As we managed to save money - live and travel cheap throughout the country - we could afford to check in to an AI resort the last 6 nights. This was just to make our last few days nice and easy as we wanted to relax a bit on the vacation as well. Not just TRAVEL all the time!
But..
To everyone that reads this..
Don't ever chose TROPICAL CLUBS as your resort.. We stayed at TROPICAL CLUBS - Sueño Resort the last 6 nights.
For 160 USD per night, you would think that you actually should live okey with not much hazzle. But how wrong are we to think that?
The first thing that happened, was that the hotel staff tried to con us for 160 USD more than we SHOULD pay.. As we already had calculated the total, we knew the approx. sum that we were supposed to pay, and could easily avoid their try to charge by day instead of by night! But - I didn't see the next one comming. The hotel is situated in the DR - right? Yes!! They charge (as stated in USD)... 160 USD per night!! Okey... Why by the way? Well... Never mind.. As long as they do it in the RIGHT way - I don't mind! But, later that night I found my self not being able to fall asleep due to thoughts and calculations in my head... I jumped out of bed and doublechecked the receipt. We were charged 34 pesos (RD$) to 1 USD. A scam which not is LOADS of money, but - enough for the staff to get an extra (almost) 2,000 RD$ for our stay.. At Ocean World, which were cheap in this matter - charged us only 31 pesos to 1 USD.. That was the cheapest ones. Otherwise we paid 32 RD$ to the equivalent of 1 USD!
When we finally got to speak with the hotel manager (Christophe Bon - a slimy french guy) he promised us to take care of the situation - AFTER first trying to prove us wrong, and told us that we should pay another price but we already got better prices - so this should not be an issue...??? What? Oh well.. We waited and waited for Christophe to talk to the OWNER of the hotel - for giving us back the almost 2,000 RD$... Can't see the reason for him not being able to take that dicision by him self though!
Anyhow.. The last day arrived, but no money.
The manager and the hotel is just bad!
The water taste like feets - or even sweat sometimes...
We didn't get sick for the entire stay, until we ate from the hotel food..
There are no shades from the sun at the beach or at the pool when staying at this resort...
The Air Condition is awfull...
The rooms are NOT cleaned... There were sand on the sheets when we came, as well as on the floor.. Cookies in drawers... The bathrooms smells like monkeys... Well... I can go on - but no need to..
Just stay out - for your own sake... It looks night at a first glance - but not worth to spend more than 30 USD per night on... at the most!!!
To sum this up..
We really had a GREAT experience, but we also met a new mentality and new ways of much.. Be prepared to meet something that is not near what you probably are USED to at home, if coming from lets say Europe for instance.
Don't just stay at an AI.. You'll miss SO MUCH.. The culture and the country is NOT what you see at an AI resort.. You might think you've been to the DR, but we can assure you - that is not the case...
Talk to people... Meet the people...!!!!
Go in gua-gua's filled to the top.. just for the experience!!
Travel to BOTH sides of the country, because - it's different!!!!
Don't pay more than 200 RD$ for a trip in a gua-gua!
We paid between 30 RD$ to 150 RD$ per person for trips up to 1½ hour!!!
You can find hotels from 450 RD$ per night... Travel 2 people, and your budget makes more sense!! ;o)
Breakfast at a local restaurant or similar is 40 RD$ to 300 RD$ per person... We managed to eat for 1,000 - 1,500 RD$ per day (TOTAL for both of us including taxes and tip)... That is about 30-45 USD per day for both of us! We ate 3 meals per day!
The taxis is rarely more than 150-200 RD$ within one and same town.. We rode taxis in most towns we went to..
We never took the motoconchos as we heard too many stories about them... Doesn't matter how good driver you go with.. The traffic is CRAZY, and you can't EVER trust the OTHER drivers in each and every truck, car, or motorbike... Just be careful will you!!!!
Internet you'll find in every town, no matter how small - but - don't go to any jst because you find one - if you´re not in a hurry. The prices varies a lot.. from 25 RD$ to 150 RD$ per hour...
Bring toilet paper if you need to go to public restrooms (at restaurants etc.)..
Go out dancing... You'll have the time of your life!!
)
There's a lot to see, and we do recommend the trip.. We did thought that 26 days was a bit too much though, because even though there are a lot too see, the variation of what you´re looking at isn't THAT big... It's still nice.. but if you would "do" and island - like we did.. You could probably do the DR on 15 days.. Just make some research before you go, and stay out of Rancho Wendy! ;o)
If you have any questions or anything at all to say to us - send a response.. We would be happy to tell more if needed, or just to be told otherwise on things you've experienced that doesn't match what we just told you about OUR trip to the DR.
Thank you all for your time..
Take care, and - if you're going to the DR.. You'll have a great time!!!
By the way - our budget (excluding flight to and from the DR) was almost 100,000 RD$ (3125 USD).
/Peter and Christine