Bahia Principe LUXURY Runaway Bay - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

5528 reviews

• 

  Great resort but lacking in leadership and organization.

  The good news up front: Rooms are great, plenty of AC, comfortable beds and pillows. Grounds are fabulous...workers constantly upgrading the resort. Food was great at buffets...sometimes better than at alacartes. Dolce Vita made great pizza! Staff are tremendous. Every staff goes out of their way and when they walk by you they always ask if you are OK and they are sincere. I have read reviews prior to booking that it was not at the level of luxury but when you get treated so well I would argue that goes along way to being luxurious. I have never had better treatment by staff at any resort. The gym is adequate...not the best equipment but nice milieu. Kemar (aka Crazy Legs) was superb. He really made the place. I hope they appreciate what an asset he is to the resort. Sam (the man)Macintosh always looked after us as well. Wifi was great all over the resort right down to the beach. The resort was not pushy at all with the prestige club which I appreciated. The bad news: I remember reading one review that expressed concern about managers who were hiding in their offices when there was an issue. I blew that off as someone who always complains. Little did I know how true that was. I had a serious concern but no matter what I did no manager had the courage to come and speak with me. When that happens and you as manager don't deal with things right away... despite trying not to let it ruin your vacation it tends to fester a bit. I observed others in the same predicament and one with exactly my issue. I observed this to stress out guests but also take a toll on the front line staff. As a retired administrator I could see the low morale on some of the staff because they had no backup by admin. Also it became apparent that there was a complete lack of communication from administrators to staff. I know it's easy to say things are done slower in Jamaica but this went beyond that. Leadership and organization was lacking substantially. The terrace immediately outside and in front of the lobby is a smoking area. The smoke drifts into the lobby and for non smokers or people with lung issues this is unacceptable. Many resorts have gone non smoking on the property...this resort should do this as well. Or at lest make the smoking area away from the lobby where the evening entertainment is. The Sunwing rep who was working on November 30 was rude to me when I wanted info. Kept interrupting me. Tips: book your alacartes on the Bahia app prior to coming. You need to register as a guest and go through their process first. Then 6-10 days before you arrive book your alacartes. They come up gradually to book so be patient. They book up fast. I would give this resort 4.5 stars but because of the incredible front line staff I boost it unto 5.0 stars. Admin...1.5 stars!!

  Dec 19, 2024
• 

  Grand Bahia Luxury Stay 12/12- 12/16

  My visit to the Bahia Principe Luxury resort was absolutely amazing! As someone who usually chooses cruises for vacations, I was in awe the moment I stepped into the resort. The atmosphere and beauty were breathtaking—the expansive swimming pool winding through the property and the beach right at my doorstep made it unforgettable. I stayed in a junior suite, which was incredibly spacious and came with a veranda overlooking the pool and bar area. The combination of food, music, and lively energy filled the air, making every moment special. The dining options were exceptional, offering something to satisfy every palate. I’m already planning to return to this resort! My only suggestion would be to include a wider variety of Caribbean music. As someone of Caribbean descent, I would have loved to hear more diverse sounds that reflect the richness of the culture.

  Dec 19, 2024
• 

  Worst Vacation Ever

  ROACHES!!! I do not mean palmetto bugs. I mean regular household roaches in this place. It appears beautiful at first because the outside is well manicured. You eventually realize this place is not well kept. The mildew smell is overwhelming. The air went down in the rooms on more than one occasion, making the mildew smell worse. The smell was in my cpap for a week after we got home even with me changing the filter and accessories. There was mold on the lampshades. The elevators stopped working almost daily. Food from room service sat in the hallway overnight after we asked for it to be picked up. No wonder why they have roaches. We had no hot water for 2 days. When we complained, they laughed at us and said they grew up washing in cold water so it wasn't a big deal to them. They are not an all-inclusive resort. They have a list of things not included at each bar. The wifi is turned off after a certain time at night. The staff is rude. Outside of a handful of staff treating us like guests, we were treated like we were an inconvenience. It was clear early in the trip that they are not fond of African Americans. While at the karaoke bar, they played songs that dropped the N-word for Asians to sing. They did not care how offended we were. Remarks like "Black people never buy sh**" were made. Everything about our experience was offensive. We travel often and this was by far the worst experience we've ever had. I heard about good experiences at Secrets and Sandals in Montego Bay. Unfortunately, this made me never want to return to Jamaica ever again. Why would I bring my hard earned money back to a country that makes me feel unwelcomed?

  Dec 18, 2024
• 

  Great food, awesome staff, accommodating MGR

  Carlos, the manager at Runaway bay was very accommodating and we felt he did everything he could to make our stay a great one. Juliet, Melissa, Hayward at the beach bar provided awesome service. Tory at reception provided attentive helpful service. Samuel and Garfield were fantastic Porters assisting with many requests. Nehfi in guest services worked hard regarding reservations for our group. We ate at every al a carte restaurant and enjoyed almost everything we had. A special mention for the Picasso which turned out to be our favourite. This was our second time to the resort, we were with a group of 12 and had a great time.

  Dec 17, 2024
• 

  My fourth time at the Bahia luxury, Runaway Bay

  I have been four times to this hotel. I have never been disappointed. Enjoyed every moment there. The buffet Jasmine is exceptional. The personal is extremely nice. Don Pablo restaurant excellent! The Chateaubriand, Princes and Princess also. The entries superb! Alcott and Mecardo quite nice and excellent servers. Adeque Bury at the reception so polite and diplomat. The way she dealt with people who wanted to come in before the time was very smooth. Dedrian Jackson, Melisia Elliott, my number one, Tracey-Ann, all very observant of what we like or not. On the Beach, Conroy Smith always smiling and helping us. Took time to exchange with us.WUite nice! This year on the beach, lived an awsome experience by witnissing the birth of 131 HAWKSBILL turtles and all that because of Jevean ...What an unique experience and Jevean was sooo patient explaining to us all about the HAWKSBILL turtle. A unique experience in a lifetime!!!Tip of the hat to you JEVEAN. At the buffet the presentation of different foods was very well thought out by Osca and made it attractive and wanting to eat more and more, is too bad for the calories. Lobsters dinner a big hit! Mussels and shrimps every day quite a treat! In the lobby or elsewhere if you met Carlos, it was a joy to exchange with him and he brought out very convincing arguments about the hotel and changes they will make. He made himself available to us and is a very humble person. For us as resident of that hotel it made us comfortable and not invisible people. It is nice to be recognise! My housekeeper Bobbett Rowle was very good and the room was well taking care of. The bar in the lobby excellent and the bartender was nice to help us to set tv and watch football games, yes, even on holidays football fans like to watch the football games. How about all those Buffalo Bill fans??? Go Bill go!!! In every aspect of the hotel all was very good and happy to go back there again and again. Looking forward to go back!

  Dec 16, 2024