Frommer's Review
The Meliá complex is less upscale than the Bávaro, but we prefer its innovative design. A series of bungalows is scattered within a spectacular garden, with palm trees, fountains, and real flamingos. When you tire of the grounds (if ever!), a little train will transport you over to the beach where topless sunbathing is commonplace. The lobby sets a fashionable tone with its lagoons, boardwalks, sculptures, and bubbling fountains. There's even a richly paneled, well-ventilated hideaway outfitted with poker tables, a bar, and an impressive inventory of Dominican cigars where patrons can puff away for hours. The spa is the best in the area, offering special features such as aromatherapy massages.
Accommodations are clustered into four distinct parcels of land, two of them adjacent to the beach and the most dramatic swimming pools in the Dominican Republic. The other two lie about .2km (200 yards) inland, adjacent to lobby/reception areas and a cluster of dance clubs, cabaret stages, gift shops, and restaurants. Spacious bedrooms are among the best in Punta Cana, with intricately crafted tile and stonework, private terraces or verandas, and roomy bathrooms with tiled showers.
On-site are 11 different eateries, including a trio of large-scale dining rooms (Los Atabales, El Turey, and La Alambra) with an ongoing roster of buffets; two restaurants with mostly a la carte French food (Le Gourmet and Ma Maison); a Mexican restaurant (Los Panchos) with a mixture of a la carte and buffet service; a pasta and pizza joint (Gondola); a Pan-Asian restaurant (Pagoda); a Japanese sushi bar (Hokkaido); and a seafood restaurant (Capri), which is open only for dinner. Know before you go that during periods when the hotel isn't fully booked, not all of these are likely to be open.
Facilities:11 restaurants; 20 bars; 7 outdoor pools; casino; 27-hole golf course; 8 lighted tennis courts; health club; 2 spas; snorkeling; windsurfing; children's programs; business center; laundry service; nonsmoking rooms; rooms for those w/limited mobility; dance club
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
