I know this is a little late but I did promise to write a review on my trip to Bluebay Villas, as I read lots reviews on trip adviser for months before my holiday!

My partner and I went to Bluebay for 2 weeks on 24th Aug 2009. What can we say? It was Fanfookingtastic!! We loved every minute of it and have booked to go back for 2 weeks in April 2010!

The hotel itself is lovely, small blocks of rooms no more than two storeys high. The grounds are kept immaculate and the staff are always polite, friendly and helpful. The rooms are nice and big, ours had two double beds, a balcony, walk in wardrobe, small fridge and tv with some good channels for those dossy mornings when you can't be bothered to get up just yet!

The food was also good, completely spoilt for choice! From fresh fruit to meaty dishes to loads of cakes for pudding - there is surely something for everyone! The omelette's for breakfast are a must! The three restaurants we also brilliant. My favourite was the oriental followed by the grill. Fish is not really my thing but my partner loved it! When the waiter came to take our order he couldn't decide on the mussels or calamari but he decided to go for the calamari in the end. When they bought the food out, they gave me my starter and gave him both calamari AND mussels! He was made up! Also in the grill, my partner finished his steak and the guy came over and asked if he'd like another piece! So you will not go hungry!

The animation team were amazing! So funny and friendly! They are a brilliant group of people and they all work so hard for little money. The will keep you busy with crazy games and drinking competitions - but only if you want to! A polite no and they leave you alone!

Trips: We did paradise island, the catamaran and the outback safari. All three were brilliant for different reason. Paradise island is a must as it's beautiful. The catamaran was drinking, snorkelling, drinking followed by drinking! The outback safari is a real eye opener. You get to see the beautiful country and the lovely people, visit schools, homes, plantations and take a river ride! Brilliant days out, would recommend all 3!

Other than the above trips, we spent most days down the beach or in the pool with the swim up bar. That is what we want from a holiday though. If you want more activity than that, this is not the place for you. People moan about the beach vendors on here all the time but I did not find them a problem. It's no different than what you would get in Spain! They are trying to make a living, but if you say no thanks they leave you alone! Some of them go on a bit but I just ignore them and they soon went away.

So overall we had a fab time! Made some good friends, had lots of laughs, came home totally relaxed and really tanned, hence why we are going back next year, and probably the year after that!! ENJOY!!

Just returned this week, and we miss it already. We booked it with Thomas cook, and were amazed at what a fab hotel this was as soon as we arrived, we had read so many good reviews and were worried about our expectations, but these were all met, and we can honestly say, this was the best hotel we have ever stayed in!

Hotel; well, what can i say, beautiful grounds, was decorated to a high standard, four poster beds scattered everywhere. The pools were great, a spa pool for relaxation which was wonderfully candle lit at night, with a Jacuzzi, a main pool with a pool bar and another pool for activities, all within close reach of one another.

Food & drinks; The food in this hotel was fantastic for an all inclusive, and gave loads of choice, my fav was the breakfasts, bacon, hash browns, freshly made smoothies, pancakes, you name it! It’s easy to pile on the pounds here. Lunchtime was just as nice and evening meals. Puddings were fab. The 3 sit down restaurants were also very nice, my fav was the steakhouse, me and my partner loved the steaks here! However, the Chinese and seafood restaurants were also nice.

Staff; Always polite and willing to help in any way they can, you can even have a cushion for your feet whilst eating! Maids changed the towels twice a day, inc beach towels and sometimes made the bed whilst we were at dinner. The animation team were amazing, talented, fun people whom created a great atmosphere and some of the best shows we have ever seen on holiday, their dancing was amazing to watch! Thanks to teddy bear, James bond and the team, we had a great time!!

Beach; Beautiful beach, but slightly cloudy at hotel, so if you walk ten minutes to the left, you find clear blue waters and white sands...good for snorkelling!! You can quite happily fall asleep on the four poster beds down there! You do get hassled by the beach vendors alot but if you give them a polite no thanks, they won’t bother you at all.

Trips; We did quite a few trips, starting with horse riding at Lorilla ranch, was a little on the expensive side but well worth it as the horses were healthy and it was great fun being able to trot with them and go on a PROPER horse ride, seeing the Dominican countryside was fantastic! We went on the waterfalls safari also, a bit scary as you have to climb 7 waterfalls and then get down byeither jumping or sliding, glad I did it though. We also did the Buggies (you get very muddy, be warned, esp if it rains the night before) but is great fun ;)), paradise Island (a must) and our own trip to Sousa. We booked our trips through Pedro at the front desk in the hotel, and he was fab! We got them slightly cheaper than the Thomas cook rep and we got great service, as you can view videos of the trip before choosing them, and we got a refund for one we wanted to cancel so I would def recommend booking through him!

Weather: Boiling everyday!

The only negative thing I have to say about it was that me and my partner had upset stomachs nearly all holiday, but obviously that happens in countries like the Dominican, and there is no way of telling why, as we went on so many trips and the hotel is very hygienic, it could easily be the ice in the drinks.

ps; Outside the hotel is a golf course, and there is also lots of nightlife nearby.

Anyway, we would not hesitate to go back to this hotel at all!

Thanks to all staff at the Bluebay!

Just returned from the Bluebay and although not perfect nothing is, the plusses by far outweigh the negatives.
The Bluebay is by far the friendliest hotel we have ever been to, you are treated more like their family than a guest
It was very clean with good food, some maybe not to everybody’s taste but well presented and mostly covered from flies. The animation team were exceptional and crazy especially Lorenzo, Angie, Carina, Teddy Bear, James Bond and of course Rambo.

The a la carte restaurants were very good although the Oriental may not be to everyone’s taste, again a special mention to Francis and Lucia at the grill and fish restaurants.

Nice beach and pool areas all kept very clean, in fact the staff worked like beavers the day we had Dominican Snow when the resort looked like a disaster area after ash falling with the burning of the sugar cane fields.

The rooms were not perfect but clean, they could have done with a bit more décor like pictures etc, our room had no drawers which I found unusual and the bathroom was a bit tight when two of you are trying to get ready at the same time. Also I have never been to a beach resort anywhere in the world where all rooms do not have either a balcony or patio, I paid Thomas Cook £112 extra for one and when arrived got a room without one but this was changed without any problem.

Re the beach dogs they are still being looked after and as far as I know two pups are still surviving.
Have been twice to the South and the North by far out ways the South for generally friendliness with the exception of the airport departures where the staff are the most unfriendly I have met at any airport and I have travelled all over the world, they totally spoil the friendliness shown by general Dominican public during our holiday. The bureaucracy is unbelievable and staff very rude, at passport control the official took both our passports and handed my wife’s back to her and when she walked off screamed at her to come back as he had not stamped it, he was too busy talking to colleagues, at security the guard took my wife’s expensive perfume off her which was only 65mls you do not do that to my wife and after an argument he gave it back but refused to give us trays to put our bits and bobs in to go through security which resulted in me going through the security barrier with my mobile, inhaler and keys with a metal fob on them and guess what I never got stopped.

Re the VIP lounge again we had a bad experience, the previous correspondent must have been lucky, it was full with hardly a seat, the barman was obviously having a bad day and when we asked for sandwiches he growled they are coming, we had to ask another three times, by that time we were called to board immediately as the last call had been made, there were about 20 of us on that flight in the lounge and nobody had been informed of the first call, not worth the money.

All in all that will not stop us returning to the Bluebay, thanks for a great holiday.

This was my first trip to the Carribean so I can only compare it to the Maldives where we normally go.

The food did get a little repetitive. Breakfast, lunch, snacks and desserts are always very slight variations of the same thing. The buffet food isnt served hot so if you be prepared for this is you like your food hot! There could have been more local/aithentic dishes, the food was very much geared towards the UK - roast potatoes, lasagne, pasta, meat in sauce. The steak house was great, would definitrly recommend.

Rooms are very big and basic, could do with livening up with some pictures or something. Free porn channel was a great bonus! Air con is turned off in the day but you can ask for it to be switched on. Each room has a safe but you have to pay $21 per week for them to turn it on! Bit of a rip off in my opinion.

The entertainment and waiting staff really try to please and especially the entertaining staff made a real effort.

Pretty resort, no building over 3 stories, well tended gardens & beach area. It didn't feel too busy despite the large number of guests. 20 min airport transfer is great.

Fab variety of drinks and cocktails. Smoothies at breakfast a must!

Thomson flights are rubbish! £5 to have the decent films/games switched on and you have to pay for your drinks/snacks. You also only get one pair of earphones per return journey - so you have to take them with you to the resort and back again. But no-one tells you this!

If you're splashing out on this resort then I'm sure you'll be impressed by what's on offer. If you're having a credit crunch holiday then manage your expectations. Remember, you get what you pay for!