Have you been to an all inclusive in the Dominican Republic?

[phorsenuf]

I am in the process of booking a trip there for next month and have been pouring over reviews. I'd love to hear from anyone here who may have been. What resort did you stay at? Did you like it? What were the pros and cons of it? Have any recommendations of activities? We have never been (obviously) but are looking forward to it. Would love to hear your experiences!

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

We went to DR and stayed at the Punta Cana Princess last December. It is an adults only all inclusive. We loved the recently renovated suite style rooms, the food, the drinks, the friendly staff, the gorgeous beach and the affordable price. It is one of the smaller resorts in the DR, so it was walkable. No need to take a tram to get from one end to the other like some of the mega resorts. It had a very tropical feel vs all crystal and marble like at some of the more opulent resorts. Those resorts came at a much higher price tag too. We'd return to the Punta Cana Princess in a heart beat.

 

[phorsenuf]

We went to DR and stayed at the Punta Cana Princess last December. It is an adults only all inclusive. We loved the recently renovated suite style rooms, the food, the drinks, the friendly staff, the gorgeous beach and the affordable price. It is one of the smaller resorts in the DR, so it was walkable. No need to take a tram to get from one end to the other like some of the mega resorts. It had a very tropical feel vs all crystal and marble like at some of the more opulent resorts. Those resorts came at a much higher price tag too. We'd return to the Punta Cana Princess in a heart beat.

Thanks for the reply! How was the beach? Was there any snorkeling off it? What type of activities were included?

 

[Wishing on a star]

I have not been to DR, as that would not be my choice.
I have been to an adult only AI, and we just loved it!

Would you consider Mexico?
I know that Secrets Akumal is on a beach were one can snorkel, and see turtles. There is also excellent beautiful snorkeling nearby at Puerto Morelos at the Marine Preserve there.

I understand that there is snorkeling off the beach at the Grand Palladium further south, towards Tulum. Maybe the similar resort complex just up the road. (Barcelo?)

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Unfortunately, I don't know the name of the place where my cousin and her husband stayed this summer. However, I do know that they absolutely loved the Dominican Republic.

 

[powellrj]

We have stayed at Jack Tarr in the DR, but I don't think its there anymore. We had a great time and I would love to go back sometime to another all inclusive!

 

[RDM83]

We have been to Meliá Caribe Tropical. It was pretty big, and you needed a tram to access beach from the rooms. The service was great, food was pretty good.
The Paradisus is right next door and is more upscale and quiet.

You really can't go wrong with the Iberostar... their service is excellent and we like the feel of their resorts.

I like a more tropical feel to my resorts. So that is one of the things I tend to look for when looking at pictures.

Good luck and enjoy!!

 

[MickeysMommy]

A guy I work with swears by Excellence Resorts in Punta Cana. They've gone several years in a row and say the beach is unbelievable. I've discussed with my fiancé and we're going to check it out too.

 

[Darcy03231]

We like the Iberostar resorts. Food was good, service excellent and they have a very nice beach. Lots to do for all age groups.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Thanks for the reply! How was the beach? Was there any snorkeling off it? What type of activities were included?

The beach was beautiful. There are waves, so I don't think the snorkeling would be good right off the beach. We didn't try. They have mini catamarans that you can check out and sail. You can sign up for tours and excursions for an extra cost. We didn't do any of those though.

 

[nkereina]

DR is a quick & easy flight for us, but we have not been yet. We have been considering an AI in Punta Cana, and have heard great things from friends and family who have been. The consensus is that Punta Cana is the best place to go, rather than Puerto Plata or La Romana, and that it's best to not leave the resort area. They all said that the vendors outside in the shopping areas were extremely pushy, and it was just very third world in any areas they ventured off to. They didn't feel as safe as they would have in other Caribbean islands that aren't quite as impoverished.

FWIW, we have done several AIs on other islands are our favorite brand is the RIU hotel chain. They are moderately priced but still have great service and amenities. We're very comfortable with that chain now and we'd likely stay at a RIU when/if we visit Punta Cana.

 

[OneOftheB's]

We stayed in Puerto Plata at the Lifestyle Holidays Presidential Suites. They also have houses as part of the resort, as well as more regular resort type rooms. It was ok, the food was typical for mass produced, included cuisine type places (I'm not a fan of all inclusive food/cruise food). The suite we stayed in was really nice, the pools were great, the beach was so-so. The staff was fabulous, very friendly and kind and a couple of dollar tip each day improved the service at your "regular" stops even more.

We went with another family who are involved with a missionary school in the mountains and ended up going off the property one day. I didn't feel uncomfortable in the rural areas, but the city felt a bit more sketchy when we drove through to and from the airport.

 

[AndreaDM]

I stayed at Majestic Elegance a few years ago, LOVED it! Next door is a sister resort Majestic Colonial and we had access to restaurants/bars at both. Felt very pampered there!

 

[camreesmom]

A guy I work with swears by Excellence Resorts in Punta Cana. They've gone several years in a row and say the beach is unbelievable. I've discussed with my fiancé and we're going to check it out too.

I have a friend who honeymooned at this resort and loved it. She said that they were treated like royalty. They did have Club level so I'm not sure how much of a difference that made.

 

[tntfamily78]

Hi! We went to the DR for our honeymoon last year and absolutely loved it. We stayed the Secrets Royal Beach resort. It is an adult only hotel and it was very nice. It's smaller so you don't have to tram or walk a long way.They have a sister hotel within walking distance and you can use their amenities. They can't come over the Secrets because they are a family resort. the beach was really nice. At the resort we did parasailing and just hung out on the beach and drank! The other activities we did while we were there was zip lining, an all day tour of the DR (very informative and great experience), and we swam with sharks and sting rays. We booked all the activities through the hotel so it was nice. We didn't leave the property on our own, the only time we left was for an activity. The food at the resort was wonderful. We ate at Oceana twice, they have the best steak in my opinion.

 

[cvjw]

We stayed a week at the Hard Rock All Inclusive in Punta Cana. We had our extended family with us - from 80 to 12. Everyone seemed to have a great time. There were many varied restaurant choices and the kids in the party were entertained all week with all the various activities that were offered.

The beach was beautiful, but the water was really rough based on where the resort was on the island.