TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

The Dominican Republic has a fantastic climate and is a super beautiful country, we were at this all-inclusive resort, the staff were reasonable, some were friendly, others not so much, the room was also reasonable, the humidity was very noticeable in the room, the restaurants were a disappointment, but the Palmira buffet and the coffee shop were fantastic, the buffet always on themed days very very good food, coffee always for that quiet break, good facilities, swimming pool top, easy to go to other hotels nearby, I really liked this country and the resort. Thank you

Thank you to all staff (kitchen, pool, rooms, entertainment) for a perfect 7 days vacation! The cleanliness, the excellent food, great services, friendly and always smiling staff, make this resort an excellent one, where we'll go back with pleasure!

What a beautiful wonderful place. The service is fantastic, the world’s hardest working people. They will treat you family and take care of everything before you even have to ask. Would recommend to anyone that wants to unwind. Thank you for a wonderful vacation and all the friends we have made on this trip.

The hotel is situated in a large complex, which houses 7 hotels. Whilst we were in the Luxury Ambar Hotel (Adults Only) we were dropped off at a neighbouring hotel called Aquamarine. From here, we were transported via a golf cart/trolley to our hotel. (Upon arrival at Ambar it was evident a coach would be unable to manoeuvre and turnaround, hence the drop off at Aquamarine). As part of the inclusive package, we had access to a variety of al a carte restaurants dotted all around the complex. We booked our reservations via the Bahia Principe app, but if you’re not tech-savvy, I believe you can book these via the concierge/reception. Having read past reviews, you can book reservations 10 days before check-in – this isn’t something we did. We booked ours on the day of arrival. As we were staying for 2 weeks, we didn’t have any issues booking reservations. (If you’re here for a short period, it may be worth looking beforehand to avoid disappointment). Regarding AL A CARTE RESTAURANTS, below is a summary of the ones we visited: Portofino – The food was tasty. I ordered cheese salad for a starter which tasted of nothing - Avoid that. Apart from that, we had a delicious meal. Maiko – Spectacle-wise, it was brilliant. Very entertaining and an enjoyable experience. Food was good, however, the major drawback of this was the lack of aircon. This somewhat discredited the experience, due to the heat. MEAT – Meh. Service was fine, food ok, nothing to write home about. Sports Bar – Whilst this is a change of scenery and a more relaxed dinner option, the food was sub-par. We sampled a few options from the menu, and they weren’t great. The only exception was the Club Sandwich. Side Note – All starters/bites options come with chips. This isn’t written on the menu, and we discovered this the hard way while trying to plough through 4 portions of chips! Tequila – The main courses were the best aspect of the meal. Like Portofino, I ordered poorly and had a crap starter. So bad in fact, I left half of it. The service was non-existent as well. The only saving grace is the restaurant is situated right on the beach, so the sea breeze was wonderful (assuming you’re sat on the balcony). Side Note – The app says this restaurant is situated at Baravo – Whilst this is technically correct, it’s situated at the opposite end of the hotel. We only found this out after having travelled to the hotel reception, to be told it's next door to Ambar. A wasted 20-minute round trip. NAAN – Very impressed with the food here. It’s a set 6-course tasting menu, which was a nice change from having to scroll through the menu and sifter options. Probably the second favourite out of the ones we visited. Limbo – This was our favourite restaurant and evening. The food was pleasing, the staff were engaging, and the atmosphere was sophisticated. We both had the tenderloin for main and the meat was remarkable. Side Note – As a member of Luxury Ambar, you can drink at the bar in Limbo without the need to book. The bar has an almost, dare I say it, ‘West End’ feel. Variety of drinks and cocktails on offer, and importantly, it’s airconditioned, so a good choice in the evening if you’re looking to escape the heat! Tarino - The food was appetising and allowed you to sample some Dominican cuisine. We experimented with food that we wouldn’t usually pick, so it’s a nice option if you want to sample local delicacies and get out of your comfort zone. Greek – I’d say this clinched 3rd position in terms of food. The food was luscious, and the bread! It was probably the softest, bread I’ve ever tasted. One aspect that did let it down was the service. We experienced slow service straight after being sat down and were nearly forgotten about when the appetisers were being issued. Luckily one server (sadly I didn’t catch his name) did manage to salvage our service somewhat and did his best to turn it around for the last half of our experience. Yurta – This was organised chaos. It’s a buffet stir-fry. You are allocated a mini numbered coaster, with this, you head up to the buffet, pick your meats, pick your noodles/rice, pick your veg and pick your sauces and finally leave it on the cooking station with your coaster. The chefs will cook it and then it’s delivered to your table. Sounds simple enough, but it wasn’t explained that well and we were left in bewilderment. That said, the food was pleasant. A few of the restaurants (NAAN, Tarino & Yurta) are near one another at Esmeralda and are a 5-minute walk from Ambar. Whenever we needed transportation to neighbouring hotels, we utilised the complex’s trolley system. These trolleys stopped/picked up at various bus stops dotted around the complex. Simply inform the driver where you’re heading, and they’ll take you there. Simple. Finally, the pros & cons. Starting with the Pros: Staff – These guys worked so hard, and they didn’t seem to stop. Considering how high the humidity was as well; they didn’t drop a beat. Whilst some staff members are more engaging than others, many of them are friendly. Weather—Beautiful weather. There was one rainy spell on the first evening, but this aside, the weather was flawless. Coffee Shop – The shop offered coffee, teas, juices etc. not to mention, it offered an array of rolls and sweet treats. It was very popular. Beach Grill – A grill shack on the beach which sold burgers, hot dogs, paella and grilled chicken. It was a nice change from the buffet restaurants and the chicken particularly was succulent. Pool Side Carts – Occasionally, the staff will set up carts or stalls around the pool, which offer pre-made cocktails or an alternative lunchtime snack option. Cleanliness – The room was always cleaned to a high standard. Members of staff throughout the hotel were tidying, cleaning up, decorating etc. It was well maintained. Al a Carte Restaurants – The flexibility to book restaurants in neighbouring hotels, whilst simultaneously offering no limit on the reservations is a brilliant perk. Coco Bongo – The music and pageantry were amazing, and the show didn’t let up from the minute you walked through the door! We ventured for the Gold Member option via Tui, which included drinks and table service, but you can just book general admission. Catamaran Tour (Half Day) – Hosted by a company called Sharky. Great afternoon out, a lovely experience and was good value for money. As for the cons: Other Guests - Loud, horrible, rude Americans. I don’t think I heard a ‘Please’ or a ‘Thank You’ uttered by a single American the whole time I was there. Additionally, the volume. We get it, you’re on holiday, but adjust your volumes and be considerate of people around you. Ridiculous. One day, a Brazilian group thought it was acceptable to smoke in the pool. They were disgusting for doing so and what was worse, a member of the entertainment team was standing in the pool chatting to them, whilst they did it. The group were reported desk staff. (Snitch). Seaweed – The build-up of seaweed could be unbelievable! Unfortunately, this is down to the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic, but on a couple of days, you saw more seaweed than the sea! Vendors – On the beach, there is a mixture of vendors walking around selling various items. Many of them don’t hassle you if you say no, but some do linger for a while trying to chase a sale. Not ideal when you’re trying to relax. Pool – The pool on the surface looked clear and clean. It’s not until mid-week when it's quieter you notice the issues. The pool surface in places had a disgusting, cloudy, scummy, almost green foam that formed on the water's surface (usually near the jets). There was a high level of sand that built up on the entrance steps and in the corners of the pool. I’m not sure if the pool is cleaned at night by staff, but it certainly needed a deep clean. Buffet – The main restaurant and pool restaurant buffets were fine, but the food became samey after a short while and eating there felt more of a chore, than a pleasure. ATV Boogies – An excursion that was massively miss-sold, would strongly advise against this excursion. The buggies from the brochure weren’t anything like the real thing. The buggies were broken and damaged, the first buggy we were given didn’t start. Someone even crashed into us, to add insult to injury. Bathing in the natural waterfall was the only good thing about it. Price – We felt the price exceeded the holiday package. Whilst we appreciate that we were in the Caribbean, we believe the holiday cost wasn’t justifiable for the hotel. My sign-off comment would be to explore your options before committing. We had a pleasant time, and the Dominican Republic has now been ticked off the list. Yet, for the price you’re paying, I’m sure there’s a package deal out there that will warrant the expenditure.

Before we came to the hotel we had very mixed reviews about what to expect here at the hotel due to previous reviews I had read. We are only on day 3 and we are having a fabulous time so far. Special mention to Rolando he is an absolute credit to the entertainment team here at Bahia Amber Hotel. He has really made our holiday so special so far. He makes time for the guests and nothing is too much trouble.