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Hotel review – Four Points by Sheraton, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

In between my flights from Paris via Montreal and to the USA I spent a total of four nights at the Four Points by Sheraton, near to Punta Cana Airport.

Although the hotel is rather overpriced by local standards, with rates often hovering around the $200/£160 mark, I chose it for the convenience of its location near the airport. I was also able to mitigate the expense by using the last of my Marriott points for two of the nights.

The hotel is reached in around 10 minutes by a free shuttle, which can be ordered via a free telephone located just after customs clearance.

The rooms are functional, comfortable and reasonably well appointed.

The hotel also offers a buffet breakfast at a cost of $23 (£18) per person.

The hotel also has a small swimming pool, which in Punta Cana’s tropical climate is rather inviting.

Whilst this was a perfectly comfortable hotel to while away a couple of layovers, one thing did leave a rather sour taste. On checking in for my third stay, I noticed a mysterious $40 additional charge on my folio, which was not brought to my attention.

Upon enquiry, this was vaguely and variously described as a resort fee and later as a tourist tax.

After a discussion with a member of management, this amount was offered to me as a restaurant and bar credit and covered a steak sandwich and a few beers on the pool terrace.

In conclusion, this hotel is a reasonable option for a short layover, if convenience for the airport is a major factor. However, be sure to check your bill and obtain a satisfactory explanation for any additional charges.

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Destination guide – Grand Canyon South Rim, Arizona

After flying to the USA from the Dominican Republic last Autumn, a good friend of mine and I took to the road to visit the Grand Canyon.

As we only had a few days to view this magnificent landmark, we decided to visit only the South Rim.

The South Rim is generally considered to be the best option to visit, in order to gain an overview of this spectacular natural feature.

As we visited during the late Autumn, we had to be a little patient and wait for the right conditions, but we were eventually rewarded.

As you can see, Autumn is a wonderful time of the year to appreciate this stunning vista.

On our last day, my friend ventured out in the early hours to capture the panorama in the dawn’s auroral glow.

We spent two days appreciating this captivating landscape and we could very happily have spent much longer.

The South Rim offers dozens of viewpoints, each of which offers a unique perspective on the topography.

Due to the distances between these viewpoints, it is highly advisable to travel by car, although many of the points are served by relatively frequent buses from the Grand Canyon Village and lodges.

If time is a precious commodity, as it was for us, I would suggest staying in the village lodges. We chose the Maswik Lodge, which I will review in the coming days.

All of the photographs featured in this article were taken by my good friend, Stefan Mundt of Eagle Studios in Racine, Wisconsin.

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