I need your help and honest replies please. My family is planning a vacation to Puerto Plata for Christmas/New Years of 2006/07. My husband and I will not be staying at a resort, however, my parents, who are in their late 50's early 60's, will be and my husband and I want them to have the vacation of their life.
They stayed in Sosua in 2005 at Casa Marina Beach and were very dissapointed (rooms were nice but the beach was small and the food very "Dominican" and my father got VERY sick from some of the food there). Anyway, my husband and I have convinced them to come with us IF we can find a nice 4+ star hotel in Playa Dorada. We feel that Playa Dorada will be more up their alley because they like to walk and they can walk in the Playa Dorada complex among the many hotels and up and down the long beach. They will get off the resort plenty with my husband and I, so that is not a worry.
Mainly, they are used to staying at 5* hotels in Mexico and the rest of the caribbean and did not get that feel at Casa Marina. I know that the hotels in Playa Dorada are not Punta Cana quality but can anyone tell me (in your opinion) what the BEST hotel would be, taking into consideration, Food (1st) (lots of North American style choices offered), beach quality in front of hotel (2nd), rooms (3rd), hotel activities, etc. (4th). I have read great things about the Coral Marien and the Iberostar but they are not in the Playa Dorada complex. Please keep your suggestions to Playa Dorada hotels only. The added perk here is that my dad and my husband can play golf every day if they want!
Look forward to hearing everyone's comments (both tourists and residents of POP).
They stayed in Sosua in 2005 at Casa Marina Beach and were very dissapointed (rooms were nice but the beach was small and the food very "Dominican" and my father got VERY sick from some of the food there). Anyway, my husband and I have convinced them to come with us IF we can find a nice 4+ star hotel in Playa Dorada. We feel that Playa Dorada will be more up their alley because they like to walk and they can walk in the Playa Dorada complex among the many hotels and up and down the long beach. They will get off the resort plenty with my husband and I, so that is not a worry.
Mainly, they are used to staying at 5* hotels in Mexico and the rest of the caribbean and did not get that feel at Casa Marina. I know that the hotels in Playa Dorada are not Punta Cana quality but can anyone tell me (in your opinion) what the BEST hotel would be, taking into consideration, Food (1st) (lots of North American style choices offered), beach quality in front of hotel (2nd), rooms (3rd), hotel activities, etc. (4th). I have read great things about the Coral Marien and the Iberostar but they are not in the Playa Dorada complex. Please keep your suggestions to Playa Dorada hotels only. The added perk here is that my dad and my husband can play golf every day if they want!
Look forward to hearing everyone's comments (both tourists and residents of POP).