Dominican Republic

We are desperate for a trade week 3 to the Caribbean as our Long Beach Club in Barbados is closed and we are already booked with flights into St. Maarten week 2 and out of B'dos week 3. So far we have had no luck getting a trade to SXM or BGI, but there seems to be some availability in the Dominican Republic. Could someone who has been there recommend a resort? How safe is it there? I have been told that Jamaica is a place where you stay at your resort and don't go off the property. Is that the case in DR? I know nothing about this island so any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

The DR is a very poor country, and there's not much infrastructure with tourist appeal (an exception being certain sections of Santo Domingo, but we've never been there). Most resorts are all-inclusive, so you'll tend to stay on the property.

We saw some street life in Cabarete on the road east from Puerto Plata - - that's the north coast of the island and there are resorts near there but the north coast isn't our favorite side (no snorkeling, strong waves).

We enjoyed a week at Viva Dominicus resort near La Romana in the southeast, but there's very little outside the property. So the issue isn't crime, it's just a lack of stuff.

There is one part of the DR, rarely visited, that is very nice for walking around and safe enough too, with world-class beachfront. The town is Las Terrenas, on the Samana penninsula that sticks out from the north-east corner. A lot of expats stay there, and you'll hear as much french and english on the streets as spanish. There's the El Portillo Beach Resort timeshare just outside of town, as well as hotels of various sizes in town. Getting there is either an excruciating 3 1/2 hour drive from Puerto Plata, or a chartered air flight from Santo Domingo into the little airstrip that's across the street from El Portillo.

Las Terrenas:

I'll bet you could win this auction with a $10 bid.
That would be per person, plus $32 each, per night, so a week for two would be about 84*7=$588 with all food and drink included.
Bid Per Person Per Night & Choose Your Length of Stay at the All Inclusive Viva Wyndham Samana in the Dominican Republic!

Of course you have to get there too.
------------------------------------------
Update: The winning bid was $7

last year we went to the Dominican republic and stayed at the life style villas heard what you heard that it was not safe, so we normaly travel with our grand kids in the summer put decide not to take them, will were we ever sorry that we did not take them ,we had aball and they would have too, rented a car drove from Porto Plata to santigo and all over the Island, nite and day, got lost at nite, took about one hour asking about a hundred people for direction (we dont speak Spanish)
finaly some one went and get a guy that speak english and he direct us to were we wanted to go,at no time did my wife and I felt in danger,every one seems to want to help,
Just got back on july 24 from Sandals in Jamaica ,rented a car and drove to to Sandals in Ochio Rios from airport,(2 hrs) drove back to Montego Bay for Dinner at Sandals there and drove to Anchovy to the bird santuary no problem thou I must admit I was not quite comfortable driving around in Jamaica as I felt in Domican republic , And in Jamaica there was no language barrier
Hey but I am from New York and love to walk NYC street at nite, and I have had People from other state ask me: YOU walk NYC at nite Do you have bullet proof vest , bottom line go to the Dominican Republic have fun just use common sence and your gut feeling, dont feel right going some were dont go
:rofl:

rklein001 said:

I'll bet you could win this auction with a $10 bid.
That would be per person, plus $32 each, per night, so a week for two would be about 84*7=$588 with all food and drink included.
Bid Per Person Per Night & Choose Your Length of Stay at the All Inclusive Viva Wyndham Samana in the Dominican Republic!

Of course you have to get there too.

Click to expand...

It looks nice but, unfortunately, the offer is only good until December 20 and we are going in January. Thanks.

Nancy,

We stayed in Cabarete a year ago and loved it. You definitely get to mix with the locals but we enjoyed them and they were polite to us. We stayed at an II resort but have had friends who stayed at Club Sabitini and loved it. There is a brand new RCI resort in Cabarete too that is a GC. Samana is also supposed to be beautiful. It is true the beaches in Cabarete are more like the sand here on the east coast of the states but the town is fun, the water is beautiful and it is a world apart.

Ironically, we had an exchange into the same II resort for next July. II called three days before the dreaded LBC letters came to tell us the resort was closed for major renovations all summer 2008. After 8 years of successful exchanges, within one week, I found myself with 12 plane tix--6 to DR and 6 to BGI and no place to stay. . . .

Karen

What a shame!

Karen, I am so sorry to hear of your misfortune. It puts my one week in January in better prospective! Thanks for the info on DR. I am currently bidding on Skyauction and have widened my options with RCI. I discovered that Liat flies to just about any island we would be interested in so I am hoping for something there.

DR has wonderful beaches in the Punta Cana area, but besides laying on the beach there is not much to do or explore. It's not safe to travel off your resort area and explore the area around. I did not stay through a timeshare it was an Iberostar resort. The AI food is mediocre at best and you don't really have other meal options.

Lifestyle villas Dominican Republic

brother coony said:

last year we went to the Dominican republic and stayed at the life style villas heard what you heard that it was not safe, so we normaly travel with our grand kids in the summer put decide not to take them, will were we ever sorry that we did not take them ,we had aball

Click to expand...

Did you stay at RCI resort #6993, LHVC @ Lifestyle Crown Villas in Puerta Plata? Or anyone else stay there? What can you tell me about it? It looks fantastic. Private villa with your own pool. I've just been wondering if it is wonderful as it looks on the RCI website. Any information appreciated. Thanks.

http://www.lifestyleholidaysvc.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=40
http://www.lifestyleholidaysvc.com/frontpage_video/frame8.htm

looks better than Westin St John. im actually impressed.

ScotLass,

Also check out http://www.debbiesdominicantravel.com/

and http://www.dr1.com/ - click on the travel tab near the top of their homepage


Have fun on your trip

Richard

Thanks so much to everyone for your information. It really helps a lot.

jtridle
Looking a same resort as you- those private pools sure look good. Is it a case of looks too good to be true? Thinking of booking for summer 08 for daughters graduation family vacation. Just don't know if 2 teens would be bored.

Dgd & JT,

I think you've seen the Lifestyle Crown Villa Reviews on Debbie's Dominican Republic site

and also Lifestyle Crown Villa Reviews from TripAdvisor


Richard

hiya

Were from glasgow and just flew with thomson cook to puerto plata for a 2 wk stay at the hacienda tropical. id say its a 3 star resort but classed as a 4. we had a gr8 time, weather was gr8 2. we bought into their vip status and now have 3500 destinations worldwide to go on more hols, check this out www.lifestyleholidaysvc.com. you would have the chance to sign up over there. if u need more info im on msn as scotsgent@msn.com

Kenrabs said:

DR has wonderful beaches in the Punta Cana area, but besides laying on the beach there is not much to do or explore. It's not safe to travel off your resort area and explore the area around. I did not stay through a timeshare it was an Iberostar resort. The AI food is mediocre at best and you don't really have other meal options.

Click to expand...

We stayed at an Iberostar in Puerto Plata and the food was excellent, there was something for everyone, especially at the buffet. It had a strong authentic Spanish (as in Spain - not central/south America or Mexico) cuisine, given that the Iberostar hotels are from Spain.
Away from the resorts there's not much available - we hired a car and went into the hills, the scenery is lovely. As Karen said, Cabarete is quite lively and enjoyable. Really just a beach vacation and forget about any shopping, unless Santo Domingo is different - we didn't go there. The idea of about 31/2 hrs by car on those roads isn't exactly exciting.

If you need any info on lifestyle Holidays i own there and can advise you of it i just got back june 29th we had a great time, post your questions and ill answer as best as i can

RCI has some good stuff on extra vacations. There is a brand new Moon Palace in the DR and the AI fee is half off from Jan 10-31. It is a pretty upscale place from what I have read- you can see it at www.palaceresorts.com
the rental fee is $400 or so. I think the AI is around a grand but remember you are not trading a week either. There are many more places to choose from at RCI.

My 24 year old teacher daughter and I spent Spring Break at the Cayena Golf Resort in the Dominican Republic. This resort is much newer than the sister resort the Cayena Beach Resort. It was a getaway that was available through II and we took a gamble and went there.
The resort was within walking distance to the ocean and the main resort.The personnel there were very prompt with giving us golf cart rides back in the evening. Everyone was very kind and hospitable.
Because my daughter wanted to see more than the resort area, we signed up for a bus tour of a local school and church. That was a very eye opening experience and I am glad that we went. If you decide to go on a tour, the children are very grateful for any supplies such as paper, spanish books, pencils, etc that you donate. It came across that these children are very grateful for the opportunity to go to school.
Yes, given the opportunity, I would go back again!
If you want anymore specifics, please send a personnel email.
Good Luck

Our in-laws and friends just stayed at the Gran Marien Oasis and said it was excellent. They got a trade through Interval International. There was an optional AI plan - you could even choose it (or not) by the day. As I recall, they said it was $40/day/person, and the food was very good and plentiful. The fridge was also stocked with water, sodas, and beer when they arrived. (It was just a mini-kitchen, but they were ok with that). When they arrived their 2 bedroom wasn't ready so the resort put them in two separate 1 bedroom units for the first night, and then gave them 2-3 days of AI at n/c to make up for the inconvenience.
They were really happy with this resort.