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Thread: Vacation Recommendations

  1. #1
    Senior Member pemberly's Avatar
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    Default Vacation Recommendations

    i'm looking for a trip that won't cost me too much. I found a trip to an all inclusive resort to Punta Cana Dominican Republic. Has anybody been and is it fun? I've never been to one of these trips before. Just on trips where I have to walk a lot. I think a relaxing trip would be a nice change. Is 750 a person for 4 nights a good price? No Mexico, because of all those drug wars and such.
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  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by pemberly View Post
    i'm looking for a trip that won't cost me too much. I found a trip to an all inclusive resort to Punta Cana Dominican Republic. Has anybody been and is it fun? I've never been to one of these trips before. Just on trips where I have to walk a lot. I think a relaxing trip would be a nice change. Is 750 a person for 4 nights a good price? No Mexico, because of all those drug wars and such.
    We spent 4 nights at an all inclusive resort (Barcelo Capella) in the Dominican Republic about 4-5 years back. The trip from the airport to the resort was kind of sketchy but the resort was quite nice. Buffets open for long hours, and the basic alcohol was included. I really enjoyed it since my days were spent eating, playing on the beach, eating some more, etc. The place we were at had a coral reef so it was pretty cool. Overall it was very relaxing. We also went horse riding and scuba diving which were extra. As long as you don't leave the resort it's all great. Once you leave the resort it's a third world country.

    We're currently thinking about a cruise from Boston to Bermuda. My wife saw some ad on the Metro yesterday.
    Last edited by darkcser; 04-08-10 at 02:26 PM. Reason: Remembered name of resort
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  3. #3
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    I've been on 3 all-inclusive vacations, although never to the Dominican Republic, and enjoyed them to varying degrees. I've heard from others who have been to the DR that the beaches around Punta Cana are generally nicer than the ones in Mexico, but no first hand experience to confirm that.

    Regarding the all-inclusive experience,

    Pros:
    1. Most resorts include all meals and drinks, including alcohol. Double-check on the resort you're thinking of. Some resorts only provide food at breakfast, lunch, and dinner hours, and if you want an afternoon or late night snack, you may be stuck.
    2. Activities provided. Most have snorkling equipment, volleyball, lawn chess, ping pong, pool, etc. on top of the beach and pool. Some have tennis. One of the resorts I went to included a free sunset dinner cruise to a remote island. The higher class the resort, the more activities.
    3. Friendly staff; generally, you're treated really well. Great atmosphere.


    Cons:
    1. Food could get boring. The lower star (usu. < 4 stars) resorts don't have a lot of variety for restaurants. Some only have the one buffet. That can get dull if you're eating there for 7 days, 3 meals a day. The higher class the resort, usually the more variety for food.
    2. Same-old, same-old. Novelty can wear off after several days after being in the same place. My last all-inclusive vacation, I spent 6 days there without leaving the resort because I had broken my wrist 3 days before the holiday. There's only so much time you can spend lying on the beach, soaking in the tub, and going to the gym. We walked out of the resort around town, and darkscer's right - some places can look like a hole. Didn't want to do it again.
    3. Food quality is usually only "ok." Unless you pay for the 5*, or better yet, Sandals resort, the food quality is often acceptably decent, even good, but not stellar. So, if you're like me and want really yummy food on your vacations, this could be a big con, and it's the reason why I tend to like cruising more.



    I've found I'm not really an all-inclusive person. Not that I didn't enjoy my experiences, but I'd rather take a cruise, just because (even without a broken wrist), after a while, the resort felt confining. Depends on your personality and how much activity you like. Some people love it and don't ever leave the premises because they're there to completely relax. I usually get out, take a few excursions - scuba dive, zip line, etc - just so I'm not in the same place for a week straight, and that makes it more fun for me. Of course, that may not be an option if you don't want to pay more than what you had budgeted, because the extras can add up.

    However, I have found that all-inclusive vacations with a group makes it much more fun. Drinking and hanging out on the beach with friends... how bad can that be?

    Anyways, I think $750 pp including airfare is a good deal and a great deal if it's 4* or more. (I'm judging as a Canadian, however. US often gets better deals on airfare). Just make sure to read some reviews on the resort before you decide.
    Last edited by Hoju!; 04-08-10 at 03:12 PM.

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