Senator Puerto Plata Spa Resort - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

3339 reviews

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  Worst resort I have ever been to

  Problems started from day 1. First, the room they gave us didn't have a working toilet. It would constantly get clogged and wouldn't flush, even if it was just pee. We complained everyday and everyday they would send someone to unclog it. It would work once then get clogged up again. We were told to throw our dirty toilet paper in the garbage yet they wouldn't provide us with enough bags, sometimes no bags and just a garbage can. After several days of complaining and pleading for them to do something they offered us a free massage but we still had a toilet that didn't flush. This went on for a week before they decided to give us a new room. That was on a Wednesday and we were leaving on Friday. Second, the balcony sliding door was extremely hard to open. We would need to use 2 hands and often times it would jam. Once it was opened we didn't want to close it. Third, the resort is full of Sales people from the Ultimate Leisure Club. We were offered a special free breakfast for Canadians. We accepted the breakfast and was told several days later that there would be a 90 minute presentation as well as a $80 voucher that we can spend on the resort. The sales woman made us think that the $80 voucher was for the problems we experienced. Well this breakfast and presentation was all about signing us up to become members to the ULC. This 90 minute presentation turned into 4 1/2 hours. They wouldn't take no for an answer. They used high pressure tactics. Every time we told them we can't afford it they would come back with a new offer. The offers to become a member was in the thousands of dollars with a bunch of discounts. Started at $15K, then went down to $10K, then $5K with the terms and conditions changing every time. I'm on a family vacation for Christmas and I don't appreciate being approached by sales people, trying to sign me up to become a member and spending thousands of dollars. On the day that I was leaving, I was approached by another guest and was asked if I had been offered the breakfast and presentation and if so what was my experience. I shared with her my experience. Her salesman heard what I was saying. He approached me and asked me why I was telling her all this stuff and threatened to kick me off the resort. I told him that she approached me and I was only sharing my experience. I would not recommend this resort to anyone.

  Dec 28, 2025
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  Geat place with exelent stuff. Solid 4 star.

  Location of Hotel is beatifull. Less then hour from Pueto Plata airport. Atmospere is great staff around property exelent. Rooms a not that great but all is functional. Food im main reastaurant is good, Steak restaurant and Japanese are great. Good feature is full use of Playa Bachata property. Stuff at stores is exensive, buy at duty free on way back. Nice view of cruse lines coming and going.

  Dec 28, 2025
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  Christmas at The Senator, Puerto Plata: Swim-Out Rooms, Santa by Boat, Watery Mojitos, and Why We’d Still Go Back!

  Christmas at The Senator, Puerto Plata This is long, thorough, and possibly longer than your flight here. If you make it to the end, congratulations. You’re ready to book. We stayed in a swim-out room (312), which ran an extra $125 USD per night. Worth it? Mostly yes. Regrets? A few. Regret-level trauma? No. First, the good: swim-out meant the kids could swim after the pool officially closes at 6pm, which felt mildly illegal and therefore extremely fun. Night swimming alone extended our days and our sanity. Now the oddly specific stuff you deserve to know: There is no rack to dry swimsuits in the renovated rooms. None. Zero. Plan accordingly or enjoy damp swimwear as a lifestyle choice. The shower is partially frosted glass and fully visible from the main room. If you value privacy and are traveling with family, this is a bold architectural choice. You can fix it by bringing magnetic hooks and a solid shower curtain to hang on the room side, which I strongly recommend unless you enjoy maintaining eye contact with your children while showering. Air conditioning? Aggressive. Arctic. We had to turn it up because we were freezing. Shower temperature and pressure? Fantastic. No complaints. Housekeeping? excellent. We had to move all the furniture so housekeeping could make up the foam fold-out couch (this was last minute due to our room upgrade). I fully expected to uncover dust bunnies, sand, or the remains of past vacations. Instead, the room was spotless. Respect. Downside: no dresser in the renovated rooms. You are living out of your suitcase like a nomad with Wi-Fi. If unpacking is part of your mental health routine, note that the older rooms (like 508) have a dresser, a proper private bathroom, and a tub. Beds? Very comfortable. Fold-out couch? Thick foam cushions that piece together into a surprisingly decent double bed. No complaints. Mini fridge was stocked with still water, sparkling water, 7-Up, and Pepsi. And here’s the magic trick: if you tip well, beer mysteriously appears. Science cannot explain this. Outlets? Renovated rooms are loaded with them, including USB ports. HDMI is available, so yes, bring a Fire Stick and reclaim your evenings. ⸻ The Resort Itself Clean. Well maintained. Staff genuinely friendly, not just “resort polite.” Larimar Buffet Good variety, decent quality. Reliable. No horror stories. Pool Bar Opens at 9am but only serves water until 10am, which feels like a moral test. Open until midnight. Guests bring diving toys, footballs, volleyballs, floats, and basically turn the pool into a low-stakes aquatic Olympics. Drinks Let’s be honest: margaritas and mojitos were disappointing. Bland. Watery. This was consistent at both the pool bar and Legends. We were consistent tippers - so that was not a factor. Other drinks? Totally fine. Choose wisely. Pool Setup Plenty of sun beds and umbrellas. Towels available all day, no hunger games required. There are books available at the towel booth, which is a nice touch. No roaming drink service. If you want a drink, you walk your legs to the bar like an adult. ⸻ Wildlife & Night Entertainment The kids found a live crab in our swim-out pool, which immediately became the highlight of their vacation. At night, the patio hosted a parade of geckos, providing free entertainment and reminding us we are, in fact, in the Caribbean. Night swimming after the main pools closed was a game changer and made the days feel longer without adding exhaustion. ⸻ Souvenirs The market on the resort is expensive. Example: Bag on resort market: $35 Same bag in the beach huts past Playabachata: $10 Walk to the end of either resort along the beach. More huts, better prices, more options. Don’t overpay out of convenience. ⸻ Playabachata Different vibe. After 9pm, if you’re looking to party, that’s where it’s happening. ⸻ Del Oro Chocolate Factory ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Non-negotiable. They will deliver to the resort if you already know what you want (no online shop). Transportation runs $30–$50 USD, and it is still 100% worth it. Staff, products, chocolate: phenomenal. I never leave the Dominican without restocking. ⸻ Christmas Events Christmas Eve Dinner: Two seatings (6:30pm and 8:30pm). Carvings of every meat imaginable, plus lobster, whole crabs, seafood boils, and a mountain of sides and desserts. They did not hold back. At all. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Christmas Day: Santa arrived by boat on the beach, delivering wrapped gifts to every child. Each child sat on Santa’s lap for a photo. There were snacks, cake, a foam party, and a silent disco. It was chaotic, joyful, and well executed. ⸻ Dining Highlights Embers Steakhouse: Delicious. We shared plates to try everything and almost everything hit. Recommendation: Ribeye over the New York Strip. We ate here twice. First time was excellent. Second time was just okay, likely due to it being Christmas Day and a different chef. Still worth booking. Break Snack Bar (10am–5pm) Excellent Cuban sandwich, Ocean Blue burger, steak salad, and chicken burritos. Solid midday option. Legends Sports Bar Gets busy early. If you want a seat, arrive when the pool closes. Otherwise, it’s standing room only and spills into the lobby. Backup plan: tables by the pool. Pool bar stays open until midnight. ⸻ Evenings & Atmosphere Bring travel games. Cards, dominoes, dice. Everyone plays at night, and it adds to the relaxed, social vibe. ⸻ Bottom Line The Senator isn’t flashy luxury, but it’s clean, friendly, well run, and genuinely festive at Christmas. A few design choices are questionable. A few drinks need work. But the value, atmosphere, staff, and holiday execution more than make up for it. Would I return? Yes. Would I book a swim-out again? Yes, with hooks and a curtain. Would I still complain about watery mojitos? Also yes. That’s the honest review.

  Dec 25, 2025
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  Would not recommend this resort to anyone.

  Don’t go here if you have a mobility issue. Asked for a first floor because couldn’t go up stairs. They didn’t help us until a lot of discussion on second day. Managers were rude. Our room the first day had no air conditioning, no drinking water, telephone didn’t work and no hot water. They made use stay in this room. There were no washrooms or bars near the beach. They catered to the cruise ships so we had trouble getting lounge chairs at the beach. The sand had a lot of coral and shells in the water. So do not go here if you have mobility problems.

  Dec 23, 2025
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  Great place for Adults.

  We arrived home after2 weeks at the Senator. We liked it a lot and would go back. here is what we liked. 1. the buffet was great. Different main entree every night. 2. Room was very nice. 3. Staff were friendly. 4. They kept the resort very clean. 5. The ala carte were good however the NY steak was tough. Here is what we found not so good. 1. the amination team was late on everything or did not even have things that were posted. They did not give the location of the event, so sometimes hard to find and right in front of a very loud speaker. . They also were 'provocative' if you know what I mean. 2. The public washrooms had lights on motion detectors and would go out. The urinals were high for kids I thought. 3. The pathways could have used a little more lighting. 4. phone not working. 5. T.V. had only 3 channels in English 6. internet was just ok. you lost it often. Hope this review helps. Over all , we had a great time and would go bac.

  Dec 21, 2025