We stayed at the Lifestyle Tropical Beach Resort and Spa from April 6th to the 12th. I was concerned by all the bad reviews I read after I booked our vacation and relieved that everything went so well.

This was our second trip to Puerto Plata (we went to the Blue Bay Getaway last year, which I highly recommend).

More than anything, I hope I can shed some light on the complaints that surfaced the most often in the negative reviews.

The VIP thing - We were approached twice during our stay by salesmen. We said “no gracias” and they smiled and wished us a good day. There is no VIP beach. The whole beach, as in the sand and water, is accessible to everyone. You can swim and lay around in the sand as much as you want in front of the VIP section. The area NEXT TO the beach that is set aside for the VIP members is limited to sun-beds, a bar, and a jacuzzi that are located behind a wall. This is no big deal as the area for “regular” resort patrons is exceptionally nice: there are lots of lounge chairs, palm trees, a beach bar with the friendliest bartender imaginable, and a restaurant that has great service and a view of the ocean and volleyball court.

I really have no idea what other reviewers were griping about. We NEVER felt like second class citizens or that we received inferior service or amenities because we were not VIP. The staff was always smiling, friendly, and helpful. Perhaps those that had negative experiences went to the resort with a chip on their shoulder and the expectation that they should be treated like royalty just because they paid for a vacation.

Our room was in building 5 and was reasonably clean and comfortable. We always had enough towels and the maid replaced the water bottles most days. When she did not, we simply refilled our empty bottles from the water cooler on our floor. No problem.

We had one chilly shower all week and frankly, after being in the hot sun all day it was kinda refreshing and certainly not something to get bent out of shape over. Yes, the bathroom design isn’t great and the floor tended to get wet when we showered, but we put a towel down and the problem was solved.

The balcony was a great place to start and end each day. We could see the ocean through the trees and it was lovely to hear the birds chirping in the morning.

We ate at the buffet every morning and evening. The food isn’t gourmet but there was a lot to choose from and we always had more than enough to eat. We found that the beef and pork tended to be tough but that the chicken was always cooked to perfection. There was always lots of fresh fruit – have a banana, they are out of this world.

We didn’t bother booking any of the a la carte restaurants, but people we met raved about the food. We did go to Bellini’s for pizza one afternoon and thought it was pretty good.

My husband and I tended to eat our lunch at the restaurant near the beach for the convenient location, great view, and refreshing breeze. The waiters were super friendly and the food pretty good – we tried the burgers, fried chicken, bbq pork (kind fatty but tasty) and my husband raved about the fish sandwich. They have a nice homemade soup too.

My only complaint is that there was hardly any shade around the pools. There were about 5 or 6 palapas between the various pool areas which were snapped up pretty quick. There really should be some umbrellas in these areas for people who don’t want to bask in the sun for hours. We tended to go to the pools for a swim and a drink (or two) and then headed back to the beach to enjoy the shade under a palm tree. The view from the pools is fantastic – you can see palm trees and the ocean.

The beach is not very long or wide, but there is still plenty of sand and refreshing surf. If you want to snorkel I recommend going to Sousa. I paid $20 to go as a passenger on the boat while my husband and brother-in-law went scuba diving. The boat anchored near some corral reefs and I spent a good hour being amazed by the beautiful fish. Tip: the fish love banana so bring a couple in the water with you and they will swarm all over you to eat it!!

Our only other excursion away from the resort was horseback riding. We went for 2.5 hours in the morning and found that to be just long enough with the sun and heat. The horses were in reasonably good condition (there was only one that looked way too thin). The land is rugged and beautiful with lots of hills, cactus, and palm trees. We rode out to a small farm where we stopped and had a drink. The people are very poor and I’m sure selling water, pop, and beer to tourists helps them out.

If you are adventurous, I recommend walking down the beach to the right and going up the set of stairs. You will find an undeveloped area with tall palm trees, horses tied up to graze, and along the edge some really nice beach areas. Keep in mind it is not resort property and therefore there is lots of garbage washed up on the shore (mostly plastic bottles). It’s a nice quiet area and the ocean is much calmer here (so perhaps bring a snorkel and mask with you).

There are some nice tidal pools to explore if you head down the beach to your left (towards the Ocean World sign) and you will also encounter more locals out this way.

Overall, the resort is a really nice place to spend a week if you are looking to relax and know that your meals etc... are taken care of. It is sometimes a little rough around the edges, but not to the point where it will interfere with your enjoyment or experience.

Based on the negative reviews, here are some things to keep in mind before booking.

1: this isn’t the Hilton in Major City North America; if you want the same conditions, service, food, English tv shows, and amenities as home, then stay home and don’t vacation in a poor, developing, Spanish speaking country.

2: the beach and the ocean are natural phenomenon, and therefore it’s not the resort’s fault that the sand isn’t white and there are waves. In addition, the resort is on the Atlantic side of the island, so don’t expect the same quality of beach as the Caribbean side.

3: perceived rudeness is more than likely due to language barriers and easily overcome with a “gracias” or “por favor” once in awhile. It’s unreasonable to expect all the staff to speak fluent English (or German, French, or Dutch for that matter).

If you have any questions or concerns about the resort or want to see more pictures don’t hesitate to ask.

I absolutely wouldn't stay here if you payed me. I found it so rude it was how the staff here thought it would be wonderful to treat people that weren't part of their timeshare program like a useless piece of crap. They will make you go with them to the other side of the resort on a golf cart when you don't seem interested then they say ok and kick you out of your seat and leave you stranded somewhere on the other side not knowing where you are or how to get back where you belong...you are excluded from other parties because you aren't vip there is a seperate beach...THEY LET YOU KNOW that someone else is better than you if you don't buy into their package. You have to wake up at six am to book for a la cartes same day...usually completely booked but their are vip 's that already have booked all of their a la cartes for the week...fair isn't it?
The staff is ridiculous I know five year olds that could do better work than these people. My sister and her family came with me and my husband...her shower leaked the toilet leaked #2 all over the floor from the bottom of the toilet. I didn't think that was possible but apparently it is. The water in the mini fridge was never replenished and asking for three days for water is a bit much. I was sick the whole time from the first morning that I was there..couldn't eat....but sure could expell things....food poisoning I am sure. I ate the first day and after that forget it....anyways

The only good things there are here is the site and that the resort is yes beautiful. If you don't care that you are second best and that the food isnt't always fully cooked this is the resort for you...

by the way the money exchange wouldnt exchange american travellers checks for american cash...only pesos.

As a group of seven (26-34y/o) we traveled from JFK to Puerto Plata Airport. we had transportation aranged, which I highly recommend because it was very convinient and fast. The ride took us about an hour to the hotel, although that was becuase many people were walking the streets rallying for their upcoming election. The trip back to the airport only took about 30 minutes.
Upon arrival the check in process was fast and friendly (they even brought us cocktails as we checked in). They said that they only had one room key for each room, but I pushed a little with a big smile and the friendly girl finally "found" another key, so don't let them tell you that you can only have one key. The porter took our bags to our room and I recommend letting him because on the way he points out some critical necesseties (food, booze, beach, and pool).
The room was simple yet nice. We all had ocean view rooms, even though we didn't pay any extra for it. All of the rooms had balconies. One of my traveling partener's room had two double beds and she asked for a king size and they immediately transfered her to another room, no questions asked.
The pool bar is the place to hang out at night. I went to the disco one night and it was super lame, a bunch of punks not even dancing. The ocean wasn't calm, but not too rough either, nice for a swim and I totally recommend taking out a Kyak.
The pool and pool bar was great, not too crowded. We never had any problems with finding lounge chairs or beach towels, although I do recommend bringing your own because you can only take out one at a time. Also LOTS of sunscreen, we all burned a little.
The gym was pretty lame, but that made me happy, it gave me and excuse to not work out and enjoy myself. The massages were very good $80 for an hour.
The food was best at the Indochina restaurant. I did not like the Blue Lagoon seafood and the buffet always had something to make us all happy (except for the wine). Do not go to this restaurant for the food, like I said, it made us happy but did not rave about it.
The reservations were easy to get, I would usually get their at 5 to One and be the first or second on line and get the reservation in five minutes.
We went to the casino one night while we were their, it is a 6 dollar cab ride, but the also have a shuttle running on a schedule. The casino is very quiet, not crowded but fun none the less. The drink girl was very slow with the drinks, as she was working alone. Many times we just bought over priced drinks at the bar. Three out of five of us won at blackjack. A fun night out.
We went golfing to the hotels course "Los Mangos" each quest gets a free round. I do not recommend this course, the grass was awful and they try to rip you off and the caddies are super annoying. Also nowhere to get booze or even water on the course.
We went on one excurssion the Catamaran to Sosoua bay for snorkeling. I do not recommend this trip for snorkeling, unless you've never gone before and just want to see a few fish, nothing that blows your mind. I do recommend this trip as a booze cruise. The staff is awesome and drinks flow from 11am on. It was a full day excurssion leaving at about 8am and we returned to the hotel around 6pm
We booked this trip through cheapcaribbean, they were really good and would definately book through them again. The weather in the DR could not be beat, the staff was super friendly (especially the bartender at the beach bar), and the grounds were very clean. The food was o.k. but the drinks made up for it. Some reviewers said that it was only bottom shelf alcohol included, I asked that is not the case, you get whatever you want as long at the have it, I stuck with the Bacardi 151 and presidente beer for most of the trip.
some suggestions:
Bring a lot of sunscreen, its 15dollars a bottle in the gift shop
Bring a towel
bring a mug for your pool/beach side drinks (you get more and they stay cold)--I felt uncomfortable doing this but it is totally normal down their, every smart person does it
haggle like mad with the beach vendors, at least 50% less than what they ask at first, I usually got things down 75%.
Venture off to the right when looking at the water, bring some flip flops and follow the sign down the beach for the "cafe" (it doesn't exist) There are some great views and photos up there.
Try at least one of the afternoon activies, there fun and you win bottles of Rum.
We brought bug spray, but didn't notice any bugs.
Say a strong "no thank you" to the timeshare sellers and they will leave you alone the rest of your trip.
Thats all I can think of now, if you have any questions feel free to
feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

We just returned from our fabulous vacation at this resort on 3/26 and simply cannot understand the bad reviews. It almost seems that these people were staying somewhere else - or - as I suspect - expect everything for nothing. We found the people that work there amazing, friendly, helpful and fun. The resort and its grounds are simply beautiful - the island itself is as well a beautiful place. We have been to many islands in the caribbean and this was definitely our favorite.
A few notes that might be helpful:
1. Don't book the cheapest vacation you can find and expect to be treated like royalty. We tipped well and were treated very well. These people do not work for nothing. It is a poor country and a few dollars to your bartender, waitress or waiter, maid and porter show that you appreciate the job they are doing and go a long way. Just as you would tip at home - you tip here. The people that work at the resort are in the service industry. They work 12 hour shifts to serve you - the vacationer. Show that you appreciate the job they are doing. All-inclusive doesn't mean "all tips included". Show some respect and appreciation - a few dollars to the service staff each day shows that you do appreciate them.
2. The resort - We booked through a member and did have VIP priveleges and this is definitely the way to go. The VIP beach and gourmet restaurant are fantasic - as is the sunday night beach party. This is easy to do as these rentals are available everywhere. We stayed in building 5 and our room was wonderful - simple, clean and comfortable. We were on the second floor - ocean view - and we and our two children loved every minute. We were in the same building as non-vip vacationers and our water was always hot, our fridge always stocked and our room was always clean (back to the tip suggestion). We alos found that because of the way the resort is spread out it NEVER feels crowded and we loved this. I do have to add that I'm incensed at the reviewer who complained about the key controlling the lights and a/c. It's called saving energy - and it's because people like this reviewer would probably leave every light on and the a/c blasting while at the pool all day. It takes two minutes to cool down a hotel room - I guess that was too long to wait. We actually only used our a/c on two days. The rest of the time our doors were open to the wonderful breeze and cool nights.
3. The beach - for those who complained that the water was rough and not clear blue - YOU ARE ON THE ATLANTIC OCEAN -not on the caribbean. The water was warm and beautiful and the beach was great! Our kids loved the water, walking the beach and climbing the rocks at the end of the bay.
4. Excursions - we went to Ocean World - great and not crowded. I hate Sea World - but this was much more natural and beautiful. Try it with or without kids. We also went to Paradise Island which we loved. The trip was 2 1/2 hours but we loved it. We got to see a lot of the countryside - the rainforest - the huge valley where rice is grown - the tobacco and sugarcane fields and the people and their way of life. It was humbling, beautiful and memorable. The island itself was very nice - the snorkling was great. Even our little one was able to see schools of beautiful fish only feet away from the shore.
5. VIP salesmen - yes, they are around. We went on the tour and bought a membership because we loved the place so much. If you don't want to go on the tour, politely say no thank you and go on your way.
6. Food - while we did go VIP and had extra choices of restaurants, we ate at the buffet a lot and it was very good - especially breakfast. It was also beautiful! The omelets and smoothies are wonderful - as are the potatoes and bacon - sausage not so great. Coffee is FABULOUS! As for lunch and dinner I will be honest, there are a lot of different tastes to the food - however, there are always plain, simple thing that are good - roast turkey and pork were wonderful! Also, a ton of wonderful vegetalbes and fruits. They also had plantains grounded with pork one night that was very good. There is always so much to choose from - try a little of everything and you will find a lot you'll like and some you won't. As for the complaint that the resaurants are open air - are you kidding me? That was the best part! You can see the ocean, feel the breeze and just enjoy. We went to the VIP gourmt twice (which is out of this world delicious) and is the only restaurant with an indoor dining room. Guess what? The indoor room was practically empty - everone sat outside at the outdoor area. You are on a beautiful island at a beautiful resort - stay at home and go to an air-conditioned restaurant.
7. Finally - I just had to respond to the bad reviews I read on this site before and after our trip. We are a couple with two young boys and had a fantastic time. We have been on cruises, been to other islands and resorts, and simply cannot comprehend how anyone could have a bad time here. My mother went with us and is VERY picky - she did not want to leave at the end of the week. The only thing that I can surmise is that those who had a bad time made it for themselves. What I mean by that is that they treated people who worked there poorly or rudely, expected to be waited on like they were above those who worked there and never left a cent to show their appreciation. All that I can say to those people is stay home. Everyone we met who worked there always said ola with a smile and were always willing to help us with whatever we needed. Advice - show repect and kindness - it goes a long way. You as a traveler do not own those who work there - you are not above, but equal.