We arrived 30 minutes early for our painting session for which they had 8 easels. There are tons of different hot (and cold!) There is also Las Olas a beautiful setting on the beach to grab a drink and enjoy the ocean breeze and views. We only managed two meals a day most days because we were so full from breakfast, so having a smoothie to tide us over was perfect. Im not kidding people were shocked when they saw the photos. The seafood, in particular, was spectacular. The staff really do put their best foot forward in making it an entertaining getaway for the guests. From the moment you get out of bed and slip into the private pool outside your Junior Suite your day is going to be electric and jam-packed with fun, romance, action and entertainment. Woodie and I went to Excellence El Carmen, Dominican Republic in December 2021 and absolutely loved the resort! Tech features are solid and include iHome docks, wall-integrated USB plugs, and big smart TVs with satellite channels. For an authentic Dominican town, the hamlet of Higuey is home to a famous cathedral, local market, and shops, and takes around 50 minutes to reach by car. Of course there is the Excellence Club lounge bar; an intimate and quiet setting to relax at. It felt like a newer resort. Many of you have asked: there is no waiter service at these rooms but you have an entire minibar in your room and a minifridge which you can request to have stocked with what you like, or you can order room service for some sparkling wine if thats your thing, or even toddle over one of the many bars for some cocktails to bring back. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. We also liked the Excellence Club lounge to have a pre-dinner drink. Few vendors prowl the floury-soft sand in this part of Punta Cana. Is Excellence Club Worth it at Excellence El Carmen? We did EC when we went a month ago for the first time. The blanket was dirty, showerhead was rusty, the air vent in the bathroom was clogged with dust and hair. Youll have a great view of the pool and ocean and a nice breeze to enjoy your dinner with. Dont get us wrong, the steaks were well prepared and the burger we tried too was pretty good. Excellence El Carmen: Truly Excellent! Excellence Club upgrade provides a private pool, beach, lounge, and restaurant. I also realize there is a lot of confusion with tipping at all-inclusive resorts, since technically, your package includes gratuities. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. By the end of day one, he had our drinks orders ready before we even had to ask. You have three bottles of alcohol in your room as a standard: Stolichnaya Vodka, rum, and whiskey. This would be great for later in the evening, or even an early snack prior to a later dinner (if youre wanting to try it all!). We highly recommend the Irish coffee they serve for a great morning wakeup and hey, your own holidays, what better way to start the day than with alcohol and caffeine. The shows start later 9:30 pm (most nights at home Im in bed by then!!! If you do not like those, or want to swap them out for something else, you can do that too! It was the best thing we ate all week! Dreams resorts All your questions answered! 74 . This is one of the more popular restaurants on the resort. So, to avoid disappointment, arrive early, and maybe grab a drink and enjoy the views while youre waiting! Guests staying at Excellence El Carmen can book excursions to nearby attractions through the concierge. My advice is, if it's not a financial hardship, the club area is the "cherry on top" of a great vacation. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. My mom had the pork ribs with sweet potato mash and the meat was so tender. . Not sure if it was Excellence El Carmen in particular or if this is true at all Excellence properties, but I felt it to be less crowded (even though the hotel was near full occupancy) and quieter than the 2 Secrets resorts I went to. It was our first DR vacation but we have stayed at 20 . Right behind the main pool is a smaller lap pool which they use for the water activities and games which is always fun to participate in (or watch!). We passed so many doors with celebratory banners on them, and its not hard to understand why: Excellence El Carmen offers a great price point and value for money, and is known to provide a top-tier stay in a tropical paradise. Excellence El Carmen, The Most Stunning Beach Towns in the Dominican Republic, Le Sivory Punta Cana By PortBlue Boutique, On a beautiful, palm tree-lined beach with few vendors, All-inclusive rates include premium alcohol and a la carte meals, Elegant suites have free minibars, balconies, and double jetted tubs, Many suites have swim-up access or private pools, 23 pools and nine hot tubs means there are few crowds at the main pool, 11 restaurants include Asian, French, Indian, and Mexican options, A fast-food truck, juice bar, and 24-hour room service, Large, modern gym with free daily yoga and aerobics classes, Attractive spa includes salon services and a free hydrotherapy circuit, Daily entertainment program, plus live music and evening shows, Excellence Club upgrades offer private pool, restaurant, and beach area, Multiple lively bars, plus a nightclub for dancing, Indoor and outdoor event space, plus full business center, Fast and free Wi-Fi throughout the resort, Some reports of minor wear and tear in rooms, Restaurants get mixed reviews and dress code is required at some, No 24-hour bars (but 24-hour room service available). The EC beach areas, room locations, access to Magna and location of the EC bars (even for non-alcoholic drinks) made it worthwhile to us. If those are things that you would have done anyway and spent money on, I would consider doing the club level for those freebies plus all the other added daily perks of being club. You will never have an issue getting a spot at the beach. There is no dedicated Excellence Club pool at Excellence El Carmen, but there are plenty of suites with their own private pools, swim ups, or plunge pools to pick from! All of these rooms come with the option of having an ocean view. If it would be a financial hardship, just pass on it because you will still have a great time. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. . Throughout the resort there is a huge volume of staff, so no matter where you are there is always some close by that can offer you assistance. Maybe Im just getting older, but I dont like the rough feeling of wet, sandy feet against flip flops or sand in my bits after a day on the beach. Every staff member that we dealt with was great. Junior Suites can sleep up to three people, but the rest of the room types are for a maximum of two guests. Its definitely on the premium side when you compare it against other resorts in the Punta Cana area, but for what you get it is definitely worth the additional cost. Im with the mindset that if we can afford to travel, we can afford to tip. This is $699 USD, or complimentary with 6 nights or more in any Excellence Club room category! Im glad there were other couples there laughing, because some of you cant help but laugh! The lounge is comfortable with the L-shaped couch, perfect for morning room-service breakfast, or cocktails before heading out for the evening. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. A Lot of these are connected to the swim-up suites. Aroma is open until 10:00 and also offers sandwiches, fruit cups, pastries, macarons, cookies, and gelato. Its architecture is in the Contemporary Caribbean style, and twenty pools wind through our . It was never rowdy, and is quite peaceful here and we enjoyed the central location to everything we wanted. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. As Excellence Club guests, we were given a free hydrotherapy session to use during our stay, which is always a must for me to experience! Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct. The main pool is close to Las Olas for a bite to eat or you could head over to Oregano or Lobster House for lunch! Theres a small shopping strip within a five-minute drive, while Bavaro -- the most famous spot in the area -- takes 25 to 30 minutes to reach by car. Thank you for supporting my blog! Re: Excellence El Carmen- Excellence Club, worth it? We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. For beachside dining, head to Las Olas. In my opinion, Excellence Club is not worth it at Excellence El Carmen. The main pool is located quite close to the beach and then two additional pools are located near buildings 12-16. The Lobster House is what I imagine to be the best spot for a breakfast choice. Resort kids clubs - do they enforce/check ages? The beach is public which means vendors can have full access to guests, wherever theyre sitting on the beach, to ask them to buy what theyre selling. Its a little cubby that can be accessed by room service staff from the outside to retrieve your dishes. There is also a plug inside your safe should you choose to charge your devices while theyre kept away (which I thought was neat!). From fitness-based classes such as Yoga, tennis, and water aerobics. As these pools are not heated, they were very cold during the day. Our wait was very short and we were guided to our room, where our bags were already waiting for us. The gym is modern and loaded with Technogym treadmills, elliptical machines, stationary bicycles, recumbent bikes, weight machines, dumbbells, free weights, a punching bag, and a squat bench. I understand its how they make money, but they can be quite pushy, so be prepared. The main eatery of the resort, this buffet is really impressive. Basmati is one restaurant Im sad to have missed on this trip! Club is the icing on the cake as they look after all guests extremely well, However, the EC package at EEC has the most to offer of all the other Excellence Resorts as you have multiple EC pools, bars and even a restaurants. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Jan 12, 2023 - Wondering if Excellence Club at Excellence El Carmen in Punta Cana is worth it? This bar is also a great place to go after dinner. You can also grab these at Las Olas when they have their Coco Loco drink station going! Relaxing mid winter break Dave-Jerseyboy (Wells, United Kingdom) on Feb 04, 2023 This was our 5th visit to DR and the Excellence was a very modern and stylish hotel to spend 9nights all inclusive. Make sure to make use of the room service, not only do they serve an extensive range of food, but if you fancy a midday cocktail they will also bring that to your room too. We have to give a shout-out to Felix the bartender here. The resort does a wonderful job of keeping the EC things hidden. We also enjoy breakfast & some dinners at Magna the EC restaurant. My favourite spots included Aroma, the Revive Bar, Magna (for Excellence Club), and the Lobster House. Uvero Alto, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Best All-Inclusive Resorts in the Caribbean, Best All-Inclusive Resorts in the Dominican Republic, Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Uvero Alto, Punta Cana, Best Luxury Hotels in Uvero Alto, Punta Cana, Best Adults-Only Resorts in the Caribbean, Best Beach Hotels in Uvero Alto, Punta Cana, 14 Luxury Caribbean Resorts for Adults Only, The Ultimate Cheat Sheet for Caribbean All-Inclusive Resort Club Upgrades, Hotel Face-Off: Excellence Punta Cana vs. An Excellence resort AND a wedding? . An Italian offering that serves up all of the staple dishes you would expect from your local Italian. Do not miss the huge savings! You do not need to bring an adapter with you if you are travelling from North America. Magna has the best coffee at the resort French press and we loved that our server wheeled out a bread card and cut it for us. Like other Excellence properties, guests can splurge on upgraded Excellence Club packages. We love the whole adults only thing and the dining options that the Excellence offer hence why we feel that nothing else compares and why we have booked to stay at EEC. If you want to swim, I would recommend bringing water shoes to protect your feet! All food, snacks, room service, fully stocked mini-bar drinks, and a variety of classes and amenities are included in the package. This resort was beautiful!!!! With 16 different bars in the resort, you are never too far away from a drink. The steamer in the walk-in closet works great, but its advisable to use bottled water for it. Bvlgari toiletries. - Read 9,463 reviews, view 11,732 photos, and find great deals for Excellence El Carmen at Tripadvisor These bottles do come at an additional cost, but youre on holiday, treat yourself. We have zero complaints and hence the shortest section on this review! These are two of my favourite things! We always stay in the club area to take advantage of the club anniversary package. In reality, there are really three main pool areas. The biggest question when youre considering an all-inclusive resort is the quality of the food. Alternatively, you may use, Sanctuary Cap Cana, a Luxury Collection All-Inclusive Resort. Excellence El Carmen, Uvero Alto: "How much is the excellence club upgrade" | Check out 5 answers, plus 8,667 reviews and 12,158 candid photos Ranked #3 of 9 hotels in Uvero Alto and rated 4.5 of 5 at Tripadvisor. The food was top quality and the atmosphere was great. Excellence El Carmen is a quick 25 minute car ride or 40 minute bus ride from Punta Cana International Airport or 70 minutes from La Romana International Airport. The cleaning in the morning was the main clean of the day and lasted about 15 minutes. ), burgers, fish and chips, quesadillas, fries and more! It seats up to 8 and there is a set menu. The food was beyond excellent, the staff were the most pleasant human beings i have ever came across on a vacation and the resort itself was absolutely amazing!!! And since its the second-largest country. . The service is amazing as it always is at Excellence Resorts. I piggybacked on another guests recommendation of the Power Smoothie + strawberries and it tasted like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! My husband doesn't drink and I may have one drink a day at most so the liquor is not of value to us, however, we are interested in the spa. Check out their website to see what is actually included. Appreciate it! There are tons of delicious vegetarian dishes (along with non-veg options) you can order you wont miss the meat! The rooms are choicely designed with a great aesthetic. (Feb 2022), Are inclusive resorts vs day pass and independent excursions, Ocean El Faro VS Grand Bavaro Princess VS Royalton Bavaro, Thanks for the advice on Punta Cana Princess All Suites. To some it definitely seems like the EC is worth it, but by the sounds of it to me and the wife, I think we'll be just fine with our first room choice even though the EC is not an option. The resort does a wonderful job of keeping the EC things hidden. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Best things to do in Punta Cana.your top 3. It didnt bother me, but if youre expecting a pristine, white sandy beach, you wont find it here. Adults-Only Luxury at Excellence Riviera Cancun, What to Pack for an All-Inclusive Resort Vacation, The Best Adults-Only Resorts in Mexico for a Romantic Getaway, What to Include in a DIY Travel Medical Kit, Why You Need to Stay at El Dorado Casitas Royale, Mexico, 20 Cheap Travel Items Under $20 (that are actually useful!). I dont know what it was about that cheese but I fell in love with it and cant stop eating it. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Re the alcohol in the room, on our last visit, we didn't touch it. It opened its doors in 2016 and has been a firm favorite for all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean. I thought the additional cost was worth it overall but would have probably had a good time without it also if I had never experienced EC level. Excellence calls it casual elegance.. Its 492 modern suites have elegant interiors plus high-end features like free bottles of liquor and double jetted tubs overlooking private balconies. If you want a lighter bite, head over to the La Placita food truck at the X-Lounge terrace! I loved having this option for an afternoon pick-me-up (since you know, doing nothing all day is so exhausting ). Unfortunately, there are some guests who havent been to all-inclusives before that dont know that isnt the norm, and pay it. During our first night, we visited Agave, which is always my go-to! Your minifridge will be stocked with four bottles of water, club soda, tonic water, fanta, orange juice, coke, and Presidente beer (regular and light). Some people have said they have asked upwards of $80 USD for these photos. Breathless Punta Cana Resort & Spa: Need some improvement - See 18,088 traveler reviews, 21,873 candid photos, and great deals for Breathless Punta Cana Resort & Spa at Tripadvisor. We have been to ERC twice, once non club, then went club for our honeymoon. We visited these during our other Excellence trips and loved them. There is a bar by every pool and by both Excellence Club beaches on either end of the resort, which made it quite handy wherever we were walking. If you buy something through our links, Oyster may earn an affiliate commission. These cookies do not store any personal information. Your best option is a 35-minute drive from the resort. As you walk down the hallways, it's common to see the doors of these couples' rooms decorated with banners celebrating their occasion. , Just an FYI the room service coffee was a bit strong and potent. However,, Aerial View of Excellence Punta Cana/Oyster The Dominican Republic is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean and for good reason. We went in ours so we just had to take our coverups off. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. Oddly enough, it was never too busy when we went there and we put it down to people not loving Tapas as the food here was top-notch. All restaurants, with the exception of Oregano and the Lobster House were located off the main lobby, making everything centrally located in one spot. All Adults - At Excellence El Carmen you are secluded but not isolated. Access to private Excellence Club lounge (7:00 am to 11:00 pm) with concierge service, smart buffets, and bar service. Punta Cana International Airport is about a 45-minute drive from the resort. The sand is powdery soft and the oceanfront is lined with palm trees, lounge chairs, and thatched umbrellas. I gravitate towards dishes with flank steak (we ordered the Puebla and Tamaulipas) its easily one of the best beef options and the most flavourful! We had an additional bottle of vodka (Absolut), tequila (Agavita) and gin (Tanquerey). Went with two of my girlfriends and we were speechless!!! The park also boasts a range of other activities including ziplines, animal parks, and the impressive surrounding forest. You definitely get better value for money in the Dominican Republic compared to the likes of Mexico. They do not serve their drinks with straws, so bring your own if you wish! If youve never tried Indian cuisine, I recommend branching out and trying some new dishes! Access to a private beach area. drinks to try everything from Americanos to flavoured coffees with everything you could imagine maybe a little something extra in it if thats how you like to start your day. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. There are items on the menu at Magna that feel more premium than the other menus (but believe me, all of the food is scrummy). This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. The club pool at ERC had very few beds with umbrellas and being fair skinned i need shade, so found myself having to join in the early morning fight for a bed, it sounds like there will be plenty of club pools at EEC so I suppose that wouldn't be a problem. I am SO happy we decided to book this room, and quite honestly I dont think I can book any other room type now. We also found that most people chill out on the beach, so the pools were never too busy. The price including flights, airport transfers, and the all-inclusive came out to $3,000 USD for the complete stay. Or jump to your topic. As well as the staple options such as an omelet station for breakfast and a burger station for lunch and dinner. Were not whiskey drinkers, but we do love tequila. The beach is the real gem in this resort and we will delve into that in a bit. This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. It makes a great all-inclusive resort option for those wanting luxury and comfort. There are water and cold towels available in the gym and personal trainers on-site if you need motivation. Plus, the addition of the Excellence Club lounge and bar makes it a great hangout spot before or after dinner. Each restaurant has numerous options for lighter fare. They're big and breezy, with marble floors, walls paneled in hardwood and neutral fabrics, and glass-enclosed whirlpools for two that overlook private balconies (most with some sort of ocean view). Related: How to Travel with a Carry-On Only. We dined outside on the patio with a beautiful view of the palm trees (not of the ocean, since Magna is located within the Excellence Club lounge right off the lobby). This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. There are 23 pools and 9 jacuzzis at Excellence El Carmen seriously! Excellence El Carmen is a large, and fairly new (2016) all-inclusive resort with a modern and tropical vibe.
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