Advantages: Excellent hotel with lots of facilities
Disadvantages: Resort of Juan Dolio wasnt the greatest.

...Dominican Republic - Juan Dolio - Coral Costa Caribe I came to the Coral Costa Caribe with my (now ex) boyfriend when we were both 19. We found the hotel was excellent. We loved the 24 hours all inclusive, the gardens of the hotel were lovely and the room was spacious with 2 double beds. Our room was very clean and was cleaned regularily. The food was nice but I cant remember much of what they had because its now over 2 years ago that I went. The resort of Juan Dolio itself I didn't see much of. There were only another few hotels in this resort so it wasn't catered well for tourists - which is great if that is what you want. But the hotel offered different sport to entertain you during the day - there was tennis courts, crazy golf, aqua aerobics, volley ball and other stuff. The staff at the hotel were very... 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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Advantages: Cheaper than other Caribbean destinations, Goregeous beaches, crystal clear water.
Disadvantages: Long flight, 'Hasslers', ear-infections from the pool

...restaurant. They served typical Mexican dishes here like tacos etc. And as I'd come to expect by now, the food was wonderful. Anyone guess I like food yet!? I love sampling different foods. This was a brilliant place to sample lots of different and diverse recipes. There was also a midnight snack bar open in the woods by the beach from about 11pm. There was a disco-type event in an open building near the food huts most nights, although this wasn't the main entertainment. Back in the hotel complex by the pool and bar, there was an open air stage. They put on entertainment here every night, and it was pretty good. There was a play/dance show, which actually depicted some Dominican Republic folklore. It was very well done and most of the cast were children from a local school. Some shows could be quite spectacular where a ring of fire... Read review

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Advantages: Price, weather, beaches, accommodation
Disadvantages: 9 hour flight

...I went to the North of the Dominican Republic to get married 4 months ago. It was the most beautiful place I have ever been to, and the best holiday we have had. We stayed at the Hotel Riu Merengue which in itself was paradise. The staff of the hotel were very friendly and obliging and the people of the Dominican were extremely friendly. The Dominican Republic is a beautiful country with a poor lifestyle. We went on a monster jeep safari trip which was excellent but we were amazed and saddened at the poverty but also glad to be able to see the country away from the tourism side, the real Dominican as it were. The weather was excellent, the beaches were gorgeous and the entertainment in our all inclusive hotel left other hotels we have visited, standing. I would recommend the Dominican Republic to anyone. You will be hard pressed... Read review

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Advantages: Beautiful beaches and greenary
Disadvantages: Too many beggars

...When I saw the photos for the Dominican Republic, in the brochure, I thought ‘I want to go there!’ Where better than to spend two weeks in the glorious sunshine in the middle of December! So we (Michael and I) splashed out £700 for an all-inclusive deal of unlimited food and drink (both of which appeals to us) to the destination of Sousa. The flight was a very long 9 ½ hours and I would recommend getting first class if you can stretch your money that far. We were crammed in like sardines with elbows and sweaty arm pits everywhere. I definitely envied those sat at the front in their big armchairs. My first impressions of the Dominican Republic were of disappointment. As we travelled on the coach dropping off other holidaymakers, the place was baron and run down but it is a third world country. The Hotel Eventually... Read review

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Advantages: Everything is beautiful and the beach is right outside your hotel
Disadvantages: Easy to get sick of the food on all inclusive holidays

...I was so excited when I booked my holiday to the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic one of the biggest islands in the Caribbean situated next to Cuba. The holiday was a last minute bargain – a two week all inclusive holiday for £650 with Airtours. I stayed at the Playa Dorada complex in Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic) at the Hoteteur Playa Dorada. I had read so many reviews of this place – all of them saying great things about the hotel and area. Well, what did I think? My complex was only 20 minutes from the airport and because it was a package holiday transfers were included. My first impression during the transfer was wow it’s so green. I usually take my holidays in the Mediterranean and you tend to find that most of the islands are volcanic and the landscape is brown, dry and barren. Which ever way you looked there were... Read review

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Advantages: nice relaxing holiday, friendly people, great weather.
Disadvantages: hassle by the beach vendors, some shop keepers and time share people

...We have just spent two fabulous weeks in Cabarete on the North coast of Dominican Republic, and I want to tell you all about it. We flew with Thomson and it cost us approx £600 each. Spending money, we probably spent around £400, not including our diving course. First off a bit of geography, DomRep occupies one half of the island of Hispaniola. One of the larger islands in the Caribean. The other half of it being Haiti. It is approximately 8 1/2 hrs away from the UK, but is well worth the time taken to get there. Remember hurricane Jeanne, of September 2004 hitting and devastating Haiti and Dom Rep, well we got there about 7 days after she did expecting to find devestation and in fact had wanted to cancel our holiday, but didn't as we would have lost all our money. So with trepidation, and fearing the worst we went. We need... Read review

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Advantages: Sun, sea, smiles
Disadvantages: I had to leave

...I have recently returned from a two week last-minute holiday in the Dominican Republic with my partner. (cost £550 3* all inclusive pp) Before going I did have a certain amount of trepidation due to all the stories I had been told about being offered drugs as soon as I got off the plane, alot of hassle from street vendors, poor food... It is NOT true!! We stayed in a resort called Juan Dolio on the south coast of the island and by the wonderfully warm and clear carribean sea. We travelled with JMC and stayed in the 3* all inclusive Talanquera Beach Resort (part of the Barcelo group). The accomadation was fairly basic but spacious with air conditioning in the bedroom (and they have English style toilets). The resort had three swimming pools (with a daily beach towel exchange system), two jacuzzis, a games room, three... 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

...'ve always had positive responses. I've visited the Dominican Republic twice now, both North and South of the island, and have had an enjoyable experience each time. I hope you take the opportunity to visit this little part of the Caribbean and enjoy it as much as we have, and I hope this review encourages you to visit this hotel.... Read review

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Advantages: Weather, Food, entertainment
Disadvantages: Security

...My first experience of the Dominican Republic was when i was 15.It was the end of March and I went along with my parents, grandparents and younger brothers and expected it to be a typical family holiday with a bit of argueing combined with the constant echo of 'Im Bored' from my brothers mouth... I was soon proved wrong when i arrived and was greeted by the beautiful weather and smiles of all the staff on the resort. I went for 2 weeks all inclusive so i liked the fact that i was never hungry or thirsty for the entire time there. The was so much to do there, it offered everything from your usual watersports and diving etc to the amzing game of volleyball and archery and many other games and providing competitions too. This helped me to make friends quite easily and the resort was huge with about 6 or 7 pools so fortunately i wasn... Read review

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