VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

8207 reviews

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  Don’t believe the reviews

  I’m confused as to the 4+ star reviews for this resort. While it was quaint, it was far from what’s expected from a 4* resort. We arrived early and had to wait in a long line to check in just to be told we had to come back to wait in another long line to get our room. Room was modest, nothing special but nothing amazing. The safe required an actual lock, which if you lost cost $50USD. Shower water was cold on some days. Pool was always full of bird poo. I actually had to get the pool net to scoop out the poo because staff didn’t do it. Beach is nice and long, perfect for walks but we were there at Easter and it was closed for 2 days. No one was allowed to swim due to the Holy Week and fear of drownings. This however was beyond the resort’s control as everywhere along the shore was patrolled. But Because the resort is so small this was an issue. Food was not even close to amazing or that good. Buffet hardly had anything good to eat. We went to the restaurants but you could only reserve on the Sunday and we arrived on Friday morning, which means we couldn’t get the restaurant until Monday. And because we were a large group (20) we could only reserve at the late service at 8:30 even if we tried to break up the group. Italian restaurant wasn’t the best but ocean side was ok. Staff were not the nicest. Unless you’re a regular they don’t care about you. We had reserved for the 8:30 dinner and arrived early and asked if we could sit down at the table that was ready for us. They told us no, we’re expecting a large group. We told them we WERE the large group but they said no, they had to set up the rest of the restaurant only for us to sit down with 2 other tables. Friends booked the VIP and weren’t allowed to take drinks outside the lounge, which means no drinking by the pool. Don’t waste your money. Entertainment was ok, but nothing special. One activity an afternoon. Night entertainment I was expecting to be good but it was more games and magic shows. The best things was the silent disco. So fun! But we didn’t have a beach party. Reviews on kids club was good but our experience wasn’t. The person at the kids club seemed like she didn’t like kids. It’s not a place to drop off your kids. Nothing planned for them to do (except a small activity at Easter ) so none of the kids went. Overall we had fun cuz we were 20 ppl but I wouldn’t go back to this resort and can’t imagine why anyone would. If you travel a lot, go somewhere else. If you don’t travel a lot…go somewhere else.

  May 31, 2025
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  Anniversary Trip – Amazing Experience!

  We had a fantastic time celebrating our anniversary here! The food was delicious, the entertainment was fun, and the overall vibe was just what we were hoping for. A huge shout out to Delmi ("Shaggy") and Wilmi ("Droopy")—they were truly the heart of the entertainment team. Their energy, humor, and positivity made every activity better. They were hands down our favorite part of the trip! The bar staff was also incredible. Andrea and Ernesto made amazing drinks and by day two, already knew our favorites—they’d have them ready before we even asked. It really added a personal touch. We also met Julio, the entertainment manager (though we didn’t realize he was the manager until the end). He was funny, approachable, and a real pleasure to be around. At the restaurants, Hector and Antonio provided consistently excellent service. The photographer on-site took beautiful photos that came out way better than we expected—we’ll cherish those memories. Also, a sweet hostess at the buffet (wish we caught her name!) greeted us warmly every time. Our only complaint: the bed was quite firm. Other than that, everything was wonderful. This was a memorable anniversary trip, and we’re already talking about when we’ll return. Thank you to the entire staff for making our stay so special!

  May 24, 2025
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  Fun in the DR

  I highly recommend purchasing the Royal package!! All of the staff at the resort are super friendly! We were very happy with Santa Sojeidy, Owi Irene, and our favorite bartender Olvi. The food in the DR is somewhat bland but you can get anything you want. The resort is very accomodating!

  May 19, 2025
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  Wonderful Time at Gran Ventana <3

  My husband and I had a wonderful time at Gran Ventana! The resort was spotless and very well maintained. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the food was absolutely AMAZING—both at the main buffet and in all three à la carte restaurants. Security is present 24/7, which made us feel very safe, especially when we went for evening walks around the resort (usually after indulging in more food than we care to admit—LOL!). There are two pools on the property. The main pool is lively and family-friendly, often bustling with activity. The second pool, located closer to the resort entrance, is adults-only and much quieter—my personal favorite. Plus, Jacqui the bartender there is fantastic—super friendly and has a great sense of humor! The nightly entertainment was enjoyable and a nice way to unwind after a day in the sun (at least I thought so!). The Wi-Fi could be a bit spotty around the resort, but it worked well in our room, which was enough for us. Honestly, it's a great chance to disconnect—put the phone down and grab a good book instead. Some guests might find the rooms a bit dated, but ours was clean and comfortable, which is what mattered most to us. We didn’t spend much time indoors anyway. Our TV remote wasn’t working, but luckily we brought our Roku and it connected just fine. Highly recommend bringing one if you like having streaming options! We also went on a city tour, which was fantastic. Our guide, Julio, was friendly, knowledgeable, and kept everything running smoothly. Highly recommend this excursion! Overall, we had an amazing stay at Gran Ventana and wouldn’t hesitate to return.

  May 15, 2025
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  May 4 to May 11 Gran Ventana Stay

  Stayed the first week of May 2025. Stayed in Superior room (Catalina Building) with premium package. Resort is nice and a decent value for the money. Staff were attentive and helpful for the most part. A very few ignored the OOT guests when the locals were there (and yes, we tipped ALL the time), but most were friendly. My birthday fell during our stay and we were granted an extra al la carte, which was nice. The food at the buffet was decent with many choices. Al la cartes were OK. We liked the Italian the best. When we arrived, there was standing room only in the main pool due to a DR Labor Day holiday. The DR people were very rude to the OOT guests! Apparently this resort sells many rooms to locals every weekend. No problem with that unless people are rude, which they were both weekends we spent there. There were also cruise passengers many days while we were there, but they did not seem to impose any problems. The premium package did NOT seem worth the money to us. We had to search out towels on a daily basis, as I understood it, they should have been be left in the room daily. "Concierge" meant going to the Vintage Lounge to address any issues and schedule al la cartes. The beach area was very nice and private for premium and royal guests. But, the worst part was if you wanted a "premium" drink at the Vintage Lounge, you were not allowed to leave the lounge with it in hand. We felt like we were being held hostage in order to have a drink that didn't taste like firewater as the liquor at the other bars was awful! Overall, it was a good stay and value for the money, but I would not return to this property.

  May 14, 2025