Condos and Golf

[jande]

Hello! My wife and I are considering going this winter. There is an airline that flies directly from Cincinnati to Punta Cana, so that is where we are considering staying.
Question #1: Is Punta Cana a place married Seniors would enjoy (if not, where would you recommend?

Question #2: We are considering renting a condo from the owner in Punta Cana, does anyone know about any of the following:
Stanza Mare
Bavaro Sun Beach
Palma Real Villas at Cocotal Golf
Los Corales
Cocomar
Santa Maria Del mar
Barcelo/Melia complex

Question #3: Is there any reasonable golf in the DR? The prices seem high, can you get any deals or recommend any courses? If you stay at a golf villa, are any fees reduced?

Question #4: If we are staying a month, should we rent a car?

Question #5: How safe is it?

Thanks, and any other tips would be appreciated!

[Hillbilly]

Originally Posted by jande

Hello! My wife and I are considering going this winter. There is an airline that flies directly from Cincinnati to Punta Cana, so that is where we are considering staying.
Question #1: Is Punta Cana a place married Seniors would enjoy (if not, where would you recommend?

Question #2: We are considering renting a condo from the owner in Punta Cana, does anyone know about any of the following:
Stanza Mare
Bavaro Sun Beach
Palma Real Villas at Cocotal Golf
Los Corales
Cocomar
Santa Maria Del mar
Barcelo/Melia complex

Question #3: Is there any reasonable golf in the DR? The prices seem high, can you get any deals or recommend any courses? If you stay at a golf villa, are any fees reduced?

Question #4: If we are staying a month, should we rent a car?

Question #5: How safe is it?

Thanks, and any other tips would be appreciated!

#1) Absolutely, but we'll let the experts give you their take on this. I love the place!

#3) Oh yeah!! Like more than a dozen outstanding courses. Look at the Golf site on the DR1 site. Pictures and opinions on a lot of them. Faldo, Nichlaus courses...Golfers - You're Going to LOVE This!
#4) Not really necessary, if you get a feel for the place. Public transport and taxis would be easier and cheaper in the long run (a month)
#5) Very safe, unless you walk around flouting your gold chains, diamonds, and you wad of cash....Be normally sane and you should have noproblems. They are good folks out that way...

Enjoy yourselves!!!!

HB

[NALs]

Originally Posted by jande

Question #2: We are considering renting a condo from the owner in Punta Cana, does anyone know about any of the following:
Stanza Mare
Bavaro Sun Beach
Palma Real Villas at Cocotal Golf
Los Corales
Cocomar
Santa Maria Del mar
Barcelo/Melia complex

Thanks, and any other tips would be appreciated!

2) Los Corales is THE best gated community in PC. Very safe and exclusive, plus if you stay there you will be a stone throw away from La Cana Golf Club, which is the most beautiful course on the face of the earth! You have to see it to believe it.

If you are lucky, you might just "bump" into some famous and powerful people there, such as the Clintons who go there every winter. Henry Kissinger, Oscar de la Renta own palatial mansions there and Julio Iglesias lives there year round in what essentially an open air thatch roof palace. If you are lucky, you might just "bump" into them at the club house or even at the golf course.

You can't go wrong with Los Corales.

I highly recommend it.

Another nice gated community is the Palma Real, which if I'm not mistaken are part of the Sol Melia hotel chain. The entire place has a Florida look and feel and the golf course is nice but no sea views like La Cana.

Don't know much of the rest.

My suggestion to you is to stay as Los Corales, you won't regret it.

-NALs

[andy_089]

If you go there to play golf, you should rent an apartment inside the Cocotal Golf Course (Palma Real) or try the Hotel "The Golf Suites", which is located inside Cocotal.