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Puerto Plata Hotels European Plan
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Introduction to Puerto Plata
Puerto Plata appeals to a mass-market
crowd that prefers less-expensive all-inclusives. More
accommodations of this kind continue to pop up on this coast, and
yet many are still booked solid almost year-round. An unfortunate
byproduct of the all-inclusive trend is that several excellent
restaurants have been forced to close; in fact, the most popular
dining choice along the coast now is Pizza Hut.
Most of the hotels are not actually in Puerto Plata
itself but in a tourist zone called Playa Dorada, which consists of major
hotels, a scattering of secluded condominiums and villas, a Robert Trent Jones,
Jr.-designed golf course, and a riding stable.
Although this was the first custom-built tourist
haven in the Dominican Republic, the beaches are not the greatest. They're
relatively narrow, and subject -- as most beaches are -- to the vagaries of
hurricane erosion. Don't expect Robinson Crusoe-style isolation either; you'll
never be alone on a stretch of beach in Puerto Plata, since the beach is shared
with the residents of at least nine hotels, all jostling for position. However,
if you enjoy beige sand that's rarely too hot to walk on, and a never-ending
array of watersports kiosks, chaise longues, and loudspeakers projecting
merengue music, you'll be happy here. One important note: It rains a lot in
Puerto Plata during the winter. If you want guaranteed sun, go to Punta Cana or
the beaches on the southern coast.
Additional Information about travel to Puerto Plata
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Columbus wanted to establish a city at Puerto Plata and name it La Isabela.
Unfortunately, a tempest detained him, so it wasn't until 1502 that Nicol?
de Ovando founded Puerto Plata ("port of silver"), 209km (130 miles)
northwest of Santo Domingo. The port became the last stop for ships going
back to Europe, their holds laden with treasures taken from the New World.
