OT: Vacation Experiences in the Dominican, Etc
So my wife and I booked a vacation at an all inclusive resort for April in Punta Cana in the DR, first vacation outside the US we will be taking. I just wanted to see if anybody else has experience here on MGoBlog at a resort in the DR or somewhere similar and how was it? Did it live up to being a 4 or 5 star type of experience? Any safety concerns or should we be golden as long as we don't venture outside of the tourist areas? Below is the specific resort has any experience with it.
http://royalcataloniabavaro.com/
January 29th, 2020 at 4:33 PM ^
Didn't a few tourists mysteriously die on vacation in the DR about a year ago?
Edit: Have a great time!
January 29th, 2020 at 8:41 PM ^
I think they drank poisoned (diluted with poison) alcohol from hotel minibars or other things. If you don't cheap out and pay normal prices for things, you should be fine.
January 29th, 2020 at 10:11 PM ^
Honestly after the excursions we booked ahead of time and transport we booked we are already kinda maxed out on budget so we were hoping to get by on pretty much only stuff included in the all inclusive. Thought we were set on food cause it said it says the buffets and specialty restaurants are included breakfast, lunch and dinner and no reservations are required. Pretty discouraging to read we just can't stick to the included drinks without fear of getting sick from them.
January 30th, 2020 at 8:31 AM ^
Been to all-inclusives in DR multiple times. No problems. I think the poster meant that as long as you don't skimp out on the class of resort you stay at, you'll be fine.
January 29th, 2020 at 9:47 PM ^
This would have been useful information BEFORE HE BOOKED THE TRIP!
January 30th, 2020 at 9:10 AM ^
Had he asked the questions BEFORE HE BOOKED IT WOULD HAVE HELPED...
January 30th, 2020 at 11:24 AM ^
Final determination was... it was all pretty normal.
There were a few deaths in a short span (like 3-4 in a few weeks) - but the number of Americans dying in DR is pretty stable. Even the year with the mystery deaths... had a tourist fatality rate a couple percent LOWER than the previous year.
January 29th, 2020 at 4:36 PM ^
Punta Cana is pretty sweet. The nicer resorts are loads better than Cancun, IMO.
CHIC Royalton had literal liquor taps in every room and there was a surprising amount of things to do for an entire week.
January 29th, 2020 at 4:37 PM ^
Drink bottled water, avoid fresh/raw foods.
There's nothing worse than having a vacation ruined by upset stomachs and explosive diarrhea
January 29th, 2020 at 4:40 PM ^
No reason not to right since my understanding is bottled water is included correct? Should we brush our teeth, etc with bottled water?
January 29th, 2020 at 4:43 PM ^
If it's included might as well, any water you may ingest should be bottled. Not to say the tap water isn't fine (I don't know) but when you're only there for a short time it's not worth risking a bad reaction that takes you out for a day or two
January 29th, 2020 at 4:55 PM ^
Keep in mind this applies to ice as well. Pretty sure it was the ice in my mixed drinks that did me in. Nothing major but in a 7 day trip I probably had to take a break on 3-4 days for an hour or two over stomach issues
January 29th, 2020 at 5:58 PM ^
This isn't a bad philosophy to go by (better safe than sorry), but every resort that I've stayed at has on-site filtration. I've never had an issue at a resort in Cancun, Punta Cana, or Puerto Plata. That said, if you're going to avoid tap water, that includes brushing teeth, coffee, etc.
January 29th, 2020 at 6:26 PM ^
I travel in the Americas for my job and have been to Punta Cana 3 or 4 times. I never worry about brushing my teeth with tap water (except for Mexico City). Also, as others will say, NEVER drink tap water anywhere in LatAm.
Some may jump on me for this, I’ll say it anyway: be very wary of any alcoholic drinks, especially from the mini bar in your room. Bootleg alcohol is a major problem in LatAm and has caused deaths in Mexico, Costa Rica, and the DR. I have heard estimates that as much as 60% of all alcohol sold in Mexico is bootleg. DR also has a problem with this and it may have had something to do with the spate of resort deaths in the DR a year or so ago (hard to say, DR gvmt stonewalls any real investigation).
You should be fine. My boss, a former Navy Seal, once told me a good analogy: your brain has three stages of alert.
Green: total calm, no worries
Yellow: not afraid, but alert & aware
Red: heightened state of alert, fear, adrenaline
In the DR (or traveling generally) you don’t have to be on red but you should be on yellow. Sometimes tourists at resorts are drugged and assaulted, then later told “well yeah, you were pretty drunk...”
That said, millions of people visit the DR each year w/o incident. Personally, I love it. The beaches are great, food is great, music is great, people are friendly and outgoing. They also LOVE baseball, so know a few Dominican players (Big Papi, Pedro) and pay them a proper respect/reverence in conversation and you will be surprised the good will that can earn you.
If you would like to prepare your mind ahead of time, listen to Juan Luis Guerra on Spotify. National treasure and legendary musician.
Have fun!
January 29th, 2020 at 6:43 PM ^
"LatAm" is a large part the world, and there are many countries in Latin America where the tap water is fine.
You'll probably stick with bottled water for drinking, but its really hard to say no to all the delicious fresh fruit you'll have access to.
We did all-inclusive as well, but got tired of the on-site food after a day or two. The most fun and the best meal I had was venturing to a small restaurant outside the resort.
January 30th, 2020 at 11:25 AM ^
I don't when I go Mexico (I also cook with tap water)... but, it's recommended to use bottled water for everything.
January 29th, 2020 at 4:38 PM ^
Also wanted to ask is it expected to tip? It says it is included in the all inclusive but have read other people saying you will get bad service if you don't tip while there.
January 29th, 2020 at 4:38 PM ^
Yes, if there's someone you see often (cleaning lady, concierge etc, but especially waitstaff) a tip goes a long way for that little bit of extra service
January 29th, 2020 at 4:53 PM ^
Best thing you can do for the beach drink runners is tip a buck each time. One day I didn't tip and the frequency/attention went WAY down.
For restaurants, cleaning, etc. I didn't tip unless I felt the service was fantastic and/or knew I'd see them again as they have control over what goes into/on my body.
EDIT: also consider getting a private car booked through the hotel from the airport. To/from. It's more expensive but airport scams, tourist issues, shuttles, etc...you'll appreciate the peace of mind. Going right into an air conditioned SUV with a beer in hand is a nice way to kick things off.
January 29th, 2020 at 6:30 PM ^
Yes, definitely tip. It is very appreciated. Just have a supply a dollar bills for your time, a couple here, a few there.
Resort staff often have pretty tough lives. They live in a poor country and don’t make a lot. The few bucks you hand out will be very appreciated and help put food in their tables. Many of them try to get into the resorts to work specifically so they can earn tips
January 29th, 2020 at 4:41 PM ^
Also I have read topless on the beach is ok correct, especially since this is a adults only place? Technically against the law in the DR but nobody really cares is my understanding.
January 29th, 2020 at 4:44 PM ^
Is it against the law? Sure doesn't seem like it, based on my last visit.
January 29th, 2020 at 4:46 PM ^
Yeah I read it is, but seems like they don't care if tourists partake. Read conflicting info about the pools though, some people saying it's cool at adults only places like this one and others saying no DR place allows it.
January 29th, 2020 at 4:53 PM ^
Just depends on the resort. Some are ok with it at the pool others are not. Beach has been ok the 3 times I have been there. Brush with bottled water as well. Stay at the resort unless you book an excursion which they will pick you up from your resort.
January 29th, 2020 at 4:45 PM ^
I went to PC with the wife (but without kids) to an all-inclusive that allowed kids. Not as nice of a place as yours, but close.
Overall, it was pretty meh IMO. The water was decent, but the beach was average. Weather was great of course (except for some minor rainfall). I think having a no kids resort is going to help your experience.
January 29th, 2020 at 4:48 PM ^
Thanks for the info, was the food good? And yeah I think we lucked out with this place, got it for $2,000 with flights.
January 29th, 2020 at 4:58 PM ^
The food quality was all over the place. The buffet style places were borderline bad since they really catered to kids with no real discernible tastes (just don't make them sick). The individual restaurants that you need to book (but is still part of the all-inclusive) were really good. There was maybe 1-2 on the resort that was not part of the all-inclusive that were apparently even better.
Again, I think the fact that you are going to an adults-only place will really up the experience at the resort.
The local rum (Barcelo?) I thought was pretty good, and cheap.
Oh, one other thing. Watch-out for any activity that involves listening to a speech on timeshares before the activity. They are everywhere!
January 29th, 2020 at 4:47 PM ^
Been to Punta Cana twice now, staying in different resorts, owned by separate entities. We did an excursion this last time, and can't say the overall experience made the vacation any more rewarding, so if you are happy kicking back on a beach and cutting the cord for a week, this is you ticket. The resorts have a good balance of activities and entertainment beyond the pools and beaches, so the time will pass quickly. Tip big the first couple of days, and you'll have the servers calling you Big Papi and clamoring to bring you drinks. Both stays were 4 star resorts, and I'll say that 4 star in the Dominican is not 4 star in New York, or Paris, or Madrid. It's an island, and is appropriately islandy. Don't venture off the reservation unless you are guided, or are directed to 'safe' places. Much like traveling in Mexico, resorts are safe, but beyond those walls, it is fairly third world. Drink lots of bottled water, go lightly the first few meals where fruits/leafy greens are concerned (high water content) to make sure your GI isn't upset. While both resorts we stayed in offered shared privileges with their other properties nearby, I've never taken advantage of that.
Have a super time - post a trip report!
January 29th, 2020 at 4:50 PM ^
We added three excursions when I booked, a horseback riding one, a buggy tour thing and a sailing day trip to an island whose name is escaping me at the moment.
January 29th, 2020 at 5:19 PM ^
The island sailing excursion was the best part of our trip. Talked to another couple that did the buggy ride and really loved it. Heard vaguely that the horseback riding wasn't worth it, but YMMV.
January 29th, 2020 at 4:48 PM ^
I have lots of international experience
But
1st time taking my flight anxety home bound parents on an international vacation last year.
1. I don't like the reports of the people dying
2. The wasn'tlocation wasn't anything special
3. Now my parents definitely don't want to leave home.
It won't be an awful experience but there are plenty of other great places
January 29th, 2020 at 4:50 PM ^
never been to punta cana - heard its nice but like 10 tourists died there a year or 2 ago so id look into that.
casa de campo was sweet. def recommend
January 29th, 2020 at 4:51 PM ^
My wife and I stayed at the Palladium TRS Turquesa for our honeymoon. It was fantastic. Food was great every night. I ate lobster tails the size of my forearm on 3 different nights.
I highly recommend going out on some snorkling or scuba diving excursions. We also did a day out on a catamaran that cruised us to a beach party/bbq and then they took us back in speedboats. Tons of fun.
We never had any safety concerns while we were there, but we stuck to our resort and the excursions we booked through them. I'm sure your resort will have some reps there that you can talk to and book a few days of fun off the resort.
January 29th, 2020 at 4:53 PM ^
Ever watch Letterkenny? Mr. McMurray and Mrs. McMurray love the DR for their Lifestyle.
January 29th, 2020 at 5:04 PM ^
I was at another resort on Bavaro in November with my gf. I got a really good deal on Costco so I didn't have sky-high expectations. I enjoyed the trip but found the resort a little boring (little to no late night entertainment). That said, the beach is incredible. Compared to other Caribbean resorts, DR is an outstanding value.
I will repeat others and recommend not drinking the water. You may want to avoid the mixed drinks and the mini-bar too - apparently tampered alcohol was the cause of death. But definitely do indulge in the fresh fruits. Awesome and plentiful mangoes and passion fruit.
January 29th, 2020 at 5:12 PM ^
It’s all relative and depends on your frame of reference. Compared to Hawaii, it kinda sucks. Compared to the keys, it’s a paradise.
Personally, we found the savings we gained from going to PC, were not worth the trade off of going to a place like Hawaii or Costa Rica.
January 29th, 2020 at 5:28 PM ^
I hear you but we are using our tax return of around $2,700 for the trip and that was the max we wanted to spend. Think we did about as good as we could do for that. Our only other vacation was our honeymoon in Florida, so your saying it should be great in comparison right?
January 29th, 2020 at 6:08 PM ^
I would say Hawaii is relative. I traveled to Oahu 4 times a year for work between '12 and '16. I hate Oahu... and parts of it may as well be Detroit with palm trees... and other part SF with the needles and poop laying about as you make your way west of Ko'Olina.
Last June I went to Kona for a week. One of my top five vacations ever. People on the big island are great, it's not the tourist trap or crazy expensive that Oahu is, food on the big island is amazing!!! We did lots of exploring, kayaking, hiking, diving, drinking -- it was great. Highly recommend Kona.
If you have points/status with any of the super hotel chains, it goes a long way... our week there cost us $700.
January 29th, 2020 at 6:24 PM ^
That’s fair. I’m a Kauai guy myself for the hiking, dinosaurs, and right mix of touristy and local culture.
January 29th, 2020 at 6:22 PM ^
Based on that criteria, I think you’ll enjoy it. The resorts can get a little generic, but if you are looking to relax, have great weather, and sit pool/beachside it is nice.
January 29th, 2020 at 5:17 PM ^
I stayed at that same exact resort about 2-3 years ago. We chose this resort after we decided to "upgrade" and pay more since we were worried about some of the horror stories in the DR. We even upgraded to whatever their premier package is once we got there.
Got to say, most of the trip was a nightmare. Checking in was a huge ordeal that took hours. Bars and pool are excellent, as is the view (especially whatever the breakfast restaurant is? Views of the ocean every morning that are to die for).
Day 2 of a 6-day trip my wife and I both got food poisoning. We were only drinking bottled water, so I imagine it was either water on the vegetables or something else. By day 4 I was afraid to eat. Most miserable I've been in the most beautiful place I've visited.
So one tip: definitely take advantage of the paid bar that is just up the beach (still part of the same resort). It's not in the all-inclusive, so it will be dead. But take a half a day, buy a couple of $5 cocktails, and enjoy the amazing infinity pool overlooking the ocean. Most of the amazing looking pictures on their website are from this section of the resort.
Honestly, if we hadn't been sick, it probably would've been a great trip for me. Sorry for the novel but hope this helps! Good luck and have fun!
January 29th, 2020 at 5:42 PM ^
Was topless allowed at the pool and beach or just the beach?
January 29th, 2020 at 6:02 PM ^
Just the beach.
January 29th, 2020 at 6:21 PM ^
I'm sensing a theme here.
January 29th, 2020 at 7:16 PM ^
Yep, I like to see my wife topless as much as possible
January 29th, 2020 at 7:18 PM ^
Who is going to hit this curve ball which didn't break and is hanging over the middle of the plate out of the park?
January 29th, 2020 at 8:13 PM ^
We ALL do!
January 29th, 2020 at 8:34 PM ^
That's fine, she has a pretty nice pair on her
January 29th, 2020 at 9:32 PM ^
Details please!
It's after hours. NSFW doesn't apply.
January 29th, 2020 at 9:43 PM ^
Come on, you know the mgoblog golden rule: pics or we don’t believe you ?