If those are things that you would have done anyway and spent money on, I would consider doing the club level for those freebies plus all the other added daily perks of being club. Its a lovely experience. Im the type of person that pretty much tips every time. Tons of free activities like pool games, Mamajuana making, and evening shows. At every Excellence Resort, the Excellence Club represents the ultimate in luxury, privacy and service. My advice is, if it's not a financial hardship, the club area is the "cherry on top" of a great vacation. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. From themed nights such as Casino night and Dominican night. When we stayed in mid-2019 we paid $2,800 USD for 7 days. Today's best Excellence Resorts coupon is up to 62% off. There are a few tasty options here, like the Dominican patty (filled with beef, raisins and egg, and sooo good! I also realize there is a lot of confusion with tipping at all-inclusive resorts, since technically, your package includes gratuities. Its listed on their website that they have 23 pools and 9 outdoor hot tubs on offer and while this is the case. You can either wade over to it and grab a seat there (we did this, but wear sunscreen because chances are youll start talking to someone and be there for a while! I would still go. . It was one of my favourite spots to go to and they open at 8:00 am. The service wasnt particularly good the day we went as it took over an hour for us to get our main courses. I gravitate towards dishes with flank steak (we ordered the Puebla and Tamaulipas) its easily one of the best beef options and the most flavourful! The balcony was covered in cigarette butts when we checked in. In reality, there are really three main pool areas. You definitely get better value for money in the Dominican Republic compared to the likes of Mexico. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. If you fancy getting a treatment at the spa, we recommend that you check on the day as the Spa does daily specials on various treatments. For Excellence Club guests, you have the option to dine at Magna. If youve been to Excellence Playa Mujeres or Riviera Cancun, there is an additional Wine Cellar you can dine in privately. They even put your flip flops in a warmer for your feet afterwards! . 1 year ago Save We have been three times now & always EC. Others have said all I have is $5 and they take it. We dined outside on the patio with a beautiful view of the palm trees (not of the ocean, since Magna is located within the Excellence Club lounge right off the lobby). If you want to be in a secluded spot and close to the beach then building 9 is your best bet. Smooth as can be. Access to private Excellence Club lounge (7:00 am to 11:00 pm) with concierge service, smart buffets, and bar service. Its totally free, so why not take advantage of it? They will come up to you and place them on you without even asking. My husband and I did Excellence Playa Mujeres last year. We nearly missed it and it was our favourite lunch! We sat outside on the terrace and the resort was so pretty lit up at night. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 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 visited these during our other Excellence trips and loved them. While both resorts offer access to beautiful beaches, the stretch of sand at Excellence Punta Cana is perhaps just a little bit nicer. We only managed two meals a day most days because we were so full from breakfast, so having a smoothie to tide us over was perfect. We highly recommend doing this as the pools they have for this are really nice. There are so many restaurants at Excellence El Carmen. Mexico Resorts Excellence Playa Mujeres Excellence Riviera Cancun Beloved Hotel Playa Mujeres Caribbean Resorts Excellence Punta Cana Average. We only experienced the massage included in the hydrotherapy this time, so I cant speak to the couples massage or any other treatments, but I have heard amazing things about the services offered and if the full body massage is anything like the 10 minute one we got, I would be in heaven! Book Excellence El Carmen, Uvero Alto on Tripadvisor: See 9,464 traveler reviews, 12,158 candid photos, and great deals for Excellence El Carmen, ranked #3 of 9 hotels in Uvero Alto and rated 4.5 of 5 at Tripadvisor. If youre in Excellence Club, try Magna for breakfast at least once! Some of the jets really move your swimsuit around and I remember one year I had to hang on to my top and bottoms during some of the water treatments! Will we miss out on a lot if we do not book the Club Level? A. We had an additional bottle of vodka (Absolut), tequila (Agavita) and gin (Tanquerey). With 16 different bars in the resort, you are never too far away from a drink. Getting married here seems to be a very popular choice. Excellence El Carmen is a luxury adults-only all-inclusive resort that sits along an idyllic beach in Punta Cana's laid-back Uvero Alto. When my lovely friends invited me to their destination wedding at Excellence El Carmen, how could I say no? If youre an Excellence club guest you will have a complimentary Hydrotherapy session during your stay. We arrived in the morning and our room wasnt ready yet, so we went and grabbed a cocktail at the main bar. Sorry such a technical question and really appreciate your in depth review of the place. We like the Beachfront Honeymoon rooms & these are all EC. Premium alcohol and specialty beers are included. Ecological park with flamingos and macaws on-site. We had a fabulous time the first time we went to ERC, which was non club, so much so we went back for our honeymoon. We always find its good to get out of the resort a few times during your trip and try to see a bit of the country youre visiting. Lobster doesn't cost extra either. While Excellence isn't the largest resort in Punta Cana, it certainly packs in a mega-resort's worth of features -- and its most exceptional are outdoors. Our food was delivered hot, and was set up right in our room. I understand and appreciate that tipping is subjective. 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. The Cocotal Golf and Country Club. I thought the additional cost was worth it overall but would have probably had a good time without it also if I had never experienced EC level. You also have an ice bucket, and the ice machines are located on every floor of every room block for easy filling. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The resort does a wonderful job of keeping the EC things hidden. So I am just checking to see if there was any extra fees that arent included! Its available 24/7 and the menu is very extensive. We are considering booking this resort for our anniversary in October. There is also room service! Yes, even though you didnt consent to it. The Excellence Punta Cana is a luxury offering at a competitive price. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. There is music by the pool bar, too! Are you a vegetarian? Guests are mostly honeymooners and couples celebrating wedding anniversaries from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. We loved the Caribbean Eggs with plantain and fried cheese. 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! The Excellence El Carmen is just a 40-minute drive from Punta Cana international airport. Excellence El Carmen, Uvero Alto: "What's is the difference between the regular." | Check out 8 answers, plus 8,660 reviews and 12,158 candid photos Ranked #3 of 7 hotels in Uvero Alto and rated 4.5 of 5 at Tripadvisor. However! Were not whiskey drinkers, but we do love tequila. Members of the WorthEPenny community love shopping at Excellence Resorts. Our top recommendations for dishes here are the patatas bravos and the Spanish meatballs. Its luxurious rooms and suites make for the ideal romantic getaway and this property caters to honeymooners and those celebrating their anniversary. We spent our mornings by the pool, where you have access to their swim up bar, Blue. Yes, a shuttle service from the airport can be requested. The EC beach is similar to the non EC but you get the loungers made up for you & concierges to look after you. Once inside, it's all about sharp neutral decor, tranquil vibes, and breezy ocean views. We also enjoy breakfast & some dinners at Magna the EC restaurant. This restaurant is a Mexican offering and we really enjoyed our night at Las Olas. This adults-only resort is the perfect place to have a relaxing break in the beautiful surroundings of the Dominican Republic. Although there is no golf course in the resort there are a few options within driving distance of the resort. If you are travelling from North America, you do not need to bring an adapter with you. From fitness-based classes such as Yoga, tennis, and water aerobics. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Excellence now has their own app you can download to research everything either ahead of time, or to keep up with it during your stay! Best things to do in Punta Cana.your top 3. Its definitely on the premium side when you compare it against other resorts in the Punta Cana area, but for what you get it is definitely worth the additional cost. Every time we travel I always bring an extra couple hundred dollars in tips and its well worth it! Nothing beats having a warm ocean breeze while dining and there are loads of choices to satisfy everyones taste buds, from pizza and pasta to healthier options like salads. It felt like a newer resort. 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! I have to avoid raw onions, but I didnt have to sacrifice taste! From the housekeeping, service at the bars to the concierge. 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. There is a huge pastry/bread section, a selection of cold cuts and cheeses, gorgeous fruit and colourful juices, an omelette station, and some traditional Dominican foods, too! Excellence El Carmen: 5 star? Answer 1 of 6: My husband and I are looking into going to EEC and we are wondering if the Excellence Club is worth it. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Youll never be bored. 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. This Asian eatery serves up the most famous dishes from Japan, Thailand, China, and Vietnam. There is lots of choice at the Excellence El Carmen and if you have stayed in the Excellence chain of resorts before you will be familiar with their room offering. Excellence always nails it with their Martini Bars and how its the focal point from when you first arrive and look down the stairs. 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. Sanctuary Cap Cana, a Luxury Collection All-Inclusive Resort. The only area that we felt a little let down on was the. Just as an FYI if youre walking around indecently with the blinds open. Of course there is the Excellence Club lounge bar; an intimate and quiet setting to relax at. Our Best All-Inclusive Resorts In Puerto Vallarta for Food, Our Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Los Cabos for Food. They serve food here too, but we never ate there. You always have the option for room service if you want to just veg out at night, too! Excellence El Carmen: Truly Excellent! or just the tennis net. If you ask very nicely and youre feeling lucky you can also get food delivered from the restaurants.