Vista Mare Samana Ocean View Top Floor 1 Bed

The Dominican is a beautiful country, but this turned out to be an expensive trip that didn’t feel worth the price. We stayed 10 days and only had two decent meals, both at the buffet. The food was bland, the drinks were mediocre, and meals weren’t available throughout the day. Even the first night at one of the “fancy” restaurants left us hoping the food would improve, but it didn’t. Most of the staff barely spoke English. The small beach was clean and had a lovely view. It was also nice not having crowds of tourists or sellers walking along the sand. Our room was a decent size and fairly clean. We flew into Santo Domingo, which meant a drive of about 2 hours and 45 minutes. We booked the resort’s Amstar transportation, and the round trip for my wife and me cost $500 USD before tip. We’ve stayed at all-inclusive resorts before and have some standards, so next vacation we’ll look elsewhere.

We wanted two quiet weeks somewhere nice, and this place did give us a very peaceful stay, beautiful views, and staff who were mostly outstanding. The rooms are spacious and cleaned well, the beach is small and private, and the singers in the lobby from 8 to 10 pm are pretty good. The exception among the employees was a barmaid at the pool. Getting around is a problem. The resort is far from the airport, and it costs $50 to get to the nearest town. There’s no way to explore outside the hotel on foot, with nowhere to go past the gate and no sidewalks. The grounds also involve flights of stairs everywhere, and getting down to the beach means lots of steps, so it’s tough if you’re not fit. The beach itself could be better maintained, and there’s no bar or bathroom there. In daytime there’s just one bar open at the pool, with the lobby bar open at night. Dining choices are limited. There are three restaurants listed, but one is a small buffet area without air conditioning, the Italian place is closed, and the international restaurant serves most of the buffet meals. Don Pablo was the only one worth dining at, though it has no AC and the meals were only not too bad. You get two reservations a week, one at the international place and one at Don Pablo. The room was clean, but the AC sounded like a generator. There was mildew and mold on the walls beneath the windows. We did see whales swimming by and met wonderful staff, but the end of the trip was rough: I had a terrible stomach problem that lasted two weeks. Other guests told us they’d had similar experiences.

Once you arrive, the hospitality is the highlight. The employees were friendly and the room, food, and service were all amazing. I’d definitely return for the welcoming staff. The trip over to this side of the island is quite an adventure for Americans. You can fly into Santo Domingo or Santiago, then take a cab for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours, or rent a car if you’re feeling bold. The lane markings on the pavement seem more like suggestions, since people don’t really follow them. The rooms are somewhat dated and not very soundproof. We could hear everything from the street, and the tub had lots of chipped paint with the bare metal showing.

We came back to Bahia Principe Grand Samana in January 2026, having last been here in 2023, and were so happy to return. It’s a beautiful place, the views are spectacular, and we love our room. The private beach is great too. The staff are friendly, quick to respond, and provide excellent service under Lissa Matos’s management. My wife and I have really enjoyed being here again. If you’re after a quiet, beautiful resort with great service, we’d highly recommend Bahia Principe Grand Samana.