Anyone been to Dominican Republic? Where to stay?

[Helpmewithholiday]

We've booked flights to Punta Cana early next year, staying for 10 nights to escape the British winter but I'm befuddled by where to actually spend the holiday. We had an expiring BA companion voucher to use and there weren't many reward flights available.

It's just DH and I (empty nesters). We're happy to go to a resort or resorts but would like some activities like tennis, yoga, dance lessons. Not too rowdy and we could spend up to about £500 a night for somewhere lovely.

Online reviews seem very mixed for everywhere within our budget, so much so that I'm wondering if I should change the flights and go somewhere completely different.

Help! And thanks in advance.

Hopeful bump 🤞

I’m not an activities person, but I really liked Dreams Onyx.

The Barcelo adults only resort is good, not too expensive and a short walk/resort train away from the main area with lots of restaurant choices.

Here's a good selection - the Barcelo Bavaro Beach is the one I went to;

www.expedia.com/lp/b/theme/all-inclusive/punta-cana-adults-only-resorts

Thank you! Did you feel safe leaving the resort please? I've seen such mixed reports. We're not daft, we will leave expensive jewellery etc at home.
Is it somewhere you'd go again?

The only time I left the resort was to horse ride along the beach and I was going waaay too fast to be attacked ;)

TBH it was very much a relaxing, do nothing holiday so didn't really consider leaving the resort to explore or sight-see. But yes, would absolutely go again. We went in December so there was the occasional storm but mainly hot and sunny.

Thank you, that's all very useful information. 😊🙏

And thank you! I'll take a look at this one too.

I'm concerned that many of the reviews of all inclusive resorts say the food and hygiene standards are poor, which is why we're thinking about cancelling the flights and going somewhere else! But the location itself does look beautiful.

We didn’t have any problems and I would definitely go back to the Dominican Republic.

The Clive Myrie Bbc series goes there, so have a look at that

My very well travelled MIL hated the DR. Mainly because it is a little dodgy to leave the resort and that feels bad. To give your money only to a big resort and ignore the actual country. If you just want to stay in the resort, I suppose it's OK. There are so many great places where you can safely leave resorts and explore though.

If you go in any trips off resort. Dont eat

I was extremely unwell as were others that went

Couldn't eat at all for last 4 days and straight to doc on return home.

Otherwise I liked it.

i stayed at the jewel palm beach and cant fault it, i didnt leave the resort so cant advise on that, the hotel did offer excursions etc

DR tends to attract people who don’t want to leave the resort and is the Caribbean on the cheap. So that’s mostly what’s there. Nearly any other islands better!

I would not waste my companion flight on there! The flights to anywhere decent in high season will not have companion voucher seats though. It’s how it works! I’d see if I could go to Southern USA. Or India. At least go and see more than a resort. What about Mexico?

My parents stayed at Barcelo and they loved it, the found DR safer than Jamaica but it could be also because we are Spanish speakers.

If you don't want to leave the resort and just want a relaxing holiday consider staying at Dreams Maxau Beach. It was great for a 2 week chill out. Beach is lovely golden sand.

www.hyattinclusivecollection.com/en/resorts-hotels/dreams/dominican-republic/macao-beach-punta-cana/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=soci

Thank you so much for all the feedback , good and bad. More to consider!

I don't think we'll leave a resort if we go to DR tbh, unethical as that is.

We both find the relentless rain and wind where we live very depressing and are lucky to be in a position that we can take a trip to the sun in January to alleviate it. I should have made more effort with the companion voucher last January though, there's nothing much else available now.

We honeymooned at the Excellence El Carmen - https://www.excellenceresorts.com/punta-cana/excellence-el-carmen/?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD3viXu8tA0lbd5uClo4ZMOly4Yh1/
Amazing experience, everything was top notch, we’d stay again and go to their other resorts!

We've been to a Bahía principe resort in Mexico and lots of people there were saying they liked the one in Punta Cana. Reviews for the one in Mexico were mixed as well but it was great. Most of the bad reviews seemed to be from people complaining about the weirdest things. The food was amazing for an All Inclusive.

Thank you everyone, this is all very reassuring. So many of the Tripadvisor glowing reviews are obviously fake ( I ran some of them through fakespotter.com too) so it's great to hear the wise words from you Mumsnetters 🙏.

We went to Casa de Campo just before Christmas last year and it was fantastic. We didn't leave the resort, but that was fine. The resort was enormous - each party is given a golf buggy when checking in to get around the resort so that was fine. We did all inclusive and it was absolutely worth every penny. Fantastic food, inclusive activities (including horse riding). The beach was beautiful. Pools delightful. We had such a lovely time.

I've been a couple of times and stayed in a RUI resort. Went out on organised trips
It's stunning there. I'd go again

Pretty but probably the only place I've been that I'd never go again. I like to explore, but felt trapped in the resort and like I was in a tropical holiday camp. I know some like that, but not for me.

I know what you mean, we felt like that in Mauritius - we travelled out of the resort but there was little to do or see although it did feel safe.

We're going for 11 days so will probably do 2 different resorts and concentrate on enjoying the activities like golf, tennis and dancing - plus lounging around reading a book! And brushing up on some Spanish...

So for the whole of the winter there’s no companion flight availability anywhere better? We went to Brazil one year using a commotion flight.