Hotel Weare Bayahibe

Guests see two completely different resorts as they walk from one end of the Cadaques to the other. First is the water park that towers over them as soon as they walk through the lobby doors. It is teeming with giggling children clambering out of the mouths of a grinning shark and a tropical fish, splashing in the shallow pool, or climbing a Babel-like tower and screaming as they disappear down the multiple spirals of a waterslide. Kids love it, just as they take to the soccer pitch, beach playground, trampoline, and the games room. Then there's the other Cadaques, which gradually transforms into a Spanish village the closer guests get to the water -- there's even a charming church that holds Catholic services every Sunday, set in a dusty yellow plaza. Resort paths turn into the twisty little streets of a European town, lined with a cafe and people's laundry hanging from balconies. They lead to a sunbaked plaza on the beach, half Old World maze, half New World beach. (That beach, by the way, is somewhat steep and rocky -- most of the sunbathers on our visit opted instead to hang out on the lounger-crowded pier, which includes a large inflatable raft that, during our visit, a pair of Italian tourists lay on with cans of beers.) What's consistent on both sides of the resort are the families with young children, mostly Dominican but also European, who seem intent on low-key vacations that keep the young'uns active and happy, while allowing the parents rest and relaxation. This is the opposite of a crowded mega-resort, with only 69 rooms, a mellow atmosphere, no waiting in line, and no all-inclusive rates. 

About an hour's drive from Punta Cana airport, the main entry point for international travelers into the D.R., and about 25 minutes from La Romana International Airport, the hotel avoids the crowded hubbub of the Punta Cana region. Instead, the nearest village is sleepy Dominicus Americanus, with a collection of postcard hawkers, dubious art shops, and Italian restaurants clustered outside the walls of the Wyndham hotel. Cadaques itself rests at the end of a road that juts south of the village past the Playa Dominicus, and has only stretches of empty beach and scrubby wilderness as neighbors. The nearest resort is the Be Live down down the road, but you'd be hard-pressed to puncture the atmosphere of isolation the Cadaques has cultivated.

Though the exteriors are meant to look Old World, the interiors of the rooms are clean, brightly lit, and modern. Picture light tile, cushy white duvets, streamlined dark wood veneer furniture, trendy fabric accents in blue or yellow, and occasional, tasteful decorative touches such as framed images of seashells and starfishes. Most balconies look onto either the long pool or the water park, not the ocean. Suites come with kitchenettes and cookware, which can prove invaluable for longer stays. Bathrooms all have walk-in showers with glass half walls (it can be tricky to turn on the water without getting wet.) Exterior doors for first-floor rooms open onto brick pathways or interior courtyards with tables and chairs, where guests can gather for card games and beers.There are far more than 69 rooms in the resort; that's because non-hotel rooms on the property are owned vacation properties, which have their own parking spots by their buildings. As at many D.R. resorts, free Wi-Fi is not available in rooms -- guests must pay a daily rate for the service. Amenities include mini-fridges, coffeemakers, flat-screen TVs with cable, and safes. 

For children of a certain age, a water park with a dinosaur, a water feature, and slides is as good as it gets. Adults, on the other hand, will likely be more interested in the long pier that juts out into the Caribbean (offering a splendid views both of ocean and virgin beach), the beachside open-air restaurants, the mimicked charms of an Old World village, the pretty chapel (its setting only marginally marred by the cell-phone towers in the background), or the massages available on canopied beds on the beach. Or maybe they just like water parks too.There are two pools -- the larger pool with a swim-up bar located by the water park, and a smaller rectangular pool by the restaurants, facing the beach and ocean. Those who prefer their spa treatments indoors can head to the small spa, and there's also a large fitness center (though the equipment isn't the most modern). There are three restaurants, which is more than adequate for the number of guests given that there are only 69 rooms. The main restaurant has a great view of the beach and ocean, and the adjacent pizzeria (in the same building) has a partial view. There's also a cafe serving Italian cuisine helmed by Italian owners who live on the property -- the homemade pasta here tends to be a bit with guests. The breakfast buffet served at the main restaurant is a bit basic; the cooked-to-order eggs are your best bet. Those seeking more food variety might want to opt for a suite so that they can cook for themselves, as tiny Dominicus Americanus nearby has limited options.