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). Other activities include ping-pong, pool tables, and a life-size chess board. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. We had just as much fun watching everyone as those who participated in it. The Excellence El Carmen is about a 45-minute drive from the airport. Were not whiskey drinkers, but we do love tequila. Excellence Club WORTH IT - Review of Excellence El Carmen The main eatery of the resort, this buffet is really impressive. 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. I never not tip at a meal, and I will leave tip money throughout the week for housekeeping, turndown service, and the minibar. 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. You definitely get better value for money in the Dominican Republic compared to the likes of Mexico. We accosted the minibar guy one day to give us kitkats, so just so you know, there is also chocolate! If you do not like those, or want to swap them out for something else, you can do that too! This was super convenient, as we could plan out our day for when our room was being cleaned. We did EC when we went a month ago for the first time. There is a daily room keeping as well as turndown service which is always nice to come back to: slippers by the bed, sheets drawn back, beside lights on, bottles of water on the nightstands, and flower petals or towels done up in some cute display. However, the dress code is one of the reasons why we love Excellence. Sunny yellows, lush flora greens, and ocean blues set the scene for a transfixing mix of island charm and elegance. Ive been looking forward to staying here, and now that Ive fully absorbed all that this stunning resort has to offer after a relaxing getaway, Im excited to share this review with you! The seafood, in particular, was spectacular. ago Excellence Club is a nice-to-have but no must-have. If youre in Excellence Club, try Magna for breakfast at least once! 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!). The beach at the El Carmen resort is truly stunning. Honestly, though the room service menu is so large that you probably wont need to do this. 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. It never took longer than 5-10 minutes to walk to anywhere we wanted to go. The Martini bar is a great place to grab a cocktail and watch the world go by. We went on the day they had tacos and it was SO good. A steakhouse in an all-inclusive is not normally a good pairing and sadly the Grill at the Excellence El Carmen was no different. Its normally located on the X-Lounge terrace outside, but ours was held at the Kitchen Table. At every Excellence Resort, the Excellence Club represents the ultimate in luxury, privacy and service. Like all of these offerings, it can be hit and miss and there definitely was some inconsistency in terms of the dishes we were served. ), and lobster tails. 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. I love the beach, but Im not much of a beach swimmer since I was young. The Excellence El Carmen adults-only all-inclusive resort opened in late 2016 and has one of Punta Canas most modern and hip vibes. This resort is a wonderful place for adults to relax and de-stress, and the Excellence Club in my opinion is absolutely worth it. Feeling hungry late at night? The staff was also super friendly which made us feel very welcome. Its open from 9:00 am 4:00 pm and has all kinds of fruit smoothies and juices to try. Lets start off by saying all of the rooms at this resort are massive, so space will never be an issue. We have booked Excellence in Playa Mujeres and in El Carmen for 2016 both non club rooms. Other options include an extensive buffet with live-cooking stations and small selection of Dominican specialties; the open-air eatery Oregano that specializes in pizza and pasta; and the Lobster House for seafood specialties overlooking the beach. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. There is also a beachfront massage option if you wish to listen to the crashing waves against the shore. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. There are lots of antipasto dishes at Oregano, along with risottos, custom pasta dishes, and pizzas to satisfy your carb craving. There is also Las Olas a beautiful setting on the beach to grab a drink and enjoy the ocean breeze and views. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. As for swimming pools, Excellence Punta Canas main pool is bigger, but Excellence El Carmen has more rooms with swim-up access or private pools. Horseback riding, biking, tennis, and quality excursions (some fees) Free Wi-Fi throughout. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. We went there for dinner and were a little disappointed with the food. Feel free to custom make your own! Will we be sorry not booking the club? The club rooms do have a better coffee maker, little cakes delivered every night which were a nice touch, also fruit delivery every day, which we didn't eat and a daily US newspaper - not much use for us as we're British. This man was hilarious and was really entertaining. This was very close to being our favorite as the food here was very authentic and delicious. The question of club vs. non-club is asked all the time on the forums. For beachside dining, head to Las Olas. This is also the place you can get fresh coconuts. Excellence Club provides additional benefits, but is it really worth it? 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. Flavour Market is ideal for those who want to try a bit of everything without filling up too much on one thing! When it comes to food, the resorts 11 restaurants offer numerous options from casual spots to fine-dining. An Excellence resort AND a wedding? Rooms are elegant in both resorts, but Excellence El Carmens are slightly bigger and more swish. He just appeared. Getting married here seems to be a very popular choice. This is obviously down to the staff who were so proactive in making sure the place looked tidy. Insider tip: Dont miss the hidden gem by building 10! Excellence El Carmen, Uvero Alto: "Can anyone who upgraded to Excellence club upon." | Check out 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. We also saw one of the wedding parties using the X-lounge for after the reception. Theres always some type of entertainment going on. 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. As soon as you enter the resort you really are put at ease. The price including flights, airport transfers, and the all-inclusive came out to $3,000 USD for the complete stay. We did two excursions when we visited. Excellence El Carmen: Excellence Club WORTH IT - See 7,654 traveler reviews, 9,969 candid photos, and great deals for Excellence El Carmen at Tripadvisor. how do floodplains jeopardize the livelihoods of agricultural workers. As a previous Excellence Resorts guest, I couldn't imagine how the service could get any better! El Carmen has one huge advantage in regards to our dining experience: The coffee shop. The Revive Bar is a delicious choice for those who love liquid breakfasts. When it comes to adults-only luxury, Excellence El Carmen in the Dominican Republic has it down to a science. 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. Yes, a shuttle service from the airport can be requested. Excellence Club | Excellence Punta Cana EXCELLENCE EL CARMEN - UPDATED 2022 Resort Reviews & Price Comparison 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. If you stay in an Excellence Club room those bottles are upgraded. . And, if youre even more like me, food is very important to you! ordered the flank steak and charcoal grilled chicken. My mom had the pork ribs with sweet potato mash and the meat was so tender. The gym was never too busy, but we found that around 10 am was its peak hours, but even then you would have no issues getting a treadmill or a solid workout in. Its open from 6:00 pm 11:30 pm, giving you the fuel you need to keep on going! Like other Excellence properties, guests can splurge on upgraded Excellence Club packages. The room is spacious and modern with a HUGE hidden walk-in closet with plenty of hangers, shelving, robes, a steamer, and a safe. 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. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Bar-wise, Excellence El Carmens 16 options include swim-up pool bars, a sports bar, a martini lounge, a beach bar, and a made-to-order juice bar with fresh fruits and veggies. Wood-Fired pizzas, rich and creamy pasta dishes, and some really nice seafood options too. ), or you can be served over by your palapa. Many rooms at the Excellence Resort El Carmen feature direct access to a pool, private or shared with other guests in the same room category. Request this at your time of booking and bring proof its your honeymoon or anniversary (like a copy of your marriage certificate). Is Excellence Club worth it? : r/PuntaCana - reddit Since my mom and I were on a girls trip (which we hardly ever get to do!) Excellence El Carmen - UPDATED 2023 Prices, Reviews & Photos (Uvero Whether youre an early riser or someone who likes to lounge in the morning and head for a later breakfast, there are loads of choices for you. Seaweed blooms are seasonal and also change daily. Why you should upgrade to Excellence Club Luxury runs through every one of Excellence Punta Cana's 461 suites and Excellence El Carmen's 492. ), and then charge you a ridiculous amount for it. ), but some of my favourites were the Circus Show, Michael Jackson, Queen, and the fire show (do not miss that!). The service wasnt particularly good the day we went as it took over an hour for us to get our main courses. There is also the Silent Disco. 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. Youre greeted at the front desk, then taken by elevator upstairs, where youre shown your locker room and given a pair of flip flops. The atmosphere is always buzzing. It seats up to 8 and there is a set menu. Our Vacation was Exellent! You can grab a coconut at the swim up bar most days where you can have any drink you want inside of it. Make your vacation a little more special with this upgrade and receive upgraded amenities and more! Bike tours, Spanish lessons, beach volleyball, archery, pool games, water aerobics, poker tournaments, and bingo are scheduled regularly. There is also room service! After dinner, there was always something going on. Free daily classes like yoga and stretching are available, and personal training sessions are included in nightly rates as well. We really got the feeling of 5-Star luxury once we walked in. We have been to ERC twice, once non club, then went club for our honeymoon. We also liked the Excellence Club lounge to have a pre-dinner drink. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. You will never have an issue getting a spot at the beach. You can bring this right back to your palapa by the pool or beach to enjoy or eat on the terrace. Is Excellence Club Worth It at Excellence El Carmen? To tribute acts and musical entertainment. I like a mix of $1s, $5s and $10s when we travel to all-inclusive resorts. Its a little cubby that can be accessed by room service staff from the outside to retrieve your dishes. Dreams resorts All your questions answered! The buffet, Kitchen Table, has options for everyone Id be shocked to learn if someone couldnt find something they liked. My husband and I are looking into going to EEC and we are wondering if the Excellence Club is worth it. We nearly missed it and it was our favourite lunch! . Excellence Club Suites come with access to the private Magna Club restaurant and bar, plus the private lobby puts out special treats and desserts throughout the day. There is also a plug inside your safe should you choose to charge your devices while theyre kept away (which I thought was neat!). Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. We have to give a shout-out to Felix the bartender here. Our favorite thing was definitely the casino night. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The pool is HUGE. . The balcony was covered in cigarette butts when we checked in. 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. EXCELLENCE EL CARMEN: See 8,660 Resort Reviews, Price Comparison and Since you mentioned your anniversary, look at the anniversary packages that you would get for free if you travel over your anniversary and stay for 7 nights. The biggest question when youre considering an all-inclusive resort is the quality of the food. All-inclusive rates cover meals at 11 restaurants (including several a la carte eateries) and top-shelf drinks, plus 24-hour room service and activities like snorkeling, Spanish lessons, and beach volleyball. French, Indian, Spanish, and Mexican restaurants are also open. 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.