report on a couple of hotels in Playa dorado
well I didnt spend a week or even DAYS in either, because i usually do short trips from my GF's house. But I thought I d mention what i thought of the two places i stayed this time. the first was mid week in between christmas and new years I think it was a tuesday . Called planner to ask about the weather and she gave me the go ahead. took the rte 21 route out of Licey. Took about an hour and 15 minutes to Sosua...great time. Stopped at Eddys to pick up my golf trip I bid on at the thanksgiving kids auction. Eddy was rearainging TVs it looked like. then made my way into Peurto platta to see Planner and give her some chocolates from Godivas I promised if she offered up some sunshine for me. It was a really nice day I might add.
Went in cold and started asking for rooms. Gran Ventada was full. moved on down the line to the Occidental Playa dorado....which is past most of the other hotels( its gets confusing because so many have almost identical names!). Got a room $8400 pesos! for one night for the me and my GF. The place was nice, but the wing for our room was off to one side and you had to go outside and cross the pool area to get there or go the opposite way of the room..UPSTAIRS then across over head and then down again to get to the room. Whicvh we did because the next morning it poured!.... that was a pain. The buffet was decent . Lots of choices both dinner and breakfast and lunch...big seating area. the clean up of the tables for subsequent guests was kinda slow though. Lots of messy tables. The room was nice everything worked no blow dryer though. And no refridgerator!. Bathroom was clean. The bathroom in a hotel in one of the major criteria for me. The beach was close, but we didnt get to see it in daylight until the morning and it rained. It was deep, which I like. Its on a slight cove, so you can see each way far. They had a show that from the sounds of it , was nice. They had plenty of guests up on stage when we went by. So they were working hard to get the guest involved. But we werent intersted. We went to the casino!, and then out dancing.
second hotel. almost had ther same name. The playa dorado!!! it was part of the Jack Tar villiage and right next to the casino. We went on friday before new years eve. Coist was $2800rd per person. We went back to the area to go ATVing, and see Tono Rosario!. That hotels rooms were less than thrilling. I really didnt like the wooden louvered window closures. No curtains!.. and they closed so cheaply. there was water all over the buidling entry and into our room! from a leaky water cooler in the vestibule. The faucets worked poorly and it took an hour to get new towles after I wiped up all the water. We needed showers because we ATV'ed for three hours prior!!!!! Side note the soap bars they use are STRONG!!! I got some in my nose and it burned so bad my one eye and ear burned and watered for 2 hours!...man that was crazy!!!!!! strong lye! the buffet was about half or less of the other hotel. the beach was a lot further away. You had to cross a driveway and a golf course fairway to get to it. Otherwise the whole compound was OK. They needed more help at the bar. You had to wait up to 5 minutes or more to get a drink!... But the first hotle was nt that much better in that reguard. The plus for the jack tar hotle was the closeness of the casino and Mangu bar. Although we wanted merenge and bachata.. they played maybe 5 Salsa songs before they went into solid Reggatone for the next hour!..we bailed. We atually gave up on seeing Tono Rosairo in Puerto Platta at the rancho something bar. We hit hemingays only to listen to 5 more regaetone songs before we left. Then hit the ROADWAY and bingo...TONO ROARIO was playing there ! we got there around 2:30.. there hardly anyone there. My girl loves that guy and got up within arms reach to listen for the next 45 minutes. We got to go out back for some pictures after the show. She was estatic!!!!!!!!......
hope that readable, and it helps someone when they need to pick a hotel.....
bob
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