The Crown Villas at Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Resort

Part of the massive Lifestyle Holidays resort, the Crown Villas share in the complex's quiet and tranquil vibe. Rowdy spring breakers are rarely sighted; instead, the resort attracts families and couples looking for a relaxed vacation. The Villas in particular attracts larger groups coming for family reunions or bachelorette parties. There’s little to do outside of the complex’s grounds, but most guests are content with the long list of available activities and facilities, including a spa, kids’ club, a dozen restaurants, numerous pools, and water sports.

The property’s grounds are pretty and well-maintained, but there is little shade along the winding paths and it can get quite hot in the midday sun. The villas are spread throughout, so while some are extremely close to the beach, others are further afield. For some guests, this means ultimate tranquility. For others, it means a royal pain to get to activities and the beach.

The Crown Villas are part of the massive Lifestyle Holidays complex located in the sleepy town of Cofresi. Cofresi is the site of the popular Ocean World Adventure Park, which is right next door to the property, but home to little else. The shops, restaurants, bars, and nightlife of Puerto Plata are about a 15-minute drive away, but most guests do not leave the property during their stays. The Puerto Plata Airport is about a 30-minute cab ride from the resort.

The villas are the most spacious -- and luxurious – accommodations on the Lifestyle Holidays complex, and each features either three or four bedrooms, a bathroom for each bedroom, large kitchens, living rooms, and outdoor terraces that open to private pools. With large flat-screen TVs and Wi-Fi, they are technologically up-to-date. However, some villas have been renovated more recently than others.

Renovated villas are absolutely gorgeous. With a sleek white-on-white design, they feature sexy wooden accents, modern kitchens, outdoor grilling areas, living rooms with sweeping ceilings and open floor plans, and bathrooms with double vanities and large cedar closets. In contrast, the yet-to-be-renovated villas feature bland decor -- picture wicker furniture and cheesy beach decor -- so guests of these villas may feel short-changed.

The villas can be found throughout the Lifestyle Holidays grounds. Some sit seconds from the beach, others are a grueling 30-minute walk away (the hotel provides an infrequent shuttle, as well as golf cart rentals). Some are within easy reach of the restaurants, others are so far that guests opt to dine in most nights (there are also numerous complaints that the food is merely mediocre).

Although the public area of the beach is crowded with local vendors hawking souvenirs, the private area is lovely, complete with two-story daybeds and water sports. It is certainly the property’s stand-out feature, and many are content to spend their entire vacation relaxing on the sand, swimming and snorkeling in the water, or playing beach volleyball.

Guests of the Crown Villas have access to all of the complex’s many other features as well. There’s a large spa, tennis courts, a kids’ club with daily activities, a fitness center, and dozens of nightclubs, bars, and restaurants (where the food is reportedly just mediocre). Rather than being clustered together to create a “mini resort,” villas are spread throughout the massive Lifestyle Holiday grounds, so some are very close to certain features, while others are further afield –- we’re talking up to a half-hour walk. Fortunately, the 12 pools are also spread throughout the grounds, so at least there’s some cool water near most villas; plus, each villa has its own private pool and the hotel provides (somewhat unreliable) shuttle service, as well as golf cart rentals.