Ocean Sand/Palladium/Melia Caribe

These are all large resorts that have in common being on the eastern beach strip of the DR. There are small nuisances of each. For instance, if you had small children, I would recommend the Melia Caribe (they have a one-of-a-kind Flintstone's club). If you had teenagers, the Grand Palladium has the best sports facilities -- with even a soccer field. And the Ocean Sands has access to a bowling alley, also good for teenagers.

Ocean Sand

I went to Ocean Sand Oct. 2005 for a week. My now husband and I, who is a Dominican, got married there. Besides the fact that it rained the whole week, it was a beautiful resort.

As compared to Secrets:
(I have not vacationed there but have spent many evenings there as my husband worked there for a couple of years.)

Secrets Excellence is simply that "excellent" and the beauty of it sets the mood of romance. It is an adults only resort and they make that very evident which is a bonus!!

Ocean Sand is more colourful and cheery. It is all ages oriented.

I have been to 7 different resorts in Dominican and Ocean Sand is in my top two. Sunscape the Beach (sister hotel of Secrets) ties for first place in my mind. Sunscape has the same fault as Secrets, the beach. Yes Ocean Sand is on Bavaro Beach and it is very nice there.

Like you already know Ocean Sand/Blue is one of the newest hotels in Punta Cana. Just to let you know there are two rows of buildings on each side of the hotel grounds, one side Ocean Sand the other Ocean Blue, same place though, one was just built before the other and one comes with a golf deal. Being a new hotel, it is very clean!

The rooms are huge! We had a upgraded room and my family had the normal room. All the rooms have jacuzzi tubs, which i love! The upgraded room had a larger bathroom with a heart shaped tub with separate shower, ocean view, and more romantic colour scheme.

The food is very good in the main buffet and the a la cartes. Although they still need some work on perfecting the taste of the American food!!!

The pool was extremely clean with a nice swim up bar.

The casino is also very nice and up to speed with technology.

The disco was better then Secrets...it just doesn't have my husband bartending!!! The night entertainment was also good but when i went it was still really new to have the best animation team. Things are probably different now.

Ocean Sand is a pretty big resort, but there is a "trolly train" that goes around most of the day. Therefore if it rains, which you are going in that season, you don't have to worry. I thought it was great.

As for the other hotels, they are a higher end hotel, so you will probably love them also for which ever hotel you choose. My advise is to figure out what you want on your vacation and what little things you have enjoyed in the past ie jacuzzi tub.

If you are from Canada, I have booked a few of my trips from www.selloffvacations.com and have never had a problem. I have also got really good deals from there. Even if you don't book there, it will give you info on the resorts and how much the last minute pricing is.

Happy choosing!!

Kim

While all three are good, I will put in a word for the Palladium, excellent facility for all ages, and likely the best priced of all for a Junior suite.

sell off

Be very carefull if you are booking ocean sand last minute, not sure of the others. I just went to Dominican in July, and I noticed that Ocean Sand was one of the first to sell out. I also noticed that trips this year are selling faster then previous years, all you will have left is the most expensive hotel and the better more expensive rooms. That is the risk of going last minute!!

Either hotel you will probably like, they are both upscale. Is pallidium a 'stay at 1, play at 3'? Personally I like to relax in the pool and just do a bit of snorkelling. Tonight I will ask my husband which hotel is better and let you know tomorrow.

Kim

Omg

KIMMYGIRL said:

... I just went to Dominican in July....
....I have been to 7 different resorts in Dominican and Ocean Sand....

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You were in a country called the Dominican Republic and your husband is Dominican.

m'frog

So sorry!!

mountainfrog said:

You were in a country called the Dominican Republic and your husband is Dominican.

m'frog

Click to expand...

M'Frog,
My gosh, did you have a bad day, or did you not understand what I was talking about??? I did not think that everything typed had to be perfect. My husband is named Oscar and I love him from which ever country he comes from!! Even if from the USA....sorry United Stated....sorry United States of America!!!!

Point being the thread is about whether Tigs should go to...sorry vacation at the Grand Palladium, Ocean Sand, or Melia Caribe. No hard feelings! I was recently helped on this forum myself and now I am trying to help somebody else!


Tigs,
I asked Oscar which hotel was better and he quickly said Ocean Sand. I then asked him why and he said "because it's a new one, Grand Palladium is a too old one".

As for the romantic dinner... you can pretty much get what ever you like, especially if you tip them! My advise is to talk with guest service very early in the week, even ask them if they have an anniversary special/upgrade. It is the off season and they will have more time for you. I would think a dinner on the beach would definatly be an option. There is a restaurant on the beach, I don't remember exactly, but I think it was an upscale buffet at night. We went one night and I remember the setting was very nice but not sure what we ate. On our wedding night, we went to the Dominican Restaurant, but we had the family with us, so you know... During the week we also went to the Mexican Restaurant and Route 66. Both were good but not a romanitic atmosphere. Route 66, well, needed some American perfecting, if you know what I meen! The night before my wedding I will never forget. We went to the coffee shop, I think it was called "Mike's Coffee", and it reminded me of a Starbucks. My family, Oscar, and I sat and talked over coffee and tea about how we met from both our point of views. There was another restaurant we did not go to. I think we had to pay but I am not sure. I think it was a steak house, something like the keg, but once again, not sure. But it did look very nice. I also know there is an Italian restaurant. Like I said before, I really like the Buffet. Out of all my trips to the Dominican Republic, I prefer the buffet (which was very good) as compared to being served.

Talk to guest service early in the week. They helped us alot with our wedding because we did not want to spent a whole lot of money and we only wanted a simple ceremony because we want something when he comes to Canada. We only paid the judge fee and said we did not want/need and of the extra stuff, like flowers. But because I tipped the lady $20, she made sure the hall looked very nice with flowers, white table and chairs, and white ribbons. It was simple and perfect! We got married on October 12, 2005. They also have a nice spa with comparable prices to here. I had my hair done for $40US.

Kim

She's Got It.

KIMMYGIRL said:

...my trips to the Dominican Republic...

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Thank you. :bunny:

m'frog

Bad Day???

KIMMYGIRL said:

M'Frog,
My gosh, did you have a bad day....

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How can I?








m'frog

Dominion

KIMMYGIRL said:

M'Frog,
My husband is named Oscar and I love him from which ever country he comes from!!

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Thank you M'frog: I was so relieved to see that I wasn't singled out aranoid: when I made my first post about "the Dominican" and the DR grammar police pounced on me. aranoid: aranoid: Good team work!

Kim: That's so cute... he from the Dominican and you're from the Dominion! It was kismet that brought you together. :bunny:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominion_of_Canada#Use_of_Canada_and_Dominion_of_Canada

If you have a baby :bunny: :bunny: you should call her/him Dominique or Dominic.

Congratulations and I hope you'll be very happy together. Regarding the anemia that you mentioned in one of your earlier posts, we have a Sickle Cell clinic at Sick's Kids hospital.

margaret said:

Thank you M'frog: I was so relieved to see that I wasn't singled out aranoid: when I made my first post about "the Dominican" and the DR grammar police pounced on me. aranoid: aranoid: Good team work!

Congratulations and I hope you'll be very happy together. Regarding the anemia that you mentioned in one of your earlier posts, we have a Sickle Cell clinic at Sick's Kids hospital.

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Hhahhh hhha you're killing me ....
I'm preparing to turn on the furnace here 15C....

(I'll check about a gender reassignment clinic... but you might have go to Brazil though.)

Ha Ha

margaret said:

Hhahhh hhha you're killing me ....
(I'll check about a gender reassignment clinic... but you might have go to Brazil though.)

Click to expand...

Thanks for the laugh also! I just thought the water was really COLD!! But I did read that China was cheap as posted in the Toronto Sun about Mark Carr!!

Kim

Ocean Sands

When are you going to the Ocean Sands? My husband and I will be there October 4 - 11.