If you want to go to Punta Cana, you will need an AI package. Ala carte restaurant hopping in Punta Cana is not really very practical. By the time you pay the mandatory AI fees, the RCI fees and your air fares, you will probably find there is no savings going through RCI compared to buying a complete package from a package vacation company and you will likely have more choice of room category through the package vacation company. II also offers Dominican Republic resorts with mandatory AI fees but when I did the math there was no savings going through them and there was more choice when using the package vacation companies. Whether you go through RCI or II you will still get a "studio" which is really just a typical run of the house Dominican hotel room.