Iberostar Costa Dorada

[MissChievous]

Hi,
we're going to be staying at Iberostar Costa Dorada next week and I had a couple of questions :bunny:
1. how safe are the beaches at night if we wanted to go for a midnight walk/run?
2. is the hotel spa nice? what kind of services to they offer? I was thinking about getting pedi/mani there ... are they any good? what are the prices?

Thank you very much!!! :cheeky:

 

[MissChievous]

so, no one knows?

 

[FireGuy]

The beach in front of the ICD and the Grand Oasis Marien next door should be OK but past the limits of the resorts after dark would not be a smart place to be - simply as it offers too much of an unknown.

As for the spa, I couldn't say as when we were there we didn't use their services.

Gregg

 

[MissChievous]

Gregg,
thank you!
yeah, we don't want to go far, just look at the ocean at night

 

[adam_susy@hotmail.com]

it is really nice and is great hotel the best on the north coast ...adam

 

[gambler1234]

beaches

I've stayed at Iberostar twice and it's a great hotel. You won't be able to go on the beaches after dark. They have armed security guards and they will tell you in no uncertain terms to get back onto the resort property!!! I didn't even have to be told the second time I stayed there to avoid the beach area at night!!! I think all the resorts have the same policy about the beaches after dark.

The resort is beautiful but didn't have a chance to experience anything at the spa.

 

[Hillbilly]

My youngest son used that hotel for his honeymoon, and always stayed there for golf tournaments in Puerto Plata. It was by far, his favorite.

If you want beaches at night, go into Puerto Plata, along the malecon and you will be safe among the crowds and music. It will be a very pleasant experience.

Walking the deserted beaches along the stretch of Playa Dorada might not be the wisest idea.. In Punta Rucia, yes, but not Playa Dorada..

HB

 

[The Virginian]

My wife and I have stayed there a few times and enjoyed it each time. My wife and I like to walk and venture out on our own. On our first visit I asked at the front desk if you turned left or right when you leave the resort? The answer was niether, stay on the resort it is not safe outside. So we turned right and had a very nice walk. We met people, a lot of kids, nice pictures, had a beer or 2 and discovered the malecon and more nice folks. This was on a week day, starting out at mid morning. There are nice places to eat as well. I might recommend a restaurant just across from the resort named Cariatides. They have GREAT food, GREAT service, and great folks. We pay around 1,200 peso's for a very nice meal and a bottle of wine. The nice part, the money stays in the DR. ENJOY!!!!

 

[MissChievous]

Adam, thanks! I just hope that the quality of the spa reflects that as well

Gambler1234,
thank you. I'm the kind of person who's scared to take out the trash when it's dark, so if there're security guards there, I won't even go near the beach.

Hillbilly, thank you, we'll def. check out Puerto Plata at night
is Punta Lucia near by?

Phil&Gerry,
thanks for a detailed response! I think we're looking for less exploring and more sleeping-on-the-beach kind of vacation (escaping from Boston's November).

 

[Hillbilly]

Ahem! PUNTA RUCIA--> a little misprint??

Anyway, no, unfortunately it is a fair distance away. Paradise tours does do day trips there, but i do not know the details nor if it is worth it. I mentioned it because we have a house there and have, in our youths, gone skinny dippin' in the late evening....( Very sorry if the visuals bother any of you all!)

I think you will have a blast along the Malecon....

HB

 

[MissChievous]

Hillbilly,
yeah, sorry, typo!!
thanks a lot for all the great info ))

 

[planner]

The spa is a typical one here, decent. Most of them are overpriced and staffed by unqualified people. So, it will be hit and miss. YOu may find a truly exceptional person taking care of you who is really good. Or you may not. Either way it will be overpriced!

 

[MissChievous]

Planner,
thank you

 

[MissChievous]

Planner,
I emailed the hotel for the Spa price list, and the prices that thye've sent me a pretty decent ... cheaper than what I have here (Newton, MA) ... and I normally go to very average salons (nothing fancy). So, we'll see, it trully depends on a person too.
I'll write something here once I get back

 

[planner]

I guess my comment was not specific enough. For me - the hotel spa prices are too high because you don't get trained professional services. My apologies to the 5% that are trained properly. When you compare them to the prices back home they are not too bad - but compare the level of training and it can be apalling.

As someone who lives here I go to a local person who is better trained then average and charges typical prices - much much less then the hotels.

 

[MissChievous]

Planner,
I would love to go to some other place with better prices and service, but I don't think I have enough time and experience to research the places in DR.
Thank you for your comment, I will definitely be cautious of the personnel that works in that spa.
Would you offer any suggestions on how to tell how qualified the person is? (I'm pretty clueless about this even here, I was just lucky that my first couple of choices worked for me).
Thank you.