Fantasia Bahia Principe Punta Cana

This is the kind of resort that you get to and feel no need to look further. This has it all. Pool side entertainment, aquasize, swim up bar, Kids Club that runs from 9am to 10pm. Castleview is lovely but the pool deck is loud all day long with the Entertainment Committee. As fun as they are, if your kids need a nap, it's loud. They provide house coats, slippers and umbrellas. Don't bother packing those. Bring your own pillow as the ones here are terrible. Unless you're not old like me and don't depend on a decent pillow for a decent sleep. Don't bother with bringing FRSs as all the different groups of staff use them for all the different purposes like Butler and childcare and maid and all the others and there are no channels free for you to use. Book all of your meals with the concierge at the front desk as soon as you get here, like before you go to your room, as meal times fill up, most especially the Japanese one. Don't book meals through the app as it's rather convoluded. Although if you do book through the app and then want to change times or restaurant, the the concierge can help you with that. And the concierge will give you a ticket with all of your dates times and locations. And they can get you into places that you didn't realize they could get you into. The price on Intex blow up pool toys is between 10-35$usd, cash on the pool deck or credit card at the village. You can buy pure clear vanilla for $2 or dark for $4 at the Punta Cana Lobby shop. They also sell cigars and toiletries that you may have forgotten. Toiletries are expensive. And the Punta Canna Lobby shop will charge to your room. Formal dress just means no swimsuits or athletic attire. It does not mean dolled up to the nines. The resort only has a peso donning ATM. Bring $500 USD in small bills for restaurant tips, any excursions (driver and guide) and room service like aromatherapy and food room service and turn down service. (My husband gave his pocket knife as a tip, the guy acted like he'd been given a million bucks!) Breakfast room service on the Lanai is beautiful if you're up before the buffet opens. To get turn down service you need your door hanger to say "we are exploring" in the late afternoon and into the evening. They will come in and do room turndown service if you are in there or not. But your door has to have the hanger on it for them to do the service. We read somewhere that a security camera would be really helpful so we brought one but it's really unnecessary. A selfie stick is really handy. Even if you've never used one in Canada. All the floors here, in the rooms, halls and pool decks, are marble. And if you drop your phone with slippery feet and fingers, she's toast. There is a drop-off bin in the lobby for school supplies. Or glasses or toiletries. They do not actually exchange the dishes in your room. They rinse them in the sink water and put them back out. Not sure the work around on that. We booked Monkeyland/Jungle Buggies through Runner's Adventures. Excellent excursion. Left at 8am and returned at 3pm. Don't waste room with snorkel and fins for kids. The beach is never calm. And there's no where to skin dive unless that's your excursion, at which point they'll rent to you. Tinted goggles are a must though, if your kids aren't used to salt water. And the salt seems much more concentrated than say, Cavendish PEI. The Sun sets behind the palm trees on the beach. So to look on shore, you're always looking into the sun, hence tinted goggles for your children. Speaking of salt water. It seems to really irritate our daughter's genitals. Canesten helped relieve her discomfort. It's expensive here, though. Go explore UNDER the main lobby. Teen room with ping pong and billiards, a lovely smelling Spa, clean modern arcade room ($20usd/20 tokens), temperate sitting area. In my pictures, the theatre where your child can participate in The Lion King performance. Took the sheets off her master's on the last day...dried crusty BLOOD! A lot of it, right under her face! Dirty coffee cup after the room was "cleaned". A great storage solution. We used each item at some point. Aromatherapy. Kids Club pizza class.

Just when I was going to write a great review about the wonderful time here, we get home and my 16 month old gets a fever and a rash. She’s diagnosed with hand food and mouth disease. Lucky for us it didn’t start until we got home. Don’t get me wrong while there it was really nice. Service was good. Ala carte restaurants were bad tho but I’m not one to Complain. But If you are like me and hate to see your child seriously sick and they are under the age of 5, Book somewhere else. Being a nurse I know hand foot and mouth is transmitted thru droplet and contact so I brought along with me Lysol wipes, my own baby utensils and even disposable placemats for meals and constant hand washing But it didn’t help. Don’t risk it.