rated the Gran Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado as follows:| Cleanliness |  | | Location | | | Staff | | | Food | | |
| Entertainment |  |
| said: Travelled to this hotel for two days(one night) when we accepted an offer whilst staying at the GBP Punta Cana.
We were paid $200 in cash,free transfers,an upgrade when we went back to Punta Cana and a free whale watching trip was thrown in. This was because of the well publicised overbooking incidents at GBP Punta Cana.
Checked out of Punta Cana at 7:30am , leaving luggage we didn't need in their secured(?) storage area; first problem was no coach!Checked with Guest Services at 8:00am who first of all, told us not leaving til 9:15, then told us had gone at 7:00am - finally found out that the coach was waiting for us at the main entrance to the hotel as it had left from the Bavaro side of the complex at 7:30am.Was rushed over by porter to be slow handclapped by other(ignorant) guests already on the coach.Thanks very much Guest Services(Junior) for giving us the wrong information!!
Then followed a fairly hairy 4 hour coach trip through very varied scenery including crossing the hills on dirt roads - something I hadn't experienced on a coach before!
Once we reached the harbour on Samana we were transferred to a speed boat for an exhillerating ride out to (and around) the island of Cayo Levantado.The hotel makes a very impressive sight as you approach.
Check in went smoothly and we were allocated a room in one of the seperate villas scattered around the grounds -room 4102.Only downside is that these villas are spread out over the hillside so if you have difficulties walking, probably need to wait for the little train which travels round the site in a circle.
Absolutely magnificent suite, huge bathroom with seperate shower room,jacuzzi tub,huge 4 poster bed - enormous well equipped balcony,totally secluded, looking out through the trees to the sea!
After changing we went back to the main areas for an excellent buffet lunch before departing on a whale watching trip out in the Bay of Samana.
Quite rough seas -a few people violently sea sick - but well worth it as we saw several females with their calves swimming on top and got some good photos and video.Local guide spoke excellent English(French, Italian....)and filled the trip in with lots of interesting info on the whales.
Returned to the hotel and spent the rest of the afternoon by a magnificent pool at the top of the site - very quiet - extremely well equipped with both standard sunbeds/shades and 4 poster sunbeds!Set in absolutely stunning grounds with a view of the "mountains"
Ate at the buffet that evening - food was extremely good- and then had a few drinks in the cool and airy main bar before retiring for the night.
Up early the next morning to take advantage of the fab surroundings.After breakfast we sat on the beach on our own for about an hour! watching the whales about 0.5 miles out to sea leaping and waving huge tails in the air! a really magical sight.
The hotel has two short sections of its own beach backing on to a large swimming pool; the perfect place to chill out.
There is a lift from this bottom pool back up to the top for access to the villas on the high ground and the other quiet pool.
On the island there is also a public section with its own beach which looked very nice from the speedboat.This area is completely isolated from the hotel however.
Once again, the travel arrangements back to Punta Cana were cocked up - we were told checkout at 12 noon, depart at 12:30 - we snatched a snack at the beach only to then find out that we weren't leaving until 2:15 so could have had a leisurely buffet lunch (thanks again Junior!!)
In conclusion, we wished we could have spent the rest of the 2 weeks there - it truly is a 5 star resort.
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Sunny Says there
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Dave Edwards from Cardiff travelled to Gran Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado with
Eclipse Direct(First Choice)
on a couples holiday.