I’ve been traveling every month lately to report on COVID-19 pandemic protocols, showing how hoteliers, tourism officials, tour operators and other travel industry organizations are dealing with today’s challenging situation. But it wasn’t until recently that I made it back to the Dominican Republic, one of the top Caribbean beach destinations.
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PLEASE NOTE: We are living in a pandemic. Most people should not be traveling. It’s my job to report on the realities of travel today so you can make an educated decision and stay safe.
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My goal: to check out the recently reopened TRS Turquesa Hotel, an all-inclusive beach resort that I reviewed in detail for TravelAge West, the leading travel trade publication in the western United States. You can read my full hotel review here. I also reported on how to get a COVID-19 test in the Dominican Republic (by actually taking the test myself).
And now, it’s time to share my hotel view tour.
If you follow my YouTube channel, you already know that I’m no videographer. My travel videos and hotel tours are candid, unscripted, unedited and unpolished. But that’s a good thing: you know that what you see is what you get.
Even without high-level video skills, it’s easy to make this Caribbean beach hotel look good. There are lots of beautiful visuals at the TRS Turquesa Hotel, which reopened in November following several months of closure during the pandemic. Part of the Grand Palladium Punta Cana complex, this Caribbean beach hotel is an adults-only, all-inclusive beach resort option with sophisticated cuisine, excellent service and lots of amenities and activities. Guests at TRS enjoy access to all of the amenities at the other hotels on the resort property, which makes for lots of great options for dining and activities.
You can see my full TRS Turquesa Hotel video tour by clicking here (or scroll down and watch here if you’re viewing this on my travel blog page).
In this travel video, I also talk extensively about pandemic hygiene protocols in place at the hotel, to show you what you should expect and how you can stay safe and protect yourself and others when traveling.
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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC TRAVEL TIPS: How to Get a COVID-19 Test in the Dominican Republic
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Among my personal favorite memories from my stay at the TRS Turquesa Hotel:
• Relaxing in room 5503, a spacious swim-up suite that opened onto a pool where I was the only person. Private bliss!
• Digging into a variety of sophisticated cuisine, from Dominican to Japanese to Peruvian flavors.
• Strolling the beautiful resort property, which feels almost like a self-contained small village, complete with shops, restaurants and — of course — a spectacular Caribbean beach.
• Soaking in the giant outdoor pool at the fabulous Zentropia Spa before heading inside for a rejuvenating spa treatment.
• Experiencing the outstanding service of the staff at this Dominican Republic resort hotel. The attentive service of the wonderful staff members was indeed an integral part of the visit.In addition, the staff does a great job of sticking to pandemic hygiene safety guidelines — everyone wears masks and practices social distancing, and extensive cleaning and sanitization procedures are the norm, to keep both hotel guests and staff safe.
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As the vaccine becomes more widely distributed and more travelers start considering Punta Cana vacations again, the TRS Turquesa Hotel will certainly be one of the top choices for an adults-only, all-inclusive Caribbean beach getaway.
I’m always interested in hearing from fellow travelers: have you been traveling since the pandemic started? If so, what has your experience been like and what do you do to stay safe? If you haven’t traveled, what questions do you have about the “new normal” of travel during the pandemic? What kinds of trips do you dream of taking once it’s possible to travel again? Please feel free to contact me with your comments and questions (I may even want to interview you!) — and also follow my travels on my Instagram account. Thanks!