The Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean country, home to incredible beaches, wild nature and excellent shopping. Given it’s large size, there is just about everything for every type of traveler. Whether you’re looking for the calm blue hues of Punta Cana, or the wild rush of world-renowned Kiteboarding in Cabarete, you cannot go wrong in the Dominican Republic.
Luxury hotels are easy to come by in the Dominican, with resorts from major brands like Hyatt, Barcelo and Marriott, down to the boutique luxury hotel brands with personal butlers and elevated service. All-inclusive lovers will relish in the wide selection of options when it comes to finding the perfect resort for your style.
We booked a flight to the Dominican Republic back in February, before the COVID-19 pandemic really took off. We got a great deal ($230 round trip from San Francisco) through Scott’s Cheap Flights for a two-week trip. Then…COVID hit.
As far as the Caribbean goes, the Dominican Republic is pretty inexpensive. Luxury resorts range from $300-$600 depending on season and typically offer excellent all-inclusive experiences. Food costs are low, with a dinner for two in Cabarete costing approximately $40 for 4 drinks, an appetizer and 2 main dishes.
Tipping is expected at the luxury resorts, despite the claims of “tips included”. Tipping is a nice gesture for excellent service at restaurants and bars. 10% is a great tip for excellent service, otherwise, 100-300 pesos is equivalent to giving a a $5 USD tip.
Suggested daily budget – Typical food & beverage costs range depending on how high-end the hotel brand is, but we typically budget $300 per day for food & alcohol, allowing us the flexibility to eat the hotel or nearby if you’re not staying at an all-inclusive. Transfers to & from the hotel to the airport range as well, but we typically budget $30-40 in Punta Cana. Plan to budget for activities and excursions, with many costing around $60-100 per person depending on the activity.
The Dominican Republic is an incredible choice for traveler most of the year, with perfect beach temperatures in the 80s and plenty of sun- particularly from December-April. Watch out for holiday high-season pricing over Christmas and school holiday breaks in the United States. The Dominican does fall in the hurricane belt, typically seeing stormy weather in the late summer, early fall.
Check out some of our favorite Dominican resorts and what we like and don’t like about each of them.
If you’re traveling for 3-7 days, consider the following:
If you’re traveling for 7+ days, consider:
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