Dreams Royal Beach Punta Cana

Recently came back from our 10 night trip, was my 2nd time in the Caribbean, 1st time in Dominican Republic, my was families 1st time outside of Europe so we wanted to make it special, it exceeded all expectations, the hotel grounds are beautiful, from all the palm trees to the vast array of pools, it truly feels like paradise, unlike anything I’ve every experienced before, the staff union arrival were fantastic and helpful, the room we stayed in was perfect, spacious, clean, comfortable, the staff for the buffets are kind and happy, the entertainment was excellent, the stand out staff for me was kelvin and jefry at the grotto bar, was playing around with my 8 year old son making him smile and laugh and made us all feel welcome, the entertainment was fantastic aswell, picachu, rissa and babyface was full of life, energy and you can tell they love doing what they do, they was all friendly and was happy to stop to interact with people when passing by, all the staff there made us feel welcome, helped create life long memories and was always incredibly helpful aswell as always being in smart uniform, the resort screamed luxurious and was kept to a high standard at all times, the beach was well maintained aswell despite people talk about the seaweed, the beach was cleaned daily, the sand and sea was as you’d expect from the Caribbean, overall it was an unreal experience, probably my most favourite place I’ve been to, only other contender is Mexico, couldn’t recommend it enough to families travelling with kids

2 x Suitcases broken into at PUJ on arrival Didn’t get room we had paid for TUI Staff miserable and unhelpful

Unimpressed with this resort. Most hotel staff were unfriendly, the food was bland, the evening entertainment was lame with horrible karaoke experiences. A positive was the experience with the wedding coordinator.

We recently stayed at Dreams Royal Beach Punta Cana and paid extra for the Preferred Club experience, expecting elevated service, exclusive amenities, and a more relaxing vacation—especially traveling with small children. Unfortunately, our experience was very disappointing and did not match what was advertised. Customer Service: This was one of the biggest letdowns. While a few staff members were kind, most seemed uninterested or unhappy to help. One example: my baby and 5-year-old were wet and cold at the kids’ pool area, and there were no towels available. When I asked staff, I was vaguely pointed “over there,” but there were no towels. After asking another employee, I was told someone would bring them. After waiting about 10 minutes—while my child started crying from the cold—I had to walk all the way to the lobby myself to finally get towels. This level of service is unacceptable, especially at a resort of this level. Restaurants (Preferred Club): Yes, there are a couple of additional restaurants and a coffee shop, but the “exclusive” experience didn’t feel exclusive at all. Wait times were extremely long—we waited about an hour just to be seated the first night, and another hour for food. Service was inconsistent and often inattentive. If we didn’t specifically ask for dessert, no one came back to check on us. At the hibachi restaurant, we felt rushed. Our reservation was at 5:30 PM, food was served by 6:00 PM, and by 6:15 PM staff were already cleaning and pushing us out. With small children, this rushed experience was very frustrating. The food itself was average—not bad, but nothing memorable. Beach Experience: The beach is beautiful, but again, the service did not match expectations. No one came around offering drinks—you had to go back and forth yourself. I specifically upgraded expecting better service, especially with kids, but that was not the case. At one point, I asked for water at the beach bar and they were out. The server said he would bring some but never returned. Also, despite what is advertised, there is no real exclusive beach area for Preferred Club guests. The only clearly reserved areas are for adults-only guests (Secrets) or paid day beds (~$275 USD). This felt misleading. Entertainment: Very limited and not kid-friendly. Most entertainment starts around 9 PM, which is too late for families with young children. Other resorts typically offer shows around 7–8 PM. The one show we attended felt low quality and not enjoyable. Room Cleanliness & Housekeeping: The room was not cleaned to a high standard—especially the shower. Getting daily housekeeping was stressful, requiring multiple calls and follow-ups. Maintenance Issues: We had an outdoor bathtub we were excited to use once the kids were asleep, but it never worked. We requested maintenance multiple times and even involved our concierge, but it was never fixed during our stay. Overall: The only truly positive part of this trip was the time spent with my family. The resort itself left me frustrated and disappointed, especially considering how much we paid and the expectation of a premium experience. Constant tipping for even basic service, combined with poor responsiveness, made it feel far from relaxing. I would not recommend upgrading to the Preferred Club here, as the benefits were unclear, inconsistent, or simply not delivered.

The Good: The resort itself is beautiful and very well maintained. The pools and water park were a highlight, especially for families, and the beach was clean and enjoyable. Housekeeping and overall cleanliness across the property were excellent. The Average: Customer service was inconsistent—some staff members were friendly and helpful, while others seemed disengaged. The rooms were decent but nothing special, and the daily activities felt fairly standard and not particularly memorable. Preferred Club (Not Worth It): We upgraded to the Preferred Club and honestly, it was not worth the extra cost. The benefits felt minimal and did not meaningfully improve the experience. Between limited perks and no real difference in service or access, it felt like a waste of money. The Not-So-Great: The biggest disappointment was the food. Specialty restaurants consistently had wait times of an hour or more, which made dining inconvenient. The buffet was surprisingly small compared to other resorts we’ve visited, and the food often looked like it had been sitting out for a while. The hibachi experience, which we were looking forward to, was underwhelming and not entertaining. Overall: While the resort has strong points in terms of facilities and upkeep, the dining experience, lack of value from the Preferred Club, and inconsistent service brought it down significantly. Unfortunately, it did not meet expectations, and we would not choose to return.