loved gran bahia, stayed gran bahia principe august 19 august 26 celebration 25th wedding anniversary, booked gran bahia based reviews friends acquaintances, resort greatly exceeded expectations, minute arrived greeted girls wearing traditional costumes men playing merengue waiters bearing glasses delicious fruit juice, way start vacation, greetings hola resonated spacious lobby putting travelers instant holiday mood lasted entire week, upgraded golden club allowed checked enroute airport taken room immediately arrival, rooms gorgeous, neat meticulously cleaned day, bathroom spacious clean, nervous insects rooms country location certainly not case, mini-fridge stocked tip maid 2, usually left 2 5 day, unsure appropriate money tip asked tour guide assured quite generous, canadians used tipping 15 20 thought 5 la cartes little cheap said quite contrary, wait staff restaurants eager accommodate, people smiling tried hardest make stay enjoyable possible, language barrier difficult country did not speak spanish unfair place blame, tried learn little spanish kind fun days communicate locals, wife considering taking spanish lessons people endearing language lovely, bar tenders beach entertainment staff pool/beach quite entertaining, break song dance merengue whomever close bring smile, mood created quite infectious, beach gorgeous lots white sand turquoise waters, easy chairs talapas problem did not beach 11 a.m. easy spend 5-6 hours beach/pool, restaurant beach allowed break lounging refuel round, nightly entertainment fun different evening, villa right oceanfront restaurants close lobby far end resort, walked room restaurants took no 10 minutes, tired took shuttle bus, 5 la carte dinners, ate garden grill french japanese mediterrean italian restaurants, great wife favourite japanese got chef prepare meal, took couple day trips resort order island offer, bavaro runners excellent, outback safari trip dominican republic, eye opener developed countries definite help things perspective, took marina tour included snorkeling swimming stingrays minus stingers nurse sharks herbivores, pretty exciting, not thing wife lacking holiday, wonderful way spend 25th cherish memories forever, planning trip punta cana greatly enjoy, planning staying gran bahia principe not pay attention negative read reviews, read return not believe eyes, concur people unhappy little pleasure, enjoy vacation happy, adios,