If you are willing to change it you might get a bargain. 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. You will never have an issue getting a spot at the beach. This adults-only resort is the perfect place to have a relaxing break in the beautiful surroundings of the Dominican Republic. If youre celebrating your anniversary or honeymoon, be sure to take advantage of that at Excellence El Carmen! Our rooms were cleaned twice a day and the housekeeping staff was great at staying consistent in regards to the timings they would clean our room. If you find there are any other questions you have that I dont cover, feel free to get in touch with me! Tech features are solid and include iHome docks, wall-integrated USB plugs, and big smart TVs with satellite channels. One of the best elements of the Excellence chain of resorts is their extensive drinks selection. There is also an extensive wine on offer if you dont fancy the house wine. We found the signal to be very good throughout the resort. From small surprises that delight the senses to complimentary suite upgrades and premiere bottles of bubbly, a stay at one of our resorts comes complete with an experience cultivated especially for our loyal guests. The beach at the El Carmen resort is truly stunning. A. 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. Make sure to make use of the room service, not only do they serve an extensive range of food, but if you fancy a midday cocktail they will also bring that to your room too. Related: What to Pack for an All-Inclusive Vacation (Plus Free Printable!). Excellence El Carmen, The Most Stunning Beach Towns in the Dominican Republic, Le Sivory Punta Cana By PortBlue Boutique, On a beautiful, palm tree-lined beach with few vendors, All-inclusive rates include premium alcohol and a la carte meals, Elegant suites have free minibars, balconies, and double jetted tubs, Many suites have swim-up access or private pools, 23 pools and nine hot tubs means there are few crowds at the main pool, 11 restaurants include Asian, French, Indian, and Mexican options, A fast-food truck, juice bar, and 24-hour room service, Large, modern gym with free daily yoga and aerobics classes, Attractive spa includes salon services and a free hydrotherapy circuit, Daily entertainment program, plus live music and evening shows, Excellence Club upgrades offer private pool, restaurant, and beach area, Multiple lively bars, plus a nightclub for dancing, Indoor and outdoor event space, plus full business center, Fast and free Wi-Fi throughout the resort, Some reports of minor wear and tear in rooms, Restaurants get mixed reviews and dress code is required at some, No 24-hour bars (but 24-hour room service available). The main pool is located quite close to the beach and then two additional pools are located near buildings 12-16. The service wasnt particularly good the day we went as it took over an hour for us to get our main courses. Theyre easy to pack and inexpensive and so worth having! 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. Great hotel ! - Review of Excellence El Carmen, Uvero Alto, Dominican Feeling hungry late at night? The EC beach is similar to the non EC but you get the loungers made up for you & concierges to look after you. In the video we tell you how we planned o. After dinner, there was always something going on. Its open at 7:00 am and you have the choice to eat inside or out. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. There are many options: silicone straws, metal straws (which keep your drinks cold) or paper straws. Lunch at the Lobster House and Oregano have the most amazing views. My mom and I had big ambitions to participate in some of the physical activities, like aerial yoga on the beach (how fun right?!) The two beachfront beauties are almost neighbors you can get from one gated entrance to the next in a five-minute drive. Open-plan bathrooms are spacious and include tan granite or black marble vanities plus double sinks. It was the best thing we ate all week! If you stayed for a week you wouldnt be able to visit them all, unless you visited more than one a night! Subscribe and get my Travel Safety Checklist! A few of our friends went on a bike tour (free!) This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. Is Excellence Club Worth It at Excellence El Carmen? I ordered a rib-eye steak and to be honest there was way too much fat compared to the ribeyes I usually eat. Excellence El Carmen Dominican Republic has shops selling sundries and beach attire, a medical clinic (fee to use), and an ATM. Your bags will be taken by the staff and be delivered to your room. The weather was a little windy at times however that's just one of the challenges of trav. Their feature menu changes daily and its a great place to visit if you want a quick, self-service bite to eat. Related: 20 Best Cheap Travel Items Under $20 (that are actually useful!). Just dont go with a wet bathing suit! Access to Excellence Club's Magna Restaurant and exclusive bars. Excellence Club is described as the best adults-only all-inclusive resort experience in the Dominican Republic, with upscale service and elevated offerings. There are tons of delicious vegetarian dishes (along with non-veg options) you can order you wont miss the meat! I understand and appreciate that tipping is subjective. We visited these during our other Excellence trips and loved them. Are you a vegetarian? Once a week, Excellence El Carmen holds a Dominican Night, where you can enjoy dishes unique to the Dominican Republic and enjoy live music and dancing. The wait isnt long, so stick around (or maybe have a drink first or head to the Flavour Market next door for some tapas!). To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. You do not need to bring an adapter with you if you are travelling from North America. Im not a huge pizza or pasta fan when theres tons of other things to try that I cant get at home (or want to make at home, more like!). Pricier Excellence Club upgrades add pillow menus, Bulgari toiletries, loaner beach bags, and minibars with top-shelf liquor. It was perfectly located to grab a bite in between tanning yourself. With 8 treadmills, 6 ellipticals, a number of stationary exercise bikes, free weights, and a wide variety of machine weights its the perfect spot to work off the indulgence from the night before. The poolside service was always quick, the entertainment staff were a blast, the waiters were so courteous and attentivethe list goes on. We also found that most people chill out on the beach, so the pools were never too busy. Those spots, along with the Kitchen Table for the buffet, and room-service, are your breakfast options. You can view your cuts of meat if youre unsure of what you want to order. Required fields are marked *. Avoiding grains? , Just an FYI the room service coffee was a bit strong and potent. They do not serve their drinks with straws, so bring your own if you wish! We have booked Excellence in Playa Mujeres and in El Carmen for 2016 both non club rooms. 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!!! Other activities include ping-pong, pool tables, and a life-size chess board. Excellence Club provides additional benefits, but is it really worth it? We have been three times now & always EC. We sat outside on the terrace and the resort was so pretty lit up at night. (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. Average. Excellence Club WORTH IT - Review of Excellence El Carmen But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Keep in mind that you are in the Dominican Republic but the food here is far better than other resorts Ive been to while travelling here. Our Vacation was Exellent! - Review of Excellence El Carmen We accosted the minibar guy one day to give us kitkats, so just so you know, there is also chocolate! If you are looking for the quality of an Excellence resort and are looking for a cheaper option compared to their Cancun and Jamaica offerings then the El Carmen is the resort for you. We had some insightful conversations with some of the employees there and they really love their jobs and are grateful for them. more. Today we are sharing a best food and worst food review of Excellence Club El Carmen, Punta Cana Dominican Republic. Jan 12, 2023 - Wondering if Excellence Club at Excellence El Carmen in Punta Cana is worth it? The Cocotal Golf and Country Club. 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! Excellence El Carmen | Hotels & Resorts | The Excellence Collection By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. As a previous Excellence Resorts guest, I couldn't imagine how the service could get any better! We have booked to stay at EEC for 2 weeks from opening day! Do not miss the Grill for lunch! is excellence club worth it el carmen - anmolsahota.com This is also the place you can get fresh coconuts. No amount of milk or sugar was going to save that, so we just waddled over to Aroma later on for a caffeine drink. Theyre very quiet and also have their own bars. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". The entertainment crew really does make a solid effort in keeping everyone entertained with a wide range of activities going on throughout the day. There is also Las Olas a beautiful setting on the beach to grab a drink and enjoy the ocean breeze and views. 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. We got to give a shout-out to Adriano who served us every day at the beach. The waters were pretty calm, so if youre into ocean swimming this is the spot for you. Members of the WorthEPenny community love shopping at Excellence Resorts. When we stayed in early 2020 we went through the travel agent Sunwing that is based out of Canada. However! Yes, a shuttle service from the airport can be requested. Youre greeted at the front desk, then taken by elevator upstairs, where youre shown your locker room and given a pair of flip flops. Excellence Club guests get private access to a top-notch restaurant that opens for breakfast and dinner. 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! But, if youre sitting on the bed, the bathroom is behind you so you cant see anything. Does Excellence El Carmen have a club? Fooding and Drinking outside the resort (El Hoyo/Fruisa), Holidaying with a 10 month old from UK. I am SO happy we decided to book this room, and quite honestly I dont think I can book any other room type now. Its luxurious rooms and suites make for the ideal romantic getaway and this property caters to honeymooners and those celebrating their anniversary. Feel free to read mydisclosure policy. Theres always some type of entertainment going on. We went to Sanoa Island and Hoyo Azul. Excellence El Carmen: Perfection!! Now the bathroom is one of which many people question. Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. 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. Seaweed blooms are seasonal and also change daily. Your best option is a 35-minute drive from the resort. Drink service is on offer at the pools and beach. any chance you know if they have pickle ball courts? The Revive Bar is a delicious choice for those who love liquid breakfasts. We went in ours so we just had to take our coverups off. We love the whole adults only thing and the dining options that the Excellence offer hence why we feel that nothing else compares and why we have booked to stay at EEC. We love the Club benefits but have gone without it and had a great time. There is no dedicated Excellence Club pool at Excellence El Carmen, but there are plenty of suites with their own private pools, swim ups, or plunge pools to pick from! Whether youre an early riser or someone who likes to lounge in the morning and head for a later breakfast, there are loads of choices for you. Re: Excellence El Carmen- Excellence Club, worth it? You are greeted with a glass of bubbly and a cold towel. Once the info sheet is delivered try and book the treatment for the next day to grab a bargain. You can get a bottle of the house wine included in your package. The gym was never too busy, but we found that around 10 am was its peak hours, but even then you would have no issues getting a treadmill or a solid workout in. Some people have said they have asked upwards of $80 USD for these photos. Another Mexican offering this spot serves up some really top-quality eats. 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 resort has tennis courts and free lessons. It was one of my favourite spots to go to and they open at 8:00 am. They have a large menu with all of the smoothies combinations under the sun. Getting married here seems to be a very popular choice. This was definitely the spot we frequented most for lunch. The resort does a wonderful job of keeping the EC things hidden. Lets start off by saying all of the rooms at this resort are massive, so space will never be an issue. There are 23 pools and 9 jacuzzis at Excellence El Carmen seriously! Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. They do have nets as of the beginning of this month! So I am just checking to see if there was any extra fees that arent included! 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. Oddly enough, it was never too busy when we went there and we put it down to people not loving Tapas as the food here was top-notch. 5 star? depends on how you view 5 star - Review of Excellence El Carmen Its 492 modern suites have elegant interiors plus high-end features like free bottles of liquor and double jetted tubs overlooking private balconies. Hats off to Chef Masood and his team that churns out some really top-quality cuisine. The Excellence El Carmen is another top-class offering from the Excellence chain of resorts. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. That, of course, is no fault of the hotel. Access to a private beach area. Just something that you might not have considered that might help you decide. The beach at Excellence El Carmen is long its a beautiful, soft, and golden stretch of beach when there is no seaweed. This is why I love the Excellence app so much you can go on there and check out the menus ahead of time to decide on which places to eat at each night (you know, if youre into that sort of thing). ago Excellence Club is a nice-to-have but no must-have. How much is the excellence club upgrade - tripadvisor.co.za A terrace lay just outside the sliding doors with your own entrance to a pool that runs alongside the back of the building. There is also a Teppanyaki experience that is in Spice. The main eatery of the resort, this buffet is really impressive. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. We loved the modern vibe to the resort; the clean architectual look, the immaculate gardening and landscaping, and the freshness of it all. The evening cleaning was more of a turndown service. The buffet, Kitchen Table, has options for everyone Id be shocked to learn if someone couldnt find something they liked. Is excellence club worth it el carmen Relaxing mid winter break Dave-Jerseyboy (Wells, United Kingdom) on Feb 04, 2023 This was our 5th visit to DR and the Excellence was a very modern and stylish hotel to spend 9nights all inclusive. We really got the feeling of 5-Star luxury once we walked in. 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. and loved it. Excellence El Carmen Review: Adults-Only Luxury in Dominican Republic The only area that we felt a little let down on was the. The room service here at the Excellence El Carmen is really good. Excellence is known for their corporate responsibility and they look after their staff, and it shows through the service you receive. The club rooms do have a better coffee maker, little cakes delivered every night which were a nice touch, also fruit delivery every day, which we didn't eat and a daily US newspaper - not much use for us as we're British. Our Vacation was Exellent! Hairdryers, magnifying mirrors, scales, robes, and slippers come standard. We did this one night and got food from Chez Isabella. Tons of free activities like pool games, Mamajuana making, and evening shows. Our wait was very short and we were guided to our room, where our bags were already waiting for us. Excellence El Carmen Review: What To REALLY Expect If You Stay - Oyster.com The hydrotherapy circuit takes about an hour to complete and is well worth doing. Its always a favourite spot to gather before and after dinner to enjoy a cocktail. The balcony was covered in cigarette butts when we checked in. Hi Taylor! Serving up all of the traditional dishes there are the classics and some dishes that you probably have never heard of before. On both occasions, the food came within 20 minutes and arrived hot, which is always the worry with room service. So, to avoid disappointment, arrive early, and maybe grab a drink and enjoy the views while youre waiting! Excellence Club WORTH IT - Review of Excellence El Carmen They will want to take a photo of you with them (or you phone, too! That is important to us, as we are "beach people" who spend the day from 8am until 6 pm on the beach. I also visited DR this year and I can only say it is a wonderful country. You want for nothing and youre pampered as soon as youre handed a glass of champagne and walk through those big wooden doors that open to the main lobby, where the spa-like zen instantly soothes you. You definitely get better value for money in the Dominican Republic compared to the likes of Mexico. A. Mexico Resorts Excellence Playa Mujeres Excellence Riviera Cancun Beloved Hotel Playa Mujeres Caribbean Resorts Excellence Punta Cana - Read 9,463 reviews, view 11,732 photos, and find great deals for Excellence El Carmen at Tripadvisor Their guacamole was delicious! Located right above one of the pools and overlooking the beach, this is the perfect spot for some pre-dinner drinks while you listen to the lapping waves. Is Excellence Club Worth it at Excellence El Carmen? The people (and pets) are so fun. drinks to try everything from Americanos to flavoured coffees with everything you could imagine maybe a little something extra in it if thats how you like to start your day. Paper straws are biodegradable and inexpensive. Excellence El Carmen: Excellence Club WORTH IT - See 8,945 traveller reviews, 11,222 candid photos, and great deals for Excellence El Carmen at Tripadvisor. Men are to wear long pants and closed-toed shoes for dinner and collared shirts, and women in dresses/capris/skirts with elegant shoes (no flip flops permitted). Nespresso coffeemakers and free minibars stocked daily with beer, water, soda, and snacks (plus full bottles of whisky, rum, and vodka) are also available in all rooms free of charge. Dreams resorts All your questions answered! What is VIP Service? 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. If youre in a private pool or swim-up suite. Note: we had someone come by our room every morning around 8:00-8:30 am to clean the pool from the outside. - See 9,459 traveler reviews, 11,732 candid photos, and great deals for Excellence El Carmen at Tripadvisor. This is probably the most important part about the vendors: there are some men who walk around with parrots, monkeys, and iguanas. Yes, parking is available for guests and it is complimentary. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. In Excellence El Carmen, a Popular Brand Accomplishes the - Islands We went there for dinner and were a little disappointed with the food. There are a few tasty options here, like the Dominican patty (filled with beef, raisins and egg, and sooo good! There are tons of different hot (and cold!) But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Free water sports include kayaks and Hobie Cat catamarans. A private lounge, pool, beach, and restaurant are available exclusively for Excellence Club guests, while luxe, in-suite offerings such as private check-in, daily in-suite fresh fruits and petit fours, in-suite sparkling wine and fresh flowers, and complimentary shoe shine . Its totally free, so why not take advantage of it? 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. We used tap water and some of the water shot out and left some white rings on our clothes, which, If your bathing suit is white, or lightly coloured, it. Excellence Club WORTH IT - Review of Excellence El Carmen We have celebrated our past 5 anniversaries at Excellence Group resorts (Excellence Riviera Cancun and The Finest). Other options include an extensive buffet with live-cooking stations and small selection of Dominican specialties; the open-air eatery Oregano that specializes in pizza and pasta; and the Lobster House for seafood specialties overlooking the beach. Quite frankly, aside from the private, frosted-glass door for the toilet, its all open air. There is a drinks service on the beach which makes spending a day sunning yourself so much more enjoyable.