Senator Puerto Plata Spa Resort - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

3349 reviews

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  “Beautiful Property, Missing the Atmosphere”

  We are nearing the end of week one of a two-week stay at Senator Puerto Plata. While we are enjoying certain aspects of our vacation and are making the most of our time here, this is not a resort we would personally choose to return to. I wanted to share a balanced and neutral review so others can decide whether this resort fits their travel style. Rooms The rooms are dated but clean, not a problem, just something to be aware of. We experienced no issues with water pressure or temperature, and everything in the room worked as it should. The shower is a standard setup with a handheld nozzle and did its job reliably every day. The beds are comfortable enough. The pillows, however, are memorable for the wrong reasons. Not great, but manageable, and we still slept. The biggest disappointment with the room was the balcony, which was essentially unusable due to a very enthusiastic mosquito population, being tucked back in a sunless and drab corner. We had hoped to enjoy the sun and resort views, but this wasn’t the case. Another downside was the unfriendly attitude of the cleaning staff, which stood out compared to other resorts we’ve stayed at. Resort Layout & Amenities The resort is very spread out and segmented, with no central hub for coffee, drinks, or socializing. Creating a fairly lifeless atmosphere and it means a fair amount of walking just to grab a coffee or a drink and then find a place to sit and enjoy it. On the plus side, your step count will flourish. There are three à la carte restaurants on the property. Reviews online are mixed, but unfortunately we can’t comment yet, as we were unable to secure reservations upon arrival, everything was booked. We’re hoping to try them during week two, or we will make the best with snacks and buffet. The buffet is adequate and very much what you’d expect from an all-inclusive resort: lots of choice, something for everyone, and a reliable fallback when plans don’t work out. Service Overall, service has been lacking. One of the things we’ve always enjoyed most about all-inclusive resorts is the staff, the friendliness, humour, and atmosphere they bring. That energy is largely missing here, from the front desk to housekeeping to restaurant and bar service. One clear exception is the entertainment team, who do an excellent job during the day. They are energetic, engaging, and genuinely seem to enjoy interacting with guests at the pool and beach. Their enthusiasm helps fill some of the gaps elsewhere. Evening Entertainment The evening entertainment has been underwhelming. Additionally, the sound system often seems to believe that louder is better. Unfortunately, the speakers are frequently turned up to the point of distortion, which takes away from the enjoyment. A little less volume and a lot more clarity would go a long way. Grounds & Beach The resort grounds are beautiful and well maintained, with lush landscaping and mature trees. While I’m not personally a big beach person, I appreciated the more natural, shaded feel of the beach area. Exploring the grounds is highly recommended, and a pleasant way to get those steps in again! The resort truly has so much potential, which makes some of the missed opportunities more noticeable. New Year’s Experience New Year’s Eve stood out as a noticeably better experience overall. Service improved, and there was a clear effort to create a special evening. Management was present during this time, whether coincidence or not is hard to say, but credit is due for making the night feel more polished and enjoyable. Overall It’s difficult to tell whether there is genuinely not much to do, or if the lack of interaction and service makes it feel that way. At this point in our stay, I do feel disappointed overall. That said, if you prefer a resort where you are largely left alone, enjoy a quieter and more segmented layout, and don’t mind walking between amenities, this resort may suit you well. There is a sister resort next door, which we’ve found ourselves visiting more often for a more social atmosphere. The walking between resorts is unavoidable, but again, good for the daily step count. We’re hoping the second week improves, but based on our experience so far, this isn’t a resort we would choose to revisit.

  Jan 01, 2026
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  Void it

  Our stay has honestly been frustrating. From the start, getting restaurant reservations was a mess. Most nights nothing was available, and when we did get reservations, the system booked multiple specialty restaurants on the same night, which makes no sense. When we finally ate at a specialty restaurant, it was frustrating to see that about half the guests were from the partner resort, while people actually staying at the Senator struggled to get reservations the entire time. Things really clicked after we were invited to an “exclusive event” about their members program. It turned into a 2+ hour sales pitch for a membership that costs the low, low, low price of $30,000+. They explained how members get priority for everything, including immediately choosing three restaurant reservations. Many of the so-called “perks” sounded like basic hotel services, like daily maid service, which even cheap motels provide. After that, anytime we raised an issue, the response was basically, “That’s a members-only benefit.” A 45-minute wait for a mediocre sandwich with cold fries? Members get faster service. No poolside service or towels available? Members get it guaranteed. It felt like non-members are given a worse experience on purpose to push you into buying the membership, which left a bad taste. That said, some of the staff were great. Elien, our waiter at the buffet, a few of the bartenders, and the maid for our building were genuinely awesome and clearly doing their best with limited resources, especially since the resort seemed to constantly run out of things. The food and drinks were mediocre, the shower bar in our room was broken, there was no alcohol in the minibar (not clearly explained), beach towels were hard to get one day, and after about 9:30 a.m. it was nearly impossible to find pool chairs. Overall, the resort feels poorly managed and more focused on upselling than taking care of guests. For the price, there are much better resorts out there. I wouldn’t return or recommend it.

  Dec 30, 2025
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  Beautiful hotel

  We stayed at the senator second week in December. The Hotel is beautiful and very clean. Beach is beautiful, we got to swim every day as the ocean was calm there. Food is also very good. The buffet offers everything from meats, fish etc. Staff is extremely helpful and friendly, thank you jenny our house cleaner for doing a amazing job in our Room. This resort is one that I personally would think of returning and recommending as it is beautiful. The only reason I will not give it a 5 star was because there's some time share people working at this hotel trying to up sale the more expensive rooms by inviting you for a special breakfast. Otherwise we had a fantastic holiday and will consider maybe a return in the future.

  Dec 29, 2025
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  We love this resort

  Shorty from the entertainment team is wonderful. Everything here is great - food, drinks, entertainment, facilities!

  Dec 29, 2025
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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