Bahia Principe Escape Ambar

Ambar undoubtedly benefits from a beautiful location, stunning grounds and a lovely beach. However, the accommodation, food quality, housekeeping consistency and overall attention to detail fall short of what I would expect from a true 5-star luxury resort. While we enjoyed aspects of our stay, particularly the beautiful setting, easy access to beach loungers and the speciality restaurants, the experience did not match either our expectations or our previous stay at Bahia Akumal in Mexico. The resort feels more like a good 4-star hotel in a spectacular location than the luxury 5-star experience it advertises. We booked this holiday to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. Shortly after checking into our room, a member of staff delivered a plate of small cakes. While the gesture was appreciated, they were the same desserts available from the buffet and felt underwhelming for a special occasion at a luxury resort. By comparison, when we stayed at Bahia Akumal in Mexico for our honeymoon, we received a lovely bowl of fresh fruit, artisan chocolates and a chilled bottle of sparkling wine. As a result, this anniversary recognition felt like a disappointment and certainly not what I would expect from a 5-star luxury resort. Room We stayed in a Junior Deluxe Suite on the third floor. There are no lifts, meaning two flights of stairs per floor, although the concierge carried our luggage on arrival and departure. The room itself was very large, spacious and offered plenty of storage. The bathroom follows an open-plan design, with a separate door for the toilet but no real privacy around the shower area. If you're travelling with friends or prefer a more private bathroom setup, this is worth considering. Housekeeping was inconsistent. While the room was generally kept tidy, there were noticeable areas of dirt and grime where the floor meets the walls, yellow staining in the shower, and some questionable marks inside the toilet cubicle. These are not details you would expect from a resort marketed as 5-star luxury. We also had to request fresh towels on two occasions after used ones had been removed but not replaced, and twice our room was not serviced at all. Mini-bar - Just ok Food and Drink The soft drinks were disappointing, often flat as they are poured from large two-litre bottles rather than served from dispensers. The cocktails were generally pleasant and perfectly drinkable although weak in alcohol content. The buffet offered a variety of food, but it became very repetitive after a few days. More frustratingly, the food was consistently cold, even when arriving as the restaurant opened. Labelling was often inaccurate or unclear, making it difficult to identify dishes. The themed evenings were also a let-down, as they largely featured the same buffet selection with only a handful of additional dishes. For example, on Mexican night there was a section labelled "Tacos", but there was no indication of what fillings were available. The à la carte restaurants were much better. We managed to dine at Portofino and Meat, and both served good-quality food. However, neither restaurant had air conditioning, making the dining experience somewhat uncomfortable in the evening heat. Beach and Pool Despite some reviews mentioning difficulties finding sun loungers, we never had any trouble securing beds on the beach regardless of the time we arrived. This made for a much more relaxed experience, as there was no need to get up early to reserve a spot. The beach itself is beautiful, with soft white sand and clear turquoise water when the seaweed conditions allow. While sargassum can be an issue, the staff work incredibly hard every day to clear it and keep the beach looking as presentable as possible. Beach drink service was available, but it was somewhat inconsistent. At times staff came around regularly taking orders, while on other occasions there were long periods without seeing anyone. This seemed to reflect the wider theme of the resort, where service could be very good but lacked consistency. The downside is there are ALOT of beach traders constantly walking trying to sell you various wares for example, on a single day we had: 3 different cigar hawkers 1 guy selling photo opp with a parrot 1 guy selling a photo opp with a monkey 1 guy selling a photo opp with an Iguana multiple ladies offering massages 3 / 4 different guys selling trips Guy selling Sunglasses Guy selling Hats Guy selling Paintings Guy selling Carvings Guy selling jewelery Lady selling beachwear While we understand this is common in the Dominican Republic and the traders were generally polite when you declined, the frequency of interruptions became quite intrusive. At times it felt difficult to fully relax and enjoy the beach without being approached every few minutes. this was a notable drawback and detracted from the overall feeling of tranquillity. Another negative aspect of the beach experience occurred over a weekend when a couple of large groups appeared on the beach who seemed to be day visitors. They were playing their own music at a high volume and were considerably louder than the regular hotel guests, detracting from the otherwise relaxing atmosphere. What was particularly disappointing was that the beach staff appeared to turn a blind eye to the situation and made no attempt to address it. For guests seeking a peaceful beach environment, this was frustrating and felt at odds with the luxury experience the resort aims to provide. The main pool is very large and features a swim-up bar, which is a popular attraction for many guests. However, during our stay we chose not to use the pool as the water often appeared quite murky and did not look particularly inviting. While we cannot comment on the pool experience itself, the appearance of the water was enough to put us off using it. Service While we found the staff generally pleasant, friendly and hardworking, there were often language barriers, as some members of staff had limited English. This occasionally made it difficult to communicate requests or ask questions without some confusion. We also felt that the service lacked the personal touch that we had experienced at other Bahia resorts. One member of staff would show you to your table, another would bring water, someone else would take drink orders, and different staff members would clear plates throughout the meal. While the service was efficient enough, it felt quite impersonal. By comparison, during our stay at Bahia Akumal in Mexico, each waiter was responsible for a dedicated group of tables. This allowed them to get to know guests, remember preferences, and build a genuine rapport over the course of the holiday. It created a much warmer and more personalised experience, which was missing at Ambar. The service in the lobby bar was also somewhat inconsistent. On some evenings, table service was prompt and attentive, while on others it was very hit and miss. On one occasion, despite waiting for a considerable time and seeing other guests being served around us, we were completely overlooked and never had our drinks order taken. While this may have been an isolated incident, it was disappointing and not what we would expect from a resort marketed as a luxury 5-star property. Final Verdict: A beautiful resort in a stunning location, but one that falls short in several key areas. If your priority is a gorgeous beach (when no seaweed) and attractive surroundings, you will likely enjoy your stay. However, if you're expecting true 5-star luxury, exceptional service and attention to detail, you may leave feeling disappointed.

From check in to check out this hotel was 5 star. Food, facilities, staff, transport, grounds and beach there are not enough superlatives to describe. We went with Tui so journey was seamless. 50 minutes from airport so not excessive. There are 6 hotels on this complex and we had access to all but the children's hotel. Other pools had more room around them , luckily we had a swim up room so did not use main pool at Amber. Transport to and from different hotels is constant from 7am till 3am. As a "fussy eater" I was blown away by the quality and options of food......so many options to have fresh cooked meat, fish, pasta, breakfast cooked right in front of you Staff are friendly and even came round to the swim up rooms to offer drinks service. I cannot wait to return but will be taking stronger mozzie repellant.

We visited this hotel for 11 nights in September 2026 after booking directly. Note, upon arrival transfers drop you at the AquaMarine lobby and you need to get the buggy to transfer you to Ambar lobby. Check-in was easy as we had completed online in advance and we were taken to our room quicky. The room was large, clean and fresh with good AC. The room was quiet and we slept well (70112 – grounds floor no pool). The buffet was spotless – the selection and quality of food was good. We had booked a different a la carte restaurant each night on the app in advance – we like the chance to jump on the buggy and visit the other hotels for a drink and dinner. The a la cartes were of a high standard. As were the drinks. We visited Esmarelda, AquaMarine and Turquesa. The pool was fun, the animation and pool bar teams work hard to keep guests happy. We never had an issue getting a sunbed. We never went into the beach. In general, the hotel staff are very accommodating and would do anything for you! We were eaten alive, remember your insect repellent. Book you’re a la carte dining in advance – we visited during low season and heard people struggling to get reservations when they arrived. Booking trips via the hotel seemed very expensive – we jumped on Viator and booked directly ourselves for a fraction of the price.

Great location,room was very clean. A few minor things but the hotel rectified very quickly. Pool bar was great in particular veiron who looked after us. Miguel the little chef in the restaurant who done the best omelettes in the morning. Always with a smile on his face. Jesus in guest services was outstanding so thank you. Just left today so till next time we visit..

There was 4 of us, we had emailed the hotel of our dietary needs 2 weeks before we arrived at the hotel,as all 4 of us are strict vegetarians, we do not eat eggs, fish or any meats. The check in took ages, Jose must have took at least 30 minutes for checking us in. We requested ground floor rooms, As my wife has mobility issues, but we were told we would have to pay extra for this. We were allocated 2 rooms on the first floor room no 66207 and 66216, there are NO lifts only stairs throughout the complex. My wife struggled with the steps throughout our stay. The rooms were very spacious with with a good shower, separate toilet, ample wardrobe space , a safe and a balcony. The rooms were cleaned and beds made every day, plenty of towels, the beds were comfy, we had to request a electric kettle as we are tea drinkers and this was promptly supplied. The whole complex is very clean and tidy, we used the swimming pool on 3 occasions and the beach and sea are very close to the hotel, The beach has a lot of Seagrass washed onto the beach which is a nuisance. The hotel complex has a lot of various restaurants where you can eat. We as strict vegetarians only eat in 2 places but found there was a lot of cross contamination as there are not sufficient tongs to pick the food. If you are a strict vegetarian this place is NOT vegetarian friendly as the food labeling was very poor. Although we managed to feed ourselves there was a good choice of fresh fruits, breads and salads, the restaurant food lacked flavour, for a 5 star hotel, the salt and pepper pots did not dispense and there was always a lack of cutlery on the tables. There was a language barrier as the staff spoke mainly Spanish, it was difficult to communicate with the staff, the staff could not help if asked if any of the dishes contained egg, fish or meat. We dined at the Indian restaurant Thali on 2 occasions , the food there was flavoursome, again the staffs knowledge of whether some of the dishes contained egg was very poor, the menu is not very clear. We were very fortunate with the weather it was wall to wall sun shine every day, considering it was the rainy season, there is hardly anything outside the hotel complex, we hired a taxi to go to Downtown mall,which is about a 25 minute drive costing $25 US dollars each way. We would rate this hotel 4 stars, a lot of improvement is needed for people with vegetarian needs, may be keep the vegetarian food separate from the egg, fish and meat dishes and stop the Cross contamination. This hotel is heavenly for meat,fish and seafood eaters as there is so much choice. There is a good transport system in the hotel grounds as there are a lot of electric buggys to take people all over the hotel complex. This review is based from a vegetarians point of view.