Puerto Plata, Casa Marina Reef Hotel

Been to this hotel twice, the rooms need up dating,but you do get clean

towels every day. The staff are very welcoming, the food is not the best but you must be willing to try different things, that,s what a holiday is all about, I found the shop in the hotel grounds ripped me of the first day i was there, but i got the manager to sort it out, I would recomend you use the supermarket out side,It is a lot cheaper and the loacals use it to. it cost,s about two dollars by taxi.there was lots to do in the hotel, but i would recomend you try some of the trips as they are out of this world, and you get to see the real dominicon republic. there is a little shop out side the hotel that runs the trips and is fully insured,cheaper than the one in the hotel, would recomend this hotel has you get so much for little money, will be going back for a thrid visit soon.

I tell you what ,for a minute i thought i was in heaven. Fantastic is all it is. Beautiful scenery, friendly staff, the lot! Food is OK but nothing serious. There are about three restutants on site. There are 3 pools, 1 in each section of the hotel. There are jacuzzi's right on the edge by the sea, amazing view and so relaxing! Rooms are basic but clean, what would you expect? I went in 2007 when i was 12 and now being 15 i still dream of going back! Night entertainment is top quality, different themes everynight (e'g Broadway). There is day entertainment and competitions such as this thing where you have to surf across the pool which was great fun!

The complex is large and there are occasional, power cuts (becos its a LEDC country) but due to a backup generator in the hotel, the power is back within about a minute or less.

If you are english like me, you'll find that its about a 6 or 7 hour journey from here to Dominican Republic. I recommened you stay for more than a week bacause of the time difference. We ended up waking up at 3 for the first couple nights because our bodies were not used to the time difference and our eyes were rolling by 7pm, by the time we were used to it our stay at casa marina reef was up lol.

All the good things i have mentioned are only in the hotel! We went on this wicked monster truck where you get a great view of the real Dominican country, perfectly safe and bags of fun. We stopped of to horse ride on the hills ( dont worry they are safe, i did it alone and i was only 12 lol), you get to sit on a white bull, visit a coffee making shack where you can purchase raw coffee and watch them make it, a pottery shack, a cigar shack where it is VERY interesting to what them being made, a local school which only consists of one room and beautiful neatly dressed students. When you give them pencils and pens, theyre faces light up and it is very emotional and that only makes you want to come back there (so bring things for them).

You also visit a beach which is clear blue and lovely and warm. you get to hold a baby boa aswell. This is all fimed by a worker and you then have a choice to buy it, its cheap and has footage of everyone in it.

Definatly recommend this for people who want to marry (they have a lovely little flowered gazeebo by the beach where my aunt got married), children, teens and adults. everyone.

Stayed at Casa marina reef 23.01.10 to 06.02.10 fabulous holiday yes rooms need updated but huge and spotlessly clean, bedding and towels changed daily as where the pools and restuarants a beautiful complex, the jacuzzis and hammocks were awesome. we renewed our wedding vows while there for our silver wedding anniversary and it was a wonderful day so special and Jose the wedding coordinator was fabulous every detail perfect, fantastic flowers and cake and the onsite photographer amazing,, captured every moment and the most amazing photos, a day that we will never ever forget thank you Jose for making dreams come true. The food was good and lots of choice as for the staff so friendly and always smiling and the shows at night were good some better than others. All in all a little bit of paradise and we will definetly be back. We went whale watching in Samana bay what an experience out of this world, also Ocean World to swim with dolphins awesome. For a 3 star hotel a fabulous place to stay.

We visited the Casa Marina beach in February 2008, we loved it the weather was lovely, the food was great with plenty of choice. The grounds and the beach are very clean and well kept. Our accomodation was a little tired and in need of some updating, but still clean. It was great value for money, hence we have booked for the Marina Reef in Jan 2009. Cant wait.

If the hotel was updated into the 21st century and done something about amenities when its raining and made tea and coffee more available I would consider going back but not until they have got their act together

We had a fantastic holiday overall at the Casa Marina Reef Hotel and weren't bored for a minute, the daily games around the main swimming pool are very professional, normally held around 11am and 3pm the staff are friendly and all make you feel very welcome and the excursions are fantastic especially ocean world and the mega trucks.

We ventured out of the complex a few times but ensured we listened to our rep when they told us the places we shouldn't go. The shop keepers and stall owners all bugged us a lot to check out their stores which mostly had the same stuff so once you've seen one you've pretty much seen them all. We took our life into our own hands when crossing the main road to get to the supermarket in Sosua coz of some of the crazy motorbike drivers but I would definitely recommend it as the prices there are so much cheaper than the hotel shop which you cant barter in. Any stall you visit anywhere always barter down to at least a third of the price they first offer you as they are always hiking up the prices for tourists a lot and expect you to barter. The Dominican people are very cheeky and love to have a laugh with you, they know every trick in the book to engage you in conversation but they were always friendly even if you politely tell them you are not interested. Definitely check out some of the excursions, the mega trucks is a must do you get to see so much of the culture the beautiful land taste the local drinks, cigars, coffee and cocoa, ride horses and visit a typical Dominican house and school as well as a deserted untouched paradise beach and the land that Jurassic park was filmed in, getting all the more drunk with the free bar on board as you go. Ocean World is just fantastic, we swum with sharks dolphins sting rays and played with sea lions, it was incredible. We also went up the mountain on a cable car and visited a rum factory and an amber factory. The mountain was breathtaking it had a replica of the statue of Jesus in Rio that was donated to the Dominicans by Brazil, it was really big and the views were awesome. Overall it was a phenomenal success and we were very happy we went.

Nice clean rooms good maid service. The staff are very welcoming, there is plenty of entertainment for adults through the day, however there isnt much for the kids to do. We did go out of the complex a lot to and felt very safe.

A must is ocean world where we did the dolphin and sea lion encounters a must on your stay, also we did monster trucks that was great fun just remember to take some pencils for the children in the villages (there faces light up when they see them) I would recomend that you do book your trips through the tour rep, you can get them cheaper but the quality of the transport isnt as good, there is lots and lots to do there.

I think paradise island was another good one for me our son of 7 loved it and my husband loved it, and I snorkeled for the first time.

Over all nice hotel, nice staff, but I didn't like the food.

Whole place was fantastic. Great being out and about as long as you can say "No thank you". You ladies can give the look it works! Do not go with anyone outside the park but have fun and don't be scared! We love this place. Booking to go again now!

Arrival: Got to Casa Marina Reef Hotel earlier than expected because it only took 20 mins from the airport, when got there was handed a welcome drink and suitcases taken to our room. By the way none of the staff ever ask for tips only if you go on an excursion they ask for tips for the driver but you can give the staff at the hotel tips if you want to they are very grateful if you do.

Beaches: they are great but spent most of my time when on the beach on the reef side as it was not as packed as the one on the beach side.

Pools: The two on the beach side were much quieter because they didn't have all the games played on them or the music playing around it as the reef side one was more busier

Bars: could of done with a bar near the pool because the bar nearest the pool and the reef side was so busy because of the people in the pool rushing for a drink.

Recommend for any age - plenty to do, food is good - even cater for us English with the odd chip etc, stayed in October 2007 and definitely going back again. Would also recommend the trip to Swim with Dolphins - out of this world!