Calle Principal Playa Dorada, PO Box 653, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic | (809) 320-4012
Spirited entertainment staff
Friendly waiters
Located inside a safe, gated community
Walking distance to great bars, restaurants, gift shops, and a world-class golf course
Dark and dated rooms
10-minute walk to the beach
No fitness center or spa
Constant time-share sales pitches
One of 15 resorts located inside the safe Playa Dorada complex, the Puerto Plata Village is about a 10-minute walk off the beach, surrounded by a golf course. Despite a spirited staff -- many of whom are there to sell time-shares, the resort's primary moneymaker -- the resort's food, rooms, and features are all bested by the nearby Grand Paradise resort.
Scene
Dark rooms, no direct beach access, and an aggressive time-share sales team
According to a Lifestyle Hacienda employee, the time-share chain was in the process of taking over a percentage of the Puerto Plata Village in 2010. Their $6 million U.S. investment was going towards building members-only villas with full kitchens, big-screen TVs, and Jacuzzis. But he had less flattering things to say about the hotel, and there really is no arguing with his comments. The rooms are dark and dirty and the property doesn't have direct access to the beach. To make matters more uncomfortable, the SWAT force of Lifestyle Hacienda employees wearing white VIP polo shirts can be insistent on selling their luxury villas next door. For the price of the resort, you can do better.
Location
A short walk off of the beach, inside the safe, gated Playa Dorada resort complex
Playa Dorada is a gated complex of 15 hotels, a golf course, a convention center, two casinos, and a shopping mall just east of downtown Puerto Plata. The neatly manicured minicity has horse-drawn carriages that promenade up and down main street at all hours. It's extremely safe and walkable, even at night -- it sort of feels like a gated golf community in the United States. The hotels in the complex range from Casa Colonial, a luxury five-star hotel (one of the nicest resorts in the D.R.), to a plethora of budget all-inclusives and time-shares geared toward families and young partiers; these include the Viva Wyndham, Grand Paradise, and the Celuisma Tropical. In the center of the complex is Playa Dorada Plaza, a two-story open-air shopping center that caters heavily to tourists. It features souvenir stalls, sundry and tobacco shops, a playground, and a couple of liquor stores. There are also a few ATMs and banks, as well as restaurants and bars, including Hemingway's, Senor Rock's, Coco Bongo, and even a Pizza Hut.Playa Dorada is located about 15 minutes west of the Puerto Plata International Airport.
Beach
Calm and shallow (and often crowded), the large beach is paradise for snorkelers. It's also easy to participate in a variety of water sports.
The beach is large and there's a sandy walk out into the water. Sharing the space with 14 other resorts on the Playa Dorada complex, the beach can get a bit crowded. On the north coast, waves are harsher and the water is far less clear than it is on the south coast of the Dominican Republic, near Punta Cana. But comparatively, in Playa Dorada, the shallow water is fairly calm (it's protected by a reef). It's very popular with snorkelers.The Sea Pro Divers gazebo, stationed near the pool, arranges banana-boating, Jet-Skiing, parasailing, water-skiing, and water-tubing excursions.
Rooms
The beds are fresh and comfortable, but some of the furniture is chipped and the lighting is poor.
Features
Large pool, Guananico Bar and game room, and tennis courts, but no gym or spa
Cleanliness
Minor complaints aside, the rooms are generally clean. The grounds are well-maintained, and the restaurants are in good shape too.
Evening Entertainment
The staff does a great job of entertaining at the Guananico Bar. From merengue performances to audience competitions, guests always have fun.
The Guananico Bar hosts the evening entertainment, which generally consists of a red-shirt-clad entertainment staff sweating and smiling through a rendition of "YMCA" before starting an elaborate series of choreographed merengue dances. Each night also hosts a more interactive competition, such as the game "Whiskey" in which guests switch dance partners every few seconds. When the music stops, the person without a partner gets kicked out.
All-Inclusive / Food
Most guests seem satisfied with lunch and dinner, but breakfast -- with a small selection of hard bread and overripe fruit -- is a problem.
Destination Weddings
For a simple, low-key wedding, you can do worse -- disco, private receptions, no steep extra fees -- but it's not a first-pick resort.
Family Suite
Master Suite
Standard Room
Superior Room
Calle Principal Playa Dorada, PO Box 653, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
(809) 320-4012