Dominican Republic and BA FAM trip Nov 2017
The familiarisation trip was run by the Dominican Republic tourist board as well as British Airways. I can't lie, being upgraded to Club for the flight out was a good starting point. British Airways Club to the Caribbean is probably not as plush as on some of their business routes but it's still very nice. There is a choice of meals on board as well as a full flat bed and large screen with a good choice of TV and films. It did help the eight hours or so to Punta Cana go by very quickly.
On arrival in Punta Cana we were met and taken through customs quickly to our home for the next two nights. The Paradisus Palma Real is a stunning huge hotel with something for everyone. There are several restaurant choices included in the all-inclusive rate and our first meal at the Mediterranean was a stunning introduction to the hotel. This was probably my favourite hotel of the trip but there were many contenders!
Day two was filled with site inspections in Punta Cana. We saw some of the more luxurious hotels such as Zoetry and Excellence Punta Cana, as well as the 'fun' brands such as Breathless. The more I saw the more I realised there really is something for everyone in this country.
Day three took us to La Romana and Casa De Campo. La Romana is an area with a beautiful stretch of beach. Think white sand and blue sea and you are in the right place. Casa De Campo is a totally different experience. A luxury golf resort with an amazing beach. We stayed in villas that came with our own butler and maid. Everyone gets a golf buggy to explore the resort - we definitely had a lot of fun driving those around! At the beach we saw some of the most stunning sunsets I've ever seen. Coupled with a sun downer it really felt like paradise.
On day four we experienced Santa Domingo. A really under looked colonial city, it had charm I hadn't seen in many other places. We stayed in a boutique hotel and saw many others - it felt like Santa Domingo could easily be incorporated into an itinerary as a city break, before or after the beaches elsewhere in the country. We had lunch at a gorgeous restaurant before embarking on various adventures around the city - the Trikke city tour, Kah Kow experience and folk music dancing among others!
No trip to Dom Rep can be complete without visiting a Rum factory and that we did. We sampled the purest rum at Barceló Rum distillery before embarking on a happy hour sailing tour.
The last two days led us back to Punta Cana and many more beautiful hotel inspections. We ended this amazing trip staying at Hard Rock Punta Cana, a fabulous hotel and a jewel in the Hard Rock Chain. Great for families and potential rock stars!
We ended our trip with a visit to Coco Bongos - an institution in Cancun and now in Punta Cana too. An exciting mix of show and night club, I'd say make time for it if possible in your trip to Punta Cana!
All in all - how can I sum up this country? I had no idea how diverse, beautiful and fun the Dominican Republic could be. There really is something for everyone here - the forgotten jewel of the Caribbean.