Located down a jungle-like road in the Bayahibe resort area, this property is comprised of two resorts, the Dominicus Beach and the Dominicus Palace. The two hotels share facilities but have different entrances, both displaying beautiful use of coralstone and thatch. The entrance to the Beach is more casual, with clustered seating under a covered entryway. The more lavish Palace has an open lobby with plenty of rattan sofa seating and flower arrangements beneath the soaring thatch pyramidal roof and flagstone floor.
Thatch rooflines throughout help define an inviting tropical mood. The beach here is not as wide as the hotel brochures suggest and can get crowded. Nonetheless, the twin resorts offer a superb aesthetic that stands a notch above other Viva Wyndham properties on the island.
The numerous choices for dining here include Mexican, Italian, Asian and cafeteria-style options, plus a pizza outlet. The cafeteria at the Dominicus Beach property sits just feet from lush palm trees and crashing waves, and
is a marvelous space with its coral-stone supports and thatched fringe. All restaurants are smoke-free throughout.
Three beachfront free-form pools offer options for relaxation. All feature organized games, activities and poolside bars, and two afford ocean views. An endless stretch of beach welcomes guests with lounge chairs and umbrellas. Although sea grasses abound, rocky outcrops prove good for tide-pooling and there is excellent snorkeling, while for divers a wreck lies a few fathoms down mere meters offshore; scuba diving costs extra here, as everywhere. Most water sports are included in the rates, and other excursion trips can be arranged at the guest services desk. Free group windsurfing and sailing lessons are offered, and there are plenty of table games for rainy days. A fitness center offers only basic equipment and is scant for the size of this resort. Lighted tennis courts, a lake with pink flamingos and nightly entertainment are all part of the scene, and guests can kick up their heels in the hotel's disco.
A bank, a hair salon, several shops and a pricey Internet cafe are located in the main building. A little-known secret is that members of the easy-to-join Wyndham by Request program receive one hour of free Internet access. A kid's program keeps small ones amused during daylight hours, and there are two children's pools, but childcare comes at a stiff price.
This resort is well-equipped for meetings, with its 1,000-seat theater plus a dedicated meeting room for 250 people in the Dominicus Palace.
Accommodations are in bungalows or guest rooms in three-story buildings. Appointments run to lively tropical fabrics and a smattering of dark hardwood pieces including a shuttered closet, a tiny dresser supporting a TV, and an even tinier bedside table. Rooms at both resorts show tile floors, king or queen beds, iron and ironing board, and balconies with twin Adirondack chairs. Baths have marble floors and countertops, tub-showers in rooms and shower-only in bungalows, plus coffeemakers, hair dryers and sufficient lighting 
in all units. Superior rooms offer more gracious, Edwardian-style furnishings, including TV cabinets, and twin bedside tables. Of particular note are irritatingly high noise levels in the thatched bungalows, and in the rooms on the ground floor and those closest to building entrances. Soundproofing is at a minimum anyway, and echoing voices at all hours of the night don't help. Two rooms are fitted for handicapped travelers, and half the rooms are designated smoke-free.
Employees are friendly at both and are this property's best asset, as they go out of their way to please guests. Europeans, and mainly Italians, make up the majority of guests here, and tour groups rule. The beachfront access at this customer-service dream resort is worth the rates, even though rooms could be upgraded a bit with more sophisticated furnishings. This property draws a high percentage of families; travelers seeking a less family-oriented atmosphere and a tad more sophistication may prefer the Iberostar next door.
