How much do things cost in the Dominican Republic?

How much should I bring with me to Dominican Republic? Paradisus Punta Cana 5 days all-inclusive (Please help)?

• I am going to the Paradisus Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic at the end of November for a total of 5 days 6 nights. I am going by myself. My cousin is getting married at the resort. The wedding package is all-inclusive. However I do like to splurge on occasions especially If im going by myself, I need to make some quick friends. If I attend a nightclub or bar I will probably like to buy a bottle of champagne or rum. How much are the bottle's at the club? What is okay to leave your room attendant for cleaning up the room? How much is okay to leave as a tip to your waitresses and bartenders? I'm really not trying to take any major tours just stay around the resort. Please let me know in US dollars because I have tried to convert it but dont know how much things cost there in pesos.

• Answer:

  Susan is right about 2$ per day to cleaning attendant and about the toys, they really like that. Tip them in dollars, don't exchange your money to pesos because they can get a better exchange rate in their home towns than you as a tourist in the hotel bank. Tip the bartender upfront 2$ 3$ with your first drink and one dollar to the waitress that serve drinks to the table and you will be treated as royalty the rest of the night. 2$ or 3$ for the baggage man. No need to tip at the buffet, maybe 1$ upfront for the beverage waiter on a busy hour for a more attentive service. 2$ upfront to the maitre d' on the a la carte rest and 2$ for your table waiter at the end. Its important to tip them upfront the first 2 days because is not common practice there and they don't really know who tip and who don't. If you don't tip they will treat you nice, but if you tip them upfront they'll treat you nicer. There's really no need to splurge buying rum at the bar since it's all inclusive. For the champagne, it depends which bottle, but it shouldn't be more expensive than double the price you pay a the store. For example a Veuve Clicquot is like 60$ at the store so it should not cost you more than 120$, (cheaper ones should be about 30$) at the hotel, but since everybody drink there a lot maybe it is not a wise investment to buy expensive liquor. A better way to make friends is to pack a couple of sunscreen lotion bottles to share with new friends because it is something easy to forget and in the hotel is super-expensive, like 25$-35$ for an 6$ bottle. To make friends engage in the beach game activities at day, so you'll have lots of friends at night. Enjoy.