Paradisus Palma Real Golf & Spa Resort

Just returned home from Paradisus Palma Real. We've previously stayed at a sister location (Melia Caribe Beach). Paradisus is maybe a little less family friendly or maybe has less activities for families, but is more upscale. We had a 2 bedroom master swim up suite which was lovely and spacious for our family of 6 (2 adults, 18, 17, 13 and 10yo). We were very close to the end of building 9 so had lots of privacy and it felt like our own private pool. (Resort was not crowded at all over July 4th). We were in the Circle section, though we are not Circle Members (it's a membership or timeshare or something?). This resort, unlike Caribe Beach, has quite a few bars/restaurants/pools that you cannot access unless you are a Circle Member. At Caribe, we just paid to be in the Reserve section and had access to everything. At Paradisus, the Reserve section is designated as adult only. We didn't visit as we had our family with us. Food is pretty good- we enjoyed the Asian restaurant two nights and it was our favorite. Also ate Mexican one night and Italian one night (both good). Service in the restaurants was great, but service at the buffet was pretty miserable. We asked for water, silverware, etc, and often never received it. I know Dominican service is slow (at best) but this was pretty frustrating. On the first day, we had no issues with check in, but we didn't see our concierge til bedtime (and I think its pretty typical that you can't get dinner reservations the first night so you are kind of stuck eating at the buffet). Our concierge Zenovia was quite helpful and stayed in great touch with me, especially assisting us the last day when we were trying to get to the airport. Really appreciated her. But had a weird experience the first day when a gentlemen who was trying to sell Circle memberships told us he was our concierge and tried to tell us he was getting us dinner reservations, etc. It was a little sketchy, and I eventually told him our original concierge had handled it. He kept messaging me on What'sApp to get us to come see his presentation. Also, both me and my 13 yo got stuck in bathroom stalls near the restaurants! I don't know if it was humidity or maintenance issues, but he needed help getting out and I had to climb under the stall to escape! Good thing I'm little! The resort is gorgeous but obviously maintenance could be improved. I think for the price, it was just meh. It's rated a 5 star, but that's a Dominican 5 star, not an American or European 5 Star. Gym was nice and useful, food was pretty good, drinks not very strong but overly sweet. We had a nice time but wouldn't come back. We did appreciate Zenovia, Julia who served us drinks at our private pool all week, and one bellman who helped us with golf cart rides to the security gate for our excurions (which we booked here on Viator). My 4 bubble rating feels generous.

We arrived at the hotel after a long taxi ride from the airport (due to rush hour), we were greeted with a welcome drink and treated with a sense of urgency. The check-in process was super easy and were introduced to our concierge, Adriel Cabrera. He personally escorted us to our room. As soon as he opened the door we saw a full view of the ocean. There was a plate of treats and a bottle of wine with a fully stocked minibar and snacks replenished daily. Adriel sent us a daily activity list, made us reservations for dinner at a delicious steakhouse and got us transportation to an excursion and airport home. He kept us well informed via WhatsApp and the communication was easy. He made our stay stress free! We mostly dined at the buffets. The breakfast buffet had a variety of options. Lots of night time entertainment for the kids. The beach was amazing and very little seaweed! In fact, the hotel had a seaweed barrier and the crew and remnants off the beach every morning. The hotel staff we encountered went above and beyond to make our stay special. They were always eager to help with recommendations, reservations, or conversation. As we were waiting for a taxi, which was late, Juanlly Robles was super friendly and talked to us which helped pass the time. Would come back!

We went on this trip to celebrate our daughter’s high school graduation. We chose this resort for what it had to offer, its grandeur, its beauty, and the adult only section. We didn’t even realize that we would get our own concierge. What a pleasant surprise. Gustavo made our stay all the better! He arranged everything for us. Everyday he messaged us the day’s activities and our dinner reservations. He also made a point everyday to find us to see how we were doing or if we needed anything. The restaurants are fabulous and the nightly entertainment is great. I highly recommend this resort, and if luxury and relaxation are important, the Reserve Adult Only is a must!

My concierge Adriel was very attentive to my requests and always gave me information I requested on a timely manner. He makes sure I was well taken care of most especially when our room was be messed up.

Santiago was absolutely amazing and professional in assisting us with transportation for our final night out. He also recommended a great place to go, which made our evening even more enjoyable. Santiago speaks excellent English and Spanish—skills that are incredibly valuable and reflect the high standards of service at Paradisus Palma Real Golf & Spa Resort. I will definitely recommend that family and friends ask for Santiago when visiting. Thank you again, Santiago! 🙏🏿