been to both, and i will always pick Cuba over Dominican Republic. Yes the accommodations were nicer and so was the food in DM, but in the last few years the food in Cuba has skyrocketed in terms of selection and quality. In fact on Cayo Largo we stayed at a hotel that catered primarily to Italians and the food was amazing!...last two years we stayed at a hotel in Holguin and its absolutely great! This year we're going somewhere simply to try a different hotel.
Dominican Rep i was there once and never again. Constant barrage of "ma fren', ma fren' (my friend), dju kam an ceee...yeeees?? no baj, djus cee!!"
going to the beach, while on the beach, going to eat, going for a walk in the CLOSED OFF, ARMED GUARD PATROLLED HOTEL. What does that tell you about the place? We went on an ATV excursion and one stop was a "village"...sorry but for those who say Cuba is poor, it is nothing like the squalor and filth that these people lived in.
In Cuba i've visited many a town and village because i like to wander around and explore and not once have i felt threatened or uneasy. Nobody bothered me or begged me for food/money/crap.
The only issue i have with Cuba now is that the staff at hotels are getting snobby. Tipping was once a much appreciated thing, now its pretty much mandatory which i dont like. I always liked leaving clothes and toiletrys but thats not appreciated by the hotel staff anymore so i take it with me to the towns.
Also, if you do end up going to Cuba. Exchange your money into US currency and then into CUC. For some weird reason the US dollar is much stronger than the CAN. i LOL'd at EURO and Pound exhange. Those guys get murdered on the exhange.