Location
Punta Cana - BeachProperty Information
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Resort Details
General Policies & Fine Print
Check-in Policy - Hotel requires a credit/debit card authorization or cash deposit upon check-in for incidentals; this will place a hold on your funds.
Convention Policy - Individuals attending a convention cannot book this property for their stay. If found attending a convention, guests may be subject to higher room rates upon arrival.
Hotel Spring Break Policy - This hotel cannot guarantee a spring break-free environment.
Transfer Policy - A price may display when children stay free, if your vacation includes transfer to your hotel.
General Information - Room taxes and service fees are included in vacation price. Minimum night stay restrictions may apply. Reservation changes may not be permitted unless authorized by the hotel.
Customer Ratings & Reviews
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating
9241 reviews
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Nov 21, 2024The pools are nice, there are a few staff members that really care but overall needs an overhaul and room renovations.
The hotel advertised itself as a luxury 5-star resort that was newly renovated. We booked the best possible room with a swim-out pool, which proved to be a poor choice due to heavy trolley traffic and noisy parties between 1-3 AM as guests returned to their respective resorts on the grounds. I suspect the renovations were on the pools and common areas, not the rooms, please view photos. The dismissive nature of the staff was the most disappointing from a 5 star hotel. Our room, 93017, was unbearably humid with constantly damp bed sheets and slippery floors, despite running the AC at full blast. This created an uncomfortably cold environment without effectively reducing humidity. Wood baseboards showed visible swelling, and bathroom ceilings had mold. The humidity made floors treacherous, forcing us to waste towels keeping them dry. The sugar was clumped and you had to tear the packet in half for it to come out for reference, i had post a photo of my blue shirt being left on the bed for about 30 min, showing the dampness that was transferred. Please see photos for the ceiling of said bathroom as well. Our party of three (myself, my 92-year-old father, and 13-year-old daughter) were all charged adult rates. The third bed, a pull-out couch, smelled of WD40, and complaints went unaddressed. Extra blankets were unavailable, and the third bed lacked proper bedding and pillows. The language barrier proved challenging as staff would say "yes" to requests but take no action. The restaurants are generally good but could benefit from more authentic representation of their respective cuisines. The buffets are nice, and most staff are attentive, though some lack basic service skills, such as proper cutlery handling and placement (specifically server Cheila). Wheelchair accessibility is problematic, with 90-degree ramps making navigation difficult. Restaurants like Yurta, Tainos, and Naan require navigating awkward ramps with sharp turns. At Yurta, guests must manage heavy curtains without staff assistance. The hotel's wheelchair is poorly maintained - bring your own. Many steps are inadequately marked, and resort trolleys lack steps, requiring lifting mobility-impaired individuals. Room service is inconsistent, delivering roughly 75% of orders eventually (example: my father's omelet was missed twice before they claimed they couldn't make it; coffee arrived 30 minutes later, cream 30 minutes after that). The Sports Bar is good but needs more vegetarian/salad options. Popular items like mozzarella sticks and draft beer frequently run out. Beach bar staff tend to ignore guests until explicitly approached. CAICU's day manager Erados is exceptional - managing staff well and helping with translation. The paella cook is also noteworthy for her motherly demeanor. At BP-Punta Cana's Japanese restaurant, staff seemed lost and inappropriately suggested stairs for wheelchair access. Front desk experiences varied: Miguel provides excellent service, while Bernardette is dismissive and rude. He responded poorly to queries about pre-arrival email communications stating “Did you send it to me? Who did you send it to? When? You didn’t send it to me, You can’t tell me when it was sent, I can’t help you” - I then asked for a manager, who was just another colleague in the lobby that did not have a different uniform on, did not have a budge that state he’s a manager or carried himself like one, named Neiky. He told me that I would have to make an appointment to speak to a manager and they are just ’not available’. Perhaps he was a shift supervisor, but he definitely was not a manger. To be frank, this interaction on my last night is what pushed me over the edge to share poor experience. The sales person, Jesus, sold us an excursion stating it was appropriate for my 92 year old father to Sanoa Island but my father fell ill due to this and we are awaiting for doctor's appointments now back home. The tour guide lifted my father into a boat without due care and he has been in pain since. The catamaran advertise in the flyer, is far from the truth and the food that awaits for you at the island is spaghetti with some salads, unless you wish to pay $45 USD for the lobster - which we did - and it wasn't all that great. The servers on the island hackle you for "tips for the family" all the time as well. You first take a little speedboat to the 'natural pool' where you and 10 other excursions wade; then it's the island for about 3 hours and then a boat ride, where you switch to catamaran mid sea and endure Salsa and Merengue at 94db for 2 hours while sitting on hard surface. I was very clear that my father has mobility issues; to which he responded "but you're on the 2nd floor' - which we were not. He offered me $30 back as compensation, which I declined but seeing how much my father declined due to this excursion and blatant lies told, i will be taking this up further. Our bellhop Dennis was excellent. Note that arrivals at Bahia Principe Punta Cana require an internal trolley transfer to Esmeralda (or other resort sections like Ember or Fantasia) - information not communicated beforehand. Mid-November weather was subpar, and climate control throughout the resort was inadequate. Indoor restaurants were too cold, and temperature variations between areas were challenging for elderly guests. The Spa offers good services but lacks customization. My father's massage experiences were disappointing - first too soft for pain relief, then a basic athletic massage. The double room's broken thermostat left him cold throughout. However, my daughter enjoyed her facial treatment. The advertised Jacuzzis are also cold water, not hot. Beware of constant haggling from sales people and double check any excursion you take, the photos and the actual excursion are worlds apart. Prepare with any medical essentials; the store on the resort is pricy - pack of mints was $8 USD while cough medicine was $12 USD. The renovation, I believe, took place in the pool from what i heard guests say. The staff, are really need training by senior and experienced individuals from the industry.
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Nov 18, 2024DEFINITELY NOT A 5 STAR AND DEFINITELY NOT LUXURY
We just returned home from our 10 day (what was supposed to be a fun and relaxing girls trip) stay at Bahia Principe Luxury Esmeralda. To say we won’t be returning is an understatement. I am a seasoned traveller who has spent many weeks at different 5 star all inclusive resorts. I am not finicky nor prissy and I am extremely reasonable and understanding. I am definitely not one to complain and I believe myself to be laid back and a go with the flow kinda gal! I was at my wits end half way through our 10 days and seriously just wanted to go home. This is a first for me! First the GOOD; -Check in went quickly and smoothly and reception staff were able to get us into the building we wanted (Villa 90) only steps from the beach and main pool. -The food at Casa Bella (Italian) and Yurta (Mongolian) was amazing! 😋 -Los Olas Beach House buffer for lunch was much better food and service than at Esmeralda -Batu sports bar has really good chicken fingers and sweet potato fries (until they ran out) -Certain staff were amazing! Very friendly and attentive and acted like they truly wanted to help improve our vacation (Bernardette, Angela, Danny and Carlos - from Guest Experience) along with the main pool Waitstaff who always made sure your drink was full (although large tips did need to be given to receive this attention). -Spa was amazing! Now for the BAD (and there are a lot of them); Let me just start by saying that I have travelled to numerous (over 20) 5 star resorts in Dominican Republic, Mexico, Jamaica, Cuba, Barbados, Turks and Caicos etc etc and I have never had such a frustrating and disappointing experience as I had at Bahia Principe Luxury Esmeralda. -You are dropped off at an entirely different resort within the complex (the only one that as an adult at Esmeralda you do not have access to) and brought by trolley to Esmeralda. Nobody tells you this is happening, when you ask staff you are greeted with blank stares and you are left feeling confused and wondering if you made a mistake in your booking! -LA ISLA FOOD TRUCK - On our first day there we wait in line at the ordering kiosk for 45 minutes to order our meal. It is done by room number. When the screen showed our order was ready we only received 2 of the 6 items we ordered. We asked where the rest of our order was and were offered shrugs and blank stares. After talking to another staff member we were pretty much told, too bad get back in the line and order again. Ummm…pardon me?! We left. -BEACH AND CANEY BUFFETS. ABSOLUTE GONG-SHOW DISASTERS! *I recommend that you not eat here if you have any food allergies or intolerances. Food is labelled incorrectly and buffet staff do not speak English and cannot assist you with what is in the food. My friend has a severe allergy to pineapple and we were told yes and no (at the same time) on numerous occasions as to whether foods contain pineapple. *Food is not replenished and they run out of things like lobster, shrimp and scallops daily. So if you do not get to the buffets within a half hour of opening you are out of luck. *The displays are absolutely disgusting. Food spilled all over the counters and into other foods. I found hair on numerous occasions in food and on the serving utensils. Absolutely zero concern for cleanliness or food safety (I do recognize that food safety standards are different). It is beyond disgusting and unappetizing to say the least. *Don’t get up at the buffet to get more food and leave your table with no one sitting at it. Even with drinks, utensils etc on the table our table was given away on 5 different occasions when we both got up to get more food. When we asked for assistance from staff most just grunted and walked away. We had to walk to the entrance to ask the hostess for a table all while carrying our now cold food. *No joke! The exact same food was served breakfast, lunch and dinner every single day. What wasn’t eaten at breakfast was served at lunch. What wasn’t eaten at lunch was served at dinner. What wasn’t eaten at dinner was served the next morning and soon and so forth! We ended up eating numerous meals at Batu (the sports bar). *Hope it doesn’t rain because the roofs at both places leak and water pours in through ceiling lights, air conditioners and plug ins. The Beach buffet was flooded up past our ankles one day and the upper portion had water leaking. When we asked to move tables as our food and us were getting wet we were told no. *Be prepared to serve yourself your beverages (water, coffee etc) as the service is non-existent in the buffets and be prepared to wander around looking for cutlery so you can eat your meal. -MAIKO I wasn’t sure I would be able to eat here as the musty smell in the entire place was overpowering. There is zero air conditioning and the chicken, beef and shrimp that was cooked for us was inedible as it was very clearly raw in the middle. I am still hoping that the other people (including young kids) who ate with us that night didn’t get sick! -SWIMOUT ROOM The rooms are nice and spacious. The swim out pool is clean and the water is nice and refreshing. There is very little storage and nowhere to put suitcases. The bathrooms are nice minus the old, rickety jacuzzi tubs which should have been removed long ago. Bring your own facecloths and hand towels as these are never replenished. Bring a fan as the air conditioning cannot keep up to the heat and humidity. Make sure you download shows, movies, podcasts etc as the TV constantly goes off and will not turn back on. There was a soaking wet pile of beach towels on our patio left there from the previous guest which were never cleaned up. One day after maid service one of the beds had a duvet with a significant rip in it and the other bed had old dried blood on the sheet. After asking to have the bedding changed we returned to our room later that day to 3 women changing the bed linens. Not one of them smiled or said Hola to us, instead we were given dirty looks by all 3 women. The beds also do not have a top sheet so you sleep directly under the duvet. The sheets and pillow cases have severe wrinkles and pilling in them making it very uncomfortable to sleep on them. -MAIN POOL Apparently the filter in the pool is not working properly so at times the build up of sunscreen, food, cigarette butts etc gathers at the ends of the pool making it so cloudy and thick that you can’t even get into the pool without having to go through the mess. When brought to a managers attention he just shrugged his shoulders, grunted and got a lifeguard to go into the pool with zip ties to try and fix it. At one point there was even vomit floating in the pool. These are good examples of some of the more upsetting things we encountered while staying at this resort. This list is not inclusive but I could seriously be here for another 2 hours typing this review. I have never, ever been treated (by resort staff and managers) with such disrespect and rudeness as I have encountered at this resort. The worst part is, after bringing up ONLY SOME of these complaints to a MANAGER OF GUEST EXPERIENCE we were given a $50 resort credit and an email address for the Bahia Customer Service and told to email them when we got home with our complaints. UMMMMMM! Pardon Me! You sir/ma’am are the manager of guest experience at this resort and your response to dissatisfied customers is to direct them to some corporate email address! That was the icing on the cake for me. Like previously stated, this was by far the worst all inclusive experience I have ever encountered. Numerous other guests we met around the pool, in the lobby and at dinner were also saying how disappointed they were in this resort. Unfortunately the Bahia Principe Luxury Esmeralda is not even remotely close to luxury or to 5 star. I suggest this resort change its rating to a 3 or 3.5 star in order to be more in line with what they offer and in order to avoid further dissatisfied customers and negative reviews when customers book your resort expecting a 5 star experience.
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Nov 17, 2024Could do much better if they were trained better or given autonomy to make decisions.
Staff is friendly and always smiling but limited in resolving issues. There is no thinking outside the box when things happen that are not the norm. Time is also an issue. They state a time and then to meet the time and make excuses such as, they’re on the way or a minute away and you are waiting for 20-30 minutes.
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Nov 17, 2024
Worst Tropical Vacation Ever. Avoid this place if you can.
My friend and I decided to go here for our 50th Birthday's. BIGGEST mistake ever. This is not a 5 star resort at ALL. I have stayed in better 4 star resorts. I usually don't complain as I like to just go on vacation and enjoy the relaxing time and the sun. Well well this resort is no relaxing. For the price you pay to go here you might want to look into a 4 star. First of all it started off with getting off at the other resort and having to take a golf cart to this resort! Check in was great. The Bell Boy was going to take us to our room and our luggage then he was called by his co worker to do something else. He just left us there with our luggage. We got to our room which was on the ground floor with a swim out pool. The room looked great when we walked in. Bring your own hand towels and face cloths! I had asked for 3 days over and over for these items. Just got brushed off we will get them to you. The rooms are so hot the air conditioning is only set to 16. The beds have duvet on them with no top sheets. Our TV kept shutting off after 15 min. On the third day after the room was cleaned the duvet cover had a huge rip in it. I called down to have it changed. Well that was a big production. Had 3 ladies come to the room and change it and was given dirty looks, no hello etc. Later that evening my friend went to crawl in her bed and she pulled down her duvet to find old blood stains on her sheets that the maid had changed that day. My friend had to sleep in my bed with me that evening. We had ordered champagne to our room and it was delivered 3 days later after asking over and over about it. There were pool towels out on our swim up pool from the last people that had the room. There was bird feces all over our room deck. Never once was it cleaned. The buffet is a joke. Hope you like the same thing for breakfast and lunch and dinner every night. Same thing served over and over again. The staff working in the buffet are very lazy. There was a gentleman in front of me at the buffet that lobster. I had asked a lobster the buffet staff said we are done for the day with lobster. I was like I paid the same as that person. The next day a big manager was onsite and I asked her about it. She said no no they are to go to the back and get more. This also happened again with the shrimp the next day. Be prepared to also get up and get your own coffee, water, and drinks at the buffet. Staff will just stand and watch you without helping. My friend and I were seated 3 different times in the buffet. When we went up to get our food and come back all 3 times they gave our table away. If you have food allergies this is NOT the place to go. I have food allergies and they gave me a card to show the staff at the buffet. Nothing is labeled properly at the buffet. Example: the french fry sign was under fried bananas etc. Very scary. I asked one staff if there was pineapple on the ham and he said yes and another staff said no. I showed them my allergy card and they both had different answers! The spa is amazing! We went 3 times to relieve the stress that we were dealing with. The pool by the lobby filter doesn't work so all you see is sunscreen etc in the pool around the edges. At some point it looked like vomit in the pool floating around. People would go complain and the staff and some managers would just say the filter is not working. We had a manager by the name of Carlos that came and spoke with us and tried to fix things. He was very helpful. But once he wasn't around or on shift things went back to crap. The entertainment that is offered at 9:30pm is not that great at all. Some work can be done with the entertainment. The entertainment staff do go out and mingle with the guest but they look very tired and overworked. There were a lot of unhappy guest at this resort during our 10 day stay. Lots of guest talking amongst each other and going to managers. The pool area in the mornings are very dirty from the night before. Garbage, left food plates with old food on them left laying around. My friend went into the women's bathroom by the pool area and their was human feces on the wall. She told someone right away but they never went in and cleaned it up for another hour. Disgusting. I would not recommend this place if you are thinking you are going to a 5 star at all.
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Nov 15, 2024Amazing!
I had an incredible experience at Bahía Principe Esmeralda. The resort is stunning, and the staff is fantastic. I was particularly impressed by the excellent guest service. A special thank you to Miguel Munoz for making my birthday celebration unforgettable!