Ocean El Faro - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

9572 reviews

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  Discussing Food

  We are currently staying on the resort with our family of 8. The food has been awful and sometimes completely inedible. The service has been sub par for a 5 star resort except from our concierge. We have had to walk into the back area to find a server at a restaurant only to find them all just hanging around. The servers at the restaurants don’t come around to take drink orders and have repeatedly forgot some of our meal orders. At the coffee shop we have had to wait 45 mins to get a tea. At the spa we were directed to wait in the change room for our masseuse’s which our masseuses were confused why we were just sitting in there and why we weren’t given robes. We were not advised that we were able to use any of the spa services that were included with our massages (cold bath & sauna) and didn’t find out those services were included in our Premium package. This is completely unacceptable for a so called 5 star resort and very disappointing due to how much money my family spent to be here

  Dec 29, 2025
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  ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Ocean El Faro – Family-friendly resort with some limitations

  Ocean El Faro is a large, modern resort where all main facilities are conveniently located close to each other (restaurants, lobby, evening entertainment, theater), which makes getting around very pleasant. The walk from the lobby to the beach takes about 10 minutes. The beach has soft sand, but it is often windy with strong waves, making swimming less ideal for young children. Pool chairs are limited unless reserved early in the morning. The buffet offers good food but limited rotation, and à la carte restaurants can be difficult to book during high season. Sakura (Japanese teppanyaki) stands out as an excellent dining experience. Rooms are standard, clean, and comfortable. We experienced no issues with mold, humidity, or insects, and the resort felt safe overall. The kids’ water park was one of our favorite features, but the water jets at the top of each slide are very strong and directed toward the face and neck, which made the slides less enjoyable for our 3- and 4-year-old children. The lazy river was a highlight — bringing your own float is recommended, as resort-provided ones are limited and go quickly. Daytime entertainment varies, while evenings always include activities for children. Staff is generally kind, though service can be inconsistent at times. Overall: A solid 4-star family resort rather than a true luxury 5-star, but a good option when expectations are well managed.

  Dec 29, 2025
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  Missed marks all around

  We are staying here with my husband and our two daughters (ages 3 and 5). We booked a loft room with rooftop access, which included two bathrooms, a king bed, and a pull-out couch. Our room was located in Building 8 on the third floor. The room itself was acceptable, but overall felt bare and underwhelming for a family resort. At first glance, the lobby and general hotel grounds look attractive. However, upon closer inspection, many areas show noticeable wear and lack of upkeep. Pool tiles are missing, stairways and walls around the buildings are crumbling, and several common areas feel neglected. The children’s Jelly Playground (indoor play and childcare area) was particularly disappointing. Supplies were poorly maintained—broken crayons, no sharpener, very limited activities, and almost no toys. The room itself felt sparse and uninspiring. The staff member working around 2:00 PM on 12/29 appeared disengaged and was frequently on her phone. I stayed with my younger daughter since she’s too young to be left alone, but I also would not feel comfortable leaving my 5-year-old unattended in this space. The outdoor children’s playground was unpleasant due to a strong odor and a large number of flies. It smelled like animal waste or something similar, making it unusable for us. Dining has been another letdown. • RT66 Restaurant: Very poor. This cannot be considered BBQ. The fried pickle was a single, overly thick pickle that was burnt, and the BBQ sliders were served without any BBQ sauce. Condiments were not available on the table and had to be requested. • Italian Restaurant: Slightly better service, but the food was still underwhelming. We plan to try the steakhouse and Sakura later in our stay, but expectations are low at this point. The buffet has a noticeable, off-putting smell that you eventually get used to, but it’s not pleasant. Food quality was just okay—nothing memorable. Staff interactions were generally rushed and unfriendly, aside from the hostess. Tables were often missing napkins or full place settings as the week went on. For a beach resort, the lack of beach and pool chairs is frustrating. There is space for more seating, but there simply aren’t enough chairs available. The lazy river frequently lacked tubes, and lifeguards were often absent or grouped together socializing instead of assisting guests or monitoring the area. Evening activities for kids were decent. However, one night featured local vendors, and nearly every table sold the exact same items—identical bracelets, jewelry, and trinkets. One art stall stood out, but otherwise it felt repetitive and uninspired. We didn’t expect luxury or Ritz-level service, but for the amount families pay to stay here, the overall experience does not justify the cost. Inconsistent service, lack of maintenance, and disappointing amenities made this resort fall short of expectations.

  Dec 29, 2025
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  Unbelievable Service!

  We held our wedding at the Ocean El Faro resort in Nov 2025. From the start of planning to our last day at the resort we felt zero stress. When we booked we had the intention of staying there for a little over a week and then we would switch to a nearby adults only resort as the honeymoon portion of the trip. After we went to the other resort (Royalton Chic) we texted our wedding planner and the butler at Ocean El Faro to beg to return there instead of staying at Royalton. Let me be the one to tell you that the Ocean El Faro is the BEST hotel/resort in the DR. Hilda, Samuel, and Reynaldo went out of their way to get us back to Ocean El Faro and all three of them made us feel so welcome. Throughout our wedding week we were comfortable, stress free and over the moon. The hotel has a family side and an all adults side and if you are trying to decide if you want to stay at an only adults hotel instead... don't do it! Ocean El Faro is split up enough that you don't notice children. The service and quality is beyond any place we have ever stayed. The coffee at the resort is unbelievable and Bernice at Mike's coffee is the best! The beach to the far left of the resort is perfect for swimming, you get the waves and the clear water with a beautiful beachfront. The property itself is gorgeous and modern and there are so many choices for food and drinks during every hour of the day. Every day our room was cleaned and the fridge was stocked. The price for the stay is well worth the trip and we will never stay anywhere else in the DR. This is the first time we have traveled and said wow we need to go back. If you want a relaxing place with fun activities and unbelievable service this is the place for you!

  Dec 28, 2025
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  Great Christmas vacation.

  This was a great family trip for Christmas. The staff was great, the food was good. Everyone went out of the way to make it a great experience. Our Butler Alexander was top notch.

  Dec 28, 2025