We are talking about AI's in Punta Cana, places she does not frequent. Not JW Marriot in the Capital........................
- Thread starter SKY
- Start date
You'll Feel Like Royalty at This Adults-only All-inclusive in the Dominican Republic — With Private Butlers and 6 Pools
Yes it is........but if you wish to opt for a nice beach.......and most people likely have that as priority then this resort is not for you.
And lest we forget these star ratings the hotels/booking sites use are always suspect.............but as a friend likes to say.......5 Dominican stars....is not 5 Michelin stars. etc.
But as you know there are quality upscale accommodations available in PC.....
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
This AI is under JW Marriot.
Four DR stars is not European four stars. I have stayed many times in Bahia Principe and despite the fact that I am thankful to my BIL who let us stay for free it had not the “cachet” you experience in a real four star.
But, it’s all details, if the food is good and there are good wines, friendly people who complains? Oh wait, they had never dry sherry for my aperitivo.
SKY, honestly you really don't understand the point I am making. I am not talking about any specific hotel. I am talking about the educational standards the culture and the talent pool that exists in the country in general and how difficult / impossible it is to deliver a service which is genuinely 5 star with that as your base. And how I have never seen it done in 12 years of being here, and yes I know my way around what it should look like.
Can I please also politely point out that I have never insulted you, and there is really no need to respond to my post in the way that you did.
Amen to this. My point is that yes if the food and the wine are good and the people are friendly you can have a perfectly nice time. But if you're paying US$ 800 a night, you expect top of the line, and what you'll most likely end up with are staff who are simply not capable of delivering service that matches that price point. When I've read the reviews of the top end Hyatts in Cap Cana for example, people frequently mention that you have to stand in line for a drink, room service takes a long time, you have to be up early to get a sunbed near the pool. No f-ing way am I paying US$ 800 a night and to put up with that. At that price point the service has to be crisp and absolutely on point. Nobody playing with their whatsapps, nobody standing around gossipping, nobody saying "No Hay mi amor" when you want something, everyone jumping to carry your bags, all the bar staff 100% trained in cocktails and wine, everything being cleaned all the time. I don't think anywhere in DR gets close to that standard. I have to admit I am very picky, but having worked all of my life in hospitality and customer service, I really do notice.
The law doesn't allow you to. 80% of your staff have to be Dominicans in hospitality. Dominicans who have never themselves been to another country so have never seen it done differently, and have probably never even slept in a hotel. Or been to anything like a fine dining restaurant.
I cannot imagine going to a Michelin starred restaurant anywhere on the planet and sitting down and the waitress calling me "babe" from the get-go. But in DR, even at top end places like Meson de la Cava I'm immediately called "mi amor" and they talk to me using the "Tu" form, which again would be completely unacceptable anywhere else. Imagine any waitress in France in any restaurant going up to a mature lady and saying "Bonjour mon amour, comment te vas?".
On very many doctor's consultancy we've been to in the DR, there are are these diplomas on the wall. I cannot recall a single medical professional who would not have a diploma from some institute abroad. The best doctors we've seen have occasionally even been unavailable (we tried to make an appointment to no avail) due to some conference abroad.
I fully understand your point about education level in the DR, so for hotel staff, who needs to know 5 star service (as the staff needs to be 80 % Dominican), would sending them abroad to a training and then "re-importing" them be an option? With the requirement that they need to pass the training abroad and with the promise of above-market salary in the DR. I realize that would be an investment, but would it pay off? Obviously, the candidates would need to be properly vetted before sending them anywhere...
And you would consider doing this for chambermaids? Wait staff? Do you know how many people these AI's employ, some are well into the thousands in terms of staff numbers.
Added to the fact that it's very very hard to recruit staff in Punta Cana / Bavaro to start off with. Hardly anyone has any family there, and most Dominicans (at least that I know) are very strong on family. Staff who live in the hotel accommodations are frequently told to work extra shifts or stay super late, and because they are in the hotel's own rooms they can't really complain.
My step-father and one of Jamaica's best/highest-paid caterers partnered to open a restaurant in the mountains overlooking the capital city, Kingston. The goal was to create a white-gloved, exceptional food experience for guests. Food quality was never a problem... But staff services was... And no matter how much time my step-father took to train the service staff, they always failed on the dining floor... And my step-father knew his stuff and had managed food service for some thirty years.
The problem with service staff is always indicative of poor ingrained disposition... Shoot, that's the problem with all human activity... Poor inward disposition, poor outward expression.
But... Don't only blame the "...chamber maids..." and "...wait staff...", as I have seen many in upper management who fail in their management responsibility for the very same reason... And oil flows down from the head.
Further, and unfortunately, this is now becoming the norm throughout human society... Instead of the bar getting higher across the average, the bar is getting lower... This is why there is a growing gap between the small group of haves and the fast-expanding group of have-nots... The haves possess an inward raise-the-bar disposition that the have-nots don't.
And this is a bit of a catch-22 situation, as the haves need a higher level of staff service... But don't want to empower the staff for fear of having to pay them more, which would lessen the profit the haves make, and which causes them to be haves.
What the haves really want are top-notch staff who are willing to work for crumbs... And the earth, with its human baggage, just keeps turning.
The short-term answer for most... Manipulate an environment in a way that has everyone pretending not to notice the inherent problem while putting on plastic smiles to make as if it's all good.
Those pioneer hoteliers in Jamaica... Pretty much all made millions from their efforts and became pillars in Jamaican high society... The tens of thousands of service staff who they depended on... They disappeared, never to be thought of after they had lost their usefulness.
The problem with service staff is always indicative of poor ingrained disposition... Shoot, that's the problem with all human activity... Poor inward disposition, poor outward expression.
But... Don't only blame the "...chamber maids..." and "...wait staff...", as I have seen many in upper management who fail in their management responsibility for the very same reason... And oil flows down from the head.
Further, and unfortunately, this is now becoming the norm throughout human society... Instead of the bar getting higher across the average, the bar is getting lower... This is why there is a growing gap between the small group of haves and the fast-expanding group of have-nots... The haves possess an inward raise-the-bar disposition that the have-nots don't.
And this is a bit of a catch-22 situation, as the haves need a higher level of staff service... But don't want to empower the staff for fear of having to pay them more, which would lessen the profit the haves make, and which causes them to be haves.
What the haves really want are top-notch staff who are willing to work for crumbs... And the earth, with its human baggage, just keeps turning.
The short-term answer for most... Manipulate an environment in a way that has everyone pretending not to notice the inherent problem while putting on plastic smiles to make as if it's all good.
Those pioneer hoteliers in Jamaica... Pretty much all made millions from their efforts and became pillars in Jamaican high society... The tens of thousands of service staff who they depended on... They disappeared, never to be thought of after they had lost their usefulness.
It was just an idea as many professionals in the DR do get educated abroad, I have no idea of the hospitality industry in particular... Thank you for your insight...
It is not about getting me to understand as we are talking about opinions. I too have traveled more than I care to remember. I just do not find the need to constantly criticize the service, the workers, etc... You are also comparing Europe to the DR which is not a realistic comparison. I have a hard time understanding why anyone who feels most everything about the DR is "atrocious" would live or run a business in the DR. But this is just my opinion. Every thread in this forum when about resorts, etc..is met with nothing but criticism. It does get a bit old but again it is opinions. Now moving on...
Last edited:
I find it hard to criticize something/somewhere if I have never been there or experienced it. Like you said it is an opinion nothing more.
Yes, the biggest complain about this resort is the beach or lack of it. I read the reviews and kind of weed them out. Or word of mouth, such as friends/family's opinions. I like the Sanctuary Cap Cana for the layout of the resort. You have the main hotel area, the Castle and then the Villas. All which offer a different experience. I stayed in the Castle portion and have no complaints at all. I am not a big beach person, so the lack of a decent beach did not take away anything from my stay. I also enjoyed "Sanctuary Town" which had other eateries to try (I think 1 or 2 were not included in the AI package). As far as the service, again I have no complaints. And as far as price, yes, it is on the higher end but IMO it is on point for this resort. Rates in Punta Cana have gone up over the years. There are still deals to be had, but it also depends on when you travel: high season, low season or shoulder season.
I'll say, especially since a restaurant can only have up to three. Hotels don't get stars in the Michelin system, but "keys" and of these 3 is also the max.
And therein lies the problem.......there is no universally accepted rating system utilized by all hotels/restaurants.............so everybody is free to tout their star rating depending on the platform utilized.
But I am sure you understand my friend's point.
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
Clearly! I forget what comedian was talking about online ratings. Something about do we really know these people leaving the review? Could be some sociopath in his basement🤣
No question that it is probably one of the top three AI's in PC......except for the beach.
The Villas are absolutely beautiful.....................but price out at over $2,000 night ppdo.
For that kind of money, I much prefer the non AI Tortuga Bay.
If you ever get the opportunity to stay at Tortuga, try the restaurant Bamboo.
Respectfully,
Playacarbe2
Actually, I have stayed at Tortuga Bay. We stayed there for a wedding in one of their 2 bedrooms villas. Tried both Bamboo and another restaurant, La Yola (?). I know several who have stayed there. They really like the transportation to/from the airport. Gets them in and out very quickly without standing in line for immigration/customs. We came there via our home in Santo Domingo, so we did not have the opportunity to experience their transportation. We were given a golf cart to use while staying there. It is very nice, but price wise it is expensive, especially when you include food/drinks.
While that definitely applies to many AI's, a lot of the top ones offer steaks, shrimp, crab, etc., along with top-shelf liquor. One of the best AI's food-wise that I've ever stayed at was Club Med on San Salvador, Bahamas. This was years ago, so maybe it's changed, but the fact that it is French owned was obvious. You'd have to go to some pretty expensive restaurants to get the quality of food they offered and the variety was unbelievable.