Last Updated on June 22, 2020 by Amanda Stancati
Travel experts, Doug Griffin, Spencer Clarke and Jean Arseneau give us the scoop from their Transat Holidays Familiarization Trip this past September. They visited over 30 resorts in Punta Cana in 1 week, and here is what they have to say:
Punta Cana is a great destination for beach lovers. Bavaro Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. You can walk for about 3 hours on its pristine white sand beach setting and marvel at its blue turquoise waters. Punta Cana offers stunning resorts with great amenities and staff who promise to make your stay fun-filled and unforgettable.
Hard Rock Hotel
The Hard Rock Hotel features 1700 rooms in 4-storey buildings. It is ideal for a family of 5 or more. The property is vast with a long drive passing through a golf course. The lobby is colossal with guitar/rock memorabilia throughout. There is a long interior strip reminiscent of a mall. Most of the nightlife and all of the shopping are located off this strip. There are 13 pools, 9 restaurants and 15 bars. The entire complex has Wi-Fi. Guests also have access to the gym with TVs provided for the Nordic trainers.
The resort is located close to the Playa Macao, a beautiful, classic Caribbean beach. It has some rip-tide problems, but a rock jetty is being constructed at the family-end of the beach to create a safer area for swimming. The kid’s waterpark and pool are extensive and outstanding in quality. There is also a lazy river on the property. Transportation is available throughout.
During our visit, we had dinner at a Japanese restaurant, which had a large room with eight teppanyaki stations and additional tables for sushi a la carte. Food was very good, and the demonstration was excellent.
Majestic Colonial
At the Majestic Colonial, guests can select from 652 rooms. It shares amenities (theatre, kids club and chapel) with Majestic Elegance, and has a large open lobby with a huge plant on the centre. There are three sections in this resort: Colonial, Club (adult-only), and Elegance. Colonial is family-friendly with children’s rates. Elegance has no children’s rates (pay full adult rate.) Colonial Club is the adults-only section with a private lounge, pool and beach. The Club Lounge is large and beautiful with Wi-Fi and continental breakfast available. There are also swim-up rooms in the Club section.
The beach at the Majestic Colonial is wide with white sand and good shade. The reef is quite close to the shoreline, ideal for snorkeling. During our stay, we ate breakfast in the buffet restaurant. Overall, it is a WOW facility with a large, inviting food court.
Majestic Elegance
The Majestic Elegance offers 600 rooms with similar layout and amenities (theatre, kids club and chapel) as the Majestic Colonial. There is a majestic staircase that leads from the lobby down to the ground level.
The 4-storey villas that surround the central path is long and winding, leading to the beach. Each villa has a central court with all rooms opening to it and elevators servicing the villa. There is a dedicated lounge and butler service for all Club rooms.
We ate dinner at the seafood oceanfront a la carte restaurant. Adjacent to it is the a la carte steak restaurant (we enjoyed surf and turf).
If you are looking to get around while you are in Punta Cana, we recommend that you use Amstar for your transfers. Amber McConnell is the Sales Manager at Amstar and you can reach her at: amcconne@amstardmc.com or 809-221-6626 ext. 3689. It will cost $46 for a one-way transfer to/from the airport for up to four people. You may also consult with her for other required transportation.
To learn more about the various inclusions available at the Hard Rock Hotel, Majestic Colonial, and Majestic Elegance, contact:
Doug Griffin at douggriffin@tripcentral.ca or 1-800-665-4981 ext. 7334
Spencer Clarke at spencerclarke@tripcentral.ca or 1-800-665-4981 ext. 7340
Jean Arseneau at jeanarseneau@tripcentral.ca or 1-800-665-4981 ext. 7228
Stay tuned next Friday for Part 2!
