Hotel for Destination Wedding - Need Help

hollygoblue

New member
Jan 7, 2011
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I'm hoping someone can help me with picking out a nice hotel for a destination wedding. I'm looking for a hotel with good food, unlimited ala carte dinners, and decent drinks (vodka, gin, tequilla), not just local drinks. The drinks are very important to me so if anyone has details on what types of alcoholic drinks are included at the hotels I mention below, that would be really helpful!

Also, kids must be allowed. I'm currently looking at Melia Caribe, NH Real Arena, Majestic Elegance/Colonial and maybe Paradisus Punta Cana. Any Advice??
 

2thebeach

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May 7, 2010
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I've stayed at the Majestic Elegance and watched several weddings on the beach there....they were beautiful. I know if I ever got married again I'd do it at the Majestic Elegance. The hotel is great, food is awesome, friendly service and alot of fun.
 

CaptnGlenn

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Mar 29, 2010
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I've stayed at four AI's in PC. RIU Palace Punta Cana, (There are several RIU properties near each other, and TWO Palace's... I was at the Palace PUNTA CANA), Dreams Palm Beach, Barcelo Dominican Beach, and Princess something...(I forget the exact name.) Of the four, The RIU Palace had the best drinks and alcohol service overall, (top shelf brands included). The self-serve liquor bar in the rooms is very convenient too. Of the four, my accommodations at the Dreams resort were the best, they upgraded me to a ocean front room in the exclusive club section, (I still don't know why... I was just lucky). Their alcohol service was close to the RIU's but not quite as good. The Dreams resort was a little more tailored to U.S. guests than the others, (but I don't think that's necessarily a good thing, just an observation). As for ala carte dining, the RIU was a little more difficult. You need to make reservations in the a.m. for that evening's dinner (the popular restaurants fill up fast).

Overall, I think you would have a great experience at either the RIU or Dreams, but personally I'd lean more toward the RIU Palace (and the decor there is really nice too). One thing I will say, you need to pay careful attention to the specific hotel names... they can sound alike and get confusing. The other thing is that in my experience, you do get what you pay for, since the more expensive properties do have better food and drinks. Though, I'd say that the service is similar everywhere, and has more to do with the guest's attitude than the price level of the hotel. You just have to remember a smile is worth its weight in gold, or at least pesos, lol; and the D.R. is a different country with a different culture and different sensibilities.

One more note: On the flight to P.C. this past August, I read in the U.S.Airways magazine that the Paradisus Palma Real was voted the BEST A.I. Resort in the WORLD. Not in the D.R., but the whole world.
 

yb1

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Oct 6, 2008
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I've stayed at NH Real Arena (early 2009) and the drinks were honestly awful. Even the rum and cokes (rum being THE Dominican drink) were undrinkable. Perhaps it was because we didn't request premium brands, perhaps it was cheap, fake coca cola. And don't get me started on their "daiquiris" - like alcoholic cough medicine ... Fantastic beach, ok food but truely terrible drinks.
 

sillyjilly

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Feb 27, 2011
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Melia Caribe Tropical have an awesome Wedding Gazebo & the Bride can also arrive by horse & buggy for a fee.

Happy Travels!