The Viva Wyndham Tangerine is located 30 minutes outside of Puerto Plata. This small resort is just down the beach from the town of Cabarete that is world renown for its kite surfing. While the Tangerine is small in stature, that only adds to its charm and ability to make impression on every guest. The weather is fairly calm, but with kite surfing there must be wind, and there certainly is a lot of it. The ocean can get pretty choppy at times making ocean swimming difficult, but the wind does keep the heat down and the bugs away.
Basic Amenities
The Viva Wyndham is rated as a four star resort by Signature Vacations, and it certainly reaches the four stars. This is rather impressive considering the hotel boast a mere 221 rooms, one main bar, a buffet, and two à la carte restaurants. The majority of the rooms are garden views that are only a minute from the beach, but are of a lower standard than the ocean view rooms found feet from the beach. There is also a second complex on the edge of the Tangerine property but seconds from the beach and main pool called the Viva Palace.
The Viva Palace is a stand alone building a mere fifteen feet from the beach and has its own quiet pool. Anyone from the Tangerine can use this pool, but most choose the main pool, which is larger and hosts activities. For couples or small groups the Viva Palace may be the best location at the Tangerine. It is some distance from the main bar and the all night snack bar, but with the spectacular beach view and the larger rooms, the Viva Palace is worth the extra money.
Food and Drinks
The Tangerine is an all-inclusive resort that offers 24-hour beer and wine in the snack bar and a full service bar in the main building that runs for most of the day. The bar offers a more than adequate menu with bartenders that will be willing to make anything a guest desires. The Tangerine bar even sports a cappuccino and espresso maker to dole out that boast of energy later in the day. The Loft Disco is the resorts late night venue and also contains its own bar, but the disco does not open until very late into the night.
The Tangerine offers a wide variety of food for its guests. Along with a standard breakfast menu, including on demand omelets, there are different lunch and dinner options daily at the buffet and a standing menu at the Mexican and Italian à la carte restaurants. Each guest is offered to try the à la cartes once as part of their all-inclusive package. The Mexican restaurant is superb and the wait staff is absolutely perfect in their menu suggestions and in their speed. The Italian restaurant is perfectly fine, the food is simply not as good as the Mexican à la carte.
Staff and Entertainment
Nearly every single staff member at the Viva Wyndham Tangerine is energetic and eager to make the most out of your stay. The various waiters and bus boys are extremely courteous and helpful. Of course, being on an island that predominately speaks Spanish it may be difficult to interact with some of the local staff, but this will happen at most resorts. The language barrier can be bridged with the knowledge of a few key Spanish phrases and well-practiced universal sign language. If all else fails gesturing at the beer taps or a certain food will bring about positive results.
The Tangerine offers a wide variety of entertainment. The entertainment team is led by the unstoppable Manny who has a real gift for languages. For many of the stage shows Manny will call upon audience members for their participation. There are guests from all around the world and he seamlessly communicates with anyone whether they're from Germany, Canada, or France. From a mock version of the musical Grease to hosting daily games and activities, the entertainment team will do their best to make sure you have a good time.
There are a number of excursions available outside of the resort as well. First and foremost, make sure to only book an excursion with the hotel staff; they know what is reputable and safe to do. The most popular excursions are the Safari adventure that takes guests around the surround area with stops at an elementary school and even a tour of a local home. The Paradise Island tour offers breathtaking views and excellent scuba diving and the chance to relax on a secluded island. The trip to the island is long, but well worth the time and money.
All in all, the Viva Wyndham Tangerine is an all around good resort. It does lack the size and perks that many larger resorts in the area offer, but for the lower cost it is a steal. At the end of the day a guest can expect to get what they pay for and a little bit extra.
For more information on the Viva Wyndham Tangerine and other guest reviews, TripAdvisor has a sizeable collection to consult.
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