Hotel details

You get what you pay for

Rainy Nov 25, 2009

It was four of us ladies all together for 5 enjoyable days. We choose this hotel because it was one of the cheapest and we ... had booked it so late. It was a great trip but that was more attributed to the company rather than the resort. When we arrived, it was breath-taking. The resort looks beautiful. Not to mention, we were welcomed with a drink. The beach was the best part of the resort. It was beautiful. Unfortunately, that's the best thing I could say about the resort. Although, the food was decent. A lot of the staff did not speak English. Luckily one of the women I was with spoke enough Spanish to get us through the trip. We had two rooms on opposite ends of the hotel and were told that they were booked so we couldn't get anything closer to each other. My bathroom had a leak that wasn't fixed for almost 2 days and we were only staying for 5. It was right over where one would stand in front of the sink. The other ladies said their room was filthy when they checked in. Again, none of us could get room changes because the hotel said they were booked. To top it off, none of us could get fresh towels and wash cloths upon request. We used ours to clean up all the water from the leak that was in the bathroom. The first day was spent at the front desk complaining and pleading for help to no avail (again the language barrier was a factor). Once we realized it was a waste of time talking to the front desk person, we requested a manager. The manager wasn't there on the first day but we went back the next day to find him/her. After speaking to him, we recieved towels, wash cloths and a maintenance guy repaired the leak by the time we came back from shopping. The remainder of the trip was enjoyable. We all plan on going away again together next summer but will probably not be staying at a Barecelo resort.

Great Hotel

MIke Nov 16, 2009

Would recommend to a friend!

We had an absolutely great time. The Hotel was everything that we expected and more for the price that we paid. ...

good LOCATION

choumoune Nov 11, 2009

Would recommend to a friend!

Very nice hotel, location ...

I wanted to cry and run away

jersey Nov 8, 2009

Terrible and disappointing. when we first arrived, it looked like every single family from the island was there. ... overcrowded. I hated the fact that locals get very low fare to stay at this place. over 1,000 locals were at the buffet, making noise and very rude. I was hungry and tier and couldn't even find a plate to eat, when i finally found a plate I was turned off, the food was a mess. I just wanted to run away and leave the place. but minutes later i was informed that it was only crowded over the weekends. I had to way to get my room. then, i was send to a regular room when i paid for ocean view. to make long story short, I would never stay here again. My sheets were never change. i saw bugs in the bathroom. Positive- the beach was super clean and beautiful, The pools were very clean and the staff was friendly, but management was not efficient. the Dominican restaurant was good. dont waste your money at this place. It is a shame because the hotel is beautiful.

Fantastic trip.

Yvonne Oct 11, 2009

Would recommend to a friend!

I was there 7 days, it was fantastic. Great pools and beaches. Buffet was ok, but restaurants great. Stuff very nice. I hope ... I will go there again.

VERY NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RICH IN MEXICO Sep 27, 2009

Would recommend to a friend!

VERY NICE RESORT, WITH THE UPGRADE TO THE SUITE WE GOT 1ST CLASS SERVICE AND EXTRAS, FREE MINI BAR,COFFE MAKER,JACUZZI IN ... ROOM,INTERNET,VERY NICE PERSONEL .....BEACHES FOR MILES...TOP SHELF LIQUOR,7 RESTURANTS(6 OF WHICH WERE GOURMET)COOL SHOWS AT NIGHT,

Clean and restful

Grey Fox Sep 20, 2009

Would recommend to a friend!

The staff was courteous and helpful. The whole facility was well maintained and very clean. The variety of restaurants and ... buffets made dining choices beyond expectation. The rooms were large and pleasantly clean and refurbished every day. This is a great facility for the price.

Great Experience & Amazing Location!

EDEEZ Sep 15, 2009

Would recommend to a friend!

Just got back last night (09/12/09) from a week's vacation at the Barcelo Punta Cana Premium Hotel with my Mom and loved ... every minute of it! This was our first visit going on an All-Inclusive vacation, as well as to the Dominican Republic and any Barcelo Hotel and Resort. In a sentence, it was one of the BEST vacations and locations we've had to date! *CHECKING IN was a smooth and quick process. Consistent with some of the other reviews, we got passes to three of the ~7 specialty restaurants available (excluding the Alcazar which didn't require a reservation). *The FRONT DESK Staff, most of whom were very friendly, were very willing to make the requested changes of one of the restaurants, even accommodating us with our preference (El Conuco--Dominican food which was very tasty, with a very nice ambiance!), despite not always being available. Exceptionally pleasant, always smiling, and very informative were [...] and [...] who would always provide us with the necessary information to ensure that all our questions were answered. In addition, all the Front Desk Staff we came across were well-versed in English, and able to clearly communicate with monolingual English-speakers, or those who spoke "broken Spanish."*TIP: If you're flexible with the desired days and times to be scheduled, then you're much likely to be rescheduled much sooner than the long waits already mentioned by other reviewers. However, we learned that it is important to keep your appointment time (or as close to it as possible), or you might be turned away as some restaurants are very popular. *We had a great ROOM on the 3rd floor (2 double beds) with the balcony overlooking an amazing 180 degree view of the pool (and the adjacent activity areas--e.g., Trapezee, Kid's pool, etc.) and the gorgeous blue/turquoise/teal ocean waters! I can't say enough about the spectacular views! *TIP: It's worth paying a little more for a room with such a view when first making the reservations!In addition, the room was very nice and clean, and kept COOL (air conditioner) on a daily basis: marble floors, fridge (re)filled with sodas, El Presidente beer, and water, coffee maker with coffee and tea bags provided, on a daily basis, and if there was anything that had not been replenished, all it took was leaving a note (in English and/or Spanish) for Housekeeping, and it was taken care of upon their next visit, on the same day!*The ALCAZAR Restaurant was the default restaurant with a buffet ("all-you-can-eat") setup for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (and didn't require a reservation, as with the other restaurants). Although there is an assortment of choices of food, it is true that some of the selections at lunch would also be present at dinner. Nonetheless, it's enough of a variety to accommodate all types of palates. In addition, there were also specific Stations/Corners for: Eggs in the Morning, and Pasta, Meat, and Seafood for Lunch and Dinner where there were Chefs available at each station to provide you the specific dish(es) of choice. The fruits (particularly the pineapples, mangos, watermelons, and cantaloupes) were always juicy, well-ripened, and just rightly sweetened! The Staff at the Alcazar were very pleasant (as well), and frequently hovering around to ensure that tables are cleared, etc. Most accommodating were [...], [...], and [...] who were incredibly attentive and consistently pleasant and engaging no matter what shift we saw them (and they literally worked EVERY shift: breakfast, lunch and dinner, for all the days we were present)! *The CASINO is VERY small, and simply put, leaves a lot to be desired! But as stated by another reviewer, the purpose of the trip was not the Casino. For that, one knows to go to (Las) Vegas (or Atlantic City, etc.)! *The VENDORS that come to the hotel several days a week are very similar to those vendors found in most market places: they'll try to sell you "anything" (particularly with jewelry), and are ...

Punta Cana Summer 2009

Justin and Esraa Sep 13, 2009

Would recommend to a friend!

Check in was smooth, i requested an upgraded room by phone as soon as i reserved the vacation with orbitz. The room had an ... amazing view of the ocean, flat screen and cable. The mini fridge was kept stocked and bathroom was cleaned daily. All things said this was the best vacation of my life. Remember to take american one dollar bills for tips. One us dollar goes along way in punta cana, helps get into the restaraunts if you dont have a reservation... I hope this helps.

the stay was not good my mom got sick

none Sep 10, 2009

my mom got sick because of the food I think they should clean better their salads in order for people not to get sick and get ... ridiculous doctors bill. people go on vacation not to get additional bills.

Fantastic Family Getaway

Yebbie Aug 2, 2009

Would recommend to a friend!

Everyone in the family got to enjoy the amazing pools as well as the clean beach. The food was phenomenal as was the service ... at the hotel. The entertainment team was enjoyable and friendly. There is absolutely nothing to complain about. It was the perfect vacation.

ok for the price

blindsided Aug 1, 2009

The room picture depicted in the website are the upgraded rooms. And if you do not get the upgraded rooms, the standard ... rooms are gross. The sheets and the comforter are musty, damp and hideous. The bathrooms could use renovations, even in the upgraded ones. I did not see any bugs in the rooms, though. Which is always a plus...

it sucked

Krystal Jul 28, 2009

we couldn't wait to come back home. it all started with the airlines. Spirit. i will NEVER fly them again. we almost missed ... our connected flight. they had issues with the plan so we took off over an hour late. then got to our hotel and the staff members didnt speak english. we had to switch rooms 3 times, due to problems with the rooms. the food was gross. i lived on eggs and toast for 10 days. and the drinks, we couldnt even drink them. they were just as sick. now its time to come home and we just couldnt wait to get home. so when we arrive to FL., to catch our flight to detroit, they delayed it by 45 mins. then we finally boaded. sat on the plan sweating, with no air for them to then tell us to get off the plan, that the pilet will be at least an hour befor he gets to the airport. this was the worst vacation EVER

Great place, slow service

Steph Jul 28, 2009

Would recommend to a friend!

The resort is beautiful with great pools and walking distance to the beach. The service and making reservation for the ... restaurants must have been the worse part of the entire trip. The service is very slow, whether at the bars or buffet. Making reservations, ha, GOOD LUCK with that!! there is a line at 9 am to make reservations, by the time its your turn, there aren't any seats left. Night entertainment: The theater was okay, the shows are somewhat entertaining. The club; small, not so great.If you're looking for a nightlife resort, this is not it! People told me it is better in other resorts that are located closer to the airport.The casino is small with old machines. Overall, everyone is nice, and you will enjoy the pool and the beach!

Excellent and affordable vacation!

La Patrona, La Caballota! Jul 28, 2009

Would recommend to a friend!

The drive to the hotel was very nerve wrecking. Outside of the resort, there isn't much to look at and we were nervous that ... the resort would be small and boring. As soon as we entered the resort headquarters, we were in awe. It is beautiful! This resort is by far the prettiest in the area. It's clean, green and huge! I was nervous about the check-in process, but it went by smoothly and quickly. We had our rooms ready in no time. The rooms were super clean! We stayed in one of the renovated rooms (we were upgraded for free!) We had a view of the pools and the ocean. The buffets had an ample amount of food and an adequate assortment. Most of the food was not to my liking, but I think they did a good job at having something for everyone. For the most part, the staff was friendly. I went with a group of eight 21-23 year old girls, so the women waitresses didn't attend us as quickly as the men did. One of the things I did not like was the fact that the pools closed at 7pm. It was way too early and the rest of the evening you couln't even swim in the ocean. There was always something to do. The pools were amazing, especially the swim up bar. The bartenders always remembered you and made great drinks. They had special performances in the theater every night (we didn't attend them but they looked interesting). The club in the hotel was ok, the music was very repetitive. We did have trouble getting towels the first few days. If you didn't leave them on the bathtub, they wouldn't take them and you wouldn't get fresh towels. We signed up for an excursion on the third day to an island called Saloa (?). It was very nice and inexpensive for all that was included. We got to get off the speed boat in the middle of the Caribbean and hold star fish! Food, drinks, and transportation was included. Overall, our experience in the hotel was amazing! There were a few instances were the female staff was rude, but other than that, everyone was courteous. We all spoke Spanish, so communication was no problem. The gift shops in the hotel were also very nice. The vendors are extreemly aggressive, but as long as your are aggressive back, you can definitely bargain with with prices! The biggest disappointment of our trip was that we weren't able to get to all the specialty restaurants. You only got two tickets per person for the restaurants. The line was super long to make reservations. We attended the French and Tokyo restaurant. The Tokyo was definitely the best! They cooked in front of you and the cook was very active and funny! The waitress wasn't too enthusiastic, but we just ignored her. The only thing missing from our trip was that we didn't leave the resort much. We only left once. We would have liked to go to the clubs that other reviews rant about, but we didn't do that. The hotel had everything we needed though! I would recommend this hotel to anyone!

Punta Cana July 2009 Trip

Vero Jul 22, 2009

The location and aesthetics of the place were great, offering very nice pools, activities, and a relaxing atmosphere. ... However, the staff provided very poor customer service and lack of personal skills. The T.V. in our room did not function during our entire stay and despite complaining three times the problem was never resolved and the staff were very non-sympathetic; one time they even hung up the phone on me. Additionally, the 'A la cart' dining was only offered by in-person reservation and limited space; in general it was very difficult to experience fine dining in this 'all inclusive resort.' The alternate option, buffet dinning hall, was mediocre offering very little vegetarian options and sub-standard offerings for meat-friendly foods.

Great!

Love to Travel! Jul 21, 2009

Would recommend to a friend!

Great time! Relaxing..decent food. Enjoyed the whole trip ...

Barcelo, Punta Cana Premium

schivonne9 Jul 21, 2009

When we arrived at the hotel, we had to wait about two hours just to get to our room. We were told about every half hour to ... wait just a few minutes more. When we finally got to our room, the tub was dirty and there was a hole in the middle of the wall, filled up with tissue. Also, we had to beg the staff to give us wash cloths and towels. My friends' room had a leak coming from the ceiling and they also had no towels or wash cloths. At night, huge mice could be seen running around the pool. The only thing great about Barcelo was the beach!

WORST FOOD EVER, POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE.

NICK Jul 19, 2009

MOST OF THE ALA CARTE RESTAURANT ARE CLOSE, AND THE ONLY ONES OPEN NEVER HAVE RESARVATION OPEN. BUFFET FOOD IS ONLY FOR ... ANIMALS. WE END UP EATING OUT SIDE OF THE RESORT. HOUSKEEPER WILL NOT CHANGE BED LINEN EVEN AFTER WE REQUESTED AFTER THIRD DAY.

Mother & Daughter Getaway

Swim Up Momma Jul 19, 2009

Would recommend to a friend!

My daughter and I stayed for a week and enjoyed every minute. We swam with dolphins, did a spa package and just relaxed, ... drank and ate. The hotel buffet was ok, but the a la carte restaurants were all very good. Would definitely stay there again. Ask to stay in buildings 1, 2 or 3 - other are quite a walk and not as nice.