Sunscape Casa Del Mar - Resort Review

Our trip was booked through Cheap Caribbean as a last minute deal for a supposedly 4-star resort costing almost $2,000 for the two of us to go for a week. Unfortunately it didn’t start off too well. Our luggage was lost on the way down when we transferred in Pittsburgh. The staff at the airport in Santo Domingo (we flew US Airways) was rude, did not seem to care, and couldn’t speak English.

Leaving the airport our transportation to the resort (which was arranged through the package with Cheap Caribbean) seemed unsafe, was extremely cramped and there was no air conditioning. It took two agonizingly long hours for us to finally arrive. The transportation company was called Turinter.

When we finally arrived at the resort our chief priority was finding some clothing. We went to the only gift shop in the resort offering clothes and they tried to charge $35 for a pair of used shorts that seemed like they had just been left behind by another guest. When we tried to contact the airline we went to look for the internet in order to find the number. They told us that internet was only available in the internet cafe for $4 for 15 minutes. When I took out my laptop I noticed there was a wireless signal, but I was promptly told to close it and that I was not allowed to use my own laptop. We later found out that the signal was strong enough to reach the adjacent lobby and bar so we used our laptops from there for the rest of the trip.

Our first room was extremely disappointing. We had been in contact with the resort as well as with cheap Caribbean explaining that we were a couple traveling together for a romantic vacation and that we would like a room with just one bed. When we arrived our room had two beds that were both broken (they became detached from the wall and the headboards collapsed). After several attempts to have them repair the beds and move us to a room with a single bed we were constantly told it would happen tomorrow. It finally happened three days later and to our surprise, the new room had no working air conditioner and the bed had bugs in it. They tried to fix the AC but it didn’t work and it was hell sleeping at night with the humidity.

On our first morning when we woke up and were ready to go eat, we got to the buffet (the only thing open). the resort advertised that food is ALWAYS available and that they have seven restaurants but we were too late. After 10am they pull all of the food from the buffet and you’re stuck with just fruit and yogurt.

The restaurants at night were mostly nice except for the fact that they say there are SEVEN restaurants… BUT they rotate between the 7 and only have them open 1 or 2 per evening. The food was pretty decent and our favorite place to eat was the Italian restaurant and we had a great waiter named Eddie for the 3 times we ate there.

Most people eat at the buffet. Its like a mob scene and there are long waits and the food is not kept sanitary. The one thing that angered us the most was that it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to get a glass of water. They run around giving you coffee but each and every single time we asked for water, they would walk off and never come back.

As people know, alcohol is included at this resort, but they try to trick you at the restaurants by having you buy bottles of wine and leaving out the fact that they have a FREE house wine which is conveniently not listed on the menu.

During the days, they have people they allow onto the resort to set up tables around the main pool. Some of the things you can buy is really cool but they try to screw you real good. I got ripped off with a painting I purchased but that is my fault for not thinking clearly and i REALLY love the painting. Be aware that when you look at things for sale, they will take your hand, wrap the item up and tell you “no worries about money, you take it and come pay later i trust you’.. It makes things really uncomfortable and is almost impossible to say no. We didn’t pay to go to a resort where they allow people to force us to spend money on things and it is not safe for the resort to be allowing non resort employees onto the property at ANY time.

Jon and I are a gay couple and some really bad things happened to us at the resort that ended up with us having to call the US Embassy after having our lives threatened so that we could leave the resort early. I wrote all about it on my blog and you can see it here: http://www.adensblog.com/sunscape-casa-del-mar-dominican-republic-review-casa-del-hell/ . I am not writing details of it in this review as this review is for the hotel in general so people are aware of what they are getting themselves into when they think about going to this resort.

Some of the excursions look SO cool. We had booked 2 of them. 1 horseback riding to a place they call the national park but we ended up finding out that its actually a horse ride through a garbage dump. The other excursion we cancelled last minute due to safety issues and the horrible things that happened to us that i wrote about in my blog here: http://www.adensblog.com/sunscape-casa-del-mar-dominican-republic-review-casa-del-hell/ .

When we went to go ride horses, we took a taxi to the ranch. When we got there we had to immediately go back to the resort as we have never seen horses being treated so cruelly. You can also read more about that on my blog.

The money exchange is horrible. They always keep the change and the exchange rate is insane. If you travel down there, be sure to exchange the money before you go.

The resort advertises that snorkeling, kayaking and all that other fun stuff is included in your stay. Jon and I went 3 times to try to snorkel and they tried to make us pay every single time and the building that you have to walk to on the beach is literally RIGHT on the border or the resort and the public beach and it is very unsafe. They do not have security guards there and trust me they should. Especially after everything that happened to us which again, is all written on my blog.

We ended up having to spend most of our vacation in the lobby due to what happened to us. It was the only place we felt safe. We made friends with 2 of the lobby bar staff members Viviana and a gentleman that worked with her, they were amazing to us.

As for other people on the resort, i do have to say that we met some great friends and will always remember them. BUT some of the people are so mean to the staff and they don’t tip. Jon and I tipped EVERY time we got a drink. Its the right thing to do. Those people work so hard to make us happy and so many people sit there all day at a bar without giving a penny to these people. It really upset me. Also, we aren’t sure if there was some holiday in France but the resort was PACKED with hundreds of RUDE french people. We all know that most French people hate us Americans but we did not expect to have to deal with their rudeness in the Dominican Republic. If i want to be treated like crap, pushed out of line when waiting for a drink, then i will go to France

To sum it all up I need to give this resort a 3 out of 10. I have been to Punta Cana before and it was incredible. They call this place Casa Del Mar, we call it Casa Del Hell. Every time we needed help it sorta just got blown off. Most of the staff at the reception desk are rude. The concierge was amazing and tried everything to help us after we got attacked but it did not work out in the end and I am taking legal action for what happened. The resort is really pretty but it is not as advertised and 100% not safe so we will never be traveling there again.

If you want to read the horror story in detail it below. http://www.adensblog.com/sunscape-casa-del-mar-dominican-republic-review-casa-del-hell/