Jack Tar Puerto Plata

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fidogirl10

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Hi,
I am going to Jack Tar in Puerto Plata in a few weeks, does anyone have any comments about this place. I see it is rated a 3 and a half star and that scares me a little. I would appreciate any feedback or advice...... :)
 

ricktoronto

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Jan 9, 2002
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Don't Rely on the "Star" System

fidogirl10 said:
Hi,
I am going to Jack Tar in Puerto Plata in a few weeks, does anyone have any comments about this place. I see it is rated a 3 and a half star and that scares me a little. I would appreciate any feedback or advice...... :)

Tour companies assign their own stars and not anyone objective ( like AAA or Mobil or Michelin) -in fact you may find in differnt tour comapnies' brochure the same hotel with different "stars" .

And frankly, 3 1/2 * is pretty average and as AI's are by and large all the same experience (regardless of country, too) , it will be fine. Certainly not "scary" , it could mean just duller than normal which is pretty hard to do.

There is a website called Debbie's Dominican Travel that has trip reports and no doubt there will be a bunch for this place so go there and placate yourself it isn't on fire or rat infested etc.
 

palmsandgarbage

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Resorts are fine its the country that sucks

Just got back from the D.R. yesterday April 5 /04 and visited the Jack tar Three times. The Casino took my money but the resort looked very nice the staff was friendly and the beach clean. Before you do any purchasing of trinkets check out the prices in the shoping plaza in the Playa Dorado resort then go to the beach and make your best deal but go with some idea of what the stuff is worth or you will be ripped off. Remember if they give you a hug after you make a deal you have been taken. Warning watch out for freebees they'll cost you one way or the other.
 

BushBaby

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palmsandgarbage said:
Just got back from the D.R. yesterday April 5 /04 and visited the Jack tar Three times. The Casino took my money but the resort looked very nice the staff was friendly and the beach clean. Before you do any purchasing of trinkets check out the prices in the shoping plaza in the Playa Dorado resort then go to the beach and make your best deal but go with some idea of what the stuff is worth or you will be ripped off. Remember if they give you a hug after you make a deal you have been taken. Warning watch out for freebees they'll cost you one way or the other.

Interesting Header "The Resorts are OK it's the Country that sucks"!!! What gave you this point of view? Where did you visit 'Off Campus' that caused you to get a bad impression of the country? Normally, people who get off the "Concentration Camp" of Playa Dorada give GLOWING reports on the DR & it's inhabitants!!

I know it is not the cleanest of places (rubbish on the streets & some non tourist beaches) but then one expects that in a third world country & takes it in one's stride. Egypt, East & West Africa, parts of East & South East London, parts of west London, sections of USA ............ ALL have there unkempt areas I am sure - the DR populace is just beginning to understand the need for cleanliness in the streets & it will be another 10 years or so before that comes about.

So what WAS your beef about areas out of the resort?? - Grahame.
 

palmsandgarbage

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50+ well traveled discusted with D.R.

You can assume all you want it doesn't change the fact that the D.R. is a garbage dump. I work 7 days a week 14 hrs a day 11.5 months of the year. I have traveled to many destinations through out the world. I take 1-2 vacations per year. I have been to many 3rd world counties and I respect the people and counties that I visit. The last time I visited the D.R. I kept my mouth shut. When on Vacation I want to enjoy myself and I don't let little things get to me. I told my friends that the Dominicans I met were very friendly I never said a word about the filth. My wife and I said we would never go back as there are many destinations around the world that we can go to that respect thier surroundings and don't treat the country like a dump. We went back reluctantly after being assured that the North Coast was different from Santo Domingo and Juan Dolio. WRONG!!! One does not have to accept garbage because it is a 3rd world country.I have been to Guatamala, Mexico, Costa Rica Columbia, Peru, Thailand, Morocco and more as a tourist and never saw the filth that is in the D.R. I will agree that Guatamala was far more dangerous and Guatamala City is a nightmare with more air polution than you can imagin. But the streets were cleaner the country was cleaner and I don't have this vision of toilet paper hanging from Palm trees. I never saw livestock dead and bloated on the roadside Road kill sure but horses and half eatin cows left to rot whats with that? for my buck I will go where I smell the roses not the garbage.
 

ricktoronto

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For God's Sake, We Get it Already! There's GARBAGE in the DR!

palmsandgarbage said:
You can assume all you want it doesn't change the fact that the D.R. is a garbage dump. .... not the garbage.

You don't need to answer every post with some reference to garbage in the DR. We get it, there's garbage, you are not comng back so enough. You are becoming a crank more than anything else.
 

palmsandgarbage

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I'll keep talking about garbage because thats what I saw

Maybe because you live in T.O. You are used to this type of filth. If you ignore it, it won't go away. Deal with it!! The country is a dump. why would you spend your time defending a dump? I have talked 4 customers out of going to the D.R. in only 1 day just imagin what i can accomplish if i really try. Maybe if more people talked about the trash somethiong would get done about it. Telling everyone that there is no problem with the garbage is a lie. You must work for the government as they too ignore the message and find some way of attacking the messanger. Hope all is spelled right write for you . The message still is the same The D.R. is a dump stay away
 

ricktoronto

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You Are Like A Canadian Symbol

palmsandgarbage said:
Maybe because you live in T.O. ...blah, blah, blah..same The D.R. is a dump stay away

The Loon.

As such, please seek medical help over this small issue that is not even affecting your life or those around you. Good luck, don't be shy, ask a doctor or crisis line.
 

tired_boy

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It seems that we have slightly drifted from the theme of the thread again.....

I have been to the Jack Tar in Playa Dorada, although it was 6 years ago for my honyemoon. Like Rick says check out Debbies Dominican website for the latest reviews from people who have been.

When we went we enjoyed ourselves (i thought it was a 4* personally). The food, rooms, pools and staff were all fine. It has changed a little since i went but i am sure you will have a good time. Get involved with the things that the staff organise, go on a few trips and see the DR outside the hotel..........Enjoy yourself!
 

Fiesta Mama

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palmsandgarbage said:
Maybe because you live in T.O. You are used to this type of filth. If you ignore it, it won't go away. Deal with it!! The country is a dump. why would you spend your time defending a dump? I have talked 4 customers out of going to the D.R. in only 1 day just imagin what i can accomplish if i really try. Maybe if more people talked about the trash somethiong would get done about it. Telling everyone that there is no problem with the garbage is a lie. You must work for the government as they too ignore the message and find some way of attacking the messanger. Hope all is spelled right write for you . The message still is the same The D.R. is a dump stay away

Buddy you have some SERIOUS issues going on but I think that most people are beginning to see that they have nothing to do with the garbage in the DR! Also, you have obviously never been to Toronto because it is known as one of the cleanest metropolitan cities in the world! I think your problem could be that you didn't get enough sex while in the DR - maybe you stayed at Jack Tar Village.
 

daddy1

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palmsandgarbage said:
Maybe because you live in T.O. You are used to this type of filth. If you ignore it, it won't go away. Deal with it!! The country is a dump. why would you spend your time defending a dump? I have talked 4 customers out of going to the D.R. in only 1 day just imagin what i can accomplish if i really try. Maybe if more people talked about the trash somethiong would get done about it. Telling everyone that there is no problem with the garbage is a lie. You must work for the government as they too ignore the message and find some way of attacking the messanger. Hope all is spelled right write for you . The message still is the same The D.R. is a dump stay away
Hey! dude, I respect your opinion for what it's worth, I mean you still are the customer and you are right this is a problem. you have had some bad experiences in SOME part's of the island, this needs to be changed of course, but trust me it will get alot better someday somehow before it get's worse, right now we are experiencing a difficult time with this government, and city funds are not being used properly,the lack of sanitation vehicles and cooperation from the people do not help either, our city mayor's are also non-existant, but you are right this is unexceptable, the tourist and the countries image pay the price for this on going issue, again sorry for your bad experiences, but don't get to caught up in badgering the country, continue to explore different cities as such, I'm sure you will find what you are looking for, You see that's what makes this island so special, it's a melting pot of everything, but continue to find what you are looking for, it's here, keep searching! try Punta Cana, Cabarete, Samana, also try the sand castle resort, an let us know than what you think, we understand your fustration, we Dominican's are proud people we don't like bad press, so that's why your receiving angry post remarks!! trash and dead animal's are a major hazardous problem and we can tell you like coming here, it's a difficult time in Quisqueya now, but remember the country is getting kicked around, very difficult for the native as much as the tourist, so try to focus more on some positive's and come here with patience, this will give you a better prospective of what is really happening here, I mean it is a bad time to travel here at the present due to a bad economy as such if you remember that you will enjoy yourself a little better..see ya. :)
 

ricktoronto

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Jan 9, 2002
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Well the rage is certainly disproportionate to the issue

Fiesta Mama said:
Buddy you have some SERIOUS issues going on but I think that most people are beginning to see that they have nothing to do with the garbage in the DR! Also, you have obviously never been to Toronto because it is known as one of the cleanest metropolitan cities in the world! I think your problem could be that you didn't get enough sex while in the DR - maybe you stayed at Jack Tar Village.

It is baffling why this goes on. And really you know there is garbage but it is not anything like 5 years ago, in Boca Chica anyway - even the hill we dubbed "Mount Trashmore" is all built upon and they have daily pickup of not only residence and business trash but even street waste cans that actually get used.

And the parts of the capital I go to are as clean as Toronto for the most part.
 

Remote

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This guy is nuts ....

Just came back from a week staying in the Playa Dorada complex (although not at the Jack Tar) and it's spotless. Never saw ANY garbage. None. Zip. Zilch. And we toured the complex and surrounding area in vehicles and on foot. Like I said, dude is smoking some bad weed. :smoke:
 

Fiesta Mama

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No, there is garbage...

Remote said:
Just came back from a week staying in the Playa Dorada complex (although not at the Jack Tar) and it's spotless. Never saw ANY garbage. None. Zip. Zilch. And we toured the complex and surrounding area in vehicles and on foot. Like I said, dude is smoking some bad weed. :smoke:

That I will admit. Also, you will not see ANY garbage in the Playa Dorada complex - it is a $$$ generating factory resort area! Any resorts, the accompanying beaches and surrounding grounds will be spotless! It's when you leave the Playa Dorada complex (or other similar gated resort areas) that you will encounter the garbage. Now I will not deny there is garbage in the DR, a lot of garbage, and it is very troubling for me to see people just throwing their garbage (ie. cups, bags, anything goes) in the streets BUT this is not something that should overshadow a whole vacation ESPECIALLY if you are staying at an AI!!! It is something that you just have to realize is a fact of life in the DR. I have never felt comfortable just throwing stuff down and always make a conscious effort to put my trash where it belongs while there. I know it is a shock - I have been to many a "non-tourist" beach only to discover ... wow ... there is a lot of garbage and people just leave it everywhere. It is something that you have to get use to in the DR - it is not something that will keep me from coming back though ... again and again and again!
 

tired_boy

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The town where i live in the UK runs a 'streetpride' scheme. This involvles council workers being paid to walk around and pick up all the trash. Without this scheme there would be trash everywhere, what i am saying is that.........its not the DR that is unique, there are people in every country that have no respect for cleanliness, they don't see it as their problem when they throw their 'half eaten kebab and chips on the floor' "someone else can clean it up".

It is not the DR that is at fault it is this worlds attitude.

One thing that does strike me when i have been to Playa Dorada is that cleanliness is one of the hotels top priorities. People hose down the floors every single day, they are very clean in this resort! Anyway lets drop the garbage subject now.

Enjoy yourself!
 

palmsandgarbage

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You never walked the beach then

You have got to be kidding. Did you walk along the beach towards the Ibostar. Between The Jack Tar village and the Ibostar by the river? I have pictures to prove you a liar. I stood at the edge of the Jack tar village next to the shacks on the beach and took a picture towards the Playa Dorado resort. Beutiful picture, then I turned the opposite direction towards the Ibostar A garbage filled beach with a green slime river and a foul septic smell that overwelms.
Did you walk the Beach into Puerta Plata? I would think not, did you sit on the sea wall in Puerta Plata or walk the streets of same? Obviously not otherwise you would not have posted those lies.
it seems as though some of you here have a vested interest in keeping tourist coming to your island and don't want the truth to get out. Hence the attacks on the messanger. I on the other hand have nothing to gain by writing these reports of my time in the D.R. It is with gret sadness that I say these things I would much sooner be reporting on the wonderfull time I had but if you sat down to a meal with a beutiful salad a seafood diner but cockroaches and flies also filled your plate would you talk about how wonderfull the seafood was?
 

tired_boy

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tired_boy said:
One thing that does strike me when i have been to Playa Dorada is that cleanliness is one of the hotels top priorities. People hose down the floors every single day, they are very clean in this resort!

Did you read my post properly? I said that 'cleanliness is one of the hotels top priorities' and i said 'they (the hotels) are very clean in this resort'. I am commenting on the hotel, no mention of beach here.

I have been to Playa Dorada 6 times and i am going again twice this year. Why are you carrying off the way you are calling people liars? Is it neccessary? Can you give your opinion without being insultive?

I haven't posted any lies........and i have no reason to make out the DR is something it isn't.
Read the posts carefully before you accuse people of posting lies!
 

CarpeDReam

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palmsandgarbage said:
You can assume all you want it doesn't change the fact that the D.R. is a garbage dump. I work 7 days a week 14 hrs a day 11.5 months of the year. I have traveled to many destinations through out the world. I take 1-2 vacations per year. I have been to many 3rd world counties and I respect the people and counties that I visit. The last time I visited the D.R. I kept my mouth shut. When on Vacation I want to enjoy myself and I don't let little things get to me. I told my friends that the Dominicans I met were very friendly I never said a word about the filth. My wife and I said we would never go back as there are many destinations around the world that we can go to that respect thier surroundings and don't treat the country like a dump. We went back reluctantly after being assured that the North Coast was different from Santo Domingo and Juan Dolio. WRONG!!! One does not have to accept garbage because it is a 3rd world country.I have been to Guatamala, Mexico, Costa Rica Columbia, Peru, Thailand, Morocco and more as a tourist and never saw the filth that is in the D.R. I will agree that Guatamala was far more dangerous and Guatamala City is a nightmare with more air polution than you can imagin. But the streets were cleaner the country was cleaner and I don't have this vision of toilet paper hanging from Palm trees. I never saw livestock dead and bloated on the roadside Road kill sure but horses and half eatin cows left to rot whats with that? for my buck I will go where I smell the roses not the garbage.

Garbage, what is your ethnic background? just curious. You seriously have no life to be writing negative comments in a DR forum every chance you get. So you had bad experiences there, if this is really the case (and it's not that a puta/sanky enamoured you and left you broke). I highly doubt your experience was that bad that you feel it is your destiny in this life to tell the world to avoid going to DR. Be it as it may...GET OVER IT. The DR does not need your pettiness, arrogance, and ignorance.
 

FireGuy

Rest in peace Amigo!
Aug 21, 2002
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Hint...

next time check the date of the thread to which you are responding.

This one is almost two years old and the poster to whom you addressed yourself hasn't posted since October of 2004.

Furthermore ethnicity has no bearing on anything related to this thread.

I see a train wreck coming.

Closed.

Gregg
Mod.
 
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