I''ve been to Puerto Plata and Punta Cana and to Guardalavaca ...

Puerto Plata is nice but never as nice as both others ...

It really depends what you are looking for ...

For beaches, Punta Cana most definitely but I'm going in Jan To Cayo Coco in Cuba ( bookable via Thomas Cook only) and the beaches look absolutely stunning)

For attractions, both sides of the Dom Rep have good things to see and do.

For a little treat, I would recommend the Dreams Punta Cana, you might find a good last minute deal (book with Thomas Cook, they're cheaper ...)

If you need more info, PM me.

Thanks !

Julmops

bushbaby

we went to the dom a couple of yrs ago and loved it , we stayed at puerto plata in the wyndham hotel. it was out of this world, we went in may time and it was wall to wall sun shine the two weeks we were there you will love it. i would go back tomorrow if i could

thanks for your replies. the deal i think is best value is to samana - its a 4*plus platinum with thomsons. so, has anyone been here?
thanks

sorry my last post was wrong , it was meant to say playa darada not puerto plata. hotel was right just wrong location lol

Hi Bushbaby, I also went to Guardalavacca last year and had a fantastic holiday and I am off to Samana for Christmas staying at the Gran Bahia Principe Cayacoa hotel in Samana. It will be my first time to the Dom Rep too and I can't wait. I was a bit concerned after having a holiday of a lifetime in Cuba this one won't match up to it but we shall see.

thanks for all your replies. we have booked the sol luna in guardavalarca again as friends who haven't been to cuba wanted to come too. but after reading your replies , i defineatly want to try the dom rep, and the cayacoa hotel, next year. my husband said he would prefer cuba but would leave it up to me. so i'll pick the dom rep next !
Mdollar - have a great trip and please post a review when you get back. hopefully we'll be able to go in may.

I've just come back from Samana in the Dom Rep. and while it was a lovely holiday in my opinion it wasn't a patch on Cuba. I would go back to Cuba tomorrow at the drop of a hat but I can't say the same for the Dom. Rep. Don't get me wrong it was a beautiful place and I enjoyed my holiday but for me there was something missing. I will be posting my review later in the hotel review section.

Look forward to reading that

After our same wonderful holiday in Guardalavaca last year I fancied trying somewhere else in the Caribbean and DR was an obvious choice for our budget .

In the end I chosen Mexico and it's now booked but hope to go back to cuba next year.

hi mdollar - just read your review. still fancy trying the same hotel you went to. we went to the sol luna mares in cuba 22/11/10 for 2 weeks and it was lovely, our 2nd time. the dom rep is coming up cheaper for may/june this year, so might give it a try then. where did you go in cuba,by the way?

M dollar and I both went to SRLM bushbaby . I think both of us have pic's on our media .

I can't see the review
.Just seen you've been back for a few weeks . Will go and look again