PTR: Spring Break Lifestyle in the DR! - Page 2 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Sorry I have been absent from this for a few days...............I got that creepy crud virus that was going around, and we have been dealing with some medical issues with MIL, not to mention that this year is a performance year for Em's dance studio (they only do one every other year.......thank goodness!!! ), so I have been busy (on the costume committee, and they had a fundraiser breakfast this am) in addition to just feeling lousy.
So on with the show..............
I left you all hanging as to where we were going . Well, as I had mentioned earlier, we had gotten a lead to an all inclusive..............in the Dominican Republic ~ Puerto Plata to be exact. I had never heard of Puerto Plata............Punta Cana, yes (which our friends had visited the year before), but no Puerto Plata ...........had not a clue where it was, but I saw a photo of the resort, and I was SOLD!!!
Puerto Plata is on the northern shore of the Dominican Republic (where the more popular destination of Punta Cana is on the southern shore). At this point I was excited to be going somewhere that was more than likely going to be warm, have beaches, and more excitedly I would get a stamp in my passport!
So we immediately got to looking into this resort ~ checking out all its options as it is broken up into many different sections, but still all inclusive all around . The individual that we would be booking through is a share holder at this resort and he and his wife highly recommended the Crown Villas for us ~ which would be a private villa home with 3 bedrooms (you can get up to 6 bedroom villas!) with a private pool, yard, and a butler that will come make breakfast in your villa! SOLD!!!! And the best part, split between the 2 families, it was so inexpensive - we would have been dumb to not jump on it!
Next thing we knew, we were booked for a 3 bedroom Crown Villa at the Lifestyle Holiday Vacation Resort in Puerto Plata, DR (Dominican Republic) for the week of Spring Break for 5 nights, 6 days!!!
This is one of the villas...........each one is different, but all with the Mediterranean type décor:
And because we booked through the share holder we would obtain VIP status while there, which would give us access to a VIP only pool
And a VIP only beach..........can picture myself sipping cocktails on one of these
Sigh.............it looks so beautiful!!!
Up next: How will we get there.....and what's included???
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Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
Awesome accommodations! I think staying there might make it hard to come home.
I have been thinking the same thing too ......especially this week!!! Been trying to figure out how I can extend that until June 30th and just fly into MCO!
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Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
I have been thinking the same thing too ......especially this week!!! Been trying to figure out how I can extend that until June 30th and just fly into MCO!
I like your thinking here! The resort looks and sounds beyond amazing. I'm so glad you'll be able to have this getaway.
It's so great how you became friends and stayed that way.
Wow! That is living the life! Amazing!
I've been to Punta Cana but never heard of Punta Puerta either. Looks beautiful!
I like your thinking here! The resort looks and sounds beyond amazing. I'm so glad you'll be able to have this getaway.
Can't blame a girl for trying!
Quote:
Originally Posted by OhToodles!
It's so great how you became friends and stayed that way.
Wow! That is living the life! Amazing!
I've been to Punta Cana but never heard of Punta Puerta either. Looks beautiful!
Thanks! It is pretty amazing now a days to find such long lasting friends! I went back and read your Punta Cana TR! I can't wait!
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Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
Well, yes, the obvious is by airplane silly! Unless of course you want to try to do it by boat! But we had to make the decision if we would all travel together or separately.
After lots of discussion and many hours of checking flights, it was decided that my family would start our vacation a bit early and drive down to NJ the Saturday before the trip (4/12) after Em's dance rehearsals. Steve will be working extremely late (did I mention he works for a major network......yeah, well, he will be working SNL!) so he won't be there when we arrive. But Cindy and I are thinking this will be the best plan, that way her and I can run out on Sunday to get last minute things if needed (we want to bring a few of our own snacks). Then I am sure there will be some wine included in the day/evening somewhere before we all turn in early - as we will have to wake quite early the next morning to head to Newark for our 9am flight to Puerto Plata!!! The other reason why my family chose to do it this way is that the flight is direct from here. Funny thing is, if we had taken the flight from our airport, it would have stopped in Newark and our friends could have joined us then! But we figure half the fun is traveling together!
When we fly back, our flight will arrive back in Newark around 6:30pm, so our plan is to stay the night with our friends another night and spend Easter morning with them before driving home.
So what's included in our "All Inclusive Vacation"..............well, you pretty much name it, it's included!
I will start with arriving to the island - they will transport us back and forth to the resort via shuttle!
In the villas we will have a stocked fridge with sodas, juices, bottled water, beer, and liquor for us adults - and we get to each pick a bottle!!! There is also a full kitchen in the villa - however, I will leave that to the butler to utilize each morning as he comes to prepare our breakfast, that we hope to enjoy at the outside dining table. In the villas all the "usual" resort amenities are included as well - shampoo, conditioner, etc.
Resort Amenities that are included are:
15+ Restaurants
25+ Bars
14 Pools
3 Beaches (including a private VIP Beach that we will be able to use!)
A Nightclub
2 Entertainment Centers with nightly shows
Introductory In-Pool Scuba
Non-Motorized Watersports (Snorkeling equipment, boogie boards, & kayaks)
Tennis, Basketball & Beach Volleyball Courts
Health Club
2 Gyms
Executive Golf course (although Scott will not be able to golf due to shoulder surgery)
Life Size Chess Game
Daily Activities (such as dance lessons, games, yoga, aqua aerobics, kids activities, etc)
Teen Club
Mini-disco
Golf Cart (to get around resort)
We have been told that the sushi and the crepes are amazing here!! So we definitely plan to sample those!
There are also 2 spas on property, and as VIP Guests we will receive a 30% discount if we use them.............I am thinking a massage on the beach might be in order
They also offer several excursions from the resort to activities out in Puerto Plata, however, we just spent last weekend with Steve, Cindy & Kayla to discuss this trip and we are all in agreement that we are not really interested in any of the excursions - some of them are pretty pricey - and many of them are not ones that Scott will be able to participate (due to being only 6 weeks post op at the time of trip) - and there is so much to do right there at the resort.
The one "excursion" that we will probably do is visit Ocean World ~ which as VIP Guests, our tickets are included. Ocean World appears to be a water park/marine animal park. They have sea lions, dolphins, sharks, tigers, etc! Right up our alley! And they will provide transportation!
So as of this moment, we plan to do a whole lot of nothing but relaxing, eating, relaxing, and eating!! And some adult beverages for us grown ups too
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Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
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Sounds like a great trip and the resort looks pretty amazing! Having butler service, would definitely be a big plus!
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), so I have been busy (on the costume committee, and they had a fundraiser breakfast this am) in addition to just feeling lousy. 
. Well, as I had mentioned earlier, we had gotten a lead to an all inclusive..............in the Dominican Republic ~ Puerto Plata to be exact. I had never heard of Puerto Plata............Punta Cana, yes (which our friends had visited the year before), but no Puerto Plata 
...........had not a clue where it was, but I saw a photo of the resort, and I was SOLD!!! 
. The individual that we would be booking through is a share holder at this resort and he and his wife highly recommended the Crown Villas for us ~ which would be a private villa home with 3 bedrooms (you can get up to 6 bedroom villas!) with a private pool, yard, and a butler that will come make breakfast in your villa! 
SOLD!!!! And the best part, split between the 2 families, it was so inexpensive - we would have been dumb 
to not jump on it! 
while there, which would give us access to a VIP only pool
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
I think staying there, especially with a butler, might make it hard to come home. 
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
But we had to make the decision if we would all travel together or separately. 
Deb
PassPorter Guide Author
Holly: 
Hybrid Mode
