Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo - Hyatt Inclusive Collection - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

9008 reviews

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  A Beautiful Resort, Fantastic Staff and a Wonderful Experience!

  We recently returned from a wonderful week at Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo, booked through WestJet Vacations, and I can honestly say this is one of the nicest resorts we've stayed at in many years! Arrival and Accommodations Everything was flawless from the moment we arrived. The airport transfer was well organized, and check-in at the resort was fast and efficient. I had emailed the hotel ahead of time to mention two special milestones we would be celebrating, our 10th wedding anniversary and my 60th birthday. It was lovely to see that our requests had been acknowledged, with a celebratory banner on our door and a complimentary bottle of rum waiting in our junior suite. We stayed in Building 27, Room 303, and the room was beautiful. It had a comfortable king-size bed, a lovely Jacuzzi bathtub, double sinks, and a separate toilet and shower area with a door. The minibar was restocked daily, we were provided with plenty of bottled water, and the housekeeping was absolutely top-notch. The air conditioning worked so well that we actually turned it down most days! One tiny suggestion for management would be to install a handle on the outside of the patio doors. The only way to slide them open from outside was to put your hands directly on the glass. I felt terrible leaving sunscreen-covered fingerprints every day, especially knowing how hard the cleaning staff worked! Although Building 27 is one of the furthest from the main amenities, this was never an issue. Electric trolleys circulate throughout the resort all day. You can hop on one as it passes or simply call reception to arrange a pickup. There was also always a trolley waiting outside reception to take guests back toward the pools and pool bar. Entertainment and Bars The entertainment team deserves a special mention! What a fantastic group of talented, energetic people. They are fabulous dancers and really go above and beyond to get everyone involved and having a good time. My absolute favourite was Dominican Day, especially the live band playing right on the beach. What a wonderful atmosphere! We mainly frequented the sports bar and pool bar, and service at both was excellent. We rarely waited long for a drink and were always greeted with a smile. Pools and Family Amenities The resort also has a fantastic-looking kids' club and water park, which would be wonderful for families travelling with children. We didn't have children with us, so we didn't use these facilities, but they certainly looked impressive! There's also a separate quiet pool for those who prefer a more peaceful atmosphere. Although we didn't spend any time there, it looked lovely, clean and well maintained. It's nice that the resort offers something for everyone, whether you're travelling as a family or as a couple. Restaurants and Food The buffet was amazing! We thoroughly enjoyed our breakfasts and lunches there, with plenty of delicious choices every day. For my 60th birthday, we dined at the French restaurant, where the staff treated me to a fabulous rendition of Happy Birthday and a cake that was absolutely out of this world! If management happens to read this review, I would LOVE to know what kind of cake it was so I can attempt to recreate it at home! We also enjoyed the Fish Market restaurant, which offered a lovely, classy dining experience, outstanding service and delicious food. We didn't get around to trying the other specialty restaurants, quite frankly because we enjoyed the buffet so much! The Beach — Absolutely Stunning! Now, let's talk about the beach! We've vacationed in Punta Cana, Puerto Plata and Sosúa, and I can honestly say that this is one of the most beautiful beaches we've experienced in the Dominican Republic. The sand is wonderfully soft, the water is beautiful, and I never once needed water shoes. No rocks, no seaweed and no garbage. Just a gorgeous stretch of beach that seems to go on forever. One day we walked along the beach to the town of Las Terrenas, which took us approximately an hour and a half. Another day, we headed in the opposite direction toward El Portillo. Both were lovely walks, and we thoroughly enjoyed exploring the coastline. The Staff What really makes a resort special is its people, and the staff at El Portillo certainly did not disappoint. Whether we were dealing with reception, guest services, excursion bookings, housekeeping, bartenders or restaurant staff, everyone was friendly, helpful and welcoming. Their hard work and positive attitudes certainly did not go unnoticed. Final Thoughts We have travelled to the Dominican Republic several times over the years, and Bahia Principe Explore El Portillo has easily become one of our favourites. From the beautiful accommodations and delicious food to the outstanding entertainment, friendly staff and absolutely spectacular beach, this resort exceeded our expectations. Thank you to everyone at El Portillo for helping make our 10th anniversary and my 60th birthday such wonderful memories. We will absolutely be back! Highly recommended!

  Nov 06, 2026
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  Comfortable, quiet resort with wonderful staff

  Perfect for a rendez-vous in the Carribean with the extended family. Clean and pleasant beach, Buffet with a lof of options. and, especially, wonderful staff.

  Oct 29, 2026
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  Heaven

  The staff is amazing , especialy albania and ronal . They do everything they can to make you happy . Always with a smile .

  Oct 22, 2026
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  Real Five star resort

  One of the best resorts I have been to in the last 20 years. What amazed me is how clean it is everywhere in the resort. Food was great with an interesting assortment of a la carte restaurants. Variety of food is incredible. Animation team absolutely terrific. Shout out to Luis and Victor for making us laugh. You will enjoy the ocean. You are in a fish bowl as fish surround you. I always go to the spa on vacation. Theirs is fantastic. Enjoyed two wonderful massages from Esther. Overall, the kind of resort you leave but want to go back. PS: we paid extra for the junior suite and really appreciated it.

  Oct 15, 2026
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  First time in Samana

  Overall we had an enjoyable week at this resort. It was a scenic ride from the airport to the hotel...45 min with beautiful views of the ocean and the town. Sit behind the driver for optimal views. We have been to Punta Cana several times but our first trip to Samana left us wanting more. It was a peaceful, relaxing and quieter atmosphere. The buffet was good with plenty of fish options and surprisingly had bacon every morning. Regarding the a la cartes, I feel the menu should offer more of something different from what is offered at the buffet. The beach is stunning with amazing snorkeling right in front of you, clear water. Main pool is rather small for the size of the hotel and very busy. The grounds were kept well at the entrance but some areas required more of an up keep and maintenance. We had the standard room which is the smallest room I ever had in my travels in the Dominican. As mentioned by several reviews, yes, the rooms need updating but I look at it in terms I am in the room to sleep and shower. Now for my biggest issue, the beach towel game. This issue needs to be addressed. People leave towels on the lounge chairs leaving people uncertain as the availability of the chairs. They leave their used towels on them, go for lunch etc and never return. Overall we did have a good experience and would consider returning.

  Oct 12, 2026