Rating:
"Not a 4.5 star, as service was lacking and going out of ones way for customer service was not evident. Rooms are basic, old, and not well kept (ie. the comforter had rips and holes, the shower was missing tiles). Service is at a minimum, you are only allowed 1 beach towel per day, food is not always fresh and average, no toilettries offered, no clean towels for room until 4pm everyday, and lack of staff to help out when needed. Water sports equipment was broken and unavailable for the week, and only 30% of what they had was available for use (one kayak and boogie boards). It rained the last half of the trip, so we enjoyed the surrounding areas of the island to sightsee..great location."
Reviewer: reviewer3204
Date: Jan. 23, 2012

Rating:
"Just got back from March Break vacation with my 16 year old daughter, 14 year old niece and friend of mine. We stayed at the Belive Grand Marien. All was good. Hotel was very nice, pool was a little cold but beautiful, beach was wonderful. Stayed in building #5 one of the older buildings but was quite fine. We had connecting rooms with the teenage girls but only after insisting. Apparently they said they had none available but since I had previously requested it and as well had emailed them 2 days prior to arrival I told them that they had to do something. They managed to change around some other reservations and we were given our rooms. They were very nice about it. Food at this hotel was just OK however I think we may have just been fussy eaters as others at the resort seemed to think it was good. This hotel compared to others I've been to seemed to be somewhat uneventful. It's not that things weren't going on but you had to look for them, in other hotels it seems that the staff is always recruiting you for some activity. This however could be a bonus as at least you are not being bothered all the time. I had read in some reviews that locals were always bothering you on the beach but we didn't really find it to be a problem. Staff was pleasant but not overly sociable. It was nice having soft drinks and beer placed in your room daily. Our room wasn't made up until very late in the day so if you like your room done early then I suggest you put a sign on your door. We didn't go on any excursions but the girls made use of the boogie boards and kayaks for free. Also there was no need to reserve chairs on the beach or by the pool as there always seemed to be an abundance of them. Overall it was a very good vacation. I probably wouldn't go back but the only reason is that I like to try different places and it would take a really spectacular place for me to return. Oh yes one thing that this hotel did not have was a swim up bar which is always fun. If you are reading other reviews don't let the bad ones deter you as things can go wrong in any resort. I think though they all try their best.
Joy from Mtl. Qc
"
Reviewer: reviewer6209
Date: Mar. 07, 2011

Rating:
"Overall this was a nice resort for the deal we got. The weather was great, little bit of rain but it came and went quickly.

Pros:

-Very clean! Our room was spotless and cleaned everyday -abundance of towels and pillows in our room. Very impressed. Rooms were average, we stayed in an older building and did not have any problems with "musty smells", water pressure, or malfuntioning air conditioners.

-The entertainment staff was the best I've seen at a resort. The pool entertainment was fun and interactive and the night shows were pretty good when they involved the crowd as well.

-Food was good, lots of different food to try. Omellete station was great as was the pasta station.

-Staff was very friendly and worked hard to ensure you had fun - THANK YOU!

-View of the mountain was beautiful

-Beach was nice


Cons:


-They have timeshares available at this resort and the staff are relentless. This had to be the worst part of our trip. We had to go out of our way to avoid the staff who kept trying to get us to attend a meeting regarding the timeshares. If I want a timeshare, I'll let you know - not impressed with being harassed on my vacation.

-Drinks were not very good. Even when tipped well the bartenders mixed drinks poorly, never consistent even with the same bartender and they weren't open to mixing new drinks - only what was one the menu which was small.

-Don't travel too far down the beach, local children are generally looking for you to give them something and don't take no for an answer

-Vendors are allowed on the beach and approach resort guests to purchase their products, they do have security on the beach who ensure it doesn't get out of control.

Overall we had a good vacation at this resort - if they could restrict or get rid of the timeshare staff and mix drinks properly I would have given it a higher rating."
Reviewer: aj1999
Date: Jun. 17, 2010

Rating:
"Just returned from the Grand Oasis Marien a couple days ago and was very sad to leave. It exceeded my expectations and you are guaranteed to have a good time.

Rooms:
The room we stayed in was in one of the newer blocks and it was beautiful. Marble floors, jacuzzi tub, king bed. Everything worked fine in our room. A bonus was being able to control the fan and air conditioner. The room was cleaned well everyday.

Grounds/Beach/Pool:
The grounds, pool and beach were well maintained. There was never a problem finding a seat at any time of the day. The beach was nice because there was a constant breeze so you would never get too hot. The pool area was more active and loud, but was HUGE and beautiful.

Food and Entertainment:
The food at this hotel was great! The buffet was huge with plenty of options. We also tried the italian and tex mex restaurants which were also very good. We had no problems with any kind of sickness or food poisoning. The shows every night were very entertaining, we looked forward to attending them every night.

Overall, this resort exceeded our expectations, especially considering what we paid. I would recommend this resort to anyone on a budget who wants a quality resort. You will not be disappointed, I cannot wait to go back!
"
Reviewer: 17
Date: Dec. 27, 2009

Rating:
"The most 'complete' All Inclusive vaction I've ever had! Costa Dorada beach was perfect, they cleaned a few times a day. Wide and long, No vendors bothering me. No coral or rocks, perfect waves! Best food, Lobster, quaile, roasted duck, goat, sushi, etc, and this was just at the buffet. Unlimited a'la carte, 15 minute beach walk to Playa Dorada. This coming from an experienced AI traveller. A few minutes to Puerto Plata. Ariel tram to mt, rum factory, casinos, golf, shopping, eveything is here! Have recommended Grand Oasis Marien to everyone."
Reviewer: Anonymous [via Escapes.ca]
Date: Jan. 10, 2009

Rating:
"This was my first vacation down south, I was very pleased with everything, the staff was very friendly, the hotel was very clean and I would advise anyone going south for the first time to choose this resort, I went with my daughter and can't wait to go again."
Reviewer: Anonymous [via Escapes.ca]
Date: Jan. 04, 2009

Rating:
"The room was very nice and bathroom immaculate. The beds are very hard but we managed… remember it’s not home. The resort grounds and pool were beautiful, the beach was very clean and we were quite impressed with the ocean hue (gorgeous blues). The beach sand was perfect… no huge rocks/coral pieces to be found. The service at this resort was excellent. Never once did I see a worker or server not greet you with a smile…we have learned that the Dominicans are some of the most friendly people we have ever met. The food at the buffet and a la cartes was okay but not “fantastic”. But we didn't starve. Again this is not Canada but a very poor country that has yet to develop connections with North American food vendors. You don't go to the DR for excellent cuisine. The drinks were good and the beer (Presidente) was fantastic! But we felt we got good value for our travel dollar. We truly loved the Dominican Republic. Can't wait to go back!"
Reviewer: Anonymous [via Escapes.ca]
Date: Mar. 12, 2008

Rating:
Reviewer: Anonymous [via Escapes.ca]
Date: Jan. 17, 2008