Bahia Principe Grand Samana

This was probably the best vacation I've ever had. The staff are uniformly excellent. The building itself is BEAUTIFUL and extremely well-designed. The staff were always friendly and professional, but also knew when to leave guests alone. This is ideal if you are looking for a quiet, low-key and peaceful experience. Please make sure to tip the staff, they deserve it!

The only cautions I would give is that you should be prepared for a 2.5 hour drive from Santo Domingo Airport to the hotel (I recommend booking your transfer through the hotel's website), and the regular dinner buffet is...okay. It could be improved with zestier flavors. If you order proteins to be grilled for you on the spot, the quality is much better than many of the standard buffet options. Breakfast in general was stronger than dinner. The hotel in general is truly wonderful, but if you are looking for a knockout culinary experience, this may not be right for you. Otherwise...this was truly a 5-star experience.

Absolutely amazing experience! We loved staying at this property. As soon as we arrived, we instantly felt more relaxed. The staff are attentive and friendly, the property is gorgeous, and the food is delicious. We couldn't be happier with our entire experience. Highly recommend.

very beautiful and relaxing resort I highly recommend it. I've been to many resorts and this was one of the best ever. my son and his wife were with me and they agreed that this was one of the best places they ever have been to! not crowded, peaceful and as beautiful as it gets!!! I would come back again and again!

Pros:
Beautiful hotel, gorgeous views, private beach with Tiki huts, excellent service, buffet style food for breakfast and dinner was very good, cleanliness was excellent (rooms, restaurants, beach), very friendly/smiling and accommodating staff

Cons: I gave the the room a 3 star rating because of the mattress, it is hard and every move my wife made during the night woke me up and vice versa.
The hotel is adjacent to a busy road and there is a fair bit of noise and vehicle exhaust smell, closing the secondary hallway door in the Junior suite eliminated almost all of the noise.
There is only one smaller swimming pool which I found too be too warm, so I only went to the private beach.

Other comments:
The almost all inclusive plan includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, domestic drinks such as rum and the Dominican Presidente beer are included, foreign alcoholic brands and wine are billed (Chivas costs 8US$) wines are quite pricey at 50US$ and above (they will store your opened wine bottle, so you could drink it over 2 dinners)
Lunch was not served at the main restaurant, but at the snack bar, food choices were more limited, but the outdoor BBQ was great and I didn't mind a light lunch on the beautiful patio.
The clientele is made up of 40+ mostly, atmosphere is relaxed and quiet.
Wifi is fast and covered the whole resort.
There is live music every night in the main lobby/bar area and a beautiful veranda with patio sets.
Be careful which meal package you choose, because the cheaper ones don't include any free alcohol.
The almost all inclusive package did it for us with 3 daily frozen rum drinks (wife) and my 5 mojitos.(all free, we self imposed the drink limits)
I have 2 suggestions for the management team at the resort.
1. Change the mattresses or at least provide mattress pillow tops
2. Provide wine for purchase by the glass at dinner time
This gorgeous resort provided excellent value and a beautiful, relaxing setting for a vacation.
I would rebook this resort without any hesitation.
Thank you Bahia Principe Grand Samana!

Loved this resort ❤
Went last year. The food was very good, the staff were amaxing. The views were beautiful. Our room and balcony views were exceptional.
I planned to return this year but have learned it is no longer an all inclusive. 😟

I spent a little time with my friends they came from Europe and it was a really nice place to stay. You can spend time with your family vacation and on business it’s by the sea on the top of the mountain. It was awesome.

Book this resort for new year and my family and I had a great time, the resort was nice and quiet this is adult only and definitely going back. La manager de lugar (Lisa) super buena gente, aparte el staff del resort muy amable todos

I must say it was absolutely fantastic experience from start to finish. From the moment we arrived at the resort, we were greeted with warm smiles and outstanding hospitality by the staff. Specifically, the Ambassador Yorkis Medina. He was very professional, enthusiastic and very knowledgeable. In addition Dargenis the bartender at the Jaiba prepares the best drinks that you can think of. They were both ready to assist with any request or inquiry, making us feel right at home. One of the highlights of our trip was the incredible boat rides and tours offered by the resort. Exploring the breathtaking beauty of the Dominican Republic from the water was a magical experience. The variety and quality of food options were also outstanding. Our stay exceeded all our expectations. Giving this a 10 star rating!!!!!

Amazing vacation. Food is excellent. Staff are all hard working and friendly, especially Emma and Eddil, they were always making sure everything was perfect. Juana at the lobby bar was always smiling and attentive. The entertainment crew was great, the Spanish lessons were beneficial for our vacation. Housekeeping did a fabulous job cleaning and stocking the room and getting the bed ready for us every night while we were watching the entertainment. The views from our balcony were amazing and we had a beautiful view of the sunset every night before dinner. One of the best vacations we have ever had. ❤

Located on a sleepy mountaintop, with the big blue ocean as the perfect backdrop, I was in PARADISE, outside my HUGE balcony, was Bacardi Island! I ate every meal on the outside patios and it was a postcard. Service? 5 stars!! Food? 5 stars. When I asked about an omelet at lunchtime, the head chef said " no problem! " and they made it for me on the spot and it was delicious! I can't wait to go back!!!

This was our first all inclusive experience. We were a little skeptical as we like to travel more than stay in the hotel, but we really enjoyed ourselves at this resort. The food was amazing and great selection at the buffet to choose from. Great drinks and entertainment. Excellent service for Eddil and he made sure we were enjoying ourselves during our stay. The chef at the buffet station was amazing and he made prepared few things that my wife wanted which were not at the buffet.
Few negatives I’d like to mention -
Food at Don Pablo was not that great. Room service was not perfect. We were not served breakfast in our room and we had to go eat at the buffet as we were getting late. I’d give it a pass as the rest of our experience was excellent.

This hotel is amazing and what’s make it special is the STAFF. Every one and all the staff in the hotel are amazing, very professional, hard working and very helpful. The entertainment team was excellent. Jennifer, Alex, Paula, Danil and all the others ( I do not know all the names). They made sure to include everyone. Every one had so much fun. I usually never go back to the same resort but this is resort is exceptional. I may go back. The food was great. The staff at the restaurant were amazing.
The beach is not great for swimming due to the waves. The view from the restaurants and the bar is amazing and spectacular. The entertainment teams are amazing and very nice peoples. Everyone in the hotel goes above and beyond to meet the expectations of the tourist.👍👍👍👍

We are a bit younger than the normal crowd but it was extremely relaxing. Food much better than expected and topped of by great and plenty staff. The entertainment director is crazy in a good way. The service staff was fun, attentive and personal, we loved it. First time going to an all inclusive as a young adult, but it was definitely something that can include for a couple of days in any travel planning. And did I say that the beach was great and the views were completely amazing. And this price point, it seemed like a bargain.

Best staff, excellent service, some of best tasting food and drinks we’ve had in a while at a resort. Small, quiet, the perfect place to relax. Beware of the number of stairs if you have mobility issues, if you enjoy long walks on the beach this resort might not be the best choice. We loved it!

This is are last day here at the Bahia Principe Luxury Samaná. It was amazing, definitely worth the money. The views were outstanding so beautiful. The sunset bar was perfect for the end of the afternoon before supper to enjoy a drink and relax. The service was beyond amazing, they work so hard here to make the guests enjoy their entire stay.
The food was fantastic. So many great dinners, myself being a chef for over 20 years, I really was truly impressed with all the à la carte restaurants. The breakfast was good. The bbq on the first 2 days for lunch was some of the best chicken I have had. I would come work here just to learn more to expand my knowledge, also maybe pass on some to.( that’s an offer if you are interested)
Anyway if you are looking for a gateway to relax and get away from the party scene of other resorts this is the one.
Thanks to everyone at the resort for a fantastic time.

One of the best resorts I’ve been to, well deserved 5 stars. From the views, to the service, cleanliness, and genuine hospitality from the staff. I’m Dominican, and typically don’t like resort food, but I REALLY enjoyed their menu and music! Best part of my stay was definitely the staff. Eddil was incredibly helpful, warm, and friendly. We had a few additional requests because we were a group of 6, but they were wonderful and gracious about it. Franz was sooo welcoming and checked in frequently to make sure our group was comfortable and enjoying our stay. Thank you 🙏🏽

The location is phenomenal. Ocean facing rooms are a dream with the ocean right in front of you. Could use some updating bur they are closing in May to do so. We were in C block and had no problems or issues. It is a small resort so everything is fairly close.

Staff are incredible. Big shout out to Emma in butler services (she is a gem and so sweet) but truly all staff made our stay wonderful.

Food was great, both buffets and a la carts however the buffet for breakfast and lunch was often repetitive but we were fine with it. You can't beat the view from the buffet or pretty much anywhere throughout the resort had an amazing view of the ocean. Three a la cart restaurants, all great, especially the presentation! There is also a snack bar which we didn't realise until our final days that is open from 11-5 with a buffet and a BBQ. Bars were good, drinks were inconsistent at times but still good.

Entertainment throughout the day and night was a good variety, all the rec staff were very enthusiastic and inclusive. We are beach people and felt like we missed out on programs during the day because they are all done at the pool. We would have loved to see some beach activities.

Lots of stairs throughout the resort and to get to the beach but it is private with lots of loungers. Depending on the time of year, you can see the humpback whales in the bay which was such a treat! Our favourite spot was a sitting area off the lobby, overlooking the pool and ocean. We would spend some time in the late afternoon searching for whales and sometimes with the staff who equally shared in our excitement when we spotted one or three!

We cannot say enough great things about this place and hope to be back one day soon. Thank you to all the staff!

My friend and I spent four days at this resport and aboslutely loved it! 5 stars all around and highly recommend for a quiet and relaxing stay. We are two women in our 30s. We read reviews beforehand and knew this resort was on the quiter side with an older clientele and mostly couples but we wanted a relaxing quiet vacation and that is exactly what we got. The perfect place for sun, reading a book, conversations with nice people and good food/drinks. I cant wait to come back here again! Really like that it was a well run chain but that it was a smaller boutique feel.

Views: This is a HIGHLIGHT of the resort. The views are absolutely stunning. The resort is nestled into the scenery and it is gorgeous. I could not get over the breathtaking views.

Rooms: Spacious, clean and comfortable. Bed was great, views from room are fabulous, mini fridge always stocked and bathrooms in great shape.

Food: Very impressed with quality and selection. Brazilian and italian a la carte were fabulous! Buffet was small but always a great selection. The views from the buffet seating were perfect.

Activities: There is not a lot to do as this is a small resort but I as impressed with the activities they did have. Things like mini putt challenge, bean bag toss, darts and aquafit in the day. We did not particiapte in the evening entertainment so cannot comment but they had shows, a pool party one night and some other things. The gym facilities were excellent (nice and good equipment) and they had one instructor led gym class a day. We didnt take any trips off the resort but there was a free organized shuttle to the Cayo Levantado island. We heard from others that the beach was okay but crowded as it was a public beach.

Pool: This is where we spent most of our time and is the centre of the resort/where all the action happens. There are more than enough chairs at all times of day. Some people "reserved" certain spots as early as 7/8am but you could always find places to lounge by the pool or anywhere on the resort for that matter.

Beach: Didnt spend much time here but it is beautiful. Small but nice. Some people mentioned getting stung by jellyfish but I guess maybe just the season or bad luck as others had no issues. Spots with shade were "reserved" early apparently (7am or so). There is a no reservation of chairs policy but not enforced really.

Overall I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a quiet and relaxing vacation. I am not sure how I would feel about 7 days but 4 was the perfect amount fo us being a younger pair of friends just looking for a short escape. We came in from Puerto Plata and flew out of Punta Cana which were long and expensive drives so would recommend flying through Samana if possible. As other reviewes have mentioned there are lots of stairs which was no problem for us and was actually good for some activity since we otherwise werent walking around much. 10/10!

This resort is perfect. The location is beautiful, and very true to the pictures on the website! We had a great stay. The staff are very nice and attentive. Fernando the bartender at the beach bar always made sure we had everything we needed and regularly checked on us (and everyone around).
Jida was just amazing and very attentive. She would always check on us during every meal, and even taught us some Spanish! She was one of the best!
Overall a great experience and can't wait to go back!

This resort is amazing! It’s in a beautiful location and there’s always something to do. The staff is lovely, especially Deylin and Daniel! They run the entertainment activities and are always trying to make sure every guest has a great time. They bring an infectious energy by always being around socializing, smiling, and dancing with the guests! The rooms are gorgeous and very spacious. The room service, laundry service, and maid service are all very thorough and speedy. I couldn’t recommend Bahia Principe Luxury Samana enough! We’ll be back!