- Thread starter holita
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AI In Boca Chica
i have never stayed at any of the AI's. But from the looks of it the Don Juan looks kinda nice. It depends what you are looking for. Hamaca is a huge fortress looking thing with a private beach with absolutely no interaction with local people.
the don juan looks smaller, more inviting...while the beach is on the more public side of the beach...i dont believe the vendors will bother you there.
again..i havent stayed at either.
I have heard nothing but negative things about Dominican Bay from people that i have met staying there. I hear it has a large french based clientele...so if you are french or french canadian you MIGHT like it.
the don juan looks smaller, more inviting...while the beach is on the more public side of the beach...i dont believe the vendors will bother you there.
again..i havent stayed at either.
I have heard nothing but negative things about Dominican Bay from people that i have met staying there. I hear it has a large french based clientele...so if you are french or french canadian you MIGHT like it.
my first trip to the DR i stayed at the Hamaca. i thought it was great. only a short walk to calle duarte and pretty safe. they do keep the locals out so the private beach is all yours which can be a good thing. but when you want to mix with the locals, just walk out the gate...
Don Juan
HI! I stayed at the Don Juan 2 years ago, and would return in a heartbeat. It is right on the beach, it's clean, the staff are all really friendly, the food was fine. It's smaller( I think 222 rooms) and so much more personal. Yes, there are vendors on the beach, but a smile and a "no gracias" and they don't bug you. There are 2 pools, several bars, and when I was there, a weekly beach bonfire party that was a lot of fun. Try it!!
Taz
HI! I stayed at the Don Juan 2 years ago, and would return in a heartbeat. It is right on the beach, it's clean, the staff are all really friendly, the food was fine. It's smaller( I think 222 rooms) and so much more personal. Yes, there are vendors on the beach, but a smile and a "no gracias" and they don't bug you. There are 2 pools, several bars, and when I was there, a weekly beach bonfire party that was a lot of fun. Try it!!
Taz
A
apostropheman
Guest
what about Hotetur Dominican Bay Hotel?
C/ Juan Bautista Vicini s/n, Esq. 20 Diciembre
Boca Chica
Dominican Republic
Phone: (809) 412 2001 Fax: (809) 412 0687
Email: click here to email us
Hotetur Dominican Bay Hotel - Dominican Republic (DR1)
Welcome to hotetur.com - Hotels & Resorts
(you have to search on the site for the Boca Chica location)
how does it compare?
C/ Juan Bautista Vicini s/n, Esq. 20 Diciembre
Boca Chica
Dominican Republic
Email: click here to email us
Hotetur Dominican Bay Hotel - Dominican Republic (DR1)
Welcome to hotetur.com - Hotels & Resorts
(you have to search on the site for the Boca Chica location)
how does it compare?
see my post above about domincan bay.
Granted..i have never stayed there...but every person i have met while on my trips there did nothing but complain about it.
#1 (not pos nor neg) is that the clientele seems to be nearly all French. (so you might like it if you are french).
#2 they adverstise it being on the beach...which it is not. YOU have to walk over this overpass like thing to get to the beach.
#3 the guy i met who was staying there in march said the food was horrible (pizza and burgers etc).
I am not out to bash this place as i have NOT stayed there myself. Perhaps others can chime in with something positive to say about the place. I am just relaying what i have heard from people i have met who were staying there.
if beach vendors really bother you and you want something totaly touristy...then 100% hamaca (private beach, casino, disco, bar pools etc). If you dont mind the vendors and dont mind something smaller...then Don Juan.
THere are also many more AI's down the road in Juan Dolio that you might want to look into.
hope this helps!
Granted..i have never stayed there...but every person i have met while on my trips there did nothing but complain about it.
#1 (not pos nor neg) is that the clientele seems to be nearly all French. (so you might like it if you are french).
#2 they adverstise it being on the beach...which it is not. YOU have to walk over this overpass like thing to get to the beach.
#3 the guy i met who was staying there in march said the food was horrible (pizza and burgers etc).
I am not out to bash this place as i have NOT stayed there myself. Perhaps others can chime in with something positive to say about the place. I am just relaying what i have heard from people i have met who were staying there.
if beach vendors really bother you and you want something totaly touristy...then 100% hamaca (private beach, casino, disco, bar pools etc). If you dont mind the vendors and dont mind something smaller...then Don Juan.
THere are also many more AI's down the road in Juan Dolio that you might want to look into.
hope this helps!
I have stayed at the Don Juan on two occasions and did not have a good experience either time. The staff was anything but friendly or helpful and the food was mediocre at best. There were issues of being hounded on the beach incessantly by strolling merchandisers.
That being said I am not an AI traveller anyway so I am not sure that my experience would be any different at any other AI for me. I prefer to stay in an independant setting with more of a local feel anywhere that I travel.
I won't outright bash the DJ because I understand that you are getting the experience that you signed up for. (BTW I was there for two shorts periods of time with a group and I had no say in our accomodations). I couldn't imagine being having to spend a week at an AI under any circumstance.
I know that there are people that really enjoy the AI lifestyle and it is what they think of as "traveling". Not everyone who travels is interested in average food, watered-down drinks, and having someone ask them every 10 minutes if they want their hair braided. There are some that really thinks this is traveling (my father is one of them). I love to hear stories from people that know I travel to the RD regularly tell me how much they loved the DR only to find out that they never stepped outside the gates of "insert the name" AI.
Bottom line is that you can't really say much about any geographic area or its people and culture from behind the walls of an AI. The DJ is what it is, an average place for a cheap price.:cheeky:
That being said I am not an AI traveller anyway so I am not sure that my experience would be any different at any other AI for me. I prefer to stay in an independant setting with more of a local feel anywhere that I travel.
I won't outright bash the DJ because I understand that you are getting the experience that you signed up for. (BTW I was there for two shorts periods of time with a group and I had no say in our accomodations). I couldn't imagine being having to spend a week at an AI under any circumstance.
I know that there are people that really enjoy the AI lifestyle and it is what they think of as "traveling". Not everyone who travels is interested in average food, watered-down drinks, and having someone ask them every 10 minutes if they want their hair braided. There are some that really thinks this is traveling (my father is one of them). I love to hear stories from people that know I travel to the RD regularly tell me how much they loved the DR only to find out that they never stepped outside the gates of "insert the name" AI.
Bottom line is that you can't really say much about any geographic area or its people and culture from behind the walls of an AI. The DJ is what it is, an average place for a cheap price.:cheeky:
i totaly agree with you missiondoc.
I myself have never stayed at an AI...nor have i had any desire to. Its sorta akin to cruise ships (something else that holds no interest to me).
However, not EVERYBODY is an indie traveler. Some folks do just want a quick escape from their hum drum lives and not have to worrry about where to eat or where to go for live entertainment etc or even have a remote interest in the country they are visiting. Nothing wrong with that...if that is their cup of tea.
with that being said...i offered my observations by what i have seen for myself and heard from people who have stayed at the mentioned places.
I myself have never stayed at an AI...nor have i had any desire to. Its sorta akin to cruise ships (something else that holds no interest to me).
However, not EVERYBODY is an indie traveler. Some folks do just want a quick escape from their hum drum lives and not have to worrry about where to eat or where to go for live entertainment etc or even have a remote interest in the country they are visiting. Nothing wrong with that...if that is their cup of tea.
with that being said...i offered my observations by what i have seen for myself and heard from people who have stayed at the mentioned places.
I have stay at the Hamaca hotel 8 times since it re-open in the late 90's under the old Coral hotels administration and everytime I gone there I have a great experience.
Missiondoc: I am all for your style of travelling as well as going AI. However, not all people have the resources to travel independently as you do. I have travelled extensivley myself for the last 40 plus years and can see the advantages to both. At present I find that due to my location on the East coast of Canada the most cost- effective way is to travel with an AI package. I must point out, however, that when at the DJ I encountered many people, myself included, who did indeed go outside the walls of the resort. I don't go bashing the indie travellers for their adventures, in fact I sometimes envy them, but at the same time I don't look down upon those who simply want a little R&R that doesn't bankrupt them, and that's really where the AI comes in. I'm truly sorry you didn't have a good experience at the DJ, but all things are relative, and from all the forums I have been on and the reviews I have read, I have learned that two people can go to the same resort at the same time and one will come away with horror stories and the other will have had the time of their life.
jrzyguy: I do not lead a "hum-drum" life, but even if I did, it does not give you license to assume that all AI travellers (if I may call them that, missiondoc) are nothing more than mindless drones queing up at the buffet and drinking their watered down drinks because they have nothing better to look forward to in their "hum-drum" lives. Maybe I should think all indie travellers are idiots for their choice of travel style and that they take too many chances in their search for adventure, but I don't. It is simply a personal choice. My dos pesos.
jrzyguy: I do not lead a "hum-drum" life, but even if I did, it does not give you license to assume that all AI travellers (if I may call them that, missiondoc) are nothing more than mindless drones queing up at the buffet and drinking their watered down drinks because they have nothing better to look forward to in their "hum-drum" lives. Maybe I should think all indie travellers are idiots for their choice of travel style and that they take too many chances in their search for adventure, but I don't. It is simply a personal choice. My dos pesos.
geesh...someone is a bit testy this morning
if ANYTHING i was trying to give decent advise to the OP who wanted info on the AI's in B.C. i never infered that an AI traveler is any better or worse than an indie traveler.
as far as the term "hum drum"....well...that applies to nearly eveyone who wants to travel....isnt that what traveling..or vacationing is about? I didnt infer that AI travelers have no life....but rather that everyone at some time likes to get out of their hum drum routine of work, family...or what have you.
to the OP....so it looks like your choice should be between hamaca or the don juan....so far no one has come back with anything good to say about the other place.
if ANYTHING i was trying to give decent advise to the OP who wanted info on the AI's in B.C. i never infered that an AI traveler is any better or worse than an indie traveler.
as far as the term "hum drum"....well...that applies to nearly eveyone who wants to travel....isnt that what traveling..or vacationing is about? I didnt infer that AI travelers have no life....but rather that everyone at some time likes to get out of their hum drum routine of work, family...or what have you.
to the OP....so it looks like your choice should be between hamaca or the don juan....so far no one has come back with anything good to say about the other place.
Stayed at a couple of times at Dominican Bay
If you are looking for a budget AI hotel, Dominican Bay it is.
I stood there for $45.00 USD a night one time and $60.00 USD a night the second time.
The shows are excellent. The grounds are pretty safe and for the price you can not beat it being an AI. All you can drink and eat. The nightclub is open until 5:00am.
Not guest friendly though. The pool is beautiful. The walk to the beach is only five minutes via a passway (bridge). ytou are never on the local streets, very safe.
I would definitely recommend.
Mike
If you are looking for a budget AI hotel, Dominican Bay it is.
I stood there for $45.00 USD a night one time and $60.00 USD a night the second time.
The shows are excellent. The grounds are pretty safe and for the price you can not beat it being an AI. All you can drink and eat. The nightclub is open until 5:00am.
Not guest friendly though. The pool is beautiful. The walk to the beach is only five minutes via a passway (bridge). ytou are never on the local streets, very safe.
I would definitely recommend.
Mike
It has a reputation for being a great hotel in the Juan Dolio area. Have been there to watch some shows a couple of years back and it seemed pretty nice but havent stayed there. (check out tripadvisor for reviews I guess, if you can go by the opinion of others!).