Recommended Tour Operators
Dominican Republic Bavaro Beach All Inclusive Holiday
Dominican Republic Bavaro Beach All Inclusive Holiday
I have just returned from a Dominican Republic Bavaro Beach All Inclusive Holiday with Thomson, and this is the first of a series on what we thought of the resort and the hotel, and the tours which we took while there.
Part 1 – 25th July 2007
We did as we usually do nowadays. We set off the day before our flight as we had taken advantage of an Airport Hotel Car Parking Package at Gatwick Airport. Although we stayed at the Gatwick Travelodge, I noticed that the Parking Express on-Airport Car Park was very close to the South Terminal and I would certainly use them for Airport Parking at Gatwick if I ever had an evening flight and therefore did not need an Airport Hotel.
26th July 2007
We left the Gatwick Travelodge at 06:30 so we could not try out the breakfast which did not start until 07:00. However, I couldn’t help but notice the good deal it offered families. As many trips to the buffet as you like for £7.50. Not especiallly cheap, but with up to 2 children eating free for each full-paying adult it suddenly becomes very good value for one or two parent families.
When we came to check-in we were disappointed to see the Thomson desks had an extremely long queue. However, the check-in staff were being very efficient, and we were relieved to find we actually had one of the cheapest check-in times ever.
The plane itself was a Boeing 767-300, with new leather seats and plenty of legroom (33″). We had had some worries before we boarded about whether Thomsonfly was a good choice of airline, but we were impressed with the quality of the seating and really appreciated the extra legroom.
The food was very good, and the quality of the screens for the in-flight entertainment was the best I had seen in economy class. The easy-to-use touch-sensitive screens meant even the adults could quickly learn the controls, although a few passengers looked around grumpily if people were poking their screens with a little too much vigour.
We arrived at Punta Cana Airport late in the afternoon, and were efficiently shepherded onto the air-conditioned coach. About 45 minutes we were pulling up outside the Barcello Premium Punta Cana hotel at Bavaro Beach (formerly the Superclub Breezes Punta Cana Hotel), and we were immediately impressed by its imposing entrance. 
It didn’t take long to check-in, and the reception staff cheerfully re-allocated our party’s two rooms so they were close together (they had been booked independently). We were really pleased to find the rooms as spacious as they looked in the photographs, with two double beds in the bedroom and a full-sized bath in the en-suite. It was reassuring to see the mosquito nets across the patio (they are not so bad here that you need them over the beds) and we were relieved to see the air-conditioning working – not all Dominican Republic Hotels have air conditioning in the bedrooms, but for those of us used to the UK climate it really is a must when choosing a Caribbean Hotel.
What out for Part 2 for our first impressions of the pool, the beach, and breakfast the next morning.
