Punta Cana Lowest Prices All Year

[SKY]

Cap Cana alone is larger than the borough of Manhattan..............

 

[SKY]

I am not sure I really get Marias theory either. I think the DR can do the high end market. All those employees in the industry also gain experience and the industry develops.

I can tell from personal experience that the salaries they are paid do not motivate them other than to look at their phones...............

 

[playacaribe2]

The whole point is that the majority of tourism is the Carnival-cruises brigade, mass market bottom end tourism. From Europe they do all-inclusive packages with a long-haul flight for about US$ 1,500 per person for a week in the depth of winter. And they pack out flight after flight with that lowest-common-denominator formula. Which works well in DR. You have the weather, the staff are relatively cheap, the beaches are nice. My point is that once you try to go up a notch and do what Antigua or Mustique or Barbados are doing, you just can't get the staff to deliver that type of service to justify the price ticket. No way would I pay US$ 800 a night for Torguga bay, nice as it may be, because I am pretty certain that the service levels, the quality of the accommodation, the whole deal would not come close to what I would expect for that price tag, or I could get somewhere else. It's just not what DR does well.

And that's why what you mainly find in Punta Cana are more and more of those places catering to the masses.

On the contrary.

I have stayed at Jumby Bay in Antigua and Tortuga Bay compares quite favorably.....and at a lower price point.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[Big]

Why is it the local welder's union 2107 and the iron workers association, vacation and have events in P.C and not Bermuda or St Lucia?

 

[SKY]

Why is it the local welder's union 2107 and the iron workers association, vacation and have events in P.C and not Bermuda or St Lucia?

I guess the same reason these guys have homes here.

Villa Arrecife 32 is located in the high-end Punta Cana Resort & Club, home to Julio Iglesias, and Mikhail Baryshnikov,

 

[MariaRubia]

I can tell from personal experience that the salaries they are paid do not motivate them other than to look at their phones...............

Exactly. And the atrocious education, the lack of English (places like Antigua and Bermuda speak English as the native language), the visa restrictions which mean that the majority of Dominicans have not travelled whilst the majority of Bermudans have, the general culture of trying to do as little as possible for as much as possible - so many reasons that Dominican Republic is never going to be big in the top end market.

Sure, there are one or two good hotels which cater to the top end, but the majority of DR tourism is lower-end stuff.

 

[aarhus]

Exactly. And the atrocious education, the lack of English (places like Antigua and Bermuda speak English as the native language), the visa restrictions which mean that the majority of Dominicans have not travelled whilst the majority of Bermudans have, the general culture of trying to do as little as possible for as much as possible - so many reasons that Dominican Republic is never going to be big in the top end market.

Sure, there are one or two good hotels which cater to the top end, but the majority of DR tourism is lower-end stuff.

I don’t know about Bermuda but I spent some prolonged time in Cayman and almost no locals worked in the hotels. They were almost all immigrants on work permits including some Dominicans.

 

[keepcoming]

Exactly. And the atrocious education, the lack of English (places like Antigua and Bermuda speak English as the native language), the visa restrictions which mean that the majority of Dominicans have not travelled whilst the majority of Bermudans have, the general culture of trying to do as little as possible for as much as possible - so many reasons that Dominican Republic is never going to be big in the top end market.

Sure, there are one or two good hotels which cater to the top end, but the majority of DR tourism is lower-end stuff.

You own a business in the DR correct? Just curious as to why if that is your opinion of the DR/Dominicans. Is there something different you see with your business?

 

[MariaRubia]

My business wasn't particularly fancy. I employed some wonderful staff and in the main they worked hard and tried hard. However I've travelled a huge amount in my life and normally stay in 4 or 5 star hotels, normally fly either business or first class. So I understand what service at that level works like and I stick to the point that I don't think Dominicans who work in hospitality could deliver it - at least not apart from exceptional cases.

Come on guys we all live here we all know how atrocious Dominican customer service is generally. And the sad part is that most Dominicans think that that awful service is normal and OK.

 

[keepcoming]

My business wasn't particularly fancy. I employed some wonderful staff and in the main they worked hard and tried hard. However I've travelled a huge amount in my life and normally stay in 4 or 5 star hotels, normally fly either business or first class. So I understand what service at that level works like and I stick to the point that I don't think Dominicans who work in hospitality could deliver it at least not apart from exceptional cases.

Come on guys we all live here we all know how atrocious Dominican customer service is generally. And the sad part is that most Dominicans think that that awful service is normal and OK

I have lived in the DR much longer than many here. I just have never had some of the experiences some of you seem to have. As for Punta Cana, the resorts I have stayed in, I can honestly say service was good. Restaurants in Santo Domingo, the same. There is always going to be those hit or miss situations. But IMO it is nowhere near as "atrocious" as you say.

 

[Big]

My business wasn't particularly fancy. I employed some wonderful staff and in the main they worked hard and tried hard. However I've travelled a huge amount in my life and normally stay in 4 or 5 star hotels, normally fly either business or first class. So I understand what service at that level works like and I stick to the point that I don't think Dominicans who work in hospitality could deliver it - at least not apart from exceptional cases.

Come on guys we all live here we all know how atrocious Dominican customer service is generally. And the sad part is that most Dominicans think that that awful service is normal and OK.

Casa 16 in the colonial zone has a very skilled staff. Probably one of my favorite hotels is the El Embassador, The club level is staffed with trained employees. They truly appreciate return customers. The big guy (Prez) shows up often.

 

[Big]

P.C goes hand in hand with cruise line people. Food and Drinks and slot machines. More is better!!. More is equated with good service.Most would not know the difference between an aperitif vs digestif

 

[MariaRubia]

Casa 16 in the colonial zone has a very skilled staff. Probably one of my favorite hotels is the El Embassador, The club level is staffed with trained employees. They truly appreciate return customers. The big guy (Prez) shows up often.

Do you mean El Embajador? (A little surprised if it's your favorite hotel that you don't know it's name).

That hotel always does a lot of political stuff. I went to a couple of events there for foreign embassies.

 

[MariaRubia]

I have lived in the DR much longer than many here. I just have never had some of the experiences some of you seem to have. As for Punta Cana, the resorts I have stayed in, I can honestly say service was good. Restaurants in Santo Domingo, the same. There is always going to be those hit or miss situations. But IMO it is nowhere near as "atrocious" as you say.

So you've never been in a shop and had bad service? Or a supermarket? Or a bank? I'm referring to Dominicans' general perception of what service looks like. What they grow up experiencing. Remember the vast majority of people who work in hotels in DR never stay in a hotel.

 

[Notengo]

I have lived in the DR much longer than many here. I just have never had some of the experiences some of you seem to have. As for Punta Cana, the resorts I have stayed in, I can honestly say service was good. Restaurants in Santo Domingo, the same. There is always going to be those hit or miss situations. But IMO it is nowhere near as "atrocious" as you say.

Maybe you are (too) used to it.. I noticed the first weeks in the DR I am always somewhat agitated how things are done and the time they take. Then when expectations go down and acceptation goes up I start to think it’s all normal. Then I start to line my own promises with ‘quando dios quiere’. Call it adaptation or call it lowering your own standards, in the end it prevents frustration. I think holding on to a full ‘western’ mindset and expectations does not work well in the DR.

 

[Big]

Do you mean El Embajador? (A little surprised if it's your favorite hotel that you don't know it's name).

That hotel always does a lot of political stuff. I went to a couple of events there for foreign embassies.

Spelling, Sorry, don't be surprised. My business puts me there often. They do a massive banquet business and do not let it interfere with the hotel guests. ( spell check this for me, fyi Embajador is Spanish for Ambassador)

 

[aarhus]

Maybe you are (too) used to it.. I noticed the first weeks in the DR I am always somewhat agitated how things are done and the time they take. Then when expectations go down and acceptation goes up I start to think it’s all normal. Then I start to line my own promises with ‘quando dios quiere’. Call it adaptation or call it lowering your own standards, in the end it prevents frustration. I think holding on to a full ‘western’ mindset and expectations does not work well in the DR.

I find slow service can sometimes be quite pleasant. I hate it when they come with the bill and start clearing your table telling you someone else is waiting to get the table. Is that what you mean ?

 

[Notengo]

I find slow service can sometimes be quite pleasant. I hate it when they come with the bill and start clearing your table telling you someone else is waiting to get the table. Is that what you mean ?

No, I don’t have a problem with that either.
I mean daily life in general when you depend on others to get some things done. Time and quality are often very sloppy.

 

[USA DOC]

Lucky then that tourism is increasing to make up for that.

the cruise ship passengers are also counted.... how much money does each of them spend in the DR?

 

[aarhus]

the cruise ship passengers are also counted.... how much money does each of them spend in the DR?

That is true. Still think there are more overnight stays