is excellence club worth it el carmen

Between the excellence punta Cana and the Its normally located on the X-Lounge terrace outside, but ours was held at the Kitchen Table. Our wait was very short and we were guided to our room, where our bags were already waiting for us. Excellence El Carmen Review (Punta Cana All Inclusive COVID-19 Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Re the alcohol in the room, on our last visit, we didn't touch it. We have to give a shout-out to Felix the bartender here. We went in ours so we just had to take our coverups off. Hats off to Chef Masood and his team that churns out some really top-quality cuisine. The bar service is also better on the EC part of the beach. We went for 7 days and flew out of Toronto. 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. Adults-Only Luxury at Excellence Riviera Cancun, What to Pack for an All-Inclusive Resort Vacation, The Best Adults-Only Resorts in Mexico for a Romantic Getaway, What to Include in a DIY Travel Medical Kit, Why You Need to Stay at El Dorado Casitas Royale, Mexico, 20 Cheap Travel Items Under $20 (that are actually useful!). By the end of day one, he had our drinks orders ready before we even had to ask. Eating low carb? To be honest I found the whole club thing a bit snooty and always felt a bit uncomfortable when dealing with club concierge, we paid a lot of money to stay club as we were there for 2 weeks and didn't really feel like we were treated any different than non club, which I suppose is a good thing, but I would have hoped that being a returning guest on honeymoon, the club concierge should have spoilt us and put more of an effort in than they did. If you love Indian food, Basmati is a fun option to try. You can also pop into the Sports Bar for some infamous cheese sticks and a place to grab a tasty bite during the day or late in the evening. You certainly will never go thirsty here! From what we have read from the reviews the Excellence has really stepped up its game in creating a clean and safe environment in these uncertain times. We have celebrated our past 5 anniversaries at Excellence Group resorts (Excellence Riviera Cancun and The Finest). From the Gym, tennis courts, beach volleyball, and water sports they have it all on offer. Part of our club honeymoon package was to get a free couples pamper session at the spa, but this was only available at certain times in the evening, which didn't suit us, so we ended up paying for spa treatments during the day. Although we stayed pre-COVID, as we mentioned the resort was exceptionally clean. You can check it out on the resort map! Smooth as can be. This one of the Excellence chains has three offerings in the Dominican Republic. However, there are some subtle differences worth considering before booking. Why you should upgrade to Excellence Club We actually skipped lunch this day just so we could fill up. We highly recommend the Irish coffee they serve for a great morning wakeup and hey, your own holidays, what better way to start the day than with alcohol and caffeine. The only area that we felt a little let down on was the. If you are willing to change it you might get a bargain. Spice also has a fun option for groups and for a live cooking show: the Hibachi! Youll have a great view of the pool and ocean and a nice breeze to enjoy your dinner with. Excellence El Carmen, Uvero Alto: "How much is the excellence club upgrade" | Check out 5 answers, plus 8 660 reviews and 12 158 candid photos Ranked #3 of 7 hotels in Uvero Alto and rated 4.5 of 5 at Tripadvisor. Hi David! Opting to eat healthier during your stay? For an authentic Dominican town, the hamlet of Higuey is home to a famous cathedral, local market, and shops, and takes around 50 minutes to reach by car. Excellence El Carmen, which reopened successfully on November 28, has that vibe, too, but this property is more like a night in the city. The resort has tennis courts and free lessons. They do advise that you ring before your trip to check availability. I understand its how they make money, but they can be quite pushy, so be prepared. Luxury runs through every one of Excellence Punta Cana's 461 suites and Excellence El Carmen's 492. Its a really nice option if you dont feel like getting into your evening clothes and instead just chilling out in the room. You will likely not even realize what you are "missing" being non club. Those wanting their own private pool can book a range of other suite types, including the Excellence El Carmen Terrace Suite with Plunge Pool, Junior Suite with Plunge Pool, and any of the Two-Story Rooftop Terrace Suites available. Secrets resorts All your questions answered! Dreams resorts All your questions answered! All Adults - At Excellence El Carmen you are secluded but not isolated. . Thanks in advance. And there is no need to bring toiletries there is body wash, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, and even toothpaste! The sushi was actually really good and the ramen broth was packed with flavor. Its 492 modern suites have elegant interiors plus high-end features like free bottles of liquor and double jetted tubs overlooking private balconies. It's worth noting that most dinner restaurants have a casual elegance dress code, which means that t-shirts, tank tops, shorts, and beach sandals are not allowed. Their feature menu changes daily and its a great place to visit if you want a quick, self-service bite to eat. Many of you have asked: there is no waiter service at these rooms but you have an entire minibar in your room and a minifridge which you can request to have stocked with what you like, or you can order room service for some sparkling wine if thats your thing, or even toddle over one of the many bars for some cocktails to bring back. 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. 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. Jan 12, 2023 - Wondering if Excellence Club at Excellence El Carmen in Punta Cana is worth it? Woodie and I went to Excellence El Carmen, Dominican Republic in December 2021 and absolutely loved the resort! The beach is public which means vendors can have full access to guests, wherever theyre sitting on the beach, to ask them to buy what theyre selling. If you want to swim, I would recommend bringing water shoes to protect your feet! There is also Las Olas a beautiful setting on the beach to grab a drink and enjoy the ocean breeze and views. The service wasnt particularly good the day we went as it took over an hour for us to get our main courses. Excellence El Carmen: Excellent! I ordered a rib-eye steak and to be honest there was way too much fat compared to the ribeyes I usually eat. We had some insightful conversations with some of the employees there and they really love their jobs and are grateful for them. Those on our bus who had Excellence Club rooms were taken to those rooms while everyone else was taken to a normal check-in area . Not sure if it was Excellence El Carmen in particular or if this is true at all Excellence properties, but I felt it to be less crowded (even though the hotel was near full occupancy) and quieter than the 2 Secrets resorts I went to. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Each night in your turn down service the housekeeping staff leave an information sheet with the activities for the next day as well as the special offer for the spa for the next day. Premium alcohol and specialty beers are included. Related: What to Pack for an All-Inclusive Vacation (Plus Free Printable!). A terrace lay just outside the sliding doors with your own entrance to a pool that runs alongside the back of the building. These bottles do come at an additional cost, but youre on holiday, treat yourself. The two beachfront beauties are almost neighbors you can get from one gated entrance to the next in a five-minute drive. There is a bar by every pool and by both Excellence Club beaches on either end of the resort, which made it quite handy wherever we were walking. This is topped off with the most decadent 10 minute head, neck and shoulder massage, all while laying cozied up on a heated stone lounge. Went with two of my girlfriends and we were speechless!!! 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. It really is a top option for an all-inclusive. We spent 8 days at Excellence El Carmen, in a Ocean View Club suite. The club package includes a private beachfront dinner, some spa treatments, etc. You will find options everywhere you go and the nice thing is, if you choose to eat a certain way, you are in total control! However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. There is a massive king-sized bed which is super comfortable. If youre like me, I love knowing what dinner options are available before I go to a resort. The service here is really top-notch and the wages in the Dominican Republic for these roles are not high, so these tips can go a long way. You can, of course, enhance your stay by option to upgrade to their paid honeymoon and anniversary package which includes everything in the complimentary package, plus dinner on the beach, and a 40 minute spa package. EXCELLENCE EL CARMEN - Resort Reviews & Price Comparison (Uvero Alto 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. The Dominican Republics minimum wage is the equivalent to $154 USD a month! If youre part of the Excellence club you will have the likes of Absolut Vodka, Johnny Walker Black Label, and Anejo Rum. It is the perfect spot for a refreshing dip in a really cool location. Theyre easy to pack and inexpensive and so worth having! Save it for later! The X lounge was our other most frequented spot. Its a lovely experience. We are going to EEC to celebrate our anniversary in mid September. They even put your flip flops in a warmer for your feet afterwards! We arrived 30 minutes early for our painting session for which they had 8 easels. It was a toss up between a room with a private pool or a two-storey rooftop with plunge pool, but by the time I finally booked the private pool room was the only one left. You can easily miss it if you arent located at that side of the resort, but there is a gorgeous pond with all kinds of waterfowl and flamingos! As soon as you enter the resort you really are put at ease. When we visited we brought US Dollars and tipped a dollar for each drink we ordered and then $10 dollars for waiters for any of the meals that we had. As well as the staple options such as an omelet station for breakfast and a burger station for lunch and dinner. I like a mix of $1s, $5s and $10s when we travel to all-inclusive resorts. ), burgers, fish and chips, quesadillas, fries and more! Excellence Club WORTH IT - Review of Excellence El Carmen 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 entire week we didnt have anyone above us either, which was awesome! This is probably the most important part about the vendors: there are some men who walk around with parrots, monkeys, and iguanas. I will second Thomasgran for all of the reasons he stated. Arriving guests step through the front doors into a hip lobby that features swish elements like funky, high-backed armchairs, sleek couches, and floor-to-ceiling shelves full of oversized art books. My mom had a good point if you need to rinse your straws out, it can become inconvenient with having to run to a sink to rinse out, or could possibly make you sick if youre not using bottled water. Regardless! more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. This would be great for later in the evening, or even an early snack prior to a later dinner (if youre wanting to try it all!). I have seen others tip generously to get their preferred alcohol, or have had them all swapped out at onceIm not sure what the real case is here, but nonetheless youll have alcohol in your room. From fitness-based classes such as Yoga, tennis, and water aerobics. 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. I was under the impression that EC guests had an upgraded minibar, but there was a bit of confusion with our room, since they said only Excellence Club can swap out bottles (this is not true, by the way), and we said we were Excellence Club. . This was super convenient, as we could plan out our day for when our room was being cleaned. 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! All are part of the hotel's all-inclusive rates, as is 24-hour room service. At all of the Excellence resorts, the check-in process is really an experience. This obviously doesnt matter, but its just an observation. I was confused because were in an EC building, and its the room we booked, but apparently not all of building 9 is EC. Lobster doesn't cost extra either. It is so relaxing. Massages and salon services are available at the full-service spa, as is a free hydrotherapy circuit, and the excellent gym offers daily yoga and aerobics classes free of charge.