Bahia Principe Grand El Portillo

After my fifth visit to Bahia Principe Grand El Portillo, I’m not sure I will return unless the rooms are renovated. The beach is absolutely gorgeous, usually with little to no seaweed (although in 2022, there was some seaweed and large waves, which may have been due to seasonal weather), and it’s great for snorkelling and long walks. The resort’s layout is nice and easy to navigate, the weather is beautiful, and the staff are consistently friendly. The food has generally been very good, with a wide selection, although during my most recent visit in December 2025, I noticed a slight decline in variety and creativity. That said, the buffet still offers good options, especially if you enjoy fish and passionfruit, and the drinks are good too. However, I have noticed significant changes in my visits from 2019 to 2025. The entertainment has declined compared to earlier visits. Before, there were live jazz singers and dance performances, but these have largely disappeared and been replaced by bingo nights, which felt repetitive and like I was in a retirement home. The rooms are now VERY outdated and in urgent need of renovation, with visible wear such as peeling surfaces, dampness, and mould. The bathroom fans do not work properly, leading to moisture buildup and unpleasant smells, making the rooms feel neglected overall. During my most recent visit there was also a noticeable issue with stray dogs on the property and beach, as dogs frequently approached guests’ chairs and barked loudly; some guests fed and played with them, which obviously made the dogs more aggitated once they left, and at one point a dog ran through the lobby and knocked over an elderly guest, which made many visitors, including families with young children, feel uncomfortable and unsafe. Overall, this is still a beautiful resort with many strengths. Still, it needs updates and improvements to maintain the quality it once had, and I would consider returning only if renovations and improvements are made.

The location is absolutely incredible. You can walk the beach for miles and feel safe. The water was warm, clear and beach free of sargassum. Staff is unbelievably friendly and helpful. Food was good but I stop there. This maybe is typical of DR as this is my first visit and I only have Mexico to compare. Unfortunately the suites we stayed in are dated and our families rooms both leak issues, although fixed immediately. I would still return for the beach and staff!!! They make the place.

We arrived on January. 3rd, 2026 with Family and friends and had amazing time at this resort! The beach was absolutely beautiful. Cleaning, Maintenance and Security were excellent. The food was outstanding. The entertainment crew was incredible and really made our stay special. Big shout-out to all the entertainers, especially Kati, Genesis, Rosa, Mini Me, John Henry, Victor, and Luis — you were all fantastic and brought so much energy and fun every day. Also, a special mention to the burger guy on the beach — it was so good! And of course, compliments to the chefs for the delicious food. Thank you to the entire team for such a wonderful experience. We can’t wait to come back! ❤️

This is a great family resort. It’s also good for couples as long as kids don’t bother you. Swimup bar staff are top notch with Esmerlynn, and Jesus creating a fun vibe along with Ronal, Juan, Fernando and a couple of other that I forget their names. Animation staff does an excellent job getting guests engaged for a full day of fun. Buffet staff are nice but I would love to see more smiles and attentiveness. Overall we really enjoyed our stay and would return. Until next time ❤️

What a great experience! Samaná is beautiful and my experience in the hotel was really good! The entertainment , the food from the buffet and the people was all great! I give it 4/5 stars because the cocktails are not that good and because we had to change rooms since there are a lot of rooms that need renovations. Other than that, I would definitely go again! Just make sure you are staying in good rooms and ask to change if your room is having problems.

Diomedes Juan Chef Jose Antonio restaurant fish provided excellent service. Super enthusiastic, always smiling and serving with pleasure. We had one of our family member who is allergic with gluten and they were super happy to accommodate for food allergies. We absolutely enjoyed their service. In addition, Chef Jose at El Limon Buffet was very courteous and always fulfilled all of our requests. He was very good with all the guests. We are Black members, coming annually to Bahia Principe for the last 18 years and it is the exceptional service of the staff members that makes all the difference. Special mention to Danny at the front reception, who went over and above in making us feel welcomed for the holidays. The ladies at the spa were excellent. Thank you everyone for making our trip extra special as always!!

the rooms are dated and old, our door wouldn't close correctly. get the renovated room if it fits into your budget—you won't regret it. the main area is all renovated and new, very well built. the pool is nice, bars are everywhere. Food is great, but it really depends on the season. Staff is really nice and helps out with anything they can. The beach is compacted, not much sand and we had windy holidays. it keeps temperature nice though, and it was an awesome stay (a lot of change since last visit in 2019, props to management and staff for the improvment)

The resort grounds are beautiful and so we'll kept! The rooms are very spacious and clean, theyre just dated and it's showing it's age. The staff are FABULOUS, from the moment they arrived they were great. The buffet food was just okay and after a week it gets to be a bit much, saying that the restaurant itsrlf is lovely and having the a la carte options for 3 nights is great and the restaurants were very good! The location is very pretty it's a lovely beach, but you really are not close to much, you'll have to rent a car or get a taxi into town which is not cheap, but if youre not doing it every day it's worth the trip. All in all it was a really good stay!! With the staff being it's greatest asset!!