It is, quite simply,the best all inclusive I have ever been to in 12 years of Carib. travel - fab rooms with great views,good food,quiet pools & quiet beach ...we sat on the beach before breakfast watching the whales in the bay..magic!! We went for a few days in March '08 and I can't remember any mozzies/biting insects.
The only prob. might be that its a bit isolated and relatively quiet if you are a party animal.....but we loved it!
Top tip - go on at least one whale watching trip!!!

Hi, I'm new to this website but found it because I was looking for reviews and about this hotel.

I've been trying to find a good place to book this hotel. Can anyone help me out with a good website?
Where have you booked your holidays?

Thank you very much for your help

Available thru First Choice website -Thomson flight to Samana from LGW on a Wednesday I believe.

Hi i am new on here today,my husband and i are going to cayo lev. at the end of this month , getting v excited now.rooms look fab , we have upgraded our room though brochure descriptions differ greatly on thomsons own booking stysem. Cayo lev is exclusive to thomsoms/first choice. We have upgraded our seats too for the extra room as upgrade def a lot less than we have paid on virgin flights in the past, though,not as luxourious ! well , if you did manage to book maybe ill read your review on here.

Hiya! Hope you have a superb holiday. Let me know how it goes as we would still like to go to this lovely hotel. We opted for a hotel chain we already knew but next time want to go somewhere different.

Look forward to hearing all about it :o)

Have a safe trip. We're booked to visit this hotel next July/August for our 15th Wedding Anniversary. So very much look forward to your report when you get back. I've read lots of reviews on Trip Advisor which are all very positive.

oh my goodness, i totally forgot to come back and tell you all how wonderfull this place is!

best holiday EVER!!!

i honestly have not one single complaint about anything.

we stopped in a beachfront jacuzzi villa which was out of this world!!

AAAAAND my OH proposed to me on the morning of my birthday after we had been whale watching!!!

Sounds like it was a very special holiday. Would you mind reminding me who you booked your holiday with please? I can't look back over the old reviews whilst typing!! If it's in the above stream I will find it. Thank you

DeeDeeHug - Congratulations on your engagement - Cayo Lavantado sounds like the most amazing place and then for a surprise engagement - that must have been amazing.

A few comments for SBE SBE (it was off-topic for the Thomson Airways thread),

SBE SBE wrote:

Hi Darren, sorry to go abit off topic here , tried to pm you but saying I don't have facilities to pm. Noticed you've just got back from Cayo Levantado. Been wanting to try this place for last 3yrs. Wanting to know if the 3hrs travelling at the other end is worth it all as they have stopped flying direct now to Samana with Thomson as you probably know :-)Have you posted a review anywhere on this place? As I'd love to read your thoughts on this place. Will leave you to get back 'ON TOPIC'Thanks..

If you want a relaxing break in the Dominican Republic, it's certainly worth considering. If I'm honest, the hotel wasn't quite up to what I was expecting. That's not a negative, it was excellent, certainly one of the better places I've been to but considering it's the flagship of Gran Bahia Principe, I was expecting a little more really if I was honest as I didn't feel it was much different from any other Gran Bahia Principe I've stayed in. I can't quite put my finger on why. Having said that, the rooms are excellent, the island is beautifully maintained and the staff so friendly and you can have a laugh with them. Your glass is rarely less than 1/3 full with a fresh tray of drinks arriving without even asking! There are free WiFi access points in rooms and most public areas so keeping in contact with home is easy. It's perfect for a couples holiday or pure relaxation, but not somewhere to let your hair down and party, it's a little formal for that. A few photos for you;


Front of the hotel from the jetty. This is the main route on to the island for those staying at the hotel.


Don't really need to comment on this one!


A view of the island from the water


We had a really windy day so the diving trip we had planned was cancelled with the sea being too rough, so we played in the pool instead! This is the main pool area, there's also the 'quiet' pool in the middle of the island as well as the jacuzzi pool.


Jacuzzi pool with help yourself bar and towels.


This cheeky chappie was found wrapped around one of the coconut palms above our sun lounger on the beach. Even the staff were surprised to see it, they aren't common on the island. It made you check the trees above you afterwards! Always great to see some local wildlife.


View over the bay from my balcony. We saw Humpback Whales twice from here.


The main reason I went, see the Humpbacks with their calves in the warm waters of Samana Bay before they migrate back north when the calves are strong enough.






I'd loved to have jumped in with snorkelling equipment and seen them underwater, it's not permitted though.


Thunder storm over Samana Bay as seen from our balcony. It was like a fireworks show that night!

The transfer is more like 3.5 hours than 3, unless you have a wheel fall off the trailer and then it's more like 4 hours (long story!). If you've never been to that part of the country and want to see the whales (Jan-Mar), then yes, it's definately worth the trip. It's a long trek via Puerto Plata with not being able to fly in to Samana. I've been to the north, east and south of the country and I do prefer the south (Caribbean) coast rather than the Atlantic, but that's partly due to my like of scuba diving where the marine life in the south and the condition of the reefs are better. Having just come back from the Maldives before going to Cayo Levantado, I was possibly expecting too much. It is a great place to go to, no question and I would certainly go back, but is it worth the extra 3.5 hours after 9 hours in the air, I'm not so sure unless it's somewhere you really want to go to. If the island was in the south where the marine life was better to give better snorkelling and diving oportunities, I would probably think differently so take those comments with a pinch of salt. If you just want a relaxing holiday in a great location, you can't fault the place really.

Darren

Thanks Darren - great quick review.
That's a fantastic picture of the thunder storm!

Yes I ditto the above. Fab pics

Actually, from an amateur interest - can I ask the professional photographer what kind of settings you used to get that pic? I'm kind of assuming the shutter was left open for ages?! (sorry to bore everyone else).
Is that moonlight or did you catch lightning?

rhodgreen wrote:

can I ask the professional photographer what kind of settings you used to get that pic?

Hardly professional! I've pm'd as it's

Darren

As Darren mentioned, Grand Bahia Cayo Levantado is their flagship resort. Standard in the package that are extras at other Bahia resorts are things like room safe, 24 hour room service, unlimited a-la-cartes, internet access with wifi and branded spirits. If you know the Bahia resorts already, it's as if the whole resort is a Golden Club upgrade. There are 194 rooms in total which makes any early morning rush to grab a sunlounger unnecessary. The best rooms to go for (IMHO) are the superior junior suites which are located in villas dotted around the island. The mini-bar is topped up daily with two beers (Presidente), Pepsi, 7Up and Fanta along with minature whisky, vodka and Barcadi. The food is up to normal Bahia standard which is pretty good, but no better than other Bahias. The service and friendliness of the staff is excellent - same as the other four Bahia's I've been to. The lobby bar is tiny compared to other Bahias, eight stools fill it up and only once did I see it fully occupied in two weeks. There are bars located by each pool, one on the beach but the lack of any swim up bars is noticed if you have used them in the past in other resorts. If you want any "nightlife" this resort is not for you - hardly anyone is around much after 10pm (when the show finishes). The lobby bar closes at 11pm and then transfers to the public beach bar until 2am but on most nights there were at most four people there. Because it's an island, you can't get a late taxi back from a night in town - unless you don't want to get back until 8am! If you want two weeks of relaxation in a paradise-like location you can't do much better.

The island itself is the resorts best selling point - it's quite simply breathtaking.

I've put together a first quick edit of the trip and uploaded it to You Tube if you want to see a foggy take-off from Manchester, some of the facilities and island. See for yourself here www. you tube.com/watch?v=pF6Z-5FhCP4 (without the spaces - the forum won't let me add a direct link)

Have to agree with baz657 re rooms - we had a superior junior suite on the first floor of one of the villas - fab view thru the tree tops to Samana Bay from the huge balcony - and we whale watched from the "quiet" beach one morning before b'fast - absolute magic!!!

We actually drove from Punta Cana ~ 3 hours - and the road doesn't sound much better than the one from Puerto Plata!!!!

What I'd miss in Cayo is the lack of a swim up bar!
We stayed as GBP Esmeralda last year - was fantastic - added bonus of being attached to the huge Bavaro resort yet having Don Pablo standard.
The only downer is that it seems to be Thomas Cook exclusive for the UK!

rhodgreen wrote:

What I'd miss in Cayo is the lack of a swim up bar!

Very good point and have added it to my review.

Hi baz

Can you add a review in to the dedicated review section as we could do with an updated one

http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/reviews/caribbean/dominican-republic/samana-town/gran-bahia-principe-cayo-levantado/

Thanks