Sunwing Travel Group review: Ocean Blue and Sand, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

We recently stayed at the H10 resort, Ocean Blue and Sand in Punta Cana, and to say our experience was extremely disappointing is an understatement.

We flew with Sunwing from Canada. Upon landing, the Sunwing kiosk at PUJ was overwhelmed, with about 8 people ahead of us. A young man, wearing a Sunwing sun hat and orange shirt, approached us. We are a family of 3 with a 1-year-old. He asked if we were awaiting our shuttle. When we said yes, he checked our information and informed us we were on bus number 33, which would be a 45-minute wait in the 35-degree weather, with a baby in tow.

I couldn't believe it. I checked with the flustered gal at the kiosk, and she confirmed it was correct. They did not mention we could wait in an air-conditioned bus; instead, they brushed us off and asked if we wanted to pay an extra $40 USD for private transport. We stated we had no idea about this option, and they further commented that our travel agent should have informed us.

With no choice, and with a baby, we paid the $40 USD for the private transport.

From the moment we arrived at Ocean Blue & Sand, the check-in process was disorganized. The front desk staff were unhelpful and did not provide clear information regarding navigating the resort. They insisted we go with someone in grey pants and a white shirt, who, as we later found out, was a timeshare salesperson.

Our room wasn’t ready. I asked for my Sunwing rep, and they said the person in grey pants and a white shirt would guide us and show us the Sunwing rep. This person turned out to be a timeshare/privilege salesman.

We went to the buffet while waiting for our room. It took nearly two hours just to get our room keys.

The room itself was another letdown. It was outdated, with a broken bed and red stains on the white couch. We were in room 4116. We reported the broken bed upon checking in, but the staff did nothing.

On the second day, we did not receive housekeeping service, and our stained sheets were not changed. We had to call to get the service. The front desk mentioned it was because it was election day in the DR and staff were away. How is that acceptable? We also found bugs in the bathroom, which was unacceptable for a supposed luxury resort. This was documented via email and shared with Ezequiel Alvarez, their concierge rep.

Again, I asked for my Sunwing rep and was told someone would take me to her. No one did. I found her, Lenni, and shared my experience. She was apologetic but did nothing.

Instead, I was taken to the timeshare/privilege offices next to the buffet to try to enroll me in their loyalty program and discourage me from using Sunwing again.

The food was another major issue. The buffet quality was subpar. Several times, dishes were cold and seemed stale, especially at Villa Maria.

The specialty restaurants were no better, with long wait times and an app that didn’t work to reserve. In one instance, at Sensai, their Japanese restaurant, we reserved for 3 people and had a plate setting for our 1-year-old, but the chef said he did not get any food because he ‘didn't make enough.’ So my son had no rice to eat. The chef couldn't find it in his heart to make just a bit of rice for our son. Not even rice.

On our fourth day, we found a cockroach in our bathroom. We reported it to the front desk, and again, nothing was done.

On day five, I was feeling unwell and asked the front desk for advice on where to get medicine. They did not mention they had a clinic on-site or that they sold medicine at the resort shop. They only mentioned they could call a local pharmacy to have medicine delivered. The medicine totaled $190 USD, with one particular medication costing $35. I was shocked, but given the urgency, I paid.

Later that day, as we were visiting the resort shops, I noticed the store did indeed have medicine. I asked for the exact same medicine bottle and amount, and it was $4 USD! How is an 8x markup acceptable? Or was this just another scheme by the front desk to grift money from us? I documented this and shared it with the guest services rep, Plutonia, and again, nothing was done.

On day six, there was no hot water, and when we ran the tap, the water was black. We reported it again to the front desk, and again, nothing was done.

By day six, we also realized the beach had sand fleas, as we were all itching unconditionally.

The staff seemed indifferent to these issues, providing lackluster service and showing little concern for guest satisfaction. Their only interest was directing us to their timeshare people to engage in their tourist scam.

Overall, Ocean Blue and Sand in Punta Cana is a tourist trap. They fail to meet even the most basic expectations. For the price we paid, we expected much more in terms of cleanliness, service, and overall quality.

As for Sunwing, we trusted you to provide us with an enjoyable vacation. This was nothing short of a nightmare for me and my family.

Their response was: we cannot control the experiences of our guests.

Just completely washed their hands and accepted no accountability for referring to and offering much a despicable resort. Once our money is in their hands, all aspects of service and respect are out the door.

I would not recommend this resort to anyone looking for a relaxing and enjoyable vacation. Furthermore, this experience has severely damaged our trust in Sunwing, and we will never use your company again.

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