This is my first time posting on this site or any re: a vaca review, but it won't be the last about this hotel.
I'll start off by stating that I'm Dominican but born and raised in NY. I have traveled throughout DR (First time in Punta Cana) aside from other countries and have never had an issue with my hotel stay until I landed at the Allegro Punta Cana. Uugghh! I will be the first to admit you get what you pay for but that shouldn't mean that customer service is out the window. I made my reservation through an agency in DR via a friend and it came out to $55 US per Adult per day. (This was not my first choice. Bavaro Palace had just doubled its rates when I was going to pay and others were sold out .)
I left for DR 1/18/03 did a little family/friend visitation. On 1/20 checked into the Sol Melia Paradisus. Totally fabulous no complaints there. Will try and do a thread on that one.
On 1/25 after spending a wonderful week at the Paradisus I checked into the ALLEGRO with my husband, 4 yr old son, 7 mo. old daughter for 4 nights. Now the fun begins. There were 4 people doing the check in and 1 person in front of us. We waited approx 15 min. then it took another 15 to finish with us. They were visibly unorganized and looked frazzled as if it were there first day on the job. I can't imagine others who didn't speak Spanish. They handed me 1 key (that was a new one for me) to a 3rd floor walk up with "great views." I told Whagner to keep the view and to look at my daughter in the carriage and see if HE would like to shlep her 3 flights of stairs with her diaper bag and all the beach toys and see how he likes it. ( I had requested a 1st floor room prior to leaving NY) I got the 1 st floor and I had to request the crib and fridge because apparently they didnt' have any info.
OK. We survived check in. The room was sooo basic it made the Motel 8 look luxurious. Simply put, it was 2 double beds and a bathroom. That's it. Not even an alarm clock! I felt the sand on my feet, there was visible mold (alot of it) on the curtains to the balcony and the light switch between the beds, rust on the door frame to the bathroom and in the bathtub (Pictures to be added once downloaded) and if you're allergic to mold you'd die here. No joke. The smell so bad I sprinkled my daughter's baby powder on the pillows and sheets so we could sleep because the bedspread was so funky. Remember I'm Dominican so I'm used to some mustyness and humidity but THIS was ridiculous!
When we saw how basic this room was we requested a change for one with perhaps a coffee pot or microwave to heat the baby's milk. We met a couple who had such room and were checking out the next day so we requested it and was told to check the next day @ noon which I did then again @ 5P.
When Whagner, who checked us in and told us to come the next day said "well, that's what i was telling you yesterday" re: why we couldn't get a room change, I began to get a little irritated and having my time wasted. My response was "why did you bother taking the info if you couldn't help me and having me keep checking back?" My whole goal was to have the convenience of warming up milk for my daughter which I had to do twice that night running it under the sink for 15 minutes. He spoke to his supervisor who was a whole 12" from me and her response, as if I didn't understand, was " well she paid for a standard room". I know what I booked but what I got was "SUB-standard". As I told Ms. Elizabeth Polanco I don't know how they could taut this as a family resort where I had to change my daughter on a bench in the hotel lobby because their lobby restroom didn't even have a changing table! That's embarrassing! All i want is the convenience of warming up some milk to which she replied I could get hot water at the restaurants. Calling all mothers...would you not be fuming by now? My temperture was boiling at this point. First, their restaurants close by 11P and as I told her "so you expect me leave in my PJ's at 2 or 3 am looking for hot water?!" "All I want is a coffee pot." I was crying by now and I think it was what got me the damn thing 2 hours later. Oh, it was delivered with 2 security guys by the person's side. Now that was funny.
If it weren't for the sun I would have died here. I couldn't wait to get home.
Let me give you a recap of the stay:
Beach- small, little murky due to boat fueling station 1 hotel over to the right @ boat club, lots of seaweed that get's piled amidst loungers. Beach alot better past the 1 hotel on the left. Then it's just coconut trees and land, no seaweed and cystal clear waters.
Kids Club- Very nice setup with new equipment and friendly staff. My son had an enjoyable time here.
Food-Buffet Rest, Topaz- large variety but nothing to rave about except the desserts. Seriously understaffed. Nothing but bus boys no waiter/waitress to bring you drinks. Self service all the way. No glasses to drink from just plastic disposables or hard plastic. Scavenger type set up. Don't have a place setting at the table? Just grab one from another table. Doesn't seem to matter that someone may already be there.
Reservations for Specialty Rest.- Take a number and wait your turn. LITERALLY!! I waited an hour and a half! Frankly they were nothing to brag about. I was actually excited when I got a Pepsi in a glass! The specialty restaurants are the only places where you'll have a waiter.
Drinks-No Premium brands. They use Normandy brand for everything. They use carnation milk instead of reg. milk for drinks. Really gross. We stuck to beer or frozen anything.
Staff-were friendly and full of smiles. Thank GOD.
Bartenders- i noticed they just know spanish which is a negative especially when all you need to know is drinks and that's all they were asked for. Beach bar guy didn't know lime or a coffee with amaretto. (I believe people should have the basics language skills when going away but the tourists were trying so hard it was pitiful and the bartenders just smiled and pointed.) They waived off a couple of people who actually asked them a question. I was there to help those in distress at those times.
The accomodations were in what I like to call "Caribbean Projects" There was no light to penetrate the halls so it was dark even at noon. Very depressing.
All in all, It was not worth it even at $55!
For college kids just interested in a bed and unlimited beer with no frills then this may be for you.
I'll start off by stating that I'm Dominican but born and raised in NY. I have traveled throughout DR (First time in Punta Cana) aside from other countries and have never had an issue with my hotel stay until I landed at the Allegro Punta Cana. Uugghh! I will be the first to admit you get what you pay for but that shouldn't mean that customer service is out the window. I made my reservation through an agency in DR via a friend and it came out to $55 US per Adult per day. (This was not my first choice. Bavaro Palace had just doubled its rates when I was going to pay and others were sold out .)
I left for DR 1/18/03 did a little family/friend visitation. On 1/20 checked into the Sol Melia Paradisus. Totally fabulous no complaints there. Will try and do a thread on that one.
On 1/25 after spending a wonderful week at the Paradisus I checked into the ALLEGRO with my husband, 4 yr old son, 7 mo. old daughter for 4 nights. Now the fun begins. There were 4 people doing the check in and 1 person in front of us. We waited approx 15 min. then it took another 15 to finish with us. They were visibly unorganized and looked frazzled as if it were there first day on the job. I can't imagine others who didn't speak Spanish. They handed me 1 key (that was a new one for me) to a 3rd floor walk up with "great views." I told Whagner to keep the view and to look at my daughter in the carriage and see if HE would like to shlep her 3 flights of stairs with her diaper bag and all the beach toys and see how he likes it. ( I had requested a 1st floor room prior to leaving NY) I got the 1 st floor and I had to request the crib and fridge because apparently they didnt' have any info.
OK. We survived check in. The room was sooo basic it made the Motel 8 look luxurious. Simply put, it was 2 double beds and a bathroom. That's it. Not even an alarm clock! I felt the sand on my feet, there was visible mold (alot of it) on the curtains to the balcony and the light switch between the beds, rust on the door frame to the bathroom and in the bathtub (Pictures to be added once downloaded) and if you're allergic to mold you'd die here. No joke. The smell so bad I sprinkled my daughter's baby powder on the pillows and sheets so we could sleep because the bedspread was so funky. Remember I'm Dominican so I'm used to some mustyness and humidity but THIS was ridiculous!
When we saw how basic this room was we requested a change for one with perhaps a coffee pot or microwave to heat the baby's milk. We met a couple who had such room and were checking out the next day so we requested it and was told to check the next day @ noon which I did then again @ 5P.
When Whagner, who checked us in and told us to come the next day said "well, that's what i was telling you yesterday" re: why we couldn't get a room change, I began to get a little irritated and having my time wasted. My response was "why did you bother taking the info if you couldn't help me and having me keep checking back?" My whole goal was to have the convenience of warming up milk for my daughter which I had to do twice that night running it under the sink for 15 minutes. He spoke to his supervisor who was a whole 12" from me and her response, as if I didn't understand, was " well she paid for a standard room". I know what I booked but what I got was "SUB-standard". As I told Ms. Elizabeth Polanco I don't know how they could taut this as a family resort where I had to change my daughter on a bench in the hotel lobby because their lobby restroom didn't even have a changing table! That's embarrassing! All i want is the convenience of warming up some milk to which she replied I could get hot water at the restaurants. Calling all mothers...would you not be fuming by now? My temperture was boiling at this point. First, their restaurants close by 11P and as I told her "so you expect me leave in my PJ's at 2 or 3 am looking for hot water?!" "All I want is a coffee pot." I was crying by now and I think it was what got me the damn thing 2 hours later. Oh, it was delivered with 2 security guys by the person's side. Now that was funny.
If it weren't for the sun I would have died here. I couldn't wait to get home.
Let me give you a recap of the stay:
Beach- small, little murky due to boat fueling station 1 hotel over to the right @ boat club, lots of seaweed that get's piled amidst loungers. Beach alot better past the 1 hotel on the left. Then it's just coconut trees and land, no seaweed and cystal clear waters.
Kids Club- Very nice setup with new equipment and friendly staff. My son had an enjoyable time here.
Food-Buffet Rest, Topaz- large variety but nothing to rave about except the desserts. Seriously understaffed. Nothing but bus boys no waiter/waitress to bring you drinks. Self service all the way. No glasses to drink from just plastic disposables or hard plastic. Scavenger type set up. Don't have a place setting at the table? Just grab one from another table. Doesn't seem to matter that someone may already be there.
Reservations for Specialty Rest.- Take a number and wait your turn. LITERALLY!! I waited an hour and a half! Frankly they were nothing to brag about. I was actually excited when I got a Pepsi in a glass! The specialty restaurants are the only places where you'll have a waiter.
Drinks-No Premium brands. They use Normandy brand for everything. They use carnation milk instead of reg. milk for drinks. Really gross. We stuck to beer or frozen anything.
Staff-were friendly and full of smiles. Thank GOD.
Bartenders- i noticed they just know spanish which is a negative especially when all you need to know is drinks and that's all they were asked for. Beach bar guy didn't know lime or a coffee with amaretto. (I believe people should have the basics language skills when going away but the tourists were trying so hard it was pitiful and the bartenders just smiled and pointed.) They waived off a couple of people who actually asked them a question. I was there to help those in distress at those times.
The accomodations were in what I like to call "Caribbean Projects" There was no light to penetrate the halls so it was dark even at noon. Very depressing.
All in all, It was not worth it even at $55!
For college kids just interested in a bed and unlimited beer with no frills then this may be for you.
