TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

The resort looked really nice and the beaches and pool was nice excursions were nicely organized. The rooms could’ve been better and have more things fixed up, some people had blood in their rooms and one of there front doors didn’t lock or shut.

??????½ out of 5 (???????? by Dominican Republic standards) The Occidental Caribe is a solid 3-star resort that becomes a very pleasant place to vacation once expectations are managed and you understand the limited resources the resort is working with in a developing country. Viewed through that lens, the experience is much more positive. You can tell this property was likely a 5-star resort in its heyday, but age, weather, and wear and tear are evident. The rooms need TLC. We experienced issues with toilets flushing inconsistently, lower water pressure, and bathroom hardware that has seen better days. That said, I had hot showers every day, and while the bathroom situation wasn’t the best I’ve experienced, it also wasn’t the worst — manageable with realistic expectations. The deficiencies we raised were addressed by Alberto Jimenez at reception, who was exceptionally helpful and professional, and made a real effort to resolve the issues. In one instance, a member of our group accidentally left a carbon monoxide detector in the original room after changing rooms. After going through reception and several levels of management, it was eventually located and returned from lost and found, which was appreciated and showed good follow-through. Pricing is difficult to judge fairly since I traveled during holiday high season (Christmas Eve to New Year’s Eve) and paid the single supplement, which made it feel expensive. I do believe this resort could offer very good value during regular season pricing. The food options were plentiful, the drinks were good, the pools were beautiful, and the beachfront was excellent. We also had two à la carte dining experiences — the Japanese and French restaurants — and both meals were exceptional, with outstanding service, and were highlights of the stay. The resort is very open and spacious, with staff constantly cleaning common areas. There are plenty of places to sit, play cards, and enjoy cocktails before dinner. As expected, there is a daily rush for pool and beach chairs, so getting up early helps. We were a large group, which made it more challenging, but every day we still found seating in both the shade and the sun. The atmosphere is a mix of high-energy areas with music and activities and quieter spots to relax. Sometimes the music was louder than my personal preference, but many guests clearly enjoyed it. This is a great resort for families, with excellent kids’ activities throughout the day. The evening entertainment was better than expected, especially the aquatic show, which was a standout. I was upgraded to a Superior King Suite Oceanfront and was able to watch the show from my balcony. It took us about two days to learn the layout and establish a routine, but once we did, we genuinely enjoyed every minute of our time here. The resort was popular with Canadians and Europeans, and English was widely spoken, making communication easy. A special mention goes to the spa — my treatment with Yolanda was outstanding and one of the best massages and body treatments I’ve had. Highly recommended. Overall, with properly managed expectations, the Occidental Caribe delivers a pleasant, relaxed vacation and remains in my top five Dominican Republic resorts.

There not there to make your stay enjoyable. Rooms need major repairs, let alone upgrades. Staff could be nicer

We just returned from an 8-night, 9-day stay at this resort, and you couldn’t pay me to go back. If you’re in need of a colon cleanse, this is your place. If you ignore the food, the resort would be about a 3–3.5-star experience. We were part of a group booking and booked without researching the resort beforehand. After reading thousands of reviews, I went in with very low expectations, as the reviews were god-awful and I was almost ready not to go. We lucked out with our room—it was clean and cool, and I think we got the best room in our group. It was outdated, but that’s to be expected with an older resort. The A/C was very loud, but honestly, it helped drown out outside noise. We were in the 7000 block. When you arrive, prepare for a very long check-in wait; there was only one employee working, so bring your patience. Being in the 7000 block, we constantly heard music from the neighbouring resort, which was annoying and wouldn’t be ideal if you have young kids who go to bed early. Others in our group had awful rooms, including flooding from rooms above them, broken A/C units, and broken patio doors. The pool and beach were very nice. The beach did have a lot of seaweed, and it wasn’t cleaned up often, which was disappointing—especially since the surrounding resorts cleaned theirs early each morning. I would recommend waking up early to reserve chairs, as many days we couldn’t find any at the beach or pools if we didn’t. There were lots of bars, but once again, bring your patience. There was always a line and not enough staff working. The same went for the buffets—you constantly had to ask for place settings, etc. The language barrier was a big issue, as many employees only spoke Spanish and understood very little English. The shows were nothing special and not well advertised. Don’t waste your time at the casino; most of the slot machines are broken. I would recommend booking your à la cartes around lunchtime when you arrive—we avoided the massive morning lines and were able to walk right in. Now for the food—and I could vomit just thinking about it. Every single person in our group of 15 got sick, some worse than others, from both the buffet and the à la cartes. Bring at least 15 Imodium per person—you’ll need it. The food is awful: tasteless, and if you’re lucky, it won’t give you food poisoning. All week we were wary of eating because we didn’t want to get sick. There was very little food selection, and most of it was local/Dominican food. The pizza place was okay, but be prepared to wait over an hour for your food, and the hours are very limited. I’ve been home for two days and still can’t stomach food after how sick I got. Spend a little more money and book a better resort—there’s a reason this place has so many bad reviews.

Great beach and staff! Speciality restaurants great esp Dominican and French! Rooms are clean but need some touch ups but totally functional! Pools are awesome!! I would stay again!