Dominican Republic | Santo Domingo & Bahia Principe Grand Punta Cana Review

My good friend, Megan Wojcik, recently visited the Dominican Republic for a wedding and sightseeing. Read about her experience and get advice for planning a visit of your own.

Note: All photos submitted by Megan Wojcik

The Dominican Republic wasn’t on our radar. But after some unexpected additions to our family, it became a place we wanted to get to know. We recently traveled there for the first time and can easily say we’ll remember the trip forever. Like many of the people who travel to the Caribbean, we weren’t there for a vacation. Well, we were there for a break from winter in Pittsburgh and planned to spend time at a beach resort (more on that later), but the main reason we went was to attend our niece’s wedding.

While working in the DR, she met amazing friends一who have since become like family to us一and a wonderful life partner. When she and her boyfriend got engaged and announced their wedding would take place in Santo Domingo, we were excited to visit a place we’d heard so much about.

A Wedding in Santo Domingo | Dominican Republic

As wedding plans got underway, the bride’s parents invited friends and relatives to lengthen their stay with a few days in Punta Cana. Now we would be seeing two distinct parts of the country: the capital of Santo Domingo and the tourist haven of Punta Cana. Though not knowing what to expect and with only limited time for sightseeing (we had a wedding to attend!), we weren’t sure how to structure our stay in Santo Domingo. Luckily, the bride put together a list of suggested sites and restaurants.

If you visit, we suggest touring the Ciudad Colonial (Colonial Zone), which is the historic center of the city. Founded by Bartolomé Columbus (Christopher’s younger brother) in 1496, it’s the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the Americas and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Expect centuries-old architecture, picturesque homes with beautiful balconies a la New Orleans, and color everywhere.

As our time was limited, we mostly roamed the town, taking in the beauty of the buildings, churches, and parks. In the Parque Colón, surrounded by the Cathedral of Santo Domingo, the Cathedral Museum, the Borgella Palace and a sculpture dedicated to Christopher Columbus, we took a break and listened to a band playing merengue and bachata music. For dinner, we ate at Don Nestor Parrillada Zona Colonial. It was heaven to sit outside in February and have an Argentinian feast of grilled meats and vegetables.

As far as accommodations, we stayed at the Hodelpa Nicolás de Ovando, located in the heart of the Colonial Zone and the former home of the 16th-century governor of the city. The hotel was clean, safe and beautiful, the staff were very friendly, and the breakfast buffet was plentiful and delicious. Our room, however, was extremely musty. Others in our group didn’t have the same problem. If you want to stay here, we recommend asking for a room in the newer section of the hotel, as we stayed in the historic section.

On to Punta Cana | Bahia Principe Grand Punta Cana

The morning after a moving wedding ceremony and lively reception (Google “Dominican Republic Crazy Hour” to get an idea of the fun we experienced at the reception), we boarded a chartered bus for the two-hour drive to Punta Cana. Our family booked the Bahia Principe Grand Punta Cana, an all-inclusive resort directly on Bávaro Beach. We had never stayed at an all-inclusive resort and we had a lot of learning to do.

Though it seems like “all-inclusive” means everything is taken care of, and it is, we soon realized to really take advantage of all that’s offered, we had to come up with a plan. You can’t enjoy the restaurants and buffets, for example, if you don’t know how to make a reservation or you’re not sure about the opening times for the buffets.

On The Menu | Restaurants in the Bahia Principe

We soon settled into a rhythm of alternating between buffets and restaurants. Our best discovery was going to the Beach Restaurant for its buffet lunch. Though it doesn’t offer as many choices as the main buffet, its location allows you to stay close to the pools or beach and not have to trek across the resort to the main buffet. If you want options, you won’t be disappointed by the choices offered at the buffets. Though we were spoiled for choice, we felt the food could’ve been a little tastier and of higher quality.

The view from the Beach Restaurant at the Bahia Principe Grand Punta Cana resort.

We were both impressed by and disappointed by the restaurants. We enjoyed a Peruvian restaurant that seems to have closed since we were there and a steakhouse. We were disappointed in a Mediterranean restaurant that also seems to have closed since our stay. Judging from the resort’s websites, new restaurant options are opening later this year. After all members of our group had bad experiences at the quick-service restaurant by the main pools, we avoided it. As far as alcohol, it was plentiful and potent. We still miss our thrice-daily margarita slushies.

Time For Relaxing on the Beach | Caribbean Sea

When we weren’t eating, we were enjoying the pools or the beach. The warmth of the Caribbean was a pleasant surprise to those of us used to the cooler waters of the Atlantic and Pacific. The beach was stunning, with plenty of space for walking or relaxing. Our only complaint was the limited availability of beach lounge chairs. It seems if you don’t throw your towel on one by 6 a.m., you might be sitting on the sand. And sitting on the sand in front of row after row of empty一except for a towel一 lounge chairs seemed silly.

Turtles seen in the Bahia Principe Grand Punta Cana resort.

We had the same complaint for the pools. Lots of lounge chairs reserved with a towel, but no people occupying them. Aside from the chair situation, the pools were beautiful and we found each one had its own vibe. After spending the day in the sun, we were too tired to take advantage of the nightly entertainment offerings, but others in our group were very impressed by the shows.

A Comfortable Stay | Junior Suite, Bahia Principe Grand Punta Cana

Though we didn’t spend much time in our Junior Suite Premium room, it was very spacious, clean and comfortable. We experienced two slight issues一one with the showerhead and one with the safe一and they were handled swiftly and professionally. Our room had a lovely covered terrace that came in handy when a heavy downpour moved in one afternoon. Apart from a couple rain showers that didn’t last long, the weather was perfect in late February.

Survey Says…We Recommend Visiting the Dominican Republic

Overall, we would recommend visiting the Dominican Republic. Our trip allowed us to see more than many of the people who had traveled there. Thanks to the insights of our Dominican family, we know the country is more than just resorts. In addition to the history of Santo Domingo, there are also national parks to explore, a rich baseball tradition, Carnival activities, and thriving coffee, chocolate, cigar, and rum industries. Even if your trip centers on a resort, you’ll still experience the friendliness of the Dominican people, who are eager and happy to share their culture with you.

Here are some tips if you plan to travel to the Dominican Republic:

Water: Tap water isn’t safe for locals or visitors to drink. Bottled water is plentiful wherever you are. It’s up to you whether to brush your teeth with bottled water. We didn’t want to take a chance, so we used bottled water for brushing.

Money: We took Dominican pesos with us, but would’ve been fine using American dollars. Any time we wanted to buy something, the store owner or vendor always asked if we would be paying in dollars or pesos. We think paying in pesos saved us money, but you’ll still be able to make purchases without them. Every store or vendor, however, never seemed to have change. So if you’re quoted a price and don’t pay with exact change, you might not get back what you’re owed.

Bugs: Most of the people in our group had many mosquito bites by the end of the trip despite using bug spray. You won’t regret packing the most potent spray you can find.

Larimar, a stone that can only be found in the Dominican Republic, is used to make jewelry.

If You’re Staying at an all-Inclusive Resort, Do Your Homework:

Know how far in advance you can book restaurant reservations and book ASAP. Reservations were limited by the time we tried booking after arriving at the resort.
Ask about amenities offered by neighboring resorts. Our resort was connected to four others in the Bahia Principe family一Ambar, Fantasia, Aquamarine and Esmeralda一which expanded our selection of pools, restaurants and shops.
Resorts are usually big一if you’re not in a huge hurry, give your feet a break and wait for a shuttle. Our shuttle service was very reliable. Some shuttles at our resort even took guests into the neighboring resorts.
The app for our resort wasn’t very useful. If we wanted to make a dinner reservation or had a question, the most efficient way to handle it was calling or visiting a guest services representative.