Dominican Dream (Holiday Resorts in Dominican Republic in general)

Member Name: PaulaJC

Product:	Holiday Resorts in Dominican Republic in general
Date:	17/02/02 (1063 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Sun, Relaxation, Loads to do

Disadvantages: Long haul flight, Costly trips, Mosquitos

Wanting a total escape from everyday life? The Dominican Republic gives you just that. Myself and my husband went to Playa Dorada last November and had a fantastic time - the weather was great as you would expect!

We stayed at the Hotel Occidental Playa Dorada which is an All Inclusive hotel. I was a little cautious about All Inclusive before this holiday but not so now! The food was absolutely fantastic, there was plenty to choose from morning, noon and night at the buffet style restuarant which had a different theme each night - Spanish buffet, Dominical Buffet, Mexican Buffet the list goes on (we were there for 14 nights and never ate the same from one night to the next). In addition to this; three a la carte retuarants which could be visited twice each during a 14 night stay and snack bars just in case you hadnt quite managed to get up for breakfast! The location of this hotel was great, right on the sea with a beach of its own. Two swimming pools, one for the kids and another 'La Piscine Tranquila' - the quiet pool for those without kids or with hangover! Speaking of hangovers, these are also All Inclusive in the Dominican Republic. Rum is free flowing (the national drink)and all cocktails and local drinks were included in the deal!

Hotel was spotless, beautiful complex which was not noisy and staff were really freindly without being intrusive.

There is plenty to do both on and off site although most holidaymakers tend to participate in organised trips for safety.

On site activities ranged from horse riding, snorkelling, crazy golf, table tennis, shooting, spanish lessons and much more. We spent a lot of time working on the tan but took a few trips out although quite pricy most were worth it.

I would whole heartedly recommend the 'Domincan Discovery' trip. Up at the crack of dawn was a bit of a shock (around 6.30 am) to be picked up in 4 wheel drive and taken out across the island through c
ountryside to experience real Dominican life, seeing how they live and visiting a local school. After a short stop for rum (at about 9.30 am) on to a demonstration of how the local coffee is made and the chance to have a parrot on your shoulder and a snake round your neck (I did this but not my husbands cup of tea). Moving swiftly on to visit the biggest bull in the Domincan Republic and the opportunity to sit on his back and have your photo taken!! Stop for lunch (all included)which was traditional Domincan food and then journey to beautiful spot where we stood at the bottom of waterfalls in admiration. What we didnt realise was that we were to be climbing up these waterfalls assisted by wiry but strong Domincan guys and then sliding or jumping back down them when we got to the top! This was a truly exhilarating experience and all recorded on video to be bought back in the resort! (cost about £50 each for the day but we considered it to be the best day of holiday and wouldnt have missed it).

Not so great was the trip to 'The Beach' - trip was dubbed as a paradise island where you could spend the day sunbathing and relaxing or snorkelling. After 3 hours on bus to get to pretty cove, motor boat takes you off on 45 minute long journey to a sand bank in the middle of the ocean less than half the size of a football pitch. More and more speed boats arrived dumping more and more tourists onto sandbank, I counted up and at one stage there were more than 200 people! This wouldnt have been so bad, except at one point the tide came up so far that it completely covered the sand bank and everyone sunbathing got thier towels and belongings completely soaked. Snorkelling was fun and loads of beautiful fish to see but current so strong that only really experienced swimmers found it easy. Again, food included and overall an OK day but really misleading advertising caused big disappointments all round. (Cost approx £55 each).

Although I couldnt
due to illness my husband participated in a PADI Scuba Diving course for three days (some peace and quiet for me on the beach - my tan was better than his!) which cost £295. He thoroughly enjoyed it and is now a qualified diver.

After all of that, the long and short of it is that we really enjoyed our Dominican oliday and would recommend it to anyone, young or old, with or without children as the holiday of a lifetime.

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