Want a resort, but don't want to eat dinner there

www.puntacana.com Hard Rock new

luxurylink.com many other options

I like Negril nice beaches party vibe no casinos though.

atlantis.com nice a little closer to US

There really is not much to do off resort grounds in the DR.
Look into Playa del Carmen Mexico. Great little town with good restaurants and bars....ruins to explore nearby....good beaches.

Any of the boutique hotels off 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen would be great for what you are looking for. Just keep in mind that some are beach front and some are not, just research carefully if that is an issue to you.

Aruba Palm Beach area would also be a good choice. Literally, several restaurants and bars beach side and across the street from the all the hotels.

thank you everyone. Looks like the hard rock is also AI. Maybe the Dominican Republic isn't the right place for us. I'll check out your other suggestions.

If you are looking for a hotel that is low key with delicious dinning options and great spa treatments then I would highly recommend staying at Casa Colonial Boutique Hotel. It is located on Playa Dorada in Puerto Plata.
Casa Colonial has beautiful colonial architecture and is very romantic. My partner and I had breakfast every morning on our balcony and then I spent some of my afternoons in the spa while he played golf.
We would then meet and have dinner at Lucia's which has an award winning chef and delicious dinners!!
Lounging at the beach or at their rooftop pool is a must, the view is absolutely gorgeous from up top.

The issue here is that Punta Cana isn't right for you. That's the land of all-inclusive resorts. There are other places in the DR where you will find more independent restaurants, but they are mostly along the north coast (Cabarete and to a lesser degree Puerto Plata). But nothing up there could be considered quaint. I'd choose a different island entirely.

You want an island like Curacao or Anguilla, both of which have great independent restaurants and good low-key bars. Anguilla is pretty upscale and expensive, so you might also look at St. Lucia, particularly in the Rodney Bay area, where there are a lot of independent restaurants. I like Bay Gardens Beach Resort, which is within walking distance of restaurants and bars.

St. Martin is also great, particularly the area around Grand Case, which is notable for excellent restaurants, but it's a little isolated if you really absolutely don't want to rent a car.

Even Grand Cayman has a lot of places you can walk to from Seven Mile Beach (or take a short bus or taxi ride).