Stayed at the caribe club 1st week of June. Was very concerened due to many less than complimentary reveiws. What very seldom is mentioned is how beautiful the resort grounds are. After passing the lobby and row of little shops, a winding paved path takes you through tropical mangroves teeming with birds and wildlife. The rooms have open vieling hallways where the rains drop onto indoor gardens. There must be something about the food that not everyone can tolerate. I was able to eat more than I needed with no problems, yet my wife took ill later on in the week. The rooms were nice, althought the pillows were a little lumpy. The staff were very friendly, any time I called for a problem I usually gor a quick response, including the time I broke a bottle of soda in room. all in allhad a great time, and thought it was an excellant value

OK...the first thing I want to say is read the reviews with an open mind! We read all the reviews before our trip and we were somewhat concerned. But after our trip, I can offer you the details which I think is pertinent.

1) Airport....The airport is nice for a destination airport. Plenty of porters to assist with the luggage. Entry to the country was quick and easy. Exiting the country was a little longer but the process is fairly streamlined and easy.

2) Bus to resort....The transportation provided to the resort was on a comfortable air conditioned bus. The bus, provided by Apple Vacations, provided an Apple representative that gave a brief description of the country and the Punta Cana region. Very informative and fun as well.

3) Check-In...This was also quick and easy. The staff was extremely helpful and spoke english very well. The bellhops quickly loaded our bags and transported us to our room.(we, myself,wife and oldest daughter (9), travelled with another couple and their 2 boys (10,12).

4)Room... OK..here is where we had a problem. The first set of room were on the second floor. There was a musty odor as soon as you hit the second level. We entered our rooms which were 4 doors apart(they were supposed to be connecting) and found evidence of mold and mildew in the HVAC units. One room had a puddle of water on the floor. We immediately found a resort employee and told them this would not do. He called the front desk and said he would return in 2 minutes. 10 minutes later the wives took the kids to get a snack and my friend and I trekked back to request a room change. At the lobby, we found our Apple rep and he (Tony) was AWESOME in assisting us. He scheduled room change and we went to look at our 2nd room, along with some gentlemen from Dayton that were in a similar predicament. We went and looked at the 2nd room on the 2nd level and same conditions. By now I was frustrated and quite unhappy. While awaiting a ride back to the lobby, ione of the guys from Dayton came down and told us that the 3rd floor rooms were MUCH nicer. So we went back, met with Tony and arranged ANOTHER room change. The desk staff seemed gracious, but we allowed the Apple rep to handle the discussions, as I was not in an appropriate mood to deal with them. The desk arranged for two rooms on the 3rd floor that were interconnecting and we went to inspect the rooms. WHAT A DIFFERENCE. The 3rd floor has cathedral ceilings and feels very spacious. Air quality was also much improved. The rooms are fairly nice, but the resort is dated. The room was clean and relatively insect free as we had a couple of small ants in the bathroom. We did spray OFF around our door frames to inhibit insect access. Beds were ok...not great but not terrible.

5)Food...The food was relatively good with many different selections. With three children, we were concerened, but the kids enjoyed themselves and even tried different food choices that even surprised me. Now I have to say, our group did have a touch of the "runs" intermittently during the trip, but immodium was a saver. We did know of others at the resort that had stomach trouble. It would not be fair to blame it on the resort, as the food seemed good, but it should be noted that we did experience a little tummy trouble.

6)Service.... Maid servic was very good. We did pack some little gift bags for the maids and we received great service. There are no wash clothes so bring your own. The white towels are dingy, not crisp and are fairly worn, but the did the trick for drying off after a shower. Bar service is good. The bartenders are more than willing to make any number of drinks for you and will recommend any drinks for you. Jose, at the pool bar is great. He is always fun and full of energy and you can hear him at the pool bar every day. He loves to give out the country's signature shot of mamajuanna.....an interesting concoction. Waiters were great and polite, but they have a tendency to grab your plate before you are finished. We did email and fax requests to the front desk prior to our arrival and never received a response and we also found out that my wifes father had called and left a message that we never received. Other than that, the service was quite good.

7)Entertainement... The entertainement was good. I wouldn't call it world class, but we enjoyed ourselves. The entertainment crew works hard...ALL DAY. The try to have fun with the guests all day and offer a different program each night at their auditorium. We enjoyed the various shows we saw. I know the kids definately liked the magic show and the resorts presentation of the Lion King. Just remember, the entertainment is for fun and you need to make the most of it. You will enjoy it as long as you are not expecting /vegas quality entertaining.

8)Excursions....We took 2 while we were there and had an EXCELLENT time on both. Tony the apple rep recommended the 2 that we took. The first was the Bavaro Runners safari tour. This tour takes all day. They pick you up and take you throuugh a guided tour of the region, showing you horseback riding, shows you a school, cigar making, sugar cane fields, an actual dominican household along with its growing of cocoa and coffee beans, provides luch and a swim at a private beack location. Alex was the tour guide and our entire group had an absolute blast. The other tour we took was a boat/snorkle trip at the Marinarium. FUN...we snorkeled with nurse sharks and stingrays, enjoyed a catamaran cruise of the various beach resorts and enjoyed a shallow swim in the ocean. This was a 4 hour tour and was fun for all.

All in all we enjoyed our vacation. We would definately recommend Punta Cana for a vacation destination. For the money we spent, we all felt like we got a good deal on a good vacation. We intend to return. We might spend a little more money on a different resort, but we would go back to Caribe Club knowing what we know now. ANy one with questions can feel free to contact me and i will gladly answer any questions that I can.

CHECK-IN
My fiance, another couple and I checked into the Caribe Club Princess on May 31. This was our first all-inclusive VIP vacation (the fourth for our worldly friends!) We were greeted in the lobby with a refreshing glass of punch. There is somewhat of a language barrier, but the check-in process was smooth. We learned that most of the front-line waitstaff, bartenders and front-desk staff are multi-
lingual.

APPLE REPRESENTATIVE
We booked our vacation through Apple and received a flier at the airport stating the name and time that we were to meet with the Apple rep on the first day. This is important as he will give you a great deal of information on the country, resort and day excursions. You will also receive information on the hotel restaurants. Advance reservations are needed. You can visit the hotel concierge located in your buidling to make reservations. We stayed in rooms 2207-2208 and Jasson was our very friendly concierge.

Our VIP package with Apple included massage (three "huts" located on the beach and around the pool), watersports, internet access, rum, cigars and top shelf liquor throughout the week. The massage was excellent!

DINING/FOOD
We dined at Mama Mia (Italian), Sombrero (Mexican), Shanghay (Chinese/Japanese) and La Cava. EXCELLENT FOOD at all four. There is also a Brazillian and Dominican offering, but we did not have time to try all. The restaurants only seat around 50 people which makes for a very intimate dining experience. Breakfast and lunch is served in the main buffet area. The offerings change daily and there is something for everyone. The service was excellent. Be sure to look for Eduardo who provided us with a daily Spanish lesson.

The food was tasty even at the main buffet, however you do have to keep in mind that you are in a foreign country and the food is prepared differently that what you are used to. We all experienced bouts of intestinal problems. Be sure to pack plenty of Pepto, Alka-Seltzer and Immodium. You will be thankful. If you forget, the gift shops offer these items.

DRINKS
The water at the restaurants is safe to drink, but we requested bottled water at the pool and beach bar (Bar la Matica). Remember to stay hydrated...one bottle of water per every 1-2 drinks. We witnessed some rather intoxicated folks throughout the week.

Make sure you visit the sunken pool bar. Jose is the bartender and you cannot mistake his "Ayyyyyy Amigo" everytime you walk past or swim up to his bar. He was alot of fun. He will introduce you to a Dominican classic, mamajuana. This is a potent mix of bark, rum and who knows what else. You have to try it once. If you like it, the gift shops and airport sell it. Also, the specialty drink in the Dominican is the Coco Loco. It is a milky, coconut drink. Tasty. You can also enjoy daquiris, margaritas and pina coladas. Anything you want. The bottled beer offered is Presidente, Miller Genuine Draft and Heineken. Stay away from the Soberanna that is stocked in the room fridge. It's awful.

ROOMS
Our room was oceanview/poolside so we were very close to everything. Other reviews have stated this was disruptive, but we did not feel so. You are still far enough removed that it should not be bothersome. The pool closes at 7 pm so it is quiet in the evening.

One tip: Pack your own washcloths. The hotel provides bath and hand towels, but not washcloths. The maids will also come around at night and distribute fresh towels. We did appreciate this. You will be given two blue beach towels and an additional two cards that are redeemable for two additional towels at the activities hut between the beach/pool. Don't lose these cards. You are required to turn them in with your room keys at check-out. There is a $25 charge per lost card.

The rooms were clean and the maids were very friendly although they speak little to no English.

Also, request the lock to the room safe at check-in. We never felt unsafe, but it is nice to have the option to lock up passports, cash and jewelry.

SHOPPING
We did not venture off of the resort except for an excursion. If you don't mind bartering and haggling then there are beachfront "tents" set up down from the resort. There are also vendors that the hotel brings in 1-2 times per week. They set-up outside of the main buffet. My friend and I purchased bracelets, but I'm not interested in the haggling aspect and probably wouldn't stop again. Larimar and amber are the stones native to the Dominican. The larimar is a gorgeous teal stone. There is a very high-end jewelry counter located in the lobby area. They have some very nice pieces.

I found everything I needed at the hotel gift shops and didn't have to "make a deal". American currency is accepted everywhere on the resort and expect to get American change back, not the peso. The prices are listed as peso so just know that approximately 33 pesos equals one American dollar.

EXCURSIONS
There are many day excursions offered. We tried the Marinarium which is a party boat/snorkeling adventure. HIGHLY RECOMMEND this 1/2 day excursion. The crew was extremely friendly and fun! We snorkled, enjoyed a variety of drinks (including Coco Loco) and were able to wade in a natural swimming pool in the middle of the ocean. The price was around $80 USD per person and it was worth every penny. My fiance danced the macarena and won a trivia contest. We all had a great time.

Bring extra cash for the excursions as they are not included in your package but are well woth the money. My fiance befriended a family from Cincinnati and they also recommended several excursions. There is something for everyone. Parasailing is also offering.

OVERALL
We had a great time! The resort is rated 4 stars although I don't feel that it was 4 star by American standards. We went to celebrate our 30th birthdays and my engagement and that's exactly what we did. We relaxed and had an overall good experience. I would recommend the Caribe Club Princess to friends and family.

What can I say, went on a girls getaway to the Caribe Club, May 2-5, 2008, weather was awesome, and probably the best beach ever, no shells, no seaweed, no fish, and best of all clean, if you are from the east coast you know what I mean, blue, clear, warm water is the best, had a blast with Nadine and her gang at the scuba shack, went on a catamaran, and the banana boat, props to Ramon and his crew on the entertainment, animation staff, they couldnt have been nicer, Kelvin in the beach bar, everyone we met was so nice, the food was a bit of a struggle for us, not much taste, kind of bland, we had the VIP package so we at at the seafood restaurant, lobster just okay, Italian, like Ragu, at home, but again we werent at home, massage included, great and on the beach if you choose, love the coco loco drink, great value at this hotel, not budget, not extravagent, just right.