Ocean Manor Resort
My husband and I spent a week at Ocean Manor Resort last week over Easter. We are in our 60s and wanted somewhere that was sunny, quiet and relaxing that was a nice place to stay. We were thrilled with the timeshare at Ocean Manor Resort and it exceeded our expectaions. You should have a great time there. Don't expect a big busy resort with lots of planned activities as this is not that. Also plan for some rain during the day if you go during the rainy season.
The timeshare is about one year old and includes 3 three storey buildings which surround one of the pools. The entire place has been renovated. We were in Building One on the ground floor which was closest to the lobby and the restaurant. My husband has just had knee replacement surgery. The infinity pool is at the back of the property near the pool bar and the ocean. The units were very attractive and were kept up well besides being very clean. My husband accidently knocked the toilet roll holder causing it to fall off. When he called maintenance, the man were there within a few minutes to fix it. The grounds are beautifully landscaped and are kept in pristine condition. Building Two and Three have beautiful ocean views on the upper two floors. The whole place is beautiful!
One of the nicest things about Ocean Manor is the exceptional staff of people that they have hired to work there. The staff at Ocean Manor were superior in their service and their friendliness. We got to know many of them on a first name basis and enjoyed talking to them about their families, their dreams, and the DR. Fraser, a Canadian who works there selling timeshares, was very pleasant and helpful in answering our questions and letting us know about Cabarete and DR. He gave us basic info about the area and what to do, where to go, and told us not to walk to town on the road but to take the beach! There is no sidewalk on the road to town and the drivers are "crazy". I began to wonder if DR has any traffic rules and if people ever get fined for careless driving. The tour guide was telling that the police now have a beathalizer machine to test alcohol levels, so the people are more cautious about driving and drinkinkin now. If you don't get run over by a car then the motor scooter taxis will probably get you! You have to see it to believe it!Incidently, there was no pressure about buying timeshares. We were certainly tempted because it is a beautiful place.
Due to very expensive gas prices, the cab ride to and from the airport was $35 US, $5 more than we had been told by RCI. In addition, we had to pay $10 US per day for electricity. Ocean Manor has 3 generators to suppply their electricity and they are run by gas. Many places in the DR only get electricity a couple of hours per day, so we didn't mind paying the extra and having it for 24 hours per day. There were numerous TV stations both English and Spanish.
The meal plan at the on site restaurant was $159 US per person for 3 dinners, 3 or 4 lunches, and 7 breakfasts. What a great deal! The food was very tasty and very good. It was way better than I expected and we really enjoyed the open air building - a great way to enjoy the beautiful weather. Because we stayed at the resort a lot, we ate there most nights. Tuesday night is a special DR Night which was optional but if you went you, it cost you $11 US and you got a free drink. The food was great as usual with a roast pig and chicken. They served a bread pudding which is delicious. During dinner three musicians played for us and after dinner a great group of energetic young dancers danced for us. Afterwards, they got people to dance and showed those who didn't know how to do some of the dances. We really enjoyed the evening as did most other people.
Cabarete has a number of bars, which I gather has great night life. We only went into Cabarete on the Saturday and had a drink on the beach at the Irish pub, Jose Osheas. Ask Fraser where to go for great night life! There is also a casino in Cabarete which has free transporation to and from the casino - just ask at the desk. We didn't leave the resort a lot. Once to go shopping at the grocery store (Janet's) and a second time to go on a tour to Puerta Plata which was a great trip including lunch. The walk into Cabarete is about 20 minutes on the beach. The sand fleas bite but I was waering a mosqito bracelet so they left me alone. I got some bites later when I wasn't wearing the bracelet and they really swelled up and were very itchy. Anna from one of the Tour Companies comes to the resort to answer questions and book tours. There are plenty of places to go see in this area including some very nice beaches. However, the water is not the beautiful blue green as can be seen in some areas of the world. We didn't swim in the ocean but it looked fine. The waves were a bit high at times but many people enjoyed it. There are little beach huts with grass roofs and chaises on the beach.
I could go on forever! Ocean Manor is a wonderful place to stay and I am sure that you will have a great time. We found it very peaceful and relaxing. The staff plan some activities there for people but we didn't participate in them. We enjoyed using the two lap top computers in the room near the lobby. We also used the free long distance phone to make calls back to Canada. There is a pool table in the back of the restaurant and a ping pong table at the back of the property near the pool bar.
Don't pay attention to the sites on the internet that complain about this timeshare. Yes, there is a 7% tax if you use your credit card, but it is the government that charges it, not Ocean Manor. Yes, there is a tax on food, but again it is the government that charges it. Remember DR does not tax the people so they get their money in other ways. Yes, the resort does call a certain Taxi company because they have signed a contract to deal with that company. Also, remember that this is a third world country and things will not be like they are at home. Because it is a small resort, it was really easy to get to know some of the other guests staying there which added to a very enjoyable experience. Go and have fun!
jmac
