WHY I PREFER SMALLER HOTELS NOT AI's

No doubt about it, all-inclusive resorts might be the right choice for many people. In the DR most of the AIs provide excellent value for the money. When you consider Canadian tour companies offer packages which include air, hotel, meals, sports and entertainment in clean, reputable, secure moderate to upscale places for under $1,000.00Cdn. a week in the resorts at Playa Dorada. Plus the benefit that for the most part, most everything is pre-paid making it easier to budget so there isn’t much not to like. Families with small children enjoy these resorts; they provide facilities which will cater to the small fry .The more timid traveler who is a little nervous when venturing out on their own also finds all-inclusives quite satisfactory.
My personal opinion is a little different.
When I travel I prefer to avoid the plastic atmosphere prevalent in the big resorts. If I want plastic I can go to a mall at home or a resort in Miami. My preferences run to the small, mom & pop type hotels, which are inexpensive and plentiful in all the tourist areas. If you are in Sosua, less than fifteen minutes after you clear customs you can be at your hotel’s pool enjoying a cold one or two. In these places I’m not paying for facilities such as golf, tennis etc. which I don’t use. In a small hotel I am more likely to meet and become friends with visitors from around the world. In a large hotel nationalities tend to group and travel together. I can meet all the Canadians I care to meet back home. When I travel I find it more educational to broaden my horizons and learn from other visitors be they German, French or what have you. When I chose to eat, I eat at my convenience, not on some one else’s schedule. If the food or service in one restaurant doesn’t suit I have the option to go somewhere else and in Sosua there are so many inexpensive restaurants catering to everyone’s taste it sure isn’t hard to find many you will enjoy. Should I choose to participate in diving or horseback riding I will arrange it my own. When I want to relax sunning myself by the pool enjoying a Presidente I don’t have to contend with an Entertainment Director urging me to get up and join in the resort’s planned activities of the moment. I certainly don’t need a destination rep trying to sell me another tour. Most touring I prefer to do on my own, at my own pace and in the DR for the most part that is quite possible, safe, and enjoyable whether or not one speaks Spanish. In short my schedule is my own I have enough structure at home. On vacation I can do without it. I enjoy getting out and meeting Dominicans, not just the maid, gardener or bartender at a resort. When patronizing a small hotel where one is out of the hotel and meeting new people every day. Resorts at Playa Dorada are a long hike from Puerto Plata, so it is a bit of a chore get ting to town. In Sosua the small hotels are conveniently located, most are but a hop, skip and a jump to the beaches and downtown. Now of course, it is different strokes for different folks. All-inclusives are great value, although they aren’t my choice. Whatever you do, all-inclusive or small family hotel, go to the Dominican Republic you will have a great time and most likely be planning your return visit before you leave. Enjoy!

Never been to an all inclusive and don't intend on being in one in the Sosua area. The small hotels are great. They remember you and you get special little favors.

You know, you sound a little arrogant. Kind of an "I'm too well rounded and enlightened to lower myself to conform to any group, I'm much too good for that, but it's ok if you do."

Give me a break! How much of the culture you really gonna absorb in one week or two? If you really want to get out and meet the people and experience it, why don't ya join the Peace Corp?

I mean, if you really would rather stay at a Mom and Pop hotel then do it, but announcing to the world why you prefer it makes you look like a pompous ass.

Funny, I didn't read that between the lines of Richard's message at all. He clearly stated that this is his opinion and why he preferred small hotels over AI's. He outlined pros and cons for each. His preference is the small hotel. However, I agree with you about joining the Peace Corps as being a great way to get to know the local people and culture. Good plug, Wade.

For a start Wade, how will you know how much culture and knowledge onemight gain by not getting out and meeting the people? Even a week or two can pay many dividends. Dominicans are friendly and want to share their love of their country and their customs with visitors from different parts of the world. it can be a learning experience for everyone. To turn one's nose up at even making an effort however short one's time, in any country is shortsighted. As for joining the Peace Corps, obviously you didn't read my post very thoroughly. I emphasized that I am Canadian so I am inelligible to join the Peace Corps an American organization which I admire. On the other hand, by staying at a small hotel over the years where many PCVs spend their weekends on R & R it has been my priviledge to meet many Peace Corps Volunters and get to know them. This was another benefit of staying in a small hotel, something anyone staying at the large resorts would not have been able to enjoy. In case you missed my point in the post, please read it again and you might find it was solely an opinion giving some pros and cons of both types of hotels. Every tourist makes a choice. I've made mine, you make yours.

If money was not an issue, in general, almost ANYBODY would select a luxurious all-inclusive property over a small mom-and-pop budget hotel.

Most of what you've said is either not true, or has nothing to do with the hotel. I'll explain.

AI's have a plastic astmosphere? I've been to a lot of all-inclusives throughout the DR. Most are far nicer and prettier than the smaller hotels. Not just a little nicer, they are FAR nicer. They are more beautifully landscaped, offer more and better ammenities, have fantastic pools, are clean, and are ANTHING but plastic. They have wonderful varieties of plants and trees that are native to the island that the average visitor would never see at a small hotel.

If you don't think the big AI's are gorgeous, you haven't seen many. That's about the one thing the Dominican AI's excel at - beautiful looking properties. Very few small properties can compete with a larger place on beauty, with their professional architects, designers, full-time gardeners, and vast financial resources. I've often returned home with thoughts of building my next home to resemble the All-inclusive resort I left behind. The mall, it is not!

As far as meeting other people, it is just the opposite from what you said. Larger hotels have a wider variety of guests and provide way more opportunities for meeting those from other countries. This is because most of people hang around the larger resorts, 24 hours a day. Not just because of money - some of these resorts are really fantastic. There isn't much to do at a smaller property, so guests don't hang around. At a big property, you are with the same people all week, making it much more likely you'll get to know them. Only a B&B offers more chance for interaction with the other guests, but then, you are stuck with just a few other guests.

All the other things you mentioned are not restrictions created by being at a larger all-inclusive property. They are OPTIONS, constrained only by money.

Just because food is served at a certain time at the resort doesn't mean you have to eat there. In my many stays at all-inclusives, sometimes I ate at the resort was when I wanted food NOW, and didn't feel like taking the time to go out to a restaurant, order, then wait. Sometimes I ate at the resort because they had some cool restaurants I wanted to try. But it never PREVENTED me from going out. The ULTIMATE in convenience and options. Just because a restaurant is located in an all-inclusive doesn't make it any less authentic. In fact, they are more likely to employ Dominicans specially trained in cooking and food preparation as the chefs. At small restaurants, the foreigner owning the place is often the chef, assisted by an untrained local.

The same goes for tours. The AI's provide just one more option. They won't arrest you if you opt out and go on your own.

Your schedule is ALWAYS your own, AI or not. You can go out and meet the local people, or not. Your option. Big properties just provide additional options.

Every resort has their atmosphere and not all of them are club-med style. At the Melia resorts for example, you'll never have to contend with employees pushing you to play in silly games. So any complaint about that is resort specific.

Another of your points was about location. Location is something that is not specific to large AI's. Some AI's are inconveniently located for easy access to town, as are some smaller properties, and conversely, some AI's are smack in the middle of town, just as are some of the smaller properties. In Boca Chica, the AI's and the small hotels are all mixed in together.

About the only reason I might select a smaller property over a larger one, is smaller ones tend to everything a little bit better because it isn't done on a mass scale and more attention is given to individual guests.

A good example would be Boca Chica Resort. Two people can stay at this all-inclusive resort for US$40/night/person. That includes food, drinks, lodging, and some water sports. At that price, I'd have no problem using it as a beautiful outpost and going outside the resort for food and fun. It may not be cheaper than staying at a motel-6 style property, but it sure is a lot nicer.

So, if you can afford it, go with a luxury AI over a smaller place. It doesn't add restrictions, it add OPTIONS. You can save US$15-35/person/night by staying at a budget-inn, but then, that kind of defeats the purpose of going on vacation, especially after spending US$400-800 per person on a plane ticket.

The people that should select a small hotel are the one's that can't afford the big luxury resorts, or if they do, won't be able to afford to leave the resort to eat, drink, play, and experience the town and country.

Put it this way, if both the small hotels and the luxury AI were free, just about everybody would opt to stay at the luxury AI.

Heres a great smaller property with the feel of a large resort. I plan to go there in June of this year. It is located in Las Terrenas. If anyone has been there lets hear some reviews.

Hey you're the one who started this thread. If you've been a frequent visitor to this board, then you know this topic has been beaten to death.And so it sounded like you were just patting yourself on the back for being so independent and adventurous.

Ya ya I know you were giving pros and cons bla bla bla. But your condenscending attitude toward those staying at AI's really bugs me. And what's more, your arguments against'em are just flat out wrong. Jim, who I've dissagreed on many occasions, hit the nail right on the head with his response.

Cya March 30 at one of those big AI's!

I went to an all-inclusive in Playa Dorada a few years ago and it was the most enjoyable trip to date. We met so many people, not just the maid, the bartender and the bellhop. Being Canadian myself, we met so many non-Canadian tourists and we met quite a few native Domincans. These natives may have been employed by the hotel, but we spent more time with the Natives, by the beach, by the pool and dancing the night away at the disco. This is the one major reason we are heading to Barcelo Decameron, Don Julio on March 26th. I want to relive the best trip of my life. I don't know how much mom/pop hotels cost, but I think we got an amazing deal paying only $979 Cdn(all taxes included~that's about $640 U.S.) So my vote, all-inclusive all the time!

I do know one thing for sure considering where you like to stay there is little chance we will end up ever staying at the same hotel and after reading your review of Café Cito on the pop report I know we won’t end up in the same dining room. Quite obviously our likes and dislikes are at seperate ensds of the scale. As for knowledge of inclusives, I worked at a resort in Playa Dorada and at one time lived next door to an inclusive resort in Sosua, where I spent many an afternoon lounging by the pool, Both places used entertainment directors to egg people on to join in the fun and games. Tours? Well, destination reps are often paid a commission to sell tours. That is how they augment their earnings. That is a fact. They are also notorious for advising guests that it is not safe leave the premises. When I spoke about being away from it all, I mentioned Playa Dorada which is at least 3-4 miles from downtown Puerto Plata and 10-15 miles from Sosua. In Sosua many hotels are not all-inclusive so dining out is easy and enjoyable. When guests at Playa Dorada choose to dine out it isn’t all that easy. Doesn’t make too much sense to many people who have prepaid their trip and meals and drinks are included. As far as the chef goes, because a chef is European or American educated doesn’t impress me too much I’ve dined in too many hotel dining rooms where there was much to be desired. If I had two weeks of buffet night after night, lunch after lunch it would drive me to distraction. That is of course a personal opinion. Many small hotels in Sosua do not offer meals except for maybe breakfast. And if the food isn’t to ones taste at an inclusive they are going to have to go out and pay for it anyway. Tropical grounds? Check out Hotel Tropix next time you are in Sosua. The grounds are lovingly maintained in a small hotel owned by a lady who was born in Sosua. Personal service. There sure is. Sylvie speaks German, Spanish, Dutch and English. She knows the north coast like the back of her hand and is always prepared to share her knowledge and anecdotes with everyone. Meeting other people? Sure there will be more people at an all inclusive however, it is a fact, Germans will stick together, as will also Americans, Canadians, Brits or whatever else is staying at the hotel. At a small place, when your next door neighbor is Italian, German or British, you are pretty well going to find yourself interacting with them much more so then at a large impersonal hotel. When people leave the hotel and wander around town they will be meeting all types of locals and tourists alike. I made the point that hotels are not pricey in the DR and one can go without spending an arm and a leg. One main reason many residents in Sosua feel small hotels, bars and shops are having such a hard time is because of the inclusive resorts. Many are foreign owned and the money quickly leaves the country. if someone likes all inclusive they might just as well be parachuted into any resort in any tropical climate, they are much the same, what little atmosphere there is is for the most part staged, and even fewer interactions are available with the local people. Plastic? Again if I want things the way they are in the states, I’ll go there, I’m not looking for a Las Vegas style atmosphere when I’m away. I’m not looking for glass and stainless steel. Everything American is not great. When I visit a foreign country I’m looking for a foreign experience. Now about price. Affording it is not always the criteria for many people. By the time someone pays 435-40.00 per night at a small hotel, buys an air only ticket and takes their meals out every day, an all inclusive could well be cheaper. Many small hotels all over the world are not inclusive but also expensive, I suppose everyone has there own idea of what they are looking for on vacation. Unfortunately when some tourists return home they really have not seen the beauty of the true Dominican Republic, its mountains, its forests; even more important they have not met many of the countries biggest assets, its people. So don’t tell me I’m inaccurate Jim. I believe I am very accurate. Of course hotels and resorts vary. You stay at your all inclusive, for my part I will continue to encourage tourists to stay at small hotels where the staff know their guests by name and guests are not just a number. The choice is very much up to the individual. My choice is the small independent hotel. See you in Sosua amigos.