Lifestyle Tropical Beach Rating: 2.5 Pearls

Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

Book now by phone with Hotels.com – Call 1-800-246-8357

Nightly scene at Banana Pool Bar

Even the staff has fun at this carefree resort, where guests take it easy during the day and enjoy a few cocktails come evening. In the morning, you'll hear outdated dance tunes like “I Like to Move It” blast over the pool deck while a flexible activity-staff member leads a group of women in aqua aerobics while other guests, clearly haggard from the night before, stroll down to their lounge chairs. Other excited activity-staff members lead groups in games of Frisbee bowling on the Ping-Pong table (beer bottles act as pins). The vibe is a balance of low-key and carefree -- mellow by day, hard-drinking by night.

Friendly bartender at the Banana Pool Bar

Overall, the service was incredible friendly -- like most Dominican resorts. Whether it was the guy in the towel shack or the bartenders, everyone shook hands, smiled, and asked me how I was doing. But the service itself was lacking at points.

As is common in the D.R., the language barrier can be tricky. It was hard to have effective conversations or get directions or recommendations from the front desk. Sometimes I didn't understand staff and they didn't understand me. Perhaps that's why when I called the front desk for extra towels they never showed up.

Many guests complain about the VIP sales push. It's true -- non-VIP guests are the target of a hard sell for the hotel's nicer properties. But I didn't find the sales push to be too abrasive; one VIP sales rep asked me if I was interested, I turned him down, that was the last I heard of it.

View on a Larger Map

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 (it's where you can swim with dolphins). Otherwise, the area is a mostly barren stretch of low-rise timeshares 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 within it, Playa Dorada.

The beach is tiny, the sand is gritty (a bit like lake sand), and the water is cloudy -- not exactly paradise. While the walk into the water is sandy, it quickly gives way to sea grass. Overall, it isn’t a very quality place to swim.

The Superior Room

The standard room is very clean and comfortable, but the guest rooms are not, overall, much different from a standard room at most other Dominican all-inclusive resorts -- older, somewhat worn, and no luxury features to speak of.

• Comfortable beds, but only basic linens and older, floral-print bedspreads
• Old, standard-screen TV and Sony clock radio
• Functional AC and ceiling fan.
• The minifridge includes water, soda, and two large beers.
• Small but clean bathroom; The shower does not have a full shower curtain. Rather, it has a half-wall design that leads to water splashing all over the floor.
• Standard rooms get great sunlight on their balconies, but they don't have much of a view -- just other hotel rooms. Ocean-view rooms can be well worth the upgrade.

Performance at the Pool Theater

• The laid-back pool draws quite the crowd; be sure to grab a spot early.
• Clean, but older equipment in the fitness center
• Attractive, full service spa
• On the beach there's also a water-sports shed with the standard set of kayaks and wind surfing boards.

The Kids' Club

Lifestyle has some kid's activities during the day including a kids' club and babysitting. The entertainment staff also keep bigger kids busy with games of ping-pong and water-sports. The hotel has cribs available upon request too. At night the evening entertainment is kid-friendly but it's clear adults are having the most fun at the bar.

Perhaps the biggest plus for families is the close proximity to Ocean World adventure park. This giant zoo/aquarium has all kind of animals and guests can even ride dolphins there too.

The grounds, as well as the rooms, are very well-maintained.

Casablanca Buffet

It's amazing how a buffet can change so drastically during the day. While the breakfasts are, in general, horrible (sour milk, soggy waffles), the dinners are excellent -- chef stations carve turkey for each guest. Overall, the food is nothing impressive, but compared to other all-inclusives in the D.R., it is far from the worst. For better food, however, you can also check out the Iberostar Costa Dorada or the Victoria Golf Resort.

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.