steve_b_wales Posted August 29, 2017 Report Share Posted August 29, 2017 We are in the planning stages for our holidays next year. One of them will be in September. The above looks good, but there are so many area's/places/resorts of which most have excellent reviews, it's hard to decide.Has anyone been there and can recommend where they stayed? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted August 29, 2017 Report Share Posted August 29, 2017 We went a while ago the year before the earthquake hit Haiti, but we went in February, friendly people nice resort tho I cant remember where, went whale watching which was great. Not much help but hey ho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted August 29, 2017 Report Share Posted August 29, 2017 Have a watch of Giles Barry's trip to dom rep. He stayed in a big all inc place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twistedsanity Posted August 30, 2017 Report Share Posted August 30, 2017 We went but it was many years ago now, i'm not sure now but the south of the island is where our resort was and apparently where "people used to go", stunning place but a 3rd world country with poor sanitation and hygiene (this was about 15 years ago though). We saw a dog get dragged into a restaurant by its hind legs, I was propositioned by prostitutes on the resorts private beach in front of my wife(the security guard let them in), the brothel up the road had a European guy laying in the road outside in a pool of blood who had been stabbed (presumably in the brothel), the locals response was pouring cold water over his head! Finally the police arrived in a 4x4 and hung out of the window brandishing a Mossberg 500 shouting in Spanish upon which time some locals got an old Datsun sunny estate with no windows in or exhaust and chucked him in the back looking terrified and sped off down the road at full pelt in terror, oh and the prostitute in the resteraunt in a local village who got dragged out by her hair by a different police officer who proceeded to give her a good kicking in the middle of the road as she wouldn't get in his truck with him The local dance they like to teach will result in a little Dominican man twerking his bits on your Mrs and up the road at the cashpoint the security guard would be asleep every night on a deckchair with a bottle of 80% rum next to him and his head resting on the barrel of his shotgun :-) It was an adventure to say the least where everyone at the hotel had the squits and you could buy a litre of 80% proof rum for a few quid. the north may be different now (I hope it is) , not a place you want to go wandering about alone sightseeing though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted August 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2017 We went but it was many years ago now, i'm not sure now but the south of the island is where our resort was and apparently where "people used to go", stunning place but a 3rd world country with poor sanitation and hygiene (this was about 15 years ago though). We saw a dog get dragged into a restaurant by its hind legs, I was propositioned by prostitutes on the resorts private beach in front of my wife(the security guard let them in), the brothel up the road had a European guy laying in the road outside in a pool of blood who had been stabbed (presumably in the brothel), the locals response was pouring cold water over his head! Finally the police arrived in a 4x4 and hung out of the window brandishing a Mossberg 500 shouting in Spanish upon which time some locals got an old Datsun sunny estate with no windows in or exhaust and chucked him in the back looking terrified and sped off down the road at full pelt in terror, oh and the prostitute in the resteraunt in a local village who got dragged out by her hair by a different police officer who proceeded to give her a good kicking in the middle of the road as she wouldn't get in his truck with him The local dance they like to teach will result in a little Dominican man twerking his bits on your Mrs and up the road at the cashpoint the security guard would be asleep every night on a deckchair with a bottle of 80% rum next to him and his head resting on the barrel of his shotgun :-) It was an adventure to say the least where everyone at the hotel had the squits and you could buy a litre of 80% proof rum for a few quid. the north may be different now (I hope it is) , not a place you want to go wandering about alone sightseeing though After reading your post, it sounds just like a town not a million miles from me! I may as well go there and save some money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted August 30, 2017 Report Share Posted August 30, 2017 He forgot to say it was sunny tho!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dellbert Posted August 30, 2017 Report Share Posted August 30, 2017 we stayed in the North and on a complex (although we did go out) The north is the cheaper end i i thought it was good ,people were friendly staff were falling over themselves to help .Tipped a guy a pound in the restraunt and as we walked in after that he would shout acrooss usual drinks tonight ? that was about 15 years ago though . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted August 30, 2017 Report Share Posted August 30, 2017 (edited) We went 2 years ago for a special holiday. We stayed at Gran Bahia Principe Esmeralda in Punta Canna. This is part of a large complex of four hotels but as the Esmeralda was the only 5 star it felt quite exclusive as the other guests could not gain access, but as a Esmeralda guest you could go to any bar, restaurant or pool you wanted. Service was fantastic, food very good on the whole, all inclusive with top European and American brand drinks. The beach was raked every morning and cleared of seaweed and so clean with a waiter service for drinks. Rooms were big with a butler service which we never used. If I was going back to Dom rep I would be more than happy to stay here again. We have stayed at a few Caribbean islands and to be honest Dom rep is not my favourite but we had a great time, the locals we met were all ok but we had no need to venture far. The Dom Rep people had all the plum jobs and the workers doing the ground work and cleaning were mostly from Haiti. The biggest thing I did not like is the flight time to the USA so yanks coming for a long weekend, a few young couples with no volume button could clear a pool very quickly but with about 10 pools and the sea there was always somewhere to go away from them. Plus they did not surface till mid afternoon. This was only a very small problem, but to be honest hot weather, great beach, good food and drink, loverly air conditioned rooms what's not to like. Edited August 30, 2017 by rimfire4969 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted August 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2017 We went 2 years ago for a special holiday. We stayed at Gran Bahia Principe Esmeralda in Punta Canna. This is part of a large complex of four hotels but as the Esmeralda was the only 5 star it felt quite exclusive as the other guests could not gain access, but as a Esmeralda guest you could go to any bar, restaurant or pool you wanted. Service was fantastic, food very good on the whole, all inclusive with top European and American brand drinks. The beach was raked every morning and cleared of seaweed and so clean with a waiter service for drinks. Rooms were big with a butler service which we never used. If I was going back to Dom rep I would be more than happy to stay here again. We have stayed at a few Caribbean islands and to be honest Dom rep is not my favourite but we had a great time, the locals we met were all ok but we had no need to venture far. The Dom Rep people had all the plum jobs and the workers doing the ground work and cleaning were mostly from Haiti. The biggest thing I did not like is the flight time to the USA so yanks coming for a long weekend, a few young couples with no volume button could clear a pool very quickly but with about 10 pools and the sea there was always somewhere to go away from them. Plus they did not surface till mid afternoon. This was only a very small problem, but to be honest hot weather, great beach, good food and drink, loverly air conditioned rooms what's not to like. Thanks for your views. To be honest, we actually looked at the hotel you mentioned, and liked it. Regarding the 'yanks', there were loads of them at our hotel in Jamaica last year, and the majority of them were loud, brash and had no manners whatsoever. It was difficult to get away from them, but they didn't spoil our holiday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobbyathome Posted August 30, 2017 Report Share Posted August 30, 2017 steve I went to Dominican last year and stayed in dreams in romana its the south of the island a bit quieter than the north and I would certainly go back well worth a look nice rooms good pool plenty of entertainment cracking beach . writing this is making me itchy I can see a google search for holidays coming on.rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twistedsanity Posted August 30, 2017 Report Share Posted August 30, 2017 Sounds like it's come along since we went, If you do choose the south remember you have the mellow warm gentle carribean sea that side and also an amazing nature reserve island called catalina with by far the best little snorkeling reef I have ever seen, and done book in the hurricane season! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted August 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2017 At the moment,the Royalton hotel in Punta Cana looks suitable, followed very closely by the Riu Palace in Punta Cana and the Grand Bahia Principle Esmeralda. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norfolk dumpling Posted August 30, 2017 Report Share Posted August 30, 2017 We were there a few years back - only a couple of days with a P&O cruise - and it was really quite sad how poor most of the locals were and how desperate things were. We were one of three huge ships that arrived that morning and the whole Island population flooded into the dockside and it was scary what was on offer!! Every vehicle became a taxi for the day and I doubt any would pass our MOT. Caught my wife doing a drug deal - she didn't realise what this eighty year old rasta was selling! Prostitution was visible and some of the girls seemed to be very young. Beautiful countryside, fantastic beaches and very friendly people but across most of the Carribean the wealth gap huge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted August 30, 2017 Report Share Posted August 30, 2017 At the moment,the Royalton hotel in Punta Cana looks suitable, followed very closely by the Riu Palace in Punta Cana and the Grand Bahia Principle Esmeralda. You have drawn up just about the exact same list as we did before we booked. The only reason we went to the Esmeralda was because we had friends who stayed there and recommended it to us. When you are in the sea looking at the Esmeralda the Royalton is next door to the left and looked very nice and the Riu Palace just along the beach. If you rise early its a beautiful walk along the beach in the early morning and chuck a couple of towels on some loungers in the shade as you will pass you will need it later. I think if you stay in either one of the above three you will have a great time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butchdickason Posted August 30, 2017 Report Share Posted August 30, 2017 (edited) We went 2 years ago, have a look at Samana Area, Cayo Laventado with Thomson. We had a fantastic holiday there. Edited August 30, 2017 by butchdickason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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