Caribbean Village Playa Dorado

Debbie:

A decent 3 star resort surrounded by the golf course, shares the Brazilian restaurant with Fun
Royale this restaurant has excellent food. Short walk to the beach. It is about 10-15 minutes from the airport. Check out Rocky's in Sosua for excellent ribs.
Ocean World is a must on the north coast.

Your buddy Hlywud

I'm nowhere near an "expert" (only just booked my second trip to the North coast), but the must do's:

-Ocean World. (Wife insisted we go again this time, even though it's a bit pricy)
-Sosua. Beautiful beach. I'm truly hoping the ribs at Rocky's doesn't dissapoint me like the Matrix Reloaded. (All hype, no bite)

Watch out for:
-Driving. Don't bother. Your bus trip from the airport will explain it all. <shudder>
-Puerto Plata/Amber museum tour. Ripoff. They shuttle you from one tourist shop to the next.

Debbie and Jim...if you have a car

drive the north coast road (RD #5 east ) to sosua, cabarete,cabrerra. rio san juan...and if you have enough time and a free nite make it out to the Samana penninsula (Las Terrenas)...across the MTN's and down to the beach...lots of little places to stay for $40 a nite.

i drive all over the DR and it's not all that bad

ask for a room away from the pool and more towards the back of the village (more walking...but less noise if there's a crowd there)...i stayed here my first trip and enjoyed it. get to know the bartender(s) in the lobby...they'll pour you a good glass mug of beer if you ask for it.

good luck and have fun...the DR is a great place!

"What are the must see things in this area? "

Be sure to get to Sosua and walk the beach. One kilometre of casetas -- bars, restaurants, souvenir shops . . . an experience in itself.

Spend a day in Cabarete -- a bit further from Playa Dorado than Sosua. Devoted mostly to wind and wave sports, but even if that's not your scene it's a day well wasted.

Puerto Plata -- the city -- is a bit past it, but still interesting as a Latin American town. Probably an organised trip there. Rum factory, Amber Museum, expensive shop or two . . . Ho Hum.

Travel options outdside the resort area include: local and very cheap gua-gua (little bus or van), taxi, rental car . . . and of course organised trips. Will include: back of a truck (may be more fun than it sounds), drive your own jeep (in convoy), bus tours of . . , boat trip to snorkelling etc.

If you're taking gua-guas somewhere -- I advise a taxi back if it's after dark (7 pm +).

Be careful crossing streets and highways. Drivers don't have the awareness of/for pedestrians that you migth expect.

Is this the sort of info you're looking for?

I can't, but maybe googling it . . . ? BTW don't be surprised if you don't get what you want in a room. Over the years -- we've done our time in AIs -- we've found that a request for "top floor" often gets you whatever else you want (ocean-view etcetera . . .) It seeems there are some guests who ask for ground floor or not too high up. Just a thought.

also . . . I heard once that good colloquial Spanish helps in your phone call or e-mail to resort hotels. I have no personal opinions on that, but it seems like a sound idea.