Stayed here with my sister & brother-in-law (their 1st all-inclusive) Feb 5-12, 2013. We've been to Punta Cana 4 or 5 times before, so knew in advance the beach area would be great, and it didn't disappoint us! The resort is quite large, with the property extending well back from the beach. We stayed in the Club Section, which is the furthest from the beach. The advantages of this section are that it is quiet & relaxing, never any problem getting chairs any time of the day, has two adult lagoon style pools separated by a swim-up bar facing both pools, and is close to the next section which has another pool with yet another swim-up bar, a 9 hole mini-putt golf course, an International Restaurant (Manglar), an evening lounge bar good for relaxing or a pre-dinner drink (with a great music track), one of the two buffet restaurants at the resort, and the train station. A train runs a loop 24 Hrs a day from this station to the main lobby with a couple of stops in between. We never waited more than 10 minutes for the train.
The main lobby was where we checked in (there is a Club lobby building but that was closed when we were there). Bell-boys with extended golf carts whisk people & luggage to/from their rooms on check-in and check-out. From the main lobby it is a short walk to the beach, passing two more lagoon style pools on the way. There are also three children's pools, one in the club area and two in the others. The closer to the beach you got, the more difficult it was to find chairs, although we still managed to find the odd one on the beach most days.
The food varied, although overall I rated it as very good. Certainly the steak off the grill, and the house wine was the best I have had at any Dominican Republic resort! Another surprise was on their gala night, where they had lobster on the grill in the buffet! If you like pasta, there is an area where you can have a pasta dish made to order - well worth a visit. The rest of the food was pretty standard resort fare, although I found they fell down on their salad and fresh fruit areas. It seemed limited in selection, quantity and freshness.
We ate at two restaurants - the Manglar restaurant (lamb was overdone, but the steak & fish dishes were good) and the steak house (excellent filet mignons). The buffets were varied and good enough we didn't feel the need to visit more. There is an Asian restaurant that costs an extra $10, so we didn't bother going to that either.
Staff were very friendly and seemed genuinely happy. Frank was our waiter in the buffet (La Palma) and was excellent. Also, the two bartenders at the bar beside the Manglar restaurant were excellent. There were some time-share people about, but we didn't find them pushy nor obnoxious. You're on holiday folks - take the time to talk to them and make your own decision whether to attend their seminar or not.
Accommodation was OK. The rooms were clean, but dated. A bonus though - at most resorts we have been to there is a place to insert a room card just inside the room to turn on the power, A/C, etc. When we arrived, there was already a card in the slot and the A/C was already on, the room was cool, as was the fridge! There was never any problems with water heat or pressure. Some fittings were loose, paint was old, dresser knobs missing, etc. but everything worked. Our phone didn't ring! I didn't check whether the ringer was on or not, nor report it (forgot to). We booked a tour & I called for a wake-up call which I didn't get, likely as the phone didn't ring! Luckily I had set my phone alarm, so we were OK. TIP - check your phone beforehand if you're getting a wake up call.
The girls had a spa - the Valentines special. Was supposed to be 1 1/2 hours, but turned into 3 hours, due to delays, interruptions, and being "forgot about"! Not very organized, so be forewarned.
Overall, I would go back and would recommend this place to my friends. Apparently it is closing in April for renovations, so it will be interesting to see it after the renos are complete.
- Also Known As:
- Grand Paradise Bavaro Punta Cana
- Grand Paradise Punta Cana
- Gran Bavaro Paradise
- Grand Paradise
- Grand Paradise Bavaro Hotel
- Club Grand Paradise Bavaro
- Grand Paradise Bavaro Beach Resort & Spa
- Gran Paradise Bavaro
- Punta Cana Grand Paradise Bavaro
Phone Number:
Region:
Caribbean >
Dominican Republic >
La Altagracia Province >
Punta Cana
Amenities:
Bar/Lounge
Beach
Business Center
Fitness Center
Free Breakfast
Free Parking
Kids Activities
Restaurant
Room Service
Swimming Pool
Wheelchair access
#51 On the Beach Hotels in Punta Cana
#57 Top resorts Hotels in Punta Cana
Price Range:
$
Hotel Class:3.5 star (3.5*)
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