Planning Vacation...need advice

So here is the situation: DH got a few days off from his new job and so we are planning on taking a quick 5 day/4 night trip the the Dominican Republic over July 4th. We have two options on where to go and we cannot decide.

1. Go to the Melia Caribe Tropical with my sister/bil and 2 nephews (ages 5 & 1). This is a VERY big resort more geared toward families so there will be lots of kids. We spoke with our travel agent and he does not love this place...he thinks there are better family resorts in DR, but my sister is already booked there, so that is the place we'd go if we choose to go that option. The plus is that we get to go with my sister/bil & nephews and we love that. The minuses are that there will be many children at the resort, it is very big and not one of the better resorts in DR, according to the travel agent. We only get 4 days, and we are really looking for relaxation at pools/beach and nice dinners.

2. Go to the Excellence in Punta Cana without my sis/bil and nephews. This is an adults-only resort, and we are familiar with Excellence since we went to the one in Mexico for our honeymoon. Pluses are that there are no kids, this is a VERY nice resort, we are familiar with the chain and we've wanted to go here since our honeymoon. Minus is that we won't be with our family.

I think we are leaning more towards doing our own thing and go to the Excellence alone, but it almost seems silly to go to DR at the same time as my sister and not go to the same resort. On the other hand, we really only have a few years left to be able to go to an adults only resort...once we have kids, we'll be going to more family oriented places. I see my sister, bil & nephews ALL the time...at least 2x a month and we are very close with them...so its not like we'll be missing an opportunity to spend time with them or anything, we just always have a lot of fun together. I just don't know what to do.

Sorry this is so long. If you have any advice, I'd really appreciate it.

I would go on your own. While you may think it's silly to go to the same place at the same time as your family and not stay with them, I think it's silly to go on vacation with people you see all the time! Go and enjoy your time alone with DH!

Do activities with your family but stay at the Excellence Resort. It's YOUR vacation, you'll be spending a good amount of money on it, there should be a good deal of relaxation involved! I doubt there will be that much relaxation surrounded by so many kids. Kids aren't going to be able to be in the sun too much so there goes sunbathing. You'll always have to eat on their schedule, sit around while they're napping etc. I looooooooove kids but would not want to be on a tropical island with them!

This is hard fo rme cause honestly im with my sisters all of the time & i totally love love love going away with all of us. Even the kids. So to me it wouldnt matter as long as maybe 1 or 2 nights u guys do your own thing alone. But if u feellike this isnt that big of a deal i say do what you really want to do. AND ENJOY!!!

ooh if you can go on your own and just meet up with them for an activity or two that seems like the perfect combination - if you never got to see them I'd say it's important to bond but if you see them a lot - go to the better place or you're going to annoyed you spent all that money and time at some place you don't like. .. but anything should be fun!!!

go on your own and meet up with them

i all for haning out with the kids..but this one i say go with just dh