OT - Punta Cana, DR - 1st time - advice?

[Lil ole moi]

My daughter and her friends decided they wanted to go to the Dominican before they go away to University...and...they asked the mothers to come along!!!!

None of the group of 10 have ever been before and I'm really hoping my fellow DISers will have some advice (any advice!), what to bring, stay away from, etc.

The resorts name is Gran Bahai Principe Bavaro...5*

We are really excited, but I really don't know what to expect or what to look out for because I have only ever vacationed at Disney.

Any thoughts, advice...

Thanks, guys!

 

[CdnDisneyNut]

It has been a few years since I have been there.

Check out this web site.

http://www.debbiesdominicantravel.com

 

[Lizziejane]

I have been to that resort twice - the first was on the Bavaro side, the second time (last October) was in the Ambar section.

The resort is lovely - well cared for, clean, and the food is quite good. The whole complex - including the Bavaro, Puna Cana, Premier and Ambar sections - put together, is huge!! The "main" sections - Bavaro and Punta Cana - are definitely the liveliest, with a lot of younger guests. The main pool, to be honest, can be a little over-run with partying 20-25 year olds who have had a drink or two too many. There are quieter pools scattered towards the back of the resort though, so if you don't like loud, pool games and music, I'd suggest staying back there. If you are a beach person though, move to the left of the beach (as you're facing the ocean) - grab a lounger by the open-air beach restaurant or even a little beyond that - for a nice, quiet spot. Anything up closer to the pool is still lively with beach games, aerobics, etc. The beach is FABULOUS!!! the sand doesn't get hot, and the water is warm! If you decide to walk to the beach market, slather on the sun-block - I had a 30 on, and still fried by the time we got back! Mind you, we were in and out of the water the whole way there and back, it was so hot, so I guess a lot of the block had washed off (it was supposed to be waterproof tho ) It's a good 30 minute walk each way. Take something to float on in the water - it will save you all the needless energy of running in and out of the water every 5 minutes because you need to cool off!!! LOL

The Japanese restaurants are great! We really enjoyed the Italian the first time we went, not so much the second time. Buffets are good, lots of variety. The gourmet was excellent, the french was very disappointing.

You will love PC - like I said, the beach is fabulous!! the bus ride there is a real eye opener though - makes you realize how lucky we are here in Canada.

 

[highland3]

This is an excellent resort!!! You will not regret this trip.

As a pp mentioned, the beach is phnomenal. The pools are great, main buffet is good...

The staff are very friendly and helpful.

There are some great excursions you can take. If you want more info, send me a pm or just ask here on the board.

I'm jealous... I'd love to be going back right about now!!!!

 

[Lil ole moi]

Thank you so much for all your replies. They really got me excited to be there !

So...so far book the Japanese restaurant and the Italian one. What about the steakhouse? Any other suggestions for restaurants?

Lizzyjane: what would you suggest I should bring to float on in the pool? Great idea, but what could I possibly bring that would fit in my already overloaded suitcase!!! LOL

Do people really dress up at this resort? Since I've only ever vacationed at Disney, I had to go shopping for sundresses instead of wearing my Mickey t-shirts! People say that you are literally in your bathing suit ALL DAY and dressing for dinner...

Highland3 (or who ever else would like to answer): Can you tell me what excursions are offered and at what price? I really need to know how much money to bring. Do they accept credit cards for these? Do you feel safe bringing them? Did you do any? Any information you can give me would be very appreciated and I will certainly pass all information on to my fellow-travellers. We are really perplexed as to how much US money to bring with us.

We are a week away, and with our group, we have booked 3 junior suites. I know when we go to Disney, we always fax/call Disney (while knowing they can't always necessarily meet all our requests) to request a certain section of the resort, floor, room block, etc. Did any of you do this at Gran Bahai Principe Bavaro? Is this even done here?

As always, I very much appreciate all your suggestions and help!

8 more sleeps!

 

[Lil ole moi]

Oooh...one more question:

Is there security on the beach at night so the girls can be safe there? Or will we be warned to stay away at night.

Oh and what about evening entertainment? Are there any good shows that we should all take in? Do you have to be seated early?

And...what about Karaoke? Is there such a thing there? The girls want to give it a try if there is!

Oops, that was more than one question, wasn't it?

 

[highland3]

There are a couple of excursions that take you through some villages and into the back country. We went on the Monster Truck Safari. It was excellent. We visited a school, a farm and even the working "office" of a VooDoo Doctor.

We also went on a snorkling excursion, which allowed you to swim with sharks and rays (harmless, but still unnerving varieties).

If memory serves, it was about $65-75 per person for each but well worth it!!!

You can pay cash, but you are safe using your credit card. We booked through the reps right at the resort. If they are at the resorts, you can be pretty sure they are safe and reputable.

There is security at the ends of the beach at night... BUT... wandering around the beach after dark is not recommended. The security guys dress all in black and tend to look rather menacing, but that can reassure you that they will scare off anyone who should not be there.

There are nightly shows at the stage. They can be fairly entertaining... and yes, there is a kareoke bar and a disco. The show themes change each night, and if you want sit sit up near the stage, it is advisable to arrive early. If not, there are still lots of seats. Evenings can also be spent at the piano bar, near the main lobby.

We tried a couple of shows, but found that we were soooo tired from all the sun and fresh air (and the occasional drink of rum) that we were turning in early and then getting up early to get a good start on the day.

 

[highland3]

Do people really dress up at this resort?

We are really perplexed as to how much US money to bring with us.

We are a week away, and with our group, we have booked 3 junior suites. I know when we go to Disney, we always fax/call Disney (while knowing they can't always necessarily meet all our requests) to request a certain section of the resort, floor, room block, etc. Did any of you do this at Gran Bahai Principe Bavaro? Is this even done here?

Order of dress varies very widely. Go with what you're comfortable in. Just remember, men should be wearing long pants and no sandals for dinner. No ties, but maybe a golf short or casual cotton shirt.

Bring lots of US $1's for tipping. Also bring US $$$ for souveniers etc. There is a bank machine in the lobby, but I can guarantee the exchange rate is better at home.

We did request a specific building and floor and got what we wanted. You can add this ti your booking, but you can also e-mail the resort about two weeks before (just like WDW). No guarantees, but it seemed to work for us. Just mention your names, arrival date and a preferred building and whether you want ground floor, etc. Also mention if there are any special occasions (birthdays, annversaries, etc.). We were treated like royalty on our anniversary!!!

 

[Lizziejane]

to answer your question about a float thing - I got one that is mesh in the middle, with an inflatable rim. It takes absolutely no space in the suitcase because it packs flat, and is wonderful to float on because your butt is actually in the water when you use it! You may have a tough time finding one at this time of year - I got mine last summer in Walmart.

As the pp said, guys need to dress in long pants for for dinner - women are a little more relaxed. I've seen jeans and fancy top in the restaurants for women, and shorts in the buffet at dinner also. You don't have to be dressy-dressy, just not sloppy. You can literally wear your bathing suit and a cover up to the beachside restaurant for lunch.

The only excursion I went on was horseback riding on the beach. I'd read to book something with Rancho Pat's, supposedly the best. They pick you up at the hotel and the stables are literally 5 or 10 minutes away. The ride was a little hairy at first as we had to ride through a hotel construction site (and I mean, right through it!) but, once we were clear of that, we galloped down virgin beach with the waves crashing beside us! Awesome!!! I can't recall exactly how much - I think it was like $40. There are other stables, but I believe they are in the jungle rather than the beach. The guides were great, they would take our cameras, gallop up ahead of us, then stop and take our pictures as we galloped along! naturally, they were kind of hoping for a nice tip afterwards

I think I've usually gone through about $50-$60 in $1's - I usually leave $2 for housekeeping every day, a little extra if I leave a note for something additional; I don't always tip at the buffet, really depends on the service; always tip the a-la-cartes and we've always used a "$1 per head" rule. Also, doesn't hurt to make a habit of choosing a table in the same area each day for lunch. Your server will get to know you, and if you tip a $1 here and there, they'll treat you right

The shows are...umm....well...let's just say, my sister fell asleep in the middle of one! LOL but, the one you have to take in is the Michael Jackson impersonator. He's really quite good! To be honest, we usually skip the shows now, they're quite predictable and generally a little on the lame side. After a full day in the heat, it was all we could do to scrape ourselves off the beach at 5:30 pm, clean-up and pre-dinner drink; dinner; after-dinner nighcap; and then c-r-a-w-l-e-d back to our rooms for a good nights rest! It's amazing just how tiring it can be to sit in the sun all day!!

If you're interested, you can see some of the photos I've posted here:
http://ceejanerun.smugmug.com/Personal Photos/661134

 

[Lil ole moi]

Great information! Thanks guys!

I think I might email them to request at least double beds in each of the rooms as none of us are couples (all women).

Does anyone have an email address used for that purpose.

Thanks again everyone. If you think of anymore tips, pass them along!

Shelly