Hi everyone 👋 thanks so much for taking a tour of this beautiful resort with us. If you want to see more of this experience..or more Florida and Caribbean content, make sure you are subscribed and have the notifications turned on so you won't miss an episode. If you are deciding on an all inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic, then make sure to check out our series on Bahia Principe Ambar and Lopesan Costa Bavaro. If you have stayed at a Punta Cana all inclusive, let us know which one in the comments below! (We are currently traveling and will respond to any questions when we return!)
The only mistake is that Royal Level guests can only enjoy the first club amenities if you are a time share member with blue stings on your wrist band. (I am writing this while I enjoy my magnificent Royal level 1st floor suite sitting on the patio looking at the first club entrance) This is an excellent review and completely accurate.
@@evg0015 thanks for this information, maybe the resort wasn't as strict about this when we were there? We asked the staff if we were allowed to use the First Club amenities (even thought we weren't time share members) and they said yes. We also recognize that the resort was not near full when we were there. Thanks so much for watching!
Thanks so much for backing us up! The Royal Level Beach Bar is the best. If we would have not booked Royal and had to see that bar everyday without being able to go there I think we would have been seriously depressed!
Another great video. Everything looked amazing, beautiful. Thanks for sharing this video with us. Great job as always. Have a wonderful weekend you guys.
This was such a great tour of the resort, loved the footage that merged into the pool tour of the main pool and then back to the resort again. The food options look really good with a lot of variety. La Hacienda sounded really good but nice that there's also some casual options too. Las Caracolas looked the best, even the lampshades looked like Jellyfish! The restaurant in the Royal section looked so good and the beach looks beautiful!
For a bit of an older (and cheaper) property we were really impressed with how beautiful the pool areas were. We loved Las Caracolas. Even though the food wasn't spectacular, the atmosphere absolutely was.
Our pleasure! We're happy to hear that the video showed you some new things on the property, and we hope you get a chance to visit again sometime soon!
Eight of us stayed at this resort for a week in 2007. The place was rocking n rolling, definitely at maximum capacity, what a blast. The pool bar was always three deep for drinks, if you want to avoid the wait I suggest you tip the bartender heavily with your first drink order, we gave them $100 US and would tip them daily as well, we never waited for a round of drinks again for the rest of the stay. The one thing I noticed that would have been awesome that wasn’t there is the all night Pizza guy on the upper level 🤙 great video.
We went last nov, 2021. Absolutely loved it! We found the Italian Restaurant the best’ we are returning in January to celebrate my 50th staying royal level this time. Can’t wait
We are really wishing we would have tried the Italian now, as we've heard from many people that it is very good! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
What a fun little mini vaca this morning! Palm trees swaying in the breeze and that gorgeous beach are just what the doctor ordered this cold, gray day in Tennessee! What a wonderful life the two of you lead! Thanks for another sweet vid. 🙂PS...Skylar's long hair looks quite chic!
You might take back the "wonderful life" video if you saw how many hours we each spend sitting at a computer each day 😂 That said,, we are motivated more than ever to keep growing this channel and get to a point where we can both do this full time someday (and maybe hire a video editor if we are really dreaming). With the support of people like you, we know it's possible!
The Dominican food and the sushi looked pretty nice at the buffet (although I think I would end up going back to that tacos place over and over!). The main pool looked so huge, although that jacuzzi pool and amazing beach would definitely be hard to leave 😀
If we booked at this resort again and didn't do the Royal level, we would absolutely eat the tacos every night as well (and probably the pizza too). The main pool was as big as it looked (probably bigger). We were pretty impressed with the pools overall, but the beach was no doubt the highlight!
Congrats on 15K you guys 🤗🥳 You’re so good with these resort tours 👏 this one looks amazing! So many food and drink options! The pools look great, but the highlight is definitely that beautiful beach…wooooow!!!
Thanks guys! We are definitely getting a pretty good strategy down for the resort tours, but man they are still a lot of work! One of subscriber milestones we're going to have to celebrate by going to a resort and actually relaxing 😂 Maybe 50k. Better yet, maybe you can join us!
Wow! I love your royal suite! Such a gorgeous room and the beach looks so picturesque as well. I look forward to hearing the price in the next video. We're really intrigued!
Was there at Royal level section last november and let me tell you something,Dominican laidback mood is something else you have to get used to😂😂😂😂 best rissoto i ve ever had at Royal level restaurant i ordered twice❤
We have never been to Dominican Republic but definitely want to explore it one day and stay at one of those amazing resorts! Your resort experience looks like what I really need right now.
The resorts to get a bit old after a few days, but if you're looking for a short, low-stress trip and the ultimate in relaxation, these Punta Cana resorts are prefect!
Another great tour! We aren't big fans of buffets these days and prefer the sit-down restaurants when we go away. But good to see what it has to offer. I think I'd also like the east end of the main pool for some relaxation 😂 That looks like a great pool! I'm thinking about going to Punta Cana for our next vacation so your series has been very helpful as I look at resort options. The beach there was amazing - nice sandy white beaches and no seaweed like you get in Mexico - I'm sold!!
One of the main perks of the Royal status was that you never had to eat at a buffet if you didn't want to! The beach really was one of the most beautiful we've ever seen!
Sick from too much Mama Juana? 😂 In all seriousness, we're sorry to hear about your husband's experiences. We're probably fortunate that neither of us have ever gotten sick during our three visits to the DR. That said, Skylar has an iron stomach and I am pretty selective about the things I eat/drink!
you have done the best viewing on this resort i have been there three times stayed in the standard rooms there is not a lot of difference with the royal we get the same sun nicer pools more resturant space and far as superior drinks i got mine you have to know how to do it been to punta cana 9 times the only thing about dr is the time share people i got to ignore them ps where are you from i am from canada new brunswick thank you again
Thanks so much for the kind comment, Paul. We agree that the time share people and salesmen on the beach can be a bit irritating, but a minor inconvenience when you consider everything else the DR has to offer!
It's interesting just what's available at your fingertips at these all inclusive resorts. There is really no need to leave. There are so many restaurant and pool choices ... your never bored. Sometimes the risk is good by booking in hurricane season with the cheapest deals and the added bonus of less people. The one thing I hate is the crowds and would love to experience a place like this with hardly anyone around. Had to choose between this and the other resorts you have been to and all look nice enough to try. Thanks so much for sharing your in-depth experience. 💖
We agree that there's no need to leave if staying for a few days, but if we were there more than 5 days or so, I think we'd get a little bored of the eat/drink/pool/beach repeat routine! While we love the price savings of booking during hurricane season, probably the biggest perk is indeed the lack of crowds. Having an entire pool or an entire section of beach to yourself is a whole other level of relaxation!
That's a great questions. We don't specifically recall seeing beach umbrellas in the shops, but we weren't really looking for them either. We would recommend joining the Occidental Punta Cana facebook group and asking the question there. Often times someone who has recently visited or is currently at the resort will be happy to answer questions.
If prices are comparable, we generally try to fly JetBlue. Their jets have a lot of space, free wifi and also each seat usually has it's own TVs. But occasionally we will fly Spirit or Frontier as well, but only if they are significantly cheaper.
Lots of great footage and information, so thank you a lot. Quick question please…is there service on the beach? Or do guests have to go and get their own beverages and snacks? Thanks again for sharing.
Our pleasure, Kevin. Thank you so much for watching. In the Royal beach area we did occasionally see staff brining drinks out to the beach, but we never used it since the beach bar was right there. We can't say for sure if there was service in the non-Royal beach area, but we don't recall seeing servers in that area.
I visited a resort in punta cana a decade ago but I remember basically nothing from it. I believe it was a melia but it got renamed. I haven’t been to one of these resorts ever since but I need to visit one soon for sure.
Have you guys been to the Barcelo Palace just down the Bavaro Beach? I'm a Barcelo member with access to both hotels. Thinking of doing 7 at one and 7 at the other one.....Great video
When we were there the First Club bar had been damaged by a hurricane and was being re-built, so they were letting them use the Royal beach bar (right next door). But by now, we're sure the First Club bar has is up and running, and yes, it's right on the beach!
Thanik you for showing us a clinic. There are times when we have the idea that because we are on vacation we are not going to need medical assistance. Knowing that there are doctors available to help us reassures me. It is better to be careful.tnan sorry. Thanks so much again for all the information. Blessings 🙏🙏
I'll admit, I am more interested in your Tampa Bay content but DR is on my dream vacation list so I wanted to take a peak at this video (and because I just like all your videos 😜). I've never stayed at a resort before but holy moly is this resort HUGE!!! I can't wait until your next video when you mention the price 😄 I'm really curious about how much this would cost and if I could afford it. I hope it's not a per couple thing like cruise ships and some other resorts do 😒 Hurricane Ian robbed me of my beach vacation so I'm looking forward to a beach vacation next year 😊
It's a big resort no doubt, but believe it or not there are far bigger ones! We think our next video will help you a lot in deciding if this particular resort is one that you would consider visiting. Thanks for tuning in as always! We hope you get your redemption beach vacation real soon!
Really enjoyed this video, in fact it caused me to upgrade my reservation to Royal next February! :) I wonder if you've been to the Level Melia Punta Cana, and if so, how you'd compare the Royal dining to the Level. We were at the Level Melia last year and while we appreciated the service, we found the menu and food lacking. To be fair, we are more the meat and potatoes types than gourmet, but still wonder how the two compare. Another question, if I may... some videos of the Royal suite show what appears to be a door that separates the bedroom and living room, and others don't. It's one or the other, right? Finally, on the subject of cost, this (Montreal) Canadian is paying close to $4K for 10 days in February. ☹
We're so happy to hear our video encouraged you to book Royal. Having access to the beach bar, the better breakfast and lunch food, and the higher end cocktails really made the experience so much better. Unfortunately we have not been to the Level Melia Punta Cana, but we were considering it prior to finding a great deal on the Royal Level at Occidental. Our room definitely just had an opening between the bedroom and living room. No actual door. Sorry to hear the resort is so much more expensive right now. I hope that includes your flights and is not just the cost of the room!
Excelente video, vamos al hotel sección royal level en enero. Nos ayudaste con muchas dudas. Consulta es muy difícil reservar en restaurantes de especialidad… siendo nivel real
We are glad the video helped give you some comfort on your decision. We have another video coming out Saturday that shows even more of the Royal Experience, so be sure to check it out!
Not what we would consider bacon. What they gave us was more like prosciutto not crispy at all. There are gulf carts that take Royal guests to their check-in area, but we're not sure if you would be able to get a gulf cart to take you to other parts of the resort.
Hello! Can u talk a little bit about the Royal suite, how do u get those benefits, the membership u think that’s a good idea? Because i would like to get a timeshares or membership but im scary about it! Thank uuuu I’ll appreciate it
Hi! When we booked on the website there were options to book a standard room, or a Royal level suite. We are not timeshare members but did meet some while we were at the resort. I do think the timeshare benefits are different from the Royal level benefits (some might overlap). Unfortunately we don't know much about the timeshare option to speak much about it. We really appreciate you watching!
Hola! Una consulta el bar que esta en la playa solo lo pueden usar los de royal level? Si no tengo royal level debo entrar al hotel por una bebida? Yo voy a estar 9 noches en punta cana ustedes me recomiendan este hotel o no?
Thinking of going to this resort at the end of March. Do you need the royal package to use the beach bar? You referred to it as the “Royal beach bar” Thanks :)
Yes, you must book a Royal room in order to use the Royal beach bar. We would highly recommend it if prices are at all comparable. Thanks so much for watching.
@@Explorcation Thank you for the reply! Was this the only beach bar available at the resort? If I don’t upgrade to the Royal will I have to go to the pool bar each time to get a drink at the beach?
@@Harrigan9k yes, this was the only bar on the beach. There is a bar at the open air restaurant just off of the beach that anyone can go to, but you would have to walk off of the beach to go there. During our stay the staff were rebuilding a 2nd (smaller) beach bar, but our understanding is that it was for First Club members only (those with time shares at the property).
I have only been to the Occidental Xcaret in the Riviera Maya (7 times) and I would highly recommend that property if ever visiting Mexico. I will be going to the Dominican for my very first time at the start of December. While not staying at this property, I am looking forward to visiting somewhere new.
Thank you so much for the recommendation. You are not the first person we've heard great things about that resort from, and we hope to visit someday. We hope your first trip to the Dominican is a great one. We'll be heading back there pretty soon ourselves!
If we remember correctly, it was labeled on the buffet as a passion fruit. It was very good. Regarding the juices, they had pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe, orange, and probably some others that we don't remember.
We definitely saw a lot of kids there and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves, but we can't tell you exactly what type of kids activities they have. Thanks so much for watching, Andrew.
We really lucked out during our visit. There was only a little bit of sargassum on the beach in the morning, and they did a great job of cleaning up the little bit that there was.
Just to let you know that the buffet changes everyday. They have theme nights so you can try all the a la Carte restaurants but not the exact meals. Dominican night is my least favorite but you can always find something to eat
Thanks for sharing, Laurie. We tried to pop into the buffet each night but only ate at it for dinner a couple of times. The one night we noticed a big difference was on Friday night. It seemed like they had stepped up the quality of the buffet for the weekend, but maybe it was just that the presentation for that particular "theme" looked better.
There were some shows here, but they weren't too great in our opinion. Other than that eating, drinking, the beach, and the pools are the main entertainment... which we were just fine with. The trapeze are at the Occidental Caribe property which is also in Punta Cana. It's easy to get them confused.
Hello! Unfortunately we don't recall whether were many activities for toddlers at the resort. You may want to consider joining the Occidental Punta Cana Facebook Group if you haven't already. It's a helpful group, and generally you can find someone who's stayed there recently who will be happy to answer your questions!
Some of it. The pizza and taco shops were really good, and the Royal Restaurant was quite good as well. The normal buffet wasn't great, but we could always find something we enjoyed.
Yes, you have access to much better food and drinks at the Royal Level. Everything is included including the Royal Beach bar (higher end liquors) and the Royal Restaurant (sit down restaurant options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Hello! That's a great question, but unfortunately we don't recall whether or not you could bring your own shades at this resort. You may want to consider joining the Occidental Punta Cana Facebook Group if you haven't already. It's a helpful group, and generally you can find someone who's stayed there recently who will be happy to answer your questions!
@Explorcation Hello There, right now we are at the Occidental Punta Cana, we like it very much, food, drinks and snacks pretty much all day long. Pools and the beach are great, we brought our own shade and they allowed us to set it up, no problems.
I feel like you need an additional camera man so Skyler can get in some video time. I’m going to charge up my GoPro and practice while I wait for your call. Lol.
I have no doubt we could use your cameraman skills, Bob! That said, Skylar actually enjoys the filming process as he's always moving around. What he doesn't enjoy is the editing (sitting at a desk all day). So if you have any editing skills you'd like to offer, let us know 😂
You book Royal Level up front, it's not something you can just upgrade to as far as we're aware. The price difference between Royal level and standard level can vary greatly, depending when you book and the amount of each unit type available. If you book at the right time, you may actually be able to book Royal Level for around the same price or even less than the standard level.
We visited in early October. There were definitely things we loved and didn't love about the resort, which we'll go into a bit more detail on in our next video. We did visit less than two weeks after the island got hit by a hurricane, so we're not sure how much that played a part in some of the negatives that we experienced.
We don't believe so, but here is a list of things that are included (per the Occidental website) : Private front desk for check-in and check-out VIP treatment Private à la carte restaurant available for breakfast, lunch and dinner Private area on the beach with a bar and Premium drinks included Hot tubs Free Internet service Concierge service Preferential service when booking a table at the à la carte restaurants Premium in-room amenities (complimentary products) Bathrobe and slippers Minibar replenished daily with beers included Nightly turndown service
If you book a "Royal" level room/suite you get some extra perks, like being able to dine in the Royal Restaurant, use the "Royal" Section of the beach, use the "Royal" pool, and use the "Royal" Beach Bar. It our opinion, it was well worth the extra cost.
Hello! During our stay, there was free wifi in the public areas. It wasn't very strong, but they were also recovering from a recent hurricane which could have impacted it. You may want to consider joining the Occidental Punta Cana Facebook Group if you haven't already. It's a helpful group, and generally you can find someone who's stayed there recently to answer your questions!
You are correct on both accounts, Doug. This would probably not be an ideal resort for those who have trouble getting around (or those who just do not enjoy walking).
The actual review presentation was good but did not give you the fine details of the place. for example the pasta they show is not hot and no one offers to reheat it. Most of the food tasted off. The taste of the food is off. Chocolate doesn’t taste like even the worst you’ve ever had. You can find orange juice that tastes right. There’s no milk. No good soda. The one good place is the wood fired pizza but they make you walk up and down some twenty stairs. The pillows you sleep on are 3ft long and have no support as I am trying to get to sleep here tonight and it’s still day 2. The beach is obviously great but the pool water is like taking a warm bath. Save your money folks. I’m 57 maybe it’s me but my group of 6 were disappointed. Just being real!
Thanks for taking the time to comment and for sharing your experience. For what we paid for this resort, we couldn't have been happier, but we also booked the Royal level and had access to the Royal restaurant and beach bar which made our experience much better. We agree that the main buffet food wasn't always the best, but we WERE always to at least find a couple of things we enjoyed. Of course this was now well over a year ago when we visited, and these resorts can change a lot in that amount of time.
Definitely not the best, but when you pay as little as we paid, you'd be crazy to expect the best. For the money, we were really happy with out experience. We were also really happy that we booked the Royal level.
bonjour , j'envisage d'aller dans cet hôtel , et les critiques me font peur , y êtes vous allé ? et avez vous aimé ? merci pour votre réponse , bonne soirée
I enjoyed the video, however stop asking us to tune into next video. Just go ahead and say it. Sorry for the negativity. I really appreciate the information given however.
Hi everyone 👋 thanks so much for taking a tour of this beautiful resort with us. If you want to see more of this experience..or more Florida and Caribbean content, make sure you are subscribed and have the notifications turned on so you won't miss an episode.
If you are deciding on an all inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic, then make sure to check out our series on Bahia Principe Ambar and Lopesan Costa Bavaro.
If you have stayed at a Punta Cana all inclusive, let us know which one in the comments below!
(We are currently traveling and will respond to any questions when we return!)
tks from paul duffy canada
@@paulduffy8774 thanks so much for watching :)
The only mistake is that Royal Level guests can only enjoy the first club amenities if you are a time share member with blue stings on your wrist band. (I am writing this while I enjoy my magnificent Royal level 1st floor suite sitting on the patio looking at the first club entrance)
This is an excellent review and completely accurate.
@@evg0015 thanks for this information, maybe the resort wasn't as strict about this when we were there? We asked the staff if we were allowed to use the First Club amenities (even thought we weren't time share members) and they said yes. We also recognize that the resort was not near full when we were there. Thanks so much for watching!
Occidental Punta Cana was SO NICE! Great review! We went a few months ago and and can't wait until we go back!
Glad you guys enjoyed it!
Guys I really enjoy the detailed resort review with resort maps. Keep up the good work.
Thank you so much for watching and for your comment :)
I was here in June 2022 and there was much more people but I still loved my stay here. The staff was also so friendly
For the most part we really enjoyed the staff here as well, and we're happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay! Thanks for watching.
Your tours are hands down the best!
Thank you so much for the kind comment, Dee! We put a lot of effort into these video and we're glad that it shows!
We stayed here too & this review is on-the-money! 🎯🎯 The Royal Level beach & bar are 🙌🙌
Thanks so much for backing us up! The Royal Level Beach Bar is the best. If we would have not booked Royal and had to see that bar everyday without being able to go there I think we would have been seriously depressed!
@Explorcation there's definitely something extra special about that spot on the beach
Another great video. Everything looked amazing, beautiful. Thanks for sharing this video with us. Great job as always. Have a wonderful weekend you guys.
Thanks so much, Chris. It really was a ridiculously beautiful place!
Looks like an amazing place! Thank you for sharing and all the great information
Our pleasure, Lindsay. Thank you so much for watching!
This was such a great tour of the resort, loved the footage that merged into the pool tour of the main pool and then back to the resort again. The food options look really good with a lot of variety. La Hacienda sounded really good but nice that there's also some casual options too. Las Caracolas looked the best, even the lampshades looked like Jellyfish! The restaurant in the Royal section looked so good and the beach looks beautiful!
For a bit of an older (and cheaper) property we were really impressed with how beautiful the pool areas were. We loved Las Caracolas. Even though the food wasn't spectacular, the atmosphere absolutely was.
I’ve been to Occidental punta cana but your tour showed me things I didn’t know where there. Thanks ❤
Our pleasure! We're happy to hear that the video showed you some new things on the property, and we hope you get a chance to visit again sometime soon!
Eight of us stayed at this resort for a week in 2007. The place was rocking n rolling, definitely at maximum capacity, what a blast. The pool bar was always three deep for drinks, if you want to avoid the wait I suggest you tip the bartender heavily with your first drink order, we gave them $100 US and would tip them daily as well, we never waited for a round of drinks again for the rest of the stay. The one thing I noticed that would have been awesome that wasn’t there is the all night Pizza guy on the upper level 🤙 great video.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience. We're glad you had a great time. We really hope to come back some day.
Very nice resort, weather, environment,staff also very friendly.It’s pleasure to be vacation there.
We agree on all accounts. Thank you so much for watching!
We went last nov, 2021. Absolutely loved it! We found the Italian
Restaurant the best’ we are returning in January to celebrate my 50th staying royal level this time. Can’t wait
We are really wishing we would have tried the Italian now, as we've heard from many people that it is very good! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
This is so informative. Trying to pick a resort for a quick getaway and this was so detailed. Thank you
We're glad you found our video to be helpful! Thanks so much for watching.
Congrats on hitting another big milestone. I always knew your channel would start blowing up after what we went through.
Thanks so much, Scully. You've been with us since the beginning and we'll always remember that and appreciate your ongoing support!
What a fun little mini vaca this morning! Palm trees swaying in the breeze and that gorgeous beach are just what the doctor ordered this cold, gray day in Tennessee! What a wonderful life the two of you lead! Thanks for another sweet vid. 🙂PS...Skylar's long hair looks quite chic!
You might take back the "wonderful life" video if you saw how many hours we each spend sitting at a computer each day 😂 That said,, we are motivated more than ever to keep growing this channel and get to a point where we can both do this full time someday (and maybe hire a video editor if we are really dreaming). With the support of people like you, we know it's possible!
The Dominican food and the sushi looked pretty nice at the buffet (although I think I would end up going back to that tacos place over and over!). The main pool looked so huge, although that jacuzzi pool and amazing beach would definitely be hard to leave 😀
If we booked at this resort again and didn't do the Royal level, we would absolutely eat the tacos every night as well (and probably the pizza too). The main pool was as big as it looked (probably bigger). We were pretty impressed with the pools overall, but the beach was no doubt the highlight!
Congrats on 15K you guys 🤗🥳
You’re so good with these resort tours 👏 this one looks amazing! So many food and drink options!
The pools look great, but the highlight is definitely that beautiful beach…wooooow!!!
Thanks guys! We are definitely getting a pretty good strategy down for the resort tours, but man they are still a lot of work! One of subscriber milestones we're going to have to celebrate by going to a resort and actually relaxing 😂 Maybe 50k. Better yet, maybe you can join us!
Perfect everything in this video is on the money
Thank you so much for watching and for this kind comment, Abby! We're glad you found the video to be on the mark!
Wowwww wowwwwww beautiful on my way to punta cana now - royalton resort .
Thank you so much. Have a great time at the Royalton!
Wow! I love your royal suite! Such a gorgeous room and the beach looks so picturesque as well. I look forward to hearing the price in the next video. We're really intrigued!
We really loved that suite too. It was massive! And the beach was one of the most beautiful we've ever seen!
Was there at Royal level section last november and let me tell you something,Dominican laidback mood is something else you have to get used to😂😂😂😂 best rissoto i ve ever had at Royal level restaurant i ordered twice❤
Agree with you 100% on the laid back mood! And now we're going to have to travel back to the Occidental to try that Rissoto!
We have never been to Dominican Republic but definitely want to explore it one day and stay at one of those amazing resorts! Your resort experience looks like what I really need right now.
The resorts to get a bit old after a few days, but if you're looking for a short, low-stress trip and the ultimate in relaxation, these Punta Cana resorts are prefect!
Another great tour! We aren't big fans of buffets these days and prefer the sit-down restaurants when we go away. But good to see what it has to offer. I think I'd also like the east end of the main pool for some relaxation 😂 That looks like a great pool! I'm thinking about going to Punta Cana for our next vacation so your series has been very helpful as I look at resort options. The beach there was amazing - nice sandy white beaches and no seaweed like you get in Mexico - I'm sold!!
One of the main perks of the Royal status was that you never had to eat at a buffet if you didn't want to! The beach really was one of the most beautiful we've ever seen!
I love Mama juana! We've been to Punta Cana twice, but not sure we're ever going back because my husband got very sick both times!
Sick from too much Mama Juana? 😂 In all seriousness, we're sorry to hear about your husband's experiences. We're probably fortunate that neither of us have ever gotten sick during our three visits to the DR. That said, Skylar has an iron stomach and I am pretty selective about the things I eat/drink!
Woow is so beautiful
It really is a stunning resort!
you have done the best viewing on this resort i have been there three times stayed in the standard rooms there is not a lot of difference with the royal we get the same sun nicer pools more resturant space and far as superior drinks i got mine you have to know how to do it been to punta cana 9 times the only thing about dr is the time share people i got to ignore them ps where are you from i am from canada new brunswick thank you again
Thanks so much for the kind comment, Paul. We agree that the time share people and salesmen on the beach can be a bit irritating, but a minor inconvenience when you consider everything else the DR has to offer!
It's interesting just what's available at your fingertips at these all inclusive resorts. There is really no need to leave. There are so many restaurant and pool choices ... your never bored.
Sometimes the risk is good by booking in hurricane season with the cheapest deals and the added bonus of less people. The one thing I hate is the crowds and would love to experience a place like this with hardly anyone around.
Had to choose between this and the other resorts you have been to and all look nice enough to try.
Thanks so much for sharing your in-depth experience. 💖
We agree that there's no need to leave if staying for a few days, but if we were there more than 5 days or so, I think we'd get a little bored of the eat/drink/pool/beach repeat routine! While we love the price savings of booking during hurricane season, probably the biggest perk is indeed the lack of crowds. Having an entire pool or an entire section of beach to yourself is a whole other level of relaxation!
@@Explorcation yep... definitely 👍👍
Hi! I was wondering if you remember if there were beach umbrellas for sale at any of the shops! Thanks for such an informative video!!
That's a great questions. We don't specifically recall seeing beach umbrellas in the shops, but we weren't really looking for them either. We would recommend joining the Occidental Punta Cana facebook group and asking the question there. Often times someone who has recently visited or is currently at the resort will be happy to answer questions.
Thank you!
Our pleasure!
Thank you very much. Can you tell about airline that you prefer. We tryed spirit and frontier, but they overcharge for luggage and carry on backpacks.
If prices are comparable, we generally try to fly JetBlue. Their jets have a lot of space, free wifi and also each seat usually has it's own TVs. But occasionally we will fly Spirit or Frontier as well, but only if they are significantly cheaper.
Lots of great footage and information, so thank you a lot. Quick question please…is there service on the beach? Or do guests have to go and get their own beverages and snacks? Thanks again for sharing.
Our pleasure, Kevin. Thank you so much for watching. In the Royal beach area we did occasionally see staff brining drinks out to the beach, but we never used it since the beach bar was right there. We can't say for sure if there was service in the non-Royal beach area, but we don't recall seeing servers in that area.
Excellent
Thank you!
I visited a resort in punta cana a decade ago but I remember basically nothing from it. I believe it was a melia but it got renamed. I haven’t been to one of these resorts ever since but I need to visit one soon for sure.
Yes a decade is definitely far too long! We sure do hope you make it back to Punta Cana soon!
Have you guys been to the Barcelo Palace just down the Bavaro Beach? I'm a Barcelo member with access to both hotels. Thinking of doing 7 at one and 7 at the other one.....Great video
No, we have not made it to the Barcelo Palace yet, but we do hope to some day. 7 & 7 sounds like a pretty great idea to us!
A very good review, qq, does first club members have a bar they can use on the beach? Or is that exclusive to Royal?
When we were there the First Club bar had been damaged by a hurricane and was being re-built, so they were letting them use the Royal beach bar (right next door). But by now, we're sure the First Club bar has is up and running, and yes, it's right on the beach!
Thanik you for showing us a clinic.
There are times when we have the idea that because we are on vacation we are not going to need medical assistance.
Knowing that there are doctors available to help us reassures me.
It is better to be careful.tnan sorry.
Thanks so much again for all the information.
Blessings 🙏🙏
Thank you so much for this feedback. We'll make sure to include clinic location in our future cruise tour videos!
I'll admit, I am more interested in your Tampa Bay content but DR is on my dream vacation list so I wanted to take a peak at this video (and because I just like all your videos 😜). I've never stayed at a resort before but holy moly is this resort HUGE!!! I can't wait until your next video when you mention the price 😄 I'm really curious about how much this would cost and if I could afford it. I hope it's not a per couple thing like cruise ships and some other resorts do 😒 Hurricane Ian robbed me of my beach vacation so I'm looking forward to a beach vacation next year 😊
It's a big resort no doubt, but believe it or not there are far bigger ones! We think our next video will help you a lot in deciding if this particular resort is one that you would consider visiting. Thanks for tuning in as always! We hope you get your redemption beach vacation real soon!
Really enjoyed this video, in fact it caused me to upgrade my reservation to Royal next February! :) I wonder if you've been to the Level Melia Punta Cana, and if so, how you'd compare the Royal dining to the Level. We were at the Level Melia last year and while we appreciated the service, we found the menu and food lacking. To be fair, we are more the meat and potatoes types than gourmet, but still wonder how the two compare. Another question, if I may... some videos of the Royal suite show what appears to be a door that separates the bedroom and living room, and others don't. It's one or the other, right? Finally, on the subject of cost, this (Montreal) Canadian is paying close to $4K for 10 days in February. ☹
We're so happy to hear our video encouraged you to book Royal. Having access to the beach bar, the better breakfast and lunch food, and the higher end cocktails really made the experience so much better. Unfortunately we have not been to the Level Melia Punta Cana, but we were considering it prior to finding a great deal on the Royal Level at Occidental. Our room definitely just had an opening between the bedroom and living room. No actual door. Sorry to hear the resort is so much more expensive right now. I hope that includes your flights and is not just the cost of the room!
Excelente video, vamos al hotel sección royal level en enero. Nos ayudaste con muchas dudas. Consulta es muy difícil reservar en restaurantes de especialidad… siendo nivel real
We are glad the video helped give you some comfort on your decision. We have another video coming out Saturday that shows even more of the Royal Experience, so be sure to check it out!
@@Explorcation thanks for your answer. Greetings from Chile
@@yezkacv YW, thanks so much for watching and commenting 🙂
Was there bacon at breakfast? Were there any type of golf carts driving around to offer transport around the resort to get you from A to B?
Not what we would consider bacon. What they gave us was more like prosciutto not crispy at all. There are gulf carts that take Royal guests to their check-in area, but we're not sure if you would be able to get a gulf cart to take you to other parts of the resort.
Hello! Can u talk a little bit about the Royal suite, how do u get those benefits, the membership u think that’s a good idea? Because i would like to get a timeshares or membership but im scary about it! Thank uuuu I’ll appreciate it
Hi! When we booked on the website there were options to book a standard room, or a Royal level suite. We are not timeshare members but did meet some while we were at the resort. I do think the timeshare benefits are different from the Royal level benefits (some might overlap). Unfortunately we don't know much about the timeshare option to speak much about it. We really appreciate you watching!
Hola! Una consulta el bar que esta en la playa solo lo pueden usar los de royal level? Si no tengo royal level debo entrar al hotel por una bebida? Yo voy a estar 9 noches en punta cana ustedes me recomiendan este hotel o no?
Thinking of going to this resort at the end of March. Do you need the royal package to use the beach bar? You referred to it as the “Royal beach bar”
Thanks :)
Yes, you must book a Royal room in order to use the Royal beach bar. We would highly recommend it if prices are at all comparable. Thanks so much for watching.
@@Explorcation Thank you for the reply! Was this the only beach bar available at the resort? If I don’t upgrade to the Royal will I have to go to the pool bar each time to get a drink at the beach?
@@Harrigan9k yes, this was the only bar on the beach. There is a bar at the open air restaurant just off of the beach that anyone can go to, but you would have to walk off of the beach to go there.
During our stay the staff were rebuilding a 2nd (smaller) beach bar, but our understanding is that it was for First Club members only (those with time shares at the property).
I have only been to the Occidental Xcaret in the Riviera Maya (7 times) and I would highly recommend that property if ever visiting Mexico. I will be going to the Dominican for my very first time at the start of December. While not staying at this property, I am looking forward to visiting somewhere new.
Thank you so much for the recommendation. You are not the first person we've heard great things about that resort from, and we hope to visit someday. We hope your first trip to the Dominican is a great one. We'll be heading back there pretty soon ourselves!
What month did you go?
at: 5:00 next to the watermelon, is that granadilla or passion fruit? or curuva? what fruit flavor juices do they have?
If we remember correctly, it was labeled on the buffet as a passion fruit. It was very good. Regarding the juices, they had pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe, orange, and probably some others that we don't remember.
Tanks!
Our Pleasure!
Hello ! I was wondering if this is a friendly resort for kids. Thank you
We definitely saw a lot of kids there and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves, but we can't tell you exactly what type of kids activities they have. Thanks so much for watching, Andrew.
Hi there! is the the bavaro location or the caribe location?
This was filmed at the Costa Bavaro vacation.
where can you get the fresh coconut drink?
During our visit they were available in the mornings at the main buffet.
If we'd like to dine at the restaurants instead of buffet do we have to make a reservation once we get to the hotel?
Yes, you will want to make your dining reservations upon arrival at the property. We hope you have a wonderful time in Punta Cana!
Did you guys get sargassum whjile you were there?
We really lucked out during our visit. There was only a little bit of sargassum on the beach in the morning, and they did a great job of cleaning up the little bit that there was.
Just to let you know that the buffet changes everyday. They have theme nights so you can try all the a la Carte restaurants but not the exact meals. Dominican night is my least favorite but you can always find something to eat
Thanks for sharing, Laurie. We tried to pop into the buffet each night but only ate at it for dinner a couple of times. The one night we noticed a big difference was on Friday night. It seemed like they had stepped up the quality of the buffet for the weekend, but maybe it was just that the presentation for that particular "theme" looked better.
What about the trapeze or activities? Is there nothing to do outside of eating, drinking and sitting around beach and pools?
There were some shows here, but they weren't too great in our opinion. Other than that eating, drinking, the beach, and the pools are the main entertainment... which we were just fine with. The trapeze are at the Occidental Caribe property which is also in Punta Cana. It's easy to get them confused.
What month did you guys went?
October of 2022
Is this a good resort for toddlers, are there enough activities for them?
Hello! Unfortunately we don't recall whether were many activities for toddlers at the resort. You may want to consider joining the Occidental Punta Cana Facebook Group if you haven't already. It's a helpful group, and generally you can find someone who's stayed there recently who will be happy to answer your questions!
Was the food good at thia resort ??
Some of it. The pizza and taco shops were really good, and the Royal Restaurant was quite good as well. The normal buffet wasn't great, but we could always find something we enjoyed.
Is the Royal level the same as all inclusive?
Yes, you have access to much better food and drinks at the Royal Level. Everything is included including the Royal Beach bar (higher end liquors) and the Royal Restaurant (sit down restaurant options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Hello, as we can see through the video, there are not shades around the pool, neither on the beach, do people can bring their own?...
Hello! That's a great question, but unfortunately we don't recall whether or not you could bring your own shades at this resort. You may want to consider joining the Occidental Punta Cana Facebook Group if you haven't already. It's a helpful group, and generally you can find someone who's stayed there recently who will be happy to answer your questions!
@@Explorcation thank you very much for your input, very helpful
@Explorcation Hello There, right now we are at the Occidental Punta Cana, we like it very much, food, drinks and snacks pretty much all day long. Pools and the beach are great, we brought our own shade and they allowed us to set it up, no problems.
@@evastronomy8048 sounds like there were pros and cons to your stay, we hope overall your experience was a good one.
I feel like you need an additional camera man so Skyler can get in some video time. I’m going to charge up my GoPro and practice while I wait for your call. Lol.
I have no doubt we could use your cameraman skills, Bob! That said, Skylar actually enjoys the filming process as he's always moving around. What he doesn't enjoy is the editing (sitting at a desk all day). So if you have any editing skills you'd like to offer, let us know 😂
What time of year did you guys visit?
It was in fall of 2022
I keep hearing about this Royal level upgrade, anyone know how much it is to get this upgrade?
You book Royal Level up front, it's not something you can just upgrade to as far as we're aware. The price difference between Royal level and standard level can vary greatly, depending when you book and the amount of each unit type available. If you book at the right time, you may actually be able to book Royal Level for around the same price or even less than the standard level.
When did you guys go?
October 2023. Thanks for watching!
@@Explorcation very good video, thanks for the information. I'll be going there next month for a week.
@@jaymora84 yw, we hope you have a wonderful time there!
which dates we re you there in 2023 ?
We stayed there in October of 2022
Wondering when you went here. We are booked for Christmas but reviews on websites are looking not so good.
We visited in early October. There were definitely things we loved and didn't love about the resort, which we'll go into a bit more detail on in our next video. We did visit less than two weeks after the island got hit by a hurricane, so we're not sure how much that played a part in some of the negatives that we experienced.
Resorts are packed for Chrismas. Have a great vacation.
Does royal level get 24 hour room service ?
We don't believe so, but here is a list of things that are included (per the Occidental website) :
Private front desk for check-in and check-out
VIP treatment
Private à la carte restaurant available for breakfast, lunch and dinner
Private area on the beach with a bar and Premium drinks included
Hot tubs
Free Internet service
Concierge service
Preferential service when booking a table at the à la carte restaurants
Premium in-room amenities (complimentary products)
Bathrobe and slippers
Minibar replenished daily with beers included
Nightly turndown service
Did they have daytime entertainment? How about nightlife outside of the disco mentioned?
They had games at the pools during the day. At night they had music in the lobby and shows/music in the theatre.
@@Explorcation thank you so much! Because of your video I'll be there at the end of the month! 🤗
@@teresag6670 we hope you have a great experience there!
Would anyone know if they have a sports bar at this resort?
The bar in the lobby area is the closest thing you'll find to a sports bar at this resort. Thanks for watching!
What is standard and royal ?
If you book a "Royal" level room/suite you get some extra perks, like being able to dine in the Royal Restaurant, use the "Royal" Section of the beach, use the "Royal" pool, and use the "Royal" Beach Bar. It our opinion, it was well worth the extra cost.
so where is the casino
I honestly don't even remember seeing on at this resort. I don't believe there was one.
hey guys, is there any free WIFI at this Occidental Punta Cana resort?
Hello! During our stay, there was free wifi in the public areas. It wasn't very strong, but they were also recovering from a recent hurricane which could have impacted it. You may want to consider joining the Occidental Punta Cana Facebook Group if you haven't already. It's a helpful group, and generally you can find someone who's stayed there recently to answer your questions!
Beautiful but lots of walking 🚶♀️
You are correct on both accounts, Doug. This would probably not be an ideal resort for those who have trouble getting around (or those who just do not enjoy walking).
The actual review presentation was good but did not give you the fine details of the place. for example the pasta they show is not hot and no one offers to reheat it. Most of the food tasted off. The taste of the food is off. Chocolate doesn’t taste like even the worst you’ve ever had. You can find orange juice that tastes right. There’s no milk. No good soda. The one good place is the wood fired pizza but they make you walk up and down some twenty stairs. The pillows you sleep on are 3ft long and have no support as I am trying to get to sleep here tonight and it’s still day 2. The beach is obviously great but the pool water is like taking a warm bath. Save your money folks. I’m 57 maybe it’s me but my group of 6 were disappointed. Just being real!
Thanks for taking the time to comment and for sharing your experience. For what we paid for this resort, we couldn't have been happier, but we also booked the Royal level and had access to the Royal restaurant and beach bar which made our experience much better. We agree that the main buffet food wasn't always the best, but we WERE always to at least find a couple of things we enjoyed. Of course this was now well over a year ago when we visited, and these resorts can change a lot in that amount of time.
Hola el agua de la piscina es caliente?
Si.
The ocean looked kind of muddy, was that the case?
@@Rotti1313the ocean was clean and beautiful!
I keep reading such terrible reviews of this resort, the food doesn't sound like the best you guys have seen ! Hope it's gonna be ok 🙈
Definitely not the best, but when you pay as little as we paid, you'd be crazy to expect the best. For the money, we were really happy with out experience. We were also really happy that we booked the Royal level.
bonjour , j'envisage d'aller dans cet hôtel , et les critiques me font peur , y êtes vous allé ? et avez vous aimé ? merci pour votre réponse , bonne soirée
I enjoyed the video, however stop asking us to tune into next video. Just go ahead and say it. Sorry for the negativity. I really appreciate the information given however.
We appreciate the feedback and are glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching!
I do not recommend this place.
It's definitely not for everyone. We would come back, but probably only if booking the Royal level.