food made him sick.
Bars -
The bar that was near the entertainment was only open for a few hours in the evening, so after the show was over, you had to sit in the lobby to have a drink, or try to get into the sports bar, which was always crowded. We had to pay for drinks at the disco, and a beer was $7.00, so we weren't going there.
Beach and Pools -
We only went to the beach for 10 minutes one day, because it was so windy every day, that you would get sand in your eyes all the time. Around the pool, there was probably 1 chair for every 10 people. I would get up at 6:30 a.m. every morning, to go to the pool, to secure chairs for my family. I had to stay there, because if I put my belongings on the chairs, and walked away, someone would take them.
Grounds -
We found the service to be terrible, everywhere we went, so when sitting around the pool, glasses and garbage would accumulate.
Activities -
There were quite a few activities scheduled every day.Tours -
We did take an all day tour that was great! It was called the Bavaro Runners Safari Adventure. But all day, every day, you were approached about 10 times a day and asked if you wanted to go on a tour. It was hard to ignore these people every day!
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Melissa ~ Saskatchewan, Canada |
We spent the week of Jan 17-25th at the Occidental Grand in Punta Cana with 6 of our friends and had a fantastic time.
We used Air Canada Vacations and booked online through holidaymarket.ca. We had no troubles at all and found everything to be in perfect order for us. When we arrived in Punta Cana, the warm humid air was awesome...especially coming from Saskatchewan, Canada. Getting to the hotel was no trouble, the bus even made a stop along the way at a little outdoor bar so that we could purchase our first Cervesa!! The front desk people were a little rude the whole week, but that didn't matter much as we only had to deal with them to check in and check out.
The rooms were standard - quarry tile floors, two twin beds pushed together, a tv, blow dryer, etc...Our air conditioning didn't work properly, and we had a leaky bathtub...but honestly, we were in our rooms to sleep - that's it. The maids cheered up the room by leaving us flowers sprinkled on the beds and in the bathroom. It was a nice touch. One of the couples in our group had booked through the premium club and had a much nicer room...however, for almost double the price of what we paid, I don't think it was worth the money. We left the maids little gifts and a monetary tip each day. I think this paid off because one day I had left the safe key in the safe with the safe door wide open. We returned to our room that evening after a whole day out of the room, and the maid had not touched a thing!! I left her a pretty nice tip the next day - seeing how she could have taken off with a lot of cash and a couple visas...but chose not too! My carelessness left me a little shaken for a bit, but I was so thankful to have an honest maid!
The food at the buffet was fantastic! A few people in our group thought it was just okay, but everyone seemed to be able to find something that they liked and everyone was ALWAYS full. The one thing they were lacking was seafood such as lobster and crab and mussels and shrimp. They always had lots of fish and octopus, but that was about it. Their beef was strange tasting, but the chicken was always to die for. The fruit was fresh and delicious as well. The a la carte restaurants were alright. We only tried two - The Mexican (which was probably the best meal I had the whole trip) and the Brazilian. The brazilian was just okay. Too much meat, i think. We heard the Italian was not very good, and never got a chance to try the Japanese.
The lobby bar (Wilson and Eduardo) makes the BEST banana mamas ever! The drinks are poured extremely strong, and unless you say "poco", you are gonna get half booze, half mix! We didn't know the word poco our first night there, so needless to say, it was a crazy night!! We went to Mangu that night and danced at the disco and had a blast! We never returned to the disco after that night mainly because we had to pay for drinks in there - and it wasn't very cheap. The swim up bar was a lot of fun...it's a good place to meet all kinds of people from all over the world.
The beach was awesome...the water here is unbelievable and the sand is white. It was quite windy however, so we ended up spending a lot more time at the pool. The pool area was a bit livelier and warmer with less wind. The pool was always super clean and had lots of little "islands" and greenery and palm trees to make it feel very tropical. Throw a beach towel over your chair early in the morning or else you will not find one!
We took a few tours while there...Saona Island, and Outback Safari Tour. Both of these were really great! Saona Island was one of the best days of my whole trip - the island is exactly what you imagine a tropical island in the carribean to look like. The safari was very interesting and informative about Dominican and ended with a boogie boarding excursion at Macao Beach. Some of the others in our group did an ATV tour which they were a little disappointed with...they said all the ATV's were extremely old and breaking down and such. THe guys also did a deep sea fishing trip, they had fun, except it was bad weather that day with high waves and two of the guys got seasick.
Overall, the trip was fantastic. I would highly recommend this resort to anyone going to Dominican. You feel very safe at the resort and it doesn't take long before it all starts to feel like home....Can't wait to go back one day!
**One tip....DO NOT make long distance phone calls from your hotel phone. I made two calls from the hotel and used my credit card...the first call was approximately 7 or 8 minutes and cost me $83.71. The second call was 5 minutes or less and cost me $64.13. TOTAL RIP OFF! Our friends also used their phone but did the collect call method - it was a little cheaper, but only a bit...they still paid almost $90.00 for about 15 minutes. BUY AN INTERNATIONAL CALLING CARD IF YOU ARE GOING TO WANT TO CALL HOME DURING YOUR TRIP!!
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Ren, Doreen, Chase, Tanner, & Hunter ~ Alberta |
We arrived January 10th, 2008 and brought our kids along this time!
We stayed at the RIU resorts last time and the Occidental Grand Flamenco beat it hands down!
Arriving the lobby bar area is fantastic, clean, and very inviting; we ended up here every night after the shows.
We ate at three of the ala carte’s, and could rave about all, the Mexican had this beef salad that was GREAT!!, the Oriental had a Shitake Mushroom soup that was HOLY MOLY, and the Brazilian was an adventure on its own! The buffet was very very good, lots of variety each day, breakfast and dinner and my son opted for the 30 dollar Caribbean lobster one night that was worth every penny.
Home Rum the little burger shop above the pool kept the kids fed all day, the food was good and the staff super friendly.
The Taco and Pizza shop above the theater provided just the right late night snack before bed, and speaking of BEDS……….WOW! first resort we have been to where you were forced to set an alarm or you were gonna miss breakfast…………COMFORTABLE, COMFORTABLE.
The beach was great, lots of activities to keep you entertained, beach bar close by, beach restaurant with lots of tasty treats.
Took in three dives while I was there, the first with my kids who took a lesson, and then two others on my own, they were very good and very professional. I have been diving for about three year’s, mainly cold water dives, and enjoyed the dive in Punta Cana without the need for a 7mm wetsuit.
Cigars were bought at a couple spots, Don Lucas cigar tour took about two hours and we bought a few there, the rest were bought from a beach vendor who has a nice humidor about a 40 minute walk down the beach. Don Juan Cigar Selection, talk to Jordan when you get there, good cigars at a reasonable price…..in addition he is the only place to get the highest quality rum on the island, everyone says get Brugal with the gold netting……….NO NO No. the best Rum is Brugal Siglo Di Oro it comes in a ceramic blue bottle, in a fancy box and will run you about $75 US.
I can’t say enough good things about this resort, we’d go back tomorrow.
We enjoyed tipping a little extra as the service was definitely worth it, we even took the opportunity to talk with the grounds crew, and Jesus the beach clean up guy, and tip them all accordingly, those guys worked their butts off keeping that resort looking fine…………
WE”LL BE BACK.
P.S it’s was minus 50 degrees here today………………….
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Pauline |
Hi from Canada
We returned from Occidental Punta Cana, December 1st 2007, This was our tenth trip to the D.R., but our first to Punta Cana.
We had a wonderful time, we had previously stayed at the Occidental Flamenco in Puerto Plata a few years ago, and quite enjoyed our stay. This was even better, the rooms had just been remodeled, which was absolutely lovely, well done, large, bright room with alot of drawers and closet space. The grounds are absolutely beautiful, I have never seen such tall palm trees, how amazing.
The food at the buffet was really good, typical of DR buffets, everything you could want and more. The a la cartes were even better, I really enjoyed the Mexican. The beach grill was amazing, and again I was quite impressed that coffee was made available all day either at the beach grill or the lobby, big bonus for us, since we love DR coffee. They also had a nice pool side restaurant open all day, with snack food and burger, fries, hot dogs, nachos, and yes even soft ice cream.
The beach in Punta Cana is the best, the water was so warm and clean. We spent so much time in the water at this resort, it truly was wonderful, we had great weather the week we were there and it made the whole vacation one of our best.
One thing that did surprise me was the prices at the Airport, we often wait to pick up coffee and rum at the airport, in Puerto Plata it's really cheap, Punta Cana was expensive. I'll know better next time.
I hope this has been helpful, we can't wait to go back, always planning our next trip to the DR.
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | S |
We spent 8 days at Punta Cana and were very impressed. Just got back…
From the reviews we were a little apprensive, but had a great time. People were very friendly but did not speak much English. Food was great!!! Try the island's specialities: fish and shell fish and veggies, Beef left a lot to be desired but we expected that. Shows were entertaining, kinda hokey but the entertainers gave it their all. Overall it was well worth the money, I don't know what others were expecting! Room was better than we have had in Cancun, better trip than some Mexican vacations!
S
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Lila and Glen ~ Nova Scotia Canada |
Arrival - AirCanada Vacations..... the airport was wonderful- a whole new experience- we arrived in the evening about 6:30 and it was dark- the first thing your see is palm trees, big tall palm trees. you go inside and the beauty of the Dominican Republic begins...........
Rooms -
fantastic!!! first floor,very clean, king-sized comfy bed, large bathroom, bar fridge (full of alcohol), 2 oversized comfy chairs, terrace with table and 2 chairs and always staff around to help with what ever you need
Restaurants -
only tried steak house - love the buffet better!! OMG the buffet was mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.... so much food, cooked in soo many different ways... staff always ready to serve you with water,coffee/tea,alcohol,....
Bars -
everywhere!!! they love to give you what ever you want and make suggestions on new drinks to try- all bars fully stocked
Beach and Pools -
the ocean - beautiful- white sands, beach chairs everywhere, umbrella huts,warm water, waves
the pools - the best, warm, very clean,main pool is very large with many activities even a swim-up bar,lounge chairs everywhere
Grounds -
very well kept.. green grass, many different trees, flowers, walkways are swept daily - can walk barefoot throught the whole resort.. even the outside walkways are washed and kept clean all day/night longActivities -
always something to do!! painting ceramic figures, sunbathing by the pool or ocean, dancing, night entertaining entertainment...we had a blast each and every day!!
Tours -
we went on several tours and enjoyed each and every one
horseback riding - 2.5 hours on horses (first time in my life on one)we were in the Atlantic Ocean and then the Carribean Sea with the horses. it was amazing
Jurassic Ranch ( Outback Jungle Safari ) tour- guide Johnathan- we seen the actual dominican - even had mamajuana on the bus ride.. swam in a fresh water pool deep in the caves,seen and held trantuala, snake, parrots and monkeys,how cigars are made, schoolhouse (private with 15 children), church, making of chocolate and different coffee beans, delicious lunch at a special place in the mountains, soo much on this tour
Dolphin Island- boat ride out as you are in the ocean for this adventure- we swam with the dolphins (first time for this too) for my 50th birthday// amazing
Manati Park - tried on our last day there to fit this in too-- the dolphin show was fantastic and they had a show with sea lions too - we laughed soo hard.. we rushed through the park and everything there was great - our next trip we are booking this tour first to spend the whole day there- we loved it!
Conclusion -
online now looking to book again for same resort and make this a twice yearly event!! the land and the people are fantastic and you do fall in love with all of it!!! so it is true what they say - once there you want to go there all the time. the people make you feel like true family...
we left Dominican Republic on Oct 28, 2007 (the day Noel started it storm in that area) and hope and pray for everyone we met that their lives and family were not affected by that storm as when we got home we did continuously keep checking for updates on the area we just left and worried about our new friends and their families
will answer any of your questions if ya want at buddyandholly@yahoo.com
we booked from expedia and services were great - i was nervous at first - well right down to when we were actually in our room in Punta Cana- everything was ready for us.. we will always book with Air Canada because of the service we recieved on this trip
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Senor Wud & the Warden |
Photos
Our first trip to the advertised 4.5 star Occidental Grand Punta Cana resort. I will be critiquing this resort based on my experiences at other 4.5 and 5 star resorts. Let me premise my review by saying that I was upgraded by the management when I checked in and this while very much appreciated and enjoyed has no bearing on my review.
I will attempt to rate each item on a scale of 1 to 5 stars.
Flight: Air Canada flight 3 hours and 45 minutes, smooth and uneventful. As you step into the airport, you immediately have your picture taken with a couple dressed up Dominican ladies. These are available for purchase (7$ US) at the departure gates when you leave. Immigration was quite smooth
Check-In / Check out: Our check in was very efficient, we were given and envelope and a bell man was called and told to take us to the Royal Club, where we checked in very quickly while our bags were put in our room. This was very speedy and efficient. Our rooms were right adjacent the Jacuzzi pool and less than a minutes walk to the beach Check out was even easier room cards and safe key, receive your small exit pass for boarding your bus to the airport. Luggage was placed in a secure room adjacent to the lobby.
5.0 star
Grounds: I am not going to say much about the grounds since you know that the are meticulously groomed and are very beautiful. The grounds rival any resort I have visited, one thing that the resort should consider doing is upgrading the fence line between the Palladium and itself with some more flowers and bugansvilla to give it more color as it looked very drab on this side of the resort, that was an impression I got when I previously viewed the resort from the Palladium grounds last January. I am sure visitors facing the Palladium would like to see a much nicer array of flowers and fauna from their patio or balcony.
The Area and buildings that had renovations going on were well marked out and the renovations had zero affect on our vacation, very little if any noise .
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Caution: Walkways can be very slippery after a rain or brief shower.
No mosquitoes, no sewage smell anywhere in the resort although there was a stagnant swamp smell which is normal for a mangrove which you see to the right of the laneway when you walk out to the front of the resort to the Plaza Bavaro. Security to get in and out of the resort was very good, wristbands were looked at to make sure that you indeed were a guest and belonged here.
4.5 star
Beach: Playa Bavaro as has been stated many times is one of the most beautiful beach that can be found anywhere, there was very little sign of any seaweed. The beach was raked each morning by staff and kept very clean, Loungers and palapa=s were abundant, and there were ashtrays attached to each palapa and I saw no signs of the beach being used as an ashtray as mentioned in previous reviews. The beach bar was very small considering the number of guests at the resort and could be quite slow. Each morning the staff were busy raking and cleaning the beach area and removing any seaweed that may have washed up overnight and any debris that was left by guests.
4.5 star
Rooms: While our room was indeed a suite, which was very beautiful and well appointed. I certainly would recommend anyone who wants that little extra touch of luxury then certainly consider booking the Royal Club.
I had the opportunity to visit a standard deluxe guest room that had not been renovated and found it to be quite roomy, clean but definitely in need of plumbing, furniture and decor updating.
I also had the opportunity the view a recently renovated deluxe room and am happy to report that the renovations and upgrades were very well done and the rooms were fantastic. The resort had taken into consideration many things in the renovation plan from wonderful aesthetics and color coordination in the rooms along with some new safety features on the balconies to prevent injuries. These were well thought out in advance by the management team who have a comprehensive plan to renovate all the rooms as well as a complete refurbishment of the lobby. When completed the resort will be in the category of between a 4.5 star and 5 star resort.
Entertainment: We personally did not go to many of the nightly performances that occurred at the resort except for one night to see the children=s program which consisted of a Disney character production that the kids seemed to be having a great time and parents enjoyed it as well.
4.5 star
Buffet Food and Service: We did go to buffet on two occasions for supper and there was a very large assortment of meats, salads and side dishes that nobody should ever have gone hungry. The buffet was very well decorated with fresh slip covers over the chairs every evening. Many type of meats and fish were prepared while you wait at cooking stations. Be very careful that the meat you select is well cooked.
Breakfast here was very good with a large variety of foods available. Their omelettes were awesome and prepared to your own specifications at a cooking station. One thing that seemed to be missing but there occasionally was bacon. They also had lots of fresh fruit along with blended fruit smoothies and their coffee was to die for!
You could have pretty much anything for lunch, from pizz, hamburgers, hotdogs, roast chicken to potato salad, macaroni salads, fresh vegetable and fruit etc. and a very large array of desserts and sweets at all meals.
The buffet area was actually one of the best decorated I have seen anywhere in the Dominican Republic. My only suggestion would be to see that the wrought iron fixtures near the windows were dusted a bit more frequently, a minor detail that I am sure will be attended to when management reads my review.
Service was very good, if your plate was empty you were politely asked if you were finished and the items removed promptly.
4.5 star
Royal Club Restaurant:
We made a number of trips to this restaurant which was a mere half minute walk from our room. They had the best steaks and seafood I have ever found in the Dominican Republic and being a soup lover, their daily soup specials were fantastic. The service at this restaurant was excellent, the waiters and waitresses were quite fluent in English, and did their best to keep your drinks fresh and water glass full. The restaurant while enclosed was air-conditioned and exceptionally comfortable as visually appealing.
5.0 star
Via Veneto:
I would suggest the lasagna appetizer. It smelt wonderful. My wife said it was quite good. I had a vegetable soup which was basically only lukewarm. The salad bar was a bit on the small side.
The service again was not so great, and a bit slow even though the restaurant was not filled to capacity, I was very disappointed in my meal of chicken as it was over spiced and overcooked, I did not finish it and it sat in front of me for a long period of time before it was removed, but my wife enjoyed hers.
4.0 star
Oriental Restaurant:
We, both thoroughly enjoyed our visit to this restaurant, although I did have trouble using the chopsticks and reverted to the standard fork for my meal. Food especially the soup was served very hot and the main course was quite tasty. Service was very good, your wine and water glass was never empty and the waiter was very attentive in clearing any plates that were finished.
4.5 star
Las Reses:
Brazilian styled steak house with meats served on a large skewer with waiter going from table to table with each different selection of meats. This really did not work out as my wife got the last piece of chicken on the skewer and the waiter never did return with mine. Not a big deal as I am not a chicken lover, I found that my beef portion was very tough and chewy and I did not finish it at all.
I have been to other Brazilian styled restaurants where each guests had 6 different types of meat with onions, peppers etc delivered on individual on a separate skewers along with a bowl full of steaming rice.
Needless to say I was not really impressed with this a la carte, in fact after two meats we left and went to the buffet.
3.5 star
From my standpoint it is not often that I would rate any Buffet ahead of the a la cartes but I have to say overall not including the Royal Club restaurant that we enjoyed the buffet much better than any of the a la cartes we attended.
HomeRum Snack Bar
Very busy but a great spot to catch an afternoon snack of fries, hamburgers, nacho=s, fish sticks etc while looking at some of the sports features going on around the world on various televisions hanging from the walls around the snack bar.
.4.0 star
Washrooms and public area:
Every washroom that either of us attended in this resort was meticulously clean and spotless, although there were a couple of malfunctioning taps in the lobby main men=s washroom, the resort management and staff should be commended for this is, cleanliness is a must in the hospitality business. Only one time during the whole week did I find a washroom that had run out of paper towels.
Other public area=s such as the lobby and walkways were kept very clean, the lobby as well as much of the resort buildings (1st floors)are handicap accessible.
4.5 star
Shopping:
On Friday night, vendors from off resort come to the main resort plaza off the lobby to show off their wares and sell their goods. There were lots of oil paintings, cigars, rum, sculptures, masks, anything you could possibly want as a souvenir. The main thing is to try and bargain if you can as everything was initially priced very high, we offered them a low price that was just as ridiculous, they were very tough and did not want to negotiate this particular night. I actually thought the products they were displaying were very low quality and poorly made items, in comparison to similar products we had purchased at Harrison=s in the resort plaza earlier that day for the same price they were asking for their junk. While this is not a hotel problem, it is nice that vendors are allowed in so guests can get a taste of Dominican culture.
We had previously scouted out Plaza Bavaro across the road from the resort to find better quality items, higher prices and much tougher bargaining is needed here, if you do not like to be bothered by vendors then this is not the place for you. Stay in the resort.
We did have our small meet and greet at Steve=s Corner Bar, nice small open air café across the road from the resort entrance.
Overall:
We had a very good time here and would return for the right price as we would for many resorts, as much as we travel we are always looking for that special deal.
The people at this resort, from the management team to the waiters, waitress= and yard workers are so polite and they are always willing to try and help you, all that is necessary is to ask and they will go out of their way to see that you are happy if at all possible.
Remember, these people work very hard and deserve tips for good service. I did give the gardener=s various new baseball caps I had brought along and they were very appreciative of that, they work very hard and seldom are given anything. These guys keep the resort looking great.
My overall rating of the resort as a whole between 4.0 and 4.5 star resort and with the completion of the renovation programs a definite overall 4.5 star resort.
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Mike & Debbie ~ Seneca SC |
There was nothing "grand" about this supposedly resort! This resort is a trip to ,well you know where! The food was absolutely terrible; who in this world eats "goat stew". Not an American food! Eeeeeewwww! My husband & I both became ill on the 3rd day out of a 10 day visit! How miserable we were! We spent so much money to get to the "destiny of our dreams", but it ended in a total nightmare! We will never return to this "???resort" again, although we really loved the peace & quiet of the beautiful beaches of Punta Cana! The only reason that we came here to begin with was because of hurricane Wilma, back in 2005! We were originally supposed to travel to Cancun,Mexico! We should have waited to travel there,as long as it would be after repairs had been completed! It would have been worth the wait! Our travel agent pushed us into going to the DR, and we will never use this agent again! It was a big mistake, & a huge loss of money! I was cheated out of money at one of the shops on the resort! What a poor example they set for their citizens, to lie & cheat everyone who does not pay with their currency, or simply does not understand it! There was no compassion from the staff at OGF! All they wanted was the American dollar,etc! I must say that my husband & I got a lot of sleep (and wasted vacation time) because of the inadequate conditions of this hotel!
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Ava ~ Edmonton, Canada |
My stay at the Occidental Flamenco was June 30-July 7th 2007. My stay was 2 parts Wedding and honeymoon what a disapointment. My troubles started in Canada when my travel agent could not get in touch with the wedding planner for 3 weeks. She kept getting put on hold or just hung up on.She then tried emails at which she was sent wedding packages that could be found on the internet. By this time it is 4 days before we leave and still no wedding planned.
I then had to take matters into my own hands. I personally called the resort and after 3 tries got hold of the wedding planner who informed me that she was on holidays and she was sorry for any trouble. I told her My travel Agent had been trying to book my Wedding for 3 weeks and could not speak to anyone. I said my Wedding is July 2nd is this still going to be possible? She then informed me that this is short notice and she does not know. At this point I lost it! She said there are document I would have to send her to make this wedding possible. Documents being > A single status document,Birth Certificate, Passport. I then informed her that I was in the Dominican 3 weeks earlier and already submitted those documents to a lawyer who got us the Marriage license. You see my fiance is Dominican. Her reply was that if I already had a marriage license then I was already married. ............................ What!
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Maja ~ Chicago |
My boyfriend and I visited the Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana Resort from 5/26-6/1/07. We are from USA - Chicago and we booked with Travelocity, which rates this resort at 4 stars. I'm sorry to say this but this resort is more like 2 stars. I must say that we have visited Punta Cana several times and this is the worst hotel we have stayed in. The check-in was hideous. Very disorganized and not friendly. Our room (especially the bathroom) was horrible. All electrical outlets were loose and wires were exposed. The bathtub was filthy and the shower fixtures were also loose. Water pressure was never good. The mattress had an awful odor, which made our pj's smell and we asked for a replacement. The food was average, however, the gourmet restaurants are a joke. We waited 45 minutes for soup, which came cold. Most of the food at the gourmet restaurants came cold. The waiters were confused about who placed what order, etc. The main buffet was OK for breakfast but not that good for dinner. Wait staff was not attentive in getting us beverages and most times, we would get our cup of coffee or water after our meal (although they weren't always busy). The beach buffet is your best bet for a good lunch. Beware of the vendors (from Allegro) on the hotel's property. When booking an excursion they will apint a beautiful picture for you, but that is not always the case. We booked the ATV excursion and were promised solid equipment. Not the case - my ATV had no brakes!! When I told this to the rep at the hotel, he just ignored me. Also, after you book your excursion, the vendors will push for a meeting with an "agent" who will then try to sell you a timeshare/club membership for $21,000.00. The grounds were clean, the pools wwere nice and the beach was AMAZING. We never had a problem getting an umbrella. The resort has one of the most popular night clubs in Punta Cana. When we were there some of the popular DJs were performing and thus, most of their groupies were there. They were loud, disrespectful, vulgar and ignorant. Would scream at 4-5a.m. while drunk coming back from the club. Lots of loud rap music. This resort is good for sping breakers/students or singles, but I would not recommend it to a family or for a romantic getaway.
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Kraeg & Anna ~ Vancouver BC, Canada |
My fiance and I have just returned from our trip to the Dominican and wanted to share our views with you.
FLIGHT
Air Canada: great flights. on time. better service than typical Air Canada.
CUSTOMS
Very quick. While some tourists were arguing that they had already paid a fee for their $10 USD tourist card, we quietly paid ours and passed through customs without issue.
TO HOTEL & CHECK-IN
The bus was available, large, airconditioned, and arrived at the resort quickly. As we pulled in we made note of Mangu, the resort nightclub, and thought we'd visit it that night - more later.
Check in was quick, we asked for an upgrade closer to the beach and were accomodated. We stayed in building 12 which put us equal distance from the beach and lobby. Couldn't ask for more convenient.
Driven to our room by a bellman, Miguel: very polite and cheerful, unloaded cart and carried all of our luggage right to our room.
ROOM
Didn't WOW! us. We have stayed in the Mayan Riviera and have been spoiled. The room was more than adequate but absolutely no wow factor. Our TV had interesting shades of blue and green where a gamut of colors usually exists, but as this was watched falling asleep at night, it wasn't a problem.
Our toilet backed up a couple of times, not a huge issue as they fixed it quickly for us. No power outages, lots of hot water. Fresh water bottles/pop in fridge every day. decorative flowers added each day. We tipped $2 a day and think the maids appreciated it. AC a bit loud, but we were so tired we rarely noticed.
We actually turned our power off every day and still came back to a cool room. 10 minutes of the AC being on resulted in a v. cool room. No problems there at all.
BEACH&POOL
Very beautiful beach. Some problem getting umbrellas, but never a problem getting chairs. Note: you couldn't walk the paths of the resort without burning your feet. Not so for the beach. It never occurred to me while there, but the white sands were Always comfortable. Beach vendors kept their distance, were incredibly polite, and amazingly always seemed to have a friend or brother living in Calgary when we told them we were Canadian. Amazing coincidence!
Water, clear, warm, refreshing - beautiful. Sand fleas quite vicious at sunrise. Good friendly security.
One of the days staff showed up with a pile of coconuts which they cut open and added a straw for the milk. Taking the finished coconut to the bar resulted in the bartender filling it with a Coco-Loco. The staff would then open it right up so you could scoop out the meat of the nut. A lovely extra.
Pools clean, refreshing, chairs always available, although quite noisy. Lot's of music from the entertainment and the show rehearsals.
RESTAURANTS&BARS
Almost no complaints. Servers always seemed a bit distracted. Most were very friendly and polite. We tipped most meals, even lunches when service was good. The specialty restaurants were enjoyable and even where the food could have been better - i.e. at the Grill - the presentation and sword service more than made up for it. We didn't have a bad dinner and have no issues with quality or variety of the food. One recommendation is to have sandwich meats and cheese available at lunchtime and not just at breakfast and dinner. Most days we just didn't want a heavy lunch.
ENTERTAINMENT& OTHER ACTIVITIES
Lot's going on. The staff hosting entertainment were as energetic and as lively as anyone could be. Schedules were adhered to so you could show up at recommended times and the indicated activity would be happening.
Diving:
We took advantage of the on site SCUBA company (Sea Pro Divers) and would not recommend it to anyone.
The staff that run it are as always, very friendly and polite. They were ready on time with all equipment ready to go but this experience has prompted my fiance and I to buy our own regulators and BCDs as there was some kind of problem with each and every piece of equipment used by us and the other divers with us.
Once on the water, the staff mostly kept to themselves. Our dive-master went over a few hand-signals to be used under the water, but didn't give us any indication of what we would be doing on the dive. There was no additional equipment brought with us so in the event of a malfunction that person would have to sit out their dives. As we all seemed to have problems with our regs at one time or another, we tended to push the limits of safety for sake of continuing the dives. There is as much blame on ourselves as the dive-masters for this decision.
The dives were relatively uninteresting with the same 4 or 5 types of fish following us for the free handouts the dive master kept with him. At one point the divemaster grabbed a relatively uninteresting fish to show us, but outside of that he mostly swam and waited for us to catch up. I am a relatively new diver but other masters I have been down with went out of their way to point out interesting locations, find cleverly hidden wildlife and in general spice up the dive to provide more to talk about in the boat between dives.
We were rushed between dives to a new site where the dive was a bit deeper requiring a break on the way back up. This wasn't mentioned by the divemaster and although we should all be aware of it, it is definitely one of those things that should be discussed before going into the water.
The dive masters didn't seem very concerned when we mentioned the issues we found with their equipment. The owner of the shop said she would look into it, but two days later, on our second set of dives, we noticed no difference.
The dives were unintersting, the equipment was faulty, and the divemasters were clearly only doing a job, rather than providing a service. I wouldn't recommend using this company at all. (Sea Pro Divers)
TOURS
We took two separate tours. The Horseback riding adventure (Pandoras Ranch) sold from the Resort and the Cueva fun/fun.
Horseback Riding:
We can't say enough about this. A fun ride out there, an absolutely brilliant two-hour afternoon ride, and cool drive back.
The horses were very healthy and loved to run. This was not your traditional nose-to-ass trail walk. The guides were along to show us where to go and to help with the horses where necessary. They were fun and informative and obviously enjoyed being out there.
The horses were well trained and could be handled with minimal difficulty. One horse which another rider and I traded back and forth would not walk. It wanted to run...and run...and run. It was an absolute blast and a deal at only $40 pp.
Cueva fun-fun:
After finding out about the other tours from various guests, we think this is the best tour to go. The most exciting, interesting, and best value for money spent.
$90 pp consisting of the following:
Pick up at the resort at 7am.
A 3 hour drive into the interior. This takes you through some large cities and small towns giving you a view of the island you don't even realize exists while on the resort.
A lunch upon arrival at the ranch.
All equipment is included.
A 40 minute horseback ride to the rainforest.
A 45 minute hike through the rainforest.
A 18m repel into a cave system (discovered as recently as 1997)
A 4 km dry hike through the caves.
A 2 km wet hike through water within the caves including a brief underwater swim.
(The whole cave hike took about 2 hours)
Emerging into the rainforest where another guide waits with water, beer or Coca Cola.
A 30 minute horseback ride back to the ranch.
A hot lunch/dinner waiting there.
Our guide Henry was friendly and very knowledgeable. The information he shared with us during the horseback ride there, the rainforest trek and the cave exploring was fascinating and thorough. He earned a good tip from us as well as a tip for his assistant who was there to lend a hand through the trickiest climbs within the caves themselves.
Back at the resort by 8pm.
This is the BEST adventure tour I have ever been on. Nothing was rushed. All good quality. A little strenuous so good for mom and dad to come along, but I'd leave grandma and grandpa at home.
SERVICE
This is the part that may leave you scratching your head and thinking me a snob. I have only been to one other all-inclusive in the past. A five-star. This one is a 4.5 star but doesn't even come close in comparison.
Everything seems a little bit dated. Not run down, but like it's about 5 years old and the date today is 1975. The service was mostly good, but most people seemed to be a bit distracted. Most employees had a little english, but communication could be difficult at times. Trying to get change for American dollars is just about impossible.
On our last day we asked for an extended checkout since our bus didn't leave until 5. The resort offers an option of using a guest suite to change and shower as checkout is normally scheduled for 12. They would move it to 1pm for us but in order for us to keep our room until 5pm it cost another $30USD.
Having worked in hotels I understand the possibility of needing the room for incoming guests, but my feeling is if our room is available to us until 5pm, it isn't needed until the next day and there should be no additional cost. My fiance and I are on the whole very understanding and accommodating guests, but even if we were not, paying guests at a hotel/resort should get the best treatment possible, no matter what their attitude. We felt the Occidental staff wasn't as accommodating as they could easily have been.
MISCELLANEOUS
Economy:
Economic transactions are exhausting. In the on-site corner store, all items are marked in Pesos. If you are paying in USD$ don't expect to pay the equivalent of the Peso price listed. Most times the staff made up the price at a higher amount than marked, and it's not necessarily the same as you paid last time you were in. You can argue this (unsuccessfully) or just accept it and pay.
Offsite, everything is negotiable. So much so there aren't any prices on anything in the tourist stores. While this is quaint and fun the first day or so, it quickly becomes exhausting. A note to anyone that thinks they are a good negotiator. You may well be, but these people negotiate every day 24/7 for a living. Negotiate a price you are happy with, but you will never walk away getting the best deal you can.
It's exhausting just wandering the streets and having every person trying to coerce you into their store - just for a look, senor - when their entire inventory is exactly the same as the previous 10 stores and the next 10 stores. In Mexico, a firm No, gracias is all it takes. Here, that's just getting started.
We opted not to leave the resort again for the local stores and thought it a wise decision. Until our last couple of days when the resort let the vendors (about 10 or 12) around the pool area. Suddenly we had the same experience just walking from our room to the lobby, or the restaurants. 'Just come to my table, senor - only to look'. I am upset that the resort allowed this.
Mangu:
The nightclub. Absolutely a must visit. The energy in Mangu is incredible. As a resident of the resort, entry is free, but this is the hotspot for the entire area. You pay for drinks here, but they are at least triples, if not quadruple shots. Very easy.
You will notice stairs at the back of the club which take you up to a separate Discotheque. Live DJ music, progressive house beats until 6am. If you are into this music, like us, you won't want to leave. The resident DJs are top notch, but they have guest DJs from all over the world come in.
Reserve at least one night for this experience. Take a nap and show up just before midnight to avoid a lineup.
Overall we had a really good time, but as we like to SCUBA on our travels, we won't be going back to the Dominican. The resort was good, but not Great. Without that WOW! factor, there are too many other all-inclusives in the caribbean/mexico to choose from.
| Occidental Grand Flamenco Punta Cana | Karen ~ Calgary, Alberta |
Myself and two other girls just got back from our vacation at Occidental Grande Flamenco Punta Cana. I will break my review into two parts, a short version for those who want a quick review and a longer version for those who want more details.
SHORT VERSION:
Positives
• The beach is absolutely amazing! No rocks, fine white sand, warm water and the beach stretches for miles in both directions.
• Resort – Landscaping is beautiful… it’s lush with lots of palm trees and other plant