This was our second time in the Dominican our first visit was in June 2007 and we loved our stay at the Blue Bay (next door). The resort (playa) is fine but the hotel (Barcelo) wasn't the best.

I'll start by saying the hotel was really busy, it was spring break for the Canadians and Americans. It was also St Patricks day and Easter.

The reception staff weren't the friendliest and didn't seem to be too bothered with your problems. We had to be moved rooms. Our first was a bit iffy. There was an eletrical socket hanging from the wall exposing wires, this was behind our bed and a rushing water noise would sound every 40 seconds this came from the toilet. We were moved due to First Choice rules, something to do with guests and the 3rd floor. The second room was more or less the same decor minus the problems.

The rooms and hotel were very clean. The public areas were lovely. The rooms are very tierd and dated although they did have a CD player/radio alarm/MP3 socket.

The pool area is very small for the size of the hotel there are over 500 rooms and at a guess there are only 300 total sunbeds at the pool and beach. We saw guests placing towels on the beds at 4am. When we complained to reception about the lack of beds they told us to get up earlier!!

The food was very good. No complaints, the Oriental and Brazilian are superb. The main buffet area is nice but way too small for the size of the hotel.

The resturant and bar staff are run off their feet. There were only 5 barmen working, one at each bar this was for over 1000 thirsty guests. Wasn't fun.

This hotel is nice but could be better... give the rooms a face lift and hire more staff!!!

Don't be fooled, the Barcelo Puerto Plata Premium is definitely not a 4 star hotel - it is hardly even a 2 star. We usually go on vacation to Cuba but decided to see the Dominican for a change. Traveled with Air Transat out of Halifax. We stayed from April 9th to April 23rd, 2008.

Check in time: We traveled Air Transat Premium and check in was around the back of the regular check in desk. Not too speedy that is for sure as the whole plane load of travelers were also in line with us - a good two hours later we were checked in but since it was only 11 in the morning and the rooms aren't ready until 3 p.m..................! Long old wait when it is 80+ degrees and you are still dressed in your jeans. Then you have the pleasure of going to the front desk to line up once again in order to get the key for your safe. Very disorganized!

Beach: The beach is absolutely beautiful and as we love to walk several times a day it was great. We never had any problems finding chairs, although, in order to have umbrella shade you do have to be up early (like 6:30 a.m. or earlier) and mark your territory for the day with a towel. We love to walk early morning so that was no problem for us.

Hotel Room: The first room was at the back part of building 11 and smelled like a sewer - I couldn't imagine even staying one night in that room it smelled so bad. Once we complained they gave us another room at the back part of building 11 and the flush didn't work. Once again we went back to the front desk and they gave us a room looking out to the pool area and it was great. We had a few ants but since we always travel with bug spray they were not problem once I gave the room a good spray.

Food: Is definitely not good - we would have starved if we hadn't taken crackers, etc. with us. Breakfast isn't too bad as you can get an egg fried, although sometimes the burner was too hot and you end up with burnt fried egg - yuck. The bacon is raw but the guy on the grill with cook it more if you pick out a few pieces and ask him too. Fruit was not too bad most days and the bread is delicious. We went to all the a la carte dinners except for the Brazilian. The only one we enjoyed was the Oriental and it was very good. The hamburger in the snack bars is never cooked well enough and we both ended up with the back door trots for a few days and the french fries wouldn't be too bad if they would cook them a bit longer and crisp them up - nothing worse then a floppy fry! At least they have Heinz ketchup! Unfortunately, I don't think they know what mashed potato's are.

Air Transat Representative: We spoke with a rep by the name of Stephanie and she argued up and down that we were not entitled to snacks in our room (she was actually embarrassing as we were standing in the lobby at the time and her voice is pretty loud). We were told by our travel agent that snacks were provided before we even left on our trip. Funny thing, on about our seventh day (we stayed for two weeks), low and behold we started to have snacks left in our room (usually one bar and one bag of chips - for two people!). Perhaps it helped that we left a tip on our pillow every day!!! The small refrigerator worked well and every day we had two beer, two colas and two Sprite left.

Staff: We gave large tips and gifts to the staff on the front desk. The next day they ignore you and it is like they never saw you before in their life. Really weird! The people in Cuba are so friendly that we were shocked by the manner of people in Puerto Plata Barcelo. For the most part they are not very friendly people. Although, to be fair, the staff in the bar overlooking the pool (it turns into a Mexican restaurant in the evening) are really a nice bunch.

We arrived early on the 9th and had to wait for our room on the day of arrival. On the 23rd we were not flying out until 1115 at night so we asked about our room on first checking in and were told that for the price of $6 an hour we could keep the room but that we couldn't pay for it until the day before we were to leave (check out is at 1 p.m.). Well we get to the 22nd and are told to come back early the next morning (the 23rd) because the boss was too busy. When we go back on the 23rd we are told the boss is too busy again because she is in a meeting and can't see us. We ended up paying for a sub-standard room located in a building behind the main resort. We were not impressed with that little scenario. Pretty shabby treatment of their guests and as long as they practice this little money grabber they will never be able to call themselves a first class hotel. We complained to the Transat rep about this but there was nothing she could do. Guess we didn't complain loud enough though as we talked to a couple on the same flight as ours and she was vocal enough that they left them in their same room.

General appearance of Barcelo Puerto Plata: The grounds are beautiful and very, very clean. The staff are continuously cleaning something. No fault to find there.

We would never return to this resort and probably never again to the Dominican. We will stick to Cuba for our vacations. The Club Amigo Villas, Guardalavaca, Cuba should be a 5 star when compared to the Barcelo, Puerto Plata.

Hi my name is Tony, I’m from Toronto, Canada I was at Barcelo Puerto Plata hotel from 04/01/08 to 04/09/08 and there were 7 people in my party.
I had an excellent time the staff is just fabulous always smiling and very helpful and the place is spotless.
Don't forget to bring $1 bills for tips they certainly go along way.
The food was great and the variety was awesome.
I would recommend this hotel over and over again so much were planning to go back again next year.

the stories of the previous review of the resort in my opinion were greatly exagerated. we arrived there april 16/08 and with in less than 1/2 hour we were in our room and changed and heading for the buffet area. during the next 7 days at the request of our travel agent we were asked to objectively access the the previous write ups on this resort. i can only say good things about this resort, check in was done in a timely manner , room were clean and spotless , staff were friendly and courteous. food at the buffet was pleantiful and something there to please the fussiest of eater. the speciality restaurants were exellent as well. the beach had lots of lounge chairs , however i would suggest to the resort ,any beach towels left on the lounge chairs after 7p.m at night be gathered up off the loungers to be fair to the early risers who want to get a certain spot on the beach. this i also noticed at the pool with the swim up bar, towels left on loungers to reserve them for the next day. don't think this is fair, after all if you want a lounger at the pool, don't party all night ,get up early as us mary mature older people had to do in order to get a lounger. at the request of my travel agent, they wanted an objective opinion of the general area of the resort not just the premiun club. as i stated above could find nothing wrong with any of the services or the resort we are very much looking foward going back to spend more time with our extended family. keep the improvements coming barcello i would rate it a 5 and with the above beach recommendation put in place a 5 for the beach as well.