The lush tropical grounds of the resort

Hola! A hello to a very different vacation resort…an all-inclusive place to take that one week’s rest and relaxation. What more can one ask for than a beautiful beach with the clearest white powdered sand, a mammoth pool with palm trees, large suites for the stay, and pretty good food and drink. Such is the 12 year-old Paradisus Punta Cana resort in the Dominican Republic, the name itself translating into “paradise.” And even included (no charge) are liquors at all times at the many bars, and wines by the bottle at dinner. One bar is at the pool where one can have a drink by sitting on a stool in the pool with the water up to your chest and your drink directly in front of you.  Flying from JFK Airport in New York City on American Airlines, we landed in a little less than four hours at the airport in Punta Cana and got to the resort by air conditioned bus in about forty minutes. After check-in, our own concierge instructed us in a briefing as to what to do and where to go. He was always there for any questions we may have had, greeting us each day and taking care of any problem that arose in our group. This individual, Onesimo Mancebo, is a real asset to the Sol Melia hotel group which runs the facility.  Punta Cana is at the western tip of Hispaniola, the island the Dominican Republic shares with Haiti. It lies about three and a half hours by car from Santo Domingo, the capital. All sorts of warnings were given to us that there would be an undertone of animosity toward the “rich” Americans. Not so at all. Everyone was extremely friendly with “hola” wherever you went. Helpful and aiming to please, the hotel staff made us feel comfortable.

An array of restaurants with delicious and well prepared food were there for our choosing, including Brazilian, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, French, Mexican, sea food, and a steak house. All sorts of water sports and various activities were also included in this all-inclusive package.   I took a tour of a local cigar factory, Don Lucas, which was informative and enjoyable. Those in the group were given a cigar to one’s specifications and smoked it as one went along. One meets many others on trips and this was no exception. Three young people from Belgium shared experiences with me as we rode to and from the factory. They were staying at another resort close by.
 

Some random interesting observations and pluses: 1. This was the first time I ever experienced corn ice cream – yes, corn – and it had that very taste. 2. The Santo Domingo brand coffee made in the Dominican Republic ranks with the best coffee I’ve had. It was great on awakening in the morning and freshly brewing a packet on the new Sunbeam 4-cup coffee maker in the room. Of course, you could have called room service and they would have brought you the coffee and even breakfast. 3. When you order lemon, it turns out to be green – a lime. There were no lemons to be found. 4. The day we arrived was the hottest and most humid day down there. The weather became somewhat cooler as we went along, but strong sun block is a necessity as we all experienced a bit of a burn even with the block. 5. Bottled water is freely given and it is advisable to drink this as well as brush your teeth with it. When one is not used to the water there, it could upset the stomach greatly. 6. Most of the dinner wines, served by the bottle, are from Argentina and Chile and are not bad at all. Only one brand I recognized in the U.S. 7. There is an hour’s Sol Melia time share talk, a non-pressured computer presentation which if I were younger I’d strongly consider. One is not locked into a particular place at a particular time, but can choose world-wide on a point system. In the long run of about 25 years, it’s worthwhile as discounts are great and free-bees kick in. Even cruises and airfares are included. 8. Only one big thunderstorm hit us on the fifth night there and it disrupted power and TV satellite reception for a while. 9. Two of New York City’s major TV channels were available by satellite in the room so one was aware of day to day happenings. 10. Internet service was available and fairly inexpensive at five dollars for a half hour. 11. Trolley transportation came by every 5-10 minutes to pick you up and take you to various places on the complex. 12. The beach and pool are in close proximity with the buffet for breakfast and lunch – very convenient. The food at lunch encompassed a great variety of quality cuisine. Even fresh caught fish were on ice to be taken and cooked before you.

The Punta Cana bungalows

The serene tropical lagoon pool

With the positives have to be a few negatives: 1. Our party of eleven were scattered around the resort in several two story bungalows –either the fault of our travel agent or the resort. Our daughter’s room, after much discussion at the desk, was put into the same bungalow, but she had to go down a flight of stairs on leaving her room, proceed around the whole bungalow, and then climb up another flight of stairs to get to our room. Interestingly, her balcony was right next to ours, but access from one to another was not possible, though we could see and speak to her through a seven inch space. 2. Since we didn’t stay in the high season, the resort closed one or two restaurants each night. One night, the buffet restaurant and Mexican were closed. This led to an hour’s wait for some at the remaining open restaurants. Hard for families with youngsters to eat late. (Restaurant dinner hours are 7-10 PM.) But 24 hour room service is available. 3. There should be a buffet of sorts between the hours of 4-7 PM for early eaters. True, pizza in the Italian Restaurant is available as well as the 24 hour room service. 4. Not entirely a child-friendly place as dinners do not cater to children. 5. Most restaurants are not air conditioned and it is hard to enjoy food while hot and sweaty. 6. The resort is beginning to show some wear and tear in fabric and other peeling places. For an operation of this sort, it is always prudent to be up to par on all aspects of the five star hotel which it is claimed to be and which I question to a degree. 7. The live evening shows, mostly dancing, were not that entertaining. 8.  It was hard to communicate even basic needs with the housekeeping staff (such as we need more toilet paper or water, please) if one didn’t speak Spanish.  Would I recommend the Paradisus Punta Cana Resort? I would say so. Tipping is included but it’s nice to give those American dollars for the exceptional service you receive by the majority of employees. In this setting, a monetary thank you is certainly in order and appreciated.