I just got back from a Fora fam trip at Moon Palace Punta Cana, and I have a lot of feelings.

Let me start with what this resort does well, because it does a lot well.

Kids stay free. That alone changes the math for families. It's the biggest resort in Punta Cana, and on price it comes in much better than the Hyatt Ziva. There's a toddler water park and a big kid water park. The kids camp is two floors and stays open until 10 pm, which means parents actually get a dinner. There are 9 pools and 19 restaurants, and even the standard rooms are big enough for a family.

If you don't want to leave the resort, you don't care much about Dominican culture, and you're focused on price and easy flights (the DR is often an easier trip than Mexico for East Coast clients), Moon Palace is a great choice. I mean that.

Here's the part that is different from what I normally book. There is nothing Dominican about it. The only place you'll find Dominican food is the buffet. Madre Mia is Latin American, though it's more of a global Latin menu than a Dominican one. I couldn't find a single domino anywhere. In the Dominican Republic.

The other option most people don't know about

If you want to actually experience this country, a villa with a private chef and a golf cart in a gated community like Cocotal or Cap Cana will often cost you a lot less.

Each day you can visit a different local activity park. Scape Park, Caribbean Lake Park, Bavaro Adventure Park, and El Dorado all have a huge range of excursions and amenities. You get out, see the country, and come home to your own pool.

The best local chefs are very affordable. The food is local and fresh. Your drinks get served to you in the pool. That's the all-inclusive experience, just Dominican.

I know some people don't want to think or plan. That's where I come in.

Why this trip changed how I see my own work

There were 14 advisors on this trip, and I was the only one who spoke fluent English and Spanish. I became the person who negotiated prices, gave local recommendations, told the history of the places we visited, and made everyone feel safe going out to local restaurants and nightlife.

For the first time, I really saw how useful I am.

It also showed me why people hire me instead of the big excursion companies. A lot of those operations run on kickbacks, and you spend your day getting pushed by vendors at every stop. That's not how I work.

I manage transportation, excursions, nightlife, and day passes at different resorts. You can pay the same as an all-inclusive, or less, and have a much better time. I'm someone who likes to experience a place, and I build that same experience for my clients.

A word about reviews and AI

This training also showed me how much tech I have on the Fora platform, a lot of which I didn't even know existed.

Our own AI tool was built with Anthropic and trained on data from 10,000 luxury travel advisors. I trust that more than asking ChatGPT or Claude to plan your trip, because public AI tools rely on public reviews. What most people don't realize is that a lot of those reviews are bought. I know this because as a business owner, I've been offered paid Google, Yelp, and TripAdvisor reviews. GoDaddy offered them to me.

I still use public platforms like Expedia TAAP and Viator. I've also had clients book hotels through Expedia TAAP that turned out not to exist, and they never got their money back. That's the difference between booking with a platform and booking with a person who is on the ground.

Let's plan your next trip

I'm the only Fora Pro advisor based in the Dominican Republic, and Fora is now a $1 billion company. You get the backing of that platform and someone who lives here.

Here's how my planning fee works:

If you're booking an all inclusive property in one location, there's no fee.

If you want a more complex itinerary with multiple locations, transportation, excursions, and customization, my planning fee is $99. Through the end of 2026, it's 50% off.

If you've booked with me before, I'll waive the planning fee completely.

Start Planning Your Trip Here 

Tell me where you want to go. I'll handle the rest.

See you in paradise,

Daniele