Help...Iberostar Dominicana Activities?

[CindyP71]

Have any of you been to the Iberostar Dominicana and if so, what activities do you suggest we do (or not do) while we are there (weather permitted)?

Should we stay away from certain restaurants? I've already heard that we shouldn't drink or even brush our teeth with thier tap water.

Are there casinos?

This will be our first time and we plan on staying there for 4 nights (9/29/04 - 10/3/04) so we aren't sure what there is to do or what we should stay away from.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

~Cindy

[SafireDream]

I stayed at the Iberostar Punta Cana in June and will be returning there on 5 Oct. We were also able to use Dominicana's facilities. Definitely do not drink the water. They provide bottled water for consumption. However, I brushed my teeth with it and did not get sick.

There is a small casino on the Dominicana side. And I do mean small. Most of my days were spent on the beach, participating in some of the activities demonstrated by the resort workers (i.e. beach volleyball, bingo, dance lessons, etc.), and watersports. At night, there is a show that is family oriented.

Unless you take tours, there is really not much to do but relax. It is not dangerous to leave the resort (in my opinion). I made plenty of friends who took me off the resort around to their towns. I partied with them after they were finished work.

Have a great trip!

[CindyP71]

Originally Posted by SafireDream

I stayed at the Iberostar Punta Cana in June and will be returning there on 5 Oct. We were also able to use Dominicana's facilities. Definitely do not drink the water. They provide bottled water for consumption. However, I brushed my teeth with it and did not get sick.

There is a small casino on the Dominicana side. And I do mean small. Most of my days were spent on the beach, participating in some of the activities demonstrated by the resort workers (i.e. beach volleyball, bingo, dance lessons, etc.), and watersports. At night, there is a show that is family oriented.

Unless you take tours, there is really not much to do but relax. It is not dangerous to leave the resort (in my opinion). I made plenty of friends who took me off the resort around to their towns. I partied with them after they were finished work.

Have a great trip!

Our trip was canceled this morning (we were suppose to leave tomorrow morning) due to the hotel not being up to Apple Vacations "standards".

Thanks!

[SafireDream]

Originally Posted by CindyP71

Our trip was canceled this morning (we were suppose to leave tomorrow morning) due to the hotel not being up to Apple Vacations "standards".

Thanks!

Okay, Cindy, I am not saying this to be harsh but are you mad at the world about your trip cancellation? I have read your message on several threads. I know a couple who just returned from Iberostar Bavaro (one of the three in the Iberostar complex) and they did not have complaints. They said that the resort was surprisingly nice since winds of over 90mph and torrential rain hit the island. There were some minor damages that needed to be repaired and from their account, the workers were very busy making repairs. Of course, many in that area are still cleaning up. After all, Jeanne was a very destructive tropical storm/hurricane. It is quite possible that because the chartered airlines were not full as they usually are, your travel agency cancelled your trip. I know that my flight on AA is full so there will be no cancellations from my travel agent. Understand that natural disasters do occur and that sometimes we must accomodate "Mother Nature" instead of having our way.

[FireGuy]

Originally Posted by CindyP71

...I've already heard that we shouldn't drink or even brush our teeth with thier tap water.

It's not the water at this hotel but the water in the country. In general in the DR, DRINK BOTTLED WATER, and set a bottle by the bathroom sink to remind you to use bottled water to brush your teeth, also.

Gregg

[SafireDream]

Originally Posted by FireGuy

It's not the water at this hotel but the water in the country. In general in the DR, DRINK BOTTLED WATER, and set a bottle by the bathroom sink to remind you to use bottled water to brush your teeth, also.

Gregg

That is a very good idea. It is possible that I didn't get sick from brushing my teeth with the water because I used an antiseptic mouthwash immediately after brushing. Also, I don't get sick very often (great immune system). Water can even make people sick when traveling to different parts of the US.

[CindyP71]

Originally Posted by SafireDream

Okay, Cindy, I am not saying this to be harsh but are you mad at the world about your trip cancellation? I have read your message on several threads. I know a couple who just returned from Iberostar Bavaro (one of the three in the Iberostar complex) and they did not have complaints. They said that the resort was surprisingly nice since winds of over 90mph and torrential rain hit the island. There were some minor damages that needed to be repaired and from their account, the workers were very busy making repairs. Of course, many in that area are still cleaning up. After all, Jeanne was a very destructive tropical storm/hurricane. It is quite possible that because the chartered airlines were not full as they usually are, your travel agency cancelled your trip. I know that my flight on AA is full so there will be no cancellations from my travel agent. Understand that natural disasters do occur and that sometimes we must accomodate "Mother Nature" instead of having our way.

I'm not mad at the world, I was upset about the hotel claiming "everything was fine and that the hurricane missed their resort" (when in fact, it didn't).

I knew booking the trip in Sept. would pose some risk as far as a hurricane is concerned, but I was also informed that if at anytime, a hurricane would hit, Apple Vacations would put us first and not force us into staying if the resort was no longer a 5 golden apple rate. So, I didn't think there would be much of a risk in booking it in Sept. I'm also for honesty and I don't feel the hotel was being honest with people (especially me) when they called. We do plan on going back to the DM, but at a much later date. I also believe that if this hotel was in perfect condition (as they claim it was) and the other hotels weren't, Apple would have just simply moved their clients to the hotel we were suppose to stay at, but since that didn't happen, I would have to believe in Apple's response about the resort not being up to their standards.

I have also searched other sites and found one that rated the hotels (the good and bad) and have come to the decision that it was a good thing that Apple canceled our trip in the end.