Just to start off with a bit of background information. I am a seventeen year old who has been on holidays abroad at least once a year ever since I can remember. I’ve stayed in a range of star rated hotels and countries. Our family likes to stay in a hotel with the beach near by and the centre of the resort within walking distance.

We decided to venture to the Dominican Republic because my older sister goes there nearly every year and finds it fantastic.
To be honest, this was not my view and definitely not my mum’s!
This hotel was meant to be extra special as we had just moved and my mum had a hip operation earlier in the year so it was time for an overdue break.

We travelled by first choice and the plane journey was fine, I think it was 8 hours and we enjoyed the films and games so it went quite fast. When we arrived at the Dominican airport we were greeted by many coaches taking travellers yet it seemed the people going to our hotel were to take the mini bus. Then we had a very unusual and long journey through the real Dominican Republic. We saw the poverty and the derelict buildings which I couldn’t believe people actually lived in. The journey seemed to last forever; I think the driver got a little lost. Until finally we arrived at our hotel which was completely in the middle of nowhere. It had gates surrounding the whole complex and we never even contemplated venturing out of them. A couple and their teenage son did one day when the boredom of the surroundings got too much and they literally got out of the cab and jumped back in!
The hotel itself was spectacular. The grounds and décor does deserve the five star rating, the open air lobby with endless seating was lovely. And then there was even more seating throughout with a nice bar. However we found the bar staff quite rude, they seemed to leave the English people till last and they seemed to ignore females. Although I can’t complain at the generous levels of alcohol in a rum and coke!

The food was quite nice although as we went in the height of summer the heat seemed to attract some flies and I was put off eating the fresh fruits out on display. There was quite a variety of food but nothing amazing and after a week there I was bored of the same meals. But there was hardly an option for a meal outside the resort was there!! I felt sorry for one of our fellow Brit’s as she was vegetarian and seemed to eat courgettes and salad everyday. Although they did have one of the nicest rice puddings I’ve ever tasted!

The pool was nice and the cushioned sun loungers and free towels, books and games made the days pass by easily. As there were only around 4 British families there we became one big group and it was lovely. Although we didn’t enjoy sharing the ear infection we got from the pool. I know of 4 British people that got it including me. There was a doctor on the complex so it was sorted in no time.

You don’t realise how big the hotel is until you are given a map; like that of Thorpe Park or large theme park. There are about 8 blocks of apartments; which I must say were spacious. Although for a five star we were shocked that for a family of three one person had to sleep on a very uncomfortable sofa bed! Also as I said my mum had just recovered from a hip replacement, walking small distances was not a problem but we did not anticipate having to walk for ten minutes from our room to the restaurant; it was ridiculous.

I could go on and on about the negatives of this hotel. It is not a disaster but we were greatly let down due to our high expectations and for the amount we paid. After a week all the British people were talking between themselves about their complaints forms and it even turned into a competition to see who had the most! We complained to first choice about many things – many I haven’t mentioned like the snack bar and second Jacuzzi being out of action - and I think we got a hundred pound compensation which for a holiday costing two thousand pound plus is a joke.

One last thing, we tried the scuba diving which was very expensive but as I said this was an extra special holiday. The main trainer - a very fit German man whose name I have forgotten - was a credit to the hotel. On one of the many trips out to the ocean we went around 20 metres underwater and during an exercise I began to panic and tried to get all equipment off of me. It sounds funny now but at the time having taken my oxygen mask off it was very serious. The trainer was amazing and some how managed to get me to surface slowly and calmly.

Overall I would not choose to return to this hotel. I came back from my two week holiday feeling like I needed another one to compensate. From the pictures it looks like a five star but I would not recommend it unless you like to be restricted to the same beach and one pool. A real disappointment!

This was a great resort. The grounds were well-kept and beautiful! Our room was very spacious!!! Everything seemed fairly new. I believe we went around the slow season, so the resort was quiet. It seemed like a relaxing retreat.

The beach was great and the water was so calm and beautiful! I recommend staying here, as I hope to go back! There was not much in the towns nearby, so be prepared to stay put on the resort unless you have a car and can go for a ride to the waterfall (Cascada) or various cities.

This part of the island had the best beaches!!! We often stopped off and went in for a dip as we were driving.

Also, the biggest downfall of the resort was the food. It was edible, but not the best food. It all reminded me of a cheap cruise ship, but you can easily go out and get other food, but it is important that you speak Spanish,

Have fun, Samana is my favorite part of the island thus far!!!

My friend and I have just returned from Gran Bahia El Portillo, and must say that it was one of the best holidays we have had. This was my third visit to Dominican Republic, and this holiday had such a relaxing atmosphere with the most spectacular scenery. The beach was amazing and stretched for miles and we found it quite safe to walk the shoreline. We did meet a few beach boys, but they were very friendly and polite, and certainly were not a nuisance to us, - in fact they greeted us with lovely smiles, and made us feel very welcome. Quite a few of our group of friends enjoyed massages on the beach and pedicures. The rooms were superb - we had a junior suite, and it was cleaned by very friendly cleaning staff who carried out their jobs very satisfactorily. The impressive reception was quite stunning with a central water feature, and the ornamental brass decor and marble floor were polished to perfection - there were beautiful flower arrangements and extremely efficient reception staff who were always happy to please. The well manicured lawns and outdoor areas were always immaculate and continually cleaned.
The restaurant always had freshly laundered cloths and smartly uniformed and well groomed waiters, and a charming receptionist to welcome you at the door. Standard of hygiene appeared good.
We are 2 middle aged ladies and we made friends with many people aged between 23 and 8l ! ! and we had tremendous fun with them all - and a large group of us went on an excursion to Barcardi Island and had a great day. The entertainment staff were great, with laughs galore - Mosquitto - one of the dancers was outstanding with his mischief during the day, and he worked very hard to ensure everyone enjoyed themselves with his hilarity. In fact all of the entertainment team really made our holiday with their humour and personalities. None of us wanted to leave this little paradise, and were all upset to say goodbye to them all.
The pool and beach parties also provided a lot of fun, and there were lots of quieter areas for those people who wanted a more peaceful environment.
On the negative side, we agree with the criticism of leftovers on the buffet from previous meals, but we avoided these. We also disliked the undercooked meats, especially in such a hot climate, but found the fish dishes tasty and plentiful. The only bar open in the evening was inside the hotel and closed at 11 pm prompt, and the only bar to socialise with friends after that time was in the disco, situated a short walk up the road from the main hotel. We walked up there every night as we don't expect to retire at llpm, and sat on the terrace outside the disco with our drinks. Not everyone realised they could do this. Why can't one of the outside beach or pool bars be open in the evening in such beautiful weather - this would also avoid the congestion and overcrowding at the indoor bar. There did appear to be problems with shortages every day at the bars. Some days - no lemonade, other days no water, coke, vodka, brandy and even beer. There was not a single day when there wasn't a shortage of some popular drink. In previous visits to a Gran Bahia we did not have these problems. Nevertheless none of us experienced upset stomachs, and despite these problems we would still return to this hotel. At the moment I would not rate this property 5 star, but it has great potential to be a fantastic hotel if these problems could be rectified and this part of Dominican is starting to be developed, so go there before the builders move in.
My overall experience - an excellent staff, an excellent destination and an excellent hotel with a few problems which can easily be rectified.

I stayed at the Gran Bahia Principe El Portillo between April 21st and April 28th.
I must say that the overall experience is well worth it and the location amazing. But, of course, it all depends on one's expectations and what you want from your vacation.
I wanted a good rest but especially a change of scenery and in my case I always like to get to know the country and the people.
My rating is without a doubt 5 star for the location and surroundings and a 3 to 4 star for the hotel itself.
The hotel is overall very well kept and very clean and the room was well located and confortable. Although the maid/cleaning service in the rooms is just average in the rest of the resort it is well above average and the place is kept spotless - not an easy task when it's pouring, which it did for a bit everyday during our stay (don't be discouraged though, as you may get the heavy rain for an hour or so, in our case mostly in the evening around 7 pm, but the weather always improves and is great the rest of the time).
A special note to the hotel staff, always smiling, willing and eager to please, which undoubtedly helps to make it a very nice stay.
The beach is ideal, a long stretch of white sand and palm trees and the water is clear, great to swin in and full of tropical fish right at your feet!
I found that basically the only not so good thing at the hotel was the food, even at the a la card restaurants - The Pescador was good, but the other two, the Gourmet and Oriental just ok.
At the buffet restaurant the food is not too good either, that meaning it is not a 4 or 5 star cuisine, but if you're not too picky it is basically ok - with so many options you will always find something you like to eat - even if it is some "pollo" (chicken, always available in some form), or pizza or pasta, if nothing else pleases you. A good selection of cheese and local fruit is always available, and the bread buffet is really good.
The breakfast buffet was, in my opinion, a lot better compared to the rest of the meals, and no negative remarks there!
If you can, don't miss the opportunity to take a tour outside the hotel as one of the strong points of this resort is the surroundings - we did, we took 4 tours (!) and we loved it.
Don't miss the opportunity to get to know the surroundings and the country you're in. For us, it was a great experience and I highly recommend it. Just don't expect luxury or to be pampered around, it's all quite informal and although professional and confortable enough you should keep an open mind and go on an adventurous mood.
The scenery is amazing and you will see and learn much more than in your average beach resort vacation (the boat trip to Los Haitises, the land "safari" with some serious bumping in less travelled roads and amazing green scenery, the "fiesta mood" catamaran trip to Cayo Levantado, and the half day trip to El Limon waterfall, despite the neverending steps down and back up!).
So, basically a well worth experience and an amazing location to enjoy the sun and the sea (but not just) in a very much less crowded Republica Dominicana.