Eating low carb? You also get access to a private lounge, which we only used to check in/out or to book our free dinner on the beach. . Anytime we had finished a drink or a meal the staff were on hand to refill or clean away our empty glasses or plates. Regardless! We did EC when we went a month ago for the first time. Its available 24/7 and the menu is very extensive. Mexico Resorts Excellence Playa Mujeres Excellence Riviera Cancun Beloved Hotel Playa Mujeres Caribbean Resorts Excellence Punta Cana My favourite spots included Aroma, the Revive Bar, Magna (for Excellence Club), and the Lobster House. You definitely get better value for money in the Dominican Republic compared to the likes of Mexico. Excellence El Carmen is a luxury adults-only all-inclusive resort that sits along an idyllic beach in Punta Canas laid-back Uvero Alto. The service here is really top-notch and the wages in the Dominican Republic for these roles are not high, so these tips can go a long way. You can ask for more of certain drinks or snacks if you wish (plus a nice tip wouldnt hurt with that request!). The bar service is also better on the EC part of the beach. The resort does a wonderful job of keeping the EC things hidden. Every time we travel I always bring an extra couple hundred dollars in tips and its well worth it! Although there is no golf course in the resort there are a few options within driving distance of the resort. The main pool is close to Las Olas for a bite to eat or you could head over to Oregano or Lobster House for lunch! If you stayed for a week you wouldnt be able to visit them all, unless you visited more than one a night! Excellence El Carmen: 5 star? 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. Check out their website to see what is actually included. I piggybacked on another guests recommendation of the Power Smoothie + strawberries and it tasted like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! If you want a lighter bite, head over to the La Placita food truck at the X-Lounge terrace! There is also room service! The room is spacious and modern with a HUGE hidden walk-in closet with plenty of hangers, shelving, robes, a steamer, and a safe. With 16 different bars in the resort, you are never too far away from a drink. The rooms are choicely designed with a great aesthetic. This one of the Excellence chains has three offerings in the Dominican Republic. 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! 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. Access to the business center is available for a fee, and there is also 4,800 square feet of event space. The menu has your typical bar food favorites such as nachos, burgers, and Pizzas. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". This is always a favourite for me but I had to sacrifice my desire for sushi to try some other restaurants! 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. Secrets resorts All your questions answered! You also have an ice bucket, and the ice machines are located on every floor of every room block for easy filling. The service wasnt particularly good the day we went as it took over an hour for us to get our main courses. 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. French, Indian, Spanish, and Mexican restaurants are also open. We love to tip, and I feel like everyone should tip, even a little bit! 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 food was beyond excellent, the staff were the most pleasant human beings i have ever came across on a vacation and the resort itself was absolutely amazing!!! - See 9 464 traveller reviews, 11,732 candid photos, and great deals for Excellence El Carmen at Tripadvisor. The butter chicken was really good. If youve never experienced it before, its a must-do! Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 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! In the video we tell you how we planned o. If youre part of the Excellence club you will have the likes of Absolut Vodka, Johnny Walker Black Label, and Anejo Rum. All Adults - At Excellence El Carmen you are secluded but not isolated. Serving up all of the traditional dishes there are the classics and some dishes that you probably have never heard of before. Guests are mostly honeymooners and couples celebrating wedding anniversaries from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Jan 12, 2023 - Wondering if Excellence Club at Excellence El Carmen in Punta Cana is worth it? Everyone greeted us with an Hola and a smile and you felt welcomed. So, to avoid disappointment, arrive early, and maybe grab a drink and enjoy the views while youre waiting! You can view your cuts of meat if youre unsure of what you want to order. Some people have said they have asked upwards of $80 USD for these photos. This is topped off with the most decadent 10 minute head, neck and shoulder massage, all while laying cozied up on a heated stone lounge. Excellence El Carmen Dominican Republic has shops selling sundries and beach attire, a medical clinic (fee to use), and an ATM. Its always a favourite spot to gather before and after dinner to enjoy a cocktail. 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. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Excellence El Carmen is very similar in terms of amenities to its sister property Excellence Punta Cana, which is just a five-minute drive away. Note that none of the bars are open 24/7. All are part of the hotel's all-inclusive rates, as is 24-hour room service. Excellence resorts are just that: Excellent! At all of the Excellence resorts, the check-in process is really an experience. The park also boasts a range of other activities including ziplines, animal parks, and the impressive surrounding forest. 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. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-110442921', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Excellence El Carmen? Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct. For beachside dining, head to Las Olas. We had some insightful conversations with some of the employees there and they really love their jobs and are grateful for them. We love the Club benefits but have gone without it and had a great time. Weirdly enough we found that the food here in the Dominican was way better than the Excellence offerings in their Mexican location. The food, the staff, and the feel you get as you walk through the resort are 5-star. Excellence El Carmen, which reopened successfully on November 28, has that vibe, too, but this property is more like a night in the city. It really is a top option for an all-inclusive. Getting to beautiful Saona Island takes an hour and 15 minutes and requires a drive followed by a boat ride. The Excellence El Carmen is just a 40-minute drive from Punta Cana international airport. Overall the food here was a pretty good standard for an all-inclusive. . We also enjoy breakfast & some dinners at Magna the EC restaurant. Rooms are elegant in both resorts, but Excellence El Carmens are slightly bigger and more swish. I was confused because were in an EC building, and its the room we booked, but apparently not all of building 9 is EC. A nice L-shaped couch that made the perfect midday lounging area. My husband and I are looking into going to EEC and we are wondering if the Excellence Club is worth it. (Feb 2022), Are inclusive resorts vs day pass and independent excursions, Ocean El Faro VS Grand Bavaro Princess VS Royalton Bavaro, Thanks for the advice on Punta Cana Princess All Suites. Excellence El Carmen: Great hotel ! Lobster doesn't cost extra either. Of course there is the Excellence Club lounge bar; an intimate and quiet setting to relax at. Does Excellence El Carmen have a club? Although a lot of travel websites and places that you book will say that tips are included in your all-inclusive price, we highly recommend that you bring cash with you to tip the staff in person. Access to Excellence Club's Magna Restaurant and exclusive bars. 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. Hmm. There is also the Silent Disco. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. We visited these during our other Excellence trips and loved them. Services cost extra, but guests can book a free session in the gorgeous hydrotherapy circuit, which features a sauna, steam room, plunge pool, and jetted beds. All restaurants, with the exception of Oregano and the Lobster House were located off the main lobby, making everything centrally located in one spot. Will we be sorry not booking the club? If it would be a financial hardship, just pass on it because you will still have a great time. For quick eats, Food Shark Food Truck serves tacos and nachos from a vintage bus, while Aroma slings coffee and desserts -- plus a rotating ice cream wheel. There is also a plug inside your safe should you choose to charge your devices while theyre kept away (which I thought was neat!). I would recommend the hydrotherapy, plus you may even be given an additional spa discount for another service after. Spice also has a fun option for groups and for a live cooking show: the Hibachi! A. ), Excellence Club is not worth it at Excellence El Carmen, 20 Best Cheap Travel Items Under $20 (that are. The Masala beef was the best we have ever had. The lounge is comfortable with the L-shaped couch, perfect for morning room-service breakfast, or cocktails before heading out for the evening. The buffet, Kitchen Table, has options for everyone Id be shocked to learn if someone couldnt find something they liked. When booking if you want to be close to the action we would advise requesting a room in buildings 4 and 6. We arrived 30 minutes early for our painting session for which they had 8 easels. Im glad there were other couples there laughing, because some of you cant help but laugh! Re the alcohol in the room, on our last visit, we didn't touch it. The pool is HUGE. Sanctuary Cap Cana, a Luxury Collection All-Inclusive Resort. 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! It looked like they had drinks and a canopy thing going on there. Excellence El Carmen is very competitively priced. Massages and salon services are available at the full-service spa, as is a free hydrotherapy circuit, and the excellent gym offers daily yoga and aerobics classes free of charge. 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. Room service is another great option for lunch, just keep in mind it takes about 45 minutes to arrive. The honeymoon package also was meant to include a rose petal filled bath in the room after dinner on the beach, which never happened, despite telling concierge 3 times, on each night we went back to the room in the hope for the bath to be filled, but nope, never happened. . 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. I definitely would like to stay at this resort. We ordered all the seafood here crab cakes, lobster bisque, lobster risotto (we shared this, and its AMAZING get it!