Coral Sol De Plata Rating: 3.0 Pearls

Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

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Bustling pool area

When I first walked to the bustling pool area, the staffer manning the turntables announced an upcoming water polo match and then blasted the Jock Jams Megamix. Time warp -- I hadn’t heard those tunes since my 1998 high school field hockey psyche-up mix.

At 61 acres, Coral Sol de Plata (which until recently was known as Breezes Puerto Plata) is one of the largest resorts on the D.R.'s north coast, nearing a mega-mega-resort in scale. It’s definitely not the most stylish resort -- rooms are pretty tacky -- but most guests don’t seem to care. During my stay, no one was shy about splashing in the pool, or trying out the trapeze, or mingling at the lobby bar. I appreciated the outgoing spirit.

The front of the resort is beautifully landscaped. Who knew Dominican ducks were so exotic? With a peacock roaming the lobby and tree growing out of the roof near the front desk, there's a low-key, back-to-nature feel. I'm not quite sure how many guests appreciated the look -- every person I talked to said they chose the resort because they got a deal on it. But the grounds here are more visually interesting than the 15 resorts smooshed up against each other in Playa Dorada complex.

Coral Sol de Plata caters to families. The kids I observed and talked to all loved the activities, including the landscaped swimming pool, the ping pong tables near the lobby, and boogie boards at the beach. On the flip-side, though, I'm not sure about the resort's party scene. I popped my head into Hurricanes disco around midnight and the dance floor was empty. However, I did meet a lot of young singles, and the resort does big business in weddings, so this may have been a fluke. At the very least, the clubs and bars of Cabarete and Sosua are a short cab ride away.

Overall, Coral Sol de Plata is a fun place for a wide range of guests, provided they're not picky about food, or in need of particularly nice lodgings.

Friendly bellhop

I arrived at around 3:15 p.m. and was greeted by a friendly bellhop. But after I thought I'd checked in the clerk looked at me with a big smile and said, "Your room isn't ready. Try coming back around 4:15 or 4:30."

"Um, isn't check-in at 3 p.m.?" I asked, nodding toward the sign on the counter that said exactly that.

"Check-in is whenever you show up!" he replied cheerfully, not at all addressing my concern. "And just remember, this is your home!" he chirped, clearly spouting from a memorized list of positive statements. It’s worth noting here that a nuanced custom in the D.R. (like in many Latin American countries) is to respond affirmatively to all requests, regardless. Getting a straight answer can be tricky.

When I returned at 4:30 p.m., my room was thankfully ready. I was given a ticket to hand to the bellhop. When I showed it to him, he told me that someone would load my bags into a truck and meet me at my room (Why couldn't we ride along in the truck?). "It's really close!" he said, a little too enthusiastically. "Not a long walk at all." Our room was in building No. 6, just about as far from the entrance as possible.

Other service issues arose later that night. The phone was dead, and all of the English-language channels on the TV was scrambled. Obviously I couldn't call the front desk, so I had to make the long trek back to the main building and talk to the front desk clerk. He shrugged and pointed to the guest services desk across the lobby. It was 7:15 p.m., and I explained to the woman that my phone and cable were both caput. She proceeded to place a service order in the computer system, and assured me that the problem would be dealt with that night. When I returned to my room at 10:15 p.m., the TV was blaring ESPN Deportes (sports), but when I flipped up to HBO, it was still scrambled. Grr. The phone was still dead. Needing to make a phone call, I now had to schlep back to the lobby. I spoke with the guest services liaison again, who informed me that maintenance had visited my room -- it was in the computer! -- but she had no explanation as to why nothing was fixed. She also informed me that the resort didn't allow guests to make phone calls with outside calling cards -- I'd have to purchase a card from the machine in the lobby, which conveniently only accepted U.S. dollars, of which I had none. So using a pay phone was out. I ended up having to call from a phone at the front desk, within earshot of the clerks (and adjacent to the noisy lobby bar). The call would be charged to my room at the stellar rate of $1/minute. I was not a happy camper.

I got the impression from watching other guests that tipping is the only way to get good service. Service at the crowded buffets was sub-par. I was halfway through dinner before someone offered me a drink (though, on the plus side, it was beer served in a nice big glass). Breakfast was particularly aggravating. I actually had to chase a waiter down to have him bring me my coffee, even though I'd established eye contact with him as he served nearby tables. In my opinion, there are no greater offenses than not being served coffee in the morning, and having to physically exert oneself in the pursuit of said coffee.

I also had an unpleasant experience at the omelet station. I took my place in a long line of people waiting for fresh egg dishes. When I got up to the ingredients buffet, I noticed that the bowl of my go-to ingredient, green peppers, was picked clean. When the cook looked to me for my order, I pointed to the empty bowl and asked if there would be more. This has happened to me at countless omelet stations, and every other time the cook either turned around to get more, or asked someone else to go and get more. This cook looked at me with clear comprehension, but said and did nothing. Then he just pointed at the next person in line, apparently skipping me altogether. It was very rude.

View on a Larger Map

The resort is about 20 minutes and a $25-$30 cab ride from Gregory Luperon International Airport in Puerto Plata. Nearby, there’s nothing much to do, aside from a pitch-and-putt golf course and a paintball field.

It's about 10 minutes from the towns of Sosua and Cabarete (opposite directions), and both towns are filled with shops, restaurants, and bars. The resort provides free daily shuttles to both cities.

Family fun in the sun

The beach is along a rocky stretch of the northern coast. The long, private beach is naturally buffered by rock formations on either end. This area of the island is known for extremely windy conditions, and there was a red flag flying during my visit to warn guests about dangerously strong surf. A number of reviewers on TripAdvisor mention that the flag was nearly always red and others complain more generally about the large, crashing waves. There were also some dangerous rocks in the water that looked like they could be easily missed by swimmers.

On the plus side, the sand is fairly soft and clean, and there are plenty of lounge chairs to go around. On the western, "quiet" side of the beach, there are lots of umbrellas, and I noticed some older guests curled up underneath them with books. The beach is definitely the mellowest part of the resort, though its steep descent toward the water seems like it might preclude all-day tanning.

The resort offers free use of boogie boards and kayaks, as well as snorkel gear. The activities staff sometimes organizes beach volleyball games and other amusements closer to the Coco Beach bar.

The Standard Room

In reading reviews and talking with guests, it is clear that no one comes to Breezes for its rooms. "Fine" is pretty much the best you can hope for. Rooms range from cramped and damp to spacious and less damp. All are Spartan in their décor and amenities, but the most recent renovations were done in 2007. Lots of TripAdvisor reviewers complain about two things: ants (I didn’t spot any) and leaky air conditioners (no problems there either). But my floors were quite damp (at first I thought it was from a thorough mopping, but they never seemed to dry). Oh, the wonders a ceiling fan would have worked.

My standard room on the third and top floor of building No. 6 had a dark tiled floor, a small desk, and a colorful king bed -- ideal for hiding stains. Very cunning choice, Breezes. There was a bit of an entry foyer area with a creaky cupboard and closet. It felt more like an old apartment than a hotel room. On the right side of this narrow passage, I opened what I thought was a closet door, only to discover a set of rusty pipes that seemed to go down through the entire building. This struck me as a particularly dangerous feature for a room where children play.

The room had a nice-looking 27-inch Toshiba TV. Even better, it came loaded with satellite channels including HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, American networks, and multiple English-language ESPNs. Unfortunately, most of the English-language channels were scrambled so I couldn't watch them. It was extremely frustrating. Although someone apparently tried to fix the problem, it wasn't a successful attempt. The TV also didn't come with a remote control. A few TripAdvisor reviewers have mentioned this problem as well. Apparently, guests have to request a remote from the front desk (for some reason). As my phone was also dead, I didn’t feel the remote with worth the eight-minute walk back to the lobby.

My room was in building No. 6, on the northwest corner of the property. This meant that my small balcony had a partial ocean view. At night I could hear the sounds of the big waves crashing on the shore. This was my favorite aspect of the room.

Bathrooms are smaller here than most resorts in the D.R., but clean enough and they come with generic shampoo and conditioner. I was amused by the stained sign on the sink beseeching guests not to steal towels. Since the towels were thin and scratchy, I had no problem abiding. The shower area had two small windows and a seating area. Given the stains and nicks on the tub, I didn’t bother sitting.

Buildings No. 4-9 are large three-story blocks on the western side of the property. They surround a grassy area reminiscent of a college quad. Management told me that the buildings were all renovated in 2007, but I don’t buy it -- they look just as old and worn as any of the other rooms. The rest of the rooms are spread across 28 small villas on the eastern side of the property. Each houses just five guest-rooms, but the layout and décor is identical to that in the larger buildings.

Trapeze Sports Facility

I get pretty exhausted even thinking about all of the available activities. The clientele definitely struck me as a bit more fit and active than guests I saw elsewhere, and the resort offers a dizzying array of activities to fill their days. There's a rock-climbing wall, trapeze instruction, free scuba lessons, a nine-hole pitch-and-putt golf course (in terrible condition), a skating rink (not open during our stay), three clay tennis courts, a basketball court, and a beach volleyball net. Boogie boards and kayaks are also available free of charge at the beach.

The casino is pretty dead during the day, but it provides an exciting attraction at night for those who don't want to catch the entertainment. One guest told me that the slot machines still bear the logos of their original casinos, the Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun in New England. "My dad lost money on the slot machines, but realized that every time he inserted money into the change machine he received double the amount back. So he recouped his losses." Everybody wins at Breezes!

The gym and Lighthouse Spa share a building near the beach. Each is surprisingly nice, particularly the gym. It has modern cardio equipment, including my all-time favorite brand of treadmills, Woodway (unfortunately out of order), as well as a classroom where daily Pilates and yoga instruction is available.

Unlike most resorts, Coral Sol de Plata offers wireless Internet...but it comes at a very steep price. I paid $20 for three hours of use. By comparison, a similar service costs $15 for 24 hours at the Grand Oasis Marien. Because the signal only worked in the lobby, I had to carry my laptop from my room each time I wanted to go online. But to just check e-mail, I recommend using one of the resort's business center desktops for 15 minutes at a time.

Finally, for those guests who get bored of the property, the resort offers free daytime shuttles into the nearby towns of Sosua and Cabarete. Both towns have lots of shopping and some good restaurants too.

Extra large pool complex

Coral Sol de Plata prides itself on its pool, claiming that it’s "the largest swimming pool landscaping on the north coast of the Dominican Republic." I was duly impressed with the dual waterslides, lazy river, and volleyball area. There is also a swim-up bar shaded by a grotto, and still room for guests to practice scuba. There is also a small, unexciting kiddie pool adjacent to the main pool.

The pool is clearly the hub of daytime activity. Even by 9 a.m., the area feels crowded and a little claustrophobic. Getting a chair with a prime spot in the sun could definitely pose a challenge, particularly since the crowd is filled with experienced sun-worshippers.

Evening circus show

Coral Sol de Plata has a large entertainment staff. I saw them throughout the day -- manning the trapeze, teaching guests to merengue, and performing in the evening's circus show. Like the shows at most resorts, I found it to be kind of boring -- I couldn't last past two trapeze acts and a clown -- but the amphitheater was still standing room only. The woman behind me kept shrieking with delight, "I want them to bring ME up on stage!" There is a two-week rotation of shows, ranging from karaoke to "Mr. Breezes Night."

I once lived in a frat house, but I never saw a door as damaged as the one in my room. It was stuck with old adhesive crusts in various states of decay. Someone had jammed a piece of tissue into the peephole. The reason? No idea. But why didn’t housekeeping remove it? Or fix the peephole?

The bathroom showed similar wear. The sink area seemed clean and sterile, but there were bugs in the bathtub, along with nicks and rust stains.

I was pleasantly surprised by how well-kept the grounds and facilities were. Of course this could get a little out of hand sometimes -- someone tried to clear away my breakfast three times before I finished -- but I'll take uptight over careless any day.

Jimmy's Buffet

Coral Sol de Plata has six restaurants: Jimmy's Buffet, El Coco Beach Grill & Snack Bar, Pastafari (Italian), Paris (French), Munasan (Japanese), and the Mexican Restaurant (that's its name; guess the creativity dried up). The resort has a strict policy that reservations for restaurants must be made a day in advance. The food is fresh, and varied enough.

Like every other beachside grill with plastic chairs and tables, El Coco serves daytime grub like hamburgers and hot dogs, and late-night fare like French fries, and chips and salsa. On the plus side, it is open 24 hours. But guests have to trek through the dark to get there late at night.

Jimmy's Buffet had a nice selection of fruits, vegetables, and cheeses. For meat, it offered both Dominican pork dishes and a chef cooking up prime rib. There is also a pasta bar where guests can select their own ingredients, but since I didn't want to wait in the long line I opted for the standard rotini in tomato sauce. It was mushy and overcooked -- a lot like SpaghettiOs. Later that night, I talked with a couple other guests who'd made the exact same observation.

Each night the restaurant cycles through a different theme. They are American, Gala (whatever that is), Oriental, Mexican, Seafood, Dominican, and Italian. The theme during my visit was Mexican. Though I love Mexican food, all I wanted to eat was some standard rice -- everything else seemed to be drowning in sauce. I'm a huge dessert fan, but I was turned off at the sight of chocolate-covered bananas.

The other guests I spoke with and the reviewers on TripAdvisor had very little to say about the à la carte restaurants, other than that Paris books up instantly, and the Italian restaurant, Pastafari, is pretty good. (Though, it’s worth noting that I've never heard of an Italian restaurant getting panned. Ever.) One TripAdvisor reviewer recommended Munasan, but only because of the Benihana-style novelty of sitting at a sushi bar and having food cooked hibachi-style at your table.

Swim-up bar in the Outdoor pool

Almost all the liquor at the resort is generic "Normandy" and "Classic" brand. The exception, as at most resorts, is with Presidente beer and cheap Barcelo rum. Barcelo is the second-most popular rum brand in the D.R. after the ubiquitous Brugal -- but it’s a far cry from mainstream rums like Bacardi. On the plus side, the resort has six bars scattered around the property. It was never hard for me to find a drink.