Bahia Principe Luxury Runaway Bay Adults Only - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

5736 reviews

• 

  Not worth the money

  Hotel needs renovations and updating. Guest elevator is out of order. I had to stand in a long line 3 times to get a room key that worked, each time going to room on 7th floor. Staff can be rude. The would acknowledge me when I would greet them and just seemed to not like their job. In Jan reserved a room with 2 beds since it would be myself, my husband and teenage daughter. We were given a king bed and told that there wasn't any more rooms with double bed available. We had to wait 2 days to get another room. The room they gave us was such a downgrade. The room phone didnt work, shower didnt drain, we couldn't get towels delivered, the bathroom just looked dirty, the smoke alarm was blinking the whole time, the bed sagged almost to the floor, the sheet had blood on it. I was far from impressed. Positives-The buffet was good and the view and pool were great.

  Jul 09, 2025
• 

  Family Reunion - read before arriving!

  Bahia Principe Grand - Please note: this is NOT a 5 star resort. Those who posted a 5 star prob got a free bottle of rum & their comments are brief. Be sure to read the LONGER reviews. I found those to be spot on with our experience. - Here for a family reunion / 20 people total - Chose this location bc it was the best price that everyone could afford - we don’t usu book all-inclusives but this was better for some families budgets - my immediate family had 3 rooms on “old side” - [ ] Positives: well maintained lawns, clean beaches, esp the beach closer to the nude beach area, beautiful clear waters, no issues with A/C temp in old room although the old thermostat didn’t appear to be working, fridge was cold, even froze a bottle of water solid, stunning sea view from balcony, no issues with grabbing a pool or beach lounge chair - we usually started day off at the beach - ate at the outdoor buffet for lunch (try their Jamaican patties!), and ended at the pool before heading back to room to get ready for dinner. Also had a blast playing pickleball, singing karaoke, watching the magic show (pick more kids !!!) and partying at the beach party. - [ ] Issues: this list could go on & on but these are the items I chose to post as I’m hoping they can be fixed with the new owners of the property (Hyatt?) - Room keys on older side always de-activating - Older side rooms are just old & dated but at least the A/C worked and room was clean. Hallways are dark. Room Doors are thin - you can hear the housekeeping carts coming down the hall a mile away! - Elevators (if working) are old and creaky and stuffy - and the floor numbers do not match the actual floor despite the labels. Take the stairs & save the elevators for your luggage. - Towels: not enough in room - old & newer side / why should this even be an issue?? We just used the blue beach towels. They were thick & fluffy. - Food / Buffet: this is a hot mess. The a la carte reservation system is a hot mess and sometimes the restaurant looked only 1/2 full. Are there that many people not showing up?? If so, seat those that are waiting for a table. The food wasn’t that great unless it was fresh off the grill. Kudos to those chefs manning the buffet grill each meal. - Allow large parties to make reservations to sit together. Many are there for family reunions & like to have meals together. Don’t laugh when we need a table for 20 - just have a section with long tables. There were several family reunions during our stay. Expect that families would like to sit together and plan accordingly!!! - Hoping Hyatt will read this and make the much needed improvements. This location has so much potential !!!

  Jul 09, 2025
• 

  This resort has gone downhill tremendously.

  Upon arrival, I had to wait several hours just to check in. While I understand the stated check-in time is 3 PM, we arrived around 11 AM and still weren’t given access to our room until well after 3 PM. When we finally checked in, I was informed that the room only had one king bed — despite my original request for two queen beds. I raised this issue with the manager twice, expressing that I was not comfortable sharing one bed. She stated that the “luxury” side of the resort is designed for couples and that rooms with two beds are limited and subject to availability. I checked the website myself and saw no mention of bedding being subject to availability. When I pointed this out, she changed her story and said that the confirmation email states this — it didn’t. After hours of back and forth, she finally agreed to "see what she could do." We were offered a room with a king bed and a rollaway cot, which I found unacceptable. Eventually, she managed to secure a room with two beds — although one of them turned out to be a cot, not a proper mattress. We reluctantly accepted it so we could try to enjoy the rest of our trip. Unfortunately, the issues didn’t stop there. During our stay, the elevators were frequently out of service, forcing guests to use the stairs — with no notice, no communication, and no support from staff. Room cleanliness was also unacceptable. My co-guest accidentally soiled the sheets, but when we returned to our room, the same sheets were made back up as if they were clean. Previous night’s room service trays were still in the room as well. The only visible housekeeping effort was the beds being made — poorly at that. Another major issue occurred at the Rodizio Restaurant, Las Olas. The hostess, Ashgay Wilson, was extremely rude and unprofessional. She refused to seat us and became confrontational when I asked to speak with a manager, stating she was in charge. She then removed her name tag when I asked for her name and refused to let me document it. Even in front of the manager, her behavior continued. When I asked him for her name, she told him not to tell me and mocked me by asking me to “sound it out.” I immediately went to guest services to report the incident and was told it would be addressed. It has not. Throughout my stay, I noticed that many of the female staff were cold, unfriendly, and unwelcoming. Their lack of professionalism left me feeling unwelcome and uncomfortable. This was a deeply disappointing experience from start to finish. I spent my vacation waiting for issues to be resolved, only to be left unheard and frustrated. I’m still waiting for a follow-up from management — and honestly, I won't be holding my breath. I do not recommend this resort.

  Jul 09, 2025
• 

  10/10 this is a place I would go back and stay

  The resort was beautiful from the beginning the welcome was meet with cool towel and bright smiles everyone was nice and friendly and very helpful!

  Jul 09, 2025
• 

  Holiday

  I’m writing to share my experience from my recent two-week holiday at your hotel on the Luxury side, which was primarily to celebrate my daughter's 21st birthday. While there were several positives, I found some areas that could use improvement: 1. **Staff Attitude**: Some staff members were quite rude, particularly at the reception. A simple smile or greeting can go a long way, especially since many guests, including myself, invest significant time and money into their holidays. 2. **Room Condition**: While the rooms were clean, they felt somewhat outdated. The water pressure in the bathroom was also an issue; it took far too long to fill a bathtub adequately. 3. **Tipping Culture**: Coming from the UK, I found the tipping expectations challenging. I tipped for good service but was uncomfortable with the amounts others were giving. 4. **Birthday Arrangement**: I communicated in advance about my daughter’s birthday and requested decorations. Although we were initially given a room overlooking construction, your Guest Relations did beautifully decorate our new room after I raised a concern. 5. **Dining Reservations**: Booking restaurants was quite difficult. The limitations on timing app bookings made it less convenient, though the second week had improved availability. 6. **Pool Atmosphere**: The Luxury pool felt more like a party environment, which wasn’t ideal for us. We preferred the quieter atmosphere at the grand pool. 7. **Concern for Safety**: A serious incident occurred involving a lifeguard who appeared intoxicated and behaved inappropriately with a guest. I raised this at the swim-up bar, but nothing seemed to be done. This is concerning for families and needs immediate attention. Despite these issues, the food was fantastic, and we had a wonderful time overall. I usually do not revisit places, but I would consider returning to your hotel in the future, as two weeks wasn't enough to enjoy everything.

  Jul 08, 2025