WherToStay.com

Forgot Password? Signup
WhereToStay.com - Know Before You Go!Hotels, Resorts, Inns, B&BsLuxury Villa RentalsBuild a TripTraveler ReviewsBuild a Trip
Home » Caribbean » Dominican Republic

Paradisus Punta Cana

Dominican Republic

This property can be booked by these companies.
hotels.com: (800) 439-4013 or Online
Property OverviewProperty PhotosTraveler Reviews

Traveler Reviews Know Before You Go!

Have you visited Paradisus Punta Cana? We'd love to know what you think...
Please write a review with as much detail as possible. Tell us about the amenities, facilities and staff.

Click Here to post your review for Paradisus Punta Cana.


It was beautiful! Visited: October 2005
Posted by zuntite
My husband and I were given a trip to this resort for our honeymoon in 2000. We had such a wonderful time we brought back friends and family with us for the next stay.

We didn't have any of the problems that the other posts here had. I suppose if you want a vacation place that is "American", you shouldn't travel abroad.

They weren't fluent in English. However, communication wasn't a problem. You have to give them credit, they do a great job...better than my Spanish, German or French, in which they are fluent. I guess three languages isn't enough for some.

The restaurants were great, and the service was wonderful. I recommend going in the off season if you don't like crowded restaurants and pools. Nothing about this resort has ever let us down.
10 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

Deception or incomppetence ? Visited: January 2005
Posted by d_memeteau
My wife an I expereienced a 2 days overbooking in The Paradisus Punta Cana upon arrival. Instead of a deluxe 5 stars resort with the Front beach Royal Service option we were relocated in 4 stars resort 4 km away from the beach with a direct view on a wall and up to now no refund.
5 users found this review helpful. 3 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

It was excellent for the fifth time! Visited: January 2005
Posted by lynnk15
This was our fifth time staying at Paradisus. As always, it was immaculate. The resort was spotless - as was the sugary white beach.

I saw the negative reviews and cringed. If you are in the Caribbean, why worry about waiting on a towel? If you are in the Caribbean, why worry at all?

This resort was among one of the finest I have experienced. Caribbean food is Caribbean food, so relax and enjoy.

The pool and beach were fantastic. The climate was perfect, and the sun shined every day.
7 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

This was the worse trip of my life! Visited: October 2004
Posted by jenny_r75
This was by far the worse vacation of my life. I do not know who gave this hotel a five-star rating. I wanted to go back home after just two days.

There were never enough towels at the pool, and we had to wait 30-60 minutes for a towel. We also experienced one blackout where the lights went out in the whole hotel.

Also, if you are planning to come here with a child, forget about ever having a high chair. After many fights with the staff, I just used regular chairs since they only had four high chairs for all 10 restaurants. My son and I got food poisoning, and it just could not get any worse.

I would not recommend this hotel to my worst enemy. Beware!
4 users found this review helpful. 7 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

We had low expectations, but we had a really great time! Visited: February 2004
Posted by sanforddv
After reading reviews prior to our departure, we went with low expectations. The result was we had a great time.

We experienced almost none of the negative things in the reviews we had read. The only thing 'bad' was that we could not get reservations to the Japanese or Romantico restaurants. However, since we were there for only four evening meals (arrived on Monday and left on Friday) and the resort was packed, this did not seem out of the ordinary.

All of the other restaurants were first come, first served. By going early, we did not have any problem being seated within 15-20 minutes. There was no 'loud boom boom noise', the service was excellent, workers, servers, etc. were all friendly and very helpful.

Of course, some of the food was not what we were used to, after all this was not 'home', so you have to expect that it won't be home cooking. All in all, I don't think we had any bad food, just some that was different.

Just being able to learn a few common phrases in Spanish helped a lot. We played golf at Cocatel one day and the course was in great condition.

We only had one problem with the lodging. We woke up one morning with water all over the bathroom floor around the commode. I called guest services just before we went to breakfast and when we returned the leak was fixed and the floor cleaned up. What a problem, huh? Can't get better service than that.

Either some of the people who visit are real snobs with expectations of being treated like kings and queens, or the resort has read some of the previous posts and taken action to correct anything that needed correcting. I did not meet or talk to anyone who had any 'real' complaints.
3 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

I can't wait to return to Paradisus. Visited: January 2004
Posted by ali12373
We just returned from our one-week stay at Paradisus and are ready for our second time.

Check-in was a breeze and while we were standing in line getting our room keys, the staff brought us a welcome cocktail.

Our room was beautifully set up when we arrrived, with a welcome basket on the table and flowers all over the bathroom and living area.

The food at all but one restaurant was delicious. Yes, we needed a reservation for two of them, El Romantico (Continental) and Sakura (Japanese), but waiting the one day to get in was worth it.

The staff at Paradisus was so friendly and eager to help in any way. They were always smiling, and really made an effort to make our vacation stress free.

The beach was certainly beautiful , but we did have to get there early to get lounge chairs. The best thing is to set your towels out on your way to breakfast around 8:00 am or 8:30 am.
The pool was also very nice, but we did spend most of our time at the beach.

I would highly recommend this hotel. It has everything you need .. nightly shows, a casino, great food and a fabulous property.
4 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

We will never stay at Paradisus again. Visited: December 2003
Posted by rag822
We just got back from the worst trip my family has ever been on. We have traveled extensively all over the Caribbean, and our trip was a disaster.

The pool and beach were very nice...but that was about it! Our main issues were trouble getting towels, pool chairs and reservations for restaurants. Other issues were the service in restaurants, vehicles on the guest walkways (constantly), and the lack of employees communicating in English. Never again.
2 users found this review helpful. 3 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

This was a perfect place to vacation. Visited: September 2003
Posted by bsethsmith
I am a travel agent who decided to honeymoon at the Paradisus and I must say I could not have picked a better resort. I do not know what kind of standards some of these people have who give the Paradisus a bad review: all I know is that I have been to some very nice places throughout the Caribbean and this resort is at the top of my list.

The hotel was absolutely beautiful. The service from all of the employees was fabulous (the waiters may not have spoken much, if any, English; however, they always knew exactly what I needed.)

The food was also very good with the exception of the two restaurants that required reservations (the French and the Japanese ones). They were truly not worth visiting.

Overall, the resort was excellent and if you ever have the oppurtunity to travel here, it is an extraordinary bargain. If you find this property to be anything less than paradise, I assure you the problem isn't with The Paradisus.
4 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

This was a beautiful resort--very relaxing! Visited: September 2003
Posted by randallc
What an excellent vacation! My husband and I went with another couple and we had a blast.

The food was good--lots of variety and the hospitality was super. The pool was outstanding. In fact, we could have stayed in it all day.

The friendliest waiter was down at the beach (restaurant area) and his name was Ramon. He was very quiet, accommodating and professional and everyone seemed to like him. The wages are terrible, so tipping is the best way to show your gratitude.

The only problem we encountered was that the cable-tv wasn't working the whole week we were here, but I wasn't here to watch tv anyway! I plan to go back again.
3 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

I highly recommend this resort. Visited: September 2003
Posted by 123
We just came back from the Paradisus Resort and all I have to say is, "this is not Bloomingdales, where rich snobs shop!" This is a third world country, where, what I paid for my week-long vacation is not what these people earn in a whole year!

The food was as good as could be for a Caribbean resort, the beach was beautiful, and the rooms were nice. Honestly, I only slept in them, I didn't live in the room! Also, the staff was respectful enough to all the rude Americans.

This is a Caribbean resort, not Bora Bora. It doesn't cost $5,000 a night here! Plus, I have seen more filth in New York City and we have managed to live there all our lives!

I highly recommend this resort and the Caribbean for those who are relaxed and for those who can separate the Dow Jones from the beach!
5 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

Best of the Worst! Visited: August 2003
Posted by kingman99
There are several downsides to this resort. In order to get a beach chair with a thatched umbrella, you have to take your towels back to your room at the end of the day. In order to reserve a lounger, you have to do so by 7am the following morning. The towel hut opens at 8am.

Make your reservations the minute you get there for the restaurants. Collared shirts and long pants are required, but we saw slobs with shorts and t-shirts being served. That is why we are called, “ugly Americans.” Guests are mixed, but mostly couples. You will meet corporate presidents and low lives, so mellow a little. The food is okay, but keep in mind the Dominican Republic is a cheap and poor island, so don't expect too much. We will never go back to the Dominican Republic again.
2 users found this review helpful. 3 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

Just a few details were wrong, but the rest was excellent. Visited: July 2003
Posted by hiramgel
This was our third trip to Paradisus Punta Cana. We will never be tired of this place and we will go again nex year.

As always, the attention of the pool bartender, Lenin, was delightful. One point we must mention was the excellent attention we received from the French and breakfast restaurants. Mary Esther Estrella had a especial touch with people. She really made us feel at home. Congratulate her for us.

The rest at the hotel was perfect. Only the weather was very poor, but this was not the concern of the hotel. It was nice, as always. Thank you!
1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

This is my favorite hotel in the Dominican Republic. Visited: June 2003
Posted by doublell824
This was my second stay at Paradisus Punta Cana and once again, I had a wonderful experience.

The grounds were amazing, the beach was pristine and the people were very friendly. I personally didn't find the music to be loud everywhere or constant.

The beach was immaculate and huge and we had plenty of space and privacy. If you don't want to hear music on the beach, it's best not to sit too close to the speakers I guess! They only played the music a little louder when they were teaching a dance class or hosting activities which usually only lasted about an hour. They also played quiet music in the restaurants, but it was not loud my any means.

You can't be ultra-picky about tiny details, however, I found that the local staff tried very hard to cater to their guests. No, not every single detail was always in place, but they were friendly when you asked for things (and perfection doesn't exist). The locals are poor and most of them don't have the luxuries that Paradisus provides to their guests - including air conditioning.

The Dominican Republic is a warm, welcoming, beautiful country and I can say the same about the resort.

That said, I would highly recommend Paradisus if you want to get your money's worth at a beautiful piece of paradise. Leave your whining and complaining at the door and relax and you'll do fine. If you're going to let little things ruin your vacation, you probably need more than a vacation!

One more reminder - tip well! You don't have to tip much, but when being waited on at a restaurant, think about how much your waiter really gets to take home of your all-inclusive package. It will mean a lot to them.
2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

Not very special. Visited: May 2003
Posted by jabrams
If you're looking to treat yourself to something special, look elsewhere. As mentioned in most reviews, the grounds are beautiful, but the experience wasn't.

During our week stay, we couldn't find one spot to relax without listening to loud Dominican music. Boom, boom, boom. At lunch, boom, boom. At the pool bar, boom, boom. From the resort next door, boom, boom. Did I mention the constant music?

It must have disoriented our maid, as she couldn't find toilet paper for us (hint: if you get some, hide the extra rolls in the room safe). She also had difficulty with the unfitted sheets, which would slide right off the bed. But we were happy that the air conditioning worked...until it stopped in the middle of the night and was out 6 hours later. Then we left.

Small incidents reflect the staff's attitude. Watersports had a habit of making up stories to explain mess ups. (It seemed lost sail boats down the coast were a favorite when they overbooked.) We got tired of having to fight for a clean table at lunch and breakfast, while the wait staff watched. Haven't they heard of a hostess?

And yes, I speak a bit of Spanish and yes I tipped. Mostly I just felt 'serviced'.
1 users found this review helpful. 2 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

It was wonderful. Visited: March 2003
Posted by mudstuen
This was everything we wanted. Everything was just perfect for us. We would definitely go back.
2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

It was great. Visited: March 2003
Posted by sburnash
We just returned from a wonderful five-night stay. The suites where very nice, the hotel staff was very helpful and the weather was the best. Speaking a bit of Spanish went a long way, and the people truly appreciated the effort. We have already made plans to return next year.

Our personal thanks to Juan Cabrera, the main lobby bartender who went out of his way to make our vacation and my husband's birthday a very special event. We feel as though we have a true friend in the Dominican Republic now.
2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

This place ws like "Paradise" Visited: February 2003
Posted by isa801
I'm returning to Paradisus Punta Cana as soon as possible!
The food was excellent in all the restaurants and the service was certainly friendly.

This was the most wonderful time I ever have.


2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

The best of all the all-inclusives Visited: February 2003
Posted by rsuozzi
We just returned from a ten-day stay along with three other couples. We have stayed at other all-inclusives and this one was the best.

We are golfers and we were very impressed with the golf course (free golf included); the beach was just beautiful, the grounds were a tropical paradise and the facilites of the hotel were top notch. We would return.

On the negative side, since nothing is perfect, the attitude of most of the staff could use some adjusting. I blame this on bad management. Language was a problem, so if you speak Spanish you will be ahead of the game. Also, when we spoke with management or the front desk for information, it seemed that when they didn't know an answer, they made it up!

Also, housekeeping was stingy with towels and washcloths; I can't understand why a major hotel would allow guests to be frustrated over towel supplies. All in all though, we would return; we enjoyed the food and top-of-the-line drinks; we enjoyed the golf, beach and absolutely beautiful pool.
1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

Beautiful Resort. Too bad service is unacceptable. Visited: November 2002
Posted by kelly_ta
I just returned from my vacation from Paradisus Punta Cana yesterday. The air conditioning was on the fritz during our stay. Our room stayed at a constant 80 degrees Fahrenheit and was extremely humid. In fact, it was much more comfortable to stay outside because at least there was a breeze. Everything was damp in the room due to the humidity and it had a very strong mildew stench. We advised the hotel and they were going to send maintenance, but they never showed up! Within a 4-hour span the first night I called back four times and each time it was, "Maintenance will come soon." Finally they were tired of me calling and said, "Maintenance will come now."

Nobody ever called us back or showed up at the door. I finally called back one last time for the night and told them I wanted to speak to a manager. I was informed that they did not have a night manager. I then asked to switch rooms (not knowing of the air conditioning problem yet, I thought it was just our room) and was asked to wait until the morning.

We had to try and sleep in the stuffy room that night and the next morning they asked us to wait until 1PM. Then it was a promised that they would have someone pick me up at 2PM to take me to check a different room. Did someone come? No. I called the front desk and they asked me to call back in 20 minutes because the front desk clerk that promised me the 2PM pick up was eating!

To make a long story short, this went on for two days - we were only there for three nights. I was constantly calling the front desk from my room or making the long trek to the front desk. I would ask for a manager and would get an excuse that the manager was "out." I must have explained my situation a dozen times and I thought each person would address the situation, but all they were doing was stalling to let the next person deal with it. I had no vacation - I was constantly getting the runaround from the hotel! It was not until my last night there that I spoke to the public relations desk and gave them my business card showing I was a manager at a travel agency and told them that I would never send my clients to a place with such poor service (or lack of) that she took me in to meet one of the executive directors. She was shocked after hearing what took place - she did all she could to compensate me for the time lost and was extremely sympathetic. So at least the last 15 hours of my trip did finally feel like a vacation, but was it worth it? No.

If someone is going to tell me they are going to do something, it needs to be done. There will be situations that are out of a person's control and it cannot be fixed, a phone call is then warranted. The staff at this property passed the buck one too many times.
2 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

A tropical paradise! Visited: October 2002
Posted by frank_riddell
We just spent a fantastic week at Paradisus. The resort was absolutely beautiful, both the grounds and the beach, and the pool area was the nicest we had ever experienced.

The rooms were adequate, although towel replacement was an on -going problem. The restaurants were excellent, our favorite was the Mexican one.

Although, at El Romantico (the French restaurant), we had both our best and our worst meal. The filet and lobster the first night were excellent (so was the service and overall experience), but during our second visit, the filet, the service and the overall experience were all poor. We cancelled our reservation for a third visit and went back to the Mexican restaurant instead.

The wine list in all the restaurants was more than adequate and the quality of service, overall, was very good. A few Spanish words go a long way.
2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Did you find this helpful?

More


Other Popular Properties More Villas
Courtyard Marriott Santiago - Dominican Republic
The Courtyard by Marriott Santiago is located only four minutes away from the International Cibao Airport and eight minutes from Santiago City, which is known to be the meca of...
Catalonia Bavaro Resort - Dominican Republic
Situated on the Dominican Republic's easternmost beach just north of where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea, this resort includes a casino and a 9-hole golf course. ...
Barcelo Capella Beach Resort - Dominican Republic
The Barcelo Capella Beach Resort is a five star, luxury resort located right on Villas del Mar Beach, 20 miles from the Las Americas International Airport. ...
Barcelo Punta Cana Resort - Dominican Republic
Barceló Punta Cana welcomes guests from all over the world to our elegant Mediterranean-inspired all inclusive beachfront resort boasting a long stretch of dazzling powder-soft beach on the eastern coast...
 

Every hotel, resort, b&b, and villa. That is our goal. Did we miss your favorite hotel or villa? Do you own a hotel or villa? Please let us know. Click Here!
Did you find something offensive on our website? Please let us know. Click Here!

Paradisus Punta Cana Overview

This expansive all-inclusive 542-suite resort facing Punta Cana's 32-km (20-mi) beach offers a wide variety of water and land sports and features eight ŕ la carte dinner restaurants. A freeform pool, scuba-diving, horseback riding, golf, 24-hour room service, and day/night children's activities are among amenities included in room rates....


SuperClubs Breezes Gand Lido


Dominican Republic Links


WhereToStay.com Newsletter
Join our email list and get the latest news, specials and promotions delivered to you.
Email:

privacy statement