TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

We booked the Senator after reading all of the reviews of other hotels in the area. For the price, you really will not be disappointed. The food is very good, staff are friendly and like to please. The buffet is very busy and the staff there work so hard ( a lady with a name that started with a B as well as Ana Maria served us many times along with some males, but I don't know their names). The buffet has just about everything you can think of. The fruits and desserts are delicious. They also have a pizza/pasta station, salad bar. The problems with the buffet are that the plates are not at the end of the stations so you often have to interrupt the line of people getting food in order to get a plate. The biggest obstacle is that most of the hot food is made to order with a grill the size of what you would use for a family (think Black Top brand grill for personal use). This creates long wait times for food. The morning guy that does the eggs/omelettes is very friendly and efficient! All of the staff there are amazing. For the a la cartes, we had the steak house and the Japanese and enjoyed both. The salmon a the steakhouse was delicious. Everything about the Japanese was fun and delicious. There was a funny waiter that made a bird sound! It does get hot in there though! There are a couple of unique things about the resort that stand out from others: the lookout tower provides such a nice view, it is very windy up there but so nice on hot days. Viewing Amber Cove with cruise ships docking and leaving is nice. The Tropical Avenue with the included pizza, ice cream and cafe are a nice touch. For people who don't leave the resort, the option of buying souvenirs, clothing, snacks, art, cigars, etc., everything is there just minutes away! You can also buy wares in front of the buffet. Check in is unique there! It took a long time when we arrived on a Friday. It was jam packed. There are TONS of locals that come to both resorts here on the weekends. It would be better if they had a check in and a check out counter. Like others mentioned, it is best to get the bracelet on your non-dominate hand so that the ribbon doesn't dangle into your food. We were not told anything about the hotel when we checked in. If it wasn't for the Facebook page, we would not have known about booking the restaurants (or even where to do this), that we could use the Bachata, that Tropical Ave. existed, where to see the activities board, etc. We brought out luggage to our room ourselves and had to wait a really long time for our room to be ready. If you'd like to venture out a bit there are shops and a lobster restaurant at the end of the beach near the sister resort. There is also a public beach, a restaurant and more shops if you walk to the left of the Senator. On this side there is also a lagoon where you can see tons of birds and turtles at a lagoon. Like many have mentioned, the rooms (unless you are in the new buildings), are 20+ years old and have not been updated (with the exception of new tvs, paint and new beds), there is a musty/moldy smell and black mold around the caulk in the tub. The rooms are clean and this was done daily. We had no issues with towels being restocked, the fridge being restocked or things taken from our room. The maid was lovely as was the bar fridge guy. Entertainment is just ok. Most nights it consists of a kids show (songs and dances) for adults, most nights it is just a couple singing and some guests dance. There was a Rock Show with 80s music and dancers, a beach party with some fireworks and dancing on the beach. There was a foam party as well. There was Pilates, yoga, stretching posted on the board for each morning, but I have no idea where it took place. I also saw people playing Bingo but didn't remember seeing this posted on the list. Better communication would be helpful. The beach is beautiful and quiet for the most part. It is a bit rocky/shells/seagrass. The flag was red most days as this area is windy. We had no problem getting loungers near the pools or at the beach. The power went off most every day for short periods of time. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and we were glad that we chose the Senator over the Bachata (that place is HUGE and way too busy for us!). We would recommend this hotel and there are many fun excursions that you can book if you like exploring like us.

We had a wonderful time at this resort! The staff was very pleasant and helpful. The rooms were clean and the restaurants on site were great. I would go back in a heart beat! Highly recommended! Shakira

Monkey made our trip amazing, he made an effort to engage with everyone making it so much fun. An amazing guy !

Our family of three stayed at the Senator Puerto Plata Spa Resort for 10 days and we had an absolutely amazing vacation! The resort is in a stunning location with a long beach, incredible ocean views, and stunning mountains, including the dramatic Magdalena Rocks. Our room was plain and a little dark, but overall clean and worked well for our stay, as we only went there to change and sleep. Each room has a patio or balcony, which is nice for sitting and setting up bathing suits to dry. The resort's common spaces are large and airy. Everything feels spacious and has a modern feel, while still being cozy. The lobby and lounge areas generally have a nice breeze, which make them great spots for a break from the sun. We got to try all three a la carte restaurants, which were nice. Our favourite was the Zao, with the Embers steakhouse coming in second. The buffet worked well for most of our meals, as it offered a nice selection and some options rotated. We found that the buffet would get very crowded during lunch, so we took that time on a few days to try some local restaurants. The beach was the highlight for us. Some parts can be a bit rocky, some are more wavy. The beach is a bit sandier by the Playabachata resort. I suggest trying out different spots along the beach to see what your preference is. We loved that the shaded areas are created by trees, which kept a very natural look. As there are small reefs and seaweed patches off the beach, there is some opportunity for snorkeling. Visibility can be limited and the fish are not usually abundant, but it was a great way to introduce our teen to some simple snorkeling. The swimming pools are beautiful and clean. One of the pools has a swim-up bar and is the location for several activities, including the weekly pool party. The resort also has an ocean view gym. They also offer group fitness activities on the beach, such as yoga, stretching and pilates. It is worth checking the daily and weekly schedule in the lounge area. The night shows and entertainment were okay, but felt a little plain and redundant. The Africa show was our favourite of them all. The resort also hosts a beach party on Sundays, which seemed well attended. You may get invited to a VIP breakfast. This will the presentation of the ULC, which is a time share vacationing program. The breakfast and presentation take about 90 min. We enjoyed the meal and the chance to look into the beautiful suites available. Realistically, the pricing was above our budget (around US$29,000). The sales team can get a bit pushy, especially considering the price and them wanting an answer on the spot. Overall, we had a wonderful stay at the Senator Puerto Plata. We loved the smaller size of the resort and that everything was close. The staff were warm and attentive. This is a resort I would not hesitate visiting again. TIP #1: Be sure to walk all the way down the beach towards the hut shops, then stop in for a meal at the Crazy Lobster, a restaurant directly on the beach. Check for sea glass on the way, as we picked up some nice pieces. TIP #2: Check out the small beach area with quiet water to the West of the resort. Walk past it to also check out the shops and stop in for a meal at Coco Limon, a lovely restaurant overlooking a lagoon full of beautiful birds.

Johnny bravo is very good. He works hard and makes me feel very comfortable.