Dominican Republic

Legacy_user

Hi, am looking into going here during Nov/Dec and wondered what the weather was like during this time, and also what your thoughts are of this place as a holiday destination...

Hotel we are looking at is Dreams La Romana in Bayahibe

Still need to look through Trip Advisor to read up on the resorts but would appreciate any comments here if you've been... Thanks in advance..

cookie_monster

Hi we went to DR a few years back for our honeymoon late October time and the weather was fantastic, the people there was very friendly and the food was great. This is the hotel we stayed in;

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g147290-d150887-Reviews-BlueBay_Villas_Doradas-Puerto_Plata_Dominican_Republic.html

We only stayed for a week which we think was long enough.

Davidboy

Hi, sorry comment on weather as we went in the summer July/August time, but be prepared for how poor the people are. We were quite shocked! Not that they weren't happy with their lot and yes they were very friendly and hospitible, just a little warning thats all.


D

claireac

We went in June last year and absolutely loved the place!! It's a beautiful island, although the people are incredibly poor as pp said. The sight of several people on one moped is not unusual and lots of them carry these huge machetes too.....

We stayed here:
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g147290-d150850-Reviews-ClubHotel_Riu_Mambo-Puerto_Plata_Dominican_Republic.html

Had the most fantastic holiday, loved the hotel/resort and the staff were absolutely fabulous!! The food was great and weather amazing, the only rain we had was during the evening/night, and saw the most amazing lightning ever. It was just coming up to rainy season, but we had better weather than bil & sil who visited in March.

Would be there like a shot again this year, but dh wants to try somewhere else.

System

Thanks for all your thoughts and sharing where you stayed, appreciate it.. The hotel we'd originally been looking at is a 2 hour transfer so other half not so keen on this so will keep looking for now at options..

System

Does anyone have any views on the food at Dom Rep? Some posters on TA have said it's not as good as Mexico in this respect.. Did you find much difference..

Dizzyduck

We visited the Dom Rep last year and hope to back this year. For AI I think you get what you pay for and we got lovely food and drink but we tried the "cheaper" hotels and it was pretty good so I enjoyed it (wine was horrible tho' tasted like loo cleaner!). Can't compare with Mexico tho' as never been

sunflowersuffolk

We went to Puerto Plata in late October and the weather was wonderful, all the time, and sea beautifully warm. Lovely island, but people so poor you feel guilty.

HOWEVER it was our first All In, and we wouldn't go again, as we felt confined to the resort and tourist trips, with no freedom to just walk from the hotel. We didn't feel very safe away from the resorts. I realise some people love All Ins where you just stay in the resort, and go again and again, but it wasn't for us.

Normally we hire a car and explore on our own, but it is not advised there. The cars are really beaten up, driving standards are bad, and we felt if we were involved in an accident, not speaking the language, it was too risky. Also whenever we went out, we were really pestered by locals to buy stuff, really in your face.

We enjoyed the food at the time, but on last day we both got a nasty stomach bug which lasted about 2 weeks after returning home.

System

Dizzyduck, which hotel did you stay in?

sunflowersuffolk - I did get the impression that it's a resort type holiday where you don't get out as much unless on tours or trips so if we go we'll look into the hotel very carefully to make sure there is enough going on there and also there is a good choice for food etc before we book..

We do love to get out and about during holidays and take a look around but I wouldn't mind one holiday which is just about the beach and catching up on reading and some chilling...

sunflowersuffolk

Hi there
My tip would be accept it IS going to be confined to resort plus trips, and look for one with lots of extras that appeal to you. Ours had free canoes which we use several times, plus chance of some free small catamaran lessons which we loved, and we went snorkelling for first time.

We could only use our hotel, but some we talked to had use of two or three adjoining resots, so if you get bored you could wander "next door" and still get the free drinks etc, for a change of scene.

With our hotel you did not have limited use of "special" themed restaurants,(some say can only go in the Italian once per week)
but we could use them as much as we wanted, but if full you have to wait, as no bookings.

charlea

If you want a resort where you are not confined to the hotel they try sousa ( casa marina reef/ beach sousa bay sousa by the sea ) they are all in the main brouchure my favorite is the casa marina mainly for the location ( dont like the rooms) but the hotel grounds are gorgeous and the beach are really nice and the built in jacuzzie on the rock are amazing

or try caberete area i think the viva wyhndram is the hotel name

both area are local towns sousa is my favorite especially the beach as its gorgeous it has a reef and lots of bars resturants on the beach for lunch
at night if your brave :rotfl:you can go out on the strip in sousa and dance and drink untill 3 -5am in the morning with the locals every night is party night in sousa

been there around 8 times over the years and went twice last year once in jan ( rains a lot)
once in august perfect weather s

also the north coast hotel are close to the airport ie sousa is 20mins

or the playa dorada complex in the north is nice big estate with around 12++ hotels in there own grounds and a small shopping mall casino cinema and 18 hole robert trent jones golf course but you are confined to the complex as there is not much in the area around 30mins from the airport
food is ok mexico the food /resturants tend to be more glamourous if you understand but the food in dominican is fine ususal egg done by chef in the breakfast lots of fruit and american breakfast only thing i can never find is bacon as it tend to be crap and really little pieces

north coast is the atlantic side east side is the caribeen side so similar to mexico