Came back from the Gran Ventana on the 18th May and we were greatly disapointed after reading all these great reviews.n
We had cockroaches in the room ( Big Cockroaches ) my husband managed to kill them and when reported to reception the reaction was we will get the maid to clean again.
We slept with the light on for the last 3 days.
My husband had a really bad stomach he had to get medical assistance.
I would add we have been to Dominican 5 times previously and not had these problems,we were in the Marien Oasis last year and just wish we had gone back there as the pool is much superior and cleaer, as is the hotel.
We had a real downpour and there was no umberellas in the rooms so we could not get to the restuarant for our meal until one of the maids gave us a shower curtain to cover ourselves with.
There was no wash gels in the rooms which most hotels in Dominican have now.
They had closed part of th resort due to refurbishment which it really needs.
Mabye if you have not been to Dominican before you would think this is okay but I can assure you there are much better hotels than this.

Brenda,
Scotland

this is a fantastic hotel been twice before staff are great and friendly arrive in hotel the rep rang me to make sure all was ok. never had this before so was suprised to hear from him. excellent rep dave his name scouse lad always full of smiles and jokes when you see him ask him to show you his harry potter book, it makes you laugh, if you want to sweeten him up bring cadburys he will ove you. pool grewat and near by is a english sports bar called phils dirt cheap drinks and staff great thanks phil. when you go have a great stay from me you will love it

Myself and my partner arrived back in England at the weekend after spending 2 fantastic weeks at Gran Ventana. Before booking I did spend alot of time reading reviews in order to find the best hotel so i'm hoping my opinion will help some people!
Check in at the hotel was very quick and it was nice to be greeted with a tasty welcome drink .
Rooms-Having read reviews I had requested to be in the Saona block and this is exactly where we were-2nd floor with an ocean view and king size bed. The room and bathroom were nicely decorated and very clean, as was the whole resort. We tipped the cleaner 1 dollar every day and regulary had flowers on the bed and towel art.

Pools-We are beach people, however did spend a couple of days around the main pool. I must say that no matter what time of day you went to the pool it was very easy to get a sunbed! We didn't use the quiet pool as we liked to listen to the music and use the swim up bar in the main pool.

Beach-We walked in both directions down the beach and the Gran Ventana definitely has the best beach. This was commented on by many people from other hotels. The sand is nearly white and the water is so clear. There were always people cleaning the beach. As with the pool, no matter what time of day you went to the beach, there was always a sunbed free. You must get snorkels for an hour and feed banana to the fish, the way they eat it out your hand is amazing. During a couple of afternoons it did get windy at the beach, but it was nice to cool you down. All we did was face our beds away from the wind! There are alot of vendors on the beach, but just sat no thankyou if you're not interested. But do chat to them, they are really nice people and can tell you alot about the area etc. There are also women offering manicures and pedicures-treat yourself, when do you get the chance in england to sit on the beach and have your nails done?! Find Lily, she's lovely!

Bars-The beach bar did close for renovations while we were there, but they replaced it with a tent/gazebo and served the same drinks and some food at lunchtime so there was never a problem. The main bar used in the evening served every drink you could want. Most of the bars used plastic cups, however if you get to know the barmen they will give you a proper glass! You have to try a banana mama-delicious! And if you're brave enough get a shot of the 151 rum-75% proof!!

Food-How anyone can say there wasn't much choice is beyond me. I have never been to a hotel with so much choice at a buffett-you could have a different meal every night for 2 weeks and still not try everything! Breakfast was fruit, smoothies, cooked breakfast, waffles, omlettes, cheese, croissants, pancakes, cereal... Lunch and dinner was a choice of salad, pasta, bread, rice, chips, meat dishes, fish dishes, pizza, fruit, cakes, icecream... And sooo much more! The buffet restaurant was never busy and the waiter always came to top up your glass.
All 3 a la carte restaurants were fantastic, my favourite was the italian and my partner liked the mexican. The food is delicious and the service is so good, your wine glass will never be empty! It was my birthday when we were out there and the italian restaurant made me a cake and the waiters sang happy birthday! We did tip $5 or $10 dollars at these restaurants, but you want to after the service you receive!

Entertainment-I have to agree with everyone when they say the animation team is so energetic! They always had activities on the go both day and night. The shows were very good, especially michael jackson ant the animation team show. You must learn the club dance...and say hi to David from Emma!!

Playa Dorada-It is safe to go out of the hotel and walk to the plaza. Here are a number of souvenir shops and bars. We went to coco bongos club-free to get in and plenty of british people in there aswell as staff from the hotels so never any bother.

Trips-We booked ocean world and the dolphin swim through our rep-this is a must. For $165 it is a fantastic day and one you will never forget! We also went to paradise island and booked this through marysol at the plaza-don't be afraid to book at the plaza-the rep was charging $97 and at the plaza we paid $55 each for the same trip!

I think I have covered everything, overall this was one of the best sun holidays we have ever been on and are already thinking of going back later in the year!

Travelling with two children, age 16 and 8, was made easy on this resort. Activities are available for all ages, with kid friendly pools and designated "quiet" areas for those wanting a bit more solitude. Gorgeous main buildings, lots of space to relax. Staff were extremely polite, always striving for amazing service. Food was good: lots of variety, no waits in the buffet or a la carte restaurants. Highly recommend the Outback Tour. Watch out for imitation guides who are not reliable nor as qualified. We will definately consider going back again in the future!