Just won a trip to Punta Cana

I knew this was coming

Thanks HGG, don't think i'll forward this one to the wife...

Excellence El Carmen

Thx, good to know

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Excellence El Carmen

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I stayed there last year. Nice resort...my only complaint was they don't really "get service".

I mean, they're nice but they just don't seem like the understand what service is all about. For example, at Basmati my wife did not see merlot on the menu and asked the waitress for a glass and she didnt know what merlot was....I mean, like no idea.

There is most definitely a language barrier between the staff and english speaking americans and they think they're giving you what you want but it's hard to ask a question.

My wife wanted a fan for our room and it took like 10 minutes of trying to explain to the staff what she wanted. In the meantime they sent the facilities crew to our room to check the AC because she said she was hot, they checked our fridge and let us go to one of the excellence club restaurants one night....and brought us a fan the following day.

When we reservd we wanted a swim up room and when they brought us to our room, we had a private plunge pool. Great, but definitely not what we wanted. When I explained that to them they didnt understand why I would want a room in a lower quality...we wanted it because I wanted to be closer to the beach and main pool.

Anyway, you get the point. Just be patient because they're nice....they just don't quite "get it".

The sports bar staff was by far out favorite and there was one guy on the staff in "entertainment" names Reyfi that was awesome...still friends with that dude on Instagram and chat with him from time to time ( He's a rapper in his spare time).

The mixers they use in mixed drinks are just straight syrup and they don't really have fresh juice so keep that in mind...if you or the wife likes things like screwdrivers such, you're going to be pretty disappointed BUT the liquor selection is great. We mostly drank beer and frozen drinks during the day and wine and grey/goose and water at night. We spent mostof our days down by the main pool and beack meeting new people and then most afternoons we would hang out by our room, napping on the deck and hanging out by the pople who were staying next to us.

We liked it but the wife and I agreed it would be a while if we go back to Punta Cana and if we do, we'd likely try one of the family resorts and take our daughter. For a free trip, I'm sure you'll have fun.

We actually traveled there for a half ironman I raced and only spent about 4 nights st excellence so the only excursion we took was LINK

A boat tour with some snorkeling, lunch cooked right on the boat, etc

These pics are taken from the back door of our room:







The beach...the water can get real rough because of where the resort sits on the island (winds) but still nice

We like the El Cortecito/Bavaro area. Have a condo there. We like these places.


Citrus

Pastrata

Kat's Corner - great breakfast burritos

Don Pio

Balicana

My wife and I went to EEC this past spring and we loved it! We got a junior suite w a private pool so I would highly recommend that over the regular junior swim ups.. more privacy and just a short walk away from all the restaurants and bars. The servers would come right up to our deck and then come back minutes later with our drinks.

As for the restaurants they were hit or miss for us. For breakfast there is a big cafeteria type place (but obviously classier looking) with a ton of options and a few other restaurants that did breakfast made to order. As for lunch we typically ate a place that was right by the main pool as it had daily specials and other things like burgers, tacos, etc. We got room service some days and that was decent but always came quickly. The dinner places have good variety and that includes a hibachi type place, a French restaurant, mexican, a nice seafood place and others.

Overall I think you’ll have an amazing time there plus definitely get involved with the games at the main pool it’s a great way to make friends and meet couples and whatnot. Have fun how this helps!

I literally just got back from the excellence. Had a great time. Get a bottom floor room if possible so you have access to the pool. The steak place has pretty damn good steak, oregano is very good, food is nicely seasoned. Beach is nice, but water is not as clear do to clay colored sand, but still nice

thx GG