Zel Punta Cana

It was such a great time in Punta Cana. We stayed in Zel Punta Cana, everything was so well organised. Special thanks to Ricardo Ciprian the beach consierge

Inconsistency is the pitfall of this hotel. This was our first time visiting the Dominican Republic and we booked this hotel for 2 weeks all inclusive. We had high hopes for this hotel but unfortunately it fell short and left us confused as to what we experienced. I’d like to start by saying this hotel has so much potential but the execution is just not there. The hotel rooms are lovely, Mediterranean style, fresh and relatively clean. However, the first downfall is we asked 3/4 times during our stay for them to change the bedsheets, we were advised they would and then it never happened. The first week we were here the hotel was very quiet and we were advised they were having “staffing issues”. This was apparent, as our room was meant to include a personal butler who would show you around the resort, help you book restaurants and activities etc but due to the hotel staffing issues we did not have this service. Now service was a pain point for us throughout our two weeks, it was completely inconsistent but more disappointing than it was satisfying. In the buffet, whether it was breakfast lunch or dinner, a lot of the time you weren’t asked if you would like a drink. The Taco restaurant was 10/10 for food and service on the most part was better here, except they could have done with more staff during lunch time as they were rushed off their feet. You were only able to book the À la carte restaurants each morning at the main reception and again this was inconsistent as to whether the person actually booked you in or just said they would. In the steak restaurant, sometimes you’d get a bread basket to start, other times you’d have to flag down the waiter 3 times just to order a drink. There are only 2 À la Carte restaurants on the resort to go to which left us feeling a little bored after 14 nights. We were disappointed that the live Hibachi at the Asian À la Carte was not included and was $80pp, we thought this would be included. However, the sushi was incredible and so fresh. The steak restaurant was good. The buffet food was fine, selection is limited as it is a smaller hotel but it was nice enough. As the days went on the buffet seemed to get worse, the fruit selection diminished and all the desserts seemed to taste the exact same. The hotel “app” shows you the daily activities, we signed up to a number of these and then when we showed up they would randomly change the activity. We signed up 3 days in a row to a Sangria making class to be met with, painting, embroidery and hat making. This left us confused each day, as you didn’t have a clue what was happening or what you were potentially missing out on. The hotel is also lacking night time entertainment, other than 1 night each week where we saw a band of 3 men singing in the buffet area, there was no form of entertainment. On the larger Melia resort complex they have an area that they call “fun republic”, they send reps around the hotels each day trying to convince you to go there at night time. All I can say is, good news travels fast and this news didn’t travel at all. Fun republic was pretty poor, the entertainment was not great, the food was not great and the most enjoyable thing for us was a round of crazy golf. We visited once and never went back. The pools are mixed, considering the hotel is only around a year old, there are tiles missing and most days you are swimming with dead bugs and bits of palm trees. Some days whether at the beach or pools, there would be staff going round bringing drinks to your sun lounger and other days you would be ignored or there would be no one to be seen. The beach is super clean, the sun loungers at beach and pool are comfortable with padded cushions on them. The music all around the resort is great, super chill. Now the hotel markets itself as a wellness resort and we must say the gym was quite small and limited in equipment. The equipment was new and brilliant to use, just could have done with more and we also expected there to be more fitness classes available. There is a member of staff who spends all day everyday in the gym so we could only assume that was his “job”. Quite frankly, he is stealing a wage as we were in there everyday and not once did he say hello to us, nor did we ever actually see him interact with anyone. All he did was sit on the equipment (which resulted in us unable to use it) and stare at you making you feel uncomfortable. He would also insist on putting body building “motivational” videos on YouTube on to the gym TV screen on full volume, it was rather annoying. The tennis centre across from the hotel which has paddle and pickle ball too, is not included and costs around $11pp each visit. One day of our holiday we wished to watch some sport that was happening back home and we kindly asked the reception staff if there was anywhere in the resort they would be able to get it on the TV for us, we were advised no straight away. We then asked if we could go to one of the other hotels in the complex which had a sports bar and we were also advised no. The hotel on the most part is lovely, the spa is one of the best things about the resort. The hotel was super quiet so we got to completely chill out and recharge our batteries. There are a few Gems of staff, in particular the lovely pregnant lady who did her best to serve us each morning when she was around and the man who asked us if we spoke “Spanglish” each time we saw him when he served us a few nights. I think if you are looking for somewhere to be left alone, do very little but sunbathe and eat at a leisurely pace for a few days or maximum a week then this place is for you. We left having enjoyed our time but with a little to be desired.

We were 5 but only had 4 beds. Very uncomfortable extra bed that was not mentioned upon booking. Food was acceptable, not great. Restaurants not worth it. Got food for 4, the fifth person had to wait 1 more hour until the food was delivered, when all others where having their dessert.

We have an upcoming stay and I’ve emailed the contact listed on the hotel’s website several times with no response. I have a few questions about room categories and payment details for our booking. We chose this hotel very carefully, as it seems absolutely perfect for our 25th wedding anniversary and exactly what we were hoping for to celebrate this special occasion. However, unlike our experience with other resorts, we haven’t been able to get any information about our existing reservation, which is making us a bit apprehensive. I’m still very much hoping to hear back—ideally from Alexis Lopez—so that my husband Luke and I (Jen) can clarify a few details about our stay rather than having to consider changing our booking to another resort.

Overall, this place is really great! To say anything bad, would be dishonest. The hotel atmosphere was amazing! The beach, the pool, the staff and the various options really make this place pop. However, when it comes to the food, this is where I disagree with other reviews on this particular hotel. There are a lot of options to choose from, however, it is at best satisfactory. I passed by the buffet section and would see the meat and cheeses sweating from being warm, not to mention, I had a piece of tenderloin and noticed two black bugs! Which turned me off right away. I ended up getting sick because of this! Nonetheless, besides the food, I would say everything else is amazing or at the bar minimum great.