When we arrived at the hotel we ere welcomed with a Fruit Punch drink which was needed after travelling for 10 hours.

We checked in and the porters took our cases to our room (make sure you take some 1 dollar notes as they do expect a tip).

Our room was very spacious but did look very dated and need of refurbishment. Our room was situated next to a linen store room which also housed the boiler for our block of rooms, this meant our room was constantly very hot, this was not helped by the fact the air conditioning unit was very loud so at night it was difficult to sleep as it was either too hot or the air conditioner was too loud.

The rooms were cleaned daily and towels are changed everyday, I think bed sheets were changed twice during our 2 weeks.

The hotel runs a tractor that takes you down to the beach (we never used it as it was only 5-10 minutes walk from the hotel) where the hotel has its own area which includes a bar and a snack bar.

The hotel has 3 swimming pools (1 childrens, 1 adults and 1 where all the activities take place during the day). If you want a peaceful holiday stay around the adult pool or the childrens pool as the main activity pool is quite loud and the entertainment team are always coming round asking if you want to join in the activities.

The hotel has 3 restaurants (1 buffet, 1 Italian and 1 Brazilian). You are allowed to eat in the Italian and Brazilian restaurants once a week during your stay, we went to the Italian twice and the food was fantastic (you have to book to eat in these restaurants in the morning and they do get booked up fast). The main buffet restaurant always had plenty of choices, in the morning they do freshly cooked omelette's, fried eggs, pancakes and doughnuts. At night they have a pasta bar where you can get pasta with a sauce made of ingredients that you choose.

If you like pizza head to the snack bar by the main pool in the early afternoon, the pizzas they make there are lovely.

The drinks at the hotel are served in hard plastic beakers, until they run out and are then served in flimsy thin plastic beakers (the ones you normally get with water dispensers). The drinks are of the usual All Inclusive standard (weak beer and large measures of spirits).

There are various activities going on throughout the day around the pool area but the main let down really was the evening entertainment. This was split into 3 parts, 8pm to 9pm is kids entertainment, 9.15pm to 9.30pm is

We've recently visited this hotel and it wasn't the best we have had.

The rooms were fine, spacious and clean, very dated and in need of refurbishment but fine.

The food was very worrying. On the 2nd night 1 of our party ate some meat and just half way through realised it wasn't cooked through, became very ill and was rushed to hospital, with an intestinal infection, where we stayed for 3 days. The hospital was marvellous, wonderful staff.

We were cautious then about the food, whenever we tried meat both at the hotel and at the beach it was never cooked through. On 1 night it was raining from the restaurant roof into the pasta sauce that was being served to people! Lived on very nice pizza for the remaining 2 days. Not exactly the food I expected to be eating in the Caribbean.

The weather was disapointing. Glorious up to about 1-3pm then persistant rain all night. We did not see any evening entertainment due to the rain and the bars are outside. Lot's of people were complaining about their roof leaking in the rooms. The restaurant roof was always leaking. Most of the staff are lovely and friendly, they do appreciate it if you greet them and say "Gracias" if they do something for you - especially the bar men who will treat you very well!

We had no problem with bugs. Had a liquid repellent in both our bathroom and the main room, and wore tropical repellent in the evenings. Only got bitten when didn't wear it!

The hotel was lovely but could do to be updated but was always cleaned every day. No problems with bites my self but one of our party did get bitten.

The staff very friendly especialy spaghetti and Andre(macho man)worked hard all day to entertain you or if you wanted quiet you go off to the to the adults only pool.

Time share did ask but if you said no nicley they didn't bother after that.

As I had to go to hospital and stay overnight the hotel staff were all very good made calls and faxes for us to our insurance with no extra charge.

Our rep was always there if you wanted to no anything very helpful.

Would go back again very good weather and friendly staff.

Food excellent always freshly cooked plenty to choose from no need to hungry.

The entertainment on a night very good didn't see same show twice. Only downfall is if it rains their only small disco room to go for show to be put on and it gets very warm in their.

Gardens are neat and tidy peacocks wander all over but do not bother you.

Location of hotel is good beach easy to get to shops a nice walk away or you take a ride on horse and cart. Casino not to be missed five minutes walk away.

The hotel was lovely. The rooms were basic and a bit dated but they were very clean. The rooms were cleaned every day with towels changed daily. The food in the hotel was fabulous. Always something to eat even if your fussy. One main buffett restaurant for breakfast, dinner and tea. Fresh pancakes and doughnuts cooked at breakfast - no chance of sticking to a diet. Also italian and brazilian restaurant which have to booked in the morning- very good!

location of hotel on a large complex. large plaza in centre full of shops and bars. Went on city tour to see some of the sights and visted the rum factory.
A must do trip is Ocean world. Absolutely fabulous day out. Went swimming with the dolphins amazing experience.

The hotel staff were absolutley fantastic. The entertainment staff made our holiday especially Johnny, spaghetti and Andre(macho man). They worked the longest hours ever from early morning right through. Plenty to do mini golf, darts, pool volley ball, ping pong and many more.
Evening entertainment really good. Something for the kids and then a show. Some brilliant shows didn't see the same thing twice the whole time we were there.

There were three bars. One of which was open 24hours.
Bar in the pool was great. Plenty to choose from although only downside was the drinks were served in small glasses.

Make sure you take some insect repellant and some anti itch cream as some of us got eaten alive by mosquitos.

The weather was absolutely amazing. Sun shining everyday for the whole two weeks we were there.
Everyone had a brill time and would definately go back there again.

We came back from Fun Tropicale 2 days ago, loved it and miss it that much we are booking to go back next year.

Would highly recommend First Choice flight, leg space was excellent, food was good, cabin crew we one of the best.

On arrival at Fun Tropicale we were greeted with a much needed fruit punch as it was so hot! Checked in and the porter took our suitcases and showed us to our room, may I say that if you do arrive in the afternoon and happen to walk pass the stage you are welcomed by the guys that are doing the activities.

We had 2 rooms with them being interconnected. Yes the rooms are basic, but spacious. Not alot of storage for clothes, lived out of suitcases for the fortnight, we only see rooms for sleeping and showering in.

Plenty of choices for food, did the Italian twice, kids weren't too keen, but nice for the two of us. Elisabeth one of the waitresses looked after us, so much so that she knew our drinks and fetched them before we had sat down.

Loads of fun activities going on through the day, no pressure to join in if you didn't want to. Kids had a whale of a time, didn't really see them through the day.

Beach was nice, yes there is coral and rocks, but a little walk to the left or right of the beach bar you have some good water to swim in. A 10 minute walk along the beach on the left of the beach bar was a superb part of the beach that we took little one in to snorkell. Beach bar is very good, big hello to Jose, gonna miss you.

Lucky lucky men on beach can be a pain but a polite no thank you and they leave you alone. We made good friends with a couple of them, and they looked after us with the souvenirs, big hello to Blanco(9) and to Ariel(42), numbers are their identity on back of shirts.

Rained for the first 2 days, but after that it was hot hot hot. Take plenty of sunfactor.

The dreaded bugs, yes we got a few bites, mainly in the evening watching the shows. Had no problems with sand fleas, we were at beach every day, shower before you leave beach and change your towel as soon as you get back to hotel. Towels are plentiful, can be changed as often as needed, but may run out towards end of day.

Lastly, animition team. Work hard, long hours and are worth their weight in gold and more. Shows are fantastic, clap real hard as some people don't bother. Big hello to Hector and all the gang, and finally, huge thankyou's to Victor and Louis, pool barmen, gonna miss your cocktails, Caramelo, Picachu and Spaghetti, entertainment staff, you are fab guys always smiling and laughing, can't wait to see you again.

Will we go back, most definitely, been to travel agents already!

We went to the hotel Fun Tropical for Christmas and New Year. This is our first holiday to Dominican Republic and we loved it and definitely going next year.

The people there are really friendly and are always smiling.

When you go shopping always look before you buy. Go down the Plaza for trips because much cheaper. We paid

I've just returned from the Fun Tropical Royale Hotel, stayed there between 17 Dec until 31 Dec 06.

Initial impressions of the hotel were very good, everything seemed well organised, stayed in 2 inter-connecting Royal Rooms, basic but had everything you needed (maybe a bit short of space to store clothes).

Food was good, although did become repetative after the 1st week, if you want to eat in the Italian, be warned, you have to book EARLY in the morning.

Few of points to be aware of:-
1) You will see people outside the restaraunt with VIP Services on their shirts, be warned, they are timeshare people, they will tell you they want to show you around all the hotel's facilities (which they do), but at the end of it they will start the high pressure sales pitch. My advice is to be forceful but polite from day one, otherwise you will not get left alone.

2) If you lose your all inclusive wrist band (plastic coloured bracelet), you will be charged $25 for a replacement! This isn't stated anywhere in the hotel literature so take care!

3) Take some cotton PJs (long sleeves/legs) to sleep in, you will be bitten in bed no matter what precautions you take! None of us suffered with bites until bedtime, the bedding was only changed 3 times during our 2 week stay, and on close inspection, you could actually see very small insects crawing on the sheets at the bottom of the bed!

4) The animation team work very hard and long hours. However, I have to say that I found them to be far too "touch-feely" with my 13 daughter. I felt I couldn't relax and was constantly having to watch out for her around the pool area during the day. I wasn't the only parent to feel like this during our stay.

We loved the island and would go again for sure, but we wouldn't stay at this particular hotel.

i stayed here over xmas with my 3 daughters ,landed at night went straight to bed and woke with my legs covered in bites almost 200 on both bottom half of my legs ! was so ill had to have jabs from doctor ,was on 10 tablets a day told from doctor i must not drink for ten days ! switched to 7 rooms and by day 3 was sleeping on sun loungers with my daughters , the beds was full of tiny fleas! in the end i demanded the manager move us to gran vantana on day 7 after a week of hell i actually had to threaten to the manager if he never moved us i would do a speech ,and take of my pants to reveal to all guests over 300 bites ! we was then ushered through the back doors and sent to the grand vantana ! which was brill ! words cannot describe what we went through in this filthy hotel im still scarred 7 months on my legs and my claim is almost sorted so il update this again !

The room
Very spacious contained a fridge a sofa 2 very large beds.Whilst we were there the towels were changed daily and the sheets 3 times one week twice the next.The only downside was lack of drawer space but we managed.

Food
Top quality lots of choice we didnt have the same thing to eat twice running.We also booked the a la carte italian which was just gorgeous and the brazilian- nothing to pick just as good.

Grounds

Beautiful lots of coconut trees banana trees everything well tended and very green. Peacocks wander around they dont tend to bother you so much unless you have pizza in your hand lol.

The bars
We tried them all we miss them all enough said.The staff work really hard and provide a speedy service.A day or 2 in they know what you want in advance.

The entertainment team
Omg how fantastic are these guys hose and johnny during the day provided us with endless laughs.The shows at night are wonderful something for everyone from disney to legends .The guys worked so hard all holiday. Kids club a bit hit and miss not plugged so well on arrival nevertheless when used they both enjoyed it.

General cleanliness
Fantastic so clean someone always cleaning somewhere.


OVERALL COMMENTS
Would I stay here again you bet me and my family had a wonderful time here something for everyone.

This was a mother-and-daughter holiday, my daughter being 10 years old. Should point out that we are both 'clean freaks' and very fussy eaters (plus we don't eat meat)!

Hotel is not too far away from the airport so no coach-sickness to deal with, but not so close that the planes were a problem.

Hotel is very clean and tidy, always staff around do something or other to keep it that way.

Room had 2 double beds and a fridge (which we had requested when we booked - you're unlikely to get one unless you do this, know other people tried for one after they arrived but never got it). Only problem we had was that the room felt a bit damp after a shower as there was no extractor fan.

Maids came every day, bedding changed 3 or 4 times a week, towels changed daily. I wouldn't bother taking any towels at all as they are provided at beach and pool and you can change them 5 times in a day if need be.

No experience of fleas but there are mosquitoes and we anticipated them. Got bitten in bed the first night, slept under mosquito net the second night, then finally worked out that if we slept with the air conditioning on at night (which meant using all the bed covers to keep warm) they couldn't get to any skin to bite!

Food was fantastic. We always go all-inclusive but usually to Europe and have never stayed anywhere we would go back to because of the poor food. Here, we were spoiled for choice (which makes a change because we don't eat meat). Everything was fresh and fly free. If you want the 'really good' deserts you need to get there early - deserts, and all food, is replaced regularly, but they don't keep putting the same deserts out later in the evening.

Staff were friendly and helpful. 'Timeshare' mob will try and get you on the way back from breakfast but you get that everywhere.

Didn't see much of the entertainment because the mosquitoes are out at night, tended to watch HBO tv channel in the room which has really good recent films every day and they're in English.

Would definitely come back again, this is the first place I can say that about!

Oh, and the inevitable tummy trouble, we both had it for one day even though we used bottled water for everything even brushing our teeth. Can't say it was the food at all, most likely the heat.