Playa Dorada Shopping Centre — Local services in Puerto Plata

FIRST FLOOR SHOPS: 1 out of 5 stars. SECOND FLOOR SHOPS: 4 out of 5 stars.

Went here a few times between Aug 16-26, 2022. THIS ISNT WHAT ANYONE IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE WOULD CALL A SHOPPING MALL!! Rather a tourist centre with multiple souvenir shops. The pharmacy here is overpriced. Overall you are safe cause you're in the compound. Most of the first floor shop owners are really pushy/aggressive(but in a friendly way) in trying to get you to come into their stores. You just have to shake your head no and wave and say no thank you. Note: Two SEPARATE stores on the first floor actually offered me and another member of my party the opportunity to purchase illegal street drugs. NOT IMPRESSED with that. The second floor shop owners were better and less aggressive. I DO NOT RECOMMEND FEMALES TRAVELLING ALONE OR YOUNG KIDS attend here. Some stores allow you to...

We were several times here as it was just by our hotel in the Playa Dorada complex. The mall looks really sad with just a few shops open and very few people. However, we bought our souvenirs here as well the cigars. Bargaining is a must for everything, but most important is for cigars. You can make a good business with that reselling them back home. Here, I'm speaking about the fake Cohiba, Montecristo and others they offer. They will quote a 25 cigar box 150-200 $. Your first offer should be 30-40 $ for that, in order to make a deal at 50 $. Do NOT pay over 50$, they will agree to it when you try to leave the store. I double checked the price here and in town also and bought 5 boxes, each for 50$. Again, I'm speaking about fake - just check what's the best made box, cigars are OK. Originals are about the same everywhere, around 10$+...

Nice shopping experience but you have to pay attention to prices because there are very different from store to store. In addition, be careful to exchange rate because if you pay with US dollars they try to lower the exchange rate. The best way is to exchange the US dollar to Dominican pesos to a exchange office and after to pay the goods ( example : the rate at the exchange office was 45 pesos for 1 US dollar and in the store 43 pesos for 1 US dollar). Avoid the firs store on the right corner after the entrance (there is a bar in front of it). IT'S A RIP OFF. I paid double price for the items. Advice : first go check the prices in all the stores and after buy. Unfortunately they try to take advantage if they see that you...