Destination advice

pashmak · #1 02-23-2009, 01:11 PM

Hello DR experts,

My girlfriend and I have just found out that we can take the month of March off. We want to go away for 3 weeks to DR. We were there in November at Casa Colonial in Playa Dorado and enjoyed our stay.

I'm not sure if we should go back to he Puerto Plata area again or to head to other beach areas? We are not drinkers or partiers so don't need access to discos and such. All-inclusive places don't make much sense for us either.

We'd prefer to avoid hotels and want a modern luxury house or apartment that is on the beach with beach views and easy beach access to a quiet and sandy beach (By quiet I mean not too many people trying to braid your hair and not too many discos pounding music into your bedroom at 1am). A safe place within walking distance of restaurants and food shopping. Access to a top-notch gym and yoga. We need high-speed internet access and a pool would be nice. Would prefer not have to drive or take taxis for simple errands.

Can you recommend an area and some specific home or apartments? I'd be interested to get in touch with anyone who specializes in this kind of boutique rental.

Thanks in advance :-)

Bryanell · #2 02-23-2009, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pashmak

Hello DR experts,

My girlfriend and I have just found out that we can take the month of March off. We want to go away for 3 weeks to DR. We were there in November at Casa Colonial in Playa Dorado and enjoyed our stay.

I'm not sure if we should go back to he Puerto Plata area again or to head to other beach areas? We are not drinkers or partiers so don't need access to discos and such. All-inclusive places don't make much sense for us either.

We'd prefer to avoid hotels and want a modern luxury house or apartment that is on the beach with beach views and easy beach access to a quiet and sandy beach (By quiet I mean not too many people trying to braid your hair and not too many discos pounding music into your bedroom at 1am). A safe place within walking distance of restaurants and food shopping. Access to a top-notch gym and yoga. We need high-speed internet access and a pool would be nice. Would prefer not have to drive or take taxis for simple errands.

Can you recommend an area and some specific home or apartments? I'd be interested to get in touch with anyone who specializes in this kind of boutique rental.

Thanks in advance :-)

I'd go for Juan Dolio, between Boca Chica and San Pedro. It has the beaches, restaurants and that kind of thing, as well as some nice smallish hotels/guest houses. I'm not that sure about boutique rentals, it may be a little late for a March booking, but some of our JD resident posters may be more able to advise you about actual possibilities with that, notably Matilda.
Good luck and enjoy your stay.

Bryan

Matilda · #3 02-23-2009, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pashmak

Hello DR experts,

We'd prefer to avoid hotels and want a modern luxury house or apartment that is on the beach with beach views and easy beach access to a quiet and sandy beach (By quiet I mean not too many people trying to braid your hair and not too many discos pounding music into your bedroom at 1am). A safe place within walking distance of restaurants and food shopping. Access to a top-notch gym and yoga. We need high-speed internet access and a pool would be nice. Would prefer not have to drive or take taxis for simple errands.

:-)

Juan Dolio would make sense. Very quiet - not a disco in sight!!! Fabulous beach and calm Caribbean sea. There are quite a few self catering apartments available - but may be full in March. Rentals vary from around 700 us$ a month to 2500 or even 3750 for one place!!! There are a good selection of restaurants within walking distance - Italian or Italian or even Italian, with some excellent fish restaurants a 10 minute taxi ride or an hour or so walk along the beach away (for a leisurely lunch then bus back).

Good supermarkets in the nearby town - 5 miles away with a fantastic colmado (mine ha ha!!!) for things you run out of! No gym locally (apart from my house) but one in San Pedro (the local town). Yoga is sometimes available in a sort of back pack hotel at the far end of Juan Dolio. High speed internet access available in all of the apart hotels - some wifi which doesn't travel too far from the reception so not in your room. All apart hotels or apartments have pools. What is your budget???

Matilda

pashmak · #4 02-23-2009, 04:14 PM

Thanks Bryanell.

Thanks Matilda. We're going to come for 3 weeks of March. The budget is $2000 mas o menos.

pashmak · #5 02-23-2009, 04:19 PM

I've been looking at Executive Playa Confresi Oceanfront Condo Rental - Condominium as well as a similar place in Caberete. Can someone help me compare and contrast these with each other and with Juan Dolio. Thanks.

Matilda · #6 02-23-2009, 05:21 PM

Probably Costa del Sol would be the closest. A big apt complex, has all the same features of the link you sent but no one cooks for you!!! But is right on the beach and has bar, restaurant and great pool. Around 2000 a month I think. 2 beds and only balcony is in the living area. pm me for more info.

matilda

pashmak · #7 02-23-2009, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matilda

Probably Costa del Sol would be the closest. A big apt complex, has all the same features of the link you sent but no one cooks for you!!! But is right on the beach and has bar, restaurant and great pool. Around 2000 a month I think. 2 beds and only balcony is in the living area. pm me for more info.

matilda

Thanks again Matilda. The lack of in-suite internet and a decent gym/yoga is a problem for us. Would you recommend that I look in Sosua or Punto Cana or ??? Can quiet, safety and a hint of luxury be had in those places?

Matilda · #8 02-23-2009, 09:08 PM

I think you can have en suite internet in Costa del Sol. But no gym nor yoga there. Definitely quiet and safe though and certainly luxurious. Punta Cana - not sure what there is outside of AIs, and Sosua to the best of my knowledge great fun but not really quiet! Juan Dolio is quiet - more sort of the Marthas Vineyard of the DR. Lots of the wealthy Dominicans from the capital come here at weekends. You would be more a resident - shopping at local shops, drinking at local bars and eating at local restaurants - rather than just a tourist. But as it is quiet it is not for everyone.

Matilda

frank recktenwald · #9 02-24-2009, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matilda

I think you can have en suite internet in Costa del Sol. But no gym nor yoga there. Definitely quiet and safe though and certainly luxurious. Punta Cana - not sure what there is outside of AIs, and Sosua to the best of my knowledge great fun but not really quiet! Juan Dolio is quiet - more sort of the Marthas Vineyard of the DR. Lots of the wealthy Dominicans from the capital come here at weekends. You would be more a resident - shopping at local shops, drinking at local bars and eating at local restaurants - rather than just a tourist. But as it is quiet it is not for everyone.

Matilda

Costa del Sol has a new gym and for a fee it can be used. Furthermore internet is available in the apartments, costs approx $50,- pm. If you need anymore information you can PM me
Brgds
Frank

DavidZ · #10 02-25-2009, 12:36 AM

Firt off, if you're looking for something on the level of Casa Colonial, it may be tough to find in a condo or villa, unless you look into Sea Horse Ranch (Sosua/Cabarete), Casa de Campo (La Romana), or some of the newer non-AI properties in Punta Cana/Bavaro...

You may want to check out the villa rentals at bahia arena in cabarete... there are a few very nice villas...it's on a quiet stretch of cabarete beach and there are 2 decent gyms (not high end, but have yoga and other classes) within walking distance, plus all the restaurants of Cabarete...

Do a search here or google "cabarete beach villas"...

Also, check out Sosua Ocean Village. They have brand new, very nicely furnished luxury condos, a tiny "private" beach and by March the new HUGE Gold's gym which is right in the complex, may be open.

As for Cabarete, you have several luxury condo rentals...Ocean One, Harmony, Ocean Dream, Ocean Point...all have internet, none have gyms, but Ocean Point (especially phase 1) is a very short walk to MiGym... decent and plenty of classes...