The DR has always been on my bucket list of countries to visit. So, to kick off the summer, I jetted off to this beautiful caribbean island with my mom in tow for four days. It was Ah-ma-zing. We stayed at the luxurious all-inclusive Paradisus Punta Cana Resort, and it was worth every penny to not have to think about, “What am I going to make for dinner tonight?” Everything was taken care of, and it was a complete dream. The only thing I had to be concerned with was, “What time should I hit the beach, today?” It was the very thing I needed to reboot from life and work stress.
Everyone on the resort was super nice and helpful, but very few spoke English. Literally, EVERYONE thought I was Dominican and would start speaking Spanish as soon as they laid eyes on me. Lord Jesus, finally those three years of Spanish in high school were finally put to use. All in all, I highly recommend visiting the DR and staying at Paradisus.
Take a peek at photos from the trip, and my 5 tips for visiting this resort!
1. Do not ever brush your teeth with the water. There are water bottles in the bathroom for a reason. Of course, I thought I was invincible and would be fine if I only refrained from swishing. Nope, at the end of trip, I caught the bug and it followed me all the way home.
2. Paradisus is a huge resort with multiple restaurants, bars, pools, etc. Give yourself at least 20 minutes to get to dinner reservations, shows, or activities on the resort. This will give you time to be picked up by the mini shuttles outside your villa.
3. Everyone’s palette different, but if you are a foodie, don’t eat Fuego or The Grill, by any means. Definitely make a reservation at Passion, the food is fantastico. Buffet style breakfast, lunch and dinner is quite good at Gabi Beach. Also, don’t fill out that ridiculous form to make dinner reservations. You will get what you want if you just call, and call, and call again.
4. Don’t worry about rushing to the beach to get covered lounging. And you don’t even need to have the Royal Service to have this perk. You will find many open shady chairs a little south of Gabi Beach, and it’s quieter, with a wonderful bar and bathroom nearby.
5. Just chill out and be patient. Remember, you’re operating on the Dominicanos’ time. They don’t rush or hurry. Do as the Romans do. Ahem, I mean the Dominicanos.
Thierry Mugler…Yaaas!!
We lived here.
Beautiful lobby in Paradiso lobby
Mi madre in front of Passion
I absolutely loved this place, and can’t wait to go back again!