Top choices in the area come packed with kick-back-and-relax facilities, from cool swim-up bars to glittering private beaches and Michelin-starred dining spots.
This sun-soaked region is big on heart-pumping activities too, which local hotels know how to get into. You could spend your days ziplining over the palm-studded landscape or sailing on the turquoise ocean before retiring to your private balcony for champagne as the sun sets.
Foodies, Barceló Bávaro Palace might be the resort for you: a whopping 11 restaurants means you can go from tasting teppanyaki to salivating over steaks in the same day. This hotel also sits on the beach 200 metres from Dolphin Island, where you can swim with the namesake creatures and snorkel in turquoise water among sharks and rays. Try your hand at watersports like kayaking or windsurfing, or head to the resort’s four pools and mosaic-tiled hydrotherapy area if you prefer non-salty splashes.
Rooms at this hotel are bright and airy, with modern amenities like LCD TVs, iPod docking stations and rain showers. Ask for a B-room to spend your vacation relaxing in the bubbles of your own hot tub. If boutique browsing is a must on vacation, the branded shops of Palma Real Shopping Village are less than a 10-minute drive away. The hotel also has a lively on-site casino, so you can try your hand at blackjack or Caribbean poker.
At Ocean Blue & Sand, you can step directly onto the shoreline from your beachfront room. Sleeping spaces at this all-inclusive resort on Bavaro Beach bring the seaside ambience indoors, with ocean-coloured walls and marble-toned bathrooms calling to mind the glimmer of water. Choose a suite with a Jacuzzi out on the terrace for extra-decadent soaks in the sun.
This hotel also delivers for those after an active getaway. You can scale the multi-sided climbing wall for dry-land thrills, or jet out on the open ocean with a catamaran trip. Low-key activities range from tai chi to table tennis and bowling to board games.
You’ll find nine on-site restaurants here, including a buffet on the beach where you can indulge in sumptuous eats while wiggling your toes in the sand. Feast on Dominican dishes like tender braised chicken, or watch chefs whip up teppanyaki at the cooking station. You can spend the rest of your evening hopping between the 11 bars, catching a vibrant theatre show or dancing ’til dawn at the Wave Disco nightclub.
For dips with a drink in hand, book a stay at Punta Cana Princess All Suites Resort & Spa. In addition to the swim-up bar, you’ll find plenty of other amenities to indulge in. Guests can make the most of adults-only romantic facilities, including upgraded rooms with hot tubs, lounges and balconies for surveying the white sand out on Bavaro Beach. Dinner options are extensive too, with everything from artfully cooked Italian pastas to flavoursome Med-inspired dishes. For an intimate shared meal, try melt-in-the-mouth cheese fondue at the Swiss-themed eatery.
When you’re not resting on a canopied Bali bed on the sand, mosey over to the Beach Spa for a muscle-soothing massage or steamy session in the sauna—best enjoyed after a salsa-dancing class or kayaking trip along the coast. Complete the evening by watching a colourful performance influenced by Dominican culture or an acrobatic circus show at the Serenata Theater in sister hotel Caribe Club Princess.
It’s fun and games for the whole family at Now Larimar Punta Cana. Send the kids to the Explorers Club to bounce on the inflatable iceberg while you make a beeline to one of three swim-up pool bars or the casino’s roulette table. Reunite later on for family-friendly entertainment—spectacular live shows feature breakdancers and fire breathers, and you can participate in karaoke and game shows.
Rooms at this hotel are decorated in Caribbean colours like hot pink and aqua blue, bringing a flavour of the region into your relaxation space. Opt for a room with a whirlpool on the balcony for a bubbly view over sunny Bavaro Beach. Don’t forget to grab your Gilchrist & Soames toiletries from the ensuite and run a soothing bath perfumed by the brand’s heady scents.
By night, make your way to one of the hotel’s 13 bars and lounges, like the open-air Eclipse Nightclub. Meals can be eaten outdoors, too; head to the alfresco dining area next to the straw-topped Barefoot Grill for aromatic barbecued meats.
If you’ve ever wanted to try a meal by a Michelin-starred chef, head to The Reserve at Paradisus Punta Cana. Here you’ll find Passion restaurant, where renowned chef Martin Berasategui has 10 of the sought-after awards under his belt. Sample experimental textures and tastes like champagne foam and lime air on beautifully presented plates under the sparkle of chandeliers.
When you need a break from the indulgence, grab a private sunbed on the beach or join one of the hotel’s guided tours of its mangrove forest. You might also visit the spa for holistic therapies on beds beside the ocean, from Hindu scalp massages to Japanese shiatsu. Don’t forget to take advantage of complimentary access to the par 36/72 world-class championship golf course, Cocotal Golf & Country Club.
For accommodation, choose from tastefully decorated suites in restful colours and natural materials such as rustic woods and pale terracotta marble. Lounge in peace while the kids scamper off to the spacious play area complete with sand, tube park, ping-pong and video games.
Sitting just off the pure white sand with direct access to the beach, eco-friendly Iberostar Selection Bavaro is in tune with its surroundings. Not only does it have a coral nursery where scientists study how the ecosystem is affected by climate change, the resort is committed to the responsible sourcing of seafood. Even the staff’s uniforms are made from recycled plastic!
When it comes to dining, you can sample sustainable sushi in the stylish red-and-black Kabuki restaurant, or try Cajun and Afro-American cooking at Jambalaya. If you’re hungry for entertainment, there’s plenty to pick from. Challenge the family in the on-site escape room, or brush up on your Spanish at a class.
You’ll enjoy a well-deserved rest in your room, a tranquil space decorated in soft colours and warm pops of red. Junior Suites include their own living areas: grab a drink from the minibar—restocked daily—or pour yourself an invigorating coffee from your in-room machine.
Pack your floppiest hat and plenty of sunscreen—you’ll be spending a good chunk of your time at one of Zoëtry Agua Punta Cana‘s two infinity pools. If you’d like to squeeze in some local culture between splashes, you can sign up for workshops ranging from cigar rolling to painting. Alternatively, dial up the adventure with a windswept canter through the palm-fringed landscape on a free 45-minute horseback ride.
It’s all about the details in your private suite, where delicately perfumed pillows and refined Italian linens draw you in beneath cathedral ceilings and a roof thatched in cane. This is the ideal place to crack open the bottle of sparkling wine provided daily by the hotel—you’ll have French doors opening onto lush green gardens or the bright blue sea. Book a swim-up suite if you’d like to step straight from your living space into cool waters.
As the afternoon comes to a close, turn your attention to your upcoming evening meal. Pick from gourmet à la carte options crafted from organic ingredients at the resort’s on-site restaurants, like exciting Euro-style fusion food at Amaya.
With five à la carte restaurants, a buffet and a café, going hungry isn’t an option at Dreams Punta Cana Resort & Spa. This luxurious hotel even has a Dominican-style tropical fruit market beside the pool for picking up colourful eats. For something hot, you can savour authentic Italian pizzas from the woodfired oven at La Trattoria or bite into juicy hamburgers at Seafood Grill.
Grab a natural fruit juice or icy cocktail from the on-site bar, then sip your tipple of choice on your balcony overlooking tropical gardens. You can even book indulgent guest spaces where you can jump straight from your terrace into the crystalline pool. You might just find that your neighbours are the four resident pink flamingos!
This is the place if you’ve ever wanted to learn to scuba dive—an introductory lesson is included per guest at the pool. You can also zip across the sea while windsurfing or go snorkelling over the colourful coral reef off Uvero Alto beach just minutes from the hotel.