Barcelo Capella Beach Resort, Juan Dolio

Advantages: Usually hot country, cheap to visit
Disadvantages: Very poor standards nothing to do, poor food

...In September 2004, my husband and I went on holiday to Barcelo Naiboa Caribe Beach Resort on the south coast of Dominican Republic. The complex wasn't cracking, but it's the company that can make a holiday fun! THE RESORT We arrived at the hotel in the dark, after a 5 hour bus journey. The travel company told us it would be 2 ½ hrs. So, by the time we arrived we were pretty fed up. My first impressions of the organisation of the hotel "was chaos". 8 couples got of the rickety bus, to check in and it took the receptionist a further hour to get us all checked in. they'd lost registration details, couldn't find some keys (great security) and someone's luggage had gone missing between the airport and the hotel! Great start. Next morning we got to look around. It's quite a basic hotel; but that didn't bother us. We both work in hotels... Read review

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Advantages: On the beach, good access for disabled travellers
Disadvantages: Quiet location, not much in way of local shops

...out of you) After a long flight, the lengthy coach transfer to the hotel (from Punta Cana approx 3 hours, from La Romana approx 1½ hours) can leave you somewhat jaded, and arriving at this shocking pink decorated hotel via a very quiet bumpy little road may lead you to wonder what on earth you have let yourself in for! The hotel itself is divided by a service road, the majority of accommodation and pool and restaurant areas being on one side and beachside accommodation, the beach disco and restaurant on the other. The first thing we noticed, having a disabled passenger with us, was the availability of ramps and easy access to the beach and main areas, although the beach front block that we were in surprisingly did not have an access ramp, and would have caused a problem for a wheelchair user on their own as there were 2 steps to... Read review

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Advantages: Sun, sandy beaches, wonderful scenery
Disadvantages: a 9 hour flight from the UK

...We visited the Dominican Republic in January 2000. We had booked a late availability holiday, which was allocated on arrival, but guaranteed to be a minimum 3 star All Inclusive Hotel on the south coast. For around £430 each for a two-week holiday, we thought this a good deal. I was very pleased to find on arrival at the airport that we would be staying at the Barcelo Talanquera Beach Resort in Juan Dolio. The Setting ********** The Caribbean Sea borders the island’s south coast and the Atlantic Ocean in the north. Juan Dolio, in the south, is a relatively new resort about an hour’s drive from the airport at Santo Domingo. This area offers palm-fringed white sandy beaches, edged by shallow turquoise waters and sheltered by a coral reef, plus all year round temperatures of around 25C. In 1999 this part... Read review

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