Golden Beach (Playa Dorada)
Golden Beach (Playa Dorada)
Golden Beach (Playa Dorada)
4
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The most popular beach in Puerto Plata is located on the Dominican Republic's famous Amber Coast.
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4.0
386 reviews
Excellent
160
Very good
149
Average
58
Poor
12
Terrible
7
treesajo
Omaha, NE54 contributions
June 2024 • Family
Came into the cruise port for the day and found this gem of a beach. We were dropped off right at Blue JackTar Hotel and walked straight onto Jack Tar Beach/Jack's Kite Bar and Grill. We were the only ones there that day! Fabulous bar service (and prices!), free chairs, great beach to hang out and enjoy the small waves. Beach and water were clean! Jack's Kite Bar and Grill took credit cards :)
We took a taxi from the cruise port & the driver waited for us all day. $70 roudtrip total. I did not negotiate as it was worth it to me for getting myself and the two teenage girls back to the port in time. Paid the driver cash when we arrived back at port.
It was a very quiet day for us - the main crowd was just west of us at Playa El Chaparrell. Highly recommend this beach for access to drinks/food/quiet!
We took a taxi from the cruise port & the driver waited for us all day. $70 roudtrip total. I did not negotiate as it was worth it to me for getting myself and the two teenage girls back to the port in time. Paid the driver cash when we arrived back at port.
It was a very quiet day for us - the main crowd was just west of us at Playa El Chaparrell. Highly recommend this beach for access to drinks/food/quiet!
Written 8 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jane T
Toronto, Canada203 contributions
Mar 2020
This beach has dark sand, and some stretches have a fair bit of seaweed on the beach and in the water. There are several private resorts along it where the beach is better maintained, but you cannot rent any beach chairs there. It's a decent beach if you are staying nearby, but I wouldn't necessarily travel/go out of my way to go here.
Written 14 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SusanNebraska
Nebraska37 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
Dorado beach was part of our city tour. We were there 2-3 ,hours. Many lounge chairs with umbrellas to choose from. Quiet and very relaxing the day we were there. Everyone was very polite from vendors to food servers. Beautiful scenery. Great tour in all.
Written 10 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BrakiWorldTraveler
Belgrade, Serbia19,455 contributions
Jan 2022
Playa Dorada is the absolute best beach on DR northern coast. It is lined with exclusive resorts and warm sea. Sand is as the name says golden color, super soft.
Seaweed is occasional.
Seaweed is occasional.
Written 12 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gpglos
gloucester54 contributions
I promised a review having just returned home after a two-week holiday in the Royal Suites.
Overall, the hotel is great for kids and has lots of potential but there are still too many teething problems. I have made an official complaint with the rep in resort and await an official response from First Choice. I have to say, the rep was very good and worked tirelessly to try and resolve any issues we had but she could have done with 25 hours in the day to deal with others' problems
Room: we were lucky in that we experienced no problems especially when other guests complained of having no aircon, leaking roofs, no hot water etc. That said, the patio door failed to lock properly and although we had a phone, there was no socket in the wall for it to be plugged into!
Don't be fooled into thinking that the Royal Suite rooms are actually suites! It is only the master suites which have a separate lounge area and the bathroom in the deluxe room was very small. We didn't upgrade to a jacuzzi suite and were pleased that we didn't because some are actually on the terrace area and therefore in full view of those walking past! Satellite TV is available but consists of almost entirely American or Spanish channels.
The patio furniture is made of wood and very uncomfortable with a small table so not ideal for having morning coffee, playing cards or an evening drink. Also, the hammock on the terrace is a nice idea but unfortunately, ours broke with me on it!!
As a Royal Suite guest, you have exclusive use of the Adult Only pool area, clubhouse, swim-up bar, internet access etc and speedy check in. The staff are very attentive (especially Miguel, Trinidad and Elizabeth) and nothing seemed too much trouble for them. The area is attractive and quiet, overlooking the golf course with the beach just beyond and is a great place to relax. However, there were an increasing number of people who were not entitled to be in the pool and bar area actually using the facility. As it was relatively quiet, it was less of an issue but as the season goes on, unless the issue is addressed this will become an increasing problem with sunloungers etc and you will be left wondering why you paid for an upgrade.
Food: Limited choice and varying quality. Service in the main buffet restaurant is appalling. It can take ages to find a table that has cutlery and glasses (sometimes we had to do it ourselves) and when you do get one, it can take twice as long again to attract the attention of a waiter to bring you water or any other drinks. They're very friendly but seem to have had little training. As for the food, we found that there was less choice than in other hotels in the area e.g Gran Ventana and the quality was inconsistent. As a measure, the pasta station was always busy due to it being prepared freshly while you waited. This applied to both lunch and evening meals.
The food in the Mexican a la carte is bland and on the day we visted, more things on the menu were unavailable. The Oriental restaurant is good and very attractively furnished. The italian restaurant was ok too, but parants should note that access is via the casino so your kids might be attracted by the flashing lights of the fruit machines. The Caribbean beach-side restaurant was under construction as we left, which was a shame, although we were notified before we left that is was unavailable.
Entertainment: Great for kids with lots going on all the time and friendly, helpful activity staff. In the evenings, don't expect too much entertainment for the adults and some of the shows are bit ropey! However, given the small team, the staff made valiant attempts to put on a good show.
Bars: All had friendly staff and there was a wide variety of drinks including branded spirits. You may have to wait but queues were never too much of a problem. The adult only chill out bar was very stylish but lacking in atmosphere.
As for wildlife, I was bitten by mozzies more here than at the Gran Ventana. Whether this is due to it bordering the golf course or the fact that we saw no spraying whilst we were there, Im not sure. Therefore, make sure you take adequate sprays, lotions etc as well as a plug-in electrical repellant.
Overall, we were disappointed and the hotel fell below our idea of what makes a 4 star. If you go with an open mind, manage your expectations, check your romm on arrival, you might have a good time. Families are probably better catered for and so those booked into the Adult Only area and expecting VIP treatment might be more disappointed.
Overall, the hotel is great for kids and has lots of potential but there are still too many teething problems. I have made an official complaint with the rep in resort and await an official response from First Choice. I have to say, the rep was very good and worked tirelessly to try and resolve any issues we had but she could have done with 25 hours in the day to deal with others' problems
Room: we were lucky in that we experienced no problems especially when other guests complained of having no aircon, leaking roofs, no hot water etc. That said, the patio door failed to lock properly and although we had a phone, there was no socket in the wall for it to be plugged into!
Don't be fooled into thinking that the Royal Suite rooms are actually suites! It is only the master suites which have a separate lounge area and the bathroom in the deluxe room was very small. We didn't upgrade to a jacuzzi suite and were pleased that we didn't because some are actually on the terrace area and therefore in full view of those walking past! Satellite TV is available but consists of almost entirely American or Spanish channels.
The patio furniture is made of wood and very uncomfortable with a small table so not ideal for having morning coffee, playing cards or an evening drink. Also, the hammock on the terrace is a nice idea but unfortunately, ours broke with me on it!!
As a Royal Suite guest, you have exclusive use of the Adult Only pool area, clubhouse, swim-up bar, internet access etc and speedy check in. The staff are very attentive (especially Miguel, Trinidad and Elizabeth) and nothing seemed too much trouble for them. The area is attractive and quiet, overlooking the golf course with the beach just beyond and is a great place to relax. However, there were an increasing number of people who were not entitled to be in the pool and bar area actually using the facility. As it was relatively quiet, it was less of an issue but as the season goes on, unless the issue is addressed this will become an increasing problem with sunloungers etc and you will be left wondering why you paid for an upgrade.
Food: Limited choice and varying quality. Service in the main buffet restaurant is appalling. It can take ages to find a table that has cutlery and glasses (sometimes we had to do it ourselves) and when you do get one, it can take twice as long again to attract the attention of a waiter to bring you water or any other drinks. They're very friendly but seem to have had little training. As for the food, we found that there was less choice than in other hotels in the area e.g Gran Ventana and the quality was inconsistent. As a measure, the pasta station was always busy due to it being prepared freshly while you waited. This applied to both lunch and evening meals.
The food in the Mexican a la carte is bland and on the day we visted, more things on the menu were unavailable. The Oriental restaurant is good and very attractively furnished. The italian restaurant was ok too, but parants should note that access is via the casino so your kids might be attracted by the flashing lights of the fruit machines. The Caribbean beach-side restaurant was under construction as we left, which was a shame, although we were notified before we left that is was unavailable.
Entertainment: Great for kids with lots going on all the time and friendly, helpful activity staff. In the evenings, don't expect too much entertainment for the adults and some of the shows are bit ropey! However, given the small team, the staff made valiant attempts to put on a good show.
Bars: All had friendly staff and there was a wide variety of drinks including branded spirits. You may have to wait but queues were never too much of a problem. The adult only chill out bar was very stylish but lacking in atmosphere.
As for wildlife, I was bitten by mozzies more here than at the Gran Ventana. Whether this is due to it bordering the golf course or the fact that we saw no spraying whilst we were there, Im not sure. Therefore, make sure you take adequate sprays, lotions etc as well as a plug-in electrical repellant.
Overall, we were disappointed and the hotel fell below our idea of what makes a 4 star. If you go with an open mind, manage your expectations, check your romm on arrival, you might have a good time. Families are probably better catered for and so those booked into the Adult Only area and expecting VIP treatment might be more disappointed.
Written 26 December 2006
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bubble022
Gloucester1 contribution
Having been to this hotel 3 times before it was renovated i was interested to return to see the improvements.
The general look of the hotel is not much different except for the massive wave pool.
the food was excellent and the service faultless. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. They couldn't do enough for us.
However, the entertainment left a lot to be desired.......for kids it was excellent but for adults - forget it. The shows were a mess and the same thing every night.
Most people go to a different country to get a feel for the culture and to see the traditional aspects. First Choice have turned this into the Dominican version of Butlins which is a great shame as the entertainment used to be the best thing about this hotel. Instead of traditional dominican culture and dancing we got english music and singers that sounded like a cat's choir. One day they spent the entire afternoon from around 2pm to at least 6pm rehearsing the same dance for the evening show and still couldn't get it right.
If you have kids then great they will love it but if your after a proper dominican holiday don't stay here.
The general look of the hotel is not much different except for the massive wave pool.
the food was excellent and the service faultless. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. They couldn't do enough for us.
However, the entertainment left a lot to be desired.......for kids it was excellent but for adults - forget it. The shows were a mess and the same thing every night.
Most people go to a different country to get a feel for the culture and to see the traditional aspects. First Choice have turned this into the Dominican version of Butlins which is a great shame as the entertainment used to be the best thing about this hotel. Instead of traditional dominican culture and dancing we got english music and singers that sounded like a cat's choir. One day they spent the entire afternoon from around 2pm to at least 6pm rehearsing the same dance for the evening show and still couldn't get it right.
If you have kids then great they will love it but if your after a proper dominican holiday don't stay here.
Written 1 February 2007
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dave R
Owen Sound, Canada8 contributions
May 2016 • Family
First thing: be aware that in order to access this beach, you need to be staying in a resort that allows/offers it. The beach is incredible, protected by a breakwater, and of course you have the Orange Bazaar waiting for you for all your haggling needs! Great for water-sports or lounging with a book on a chaise underneath the palms!
Written 26 April 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SLSCalgary_AB_Canada
Calgary, Canada107 contributions
Apr 2018 • Couples
The beach is absolutely gorgeous. It wasn't crowded when we were there. There were many locals, which means it must be good! Didn't see much in the way of amenities other than chairs.
Written 7 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
chickandbeast
Southgate, Canada8,725 contributions
Dec 2016 • Couples
You can walk for miles in either direction in the areas covered by security. They will warn you when you are leaving a secure zone, we still continued but there wasnt much to see beyond the zone just some garbage and unkempt areas.
The groomed part runs past many resorts it is better to stick to that, a few timeshare people but no begging. Locals and tourists mixing all over the beach. A few very skinny looking stray dogs that are very friendly, hurts my heart to see them this way. Dogs that belong to everyone say the locals, but I think no one is feeding them but the tourists. If you are of a mind to help them take some ham in a napkin on your walk, they take it from you nicely when offered.
Vendors ask but are not pushy, the little market they just want you to look no pressure.
Beautiful sand runs from fine to course over the length of the beach, barefoot is comfortable. The views are breathtaking.
The groomed part runs past many resorts it is better to stick to that, a few timeshare people but no begging. Locals and tourists mixing all over the beach. A few very skinny looking stray dogs that are very friendly, hurts my heart to see them this way. Dogs that belong to everyone say the locals, but I think no one is feeding them but the tourists. If you are of a mind to help them take some ham in a napkin on your walk, they take it from you nicely when offered.
Vendors ask but are not pushy, the little market they just want you to look no pressure.
Beautiful sand runs from fine to course over the length of the beach, barefoot is comfortable. The views are breathtaking.
Written 28 December 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert
Toronto, Canada54 contributions
Sept 2016 • Solo
This was first time to Peurto Plata, my 11th to my future home, Republica Dominicana. I have always been on the south side of the Island, Punta Cana and twice to La Romana. I must say the beach was nice and wide, soft sand and good water clarity, mind out because of the current the water is not crystal clear but it was nice and warm. The beach is shared by 8 resorts and is an accredited blue flag beach and is great for walking.
Written 28 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What are the best and closest beaches to go from the Puerto Plata cruise port?
Written 9 November 2022
Quisiera saber si hay una parte de playa qe se pueda utilizar sin estar alojados en los resort ?? Y si cuenta con servicios
Written 17 February 2020
je vous pose cette question car je ne me réjouis pas d'aller au batchata hotel car la plage y est bien moins belle qu'ailleurs et notre tour opérateur nous à mal orienté pour cette réservation car il y a bien plus de possibilité en étant à Samana ou punta cana. N'ayant pas pris d'assurance annulation et bien je me renseigne car seulement 4 excursions possible via le tour opérateur et donc pas grand choix pour voir une ile avec une belle plage etc et voir le sourire de ma chérie....Donc je cherche à me rendre à de belles plages qui ne soit pas à des kms de l'hôtel Riu Batchata.
Written 4 August 2017
Hi there
We are staying at the Iberostar Costa Dorada, is this local for this beach ?
Thanks
Written 13 March 2017
Iberostar Costa Dorada is right on Playa Dorada Beach, the last resort on the east end of the beach. When you walk through the resort, past the dive shop that I used last year, walk to the right and you can walk past allot of resorts and hit some really nice stretches of player Dorada beach. Enjoy Republica Dominicana, my future home, the people are really friendly , the music , food , drinks are all great and try to do a catamaran tour or go into puerto plata which I did not have a chance to do, but will in the near future and see the real Domincan Republic.
Adios,
Roberto
Written 14 March 2017
I am debating between visiting playa dorada or paradise island. Dorada is closer to the cruise port but paradise island looks nicer. Has anyone been to both and which do you prefer? Thanks!
Written 12 February 2017
Paradise island is definitely something worth seeing
Written 21 February 2017
Actually its really discouraged at the beaches and the pools, the vendors are relentless so its not as if you can have a quiet undisturbed little spot. I suppose you could walk around the cove and fimd yourself a secluded little place but it womt be convenient to the hotel for washrooms or beverages
Written 6 January 2019
Can you get there by bus (public transportation) or only by taxi, someone know the cost, from the port to GB?
Written 9 February 2016
How do you get from the Carnival Cruise Port, is it closer?
Written 7 February 2016
It's not close, you will need to take a taxi.
Written 9 February 2016
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