I stayed at the Gran Ventana Beach Resort in August 2007 on our family's usually 2 week summer break. This year the family (please note it was not me) chose to stay in the Dominican Republic which I was not too keen on with the Malaria problem in the country.

Anyway, we were staying in the Gran Ventana which we had heard was supposed to be the best all inclusive in the country. I must admit it was a nice place, reasonably big, two pools and lots of activities to get up to. Being more of an explorer myself I found I was rather bored and wanted to go out and see everything. Though one thing we had discovered on arrival was that the hotel was in an enclosed tourist complex and learnt that apparently going out into Puerto Plata was dangerous leaving us to the mercy of the tour operators to offer us trips which were way over priced.

So for the majority of the trip we were trapped in the Dominican Republic's version of West Berlin during the Cold War, Playa Dorada. What's more, it annoyed me that Mum and Dad spent hundreds of pounds for my brother to take a scuba diving course. Of course I wanted to get out but Mum and Dad didn't want to spend the money on the trips on offer. Also in Playa Dorada there were really no restaurants apart from the hotel's (which was actually really nice)

So for the best part of 2 weeks I was sitting by the pool reading a few novels. I did do some of the activities but I couldn't help but think I have come a few thousand miles to the Caribbean, I really want to see what it is like (being my first time in the Caribbean); anyway enough of that, the Hotel.

The Hotel was very big and had several restaurants which were actually surprisingly good and had lots of choice. The omelettes at Breakfast were top class and made right in front of you which was absolutely amazing. The rooms were basic but comfortable, nice and we had a wonderful view of the sea. The beach was also beautiful with plenty of room to flop down with beach bars and plenty of water sports to get on with.

Around the Hotel too there were plenty of bars all around the Hotel giving drinks in the All-Inclusive style. These stayed open till quite late and had some really good drinks on offer.

If I was to give some criticism to hotel, ok they had two good sized pools, especially the one in the main complex; however the water quality was terrible. If you stretched out your hand underwater and then tried to see with goggles, your hand literally disappeared in the mist of the water it was that unclean. Also advice to you, if you do want to stay at this hotel, you will spot yellow muck that looks like throw up at the side of the Quiet Pool; that is from sun cream being applied then people going into the water. I wouldn't recommend swimming through it as it does look disgusting and also don't put inflatable’s over it as the muck/sun cream will stick to it. Swimming starts at about 8am and finishes 8pm.

Also the evening’s entertainment was a little dull and boring. They tended to be the same show every few nights. It is free to watch but just dull. It is nice for the kids as they do get some kids involved but after 2 weeks of hearing the same songs, it is something you are glad to miss when you leave.

May I use this opportunity to also thank the staff. The Hotel employs a lot of staff to keep the grounds tidy and to do other various jobs. You soon make friends with them. They are really, really friendly. I also want to say hi to Jackie and Ramiro if you are reading this! The Reception staff were friendly but could of helped a bit more, however the staff were delightful and nothing was too much of a problem for them. Well done - keep the work up!

All in all I do really rate this hotel, it was really nice but if it was in a different country or location where it was more safe and I could go, then that would of made my holiday here absolutely wonderful. It was a really good hotel, despite some of the set backs. However let me just advise anyone considering visiting this hotel: If you want to just go to the Caribbean to enjoy the sun and do the activities in the complex and don't want to go out of it for a week or two - then this holiday is for you. However if you like to do a bit of that plus go out and explore and enjoy the culture a bit then this may not be the best place for you unless you have the money to afford to go on some of the trips they offer. Bear in mind these trips may not be great but from what I heard from the other people in the hotel, some of them are just absolutely wonderful.

This place is something and I wish you enjoy your stay there as much as possible.

Just got back from the Gran ventana Dom Rep.

Let me start by saying we had $900 (£650) ";go missing"; from our room on day 2 of our holiday and we did hear of someone who had an i-pod go missing, so make of that what you will.

Now that's out of the way, what about the rest of it?
Our room was spacious even with 3 beds.Cleaned daily with fresh towels.
We had a vew of wall so if your fussy ask for sea/pool view.

The hotel is enormous, well kept grounds clean and tidy due to an army of cleaners.

The pool is also enormous,someone did say it is the biggest on the island!!

The pool can get lots of bits floating about in it but was "swept" every couple of hours to keep things in check.
Two of our party got mild ear infections towards the end of the holiday, requiring antibiotics from our doctor when we got back.

It has a swim up bar, the barman here ,Joel, is a really top bloke, even filled up your drink without asking, and try as you might you won't get served out of turn.

work your way through the cocktail list on the first day !!!!

Food
Choice is excellent, look out for the carvery, changes daily, suckling pig, lamb, turkey, beef and a few fish ones, all carved right off the joint as you ask for it.
The Italian restaurant is worth a mention, highly recommended, book at guest services in the quite part of the hotel.

Breakfast has a good choice, get down quite early though, we got down at 9.45 on a few occasions and the orange and tea had run out!!
Other that that I would have no complaints at all. We were lucky enough to go to Cuba last year, I can say the food is better here.

The day time entertainment your typical pool based games, all good fun and no pressure to join in if you don't want to.
The animation team really are very good and work extremely hard.
The night time shows were ok, if you want west end, go to London!!!!

We had mixed weather while we were there, rained on and off a few days, then due to hurricane Ernesto, whose very edge just passed over us, we had rain all day on the 1st Sunday, the second week was 90 degrees and unbroken sunshine all week.

Hope you get good weather, because there is not a lot to do inside when it rains.

Due our money situation we did not get to go on any trips, we did however go on the helicopter ride, well worth the £40 each.

The beach is a 2 minute walk from the pool, not really off the grounds, and did get quite windy, and as this is the Atlantic side the sea is quite rough.A polite no will sort out the beach sellers.

Overall I would recommend to anyone and would definitely go back.

First choice also need a mention, excellent both ways, loads of room,good in-flight meals and on time.

I have just returned from the gran ventana, feeling relaxed but glad to be home.

Restaurants
Ocean Grill - By far the best level of service, best view and food. Beaware its the dying aim to keep your drinks filled,
Octupus - Its an aquired taste if your like fruits and tring new cuisine its lovely
Italian - A bit crap, looks the part etc just quality of food not all that

Pool
The major downfall of the holiday is sun loungers, you are made aware on your foirst day that you cant reseve loungers with towels, this happens even to a point by 7am they can all be taken.... as we heard this is not good for partys of 4+ we was a couple who always seemed to be able to get where we wanted. The parosols was taken very early

Drinks
the amount of ice they put in your drink does not leave you with much drink, for some strange reason this really used to annoy me. The beer is not good either. I ended up on local spirits all holiday

Entertainment
Its the same every day, they all work hard and do make you laugh they like to make you aware that your all inclusive,

Rooms
We was ploaced in the newly refurbished catalina building and there was a bit of noise which was a bit of a disturbance after 3 days this stopped. The rooms were really nice, always clean. I know some offer guest were complaingin about there dirty rooms. Im guessing that as we was in the newly refurbed that our room was better. We have high standards and they was always met.

I loved the holiday and now im back I am glad but miss it. After 10 days I was more then happy to come home.

i am a new yorker,

i just returned from dominican republic july 23, 2008 and i would comment on my stay at the grand ventana. my purpose there was to meet someone i knew on the internet there for three years and finnaly had the chance to go see her.

positives: the rooms were nice, kinda old, but deffinately clean consistantly. the amenities were good the all inclusive was good. i didnt eat much of the food but i will say that my last day dinner was superb. the drinks werent consistant recipe wise....but....always available. of course the place had many renovations going on so i would excuse the gym area and some parts of the resort because it wasnt a major inconveinience. but overall it was a very good stay.

negatives: im not biased or racist, just very observant. what i will say is just as is when i was there. its pretty obvious that the brits ( british ) love to stay there, and the employess there made it no expense to cater to the brits, but when it starts to look obvious, then thats why i want to comment. i am not dominican, but i was told that i look dominican more than enough times by the employees and eventually, i was being treated like i was, i guess being friendly to everyone has its price because everyone knew me and my room number, and that i was there alone. when i needed to have the AC checked in the room, they took 4 hours to have someone take a look, my first day there. there was a picture on the wall hanging crooked and i even tried to fix it myself and i asked someone to look at it and throughout all the room cleanings, no one fixed the picture. ive had enough unannounced visits to ask me about things that i know werent broken like the celing fan, the shower head, the securtiy safe? it wasnt broken but they wanted to come in my room to "see"......"look around"..... and then to have an exterminator with a manager come to my room and when i was inside they didnt even come in , just knocked to see if i was there or with anyone else. i could not have any outside visitors, and not even with a day pass, and was told that they allow day visits during different seasons and were told not to issue any at my time there, and...there is a cost for a day pass there.....that infuriated me. i couldnt bring my friend into the resort to spend time with me on the beach, my room, a drink, nothing... but i did see some brits with dominican women of a more "professional" nature visit, 3 times of the 7 days i was there, and they were not wearing wirst bands but were at the bar having drinks. and at NIGHT, not DAY(pass). the gate security were very disrespectful.....wait let me just say what i have seen, the security men there were very disprespectful to my friend who came on the resort in a cab to meet me at the front desk. and when we walked off the resort, getting to the gate one of two was very disrespectful with his words because she wasnt allowed to come inside and she happen to come in through a cab, and..like all vistors....wait at the front desk. this happened two times and by the same security, and after the 2nd time, there was a sercuity guy stationed near my staying area. i know now why the women there are leaving to find love elsewhere......the men there just seem to not have much respect for their own women there. ( i saw other other instances but outside the resort )

conclusion: if you are british or white, and want a great place to stay and have people at your becking call, grand ventana is thee place for you. your stay will be great. anything else otherwise for a non brit, non white, procede with caution, or just dont bother going there.

just to say, i know how new yorkers are, but i didnt not act, speak, or behave in any manner that would intimidate anyone at the resort or the people there in the country. i am a hard working professional. it was my first trip abroad in 18 years, but i was a very good observer of how people in another country treat white people, same stuff, different toliet.