Zel Punta Cana

While looking for vacation options online, this property immediately made the shortlist due to its breathtaking tropical modern interior and stunning visual vibes. On arrival, the design and aesthetic absolutely delivered, and the overall stay was decent. However, expectations were high, and unfortunately, the resort fell short on the finer details that separate a good stay from a flawless one.

I just returned from a one-week stay at Zel Punta Cana, All Suites – All Inclusive, where we stayed from July 19–25, 2026, and I can honestly say it was one of the most relaxing vacations I've ever had. This trip had one purpose: to do absolutely nothing. I wasn't looking for excursions, tours, or a packed itinerary. I simply wanted to wake up whenever my body was ready, spend my days by the pool, and completely unwind. Zel was exactly what I was looking for. Unlike the larger all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana, Zel has more of a boutique resort feel. It's smaller, quieter, and more intimate, yet still offers plenty of restaurants, activities, and amenities. Arrival & Check-In From the moment we arrived, the experience was excellent. The staff immediately took our luggage from the driver, and we were greeted by our host, Juan, who made our stay seamless from beginning to end. Check-in was quick and effortless. As Juan escorted us to our suite, he pointed out the different restaurants and areas around the resort, explaining everything we needed to know. We stayed in Villa 1, Suite 1004. Once we arrived at our suite, Juan gave us a complete tour, including the outdoor space. Before leaving, he asked if there was anything else we needed. I mentioned that I drink a lot of water and asked if we could have extra bottles. Within a short time, someone delivered several additional bottles, and a few hours later another staff member surprised us with an entire 24-pack of bottled water! Needless to say, I was set for the next several days. The Swim-Up Suite We booked a Swim-Up Suite, and it exceeded our expectations. The suite included: * A small "kitchen area" with a sink. * Dining area. * Comfortable living room. * One bedroom with two beds. * Two closets (which I absolutely loved). * Spacious bathroom. The real highlight, however, was the outdoor space. Our patio was practically the size of another hotel room. It featured: * A Jacuzzi tub. * Rocking chair. * Outdoor sofa. * Two lounge chairs. * A covered daybed just steps from the water. Because our suite was on the corner, we had the end of the swim-up pool, making it feel almost like our own private pool. During our six-day stay, very few guests actually used the swim-up pool. Aside from one family occasionally using the nearby lounge chairs, it was incredibly peaceful. We could faintly hear the music from the main pool, but it was never loud or disruptive. It was the perfect place to spend an entire day relaxing. The Beach We visited the beach one day after breakfast. The complimentary golf cart from the main entrance took about 3–5 minutes to reach Neguri Beach, which is reserved for Zel guests. We arrived around 9:30 a.m. and had our pick of beach chairs. Yes, there was some seaweed, as many Punta Cana beaches are currently experiencing, but I was impressed with how hard the Melia staff worked to keep it under control. Small tractors were clearing the seaweed roughly every 30 minutes throughout the day. The ocean itself was calm, warm, and refreshing. It would have been even more enjoyable without the seaweed, but that's obviously something beyond the resort's control. We also had lunch at the beach restaurant and ordered the Mountain Rice, which serves two people. Many guests refer to it as the Short Rib Paella, and regardless of the name, it was absolutely incredible. It was probably my favorite meal of the entire trip. Speaking of food, Juan had arranged all of our dinner reservations in advance, allowing us to dine at every restaurant during our stay. Every restaurant served excellent food, and we truly enjoyed each dining experience. Wellness Activities One of the unique aspects of Zel is its focus on health and wellness. Every day there's a schedule filled with activities. I signed up for the Chakra Sound Healing session, which was incredibly relaxing. I may have dozed off for a few minutes—but honestly, I think that's a sign that it worked! Whether you're interested in fitness classes, wellness activities, or simply relaxing, there's something for everyone. The One Area That Needs Improvement: Room Service The only disappointing part of our stay was the room service operation. I want to be clear that the front desk staff who took our orders and the employees who delivered the food were wonderful. The issues seemed to come from the kitchen. Here are some of the inconsistencies we experienced: * Our first breakfast order never arrived after waiting two hours. We later discovered it had been delivered to Suite 1001 instead of Suite 1004. * Since breakfast never arrived, we ordered lunch. The burgers were delicious, but they arrived barely warm, making it seem as though they had been sitting for some time before delivery. * The Americano Breakfast was supposed to include orange juice, but one morning we received warm milk instead, and another day we were given an unidentified juice. * I ordered the Mediterranean Breakfast, which was described as including a potato omelet, tomato bread, and ham. Only the omelet arrived—and no utensils were included. When I called, I was told they had run out of the other items. Rather than informing us beforehand, the kitchen simply omitted them. * When they sent a replacement breakfast, three different breakfast items arrived, but the wrapped utensils only contained a knife—still no fork. We also experienced inconsistencies during lunch. One day I ordered the Fish Tartar Sandwich, whose menu description mentioned calamari tartar. The sandwich arrived with fish instead of calamari. It was still very good, so I assumed it was simply a translation issue. We also ordered an extra plate of fries that was forgotten. The delivery staff apologized and returned about 15 minutes later with the fries. The following day, I ordered the same sandwich again—and this time it was actually made with calamari. Again, both versions tasted great, but the lack of consistency became noticeable. My biggest suggestion for the kitchen would be simple: If an item or ingredient is unavailable, contact the guest before preparing the order. Give guests the opportunity to choose a substitute rather than making the decision for them. It would create a much better guest experience and likely reduce food waste as well. Final Thoughts Despite the room service issues, my stay at Zel Punta Cana was outstanding. The staff genuinely care about making guests feel welcome. Every interaction came with a smile, and the customer service throughout the resort was exceptional. Having a dedicated host like Juan made everything effortless, from check-in to restaurant reservations. The resort offers plenty of activities if you want to stay busy, but it's also the perfect destination if your goal is exactly what mine was—to spend an entire week doing absolutely nothing. If you're looking for a peaceful, boutique-style all-inclusive where you can truly relax and recharge, Zel Punta Cana is an excellent choice. I will absolutely be returning. The experience was beyond great, and I can't wait for my next stay.

Well…where to begin. Service: nonexistent. That’s not to say no one helped, we had a couple who were genuinely trying to help. Checkin was smooth, but that was it. No poolside service, no waiters, no lunch poolside you had to go get your own food from the buffet and bring it to the pool yourself, or go to the restaurant right next to the pool to eat. The buffet was the same food everyday, we were there 5 days. Some waiters were more attentive at the restaurants, but ordering coffee at breakfast in the mornings, you would be done eating by the time they arrived. Food: terrible. The buffet, as I said, same food everyday, and most of it was inedible. Flies everywhere, sitting on food. Steakhouse, you’d be better off eating a leather shoe. Hibachi was entertaining for the kids, but the food was covered in salty sauce. Sushi restaurant fishy tasting, and the cooked food was eh. Tempura was basically onion rings. Btw restaurants are closed on Wed, so we had to eat the buffet, again. None of the food looks like any of the pictures. Room service: horrible menu. Pastrami club sandwich was three slices of bread, with one layer with fried egg, and the other layer had lettuce and tomatoes. No pastrami to be found. Everything was horrendous. Minibar was eh. Cleanliness: overall not good. Room cleaning was totally inconsistent, some days they wouldn’t even show up, despite asking for it several times throughout the day. Room itself: old. Pullout bed was horrendous. Everything in the room was old, including the toilet. We had a leak in the ceiling of our room that luckily missed our suitcase and shoes. They fixed it, I’ll give them credit for that. Alcohol: watered down. I had the same drink served to me in 6 different glasses during my stay. None of the bars have a drink menu. None of the bartenders could offer any help in terms of drinks they make. Those that have been to resorts in Mexico know what I mean. Staff: everyone seemed to be annoyed when asking for something like a fork, or ordering at the bar for instance. As I’ve said there were a few that were great, but overall they weren’t. Also no one speaks English. Before you roll your eyes and say “typical American”, you’re at a resort for international guests, you should be able to understand “hamburger with only cheese and lettuce” apparently lettuce was a stretch. Or asking for a fork. Luckily I know a few basic words in Spanish like lechuga to communicate my point across. Value: way way way overpriced. More like a local resort than an international resort. They do have a great marketing team though, and they will hound you on your last day to post your review with there in front of them where they will “help you” post it. They asked us on 5 separate occasions on our last day in a 3 hour window to try to get us to post our review with them standing over our shoulder. Resort: it’s totally open air, with only AC in the restaurants excluding the buffet which is where all of the hanging out is expected to occur. Needless to say it’s extremely hot and muggy. This is coming from someone who lives in Houston, where hot and muggy is par for the course but this was not what I was expecting at a resort, I would say this is probably on me for not reading enough. I will say though, pictures they have posted do not represent what it actually looks like. Also no store on the premises should you need anything like shampoo or any essentials you might have forgotten. That’s in the resort next door, 10 min walk or 2 mins gold cart ride if you’re willing to wait for one. Hit or miss when they show. Overall I would say do not stay here if these are the things you’re looking for in a resort. I normally do not post things like this, but I feel it’s needed in order given the 5 days we spent there we regret doing so.

The food quality was disappointing, and the service wasn’t what we expected from a resort in this price range. Our room also had several maintenance issues,the bathroom sink barely drained, our sheets had a hole in them, and there were other small problems throughout our stay that made it feel poorly maintained. Another disappointment was that there was no poolside food service, only drinks, which made long days by the pool less convenient. The property has potential, but overall it didn’t meet the expectations we had based on the price and other all-inclusive resorts we’ve visited.

Save your money and don’t go here! This review is for travelers from the U.S. This resort has so many issues that I don’t even know where to start. First of all, there is absolutely no customer service. Many of the workers don’t speak English and have poor attitudes. They don’t even know basic words like spoon or fork. The staff also seem poorly trained, and it shows in the level of service. Nobody comes back to check on your table or asks if you need anything. If you order coffee at breakfast, don’t be surprised if it arrives after you’ve already finished eating. Housekeeping is another major problem. They don’t clean the rooms, even after requesting it multiple times.The food is below average. The buffet serves the same food every day, and there are flies sitting on it. The steakhouse was especially disappointing. The quality of the food was very poor. The meat was bitter, and we left most of our meal untouched because it was simply not edible. The lobby is an open-air space, which means it’s around 85°F and very humid at night. There are ceiling fans, but most of them don’t work. We asked the staff to turn them on, and they completely ignored us. The air conditioning in the rooms won’t cool below 70°F, which is uncomfortable if you’re used to sleeping in a cooler room. The bed sheets and towels aren’t white and have a very rough texture. The minibar is below average, and the shampoo and conditioner are so watered down they’re almost useless. There isn’t even a store on the property, so if you need anything, you have to walk to the resort next door. This resort has so many problems far too many to justify the price. Coming here was a huge mistake.