Some Canadian and U.S. calling cards work sometimes. There are prepaid phone cards available in a lot of hotels. Yes, you can count on there being Dominicans at the airport when you come out wanting to carry your bags, and they can be quite persistent. It is usually a very short distance from the airport exit to buses, taxis, etc. Or, if you do have heavy luggage, the easiest thing is to let someone carry them.
Different people have different expectations when they go on holiday.
The type of food one person may like, another may not. What the weather is like when they are there can also affect the review, as can a bad start because of flight delays. You will see many signs of poverty enroute to your hotel. In most resort areas the vendors have stalls set up outside of the resort property. Most hotels don't allow vendors to approach tourists on the beach.