Bahia Principe Explore Esmeralda

well what a place. I've been to the Dom Rep years ago and the loved it so wanted to go back with the family. upon arrival we where checked in and given directions to our room, our cases where collected and taken to our room, there are no lifts in the apartment blocks and we where on the top floor. that morning before our flight i managed to get gout in by big toe and it was painful, when waiter walked passed and noticed it he brought back a very cold towel with ice, perfect!! the drink and food were great. There a loads of waiters but the guy who stood out was Aderlon, he was always there and ready to take orders for drinks, he was very polite and when busy he would aways take a look over to see if we needed a top up and he would be there with a tray of drinks, he made our stay feel extra special and he needs some recognition or a pay rise, look after your people and they will look after you. the beach was a paradise with a perfect breeze, lovely to just sit there and watch the world go by. We visited all the different restaurants and our favourite was Yurta and our least favourite was the Mexican. The sea did have seaweed but it never bothered me and swam in the sea very day. This place is a paradise and will defiantly return one day.

Emeliana, Michael and Wanderson from the pool entertainment team were absolutely amazing! We met several other families from Canada and America during our stay, and we all agreed that the entertainment team really makes Esmeralda memorable. They created such a great atmosphere and played a huge part in making our holiday so enjoyable. They deserve real recognition for the effort they put into making everyone’s experience special! Juan and Oscar at reception were also incredibly helpful when dealing with our requests. We don’t speak much Spanish, and although we never expect everyone to speak perfect English, they made a real effort to understand us and help with anything we needed. We always felt welcomed, listened to and well looked after. Staff like these really make a difference to a holiday, and Esmeralda is lucky to have them!

My stay at Bahia Principe Luxury Esmeralda started in Villa 91, where I had a lovely refurbished room for the first week. I then moved to a swim-up room, as my family are Privilege Club members and I was also offered the opportunity to upgrade. And let me tell you, the swim-up rooms are an absolute game changer! If you have the chance to book one, do it. The difference in experience is huge, and it really takes the holiday to another level. The resort itself is lovely, beautifully maintained and full of colonial-style charm, with pretty villas and well-kept grounds. Visually, it ticks all the boxes for a Caribbean getaway. Unfortunately, once the sun goes down, the magic starts to fade. The evening entertainment was so dull that I half expected tumbleweed to roll past in the background, just like in a Western film. 😂 There was very little to do, no particularly interesting entertainment and not much atmosphere. For a resort of this standard, the evenings were a serious let-down. You can only admire the beautiful surroundings for so long before wondering whether everyone has gone to bed at 7 pm. Food arrangements during the low season were another disappointment. The main buffet, Caney, was serving breakfast and dinner only, with lunch moved to Caicu, the open-air beach buffet. Now, eating by the beach sounds idyllic in theory. In reality, sitting in the Caribbean heat with no air conditioning was far from comfortable. Add an extortionate wait to get a table for a group of five, and lunchtime quickly became less of a pleasure and more of a logistical operation. We often ended up visiting other resorts for lunch or skipping it altogether and eating in our room. A real shame, because the only convenient alternative seemed to be the usual selection of fast food and snacks. Not exactly what you hope for when paying for a luxury all-inclusive holiday. And now, the staff. Unfortunately, this was another area where my experience fell short. Some of the staff, particularly at the bars, came across as rude or dismissive, and I often felt ignored. There also seemed to be a strong expectation of tips for even the smallest things. Of course, tipping for good service is absolutely fine, but it should feel like a gesture of appreciation rather than an unofficial entrance fee to receive basic courtesy. The attitude of some of the bar staff genuinely affected my experience, which is disappointing because good service can make an otherwise average holiday memorable — and poor service can do exactly the opposite. My verdict ⭐ Bahia Principe Luxury Esmeralda has beautiful grounds, a lovely colonial-style setting and absolutely fabulous swim-up rooms. The resort itself is well maintained, and the accommodation can make for a wonderful stay. However, the lack of evening entertainment, inconvenient low-season lunch arrangements and inconsistent service took away from the overall experience. Would I return? Possibly, but with realistic expectations. I would definitely choose a swim-up room again, but I would also hope for better service and a little more life after sunset. Because let’s face it: paradise should come with more than a beautiful room and a cocktail. It should also come with something to do once you’ve finished admiring the palm trees! 😂🌴🍹

Just returned from this hotel following a well earned break to celebrate the wife's birthday and our wedding anniversary. First impressions were ok, nice room poor quality bathroom and whirlpool bath inop due to the plug being broken. Breakfast ok(nothing special) lunch and dinner at the buffet poor. The first a le carte we attended we walked out of because of the lack of staff interest of looking after us as the customer, after all we do pay there wages. The Mexican was good service but quality of food as was the Italian. My favorite was the Asian the wife enjoyed the steak house. The sports bar was good too as we're the serving staff. We found at the hotel the customer service was varied, some staff were very friendly others seemed like it was too much trouble to talk. We have stayed at the Bahia principe in Mexico (Akumel) and the staff are much friendlier and professional. Another note to mention we noticed on arrival that people were offered a welcome drink something unfortunately we weren't? Just for clarity the hotel gets very busy on a weekend as the hotel invites the locals to use the facilities on a day pass. Most of the parents get tanked up on cheap alcohol while their kids cause havoc. In our opinion I would save your money and go somewhere else within the DR.

A special mention for Alexis & Alberto ❤️ We’ve just come home after a lovely fortnight at Bahia Principe Explore Esmeralda and really wanted to mention two people who made our holiday extra special. Alexis, our pool waiter, was fantastic. He always seemed to know when our drinks were getting low and, by the second week, was bringing the next ones before we even asked! 😂 Such a lovely, friendly guy. Alberto at the Amana Wet Bar was equally brilliant — so attentive and always smiling. And he made the best Bloody Marys, exactly how I liked them! 🍹 By the end of the fortnight, they both felt more like friends than staff. They really did make our holiday and we’ll miss seeing them both. Thank you, Alexis & Alberto — you were the best! ❤️