Excellence Punta Cana: Excellent Experience at the Excellence

I am a fairly experienced traveller that has stayed at numerous different resorts in the Caribbean and overall I would have to say this was my best experience to date. Overall this resort was quite good, and had above average quality food and resort grounds (compared to like rated resorts) and generally excellent service. There was some areas that could be improved (which I will highlight below), but they are minor in nature. I guess the biggest drawback from the week was the rough waters off [... read more] the beach. The red flag was the common sight with yellow appearing only very infrequently. I don't know if it was because of the time of year but if you walked half a mile on the beach either direction the waters were much quieter. So if you value swimming in the ocean everyday, you may be disappointed with this resort. My opinion on some of the major categories of the feature of this resort are as follows: Restaurants/food In my opinion, this is one of the strongest features of this resort. The food was excellent everywhere, from the buffet restaurant to the myriad of a la carte and specialty places like the sports bar and coffee/bakery/ice-cream shop. I found the food fresh, tasty, and the variety excellent. Although the steaks at the Grill Restaurant had fairly thin cuts, it was always perfectly cooked and seasoned. The buffet restaurant near the beach had a theme everyday, and we enjoyed taco Monday, as well as BBQ Day (the BBQ ribs were delicious). For Club members, the Magna restaurant offered a la carte breakfast (which we enjoyed everyday), that had fantastic variety and quality. The only minor point of improvement would have been to better label some of the food items at the buffet. Although some stations were labelled, some others for example the Asian cuisine portion was unlabelled. It would have been nice to know the types of sushi and the variety of sauces (that all looked alike). The no reservations required at the al la carte restaurant was awesome! The only reservation required was the Japanese Show Cooking which was done on the same day. We never had a problem getting seating at the restaurants between 6-7 pm, however from 7-9 pm, there was often a wait on the more popular restaurants (ie the French and Lobster House). If there was a wait, we would have a drink at the closest bar and they would come and get us (not unlike waiting at a restaurant at home). I however heard from other guest that they had made reservations by asking some of the staff (there was probably a nice tip involved). There was a rather very pricey wine list available at all restaurants ($15 wine bottle at home was listed for about $80... ouch). The premium drinks for Club members was only available at the Magna Restaurant. It would have been very nice to have it accessible to club members at all the restaurants (especially since they checked you off a list before you ate there, so they knew that you were club). The Resort Grounds Another very strong category for this resort was the beautiful and well maintained grounds. The resort was very well laid out, and the grounds were constantly being maintained. There was a very nice walking/running trail on the inside perimeter of the resort which ran through ponds with wildlife like flamingos, parrots (a red one with quite the personality), and other exotic birds. Beach/Pools There are 2 rather large winding and river like pools in the main area and 2 smaller pools in the club area. I had the opportunity to enjoy all the pools and I liked the quieter nature of the club pools. The main pools had all the water activities and the swim up bar. Overall the pools were nice. One of the hot tubs required some maintenance on the handles (unfortunately a women received a rather nasty black eye from a fall from the loose handle bar leading into the tub). The beach was beautiful and well maintained. We took long walks on the beach everyday and you easily go several miles on either side. One of my favourite features was the variety of lounge/seating options at the beach and pool from regular lounge chairs to very comfy beds under huts and some had adjustable screens. We never had problems finding either beds or lounge chairs at the beach or pool although the screen adjustable ones were scarcer. As stated above the ocean waters were rough throughout the time we were there. I waded in a few times but they were not swimmable. The temperature of the water was perfect however. Resort Rooms We stayed in a club room with ocean views. The room was very nice. The room was clean and updated. The bathroom in particular was fantastic with a rather large shower which offered both rain shower on top and a wand. Counter space was plentiful with 2 sinks and closed in toilet area. The TV had a remarkable amount of channels available, and we ended up watching a few movies late at night. We liked the soaker tub in the room itself (I guess some people found it strange), and there was a lot of little extras that enhanced the experience such as a steaming appliance for cloths, and incense sticks. The mini bar was well stocked with a good variety of items and there was premium bottles available (ie vodka, rum, gin and whiskey). Unfortunately, we enjoy red wine and although the quality at the resort isn't the best, the Club Wine which is Fontera from Chile was certainly drinkable (house quality in my opinion). However we could not get it stocked as part of the mini bar and we could not get a bottle of that brand delivered to the room (only available at club bars and magna). Finally the maid service was excellent. We received "petit four" deserts and towel animals nearly everyday and the room was cleaned very well. As well turn down service was also done, and you would receive the activities list for the next day with a few chocolates. Be careful when you reserve a swim up room as well, some of them where located in shade all day and the water was pretty cold (according to some of the guests we talked to). Bars and Service I think there is nearly 10 bars on site, and we never had to wait and travel long to find a drink. The variety and the quality was quite good. At the sports bar, they had a german beer and some other varieties and the martini bar had some pretty tasty concoctions. Club members were only able to get the premium drinks (Frontera wine, Grey Goose Vodka, etc..) at the club bars near the club pools, the magna lounge, and the Club Lobby area. The service overall from the staff was excellent. They were frequently doing the rounds at the beach and around the pools. I never really felt neglected. Tipping certainly does help but I never felt obliged. I certainly got the impression that the staff at the resort are generally happy people and some of them had been working there 6 years + which is telling. The language ability overall of the staff is pretty much on par with other resorts. Some spoke very fluently in English and others had only rudimentary skills although my Spanish also needs a lot of work. We found the service based at the Magna Restaurant however was just a notch above everywhere else. If they could get the waiters to be able to express themselves a little more about the food they are serving, it would definitely improve the overall service but their skills (less the Magna) was pretty basic in taking your order and providing drinks. I would like to express my thanks to Joana and Viktor at the Magna, Jhon at the Club pool bar, and especially Orlando at the Club Lobby for providing outstanding service and improving our experience. Entertainment and Activities The nightly shows were pretty typical and average for this type of resort. We watched a portion of nearly every show and they were pretty average in quality. I can't say any one of them stood out. The theatre (conveniently located beside the lobby) was always packed and you needed to be there an hour before to get the best seats (ie around 830 pm). At about 9 pm, the only seats available were usually in the back or sides of the theatre. There wasn't really any bad seats however. There was the typical activities and games you would find at other resorts ie aqua aerobics, Spanish lessons, dancing lessons, beach volleyball, darts, variety of beach games. The activities crew were pretty subdued and they rarely hounded you to participate. For most of the time, I was unaware that they were occurring, however I did manage to participate in a few by seeking them out. This was also a great feature of the resort, since I have been to a few that constantly hound you to participate in daily activities. There was also a games area at the resort which included tennis courts, a full basketball court, billiards, ping pong, a very small mini put area, and archery. I only visited the area twice and it was deserted but it appeared well maintained. There is a disco on site, and even though I did not go, I heard the music there was pretty loud ie ear ringing range (not a young crowd which would probably appreciate it more). The Spa onsite was amazing as well. We received the included hydra therapy session which was pretty awesome. It was even better then a couples massage we had received at another resort for over 200 USD. The stores that line the front right side of the resort are very, very pricey, which included souvenir, jewelry, and pharmacy. There was some souvenir shops on either side of the resort on the beach. If you choose to go, go to the left facing the ocean, more variety, and better overall. Overall Overall, I was pretty happy with my stay and I would recommend it to my friends and family knowing what they value in a vacation. I felt the Club upgrade was really worth it. Another couple we met regretted not getting Club after their travel agent told them that it was not worth the extra cost. I think it was worth it, and I would definitely do it again. The resort is about 40 mins away from the airport so definitely not the closest but it was nice to be able to walk on the beach on either side of the resort for about a mile on either side before hitting another resort.

Breathless Punta Cana Resort: Resort for Younger Partiers

The resort is nice, clean and well laid out. The xhale club beach front room is amazing. The staff awesome. It is very much a younger persons' "party" atmosphere - lobby is like a night club. So if you are there to relax it's not the place for you (but their sister location next door is). If you aren't - lots going on, especially in the evening (not first class entertainment but definitely a party) and at the "party pool". Food was "okay", not great, not bad - many restaurants to choose fr [... read more]om - seafood/steaks limited. The best thing I can say about this resort (having been to the DR 14 times) is that the staff are top notch and service same.

Barcelo Bavaro Palace: Best resort experience -

We were 2 couples, and the hubby's had one thing on their mind..... GOLF! The boys golfed everyday while the ladies lounged on the fabulous beach or at the beautiful pools. Every room had a hot tub on the balcony and a beautiful view of the ocean. The food, premium liquor and happy attentive staff made this such a fun trip we are already planning to come back next year. Thanks to Angela Koscis at Tripcentral for the excellent recommendation!

Bahia Principe Explore Legend: Fantasia

grate for families with younger children, playground &water parks excellent,restaurant (Italian)waste of time, buffet best for kids .Shows too loud,bad acoustic&should be more focused on children stories not on adults-easy to fix

Barcelo Bavaro Palace: Great resort

Big beautiful rooms , big balcony with tubs, great for all ages will take grand kids there good value long stretch of beach if you like walking close to other entertainment caterman, close to airport friendly staff good food so much variety,

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana: Best Resort in Punta Cana!

Excellent service, great beach, clean, fun, an absolutely perfect vacation spot in Punta Cana. We've visited multiple resorts on Bavaro beach and Majestic Elegance stands head and shoulders above the others. We will definitely return next year!

Riu Republica: Was ok

This was a bigger resort than I expected. I was disappointed with the restaurants because out of 8-9 only a few were "à la carte" all others were like eating at the buffet. Would be nice to go for a meal with some atmosphere and get served. No issues with cleanliness of the resort Besides the drunken games in mid afternoon with all the 18-25 year olds, not many games or things to get people off their pool chairs, especially in the middle pool near the beach. In my opinion this was n [... read more]ot a 5 star. Maybe a 4-4.5 star

Dreams Royal Beach Punta Cana: Worst vacation ever

I did not have high expectations when booking this trip, I just wanted a beach, pool, and to relax with a drink. Somehow, I was still dissappointed. This resort is poorly maintained, the food inedible and staff unhelpful. It was a complete waste of my vacation days and money.

Catalonia Bavaro Resort: nice clean friendly staff food not the greatest

golf was free but the cart rental was outrageous nice beach great pool friendly staff a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a

Barcelo Bavaro Palace: Great resort!

The Barcelo Bavaro Palace was everything we were looking for. It was clean, the beach was long, the sun shone and people were friendly! The only down sides were the wind which was pretty much constant, and the food which was never really hot. We loved being able to walk for miles on the beach although being fair skinned and not so good about using sunscreen I really did wish for more shade or shaded areas. We were not bothered by sales people on the beach - ever! We had a little bit of  [... read more]rain, but not even enough to leave the beach. All was good!

Occidental Punta Cana: Outstanding resort

The occidental was a clean,well maintained grounds,excellent buffet,Mexican,Steak House and Oriental Dining was superb.The only complaint I have was the first day registration and getting keys to our room could be more efficient a lot of time wasted.I would recommend this resort to any traveller and return for a second time if I had the opportunity.

Barcelo Bavaro Palace: Fantastic Resort

The hotel is a five star resort,,, the grounds were beautiful, the beach beautiful and we'll maintained . Always enough chairs ,, with plenty to do ... The device was second to none . The buffet was fantastic with a large variety of food , Alacarts were also great .. Finally the service was second to none and always with a smile . I have been to this resort twice and will definitely go back again

Barcelo Bavaro Beach: Nice resort

We stayed at the Adults Only side, and the rooms are tired looking, but functional. The beach is very nice, and it was easy to find lounge chairs in the morning. We found the buffets to be very typical, but the A la cartes were amazing! It was very easy to get reservations at these restaurants and the food was outstanding. Our big complaint was getting through the airport at Punta Cana. 2 hour queues to get in, and 2 hour to leave. We weren't aware of the $20 US tax per person to leave, s [... read more]o we scrambled to get the money. I believe our Sunwing Rep should have made us aware of this fee.

Hyatt Vivid Punta Cana: Nice Enough but on the Quiet Side

We vacationed at Dreams Palm Beach Feb 22-Mar 2. Myself, my husband, my mom, my cousin and her mom. I will review in sections. ROOMS – We had 3 rooms in total, Buildings 6 and 7. The rooms had nice decor, were clean and spacious, with sitting chair, table, marble floors, balcony with small table. Bathroom set up is strange, with a partially see through glass door on the way to the private toilet area and facing the front door so that you could not open front door if someone was taking a showe [... read more]r! Odd. It’s fine for a couple but may not work well for family members staying in same room. GROUNDS – The landscaping is well maintained throughout property. Unfortunately, in this area the beach has murky waters and lots of seaweed, no one really used it unless they walked left for 15 minutes or so. There is a small decent casino. The disco is not used much but can be fun if you get a group of people to go out and join you. The small gym is ok but is up 2 flights of stairs so my elderly mom could not use it. FOOD – Great but unfortunately if you are feeling sick, you don’t feel like eating much. In spite of taking Dukoral before the trip, 4 out of 5 of us were running to the bathroom far too often. Is it because of personal low immunity system or is the resort doing something wrong as far as food handling? I don’t know. Upon entering restaurants, they always enforced using hand sanitizer. Definitely bring imodium with you to the Dominican and it may help alleviate some symptoms should this happen to you. The buffet had plenty variety, with various stations, omelettes, pasta, soup, grill, pizza, fruit, Mexican, ice cream, etc. French restaurant was our least favorite, very long wait, forgot to take our order, they rushed around us, were abrupt to point of rudeness, very unlike the rest of resort. French onion soup was not the Canadian version – missing the toasted bread and cheese. The busboy did apologize at the end of the evening. After speaking with concierge, we were offered perks for my husband’s birthday. The Italian restaurant was by far our favorite (and we’re Italian!). The food was great, the service was amazing. On my husband’s birthday, they brought out additional dishes for us to sample, a birthday cake and champagne and sang happy birthday. It was awesome. We went to the Hibachi for the experience, however of the 3 tables offering the “cooking show” hope that you get the showman who can put on an exciting show for you. Ours was rather lackluster but the 2 tables on either side of us had a great show. With a 2/3 chance of getting the right one, give it a try! They offer you rice, chicken, beef and seafood. And sushi to start. Seaside Grill had great steaks, especially beef tenderloin. However, try to be there for 6:00 as the place fills up fast. SERVICE – The staff is very friendly and try hard to please you. From the hard working cleaning staff to the friendly hostesses like beautiful Perla at the buffet, adorable Stephanie at the restaurants and so many others. The receptionist staff and concierge will do all they can to make your stay enjoyable and resolve any issues you may have. Food & Beverage Manager resolved our restaurant issue quickly. ENTERTAINMENT – My favourite topic. Besides good food, if you haven’t got good entertainment, why bother going? My husband and I always make a friend or two on the entertainment team no matter which resort we go to. And this resort was no exception. Our favourite entertainment team staff member? Hands down, FELIX !!! What an awesome dude. My 83 year old mother and 75 year old aunt have never been to an all inclusive resort in their life, and Felix could not do enough for them to be sure that they felt welcome and that they were having a wonderful time. They cant stop talking about him. Just a wonderful, charming and infectious personality. Always ready to make them laugh or try to get them to dance and have some fun. He encouraged our group to play bocce, beach volleyball, pool volleyball, sing karaoke, Ironman competition, dance at the beach and mardi gras parties, try fruit carving and Spanish lessons. He was always trying to get us involved. If it wasn’t for Felix, I don’t think we would have had much fun. As far as the night shows, the Magic Show was awesome, the Circus Show very good, the Dominican Show also worth watching. Karaoke Night was fun, Mardi Gras party was fantastic. But please do not attend the Western Show, you will never get back those 2 hours of your life. Find something else to do, anything is better than the Western Show. The Cotton Eye Joe dance was good, the rest was painful. Entertainment Director Kobe is well aware of our opinion – we had a long discussion. Mr Dreams Palm Beach Owner – kindly revamp the Western Show – put in some good country music, lip syncing with country star impersonations, followed by some good line dancing with audience participation and get rid of the ridiculous skits. And if there is any way you can bring the Michael Jackson show to your hotel, I would highly recommend you do so as it is one of the best shows that circulated the Punta Cana resort zone. On another note, why no silly beach games? Why no foam party? Many of the Punta Cana resorts have them. They’re so much fun. Your resort attracts all age levels. There are guests who would participate in those activities. Just because you are called “Dreams” doesn’t mean you have to put people to sleep. Boring is not fun. For people who want the quiet areas, they can pay for preferred status and go to the quiet pools. The rest of the people can have fun. OVERALL – It’s a nice resort, rooms are nice, staff is great, food is good. It’s not a party, it’s on the quiet side. It could be improved with a few more daytime activities (Ironman was good.) Would I go again? Likely not, I don’t like to go to the same place twice, it’s a big world out there. Can I recommend it ? – Depends. If you are an active fun-loving couple, or with a group of energetic friends, I would say probably no. If you are taking your mother and aunt on their “dream” trip (no pun intended) – go for it !

Vista Sol Punta Cana: Vista Sol is Just So So

Cons- The beds are hard as rocks. The food is mediocre. No great drinks. The staff lacks english speaking. The trees at the beach are too tall so u chase the sun in the afternoons. Pros- The resort is clean. It is small enough to get around easily. The price is right. The birds and iguana pit add interest. The beer on tap is always cold.

Royalton Splash Punta Cana: Great for kids

On arrival to hotel we were told the room we had requested was not available and that for an upgrade of whatever charge we could pay we would get one. shower head had to be hand held or water would spill everywhere mini bar door did not close and the day before we left started spilling water. Room service is $10 but if u ordered more than 2 entres u had to pay $20. Restaurants were good. Buffet super busy and it seemed like staff never knew where things were. Coffee beans, bites and social bar w [... read more]ere my faves along with Bella cucina For the wait staff that spoke English it made our experience way better ie. Julio, Juan, they were the best. The girl at coffee beans was super nice as well but forget her name. Splash pad is great for the kids with the exception no alcohol or food or towels learned all this the hard way. The whole hotel had very lack of communication as to how things worked it literately took whole week to know the ins and outs of the place. Kids club great as well as teen lounge. Maid service was great.

Royalton Hideaway Punta Cana: Hideaway at Royalton Punta Cana

This a beautiful resort, all fresh and new. Fabulous food, great nightly entertainment and themes, exercise classes and games throughout the day,always something going on. Unfortunately, they didn't have any elevators at any of the buildings just stairs.If any of your clients need elevators, this is not for them. We finally got a room on the 1st floor but with some difficulty. The only elevator was in the main building from 1st floor to 2nd floor. Very good time anyways.

Punta Cana Princess: Amazing adult resort

We loved the grounds, the fact that it was not too big and adults only. The entertainment team was incredibly good, friendly and we felt like we were part of a big family. The only thing I would suggest would be to have a better variety of food as we felt it was always the same menu. It was a goid thing that we were only one week cause we were fed up eating the same things.

Grand Bavaro Princess: We had a good time

Visited with my girlfriend for a one week stay in a platinum bungalow February 2018. We are from Guelph, Ontario. Positives: Beach. Clean white sand. Large waves. Clear water. Most beautiful beach I've ever seen. Food. We eat at the Teppanyaki, Chinese, and Lobster restaurants and all three were very good. McPrincess was great at the beach and loved the burgers. The buffet was decent for dinner but was not very good for breakfast or lunch. Seafood was good. We didn't get sick at all and  [... read more]tried a lot of food, so that alone is a positive. Animals. Lots of wild birds and reptiles around. It was nice. Layout. Resort had a nice rainforest feel. It was very large. I could see this being a turn-off if you are older or have mobility issues or just don't simply like waking. We actually really liked the walks and layout. Neutral: Pools. They're OK at best. Very dated and clearly not well maintained. Rooms. We were in the platinum bungalow. The rooms are really dated, somewhat dirty, and had terrible plumbing. The bed was a negative. They need a big investment to renovate. Service. It varied greatly but averaged just "alright". A majority of the service staff are not fluent in English. Grounds. A lot of construction going on and overall not very well maintained. Negatives: Vendors. They're everywhere. You're being asked to buy something consistently. In the lobby, on the resort, by the pools and on the beach. I think I averaged 25-50 unwarranted selling interactions per day. It was bad. Resort really needs to investigate this. WiFi/Internet. What year is it? I bet some resorts had had better internet in the 90s. Totally unacceptable. This resort is NOT a five star resort. I would recommend this resort if you are looking for a great beach vacation with average food. Do not come here if you are looking for five star service and/or a five star hotel room. I also would not recommend the resort if you have mobility issues or don't really enjoy walking. Platinum: Worth it. Especially considering it was only a couple hundred bucks more for us. The biggest advantage is you get a LARGE closed off area of the beach away from vendors. You get access to the lounge chairs/beds, your own platinum bar and washrooms located right in the area. But along with other platinum perks we also liked our beach side bungalow location, premium alcohol, and the ability to make restaurant reservations.

Riu Palace Macao: Beautiful resort!

Very clean grounds, beach, pools, bars and all restrooms. Food was great with alot of variety. Had to get out early to get a decent spot by the pool. No shortage of drinks. Lots of daily poolside and beach games if you like.