Bahia Principe Luxury Bouganville — Hotel in La Hispaniola

We booked a wedding package with Bahia Principe La Romana back in January 2025. We were in a pickle as our previous wedding plans had fallen through. Jensy from the wedding office was quick to reply to my now wife with details and prices. My wife messaged several places and Bahia Principe was the first one to reply and with the most complete information, we were impressed.||We had a few calls with Jensy to finalize the details. She was absolutely amazing, helped us throughout the process and provided great feedback. We booked our wedding and started planning our stay and travel along with the guests.||The resort:|It's a little over an hour away from Punta Cana airport, you will need to plan your shuttles ahead of time. Some of us were not able to do this when booking through the web, some of us did, you can also connect with external shuttle services, there are many reliable in Punta Cana, prices are similar.||The resort is not technically in La Romana city, it's a bit further west. It's secluded and we found that better.||Once you get to the hotel you are greeted by the staff, and get a welcome cocktail. If you come from Canada or the US, expect the check in and check out process to be a bit longer than usual. We did a pre check in and still spend a few minutes at reception, nothing big.||The staff was very a good at making us feel welcomed. ||The Bouganville has two main buildings we were in the furthest one near the quiet pool. We noticed the hotel was well maintained, even the areas that clearly no one walked by were perfectly cared for. It was also very very clean, everywhere. The maintenance people clearly work really hard, we had no complains about the state of the hotel, only compliments. The pools also look very clean, they clean them every night starting at 7pm. We did wished we could use the pool at night but they closed early.||The lobby area is were the shows at night happen, there was always something going on after 6pm. Shows, dances, events. It was a nice center square to meet others and enjoy the show.||We also found stores, gym, spa. Amd casino very closed to each other. If you sre into sports theres a tennis court we used once, it clearly has seen better days but nothing that would put you off. We saw also bicycles that we presume can be rented or borrowed. No one mentioned this to us, we would have borrow a couple and go to the mall.||The beach:|If you are someone who loves the sand, laying down on a lounge chair relaxing under a nice shade, with a mojito next to you. Or someone who likes walking the beach end to end, enjoy clean sand, beautiful palm trees, and spectacular sunsets. Well, this is the beach for you!! It was super clean, with plenty of sitting options to enjoy yourself, a couple of bars to get quick drinks, and nice cozy areas to simply relax.||On the other hand, if your definition of a perfect beach experience is crystal clear water, waves, and lots of beach activities, this is going to be a disappointment. The water is not bad but it is murky, nothing like other Dominican beaches we've been to. Temperature is good, and the no waves can be a plus for some people. What really deter us from having a superb experience was the jellyfish. At least 10 people in our party got stung in the 6 days we were there. The staff had vinegar sprays ready to help, and although it didnt ruin the experience for us, we avoided going into the water for the rest of the trip.||Pool:|My wife and I did not spend too much time in the pool, but our guests did. The mentioned the entertainment team is fantastic! They had a lot of fun dancing, playing games organized by the staff, and even having a foam party. Half my party spent hours in the pool enjoying drinks and the activities. There are also quiet pools for those who just want to relax, and the family pool in the Grand La Romana looked fun as well. Food restaurants are right beside each pool, the call them snack bars but they are very complete buffets with salads, beef, chicken, pizza, fish, rice, and desserts.||The pool needs better illumination at night. You are forced to walk though it if you are coming from the beach to your room. One of our guests had an accident and fell because she could not see a bump (she was ok the next day). We also felt it closed way too early. If you love hanging in the pool at night, you will be disappointed it closes at 7pm and it does not reopen until the next day.||Food|This is where the resor shines. We've heard comments from people in Canada not liking the food in the Dominican Republic and preferring Mexico. I have to say the food in this hotel is simply superb. Please pass the compliments to the chefs. The Jazmin buffet had great lunch and dinner options, every day there was something new to try. Food was fresh and tasty. The restaurants were also amazing! Everyone in my party agreed the gourmet Don Pablo was the best. My wife and I also enjoyed the Carbonara in the italian place, and all the side dishes in the Japanese restaurants. We also had as part of the wedding package a private romantic dinner by the beach. The experience was lovely, the server Kensi was amicable and attentive, the food was great, bread, 2 starters, the main course, and dessert, while watching the sunset and enjoying romantic songs. It was out favorite dinner and highly recommend it for couples on special occasions.||The one thing we had issues with was making the reservations. Some of our guests were not able to check in in advanced so by the time they got there there were not many slots in the restaurants. We did have to contact our wedding coordinator to help us with this. ||Staff|I speak spanish, so I was able to communicate with the staff. I have to say the people we encounter were funny and attentive. They treated everyone in the party with respect. Another thing, these people are working HARD. We didnt just see it, we could hear them in the lobby, the restaurants, etc. Comments like "look at table xx they they need more water" or "look at this guest walking around, maybe he has a question Im going to see what he needs" were common. They are making an effort to service you.||They also do not make you feel awkward about tipping them or not like in other resorts or sun destinations. The staff works hard and provides good service, they actually earn their tips and it's never an expectation for the guest to provide them. ||The staff were helpful to accommodate us when we missed the time on a restaurant reservation, they were kind to accomodate 12 people at 9pm knowing it was 100% our fault.||We also met the director of the place during our stay. My mother in law had a bad fall and he was quick to get help for her. The staff acted quickly and got us a wheelchair for her. We went to the clinic inside the resort and the doctor there was helpful. The staff was very attentive to my mother-in-law during the rest of the trip.||Other considerations:|We stayed in the adults only, with most of the party. The rooms were great, lots of space and decent balconies. The AC is well needed. The bed was comfortable, same as the pillows.||The hotel has a new system to unlock the doors, there's a chip in your wrist band that opens it. This is very very convenient, no more access cards to keep around that can get lost.||Some of our guests reported the shower were cold, with no hot water coming out. We also noticed the jacuzzi wasn't too clean, we didnt use it.||Wifi was average, if you need to work in your laptop during your stay you may need to upgrade to the premium wifi. It may also depend where are you staying in the resort. This is an area for improvement as many US and Canada customers are used to being connected all the time snd hotels in these regions usually have high speed internet. It is an expectation these days more than a perk.||Some of our guests used the gym, it looked small but well equipped.||Casino looked small but fun. We didn't gamble but we saw some guests having fun in there.||Towels need to be returned to the station you got them from. We wish we could return the towels we got anywhere in the Bouganville or Grand, we had to walk to the other hotel just to return a blue towel and walk back to return the beige one. A bit silly.||We had fun at the disco at night. It was empty the first time we went but by the weekend it was packed of people. Drinks were good. Music was also good but if you don't like latin tunes you will probably be disappointed.||The app was clunky and glitchy some times. I could not see my booking in my phone but my wife could. I was not able to check in on the web, but my wife could in the app. Some of our guests had no issues with the apl and some other could not use it at all. ||The wedding:|Jensy was our wedding coordinator, she was absolutely fantastic in helping us before and during the day. We had our ceremony in the beach gazebo and a cocktail hour by the beach, with the reception at las Olas. The staff was great once again. The decorations were beautiful, surpassing our expectations, and the organization was great. Food was, as expected by now, amazing. We added the 'hora loca' entertainment add on, very common in latin parties, and it really made the night. 100% recommended if you are having a wedding in this resort. ||DJ was also good, you give him a few songs and artists and he dies the rest. Overall we had the best time and our guests shared the same feedback. ||The only negative point is how hot it was. The restaurant is the one by the beach and we thought the fresh breeze would make it cooler, but there was no breeze. June is a hot month in the Dominican Republic, we did not experience this heat back in April or October when we were in the Dominican. ||Final thoughts:|Overall, our experience was superb, the staff were attentive and funny to chat with, the food was excellent, and the entertainment was great. We wished the beach was better but it did not ruin our stay. As I said, if you dont care too much about the water, this is a 10/10 beach. The hotel does a lot right, the staff works hard and we felt taken care of.||We recommend this hotel for couples or families who want to have a good time, good food. And enjoy a relaxed time in the beach.||Thanks Jensy, Kensi, Victor, and everyone else who made our wedding trip so memorable. We'll see you...

Where do I start tui list this hotel as a 5* yet it's far from it, joke! Rooms- need upgrading dated, broken shower drain, leak from roof in toilet when rains, tiles falling off wall in bedrooms, wardobes with blown paint and peeling off. Also mini bar is included but again extremely limited. Staff- poor English for many of the staff members making ordering a drink and requests at meal times difficult. Some demand tips which is intimidating wont leave your room unless you pay them which i have never experienced in a 5* hotel. Staff driving round on the golf buggys at 5.30am which is fine I'm an early bird but blaring their own music and spitting constantly not what you expect to hear or see. The bar staff in the pool bars are great no complaints but the Entertainment staff are laughable and to be honest haven't got a clue. Violin act is shocking! Out of tune, too loud through the speakers it makes you winch. Also seems to be a theme with the same songs being repeated constantly whether that's the staff playing instruments or the singers. The pool entertainment is also shocking dance routines are not well rehearsed just lots of shouting through speaker hardly relaxing even the aqua aerobics isn't taken seriously just make you run from one side of the pool to the other blowing a whistle constantly I don't think any of the staff are personal trainers so unable to perform and actual exercise class which is a shame.The evening is even worse no theatre for big shows like I'm used to in other 5* resorts. Also whatever entertainment is on its repeated exactly the same every week. Usually there is a two week schedule which then repeats but not here same stuff week in week out. Its basically just people singing in poor english, ballad type songs which to be honest seems quite depressing to say the least. Dominican night only good entertainment night clearly have professional dances and a man singing domican songs with acoustic guitar which was a nice vibe best night for entertainment but none of the others are worth staying up for, such a disappointment for an adults only hotel I expect more, then bingo and silent discos it's just embarrassing. Food/drink- Drinks selection is good all branded but if you want a diet drink there is nothing available, full sugar only. The food I cant complain about good selection and breakfast was always nice. The al a carte food was lovely but be expceted to us the same cutlery for each course! Also book as soon as you arrive otherwise you wont be abel to visit them we had to have alot of bookings for 9.30pm which is a bit late for us. The buffet restaurant is tiny though!! Never seen anything like it having to queue to get in. Again staff in restaurants generally hit and miss with who can speak English and who can't communication is difficult and this hotel!!! No snack bar although advertised on tui only room service so if you want to eat anything even something small you must do so in your room and order room service not had that anywhere else this is bizarre! The beach/pool- all grounds/green areas are well kept and the beach looks pretty but the sea is not for swimming. There is a connecting river near the beach which makes the water completely brown and you can't see anything definitely not the carribean clear waters you expect or advertised. I got a severe jellyfish sting across my whole forearm requiring medication and I had to keep my arm covered for the remainder of the holiday. Because of this we also couldn't make use of the water sports they offer in concern of being stung again because it was agony. The biggest pool is incredible loud, staff shouting through speakers/whistles/ so if you wish to relax go to the smaller pool although this seems like a bit of a morgue no music or atmosphere which is a shame.

Biggest concern! Staff will try all holiday to take your phone out your hand and fill this review out for you by putting the 5* rating, don't let them as it's misleading for people because it definitely is not 5*

Avoid!! big changes need to happen at this hotel...

For starters, be aware most of the reviews for this place are fake. I'm not just saying that -- I work in marketing, know fake reviews when I see them, and also staff come around to the pools and beaches asking people to take out their phones and give a 5-star review on the spot.

This one is authentic, overall we enjoyed our experience but had a few issues that I may be able to help you avoid. I'll start with the bad and move onto what we loved.

The Worst: Their Privilege Club racket. This is their version of a timeshare and you can't walk through the Bouganville lobby without an employee hassling you about it. For our experience he got extremely offended when we tried to just keep walking and said no. This put a damper on our time there and honestly will make me double check if a resort has a timeshare before booking, it turns me off to the whole experience. However, easy to avoid if you just don't go near the lobby for the duration of your stay. Which will be impossible if you need to book transportation, which brings me to...

The Bad: Transportation. This was only bad because we weren't given correct information. We booked through Bahia Principe on their website, not knowing that they outsource to a company called Coming 2, which has a 1.5-star review currently. This led to a lot of confusion upon arrival at the airport and we couldn't find our ride, exacerbated by the local cab companies trying to flag us down and stop us every two steps.

If you do book through the Bahia Principe, go the Bahia Principe counter that's just right outside the exit of the airport (It'll be on the left). Let them know you booked a ride, and the person there will help you. When you're ready to leave the resort, the day before you leave (and not before) go to the Coming2 table in the lobby (it's right next to the above mentioned Privilege Club table, so you might get flagged down by them during this step), and the person there (Eddie helped us!) will confirm your flight and let you know when your car will arrive to pick you up. From there, just be in the main lobby (not the Bouganville lobby) prior to your pickup!

Okay, those were my two biggest complaints out of the way, now for what we loved:

Pools -- Three huge pools throughout the resort, all with swim-up bars. It can be hard to get seats depending on the time of day (the resort says no reserving seats, but everybody does), but it's easy to find something so long as you aren't committed to wanting to shade. The pools were great, they have a quiet pool if you just want to relax, and a pool that I refer to as the party pool where they play music, the Entertainment Team will lead activities like water aerobics, and overall it's a good time.

Beach -- A lot of people complain about the beach. Yeah it's not the best, the sand wasps are a little alarming (but harmless -- we have them in our yard at home), and the water is cloudy. It's only brown during the rainy season. We went in March and had a great time, not clear water but very warm and comfortable. There is some marine life to watch out for (my wife touched a few jellyfish but didn't get stung). If you want turquoise water, book elsewhere. If you don't mind cloudy water conditions though, this is not bad. And we loved walking along the beach at night.

Room -- Beautiful room, very spacious, great bathroom, A/C worked great, the balcony was really nice.

Grounds -- Absolutely gorgeous. They fumigate for bugs every night so you never have to worry about mosquitoes, we never used bug spray while we were here.

Entertainment -- Not a lot to be honest. There are events every day, the Entertainment Squad does stuff like Beach Zumba and Crazy Games (literally what they're called). This is a place you'll get as much out of it as you put into it. I did love the Entertainment Squad, especially Vanilla Ice and Baby Face Angelo (iykyk)

Food / Drinks -- Not bad. Buffets and drinks are wonderful, highly recommend!

Staff -- The best! Some language barriers for English speakers but...