Reviews of Occidental Allegro Playa Dorada Hotel, Puerto Plata

We are back from our vacation in the Dominican Republic! I am soooo glad to be back. All in all I would have to say that we did have a great time as a family, and in that sense the vacation was a success.



There were some aspects that were not that great. First let me explain our hotel complex. Our hotel was situated on a strip of beach with many other huge hotels. All these hotels were situated on a piece of property only accessible for hotel guests, employees and taxis. It was like this large village with even a plaza somewhere in the middle where you could shop. Roads, pavement, landscaping all were very exclusive and looked perfectly maintained.



There were only two heavily guarded entrances. If and when you did go on excursions and left the 'village', it seemed like you entered another world. Disorganized, chaotic, underdeveloped, poor infrastructure and for all appearances with some law but no order.



As for the price of the excursions, totally out of balance with the dynamics of the local economy. You would be asked to pay $4 for a coke at a local stop somewhere. Or the excursion would have a stop at a local eatery (so that you can see how the ‘natives’ live) where you would be overwhelmed by 20 children asking you to buy them a bag of chips with the provision that you do not open the bag of chips (so that they can sell it again).



Then if that didn't work they would start begging, all twenty of them and pointing at your bag and asking if there is nothing in there for them. Or asking you for your watch or you name it. Although it would seem that the economy needs tourism as a source of income, I am not so sure that a majority of the people are getting any better from tourism. It just makes the gap between "the haves" and "have-nots" bigger.



It is one thing to go on a expedition or excursion to a third world country with the objective to learn or write about it, but it is another thing to be constantly confronted with so much poverty and a seemingly hopeless and depressing situation when your intention is to have a fun family vacation. But maybe there are those that can easily shut their eyes and ignore what's around them and just set out to have fun and 'watch the natives' with total disregard or empathy. I couldn't.



I feel very lucky to live on a tropical island (Curacao, Dutch West Indies) that is fairly well developed and has people with a fair amount of pride, of course it is a lot easier to be proud when you are not poor.



Now, as for the Hotel. Supposedly four stars. Five restaurants, two large pools, Jacuzzi, beach, kids club with several professional animators, three bars where you can drink until you drop. As for the all inclusive part, the food was good not great but definitely good. You had several themes during the weak, Mexican night, lobster night, Dominican night, and so on. But through it all, just in case the theme didn't suit you, you could eat pizza and all kinds of pasta with all kinds of sauces every night.



My kids and I enjoyed the food, there was fresh fruit and salad (my favourite) and pizza and pasta (kids favourite) for our enjoyment. My husband on the other hand prefers a good piece of grilled meat with french fries, and that wasn't an option. NO FRENCH FRIES. I thought my husband was going to take the first plane back. There was a beach restaurant at the end of the beach that served french fries and pizza but then my children would have to miss out on the great dessert platter and ice cream, and they weren't willing to do that.



So my husband was out voted. But he really didn't mind because he saw how much the kids loved it. There is one main restaurant, one pizza place, on beach restaurant and you make reservations for the other three specialty restaurants. My advice: don't bother, they are below average. As for the drinking part, my husband and I don't really drink (alcohol), not out of principle, just preference. So we just had coke and 7up most of the time.



My husband tried the red wine once, and he said it was good. And I tried the beer (Presidente) and it was really good quality beer. I also tried a margarita cocktail once, but they make all their cocktails with these heavily sweetened juices, so my margarita tasted way too sweet and artificial. Don't expect to get fresh lime juice in your cocktail! I was immediately cured of having cocktails during my vacation. It was kind of a disappointment because although I'm not a great drinker I did envision myself having a mojito on the beach made with fresh mint. Just an romantic illusion.



As for the staff of the hotel; horrible with a few exceptions. They were callous, arrogant, detached, especially the front office, they were down right rude! The information desk personnel were helpful. The cleaning ladies were friendly and helpful.



The room was average, damp. And the pillows smelled awful. As for the trips for which you can make reservations, check if a taxi won’t do the same excursion, they usually do for a whole lot less! The only one I would recommend at the activities desk is the one for the amphibious vehicle. Really wild!!! Much better than the 'funny bike' excursion. It is a family resort, which gets fairly busy with local Dominicans during the weekends.



We made the best of it and had a great time just being together. But I don't think I will ever go back to the Dominican Republic or to Occidental hotel chains. But would I do all inclusive again, yes I think so. But I will have to check and see if they have french fries, lol.

DO NOT GO HERE. My partner & I were transferred to here after the bombs in Egypt and this was the worse holiday I have ever been on! So much so we tried to get a flight home after the first week.



We have been to many Caribbean islands and when I saw this resort I felt like I was in Spain! The reception area to be fair is very impressive, however on being shown to our room we was walking down a damp smelly corridor with mould on the ceiling tiles and walls on first sight of our room, we thought it was basic but seemed to be clean enough. Then we found out our air conditioning did not work!



We had not hot water for nearly a week due to problems in the hotel outside out hotel block was flooded every morning due to these water problems! In the first week my partner got food poisoning and was really ill our toilet in the room then blocked the workmen came to fix it and cleaned the dirty toilet water off the floor with our TOWLES and left them in our bath!



The second week I had food poisoning when I went to reception in to complain about my holiday there had been 11 cases of food poisoning in a week with 2 cases having to go to hospital. I found the staff very unhelpful and not at all friendly apart from the entertainment team well if you can call it entertainment. I don’t recommend any tours they are a waste of money and rubbish Paradise Island is a joke.



The resort its self was ok outside our faulty towers however the locals in the club up the road are very rude and my partner was offered women all night for 20$ not really what you want on holiday.



The Beach was ok but the beach sellers were annoying and pushy. Make your own mind up but I would never go to this resort even if I were given it for free.

Hotel accommodation was fine, regularly cleaned. Food was good, fresh salad and veggies. Drinks were ok except the wine (like drinking watery perfume).



They run out of things regularly, cups, glasses and drinks etc. The complex seems isolated and feels like Butlins in the middle of nowhere. Not advisable to rent a car as they drive like maniacs and a lot don't have a license or insurance we were told.



If you are thinking of doing any diving don't use the on sight Seapro Divers as they are not professional (no time for buddy checks and no briefing). Follow me was all he said and they want your money up front and try to get you to book a package.



They have a monopoly in the area so think they can behave how they like to you. Merlin Divers at Sosua is my choice. Great guy very professional. Will pick you up as well!! Wouldn’t go to complex again not my sort of holiday.

If you're looking for a relaxing place to sit on the beach and enjoy the sun, this is the place to go.



We visited this resort the week of January 21st, 2006 and it was an amazing experience. All the staff were so helpful and we found that other people staying at the resort were very friendly. A special thanks goes out to the fun club including, Oscar, Teddy, Coca-Cola, Mr. Professional and the girl (we forget your name). The entertainment was always getting everyone involved, and what first seems to be a stupid game ends up being lots of fun with a lot of participation.



The rooms themselves were a little damp, but what more can be expected. We didn't go on holidays to spend much time in the room anyways.



The food was amazing. I was warned from acquaintances before traveling that I would probably feel ill due to the change in food, but I did not experience any of that. It was all presented well and there was a great variety. If one day you couldn't find something you liked (which never happened), there was always spaghetti and salads. Nonetheless, the food was great!



If asked again whether we would travel to this resort, our answer would definitely be yes! Great Job Everyone!

Our room was damp, we all got what looked like flea bites, tiles were missing in the bathroom, the bath was rusty, the furniture falling to pieces, the TV did not work and the electrics were exposed on lamp wires and sockets. We had a sea view but were also next to the entertainment stage so it was very noisy until just after 11pm. The staff were in general friendly and helpful and our room was well cleaned daily. The pools were quite well maintained, the kids club they may as well not bothered with, the entertainment lots of effort but at times appalling. The food was really quite good, choice, presentation, variety and availability could not be faulted. No major tummy upsets either.



The best bit of the holiday were the trips out. The waterfalls, the mountains, Sousua beach for clearer water. Book your tours in the Plaza and haggle or a group could take a taxi for the day. There is a lot of competition for your trade.



The worst bit of our holiday was our encounter with the Occidental Allegro Vacation Club, touted mercilessly in all of their hotels. We went along to one of their sales talks, were shown some very nice accommodation and given some very impressive figures. We were off guard, lulled into a false sense of security by the English sales girls and it being such a big international company. We stupidly signed a contract and paid a hefty deposit with our credit card. After closely examining the contract and additional literature given to us after signing we realised that we had not bought what we thought and it all started to look a bit dodgy. We went back to their sales office where they were not quite so nice when we told them we wanted to cancel.



The credit card company said we had 10 days to tell the "Club" that we wanted to cancel and we had to prove we had done this in writing. The "Club" would not accept a letter without us employing a local solicitor to force them. With all of the stress, expense of international phone calls, solicitors bills and time wasted in offices our holiday was ruined.

I have just got back from the Dominican, after staying at the Occidental Allegro and having the best and most relaxing holiday to date.



The hotel staff are very friendly and nothing was too much hassle for them. The bar staff to the cleaners always said hello and remembered your name. The hotel itself was very clean. The rooms are basic but then again how much time do you spend in your hotel room when the weather is 85 degrees plus and there is 2 pools and a beautiful beach to go to?? If you just want to sit around the pool and relax, go the second pool as the first has volleyball, aerobics etc all day...



Food was lovely, good choice at the buffet and the a la cartes were good. Had lobster on the last night at the buffet which was delicious.



The excursions were a little pricey ($85-145 each) but very good all the same. I would recommend the white water rafting, it was excellent! Be careful of the people selling the excisions on the beach, best to book them through your rep.



If you are taking cash, it is best to change it to pesos at the Plaza bank as the US $ exchange rate is rubbish in the hotels and you will end up paying a lot more for things in US than in pesos.



Overall, an excellent holiday and one I would recommend to anyone.

Flight o.k. but no head phones (Airtours run out) so played film over sound system on night flight, Hotel room in brochure not what they use i.e. new, ours 30 years old clean but needs refurb, hotel leaks in rain either through window/patio doors, cannot take heavy rain or roof, rooms smell and damp told to open windows by rep to let air in not a real problem, had a mice visit us at approx 4 p.m. in morning was moved to another room on higher floor, our old room large gap under door.



Airtours 2 days before we left cancelled what they say in brochure that you can visit other hotel in group have meal and watch a show done by phone! when we arrived we also got letters to say that the hotel had been downgraded on health and safety so no rooms with balconies would be allocated no safe?



Management at hotel very poor staff good but needed guidance ran very much on crisis basis when it runs out we get some more (food and Glasses) Sun shade short and goes very fast either by us (English) up 5.30 to put towel out or pay hotel staff and they had towels also. We complained to Airtours some two weeks ago to date no reply?

I would definitely recommend anyone going to this hotel... The people are very friendly and made everybody feel welcome...There was a wide variety of food which was a bit dodgy but if you like pasta and salad, you’ll be sorted!!



The rooms were basic, but were very clean and spacious! There’s plenty of entertainment within the hotel and there’s a fun club for children... for all the party animals, if you get bored in the hotel, id recommend you check out Hemmingway’s at the plaza or there’s a few clubs e.g.: crazy moon..





id def recommend this hotel as the people were unbelievably friendly, the hotel was beautiful, the weather was great and the beach was very relaxing!! The plane journey however is a different story!

Food plentiful but lukewarm and sometimes slightly odd, such as fried vegetables e.g. cabbage and pumpkin for breakfast, not for non-salad lovers. Burger bar gave my husband food poisoning.



Accommodation fine; simple and adequate but with major faults such as shower that didn’t work, TV ditto, plug sockets falling off the wall, huge stagnant puddle outside room hence mosquitoes, and lots of bites (NB no mosquito nets), and profusion of ants nests on lawn directly below patio doors. Airtours rep and hotel staff unsympathetic, did not solve some problems at all, others after several days of complaining.



Had 4 reps in 2 weeks; where they all went I don’t know, some reps very rude and unhelpful - none were familiar with Dom Rep. Tours overpriced and poor value. Not exactly what you expect on your honeymoon!!



Other staff excellent and very polite

Resort cheap and pleasant

Locals were incredibly friendly. Very safe despite warnings from reps.

Very very windy and plenty of torrential rain, but hot and sunny too most of the time.


Complaint sent to Airtours on 6th May 2004, as yet unacknowledged let alone apology. Occidental have not responded to complaint either.