Bahia Principe Grand El Portillo – All Inclusive

Customer ratings & reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

8488 reviews

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  Great trip overall!!!!!!

  The only negative would be some rooms need an upgrade. We were originally in a standard room where the breaker kept turning the power, they sent someone but then moved us to another standard room. Ultimately we decided to upgrade to a superior suite for $100 US which was worth it in comparison to the standard room but the mini fridge took hours to get any drink cold. We called down but never followed up to see if anyone actually came. Now.. the resort grounds was beautifully well kept, everything was well taken care of and other grounds had definitely been renovated. I suggest downloading the app in advance to book Al la cartes because we didn’t get reservations until 8:30PM-9:15PM. The buffet had a good selection of food. We loved the hut on the beach next to the main pool, the burgers and sides were great! There was cats but I love cats so it didn’t bother me at all and made me feel at home ha! They didn’t bother people. But many of us fed them well lol Entertainment was fantastic! We had a great time with a host of them and they treated us very well! Shout out to Marco Antonio, Rosalin, Rosa Lydia, Katiberyl, Geraldo, Rolando! We loved the activities/games throughout the day. The foam party was fun but wish it was for longer!!! We had a blast! We loved aquafit and that the DJ accepted our music requests! Tons of fun games and they gave away some great prizes. You can tell all the hard work and effort that goes into hosting the events and it was very well decorated and I loved the beach party, Hawaiian party, the shows near the gift shop. WELL DONE! A lot of credit goes to the bartenders because there isn’t a lot of them but they work VERY hard and multitask multiple people at one given time and with a huge smile on their face! Our favourites were Juan, Albania, Samuel! They were quick, attentive, the drinks were fantastic and they paid attention to the clients. The best bar cart pool guy Joander!!! He was gone for a few days and we really missed his energy. He was fantastic and interacted amazingly with the guests. The beach was fantastic. I was able to find chairs around the pool, although those were at times hard to find. I loved the swim up bar and sitting area in pool. The beach was beautiful and the reef is fantastic and you must bring a snorkel set! Totally worth it and snorkelled for hours. The fish love bread and bananas. We got the best deals at the beach for jewelry.. they roam and can be persist at times. It is a public beach so they are allowed. I said no thank you and they’d normally move on quick. Our first Bahia resort and it won’t be our last! I really liked the food, vibe, people, entertainment, bar staff. Maybe a late night snack/buffet place would be handy. Love love loved our trip!

  Mar 04, 2025
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  hope this helps

  I will try to give a very honest review. FOOD AND DRINKS I am very pleased with the offer, diversity and high quality. Boavista restaurant was a whole experience and we felt very welcomed (a la carte restaurant) but the further they served meat it got more dry, it wasn’t as good as the first one’s. Near the pool there was a guy Joander who was serving drinks while you were sunbathing! We felt taken care of when he was approaching us. Also bar in the pool 10/10. I recommend fruit punch mojito and margarita fresa. ROOMS They were a bit old fashioned but it’s okay, they were clean and the cleaning ladies were trying hard. ENTERTAINMENT To be honest interaction with everyone was an entartainment. Rosalin, Jesus Playa y Marcos Antonio, Yoanely very nice stuff, energetic. David and our friend from burgers- we love your food guys! It was so fun to talk with everyone. Dominican Republic fuels you with positivity, wherever you go everyone is smiling and trying to chat with you. Bingo Bongo, Limbo, volleyball, tennis it all sums up and we couldn’t get bored. TRANSFER It was long (4h) but worth it BEACH, TRIPS etc Beach was pure, the sea cristal. There was a coral reef, gorgeous. We went to waterfall Limon and I thought (from pictures) that’s gonna be more jaw-dropping but it was a quick trip from Bahia Principe so it was worth it to have another view. Don’t get me wrong it’s beautiful but it looked better on pictures. Remember to take swimsuits on the trip. OVERALL very high standard combined with quality I hope this has helped you, if you are looking for a way to destress from life, sunbath, eat well and have fun Bahia Principe is an excellent choice.

  Feb 27, 2025
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  Our New Happy Place

  Large well kept resort. All areas of the resort were clean and well maintained. Plenty of activities and entertainment throughout the day and evening, something for everyone of all ages. Food was plentiful with a large variety and there are lots of a la carte options. Our junior suite was spacious and very clean. Elizabeth was fantastic and ensured that we had everything that we needed. Added touches of flowers on the bed made us feel special, thank you Elizabeth. The beach and water were very clean and you could safely walk the beach. The only complaint was the difficulty in getting a lounger. While on vacation I don't feel that I need to be hunting for a lounger at 7 in the morning! The resort felt very safe and there were lots of security cameras throughout the resort. As the resort was very large they offered a transportation service throughout which was very welcome when checking in and out. On check out day our bags were kept in a monitored room and we were allowed full use of the resort until we left. Washrooms and showers, including towels were provided on departure day. This is a welcome service so that you can fully enjoy your last day. Thank you from snowy Canada to all the staff for making our vacation relaxing and enjoyable. Gracias

  Feb 26, 2025
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  Great Family Trip

  Amazing trip to Samana. Beach was great, hotel staff were exceptional. They were friendly and always helpful. Food was good. Italian restaurant, called Portofino was excellent! Lots of hot water and internet was good. Could snorkel right off beach at resort and even feed fish by hand. Did Whale watching and zip line through Air Transat rep and both were excellent. Do not book tours through Viator- they don’t pick up in Samaná, wanted extra money then cancelled the night before-horrible!

  Feb 25, 2025
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  Great first all-inclusive experience

  This was our first all inclusive and really enjoyed the week. Bahia Principe Grand El Portillo is relatively quiet, mostly couples and families and predominantly Canadian. Nightly entertainment which was not too bad finished 10:30-11:00, we didn’t go to the disco. The beach party was a fun event. Although quite a few children, we never felt like they were loud or annoying (we do enjoy kids, just not on vacation). The rooms were very clean and daily maid service kept it clean, restocked as needed. Although not a newer resort, the rooms were well maintained The buffet had great selection at every meal. We did find the food was not as hot as we would have liked, but mostly very tasty. If you get fresh made eggs, omelettes, pasta, they were hot, but you waited in line ups (not too long). The a-La-Carte meals were fresh and hot. We had dinner at Boavista, Brazilian restaurant, it was very good. Lots of meat choices, carved at our table The Greek restaurant was good but they didn’t have souvlaki or tzatziki, which I was expecting. The Greek salad and Greek fish were excellent choices My husband has lactose intolerance so we did have a few issues having servers understand what he could or couldn’t eat. Customer service provided an allergen identification card for him to show, but some didn’t understand what it meant. No dishes in the buffet have allergen labelling, cross contamination could be a concern for people with specific allergies. Lots of choices of drinks and bottled water always available. We had no issues with water/ice. The beach is beautiful, great for long walks. The water was clear, shallow for quite a ways out, especially good for kids. I would rate this resort a firm 4-4.5. Only particular drawback was food not hot enough on the buffet or poolside grill.

  Feb 23, 2025