VIK Arena Blanca & Cayena Beach Club - All Inclusive

Customer ratings & reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

4230 reviews

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  Nice if you go in with zero expectations

  We just returned from a week at The Vik Arena Blanca. It was a very relaxing, nice vacation. I’ll start with the positives. We went, knowing it was old so expectations were lower. The resort is beautiful. Small and simple. The beach is gorgeous. The pools are great. One is newly renovated and the other is due for renovations this spring. We stayed in the newer pool because it was deeper. It was great - we loved it! Our room was in building 5. It was Ocean View and the view was spectacular. We had 3 beds- all were very hard. My husband and I had both suffered with back pain due to the beds. The pillows are AWFUL. Lumpy and hard. The room was clean, the water was fine and warm (it did seem to turn off around 4pm for about an hour). Wifi in the room was spotty but we didn’t spend a lot of time there. Room was cleaned daily and water re-stocked. Buffet was okay. The bacon was always good and plentiful. My husband and son loved the dinner stir-fry’s. Everything else was meh. Drinks are awful. No fruit juice- just sugar drinks. No diet sodas- only regular available. Staff were distant and rude. The bartender at the beach bar never smiled. Never interacted. Came across grouchy and rude. As did most of the staff. The bartenders in the lobby were the most personable. Entertainment is awful. Don’t bother. We sat in the lobby and played cards each night. The coffee machine is excellent. The ‘sports bar’ was dirty and seemed sketchy. Didn’t like that area at all. Very run down. If you’re looking to enjoy the pool and beach and totally relax - this is lovely. But don’t expect any luxury’s or attention from staff. I enjoyed my time because of the weather, pool and beach (and company) but wouldn’t return. P.S. if you go, bring cat treats. There are so many cats roaming the resort!

  Jan 17, 2025
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  Don't go here

  Six of us went to this resort for 6 days, and we all had a similar negative experience. We booked 3 rooms, and every room had problems, ranging from no air conditioning, to lights not working, to broken locks on the door. The staff is neither friendly, nor helpful. We all tried going to the front desk to ask for repairs or switch rooms. The air conditioning was never fixed, and the alternate rooms we were offered didn't have king beds. When we were out of our room, our personal belongings were rifled through, and $35 USD was stolen. We had to ask three times for additional water bottles and pillows. After three days, the additional pillows were provided. There aren't enough chairs by the pool or beach. Every day when we went to lunch, we returned to the water to find chairs missing, and towels and personal belongings strewn about. The late night snack bar didn't have any food, and our flight landed late, so the first night we had no food. The buffet was ok, very similar to the food in Cuba. Drinks were alright. We won't be returning to this resort, or the Dominican in general. This experience was very negative and stressful. Instead, we'll be going to Royalton Hicacos Varadero, Cuba, where the customer service is amazing, beaches are gorgeous, and we always felt safe.

  Jan 11, 2025
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  Hotel from Hell.

  ************STAY AWAY******** This is by far the worst all inclusive I’ve been to and I’ve been to many. What surprises me even more is how some of the reviews are actually good. I’m assuming most who wrote positive reviews don’t have much to compare it to. All my Cuba trips put this place to shame. -Rooms- 1.very dated. 2.no more hot water after 3 min shower. 3. One day there was no water period. 4. Constantly have to ask to for toilet paper, towels, soap, and shampoo. You shouldn’t have to ask. 5. Tv must be 15 years old. The #1 language in the world is English . Have more than 1 or 2 English channels ffs. Service: there is zero service at this hotel. I’ve never been to a resort that doesn’t have drink service. Never once was there a server on site that asked me if I wanted a drink . The “cocktails” 1 on 10. Everything served in cheap plastic cups. Front desk: every day there was a problem. Yes they addressed it but it’s almost like they expect the complaint. They just didn’t care. Shows: meh, very sub par. Food: was just ok. There’s only 1 a la carte resto with 4 different themes. Italian, international, Mexican and seafood. Buffet was ok. Breakfast , why do I have to chase someone everyday for a fork and spoon. And how do you run out of coffee every morning and someone needs to tell you it’s empty. The beach was probably the only good thing about this place. Water is a little rough as you’re on the Atlantic and not the Caribbean. And last but not least, my daughter’s chain was stolen from our room. That’s on me for thinking it couldn’t happen. Just a horrible experience. This is also on me for not doing my research. I learned my lesson. The worst part is, normally I would say you get what you pay for….IT WASN’T EVEN CHEAP!! All this to say, there are so many better places, don’t waste your money here.

  Jan 09, 2025
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  Worse vk hotel arena blanca

  I've coming to Dominican republic for over 20 years and this the worse hotel no customer service terrible food made us sick the room are old no hot water in shower and the restaurant staff not friendly at all and more negative things about this place I will never come to this hotel

  Jan 06, 2025
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  Three Wedding Anniversary Celebrations

  My wife and I recently vacationed at the Vik Arena Blanca 10/15/24 to 10/22/24. This was our second visit to this resort. We celebrated our 46th Wedding Anniversary last visit and returned this year for our 47th. We enjoyed the peace and tranquility and have already booked our 48th anniversary celebration. This year we have asked friends to join us also. We have vacationed in the Dominican Republic for over 20 years, multiple visits each year. We usually stay in the Punta Cana or Puerto Plata areas and have booked both premium and mediocre resorts, each having many similarities and differences. We now value R&R, taking in the sunshine, beautiful beaches, sound of the ocean, relaxing pool and great food selections. The Vik, with its small resort charm and friendly staff exceeded our expectations. Relaxation is the only entertainment we desire. The domestic liquor and Presidente Beer are fine. Like many other resorts top shelf liquors are not offered. When premium beverages are offered at a resort expect a significant price increase. The buffet offered great food selections and one a la cart restaurant offered three alternating cuisines that were great also and no reservations were necessary. I am a picky eater and always found something I liked. The snack bar offers burgers, hot dogs, fries and the best pizza varieties. Rooms are clean and adequate, but can use some updating. Maintenance teams were busy painting and working on repairs. Accommodations are very similar to other DR resorts. The property is very easy to get around and is located directly on the beach. For us, the evenings are peaceful and relaxing. Some entertainment is offered in the evenings, but we do not attend. Free wifi is great and don't forget a "bubba cup" for larger beverages. In summary, I would rate Vik Arena Blana a solid 3-star. If you are looking for wild parties, loud music, top shelf liquor, room service, first class accommodations, activity crew and superior entertainment, this place will not match your expectations. I would say it is a peaceful gem with small resort charm, friendly staff, good selection of food and beverages. Some areas need attention and improvements can be seen daily.

  Dec 30, 2024