Iberostar Grand Bavaro, Excellence Punta Cana, or Paradisus Punta Cana
Jun 13th, 2011, 09:10 AM
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Iberostar Grand Bavaro, Excellence Punta Cana, or Paradisus Punta Cana
We are wanting to go to an AI in the Caribbean for a week or a little longer. I keep coming back to Punta Cana, DR. We are looking for white sand beach with water that is blue and at least partly swimable. We would like great food & drinks with a variety of choices. We don't necessarily want something that is super quiet but we don't want the college party scene either.
We have been to Excellence Riveria and LOVED it, but know that Iberostar ranks the highest on tripadvisor. Paradisus doesn't rank great on tripadvisor but on the website it looks great!
Would it be a waste to do 5 nights at two resorts, so a total of 10 nights? Which two should we split?
I'd love to know your thoughts! If you have other suggestion that fit our requirements we'd love to hear them!
We have been to Excellence Riveria and LOVED it, but know that Iberostar ranks the highest on tripadvisor. Paradisus doesn't rank great on tripadvisor but on the website it looks great!
Would it be a waste to do 5 nights at two resorts, so a total of 10 nights? Which two should we split?
I'd love to know your thoughts! If you have other suggestion that fit our requirements we'd love to hear them!
Jun 13th, 2011, 01:37 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2006
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I have been to both the Excellence and the Paradisus.
We stayed in the reserve section at the Paradisus. The room was large and very nice. This section is towards the back of the resort with the better restaurants. There is a really nice adults pool there with the gabby restaurant which was good as was the bar and staff in this section. There is a kiddie pool right next to the adults pool. This section is far away from the beach and other restaurants they do have shuttles. The entertainment and another bar are at the front of the resort so you will have to take the shuttle or walk. The Beach is very nice white sand and blue water we were able to swim as the water was not rough. We did not care for the restaurant right on the beach it is buffet the steak one was very very slow for service and a long wait. Chinese and Italian were good as was the Gabby which was our favorite we had lobster for lunch and always great service. As for the other ones that required a reservation we were never able to get into them the whole week we were there and they would not budge to get you in when we arrived they told us all of them were booked??? Our concierge was not helpful at all and never around only to try to sell you time share this was the only time we ever saw him. We did enjoy our stay here the resort is a short distance from the airport. Also forgot to mention this resort is not adults only.
Excellence this resort is smaller less restaurants but does have a separate section that is very quiet but very nice and they deliver pizza poolside there is a private bar there with snacks, and a cascading pool. The rest of the resort is so close to the beach with a pool running the length of the resort so while swimming you can see the beach and the water. They also have a little nature trail and also rabbits flamingos roosters and parrots right at the resort. They have some small shops on the property along with a disco and a outside sports bar and ping pong tables you can also order late night fresh pizza to go. The food was OK at some of the restaurants better at others I cant remember the names the one that serves the island food was good, service was good. They do have shows they put on. We loved our stay here the water is not as calm here and the sand is darker not white but still nice. This resort is one hour away from the airport. We loved our stay here if I had to choose which resort to go back to I would pick Excellence I liked the smaller resort and the way the pools were set up and that it is only adults. Hope this helps if you have any questions feel free to ask have a great time.
We stayed in the reserve section at the Paradisus. The room was large and very nice. This section is towards the back of the resort with the better restaurants. There is a really nice adults pool there with the gabby restaurant which was good as was the bar and staff in this section. There is a kiddie pool right next to the adults pool. This section is far away from the beach and other restaurants they do have shuttles. The entertainment and another bar are at the front of the resort so you will have to take the shuttle or walk. The Beach is very nice white sand and blue water we were able to swim as the water was not rough. We did not care for the restaurant right on the beach it is buffet the steak one was very very slow for service and a long wait. Chinese and Italian were good as was the Gabby which was our favorite we had lobster for lunch and always great service. As for the other ones that required a reservation we were never able to get into them the whole week we were there and they would not budge to get you in when we arrived they told us all of them were booked??? Our concierge was not helpful at all and never around only to try to sell you time share this was the only time we ever saw him. We did enjoy our stay here the resort is a short distance from the airport. Also forgot to mention this resort is not adults only.
Excellence this resort is smaller less restaurants but does have a separate section that is very quiet but very nice and they deliver pizza poolside there is a private bar there with snacks, and a cascading pool. The rest of the resort is so close to the beach with a pool running the length of the resort so while swimming you can see the beach and the water. They also have a little nature trail and also rabbits flamingos roosters and parrots right at the resort. They have some small shops on the property along with a disco and a outside sports bar and ping pong tables you can also order late night fresh pizza to go. The food was OK at some of the restaurants better at others I cant remember the names the one that serves the island food was good, service was good. They do have shows they put on. We loved our stay here the water is not as calm here and the sand is darker not white but still nice. This resort is one hour away from the airport. We loved our stay here if I had to choose which resort to go back to I would pick Excellence I liked the smaller resort and the way the pools were set up and that it is only adults. Hope this helps if you have any questions feel free to ask have a great time.
Jun 13th, 2011, 05:43 PM
#3
Paradisus is not adults only.
I have been to Iberostar in Riviera Maya and to Excellence in Punta Cana.
The Iberostar Grand Bavaro is part of a BIG complex and is on a great beach. If the service is anything like the service at the IB Grand in Mexico, it will be fantastic.
Excellence is a much smaller resort and is a loooooong ride from the airport. We enjoyed our stay there.
It depends on what you want. If you want a small quiet resort go with Excellence. If you want a bigger resort with more to do and more restaurant choices, go with the IB Grand Bavaro.
I have been to Iberostar in Riviera Maya and to Excellence in Punta Cana.
The Iberostar Grand Bavaro is part of a BIG complex and is on a great beach. If the service is anything like the service at the IB Grand in Mexico, it will be fantastic.
Excellence is a much smaller resort and is a loooooong ride from the airport. We enjoyed our stay there.
It depends on what you want. If you want a small quiet resort go with Excellence. If you want a bigger resort with more to do and more restaurant choices, go with the IB Grand Bavaro.
