Bahia Principe Luxury Esmeralda - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

9395 reviews

• 

  Excellent resort

  We had a swim-up room 2 double beds. The room was lovely recently renovated and kept very clean by the great housekeeping. We were in villa 96 which was close to the buffet and the gym. Also very close to the lobby and the main pool bar. It was great to have access to all of the Bahia resorts except for Fantasia. The Sports bar had great drinks and an excellent smashed burger. We are looking forward to visiting again next year

  Apr 24, 2025
• 

  We had to return to Luxury Esmeralda!

  This recent trip was our 25th Bahia Principe vacation since 2005. It was also our 2nd consecutive stay at Luxury Esmeralda which was once again very enjoyable! What we truly love is the layout as everything is nearby. The lighting in the pool at night changes which we think is very cool and it’s a good way to prevent guests from falling in the pool. Check-in and check-out were fast and easy. We had the opportunity to meet and talk with 2 more management employees this trip. They do listen to your feedback. (I mentioned that it would be helpful to have a lending library as many other Bahia hotels already have. Currently some guests like myself have left books with reception though unfortunately they are not visible which totally actually defeats the purpose. Unfortunately the lending library poolside at Luxury Ambar is outdoors so the books sadly get wet by rain. Perhaps a bookcase somewhere in the lobby or main bar where the books are visible to all but won’t get wet.) Children were all well behaved, and we as grandparents ourselves actually enjoy watching young families have a good time. We saw many couples without children so really the hotel is not just for families. Fitness class is at noon at both the pool and on the beach. On this trip we celebrated my husband’s 71st birthday and we were very appreciative of the room upgrade, champagne, and fruit bowl. (We are black level in the free My Bahia Loyalty Program.) We had a small issue with the toilet door getting jammed inward which was fixed right away. Once again our room was kept in good order. I did notice on this 2nd stay that we did not have a “Do not disturb/Make up room” reversible sign anywhere in our room, and I only saw one on one door in building 93 which surprised us both. (Normally that is standard at all Bahia hotels.). Our room was made up later in the day and that was not a problem for us. It was always done by the time we returned from the beach. Mini fridge was refilled so no complaints! You even get a small box of milk for your coffee rather than having to use a powdered creamer. Along with 2 cans of beer, water, juice, and some soda pop you get a few small packages of unsalted peanuts rather than a bag of potato chips like at the Mexican Bahia so a healthier choice! We ate at 7 a la carte restaurants (located in 4 of the 6 hotels on the resort) and had very good service at each of them. Food was always good! I asked to have one dish altered at Portofino and it was not a problem at all. Since we saw the nighttime shows this past November we would spend some time after our dinner at whatever hotel we ate at. (We have previously stayed at both Luxury Ambar and Aquamarine but we actually prefer Luxury Esmeralda over Luxury Ambar as it is more lively.) Our star employee on this trip was Esmeralda’s tram driver Jeychol who had driven us over to Portofino the Italian restaurant located at Luxury Ambar. He went above and beyond for us. Upon leaving the restaurant we met him on the pathway right in front of our restaurant and he immediately recognized us and said “hello” and he asked if we would like a ride back to Luxury Esmeralda. (He was actually picking up another couple who ate at MEAT). Now that is what we consider GREAT service as he easily could have walked by and said nothing. We did have trouble exchanging 500 pesos bills this trip, but later on we would go back and leave tip money for waitstaff when we had small bills. We just wish more 50 pesos had been available at reception because when we buy currency at home we only get large denominations. My husband would check daily at reception, the lobby bar, and the sports bar. We much appreciated that after eating breakfast at the buffet or the beach restaurant we could get a couple of cappuccinos “to go” at the nearby Sports Bar, and then enjoy them while sitting on our beach loungers and watching the ocean waves. So enjoyable! Lots of variety at the buffet and beach restaurant so no need to keep taking the same food unless you really crave it. (Chose your protein, and then build your meal around it.) Entertainment crew could be a bit more engaging and have a different game each morning in comparison to other Bahia’s we have visited. Normally it’s a different game each morning though we saw mini putt and cornhole twice in one week. There is a real mini putt course up near the sport hut. Since our visit in November we noticed they did some painting and were in the process of redoing some of the landscape. There is still work to be done on the course but still fun to play! (Sign out your club and ball at the sports hut which is between the mini putt and the tennis/pickleball courts.) A Guest Experience employee called us twice during the week just to ask if everything was okay. A very special thank you to Alberto Figueroa for going “above and beyond” a number of times for us. You and your staff’s GREAT teamwork really stands out to us on both trips to Luxury Esmeralda. Hasta luego.

  Apr 22, 2025
• 

  A Dominican Jewel!

  It was a lovely resort with plenty of activities for the kids aged 8 & 11. The pools were spacious and very clean. The beach was absolutely beautiful, we enjoyed long walks on the beach, the water was clear and beautiful! Everything one would want from a Caribbean vacation!

  Apr 22, 2025
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  Could have been a great stay – housekeeping was a letdown

  Overall, the hotel was nice and the food was delicious. However, I encountered several issues with housekeeping that significantly affected my stay. The housekeeping service was inconsistent and showed a clear lack of attention to detail. As shown in the photos I’ve attached, the sheets had stains and marks on multiple occasions. One day, the housekeeper took away the used towels but didn’t replace them with fresh ones. I had to call the front desk twice before new towels were finally delivered. Another day, the shower gel bottle was completely empty – which I only realized while already in the shower. Additionally, the toilet paper was never properly replenished. There was only one roll, and it was already half used. The bathroom floor was also not cleaned properly. I ended up filling out a complaint form, but unfortunately, it seemed more like a formality – no real action was taken. It was only after I spoke in person with the housekeeping manager that things improved. By then, it was already my last day, and sadly, the experience had already negatively impacted my trip. As for breakfast, I eventually gave up on trying to get coffee from the buffet. The servers would often forget to bring it entirely. To avoid the hassle, I started getting my coffee from the Sports Bar instead, where a kind and efficient lady always provided excellent service. I truly believe that hotel management doesn't intend for guests to have a bad experience. I think I was just unlucky with the particular housekeeper assigned to my room. Still, I felt that my repeated requests weren’t taken seriously until the very end. On a more positive note, the staff at the reception, bars, and à la carte restaurants were friendly and helpful throughout my stay. Would I recommend this hotel? Yes – especially if you don’t experience the same housekeeping issues I did. But I hope management takes this feedback seriously.

  Apr 22, 2025
• 

  Make sure you have reservations for the restaurants

  The overall place was nice. The food was just ok at best. Some of the buffet food looked Iffy. If you don’t have a reservation for the restaurants, the staff will treat you like a 3rd class citizen and you will be forced to the buffet. Staff was kind of rude and not accommodating to a prior reservation that they messed up on their part. So our party of 10 was sent to the buffet. I would never do another all inclusive.

  Apr 21, 2025