Hello, Travel Bugs! Jhon and I stayed three nights at the Bahía Príncipe Luxury Ambar all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana, and this was our experience.
BOOK THIS RESORT:
👉 On Expedia
👉 On Hotels.com
Arrival
The Luxury Ambar is located beachfront in the bottom left corner of the Bahía Príncipe complex and is not reachable by car.
You are dropped off at the Grand Aquamarine hotel lobby and transported to the Luxury Ambar by electric cart.
This was our 17th stay in a Punta Cana all-inclusive resort, and it started with a swift check-in. We pre-checked in on their website, making our in-person check-in only a few minutes long.
They gave us cold face towels and a welcome drink which made an excellent first impression.
Pit Stop at the Coffee Shop
Since we arrived early and our room wouldn’t be ready until 3 PM, we decided to grab a quick snack at the coffee shop.
We love it when resorts have a coffee shop within their amenities; this one was no exception.
It became our favorite spot in the hotel. Here you’ll find sweet and savory snacks, coffee, hot tea, iced tea, and the best cookies we’ve had in a long time.
Pool Bar and Lunch Buffet
We then headed to the pool bar with a wet and a dry side to do my piña colada taste test. The Luxury Ambar piña colada gets a solid B+.
For lunch, we went to the larger of two buffet restaurants, Palmyra, located in the lobby building. Palmyra is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The restaurant is big and beautifully decorated. It has the luxury vibe we expected due to the resort’s name.
The buffet itself is small, but it has a good variety of food. The food we tried was delicious, but the pizza dough could have been thinner.
The service was exceptional as in the rest of the resort; one server, in particular, stood out. If you’ve stayed at the Luxury Ambar, you know who we mean when you hear the words “coffee, coffee!”
After lunch, our eyelids weighed about a ton, so we had some shut-eye time in the peaceful lobby.
We got lucky, and at 2 PM, we were assigned our room on the second floor of building 66, near the lobby.
We booked a Suite Junior Deluxe room and paid $128 per person per night. The space was ample and very comfortable, but more on it later.
Day Entertainment
The entertainment team was very active in the Luxury Ambar, and later that afternoon, Jhon played one of the games they organized, a minigolf game by the beach where the winner got a bottle of Dominican rum.
There were other games during our stay with bigger prizes, like a free couples massage at the spa.
After the game, we went to the pool, where a foam party had started.
People of all ages got really into it, which made it a lot of fun. The Luxury Ambar is an adults-only hotel and is usually expensive, so we were surprised by the younger-than-average crowd and the party vibe.
I wouldn’t describe it as a party hotel like the Riu Republica or the Royalton Chic, but it’s definitely not a quiet hotel either.
The Pool
There is only one pool in this resort. It is big and lively, with music always playing in the background.
The hotel is small, so one pool is enough; however, seating is scarce, and it’s hard to find available lounge chairs by the pool.
Our favorite feature of this pool was the water faucets which gave great massages.
Snacks
After the foam party, we went snacking at Las Olas Beach Restaurant. This is a shared space with guests from all the other resorts in the complex.
We could’ve gone to Las Brisas Beach Restaurant, exclusive for Luxury Ambar guests and therefore less busy, but we didn’t know this then.
Jhon’s snack was very good, but mine was not so much.
Dinner time!
At 7:30, we had dinner reservations at Portofino, the Italian restaurant. Service was excellent, and our appetizers arrived within minutes of ordering.
Jhon’s carpaccio was delicious, but my salad was average. Our main dishes took almost 25 minutes to arrive, which is a long time to wait in an all-inclusive specialty restaurant.
Jhon’s shrimp fettuccini was just ok and had only four small shrimps, and my ravioli were too thick, and I left most of them on the plate.
They redeemed themselves with fantastic desserts; the tiramisu and the cream puffs with ice cream.
We hit the main buffet since we didn’t eat very well at Portofino. There was also a good variety of dishes as there was at lunch.
After dinner, we went to see the karaoke show. Unfortunately, it was delayed by technical difficulties, and since we were tired, we decided to retire to our room.
Our Room
Now let’s talk about the room. We stayed in the cheapest room type; it was comfortable, modern, and well-maintained.
Bathroom
When you enter the room, the bathroom is immediately to your left; it is well-illuminated and contemporary, with an oversized stand-up shower with rain and handheld shower heads.
It has a single vanity, we prefer double vanities, but the extra counter space was well received.
We also appreciated that the toilet was in its own private space, separated by a door from the rest of the bathroom.
On the wall opposite the sink, you’ll find the closet. The space is adequate for two people, and inside there is a pair of bathrobes, which is always a nice touch, an iron with an ironing board, a blanket, and a safe.
Coffee Station & Minibar
Before the bedroom area, there’s a well-stocked coffee station with a coffee maker.
Below the coffee station is the minibar with two cans of Presidente beer, mini alcohol bottles, three bottles of soda, four bottles of water, and sparkling water.
Bedroom
The bed was big and comfy, and we slept great in it.
There was a ceiling fan over the bed which complimented the AC great. Speaking of the air conditioner, it kept the room nice and cold throughout our stay.
The dresser opposite the bed provided enough drawer space, and the bench next to it was a great place to place your luggage and shoes.
The TV had a good size, channel selection, and signal quality.
Seating Area
The seating area by the bedroom was sleek and spotless, which is not always the case in Punta Cana resorts.
The chairs were comfortable and a great addition to the room.
A working station completed the room’s modern look. The space is well illuminated with natural light coming from the balcony.
Balcony
The balcony was small, with basic outdoor furniture, and we didn’t use it much.
The balcony doors don’t provide enough sound isolation, as we could hear the karaoke in our room that first night.
This was the view from our balcony on the second floor of building 66.
Breakfast
Breakfast at Palmyra did not disappoint. There was good variety, and the food tasted great especially the pastries.
After breakfast, we went to guest services to try to book either the Mexican or Indian restaurants, which we really wanted to visit, but there was no availability at the Mexican, and the Indian was closed during our stay.
All the specialty restaurants at the Luxury Ambar require a reservation. You also have access to the restaurants in the other resorts, but it’s harder to get a reservation since they prioritize guests staying there.
Exploring the Resort Complex
The Luxury Ambar shares the Bahía Príncipe complex with five other resorts, and you can also use their pools, so we went exploring.
The Grand Turquesa has a medium-sized pool and two jacuzzis that became our go-to spot when we wanted a peaceful nook.
While the Luxury Ambar is small and easy to walk around, the Bahia Principe complex is significant, and a lot of walking is necessary to move between places.
There are electric cars that take you around the complex, and we found them reliable.
You can also use the pool at the Grand Aquamarine, which is a larger and prettier pool than the one at Grand Turquesa and an area with four jacuzzis.
The Grand Bavaro has another large pool, and right next door, the Grand Punta Cana has the same pool but mirrored.
The Esmeralda Hotel, also part of this complex, was being remodeled during our visit, along with another big pool you would have access to.
Second Day Lunch
During our second lunch at Palmyra, we noticed that the menu, at least in part, was different than the day before, and the same was true the day after for lunch and dinner.
This is unusual and excellent news for people staying a week or longer at this resort since food fatigue is common at all-inclusive resorts after a few days.
The Beach
We went to the beach after lunch. The Bahía Príncipe Luxury Ambar is located on Arena Gorda Beach, one of the best beaches in Punta Cana.
However, the beach area of this hotel was not our favorite.
It is divided into three sections, one for guests staying at all other resorts in the Bahía Príncipe complex, which was messy and felt cramped.
Another exclusive for guests staying at the Luxury Ambar, which was more organized, had more palapas and huts and more space between lounge chairs; and another section for Privilege Club Members.
We noticed seaweed seemed only to be picked up regularly in this section of the beach which we found unfair to the rest of the guests whose section of the beach had quite a bit of seaweed mid-day.
Early the following day, there was no seaweed on the beach which tells us that Bahía Príncipe is doing a good job picking up the seaweed early in the day.
However, They need to do a better job of keeping the beach clean during the day.
The beach was pretty with the characteristic two-tone and calm water, although it was a bit rocky.
Basic Housekeeping
When we returned to our room later that day, we noticed that housekeeping was barebone basics.
They just made the bed, and that’s pretty much it.
Dinner at Limbo
We had an early dinner that day since we could only get reservations at 6 PM at Limbo, the Gourmet restaurant.
This was the best culinary experience at the Luxury Ambar and maybe ever at any Punta Cana resort. The staff was super friendly, and the restaurant’s decoration was splendid.
We first ordered two unique cocktails, the Angel Kiss and the Picasso, which were the best drinks we tried at the resort by far.
The food was superb, beautifully presented, and delicious, as evidenced by our empty plates on every course.
That night, there was a woman singer with a beautiful voice in the lobby area and a band playing in the pool area.
However, the night’s main show was a party by the pool that started with a very cool and well-choreographed fire show.
Amenities
The next morning we hit the gym. It’s small but very well-equipped. We were able to do a full biceps routine with the existing equipment.
The resort is light on amenities due to its small size. Besides the gym, there is an onsite spa which you have to pay to use.
However, the complex has a few amenities you can enjoy.
There are air hockey and pool tables that are pay-to-play. There is a basketball court, two hard surface tennis courts, and an improvised court for kids.
There are cement ping-pong tables, a minigolf course, a foosball table, and a beach volleyball court in the Grand Turquesa.
You can also borrow equipment for water activities like kayaking. The soccer field was closed during our stay; it was in bad shape, so we assumed they were doing some work to it.
There is an area of the Bahía Príncipe complex called El Pueblito, or “the little town,” where the casino and disco are located.
They do some shows and activities here at night, like the Dominican market, which you must pay extra for.
Dinner at M.E.A.T and Other Specialty Restaurants
Our third dinner was at M.E.A.T. Steakhouse. This restaurant had a similar layout to Limbo and was also well decorated.
By our third night, we noticed that the specialty restaurants were warm, as if the AC was not turned on to a cool temperature.
The signature cocktails are unique to each restaurant which is a delightful touch.
The food was good, especially the churrasco; however, the desserts were a bit of a letdown. Mine was average, and Jhon didn’t like his.
Besides the steakhouse, Limbo, and Portofino, the Luxury Ambar has five other specialty restaurants.
The Greek offers Greek food; Thali is the Indian restaurant; Tequila is the Mexican restaurant; The Fish Market serves seafood; and the Brazilian Rodizio.
After dinner, we went to the sports bar. The atmosphere was nice; cool music was playing, pay-to-play pool tables, foosball, and good drinks.
Now let’s give the Bahia Principe Luxury Ambar an actual rated score.
| Value | 20/20 |
| Beach | 5/10 |
| Food | 12/15 |
| Amenities | 12/20 |
| Service | 10/10 |
| Room | 10/15 |
| Drinks | 4/5 |
| Entertainment | 4/5 |
| Extra credit Jhon | 5/5 |
| Extra credit Ari | 0/5 |
| TOTAL SCORE | 82/110 |
If you feel the Bahía Príncipe Luxury Ámbar is the right resort for you, book it using the below links:
*We earn a small commission if you book through these links within seven days of clicking (at no extra cost to you), which helps us grow!
Click here to see where we rank the Bahia Principe Luxury Ambar in our Punta Cana resort rankings.
Click here to see our YouTube video tour of the Bahía Príncipe Luxury Ámbar facilities.
