Great Place !!!

This hotel was excellent and the staff were amazing. The entertainment crew ,Black Coffee, Bruno Mars really went out of their way's to make you feel welcome and to be included in all the activities. Melinda in guest relations was a blessing as she guided us through most of our meals and went out of her way to accommodate us when the food was not up to our standards. The food at the Grill and Esmeralda was incredible and a shut out to Sucre who's service was impeccable. I recommend staying in a  [... read more]room with your own pool as we had a great time having late night swims after the show at the theatre which was also an added bonus.

Amazing Resort

This resort was amazing! To be honest we haven't been many places to compare but the grounds were beautiful, the staff was super friendly, and the rooms were immaculate. We did have a couple minor issues where we were missing a blind and the toilet was running, but the staff came and fixed that (although it did take a couple of days). The food was also really great; the buffet was mediocre but many of the other restaurants were amazing. The Mexican restaurant and especially the Grill were defini [... read more]tely the best...best steak we've had in our lives! The beach was pretty nice as well but we spent most of our time in the room and on our terrace, because it was just so beautiful and private.

Amazing!!!!!!!

We have nothing bad to say about this hotel at all. My wife and I just got back from a 7 night stay in early September 2018 and it was amazing. Manuel was our concierge who couldn’t do enough for us and it was actually his first week on the job and you would never know it. The food was great. Both my wife and I are very health driven and the cooks always listened and followed your requests. The restaurant are also great with lots of gluten free options that are clearly makes with a legend. The [... read more] rooms were clean and very spacious. There was never any loud music at the pool but always some activity to participate in should you want to. The gym was large with some of the newest equipment I have ever seen and we loved the fact that it opened at 6:00 a.m.. We had a Jr suit swim up room and it was awesome. We had our own lounge chairs and bed to relax on. The resort was not huge but was at 85% capacity but it never ever felt that way. This resort is comparable with the quality you get at a Sandals. We will go back.

A fabulous resort !!!

My swim out room was amazing and my room was stunning and it had an enclosed jacuzzi overlooking my deck and pool area! The grounds and gardens are meticulously kept and I was perfectly situated with access within minutes to the ocean, bar pool I regularly visited and the hotel lobby. The restaurants were excellent with Chez Isabelle bring my favourite, the Grill steakhouse, spice the Japanese restaurant where I enjoyed a fun and delicious hibachi dinner. The hotel staff were So friendly and a [... read more]ccommodating always looking to make me happy and comfortable. Unfortunately the timing was not good for the ocean there was significant seaweed analogy but that was just a force of nature. They worked all day everyday working on cleaning it up and made huge progress. Five months earlier the ocean was clear but the pools were absolutely wonderful places which made me forget about not swimming in the ocean. The hotel spa was amazing! I’d highly recommend the hydratherapy and various body treatments they offer! Even the hair salon was great for a blowout before dinner. If you’re looking for a real five star experience, you must go to Excellence El Carmen!

Amazing Resort. And great value!

Amazing Resort Food was Great ! Service was excellent Entertained team was simple amazing The beach was terrible because of Mother Nature....flooded with seaweed Would go back anytime and would recommend this Resort to all of you want a fun and relaxing vacation Would first wait for the beaches to clear up in Punta Cana

Very clean, modern and new.

The resort is in top shape and everything was impeccable. The first impressions were amazing and that lasted all the way through the entire trip. All the restaurants are clean and quite nice and food is very decent.

Beautiful resort, wonderful beach

Loved this resort but I’m a little jaded, Excellence is my favourite chain. Have stayed at the Excellence PC a number of times so was pleased when I saw they opened a new resort just down the beach from the old one. If you’ve been to a newer Excllence or Secrets your will find this resort very familiar. This resort is mid sized I would say, adults only and never seems busy. There were two weddings at the resort the week we were there but we wouldn’t have known if we hadn’t bumped into so [... read more]me of the wedding party after the fact. Lots of room on the beach, no need for towel game here. We were in 7152 which was quiet and had a terrific view of the ocean. The staff here are first rate, there are a few on the Entertainment team that truly make you feel like family and while I seldom mention individuals I feel obligated to do so this time: Shakey- Shakey, Black Coffee, Diana, Kassandra, Coca Cola and John Brown. They are a hell of a lot of fun, if you want to participate but leave you alone if that’s what you want. Yoce and Carmen at the Excellence Club beach and Bar. Miranda at EC beach station. Food is good, no reservations required except for if you want to sit at Himachi within Spice, you can just walk in to Spice if you’re not into the show. French was my fave, Buffett with stir fry, pasta bar, onelette bar and all you would expect. Resort is spotless clean with staff constantly cleaning. They are in the pool every morning cleaning. Roberto, the guest manager is an incredible man. His question to me every time he sees me is; “can we do anything to make your vacation more enjoyable?” How can you beat this? First rate for me, I’ve been to Secrets/Sandals and a few others...as I say, a Excellence hits all points for me everytime.

Beautiful resort!

This resort was close to the airport, very clean and modern and the staff were amazing! Food was delicious! The place felt empty even though it was full. I’d go back in a heartbeat ! Loved this resort !

Great Resort

Excellent property rooms are quite spacious Restaurants are good Beach is nice you can have long walks No sea weeds Amazing service and staff is friendly Would love to go back! Lobby has the wow factor

Very Good Choice

All the staff at the Excellence El Carmen were friendly and worked hard to make our trip enjoyable. Despite that, this hotel falls just short of being a true 5* experience. It began when we arrived at 11:45 pm and we had to find our own way to our room using a map that the desk staff provided. It continued with little things daily that showed the hotel has not yet matured into its desired state. They will get there but the staff will need specific training and customer feedback will be criti [... read more]cal in the process. Our room was beautiful. It was one of the largest rooms we have ever had at an all inclusive resort. We had a swim out room and deck was large with lots of options to relax and enjoy. I liked that the pool was not heated as the air was so hot it was refreshing. There was very inconsistent bar service when at the swim out room, it seemed actually more by chance than any planned service. However there was a bar in the room and a fridge and it even had clamato. If you wanted you could also order drinks to the room. The beach was beautiful and the sand so soft. You could walk for miles. This was so nice and we really enjoyed it. The food was good, some of the service staff would benefit from additional training. There are so many choices for dining that we did not get to sample all of them but our favourite restaurant that we did go to was the French one. The entertainment staff were hard working and energetic and some of the shows were well choreographed and showcased some terrific singers. Overall we really enjoyed our week and we would consider returning and recommending this hotel to others.

Incredible resort!!! Adults only

I don't think there are enough good things to say about not only the resort, but the staff, food and spa at this resort. On the first day we arrived, the weather was a little rainy. So we went to the sports bar where we met Felix, our new friend and bartender. This guy made my day with a Crown Royal and soda, and made a variety of drinks for my wife. Now you would think that with as many guests that show up at this resort, Felix would have a hard time remembering not only the people, but the [... read more]ir drink orders as well. NOT THE CASE! This guy was awesome. Thank you Felix! We also went to a variety of the restaurants while at the resort and the food and staff were great. Alexander from the Grill, Leonardo from the Lobster house and the Kitchen Table just to name a few. We stayed in a Junior Swim up suite and can't stay enough good things about it. The room was always clean, and to be honest, nicer than our own room at home! The swim up option was perfect as it gave us some privacy but also allowed us to catch some sun and still take a swim. We also took advantage of the Spa which assisted in the relaxation of the trip. The massage therapists we had were Ana Delia and Eva and they did an excellent job. The hydrotherapy prior to the massage was pretty cool as well. Very well thought out spa. And I know it was a vacation, but I still hit their gym a couple times and it was very high end. Their equipment is all brand new and the facility is very clean. Fresh fruit, nuts and bottled water is provided while at the gym. I would recommend this resort to anyone.

Amazing retreat!

If you want/need to relax and reconnect, this is where you need to be! The rooms, the general feel, the pools, the people and the spa made our stay a total bliss. Luxury and calm all while having lots of activities should you want to be more active. Its really has it all.

An Excellence experience

The hotel is a series of (about) 17 units, spread out over spacious grounds and located on a beautiful beach. The grounds were immaculate and an enjoyable feature was a pond that had photogenic Flamingos, Swans and Ducks. The beachfront covered miles of sandy beach that allowed walkout in turquoise water (quite wavy, but minimal undertow). As delightful feature is that (unlike Riu properties) washrooms were plentiful. There were 12 a-la-carte restaurants (too many to sample in a week; no reserva [... read more]tions required except for the 'performance' table at the Asian restaurant) and 16 bars (probably couldn't visit too many more), all of which provided high quality food and drink. The rooms were extremely large and well laid-out, and featured a huge walk-in closet and shower / sink / toilet areas. Wi-Fi was strong over most of the property. Only one pool was heated, although all had appended 'hot-tubs'. We were a little disappointed that a number of the lounges were in need of repair, but there were sufficient functional lounges available for all guests. In the restaurants for the first 3 days, every table was wobbly, and the wait-staff mixed up some part of our orders on more than 50% of the occasions. Generally, we felt that at least initially, the staff w3as not up to the standards we expected from the Excellence brand. probably not coincidentally, as we mentioned this at a Managers cocktail party on our 3rd night, in the latter portion of the week, we noticed a lot more care and cordiality from the staff. The weather was OK at best (not the fault of the hotel!!!), with more rain and cloud than expected, and very windy. Several days we were unwilling to lounge beachfront as the 'sand-blasting' effect was to painful. We love the 4 other times we experienced an Excellence vacation, and will return again, but to other sites, as we are likely not to go to this spot again, at least in mid-February

Excellente vacation

Like the name of the resort our vacation was excellent. We have been to many five star adult only resorts, and the excellence el carmen is by far the best yet. We were in a swim up room and thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the room. The food at every restaurant was amazing as was the service. Every employee we met was happy and eager to please. The gym is state of the art. All modern equipment, plenty of water, towels and cold towels with eucalyptus scent, amazing! A shout out to the ente [... read more]rtainment staff, coca cola, thanks for sharing your positive vibe. Shakey shakey, thanks for your smile and last but not least Bruno Mars, (my dance partner), thanks for making me look so good on the dance floor. We recommend this resort to anyone and we will definitely be back.

Great Resort...but still room for improvement

We just got back from 7 days at the Excellence El Carmen. We have previously stayed at the Excellence Playa Mujeres on 2 occasions. The resort is beautiful! It is well laid out with nothing too far of a walk. The beach area is gorgeous - wide with lots of soft sand. The food was great. The staff was very friendly and we had no issues with the service generally (other than a very long wait for dinner one night at the Magna). However, it was not comparable to the service at Excellence PM. [... read more] At PM they go out of their way to make you feel special - learning your name, making sure you always have a drink in your hand, coming around with little treats throughout the day and checking in to see how things are going. At EC we didn't get that same level of service. We also did not receive any of the daily fresh fruit in the room that we were supposed to, and only received petit-fours a couple of times. Aside from that, my only issue is that the pools are NOT heated. We stayed in the beach front swim up room and the pool was so cold you couldn't get into it. This was a real disappointment to me, as the sole purpose of getting the swim up room was to be able to swim in the pool!

This resort is pure luxury !!!

We were extremely pleased with our entire stay at Excellence El Carmen. The resort was impeccable and it's simple design really highlighted the beauty of the ocean and environment. Our room was beautiful, the walk in closet and wonderful balcony making such a difference to other resort rooms. Everything was very clean and the room service was top-notch. The dining was outstanding, the variety of restaurants, the quality of food and the service was all excellent. We especially enjoyed the [... read more] Basmati restaurant and had to go more than once. The cafe and desserts was such a wonderful treat making this a great addition to the resort. The nightly entertainment and variety of amenities provides plenty to do. In general the service from all staff was fabulous, everyone takes great pride in excellent client service and making sure we are happy. Special praise goes out to the entertainment staff who worked so hard to ensure guests are enjoying themselves. We were so well treated by all of them, but need to give kudos to Bianney, Brayan and Jiovani for the special care that they extended to us through their friendly and welcoming natures. Especially impressive was the layout of the resort and the size of the beach. While the hotel was near capacity, it was hard to believe as there was always areas for privacy and quiet. The beach area is nothing short of gorgeous. We are already looking at how soon we can go back ! Karen and Dave

Very nice resort!

As we have come to know with the Excellence chain we were greeted with cool towels and champagne. The check in was efficient. We were taken to our room in building 6A by bellhop and the amenities in our room were explained in great detail. The rooms are quite modern and to our taste. We were a bit surprised however that there was not one piece of art on any of the walls. Perhaps a little local modern art would be in order to support the locals. The grounds are very well kept with simple flare. T [... read more]he resort set up is a little different than others in their chain with a little more emphasis on privacy. For this reason there is no lazy river but there are pools tied to each building (not heated) with real swim out rooms with loungers available around each and every pool. The main pool (heated) is not as big as others but still quite nice for getting a float in. The many restaurants were quite good with decent service throughout. The bar service was quite good as well. The majority of the staff go out of their way to help out with your requests. This resort is only 1.5 years old and will only get better with age. ENJOY!!

Another Excellent Resort

The resort is newer and has fewer plantings and decorative features than other Excellnce properties, but the staff and food are at the same high quality. The seaweed on the beach can be a problem although the beach itself is long and wide,great for walking.

Fantastic resort !!!

One of the best all-inclusive hotels we ever stayed in. 5 stars ratting is truly well deserved and earned. Modern, immaculate, beautifully designed grounds and rooms. Wonderful dinning options. Top notch nightly entertainment. Friendly and attentive staff. We would definitely go back for another vacation.

An "EXCELLENT" Vacation

Having travelled to well over 30 hotels throughout the Caribbean, the Excellence El Carmen is by far on the top of my list. First of all, Candice Anger from Tripcentral was phenomenal. She answered any questions we had about the resort prior to booking the trip and even up to the date of departure. Leaving from Hamilton Ontario as so easy. The flight was uneventful and we quickly made our way through customs to a waiting mini van which took us the 30 minute drive to the hotel. The hotel wa [... read more]s amazing. The junior suite swim up (Block 4) had everything one could ask for. The location was perfect as it was mid way between the "activity" and the beach. One (of two) small disappointment was that our room was not ready until 3:00pm. We arrived at 1:00 pm but were able to grab a drink, some lunch and wonder the grounds to familiarize ourselves with the resort. Fortunately, we had shorts in our carry on luggage. Room: The room was amazing from the floor sensor light switches, oversized bathroom, fully stocked bar, walk-in closet, comfortable king size bed to the huge "L" shaped lounge couch. Rose petals were throughout the room upon our arrival The private jacuzzi was fantastic to enjoy a midnight drink. The private deck had two double loungers, two sun loungers and a table with two chairs. One could not ask for more. The pool was a perfect temperature and very relaxing. The second and last disappointment was that we needed to wait until mid afternoon on two occasions to have our room cleaned. We had to go and ask that the room be cleaned. This was not a huge problem but more of an inconvenience. When the room was cleaned it was fully restocked with everything. Food: All I can say was AMAZING!!! The New Tears Eve party was unbelievable. The pre dinner "80's" party and appetizers was so much fun. Scallops, soup, lobster steak and desert followed by an after dinner party and fire works at midnight. The Kitchen Table Restaurant buffet has everything one could ask for for breakfast and lunch. Dinner was al-a cart only (all 7 days, any restaurant with no reservations required). The food as never a disappointment and one would think you were at a major city fine dinning restaurant. Every meal was made to perfection. Room service was very quick and to the same high standards of the food which was prepared in the restaurants. SERVICE: Restaurant and bar service FANTASTIC. A huge thank you to Sergio and Elisia our "personal" bartenders for the week. We never had to wait for a drink and in fact drinks were brought to us before we could ask. "Special" request drinks were always provided. Bars throughout the resort were never busy and the staff were always friendly and attentive. Restaurant staff was very attentive. There was never a dirty dish on the table and coffee was refilled before the cup was empty. STAFF: always smiling and would go out of their way to ensure we were happy with our staff. Management was always present asking if we had any concerns. RESORT: This is a new and modern resort. Very clean and the grounds were very well maintained. If one wants the "Caribbean feel" you might be disappointed. The walls are stark and there are limited "tropical gardens" Floors are marble and the resort is "modern". Mobility throughout the resort is not an issues. Elevators are strategically located in all buildings and a shuttle cart is also available. The beach was beautiful and raked every day. The ocean was warm and all sand (no rocks in the water). There was never a time one could not find loungers on the beach or around the main pool area. OVERALL: Definitely a 5 star. The room, service and food would exceed the 5 star rating. We are already planning a return trip to this resort.