Very big Resort

Wonderful grounds, containing wildlife (Peacocks, Flamingos, Woodpeckers, as an example), ponds, and Palm trees. The Room was adequate, we were supposed to get an Emerald suite upgrade, but I do not think we got that as our room seemed pretty basic. Food was good at the restaurants, not fantastic. The morning breakfast buffet was not the best as the supposed to be hot stuff was Luke-warm at best, to cold. The resort was very big which caused you to use the available ground transportation, w [... read more]hich was not available early in the morning. The front desk staff, did not really know their resort. As an example we ask for the business center, and were told they did not have one. It is down at the morning buffet area and open. We also asked were the Adult only buffet was and again told they did not have one. It is the new Level area, and it is wonderful, but only open for dinner. The beach area is littered with vendors selling everything from tours, jewelry, to drugs, and they hound you. We stayed away from the beach because of this, stayed at the pool. Overall the resort was adequate, but I would not return.

Paradise at its best

The first impression of the Melia Caribe was amazing. It’s massive, beautiful and very well kept. The beach and water were amazing. The food, drinks and staff we amazing as well. We had an unbelievable vacation.

Not what we expected

We arrived at the resort on January 14th and went to the reception area. The person for checking us in was very pushy. She tried to get us to upgrade our room at $1,000 US for ten days. We said no thank you she the lowered the price to $400.00 and then $300.00 we kept saying no we had paid enough already and she said well you are a bit of away to the beach. We replied we didn’t care. This really left a bad taste in my mouth and I really didn’t even want to stay there. We then waited for thr [... read more]ee hours for a room when we were the only two that stayed at this resort from our plane. The next day meeting up with the rep from Air Transat she too was upset when we told her we weren’t interested in any trips off resort. This was our 8th trip to the DR. We made the best of it all. The resort is very large and they do supply golf carts and trains to get around. The restaurants we found the best was the American Grill, the Italian and the evening buffet on the Adult side of the resort. Our room was good the only complaint about it was the mini bar they only left two mini beers in fridge and it was American beer to boot. The weather was great sorry to say but we will not return to this resort for the reasons above.

Beautiful Resort

The first thing that stands out are the beautiful grounds at the resort. Very well maintained, flamingos, ducks and peacocks roaming freely around its many ponds. The rooms tend to be a little too spread out though especially when travelling with a large group. We were everywhere and not really situated together. The food was ok, wasn't the best food at an all inclusive that I've visited, but I didn't starve either. The best thing that stands out to me is the service and hospitality of all em [... read more]ployees, from the landscapers, to the front desk, to waiters and the entertainers and bar staff. Everyone was friendly and happy and that rubbed off on me. Bravo for a great, trained, fun staff.

Exceeded expectations!

Quite simply, Melia Caribe exceeded our expectations. A group of us traveled to Melia for a wedding, and weren't disappointed. From the moment we arrived to the day we left, we were greeted by smiling, friendly and knowledgeable staff. The grounds on the resort we're beautifully manicured, exotic and colourful. A terrific bonus was enjoying the sight of the two resident Flamingos every day. The groundskeeping staff work hard and always took a moment to offer us a fresh coconut. Wit [... read more]h plenty of nightly shows, beach activities, water sports, a gigantic main pool, a sports bar and a casino --- we were anything but bored. All of these facilities were clean, bright and spacious. Food! So much variety here. Our resort level was basic, meaning that we had access to about 80% of the resort itself, and this includes most of its a la carte restaurants. No matter your preference, you won't go hungry. Our group enjoyed Dominican cuisine, Italian cuisine, Asian cuisine, Mexican cuisine, American cuisine, French cuisine and Mediterranean cuisine --- just to name a few. Honorable mention goes to the two outstanding buffets - Merkado and Rhumba. Again, plenty of choice here. We really didn't have a bad meal. Alcoholic & Non-Alcoholic Drinks are everywhere, too. With plenty of Bars in the front lobby area, near or inside the restaurants or by the beach, you're never far from a cold drink. Our resort room is perhaps the only area that we felt could have used some improvement. While the room itself was clean and comfortable, there was a leak underneath the bathroom sink that forced us to put a towel down each day so we didn't slip on the water. We assumed that the staff had fixed this leak, as it was cleaned up when the first turn down service was provided. However, the leak came back when the water was turned on again, and continued throughout our stay. This was disappointing. One great (and unique) service offered by the resort is the golf cart 'taxi' service. Staff members simply drive around the resort property in golf carts, and guests are encouraged to jump in and go for a ride. The driver will take you anywhere you'd like to go. This came in very handy for those of us who had rooms up front near the lobby, but wanted to spend each day the beach and pool area. We would 'hail a taxi', enjoy our ride and provide a humble tip to the driver. This service really allows you to relax and enjoy the day. Add a long, clean, white sandy beach, a blue sky and a hot sun, and you've got the recipe for a terrific and memorable stay. We would definitely go back!

Great resort😀

Staff very friendly very clean love the le carts and how easy it was to acess. Amaxing place.the only problems that we had the fridge only had beer the first day and last. It was nevet full. Bar was always full with people smiling. Great hotel just too big for my liking

Awesome resort!

First of all, this place was HUGE!! But thankfully there are many carts and lifts traveling around all day, evening and even at night to help get you around. The beach was beautiful white sand and the ocean was so nice to swim in. Awesome, huge pool to share with swim up bar and plenty of space to find a beach chair. It was January so maybe not as busy but it’s a big resort. Great food, some usual foods were average but there are a lot of variety for a la cart restaurants and didn’t need to  [... read more]call ahead for reservations. All in all, fantastic resort. We were here for a friends wedding and the ceremony and reception were amazing. The staff are all friendly and accommodating so you never really have any issues.

Great time

Recently went to Melia Tropical Caribe. Had an amazing time. Resort was quiet so was really nice. Pools amazing. Beach had a lot of seaweed that was washed up. Not usual but large amounts. Water was still amazing and warm but you had to step over a lot of the seaweed. Didn’t stop of from using beach though. Staff was super friendly and helpful. Had to move rooms due to AC not working but they helped out with no problem and were very accommodating.

Beautiful Resort!

Pros: Close to the airport, hotel grounds and beach are well kept on a daily basis very clean, hotel and public areas are bright, very spacious, welcoming atmosphere and has a fantastic vibe in the evenings. Love the amount and variety of options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Staff is friendly across all areas of this resort from check in to night security always saying hello. The entertainment staff seemed fantastic with the kids although we did not have our kids with us. Kids were after the [... read more] staff looking to have more fun. The beach was heaven soft powdery white sand; clean, and it was noticeable how clean compared to the other resorts along Bavaro beach. The ocean is spectacular, no rocks, very little plant life floating in the swim area, near the end of our stay caught site of only 2 small fish that must have snuck in to the swim area. The spa was luxurious, felt truly pampered. This was a perfect vacation for two during a rare occasion without our kids. This is a very large resort with a shuttle/train and golf carts to get around however we enjoyed walking. We stayed from April 25-May 2 2018 resort was comfortably populated weather was around 29 degrees celsius daily and sunny with some rain at night. Con's that may be unfavourable to others: the smell of fuel in the air at the beach lots of boats, tours etc occurring daily out past the swim area. The cobblestone roads throughout the resort are used by train/shutles, golf carts and pedestrians so you do have the smell of fuel at times. Currently there are renovations happening so the sound of construction is around, this should be close to completion. The one thing I was not a fan of at check out is the gentleman discussed a hotel policy that guests need to pay 2.00USD which apparently 100% goes to Unicef. (2 dollars is not much to groan about but the whole thing was questionable to me....... anyway. I would go back no hesitation.

A great family resort

The grounds are really beautiful and well kept and clean including the pools and the beach. The resort is very large. We went during off season so it wasn't packed. I think the resort would be too busy during high season...thousands of people. The rooms are comfortable and great for kids sleeping. However the rooms are a bit outdated and have had some wear and tear. The food was mediocre. The check in process was awful. Took 2 houÅ•s to get a room and no one seemed to have a sense of urgency [... read more] at the reception. The staff otherwise was friendly and helpful. The kids zone is great esoecially the ropes course.

Amazing Family Trip

Our trip was absolutely perfect from start to finish. Trip Central di a fantastic job booking the trip, finding us the right resort and flights for our family. We flew Air Transat direct from Halifax and everything was on time and couldn't be easier. They even upgraded us to Option Plus, which provided food and drink on the plane and priority check in. The transfer from the airport was waiting once we retrieved our bags and we were at the resort with a drink in our hands 15 minutes later. T [... read more]he Melia Caribe was beautiful. Rooms (Family Suite) were very nice, not huge, but very comfortable for a family of 4. The resort itself was great, the food was awesome, the activities for the kids were first class. Pool and beach were fantastic. Only small complaint was we were in villa 1, next to the restaurant and bar, and the party continued to 11pm most nights. No issues, just a little noisy at times. Ask for villa 2 - 4. Everything else couldn't have been better in our opinion. Zettler Family

What a beautiful resort.

This was truly an exceptionally wonderful experience for us. The hospitality was of a high standard and the staff at the resort ensured that our expectations were met during the 7 nights (April 13/18 thru April 20/18) spent there. The breakfast, lunch and dinner were of a very high standard along with the daily and nightly entertainment. We are going to return to this resort and would highly recommend this hotel as a vacation destination to our family and friends. Please convey our sincerest [... read more] congratulations to the management and staff of the Melia Caribe Tropical for their excellent service Thank you Albert John and Marjorie Layne Simon

Average Resort

We stayed at this resort the week of April 13th to 20th, 2018. This is an older resort with nice mature grounds. Upon arrival we were unimpressed by the lobby but was clean. We arrived around noon and tried to check in after a considerable wait - not due to any huge crowds but due to “system issues”. After some time we received our bracelets and were told to return around 3 because our room was not ready. So a good part of day 1 was wasted at the lobby. When we returned close to 3 t [... read more]here was another huge lineup. Eventually we got our room. It was clean but average. Food was ok, unless you’re really picky you’ll find something. Don’t have any complaints about the staff at the restaurants, they all work long days and we’re very attentive for the most part. We ate at most of the a la cartes and they were ok. We never had to wait for a table but this could’ve been because the resort was not full. I sense this would not be the case during the busy season. The beach is lovely and there were always many chairs available. Again possibly because the resort was not at capacity. There wasn’t too much in terms of fun games and activities at the beach, there were some activities at the pool but nothing like I’ve seen at other resorts. Evening entertainment at the theatre was average. What we did enjoy was that they had a variety of live musicians and singers performing at one of the lobby bars every evening near the main lobby. The resort is really large but they do have trollies circling the resort on a regular basis. These are not the typical golf cart looking ones but actually look like little trains with a caboose. Bottom line, the resort was ok, wasn’t the best nor the worst we’ve stayed at in Punta Cana. Had I not got a really good last minute deal, I would’ve been disappointed but for what we paid, it was ok. Special mention to our travel agent Victoria Sullivan who was very responsive and attentive whenever I had questions.

Beautiful resort

Grounds and beach were immaculate. Gorgeous rooms and great food. Excellent dining choices. Resort was a bit bigger than I was used to so took a couple of days to get used to it. They had trains to get you around but they could have used a few more at dinner time

Not impressed

The food was less than desirable other than the ala carte's , buffet is open so flies all on the food and very bland not a lot of selection , even more disappointing the entertainment throughout the day at the pool , 1 day a pool party that's it , no games , same music over and over no interaction from the staff. Evening entertainment was ok the Queen and Las Vegas show were the best , cannot believe u had to pay for 2 of the a la carte restaurants as well as drinks considering I payed for ALL i [... read more]nclusive. I was in building 1 so had to get the train to the main lobby and was told train runs 24 hrs every 15 min , NOT true, I saw ppl with babies and small children waiting up to 45 min ridiculous, do yourself a favour but at the Bahia Principe , that was my choice but was convinced to try the Melia , BIG MISTAKE!!

5 star resort

The rooms and room service (included) were second-to-none. The restaurants were varied and delicious so the food did not get boring. The resort is quite big so a shuttle is required to get around which we found hindered our spontaneity somewhat. Golf course near by was awesome. Carts are required so budget $60US per person for each round.

Melia Caribe Tropical, a nice resort near Punta Cana

This resort is a solid 4 star. It is definitely a nice resort, but there are some minor issues, or rather, nuances, that will prevent them from getting 5 stars. First the positive: This resort is huge, and yet it was not crowded at all, despite the fact that half of our stay was during the supposedly busy March break period. People just kind of dispersed throughout the huge facility. The beach is about a km (just over half a mile) walk from the main lobby building, so depending on where you [... read more]r apartment or room is located, it may be a good walk. The good news is that the hotel runs regular train service all around the facility, and during the busy evening periods, this is topped up with multiple golf carts transporting people around. There have been plenty of space on the beach or around the pool at any given time. No need to hunt for beach chairs, or waking up early to reserve seat and finish the rest of your morning sleep on the beach (that is what I did last year at a different resort in a different country). The beach is probably 400-500 m wide (1/4 mile), and you may want to check it out at the Level apartments, as it seemed to be always clean of seaweed. The food is decent, especially in the buffet, we were never disappointed in that. The other restaurants are nothing special, only good for a break from the buffet. We were not impressed with these a la carte restaurants at all, the desserts were especially bad. During every breakfast or lunch, they try to get you to reserve a spot in the Japanese hibachi or in the Steakhouse restaurant for USD 50 per person, but not with great success, mostly these places were empty at night. The rooms are clean and upgraded, the room service and the minibar refill is timely and regular. Staff is friendly, and you don’t feel the urge or necessity to tip. You can certainly tip your golf cart driver, or your waiter/waitress, or the gardener who, just out of the blue, cuts up a coconut for you, but you don’t have the feeling that they expect it from you. The grounds are very well maintained, there are lots of peacocks around, so you can take some nice pictures. Note that they will appear beside your breakfast table too ;-)) Now the less positive: If you decide to sign up for any tour, like dune buggys, monkey land, sailing, anything that is outside the resort, be ready that your trip on the bus will be an average of 60-80 minutes longer. That is because they pick up Melia guests first, and drop them off last. It is not really the hotels fault, but it could be an inconvenience, especially because that extra hour you spend on these not so comfortable truck-converted-to-bus type vehicles. Again, desserts in the à la carte restaurants are definitely seeking some major improvements. The beach was ha it and miss to be clean from seaweed, and that goes for the water too. The good thing is that this whole beach is so wide, that you will eventually find a spot where everything is clean. Be ready for all kinds of sales pitches when you walk on the beach. People will try to sell you anything from pictures with a monkey thru parasailing all the way to weed. Overall, we were satisfied with this resort, and would recommend it for both families with kids of any ages, as well as for couples. We even probably will return in the future. And definitely will mark Melia resorts as preference on my future searches.

Great Punta Cana Beach Location

This large resort complex does have a very good transportation system. Never was left stranded. We enjoy walking so the 25 minute walk from front lobby to beach is a non-issue. WE are on vacation. The recent fire at the front two restaurants and buffet was well transfomed and almost forgotten about. Grounds keeping was first rate with employees offering us fresh coconuts right from the trees. Bar, Restaurant staff alway ready to please.

Wonderful resort experience

Grounds are well kept and beautifully landscaped. Rooms are spacious and clean. Pool is large and beach area is enormous with plenty of chairs for everyone. Breakfast and lunch buffet offered many delicious options. A La Carte restaurants were very good. Staff very friendly. Overall a very enjoyable and relaxing vacation.

An awesome resort

The resort was a big resort well maintained resort. Very friendly people there and always a pleasure to talk with. Rooms were well maintained and cleaned regularly The food was excellent and well organized. We would love to go back there