Lifestyle Crown Suites Rating: 3.0 Pearls

Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

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VIP Club member golf carts

The vibe at the Crown Village Suites struck me as a lot calmer than that at the resort's sister property, the more carefree Lifestyle Tropical. Being a condo-resort-style property, it primarily draws time-share-swappers from Canada (and occasionally the United States), families from Latin America, and middle-aged couples from Western Europe. There were mostly quiet, mature couples at the pool and at dinner. Only three kids played quietly in the pool area.

But the hotel tries to make its money on time-shares. I met a couple from Long Island, N.Y., who traded their Mexican time-share slot for a stay in the D.R. The husband explained, "I'd like this place a lot more if I could round up the sales-pitch people and shoot them," referring to the notoriously aggressive Lifestyles sales team. Other guests also complain about the nonstop sales pitches. I managed to avoid the time-share folks, but every two steps I was reminded that my experience would be so much better if I was a VIP club member. They get personal golf carts, better booze, a private beach, and top priority at the à la carte restaurants.

Front desk attendant

The property was chock-full of staff, and every single person I passed -- groundskeepers, security guards, tennis pros, and housekeepers -- greeted me with a friendly "Hola!" Many even introduced themselves. My favorite: the security guard who shook my hand and enthusiastically introduced himself as "the Dominican Barack Obama." During my dinner at Bellini, the maître d' waiters, and cooks were all friendly and prompt.

But there was no porter to greet me when I pulled up to the small Crown Residence Suites vestibule. My taxi driver ended up carrying my bags up the steep marble steps. The small lobby was empty, except for a single clerk. She greeted me warmly and checked me in within minutes.

Hotel policy requires that restaurant reservations be made the day before, but the front desk was able to squeeze me in that night at the Italian restaurant, Bellini. I would have preferred the Tex-Mex place, El Torro, but the restaurant was open only to VIP club members that night. When I called back at dinner time -- how hard could it be to ft one extra table? -- I was kindly, but firmly, rejected.

Since the Lifestyle property is rather large, there is a complimentary shuttle service available 24/7. VIP members are allowed to drive themselves around in golf carts, but as a plebe, I had to wait for a van to pick me up. To get a ride, I had to go to the front desk in the Crown Suites lobby, ask for transportation, and wait less than five minutes for a van.

I was especially delighted with the housekeeping staff. They decorated my bathroom and bedroom with flower petals and "towel art." Each time I entered the bathroom it made my day to see the towel smiley face. Even better, the room was potless, almost to the point of smelling antiseptic.

View on a Larger Map

The Lifestyles resort is located in the small town of Cofresi, a 35-minute, $45 westbound taxi ride from the airport.

Cofresi is a sleepy town with little beyond a smattering of hotels, the expansive (though less pristine) Cofresi Beach, and the Ocean World adventure park, one of the north coast's most popular tourist destinations, mostly because you can swim with dolphins. Otherwise, the area is a mostly barren stretch of low-rise time-shares and small public greens that host the occasional stickball contest. Though a casino and the Canadian-owned Chris & Mady's restaurant draw sizable crowds, a relative lack of activity drives nightlife-seeking tourists 15 minutes east to Puerto Plata and the gated mini-city Playa Dorada.

Tiny beach with coarse sand

The beach is a let-down. The sand is a bit coarser than that at most Dominican resorts -- a bit like lake sand. There is only a small strip of actual beach. During my visit, most of the guests – and most of the lounge chairs – were a few steps up from the beach in an elevated, walled-in area. The water was cloudy, and while my walk into the water was sandy, it quickly gave way to sea grass. Overall, it isn't a very quality place to swim.

Kitchen/Dining area in the One Bedroom Suite

Every suite is about twice the size of a typical New York apartment and every bit as stylish. There's a living room, dining area, kitchenette, spacious bathroom, and large bedroom with good closet space (a rarity in the Caribbean). The floor was a cool white marble, and the gauzy curtains and beige linen furniture further bolstered the modern, minimalist décor. But the walls are thin -- I could hear my neighbors sneezing.

It was too bad that my room was on the first floor, in front of the maintenance shed. Since all the suites are in small, villa-style buildings, anyone could just walk up to my door (or window). I felt a bit edgy, despite the heavy blanket of security guards covering the property. (In fact, on multiple occasions, I heard the security guards' walkie-talkies when they strolled past the window.) Furthermore, my "balcony" had a large and pleasant space, but it was in the way of the workers' path and looked out over a line of humming AC units. Since the curtains in my bedroom wouldn't close all the way, and since the maintenance men were literally inches from the window, I had to hide in the bathroom to change into my bathing suit. What amused me even less was the toilet -- at first it didn't flush completely, and then it overflowed. It quickly drained after that, but still, eww.

Much to my delight, housekeeping sprinkled flower petals over the towel swan on my bed, as well as every possible towel surface in the bathroom. There was something quite endearing and sweet about the simple smiley face they made with hibiscus petals and an extra hand towel. The walk-in shower was large and semiopen, in keeping with the minimalist décor. In the morning, the water had full pressure and was plenty hot. But in the afternoon, the water was only a little above lukewarm. There was no shower door to trap the steam, so I was left shivering.

The least modern feature of the suite is the 19-inch Samsung television. Thankfully, it had lots of English-language channels, including HBO and the network's New York affiliates. Also, a key in-room feature is the mini-fridge filled with Dasani water, Coke, Sprite, and Presidente beer.

The outdoor theater

The resort has its own private pool, which is the only feature it doesn't share with the Lifestyle Tropical resort. The pool here is smaller and much quieter than the main pool at Lifestyle Tropical, and it also has a Jacuzzi. I was able to read a book in peace while a couple of kids played with the giant chess set, and a few other guests seemed to enjoy using the floats that were stacked up near the steps. In short, it's pretty boring, and really no different from a Florida condo complex.

The resort shares its other features with the Lifestyle Tropical Beach resort. This includes the resort's main pool area (also pretty mellow), an attractive, full-service spa, and a fitness room filled with dated equipment.

Overall I found both the property and my room to be quite clean. There were a few small blemishes here and there, including stains on the mirror and a small stain on the couch cushion, but nothing that affected my stay. Throughout the property, men were cleaning and sweeping the sidewalks -- even in the rain! At meals, an army of attendants whisked plates away in a timely fashion.

The Casa Blanca Garden Buffet

Casa Blanca, the main buffet restaurant, is across the property and shared with the less expensive Lifestyle Tropical Resort. I got lost walking there and somehow ended up in the middle of a suburban street of villas, but when I eventually found my way, I was pleased with the wide selection and freshness of the food. For lunch, they even had the Dominican national dish, rice and beans (a profound rarity in the D.R. resorts). However, one TripAdvisor reviewer mentioned not seeing any Dominican food during a 10-day stretch. Throughout lunch, and the next day at breakfast, I constantly saw chefs checking the food for freshness and bringing out hot dishes to add to the pans. This is a big improvement from most all-inclusive buffets.

Like many all-inclusives, the resort has a strict reservation policy for its three à la carte restaurants -- Tex-Mex, seafood, and Italian. Occasionally, certain restaurants are only open to VIP Club members (time-share owners).

Under a large thatched roof by the twinkling pool, there's the Italian restaurant, Bellini. A friendly, suit-clad maître d' seated me promptly. I had trouble understanding the menu, but he answered my questions and took my order with ease. I then went up to the salad bar, which had three different kinds of bread (including bruschetta, yum!), a pasta salad, caprese, and Caesar salad. Two other waiters brought drinks and cleared my salad plates, and then the pasta arrived. It was in a heavy cream sauce – naturally, the menu had made no mention of this -- but the portion was large, I was hungry, and it tasted pretty good. For dessert I had a piece of chocolate cake that was moist and delicious. The service was so efficient that I was in and out in about half an hour. Few TripAdvisor reviewers go into specifics about the food at Lifestyle, but those who do seem to like Bellini the best.

A not so private wedding on the beach

• Wedding Size: Up to 100 people, only one wedding held per day

• Extra Fees and Restrictions: All wedding guests must stay at the resort (minimum of three nights). There's an extra 30 percent fee added to the cost of the linens and the ceremony location fees. Weddings are only held Monday through Friday.

• Wedding Packages: The standard wedding package, the Intimate Wedding Package ($1,462 plus 16 percent taxes and fees), covers the cost of 10 people and includes a wedding certificate, a decorated ceremony location, a bouquet and buttonhole flower (for the groom), one bottle of sparkling wine, a wedding cake, a selection of hors d'oeuvres, a guitar duo for the ceremony, a bottle of wine and a cheese plate in the room of the bride and groom, a breakfast in bed for the bride and groom, and a 25-minute massage for both the bride and the groom.

• Wedding Locations: Both the ceremony and the reception are held on the beach (in full view of other resort guests) where the hotel assembles tables and chairs covered in white linens.

• Reception Location: The on-site restaurant

• Food: Guests can choose between a Dominican ($55 per person), international ($48 per person), and seafood ($82 per person) buffet -- in the case of all three, vegetarian menus are slight and the hotel does not provide specialty menus for vegan, gluten-free, or kosher diets. Hors d'oeuvres cost extra (about $15 per person, after the 10 included in the standard wedding package).

• Drinks: The standard all-inclusive package covers the cost of an open bar, but non Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club time-share members have to pay an extra $25 per person, per hour for name-brand international liquor.

• Music: An outside band will cost you about $600 for about a three-hour performance -- a DJ or a pianist costs $400.

• Cake: An outside provider prepares all of the wedding cakes, and prices range from about $400 for a cake that serves about 60 people.

Honeymoon Suite: Most couples get upgraded to a Junior Suite for free.

Airport Transportation: The hotel does not provide transportation; a taxi from Puerto Plata International Airport takes about 30 minutes and costs about $50 for one to five passengers.