My wife and I decided to spend a week at Lifestyle’s newest property in Cabarete. The all-inclusive resort is located on both sides of the main street that runs through town, with the Presidential Suites on one side of the street and the Imperial Suites on the other. The rooms are tastefully decorated and sparkling clean. Free WiFi is provided as well. The Presidential Suites are designed with free-formed swimming pools (I believe I counted seven) in one large area while the Imperial Suites have an infinity pool that faces the Atlantic Ocean. There is bar service at both pool areas, with an occasional DJ providing entertainment. The resort staff are very polite and work hard to provide you with a truly wonderful vacation experience. This is an ideal setting where adults can relax and, for the more adventurous types, participate in activities such as sailing, kitesurfing and windsurfing.

There are also daily Spanish and salsa lessons, games like darts and beanbag toss; there is even an occasional DJ at the pool and a movie night. Activities for children are somewhat limited. There is a spa offering the usual range of services (massage, hair, nails). The gym is under construction. There is currently no casino on the premises. A fun activity for the whole family is to walk along the main street and browse the many shops and restaurants lining both sides, with hawkers competing for your tourist dollars. (Bargaining often works). Regarding dining options, there are two specialty restaurants – one Italian and the other Asian fusion.

There is also a buffet dining room where breakfast, lunch and dinner are served, sometimes a la carte with theme nights (ex. Dominican, Mexican) and at other times, where you serve yourself. The breakfast buffet is exceptional for its wide variety of offerings: fresh tropical fruits such as pineapple, mango, papaya and chinola (passion fruit); freshly-squeezed fruit juices and smoothies; a variety of cheeses; cold and hot cereals as well as eggs, pancakes and French toast. Dominican-style foods are also represented: mangu (boiled and mashed green plantains), boiled yuca (cassava) with onions and fried queso blanco (white cheese).

Coffee (the hugely-popular Cafe Santo Domingo), tea and hot chocolate are additional beverage choices. The waitstaff are to be commended for the highly professional manner with which they perform their responsibilities. A welcome sight at all three restaurants is their open kitchen. In addition, the presentation of the food deserves praise as well; the meals have been wonderfully creative and deliciously seasoned. There is a rooftop lounge with indoor and outdoor seating that opens at night, where they sometimes present shows or singers and always have a DJ playing music for listening or dancing.

In summary, Lifestyle at Cabarete is a great place for adults to relax and eat well. The entire staff is phenomenal, working extremely hard to ensure that, as they say in “DR,” todo bien (“everything okay”). One final note, the resort is still under construction, with plans to expand.

Robert
Forest Hills, New York