Emotions by Hodelpa Juan Dolio

My family and I stayed a week. Great value. Our first trip to Dominica Republic and no regrets. Yuleidi is a service champion and her entertainment team is fantastic. Not a premium property, but not bad either. Good food. Walked for hours on the beach. Spent a lot of time in the water. Coconuts abundant along the beach. Practiced my Spanish. Brushed up on my dancing moves. I wish I knew about the deposit required to use the kayak etc on the beach beforehand. The gym had a trainer during the daytime which isn't common. We were curious about the membership pitch for the Elite Club, but the timing isn't right for us. No complaints from our 3 kids (2 teens and an 8 year old). Good overall experience.

We just wrapped up four unforgettable weeks at Emotions by Hodelpa in Juan Dolio, and we truly can't say enough about the incredible service, especially from bellboy Juan.||From the moment we arrived, Juan treated us like family. He is the heart and soul of the resort—always attentive, warm, and genuinely caring. Whether it was helping with bags, checking in to see if we needed anything, or simply greeting us with a big smile, Juan went above and beyond every single day. He made sure we were always comfortable and truly helped make our stay feel like home. He’s a huge reason why we keep coming back.||The beach is absolutely beautiful, with soft sand and relaxing vibes. We also enjoyed the buffet, which offered a nice variety and fresh options daily. A special moment during our stay was celebrating a birthday at the hotel, and the staff made it memorable and joyful.||But again, Juan is what made this trip truly special. Emotions is lucky to have someone like him representing their resort—his dedication and kindness are rare. We already miss him and are looking forward to returning soon!||Thank you, Juan—you’re the best!

Here’s the extra-spicy, sarcastic version:|||---||★☆☆☆☆ Welcome to the “4-Star” Disaster Resort||If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to pay for a 4-star hotel and get a 1-star roadside inn with parrots, welcome — you’ve found it.||The staff? Mostly lovely… except for the front desk women, who must have a PhD in being unhelpful. I got to play “room roulette” three times — prize list included a broken bed, a shower door ready to slice me and my kids into glass confetti, and a mattress with a fine collection of mold. Add lumpy pillows and stained lampshades for that authentic “we gave up years ago” vibe.||The food was a culinary time machine — yesterday’s dinner becomes today’s lunch, and possibly tomorrow’s breakfast. Drinks? Better learn the fine art of flagging down staff like you’re hailing a taxi in the middle of nowhere. Front desk calls? Straight to voicemail… if they even have one.||Locals get the red-carpet treatment, while paying travelers like me get… the carpet stains. And yes, they have parrots for photos — which is illegal here now, but hey, rules are just suggestions, right?||10/10 would never return. My only recommendation? Run.

We had a wonderful stay at Emotions Resort! The atmosphere was relaxing, the amenities were great, and everything was well taken care of. A special thank you to Roselin, who treated us with such kindness and professionalism throughout our visit. She went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and happy. Her warm attitude really made our trip memorable. Highly recommend!

Travelled to this resort in February with a friend, it was a bit of a bumpy start, because our flight had been delayed and they didn't have a room for us. When we finally got in our room, it was good. The food was good. The beach was wonderful. ||Overall it was a good experience.

Great hidden spot. On the weekends it is very popular with locals with the main pools being very busy, but during the week it was quiet. We had a room with a swim up pool and loved it. The beach was clean and easy to walk out into the ocean. We saw a bunch of fish, dogs, cats and geckos. The staff were all friendly and willing to help if needed. Only person we could of cared less for is the guy trying to sell their vacation travel club, he was really rude and honestly it isn't worth the "90 minute" (it was over 2 hours) seminar for what you get, I'd skip it if I was to go again. The sellers on the beach for the most part leave if you tell them no, some keep trying but most are very friendly. The food was really good at the a la cartes were amazingly good. Italian was my favorite. The buffet was good, you could usually find something you like. The drinks were great and made strong. If you choose to go here pack lots of sunscreen, you'll need it!

Great experience! The food at the buffet doesn't keep super hot, and the beach snack bar/ kitchen is always running behind, with long lines that don't move because they're still waiting on the next round of food. Sometimes you may wait 30-60min to get any food at all, like they are never expecting the volume of people they have. The staff was incredibly courteous and attentive though, incredible service! Its the logistics that need work.

I cannot recommend visiting this establishment. During a family trip consisting of ten individuals, four children, and six adults, the treatment we received from the buffet staff was deeply unsatisfactory and, at times, inhumane. I engaged in a significant dispute with the supervisor after we were charged $40 per person for access to the buffet. Upon arrival, the kitchen staff began removing food from the serving area very quickly, even as my children were attempting to serve themselves. Subsequently, a female staff member shouted at me, stating that the management was indifferent to our concerns and that no remedial action would be taken. Originally, we had planned a 10 day stay, which would have cost us 185,000 DOP; however, the staff's conduct, the uncleanliness of our room, I strongly advise travelers from the United States or elsewhere to avoid this location. "Playa Nueva" offers a significantly superior experience, with staff who demonstrate genuine hospitality.