Family Fun in Dominican!
Over 500 years after the island of Hispaniola was declared by Columbus to be ‘the fairest land under heaven’, the Dominican Republic continues to wow visitors with its incredible natural beauty. With over 1,000 miles of idyllic white beaches caressed by crystal-clear turquoise waters, untouched tropical rainforest, the Caribbean’s highest mountains, stunning national parks and secret underground rivers that lie within deep caves, the Dominican Republic offers the perfect natural playground for both adventure and relaxation.
If you can tear yourself away from the endless sand that graces the island’s shores, then you will be sure to find gorgeous scenery and colourful tropical birds. Jeep safaris are a great way to explore the island’s pristine rainforest (read on to find out about our excursion), lush vegetation, towering mountains and tumbling waterfalls. Venture further afield to discover some culture and visit Santo Domingo, the capital, which is also the cultural heart of the island. This vibrant city is the oldest European settlement in the western hemisphere and boasts beautiful botanical gardens, fascinating museums and historic sites, elegant restaurants and lively bars including the unique Guácara Taína which lies deep within a huge cave.
Whether you are eager to explore the island canyoning, zip-lining, kite-surfing and reef diving or are happiest sinking into soft white sand whilst sipping cocktails under the shade of a coconut tree, then the Dominican Republic is the ideal exotic Caribbean destination. There is so many hotels to choose from and with everyone having their own needs you will certainly find the right one for you!
We stayed in the Dreams La Romana. This wasn't our first experience of Dreams as we have stayed with them before, but this is their most luxurious hotel on the island. Located in La Romana around 45 minutes from the airport in a private transfer, it lies along the Caribbean side of the island, and you certainly won't be disappointed by the beach or sea - a beautiful turquoise blue!
We upgraded to Preferred Club rooms, you receive additional benefits for this such as different locations for breakfast, amenities, additional swimming pools etc. The rooms were beautiful, very spacious and lovely views across the resort as well as the sea. We spent 12 nights in total at the resort and managed to dine in every one of the 8 restaurants. There really is a great choice here with Italian to French as well as an excellent fish restaurant Oceana! There is no reservation required for dining which makes it very easy to take life slowly and enjoy your holiday, you are also not limited to the amount of times in each restaurant. The one thing to note is that they each close once per week so good to check if you are planning a special night!
This staff at this resort were wonderful, nothing was too much to ask for. We did tip the various staff who looked after us which is recommended, they also love a mention! Ariel was our bar man, Miguel looked after our sun bed requirements, Mr Picasso kept the children up to date with the activities on daily from pottery to foam beach parties! Eduardo and Freddy who were waiters at the Grill - our favourite place for lunch overlooking the sea were fantastic and always gave us a great table with lovely views! And finally, we used the water sports almost daily, you can take out the pedalo, stand up paddle boards, canoes and catamaran daily for free. Alberto who ran the centre was amazing and very helpful. We also took advantage of the locally payable water sports which were very reasonable.
In addition to using the hotel facilities we also booked 2 excursions, one to Saona Island and the other was the Side by Side Polaris trip which included the natural springs in the National Park as well as 4x4 buggy fun! I highly recommend these, this is the second time we have done the Side by Side trip and it is so much fun, especially if a larger group. Big thanks to Daniel who took us! Saona Island is beautiful and well worth the trip - speedboat there and catamaran back! These can both be booked in the hotel.
Overall I can highly recommend this resort and the Island of Dominican Republic , my family had a wonderful time, and we would certainly return again!