Grounds were beautiful, food was amazing, staff were exceptional. Only wish the swim outs and the hot tubs near the swim outs were a bit warmer so we could have enjoyed our swim out more. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Easy check in and check out. Hotel was very accommodating to our requests

This hotel had everything. From great food , service and entertainment. Would definitely go back. Cannot really say anything bad about this resort. A must try. The grounds were kept impeccable. The beach is clean . Loved it

This was our second trip there. Last time was April 2018. The largest difference I found since COVID is no assigned concierge attendant for each Excellence level building. Other than that the entertainment, food and service was wonderful. A special shout out to our beech waitress Carmen who looked after us so well 5 years ago and again this trip.. she remembers what you drank 3 days ago.. she offers exceptional service while on the beech!

Wonderful beautiful clean resort. Staff was friendly and helpful. Great chose of restaurants. Amazing sandy beach. Swim up room was great for a morning dip after coffee on your private patio. Easy check in and check out. Nightly entertainment with great variety

This resort is absolutely stunning! This was my second trip to the Excellence El Carmen and I wasn't disappointed. Very Clean, great food, beautiful beach and excellent service. The staff are so friendly and welcoming and make your stay extra special.

This resort was great. We enjoyed every minute of our 7 day stay. From the moment we arrived to the moment we had to say good bye, the staff was friendly, food was great, beach was beautiful, drinks were plentiful. We have no negative comments and would recommend.

This is our second time at this resort and was disappointed with the quality of the service, food and wine. Compared to pre covid, their shine which made us go back has diminished. At this price, I am expecting 5 star food and wine. We lost two nights sleep given a plumbing issue with the private pools. They didn’t replenish amenities on our last full day as if we were checking out (ie coffee). Staff wore masks and the resort was clean. Will reconsider a third visit.

This resort did not disappoint!! The resort is a good size, not too large and easy to navigate. Well appointed rooms, beautifully maintained grounds, decent food, great entertainment and friendly staff.

The room, restaurants, and entire resort grounds were immaculate and well maintained. Food was excellent and staff were all very friendly. Service was exceptional. The PCR Covid testing for returning to Canada was easy and quick. I cannot find anything to fault with our stay at Excellence El Carmen.The perfect place for a much needed week of R&R.

As I’m sure that there are many people wondering if they should travel because of Covid. Here is some info. For insurance purposes, we got the Manulife Covid-19 Pandemic Travel Plan - medical and trip interruption coverage. I purchased it online a couple of days before we left. It was $65 total for both of us. It covers you if you get Covid while on vacation and if the government changes to a level 4 travel restriction. If you go to the Excellence website- there is a long explanation of their Covid safety protocols and there is a Frequently Asked Questions page that explains their complementary stay if you test positive on your Covid test. We left from Toronto in the early afternoon. We found that the airport was not too busy. We wore N95 masks and didn’t eat or drink on the plane (you can if you choose to but are encouraged to not keep your mask off for very long). At the resort, most staff wear the clear masks that go up from their chin. Some staff wear the blue surgical masks. Most guests do not wear masks inside or outside. Some guests do - so it is up to your comfort. For the Covid tests, you can go to the Concierge Desk at 8:00 am two days before your departure. You pay for your PCR test at the front desk and fill out a form for each person at the Concierge Desk. You will need to have your passport numbers, flight date and flight time. You then go to the concierge room of building 10 for the PCR test (building 8 for rapid test). There is usually a short wait for PCR tests and sometimes a longer wait for rapid tests. Make sure to bring a phone or tablet for each person (they don’t tell you this). When you enter the room, you need to scan a QR code and basically fill out the same info that you fill out on the paper form - including passport number and email address. They emailed the results to us in about 36 hours. They have hand sanitizer at all bars, entrances to all restaurants, and at the front desks and elevators. The buffet is like it used to be - you serve yourself. The tables at some restaurants are well spaced out. At some restaurants the tables are quite close together. Many restaurants have an option to sit outside or inside. You can also get room service 24 hours a day for any meal if you prefer to eat in your room. We chose to get a room with a private pool and we used private transfers to be extra safe. The two pools near buildings 12 to 16 are quiet if you are not comfortable at the busy main pool. When we arrived in Toronto, after doing the usual declaration and customs, we got our luggage and then we were directed to the area for our PCR test. I had registered on the Switch Health website ahead of time so I didn’t have to frantically do it at the airport. I would say it took about 30 minutes to go through the line. They email the results within 72 hours. We felt safe at Excellence El Carmen. We were outside most of the time and were able to be socially distant from others. We are happy that we didn’t cancel. It was much needed break from the Covid world in Ontario right now. Here is a list of things to remember to do: The day before you leave for your vacation: *Do the Dominican Republic online form to get a QR code to show at the airport - I took a screen shot of it. *Download the Excellence El Carmen app and do the online check-in *Do your online check-in for your flight *Download the ArriveCAN app and fill out traveller info and get started on your ArriveCAN form. *Download the Canada eDeclaration app *Download or print your proof of vaccination QR code *Search “Arriving into Canada - Toronto Pearson Airport” for the link to Switch Health Arrival Tests and info about your arrival test *Register on the Switch Health website - this will be so you will be ready for your PCR test at the Canada Airport 12 to 24 hours before your flight home: *Take a screen shot of your proof of negative PCR test to show at the airport * Do the Dominican Republic online form to get a QR code to show at the airport - I took a screen shot of it *Do your online check-in for your flight *On the ArriveCAN app complete your ArriveCAN form - I took a screen shot of the QR code *Complete the Canada eDeclaration app form - I took a screen shot of the QR code *Have $20 US cash for each person to give when you go through security. Don’t cancel your vacation. You will be so happy that you went

The Excellence Staff were amazing. Restaurants were so inviting and personal. Special mention to Emilio and Franchiely at the Lobster House. Another Special mention to Frialyn who stood out above all others. Frailyn represented the resort with such a dynamic and professional service at the Excellence Beach Club. This was our second time at this resort but it won't be our last.

First time visiting an Excellence Hotel, and we will be back. Beautiful spacious property with lots of greenery, palm trees, and places to sit and relax. The staff attentiveness and overall service level was top notch. Bars & washrooms are plenty and conveniently located. A very large beachfront, but it had some erosion that staff were actively working on repairing. Minimal seaweed which was cleaned up daily. Most days the ocean had just the right amount of waves to swim/play. We stayed over Christmas and they were fully booked but it never felt crowded, most days we could still get a front row palapa on the beach at 9am. Restaurants were all spacious, and most had options to eat outside. No dinner buffet, and no dinner reservations, but only a short wait for the restaurants. Food was hit or miss and I did get food poisoning one night. The menu's can only be accessed via the Excellence App (covid protocol) which is a nuisance if you're trying to "unplug" on vacation. Men need to have pants, shoes, and collar shirt for dinner. Due to COVID we mostly kept to ourselves, which was easy to do at this resort. All staff are vaccinated and wear clear mouth shields, but shields were often sitting low on their chin and not really doing much. Its up to the guests discretion if they want to wear a mask once on the property and most did not. For the pre-departure COVID test ($80USD) Reception did not provide clear instructions. They do not make appointments and you have to wait in line. Prepay for test at main desk, bring receipt to concierge desk to pickup test paperwork, then go to test building where you'll need your phone to fill out the same information again online. Results took about 36 hours and go to your email (junk box). We had a swim up room on the A side of building, but request B side for better sun exposure. We did not do the Excellence Club upgrade and did not feel like we were missing anything. Previously staying with Royalton, the base level at Excellence El Carmen was on par with Royalton Chic Diamond Club. If our visit had not been during a pandemic we might have rated this resort lower, many returning guests commented things were not up to pre-covid standards, but the staff were working hard to get through shortcomings. Overall we loved this resort and had an amazing vacation!

My husband and I stayed at the Excellence El Carmen and we had an amazing time. Wearing a mask was optional at the resort but we never felt safer with all the protocols they had in place. The restaurants were clean, the staff was amazing and the beaches were pristine. Everyone was so helpful. Our suite with our own private pool was breathtaking. We can’t wait to go to another Excellence property soon!

We love the Excellence hotel chain and have stayed at EPM, EPC and are booked at EOB in December. The service is always amazing. Our recent stay at EEC was a bit disappointing. There was nothing major that would ruin our trip and most of the issues were minor and were fairly easily resolved. However, it wasn't the level of service that we have come to expect from the Excellence hotels. When we arrived, there was no glasses of champagne waiting or cool towels. We checked in and found the front desk staff not overly friendly. Usually they cant wait to welcome previous guests "home". They didn't give our bellboy our room key which was easily resolved. Getting ready for dinner on day one we realized that none of the plugs in the room were working. They did send someone fairly quickly to rectify the situation. We ordered a bottle of wine which took over 2 hours to arrive and repeated phone callsrequired but when it arrived we were not given an opener or wine glasses. We requested early maid service for our stay and would leave the please make up the room sign on the door (we were the only ones in our hallway that put the sign out) but unfortunately one day it was 5 pm before the room was made up and 630 when they came for turndown. We requested wine in the room daily which we have done at other Excellence resorts with no issue. We only received wine in the room on one occasion and that day we came back to the room and found a bottle of wine, again no glasses, but the other alcohol from the room had all been removed. This was the only day we received wine in the room without following up. My husband drank the beer in the fridge on day one and it was never replenished. The clothing steamer in the room was broken as well. The food in the restaurants was good. We did note that one night there was no lobster at the lobster house and one evening very limited cuts of meat at the steak house. They didn't have syrup on a few occasions at the buffet. Again, we just didn't find the same level of service we have experienced in the past. At lunch they have nacho's on the menu. We requested just the chips and guacamole but they wouldn't do that even though it was the same as the nacho's without the cheese. I assume that finding staff and getting supplies may be impacted by covid as all hotel staff at this resort have been doubly vaccinated (which is amazing). It was the little things like going for a nice dinner and them running out of glass ware so you were given plastic cups for the wine. There was never any toilet paper etc. I know these things sound knit-picky but we have come to expect better from this chain. Complaints to the front desk were disregarded until the second to last day when a young woman finally listened to our concerns. There were also some issues with noise as we were very close to the theatre and one night the karaoke went on till after midnight only to be woken at 7 for a tree being cut down. That being said, there were some standouts - Mac Donald in the coffee house, Raphael in the breakfast buffet and at the French and Jasmine by the pool - great job and great service!!!. All in all it was not the level of service expected but the resort is lovely and we had a good time.

the room was very nice, however we spent the money to upgrade to the swim up room and we were very disappointed. The pool was only skimmed it was not cleaned once for the week we were there. The build up was noticeable and tile was in rough shape. We had maintenance come to fix the deck outside the door because of the dip in it. Also had to have them fix the front door because it wouldn't lock unless you pulled it tight.

Beautiful modern hotel; well laid out. Beach is perfect. Amazing staff and entertainment! Great food, awesome Martini bar. Spa is heavenly ! Great place for couples to relax and have a romantic getaway. Loved it ♥️

We had an amazing time at Excellence El Carmen. The staff was always very friendly and helpful. The resort is kept very clean.The beach access was great. The beach was clean and the sea as well. We had access either to the beach or the pool. We had a room with a private pool. The room was clean to the standard of what I have expected. The pool was cleaned and chemicals were added every day. It would have been more ideal to have one buffet style meal rather than having the restaurants open on alternate nights of each other. All in all, we got treated like royalty and the resort is a dream. We definitely go back.

My husband and I stayed at this resort from Monday, January 20, 2020 until Monday, February 3, 2020. We upgraded to Club status and were assigned room 3151. Unfortunately, this room was next to the staff room where they kept the cleaning supplies and trolleys. We were woken early every day with the staff chatting and wheeling the carts around. We went to check out the restaurants on the TV to see the menus, but unfortunately our TV did not work for 4 days. The resort was not full whilst we were there. I was disappointed that there was no tour of the facilities. With regard to the restaurants they were very good. The only complaint that we had was that the hot food at the main buffet was not very hot. The staff at the resort were excellent. We spent most of out time on the beach in the Club section, but unfortunately some of the vendors were noisy and annoying when we were trying to relax.. The beach staff also were excellent.

This was our second time to this resort. Last time was two years ago. We have to come to enjoy the Excellence brand. The resort layout, room and venues are quite modern. We stayed in building 6 and it was kind of in the middle of things. About a few minute walk to the main restaurants, pool and beach. The beach is a beautifle sugary light brown colour and you can walk a long ways both directions. The service level all over was excellent. We'll definitely be back.

Second visit to Excellence El Carmen and it surpassed expectations again. Food, service, ambiance, beach ... the whole package was 5 stars. The spa has one of the best hydrotherapy programs we've ever been to (and we've done a few!) Shout outs to Kinmay, Francheska, Andres, Oswaldo, Alma, Dianne, Jennifer, Zobeida, Diosmery, Grace for making our vacation "Excellent".

We had a good stay at Excellence El Carmen, but was a little underwhelmed with the resort. We had higher expectations for food quality and variety based on the hotels website descriptions. Upgraded excellence option keeps you close to the pools and beaches with large spacious rooms.

Excellence El Carmen lived up to its name, we had a wonderful time at the resort. The grounds were immaculate, staff was extremely friendly, food was delicious, 5 star resort hands down. Highly recommend the Excellence Club upgrade if you want to be pampered :)

The hotel offered amazing service from start to finish. The staff is always willing to help and go above and beyond for all guest. The food was amazing and hotel was very clean. The spa is well worth a try and French dinner was great. Lots of food choices.

Excellence El Carmen is a very well-run resort. The staff are beyond criticism. The rooms are spacious, clean and well tended. The grounds are well laid out and very well maintained. The food is plentiful, Well prepared and served promptly by efficient and friendly waiters. Daily entertainment is available pool-side and various acts are shown nightly. Excellence El Carmen is my first choice in Punta Cana

This is a 5* all inclusive and worth the money. Service is exceptional and a lot of selection at the numerous restaurants. Rooms are beautiful and large and well maintained. The beach is wide and very long and kept clean. Lots of chairs and palapa so no reserving is necessary. Great time

Simply put this five star resort has to be experienced to appreciate. From its Champagne welcome to its impeccable beach, it truly is a wonder. Privacy, an exceptional suite with private pool, immaculate grounds it has all of the amenities you could imagine. The professionals that work within are there for every whim of your vacation. Graciousness.and a genuine concern for your holiday while staying within are embedded with the staff .Great food and refreshments of any kind are always available. Never open a door and or await anything you may desire, the staff is always their to accommodate you. Smiling faces everywhere and pools and hot tubs at every corner. The rooms themselves are wonderful. new and clean and kept. The ocean and beach are the best around and once again maintained and attended too. You will never go without at this amazing resort and it truly was a wonderful experience and holiday. Thankyou.....

Excellence El Carmen was an incredible Adult only resort. I was most impressed with the staff at this resort. All of the staff was amazing! We were immediately greeted by the staff and offered champagne. Check in at the front desk was friendly and quick. Jennifer from Tripcentral had sent the request of a building and rooms side by side and the staff had taken care of all of the details. We had a swim up room in building 8, which we loved. The room was very clean and spacious. We had a King size bed, L shaped couch with many amenities. We were conveniently located close to the Theatre, Restaurants and multiple bars. We loved the fruit bar that was located across from our swim out with delicious fresh fruit smoothies available. Restaurants were great, had some great steak and seafood. (Chez Isabel, Lobster House, The Grill were a few of our favourites) At times there were wait times to get into restaurant. When we were their the Buffett was not open in the evenings, but had great breakfast and lunch options. Also 24 hour room service with many options as well as a well stocked mini bar daily. This medium sized resort was well laid out and had easy access to the main pool and beautiful sandy beach. The resort and beach was well maintained. Staff and Servers were always available to help in any way possible. There was always entertainment available if you chose to participate. Live instrumental music available each night in the martini bar. Nightly entertainment available every night at the theatre and outdoor plaza. Starting with a band and then a nightly show. Nightly turn down service always included a schedule for the following day called the Excellence Times. I would definitely recommend this resort and am already planning to visit again in the future.

We loved the grounds, room, food, beach, and bars- special thank you to Yonathan and Alvin at Excellence Club bar for their amazing service! Lovely beach. Temperature of swim-up pool could be warmer. Highly recommend Excellence Club category; oceanview swim-up suite. Some inconsistent service at times but good attempts to make up for this. Good size resort for all ages.

This was the best vacation and all due to this outstanding resort! The staff were so friendly and helpful. Always smiling!!! Room and private pool were amazing and the food and drink were superior. I have already recommended Excelkence El Carmen to friends and coworkers. One word to sum it up ‘Excellente!’

We had a wonderful vacation Beach was amazing Grounds were meticulously kept Entertainment was great Staff ...very friendly Food... lots to choose from Spa was also very good Would definitely go back

Best resort I have ever stayed at. Right from greeting at the front door to the amazing rooms pools food beach and service I have never been more amazed at such a great resort. The atmosphere and the service and the people were amazing.

Great resort with large comfortable rooms. Pools and beach were excellent. Food was good and we had a gluten free person and everybody was quite accommodating. Gym was very well equipped and super clean.

This was our second visit to the resort in a year. Loved it even more this time. The staff are great - everyone has a smile on their face. The entertainment crew is fantastic and always full of energy. The rooms are spacious and cleaned twice daily. The resort is spotless with beutiful grounds. We never had to wait for a drink or to be seated in any restaurant. There is a great selection of meals at every restaurant. I love the option of going for breakfast buffet or to the Lobster house for a served breakfast. We will be returning to this resort again!

The resort was outstanding! Everything was so clean and well kept. The food & service were both great! We were there for our honeymoon and they took such great care of us. We highly recommend this resort and will definitely be going back.

This was really one of the best resorts i have been over the years of travel to different places in the Caribbean. The restaurant choice was the first time that had such a different selection, that i did not have the time to visit one of them. Rooms were EXCELLENT, so were the staff etc. We had an amazing time and i will definitely not hesitate to now always pick the Excellence resorts.

Our first impression of this resort was "wow". Through the week it continued to exceed our expectations. This resort is definitely a couples resort. It is focused on creating a great couples experience. Dinner on the beach, swim out rooms, jacuzzi tubs, it is a great resort for quiet time for couples to do their own thing or to enjoy some entertainment through shows or the disco. The resort was spotless, the staff do an amazing job of keeping everything clean, from the buffet to the gardens. We stayed in an ocean front swim out honey moon suite and I highly recommend it. We had our own pool area and the bar tender served us right to our pool! Be aware there is a new resort going in next door and the construction can be a little noisy. We Brough a bluetooth speaker and our music blocked the noise. Also because of the time of year there was seaweed on the beach however the staff did a great job keeping it under control. We loved the dinner restaurants, each one was great. You don't have to make reservations which is great because you don't have to commit ahead of time. The menus are on the TV so you can see your options before picking a restaurant. The beds are very comfortable and they supply a variety of pillow choices! There is a large selection of room service options. I can't say enough about the staff, they truly want to make sure you have everything you need and go above and beyond to make sure you are happy. We loved everything about this resort and will definitely return!

My wife and I picked EEC for our honeymoon based on various extremely positive reviews online, as well as recommendations from a couple of travel agents. Everyone I spoke with who had been here absolutely raved about, well, everything! Location: The property is absolutely beautiful, no matter where you go. Everything is very clean and tidy. The beach is gorgeous and well groomed; easy to walk up and down. Fantastic fitness centre! We didn't make it to the gym as much as we wanted, but had no issues completing our workouts while we were there; it had everything needed to maximize our sessions. The main pool area was never obnoxious with music or rowdy folks, and the staff were all very friendly and accommodating. Room: Our room (Rooftop Terrace w/Plunge Pool) was incredible. The first room we were in was literally right next to a construction site (not ideal for a honeymoon), but the front desk staff (Enrique in our case) went above and beyond to assist us with sorting out options. We ended up keeping the same type of room and just moved to a different area; it was perfect and so much better. Incredible views right out to the ocean, even though we were at the 'front' of the property! Having the pool was great to cool off with when we got too hot. The second bed wasn't quite as plush as the first, but we still slept great each night. Food/Drink: The food was delicious at every restaurant, the staff were always friendly and willing to help, and the drinks were always cold and tasty. > I didn't know the extent going in, but I will be packing differently for the next time we go to an Excellence resort. It's important to note that you will need some more 'formal' clothing for eating dinner at nearly all of the restaurants; I had only brought 1 pair of dress pants not knowing this ahead of time, so they got a lot of use. Collared shirts are expected as well as closed-toe shoes for guys; ladies can wear dresses/skirts/pants with heels or more formal sandals. It turned out we actually really liked this approach, it was fun to see everyone get a little dressed up each night (some more than others, though, haha) to go out and have a great evening. Activities: We did the water aerobics one day, and 'Black Coffee No Sugar No Cream' as he called himself, was very fun and engaging as an instructor. We attended a couple of shows in the theatre, which were awesome. We spent a good bit of time at Sports Bar playing pool, which was a nice break as well. Final Thoughts: All in all, we don't think we could have chosen a better location for our honeymoon, and we can't wait to go back! We'll be checking out EPM next, but we'll return to EEC for sure!

Beautiful grounds - very well maintained and spotless. Suite - best ever /king bed/good pillows/good linens/seating area and walk in shower . Had Junior suite pool view - no pool view just an algae filled pond near the outdoor theatre - so noisy at night until at least 10.30 or 11 . offered to move us to next building but we stayed put. Have to book excellence club to get better location away from noise .Room not cleaned until around 4 every day. Main pool is small but we had nice private pool at building 12. Staff good - always asking how is your holiday - gets to be in sincere toward the end of the week. Food biggest disappointment, I know one does not go to allincl for the food but it was hit or miss. Steak was good but overall not great. Would be better if they cut the menu in half and had more supervision.Very long wait for service in a la carte restaurants i.e did not order starter but Salmon - 45 mins later 4 scallops arrived on a bed of carrot puree then wait another 20 for the dessert menu. Big on cocktails and drinks service.

We absolutely loved everything about our trip. The staff were amazing, the reception group, servers, cleaners, groundskeepers, and animation team were all wonderful. The layout of the hotel grounds was very convenient, all amenities seemed to be very close to each guest room building complex. The beach was expansive and incredibly well kept, likely one of the nicest beach locations in the Dominican. The Excellence brand continues to impress, the staff put an emphasis on customer service. It's hard to believe anyone could complain about this resort. It should be rated on par at the very least with the Excellence resorts in Mexico. We will be returning And a big thanks to our travel agent Carol Webber, we thank Joanne for the referral to Carol and we now have a travel agent for life! Carol looked after everything for us and was there to answer any questions in a very prompt and courteous fashion. Carol has personality plus and is definitely in the right profession.

The hotel and rooms were so spacious and the staff were truly amazing people. Always asking and very helpful with anything we needed. The food and the 12 restaurants were so good, and we cant forget the sports bar wow the food was out of this world for a sports bar. The night entertainment and pool side shows were all amazing as well. We truly recommend this hotel and we will be going back. Thx again for your help. This is why we use tripcentral to book our holiday so I know I will never have to worry about anything ever from the time I leave til the time we get back. Thank you o'Neil Graeme.

Great resort to consider! General guests are mature - not the place for party, which is ideal for a true relaxing vacation. No issues with food, some hit and misses (i.e. room service). Beach was wide and clean, great for long walks on the beach. Water was turquoise with Atlantic waves - great for swimming. Some seaweed but not an issue for us. Service was great, staff always making sure we are taken care of. Rooms are simply fantastic - would recommend to excellence club for superior rooms closer to the beach. We stayed in an ocean front two story room with pool on our terrace..WOW! Standard rooms are great as well, most rooms have a view of the beach. No issues finding lounge chairs by the beach or pools. In fact, every building has their own swim pool in addition to the common main pool by the beach. Even though resort was at %95 capacity, it did not feel like it! No issues with finding towels. Drinks were solid. Grounds were well kept and groomed. Roaming flamingos closer to the back of the resort. Would highly recommend this resort!

This was a top notch resort. there was only complaint is we were a group of friends and we all requested the rooms with the double beds. None of these rooms were available so we all had to share king beds.

Miranda Mawdsley Customer Service Agent, Hamilton Ontario. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Miranda for arranging my booking to Excellence El Carmen, Punta Cana this past week, April 1, 2019. The hotel was exactly as she described; luxury accommodations, quality food, tremendous service from the resort staff and much more. The resort met all our expectations, so much so we’re going to book again with Miranda for the same time next year. I've used private travel agents in the past, but learned that all are not alike. Miranda's attention to detail, knowledge of the destination and understanding what my family wanted from this adventure made all the difference for us to enjoy our vacation. Job well done. Thanks Miranda for your advise and guidance. Regards, John Winter Port Dover, ON

hi, we have been travelling many years to all inclusive resorts and have been at the El Carmen when it first opened and again this past week. The resort itself is lovely, clean, spacious. Many restaurants to choose - food and service was a hit and miss. Service - hit and miss. We experienced great service one day and then no service at all the next - very inconsistent. Not a deal breaker for a return visit as long as I know what to expect. Front desk very nice and was able to accommodate room request. I would recommend a swim out room. Do not choose building 6 as it is very noisy due to proximity to the nightly entertainment. Pool bar service is hit and miss, mainly a miss.. be ready to walk to the bar to get yourself a drink or go to the swim up. The sports bar has fries, wings, onion rings and burgers and has the best food. There is a food truck that is open from 6pm to midnight for burgers, fajitas, chili, fries and natchos.... they were yummy and a good snack to take back to the room. Room service was quick and food not bad - that was a success. We have been to Excellence Playa Mujeres, Mayan Riveria and Punta Cana. This resort although beautiful is in need of a few tweeks in order to be considered truly Excellent.

This hotel was absolutely fabulous. We had an amazing vacation and I loved our two story roof top with plunge pool suite. Incredibly private, I could enjoy sunbathing topless and what a breathtaking view! The food was ok, some good some bad but we never went hungry. And the liquor was top shelf. Even impressed with our well stocked mini bar. Cleanliness and luxury were very apparent here. Would of like to see more smiles and less co-worker conversations in front of clients though. It was a bit unprofessional in any language. However, Alvin was amazing and we frequently sought him out for our evening cocktails. He was truly amazing and great attention to detail. Overall an amazing experience!!!

Upon arrival, we upgraded to an Excellence Club swim out pool. The room was nice, well maintained, and clean. The balcony, pool, proximity to beach was great. Both the hotel and beach concierges were great and helpful. The service in the "not club level areas" was so-so; most staff were speaking very limited English, which was a communication barrier. The beach was the most amazing I've seen. Food and drinks was ok; some restaurant/bar better than others. Unfortunately, the plane was delayed 7 hours on our first day because of a mechanical issue; which means we lost most of our first day (arrived at 5 pm instead of 10 am). And we had heavy rain 4 out of the 6 remaining days. With the humidity came A LOT of sand flies; I am covered with very itchy little bites on my legs, arms and back, still present and very painful even 5 days after our return. Upon our return, the food was limited in the airplane and we only had a few snack options since we were sitting in the back. First time with AirTransat and most likely our last time.

Excellence El Carmen is a very well maintained resort with beautiful grounds and very friendly and attentive staff. Nothing was too much trouble. We stayed in a junior swim up suite which was quite nice but if we were to return we would look at booking an ocean front suite away from the entertainment as we found it quite loud in our room at night. A nice variety of restaurants at the resort with good food but some restaurants lacked atmosphere. The absence of single malt scotch at a five star hotel was a surprise. The beach was fabulous. We walked it everyday and the pool area was quite nice, lots of lounge chairs available and attentive service at the pool and beach. Hope you find this information helpful. Feel free to contact me if you wish. Regards, Shelley Doney

The hotel is new and modern, a little sterile in its appearance. The rooms and swim up pool are gorgeous, although the hallways are noisy and walls thin to sounds nearby. Staff need to speak quietly in the hallways early in the morning. Their carts need rubber wheels. The meals were good, but not as good as the Excellence in Mujeres Mexico. Staff were happy, most accommodating and delightful at all times. We enjoyed the 9 days and participated in pool, biking and beach entertainment. Main pool was very hot; the swim up pools much cooler. The ocean was perfect. More sailboats would be beneficial for those who enjoy.

Second time for us One of the better resorts we’ve been to and have been to many 5star resorts all over. Great food and lots of choices Beautiful and modern Resort The staff is pretty amazing whether in restaurants , buffet beach bar or entertainment staff Keep it up!!!

The Excellence El Carmen resort is very nice but misses some of the atmosphere from other Punta Cana resorts we have visited. If you walk out of an early dinner , there is no good place to hang out with music other than one evening with a great electric violin player. It would have been nice to hear some Domenican music after each dinners ... The beach is nice with palm trees meeting the ocean (not as open as Bavaro beach) The food is well prepared and presented but it seems the quality of the food is inferior to other resorts we visited such as Paradisius, Majestic Elegance. We were disappointed that the buffet restaurant is not open for the evenings. My wife has some food sensitivity issues and likes the pick items from the buffet that agree with her diet. It is hit and miss if you order from the "a la carte" restaurants as you don't really know what you will get. This is the only reason we would not return. Every other resorts we have visited keep their buffet open for the evening hours. The food at the buffet is quite nice but this restaurant has no view and feels a bit like an office cafeteria. Like most resorts in Punta Cana, the shows are all the same and no one seems to understand that most people would prefer to hear local music and talent than Michael Jackson imitations. Overall, the service is superior and a good resort if you are looking for a quiet time.

We had gone to this resort in January 2018 on the recommendation of our Travel Agent. We were not disappointed. We fell in love with everything this resort offered. So much that our group said let's go again next year! So we just returned from yet another fabulous trip. We had the honeymoon beachfront swimout rooms which were amazing. Plus the excellence club. What a memorable trip. The food was as fabulous as we remembered. Each restaurant was excellent. The service amazing. The Excellence Resort and their staff go out of their way to make sure everything is right if not better. We had so much fun! A top notch resort. We would highly recommend it.

We loved this place sp much that this was a return visit! The layout, the staff, and the food and drink were the best! The beach was really lovely. We were able to take long walks and had so much fun jumping in the waves.

Nice big resort no more than a 4 star all of our stays were in 5 stars all they need to improve to a top resort would the following: pools are every where but they cater to the bottom floor seems like you are invading their privacy would need another main pool on each side of building 4 (just 1 main pool), Beds are unbelievable uncomfortable never slept so bad on any of my holidays, and food was just alright. We were there for New Year eves, they need to teach employees more English cause I am deadly allergic to seafood and they serve it to me on three different entree’s, on a good note the main managers were there that evening and moved us to a semi private restaurant where we were able to ordered anything on the menu. We were there to decide where to go for our 25th anniversary coming in April for 2 weeks and it was between here and Valentines in the Mayans . Valentines definitely won!!!

We spent a week over Christmas at this wonderful resort. Having vacationed at the Excellence Playa Mujeres in Mexico, our expectations were pretty high (we loved the Mexico property). El Carmen didn't disappoint. From the moment you arrive your pampering begins in this extremely clean and well maintained oasis. We stayed in a two storey roof-top room that has it's own private plunge pool. The upper deck as an outdoor shower, which is one thing done better in Mexico. The outdoor shower in Punta Cana isn't private and you are on high display for all to see, unlike Mexico, where it is private. That, however, is pretty much where my criticism ends. Everything else - the food, the restaurants, beverage, and overall property, were nothing short of spectacular. One of the most outstanding qualities of this resort is the staff. From Galvan and Alvin at the martini bar, to Mildred and Carmen at the Excellence Club private beach area, and everyone in between, were happy and helpful and certainly elevated our experience. Very special recognition goes to Esperanza, the head concierge and Jose, the food and beverage manager, who both went above and beyond to ensure our every need was attended to. My wife is vegan, and sometimes food choice can be difficult at an all inclusive. However, a simple email to give advanced notice as to where we would dine, eliminated any concern about what would be available, and lead to a wonderful and relaxing dining experience every night. We chose the Excellence Club, which although there aren't as many perks as we found in Mexico, we still feel it is worth it. We stayed in building 7 and it had a wonderful view of the Ocean.

Beautiful grounds, lovely staff, amazing food. We have no complaints - everything from check in to towel service to even the beach itself - all of it was carefully thought out and delivered with care.

Just returned home from a wonderful week holiday at the Excellence El Carmen with three couples. We have travelled to a lot of all inclusives resorts and by far this one was superior! Staff and service was excellent. Food was delicious, plentiful and there were so many options of a la carte restaurants to choose from. No reservations required and we had no problems at all getting into all the restaurants. Plenty of towels and beach & pool chairs available. Tipping was welcomed but you did not feel if you did not tip all the time that service would be compromised. Entertainment was very good and offered something for everyone every night. The karoke night was so much fun. This resort was top notch! I highly recommend this resort! We will return :)

Was there from Nov 23- 30th 2018. The resort is very clean and very modern. The restaurants are all very good, the Grill and the Mexican were our favourites, but all were good. The main buffet is only open for breakfast and lunch which was a little bit of a surprise. We always like to have the buffet to fall back on in case the resturants are not very good. They do have a Sports Bar that has more of a North American flare to it, Chicken wings and things along that line. The resort is out in the middle of nowhere so it is a bit of a bumpy, exhaust-filled ride to do anything, the excursions were not good at all and this was the consensus of all the people we talked to. We had a room with the private rooftop plunge pool and seating area, great for morning or late evening swims and sunbathing. The room itself was small but you are hardly in it so that was not an issue. the swinout rooms on the bottom floors are wide open for people to see directly into them as they are walking by, so if you like privacy I would recommend the 3rd floor with the rooftop plunge pool, these ae only available in the buildings near the ocean and they afford you beutiful views. Every building has its own pool, but the fun is at the main pool, that is were freindships are made so go and meet people there:) Over all a very nice "quiet" vacation. Not our best but not our worst either.

This was the nicest resort we have stayed at to date! Swim up rooms are beautiful and luxurious and the service throughout the resort was outstanding. 24 hour room service was perfect when we arrived late due to delayed flight. Hotel was 86% full but there seemed to be ample amenities such as beach loungers and huts for the number of people. This resort had a more serene, spa like vibe than others which made it perfect for two parents looking to relax. We would go back again.

We stayed at the Excellence El Carmen and it was our first all-inclusive trip. WHAT A TRIP! Everything was just perfect. Grounds were beautiful, room was amazing, food was great! We upgraded our room to a swim-out suite and it was well worth the extra money.

Firstly this superb holiday experience would not have been possible without the efforts undertaken by our Trip Central travel agent, Ash Faramarzi. It was Ash who ensured that the room selection from the travel carrier was set up properly, aircraft seat selection, insurance package and resort package upgrades were all taken care of. The service experience in this regard was superb... thank you Ash. The resort itself was a step above the rest and we have had many a trip to compare against... this vacation experience has surpassed them all (including our one trip to Sandals Jamaica). It is fair to note we had a superior room selection, oceanfront with roof top plunge pool; but the amenities included with the Excellence Club were a great value regardless of room category. Anyone considering this resort will not be disappointed, but it is worth mention that we did see some rooms far in the back that would not be our first choice. That would be the only slight-negative observation; but I am certain anyone in any room will enjoy this resort. Freedom to choose among the various dining choices without the need to make a reservation is a real bonus and our experiences were excellent. We only made use of the buffet once for breakfast on our last morning and even then, the experience was impressive. The concierge service was excellent, we very much enjoyed the special room service breakfast and the romantic evening dinner on the beach they set up for us Dinners on the beach of this sort are offered by many resorts, but this one had only a small number of couples (about 5) spread far enough apart with superior attention to service that it made you feel you were the only ones there. Special mention of the room service is well deserved... you just have to try it to believe it! Certainly not your average hamburger & fries or fruit salad affair. The meal choices and how they were presented may well exceed the sit down restaurant one would experience at any other typical resorts. Would definitely go back to Excellence El Carmen for sure! In fact we are going to try to the new Excellence in Jamaica in 2019. - - Travelled January 2018.

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 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.

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 definitely 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.

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 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.

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 accommodating 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 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

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.

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 some 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.

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 !

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

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 critical 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.

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 their 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.

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.

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 reservations 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

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 entertainment 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.

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. 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!

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 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

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. The 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!!

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.

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.

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 was 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.

I was there in July and again Dec 17-21, the place is amazing. I am an avid traveller, vacationing at least 2 times a year. This is the first resort I have visited twice. The resort is beautiful, very clean and the staff are amazing. Book an excellence club swim out room and you don’t have to leave your room. Pool is right there, fully stocked bar fridge with premium liquor, 24 hour room service and a short walk to the beach. I’ve been to all the restaurants now, my only complaint.. portions too big lol fantastic food, service is amazing! Aqua therapy massage was an experience, I regret that I didn’t try it in July. I expected the shows at night the be the same as in July... all completely different. The staff truly make sure you are having a good time. Highly recommended to anyone who wants to be spoiled

Hotel, grounds were amazing. I was staying for a 1 year anniversary. Excellence El Carmen made this 1 year event a very bad memory for my partner and I. Anniversary dinner was forgotten on 2 consecutive days. No flowers were left in room until a complaint was filed. At that point it was too late.

The Excellence El Carmen was by far the best resort I have ever visited. The customer service was great, the food was great, the hotel was clean and we had an overall wonderful experience. We would definitely go back to this resort or any Excellence!

First let me say that our travel agent, O'Neil Graham from Trip Central was/is phenomenal. The Excellence Resort never disappoints. It was our first time at a beach front walk in swimming pool right from our deck! and it was fabulous ...the views we had from looking out while sitting on our bed was our pool and the beach/ocean. It was beautiful. The resort is well laid out, modern and the staff are amazing! Whatever you need just ask them and they will try and make it happen. Things that I picked up on since my husband and I have been to EPM is that at times are a little lacking at EEC is notifying the excellent club members of the special little events like the chocolate party or the sweets and treats party at the ex ellence lounge. I spoke to many Excellence club members that didn't get an invitation to the sweets and treats this week when we were there. My husband and I knew about this because of the Chocolate party at EPM. As well the excellent club members did not realize that the bottles of liquor in the room can be exchanged for a variety of different liquors if you choose to do so with the concierge. Concierge has a list of substitute liquor bottles. Also the excellent club's members did not realize that they were entitled to 1 hydrotherapy treatment per person in the spa free. Maybe when people are booking with trip Central the agents can mention these things as a selling feature to these properties as well. One thing to mention and I know it says it on the website is that Excellence properties do not have a buffet for dinner however the restaurants they do have, well let's just say the food is spectacular at these restaurants. Anyone that can't find something to eat while on this vacation is simply not looking or to me just wants to complain. Again a big, big THANK YOU to O'Neil Graham for going the extra mile and then some. Trip Central ... O'Neill is an awesome employee and a pleasure to deal with . Thanks again and we will be booking with Trip Central again and looking forward to speaking with you O'Neil again to book our future vacations. Sharon and Jason Horton

It would be a travesty not to recommend this resort. The layout of the entire resort could not have been designed any better. The cleanliness of the rooms, resort, bars, pools, and restaurants was astounding. The beach could very well be one of the nicest beaches that i have ever seen. The ocean bottom is sand without rocks or seaweed. The staff go out of their way to please you and show complete professionalism. I have been to many resorts in my years and I am comfortable to say that this resort was by far the best resort that I have ever stayed. The only negative, and this is strictly a matter of preference, is that they do not have a dinner buffet. All dinners are a la carte and although there is a large number of restaurants to visit, I prefer a buffet style dinner which gives me the choice to eat whatever I am in the mood for. Great experience and will be returning.

This resort is beautiful, its located on the most beautiful beach I have ever seen. Although it's very clean, the grounds are well kept, I found it odd that a resort barely a year old had to have panels replaced in the walk ways but they did it pretty quickly. The staff is friendly and pretty eager to please you. The variety of food (restaurant ala cartes very good) is very good but at that I must leave a warning to all... During a lunch buffet we noticed that the kitchen supervisor/manager came out and was making sure the food was hot. They didn't take temperature but we watched and everything he looked at had steam coming off it. Because of our time difference we usually didn't eat until lunch time but the one day we actually got up early enough to try the buffet breakfast. EVERYTHING that we tried was barley warm (we were there at 9 a.m.). I enjoy eggs Benedict and saw two on the buffet and proceeded to take them back to my table. I took a bit out of the first one and the English muffin was soggy and the egg was cold, I almost spit i on my plate but refrained and swallowed it. I tried the second one, it was not soggy but it was just as cold and nasty as the first. Needless to say I didn't finish those eggs, in fact that ruined my appetite so bad I didn't eat anything else on my plate. A while later I started not feeling very well and later that day the bathroom and I became very close. We are home now and one week after that day I am still sick and have a bacterial infection. My doctor told me that it could have been the eggs but it also could have been from some meat I ate. My warning is this, PLEASE make sure your meat is thoroughly cooked. I think it was the eggs that got me because of the timeline as to when I started feeling ill. Trust me, NOBODY wants to feel how I feel right now. A beautiful vacation shot to hell because of this. All that money we spent and got to enjoy half of it. I feel completely ripped off. I know it wasn't intentional but when you see people working in the buffet area and they are touching their faces (with no gloves) and then touching the food. Someone is going to get sick. On the very last day we were there, I was so sick that I was freezing with the sweats and I was shaking. It felt like an internal earthquake. My wife phoned down to the front desk and asked to speak to a manager. We still don't know who she talked to but she asked if there was any Gatorade in the resort because I was so dehydrated. She was told... " I have to get special permission to provide that" and after an hour we got no call back so my wife when down to the gift store and bought it herself. It's a good thing she found it because if she hadn't there is a good possibility that we weren't going home that day. My wife called down again to complain about no call back. It was as if they didn't care. I guess they would have cared if I got worse. I didn't think I was that sick until that very day, that's why we never sot medical help. We had brought immodium and other things just in case, not that it helped much except for the bloating and gas. We are trying to find out a way to contact their head office so that they can work on fixing this type of thing but there seems to be no direct contact information only resort information. Since the resort didn't care at the time there is no point in contacting them. Perhaps someone reading this can forward this to them. I just don't want anyone else to suffer like I am right now.

Overall the resort is a modern multi- building, multi pool paradise with a spectacular beach! There are many places to start your day whether it's in the well staffed gym or coffee bar, beach front restaurant or incredible buffet. The same holds true for wrapping up your day with delicious dinners and a show in the theatre or a quieter drink with new friends. This resort is luxury but above all they pride themselves on friendly, genuine staff who appear to effortlessly meet your every wish!

The Excellence El Carmen is a relatively new, adult only resort about 45 minutes from Punta Cana Int'l Airport. This was our 6th Excellence visit, but 1st to this property. The property is nicely laid out, with easy pathways in and out of the sunshine (helpful if it rains!). There are many pools to suit everyone's tastes, quiet, busy, mostly with nearby bars for beverages of choice to self pickup or wait-staff delivery. The beach is fantastic, with plenty of protected seating, and also served by beverage wait-staff. The rooms are very spacious, with King Beds (at least ours was), generous bath facilities including Jacuzzi tub, a spacious sitting area, a balcony/terrace with table, chairs and loungers. We were fortunate to be assigned a suite with a private pool, and small grassed area right outside our door. There are about 5 buildings with these suites on the ground floor levels. The Restaurants are numerous, with lots of variety, and we did not have enough time to sample them all. As we have found on our previous Excellence visits, the staff are outstanding, genuine, friendly, helpful and enthusiastic. Personally, I suffered a leg injury 2 weeks before departure, and my mobility for the trip down and back, and while on site was severely restricted. TripCentral Rep Jenn Black ensured that the resort and the Airline were able to accommodate my temporary mobility needs, and I am happy to report that these measures were well executed in all respects. We will be returning to Excellence properties in Punta Cana again, and will certainly be pleased to work with Jenn Black and the talented and dedicated TripCentral.ca team again.

Beautiful and quiet modern resort! If people want to have a quiet resort, this resort is the right place to be at. There were a lot of seaweed at the beach but the workers work hard to have it cleaned.

From the moment you step out of the airport transfer which was included in our package you are immediately welcomed and your bags taken. They start the checking in process quickly and have champagne waiting for you before you even walk inside. These giant dark doors automatically open and you get a glance of the huge stunning lobby with beautiful polished stone and rich finishes. It's hard to pay attention to guest services while your checking in because it is so nice. Our bell man Sergio "best of the best" was more fantastic and very energetic and always making us laugh and feeling good. We were in our room and had our bags quickly. Our room was gorgeous, we choose a 2nd floor suite in the main building facing the center of the resort with a outstanding view of the resort, palm trees and the ocean in the back ground and the sunrises were really beautiful. It was a Terrace Suite with plunge pool and again was amazing. High end finishes, stone everywhere, custom glass enclosures, flush mount rain showers, in room safe in a custom floor to ceiling cabinets. A huge king size bed that is sooo comfortable as well as a jam packed mini bar and 2 flat screen Tvs. Giant patio door and all glass wall makes for a wonderful view even from bed. Whirlpool enclosed in glass with private shutters if wanted was a nice touch and we loved our plunge pool and laying on the sun loungers on the terrace. They kept the room clean and the mini bar stoked and adjusted when asked. Only tired room service once and it was ok nothing to rave about and nothing to complain about. The property is very well laid out and maintained and they are always working on it constantly. It is really a piece of paradise. We had breakfast at the buffet every morning in theThe Kitchen Table and it was great! Fresh food of all kinds the biggest selection I have ever seen and all soo good. Our favourite was the omelette station and El Jeni who made our mornings fun and always made us smile and made a damn good omelette. We also tried The Lobster House and The Grill and both were very tasty with fresh well seasoned and uniquely prepared food. My steak came out a beautifully cooked med rare sirloin strip and it was melt in your mouth good and seasoned perfect. We went on a few excursions so we didn't have much time to eat alpt at resort. We did get to do it beach dinner and it was so cool! We were served a tropical drink on our way in and spoke to hostess and were seated immediately. A buffet fit for a king with unlimited authentic booths of food prepared in so many different ways and flavours, grills fill the air with such a savoury smell while the band plays authentic and current music with a Caribbean twist. We met a great couple at this dinner and had a blast till it was over. The beach is beautiful and I love here little huts and comfy sun loungers. They get lots of seaweed sometimes but work hard on taking it up. The swim up bar is perfect and when your relaxing at the pool in a lounger or in the pool they make sure your drinks are never empty or not for long. There were a few minor things but really nothing not expected for a new resort and if anything arouse it was taken care of quickly and we were happy with all the service we received. The shows were all good but our favourites were the circus and the fire show. The live music at night is fun and they get you up dancing and having a good time always. We can't wait to go back as we absolutely loved EEC and the people throughout. I want to give a special thank you to all the people in general, the front desk staff and especially Yamirsy "shaky shaky", Sergio "best of the best" bell man, Julio, Bruno mars, Spaghetti, El Jeno "omelette king", Christiana "happy birthday", & our west jet rep Ernesto. Together they made our stay unforgettable. I'm forgetting names as well. I can't wait to go back as we now plan to spend a lot more time at EEC in the future.

I have to tell you that this is by far the best resort I have visited to date. The gardens are beautiful, the lawns fresh and green and the beach is sandy and clean with lots of lounge chairs with shade. Clean towels were rolled and ready all day in stands all over the resort . Every building had their own pool plus there was a swim up bar pool close to the beach . The rooms were amazing. Ours had 2 walk in closets, king size bed, sofa and comfy chairs, double sinks, big shower and separate toilet area. The balcony had a double cushioned lounger, private jetted tub and anot her outside shaded bed with pillows. We are early risers so every morning we'd watch the ground and pool crews come out and quietly go to work . Lots of joggers doing laps as there are good secure areas available . The dining was amazing . We did not have one bad meal the entire time we were there. There are a variety of restaurants with different themes so something for all palates. Wonderful presentation . The morning buffet had a great variety also with all breakfast menus covered. There were bars open scattered throughout the resort plus the main lobby area had a great martini bar, sports bar and more. Entertainment was provided in the form of morning exercise routines at the beach area, pool tables in the main lobby area plus spectacular theatre entertainment every evening . But none of this can compare to the royal treatment you got from each and every member of the staff . Always smiling and ready to go that extra for you . From getting that perfect omelet in the morning, serving you drinks at the beach and all the pools, asking about food allergies, remembering how full you like your coffee cup and even going to get your favorite drink from another bar because they ran out, WOW. The restaurant staff, the 24 hour room service, the maid service and even the grounds workers, all remarkable .

The Excellence El Carmen was wonderful. The resort was exceptionally clean and well cared for. Our room (terrace suite with plunge pool) was spacious and comfortable. The rain shower was fabulous. No hot water issues and great water pressure. The service was the best that I have ever seen at any resort. Room Service was fantastic when we ordered. We met some wonderful people (other guests) at this resort as well. The staff were friendly, helpful and a lot of fun. We received the same level of service whether we tipped or not. The evening shows were the most professional compared to any resort we stayed at. Even though we did not partake in the Excellence Club, both my husband and myself felt nothing lacking. We had one meal that was not very good (Grill House). My husband's steak was exceptionally rare, but the restaurant was very busy and had a birthday party going on at the same time. Talking to other guests, they had a wonderful meal when they went, so we just put it down to an exceptionally busy night. It in no way affected our overall opinion of the resort. We are looking forward to going again for our 10th anniversary. This is a 5 star plus resort in our opinion.

We weren't sure what to expect with this one - mixed reviews and a new place - but we were pleasantly surprised. Great service, good food and an all around relaxing time. Also loved the modern gym for mornings after a lot of well worth it indulgences. :)

There is not one thing to not like about this place. I am telling the truth. Perfect 10! I have been to 12 other all-inclusives. This is a REAL 5 star! Swim out room was perfect for me and my lady. Romantic. Many food options; restaurants; the buffet has it all. I will go back here, for sure.

Everything at this hotel is new and is well worth the stay! Staff are amazing and more than willing to please! Grounds, beaches, pools, hot tubs, restaurants are all top notch! French Cuisine was my favorite, the food and Staff were out of this world .

As a visually impaired guest, Staff went out of their way to make this a great experience. Room was impeccable, service was amazing and food/drinks were scrumptious - although the odd time I found a hair in my food from the main buffet (it's a good thing I'm not picky! Haha.) Overall I would definitely recommend this resort to anyone looking for a relaxing all inclusive vacation.

Excellence El Carmen definitely exceeded my expectations!Loved every minute of it. The room was beautiful, with our own hot tub, great balcony as you could sit out on it even if it rained which thankfully we did not get too much of. The beach was amazing, the people working there provided excellent customer service, always with a smile!Especially great service at breakfast at the Kitchen table from Judy and Emanuella!As a vegetarian was delighted at the fantastic selection of delicious food!Also FREE long-distance calling to Canada and U.S! I would highly recommend Excellence El Carmen.I hope one day to be able to afford to go back!Special thanks to Majic 100 and Barry Tomlinson of Trip Central for making this vacation possible. Kimm

Our 7 days at El Carmen were truly luxuriously relaxing. The pool view suite was comfortable, large and the balcony allowed us to sit out there during some rain and just enjoy it without getting wet. The staff were all extremely friendly amd as helpful as they could be while we both tried to close the language barrier gap. The only issue we experienced was with room service that was horrible one day/night (2 hour wait for a wrong order and then another 2 times of day old luke warm coffee being delivered) but as the resort staff grows, and they get more famimilar with English tourists.. it's an issue that should resolve. The grounds are well maintained, the pools clean and the bars are stocked. The food was quite good, including the Buffet. Only "Oregano" was a big disappointment. We couldnt finish our dinner because it was not good. Overall... our experience was "Excellenté!"

The resort was clean, and the staff were very welcoming. Unfortunately I got quite ill mid-trip, but thankfully we were able to return to the hotel after our "adventure" to the hospital. We definitely enjoyed the relaxation thereafter.

I am absolutely in love with Excellence El Carmen. I loved the room and the food and the grounds are absolutely beautiful. I would recommend this resort to any one I know and would visit at any time. I have nothing but 5 star rating for the service and staff there.