We were here in 2008 and OB was a great place. Since then, new owners have taken over and the resort is tired and weary. My friend asked for decaf this am and they gave her a jar of instant nescafe and a cup of hot water. They used to offer milk or cream in your coffee. Now it's just milk, unless you want powdered packets. There is mildew all over the mat in the bathroom shower and the top of the nightstand is a mess, mottled by liquids or chemical. Apple will be contacted when we get back. They will need to remove a few 'apples' from the rating on this place.

This was our first visit to Punta Cana and had a wonderful vacation at Ocean Blue & Sand. Six of us traveled the first week in February and loved every minute of it. Overall, the resort was lovely and clean (loved that it was set up like a little village), service was great and staff made the trip! I’m still shaking my head at some of the negative reviews I read that made me second guess my choice! I’d like to give a detailed review since many were so helpful to me when planning our trip.

Rooms: Spacious and clean. Nothing super fancy or luxurious, but clean and comfortable with an always-stocked fridge of whatever we requested. We were in Villa 3, which, at first was disappointing because I had it in my head that we should be closer to the beach/pools. It turned out to be a great location for us – right in the middle of everything. A short walk to the lobby area for wifi to check in at home, grab a coffee from Mike’s, or hit the restaurants and entertainment in the evening and an equally short walk to the pools and beach.

Pools/Beach: Beautiful and clean! Never, ever had a problem finding lounge chairs…even 6 together. The pools did not feel crowded at all, even though I believe the resort was near capacity that week. Towels were never an issue, either…although the hike to the towel hut was a pain. We would get clean towels at the end of the day, so we had our fresh ones ready for the next morning. Loved the swim up bars!

Food: If I have any complaints at all, it would be the food. Just average to good in some spots, but my expectations were realistic for an AI. However, the variety is huge, so it would be very difficult not to find something you liked! The Mexican and Domincan restaurants were good, the Italian was not good at all, the breakfast buffet was good, and the beach buffet was average. I did love the paella and fajitas grill on the beach, as well as the sangria and margarita bars set up to match.

Entertainment: Loved the entertainment in the lobby each night – live music, dancing, karaoke. The staff work very hard ALL day and night to make sure you’re having a good time. And you can participate as much or as little as you’d like. The disco and casino were fun, as well.

Service/Staff: Were excellent – everyone we encountered was friendly and polite and had a smile on! I really liked that resort was small enough to have a more intimate feel where you actually got to know some of the staff and they remembered you (and your drink order!) from day to day. The beach bar staff – Jose Santos and Kuiston – were amazing and made our days so much fun! Santo, our waiter in Casa de mi Abuela was fantastic and when we saw him again in the beach restaurant, he remembered us and took very good care of our group. And lastly, Vincent in the Mexican restaurant was great and never let our drinks get empty before there were fresh ones on the table! Also wanted to mention, since it seemed to be a problem in other reviews, that we were never once approached by any timeshare people.

Oh, and nothing to do with the resort, but get your tourist card online if possible. The line to buy them was LONG (I know this varies based on incoming flights) and we were able to zip right through to customs.

We would absolutely return to OB&S and are already planning our next girls’ trip for 2015!

We have been to Punta Cana before, this hotel was very clean, the staff was very nice. It is not 4 stars but overall was a good experience. I would recommend this property and I would stay here again. The food in these resorts always leaves a little to be desired, but still good.

Don't pass this one buy; we had a fabulous time being pampered by the staff. The resort is well maintained, the staff is very friendly and helpful, and the beach is breathtaking. There is always something to do day or night. The food was quite good and there was an outstanding selection of different foods to choose from. The pools, the bars, the weather, like being in paradise wish we never had to come home. Hope you have as much fun as we did. P.S. Don’t forget to try the Mama Juana!