just got back from their had great time food ok breakfast wasent that good drinks was good choices try brown cow very nice beer ok as well had problems with claners they kept leaving our sliding door open kept moaning to them but no one seem to bother doing anything not even our rep so i sent husband out to buy locks for cases kept everything under lock and key no entertanment for young children found that we tend to go to bed about 8 ish and was getting up early to watch sun set and play in sea before we had breakfast the place is very loud at nite not once did we sleep all night with out getting woken up by every one going back to rooms shouting and singing no one is quiet their at night, would be better if they put familys together away from the night clubs but they mix you up, very busy their at weekends when they let the locals in cheap but they were fine we went when it was quiet end of sep so not many people their nice time to go rooms basic and clean good air con aswell trips very expensive for a family dident do any children little young for them would go back may be with husbnd when kids grown up yes it was great holiday if you are thinking of going for it then do it you will have fun .dan if you read this please get in touch its us the 4js the ones you got drunk with by the pool

Arrived for a two week break at the Casa Marina Reef hotel on the 12th September. When we arrived we were very impressed with the grounds of the hotel - it is very pretty to look at.
Within a couple of days my partner was ill and i think the doctor at the resort was rubbing his hands together. For an upset stomach and a fever my partner was administered 2 drips - in his hotel bed - 4 injections - 2 courses of tablets and some medicine 2 days later when he was better. To us a lot of this felt unneccesary.
The rooms were okay for a 3 star hotel, the food at the buffets however was awful. The meat was cooked one day and then what was left was put in stews the following days, there were constantly flies on the food and for fussy eaters or children there was not a lot of choice - we reccommend you eat in the mexican at lunch time where you can get burgers/pizza/salad or chips. The food at the buffet just seemed very bland.
The resteraunts you book at were a lot better, in the Italian you get serenaded while you eat - it is quite amusing!!

While we were there we went on the paradise island trip, Puerto Plata top view, Catamaran, Dominican discovery and Ocean World. The Paradise Island trip is great if you like snorkelling but if its sunbathing you want there really isn't a lot of room to do this. The Puerto Plata trip was very rushed, you go to the amber factory and museam as well as a trip in the cable car to the top of the mountain. We did this trip with Thomas Cook in the resort but recommend you do this with the friendly taxi drivers just outside the resort, it is a lot cheaper and you can go where you like at your own speed. The Catamaran trip was very good however if you get travel or sea sick i would not advise this trip at all - trust me i found out the hard way. The dominican discovery trip takes you out to the poor villages. This trip was amazing and was certainly a culture shock. The great thing about this is that if you like horseriding there is the opportunity to do this, if not you can stay on the Jeep and drink whilst following those horse riding. The final trip - Ocean World was really good. We paid the general admission $120 for 2 adults and saw the shows. The sealions were by far the best. This trip is a long day and to be honest by 3pm you have seen everything there is to see.

We met some amazing people on this holiday and the majority of the staff are very helpful - though be warned we heard of a few people that had things taken from their rooms - best advice we have is take some strong padlocks with you and lock your valuables in your case as the hotel charges quite a lot for their safe deposit boxes and i think your belongings are safer in your case.

IT IS SAFE TO LEAVE THE RESORT - just beware of people constantly hounding you for money or to look in their shops - which all sell the same things!! also they don't take no for an answer. If you are after cheap cigarettes just outside the reef (second shop on the left) his cigs are about £9 for 200 much better value than the hotel shop.

Finally if you have had enough of the reef there is a lovely little English bar in Sosoua if you come out of reef walk down to popula bank to the next junction, turn right alongside La Roca and behind that is the rose and thistle bar. These guys have been in the DR some time and know the best trips to go on and also have contacts with the local scuba diving school - which is also run by an English guy. These people are the wealth of all knowledge and will show you the right direction.

Returned from Casa Marina Reef 19th Sept had a good time. Will run you through our opinions.
Flight 8 hours 20 mins we hate it but has to be done.
15 mins tops to hotel from airport that was a relief.
Check in easy welcoming drink and bell boy to assist with luggage.
Rooms basic very clean no nasty smells air conditioning a bit primitive but did the job. Rooms very dark we took lampshades off for extra light. Electric can go off many times a day but usually only for a matter of seconds.
Food in our opinion fine plenty to choose from different themes at buffets. We only visited Resturants twice as buffet good.
Did not try seafood resturant but Mexican and Italian both fine.
Pools warm and clean. Beach also good but water a bit hairy once you got past the first few waves you are ok but be careful big waves come from nowhere and we saw a few accidents during our stay. Which is quite alarming as the beach was cordened off for at least 4 or 5 days during our stay due to the rough water but don't be put off watch the flags and take care.
Entertainment cannot comment on as we only watched one show. That was the Hollywood show and was very good.
All staff were friendly only needs a smile and a small tip.
Drinks were fine for us maybe a bit weak but couldn't tell as we were full of food!
If you need a coffee when you wake up get a couple of mugs to take or get some at the gift shop and go to the buffet and get some before you venture out. Lovely.
Didn't try the jaccuzis, massages so cannot comment.
Overall good relaxing holiday no complaints but is basic and perhaps a little tired in places.

For the second year running my parents and I stayed here for a fortnight in September - and we will be back again. And for the second year running - we cannot find one single fault with this hotel! The food is so great that my clothes no longer fit me - and there is so much variety every day - from chips and burgers for the really 'exciting' travellers to goat meat and cheese boards for us normals. The main buffet is always beautifully decorated with flowers and wildlife carved out of watermelons and the like. Even their bread baskets are baked out of bread! Each dinner at the buffet is themed so if it's a cuisine you're not overly keen on then you can find out in the morning and book into an a la carte restaurant (we used this privelege on both American and English night!). Plus there's a snack bar so if 3 meals a day plus afternoon coffee and cake isn't enough for you - then you can gorge yourself all day with just a 2 hour slot when you can't get fed as they need to set up for dinner. The a la carte restaurants are lovely - but I don't recommend the seafood one as from what I could tell the menu didn't differ much from the every day seafood dishes that are served in the buffet restaurants. The beaches are perfect - although I prefer the smaller non-lifeguarded beach as it really is a tropical paradise in every way as it is completely surrounded by the reef. The beach was shut for a few days - much like last year - due to massive waves - but we still didn't feel like we missed out on much as we just spent these days slipping in and out of the jaccuzzis to keep cool and sitting in the shade sipping our bloody maries. Time works in strange ways in that hotel I'm sure as you look at your watch 5 minutes after sitting down only to find out that you've been there for 3 hours. Can't comment on the pool - I try to avoid the communal bathing experience as much as possible - plus I see no reason to go all the way to the Dominican to soak in chlorine with a bunch of children. The hotel is really close to the airport - about 20 mins - which is great. The entertainment is the best I have ever seen in such a hotel and it has only got better since last year. This is down to two things: their equipment - the hotel has a thatched roofed amphitheater with a huge stage, lighting rig, pyrotechnics, elaborate and completely professional costumes - different ones for each dance/ skit each day, etc etc. And secondly - their choreographer - Ricky - who should be immortalised in my opinion! There is nothing that man can't create and put into action. The team are so talented and they look great together - and they do their job wonderfully. All the staff - including waiters and bar staff - try to be on first name terms with you - now that's good memory skills! This hotel also has the most extensive cocktail list I've ever seen in a hotel and besides - if they've got it - and you can explain it - they'll make it. There is also much wildlife to be seen in the hotel! There are lizards everywhere and really funny crabs that live in the reef and will eat ANYTHING (including sausages and biscuits)! Plus there's plenty of fish in the sea - with especially beautiful ones nearer to the coral. There's plenty of activities - if you really have enough energy (bear in mind - it's kinda hot to say the least) with darts, bingo, pingpong competitions etc being organised throughout the day. Plus there's windsurfing and all the standard watersport stuff you'd expect. The rooms are great and met all my needs - especially the air conditioning which actually makes it pretty chilly throughout the night! Plus there's bottled spring water on arrival in the rooms which I always think is a nice touch. There's not many English-speaking TV channels - but what are you doing watching TV in such a paradise anyway?! One thing that annoys me though - there are quite a few 'mature' and highly unattractive women holidaying there who think it's neccessary for everyone to be forced to look at their topless selves whenever they are outdoors. Luckily though these women really are in the minority! But nevertheless - yuck. The hotel grounds can get quite noisy on weekends (or rather Saturday afternoon/ evening and Sunday until dinner) when the local Domincans come and stay with their hundreds of very sociable friends! Finally the grounds of the hotel are like nothing I've ever seen before - they are loaded with hundreds of different trees, cacti, flowers and landscaping.

Anyways - apologies for the long review - I hope this helped and feel free to contact me for further details! Hope you have just as great a time (if not even better) here as my parents and I!

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PS I shall post some photos when dad gets them off the camera!