Arrival: January 2009 the flight was delayed for 2 hours due to a ‘technical problem’. the bus for airport transfer to the resort was waiting for us. it was about 20-25 minutes drive.
Rooms:
i requested for king size bed but was surprised that we were given 2 double beds. we requested to be transferred but was told there’s none available and to go to the front desk later. we gave up after requesting twice. the aircon was not that bad but can be a bit quieter. we took the advice from the reviews here to give a $2 tip per day and we’ve been treated really well. extra bottled waters, beers, and towels. there was a day, not sure if it’s standard, the room cleaner left 2 towels on top of the bed ‘folded’ looking like 2 ducks ‘kissing’ in a heart shape (not sure if i described it properly) with some santan flowers. the wife appreciated it, even asked to take a pic.
Restaurants and Bars:
the buffet is great. there’s always something you’d like. the fresh fruits and fresh juice are worth special mention. don’t miss the friday dinner as it is something special. we gave up reserving to the japanese restaurant after 2 attempts. italian restaurant was excellent. we didn’t like the food in the spanish restaurant. the pizza from snack bar was excellent as i read in one of the reviews. make sure to at least give it a try. i love the beer, they are always cold and taste really good.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
beach, pools, and grounds are perfect. there are always chairs available whenever we’re there as oppose to the ‘chair game’ they were saying in some reviews. we were able to get some young coconut juice and meat from the guys who were cleaning the grounds. a $1 tip is not necessary but would result a big smile as i learned that the minimum wage is about $6/day for a 10-12 hour shift.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
we went to plaza bavaro and plaza punta cana. taxi charged us $12 one-way. the vendors are a bit aggressive as expected but they’d back away when you say ‘no gracias’ with a smile. always remember that these guys are just ordinary people trying to make a buck or two. prices are better than in the resort as expected. another advice from a review to start bargaining at half the initial price. my wife enjoyed the bargaining game. you’d know you hit the ‘right’ price when they start bargaining by the dollar.
Other Comments:
for the money we paid ($900 per person including taxes , it’s worth it. i’m doing this review to pay back as i learned a lot from reading others’ reviews. i totally agree with the other reviewer who said ‘if you did not enjoy this place I would say you are fussy!!’ i may have said it differently but would mean the same way.
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