Reviews of Sunscape Casa Del Mar Hotel, Bayahibe, Dominican Republic

25th Wedding Anniversay arrived...

Overall Rating:

1/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs C SCARFE

Comments:

25th Wedding Anniversay arrived 5th June 08 for 2 weeks. After 10 hours travelling arrived to very unhelpful reception not even a welcome drink. When we finally found our accomodation supposedly 4 star plus official rating 5 star it was in a very poor state of repair(damp, mould on curtains & lamp shades, broken plug sockets, enamel off bath, mouldy bathroom stained ceiling, cigarette burns around wash basin, thread bear towels, broken iron, wardrobes doors would not close)we were devestated our special holiday. Rep was made aware and agreed accomod was sub-standard we looked at 4 other rooms all in same state finally accepted a room but still not up to our expectations. We were not the only Brits changing rooms there was a number of us. 8 al a carte restaurants were meant to be open 3 open if lucky definitely not al a carte all inclusive drinks a joke you were lucky to get a glass of wine with your meal and if you asked for another the waiters seemed shocked!!!One main Lobby Bar stays open til late drinks served in plastic cups! My husband got food poisoining end of first week and lucky that there was a medical centre at the resort otherwise he would of been in hospital he had to go on a drip that the doctor set up in our room and the doctors report said it was due to poor food hygiene. It was a disaster from start to finish & we are still trying to come to terms with it & are currently proceeding with an official complaint through Thomson. We were so looking forward to our special occasion and what we thought would be a very special holiday, it was a complete waste of time and money!!!! Lovely beach and gardens thats the only positive feedback I have. We have had many holidays through Thomson and never experienced anything like this.

Had lovely holiday, staff,...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

May 2008

Tour Operator:

Booked Independentlysunscape

Submitted By:

Mrs K James

Comments:

Had lovely holiday, staff, hotel, food, all great. Booked horseriding through rep at

Hotel with Rancho El Paso, was absolutely horrified with the condition of the Horses.

many had cuts on them, and were so thin they could hardly carry some of the heavier

clients, my husband and i had a two hour ride feeling so guilty about even sitting on them. I pointed out to the guide that these Horses must be in pain, one even had a

buckle pin from the bridle sticking in the side of it's head, which i tried to remove, only

to be told to leave it by th guide. I would just like to make people aware. if booking

Horseriding that this is what they may encounter. What was a dream to ride along the

beach, turned out to be a personal nightmare, due to the cruelty inflicted on these

poor Horses. I would just like to make people aware of this. and subsequently if

no bookings, no business.

was a wicked holiday. best one...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2008

Tour Operator:

VIP

Submitted By:

Miss C Flint

Comments:

was a wicked holiday. best one in years.. wud definately go back anytime. was only liek 10 mins away from bayahibe. the whoel entertainment was great, there was always something to do and all the staff were sooo enthusiastic. if your into diving there is a fantastic place in bayahibe called scuba fun!!! check it out there alll fabulous!!! hope you all have a fantastic time when you go!!! might see you there!!!! you never know

xxx

This hotel was supberb. We have...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Feb 2008

Tour Operator:

First Choice

Submitted By:

Mrs M Shepherd

Comments:

This hotel was supberb. We have just come back from 2 weeks all inclusive and it was fantastic. The hotel was so clean and fresh. The food was brilliant in all restaurants. The best one was the Seafood Restaurant. The beach was so clean and the pools where clean to. The evening entainment was good but didn't watch much as not our cup of tea. The water in the holiday was purified so you was safe to eat salads and ice etc, which i thought was very good. I recomend this hotel for a superb 2 week holiday.

we have just returned form...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jan 2008

Tour Operator:

First Choice

Submitted By:

Mrs E Saunders

Comments:

we have just returned form sunscape casa del mar today 31st jan 2008. we had a fantastic time plenty of good food 8 different restraunts,great weather overall fantastic relaxing holiday. I would say i don't think it is for younger people under 30 looking for a lively holiday as it is miles from anywhere but they do have some good day trips the best one being to the sonoa island. we booked it with the tour guide on the beach next to the jungle restraunt they where very good. my only complaint was our first choice rep enrique he was usless never there when he was meant to be always having emergencies everywhere else we meet him the first day we were there and never again even though we made contact and he said he would be there everyday,my advice if going with first choice don't bother with the rep book with the guys on the beach they are more organised and cheaper.

We went the first week in August...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2007

Tour Operator:

Portland Direct

Submitted By:

Mrs M BLAKE

Comments:

We went the first week in August about the time of the bad press with bad tummys but I have got to say we had no problems at all. The food was fantastic with a good choice of places to eat on the complex, the Italian is a must and the sea food too. Once a week they move the main buffet down to the beach and it is a beautiful setting.



The entertainment is great but doesn't start till about tenish. The entertainment team are fantastic especially Pablo who had us in stitches the whole holiday my 15 year old daughter loved him. The beach is a dream the sea crystal clear, I'm not normally a beach lover but you couldn't keep me off this one.



On our second week there we were told of hurricane Erin coming but no panic was needed the staff kept us up dated at all times and no one got frightened.



If there was any down sides it was that you were an hour and half away from the airport and once you were there you were in the middle of nowhere with nothing around you, but if you just want a relaxing holiday then this is the one. Also two or three days a week there are locals who set up stalls selling gifts and I must warn you they are very forceful and you find yourself avoiding them as best you can which is quite difficult as they set up around the pool area.



We all had a fantastic time and we have booked up to go again next year.



One last thing try the water sports and go out on a speed boat its a lovley couple of hours out and the family who run it Jackie and Steve and their son Richard are the best and English.

I had 2 weeks here and it was...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Nov 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Miss L Woodhall

Comments:

I had 2 weeks here and it was the most relaxing holiday of my life! The beach was beautiful, the sea was turquoise, the food was gorgeous, and the staff were brilliant.



One downside was the bar...it wasn't very lively and after a few days it became a bit boring. If you're the type of person that likes to chill and then party hard in the evening this is not the place for you.



Other than that the holiday was fab. The room was large and clean with a mini bar (which was refilled whenever it wasn't full) and decent balcony.



There is a lovely lobster restaurant situated on the hotels private beach (although this cost extra) that was surrounded by fairy lights and the sound of the sea. It was so romantic. A must for everyone.



The different restaurants were great and I'd recommend travelling a similar time to when I did as you can use all of the restaurants as many times as you like.



When it is high season you can only use one of the a la carte restaurants once per week.



All in all A TOP HOLIDAY!

This was the best holiday we...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Nov 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Mrs S Watson

Comments:

This was the best holiday we have ever had. The beach was perfect as was the resort, the staff and the food.



In fact everything was so perfect we are returning there in November of this year (2007).



We cannot recommend this resort enough and tell everyone to go there especially if you are a couple looking for a lovely relaxing beach holiday.



We went on a couple of organised tours which were a bit of an eye opener, but wherever you went the locals were friendly and helpful.

This was our honeymoon, and it...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jan 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs J Mcdonnell

Comments:

This was our honeymoon, and it was all we hoped for, a very large complex, very relaxed great food in all restaurants with a huge variety, nothing is too much trouble for the staff.



My husband is a very fussy eater on holiday and I can truly say he was more than happy at all meal times, there are 5 main restaurants, covering fish, Italian, grill, Chinese and main international, we didn’t eat at fish or Italian only because we ran out of time and room. All the food was really good quality we had no tummy trouble at all other than they were a good bit bigger when we left. If you like meat well done make sure you ask as this is American owned they seem to do steaks and burgers a bit rare.



You can drink from 10am till 2am the following morning, the lobby bar stock international brands all the rest and there are many do local brands, there is no limit to what you can have, there are no wrist straps that you usually need at all inclusive as there is nothing near by. Very, very limited shopping.



There are 2 huge pools, a spat hat does some beauty treatments, (acrylic or gel nails are not done I thought I might get my nails painted but they didn’t understand that acetone nail polish remover would melt your nails so I didn’t bother, just a small word of warning) in short its a lovely beach holiday.



Really relaxing, great accommodation ideal for families) it has great kids club) ideal for couples over say over 30, its not lively enough for youngsters who like to party. There is a night club which was an experience great for people watching. We are 39 and 40 it was our honeymoon, we left the kids for a week in the UK with grandparents, we had a lovely relaxing time just chilling out after xmas the wedding and new year.



My 15 year old would have loved the food but would have been bored stiff. The 2 little ones would have been a nightmare on the flight and coach transfer (a good hour and a half) but would have loved the beach and pools.

What a fantastic hotel, the...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Miss E Byford

Comments:

What a fantastic hotel, the staff were lovely, especially the entertainment staff, they had us laughing all day and kept us dazzled in the evenings with the amazing shows that were put on, every night!



Good choice of food and restaurants, although the only reason I haven't given them 10 out of 10 was because 4 out of the 6 of us ended up with dodgy stomachs.



The hotel is well decorated, situated in lovely grounds, especially the spa area and is right on the beach. The hotel had plenty of activities to keep us all busy plus we did a couple of excursions with Thomson which were not too great to be honest, not sure they were worth the money.



We went during end May to beginning of June and it rained EVERY day, no joke so bad planning by us, but even with the rain we had a fantastic time and would happily recommend this hotel to others.

My partner and I came to...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr DS Bixall

Comments:

My partner and I came to Bayahibe as a last minute rush job, paying only half the normal price! And what a bargain!



We were very impressed with the room and the hotel staff were extremely friendly and helpful from the moment we got there. The food, whilst not A1, was more than adequate and the cocktails were top!



Our holiday was only for a week so we didn't try any of the Thompson tours, but tried a locally organised expedition down the nearby river on what looked like a garden shed on oil drums! It took us to see Elton Johns house, a cliff that featured in a Rambo film and then on to a small banana plantation where we took photos of a rather bemused ancient local man. The surprise of the trip was the cockfight! Apparently this is local entertainment so parents beware if you take children on the local trips.



My complaints would have to be about the local vendors on the beach. If you stray too far away from the hotel you will be swamped by opportunistic locals wanting to make a quick dollar. Some can be quite persistent, but most respond to a firm no! The hotel will let some vendors into the grounds for a specific time and they usually hang around the pool, so just avoid for a couple of hours.



Overall the holiday was fab, with snorkeling being a must next time we return, which will be sometime in 2006. Thoroughly recommended!

We went to the Casa Del Mar for...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs S Bishop

Comments:

We went to the Casa Del Mar for two weeks at the end of August 05, there were four adults and two children in our party. We can't say enough about the hotel and it's staff, a rating of 10 out of 10 does not do this place justice.



The hotel was light and airy and the staff were fantastic from the word go. The pool area was fab and we couldn't get the children out of it. Even the waiting on staff made sure that my twins were fed at lunch time.



The beach is glorious, we stayed there all day until lunch, then at four we had cocktails in the restaurant over looking the sea. We loved it so much, we are going back next week.

Our party of nine travelled out...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Mar 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Tatey-Lou

Comments:

Our party of nine travelled out to Casa Del Mar for a wedding. We had previously holidayed at Viva Wyndham Tangerine in Cabarete but decided to explore another side of the island.



We had a blast from the word go. Lovely wedding, Rosa the wedding co-ordinator was on hand to ensure it all went well. Michelle the Thomson rep was fantastic too.



The hotel and staff are amazing. Dominicans are very lovely people, always greeting you with "Hola" and a great big Dominican smile. Top marks to the showmanship displays put on by Pablo Picasso, he certainly kept us entertained!!



Great choice of food and restaurants. Lovely sized pool. We recommend staying here as there are no pushy vendors on the beach ( a welcome break!!).



We are looking at returning as soon as we can arrange two weeks break from our respective employments, we really feel one week is too short.



Casa Del Mar rocks!

Our first time in the Caribbean...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2004

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Mrs J Delaney

Comments:

Our first time in the Caribbean and what a time we had. We came out here to get married and the wedding coordinator Rosa did everything to make sure it went smoothly. The kids club was great the staff there Zuzana and Julio where great!!!



If you have a family this is the resort to go to the kids are looked after from 9 -5 with a variety of activities on offer from explorer night where they set up tents on the beach and put movies on a big screen with popcorn ice cream hotdogs and drinks for the kids which you can leave the kids till midnight! Once a week great for that romantic meal on your own!! The kids club even take the kids for lunch if you are busy they are great. They will take them horse riding once a week and swimming in the pool.



The entertainment staff also make sure there is plenty going on all day from beach aerobics to aqua aerobics in the sea, volleyball, croquet, bingo bongo (Billy and kikos version of bingo! ) kids pinato party once a week you should never be bored here. Plenty of sun loungers on the beach and around the pool as well for those sun worshippers.




You can also get a drink or food 24 hours a day if you want the only criticism I have is there should be ice creams you don’t really see many and the kids love them!!!

This was undoubtedly the best...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Nov 2003

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Miss M C Weighand

Comments:

This was undoubtedly the best holiday I have ever had! From the second we arrived at the hotel, we were made to feel more than welcome. All of the staff we came into contact with were incredibly friendly, and appeared genuinely happy to help, not just treating things as their job.



The complex was very well maintained throughout from the rooms to the garden areas to the private beach.



Food was first class, and it was a refreshing change to be able to eat in any of the a la carte restaurants as often as we wanted to.



If I was force to pick any fault, my only complaint would be the selection of music in the disco! But, other than that an excellent holiday!!