Bahia Principe Grand El Portillo reviews
8146 TripAdvisor reviews
A nice place but could use some suggestions for improvement
Lorraine S (Niagara Falls, Canada) on Mar 16, 2024
We did enjoy ourselves at this resort but we don't complain much. There were a few things that you should know if you are planning on visiting. Perhaps the biggest issue would be that the food in the buffet needs to be warm. So many times we would get something that was cold so it would be wasted. Also, although there are plenty of drinks to choose from in the resort the drinks are definitely watered down. The rooms /beds were comfortable but rooms could definitely be cleaner as we noticed very dirty corners especially in the bathroom area. and our slippers were disgusting upon our return home. The good part of the resort were the day entertainers and the pool bar staff.They were all so friendly to us. The good part of the resort were the day entertainers and the pool bar staff. T hey were all so friendly to us.
Hidden gem in Samana !
Catherine A (Mississauga, Canada) on Mar 13, 2024
Amazing people! Amazing resort! They go above and beyond to make your stay fabulous,especially Daneysis at the front desk(our favourite). She made sure I got the best of the best on a short notice. From the moment you arrive at the front gate,the first face you see is Manuel who is always smiling and makes you feel welcome. Everything is clean! Everyone is so friendly. From the staff at the Sports’s Bar where we get our morning coffee, to gardeners, servers, bellboys ,cleaning ladies, managers, security guards . They all make you feel like you are the part of the family. We came to this place first time a few years ago and Danny was the person that accommodated all our needs including decorating room with all the bells and whistles. It was so nice to see Danny again after many years working at another place. We have stayed at this place many times and we see so many improvements. There is plenty of choice of dining and food is amazing. Especially the Dinner on the beach is amazing ! We can’t wait to return again as we are treated like home royalty. Our home away from home. And of course,when you leave resort you are going to see Manuel smiling and waving at you wishing you bon voyage. 15 out of 10!!!
The dinner was the right time for good food and and nice rest after the daily walking to our room
Sergio T (Toronto, Canada) on Mar 13, 2024
Restaurants need upgrade, pretentious but a waste of time. The buffet was excellent for the quality and variety of food. The hotel service was good. The beach and the water aquafit very good. Gardens clean and beautiful. Clean and nicely kept by Mariela.
Another great trip to the Grand El Portillo
Funadelics (Owen Sound Ontario) on Mar 10, 2024
This is our second visit to El Portillo. Great place and the staff make it wonderful. The front desk is always ready to answer questions or lend a hand. The wait staff are great while working in a very busy environment. The cleaning staff do a great job as our room was always clean and tidy. The entire complex is well kept and maintained. The shuttle drivers are friendly and full of information. It has a great little gym to help wear off some of those extra calories you are sure to gain with the great food that is served. Loved the yoga in the mornings on the beach great way to start the day. One person I must mention by name is "Diomedes" who was managing the Italian a la carte the evening we ate there and then also worked at the the main buffet restaurant. This man's commitment to the guests is unbelievable and I hope that the Bahia Principe group recognize the treasure they have in this employee..
Another lovely visit
Cheryl Y (Toronto) on Mar 08, 2024
This was our fourth trip to El Portillo, and our first since the post-fire updates. I must say that the new facilities are an excellent update to an already great resort. The main buffet is beautiful with bright and airy indoor seating and lots of outdoor seating wrapped around two sides of the building. There is somewhat less selection than there used to be but the quality has gone up. We found many delicious options each day including local inspirations such as stewed goat, fried plantain, beans, assorted fish and spiny lobster, and more north american fare such as roast chicken, roast beef, stir fried veg, etc. There is also lots of pasta, fries, pizza, burgers etc for folks who prefer that fare. We ate loads of gorgous fresh fruit, and also enjoyed a nice selection of cheeses, cured meats, prepared salads and chilled seafood. The beach restaurant serves a lighter breakfast and lunch in a great open air setting and a newer addition is a bbq hut right on the beach serving burgers, sausage, nacho chips and paellella for lunch every day. The old lobby bar area has been replaced by a spacious plaza with lots of seating options beside a beautiful new indoor sports bar, with an indoor/outdoor bar area. Evening entertainment and a portable secondary bar makes this a buzzy spot right through until about 11 ,which is a different but enjoyable vibe compared to the days when they rolled up the sidewalks at about 9 pm. The pool is at least twice the size as it was - probably more - with in-water loungers, a swim up bar with in-pool bar tables, and ample full sun and shaded seating all around. The old pool was lightly used I would say, but the new pool is a hub of activity. Most animation activities during the day took place at the pool, where in the past they had been centred on the beach. The beach bar remains in a large palapa like structure right on the beach. There are usually two bar tenders hard at work from 10 am onward. Sadly during our time there we saw many unreasonably demanding, selfish and rude guests really putting these fellas through their paces (and elbowing other guests out of the way). The barmen were greatly appreciative of our patience (and tips) and we enjoyed a chat and a laugh with them in calmer moments. (be kind to your servers folks, please!). Drinks were plentiful and of good quality. The slushy drinks were tasty if sweet, but the mojitos were made with plentiful fresh mint and lime, the Caipirinhas were zesty and refreshing, sangria (blanco and tinto) were bright and tasty and evenings came with the continuous popping of fresh bottles of cava. Also this is a favourite spot with Canadians as evidenced by the availability of Caesars, even at the beach. The beach is by far the greatest draw of this resort. A small stand alone resort located on miles of almost unspoiled beachfront is a true luxury. There are lots of palapas and loungers. If you want some shade but don't score a palapa there is also lots of seating available among on-beach trees, which is a very popular option. On two mornings, around 8am, we saw guards come along and remove beach towels from }reserved" chairs. The weather can be a bit hit or miss here, as this is a lush and mountainous region, and it is sometimes quite windy but fortunately the sand stays on the ground. The sand is soft and tan coloured and the clear water sparkles a teal blue. The ocean, which is actually the north Atlantic, can be cool and sometimes there is a strong longshore current - though at other times its bathwater warm and you can float in place for hours if you choose. There is a large reef well offshore that breaks the waves during mid to low tide making for relatively calm waters in the swimming areas. There is also lots of coral close to shore which are home to a number of fish which makes for enjoyable, if basic, snorkeling. We didn't attend the evening activities out at the Village, but the activities in the plaza were fun (Karoke, dance contests, bonus mini-shows etc). The rooms are, yes, a bit dated. However our jr suite was spacious, super clean and well kept, the AC worked very well and was quiet, water pressure was reasonable, hot water was plentiful, the bed was acceptable (not as hard as some we have had here) and the pillows were decent. We assume once the rooms are eventually updated that this little gem will be out of our price range, so we're in no hurry for them to do it! The resort takes about 5 minutes to walk from road to beach and less than that from side to side so there really isn't a bad location for your room from that perspective. Finally, the staff are friendly, hardworking, efficient and welcoming. Whether it was animation staff, groundskeepers, bartenders, cooks, waitstaff, cleaners, maintenance, security, or front desk staff, everyone we encountered was wonderful.