It is about time I do another one of these hotel/resort reviews. I recently came back from my vacation in the Dominican Republic and stayed at the Be Live Collection Marien, which is a 5-star resort in the Costa Dorada area of Puerto Plata. Here is the review:
Check-In
Because there were a lot of us (around 40 people) coming in at once, the check-in process was a bit slow with a lot of waiting. While we were waiting, staff would bring us welcome drinks, which was nice and made the check-in experience a bit more bearable. After we were done, the bellhops handled our luggage and we took a golf cart to our rooms.
Rating: 6.5/10
Rooms
The room was quite big and spacious, which was a surprise for me. The beds were okay to sleep on, as well. The room came with standard amenities such as a TV, phone, iron, bottle opener, and a coffee machine. In addition, regularly stocked water, soft drinks, and beer were inside our mini fridge. There was also a safe in the closet, but you had to pay to use it, which was disappointing. All rooms had an air conditioner, which was great, but there was always a lot of moisture in the air, which created condensation and made everything a bit wet, including the bed sheets. Some guests had to change the bed sheets because of it.
Rating: 6.5/10
Random Note: There was no bible in the nightstand drawer, which I thought was weird.
Bathroom
Bathroom was also quite spacious along with the standard sink, shower, and toilet. Turning on the shower was a pain, and I needed help from the staff for trying to get the water to come from the showerhead. When it did, there was hardly any water pressure, and the water would randomly fluctuate between hot and cold constantly. Room service would constantly forget to exchange used towels for new towels in the bathroom.
Rating: 5.5/10
Food
Note: I am a vegetarian. My review of the food may not reflect those who are not vegetarians.
There are three places to get food at this resort. The main place to get food was the large dining room, which was a buffet-style restaurant that served breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is a wide range of food for people of all dietary needs to enjoy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The food was not terrible, but it was not outstanding either. It was simply edible, nothing more.
In addition, there is a snack bar that serves fast-food grub on the times when the main buffet restaurant is closed. It is also the late-night spot to get food as well. The food tastes the same as the buffet restaurant. The good thing is that there is also a drinks bar as well, where you can get drinks well into the night. There is also a TV so you can watch soccer and baseball games there as well.
The other place to get food is to book a reservation to one of the three "a la carte" restaurants (Mexican, Brazilian, and Mediterranean). I went to the Mediterranean restaurant and it was marginally better than the food in the buffet/snack bar. It was the best food I had in the resort, but that is not saying much. To get the best food in the Dominican Republic, you need to travel outside the resort.
One more thing to mention. In the buffet and the snack bar, there are birds that fly around the tables where people are eating. I cannot confirm that they would pick at the food, but be careful.
Ratings:
Main Buffet, Snack Bar: 5/10
A la carte: 6/10
Shops/Vendors
There are some duty free shops on the resort, as well as some other shops, which sell souvenirs and other things for your stay. You will always get better deals outside the resort for souvenirs, as the things on the resort are a bit expensive.
Beach
The beach was nice and big. Staff would clean the beach every morning of trash and seaweed from the water. There are volleyball and soccer nets on the beach premises where people can play volleyball and soccer. There are many cabanas and beach chairs where guests can soak up the sun or get some shade. The water itself was a bit rough, as the undercurrent kept pulling me away from the shore. It would have been nice if there was a bar on the beach premises, but since all beaches are considered public in the Dominican Republic, that would not have been possible.
Rating: 7/10
Pool
There is one big pool at the center of the resort where a lot of the entertainment would take place. There are basketball nets, water polo nets, and a volleyball net in the pool, so you can play a number of sports in the water. There is no swim-up bar, but there is a pool bar on the premises where you can get your drinks and enter the pool with them. The pool was undoubtedly the best thing about the resort.
Rating: 7.5/10
Entertainment
There are theater shows that occur a few times a week after dinner at the theater next to the buffet restaurant. I did not watch a whole lot of the shows, but they seemed okay. The African show was entertaining; everything else ranged from okay to mediocre.
There are also some competitions that happen at the pool. Such events include mini golf, darts, and ping-pong. The staff try their best to energize the guests for the events, but I still thought it was a bit boring. I was bored of all the entertainment by the fourth day staying in the resort.
Rating: 3.5/10
Nightlife
There is a small disco in the lobby that mostly plays Spanish music. It starts playing around 9 pm and continues until 1 am. The good thing about the disco room is that the room is air conditioned, so that you do not sweat a lot while you dance. There is a bar in the room for drinks, as well as an outdoor patio if you need some fresh air. I wish there was more variety in the music, as all they really played was Spanish music. They played a little bit of hip-hop and reggae, but those tracks were rare.
Rating: 6/10
Note: There is a casino and another club just outside the resort that plays both Spanish and English music that caters to both locals and guests. Just remember to be careful when venturing outside the resort. Going with a big group helps with safety.
Internet
You are allowed 1 hour of free WiFi a day, and the WiFi is very slow. If you can handle going days without connecting to the internet, then it is best that you do so. If you really need to connect, then be prepared for major slowdowns.
Rating: 4/10
Activities Center
There are a couple of pool, ping-pong, and foosball tables just outside the pool. The pool table was missing pool balls and the cues were cracked. The ping-pong and foosball tables were okay though.
Rating: 5/10
Other Notes
- There is a gym on the resort. It looked clean and nice when I looked inside.
- There is a tennis court on the resort as well. It looked poorly maintained.
- There is a spa on the premises. You have to pay to use it, but from what I have heard, the services and experience is very relaxing. If you have some money left over before you leave, I would look into getting a massage. Apparently, you can also request a receipt and submit a claim to your insurance provider.
- Locals stay at the resort on the weekend, which can be a bit overwhelming and can make the resort a bit packed. I would recommend booking an excursion on the Friday or Saturday if you do not like the busyness of the resort on the weekend.
- Vendors would sometimes set up booths and desks full of souvenirs just outside the main buffet restaurant. They are very aggressive, so if you are not looking for souvenirs, it is best to just avoid the area altogether. There are also people walking around selling time-shares as well (unless you like talking to them).
Final Verdict
The Be Live Collection Marien has a nice beach and pool, and the rooms are not too bad, but you get bored of things to do inside the resort very quickly. The entertainment is lackluster. The locals that come here on the weekend, as well as the vendors make the experience a bit uncomfortable. I would not recommend this resort, as I believe there are better resort options in the Puerto Plata area. The only scenario where you may consider going here is if you are booking many excursions, so you can limit your time inside the resort.
Final Rating: 5/10
