Ocean El Faro - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

8784 reviews

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  Decent, but I wouldn't go back

  We booked the Ocean El Faro because we stayed at another Ocean resort in Mexico in 2019 and it was fantastic. Unfortunately, the El Faro was disappointing. We booked a rooftop suite, and the room was great, other than the fact that our air conditioning stopped working on the last night we were there, so it was HOT. The rooftop jacuzzi took FOREVER to fill and didn't hold water well, so we only used it once. Our mini bar was not re-stocked every day, but that wasn't a deal breaker. However, friends we went with had issue after issue with their room like mouldy and musty smells, AC not working, fridges not being re-stocked etc. The food is ok, but definitely nothing to get excited over. Route 66 was basically never open for late night snacks, and the Blue Moon was awful, especially considering service took over 90 minutes. The steakhouse also took forever and the steaks were super tiny and thin and overcooked. The Italian and teppanyaki restaurants were fantastic though, and the buffet had a decent enough variety that we weren't bored. The omelette stations were amazing for breakfast. Booking reservations for dinner was awful and required one of our guests (mostly me) to be up and in line at the reservations desk at 7:00 every day, or else we would not be able to get a reservation (this might not have been so bad if we weren't a group of 8 people, but the restaurants book EARLY either way). The resort is huge so it is a HIKE to get anywhere from the adults only section. The beach is really far from the main pool so when we went, we only ever went once a day and once we left it wasn't worth it to go back, especially since there is not nearly enough seating out there. There are lots of bars scattered around, but late at night your only real option is the sports bar or the lobby, so if you go back to your room you can't get any more drinks without going for a long walk. Overall it wasn't a bad vacation, but I definitely do not consider it a 5 star experience, and it is not at all comparable to the Ocean Coral and Turquesa which we felt was much better value for our time and money.

  Jan 20, 2025
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  I met some very geeat staff members and made some amazing friends here. I ❤️ this place and the vibes it gave! I definitely wo

  Being a solo traveler ,it's hard to find a resort that has all of what one looks for on a vacation. Shows ,activities, great food , swim outs, eco-friendly, plenty to do. I found all of that here. I came here for my birthday and chose privileged. Lol, I had no clue how to work it . But it's ok , my Butler , Luis (who reminded me of a young Adam Sandler in appearance) was super patient , willing, and helpful. He looked out for me as much as he could and was attentive. This resort was the first time I met so many other solo travelers . All in all I met some very geeat staff members and made some amazing friends here. I ❤️ed this place and the vibes I got from everyone I met! My only cons are, and i do have suggestions. That would be that some typical things things were a bit overpriced, and my swim out was always cold... those should really be heated swimouts , also lost and found could do better job on filing a report . Like asing for a picture in the moment of filing, especially when it's very valuable material/item.

  Jan 20, 2025
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  Gorgeous place to stay!

  Our room was amazing. The bed was SUPER comfy. The rooms are clean and up to date. The pools are clean and refreshing. The grounds are kept up. The lazy river is fun. We absolutely love this resort. Our Butler Jose Miguel is so kind and very responsive. He took good care of us and helped with anything we needed. Would definitely recommend this place to everybody.

  Jan 20, 2025
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  Family vacation with grandma

  We were there from January 2nd to 9th. The check in was quick and easy. Unfortunately, they didn’t have a room with 2 beds, so we got a room with a king bed and they installed a separate bed (which was comfy) and found us a room with two beds the next day. José the butler assigned to us was awesome (he answered our every need; pillow, room change, extra water, restaurant reservations….). Installations were above expectations (gym, tennis court, pools, privilege beach section). Rooms were cleaned every day and they were careful to try and be there when we weren’t. Water bottles were put in the fridge every day, except 1 day, but too few bottles according to us. Resort was clean. Food was good. Restaurant service was ok, it felt as if they were understaffed (wait for water and wine refills). Juan (lifeguard at river) was having a bad day…. Resort beach was clean, but rocky on one side. Since it’s the only resort around there’s not much walking possible.

  Jan 19, 2025
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  Great stay and best butler Joel Mejia!

  This was my first trip to the Dominican Republic and first experience at an all inclusive resort (celebrating a ‘milestone birthday’). It exceeded all my expectations! My husband had passed away last year and I was traveling with my adult autistic son, so I was looking for a place to relax and recharge. Ocean El Faro was the perfect spot. I had splurged on the Privilege Royal Master Suite, the most expensive room which was really quite reasonably priced considering the size, location and amenities. It’s a large, beautiful suite with an ocean view, the pictures on the website really don’t do it justice. But what really made it special was the attentive service we received from our butler, Joel Mejia. Joel checked in with us every morning, made our dinner reservations every night, responded to any request promptly, and even provided thoughtful little touches like a birthday banner on the door and a birthday treat sent to the room. We tried all the a la carte restaurants except Route 66 (we get enough American food at home!) and ate at the buffet restaurant, all good, but we really enjoyed the Privilege Lounge. Quiet, beautiful view, very good food, and the staff were lovely, particularly Yania who was a bright spot every day! There was plenty to do there, although most of our time was either beach or poolside, I didn’t check out the disco or any entertainment. I did have an amazing massage from Luz in the spa, highly recommend. Although there is plenty to do for groups and people who want to party, I also feel like I could go there solo just to relax and feel perfectly comfortable and safe. I would always opt for the Privilege experience though, having been spoiled by Joel and the Privilege staff. Thank you Joel and Yania for a great stay!

  Jan 19, 2025