Cabarete Bay Hotel opened or not

[ddmpls]

MJ,
Sounds like Ken above had a pretty full report about the resort and its condition. However, I will be there Jan. 10th to 17th and promise a first hand guest point of view about the resort (whatever name it happens to be for that week).
Doug from Minneapolis, MN, USA

[sudburyken]

We are booked at the Cabarete Bay on Jan 26 and was very concerned after reading these posts, so I decided to phone the hotel direct{1 809 571 4000}Here is what "Richard"-who works on the front desk told me.
The Estrella Del Mar and Cabarete Bay are being marketed separately but are being called The Azzurro Club?
cabarete Bay building is finished for occupancy,But only 2 restaurants are open.
The "centre" pool is not finished yet but will be open "soon".
Hope this provides a little bit more info.

[ddmpls]

I arrived at the Estrella del Mar on Saturday. Yes, it is in fact still under construction. There is a HUGE pool in the middle of the property that seems far from finished. There is a smaller pool at the newer end of the property open. Does not seem to be full most times.
I think this property is a matter of your attitude. If you are wanting to be dissatisfied you will have reason to be.
The tin sheets are still up between the beach and the pool construction. Access to the beach is from either far end of the property.
However, staff is friendly. Yesterday RAINED all day. HARD RAINS!!! Bring your umbrella, I forgot mine.
Today is mixed cloudy and sunny. Rainbow greeted me at 7AM, can that be all bad???
I took digital pics of the property this morning, but can't seem to figure out how to post them on here from a floppy. If someone can give me some direction I will add visuals to this report!

[mjkalau]

Thanks for the post ddmpls.

Doesn't sound to encouraging, but then other then the new pool not being finished and tin fences here and there, you didn't say anything else about the place.

Would it be too much trouble for you to briefly comment on the rooms, food and general condition of the property aside from the above two things?

I would really appreciate it.
Sunquest, nor the tour operator we used will believe me when I tell them what I have heard from visitors and people who live there. They keep saying everything is fine and the also don't understand or are playing "dumb" about the confusion re
Cabaret Bay Hotel and The Estrella Del Mar.

We're booked for the Cabaret Bay Hotel, which is the new part.
What were you booked for and what part did you stay in.

Were you satisfied with everything else besides the two things you mentioned.

I get the feeling that you think I want everything perfect.
I am not a hoity toity snob, or I wouldn't be spending hrs. looking for bargains is resonably nice places.

Neither my husband nor I need Gourmet food and 5 star accomodation or service. But having things not finished when your tour operator says there are gets my goat.
I don't like confusion much less dishonesty.

We also love to use the pools at the places we have stayed at, some have been big with swim up bars and others small, neither were issues.

But if there is only one in operation and it isn't being used, why is that I wonder. Has the weather been that baD?

Sorry to go on and on, but I have been recooperating from major surgery and as of Christmas am now fit to travel, swim etc. It was Drs. orders that we try to go on a trip south. We have had to scrap this money together and now we hear that the place is not even finished. It is just rather disheartning.

Maybe it is not as bad as it sometimes sounds, but then again we are not getting much info. just little snipets, like yours.

It would be good to hear anything else you care to share and my thanks for what you have already posted.

MJ

[mjkalau]

Hello to everyone who has been trying to help and or give correct information re the Cabarete Bay Hotel/Estrella Del Mar/Azzurro Club.

I have new info. that I am going to share in point form so bear with me.
1. I called my booking agent today and still they said they have not info. transferred me to their customer service dept. where I left a message. When she calls back I will make sure she hear what Sunquest just told me.

2. Called the Hotel itself, got passed around and told. Yes only one pool opened, yes fences around, yes, only one restaraunt opened and here is where communication broke down. As I tried to get clarification as to whether this restaraunt was the Buffet one or one of the a la carte's as well as the buffet, she didn't answer and just kept saying: hello, hello,. I could hear here fine, so I think she was playing a game with me. she eventually hung up on me after several Hello's. So I am not to happy about this phone call and I did not learn anything new..

3. I then called Sunquest and spoke to Jason in their Customer Service Dept. I told him that I wanted the truth about this property as Sunquest has been telling me on the phone everything is just fine and e-mailing me strange e-mails with almost no information.
I made it clear I just want the truth as I KNEW FOR A FACT from other customers and people who live there that there was a lot of construction going on and that things weren't finished and that the Cabarete Bay Hotel is still connected with the Estrella Del Mar, which they had said it wasn't.

4. Jason I think knew I ment business and that I was really upset.
He put me on hold and when he came back he said he had been talking to what they call their "Product Department" and that they knew all about the "Problems" and yes I was right.
He said that they understood that each group of travelers were being offered some form of compensation by the hotel, but that it varied and therefore he did not know what ours would or could be.
He further said that the "Product Dept" was keeping close tabs on things and trying to work something out for everyone.
He then said they would be calling ALL travel agents by "Booking Dates" to discuss compensation/options and that we would be called well in advance of our Jan 26 Departure.
I told him if we didn't hear anything by the 25 early in the morning (we leave on the 26). I would be calling him back.
He assured me that we would be contacted before then.

5. I asked him, hypothetically what if we don't get compensation, or it is not suitable, or not what we thought. He told me that we would then get in touch with them upon our return to lodge a formal complaint and it would be delt with.

6. I should have asked him about dealing with this and or any other problems at the time. i.e with a Sunquest Rep. Usually there is always a tour rep. at the resorts.

I hope for anyone that is traveling after today, reads this and takes appropriate action if they have not been contacted about the problems and offered any compensation.

Sunquest toll free # from here in Canada (may be the same in the US) is 1- 877-485-6060
The Hotels # is 1-866-824-9330 They will answer in Spanish, so unless you speak it ask: Hable ingles? (do you speak english?)
NO hablo espanol ( I don't speak Spanish) If you want you can also say Me ayuda por favor (Can you help me please) but it may be better just to ask if they speak english. After you can say Gracias (thank you). Sorry this is really bad grammer, but I don't know how to say it right. I'm better at French. Only just though.
If you are still having problems understanding what you are being told, ask Hable despacio por favor (please speak slowly) or No intiendo ( I don't understand) Then wing-it.
Good luck all.
MJ

[palmtree]

Some new info about the resort........... I work in a travel agency and one of our agents has spoken to Sunquest today. The resort is on a "stop sell" right now. They aren't taking any more reservations because of the problems. Sunquest assured the agent that by January 20 everything will be fully operational. If it isn't then we will be offered an alternative. This is usually a different property (according to the agent). If a different property is offered then it will be one that is featured in the Sunquest brochure. Not to worry........ usually it is of equal value but can be, on occasion, an upgrade. The agent also said that often a different destination is offered at the same cost. Considering the fact that the Dominican is fairly inexpensive, I would mind being upgraded to a superior island and or property for no additional fee. We will be probably contacted by the 20th of January regarding our January 26th departure. Let's keep our fingers crossed. I am sure that everything will work out fine. Suquest has an excellent reputation and will do everything in it's power to keep it's customers satisfied. Bring on the sunshine!!

[sudburyken]

Thanks for the info mjkalau.We are also arriving on the 26 and hope to share some stories with you.I just got off the phone with Sunquest and they assured me that everything except the pool and 1 restaurant are fully{THEIR WORDS}completed and the pool and restaurant will be finished by Jan 20.We'll see.
Hope to meet you down there
Ken from Sudbury

[ddmpls]

RAIN, RAIN, RAIN, thus a chance to answer some of the questions:
1st room was AWFUL, dark, smack up against another building and on the first floor. They were pretty accomodating about moving me to what I think is the Cabarete Bay portion of the property (there is NO distinction here). The room was nice, overlooking the pool (Bldg 7), but the desk called said there was some maintenance hold on the room and they should not have moved me there. I had to move again. To the other side of bldg 7. A bit more of an ocean view, but also the view of a horse pasture/dump. Sounds horrible, and maybe I am easy to please, but it is really not so bad. The rooms are clean and nice. TV works fine, many english channels.
Food is GOOD the buffet restuarant is open as well as an Italian ala cart each night and a BBQ on various nights.
The staff has been sooo nice to everyone in this monsoon!!!
Hope that helps!

[ddmpls]

Finally sunny here today. I took a good look at the pool construction today, don't want to be the bearer of bad news, and I am not a contractor, BUT.... this pool is weeks from opening. It is still just hunks of new concrete with rebar sticking out of it. The buildings for the mechanical stuff are not complete, let alone any mechanical equipment being installed. Don't want to rain on anyone's parade, just want you to be prepared, the 20th is a dream.
Again, though, I am having a GREAT TIME! I would not move if someone paid me. I like the people and the location and beach are great!

[mjkalau]

Sun sounds good ddmpls. Pools sounds bad. People sound good and location and food sound good. So majority sounds good.

Glad you are having a good time, that's what's important. For some of us it depends on what we need for a good time.
Since our last 3 holidays have been really rainy and no, not for 5 min or so. It would be nice for some sun.

Nice for walking on the beach and into Cabaret and water sports too. Even just sitting on a loung chair by the water/beach or pool and reading with a jump in the water now and again.

You mentioned the one pool not being complet, but the other smaller one was, which I guess is down by your end now.
Is it being used now too?

My husband's biggest disappointment is he found out the resort did not have a swim up bar as the one last yeart did, which he absolutely loved. Oh well.

By the way how are the grounds looking? Did you ever find a way of posting your pics?
Bye for now and thanks
MJ