I am going to the IHD in 4 weeks time with family including 2 small children. I will let you know when I get back. How old are your children?
Also I doubt if the flights are booked up yet for Oct 07 it is more likely they have not started taking bookings yet.
Sue H

Thanks every one for your reply's.It would appear that the reason that first choice can't give me a quote is because they only fly out fortnightly and the flight for the 18th would meen that the return flight would then go into the winter brochure which isn't out until August.Although My Travel were able to quote me from the Thomas Cook brochure and actually quote me £600 cheaper than the Thomas Cook travel agent (go figure).

Thanks Sue i look forward to your findings.

we are getting married at the Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus in August this year and wondered if any one could tell us is a pool/beach towel service provided? It saves such alot of space in your luggage if this is the case. Also if anyone has any wedding tips, or any experience of a wedding at this hotel

yes there is a towel service so no need to bring any towels with you. you get towel cards that you exchange for fresh towels or you can exchange dirty towels for fresh ones whenever you need them. Just make sure to get the towel cards back on your last day for when you check out. i have just got back from IBHD and there ws a few weddings when i was there. One couple that got married had a huge problem where the videographer never recorder one thing throughout the whole wedding. They said that they could re-create the wedding again on another day. Obviously they said no chance. Last thing they said was they where hoping to get some kind of compinsation from there tour op so hopefully they will get something back

Thanks pinguTM for your prompt reply, the extra suitcase space will probably come in useful for my video camera!! Were the weddings mid-day or towards the end of the day?

i think most if not all weddings take place at 5pm.

Just noticed that Google Earth now has a high res of this hotel and area.
moving away from the beach you can see the pool surrounded by the accomodation blocks and then as the building converge together, in the middle is the pagoda where they have the weddings.

any chance of a screen cap or a link. i tried looking @ google earth but it was the same image as usual (unless im looking in the wrong area??)

create a txt file and then paste the following in:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<kml xmlns="http://earth.google.com/kml/2.0">
<Document>
<Style id="khStyle529">
<IconStyle id="khIconStyle530">
<Icon>
<href>root://icons/palette-4.png</href>
<y>160</y>
<w>32</w>
<h>32</h>
</Icon>
</IconStyle>
</Style>
<Placemark>
<name>Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus</name>
<LookAt id="khLookAt652">
<longitude>-68.82306294627576</longitude>
<latitude>18.34613909740197</latitude>
<range>773.5917256009237</range>
<tilt>-4.595941600941476e-011</tilt>
<heading>-31.39906930784461</heading>
</LookAt>
<styleUrl>#khStyle529</styleUrl>
<Point id="khPoint653">
<coordinates>-68.82229350900701,18.34829144476595,0</coordinates>
</Point>
</Placemark>
</Document>
</kml>

Then rename the file as IHD.KML and double click on it.

There is probably an easier way but I am out of time at the mo.
this may be what you are used to but it is certainly clearer than it was when I last looked!

Dear everyone,

Just come back from IHD. Great holiday apart from one thing, Holiday tummy or not? Just everyone had diarrhoea, everyone a few days after arrival. We spoke to so many people new arrivals after a few days etc. I cannot figure it out the Hotel is spotless and its not too much to drink because my two year old grandaughter had it as well. The only conclusion I can come to is its the buffet food and because this is a resort of a 1000 people, possibly too big. I just do not know but I still hgave it now over two weeks on. Has this just happened recently, what about all those of you that visited earlier in the year, how did you fare? I would like to know because I would like to go back. I have been going to the Caribbean for 10 years and this is the first time I have had this. All other destinations did not have buffet food and were other Islands. This is my first visit to DR and I hope its not the last.
Would appreciate any replies.
Thanks Sue

Hi Sue

Sorry to hear of your tummy problems
I'd be inclined to visit my GP if I were you as it's lasted so long.

I'd be very grateful if you'd post a review HERE when you're feeling better and have time.

Many thanks

Pippy

Hi Sue,
We just got back from the IHD last Friday and I'm still suffering, it started at the end of the first week. My husband and my sister who are usually fine both had diahorea not quite as bad as me but it was unusual for them. My husbands a microbiologist so he said he would take a sample in and analyse it, I might just do that if it lasts any longer.
We were at the IHD last year and I had it then as well but my husband was fine, I just assumed it was me as my stomach can be a bit dodgy. There was a bad sewage smell there for the last few days but we thought it was when they emptied the artificial lake and cleaned it out. I don't think this was anything to do with it but you never know.
Saying that we had a lovely holiday and we all had a great time there.
Were you on the First Choice flight going back which was delayed for 24hours? We were quite happy to get the extra days holiday but we had to pay £620 for flights for 4 of us from East Midlands to Edinburgh as we had missed our connecting flights the day before I feel sorry for the people going out as they would have to spend the night at East Midlands.
I just hope the insurance pays out
Cheers
Jean

Hi Jean,
Yes we were on the East Midlands delayed 24hrs flight. I have had to go to the docs with sample as my tummy problems persisted and my 2 year old grandaughter is still not quite right. It has driven me bonkers trying to analyse what exactly caused it. I have never visited the DR because of this very problem. I can honestly say that over 9 previous trips to other Islands I have necer experienced this, but never had buffet food before only freshly cooked food. I am sure its something in the Buffet. My latest conclusion is "Soup" My 5 year old grandaughter eat only Pizza & Chips, cereals, bacon and "Banana Mamas" and Sprites. She was the only one who was okay.
Anyhow we did have a great holiday and everything else was really good and could not fault the Hotel other than the tummy problem. It was the best value for money place we have been to yet. I would go back again if I was going with our family etc but not if it was just the two of us as I like Antigua/ Barbados etc for its fab food, great beaches and romantic settings for eating. I do like candel light dinners on the beach.
Sorry to hear about your extra cost and delay.
Sue

can i just say...relating to 'holiday tummy' its more than likely the pina coladas or coco locos as coconut is a natural laxative. our FC rep told us wnot to have more than 4 of either one of these drinks in 24 hours we have stayed at the IHD 2 years in a row now and never had a problem with holiday tummy

Sorry, definately not holiday tummy. I know about these facts. I have always gone to the caribbean and drunk many cocktails and never had this. My husband and son in law only drank beer and my youngest grandaughter just water and fruit juice but they still had it and it was recurring. I spoke to about 30 people and they all had it. I am awaiting a results from the docs as I still have a problem also my son-in-law and grandaughter slightly so I will be contacting the Hotel direct as I feel they should know. It is nice to know that some people did not get this which is why I was interested to know when other people had gone and if they had the same. It may be something new.
I could not fault the Hotel other than that and would like to go back with friends so I would just like some answers.
Sue

I agree with you Sue that it was definitely not the drinks. I was at the IHD last year and was warned about coconut based drinks That was why we only had the occasional pina colada and never touched the coca locas at all. In fact we didn't drink a lot of alcohol at all while we were there. My husband thinks it could be a parasite which sounds horrible but we are getting checked out for that at the moment and I'll let you know the result.

Hi Just today booked IHD for june 2007, heard lots of good reviews so i am looking forward to it even though its ages away.

I have a few little questions to ask you guys that have stayed at this hotel befor hope you dont mind!

What is the Air Con Like in the rooms? Do you feel cool when getting ready and at night etc? where around the resort is airconditioned? Any of the restaurants.

I have read you dont have to take beach/pool towels, where is the towel place that you exchange your towels? By the pool? on the beach etc?

As it is 24hr all inclusive what is there that you can eat during the day? Crisps, sandwiches, fruit, ice cream?

What do they have for lunch time?

in the book it says rooms have either BATH OR SHOWER is this true? i would hate to have to have a bath every night a shower is so much qucker and eaiser espically when there are a few of us getting ready? What did you get in your room?

What is the bed situation for 3 adults in the rooms?

Does anyone have an email address for the hotel please?

Hope no one minds me asking these questions.

any info would be great.

Many thanks

Lovethesun

Hi lovethesun,
In answer to at least some of your questions, I have been to the IHD twice and have found the air conditioning in the rooms to be very good. You can adjust the temperature to make it cooler if you want to. Sometimes we had to put it up as we were too cool! The only restaurant we found was a bit too hot was the Japanese but all the rest were cool enough with overhead fans in the ceiling.
Yes, they do supply beach towels which you can change whenever you want. The hut is opposite the SteakHouse Restaurant on the way to the beach. You are given a card when you arrive so you can collect the towel and you must collect and return the card to reception when you leave.
As for lunches there is a wide selection of food at both the Buffet restaurant and the Steakhouse. You can get almost anything including, salads, pasta dishes, meat dishes, pizza, hamburgers and chips. In the SteakHouse you can get snacks such as nachos, popcorn and ice cream. the lobby bar also has coffee and cakes from 12pm that you just help yourself to.
When we went for the first time last year we had a room with a shower but this year we had a bath which also had a shower. So I would imagine that all the rooms have a shower as they are all very similar.
We only had 2 adults in the room so I don't know if they would give you 2 queen size beds or 3 singles, maybe someone else can help you with that.
I hope this has helped.
If there's anything else you need to know, I'll try my best to answer. Although I'm off to the Lake District tomorrow for a week!
Jean

Hi, does any 1 have an email address for Iberostra Hascenda Dominicus in the DR?

Many Thanks