Fans of white beaches and the turquoise sea in the bounty style have long appreciated Punta Canu. The famous resort offers tourists a large selection of hotels on its coast. Occidental Punta Cana is a five-star complex located on one of the best beaches in the Dominican Republic. We will describe it in detail in our article.
A bit about the hotel
Occidental Hotel in Punta Cana is located directly on the famous Bavaro Beach, not far from Plaza Bavaro. The convenient location of the hotel allows tourists to quickly get from Punta Cana Airport to a vacation spot. The hotel was built back in 1999 and has since been open to guests. In 2013, only part of the number of rooms was repaired. The complex on the sea coast positions itself as a place for families with children, as well as for supporters of active pastime.
Number of rooms
The room stock of the Occidental Punta Cana hotel is very extensive. In total, the hotel complex has 852 rooms, including apartments of the following categories:
- "Deluxe" - one-room apartment, made in the Caribbean style. The floors are tiled. The rooms are equipped with double and single beds, and a balcony.
- Grand Concierge Deluxe - these rooms are very similar to the Deluxe Apartments. Their only difference is that their residents can take advantage of some additional services - a concierge service, slippers and bathrobes, internet and a 10% discount for visiting the spa. In addition, a bottle of wine and a fruit basket awaits guests during check-in.
- Grand Romance Deluxe is an ideal apartment for honeymooners. The romantic design of the room will give the rest a storm of positive emotions. Upon arrival, a pleasant surprise awaits you in the form of a bottle of wine and strawberries with chocolate. And on the first morning, breakfast is served directly in bed for the newlyweds. In addition, tourists can take advantage of a 10% discount when visiting the spa. Well, in the evening, guests will enjoy a unique romantic dinner. And on the day of departure of the newlyweds, the hotel staff will delight you with a surprise.
- Royal Club - spacious modern rooms after a fresh renovation. Stylish interior design and modern furniture will make your stay more enjoyable. The room is equipped with internet, a terrace, a jacuzzi and other additional trifles that make the rest more comfortable. Club room residents can use the concierge service, which can fulfill your order. For tourists, lunches and breakfasts are delivered to a special lounge area, and for dinner guests can visit the Royal Club restaurant.
The rooms of the Royal Club category, in turn, are also divided into several categories:
- "Junior Suite." The apartments are separated by an arch in the seating area and bedroom. Some rooms overlook the sea.
- Luxury Club is an improved deluxe apartment.
- Master Suite - rooms with two bedrooms, a living area and two bathrooms.
All apartments are equipped with air conditioning, ceiling fans, coffee makers, minibars, ironing facilities, satellite channels, terraces or balconies, safes, internet, TV. The bathrooms contain the necessary detergents and cosmetics.
It is worth noting that all rooms of the Occidental Punta Cana hotel are located in small three-story buildings with equipped terraces and balconies that are decorated with flower pots. As in most hotels, there are no elevators in such buildings, so if you find it difficult to go up to the second or third floor, ask the reception to settle you on the first floor. All buildings are scattered throughout the Occidental Punta Cana. Some of them are located near the amphitheater and pool, so they hear noise and music. Others, on the contrary, are far from noise sources and are very quiet places for a relaxing holiday.
In 2011, part of the room stock was repaired and equipped with modern technology. All apartments have approximately the same equipment. Higher-level rooms give the right to use some additional services.
All apartments feature terracotta tiled floors and wooden window shutters. The room is divided by a translucent curtain, which allows you to divide the room into a relaxation area and bedroom.
Catering
Occidental Punta Cana works on an all-inclusive basis. The cuisine of the hotel is very diverse. The local chef offers a wide range of delicious dishes. In addition, guests of the complex can appreciate the advantages of local food in nine a la carte restaurants:
- Lee Buffet treats guests with fresh seafood and meat dishes. The restaurant works like a buffet.
- The institution "Forest Resses" specializes in cooking delicious steaks and all kinds of grilled food.
- La Hesinda is a Mexican restaurant with colorful national dishes.
- The Italian institution "Via Viento" offers the best dishes of national cuisine.
- But lovers of Asian dishes should visit the Dorienthal. In a relaxing atmosphere you can enjoy poultry, pork and seafood dishes.
It is worth noting that to visit all of the above institutions, men must adhere to a dress code - pants and a shirt.
If you want to have a little refreshment during the day, you can do it in the pizzeria “La Fontana” and in the Mexican bar “La Tacueria”. Beach Club is open for guests near the pool, where you can refresh yourself with drinks. The Lobby Bar and Home Run will also delight you with refreshing drinks and interesting cocktails. Well, in the evening, the Mango bar starts working, where you can have fun with DJ music and alcoholic cocktails.
All a la carte restaurants are included in the all-inclusive concept, the only condition for visiting them is pre-booking.
Hotel infrastructure
The Occidental Grand Punta Cana complex has a well-developed infrastructure. The hotel has concentrated everything that tourists might need. The hotel complex is equipped with three pools. The largest of them forms a kind of lagoon. Through the pool passes the bridge on which the restaurant is located. The pool has a large size and decent depth, some of its parts are more shallow and suitable for children.
There is a pool for adults only, it is more calm and quiet than the main lagoon. The hotel has a conference room that can accommodate 250 people.
SPA-center
Occidental Grand (Punta Cana), like any self-respecting resort hotel, has its own spa center, which is part of the Caribbean Princess chain of establishments. The modern spa offers a soak in the jacuzzi, a hammam, sauna, shower, and hair care treatments. The qualified staff of the center offers hydrotherapy, a wide variety of massages, body and face treatments, body wraps and masks with natural extracts.
Sports and Entertainment
Occidental Grand Hotel (Dominican Republic, Punta Cana) offers guests not only relaxation, but also active sporting events. Sports enthusiasts can head to the gym. In the daytime, animators offer to attend water aerobics, dance classes, as well as play volleyball and tennis, shoot archery and shotguns, as well as engage in water sports on the coast.
In the evenings, a fun entertainment show awaits guests at the resort.
Services for children
Hotel Occidental Punta Cana 5 *, caring for the youngest guests, offers children to use the playground with swings, a special pool for kids or go to a kids club. If necessary, parents can ask for a baby bed.
Beach vacation
Occidental Grand Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) is located on the coast and has its own spacious sandy beach, which is well equipped for relaxation. On the shore there is a zone for playing volleyball and aerobics. The hotel also has a water sports center.
The beach of the hotel is wide enough. Its white sand is washed by sea waves, alluring to its depths. Smooth entry into the water is ideal for children.
Reviews for Occidental Grand Punta Cana
Continuing the review of the hotel, I want to pay attention to the reviews of tourists who recently rested in it. A large number of positive reviews gives reason to recommend the Hotel Occidental Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) for a holiday.
The hotel complex has a small but well-groomed and beautiful area. The staff of the institution speaks Spanish and English, understands a little Russian, so you can always explain. Many Russian tourists talk about being lodged in building 10, whose rooms have long been in need of repair. At the reception, the staff offers the possibility of relocation to other apartments, but subject to a surcharge of $ 100, then the cost of the service is reduced to the level of $ 30-50. However, tourists recommend first inspecting the room, and then making a decision - whether it is worth changing or not, because this is not always necessary.
Vacationers note that the hotel consists of already renovated apartments and those that have not yet been updated. Of course, the updated rooms delight with fresh repairs and beautiful interiors, as well as good plumbing and new linen. Rooms are cleaned daily; there are no complaints about its quality, especially if you leave a bonus in the form of one or two dollars.
Nutrition Reviews
What about food at the Occidental Punta Cana? Reviews from tourists give reason to say that there are no problems with food. The complex has a main restaurant and many à la carte establishments, as well as bars. The concept of "all inclusive" makes it possible not to think about nutrition. Basically, the restaurant always has a lot of meat and fish dishes, fresh eggs and pancakes are prepared in the mornings, on the tables there is always a decent selection of fruits and vegetables, as well as sweets.
The staff is very fast. If a dish ends, the waiters quickly replenish its supplies. The staff is very friendly and serves visitors well. All soft drinks included the concept of nutrition. But alcohol is not all free.
In general, the food in the hotel is of high quality and organized at the proper level, which is very important for the resort.
General impression of the hotel
For those tourists who like to relax in the Dominican Republic, the Occidental Grand Punta Cana 5 * hotel can be a great place for a vacation, numerous positive reviews are a direct confirmation of this.
The complex has swimming pools with numerous small lagoons for children. If you prefer sea water, then the beach is around the corner. There are bars throughout the territory where you can take soft drinks and alcohol. Almost all bartenders make cocktails based on rum, which is logical for the region. In the evenings, guests are entertained in the lobby with live music. Here at the bar you can order free and paid cocktails.
In the daytime, tourists are actively entertained by local animators. Competitions, songs and dances - all this is provided to you. Activities also work on the beach. Therefore, if desired, idle reclining on deckchairs can be diluted with sports games. There is a water sports facility on the coast. In it, once a day, you can take a catamaran or a boat for free for riding. In addition, on the beach, animators invite you to play volleyball, table tennis and soccer. In general, you do not have to be bored on the shore.
The beach is equipped with free sunbeds. There were umbrellas before, but now there are none, but the shade from the palm trees is enough for a comfortable stay. Evening entertainment is always accompanied by Latin music, the usual repertoire of songs for our tourists is not here.
According to tourists, the hotel is unreasonably expensive Internet services. If your price does not include Wi-Fi, then you will have to pay for it separately. The rate offered at the reception is $ 35 per week. Local SIM cards cost twelve dollars, which is also not a particularly suitable option.
Tours and activities
In the lobby of the hotel there is always a representative of the tour operator who offers sightseeing trips. The cost of each starts from one hundred dollars per person and above. According to tourists, prices are unreasonably high. Exactly the same trips offer street barkers, the cost of their services is much lower. Hotel guides always scare tourists, which dangerously goes beyond the hotel. In fact, the complex is located in the resort area of Punta Cana, so walking to the nearest shops or other facilities is quite safe. Of course, you should not show the phone or money, extra caution will not hurt.
The hotel territory itself is reliably guarded; strangers are not allowed in. And throughout the complex there are surveillance cameras. This adds a sense of security.