Have you ever fancied the perfect luxury get-away which combines world-class golf and world-class Spa in Caribbean surroundings ?
If the answer is yes have a look at this resort review of the PUNTACANA Resort & Club in the Dominican Republic which also features the much acclaimed Tortuga Bay Private Beach & Vacation Villas.
Located on the Dominican Republic’s eastern coast, PUNTACANA Resort & Club offers the ultimate in luxury, service and adventure. From the PUNTACANA Hotel or the exclusive Tortuga Bay, a secluded enclave with impeccable service and decor designed by Oscar de la Renta, travelers will find an array of amenities certain to satisfy even the most discriminating tastes.
Also set within the 26 square miles of lush Caribbean landscape is an elite residential community: The Estates at PUNTACANA Resort & Club. Seamlessly incorporated into its paradisical setting, the Estates is comprised of four private neighborhoods, including Tortuga Bay, Hacienda, Arrecife and the most exclusive community, Corales, which is home to Oscar de la Renta, Julio Iglesias, and Mikhail Baryshnikov, among others.
The PUNTACANA Hotel.
Find yourself along three miles of pristine, white beaches and surrounded by exquisite, colourful gardens. The 105-acre PUNTACANA Hotel is the ideal setting for a Dominican escape. Their one, two, and three bedroom accommodations offer flexible options to fit any vacation plans.
As a natural extension of their superior Dominican hospitality, all guests receive the comfort of numerous amenities, including frette linens, coffee maker, cable television, air conditioning, safety deposit boxes, and wireless internet available in the lobby, pool area and even on the beach.
Click here for an overview of the accommodation options at the hotel.
http://www.puntacana.com/accommodations
View the gallery from the hotel here.
http://www.puntacana.com/picture-gallery/the-puntacana-hotel
For an even more up-market offering the PUNTACANA Resort & Club offers the Tortuga Bay. Its 30 suites, located in 13 spacious luxury villas and designed by Oscar de la Renta, offer an understated, airy elegance characterized by neutral tones, wicker furniture, rich woods and plenty of natural light. Each suite comes equipped with a plasma television and D.V.D. player, a golf cart for convenient navigation of the resort’s grounds, and a butler offering warm, personal service. Guests at Tortuga Bay are given full access to the Puntacana Resort & Club with its many restaurants and bars, shopping mall, spa and ecological reserve.
As a Tortuga Bay guest, the friendly, professional staff will take care of every detail, from the moment you touch down at the Punta Cana International Airport. The VIP Service will whisk you through customs to a private car that has been awaiting your arrival. After a brief ride through the lush and vibrant Dominican scenery, your personal concierge will welcome you, check you in at your villa and provide you with your own golf cart for convenient travel throughout the resort. The Tortuga Bay experience extends well beyond unparalleled service.
Inspired by rich, indigenous culture, villas will envelope you in a true Dominican experience. Elegantly furnished and decorated with authentic materials, Tortuga Bay villas feature spacious interiors and balconies with brilliant views of La Cana Golf Course or the crystal blue Caribbean waters. Oscar de la Renta has infused his Dominican heritage into the design of each villa, creating an artful harmony between simplicity and elegance. All rooms offer the finest Frette linens, separate kitchens for each bedroom and luxurious, well appointed coralline stone bathrooms. There are numerous villas to choose from – featuring one to three luxurious bedrooms.
Throughout the PUNTACANA Resort are eight world class restaurants. With a diverse array of cuisine and ambiance, guests are sure to find something for every palette, mood and occasion. Enjoy the freshest Mediterranean cuisine and seafood in an elegant ambiance, lovely traditional Italian fare with a Southern flavor, grand buffets for breakfast and dinner, and a wide selection of gourmet pizzas. And for a truly special dining experience, visit Bamboo, tucked away at Tortuga Bay. The unique menu blends Caribbean and Asian influences for a variety of innovative fusion dishes in a cozy, graceful setting designed by Oscar de la Renta. For breakfast enjoy the grand cold dish buffet and prepare hot dishes made to order. For lunch, try one of the healthy plates which can be enjoyed in Bamboo or while soaking in the sun beside the pool. And any time of day, a diverse selection of gourmet coffees and international teas will be offered. Tortuga Bay at PUNTACANA Resort & Club also offers a spirited nightlife with an eclectic mix of bars located throughout the resort property as well.
Take full advantage of the strikingly beautiful Caribbean waters surrounding the Dominican paradise; from scuba training and tours to sunken ships, to deep-sea fishing, to the numerous pools and expansive, pristine beaches. They also offer sailing, windsurfing, kayaking and snorkeling classes daily at no extra charge. For the super active or more leisurely guests there are also many other sports to choose from as well. Sweat out a five-set match on one of the clay courts, or take a leisurely tour of the island on bicycle. And end your day with a romantic sunset horseback ride on the beach. There are activities here to literally fill every moment with stunning sights and exciting adventures. And if that is not enough, you may wish to indulge in the premier golf course and the Six Senses Spa and Wellness Center.
Golf magazine declared La Cana Golf Course “number one course in the Caribbean” and its P.B. Dye design offer 14 ocean viewing holes with 4 playing right on the water’s edge, a test and experience that any golfer, pro or amateur cannot afford to miss out on.
The other two course within the resort are : Corales Golf Course and Hacienda Golf Course.
Click here for an overview of the resorts amazing golfing options and offers.
http://www.puntacana.com/golf-spa/la-cana-golf-course
The Six Senses Spa of The PUNTACANA Resort & Club equally is not a treat to miss.
http://www.puntacana.com/golf-spa/six-senses-spa
Indoor or outdoor, individual or couple, our customized treatment areas feature luxurious baths and herb gardens that create the perfect Zen ambiance for your complete revitalization. Indulge in a single signature massage or hot stone therapy and you will understand why no one questions Six Sense’s status as the globe’s premier spa and wellness center.
Inspired by the Six Senses Pyramid and their Six Sphere Philosophy, the Spa offers a wide range of holistic therapies and spa packages that will leave guests’ mind and body rejuvenated and envigorated.
Click here to review the Six Senses Spa menu and packages.
http://www.puntacana.com/golf-spa/six-senses-spa/spa-menu
http://www.puntacana.com/golf-spa/six-senses-spa/spa-packages
So do guests appreciate all this ? How do they rate the hotel and resort with all its luxury and features ?
Reviews are very mixed ranging from very positive to very poor ratings due to bad service, worn down rooms and facilities and not always great F&B.
Here are some examples from both camps :
First a positive review by a couple from Ithaca, NY :
My husband and I have stayed at the Punta Cana Resort and Club 5 times in the last 6 years. We think of it as a little piece of heaven. It has beautiful beaches, a wonderful golf course, and attractive landscaping and architecture. We swim in the Caribbean, in the swimming pools, and in the unique crystal clear fresh water lagoons that are in the resort’s protected tropical reserve forest (with trails for short hikes). The beach is so extensive that you can always find a quiet place if you wish, and you can walk along it for more than a mile, it seems. The layered bands of different shades of light blue and aqua marine in the water extending from the beach are just lovely. We bike, sail, swim, walk, golf, sunbathe, and work out in the gym during the day and dance to Latin music in the lounge in the evenings after dinner. We enjoy the Latin dance classes each afternoon. Other activities, such as horseback riding and tennis are also available.
The staff are very attentive, friendly, and ready to help us with our desire to practice our Spanish with them.
Click here to read full review.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g147293-d149214-r23580844-Punta_Cana_Resort_Club-Punta_Cana_Dominican_Republic.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT
Another couple from NY had mixed feelings about the resort, though mostly positive ones :
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g147293-d149214-r30739689-Punta_Cana_Resort_Club-Punta_Cana_Dominican_Republic.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT
this resort has somewhat of a split personality. the grounds are luscious and well kept, expansive and often breath-taking. but some of the original hotel rooms and casitas need updating. we had a two bedroom casita fronting the beach. we were charmed by the open air style of the living areas, and the bedrooms and baths were attractive and very clean. but our mini-fridge was rusted, busted, and fried. there was no attempt to even address the problem, necessitating many trips to other buildings for ice. we loved feeling the sea breezes inside the casita.
all employees were polite, friendly, eager to help. aside from a few key personnel, none had a good enough grasp of english to make communication easy.
be sure to rent a golf cart! the area to be covered is huge. there are many things to do during the day, but virtually no nightlife. beaches are beautiful and clean, pools great, a wonderful ecological path through a forested are with several swimmable, crystal clear, fresh water lagoons.
the food was good, but very expensive. beer and liquor were also way too high. a trip to a nearby shopping center is a chore, with frustrating confusion between who-when-where to use pesos or dollars.
but we had a great time, enjoying the beachfront location, great weather, delicious breakfast buffet, and friendly people. and the guys loved whizzing around on the golf cart!
And finally a not-so-impressed US couple who apart from the high prices did not like the service & attitude of the staff :
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g147293-d149214-r24236417-Punta_Cana_Resort_Club-Punta_Cana_Dominican_Republic.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT
My husband and I just returned from a 10 day stay at the Punta Cana Resort and Club. Just like the other reviews which I had not read before we left I agree the beaches are great and if you like breakfast you will have many choices but the overall attitude, staff knowledge, room ambiance are horrible. I would be hard pressed to recommend this place to anyone. I am not sure who this resort caters to? People who only stay a day or two. It definitely caters to flight crew since it is close to the airport. I cannot imagine that they have any repeat customers. We have travelled extensively and this was the most irritating place I have ever been to. Communication on this property is horrible. If you do not speak spanish you will have difficulty in getting your needs met. My husband does and even still we had difficulty. The staff which is imported from other places in the Domincan Republic have no idea about what is around the resort or in it. Perhaps this is the reason for the uncaring attitude. The concierge does not even know what the schedule is for their shuttle to the shopping center which have additional restaurants that the guests can go to (we opted out of the all-inclusive). Once you finally find out the schedule it does not coincide with the openings and closings of the restaurants so you are forced to take a cab at least one way. As with the other reviews, the air conditioning is extremely loud and goes on an off during the night keeping you awake. I slept very little in 10 days. The food is very expensive-New York prices without the service. We were without hot water a full day and no water for a period of time. They charge you for bottled water which you have to drink since it is suggested that the regular tap water is not good to drink. Overall, very inconsistent service and not an inexpensive vacation with an older property that is in dire need of an update. Oh and watch out for the golf carts. When we were there the resort was not at full capacity thank god otherwise we would have been gunned down by the golf carts for sure. There are no speed bumps so these carts can go full speed ahead-watch out!
Read all 146 TripAdvisor reviews here.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g147293-d149214-Reviews-Punta_Cana_Resort_Club-Punta_Cana_Dominican_Republic.html
Have you ever fancied the perfect luxury get-away which combines world-class golf and world-class Spa in Caribbean surroundings ? If the answer is yes have a look at this resort review of the PUNTACANA Resort & Club in the Dominican Republic which also features the much acclaimed Tortuga Bay Private Beach & Vacation Villas.
Located on the Dominican Republic’s eastern coast, PUNTACANA Resort & Club offers the ultimate in luxury, service and adventure. From the PUNTACANA Hotel or the exclusive Tortuga Bay, a secluded enclave with impeccable service and decor designed by Oscar de la Renta, travelers will find an array of amenities certain to satisfy even the most discriminating tastes.
Also set within the 26 square miles of lush Caribbean landscape is an elite residential community: The Estates at PUNTACANA Resort & Club. Seamlessly incorporated into its paradisical setting, the Estates is comprised of four private neighborhoods, including Tortuga Bay, Hacienda, Arrecife and the most exclusive community, Corales, which is home to Oscar de la Renta, Julio Iglesias, and Mikhail Baryshnikov, among others.
The PUNTACANA Hotel.
Find yourself along three miles of pristine, white beaches and surrounded by exquisite, colourful gardens. The 105-acre PUNTACANA Hotel is the ideal setting for a Dominican escape. Their one, two, and three bedroom accommodations offer flexible options to fit any vacation plans.
As a natural extension of their superior Dominican hospitality, all guests receive the comfort of numerous amenities, including frette linens, coffee maker, cable television, air conditioning, safety deposit boxes, and wireless internet available in the lobby, pool area and even on the beach.
Click here for an overview of the accommodation options at the hotel.
View the gallery from the hotel here.
TORTUGA BAY.
For an even more up-market offering the PUNTACANA Resort & Club offers the Tortuga Bay. Its 30 suites, located in 13 spacious luxury villas and designed by Oscar de la Renta, offer an understated, airy elegance characterized by neutral tones, wicker furniture, rich woods and plenty of natural light. Each suite comes equipped with a plasma television and D.V.D. player, a golf cart for convenient navigation of the resort’s grounds, and a butler offering warm, personal service. Guests at Tortuga Bay are given full access to the Puntacana Resort & Club with its many restaurants and bars, shopping mall, spa and ecological reserve.
As a Tortuga Bay guest, the friendly, professional staff will take care of every detail, from the moment you touch down at the Punta Cana International Airport. The VIP Service will whisk you through customs to a private car that has been awaiting your arrival. After a brief ride through the lush and vibrant Dominican scenery, your personal concierge will welcome you, check you in at your villa and provide you with your own golf cart for convenient travel throughout the resort. The Tortuga Bay experience extends well beyond unparalleled service.
Inspired by rich, indigenous culture, villas will envelope you in a true Dominican experience. Elegantly furnished and decorated with authentic materials, Tortuga Bay villas feature spacious interiors and balconies with brilliant views of La Cana Golf Course or the crystal blue Caribbean waters. Oscar de la Renta has infused his Dominican heritage into the design of each villa, creating an artful harmony between simplicity and elegance. All rooms offer the finest Frette linens, separate kitchens for each bedroom and luxurious, well appointed coralline stone bathrooms. There are numerous villas to choose from – featuring one to three luxurious bedrooms.
Throughout the PUNTACANA Resort are eight world class restaurants. With a diverse array of cuisine and ambiance, guests are sure to find something for every palette, mood and occasion. Enjoy the freshest Mediterranean cuisine and seafood in an elegant ambiance, lovely traditional Italian fare with a Southern flavor, grand buffets for breakfast and dinner, and a wide selection of gourmet pizzas. And for a truly special dining experience, visit Bamboo, tucked away at Tortuga Bay. The unique menu blends Caribbean and Asian influences for a variety of innovative fusion dishes in a cozy, graceful setting designed by Oscar de la Renta. For breakfast enjoy the grand cold dish buffet and prepare hot dishes made to order. For lunch, try one of the healthy plates which can be enjoyed in Bamboo or while soaking in the sun beside the pool. And any time of day, a diverse selection of gourmet coffees and international teas will be offered. Tortuga Bay at PUNTACANA Resort & Club also offers a spirited nightlife with an eclectic mix of bars located throughout the resort property as well.
Take full advantage of the strikingly beautiful Caribbean waters surrounding the Dominican paradise; from scuba training and tours to sunken ships, to deep-sea fishing, to the numerous pools and expansive, pristine beaches. They also offer sailing, windsurfing, kayaking and snorkeling classes daily at no extra charge. For the super active or more leisurely guests there are also many other sports to choose from as well. Sweat out a five-set match on one of the clay courts, or take a leisurely tour of the island on bicycle. And end your day with a romantic sunset horseback ride on the beach. There are activities here to literally fill every moment with stunning sights and exciting adventures. And if that is not enough, you may wish to indulge in the premier golf course and the Six Senses Spa and Wellness Center.
Golf magazine declared La Cana Golf Course “number one course in the Caribbean” and its P.B. Dye design offer 14 ocean viewing holes with 4 playing right on the water’s edge, a test and experience that any golfer, pro or amateur cannot afford to miss out on.
The other two course within the resort are : Corales Golf Course and Hacienda Golf Course.
Click here for an overview of the resorts amazing golfing options and offers.
The Six Senses Spa of The PUNTACANA Resort & Club equally is not a treat to miss.
Indoor or outdoor, individual or couple, our customized treatment areas feature luxurious baths and herb gardens that create the perfect Zen ambiance for your complete revitalization. Indulge in a single signature massage or hot stone therapy and you will understand why no one questions Six Sense’s status as the globe’s premier spa and wellness center.
Inspired by the Six Senses Pyramid and their Six Sphere Philosophy, the Spa offers a wide range of holistic therapies and spa packages that will leave guests’ mind and body rejuvenated and invigorated.
Click here to review the Six Senses Spa menu and packages.
So do guests appreciate all this ? How do they rate the hotel and resort with all its luxury and features ?
Reviews are very mixed ranging from very positive to very poor ratings due to bad service, worn down rooms and facilities and not always great F&B.
Here are some examples from both camps :
First a positive review by a couple from Ithaca, NY :
My husband and I have stayed at the Punta Cana Resort and Club 5 times in the last 6 years. We think of it as a little piece of heaven. It has beautiful beaches, a wonderful golf course, and attractive landscaping and architecture. We swim in the Caribbean, in the swimming pools, and in the unique crystal clear fresh water lagoons that are in the resort’s protected tropical reserve forest (with trails for short hikes). The beach is so extensive that you can always find a quiet place if you wish, and you can walk along it for more than a mile, it seems. The layered bands of different shades of light blue and aqua marine in the water extending from the beach are just lovely. We bike, sail, swim, walk, golf, sunbathe, and work out in the gym during the day and dance to Latin music in the lounge in the evenings after dinner. We enjoy the Latin dance classes each afternoon. Other activities, such as horseback riding and tennis are also available.
The staff are very attentive, friendly, and ready to help us with our desire to practice our Spanish with them.
Click here to read full review.
Another couple from NY had mixed feelings about the resort, though mostly positive ones :
This resort has somewhat of a split personality. the grounds are luscious and well kept, expansive and often breath-taking. but some of the original hotel rooms and casitas need updating. we had a two bedroom casita fronting the beach. we were charmed by the open air style of the living areas, and the bedrooms and baths were attractive and very clean. but our mini-fridge was rusted, busted, and fried. there was no attempt to even address the problem, necessitating many trips to other buildings for ice. we loved feeling the sea breezes inside the casita.
All employees were polite, friendly, eager to help. aside from a few key personnel, none had a good enough grasp of English to make communication easy.
Be sure to rent a golf cart! the area to be covered is huge. there are many things to do during the day, but virtually no nightlife. beaches are beautiful and clean, pools great, a wonderful ecological path through a forested are with several swimmable, crystal clear, fresh water lagoons.
The food was good, but very expensive. beer and liquor were also way too high. a trip to a nearby shopping center is a chore, with frustrating confusion between who-when-where to use pesos or dollars.
But we had a great time, enjoying the beachfront location, great weather, delicious breakfast buffet, and friendly people. and the guys loved whizzing around on the golf cart!
And finally a not-so-impressed US couple who apart from the high prices did not like the service & attitude of the staff :
My husband and I just returned from a 10 day stay at the Punta Cana Resort and Club. Just like the other reviews which I had not read before we left I agree the beaches are great and if you like breakfast you will have many choices but the overall attitude, staff knowledge, room ambiance are horrible. I would be hard pressed to recommend this place to anyone. I am not sure who this resort caters to? People who only stay a day or two. It definitely caters to flight crew since it is close to the airport. I cannot imagine that they have any repeat customers. We have travelled extensively and this was the most irritating place I have ever been to. Communication on this property is horrible. If you do not speak spanish you will have difficulty in getting your needs met. My husband does and even still we had difficulty. The staff which is imported from other places in the Domincan Republic have no idea about what is around the resort or in it. Perhaps this is the reason for the uncaring attitude. The concierge does not even know what the schedule is for their shuttle to the shopping center which have additional restaurants that the guests can go to (we opted out of the all-inclusive). Once you finally find out the schedule it does not coincide with the openings and closings of the restaurants so you are forced to take a cab at least one way. As with the other reviews, the air conditioning is extremely loud and goes on an off during the night keeping you awake. I slept very little in 10 days. The food is very expensive-New York prices without the service. We were without hot water a full day and no water for a period of time. They charge you for bottled water which you have to drink since it is suggested that the regular tap water is not good to drink. Overall, very inconsistent service and not an inexpensive vacation with an older property that is in dire need of an update. Oh and watch out for the golf carts. When we were there the resort was not at full capacity thank god otherwise we would have been gunned down by the golf carts for sure. There are no speed bumps so these carts can go full speed ahead-watch out!
Read all 146 TripAdvisor reviews here.
Contact details:
PUNTACANA RESORT & CLUB
Dominican Republic
For Reservations
Call (809) 959-2262 or email info@puntacana.com
For Real Estate
Call (809) 959-7325 or email realestate@puntacana.com
For Golf
Call (809) 959-4653 or email golf@puntacana.com
Toll free from USA-Canada 888-442-2262
Visit our Access page for transportation options.
