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For a few years, my children have expressed an interest in visiting one of the Dominican Republic’s all-inclusive resorts. The few times we have thought that the flights would remain open; they always seemed to fill up at the last minute. Hating to book a resort that we would be unable to get to and losing a deposit or more, we always decided against it.
This year, my son learned that instead of playing baseball during spring break, his coach was going to give them the week off. Being that it was his birthday the day before Easter, I decided to surprise him with plane tickets to Punta Cana for himself, his brother and my husband. Having the tickets enabled us to be able to book a resort ahead of time and actually plan our vacation a few weeks out instead of a couple of days, like we normally do.
Our flight departed New York and arrived in Punta Cana early in the afternoon. After what seemed like a very lengthy taxi, we finally made our way through the immigration and customs area and out to the front of the airport where we were greeted by our transportation company.
About thirty minutes later, we were driving up to the front of our resort, Barcelo Punta Cana.
When booking our resort, it was a bit of a task trying to decipher which resort was in the best location and which would offer my family the type of experience that we were hoping for. Zeroing in on the Barcelo Punta Cana, in which the price was what I was willing to pay, I discovered that it was near the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on Bavaro Beach, which has been heralded as one of the best beaches in the Dominican Republic. What disturbed me, however, was that the reviews of this resort were a bit mixed. Some people absolutely raved about the resort, but some people discussed problems that they had mainly with the rooms. Although my husband loves luxury, I hate paying the premium price, instead preferring a more simple, yet nice room. Paying for a luxurious room that we hardly spend any time in is a waste of money, in my opinion. My biggest stipulation, however, is that, although I will accept simplicity, the room must be extremely clean and everything in working order. After booking our vacation, it seemed that some of the reviews I uncovered were about problems that people experienced dealing with cleanliness and the general working order of items in the rooms. We decided to stick with our reservation, however, and hope for the best.
My first impression of the lobby area was a favorable one. It was an open-air space and reminded me of some of the hotels in Thailand I have stayed in. Upon our arrival, we were given our room after a short wait. Although a fairly simple room with tile floors and simple wood furniture, it was extremely clean and looked out over one of the pools and the beach.
Since dinner reservations could only be made between 7:00 and 15:00 and we had arrived just after the close of the reservation office, we decided to dine at the buffet that evening. After unpacking and heading downstairs to check out the pool and beach, we then headed to dinner.
The buffet was extensive and carried many different types of food, including local fare. Although we tried a variety of items, we soon found that the best option was the made-to-order pasta bar. After our dining experience that night, however, we decided that we would be up early the next morning to book our reservations for one of the other restaurants.
The next morning, we found that because we had just arrived, we were able to make reservations for that night and also the following. Our Easter meal was going to be at the seafood restaurant, Marenostrum, and the next night, the French restaurant, La Comedie. For the remaining two nights, we booked reservations at the El Conuco, the Dominican restaurant and La Dolce Vita, a restaurant offering Italian fare. Because certain restaurants are only open on certain nights, a bit of planning may take place to be able to dine at all of the restaurants during one’s stay.
If asked to rank the four restaurants that we dined in, my entire family would agree that El Conuco was definitely the best! The food, especially the sococho, a Dominican stew, was outstanding, much to our surprise. The Italian and Seafood restaurants were good as well, but, the biggest disappointment was the French option. The food was not very tasty and did not quite agree with any of us. My husband was certain that he was ill the entire next day due to the food consumed in this particular outlet. After hearing another customer’s complaints about the Japanese restaurant, Kyoto, we had decided to skip this dining experience, however, I think that it may have been a better option than La Comedie.
Our breakfast was taken that first morning in El Alcazar, the main dining room which offered buffet-style dining. Each day after, our breakfasts were taken here and at the buffet in the open-air dining room at the main pool. The best omelets, we learned, however, were made in the main dining room and wonderful pastries were offered every day, including my favorite, churros! Delicious!
Lunch buffets were served in the main dining room as well as the open-air dining room at the main pool. Hot dogs, hamburgers and fries were served at a grill near the pool every afternoon. A pizzeria, Don Simon, was open in the upstairs area near the main pool from 12:00-17:00 each day. Our biggest regret was only having the opportunity to dine at Mexico Lindo for lunch on one day. Delicious sandwiches were offered here, near the quiet pool, and were served inside and outside on the deck, overlooking the ocean. Mexico Lindo was also open at night, available without a reservation, serving Tex-Mex.
The next three days were spent lounging at the beach and the pool. The beach was extremely long and wide with some of the softest sand I have ever dug my toes into. The water was a clear blue with some great body surfing waves. There were always many beach chairs available although it seemed that most pool chairs were reserved by early risers who claimed their spots at the pool’s opening by leaving their towels.
Two large pools were available on each side of the resort…the main pool or “party pool” and the “quiet pool”. The party pool and the beach area near it always had music playing and some sort of scheduled activity going on…beach volleyball, dance parties, step aerobics, contests…it was oftentimes quite entertaining. The quiet pool was located on the left side of the resort and seemed more suited for parents with younger children as there was a small water park available. The beach area alongside this pool area was also deemed the “quiet beach”. It was a short walk from the rooms to the pool as well as the beach area…no shuttle required as with some of the larger resorts.
A pool bar was in operation each day from 10:00 as well as a beach side bar and the other bars located within the main building. The staff was usually friendly, the drinks were good and the Presidente beer, cold. My only regret was not bringing a large, insulated cup to the resort as many did. The staff will fill your cup, saving you from having to get two drinks at a time or going to the bar multiple times. Cups are sold on the premises, however, you will be paying about five times what you would have paid at Wal-Mart!
My sons enjoyed partaking in the various activities and water sports offered. Boogie boards were available for use by guests of the resort as well as kayaks and sailboats. There was a trampoline, a trapeze and a rock climbing wall, each with its own operating hours. There was a large chess board near the pool as well as tennis and basketball courts near the front of the resort.
Packing my workout clothes, I had planned to use the gym and participate in some of the classes offered. The website indicated that zumba, step aerobics and water aerobics were offered, however, zumba was never on the schedule. On the first day, I did witness water aerobics and on that afternoon, a step class was offered. It was performed on the very small stage with the entire pool area watching, lasted only 30 minutes and many of the people were barefoot and appeared to be drunk. Not my idea of a good workout! My husband did use the gym and although the member of the staff present was very helpful, he said it was a small space with not many machines.
Each evening, spent from the sun, swimming and alcohol, my husband and I usually retired early, after dinner. One night, however, we decided to head over to the theater and see the nightly show. This particular evening, it was a program entitled, “Circus”. Nothing to write home about but it was entertaining for an hour’s time. There was a casino on the premises as well as a disco that opened at 22:00 and stayed open until the early morning hours. I guess I am getting older…I never seemed to be able to stay awake that late! It seemed that a lot of other guests seemed to provide their own entertainment by congregating in the porticoes on each side of the lobby area, drinking and playing cards and other games.
For those who are looking to purchase forgotten items or souvenirs, there were three or four shops located near the main pool as well as a jewelry store. T-shirts, carvings, clothing, shoes, and other items were sold here albeit for a premium price. The Barcelo Punta Cana did have local vendors come to the resort on one of the nights. Thankfully, through one of these vendors, I did find a locally made mask to add to my collection. Leaving the property to do some shopping would have required a taxi as there was no town area directly near the resort. Upon our departure, I did notice that the Royalton and Majestic resorts next door had an area near the road that was advertised as a shopping center.
Being a collector of Pandora charms from places that I travel, I always check for local Pandora stores on my vacations. Luckily, I found that the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino had a Pandora store on their premises. One morning, I walked along the beach toward this hotel. Not knowing whether I would be allowed on the property, I hoped that if I would have been denied entry on my own, I could maybe secure an escort toward the lobby where the store was located. Not one person stopped me from walking on to the property and I made my way toward the lobby area, twice asking for directions from staff. There were many stores in addition to the one I was seeking, so, if retail therapy is needed, wandering over to the Hard Rock is suggested.
Before our arrival in Punta Cana, we had not made plans for any excursions. When we arrived at the resort, I realized that there was no concierge desk to offer assistance. After inquiring with the dinner reservation desk, I was directed to a travel agency located near the El Alcazar restaurant and an office with travel companies within. Trying the latter, we were able to book a zip lining tour with one of the companies within. Although there was a mix up with our pickup (which was the fault of the zip lining company) I found the booking company to be extremely helpful and efficient.
For those wishing to stay connected, the hotel offered Wi-Fi for $12 per day. Thinking that quite expensive, I did a bit of research before our trip, looking for alternatives such as buying a local sim card and renting Mi-Fi devices. I finally located a transportation company which offered transportation to the various hotels as well as Mi-Fi devices. The company, Gobecon, extended a Mi-Fi rental rate of $20/week if transportation was booked through them. The transportation rate was the same as what the hotel was offering, so we decided that we would make a reservation. When we arrived at the airport, a representative was waiting for us with a marked sign. He escorted us to a waiting van and we were pleasantly surprised to learn that only my family was being driven to our resort, not a van full of other travelers. The representative had a zippered pouch ready for us containing the Mi-Fi device, instructions and a charger. He helped me to connect and collected a $50 deposit which would be returned to me upon our departure when the equipment was returned. All four of us were able to connect to the Mi-Fi and it was a blessing to be able to communicate with our families on Easter Sunday. The signal was very good and we took it with us to the beach and pool. After speaking with another guest of the hotel, we realized just what a great deal we had made as he told us how slow the Wi-Fi in the hotel was and that only one person at a time was able to connect. Our driver arrived promptly for our departure from the hotel and upon our return to the airport, our representative was waiting for us, collected the equipment and returned our deposit.
Overall, my only real complaint about the resort was that the phone in our room never worked. Not really needing to use it, it was not much of an inconvenience, however, I worried that we would have not method of communication if we had an emergency. Despite visiting the front desk and complaining twice a day, the phone was still inoperable upon our departure. Other minor inconveniences involved the maid forgetting to leave hand towels and forgetting to restock our refrigerator.
In the end, we truly enjoyed our visit to Punta Cana and the Barcelo Punta Cana resort. I am sure that there were guests who experienced other issues and I am sure that there have been guests who have left the resort, not happy with their stay. Only able to speak for our experience, I would recommend staying here. One should remember, this is not the Ritz Carlton, therefore you are not paying for the Ritz Carlton…accept it for what it is…and we were happy with what it was!
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Barcelo Punta Cana
Gobecon
A swift cab ride from the airport had us arriving at the Hilton’s Puerto Vallarta All-Inclusive Resort, not long after our arrival and we were lounging on the beach, cocktails in hand, by two-thirty. Sunny skies and blue water! What more could you ask for?
The Malecón was renovated in 2011, making it more pedestrian friendly. The waterfront area is filled with beautiful sculpture, restaurants, bars, museums, free shows, duty-free shopping and souvenir shops. As we made our way south, we took lots of pictures, shopped, made friends and visited Our Lady of Guadaloupe cathedral, the city’s endearing landmark with its wrought-iron crown tower.
