attn dr1

didn't get any responses to my query: what's better the iberostar bavaro or the melia bavaro? my son is determined to play basketball -- i know that's part of the kids club at the iberostar bavaro (at least that's what their web site says). melia bavaro is considerably more expensive -- but wondering if it's worth it (prob $1400 more for the 4 of us, since we pay for the kids as adults so they get their own roo-- kind of a waste since they certainly don't drink but no other solution to that). we are switching today from the catalonia to one of these properties (too many neg reviews, don't want to take a chance with lousy food, getting sick, bad service, etc.). any chance you can respond today? your site is terrific, many thanks. you can also e-mail me at kmccleery@newshour.org thank you. -k.

Neither the Iberostar Bavaro nor the Melia Bavaro offer basketball courts for the guests. The Catalonia does and the Paradisus Punta Cana also. So does the Club Med Punta Cana.

i don't get it -- iberostar website says there is b'ball court (kids play in kids' program) -- would they make that up? just not true? also, doesn't paradisus share facilities with melia bavaro -- so if there was a court at paradisus, couldn't the guests at melia use it? sorry for the confusion -- but thanks for any help you can give!

Iberostar's basketball court is a minicourt for use by children at the miniclub, not a real basketball court. Guests at Meliá can walk across to Paradisus and use the Paradisus basketball court.

you are incredible! thanks so much. are you based in the DR? 2 more questions: any idea how difficult/easy it will be to go to EARLY mass on easter sunday (near iberostar). our flight leaves at 2p (assume we'll need to leave hotel by 11a or so). also, if we wanted to bring supplies (medicines, etc.) for our sister parish in banica (near haiti border), how difficult/expensive is it to mail/send them from punta cana? is it worth it? thank you.

We are based in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, a city of about 3 million people, site of the year 2003 Pan American Sports Games (yes the ones that will be held in Winnepeg, Canada this year).

Your hotel is about 20 minutes away from the airport, so leaving at 11 gives you more time than you will need (two hours is the norm), so yes, I would say you have time to go to early morning mass.

You are on the other side of the island. There is no direct transportation link with Banica, and mail costs would be excessively high. So, I don't think it is worth it.

Please file a review on your vacation, from the perspective of a family vacation, when you return. Enjoy the Bavaro-Punta Cana beach, take the 4 wheel motor bike tour with the boys, the catamaran excursion, or the excursion to Saona Island. Enjoy the freedom of letting the kids roam free and overall, enjoy the climate of the tropics this time of the year!

thanks! yes, i will post a review when we return and let you know what 2 washington professionals and their 2 kids think about their spring break in the DR.