My husband and I just got back from 8 days at this resort where we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. It was our first experience with Sandals or any all-inclusive resort, and I can promise you, we will be back! The resort was beautifully appointed, safe, spacious and amazing clean. There were 9 different restaurants to choose from – definitely make reservations for the Crystal Room and Baccarat when you arrive – and the food was amazing! The alcohol was free flowing, and despite other reviews I’ve read, my husband and I (admittedly not heavy drinkers) felt the pouring was quite generous. The staff was engaging and genuinely dedicated to making sure we were having a good time with even the landscaping crew stopping to participate in a pool basketball shoot-out. The playmakers (think cruise directors for those who are new to Sandals) were a riot and we especially loved Iliya, Fabia, Nevada, Keith, Samantha, and Theo. Chefs “Tiny” and “Charlie” (short for Charlotte, if I remember correctly) in Kimonos were entertaining as well as great chefs! Fo lunch, we definitely recommend the pizza by the Manor Pool - delicious! Goes great with beach volleyball, which was scheduled twice a day, but we were able to also play pick-up games for several hours a day. The playmakers jump right in and play with you. I was worried that there would not be enough places to be alone outside our suite, but I shouldn’t have been; it was the perfect mix of group activities (beach volleyball, bocce and poolside trivia amongst our favorites) when we wanted to be social and private places when we wanted it to be just the two of us. Our room even had wireless internet so we could webcam with our kids at home each night. The snorkeling was not as nice as where we’ve been before (St. Johns) – the colors of the coral not as vibrant, smaller fish – but still enjoyable. Loved being able to take out a small catamaran and sail to the private island. A few hints for future guests: bring plenty of sunscreen ($17/bottle in the gift shop!) or walk across the street from the resort to the drugstore (somewhat cheaper); also bring bug spray as the mosquitoes were pretty bad for me (my husband was spared), even inside the lounge one night. Pack fewer clothes and more bathing suits - we basically lived in ours, only getting dressed for dinner each night and only 2 of the restaurants did you really need a sundress/collared shirt. Aloe is provided in your room in addition to the standard shampoo and lotion and the in-room bar is stocked with more alcohol, sodas and bottles of water. Food is available 24-7 (overnight is in the Cricketer's Pub) and at least the Grill, the Pub, the pizza place and Spices are willing to wrap up a plate for you to take and eat elsewhere. I had a great manicure and pedicure in the spa on day 2 and the manicurist was kind enough to send me home with a small bottle of sparkly nail polish for my 3-yr-old daughter. Long story short, we had an amazing time and met some great people. Beats cruising any day! I’m hoping to make it an anniversary tradition from here on out!

The Room was perfect, the pool, the VIEWS!!, the exceptional level of comfort in the room, on the porch, in the lounge/ or "den" having wine,... was such an unexpected, huge delight! My two daughters and I felt as comfortable as being at home, and the proprietors' kindness, helpfulness in accomodating all our needs, and their happiness in hosting all their guests will not be forgotten! It was amazing! We can't wait to go back!!

We read a lot of reviews about this resort and were very skeptical about going after hearing about a lot of issues people had encountered. Nevertheless, we gave it a shot, and I decided to make sure that I keep notes so that I could tell everyone about our experience. First of all, if you are a US citizen, no passport is required! So, we arrived on June 24, 2009 at approximately 3:30. The drive from the airport took about 20 minutes. We had an open air bus, so it was a hot drive, but thankfully short. They drive on the opposite side! Check in was extremely fast, probably took no more than 6 minutes. The lobby is beautifully decorated, very colorful and modern. We requested a king size bed and a water view. Unfortunately, the hotel was overbooked and they had no king size beds available, but recommended that we check back each day to switch rooms. We ended up with two double beds in room that had an obstructed view of the ocean. I wasn't happy, my boyfriend is 6' 2". Try sleeping on a double bed at that height! We later found out that the hotel was overbooked and a few people had to spend a night at the Wyndam until others checked out. We decided the inconvenience of having two double beds was less of an issue. On Friday, rooms became available and we were able to get a king in a room on a higher floor. Our room was 3504 and the view was breathtaking. Thank you, Toya!! The rooms are spacious and come with a 32" flat panel TV. We brought our PS3 to watch movies and remove that expense, but hooking it up was not permitted! Oh well. The air conditioning never seemed to completely cool the room, but it was adequate. The bathrooms are small, however, that was really not an issue for us. Housekeeping replaced our linens daily and we had absolutely no other problems with the room. It was clean, and smelled fine. The ceiling appeared to have some issues with moisture, and there was no visible sign of mold. The food was absolutely fantastic! The breakfast buffet at Windows was delicious. Lots of fresh fruit, pastries and a great view. Sunset Bar and Grill was good as well, just a few issues with cleanliness, i.e. the floor needed to be swept. The seagulls flew around quite a bit and would steal your food if you weren't careful. If you eat nothing else, make sure you try the Caribbean Buffet at Coco Joe's. I think it 's just on the weekend. If you miss it, you've missed a treat! While it's a little costly at $42 per person, it's well worth it. Skip lunch so that you can get your money worth. Drinks are tasty, and of course watered down. See Manny and ask for the BBC. The Mango Marguerita is delicious as well. We had the All Inclusive plan and I highly recommend you go that route. I kept all our receipts and just the two of us for five days spent $886 on food and liquor alone. We saved about $300 on our package by doing the All Inclusive Plan. The walk down to Morning Star was not long at all. I think I counted about 72 steps. Going down is fine. It's the walk back up in the heat that's the killer! LOL The grounds are beautifully lanscaped though, and the iguanas provide lots of entertainment on the way. Overall, we had a wonderful time. Hotel staff was helpful, restaurant staff were friendly, the weather was great everyday. We checked weather.com before we left an they predicted rain for each day. It never rained!! It was hot, though, and very humid. To be expected. I'm glad we went so don't put too much stock in the negative reviews. While I do think the rating is a little high, the spectacular views more than make up for it. Enjoy.

I have stayed in this beachside all-inclusive many times, and I have never expeirenced a major problem. The rooms are open and big. as well as the bathrooms. The resort has lush greenery and many palm trees on the beach to hide in the shade on a hot day. The hotel is situated in Bloody Bay, which is not on the famed 7 mile beach in Negril, but it is just as lovely. It sits in a horseshoe bay looking out into the ocean just north of the 7 mile beach. Downtown Negril and the West End are just a short drive away. The restaurants in the hotel are very good as well, the Japanese restaurant being my favorite. Try the fried ice cream for desert! Non-motorized water sports are included and the staff is very friendly and helpful. A few of the local staff have become my friends that I continue to visit to this day. Over all, Riu Tropical Bay is a ncie 5-star resort and worth the extra money.

This resort is a good place to stay for a first-time visit to the Dominican Republic. It's right on Bavaro beach, all the amenities (i.e: food, room, entertainment, etc) are pretty average. The staff is very friendly, but can be pretty slow to address maintenance issues. On my return to the DR, I would stay somewhere nicer, but for my first trip there I enjoyed the stay.

I took a cruise to the Caribbean recently with my wife, and when we arrived in Nassau we rented a scooter to get around the city from Island Scooters. When we first exited the cruise ship we were directed toward the area where they rent 2-wheeled gas-powered motorbikes. We almost rented one but it seemed a little unsafe since we knew from our last trip to the island that some of the roads were poorly paved, so we decided against it. We continued walking down the street past a few stores and came across the Island Scooter shop. They had these real funky car-like scooters that carried 2, 5, and as many as 8 people (I think in some places they are called "Tuk Tuks".) The price to rent a 2-person scooter was really reasonable, less then $100 for the whole day, so we rented one and we were driving out of the shop after about 10 minutes of arriving. (They take cash and credit, we paid by credit card.) My wife and I went all around the island as far as Clifton Pier, which is a very nice area. We got caught in a little rain shower, but it passed after 5-10 minutes. We took the scooter out for about 5 hours, and it was definitely worth it since we were able to go wherever we wanted and did not have to wait for a tour or a taxi to take us around. This was our second visit to Nassau and I think we saw a lot more of the island on the scooter than we did without it on our first trip. I highly recommend Island Scooters to anyone who wants to see the various parts of the island on their own time.

Most of the things in the park you can/must reach by car (or mountainbike), but if you are up for a walk try the Lagadishi Walking Trail. There are some historic sites along the way, and there are different signs that tell you what kind of plants etc. you are seeing. Get close to the blowhole for a refreshing splash and enjoy the wonderfull ocean view!!! DON'T GO MIDDAY, start early. It will get warm anyway but during the walk there is a constant breeze that will do you good.

DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS ONE You'd think it's not such a big deal when you see the hight of the Brandaris, but just try it! We started at 8.30 AM, took our time and enjoyed the great view along the way. without stops it would take about 45 minutes. At times it's a bit steep and there is most certainly climbing involved!!! We could even see Curacao, and they say that on a really clear day you can see all the way to Aruba. Start early to avoid the heat of the mid day, wear hicking shoes and drink enough water.

Date of stay May 2009 Board Basis Half board Tour Operator none Accommodation 9/10 Customer Service 10/10 Location 10/10 Value for money 10/10 Overall value 9/10 Good Points; Inexpensive, quiet, and tucked away, location location location and guest friendly too Bad Points: office hours at 8am to 6pm and no ristorante on premises but more than enough within walking distance General Comments: The best thing about the Perla de Sosua Economy Apartments is that they are in the CENTER of Sosua, walking distance to EVERYTHING, but it is quiet, meaning no motochono noise, or people asking you for things as it is located on a private Cul-de-Sac road just behind the Banco Popular Also you are renting an Apartment as opposed to a smaller hotel room, I had a two bedroom with living, and dining rooms plus a kitchen, and OH!, it is local guest friendly too!

More pics to come!

A great value hotel, in a beautiful location. Innovative architecture and glass bullet lifts, combined with art and colour. Friendly and attentive staff, great organised entertainment, particularly the Spanish lessons and the salsa. Good food, and choice of restaurants. Great mojitos :)

Just spent a week at this wonderful resort. Sure, it's not the Ritz Carlton, but it is a wonderful place to relax and not be trampled on while enjoying this white sandy beach! The temperature of the water is the same as body temperature, you won't want to leave it! They feed you well, and the food is good, if you don't mind not having much variety (only 3 restaurants to choose from here). The staff really make the experience wonderful. There won't be anyone nagging you, and in general the spirit of the place is one of helpfulness. If you snorkel, you won't believe the kinds of fish and corals you can see taking only 5 fin strokes out from the beach here! If you dive, I definitely recommend the user friendly dive shop with excellent staff! This is a great place to be!

My first driving experience on the left side of the road.  I normally wouldn't consider driving outside of the contential US, but decided I could take it on since it was a small island.  And boy did I get lost a few times, but I just kept driving and eventually got back on track.  Hills, curves, beautiful views, and more curves.  Locals don't care that your a tourist, move out of the way fast!  But I loved the freedom of going when and where I wanted to go.  Taxis are in abundance, but I definitely would rent a vehicle again!

Well, here I am, back in Pittsburgh again. I haven't written in a while, but was really away for the shortest vacation ever.  For next time, I have to remember that a 5 day vacation in ANY place, is no longer enough time.  I feel like I just got to know the natives, and it's time to get on the plane again.  I think with time, I need more and more time in each place to appreciate the details, to explore the sights.
For the first time in 4 years went on a family vacation again.  This time to Freeport, The Bahamas.  We actually stayed outside of Freeport, but explored the city a bit and really had a great time!

It's funny, but I found it funny that people spoke English down there, and I was missing the challenge of having a language barrier....I mean who does that?   About 2 days into our stay I discovered that the resort we were staying at is predominantly frequented by Italians and Germans.  Even the local dive shop was owned and operated by Italians.  This is when it became wonderful to lay out on the beach, or go out on a boat and listen to the musical language.  I guess it was not a mistake that I keep bringing my TYS Italian wherever I go. It came in handy!

I decided to make this an active vacation, to rest my brain cells before starting what might be a difficult internship year.  When I got there, I signed up for the advanced diving course and started in on the homework.  The first day we dove on a wreck called Etheridge (a 1960's UNEXSO sunken boat) at 20m, and then another site called "Picasso." It was a beautiful day of diving!  I realized that going 4 years without diving is much too long for me. I had a lot more trouble with my buoyancy that I thought I would, and at one point bobbed up nearly to the surface on the safety stop....that's when I hurt my ears.  I sat out one day to let them drain, but since I still can't hear without frequently clearning my ears...the conclusion is they are still water logged.  I'll have to come back to finish the certification next time... hopefuly not 4 years from now!

It was ok, food was more or less. Nobody starved, drinks were EXCELLENT!!!