Only an idiot would have negative feelings about the whole country because they have eaten some bad food there. I'm a Brit married to a Dominicana and we travel there regularly, the only time I've really had the squits is after eating at an all inclusive. That foods been on display and played with for hours if not days, have some brains go and eat where the locals eat , don't be prisoner to the resorts. I've travelled the country coast to coast on Guaguas, it is as safe as any other place, just use common sense. I won't defend the resorts as many are grotesque, they are usually owned and managed by non Dominicans anyway. Resorts don't do anywhere near enough to support the local economy, as was the original plan in buying up huge parts of the coast for next to nothing. If you're looking for blame, find the operators, its not a problem with the country as a whole. I've only ever felt warmth and good nature from the majority of Dominicans. As Columbus said, its paradise on Earth.

Duane, Manchester, United Kingdom

My wife and I returned from The Dominican Republic on 31st July after spending 14 nights in the Occidental Grand Flamenco in Playa Dorado. It was brilliant! We could not fault the hotel on anything. Cleanliness, hygiene, food, swimming pools, beach, all top notch.

We would definitely go there again!

Duncan Hall, Baldock, Herts

I just returned from BP in Punta Cana and can tell you that me and my 3 other family members had a great time at the bahia and the food was perfect. Mind I did watch out what I ate, but I touched basically everything.

Bruno, Montreal, Canada

I've just this minute got back from the Riu Merengue in Puerto Plata. I've got to say that it is one of the cleanest hotels I have EVER stayed in - and I'm one well travelled girl! There were maids on standby at the entrance to each toilet with an alcholo gel, they were also on stand by to the entrance of each restaurant. Waiters and cleaning staff were everywhere.
If people would only wash their hands after using the bathroom, and not pick up food with their fingers, we could avoid some of these nasty bugs!

lianne, Wednesbury, West Midlands

I just spent a week at the princess bavaro hotel in punta cana and contracted a similar bug. I would like to warn those that may experience a similar low fever (38.4C) and feelings of nausea along with "the runs" and vomiting not to allow hotel doctors to scare you into going to the local private hospital!!! such a doctor told me that symptoms like mine may mean I have dengue fever or malaria! I was scared out of my wits and the whole experience (doctors visit, hospital visit, and blood tests) cost me over 600$ american! I'm not even sure my travel insurance will cover! Perhaps the hotel doctor just wanted to play it safe, but at the hospital numerous other treatments like an IV and an antinausea shot were pushed on me, it really seemed like they were trying to boost the bill. Also, the hotel doctor WORKS FOR THE PRIVATE HOSPITAL I WAS SENT TO! This fact especially made the whole business seem a little fishy. Just wanted to warn those travelling here. a day after i am fine. cheers!

michael, princeton, nj

Last Oct - Nov i stayed at the Rui Merengue in Puerta plata. Had a fantastic time and wasnt ill at all, neither was my partner. I think that it is such a shame that this gorgeous country is getting such a bad rap. I definatley would recommend my holiday to any friends. People chosing not to go dont realise how much they are missing i also would recommend all the excursions especialy paradise island and saona island. yes they cost more but who wants to go all that way and stay in the resort, you should go out and see the real country and culture even just going out on quad bikes in the mountains was great. the dominican people dont have much but what they always have is a smile for you. dont let these reports put you off, these things are always made worse in the media.

kk, ayrshire, scotland

I Went To Bahia Prinipe In June..
And I Got The Stomach Bug That Caused Me Too Be Vomiting For About 1 And A Half Days...Quite A Few People Had It But I Was Told To Eat GreeeenApple And It Worked!

But Apart From That Realy Goood Holiday!

Beth, Kent, Herne Bay, England!

I stayed at the Bahia Principe San Juan last summer for two weeks and it was the best holiday I have ever been on. I have never been in such a clean hotel! It is unfortunate that this has happened but people should not let it put them off.

Cat, Hull,

My wife and I returned to the 3 star 'Dorada Club' Hotel at playa dorada after being there for our Honeymoon in Apr/may 2006 that year we were totally fireproof!!!! eating anything and everything even the beach food ie oysters and prawns it was fantastic. we went back this year and i got the trots from day one and then my wife had to spend a day in bed halfway through but that was due to her stupidly eating a poorly cooked ( half raw) hamburger ( and she wont even look at one of my pinkish lamb roasts at home) on an excursion which by the way was fantastic. I put my own illness down to the eggs which i expect have a higher bacteria content then our STERILE ones at home so we're not as immune as the native dominicans who go through the hotel food like a swarm of locusts without any ill effects.
Any way we still love and will return to our honeymoon resort, no problem but this time we'll be pre-loaded with proboitic culture tablets and a supply of garlic capsules.

kevin and Sharon Snelling, ERITH KENT, uk

we have been to bahia principe the last two years running and had this bug both times.we are going back there in 5 weeks time it hasn't put us off. it is a super complex all the the staff are very freindly and helpful its a great shame they cannot pinpoint this problem and fix it.the staff are constantly cleaning all day.my own view is that the main restaurantes are open to birds & bugs, flys do land on the food thats out.they are to open and to warm.they should be closed in ,air conditioned & electric bug killers fitted. i think this would go a long way to solving the problem.as i said the complex is great look ing forward to going back with the wife and seeing all our freinds on the staff and management.

Brian Agar, DURHAM, ENGLAND

My 22 year-old brother came from Dominican 2 months ago and came down with severe abdominal cramping and was diagnosed with severe acute pancreatitis. The doctors could not pinpoint the exact cause but I do feel that it was something he contracted in the Dominican. He passed away 3 weeks later due to multiple system organ failure and sepsis(overwhelming infection of the blood). Asking everyone to be careful. There are many deadly viruses and bacteria that have not yet been discovered in the medical field that tourists have no to very little immunity towards .

Nyasha J, Pickering, Ont, Canada

my husband and myself and our son went to Bahia Principe in december 2006, i have got to say it was the best holiday we have had,we could not fault anything,all levels of staff were fantastic, all the restaurants were fantastic, and i thought what i saw the hygiene was fine, so maybe someone bought a bug in with them,maybe some of these people did not have thr recommended injections,but we could not fault anything, and you could go to benidorm and get a stomach bug.

dawn mcilwain, huntingdon cambridgeshire, united kingdom

Isolated my eye,
I stayed at this poor excuse for a hotel in October last year for my sisters wedding. Out of 30 people in the party, half suffered from stomach upsets of varying severity, I myself lost half a stone in weight. One lady spent two months in hospital on her return as a direct result of illness contracted at this hotel. During our two week stay, over 250 guests needed medical treatment, the reason you don't hear about it is because the hotel offered to pay pay for medical expense as long as you signed a disclaimer saying you would not report the outbreak. Many people did this as the discomfort was unbearable and medicine very expensive.

Dean Davies, St. Helens, Merseyside

I went to the Dominican Republic (2002) and stayed at one of the rui apartments. It was cleaned by the maids all the time and they made a real effort to keep it spotless. I was there for two weeks and was never ill once, eating and drinking from every restaurant throughout the day. I just think it is down to personal hygiene and what people choose to eat ie, high risk food posioning foods like rice, seafood, salad, and the water etc which you have to be careful with in any country you go on holiday to.

L.Smith, Exeter, England

We returned to the UK yesterday after staying at the Iberostar Hotel in Playa Dorada on the north coast. My party of 5 suffered no real illness apart from what we think may be a slight intolerance to the tap water. We were advised that the hotel used filtered water for everything else and were warned to clean teeth etc in bottled water.

The hotel food was superb; the best 'all inclusive' spread I have ever seen. Hot food was piping hot and chilled food very cold. Nothing stayed out on for long and 'proper' chef's replenished fresh food often.

To answer the question of why more Brits don't go there I suspect the answer may lay in the 9 hour each way flights and the negative impression of the local villages and sights. We were put off travelling away from the complx and would have felt unsafe but we have no evidence to support this feeling. Certainly the local staff were always extremely polite and friendly, and we had a fantastic holiday.

Andy Wilson, Lincoln, England

We have just come back from the Dominican. We stayed in the Riu Bachata. They have the best hygiene control system going. However, what if someone had refused to use the alcohol rub they were asking guests to use. Is it the hotels fault then if that one person comes from the toilet without washing their hands, has a bug and spreads it around the restaurant and contaminates plates, tongs etc? Food for thought!

Debi, Oxford, UK

I lived in the Dominican Republic from late 1997 to 2001 and although some people did get ill, you should have seen the number of people piling their plates high from the all-inclusive buffet, sizzling in tropical temperatures during the day followed by days & nights of heavy drinking - what else do you expect? Not forgetting they were probably all dehydrated from the long haul flight and jet lag. And don't forget healthy people don't get as sick as people who are less well to start with. At the end of the day it is a budget caribbean destination, with the best beaches and best people you could ever meet. It is definitely still one of my favourite holiday destinations - if you want guaranteed sunshine, lovely people and to experience the real carribean this is the place to go, not forgetting the fab music and superb hotels.

kay, chester,

I've just returned from the Dom Rep this week and suffered no more problems in terms of food hygiene than last year when my family went to Spain. It's a fact that you can have water related issues when travelling to the north of England because the bacteria in the water there can be different from that in the south (and vice versa) and people need some time to 'adjust' to the different bacteria - it doesn't mean that it's any worse of better in the south or north of Engalnd and for that same reason people can suffer when they visit the Dom Rep. Having said that people need to take usual precautions as recommended on this website and they'd generally be ok.

For the previous respondent in Spain, the Dom Rep is not in South America but the Caribbean - there is a geographic difference. In addition it is far cheaper and less travel time to get to Spain vs. the Caribbean and that explains the reason why more Britons travel to Spain.

Mark , Chelmsford, England

In July we spent two weeks in the Blue Bay Getaway Villas resort very close to Puerto Plata. Their hygiene was beyond reproach; a man was regularly going around testing the water (at the pools, bar and kitchens). Had a wonderful time relaxing in very beautiful surroundings. Ambar you are wrong it is not close to paradise it most definitely is paradise.

Colleen, Hull, United Kingdom

Why pick on the Domincan Republic. I have never been but I have been to Eygpt several times where boat loads of tourists have been extremely ill on the Nile Cruisers and my daughter went recently with her boyfriend to the Red Sea area and both were very ill with D&V but you never hear of any travel company trying to do anything about it. Its been going on for years but nothing seems to be done about it.

Mrs S Kerridge, Norwich, England

Well i flew out on the 10th of july 2007 and stayed in hotel 15mins away from puerto plata and found maggots in the lamb on the fourth day i was their. another couple found them in the gammon! the hygiene was disgusting and i dont care what anyone says. Although some holiday makers at other hotels i spoke too said the food was ok?. then again i dont think any holiday maker has seen there kitchens.

disgusting!

chris wilson, doncaster, south yorkshire

I went to Bahia Principe San Juan in June with four children, One child contracted a severe stomach bug. The staff were very friendly but the resort is old, needs a refurbish and hygiene could definitely be improved. I would not return.

Yvette Williams, London,

There is a fantastic product available called Travelan which you take with every meal to neutralize the bugs which cause vomitting and diarrhea. It was medically proven in US & Europe, it's also an Australian product. Works fantastic!
None of our friends have been sick anywhere when they have been on this product. Others on our tours, who didn't know about the product, were usually ill. Not available in all countries so it's best to buy over the internet.

Steve Skoro, Melbourne, Australia

This is only one hotel in the D.R. There are 500 others hotels that are as good or better in the same area. It is not a country's problem. It's only a hotel.

Orlando, Boston, United States

I wonder how many people in the world will declined the use of Chinese products, because 1 o2 company doesn’t observer the safety regulation?

Rafael, Salem, MA

Myself and my family part own a villa in the Domincan Republic nr Puerta Plata and situated on a resort. We visit at least twice a year. Never have any of us been taken ill, other than slight stomach upsets due to overindulgence! This happens to us at home if we eat food we don't usually eat or drink too much on a night out. I get fed up with sitting by the pool listening to holidaymakers complain that the ice in their drinks upset them,,, of course nothing to do with the amount and content of what was in the glass alongside the ice!!!!! As for the hygiene I would rather be in the Dominican than in some parts of Europe any day of the week, The place is beautiful and the people are some of the nicest I have ever met . Drink in moderation, Drink bottled water, don't overeat and you will be fine.

Don, Andover, Hants

Have just returned from the Dominican Republic - had an excellent holiday staying at the Riu Bachata, Puerto Plata (Thomsons). Hygiene generally was excellent, emphasis being on user friendly hand disinfectants being dispensed by staff prior to entering dining areas. Any sufferers of stomach complaints (only a few) were generally attributed to too many Pina Coladas - pineapple and coconut being a laxative! Purified water was in plentiful supply - in rooms and elsewhere.

david archbell, bristol, uk

I have just returned from the Dominican Republic- Puerto Plata I stayed at the Riu Bachata and although I always get tummy bugs in Greece or Spain was absolutely fine this year. The cleanliness standards at the hotel were superb, almost sterile!! I had a wonderful holiday in a beautiful country with lovely people.

Mrs G, BROMLEY, UK

I have hoiday in the south if the Dom Rep in 2003 and ate ice cream and fresh fruit in abundance every day of my stay and was not unwell at all. The previous year I stayed in Mexico and was well all holiday
Last year I visited Sharm El Sheik in Egpyt and was in bed for 2 days with sickness diorrehia and excructiating abdominal pain - which I think has left me with under lying stomach compliant! ......... this was not a one off as at least 75% plus of the hotel were ill at some point and looking at the various holiday reveiw sites after - this was the norm! - maybe it was due to the water treament plant next door - anyway I think the hotel knew they had a problem as I saw the hotel doctor with 2 huge carriers full of medication!!!!
However on my other 3 vists to Egpyt staying in Hurghada and going on a Nile cruise I have eaten extremely well and had no illness at all. I am going again in a a few weeks for my 3rd stay at the same hotel in Hurghada

Rachael, West Yorkshire,

DR hotels and resorts have drastically improved their hygiene procedures in the past years. The DR used to be mainly a cheap all-inclusive destination, but hospitality investors are now building luxury resorts that up the ante for existing establishments with better services and infrastructure. This is attracting a lot of high profile visitors from all over the world and has done wonders to improve the quality of hotels and resorts. Donald Trump is building a luxury resort in the east coast, ex-U.S. presidents visit frequently, famous actors are buying property, and visitors now exceed 3M/year making the DR the top destination in the Caribbean. Could that the reason for media scrutinity when only 0.0006% of visitors get sick in 1 year? Get a life.

Al, Apex, USA

I have visited the Dominican Republic 8 times since 2002, including 4 weeks in total last year. I have to say I always return to the same hotel and never expierenced any problems. The problems lie with the guests not the hotels or locals. At the hotel I stay in you can watch guests enter the toilets and come out without washing their hands and refusing the anti-bactrial rub offered as they exit. These same offenders enter the restuarant, again refusing the anti-bactrial rub proceeding to touch plates, which they then decide they don't require and return to the pile. No wonder infection is pass on. The Riu chain of hotels hygiene is second to none and the cleaning of the public areas is amazing to watch. I have also visited other hotels and again only experienced wonderful hygiene levels. The locals take pride in everything they do and why would they ever put their livelyhood at risk. I'm off to the Dom Rep again in 5 weeks and have no fears about my health while I'm there.

Fiona Duran Martinez, Worthing, England

I returned from Puerto Plata at the end of June and I can honestly say the resort (Riu) was the cleanest place I have ever stayed in in my life, it was also the only destination I have holidayed in where I did not get a stomach upset. A lot of people know there might be compensation involved which then results in hypercondriacts overexagerating their stomach upsets into something more serious. If you watch people walking into the restaurants without using the handwash they provide its their own fault if they fall ill but please have some respect for your fellow holiday makers.

Lynsey, Manchester,

Another point to consider is that the British are the only visitiors to the Dominician Republic that take malaria tablets. These tablets can have side effects, especially when mixed with alcohol. I'm not suggesting that this case has anything to do with the above but it has to be considered for individual cases that will put the blame on food hygiene before looking at other options.

Mike, Wirral, UK

If the Dominican Republic public health is not "less safe than the Costas", why are coming 13m Brits every year to Spain and only a few thousands to the Caribbean?
Do you really think that Spanish healthcare system and food hygiene rules are as bad as in Turkey and South America?

Arthur Egan, Murcia, Spain

I am from the Dominican Republic, from Puerto Plata actually, and I will have to say that the media might be exagerating. We have been a touristic spot for so long now. We have high quality hotels all over the coast and inside the country. My advice for the tourist is to take your precautions since you are not used maybe to our food. But to say that we are lacking hygiene is to say that we are Ignorant and spend the hole day at the beach, that we are nothing more than sand and salt water. Im proud to say that my country is not perfect but it is very close to paradise. So you are still Welcome to visit anytime you want, meet the locals and reaally experience a Dominican Vacation. Tourist often stay locked in their hotels and think that because of it they visited the country but it is when you get outside that the fun and culture beggins.

Ambar, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

Domican Republic is just as safe as any other country such as spain , most british travellers get ill due to overindulging in alcohol, food, sun and not drinking enough water on their all inclusive packages.

Mr Thomas, swansea, wales

I went to the Bahia Principe in 1999 for two weeks. Of those two weeks I was also stricken with sickness for 4 days being bed bound and in extreme pain. I put my illness to eating food from the open air buffet which upon closer inspection had lots of tiny bugs in it. I wont be going back to the D.R again needless to say.

Wai Tsang, cannock, staffs

Well all i can say is that i went to the dominican republic a last month and nothing happened to me or my familly in fact we had a lot of fun. the people are frendly, the beaches are beautiful and the food was delicious..thats my opinion

james, boston,