. When we visited we brought US Dollars and tipped a dollar for each drink we ordered and then $10 dollars for waiters for any of the meals that we had. To cooking lessons where the chefs will teach you how to make local Dominican food and sushi. Free water sports include kayaks and Hobie Cat catamarans. The beach at Excellence El Carmen is long its a beautiful, soft, and golden stretch of beach when there is no seaweed. My favourite spots included Aroma, the Revive Bar, Magna (for Excellence Club), and the Lobster House. The Hoyo Azul is also known as the blue hole and is their most famous one. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Access to the business center is available for a fee, and there is also 4,800 square feet of event space. We also saw one of the wedding parties using the X-lounge for after the reception. El Carmen has one huge advantage in regards to our dining experience: The coffee shop. Flavour Market is a great spot for tapas, sharing, and light bites. This bar is also a great place to go after dinner. There are 23 pools and 9 jacuzzis at Excellence El Carmen seriously! We found this place the most difficult to get a booking for at peak times. Now the bathroom is one of which many people question. One of the best elements of the Excellence chain of resorts is their extensive drinks selection. Dont have time to read this review of Excellence El Carmen right now? Wood-Fired pizzas, rich and creamy pasta dishes, and some really nice seafood options too. Excellence El Carmen: Great hotel ! It can be difficult at times to get a booking for treatments, so if you have your heart set on getting a massage we advise you to book before you travel. The waters were pretty calm, so if youre into ocean swimming this is the spot for you. You could jump from activity to activity all day long and you still wouldnt be able to participate in all of them. This resort was beautiful!!!! Yes, parking is available for guests and it is complimentary. Hi Taylor! Im not a huge pizza or pasta fan when theres tons of other things to try that I cant get at home (or want to make at home, more like!). From themed nights such as Casino night and Dominican night. The Blue Hole, a cenote with gorgeous turquoise water, is also around a 30-minute drive from the property. You can read more about my impressions of Excellence Club at this resort on my other blog post, which I felt deserved one of its own, if youre really into details! We loved the Caribbean Eggs with plantain and fried cheese. If you are travelling from North America, you do not need to bring an adapter with you. . By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Rooms have one king bed or two queen beds that are framed by boxy nightstands and telescoping chrome reading lights. Honeymoon Review: Excellence El Carmen - Authentically Emmie You can, of course, enhance your stay by option to upgrade to their paid honeymoon and anniversary package which includes everything in the complimentary package, plus dinner on the beach, and a 40 minute spa package. Is the bathroom private? We also enjoy breakfast & some dinners at Magna the EC restaurant. When we stayed in early 2020 we went through the travel agent Sunwing that is based out of Canada. However! Excellence El Carmen has a solid all-inclusive package that covers not only the usual buffet meals, drinks, and entertainment but also premium liquor brands, all a la carte meals (reservations not required), 24-hour room service, natural fruit juices, and beach and pool waiter service. Who has had experience with the Excellence Club at (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? If you want a lighter bite, head over to the La Placita food truck at the X-Lounge terrace! depends on how you view 5 star - See 9,463 traveler reviews, 11,732 candid photos, and great deals for Excellence El Carmen at Tripadvisor. Pricier Excellence Club upgrades add pillow menus, Bulgari toiletries, loaner beach bags, and minibars with top-shelf liquor. Dont forget Aroma! We did take a Spanish class which was a lot of fun, and we also painted one afternoon and you get to take your painting home! Excellence Club WORTH IT - Review of Excellence El Carmen Insider tip: Dont miss the hidden gem by building 10! This is definitely the best restaurant location with stunning views of the ocean and a nice outdoor setting where you can feel the cool sea breeze. Tip: bring your own floaties with you! ), Cuban sandwich (also really good! 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 treatments included in the excellence club as well as the room location being closer to the beach/better view. My mom and I had big ambitions to participate in some of the physical activities, like aerial yoga on the beach (how fun right?!) . Some people have said they have asked upwards of $80 USD for these photos. ), and lobster tails. They are so much fun to do. One comment I will make that really deterred me from being on the beach, is the vendors. They serve food here too, but we never ate there. Excellence El Carmen: Excellence Club WORTH IT - See 7,882 traveller reviews, 10,176 candid photos, and great deals for Uvero Alto, Dominican Republic, at Tripadvisor. Re: Excellence El Carmen- Excellence Club, worth it? In addition to receiving a welcome letter, fruit, and a bottle of sparkling wine upon arrival, you will also receive a special turndown service, champagne breakfast in bed and a romantic dinner at one of the restaurants. What to Pack for an All-Inclusive Vacation (Plus Free Printable! EXCELLENCE EL CARMEN - UPDATED 2022 Resort Reviews & Price Comparison Excellence El Carmen, Uvero Alto: "Between the excellence punta Cana and the." | Check out answers, plus 8,668 reviews and 12,158 candid photos Ranked #3 of 9 hotels in Uvero Alto and rated 4.5 of 5 at Tripadvisor. Is Excellence Club at Excellence El Carmen worth it? Woodie and I went to Excellence El Carmen, Dominican Republic in December 2021 and absolutely loved the resort! There is no need to be rude to the vendors, but learn to say no, and then to avoid eye contact if they keep not taking no for an answer. Room service is another great option for lunch, just keep in mind it takes about 45 minutes to arrive. The buffet, Kitchen Table, has options for everyone Id be shocked to learn if someone couldnt find something they liked. Booking through Westjet Vacations, we took a shared bus to the hotel, which wasn't as good as the SUV car service that the hotel provided. We often started our days with a couple glasses of mimosas and you will never be far from your next drink. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. The weather was a little windy at times however that's just one of the challenges of trav. Even so, there's nightly entertainment ranging from live music and circus shows to Michael Jackson impersonators. There are bars dotted all throughout the resort. I dont know what it was about that cheese but I fell in love with it and cant stop eating it. They do have nets as of the beginning of this month! We went in ours so we just had to take our coverups off. or just the tennis net. Access to a private beach area. What's is the difference between the regular The EC toiletries are Bvlgari & lovely but not really important to us. It's definitely not a party resort with guests pounding shots -- the vibe is more towards sipping martinis. There are also a number of liquor bottles that are in the room too. Tons of free activities like pool games, Mamajuana making, and evening shows. As you walk down the hallways, it's common to see the doors of these couples' rooms decorated with banners celebrating their occasion. Im sure if we couldnt get an EC room we would still have a great time though. For those who wish to explore down the beach, Tropical Treasures also has great beach side massages and souvenirs. In the video we tell you how we planned o. Thats part of the reason why we love all-inclusive resorts so much! The views at Oregano are lovely (as its located on the other side of the Lobster House) and it makes a great setting with the ocean breeze at night. This is also the place you can get fresh coconuts. We did this one night and got food from Chez Isabella. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. Excellence is known for their corporate responsibility and they look after their staff, and it shows through the service you receive. Some rooms add semi-private swim-up pools or completely private rooftop pools. 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. Its important to remember the Excellence dress code! Im not kidding people were shocked when they saw the photos. However, big waves and strong undertow make it unsuitable for swimming. You will be greeted at the main door with a glass of prosecco and a smile. Excellence El Carmen: Perfection!! The staff was also super friendly which made us feel very welcome. It's like VIP at the airport. The food here was good, but nothing to write home about. It was awkward drinking Coco Locos without them! They have a lovely Gazebo overlooking the water which looks like the perfect spot to exchange vows. 7 de junio de 2022; where to buy used bicycles near me The Excellence El Carmen is just a 40-minute drive from Punta Cana international airport. There are plenty of plugs throughout the room, including two USB ports for charging on either side of your bed. Aroma is open until 10:00 and also offers sandwiches, fruit cups, pastries, macarons, cookies, and gelato. Excellence Club guests get private access to a top-notch restaurant that opens for breakfast and dinner. It was never rowdy, and is quite peaceful here and we enjoyed the central location to everything we wanted. 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. By this point we were both needing a break from the steak, so we ordered the salmon and the scallops, which were tasty and surprisingly filling. If youre not already a member of Welcome to Excellence El Carmen on Facebook I highly recommend you join there are a ton of Q&As in there! This is what I normally tip but remember, this is completely discretionary! 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 park has a number of sinkholes and caves that can be explored. Serving up all of the traditional dishes there are the classics and some dishes that you probably have never heard of before. The setup outside is really beautiful and should be experienced if youre there even if you dont have a full meal just so you can see some of the entertainment! The rest of the pools are either for guests staying in Swim-Up units or exclusive for Excellence Club guests. You will be treated the same, eat the same, and have largely the same drinks. Feeling hungry late at night? NEW riu palace bavaro ----opening when?????? Everyone dresses up and it gives a classy feel to the resort. The Miil Spa is an attractive and quiet space offering massages, facials, body treatments, manicures, pedicures, waxing, and salon services. The all-inclusive package is very good here. Opting to eat healthier during your stay? All rooms also provide safes, umbrellas, irons, and ironing boards. The food here was very good. Its open from 6:00 pm 11:30 pm, giving you the fuel you need to keep on going! We had the grilled lobster and the lobster ravioli and the lobster for both dishes was a little bit chewy. This resort is a wonderful place for adults to relax and de-stress, and the Excellence Club in my opinion is absolutely worth it. Excellence Playa Mujeres: Mexicos Best Adults-Only Resort! Are you kidding me!? My mom had a good point if you need to rinse your straws out, it can become inconvenient with having to run to a sink to rinse out, or could possibly make you sick if youre not using bottled water. When we stayed there was a bottle of Smirnoff Vodka, Anejo Rum, Jose Cuervo Tequila, and a bottle of red wine. After youre finished eating, you can place your dishes in the X-Box located right at your door. With 8 treadmills, 6 ellipticals, a number of stationary exercise bikes, free weights, and a wide variety of machine weights its the perfect spot to work off the indulgence from the night before. We always stay in the club area to take advantage of the club anniversary package. There are tons of bars throughout the resort. The only room type that has a private garden with a pool bigger than a plunge pool is the Imperial Suite. If youre sharing with a friend or a family member (like my mom and I did), we just called out to each other that we were indecent and to avert your eyes. Club level had upgraded spirits in the room, were not big drinkers, not indoors anyway, so both times we have been, the spirits were left untouched. If you have stayed in an Excellence resort before you know that the amenities on offer are always top class. If you are looking for the quality of an Excellence resort and are looking for a cheaper option compared to their Cancun and Jamaica offerings then the El Carmen is the resort for you. But have you ever checked into an all-inclusive resort and noticed that some guests have access to otherwise restricted restaurants, premium alcohol, luxe pools, more comfortable beach chairs, and, Aerial View of Excellence Punta Cana/Oyster If youve been researching the best adults-only luxury hotels in Punta Cana, youve likely come across the sister properties Excellence Punta Cana and Excellence El Carmen.