Viva Wyndham Tangerine Rating: 3.0 Pearls

Cabarete and Sosua, Dominican Republic

A haven for kite-boarders

This resort is really popular with kite-boarders, which makes sense because the Viva's beach is a world-class kite-boarding spot. Guests who don't kite are satisfied to watch the dozens of colorful kites take to the sky. One can easily lose an afternoon watching this extreme spectacle.

Guests are almost all from Europe (France, Germany, England) and Canada. At night, down-tempo lounge music begins to pump over the pool area and guests slip casually into the evening. Nightlife at the hotel itself is limited, but the bumping beach bars of Cabarete are just an eight-minute walk down the beach.

This 221-room resort is nestled between the main road (highway 5) and the beach. Grounds are lush and well-maintained, but certainly not sprawling. The numerous three-story buildings are pretty close together. This means walking to and from the beach, or the front desk, does not take long. But it's at the cost of privacy.

Bartenders serve up drinks

Service at the Viva is responsive and friendly. Not every front-desk staffer speaks English, but the ones who do are really helpful. They can offer restaurant suggestions and answer logistical questions about returning rental cars. They are able and happy to assist.

When I checked into my room to find there was no toilet paper, I called to the front desk and a few rolls promptly arrived. I also called for extra towels during out stay. They too arrived in minutes.

Service at the restaurants was not as responsive. I ate whole meals without being offered a drink. To avoid this, make sure a waiter knows you're there -- or just grab a drink yourself.

Bartenders are efficient and friendly but give the typical weak all-inclusive pour.

View on a Larger Map

Cabarete, the Caribbean's kite-surfing capital, is on the north side of the Dominican Republic. It's a 20-minute, $35 cab ride from the Puerto Plata airport (Gregorio Luperón International Airport).

The small beach town has a row of cafés and shops along the busy beach. During the day, dozens of kite-boarders take to the waters when the winds pick up. The beach itself is a popular scene and lounge chairs can be rented there. At night, the cafes turn to nightclubs where young locals and expats come to party. However, advances from prostitutes are extremely common (prostitution is legal in the Dominican Republic).

The beach

Without question, the beach is the most prominent feature at the Viva. It's a great swimming beach and a world-class kite-boarding spot, hence all the kite-boarders shacking up there and rinsing their kites in the pool. By mid-afternoon, the wind and surf picks up and swimming can be a little hazardous (especially when it means dodging all the kite-boarders surfing close to the beach).

There are plenty of lounge chairs on the beach, and the restaurants and shops of Cabarete are a quick (seven-minute) stroll down the beach. Guests can also walk the road, but be advised motoconchos (motorcycle taxis) aggressively solicit pedestrians.

The Superior Room

The room where I stayed at the Viva Wyndham is clean but shows signs of wear and tear. It is on the third (uppermost) floor of one of many buildings on the Viva grounds. The walk up to the third floor isn’t too bad, and I recommend these rooms because of their tall vaulted ceilings.

Rooms are bright, thanks to a sliding glass door and window. Even in the standard rooms, there’s a slight view of the ocean, but views were limited by the large yellow Viva buildings.

The beds are average, with a couple of throw-pillows. Mine had a ripped comforter and the sheets weren’t too soft. The closet next to the bed is awkwardly placed and the doors fell off the tracks easily. The balcony comes with standard plastic chairs and is about the same size as most Dominican resorts.

The bathrooms are clean, and the suites come with a Jacuzzi tub and stand-up shower. There is a line to dry bathing suits and such in the bathroom but I don't recommend using it. Just hang any wet things outside -- they'll dry much faster and won't get the bathroom floor wet. There are two hinged windows in the bathroom that angled open. This is great for airflow, but bad for noise because they open right onto the hallway area. I heard every conversation my neighbors were having in the hallway.

There’s a large, curvy pool right next to the beach. It has a series of thatch umbrellas and palm trees throughout the sitting area, so guests can easily find shade. There's also a Jacuzzi nearby.

On site, the Viva also has a full-service spa and a small gym with cardio machines and weight-lifting equipment.

The buffet

The buffet at the Viva Wyndham is pretty average. Most TripAdvisor reviews agree with me on this, though some folks find the buffet tolerable. Many of the main entrées don’t look too appealing, so I was stuck eating nothing but bread and couscous for most of my stay.

There's a snack bar that serves pizza during the day. At night it becomes an Italian restaurant. Multiple reviewers on TripAdvisor applaud the pizza, explaining that it's the only thing they could eat during their stay. When I tried the pizza, it had been sitting out for some time and wasn’t impressive. But it's a better option than the Mexican restaurant by the pool.

Guests who want other dining options can easily walk to the cafés on Cabarete beach. Because of the large expat community in Cabarete, guests will find a wide range of restaurants offering Caribbean, Italian, and pub food at a range of prices.