I'm very happy I had an opportunity to read all the reviews beforehand because I felt I knew pretty much what to expect. My boyfriend and I are in our mid-20s, pretty laid back people, and don't really need extreme luxury and gourmet food to have a fun vacation so I had a good feeling, despite the negative reviews, that we were going to have a great time. I do think that there are people who would not enjoy the Viva Wyndham especially if they are accustom to places such as the Sandals, or other luxury Resorts. But when you are booking the trip you should know, from the 3-star rating, that it is not going to be as lavish and luxurious as a 5-star. I thought it was a very good deal for what we received in return!
Many of the staff members are very friendly and fun. Sometimes they may not seem to be overly friendly at first but if you talk to them a bit they are very nice. They have to deal with some rude tourists so they are happy to meet friendly people who are having a fun time. I think a smile and some manners go a long way. Relax, lighten up and you will enjoy yourself!
The animation staff was wonderful! These are the people who run the activities and also perform in the shows at night. They come from all over the world and many speak multiple languages. We chatted with many of them at night after the shows and we were lucky to meet a lot of great people!
The room was fine, nothing special, and it was nice to have a balcony and a small fridge. I definitely understand what everyone says about the bathrooms. They were old and quite run down but it wasn't anything we could not bare. I think they were pretty clean, just old and that was very visible by rust and such. From reading the reviews I knew that most of the bathrooms were like this and it wasn’t worth getting distressed about.
The landscape was lovely with many tropical plants and flowers and some little lizards! We had a garden view, not ocean but it was still a nice view and we were not in the room very often anyway.
The beach was beautiful!! We spent our days lounging on the white sands but if you get restless there are plenty of activities to enjoy. The snorkeling was fantastic! There were so many colorful, tropical fish right off the beach by the coral reef. We heard people say they had been snorkeling many times and this was the best they had seen.
The food at the main dining area was okay. I didn't find too much that I loved but I'm not a big meat eater so I stuck with a lot of pastas and salads. My boyfriend loved it though. We ate at both the Oriental and Italian restaurants and the food was quite good there. The drinks were always good but high grade alcohol is not a necessity for us.
Overall we had such a wonderful time! I definitely would also enjoy a resort where you are waited on hand and foot and everything is sparkly clean and new but, for us, I don't think we would have had any more fun in a 5 star then we did at this 3 star.

Just got back on 4/19 from the Viva in Fortuna Beach with my family (14 of us including children) after spending one week there. I have to say, like many reviews mentioned we were skeptical after reading all the comments and reviews on this resort. Since this timeshare is in the family, we chose their Bahamas location this time and let me tell you, it was a terrific vacation for all of us. The rooms in Building B (which were renovated and I recommend you request that building) were clean and perfectly located with a terrific view of the ocean and beach. The rooms were cleaned daily, no complaints there, and always had beverages delivered to our room in our fridge each day (water, soda & beer). The staff, activities, entertainment, bar & beach bar and service was above average! The food was average, however pretty good variety for all and not too bad quality. The trapeze activity that was added not too long ago at this location was a huge plus for my family and added very memorable moments. Just about everyone in the family tried it, including all of our children ranging from 4-14! They even got to be in a show while we were there for the entire resort! Hats off to the trapeze team of Billy, Chu-Cho, Renee and Angel, they were terrific! The pool was large and clean and the beach was just beautiful, plenty of lounge chairs and the sand was white as snow! The snorkeling right off their beach was terrific loaded with tropical fish, you really never needed to leave the resort, so many water activities for all ages to enjoy. I highly recommend this resort and would return again for sure!

My husband and I just returned from a 5 night stay at Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach, and we had a wonderful time. Like many other reviewers, we were skeptical after reading some of the negative reviews online and we were pleasantly surprised. We booked online through CheapCarribean.com, and had a lovely room in the Bimini buildings (closest to the beach), overlooking the gorgeous beach. Check-in was quick and uncomplicated. The room was a bit far from the check-in desk, but we didn't mind the walk because our room was nice and quiet. There were staff ready and willing to take our bags had we desired.
The room was simple and clean, and the housekeeping staff pleasant and friendly. It wasn't anything fancy, but clean sheets and a shower were all we were looking for and the bed was comfortable (no sagging middle as described in previous reviews). And the view...gorgeous. We didn't have any troubles with the AC (nor did we need it often with low-mid 70's temperatures), but it worked when we needed it. The bathroom had been renovated, and the finish work left something to be desired. However for the price we payed for this vacation, it was something that could be overlooked, and we had no troubles with the shower or toilet, both of which worked fine.
The food was our least favorite part of the vacation. The buffet I'd describe as decent cafeteria-type. Breakfast was the best meal on the buffet with staples such as french toast, pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs. Omelets are made-to-order, and people lined up for them. The fresh-fruit was always good. We had dinner at the restaurants 3 or our 5 nights - twice at the Italian restaurant, which was good (eggplant appetizer excellent, pizza and chicken parmesan were highlights though nothing that knocked our socks off) and once at Bamboo, which was decent as well. The atmosphere was nice at both places, less hectic than the large dining hall where the buffet is served. Burgers and hot dogs were always available in the afternoon if you had a late reservation for one of the restaurants.
The bartenders were friendly and always willing to suggest new drinks to try. On a rare occasion, one may be more quiet than the others, but never rude. We tipped a dollar from time to time, especially if one bartender was doing most of the work. The lines weren't too long for drinks (longest at the beach bar mid-afternoon), and an additional bartender was usually staffed during these times. The wine was pretty terrible...We stuck to the sugary drinks and Kalik beer. We weren't there for the night life, but if that's what you're looking for, I wouldn't recommend the place. We didn't go to the disco, so I can't comment.
And to save the best for last - the beach was just beautiful. The white sand beach goes on and on, and it was very clean which is a testament to the staff who spend the evening picking up the cups from the day's drinks. We enjoyed snorkeling and spoke to several other guests who remarked that the snorkeling was better than most "excursion" trips they'd been on in various locations. The reef isn't far from shore, and many different fish swim along-side you. We brought our own snorkel gear, so we didn't deal with rental equipment. We did kayak, however, and saw a large ray. You can also borrow bikes and ride to Port Lucaya. We took a taxi on the one day it was cooler ($12 each way). It was pretty quiet, nothing too exciting, but maybe enjoyable if you're more of a shopper looking for duty-free buys.
All-in-all, we had a great time. We returned refreshed and relaxed.

we went to this resort being skeptical due to previous reviews...after a week spent there, I must say that we had a really good time:
- service was really good, staff is friendly and helpful
- buffet food was average but ok with a lot of choice. We did not feel like trying either of both restaurants
- the beach was great with plenty of space
- the pool was big enough for everyone
- all non-motors activities are free: snorkeling, kayak and windsurfing and so make your day
- lots of great activities organised: volley ball, trapeze, evening shows (very good considering the staffs were not professional actors!)
- never really waited at the bar. Never tipped either and that was fine.
- do recomment the pizza shop close to the disco...
- do recommend to rent a car to do both excursions (nature and city sightseeing): would save a great deal of money!
- better if the room is located in building B. We were in C and the room was average but ok.

Overall, we spent $950/person for a 7days/6night all included (from NYC & w/ transfer but no extra activities) and that was a well spent choice.