We just came(JULY 7, 2008) back from EL PRTILLO and it was great choice. The hotel was awsome. The rooms were beautiful and clean. We had a mini bar that was replaced everyday and a coffee machine in the room. The bathroom was great too. It had a jacuzy and 2 separate doors for the shower and the toilet. We had everything replaced in the room everyday.The lobby of the hotel was huge and spatious. The mini bar close to the lobby was big and the good part about the bars was that they all had a menu with all the drinks that you could order witch is good cuz you can try all of them that way :). The food was good and a lot of different varieties. We were there for a week and we ate something different everyday. The a la carte restaurants were unbelievable. The cooks are really professional. The entertainment wasn't the greatest but it made the time pass by at night. The daily activities were also very entertaining. A downside is the long ride from the airport about 1 hours and 45 min.And make sure that you learn a bit of spanish before you go there because the staff DOESN'T REALLY talk english.The professional photograpers that the resort has are the best.We got professional pictures done and they are like magazine pictures. (they are quite expensive but they are worth it)

Overall it was a great experience.We will go see other Bahia Prinicipe resorts for sure.

Just to start off with a bit of background information. I am a seventeen year old who has been on holidays abroad at least once a year ever since I can remember. I’ve stayed in a range of star rated hotels and countries. Our family likes to stay in a hotel with the beach near by and the centre of the resort within walking distance.

We decided to venture to the Dominican Republic because my older sister goes there nearly every year and finds it fantastic.
To be honest, this was not my view and definitely not my mum’s!
This hotel was meant to be extra special as we had just moved and my mum had a hip operation earlier in the year so it was time for an overdue break.

We travelled by first choice and the plane journey was fine, I think it was 8 hours and we enjoyed the films and games so it went quite fast. When we arrived at the Dominican airport we were greeted by many coaches taking travellers yet it seemed the people going to our hotel were to take the mini bus. Then we had a very unusual and long journey through the real Dominican Republic. We saw the poverty and the derelict buildings which I couldn’t believe people actually lived in. The journey seemed to last forever; I think the driver got a little lost. Until finally we arrived at our hotel which was completely in the middle of nowhere. It had gates surrounding the whole complex and we never even contemplated venturing out of them. A couple and their teenage son did one day when the boredom of the surroundings got too much and they literally got out of the cab and jumped back in!
The hotel itself was spectacular. The grounds and décor does deserve the five star rating, the open air lobby with endless seating was lovely. And then there was even more seating throughout with a nice bar. However we found the bar staff quite rude, they seemed to leave the English people till last and they seemed to ignore females. Although I can’t complain at the generous levels of alcohol in a rum and coke!

The food was quite nice although as we went in the height of summer the heat seemed to attract some flies and I was put off eating the fresh fruits out on display. There was quite a variety of food but nothing amazing and after a week there I was bored of the same meals. But there was hardly an option for a meal outside the resort was there!! I felt sorry for one of our fellow Brit’s as she was vegetarian and seemed to eat courgettes and salad everyday. Although they did have one of the nicest rice puddings I’ve ever tasted!

The pool was nice and the cushioned sun loungers and free towels, books and games made the days pass by easily. As there were only around 4 British families there we became one big group and it was lovely. Although we didn’t enjoy sharing the ear infection we got from the pool. I know of 4 British people that got it including me. There was a doctor on the complex so it was sorted in no time.

You don’t realise how big the hotel is until you are given a map; like that of Thorpe Park or large theme park. There are about 8 blocks of apartments; which I must say were spacious. Although for a five star we were shocked that for a family of three one person had to sleep on a very uncomfortable sofa bed! Also as I said my mum had just recovered from a hip replacement, walking small distances was not a problem but we did not anticipate having to walk for ten minutes from our room to the restaurant; it was ridiculous.

I could go on and on about the negatives of this hotel. It is not a disaster but we were greatly let down due to our high expectations and for the amount we paid. After a week all the British people were talking between themselves about their complaints forms and it even turned into a competition to see who had the most! We complained to first choice about many things – many I haven’t mentioned like the snack bar and second Jacuzzi being out of action - and I think we got a hundred pound compensation which for a holiday costing two thousand pound plus is a joke.

One last thing, we tried the scuba diving which was very expensive but as I said this was an extra special holiday. The main trainer - a very fit German man whose name I have forgotten - was a credit to the hotel. On one of the many trips out to the ocean we went around 20 metres underwater and during an exercise I began to panic and tried to get all equipment off of me. It sounds funny now but at the time having taken my oxygen mask off it was very serious. The trainer was amazing and some how managed to get me to surface slowly and calmly.

Overall I would not choose to return to this hotel. I came back from my two week holiday feeling like I needed another one to compensate. From the pictures it looks like a five star but I would not recommend it unless you like to be restricted to the same beach and one pool. A real disappointment!

This was a great resort. The grounds were well-kept and beautiful! Our room was very spacious!!! Everything seemed fairly new. I believe we went around the slow season, so the resort was quiet. It seemed like a relaxing retreat.

The beach was great and the water was so calm and beautiful! I recommend staying here, as I hope to go back! There was not much in the towns nearby, so be prepared to stay put on the resort unless you have a car and can go for a ride to the waterfall (Cascada) or various cities.

This part of the island had the best beaches!!! We often stopped off and went in for a dip as we were driving.

Also, the biggest downfall of the resort was the food. It was edible, but not the best food. It all reminded me of a cheap cruise ship, but you can easily go out and get other food, but it is important that you speak Spanish,

Have fun, Samana is my favorite part of the island thus far!!!

My friend and I have just returned from Gran Bahia El Portillo, and must say that it was one of the best holidays we have had. This was my third visit to Dominican Republic, and this holiday had such a relaxing atmosphere with the most spectacular scenery. The beach was amazing and stretched for miles and we found it quite safe to walk the shoreline. We did meet a few beach boys, but they were very friendly and polite, and certainly were not a nuisance to us, - in fact they greeted us with lovely smiles, and made us feel very welcome. Quite a few of our group of friends enjoyed massages on the beach and pedicures. The rooms were superb - we had a junior suite, and it was cleaned by very friendly cleaning staff who carried out their jobs very satisfactorily. The impressive reception was quite stunning with a central water feature, and the ornamental brass decor and marble floor were polished to perfection - there were beautiful flower arrangements and extremely efficient reception staff who were always happy to please. The well manicured lawns and outdoor areas were always immaculate and continually cleaned.
The restaurant always had freshly laundered cloths and smartly uniformed and well groomed waiters, and a charming receptionist to welcome you at the door. Standard of hygiene appeared good.
We are 2 middle aged ladies and we made friends with many people aged between 23 and 8l ! ! and we had tremendous fun with them all - and a large group of us went on an excursion to Barcardi Island and had a great day. The entertainment staff were great, with laughs galore - Mosquitto - one of the dancers was outstanding with his mischief during the day, and he worked very hard to ensure everyone enjoyed themselves with his hilarity. In fact all of the entertainment team really made our holiday with their humour and personalities. None of us wanted to leave this little paradise, and were all upset to say goodbye to them all.
The pool and beach parties also provided a lot of fun, and there were lots of quieter areas for those people who wanted a more peaceful environment.
On the negative side, we agree with the criticism of leftovers on the buffet from previous meals, but we avoided these. We also disliked the undercooked meats, especially in such a hot climate, but found the fish dishes tasty and plentiful. The only bar open in the evening was inside the hotel and closed at 11 pm prompt, and the only bar to socialise with friends after that time was in the disco, situated a short walk up the road from the main hotel. We walked up there every night as we don't expect to retire at llpm, and sat on the terrace outside the disco with our drinks. Not everyone realised they could do this. Why can't one of the outside beach or pool bars be open in the evening in such beautiful weather - this would also avoid the congestion and overcrowding at the indoor bar. There did appear to be problems with shortages every day at the bars. Some days - no lemonade, other days no water, coke, vodka, brandy and even beer. There was not a single day when there wasn't a shortage of some popular drink. In previous visits to a Gran Bahia we did not have these problems. Nevertheless none of us experienced upset stomachs, and despite these problems we would still return to this hotel. At the moment I would not rate this property 5 star, but it has great potential to be a fantastic hotel if these problems could be rectified and this part of Dominican is starting to be developed, so go there before the builders move in.
My overall experience - an excellent staff, an excellent destination and an excellent hotel with a few problems which can easily be rectified.