FTF examines an Italian chain of tropical all-inclusive resorts where value and fun are guaranteed by the friendly staff.

We have long praised this Italian-owned chain of all-inclusive resorts to vacationing families because of their fun ambiance, great staff, and top value for money. After this company's 10th anniversary, FTF decided to take a closer look at what has made Viva Wyndham's seven all-inclusive, family-welcoming resorts so successful.

As you can read in our writers' reviews of the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach, the Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach, Viva Wyndham Playa Dorado, and Viva Wyndham Maya and Azteca, this company knows how to show its guests a good time.

Viva Resorts' founder and president, Ettore Colussi, is a charming Italian Odysseus who many years ago beached his sailboat on Hispaniola after five years of roaming the Caribbean. He found "home" in the Dominican Republic and, after spending several months getting to know the country, returned to Italy, scooped us some willing buddies, and bought his first resort hotel.

In 1986, at the age of 27, Mr. Colussi began remodeling this ramshackle bungalow colony on the La Romana beach by splitting each unit into two hotel-style rooms, with no phone or TV or A/C, but a determination to show his guests a good time. Into this beautiful tropical setting came waves of Italian tourists, happy to soak up the sun and rum along one of the Caribbean's best beaches.

Sticking with his philosophy of building resorts in the best beach locations; maintaining a top value proposition in the face of tough competition; being family-friendly while welcoming all types of guests; and hiring a diverse pool of talented, multi-lingual staff (his equipe), Mr. Colussi took the Dominicus and, later, the Dominicus Palace, from 60 bungalows to 1,000 rooms in 20 years.

Viva Wyndham Resorts Expand

January 2007 marked the 10th anniversary of the Viva name and brand. After his immediate success at La Romana, Mr. Colussi followed his first love, scuba, and built the group's next property on Grand Bahama. Two resorts in the Mexican development of Playacar along the Riviera Maya followed. In the years since, Viva Wyndham has expanded in the Dominican Republic with the Tangerine and Playa Dorado resorts.

Today, while the Dominican Republic resorts still attract many Europeans, Italian guests make up only about 30% of the company's business. That doesn't mean the Italian talent for cuisine, generosity of spirit and great design sense is gone however. Rooms are spacious and well decorated, with a variety of room sizes and styles appropriate to every type of family. Expansion plans for the brand's teen years may include Brazil but the most obvious brand opportunity – Viva Las Vegas – will have to wait at least a generation.

As expected from an all-inclusive resort company where one price covers everything a vacationer might need, each resort offers three meals a day from bountiful buffets, unlimited beverages and alcohol, and even 24-hour snack bars. Wait staff circle the pool and public areas with refreshments, there's an afternoon High Tea service, and rooms with minibars have them restocked daily. On the healthy side, the Viva Wyndhams are in tropical locales where fresh fruit, vegetables and salads are abundant, and each buffet offers a low-fat section.

Daily activities center around total action – watersports, group lessons in windsurfing or kayaking or scuba, team games like volleyball or soccer, reggae dance classes or yoga – or inaction on the many hammocks, sun chaises and shaded patios available to guests. There's a corner for sunset cocktails, nightly show put on by the talented and vivacious resort staff, and many of the resorts are near lively beach towns for a night away while the kids are otherwise engaged. Dive shops, banana boat rides, jet skis, hair-braiding and local crafts are some of the fun local options available for a fee.

Enhancing a Top Value Vacation

The past few years of damaging hurricanes, tropical illnesses and other traveler woes have resulted in good news for families; newly refreshed resorts have more restaurant options, including many more a la carte dining venues. The Riviera Maya's Maya and Azteca resorts even offer guests vouchers to dine in the hip town of Playa del Carmen at their own Café Viva, a successful nightspot in this crowded beachfront village.

The Dominicus Palace boasts a stylish new beach bar where guests can drink from recliners in a swimming pool. A large casino, shopping and entertainment complex with convention facilities is being built nearby to offer guests more nightlife options. Don't worry about the family here; gambling and drinking are both restricted to those over 18-years and Viva Wyndham's color-coded wrist bracelets ensure that adult activities remain adult.

While preserving its moderate rates, Viva Wyndham has also been able to add spa facilities, dedicated miniclub facilities, and kiddie pools at each resort. Each property maintains a supervised kids' program, divided into age-appropriate activities for ages 4-7 and 8-12. Private babysitting is available, for a fee, for the under-4s. Puzzles, gym time, arts 'n'crafts, pool games, kayaking, sandcastle building, and face painting are some options available daily from 10am to 5pm.

Additionally, guests 13- to 17-years who join the Juniors program focus more on recreation (archery, tennis, volleyball, scuba classes and windsurfing are available), sports tournaments, and helping out the animation/recreation staff with putting on shows. Other perks more commonly seen at luxury resorts come courtesy of Viva's marketing affiliation with Wyndham, whose WyndhamByRequest program allows guests to maintain a preference profile and order special pillows, baby gear delivery, and other amenities upon arrival.

For more information, bookings, or to learn more about this company, call 800/Wyndham or visit www.vivawyndhamresorts.com.