AI Hotels

tired_boy

Bronze
Dec 4, 2003
700
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Do you think it is possible to go to the DR and have a good time simply staying in the AI hotel?

Some less able people can't get out and about, so their vacation is all about the meals in the hotel, nice weather and being entertained by the staff in the hotel. I have heard it said that they might as well be in an AI hotel anywhere in the world because you can't have a dominican experience by staying in the hotel. An AI hotel in Playa Dorada is not in my eyes, to be compared with an AI hotel in Benidorm!

Some people only want to lay about on the beach on their holiday and not do anything but sunbathe. Yes, they pay hundreds of pounds/dollars to do this when they could just save themselves money and do it in a self-catering apartment in Tenerife, but thats up to them surely.

Without going on............and on........ I am saying that some people want to get out and discover and others want to just do nothing. A vacation means one thing to one person and one thing to another.

Personally, i would recommend to anyone visiting the DR that they get out and see the real DR life. They might never go back again, they might have never been outside Europe so the DR will be something completely new to them. But to say they can't 'experience' the Dominican Republic AT ALL from within an AI hotel is a bit extreme.

Having read my comments back to myself, there might not be much else to say but...............
 

Ginger

New member
Feb 16, 2004
6
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I think that everyone's idea of a fun vacation is different.

Some are looking to just relax and enjoy the beach, cocktails and food. There aren't many places in the US where everything is included in one price. Sometimes it is nice not to have to worry about carrying your money everywhere and worrying about where you will eat your meals.
On the other hand by not staying in an AI you will experience more of the country. Meet more local people and enjoy their cultures.
My husband and I have done both and there are pros and cons both ways. We stayed in Negril at a very unique hotel that we loved but dining was kind of hit or miss and we really had very few good meals. That being said we weren't there for the food. We ate at a lot of different places and met some very nice people.
We have done AI's in St. Lucia and Cancun and enjoyed them both. Both times we have gotten out of the hotel to sightsee daily and enjoyed ourselves very much. One thing that you probably won't have to worry about if you stay at a reputable AI is getting ill from the food or water. What a shame it would be to spend even one day of your cherished vacation too sick to enjoy yourself.
Another benefit of an AI is that you have a pretty good idea of how much $ you are going to spend. We took our 3 children on a cruise last year and all of the extra charges really added up at the end of the week. At and AI Just include sightseeing money, extra tips and money for shopping and you have a good idea what you will need. On several vacations we have rented homes or condos on the beach and I feel like all I do is fix meals for the kids. No one is hungry at the same time at an AI it is easy. They are big enough to go get a little something when they want it.
Either way tourists are helping the economy, bringing money to the area one way or another.