Bahia Principe Grand El Portillo - All Inclusive

This was our 9th time staying at the El Portillo and up until this trip we loved the resort. As usual our stay was for 2 weeks. The new renovations were beautiful. Unfortunately the resort has lost control of some of their patrons, especially on the weekends. It appears that the local people come to the resort to PARTY and that's when things get outrageously out of control. The buffet becomes a shoving match at the food counters. These individuals have no respect and often cut in front of others. The swim up bar becomes a drunk fest and it appears that everyone in the pool has super bladders because no one leaves to use the restrooms. One suggestion is to add a chemical who’s makes the water turn colour when someone urinates. On one rainy night many individuals were waiting to bussed back to their rooms. Several elderly people were among the patrons waiting patiently for their turn. When the next bus came to pick up riders, the young obnoxious individuals would cut in and fill the bus, leaving the elderly people standing there with a dissatisfied look on their face. When the security guard did nothing even after someone spoke to them about the issue. Finally my brother had enough and went to the front desk regarding the situation. A man at the desk said that he would speak to the security. When he did, the security and that individual walked away from the area without anything being done. This is unacceptable and the management need to deal with this ongoing situation properly. During our stay we spoke with other Canadians who have been there multiple times and enjoyed their previous stays. However they also feel the resort has lost control of the Weekend Warriors and will not return. There are many beautiful things about the El Portillo, which make it an excellent resort, but until the management deal with the out of control individuals, my family will not return. Hopefully the resort doesn’t become a destination for drunks and gets control of the unnecessary situations and becomes a place for all patrons to enjoy again. Sincerely Hoping

We just returned back from a family vacation, if you are used to the quality of a Gran Bahia DO NOT go to this resort. Which is very sad One of the big things you are not told about this resort is that the Samana locals come into the resort on a weekend or day pass. ( which I love the idea) the issue is there are about 300 plus of them and they are very disrespectful to the resort. The hotel & staff are not equipped to handle this fluctuation. You will notice a huge change in the quality of food & drinks and also service which is bad to begin with. And THE MESS! it was awful. Broken Glass all in the jacuzzi. It was very overwhelming. Pros: Beauty Beach & Resort grounds. Clean and well kept outside and the surroundings are spectacular. Dinner staff & Buffet was amazing we ate there our entire holiday Cons: Service is sub par at best *even when you tip LOL* Rooms fall short even on a upgrade. No robes or slippers like all other Bahia's , taps were broken, holes on the floor, rain shower is a trickle at best There is also a huge language barrier. I learned how to order my drink in Spanish and I got made fun of in a very negative way. At the end of the day being with the family was great but I think we are going to stick to Cuba.

La carte restaurants were great. Hotel is clean and staff very friendly and helpful, but some don't speak English very well. Bed was comfy, however the sheets on our bed had small stains. Rooms were kept clean. Beach and pool was good and clean.