Знакомство с Доминиканой Introduction to the Dominican Republic

We have known the islands of the Caribbean since 1985, but we visited the Dominican Republic for the first time. Hotel Rui Bachata 5 stars is a complex with Rui Merengue 4 stars. We rested in Rui Bachata. There were no problems with the settlement, despite the fact that we flew from Canada with a fairly large group of tourists. The administration prepared for our arrival, the keys and the necessary information for the guests were laid out in envelopes, which were handed to us immediately upon arrival. Double rooms are no worse or better than other 5-star hotels in popular resorts. Cleaning is quite high quality (of course, left $ 1) and the maid pleased with her imagination - she never repeated herself in decorating the room for 8 days.
Nutrition. All inclusive in the best possible way. Salads, seafood, meats, appetizers, desserts, fruits - more than enough, but it's better to dine at Rui Merengue. Oddly enough, the cuisine at lunch there is much more substantial. The main lunch restaurant in Rui Bachata is closed, and the one that offers lunch (an open restaurant on the way to the beach) does not hold water, the burgers alone are worth it! The rooms have their own bar - 4 bottles of 1.5 liters for cocktails. A company of Russians rested at the hotel, which took advantage of the opportunity with pleasure and did not hesitate to use it. However, they behaved quite decently and did not interfere with anyone.
The beach is disappointing. We knew about the rainy season in October, but alas! The rains were combined with big waves, since the bay is practically open, not protected by anything. Combined with the shallow depth and sand suspension, the very poor reefs ruined the holiday for my husband, an avid snorkeler. The entire Cuban Atlantic coast seems like a paradise compared to the Dominican Republic in this area. We spent only 2 days on the beach, the rest of the days we spent by the pool. The pools are great, clean, enough space for everyone.

The animation is of high quality and fun for both children and adults.
We took a taxi for half a day (80 dollars), went to the city and to a neighboring resort. Very dirty, poverty, sometimes bordering on desperate poverty. It's sad to see this on vacation.
Conclusions: at the same cost - Cuba is the leader!