Good not Great
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 3/24/09
I recently spent a week at the Iberostar Punta Cana with my boyfriend and my parents. If I could say one really positive thing about the resort, it would be that they are very meticulous about cleaning. The rooms, the pool, the dinning areas, the lobby... everything was cleaned thoroughly every day. Also, there is tons of space to sit under cabanas at the beach or at the pool. You don’t have to get up at 5 in the morning to scope out your spot. 9 or 10am after breakfast will do. However, the hotel tells you that you cannot save chairs by putting your towel over them. Don’t listen. Everyone does it so if you don’t, you may have a little bit of trouble finding the spot you want. The food was adequate. I’ve had better food, but it’s not like I ever went hungry because I couldn’t find anything I liked to eat. The absolute worst part about the hotel, for me, was the drinks. While they were strong enough, you couldn’t get a frozen drink so save your life. All margaritas, daiquiris, pina coladas etc were liquid. They have a barely frozen mix and add warm rum and warm flavoring so by the time they hand it to you, it is all liquid. The staff was generally nice, but not quite as friendly as other areas of the Caribbean that I’ve been. The majority of the staff tries to keep you happy. Also, be sure to brush up on your Spanish before you go. It isn’t like Mexico where a ton of people at the resort speak English. Also, be aware. There is basically nothing to do but sit around and swim. While that was kind of the point of my trip, it’s not for everyone. If you are looking to do a lot of partying, this resort is not for you. If you are looking to do a lot of shopping and touring, this country is not for you. Lastly, if you are trying to decide between the Iberostar Punta Cana and the Iberostar Dominicana, they are basically the same hotel. They share the same pool, same beach, same restaurants. The only thing they don’t share is a lobby. So if one is cheaper than the other at the time of your vacation, take the cheaper one. I hope this helps!