Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
price varies
Optimum Seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
I went on this vacation in the summer of 2014. I was pretty apprehensive to book as I had heard horror stories of people's trips to the Dominican. People alleged the drinking water wasn't clean and that they'd had stomach bugs for days. But the pics of the beautiful beach with palm trees and the crystal blue waters were too tempting. I booked the hotel through a travel agent. None of my friends ever stayed at the RIU Palace Bavaro. They had stayed at the neighboring sister hotel, RIU Palace. The decor in Bavara is more modern as opposed to the Spanish style in the original RIU Palace. Both are all inclusive hotels with breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets as well as several restaurants on the property (also included in the very fair price). The grounds at both properties are picturesque and even though we went during hurricane season (kids have no school and there are better deals), we didn't experience bad weather. Nor did any of us have intestinal problems! Also, make sure you get a program guide from the front desk of the hotel. When we were there, one night they had a fantastic Michael-Jackson-impersonator concert.
My only gripe with Punta Cana was the airport. Even though it was the coolest I've ever seen (decor-wise), the customs line was an utter disaster. You are not allowed to wait on the line with the stroller, so it may be best to do this trip older children.
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