Just returned from a 7-day stay at Agua. We decided to try it despite reservations after reading some Tripadvisor reviews. We were happily surprised. There are definite pluses and minuses but this is a new resort and management really tries. In our opinion Agua has what it takes to become a 5 star resort.

Pluses: Beautiful, open layout around a meandering pool complex. The landscaping was thoughtful and made nice use of the local flora although a few plants looked unhappy. The rooms were very large, well laid out and beautifully appointed with local stone, woods, and thatched roofs. The beds and linens (Frette) were extremely comfortable and the bathrooms w/outdoor showers and tubs were really luxurious. All of the staff was genuinely kind and considerate and we never felt pressured in any way. The spa with its unique pools were an oasis of tranquility; soothing music, refreshing healthy drinks and lovely indoor/outdoor lounging areas. We didn't partake of any of the spa services but used the pools, baths and lounges everyday. The gym was perfectly adequate with a decent mix of cardio and weight machines. The Front Desk was always attentive and helpful, all our taxis and scheduled activities were exactly on time and follow up phone calls to confirm were made. Since Agua is so small (55 rooms) all of the guests there were friendly and there was a congenial sense of shared pleasure. Most of the guests were from Europe or So.America and all (except for 1 very unhappy lady) were well mannered and relaxed.

Minuses: It's true that the food is not up to par but it is definitely edible. Breakfast (included) was a buffet selection that was more than adequate; eggs any style, yogurts, fresh fruits and pastries (not so good).It was the same everyday and by the time we left we had it down to eggs, yogurt and fresh mango. Some days we went to the restaurant but most days we ordered in as our villa was so huge and comfortable. Lunch ended up being tuna fish salad sandwiches (Very good) We tried the burger (too spicy) and the caesar salad (too much dressing)and were enticed by the smell of the garlic shrimp (never did try them). For dinner we went next door to the Sivory for some very good food. Its a 3-minute walk on the beach; totally safe, romantic and worth it. They have 3 restaurants: Gourmet, Asian and Casual. I did partake of the special de gustacion dinner o the beach at Agua on Thursday night and it was very good. I was told they are adding another restaurant soon.

The weirdest minus at Agua was the agua. On arrival we were upgraded to a huge 2-bedroom villa w/2 living rooms and private plunge pool. It was amazingly spacious and sophisticated.. The only problem was that we couldn't get the water temperature to work in the bathrooms and we had to take scalding hot showers. The outdoor bathtub kept beckoning me but it took hours to fill and would have cooked us alive. We didn't complain and made good use of the spa facilities which had better temp controls. I stayed on an extra 2 days after my family left and moved to a regular room (also huge and lovely). In that room I couldn't get much hot water...definitely some kinks to work out there.

Despite these minor things we would return in a heartbeat. Yes, the 1.5 hour drive on crummy roads was annoying and the food is not great but Agua's proximity to NY, overall physical beauty and excellent service makes it worth a return visit.

Definitely go horseback riding on the beach and ask for Fausto. My 13-year-old daughter just wanted to gallop full speed on the beach so that's what we did for an hour. It was fantastic! Even the horses are happy and relaxed. We also walked south along the beach to the mega hotels (Excelence and Sirenese) just for fun and some shopping. There are lots of little shacks along the beach selling the same over priced trinkets, paintings and mamajuana (a local, herbal aphrodisiac...)It was fun to look around and the shopkeepers were friendly and not pushy or aggressive. But we really appreciated the serenity and natural beauty of the Agua and couldn't wait to get back to our intimate oasis.

The good: The Agua is a stunning and beautiful resort. The rooms are wonderful. Housekeeping is excellent. The staff is very nice. The beach is great – you can walk for miles and miles.

The bad: The main pool had no water and they tried to keep it a secret and so did not inform our travel agency! There was only one restaurant open and the food was not very good.

This resort has the potential to be a Four Seasons, but it needs at least one additional restaurant (and more guests). Basically, the management does not seem to be capable of making the Agua the luxury resort it could be.

As as the amenities of the resort are concerned, Agua is a great resort. Think Aman-Light. The rooms are very large and well designed. The public areas are also very nice. The beach is beautiful. But...there is a very big but. 1) The resort is very far from the airport and the road to get there is terrible. 2) Only a handful of the resort' 50+ rooms were occupied so the place was Deadville 3)The food was disgusting, primarily because there was no volume of visitors 4) the spa services were lame 5) the service was well-intentioned but very clumsy. In addition, there was no attention to details. For example, the music was a short list of 15 merigue-like songs that kept playing over and over and over... It was really attrocious. But on a positive note, if Agua gets any significant levels of business and becomes more professional at hosting premium visitors, it could become a fabulous destination.

My husband and I booked our trip to Agua in January once we decided on the Dominican. Quite simply, the resort looked like the most beautiful in Punta Cana. It looked like it was exactly what we were looking for - a small boutique like resort, peace, quiet, thatch roof huts on the beach, and great scenery. We also considered the Sivory (right next door) but this looked nicer.

After seeing some negative reviews on this website, we began to get a bit anxious in the days leading up to our trip. Most complaints centered around the food being unbelievably bad, bugs, and non-English speaking service. Undeterred, we went ahead with the trip.

Our trip started off on a rocky note. We arrived at the airport on time and instead of being met by a rep from the resort for our transport to Agua, there was no one there. Worse, as my husband was dialing the international number incorrectly on his phone, we couldn't get through to the resort. Finally, we asked a random travel agent if he could call the resort and find out where our car was. He did so and they located the driver. We ended up waiting an additional half hour before he finally showed. For full disclosure - due to a passport snafu we changed our flight by one full day so its possible that the new details were lost in translation. However, I emailed the new itinerary the day before we left and I received a reply from the resort. Anyway, we put this small inconvenience behind us and moved on.

The trip to the resort lasted an hour. Contrary to all the horror stories, its not a terrible trip. Again, you're in a 3rd world country which as you will see does not have a great deal of infrastructure. There does not seem to be any motor vehicle rules on these roads. But the driver was very nice and the trip was painless.

We got to the resort and realized what we were spending our money on... the place is beautiful. We've been to Las Alamandas in mexico, the Nui in Bora Bora and Le Taha'a in Taha'a. This place is comparable with these locations from a scenery and room perspective. We were greeted with a cocktail at the open air check in area and were then escorted to our room #22 - right on the beach. Seriously, you walk out of the bedroom and you're standing on a patio with a plunge pool to your right and palm trees and a beach in front of you.

We were there for 3 nights and, maybe because we were there in February, we didn't experience any issues with mosquitos. After reading these reviews, we brought down our own bottle of Off (they also provide one in the rooms). we barely needed it.

The Food: Better than expected. Listen, you're in the Dominican and this resort - like the country - is still a bit of a work in progress. They have not mastered American cooking. The only misstep we had with the food was when I ordered a Club Sandwich whcih wasn't very good at all. From that point on we asked what there "especiales" were or ordered the steak or fish dishes. These were very good and the presentation of it was on par with good restaurants in New York. The service was also terrific. If you eat somewhat like the locals do your dining experience will be great. The best food we had was when we had a beach dinner as a part of our package and we just sat down and they started bringing out food - we didn't order anything. The dinner was a huge plate of seafood paella which was tremdendous - let alone the fact that we were sitting on the beach with a glass of champagne each looking out at the waves with the moon above. The breakfast - the only iffy part. It was ok - passable, nothing more.

The language: Yes, you're in a Spanish speaking country. As I mentioned above, this place is still new and developing. Not everyone there is fluent - or even passable - with English. However, this was never an issue and my husband and I can barely speak 15 words of Spanish. Bring a Spanish translation book. It's fun and they will appreciate you trying.

I personally had a small issue with the amount of garbage on the beaches once you walked outside of the hotel property but, that's just a personal gripe and it was outside the hotel property.

To address some other comments I've seen on this site - we never experienced any issues with overbilling or phantom charges on our bill upon check out.

Bottom line: If you're looking for relaxation and great service in a beautiful and peaceful environment then this place is for you. If you're looking for tons of activities and a party atmosphere - you should look into the all inclusive places that Punta Cana is mostly known for.

We're looking forward to returning - hopefully soon.