Puerto Plata

[Charles Pooter]

The problem with staying somewhere isolated like that is that you are entirely at the mercy of the proprietor, and pimps are not rated in the top 10% where ethics are concerned.

If you smoke on the premises you could get set up and blackmailed. A poster here was happy to pay around US $10,000 to get out of a Dominican jail for a minor traffic accident, and he was not even set up in advance. You could be paying five or ten times that for a drugs offence.

The proprietor does not have his reputation to worry about, because he does not have one. Anyway, you would not even know he was implicated as it would all be done through third parties.

I think if you stay on the beaten mongering track you will be safer. Money is obviously no problem to you, so you can enjoy the same good time most of us do, but with all the bells and whistles. No motos or publicos for you. Private taxis door to door. Lobster and shrimp while we are eating hotdogs. No haggling over prices. You can immediately agree a price with the 8's and 9's in the clubs and bars. And it will still cost you less than the package you are thinking about.

And the reviews on their own website are worthless. I have helped to write similar bogus reviews for a friend whose business was failing.

Even if you do not speak Spanish, and therefore needed to rent a tout / cab driver to help you out ...

Do NOT do this. It is begging to get ripped off, and there is no need.

[JjBee62]

I also want some place that I can just unwind, have access to the best looking women, and smoke a lot (as my screen name would indicate) in peace during the day. I want the option to enjoy some nightlife at night such as local clubs, bars, and casino. If I am going to do this I don't want a three or four night stay. I want a 6-7 night stay to get better value.

You might want to verify with someone more knowledgeable about DR laws, but I believe you will have problems with the smoke a lot in peace plan. It's unlikely any all inclusive will allow this on their premises, and if they tell you it's no problem, I'd be very nervous.

If you want a no hassle smoke and screw vacation, you would be better off finding a country where both are legal.

The all inclusive places are expensive and typically, at least on the north coast, not convenient to local nightlife. On the south coast there are 3 all inclusive places, 2 in Boca Chica and 1 in Juan Dolio. Their prices for a week are about half of what the north coast resorts charge. And, at least the ones in Boca Chica, they are conveniently located for nightlife and trips to Santo Domingo.

Regardless of the price, the all inclusive resorts offer the same package, room, food, drinks, women, allow to change girls daily, etc. Some of the resorts have problems with up charges, often you don't find out about them until checkout. Some also have a reputation of constant requests for tips. Others are complete scams, requesting a large deposit up front and they are nowhere to be found when you arrive.

Websites with pictures of the girls are wonderful, but there's no guarantee that any of the girls from the website will be available during your stay.

Some questions to ask the resort:

Who is the owner and where does he live? (Most owners are either Dominican and living in the area, or foreigners not living in the DR.) This is a major point because Dominicans are not noted for their interest in customer satisfaction.

Are the girls exclusive to the resort? If the resort is getting talent from elsewhere, quality control is going to be an issue.

Are all amenities on site? At least one resort doesn't have a restaurant on site, you need to walk a block or 2 for every meal.

What hours are meals available? What hours is alcohol available? It's a vacation, you shouldn't have to fit all your meals into someone else's schedule.

What is the deposit policy? A large, non-refundable deposit could be a problem if you have last minute issues come up.

[Member #4643]

First and foremost I want to thank anyone in advance that can share some feedback and provide information.

I have decided to do one of these trips to the Dominican Republic. I am going to book this trip as a reward for myself getting through the next year of some BS that I just have to get through by July 2016. I have no options that will not allow for any down time or fun between now or then. This is essentially the carrot that I am dangling in front of my eyes once I reach the finish line.

A few parameters I am setting for myself are as follows. I want to keep my outlay for any package I spend at 4 k or under (not counting money I spend while on vacation). I want the ability of being able to have a different girl any time I want. I want the girls to be readily available and a small party type atmosphere and prefer the all inclusive option rather than having to hit the streets and clubs and pick them up. Yeah I know its easy but I don't want the headache. I also want some place that I can just unwind, have access to the best looking women, and smoke a lot (as my screen name would indicate) in peace during the day. I want the option to enjoy some nightlife at night such as local clubs, bars, and casino. If I am going to do this I don't want a three or four night stay. I want a 6-7 night stay to get better value.

I have been doing a lot of research and thought I had settled on a place but before I put down a deposit I want to evaluate all options. The place I decided on initially was My wild Vacation. I based my decision on the following:

http://www.mywildvacationdr.com

Pros: Good communication from the resort operator. A seemingly good selection of women. Actual website with pictures, reviews, and advice from past and for new guests. The ability to switch out women each night and also to try different women during the day. They offer a 6 night package that IMHO is a fairly reasonable cost. I can be there in two and a half hours with a direct flight out of Miami since I already live in South Florida.

There are some cons however and they would be as follows.

CONS: Resort seems to be 20 minutes away from nightlife and while they will do some evening outings its not every night. While I get my own sleeping accommodations I'm not sure how I feel about having to share the house overall. Sometimes I just want my zen time. I want to eat like a king all day every day (shrimp, fish, Caribbean lobster) and am concerned about the food options.

With living in South Florida I have easy access to flights out of Miami to many different destinations in the Caribbean. I can punt on the DR of there is a better option but so far this seems like a good country for this type of trip. I'm open to suggestions, your advice, and would love to hear your experiences of or any other place you advise that I look at.

I plan to keep this a running thread during my planning & booking process all the way down to a full review after I return complete with pictures.

I find spending this amount of money on a sex tourist resort to be hard to understand. Even if you do not speak Spanish, and therefore needed to rent a tout / cab driver to help you out, you couldn't spend half this amount of money on girls renting a nice apartment or going to a nice GF hotel. Hunting for chicas in the DR is really like shooting fish in a barrel, especially in Puerto Plata. You can change girls hourly, if that is your fancy.

And if you do speak Spanish, you can line up a bevy of beauties before leaving the states that makes the girls in these photos look pretty ordinary.

Trust me, I understand the unwillingness to take the risk that your long sought after vacation might end up for shit, but the risks are really low. You are going to the DR, not Los Angeles. The chicas are DYING to get into your pants (actually, your wallet, but it feels authentic nevertheless).

[DominicanPete]

First and foremost I want to thank anyone in advance that can share some feedback and provide information.

I have decided to do one of these trips to the Dominican Republic. I am going to book this trip as a reward for myself getting through the next year of some BS that I just have to get through by July 2016. I have no options that will not allow for any down time or fun between now or then. This is essentially the carrot that I am dangling in front of my eyes once I reach the finish line.

A few parameters I am setting for myself are as follows. I want to keep my outlay for any package I spend at 4 k or under (not counting money I spend while on vacation). I want the ability of being able to have a different girl any time I want. I want the girls to be readily available and a small party type atmosphere and prefer the all inclusive option rather than having to hit the streets and clubs and pick them up. Yeah I know its easy but I don't want the headache. I also want some place that I can just unwind, have access to the best looking women, and smoke a lot (as my screen name would indicate) in peace during the day. I want the option to enjoy some nightlife at night such as local clubs, bars, and casino. If I am going to do this I don't want a three or four night stay. I want a 6-7 night stay to get better value.

I have been doing a lot of research and thought I had settled on a place but before I put down a deposit I want to evaluate all options. The place I decided on initially was My wild Vacation. I based my decision on the following:

http://www.mywildvacationdr.com

Pros: Good communication from the resort operator. A seemingly good selection of women. Actual website with pictures, reviews, and advice from past and for new guests. The ability to switch out women each night and also to try different women during the day. They offer a 6 night package that IMHO is a fairly reasonable cost. I can be there in two and a half hours with a direct flight out of Miami since I already live in South Florida.

There are some cons however and they would be as follows.

CONS: Resort seems to be 20 minutes away from nightlife and while they will do some evening outings its not every night. While I get my own sleeping accommodations I'm not sure how I feel about having to share the house overall. Sometimes I just want my zen time. I want to eat like a king all day every day (shrimp, fish, Caribbean lobster) and am concerned about the food options.

With living in South Florida I have easy access to flights out of Miami to many different destinations in the Caribbean. I can punt on the DR of there is a better option but so far this seems like a good country for this type of trip. I'm open to suggestions, your advice, and would love to hear your experiences of or any other place you advise that I look at.

I plan to keep this a running thread during my planning & booking process all the way down to a full review after I return complete with pictures.

[Charles Pooter]

What is the taxi cost and is there an airport bus into the Puerto Plata from the airport? Gracias.

If you are staying in one of the Playa Dorada hotels, there is probably a bus you can catch.

If you are staying in the center of Puerto Plata you will need to take a private taxi. There is a notice board with fixed charges. I am guessing 1000 pesos but someone here may know better. (I recently paid 600 pesos in the other direction but airport taxis are always more expensive.)

If you are on a tight budget and have only a backpack, you could walk or tip someone to give you a lift to the main road (about half a mile). From there you can catch a carrito publico (shared taxi running along fixed routes) into Puerto Plata and get out at whatever point is nearest to your destination. That will only cost 40 pesos, or 80 pesos if you pay for two seats for more comfort as they cram people in. They pass by about every two minutes, but if unlucky it might take 10 to 15 minutes before one arrives with spare seats. There are also public guaguas you can catch, also 40 pesos.

If after dark, you might want to avoid the latter option. It is a pretty deserted spot to stand, but no problems in the daylight.

[Bart1]

What is the taxi cost and is there an airport bus into the Puerto Plata from the airport? Gracias.

[Frannie]

From what I could gather, the clientele is about the same as BBs. Probably not a lot of rich and famous celebrities, especially since the hotel that hosts CFI is a public hotel and restaurant. You can book a room there just walking in off the street. It's not even as secluded as Blackbeard's, and reports are that TAV is wide open to everyone during the day.

I guess high profile guys like Bill Cosby and Tiger Woods have their own ways of keeping their activities away from public scrutiny. Until the wheels fall off, that is.

[Frannie]

Legal and logical don't seem to match up in the DR. What the other places are doing is legal, until someone decides otherwise. Then money will change hands and it will be legal again.

If you really wish to nitpick, even the bars and clubs are pimping. They promote prostitution because it brings in the paying customers.

These things always depend on fine distinctions. If I meet a girl in Classico disco or Rumba bar and reach an agreement with her, it does not involve the owner of the bar. He does not get a part of what I pay her, as far as aI know. The bar is just a meeting place. If I get a girl provided to me by an all inclusive, I do not even know how much I am paying her, because she is reimbursed by a third party and I don't know all the details of her terms of employment. If I ask her about it she may or may not tell me the truth.

Anyway. Each of you will have to decide what he feels comfortable with. Percentage-wise your chances of getting caught up in a police raid are very small, but you might want to be careful about making large payments in advance for long stays.

[Sammon]

In any country operating a " Shady " business is risky irrespective of laws allowing it. Right palms have to be greased all the time. Every time a new guy is in power either locally or nationally he is going to ask for more.

BB for now seems to be operating without any problems. Maybe right guys are on payroll.

Like many other countries prostitution is legal without pimping. But there is a fine line the girls need to follow. They cannot stand on the corner soliciting. Although it is legal it is not good for the image of the country and Police will arrest them. In bars it is OK.

One good thing we benefit is if we get a part time prostitute who does it only sometimes to make some money. Low mileage and you can see them in Sosua on weekends. Hard core are there every day. I have never stayed in any of the all inclusive sex resorts. For me it is the thrill of the chase is important.

[Marc Anthony]

Another difference with BB as well as more expensive adult AI's is they are relatively discreet compared to Passions. Passions stuck out like something in Bangkok. Dominican casas, discos, car washes usually blend into the neighborhood. If you just wandered around Costambar you might easily miss BlackBeards. It's just a small resort hotel that used to be the Sand Trap Inn. It's not overly promoted on the internet either compared to Passions before it was shuttered. Dominican culture is very tolerant of the existence of p4 p, it's everywhere in the DR, but it's expected to stay discreetly unobtrusive. An obsession with operational details like a court case about whether the chicas are independent contractors or employees under the letter of the law is a gringo thing.

[BogieMaker]

The main difference between these places (CFI, SPAV & TAV) and BBs or FOD is in the experience. At Blackbeard's, you sample several women each day and maybe take 1 or 2 to your room. For a 5 night stay, you might have a dozen different girls in your bed. At the other places, you pick 1 girl, and as long as she's working out for you, she's with you 24/7. If you're not happy you swap her for another. Some swap girls every day, but most stick with 1 for the whole visit.

Blackbeard's offers variety, the other places offer GFE. The downside is you pay for everything at BBs. Each meal, each beer, each girl. You're constantly pulling out more money. At CFI and SPAV, you pay 1 time, when you arrive (a lot of reports from CFI say you usually aren't asked to pay until sometime after checking in and meeting your girl). If you drink 15 beers plus a few shots or mixed drinks, it's covered. Want an extra glass of juice for breakfast, or dessert with dinner, it's included. You want to 5 sessions a day with your girl, already paid for.

At the risk of being called names, I can provide some first hand information on one all inclusive in Boca Chica vs Black Beards. My info on the all inclusive is about 5 years old but should be somewhat relevant.

I stayed at Periastron Vacations (was Total Satisfaction at the time) for my first two trips to the DR and have stayed at BB at least eight times. JBee is pretty close in his descriptions above in that you could potentially eat and drink more at the all inclusive which would offset your food and drink costs at BB. I doubt very much you could session more than two or three times with a girl even though you are together for 24 hours. At least that was my experience but some guys stayed with the same girl for the whole time. If you draw a dud you are stuck with them if you can't trade out. I had one who might as well been a wife with the headaches and whatnot. Traded her as soon as possible. One guy traded three times in one day and never did find a girl he could get along with.

At the time I went to Periastron Vacations he sourced his girls from the Yellow House. You picked the one you wanted and the rest went back to work servicing the rest of Boca Chica. The girl I was with got about 1/4 of the total amount I paid or about $100/ day. She indicated she preferred resort to the casa since she got to eat and drink free while working at the resort. The hotel was the Astoria and was about on par quality wise with BB with about 9 rooms and they have since added a small pool. Food was typical Dominican and not as good as BB but was not horrible either beer was Presidente and mixed drinks were available.

I much prefer the BB environment to Boca Chica but if you are new to the DR and don't speak Spanish the all-inclusive makes the whole process easy since you are picked up at the airport and never really have to deal with taxis or other forms of transportation to get to the resort. Thats not to say you can's get by perfectly fine at BB without Spanish and getting a taxi is not all that difficult.

At BB you can spend as little or as much as you want and you can have many or a few women as you want. About the only real deal at the all inclusive is the free beer and if you don't drink a lot then it really is not a better deal then say BB or FOD.

[JjBee62]

If you think Blackbeards do not accept the money in order to keep it legal, it logically follows that what the other places are doing is illegal.

I think the authorities could easily justify calling them all illegal if they wanted to. They are all pimps. It is no different from what Passions was doing.

Legal and logical don't seem to match up in the DR. What the other places are doing is legal, until someone decides otherwise. Then money will change hands and it will be legal again.

If you really wish to nitpick, even the bars and clubs are pimping. They promote prostitution because it brings in the paying customers.

[Manny51]

If you think Blackbeards do not accept the money in order to keep it legal, it logically follows that what the other places are doing is illegal.

I think the authorities could easily justify calling them all illegal if they wanted to. They are all pimps. It is no different from what Passions was doing.

Did Passions vet the girls, both for behavior and medical testing? I had never visited Passions before they closed, but from what I understand Passions was a bar with rooms set aside.

CP, correct me if I am wrong, but I remember you posting that BB is flat out pimping, and that it baffles you that they have not been shut down. I would beg to differ.

What places like Blackbeards do is make things safer for both sides. But even more importantly, it takes things off the street, out of the public eye. I once saw a mother walking her young daughter through Sosua in the evening, through all that mess. It just wasn't right. If I was the mayor, I would try to end that too. Rather than calling BB a pimp, I think a better term is "mediator." They set the enviironment and the tone, institute some basic health standards, and get rid of bad actors on both sides. They hide it away so family's don't have to see it. And for this service, they make money from the venue.

A pimp has a financial incentive for the women to work more, because he takes a cut out of every transaction. A pimp can force a girl to work when she doesn't want to, often by physical abuse. A pimp plays on the psychological insecurities of women to keep them in line. A pimp would make his girl practice unsafe sex, in order to keep the client net as wide as possible. A pimp would try to find recruit as many younger girls as possible, because most men like younger women. This creates the incentive for inappropriate "recruitment," instead of just allowing women in financial need to enter and leave the business of their own free will. BB profits by creating a successful venue. It makes money off the bar, restaurant, and hotel. Unless I am mistaken, the girls do not pay to work there.

When Germany legalized prostitution, they encouraged the formation of FKK's, which are basically spas with "extras. " Blackbeards is probably tolerated as a pragmatic concession. Local governmentunderstands that they need as much tourism dollars as possible, and that people are going to do what they are going to do. So why not take a brown paper bags of money under the table? Everybody wins.

I have never met the owner, but I think he is an excellent businessman. Think about it. The idea itself is not original. But successfully executing it is difficult. You have to convince the girls to work for a flat fee. That helps some girls, but probably hurts the hot ones, who could probably earn more as a free agent. IN other words, your system creates an inherent bias for uglier girls. You have to convince guys to forego the greater pool of girls and "the hunt" of the open market, to go somewhere more controlled, all the while paying a higher than average price for a hotel far from mainstream tourist attractions.

In other words, you have to get both sides to "buy in." That comes with time, and a long process of building a reputation. And that says nothing of the basic business of running a profitable hotel and restaurant, and dealing with local politicians. And doing this all in a local business environment that I presume lacks some of protections you would find in the states. I am sure that many places have tried to copy BB, but failed. Kudos to the owner and his retirement.

[Manizales911]

Totally agree with this.

To be honest, what these places offer also lacks appeal to me because it is unlikely that I would hit it off with someone good enough to want to spend 24 hours with them, or "wife up" with a stranger, but that is just me. Probably I don't have the temperament and talent to be a true monger. I just like the sex.

We're all mongers, you included.

[JjBee62]

Well, it is up to the local prosecutor's offices to determine what is legal, and these things can be partly political in nature. If they are complying with DR employment laws and taxes, they may be in the clear, though the "pandering" issue looks iffy to me.

However these places seem to be charging about $400 per day including the sexual companion. The pricing on the Web sites is far from transparent, but supposing the young lady is getting $100 per day, then you are paying $300 a day for all inclusive room and board in a hotel that probably falls below the level of a luxury resort in terms of amenities. I guess you could ask the girl how much she is making and whether there are payroll deductions for meals etc.

I wonder what they would offer if you said you would provide your own accommodation and just wanted a doe-eyed companion. The Web sites do hint at providing bespoke packages.

I know one of the places offers outcall services, basic escort service, but I have no idea on the rates. I expect you would lose out on the deal over package price.

Any DR prosecutor can shut down any place, at any time. Legality is mainly determined by popularity and a willingness to be charitable to those in need. If a place manages to stay in business for several years, either they are doing everything legal and keeping the authorities happy, or they are working harder to keep the authorities happy.

In my opinion, what the girls are paid is irrelevant. If they aren't being paid enough, they will find their way to Pedro Clisante and fix the problem. I am certain the girls are not being charged for their food and drink, this would cause serious problems. Girls would be bringing food from home, or constantly trying to get the customers to take them out to eat, to avoid the charges. Then there would be arguments because 1 girl eats more than another. Nothing but headaches. However, if a girl makes a habit of getting drunk, to the point where it's a problem, she's probably kept on a tight leash.

When you do a price comparison, it is really not much different from BBs. $50/ day for room, $100/ day for food & drink (2 people, 3 meals plus drinks), $200/ day companionship, plus a profit for the business. At BBs, $65/ day for room, $50/ day food & drink, $180/ day companionship. The only real difference is you are not buying food and drinks for the girls. For companionship, I figured 5 different girls in the jacuzzi, 1ST and 1 TLN. That's to give an accurate comparison to a place where the girl is by your side 24 hours per day.

Blackbeard's wins on a few counts. For one, you're not paying to feed someone else, and another, variety is a constant option. The big savings come in if you're not constantly playing with the girls. It's pretty easy to keep your daily costs down to $200, and you don't need to book 5 nights to get the best deal.

On the other hand, if want a real GFE, you won't get it at Blackbeard's. The girls aren't making any money just hanging out by the pool. Their objective is to take as many trips as possible to the jacuzzi or a room. At the all inclusive, all the girls are worried about is keeping the customer happy whether it means walking on the beach, sitting by the pool, sightseeing or stress testing the bed springs.

If you want the cheapest, go to Sosua, stay at Plaza Europa, cook your own food and bargain well. If you don't mind paying a bit more for convenience, go to Blackbeard's. If you want to wife up for a week, pay a bit more and stay at an all-inclusive.