Oh well, all the packing is done, getting coach tomorrow to Gatwick then fly out Monday am. Just checking weather for North Dominican, rain on Mon and Tues (hope its just showers!) then sunny for the rest of the week. We'll let you know what it was like when we get back!

Have a lovely holiday Gary and partner
Kath x

thanks kath, we are leaving for the airport in 5 mins(flying tomorrow at 1130am, ! bye to all, will post when we are back!

well just got back 2 hours ago!!! wow!! had brill time, read all about our trip in the reviews forum.

Thanks Jemma

You can read Jem's review HERE.

Pippy

oops forget to mention the excursions we did. (perhaps an administrator can add this to my review??????)

oceanworld-brill day out.. my partner did the dolphin encounter where you feed, kiss,play with dolphins and he also did the sealion encounter which he really enjoyed...this cost 130 us$.
i did the dolphin swim where you feed. kiss and play with the dolphins plus they do tricks like jump over your head and they pull you through the water at 25mph, this was fantastic...this cost 145 us $
these prices included return transport from the hotel and buffett lunch (lovely food) and admission to the park and all its other attractions,eg snorkelling session in the man-made reef,bird aviary, parott shows, sealion and dolphin shows, sharks show, tigers....the list is endless.

monstertruck safari- brilliant day out, and what a eye opener.#
you board a big ex-army truck, free bar on board serving endless beer, rum etc.. they take you through sugarcane fields,to the rum factory(it was closed so we didnt go in), to a local farm to see how they grow foods,coffee,spices etc,, and try their coffee and cheese, then onto a local school to meet lovely children (take plenty of things eg,pencils, papers,toys, and particulary toiletries..we took the minitures from our hotel bathroom) they really appreciate any small token of gift from you.
then we went on to a village and to an elderly ladies home, you can go into her home and see their way of living--quite sad, they dont have much.
all the way through the safari young kids run to the roadside to wave, cheer they are happy to see you and seem to be happy kids which is excellent when you see their poor way of living.
then you stop at a ranch for lunch, very nice food, and you get 2 hours there. there is a clear river there and round rings to swim or relax on on the water-only advice is to mind the current its suprising, my partner had to help save a boy on our trip who started to drown.the ranch staff ran in and pulled him out.
during the return to the resort we had endless water fights with the other trucks as we all go back through the rivers and villages.
excellent day out.. would recommend this one to anyone going to dom rep.
40% of the money you pay for this excursion goes back to the charity who provides the trip, so your helping the people of the schools and villages you visit.
this trip was 95 us$ each. well worth it.

Hi Travelagent-jem

Glad you had a brill time, only 5 months until we go and I can't wait, how are they getting on with the refurbishments

Thanks Emma

didnt notice any work going on in rooms, but they were closing one area of poolside every day to paint the floor, and we saw them painting balconies in the saona block.
our room didnt look brand new, nor did it look in need of refurb!!we were in catalina block.

wish we were still there! hope you have as good a time asa we did!!!

Yeah as Jemma said there was work being done to the other block,but it looked towards the end stages. No heavy building work, just filling some cracks in the cement, repainting the balconies, and they were washing down the patio windows and cleaning them. There was nothing that caused noise or dust. I would expect all the work to have finished within the next few weeks.

Help...
Could anone tell us what this hotel is like in 2007??
We are going on our honeymoon and have heard soo many different reviews...

Also what is the best currency to use out there ????

Hi Paddywack, welcome to HT!

You'll find currency info HERE and recent reviews HERE

Pippy

I have just booked my first holiday to Domincan Republic and will be staying at the Gran Ventana. I am not going until June 2008 so will be looking out for all new trip reviews until then

Lea28 x

We go in July 2007 and I have recently read some bad reviews, expescially on another site "Trip Advisor"

But I think it is a case of not being able to please everyone all of the time! It would not be good if we all liked the same thing, would it!

If it really was that bad, we wouldn't be returning! It's fantastic, if you're used to 7star treatment then it's not the place for you, go with an open mind and join in and you can't go wrong!

Ernie - you will get bad reports wherever you go due to peoples tastes, I will be honest, I went there in Dec 2006 and loved it. The food was fantastic, the setting was lovely, the rooms nice, and the people friendly. The ONLY letdown is the entertainment, but you prob know this by now from reading other peoples reports. There isnt much to do in the nights there apart from have a quiet drink, and the place tends to go dead around 10pm. Thats the only complaint I had and if I had stayed for more than a week then I would be looking for other places to go (Hemingways is a waste of time and the music is stupidly loud in there).

I went last year so should know this.... but,

What plugs do they use???

I have placed a review on about this hotel. Anybody going will have without a doubt a fab time.

kazee x

Thanks Kazee

You can read Kazee's review HERE

Pippy

Just a quick question. I seem to remember reading somewhere that beach towels are provided here, does anyone know or should I take my own??
Thanks............