As an aside, anyone going to the Dominican Republic and thinking of buying some of the amber the D.R. is known for should be aware that 99.9% of what the local shops and street vendors are selling as amber is cheap Chinese plastic imitation. People should do their homework before they leave so that they can detect the fakes. We began to wonder if there was any real amber being sold and finally found some in a very small shop being run by a young lady from the Bronx.
In any case, here is my site inspection report on Dreams Punta Cana:
- The drive to the resort from the airport is over an hour long over some very rough roads. There is evidence that a new highway is being built, but several people on the bus said that the "new road" has been that way for about 10 years. No sign of any road crews working on it during our stay. This also meant that getting to excursions required lots of driving as well.
- The reception was welcoming. We were promptly greeted at Dreams with cold champagne and wash cloths as well as a "welcome home"
- The lobby is expansive and impressive - lots of granite & marble in soothing colors.
- The check-in was smooth and, even though our room was not ready, we were invited to have a bite to eat at the World Cafe and return to the desk any time after 3PM.
- The resort was formerly a Sunscape that was converted to a Dreams. There are 620 rooms at this resort. It is rather rectangular shaped with a large meandering pool working its way up the length of the resort.
- The rooms were of average size with nice decor. They each had a bed and a sitting area with desk. The beds were of the typical hard variety. Our room was clean but smelled slightly of smoke (not a big deal for us, but for some this would be bothersome). We had a great, roomy balcony overlooking the pool. There is a table and 2 chairs on these comfortable standard balconies. Many of the rooms have balconies overlooking the walkways or the gardens. Be sure to request a pool or ocean view.
- The suites are larger and some have jacuzzi tubs. I was surprised to see that many of the suites with the jacuzzis on the balcony were right on the main walkway. No privacy for the jacuzzi at all. Needless to say, no one was using them.
- The beach was HUGE: deep and wide. Lots of room for walking in either direction No shortage of space or chairs. The sand was clean and fairly fine, but it was not white or powdery. The surf was choppy and the water was rather cold. Being on the Atlantic Ocean makes a difference.
- The staff was fantastic and very friendly. Enthusiasm and helpfulness were evident everywhere. They also genuinely seem to appreciate attempts to speak their language (Spanish) no matter how badly executed.
- The activities were plentiful and well organized. Each night we got a bulletin in our room telling us the schedule for the following day. Participating in the activities earns Dreams Dollars which can be used to purchase items at the nightly auction.
- The fitness center was small but passable. The equipment was fairly current and there was a good variety of machines.
- The Casino was about the same, small but passable. There were 25 - 30 slot machines, one roulette table, two black jack tables. So, while they do have a casino on site, gamblers looking for a large, exciting casino should look elsewhere.
- The nightly entertainment in the Theater was fair and consisted of game shows (think Newlywed Game) and singing/dancing performed by a local troupe.
- The spa was very nice. They offered a good variety of services and had lovely gardens and fish ponds. We had the hot stone massage. Ahhhh.
- The restaurants were, overall, excellent. The food was fresh and tasty. The service was prompt. There did seem to be some instances where ingredients were lacking or different from what was listed on the menu (like no scallops in the Coquille St. Jacques, and no goat cheese in the Goat Cheese salad). The World Cafe had a good buffet with a nice selection of foods and included a special kids section for appropriate foods.The fresh Dominican coffee was excellent.
- The wedding gazebo was very pretty and surrounded by fountains (but is not near the beach). There was a wedding just about every day we were there.
- The grounds are VERY well kept. The bushes are trimmed, the grass is watered, the paths and pool deck are clean, there are flowers and flowering bushes everywhere. The pool is kept scrubbed and treated, and the water, for the most part, is crystal clear. The pool area at the pool bar was the only exception. I don't know if it was heavy use, beach sand, or spilled drinks, but this area was a little cloudy.
- The excursions ranged from scuba diving, to jungle tours, to horseback riding, to sailing. We did one snorkeling/catamaran excursion through Apple to the Marinarium (swim with sharks and sting rays!). The drive to get there was harrowing and the operator was not particularly well organized. This excursion left from the Caribbean side of the island. The water was gorgeous and clear, the snorkeling was very good, and the boat ride was fun and gave us a good view of other parts of the island.
Overall, I would say that Dreams Punta Cana is a nice 4 star resort. A great place for families or couples with a wide variety of food and activities, but not the right fit for discerning clients seeking 5 star luxury.
Feel free to look at the photos which I have posted on Snapfish.
http://www2.snapfish.com/
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