I am really disappointed with all the negative reviews and for those people who maybe didn't go to this resort as a result. Please remember that these are the same people who walk around nit-picking at anything and everything throughout their entire life. A holiday is what you make of it and this resort is fantastic. The rooms are very clean, the grounds are immaculate, the people are very friendly and a heartfelt "buenos dias" or "hola" is appreciated. The buffet food is basic, yes, but there is plenty of variety and there is something for everyone. The a-la-carte restaurants are actually really good and the staff is very attentive. The people who complain about the staff are the ones who treat them as servants. Give respect, get respect. We talked to a lot of the staff and they are the warmest and nicest in the Carribean. Please consider this resort, you won't regret it !!! Shame on the negative reviewers !!! HINTS: bring little gifts, not only for the maids, but random acts of kindness to the gardeners and pool staff will be very appreciated and will make you feel good too. Bring an insulated mug, it keeps your drink cooler longer and you are saving the environment from all those plastic cups. Wear your sunscreen at all times during the day !!! Finally ... Relax, grab a cocktail and HAVE FUN !!!!!

Bahia Principe was an amazing experience! There are no words to describe how great this resort really is.
I will try to give a good breakdown:

FOOD: The food was excellent. There were about 5 or 6 a la carte restaurants and about 3 or so buffets. The a la carte restaurants were exceptional. The service was great and the food was also great. I was able to try the Pescador restaurant, the garden grill, and the Japanese restaurant.
The Japanese Restaurant was alot of fun! The chef cooks right in front of you and gives you the preference of what to include in your meal. The service was amazing as well!
The Garden Grill was also amazing! I have never tasted a better steak in my life!
The Pescador restaurant was the highlight of the the week! The food was AMAZING! They offered a seafood buffet before your main meal which was also very good! You will not be disappointed with this restaurant!
The buffets (Bugambilia) were also very good. The food was a little repetitive toward the end of the week. However, the service was excellent, and they also tried different cultural themes.

BEACH: Anyone who has been to the Dominican knows that Bavaro beach is absolutely stunning. In my opinion, this is the best beach in all of the region! The water is crystal clear. The sands are easy on the feet. The only downside was that you had to wake up at about 5 AM to get a beach hut, but that's a pretty normal routine in these types of resorts! The beach bar was also excellent. I found that the drinks were made a little bit better as well. The beach aerobics/soccer was alot of fun! YOU HAVE TO TRY THE BANANA BOAT! So much fun!

DRINKS: Bahia Principe offered a good selection of drinks which catered to people of all ages. My personal favorite was "Bugambilia" which is a tropical paradise in a glass! "Dirty Monkey" was a fan favorite as well! Several non-inclusive drinks were a bit expensive, so my suggestion to you would be to stick to the inclusive drinks. I highly recommend the drink "MAMA JUANA" [I'm sure they will tell you all about that one ;-)]

STAFF/SERVICE: The staff was excellent. They always greeted you with an "Hola" and a big smile on their face. The first day we got there, we did experience a little animal issue in our room. However, the staff fixed the problem immediately and gave us a new room closer to the beach! The bartenders in the main lobby were some of the nicest people you could meet. They respected the company of different people. If you tip them, they will love you for the rest of your stay!

ROOM: One phrase to sum it all up: The best room I have ever stayed in. No problems with the toilets, no problem with the sink, no problems with the bed, no problems with the TV. PERFECT.

POOL: The pool is beautiful and enormous. It was the perfect spot to bring small kids, or simply just lounge around and drink! There was always music playing which really complimented the whole tropical paradise. There were palm trees everywhere! From time to time, the staff would gather people for water aerobics. This was alot of fun! The only downside to the pool was that it was very shallow (under 5 feet). Other than that, it was excellent!

OVERALL: This is one of the most beautiful resorts you will ever stay at! It was so much fun, and I would highly recommend it to anyone! ENJOY YOUR STAY!

My husband and I arrived a few hours ago from a one week's stay at the Bahia Principe Bavaro. (May 2 - 9,2008)
The service, facilities and staff were excellent.
We highly recommend it. The buffet had an abundance of various foods which would cater to a number of food restricted individuals (I am vegetarian andmy husband has gluten restrictions). There a re several a la carte retaurants (Japanese, French,Brasilian, Gril Cafe,Mediterranean) which is a nice change from going tothe buffet ever day.
The beach is endless.
Overall, a fantastic vacation getaway!

The owners of the Gran Bahia Principe Resorts really know their stuff!
From the check-in we felt right at home!

The rooms are well appointed, the pools clean and spacious and the staff friendly. Make sure you can speak at least some Spanish though because other than the Front Desk and Guest services, there are few employees that speak English or French.

The food is scrumptious and the choices varied.

The beach is spectacular! You can walk an hour in either direction and not reach the end!

We will certainly visit this or one of the other resorts in the chain in the future...