Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus, Bayahibe, Dominican Republic
Hotel Information
Recent Price: £217
Hotel Class:
Hotel Description:
On the sea front opposite a beautiful beach of fine sand, on the south east coast of the Dominican Republic. The hotel is in perfect harmony with the ecological system of the area. 90 minutes from Punta Cana international airport and approx. 15 minutes from La Romana international airport. loading...
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Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus Reviews
" Returned yesterday from the very best... "
Submitted By: Mrs D Potts
Returned yesterday from the very best holiday!!
If you are booked to holiday in the Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus you can rest assured that you are in for a treat!!
My husband, myself, and our three children age 20, 18 and 16 flew out with first choice on 2nd Oct for 2 weeks. I had read all the reviews possible in order to choose a suitable hotel, so many to choose from, I was anxious that this family holiday was the best it could possibly be, my concerns regarding food were upper most, having suffered terrible food poisoning in Cuba a couple of years ago, I didn`t want a repeat performance particularly for my kids!!
I need not have worried, the food at the IHD was the best I have ever tasted, the quality was consistently first class, we choose to eat in the Buffet for the majority of the time, simply because the choice and quality were both astounding, a none stop supply of both red and white wine with your meal also.
Do however book for the a la carte restaurants as well, we choose the steak house, the Japanese and the colonial. FANTASTIC!! Japanese we did twice, a fantastic meal and added entertainment of the meal being cooked in front of you! Steak in the steak house tender, mouth watering, although not big on veg at this one!! And colonial what I would call very very pretty food the presentation was second to none!!
I have read reviews advising people not to have ice in their drinks, not to eat the ice cream etc for fear of tummy trouble, not necessary, if anybody is going to react to anything it’s me, with a delicate stomach, I had no trouble at all, neither did any of my family, and I can assure you we had loads of ice, and between us ice cream every day.
We had three rooms all together as requested, the kids rooms with an adjoining door again requested by email before we arrived, rooms brilliant, our little maid did a great job, all the usual towel decorations with flowers left for us every day, mini bar well stocked on a regular basis, we left her a couple of dollars tip each day, in my opinion she deserved it looking after us lot for 2 weeks!!
we visited Catalina Island, Saona Island and did the outback safari during our stay, all three excellent days out, one word of warning if you go to saona, do take plenty of sun screen, there seemed to be not as much as a breath of wind on the island, and it became very very hot, although there is plenty of shade. the BBQ lunch we had on the island, and indeed on all of the trips was good, I had also read on a review before we went that the toilets on this island were little more than holes in the ground. NOT TRUE, good clean loos that flush!!
Out of the two island trips Catalina offered better snorkelling if that’s important to know to anybody.
The entertainment staff are amazing, nonstop, doing their job to make everybody happy, from organising games etc on the beach in the morning/afternoon to performing in the hotel show at night, a great bunch of guys and girls and Lenny you will always hear before you see, great guy!!
If you visit this hotel and don`t come back sad to be leaving I would be very surprised. the one single thing that makes this hotel great if I had to choose (which is hard) I would say the staff, from the cleaners, to the waiters ,entertainment staff, just everybody you have contact with will make you feel special, when people write on these review sites that the people are friendly, my god you better believe it!!!
Fantastic holiday, if you go you won’t be disappointed, I feel quite sad at having just left but I know for sure we will go back!!
If you are booked to holiday in the Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus you can rest assured that you are in for a treat!!
My husband, myself, and our three children age 20, 18 and 16 flew out with first choice on 2nd Oct for 2 weeks. I had read all the reviews possible in order to choose a suitable hotel, so many to choose from, I was anxious that this family holiday was the best it could possibly be, my concerns regarding food were upper most, having suffered terrible food poisoning in Cuba a couple of years ago, I didn`t want a repeat performance particularly for my kids!!
I need not have worried, the food at the IHD was the best I have ever tasted, the quality was consistently first class, we choose to eat in the Buffet for the majority of the time, simply because the choice and quality were both astounding, a none stop supply of both red and white wine with your meal also.
Do however book for the a la carte restaurants as well, we choose the steak house, the Japanese and the colonial. FANTASTIC!! Japanese we did twice, a fantastic meal and added entertainment of the meal being cooked in front of you! Steak in the steak house tender, mouth watering, although not big on veg at this one!! And colonial what I would call very very pretty food the presentation was second to none!!
I have read reviews advising people not to have ice in their drinks, not to eat the ice cream etc for fear of tummy trouble, not necessary, if anybody is going to react to anything it’s me, with a delicate stomach, I had no trouble at all, neither did any of my family, and I can assure you we had loads of ice, and between us ice cream every day.
We had three rooms all together as requested, the kids rooms with an adjoining door again requested by email before we arrived, rooms brilliant, our little maid did a great job, all the usual towel decorations with flowers left for us every day, mini bar well stocked on a regular basis, we left her a couple of dollars tip each day, in my opinion she deserved it looking after us lot for 2 weeks!!
we visited Catalina Island, Saona Island and did the outback safari during our stay, all three excellent days out, one word of warning if you go to saona, do take plenty of sun screen, there seemed to be not as much as a breath of wind on the island, and it became very very hot, although there is plenty of shade. the BBQ lunch we had on the island, and indeed on all of the trips was good, I had also read on a review before we went that the toilets on this island were little more than holes in the ground. NOT TRUE, good clean loos that flush!!
Out of the two island trips Catalina offered better snorkelling if that’s important to know to anybody.
The entertainment staff are amazing, nonstop, doing their job to make everybody happy, from organising games etc on the beach in the morning/afternoon to performing in the hotel show at night, a great bunch of guys and girls and Lenny you will always hear before you see, great guy!!
If you visit this hotel and don`t come back sad to be leaving I would be very surprised. the one single thing that makes this hotel great if I had to choose (which is hard) I would say the staff, from the cleaners, to the waiters ,entertainment staff, just everybody you have contact with will make you feel special, when people write on these review sites that the people are friendly, my god you better believe it!!!
Fantastic holiday, if you go you won’t be disappointed, I feel quite sad at having just left but I know for sure we will go back!!
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- Date of Holiday:Oct 2007
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" I stayed with my family at the hotel... "
Submitted By: Miss L S Sands
I stayed with my family at the hotel for 2 weeks and found this a fascinating experience. All the staff were very friendly and went out their way to make sure everyone was ok. I cannot fault any member of the staff as they all work exceptionally hard to make your stay enjoyable providing entertainment for everyone as and when possible.
I particularly enjoyed the pool bar as I found this very handy and Raul (who worked behind the bar) made everyone feel welcome and most certainly kept us all entertained. A big thank you to him.
I also found Lenny stood out everyday I would notice him welcoming guests and ensuring they were ok. He was very popular with all the guests. Overall is was a great holiday that I couldn't fault, only one thing I could mention was my long blonde hair seemed to get a green hint from the pool so those with blonde hair be aware other than that, everything was great.
I would strongly recomend the Japanese and Mexican restaurants, the chefs are great!
It was hard to say goodbye and I didn't want to leave i could have easily stayed another 2 weeks!
I particularly enjoyed the pool bar as I found this very handy and Raul (who worked behind the bar) made everyone feel welcome and most certainly kept us all entertained. A big thank you to him.
I also found Lenny stood out everyday I would notice him welcoming guests and ensuring they were ok. He was very popular with all the guests. Overall is was a great holiday that I couldn't fault, only one thing I could mention was my long blonde hair seemed to get a green hint from the pool so those with blonde hair be aware other than that, everything was great.
I would strongly recomend the Japanese and Mexican restaurants, the chefs are great!
It was hard to say goodbye and I didn't want to leave i could have easily stayed another 2 weeks!
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2007
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" We flew from Manchester with First... "
Submitted By: Mrs J Baker
We flew from Manchester with First Choice. The flight was on time and the aeroplane was very comfortable with leather seats and seat back TV screens.
In addition to the usual films there was a variety of games to play such as hangman, crossword puzzles, solitaire, etc., which helped to pass the time.
Check in went smoothly and we quickly began our journey to Bayahibe. Although the journey was somewhat lengthy, it was interesting to pass through the small towns and countryside, which gave us a flavour of the country.
On arriving at the hotel we were greeted with a complimentary drink and given a brief orientation of the resort. The reception area was light and spacious.
We had a little difficulty locating our rooms, which were situated on the second floor of Block 2. We were allocated interconnecting rooms which I had requested by e-mail a few weeks prior to our arrival. We requested that the interconnecting door be opened, since our children were 13 and 11 yrs old.
Although this proved difficult, since the key could not be located, a workman arrived some 30 mins or so later and took off the door frame, in order that we could make use of the interconnecting door.
The rooms were of a good size, clean and well presented. One room had a king size bed and the other had twin queen sized beds. The room with the king size bed had a bathroom with shower over bath; the twin room had a large walk-in shower, which proved to be ideal for the boys. The rooms were regularly decorated with floral and sculpted towel designs.
There was a good choice of food at the buffet restaurant both at breakfast and in the evening. The freshly cooked omelettes were particularly good, as was the choice of fresh tropical fruits and juices. There were a couple of themed evenings in the buffet each week, one of which included crayfish and giant prawns.
We didn't use the main buffet restaurant during the day as we preferred to grab a snack from the self service restaurant near to the beach where there was a selection of food which included, freshly made pizzas, hamburgers, hotdogs, etc. This restaurant doubled as the Steak House in the evening. There was also a beach barbeque and paella party on the beach a couple of times a week.
We tried all but the Japanese speciality restaurants. Whilst all proved popular, the Mexican was our family's favourite. The French (gourmet) restaurant although having a somewhat limited menu (mains comprised of steak or lobster) was very elegant and gave a good opportunity to dress up a little.
Gentlemen were required to wear long trousers in the speciality restaurants but this requirement didn't extend to the children.
The beach/pool chairs were reserved early in the morning. Although there were usually beach loungers available throughout the day, you needed to get to the beach early if you were particular as to where you wanted to pitch up.
The water was very calm for most of our 14 nights with gentle waves on a couple of days which made for good fun. There were some pots towards the furthest point of the designated swimming area containing sea creatures and whilst there was not a great variety of fish to be seen close by the shore, what there was could easily be encouraged with a bread roll.
We took a couple of trips booked through the First Choice Rep: one to Saona Island and the Jeep Safari. We enjoyed both trips and considered them to have been good value for money. The alcohol was free flowing - so be warned!
All-in-all we had a most enjoyable stay at the IHD and would highly recommend this hotel for a family holiday. On a cautionary note - the hotel was quite isolated, so if you are the kind of people who enjoy a stroll to a bar in the evening, this would most probably not suit you.
In addition to the usual films there was a variety of games to play such as hangman, crossword puzzles, solitaire, etc., which helped to pass the time.
Check in went smoothly and we quickly began our journey to Bayahibe. Although the journey was somewhat lengthy, it was interesting to pass through the small towns and countryside, which gave us a flavour of the country.
On arriving at the hotel we were greeted with a complimentary drink and given a brief orientation of the resort. The reception area was light and spacious.
We had a little difficulty locating our rooms, which were situated on the second floor of Block 2. We were allocated interconnecting rooms which I had requested by e-mail a few weeks prior to our arrival. We requested that the interconnecting door be opened, since our children were 13 and 11 yrs old.
Although this proved difficult, since the key could not be located, a workman arrived some 30 mins or so later and took off the door frame, in order that we could make use of the interconnecting door.
The rooms were of a good size, clean and well presented. One room had a king size bed and the other had twin queen sized beds. The room with the king size bed had a bathroom with shower over bath; the twin room had a large walk-in shower, which proved to be ideal for the boys. The rooms were regularly decorated with floral and sculpted towel designs.
There was a good choice of food at the buffet restaurant both at breakfast and in the evening. The freshly cooked omelettes were particularly good, as was the choice of fresh tropical fruits and juices. There were a couple of themed evenings in the buffet each week, one of which included crayfish and giant prawns.
We didn't use the main buffet restaurant during the day as we preferred to grab a snack from the self service restaurant near to the beach where there was a selection of food which included, freshly made pizzas, hamburgers, hotdogs, etc. This restaurant doubled as the Steak House in the evening. There was also a beach barbeque and paella party on the beach a couple of times a week.
We tried all but the Japanese speciality restaurants. Whilst all proved popular, the Mexican was our family's favourite. The French (gourmet) restaurant although having a somewhat limited menu (mains comprised of steak or lobster) was very elegant and gave a good opportunity to dress up a little.
Gentlemen were required to wear long trousers in the speciality restaurants but this requirement didn't extend to the children.
The beach/pool chairs were reserved early in the morning. Although there were usually beach loungers available throughout the day, you needed to get to the beach early if you were particular as to where you wanted to pitch up.
The water was very calm for most of our 14 nights with gentle waves on a couple of days which made for good fun. There were some pots towards the furthest point of the designated swimming area containing sea creatures and whilst there was not a great variety of fish to be seen close by the shore, what there was could easily be encouraged with a bread roll.
We took a couple of trips booked through the First Choice Rep: one to Saona Island and the Jeep Safari. We enjoyed both trips and considered them to have been good value for money. The alcohol was free flowing - so be warned!
All-in-all we had a most enjoyable stay at the IHD and would highly recommend this hotel for a family holiday. On a cautionary note - the hotel was quite isolated, so if you are the kind of people who enjoy a stroll to a bar in the evening, this would most probably not suit you.
-
- Date of Holiday:Aug 2006
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" First class service from all Thomson... "
Submitted By: Mr S Loud
First class service from all Thomson staff on flight airports and at the hotel. Well worth paying extra for premium seats on plane. Hotel Rep. Katie was very knowledgeable and helpful. All staff at the Hotel were excellent could not do enough for you and always had a smile.
Food was very good with plenty of choice. Hotel and rooms were kept very clean and tidy. Plenty of sun loungers available around the pool area but loungers near beach bar were soon reserved?
The main downside to this holiday was the transfer time to the hotel from the airport the journey took nearly two hours due to the traffic and roads not being what we are used to.
This was an excellent holiday and will return to the Dom Rep again.
Food was very good with plenty of choice. Hotel and rooms were kept very clean and tidy. Plenty of sun loungers available around the pool area but loungers near beach bar were soon reserved?
The main downside to this holiday was the transfer time to the hotel from the airport the journey took nearly two hours due to the traffic and roads not being what we are used to.
This was an excellent holiday and will return to the Dom Rep again.
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- Date of Holiday:Feb 2007
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" We've just come back from a diving... "
Submitted By: Ms J Saunders
We've just come back from a diving holiday based at the Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus, Dressel Divers (on site) were just fantastic and made everything so easy. Indeed, the whole holiday was unforgettable. The hotel is so pretty for a start, arched corridors surround tropical gardens with shady bowers, fountains, palms, orchids and hibiscus, ponds with flamingos and swans. Sweetly scented by day but a little pongy at night when they sensibly recycle the water to sprinkle the garden, no wonder it's so lush! Each block has its own planted courtyard, an entrance hall with hand-decorated tiles, copper lantern and traditionally painted ceramics. The rooms are large, spacious, clean and well-equipped. Everything worked!
The food is delicious, fresh, imaginative and beautifully presented (usually with carved fruit sculptures) and there is huge choice. However, it was the staff that made this holiday so distinctive, without exception, they were so friendly, genuinely warm, helpful and efficient.
The evening entertainment ranged from cringe worthy competitive events for gullible good sports to spectacular professional shows with dazzling costumes and world-class dancing. Despite arduous practice schedules, the performers always reserved enough energy to provide a variety of fun activities throughout the day and fabulous dancing partnership to anyone who stayed up for the disco, with all that legendary Caribbean rhythm and hip swaying, we were hooked!
I hope I'll return to the Dominican Republic, with its white coral sand beaches and turquoise seas full of gorgeously coloured corals and sponges, and I won't be looking for an alternative hotel, I made so many friends at this one.
The food is delicious, fresh, imaginative and beautifully presented (usually with carved fruit sculptures) and there is huge choice. However, it was the staff that made this holiday so distinctive, without exception, they were so friendly, genuinely warm, helpful and efficient.
The evening entertainment ranged from cringe worthy competitive events for gullible good sports to spectacular professional shows with dazzling costumes and world-class dancing. Despite arduous practice schedules, the performers always reserved enough energy to provide a variety of fun activities throughout the day and fabulous dancing partnership to anyone who stayed up for the disco, with all that legendary Caribbean rhythm and hip swaying, we were hooked!
I hope I'll return to the Dominican Republic, with its white coral sand beaches and turquoise seas full of gorgeously coloured corals and sponges, and I won't be looking for an alternative hotel, I made so many friends at this one.
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- Date of Holiday:Sep 2006
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" Me and my husband traveled to... "
Submitted By: Mrs B Oakland
Me and my husband traveled to Dominican Republic on our honeymoon and returned back 10 days ago.
Firstly let me just say that this was the most fantastic place that we have ever stayed at.
The Hacienda Dominicus was amazing, my husband and I have been all over the world including St Lucia, Singapore and Dubai and this hotel was the best by far. We traveled with Thomas Cook and found the rep in the resort to be very helpful (when at the resort which was not very often!).
The staff at this hotel cannot do enough for you, they go out of their way to make your stay the best it can be from the waiters in the restaurant remembering what you drink to the entertainment team asking you everyday if you are OK and if they can do anything for you. We read the other reviews and left a tip of 2 dollars everyday for the maids who very kindly changed the towels, sheets and put new drinks in the mini-bar everyday. (They also lined the shoes up and straighter the toiletries which was quite funny).
The evening entertainment was good for the first week but became quiet monotonous by the end of the fortnight but don’t let this put you off as the hotel really is amazing. A little bit of advise - I have long blonde hair and found that my hair attracted a tinge of blue from the pool! So be wary.
I cannot stress how much we enjoyed this place and will return at the next opportunity, if you are traveling from the UK it is very definitely worth upgrading your flight as the plane that we traveled on was very cramped.
Enjoy your holiday if you are traveling here as you will not be disappointed.
Firstly let me just say that this was the most fantastic place that we have ever stayed at.
The Hacienda Dominicus was amazing, my husband and I have been all over the world including St Lucia, Singapore and Dubai and this hotel was the best by far. We traveled with Thomas Cook and found the rep in the resort to be very helpful (when at the resort which was not very often!).
The staff at this hotel cannot do enough for you, they go out of their way to make your stay the best it can be from the waiters in the restaurant remembering what you drink to the entertainment team asking you everyday if you are OK and if they can do anything for you. We read the other reviews and left a tip of 2 dollars everyday for the maids who very kindly changed the towels, sheets and put new drinks in the mini-bar everyday. (They also lined the shoes up and straighter the toiletries which was quite funny).
The evening entertainment was good for the first week but became quiet monotonous by the end of the fortnight but don’t let this put you off as the hotel really is amazing. A little bit of advise - I have long blonde hair and found that my hair attracted a tinge of blue from the pool! So be wary.
I cannot stress how much we enjoyed this place and will return at the next opportunity, if you are traveling from the UK it is very definitely worth upgrading your flight as the plane that we traveled on was very cramped.
Enjoy your holiday if you are traveling here as you will not be disappointed.
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- Date of Holiday:Sep 2006
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" WOW! What a hotel... But then again... "
Submitted By: Mr A Kennedy
WOW! What a hotel... But then again one thing I can say is Iberostar never let me down!
We had been lucky enough to be upgraded to a Jr. Suite on arrival and it was great. Huge room which was kept very clean for the entire stay. This was also the case in the common areas of the hotel.
This hotel has four al a carte restaurants and one buffet. The food in all five is second to no other hotel I have visited.
Drink is great too. They have all the good names like Jack Daniels, absolute etc.
Could not recommend this hotel more, so if you’re thinking of booking it... Go! Go! Go!
The food was FANTASTIC.
We had been lucky enough to be upgraded to a Jr. Suite on arrival and it was great. Huge room which was kept very clean for the entire stay. This was also the case in the common areas of the hotel.
This hotel has four al a carte restaurants and one buffet. The food in all five is second to no other hotel I have visited.
Drink is great too. They have all the good names like Jack Daniels, absolute etc.
Could not recommend this hotel more, so if you’re thinking of booking it... Go! Go! Go!
The food was FANTASTIC.
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- Date of Holiday:May 2004
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" I stayed at the Iberostar Hacienda... "
Submitted By: Miss S Lawrence
I stayed at the Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus for 14 nights in Feb 06 and didn’t want to leave. Every element of the holiday was fantastic. I work as a travel consultant and will be the first to find fault but I will also give praise - I have nothing but praise for this hotel. It is certainly 5 star!
Everything from the rooms to the restaurants, from the pool to the people was superb. The rooms are spotlessly clean, spacious and airy. There is a brilliant choice of food in numerous restaurants and the waiters cannot be faulted, they all work so hard and always wear a smile. The pool area is beautiful and the beach - paradise!
The thing that really made the holiday was the people - every member of staff were wonderful. The waiters, gardeners, cleaners and the Star Friends were all friendly - it was hard to say goodbye!
I would not hesitate to recommend the Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus it is a fantastic choice and makes a wonderful holiday!
Everything from the rooms to the restaurants, from the pool to the people was superb. The rooms are spotlessly clean, spacious and airy. There is a brilliant choice of food in numerous restaurants and the waiters cannot be faulted, they all work so hard and always wear a smile. The pool area is beautiful and the beach - paradise!
The thing that really made the holiday was the people - every member of staff were wonderful. The waiters, gardeners, cleaners and the Star Friends were all friendly - it was hard to say goodbye!
I would not hesitate to recommend the Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus it is a fantastic choice and makes a wonderful holiday!
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- Date of Holiday:Feb 2006
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" Our holiday was changed 1 week prior... "
Submitted By: Mrs A S Warner
Our holiday was changed 1 week prior to departure due to the unknown virus at the Riu Bachata hotel in the North. After alot of stress we definitely made the right decision to travel to the South of the island.
The Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus was by far one of the best hotels I have ever stayed in however it did not come without problems. Being our wedding anniversary & my birthday the hotel confirmed a room upgrade before arrival - the view given was of bushes & only after a week were we upgraded to one of the owners rooms on the seafront.
The maintenance staff are very laid back here & when called to ask them to fix the patio doors that did not lock was told our belongings were safe - took 2.5 hours for them to come & fix by which our children were asleep & missed dinner but unavoidable as our insurance certainly would not have paid out & after all this is a third world country.
Having 2 children the kids club was a plus however after my son hit his head there & started becoming violently sick I became worried & rang home. After gaining an appetite I decided to go & get my 4 year old some food however due to health & safety you are not allowed to carry plates around the hotel but thinking this was an exceptional circumstance I asked reception who rudely told me to ask the head waiter who said no at 1st, then on return to my room was shouted at by the customer relations manager - believe me not a good experience.
After this we became royalty & the hotel could not have done more in making us feel welcome - fruit, champagne, gifts for the children.
This hotel is starting to age a little & needs some renovation work doing i.e. re tiling the swimming pool, however if completed it would simply be like paradise. Hotel is situated right on its own private beach with security guards ensuring guests of nearby hotels cannot enter the complex.
The food is great for adults including Japanese, Colonial, Mexican & Steak restaurants however unless your children live on chips a little too extravagant for them however the chefs are only too happy to cook something specially. The rooms are very spacious - anyone travelling here should request block 4 which has both pool & sea views available.
This hotel is better suited to honeymoon couples with children really in a minority probably due to cost however it will not deter us from returning this year as we have been promised to be looked after.
The Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus was by far one of the best hotels I have ever stayed in however it did not come without problems. Being our wedding anniversary & my birthday the hotel confirmed a room upgrade before arrival - the view given was of bushes & only after a week were we upgraded to one of the owners rooms on the seafront.
The maintenance staff are very laid back here & when called to ask them to fix the patio doors that did not lock was told our belongings were safe - took 2.5 hours for them to come & fix by which our children were asleep & missed dinner but unavoidable as our insurance certainly would not have paid out & after all this is a third world country.
Having 2 children the kids club was a plus however after my son hit his head there & started becoming violently sick I became worried & rang home. After gaining an appetite I decided to go & get my 4 year old some food however due to health & safety you are not allowed to carry plates around the hotel but thinking this was an exceptional circumstance I asked reception who rudely told me to ask the head waiter who said no at 1st, then on return to my room was shouted at by the customer relations manager - believe me not a good experience.
After this we became royalty & the hotel could not have done more in making us feel welcome - fruit, champagne, gifts for the children.
This hotel is starting to age a little & needs some renovation work doing i.e. re tiling the swimming pool, however if completed it would simply be like paradise. Hotel is situated right on its own private beach with security guards ensuring guests of nearby hotels cannot enter the complex.
The food is great for adults including Japanese, Colonial, Mexican & Steak restaurants however unless your children live on chips a little too extravagant for them however the chefs are only too happy to cook something specially. The rooms are very spacious - anyone travelling here should request block 4 which has both pool & sea views available.
This hotel is better suited to honeymoon couples with children really in a minority probably due to cost however it will not deter us from returning this year as we have been promised to be looked after.
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- Date of Holiday:May 2005
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" We stayed here from the 22nd Aug for... "
Submitted By: Mr A Swell
We stayed here from the 22nd Aug for 2 weeks and had a great time everything about this place is great let’s hope it stays that way definitely worth a return visit.
Down side journey from the airport 1 hour 20 mins and tour operator Thomas Cook look out for the stop at the North Airport to pick up passengers on your way home and the brain dead Rep.
Hotel can’t help that so boo to Thomas Cook!
Down side journey from the airport 1 hour 20 mins and tour operator Thomas Cook look out for the stop at the North Airport to pick up passengers on your way home and the brain dead Rep.
Hotel can’t help that so boo to Thomas Cook!
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2005
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" My stay was between 12 Nov till 22... "
Submitted By: Mr Leon
My stay was between 12 Nov till 22 Nov 2004
Everything was perfect: place, staff and other tourists.
About snorkelling: no coral, some fishes (according to the hour of day). there is reef with lot of fish on a walking distance to the left in front of the Domincus Club.
All together, to be recommended.
Everything was perfect: place, staff and other tourists.
About snorkelling: no coral, some fishes (according to the hour of day). there is reef with lot of fish on a walking distance to the left in front of the Domincus Club.
All together, to be recommended.
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- Date of Holiday:Nov 2004
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" We stayed at the Ibrostar Hacienda... "
Submitted By: Mrs Mair
We stayed at the Ibrostar Hacienda Dominicus 6th oct-20th Oct 2004.
We read all the reports, but anyone who considers going here will not be disappointed. The standard was superb, the very best of the best, very very clean, food wonderful, and the resort/beach a dream.
This holiday was a dream for my son who has a serious illness, we were very worried about taking him that far abroad, but it was fantastic. Tompsons care for special needs is wonderful. We have to carry in the hand luggage 28lb of drugs and equipment on the flight, there was no problem unlike other tour operators who will still only allow 5kg/11lb in hand luggage.
A holiday every one will enjoy!
We read all the reports, but anyone who considers going here will not be disappointed. The standard was superb, the very best of the best, very very clean, food wonderful, and the resort/beach a dream.
This holiday was a dream for my son who has a serious illness, we were very worried about taking him that far abroad, but it was fantastic. Tompsons care for special needs is wonderful. We have to carry in the hand luggage 28lb of drugs and equipment on the flight, there was no problem unlike other tour operators who will still only allow 5kg/11lb in hand luggage.
A holiday every one will enjoy!
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- Date of Holiday:Oct 2004
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" We stayed at the IHD from 7th October... "
Submitted By: N/A
We stayed at the IHD from 7th October to 21st October. Previously we have stayed at the Iberostar Costa Dorada in the north of the Dominican Republic and the Iberostar Paraiso in Mexico.
The IHD is beautiful but from a purely personal point of view both my husband and myself thought that the food at the other Iberostars were far superior. The main buffet restaurant was closed at lunchtime throughout our stay. The reason given was that the hotel was under occupied. Judging by the lack of staff including the star friends, we think that that was the main reason. Obviously. because of this, the lunchtime menu was limited as the only choice was the pool restaurant or the beach BBQ. We only tried the beach BBQ once when the menu was kebabs, but as our chicken was not cooked we gave this a miss and stuck to the pool buffet.
We tried all the al la Carte restaurants and found them all to be Ok. The steakhouse restaurant was ruined for us as unruly children were running around the buffet and on the tables without being checked by either their parents or the staff. The only time the staff intervened in the restaurants was at the Gourmet restaurant. As tastes varies, try them all and see which ones you prefer.
I cannot comment on the pool as we only went to the beach as last time at the Costa Dorada my husband got an ear infection from the pool. We did not find a problem getting sunbeds but the ones nearest to the sea were all reserved by 7.30 am. The beach is beautiful. Clean white sand and crystal clear water.
If you are visiting the Hacienda Dominicus, then here is some useful tips:
Do not exchange money in the hotel. All goods are priced in pesos but the exchange rate is only 28 to the dollar. In the shops outside the hotel you can get 35 to the dollar. So if the peso price looks cheaper in the hotel, ask what the dollar price is. The hotel has an ATM. Even with the fees charged by the card company, it can still work out cheaper than exchanging money at the hotel.
The reps try to sell you tickets to the VIP lounge at Punta Cana Airport at 23 dollars per person saying that it is air conditioned so you will not have to put up with the heat. If you go directly to the gate for your flight, you will find yourself in an air conditioned area free of charge.
Leave the maid a couple of dollar tips per day and she will always fill up the minibar and leave you beautiful towel sculptures. One day she even made the floor mats into a pattern. We also tipped the waiters serving drinks both in the bars and on the beach. It didn’t make any difference to the service we received but as they don’t earn much. it was appreciated.
The sea area set aside for bathing is deep enough for swimming. The hotel has put features in to attract the fish so it is great for snorkelling. It is surprising the amount of fish you will see in the shallow if you stand there with some bread in your hand.
Join Raul at the beach bar for the closing ceremony about an hour before sunset and stay until the sunsets. We all agreed that this was the highlight of the holiday. If you go there you will see what we mean.
We didn’t enjoy the evening entertainment but, I think that is because it is the same throughout all the Iberostars in the Caribbean. So if you have seen it once you don’t particularly want to see it again. We liken it to holiday camps in the sixties.
Having said that, we sat outside on the open air terrace most evenings and met a variety of people from different countries including France and USA.
Would we go back again. No most probably not as there are many more places in the world to visit. If we could design our own Iberostar resort in the Dominican Republic it would have the buildings, beach and grounds of the Hacienda Dominicus and the variety of food and staff from the Costa Dorada.
The IHD is beautiful but from a purely personal point of view both my husband and myself thought that the food at the other Iberostars were far superior. The main buffet restaurant was closed at lunchtime throughout our stay. The reason given was that the hotel was under occupied. Judging by the lack of staff including the star friends, we think that that was the main reason. Obviously. because of this, the lunchtime menu was limited as the only choice was the pool restaurant or the beach BBQ. We only tried the beach BBQ once when the menu was kebabs, but as our chicken was not cooked we gave this a miss and stuck to the pool buffet.
We tried all the al la Carte restaurants and found them all to be Ok. The steakhouse restaurant was ruined for us as unruly children were running around the buffet and on the tables without being checked by either their parents or the staff. The only time the staff intervened in the restaurants was at the Gourmet restaurant. As tastes varies, try them all and see which ones you prefer.
I cannot comment on the pool as we only went to the beach as last time at the Costa Dorada my husband got an ear infection from the pool. We did not find a problem getting sunbeds but the ones nearest to the sea were all reserved by 7.30 am. The beach is beautiful. Clean white sand and crystal clear water.
If you are visiting the Hacienda Dominicus, then here is some useful tips:
Do not exchange money in the hotel. All goods are priced in pesos but the exchange rate is only 28 to the dollar. In the shops outside the hotel you can get 35 to the dollar. So if the peso price looks cheaper in the hotel, ask what the dollar price is. The hotel has an ATM. Even with the fees charged by the card company, it can still work out cheaper than exchanging money at the hotel.
The reps try to sell you tickets to the VIP lounge at Punta Cana Airport at 23 dollars per person saying that it is air conditioned so you will not have to put up with the heat. If you go directly to the gate for your flight, you will find yourself in an air conditioned area free of charge.
Leave the maid a couple of dollar tips per day and she will always fill up the minibar and leave you beautiful towel sculptures. One day she even made the floor mats into a pattern. We also tipped the waiters serving drinks both in the bars and on the beach. It didn’t make any difference to the service we received but as they don’t earn much. it was appreciated.
The sea area set aside for bathing is deep enough for swimming. The hotel has put features in to attract the fish so it is great for snorkelling. It is surprising the amount of fish you will see in the shallow if you stand there with some bread in your hand.
Join Raul at the beach bar for the closing ceremony about an hour before sunset and stay until the sunsets. We all agreed that this was the highlight of the holiday. If you go there you will see what we mean.
We didn’t enjoy the evening entertainment but, I think that is because it is the same throughout all the Iberostars in the Caribbean. So if you have seen it once you don’t particularly want to see it again. We liken it to holiday camps in the sixties.
Having said that, we sat outside on the open air terrace most evenings and met a variety of people from different countries including France and USA.
Would we go back again. No most probably not as there are many more places in the world to visit. If we could design our own Iberostar resort in the Dominican Republic it would have the buildings, beach and grounds of the Hacienda Dominicus and the variety of food and staff from the Costa Dorada.
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- Date of Holiday:Oct 2004
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Eclipse Direct
" Overall a brilliant holiday.
... "
Overall a brilliant holiday.
1. The flight with First Choice -we had upgraded (just hubby and I, no kids !!!) rating 1/10. At checkin we were told that although we’d booked premium seats we were not able to sit together - different rows !!)
When in departure I telephone both First Choice and The holiday place, but nothing could be done.
Flight okay, meals-I’ve had much better. NOT WORTH PAYING THE EXTRA TO UPGRADE.
On arrival in Punta Cana - none to meet us, no transport, Once we contacted our rep(the holiday place used Go Dominican) they said that our rep had broken his leg and the other members of the team had forgotten about us.
The Hotel - Brilliant - can’t fault it. good food, great staff, great everything!!
1. The flight with First Choice -we had upgraded (just hubby and I, no kids !!!) rating 1/10. At checkin we were told that although we’d booked premium seats we were not able to sit together - different rows !!)
When in departure I telephone both First Choice and The holiday place, but nothing could be done.
Flight okay, meals-I’ve had much better. NOT WORTH PAYING THE EXTRA TO UPGRADE.
On arrival in Punta Cana - none to meet us, no transport, Once we contacted our rep(the holiday place used Go Dominican) they said that our rep had broken his leg and the other members of the team had forgotten about us.
The Hotel - Brilliant - can’t fault it. good food, great staff, great everything!!
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- Date of Holiday:Oct 2004
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:The Holiday Place
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the people were amazing! everyone was so friendly and helpfull and really get to know you. freddie was great and such a laugh!!
the food was fantastic. the rooms were bright and clean, and the chamber maid were really good, and so friendly. they were cleaned everyday and we had fresh towels made into swans and hearts everyday, and the maids decorated the rooms everyday with fresh flowers. we went parasailing, it cost $80 and was totally worth it. the weather was brilliant it only rained on 2 days and it was light rain and didnt effect our day at all.
i would recomend this resort to anyone. it was amazing and i would go back there.