To begin, Special thanks for Warnes The Butler and...

To begin, Special thanks for Warnes The Butler and Joel the coffee/tea person who made my son tea everyday in the buffet eating area.
Ok - so if you book standard accommodation you will be encouraged to take advantage of the entire complex by upgrading to preferred. If you do this you get access to 2 x lounges with coffee and snacks etc and all pools. You will also get a room with a Spa bath. This upgrade was heavily discounted for me and the family due to the time of year and the hotel not being full. Most daily activity will happen around the standard pool each day and you can get coffee etc at the beach so you have to decide if you think the upgrade is worth the additional cost.
I understand some of the less positive reviews. If you are a UK citizen we may not always be certain of the tipping requirements. The hotel staff will expect tips, especially in the restaurants. When you tip you will notice an immediately better service. unfortunately unless you tip you will not get the highest standard of service. people who tipped the maid would get bed art etc each day, if you didnt tip you would get a standard service, similar in the restaurants especially the American style restaurant. I have visited Jamaica recently and you would only tip here if you received an exceptional service, not just to get one.
The food for me was very good. I am not a fan of chips and fatty meats so I would eat lots of locally grown fruits and vegetables, if you enjoy a nice sirloin cut you may be disappointed. The kids eating area was well received by my 2 boys. I really cant personally complain about the food in the buffet area. I would highly recommend booking SPICE and a seat at the grill. this is a restaurant where the chef will cook at a grill in front of you and will put on a show with fire. this was excellent.
Overall this was a great experience for me and the family (with young children). Dominican Republic is definitely a place to visit and this hotel would offer everything you need for your stay