Holiday Village Resort

[j@ottawa]

Originally Posted by prettypalecanuck

Hello

5 sleeps to go

I wanted to thank everyone for your replies. I just LOVE this forum.

My next question - everyone is recommending to bring US$ to the Dominican in the form of $1, $2, and $5 bills. This may be a silly question, but can you just go to the bank and ask for American money opposed to Canadian?

Or do you take the money out and they'll exchange it?
I might feel a little odd walking out of the bank with two pocket-full's of wads of US$

Thanks in advance!

Hello again! I must say I'm envious to hear you will be leaving for the sunny south in a few days!

Regarding the US$, we called our bank a day or so before and had them put aside the US$ that we wanted (how many $1, $5, $10 and $20's). When we picked it up at the bank they debited it directly from our account, easy!

Yes you will have a wad of bills when you leave but won't have to hunt down a bank or currency exchange office while you are on holiday! Keep it all in your carry-on, you don't want to be in trouble if something happens with your luggage. We took along one major credit card, which stayed in our room safe and only came out to pay for our excursions.

Have fun!

[marliejaneca]

Originally Posted by Alex uk

Thankyou all very much for your comments/advice about Puerto Plato and the resort being full.
You've definatly set my mind at ease.
As soon as the prices for May 2008 are released this April I'm going to book.

Just incase any of you are interested, heres the link to the thread I read on here that put me off going into Puerto Plato -
Puerto Plata?

Alex,

I cannot stress enough how shameful it would be, if you did not venture into Puerto Plata, even if it was just a couple of hours!
Otherwise, why spend all that money to go on vacation in the DR. If you do not leave the resort, just stay by the pool or swim in the ocean, you might as well travel to any host of destinations, because it all looks the same from those viewpoints.
To truly say you have participated in the "Dominican" experience, you have to first actually see what the DR is all about.
Take a taxi into POP, wander around Central Park, go for an ice cream, take in the scenery from the Mt. Isabel, wander around the botanical gardens, travel to Ocean World, walk along Cofresi Beach. Take your children to the Amber Museum and explain to them the correlation between the amber and Jurassic Park - the movie! The architecture is amazing downtown. Go to the market and bargain, bargain, bargain.
These and so many other things make up the Dominican Republic and the city of Puerto Plata.
Again, it would be a shame to miss out on what the country has to offer. Look at it as an educational experience for your children as well.
Just my thoughts,
Marlie

[mixedtings]

just wondering, would my children, be able to participate in one of the local schools when im out there,,,Im sure the local dominican children would be fasinated to see two children who look dominican but are welsh....

[loritoop]

Originally Posted by mixedtings

just wondering, would my children, be able to participate in one of the local schools when im out there,,,Im sure the local dominican children would be fasinated to see two children who look dominican but are welsh....

Aren't you going for a holiday? Aren't your kids on holiday too??

[mixedtings]

yeah we are goin on holiday, but i think it would be amazin for them to be able to expereince how schools operate in another country....be nice to make it an educational holiday as well...

[Maraya]

We are sad because we had to leave the HV. Got home a couple of hours ago. The flight to Calgary/Vancouver DID NOT go to Punta Cana as rumoured, it went direct. We had a great time. To all the people who had so many problems when the resort reopened it is a shame that you had to experience that as the resort is turning into a great place. The main part of the resort and the entertainment is definitely geared around children and family fun. However, having said that we booked in to the Royal Suites which are great for couples who want a peaceful holiday. Private check in and check out, private pool and bar, private lounge for breakfast and afternoon snacks. We had no problem booking the a-la-cartes and ate at all of them. Food was great. The buffet had a good variety with a different main course everynight. The beach is great, the water is warm but never calm, it is great if you like playing in the waves which we do.
A special thanks to Planner for all the info before we left. If not for her we would have changed resorts based on the reviews at the time which would have been a great loss to us. The Outback Safari was a blast and Ocean World was great.
If we were to go back to DR would we go back to HVGB? - in a second. Now its back to reality.

[Alex uk]

Me again

Does Canada ever have their springbreak in April ?

I ask because the prices coming up for the beggining of March are cheap, then they get more expensive at Easter time, but as soon as you go into April they go sky high- like over £1000 more expensive.
I know we don't have any holidays in April here in the UK so I was wondering if it were Canada.
There must be some reason for them to go up so much

[drtampa]

Semana Santa is when all Dominicans go to the beach. Therefore high rates and no avalibility.

[planner]

Originally Posted by mixedtings

yeah we are goin on holiday, but i think it would be amazin for them to be able to expereince how schools operate in another country....be nice to make it an educational holiday as well...

This is not recommended. While it might be interesting for your kids it is not good for the local kids - it is highly disruptive. They have enough problems with education here without more interruptions.

As well unless your kids speak fluent spanish they will get little out of it.

[coronaqueen]

Originally Posted by Maraya

We are sad because we had to leave the HV. Got home a couple of hours ago. The flight to Calgary/Vancouver DID NOT go to Punta Cana as rumoured, it went direct. We had a great time. To all the people who had so many problems when the resort reopened it is a shame that you had to experience that as the resort is turning into a great place. The main part of the resort and the entertainment is definitely geared around children and family fun. However, having said that we booked in to the Royal Suites which are great for couples who want a peaceful holiday. Private check in and check out, private pool and bar, private lounge for breakfast and afternoon snacks. We had no problem booking the a-la-cartes and ate at all of them. Food was great. The buffet had a good variety with a different main course everynight. The beach is great, the water is warm but never calm, it is great if you like playing in the waves which we do.
A special thanks to Planner for all the info before we left. If not for her we would have changed resorts based on the reviews at the time which would have been a great loss to us. The Outback Safari was a blast and Ocean World was great.
If we were to go back to DR would we go back to HVGB? - in a second. Now its back to reality.

So Glad your Trip was great, we are booked into the Royal Master Jacuzzi suites, and were at one point going to change Resorts. Being in a family resort does not bother us, we both love children. It is nice to know that we can also have quieter times. The bugs seem to be getting worked out since the beginning of this forum, and we are now 12 days away from leaving for 2 weeks. I must admit, i am gettiing more excited everyday. So everyone "at" or "going" have a great time WOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO I know I will.
Can't wait to meet you Planner.