About this sick thingy.

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Gale

Guest
I jus don't understand this, Oh! We all got sick! C'mon, are these hotels that dirty?, I don't think so, I've being to many hotels and they are very tide and clean, MOST OF THEM anyways, I've being to some restaurants in NYC and Miami, and I have had second thoughts about eating there again.

I think it's got something to do with all inclusive plans, low income people pay a few bucks and they just wanna get as much food and drinks from their money as possible, so they get sick from all that mindless overindulgence.

Don't you think resorts and hotels take notes about this message board? Do you think they wouldn't take safe precautions to protect their business?

Remember that British tourist who supposedly was 11 days with COLERA! as far I know, there have never being a single case of colera in the DR since the time of Columbus?. laying in her bed ?"sick"? Eleven days?? with diarrhea, and she was not taken to a hospital? Well, that turned out to be a cheap slant.

I'm not saying there aren't any bad places that you can eat or drink safely, but come on guys! you all know how other countries are trying to get their share of the tourism cake, and slanting and bad mouthing the DR is the cheapest way to do it.

And another thing, I've seen a lot of tourist people eating "Frituras" fried food from street vendors, drinking sugar cane nectar that is not properly pasteurized or treated for safe use, believe me people, not many Dominicans drink most of the thinks these street vendors sell.
 
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ND

Guest
We were at the Melia Tropical from February 20-27. And although neither my husband nor I had more than two bouts of diarrhea each (resolved immediately with Imodium AD), the illness amongst approximately 60% of the resort's guests (conservatively) was very, very real indeed. Most of the guests were down for 3-5 days with severe diarrhea, vomiting and nausea. We were very careful not to over indulge on food or drink, nor did we leave the resort or eat at beach vendor locations. We were very lucky.

I do not consider myself "low income" looking for a cheap vacation. That is not why we chose an all-inclusive but instead to know exactly how much we were going to spend on vacation. I consider that wise.

I do not consider giving an accurate review of a vacation destination where a couple will spend $2500 of their hard earned money to be bad mouthing or slanting. I have not encouraged others not to go to the DR, but instead to be careful. I have received numerous emails in response to my thoughtful posts and have honestly answered people's questions and encouraged them to be as careful as we were.

We were honest in our resort evaluation of the Melia Tropical at the end of our stay and encouraged the resort to resolve the health issues promptly. We were extremely complimentary, as we should have been, about the resort property, the cleanliness, the outstanding staff, the beautiful rooms and wonderful Dominican hospitality we experienced. In addition, we shared our opinion that we hoped the profits received by the resorts would be shared with those who deserve it the most -- the Dominican staff from the BOTTOM UP!

I would be pleased to give anyone an honest and thoughtful opinion of our stay in the DR. I would not encourage anyone to cancel their trip or change their resort destination based on what I say, but hopefully to experience a better trip than we did.
 
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Burmell

Guest
If you are getting sick, You are eating or drinking the wrong things. I have spent about a year and a half in the Dr at various times and have NEVER been sick. All I do is watch what I eat, drink, and don't get too much sun. Try it.
 
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JENNIFER

Guest
Re: Low Income???

I am only responding to this because I Do Not consider my hubby and I as low income.Yes we stayed at an all inclusive but our income had nothing to do with where we chose our vacation destination or our hotel. To me that is a degrading comment! Especially when everyone deserves a holiday once in awhile.It should not matter how much money anyone makes! Most of the hotels in the DR are now all inclusives. Some people can deal with the change in weather,water,food and ingredients in tropical drinks and some people can't.We didn't have a problem at all with illness while we were there.Imagine that! And we stayed at an all inclusive!
 
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Brian

Guest
I have travelled to the DR every year for the last several years at least once or twice each year. I have always enjoyed the food (some of the finest that I have had anywhere) and have had no trouble. I do keep in consideration that sometimes refrigeration may be marginal and I am selective in where I dine. I have ate at some of the finest restuarants in Puerta Plata, Playa Dorado, & Sosua, as well as the huts along the beach where Dominicans graciously serve the "catch of the day" with Presidente beer I would recommend that if the food looks like it has sat in the sun for awhile before preparation....don't eat it. Also, when in doubt, have it cooked well done. Use the same common sense as you would at home... Enjoy your trip to the DR @ remember....drink bottled water.
 
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Joyce Jimenez

Guest
I just got back from the DR (Sosua) and stayed at my mother in laws house. I did not get sick once. I ate food that was cooked in very small restaurants and ate mostly at home. I will NOT eat fritura, that will make you sick for sure. We drank bottled water and alot of presidente beer. I had a great time and saw alot of old friends and family. I laughed the whole time I was there.

take care

Joyce
 
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Gale

Guest
Re: Low Income???

Jennifer,

Don't take me out of context, I didn't say all people who take all inclusive are low income, but you most understand that this kind of plans are mostly used by low income people.

If I offended you I apologize.
 
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Gale

Guest
That was exactly what I said, eating "fritura" sold by street vendors will make you sick, but sadly, many tourist people do eat this kinds of products that most Dominicans don't eat because of the lack of hygiene.

I went to the Colonial Zone and I saw a bunch of tourists people drinking frio-frio (chopped ice with fruit pulp) and sugar cane nectar from a street vendor, and believe me, most Dominicans I know won't even try that stuff because it's not treated for safe use.

I apologize about my 'low income' comment, it seems like I was taken out of context, BUT, it's true that many people indulge themselves in rum, Presidente beer, and alcohol and that causes diarrhea and vomiting, especially if you are not used to tropical drinks.

I seriously doubt that microorganism causes most of the illness people shows in these hotels.
 
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Big John

Guest
Your comments about low income tourists over indulging in the Dominican Republic I find very insulting ! My Wife and Myself have taken 22 all inclusive vacations. Five times weve stayed at the Super Clubs Grand Lido Negril (called "The Best Resort In the Carribean" by a major magazine), and weve also vacationed in Ocho Rios,Aruba, Cozumel, Cancun,and Puerto Vallarta. We talked to a larger than normal number of guests at the Iberostar Dominicana/Punta Cana that had become ill and required I.V. antibiotics and fluids to recover. My personal observation was that the food was often not properly refrigerated and often under cooked. We also noted a huge huge huge amount of oils, both Coco & palm being used to cook and reheat food and thats not healthy. Many of the buffet items had a sauce over them and you could hardly tell what type of meat they contained,Beef, Pork, Chicken, Spanial, Who knows ? All in all of our 22 all inclusive vacations we rated Punta Cana and the Iberostar Dominicana the worst from a health & food quality standard. Please remove your head from your but and complain about my poor spelling or sentence structure, not my voicing my experienced opinion about a possible health risk.
 
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Big John

Guest
Why is it so much more common to get sick from over indulgence in the D.R. and not in other countries with hot weather Jamacia, Aruba, or Mexico? We have never experienced the degree of illness in those countries even with drinking bear, rum, tequila, vodka, and long exposure to the sun, as we did in the D.R. . This is not to say illness is a stranger in any country, just our experience has shown us that one must be even more careful in the D.R. .
 
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Jim Hinsch

Guest
Re: DR vs. other Caribbean Islands and sickness

We too have stayed at the Super Clubs Grand Lido Negril (called "The Best Resort in the Caribbean"). The price was US$375 per person, per night for a beachside room, and it wasn't a fabulous room either. It was a good resort, but I've certainly had better, even at Negril's Swept Away, which is almost right next door to Gran Lido and US$100 per night per couple cheaper. We wouldn't consider a repeat visit to the Gran Lido, even at half that price. Neither place compares to the beauty of Punta Cana, not even close, and we paid US$100 per person per night at the Bavaro Beach Resort Palace in Punta Cana.

The food was good at the Gran Lido, but the service was the worst. Comparing Gran Lido at $750 per night per couple vs. Punta Cana at less than $200 per night per couple, I'll take Punta Cana any day. In fact, even the US$60/night/person resorts in the DR have nicer grounds, a nicer beach, far more magnificent pools, real night life, and more activities than the Gran Lido. If you want to spend an extra US$550 per night per couple for good food and room service, go ahead.

It seems that every big all-inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic uses the same mold as just about every other all-inclusive resort in Dominican Republic. The food service revolves around a mass-produced cafeteria-quality buffet with an option to eat at a variety of a-la-carte specialty restaurants for which seating is very limited and reservations are required to be made the day before, usually during some very restrictive period between 9 and 10am and usually involves waiting in line to do so. This is a common complaint with many resorts in the DR.

Most of the all-inclusive mega-resorts put very little money into the actual accommodations but at the same time, build gorgeous swimming pools and grounds surrounded by fabulous vegetation and walk ways. Food has been a short-coming at nearly every resort I've visited in the Dominican Republic, although there have been exceptions. Keep in mind that you are not going to get cruise-ship quality food at the price you pay for a vacation in the Dominican Republic, or anywhere else in that price range.

I found that in general, Canadians and Europeans find the food at the resorts in the Dominican Republic to be acceptable. Many English and some Americans tend to get sick and the Americans frequently complain about the food. The Dominicans have a lot to learn about food and service, I'll give you that. I personally can get by with the food and occasionally even rave about a particular place but for the most part, I balk at the food too. Shredded lettuce and vinegar doesn?t make a salad, one doesn't visit a tropical island to drink juice made from a mix, and food that sits out with flies on it disgusts me. But none of this has every made me sick.

It's when they reheat yesterday's meat into today's mystery mix, let the juice go so bad that it is fermenting, let the bread dry out in open air, and don't refrigerate the eggs, all of which I've experienced at various resorts in the DR, that can really make one sick. I've heard at one place they even spread the resort sewage around the resort grounds. It may be ecologically sound, as is spreading cow manure on farmland, but I wouldn't want to vacation in it.

My advice is to select the best resort or restaurants you can afford. Foreign visitors get sick frequently, and food is only part of the cause. That's a fact not just in the DR, but many places. I've been sick in Mexico, and I've been sick in the DR. I've been sick on a cruise, I've been sick while vacationing in Europe,and I've been sick at home. Sickness happens.

One visitor claimed that 60% of the resort guests were sick. I wonder why 60% of the staff were not sick. This tells me it is something they guests are just not used to. I've had over 50 trips to the DR, and I am frequently sick AFTER I get back, typically with mild cold symptoms for a week. I was mildly sick for 1 day my first visit to Punta Cana and my 3 friends were violently sick for 2 days, all with stomach pains, vomit, and diarrhea. We all blamed the eggs! Go figure. Some get sick, some get a little sick, some not at all. Come prepared.

Jim Hinsch JimHinsch@CSI.COM
 
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Rachael Szafir

Guest
I guess I just could not let this go by without putting in my two cents. Last April a friend and I traveled to Puerto Plata and stayed at an all inclusive, although I do not consider myself low income I had a great time. We went on vacation with the exact intent to lay in the sun all day, eat things we would not normally eat and yes, drink way too much. Everyday, we got up, laid in the sun, ate and drank. We had tons of fun and met approximately 20 poeple at this resort. During our stay these 20 people also began to hang around with us, drink and eat mostly all of the same things. Imagine, neither I nor 19 other people exercised caution and NONE of us became ill. If you go on vacation and all you do is worry, you will make yourself sick. I enjoyed the DR and am going back on Friday. Again I will be with several friends again I will lay in the sun and again I will drink. If I get sick oh well, I'm only there for 1 week and I plan to do everything in my power to enjoy myself and this wonderful country.

By no means am I telling anyone out there to do as I am doing, but you only live once. To live or die worrying is a waste of time.

No one take offense, this is just MY two cents.
 
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Dr. Aftab Babar

Guest
Oh come on! I am sick and tired of this fear of tourist getting sick. I have been living here for 11 months and I have been coming to this country for many years as a tourist. I have stayed in all kinds of hotels, from 5 stars to a small mama's & papa's type setups. believe me, I have eaten all kinds of foods; even from streets and all I have to say is this: DON'T WORRY ABOUT GETTING SICK!!!!! I have never gotten sick here and neither will you. So stop listening to other terrified tourists & sensitive gringos; they won't help but to get you more afraid. Those people will get sick from anything, even from a plane ride to here. My advice is to just stay calm and eat whatever you like but within reason and limit. Just use common sense. Oh, and do get out of the hotel to see the real dominican republic. This country is beautiful and the people are very friendly. Sincerely, Aftab
 
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Gale

Guest
In all the time I've being reading this board, I have never seeing a comment about getting sick in Casa de Campo, (I am not saying you won't get sick there nor I'm I saying there hasn't being complains about Casa de Campo) I just haven't seeing bad comments about getting sick there and I have never seen a comment about illness in prime hotels like Jaragua, Lina, Melia (Formerly known as Sheraton) and other fine places in SD or Puerto Plata. My guess is that, you get what you pay for, all reports about getting sick just happened to coincide with relatively cheap low budget resorts...and I again, I apologized for that low-income statement, and it was not my intention to vex anyone.
 
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stefanie

Guest
Stop worrying so much about getting sick!!!!

I am beginning to believe that people are getting themselves so worked up about getting sick that its just going to your heads! stop worrying so much about getting sick, just go, have a vacation, if it happens, it happens, the fact of the matter is many many people go without getting sick including myself!
 
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Lyse

Guest
Re: Low Income???

Sorry, but low income people cannot afford to travel. Most people who use the all inclusive plan are the ones who want to have a vacation without worrying where and what to eat. Have you ever been to Casa de Campo? I guess not....
 
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bill hetherington

Guest
having spent quite a number of years in the Dominican Republic I find the concerns about " this sick thingy " unnecessary. Does anyone know anything about Central Ozama ? Is it still going OK .
 
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Joyce Jimenez

Guest
Rachael,

I agree with you, worrying is a waste of time and you only live once.
 
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stefanie

Guest
Re: Low Income???

Most people that go to these resorts on low-income are simply middle class people, the only low income people that go there are high school and college students and the reason they're low income is they're paying thousands of dollars for an education. It was tight enough budget to get me there and we're an upper-middle class family, i don't know how low income families could afford it.
 
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Gale

Guest
Re: Low Income???

Yes, I have, I have many close friends who even have villas there, I posted some pics of several places inside Casa de Campo, I do make good cash in the DR, I sell security equipment (CCTV, Alarms etc.) for govt. agencies and large corporations.

So, I have to say I am financially very well off. Thank God!.

So, I guess you guest wrong.