Vacation Help

My wife and i are coming to Dominican Republic from March 20-26 for a belated honeymoon. We are staying at the Allegro Playa Dorada in Puerto Plata (comments?) Anyways, she is 5 months pregnant and we are mostly coming to relax by the pool/beach and enjoy the resort.

However, i am very much looking forward to seeing the more real side of the island and i would love to get a car or hire a tour guide to drive us around to see other parts of the island that we would not experience at the resort area.

Also, another part of this trip for me would be sort of a scouting trip for a documentary film that my friend and i would love to shoot on DR over the next winter. The subject of the film would focus on baseball on the island, but would also be on the Dominican culture in general. I would love to show the kids playing in the streets or fields (i have never been to DR before so i have visions in my head, but i have to go there to really see what it is like). I want to see organized high school level games, visit baseball academies, and anything else, really.

Any help I can get on this will be greatly appreciated. I realize that a few days is not nearly enough time and again, we are mainly going there to relax, but I would like to spend a full day or maybe 2 or 3 half days scouting for this project. I don't want to go on and on here, so i will stop myself here and explain more as i get responses to this. One more thing. I want to bring something to give to the kids: t-shirts, ballcaps, baseballs, tennis balls? what would be a good thing to bring down and hand out to the kids there? Thanks again

Charlielyn said:

The reviews that I have read about this hotel have not been very good. ie: rooms are run down, leaking water. If anyone can give us a good idea about the rooms at the Allegro, many people would appreciate it.

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yes, i just read some reviews of the hotel and they were very mixed. from excellent to disgusted. the food especially seems to be a point of contention, but it seems that they are going through some changes. one reviewer said the food was much better since sept 2007. also there was a lot of construction going on. did the hotel change hands recently? does anyone have any current info on the condition of the hotel? i'm kind of worried, although a lot of the positive reviews said that they were worried too, but were very pleasantly surprised, so i'm not really sure what to think.......

my spanish is ok, haven't practiced in a while, but it will be good by the time i leave there (a week) i like the idea of just a nice field close to town. that sounds really good. thanks for the hotel info. could you please post your friends' review of the place after they stay there? thanks a lot.

RandyE said:

Sure, no problem. He's going Mar. 1 to 8 and I'll be there Mar 8 to 15. Too bad your going later in the month, I've got 21yrs vacationing in the area and could hook you up with some locals who would be a bg help.

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i appreciate that. yeah, that would have been nice to be hooked up with some connections, but i hope this will be the first of many trips there, so we'll figure it out better for the next time. maybe we'll see you there next year.

RandyE said:

Sure, no problem. He's going Mar. 1 to 8 and I'll be there Mar 8 to 15. Too bad your going later in the month, I've got 21yrs vacationing in the area and could hook you up with some locals who would be a bg help.

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hey, randy e. i'm looking forward to hearing how the hotel is going. i guess you are there now. how is the general condition and service there? how is the condition of your room? how did your friend like his time there? thanks again.