Sorry yall! This is long. I wrote it while vacationing at the resort between 2/14 - 2/19
Food (3/5):
It's resort food, so I didn't go in expecting Michelin stars. That said, some spots definitely stood out.
Favorites:
* Lobster House (dinner)
* Magna (dinner outside!!! key detail)
* Chez Isabelle
* Spice
Now... Magna breakfast indoors? Absolutely not. It felt nasty in there. Dirty tablecloth and flies. Behind us was a big table that looked like a scene from a dog park. Just chaotic and unclean. Hard pass.
We tried The Grill on our last night. The beef au jus soup was aggressively salty with clear broth... I am so confused about what I ate and then the beef carpaccio had zero salt. It felt like someone mixed up recipes back there. Very inconsistent. BUT... still go and get the bone marrow appetizer. Yes, it's salty. Yes, I loved it anyway.
Sports bar was fine for a late night bite. We skipped the Mexican restaurant.
Overall, food was hit or miss, but the service everywhere? Impeccable. Food comes out slow almost everywhere, but honestly... we're on vacation. Relax.
Bars:
Get the coco loco (however you spell it ). It's free and we thought it cost extra at first because it comes in a beautiful coconut. I'm literally drinking one while writing this.
That said... I don't think they know how to make a regular drink without turning it into a flavored sugar party. I ordered a mango mojito and a mango margarita and they tasted exactly the same. Everything had a syrupy, sweet flavor profile. Day one it was a lot for me and I'm a Merlot girl, so all that sweetness was intense.
The martini bar though? Different story. That's where they made drinks that tasted more balanced and closer to what I'm used to. Definitely the move if you don't want liquid candy.
Service (10/5):
The service here is incredible. Truly. I loved the staff.
They kept thinking I was Dominican (ayyyy ), so everyone wanted to know where I was from. The hospitality was warm, genuine, and consistent.
We tipped after every drink, meal, and service because they absolutely deserved it. No complaints here at all.
Excellence Club (1/5):
Not worth it. There are no wristbands or anything that differentiates you from the regular package. It honestly felt like more people were in the Excellence Club than not -- or people were just claiming they were.
The "exclusive" pools had zero governance. Anyone could just walk in and hang out. If I'm paying extra for exclusive access, I expect... exclusivity. Save your money.
Decor (3.5/5):
A little on the older side. It gives rustic / vintage Dominican Republic luxury. Not bad at all, just not modern.
If you're expecting sleek, white, minimalism, this isn't that. It's more warm woods, traditional finishes, and classic Caribbean resort vibes. It's still nice, just could use a refresh in some areas.
Guests (.../5):
Let's talk about it...
The older guests = Lovely
The younger crowd (45 and under) = Entitled.
People were "reserving" chairs at multiple pools and beach areas for 6-7 hours at a time and there is NO reservation system. They would just drop their stuff everywhere like territorial pigeons and disappear for half the day "just in case" they wanted that spot later.
I overheard a woman complaining that someone moved her unattended stuff to the side and I'm not going to lie... it made me happy
Entertainment:
Do the games. Go to the shows. Partyboy (the host) was a whole vibe. The dancers were great. Some might not have known every single step, but honestly it made it cuter. It felt live and fun instead of robotic.
Final Take:
Service carries this resort hard. Some great food moments, some misses. Drinks can be overly sweet unless you find the right bar. Excellence Club isn't worth the upgrade. And the entitlement from some guests? Whew.
Would I come back? Maybe, but now I know how to read more