I travel a lot for work; in 30 years I’ve stayed in everything you can imagine; Four Seasons in Italy, Maui resorts, villas in the Caribbean, hammocks in Mexico. This was perfect to make our vacation whatever we wanted.
The 1 review about the rundown community was misleading. This is the DR, not Florida. Please, if that’s what you expect, go there and don’t give Americans more of a bad reputation than we already have. Yes, you'll see some vacant buildings, quaint restaurants and beautiful homes. The DR is a developing country, and if you want to be a good citizen of our World, show some respect for that. There are poor areas (I didn’t really see that), but I’ve seen much, much worse in Mexico, Dominica, St. Thomas, and Barbados. It’s just… different.
The owner was excellent, the house is nicer than the pics. "Beachfront" means 1 step from the backyard to the beach; quiet, not deserted. 2 min. walk to slightly more populated beach; little restaurants, thatched-roof palapas, great swimming. Great for kids, swim in the easily identified white-sand areas (bring a mask/snorkel and you’ll easily identify where coral and sea urchins are further out).
The gated community is safe, several English-speaking restaurants/shops. You could spend your entire time without leaving, but if that’s your plan… go to Florida, please.
We explored every day. If you haven’t traveled much outside your country, but want to experience something idyllic, slightly exotic, and relatively quiet, this may be a good place to start. Just use your head and do some research. And if you have traveled, enjoy. A big smile and “Hola” goes a long way. A little Spanish helps tremendously. Mine was rusty, but when seeking directions in Puerto Plata, a shop owner walked us two blocks to the store I was looking for, and left me with a warm smile and a handshake. When was the last time that happened to you in the States?