Emotions by Hodelpa Juan Dolio - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

5056 reviews

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  I would return but probably 14 days maximum

  Emotions by Hodelpa - Juan Dolió Buffet 3.0 Italian 4.0 Mexican 3.5 Dominican 3.0 Asian never available Pool snack bar 3.0 Coffee shop 4.0 Milwaukee Beer 4.0 (local beer wine free) Room 3.0 Maid service 4.0 Grounds 4.5 General Service 4.5 Bars 3.0 Bar drinks 3.0 Pools 4.0 Beach 4.5 Nightly entertainment 3.0 Front desk 3.5 Airport transport 3.0 Air Canada Rep 2.5 Resort internet 4.5

  Feb 02, 2025
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  Amazing Vacation

  I just got back last night from Juan Dolio. I stayed in the Essentia swim out, our pools were cleaned daily, water was tested daily, yes the swim out pool water is cold but once you get into it your body temperature regulates and it's fine. My room was cleaned daily and we got a plate of fruit twice while there, the fridge was always filled back up with water, beer and sodas. True the hot water took a while to heat up but that didn't hinder my vacation at all. There was a group of 300+ people there with Le Québec Rock au Chaud who were amazing and all the people I met there were super nice. The rock group had shows at noon and at night and the nighttime shows were from 8:30pm to 10:30pm. Was it noisy? Not anymore than any other resort and at least the music was good and not this boom boom discotheque kind of music. Yes people smoked too close to the doors but nothing we can do about it but ask to change that with management. If you don't ask you don't get. It didn't bother me. There was no smoking allowed in the restaurants. The time share guys and the vendors on the beach were persistent but if you say no with a smile and walk away they won't harass you but they will come back the next day. I was firm with the guy with my no and he got it. The food was very good even in the buffet. This resort is extremely clean and all the staff are super nice. Rudh and Catherine and Scarlett in the Essentia check in were amazing! Juan Carlos and Vicente at the Beach bar were wonderful! I recommend the Essentia Caribe as a favourite drink 🍹. I recommend this resort 100%

  Feb 01, 2025
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  A Vacation to Forget

  Pros: • The beach is conveniently close to the resort and makes for a pleasant walk. • The resort is easy to navigate, with no hills or slopes, making it more accessible for those with mobility limitations. • The swim-out rooms are in a shaded area, keeping them cool—including the pool water. This might be a downside for some, but I personally preferred it. • The coffee shop is outstanding. • My room had a small flat-screen TV with working cable, though English channels were limited. • Unlike some other guests, I didn’t experience any water shortages in my room. • The programmable mini-split air conditioner worked well, providing reliable cooling throughout my stay. • No roaches spotted anywhere on the resort. • The small ponds on the property have koi fish and turtles—nice little touch. • The gift shop is well-stocked with essentials. Liquor and cigarettes are reasonably priced: • A 370-375 ml bottle of rum: $7 USD • Cigarettes: $8 USD per pack • Robusto cigars: $10 USD each • 1 lb bags of coffee: $12 USD • They also carried cartons of menthol m cigarettes if that’s your thing. However, stock doesn’t seem to be replenished quickly—I cleared them out of rum, and it wasn’t restocked even after four days. Cons: • Check-In Process: I had to provide proof of payment upon arrival, which required emailing the resort. This seems to be standard practice, but it was a hassle due to spotty cell coverage. • Air Canada Vacations Fail: Upon check-in, I was given a welcome paper from Air Canada Vacations, stating there was an informational meeting in two days at 13:30 in the lobby. When I arrived, no one was there. After asking a lobby staff member, I was sent to the tours office—where multiple other guests and I waited in vain. The representative never showed up. The 24/7 emergency number listed on the paper was out of service. This made it a nightmare to confirm airport transfer details. In case of an emergency, hotel change, or early departure, this could have been a serious issue. Air Canada should review its procedure and representatives. • Frequent Drug Offers: I was repeatedly approached and offered cocaine. One guy even tried to lure me back to his place by saying he “needed help.” As a solo traveler, I stood my ground, but this happened at the beach—less than 50 feet from children. • Elite Collection Sales Tactics: These people are relentless. They’ll offer free massages and gifts to lure you into a 1.5-hour upsell presentation. The best strategy? Ignore them from the start. They’ll even call out to you by your airline. Look for the dark polo shirts and khaki pants, and walk the other way. • Family Resort Reality: This is a family-friendly resort. If you can’t tolerate screaming, crying, and kids running around, this isn’t the place for you. I won’t make this mistake again. • Restaurant Reservation Issues: Booking a restaurant through the website was impossible—there were never any available slots, regardless of the time checked. Calling the front desk didn’t help due to a language barrier, so I eventually gave up. • Language Barrier: Most staff do not speak English. If you’re not fluent in Spanish or French, expect serious communication challenges. A translator app is a must. • Frequent Power Outages: The resort lost power multiple times, mostly overnight. While this isn’t entirely their fault, be aware that the power grid is unreliable. • Distant from the Airport: The resort is 1.5 hours from Punta Cana Airport. If you still decide to come here, ensure your transfer is included. A private one-way transfer costs $150 USD through XPO Tours. • Overpriced Excursions: Booking excursions at the resort is expensive. I paid $190 USD for ziplining and off-roading in a side-by-side that had bad brakes and desperately needed an alignment. • Sewage-Smelling Water: The tap water in my room had a strong sewage odor. • Dirty Beach: While the resort itself is clean, the beach is not. There was trash and broken glass in the sand. I also saw stray cats using it as a litter box and dogs defecating near the ocean. • Poor Swim-Out Pool Maintenance: Unlike the main pool, the swim-out pools aren’t well-maintained. A lot of debris settled at the bottom, and dead bugs were floating in it. Paying extra for these rooms wasn’t worth it. • Uncomfortable Beds: The beds are hard, the pillows are just as bad, and the bed frame has wheels—so it constantly moves, creating a gap where pillows fall through. I slept well the first night due to exhaustion, but my sleep quality got worse each night. • Drinks Are Overpoured: The drinks aren’t watered down, but they’re poured excessively strong—to the point of being unpleasant. • Postcard Prices & Reliability: I like to send postcards when I travel. The gift shop sells them, but stamps are overpriced—$4 USD for basic ones, $5 USD for ones featuring Picasso. Given the unreliable postal service, I’ll be mailing mine from home instead. • Unpredictable WiFi: Some nights, I could stream movies without buffering. Other nights, I couldn’t even load Facebook. If I hadn’t had Bell’s Roam Better plan, I don’t know how I would’ve managed. If you’re planning to work remotely here, reconsider. Final Judgment: While most of the wait staff were friendly, that alone doesn’t make up for the resort’s shortcomings. I would strongly recommend staying in Punta Cana instead—closer to the airport and (hopefully) better managed. This was my second-worst resort experience, and I won’t be returning.

  Feb 01, 2025
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  An amazing resort in the Dominican

  This property is a bit of a ride from the airport, but its by far worth the drive. The property is very well maintained, its open and inviting to all guests. The staff are amazing. On our stay we couldn't have has a better host than Kendy Payano. Kendy was there to assist us in every way every day. He took care of dinner reservations and any other requests we had. Kendy always had time to discuss our stay and provide guidance or advise. The food is superb. We ate at every restaurant and we were always satisfied and happy with the service and the food. It was all first class. I think our favourite part was the coffee shop, it has an amazing selection of coffee drinks. The pool areas are all amazing! Service at the pools is above average and the pools are very clean. As for the beach, i cant say enough positive. Well maintained and spectacular. Some fun rocks out a ways that you can get to safely for standing and exploring. I recommend the resort highly and when you go, tell Kendy that Darryl says Hey brother!

  Jan 30, 2025
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  Not so great.

  We went as a family vacation, two kids (11,12) along with my husband and I. Check in was fairly smooth. The staff are friendly. My issues: Our first morning when walking to the buffet we were approached and were by the concierge team, he was wonderful and helpful but unfortunately it was all just to get us to sit down for the timeshare presentation. He was not honest, he asked if we could meet his boss the next day to give him a review of his service so he could get his bonus. He came knocking at our door at 755am that morning to make sure we would be at the coffee shop doors with our kids for 830. We ended up going and then leaving. The food is terrible, there is no flavour and it’s the same thing everyday. Everyday I had to track multiple people down just for a coffee and it usually didn’t come until I was down my meal. It gets so loud in the evening. We were in block 9 (last block) and we could still hear and feel the thumping that was going on from the front. If you’re wanting a family vacation this is not the place. Everyday you’re asked to upgrade or jut buy things. Everything seems to cost extra at this resort. Bottom line, we would not come back to this resort again.

  Jan 29, 2025