OK, here goes. A few pointers for future travellers to this hotel or DR in general. I'm sure many will disagree or say what I'm saying is obvious, well it wasn't obvious to me before..
1. Don't travel to an AI on your own. If you want single travel go to Sosua or select hotels (!)
2. Contrary to the advice I had, the GV is a family hotel and nothing else. If you're happy with loads of kids then great (It was not a problem but I had been told it was more adults/couples/singles)
3. Playa Dorada (which is a private complex within which there are a number of hotels) is not (in my humble opinion) a major excursion/venturing out environment.
4. I know the DR residents will get upset about this but my (limited) experience of DR was that it was a tourist rip-off. I appreciate the poverty and the need to survive but the rip off prices charged within the Playa Dorada area do not benefit the poor. The rip-off tours of Puerta Plata were appalling.
5. The DR cigars as with many other products being sold in this resort were MORE expensive than in the USA! Sure, get off your butt and look into the country (after paying $20/$30 for a short taxi ride, or $80 a day for the smallest car). Cigarettes in the hotel were being sold for $6 packet (except for Marlboro)
6. I thought the people at the GV were great. They were all very pleasant and made me smile for the two weeks I was there.
7. The food and inclusive booze makes the holiday. Pace yourself! I had no worries with water or Puerto Plata Splattas!
8. The entertainment was fun. Nights to definitely stay in are when the dancers and the bands visit. Take more english books than you think you need (I ran out and couldn't find any there)
9. Be VERY selective about which room you get allocated. The block (3 I think) where the quiet pool is, is NOT a quiet area. They fail to tell you of the very lood discotheque outside the compound area which stays loud well past 2am. Many of the rooms in this block are also damp and dark. I was told at least 12 people asked to be moved the day after we all arrived. I was moved to block 1 and had a GREAT room. You won't know what you are missing if you just accept the 'quiet' block. You have been warned.
10. DR is a great place if you want a family holiday in the sun and no great needs for significant culture or for venturing out of the AI hotel environment.
11. Too many CHAVS, too many tatoos and pierced everything. I was amazed that they weren'ty piping in Corry. If you want to get away from that lot, don't go to POP resorts. The 20 stone topless sunbather from london did it for me. The Canadians could not believe anyone could walk around the pool all day like that. (Great for emancipation but not for the other 200 people round the pool).
You get what you pay for!
Good luck. I will definitely return. The DR girls were beautiful and not all of them after my wallet!
1. Don't travel to an AI on your own. If you want single travel go to Sosua or select hotels (!)
2. Contrary to the advice I had, the GV is a family hotel and nothing else. If you're happy with loads of kids then great (It was not a problem but I had been told it was more adults/couples/singles)
3. Playa Dorada (which is a private complex within which there are a number of hotels) is not (in my humble opinion) a major excursion/venturing out environment.
4. I know the DR residents will get upset about this but my (limited) experience of DR was that it was a tourist rip-off. I appreciate the poverty and the need to survive but the rip off prices charged within the Playa Dorada area do not benefit the poor. The rip-off tours of Puerta Plata were appalling.
5. The DR cigars as with many other products being sold in this resort were MORE expensive than in the USA! Sure, get off your butt and look into the country (after paying $20/$30 for a short taxi ride, or $80 a day for the smallest car). Cigarettes in the hotel were being sold for $6 packet (except for Marlboro)
6. I thought the people at the GV were great. They were all very pleasant and made me smile for the two weeks I was there.
7. The food and inclusive booze makes the holiday. Pace yourself! I had no worries with water or Puerto Plata Splattas!
8. The entertainment was fun. Nights to definitely stay in are when the dancers and the bands visit. Take more english books than you think you need (I ran out and couldn't find any there)
9. Be VERY selective about which room you get allocated. The block (3 I think) where the quiet pool is, is NOT a quiet area. They fail to tell you of the very lood discotheque outside the compound area which stays loud well past 2am. Many of the rooms in this block are also damp and dark. I was told at least 12 people asked to be moved the day after we all arrived. I was moved to block 1 and had a GREAT room. You won't know what you are missing if you just accept the 'quiet' block. You have been warned.
10. DR is a great place if you want a family holiday in the sun and no great needs for significant culture or for venturing out of the AI hotel environment.
11. Too many CHAVS, too many tatoos and pierced everything. I was amazed that they weren'ty piping in Corry. If you want to get away from that lot, don't go to POP resorts. The 20 stone topless sunbather from london did it for me. The Canadians could not believe anyone could walk around the pool all day like that. (Great for emancipation but not for the other 200 people round the pool).
You get what you pay for!
Good luck. I will definitely return. The DR girls were beautiful and not all of them after my wallet!