TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

I rarely leave negative reviews, but I wish someone had given me a heads-up before booking. The beach is beautiful to look at, but the strong winds made it difficult to enjoy as a traditional beach vacation. The room temperature was also a constant issue, and despite repeated requests, the front desk never resolved it. The most stressful part of our stay was airport transportation. We confirmed our transfer, waited where instructed, and still ended up arranging our own taxi after receiving little assistance from the front desk. The employees working in the restaurants, bars, and entertainment areas were wonderful and deserve credit for their efforts. Unfortunately, guest service at the front desk did not match the quality of the rest of the staff. If you’re a kite surfer, this may be a great fit. If you’re looking for a relaxing beach getaway with reliable customer service, you may want to consider other options.

A heads-up for future travelers: this is a great spot for kite surfers, but not the beach vacation we were expecting. The beach is beautiful, but the constant wind made swimming difficult during our stay. The resort also seemed focused on selling upgrades, excursions, and VIP packages, which felt odd for an all-inclusive property.  The biggest disappointment was the front desk. Whether it was room issues or our airport transfer, getting accurate information or meaningful help was a challenge. We ultimately had to arrange our own transportation to the airport despite having a transfer voucher.  The bright spots were the waitstaff, baristas, housekeeping staff, and entertainment team, who were all friendly and hardworking  I’ve traveled enough to know that every hotel has issues. What matters is how they’re handled. Unfortunately, the customer service experience here was poor enough that I won’t be returning, nor would I choose another Viva Wyndham property in the future.

I stayed at Viva Tangerine by Wyndham in Cabarete, Dominican Republic, and this was honestly one of the most disappointing vacation experiences I have ever had. The resort may appeal to travelers who are extremely budget-focused and willing to sacrifice comfort and quality, but this property and destination were absolutely not what I expected based on how they were described to me. The first room I was placed in was unacceptable. It was on the ground floor and had mosquito-like bugs/insects throughout the room, humidity, weak/inconsistent air conditioning, and a bathroom/shower setup that made it difficult to even feel clean or comfortable. The shower drainage was terrible and repeatedly overflowed, causing water to spread all over the bathroom floor and into the hallway area of the room. Sleeping was difficult because the room constantly felt warm and damp. I requested a room change and was moved to a larger top-floor room, which was somewhat better visually, but it still had problems. The air conditioner was mounted directly above the bed and made loud disruptive noises throughout the night. There were still bugs in the room, and the elevator in the building was broken, forcing guests to repeatedly walk up and down flights of stairs. The buffet food was extremely disappointing. Breakfast was the only somewhat tolerable meal because of the omelet station, but lunch and dinner buffet food were repetitive, low quality, and often unappetizing. Both the buffet and the Mexican restaurant also had noticeable small gnats/fruit flies flying around constantly during meals, which made the dining experience feel unsanitary and unpleasant. I also dined at the Mexican and Italian restaurants on the property, and while they were somewhat better than the buffet, I still found them mediocre overall. The only genuinely pleasant dining experience I had during the trip was at Vagamundo Coffee Shop next door within walking distance of the resort, where the food and atmosphere felt much fresher, calmer, and more thoughtfully prepared. There were also loose cats roaming throughout the property. Some guests may find this charming, but I personally found it very unsanitary. At one point during lunch at the buffet, I watched a cat walk directly near the dining and table-setting area, which completely turned me off from eating comfortably there. The beach itself has beautiful blue water, but the experience was not relaxing for me at all. The winds were extremely strong, constantly blowing sand everywhere, and there were bugs on the beach as well. Instead of feeling peaceful and restorative, the environment felt rough, overstimulating, and uncomfortable. One evening while walking back from dinner, I noticed one of the resort pools with the lights off and a visible film sitting on top of the water, which honestly disgusted me and completely turned me off from wanting to swim in any of the pools during my stay. Cabarete itself was also not what I expected. The town felt underdeveloped, rough around the edges, and very far from the polished, elevated resort atmosphere that destinations like Cancun or Punta Cana provide. I personally found the entire area to feel much more backpacker/surfer-oriented than relaxing or upscale. I was also repeatedly pressured about attending a timeshare/vacation club presentation after already expressing disinterest, which added even more frustration to the trip. Overall, this trip taught me that “cheap” and “good value” are not the same thing. I would not return to this resort or to Cabarete in general. If you value comfort, high-quality accommodations, good food, relaxing beaches, polished surroundings, and a genuinely restorative vacation atmosphere, I would strongly recommend looking elsewhere.

VIVA TANGERINE- Outstanding professional friendly helpful staff every single one of them. One of the Cleanest resorts I've ever been to including rooms, restaurants, lobbies, washrooms, pool ,spa and gardens. Amazing massages on the beach and also in the spa with same masseuse Ramona. Location is awesome as you can walk 10 minutes down the beach to all the beach restaurants and shops in Cabarete morning noon or night. Soooo much fun watching the kitesurfers, kite boarding and boogie boarding daily. NO Snorkeling as it is very very windy which keeps the bugs down and cools you down on a very hot day. If you don't like wind don't go. The cappuccino bar was always busy in the morning and they are excellent. The Buffet was OK but almost always cold which could be an improvement as we like our meals warm at least but hot would be better. Buffet somewhat repetitious however the roast pork, pasta Bolognese, roasted eggplant, stewed chicken , stewed beef, fish and the salads always fresh and delicious. Specialty restaurants we loved the mexican and the Italian was just OK. Looking forward to returning and would only ask that the music around the pool be mixed up a bit with some softer more relaxing music or just turn it down. The entertainment staff is FANTASTIC. Can't wait to return. Also a mention to the restaurant VAGAMUNDO a few shops down from the front lobby , we had jalapeno waffles with crumbled bacon OUTSTANDING. You must try this bohemian style restaurant and sit in their little jungle atmosphere you'll love it.

Location is great, amazing views, room spacious for a family of 5, great for the value.