Finest Punta Cana Review – Everything You Need To Know

I took my family to Finest Punta Cana and have all the details on our stay! Read my Finest Punta Cana review to discover all you need to know about this luxury family resort, and whether or not it lives up to the Excellence brand reputation!

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Quick note: My family has stayed at Finest Punta Cana twice. Our first visit was in April 2022, and we went back again in November 2025 as Diamond members. This very in-depth review combines everything from both trips so you get one clear, up to date take on what the resort is really like.

Finest Punta Cana Review

All-inclusive resorts are one of my favorite types of accommodations. I’ve stayed at all-inclusive resorts all over the place, including Mexico, in St. Lucia, and Punta Cana.

There’s something about knowing all your food, drinks, and entertainment is already paid for that makes it more enjoyable.

Finest Punta Cana is one of those resorts that’s easy to love. It’s pretty, the service is friendly, and it has a mix of chill family time and grown up spaces that work well.

But it also had a few things that surprised us on our second visit, both in good ways and not so good ways. So this review covers everything we liked, everything we didn’t love, and all the little details I wish I knew before booking.

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Our Experiences at Finest Punta Cana

We first stayed at Finest Punta Cana back in April 2022, when my kids were a bit younger and the whole trip felt like this big, fun, sun soaked family escape. We loved the resort enough to go back, and in November 2025 we returned with slightly older kids, my mother in law, and Diamond member status, which definitely changed the experience.

Both trips were great in their own way, but they felt different.

On our first visit, the resort was still pretty new and everything felt exciting. We had perfect beach days, the kids club was a huge hit, and the younger kid energy matched the vibe of the whole place.

On our second visit, the trip felt more relaxed. The water was way calmer in November, which made ocean time so much easier.

We booked two Finest Club junior suites this time. And a Finest Club Pool Family Suite the first time.

One was on the pool side, which turned out to be super loud all day with kids playing and loud at night with the music. The other room faced the back of the building and was so much quieter, so that helped balance things out.

Since we were Diamond members this time, we had a woman who handled all of our dinner reservations so we never had to wait. We also got a Diamond ritual at the spa, which is basically an exfoliating back massage. They even gave us a backpack and wallet embroidered with the Finest logo, which was a nice added touch.

Traveling with older kids changed the vibe too. My daughter had moments of being a little bored because there aren’t a ton of teens at this resort and not a lot of teen specific activities. It’s still an amazing place for families with younger kids, but I noticed the shift.

Even with all those differences, both trips reminded me why this resort stays so popular. The grounds are still gorgeous. The staff is still warm and friendly. And it still has that easygoing family vacation energy that makes life feel simple for a few days.

Where Is Finest Punta Cana?

The Excellence Resorts have 3 properties in the Dominican Republic – Excellence Punta Cana (which would be a fantastic location for a Punta Cana honeymoon!), Finest Punta Cana, and Excellence El Carmen.

As you can see in the map below, the Finest resort is located right down the beach from the adults-only Excellence Punta Cana. All 3 resorts are positioned only a few minutes drive from each other.

The address of Finest Punta Cana is Carr. Uvero Alto, Punta Cana 23000, Dominican Republic.

If you’re coming from the airport, it’s about a 40-minute drive. We used the private transportation the resort provides, which made things easy, especially with little kids and luggage.

On both trips, the ride felt smooth and stress-free. No hiccups getting there at all.

Arrival and Check-In

The moment you arrive, the staff is ready to welcome you. Both times we were greeted with cold towels and drinks. Champagne for the adults, juice for the kids in little champagne glasses.

It’s such a simple touch, but it makes the whole arrival feel special.

Since we booked Finest Club rooms both times, we had access to a private check-in area. They walked us through the resort, explained everything we needed to know, and made it easy to settle in.

Finest Side Vs. Excellence Side

Although the resort is family-friendly, adults aged 18+ have access to the Excellence side of the resort – their own separate areas where they can be without children around. The Finest side of the resort is accessible to everyone, and includes the majority of the pools, restaurants, bars, and activities.

For families, the resort strikes a good balance. Kids have their pools, splash zones, and kids’ club. Adults can step over to the Excellence side for a quiet escape.

Even if you’re staying in a family room, you don’t feel like you’re missing out on some adults-only luxury. On both visits, this layout worked really well for us and gave everyone space to enjoy the trip their way.

There used to be flamingos wandering around on the adults-only side, but we learned during this last trip that they were removed about a year or so ago.

Rooms At Finest Punta Cana

Across both of our stays at Finest Punta Cana, we’ve experienced two different Finest Club room types, which gave us a really solid feel for how the rooms work for families.

On our first visit we stayed in a Finest Club Pool Family Suite, and it was an amazing setup for traveling with younger kids. The suite had a separate bedroom with two twin beds, which my daughter and niece used, plus a main sleeping area with a king bed and a pull-out couch.

There was tons of storage, a large walk-in closet to hold everything we packed, and enough space that we never felt crowded.

One of the biggest highlights of that room was the private pool just outside the sliding glass doors. We used it constantly between meals and after beach time. Having that private outdoor space made the whole stay feel more relaxed and gave the kids a place to swim without dealing with crowds.

The bathroom in the Pool Family Suite was huge, with a large Jacuzzi tub, a massive double vanity, a spacious shower, and a separate toilet area. At the time, Finest Club rooms were stocked with Bvlgari toiletries, along with a Nespresso machine, upgraded premium liquor in the minibar, and a beach bag that we used every single day.

On our most recent visit we booked two Finest Club Junior Suites, which gave us a very different perspective. One of the rooms faced the pool and was extremely loud during the day with kids playing and again at night when music was going on. The second room faced the back of the building and was much quieter.

If you’re sensitive to noise, I highly recommend requesting a room away from the main pools and entertainment areas.

The Junior Suites were still spacious and comfortable, just without the separate kids’ bedroom. They had two full beds, a pull-out sofa, a large bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub and double vanity, and plenty of storage.

Finest Club rooms now come stocked with L’Occitane toiletries, along with the Nespresso machine and upgraded minibar.

Across all of our rooms, there were small details that made a big difference.

• The lockable cabinet for room service dishes was incredibly convenient.
• The minibar was always restocked without us having to ask.
• Turn-down service kept the rooms feeling fresh every night.
• Having outdoor seating on the balcony or terrace made it easy to enjoy a quiet moment once the kids were asleep.
• The beach bag they lend you is extremely convenient for carrying around your stuff during the day.

Being Finest Club and Diamond members added another layer of ease. We had private check-in, access to exclusive pools, bars, and beach areas, and a dedicated concierge who handled all of our dinner reservations so we never had to wait.

The Diamond perks also included a spa ritual and embroidered swag, which felt fun and personal without being over the top.

If you’re choosing between room types, here’s my honest take:

• If you’re traveling with younger kids, the Pool Family Suite is hard to beat for space and convenience.
• If you’re traveling with older kids or teens, multiple Junior Suites work really well.
• Room location matters a lot. Pool-facing rooms are lively. Back-facing rooms are much quieter.

Overall, the rooms at Finest Punta Cana are one of the resort’s biggest strengths. They’re spacious, comfortable, and clearly designed with families in mind. Just be thoughtful about room type and location, and you’ll have a great stay.

Room Choices

There is a wide variety of suites available at Finest Punta Cana depending on your own preferences. Here I’ve provided a breakdown of each.

Most of these rooms are available in Finest, Finest Club, or Excellence Club categories, with small differences in room layout depending on which category you choose. The differences between Standard and Club level are described below as well.

Junior Suite – The most basic of all the suites, and still gorgeous, regardless. These sleep up to 4 people, and vary between pool view, ocean view, and even swim-up .

Junior Suite With Private Pool – Similar to the other Junior Suite options, with the addition of your own private pool. This suite sleeps up to 4 people.

Terrace Suite With Plunge Pool – This suite is similar to the junior suite options, except it also has your own plunge pool on your private terrace. There also is a two-story terrace suite option that gives you a private rooftop plunge pool.

Family Suite – Sleeping up to 5 people, the family suite has a separate bedroom with two twin beds for the kids. It’s got a king size bed for the adults, and also has a queen size pull out sofa.

Pool Family Suite – Similar to the standard Family Suite, but also has your own private pool just outside your door.

Honeymoon Suite – Exclusive to the Excellence side of the resort, the Honeymoon Suites come standard with all the Excellence Club extras. (More on that below.) You can choose between garden view, plunge pool, private pool, or two-story rooftop lounge.

Imperial Suite – The top of the line room in both Excellence and Finest Clubs. The Imperial Family Suite has two separate bedrooms for privacy and a main living area. It has all the added Club level benefits, in addition to personal butler service, private bartender, unlimited spa hydrotherapy treatments, laundry service, and more.

Finest Suites Vs. Finest and Excellence Clubs

There are so many amenities at Finest Punta Cana whether you choose regular Finest Suites, or one of the Club level suites. Here is a breakdown of what comes included in both levels.

Finest Suites

• 24 hour room service
• Pillow menu
• Free WiFi
• Mini-Bar with juice, snacks, waters
• Premium liquor in-suite
• Bathrobe and slippers for use during your stay
• Toiletries
• Espresso coffee machine
• Garment steamer
• Turn down service
• Concierge service 7am-10pm

Club Level Suites

Everything included in Finest Suites plus:

• Private check in/out
• Club level only bars/restaurants/pools
• L’Occitane toiletries
• Upgraded premium in-suite liquor
• Upgraded room service menu
• Access to private beach area
• Access to private lounge with concierge service, smart buffets, and bar service
• Beach bag for use during your stay
• Fresh flowers and sparkling wine upon arrival in your suite
• Nespresso machine
• One Aqua hydrotherapy treatment for each adult

We absolutely loved the extras that being Club Level provided. In fact, we spent a good deal of our time utilizing the Finest Club pool and swim-up bar, and the special Finest Club section of the beach.

We loved our dinner at Gusto, which is the Finest Club restaurant. I’ll go over all the restaurants later.

The Grounds at Finest Punta Cana

The grounds are honestly stunning.

Everywhere you look there are lush tropical plants, flowers, and well-maintained walkways. It’s clear the staff takes a lot of pride in keeping the resort immaculate.

Even after three years, the landscaping looked just as gorgeous as our first visit, which isn’t always the case at newer resorts. Walking around, you really get a sense of both luxury and comfort. It feels high-end but still family-friendly.

The Pools at Finest Punta Cana

There are 7 pools throughout the resort, including:

• 1 massive main pool
• 1 regular section pool
• 1 exclusive Excellence Club adults-only pool
• 1 exclusive Finest Club Pool
• 1 splash pool for kids
• 1 Mini Water Park for Big Kids
• 1 Mini Water Park for Tots

We spent tons of time in the various pools (except for the adults-only one) and found them all wonderful.

The main pool has a huge blue bouncy blob that the kids (and we) went nuts over. Even our 3 year old had a blast on it! There is a smaller blue bouncy blob in the little kids’ mini pool area too.

The kids’ club water park was so fun for all of us! We had one day that rained, so we figured we’re already wet, let’s play in the water park! It was a BLAST. We were the only ones in there and had so much fun!

The Finest Club pool has a swim-up bar that we made very good use of. The kids loved being able to order their own drinks from the bar there, and the staff was amazing with giving them delicious tropical mocktails that looked like ours, but obviously weren’t.

One of the things I made sure to get every morning was fresh coconuts! They’d open them up right at the bar.

Occasionally I would have them add some pineapple juice, maybe a little rum, but just by themselves they were so good and a perfect drink to start the day and keep you hydrated.

Expert Tip: Bring reusable straws! They just have paper ones which break down if you don’t drink your beverage fast enough. We brought some and just threw them in our beach bag every morning for use throughout the day.

Finding chairs was never a huge issue for us, especially if we headed out earlier in the morning. Staff were constantly circulating, offering drinks, towels, and help with anything we needed, which made pool days feel easy and stress free.

Overall, the pool setup at Finest Punta Cana is one of its biggest strengths. There’s enough variety that families with kids of different ages can all find their happy place without feeling crowded or overwhelmed.

Have I convinced you yet? Book your stay at Finest Punta Cana now. It has a perfect ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on Expedia!

The Beach at Finest Punta Cana

The beach at Finest Punta Cana is truly beautiful. Every time we walked down toward the water, it stopped me in my tracks. The sand is soft, the beach is wide, and there are plenty of loungers and daybeds spread out along the shore.

Finest Club and Excellence Club guests also have access to private beach sections, which made it easier to find chairs closer to the water.

On our first visit, which was in April, the ocean was pretty rough. Since this part of Punta Cana sits on the Atlantic side, the water can be choppy, and that was definitely the case during our spring trip.

The older kids went in, but I didn’t feel comfortable letting our youngest swim in the ocean at that time. We spent more of that trip enjoying the pools instead.

Our November visit felt completely different. The water was noticeably calmer and much more swimmable, even for kids. We actually spent a lot more time in the ocean this time around, and it made the beach feel more usable for our whole family.

If calm water is important to you, visiting in November is something to seriously consider.

Sargassum does show up from time to time, which is pretty normal throughout the Caribbean. The staff did a great job staying on top of cleanup, and there were plenty of mornings where the beach looked perfect with no seaweed in sight.

There’s also full beach service, so you don’t have to leave your chair to grab a drink. We never worried about leaving our bags or drinks behind while walking along the shoreline. The area always felt safe and well staffed.

If you walk down the beach to the right, there’s a small local souvenir shop just a short walk away. The woman who runs it is friendly and not pushy, and we enjoyed picking up a few small souvenirs to bring home. You can also get extremely reasonably priced massages right on the beach!

Overall, the beach experience really depends on the time of year. Spring can mean rougher water, while late fall felt much calmer for us. Either way, the beach itself is gorgeous and well maintained, and it’s a big part of what makes this resort so special.

The Food at Finest Punta Cana

Food at Finest Punta Cana is really hit or miss, and that was true on both of our stays. There’s a lot of variety, which I appreciate, but the quality can be inconsistent.

Some meals were really good. Others were just fine. Nothing was bad enough to complain about, but not everything was memorable either.

There are plenty of restaurants to choose from, including Italian, steakhouse, Asian, Mexican, French, and buffet options, plus casual spots for quick bites during the day. With kids in the mix, having so many choices made it easy to keep everyone happy without eating the same thing every night.

One change since our first stay is that menus are no longer printed. Everything is on the resort app now. I get why they do it, but it was honestly annoying to have to bring my phone to dinner every night just to see the menu. It’s a small thing, but it took away from the relaxed, unplugged vacation vibe a bit.

Most of the breakfast and lunch dress codes are casual, just no wet bathing suits, and make sure you have a shirt or coverup on. Dinner generally has a more elegant dress code, “resort casual”, meaning pants and a nicer shirt, or dresses.

As Diamond members this time, we had a huge perk when it came to dining. We were assigned a woman who handled all of our dinner reservations for us.

Every afternoon she checked in, asked where we wanted to eat, and took care of everything. We never had to wait for a table, even at the more popular restaurants, which made evenings so much smoother.

Overall, I’d describe the food and drinks at Finest Punta Cana as good, but not the main reason you come here. It’s more about the resort experience, the pools, the beach, and how easy everything feels with kids.

When meals hit, they really hit. When they didn’t, there were always plenty of other options to try the next night or even the same night.

Finest Punta Cana Restaurants

Market Kitchen

A fantastic buffet filled with everything anyone could ever want. We frequented the breakfast buffet here almost every day. The omelet station was amazing, and there was a great variety of foods to choose from.

One of my favorite sections here was their “local flavor” area. I tried some of the typical Dominican Republican food and drinks regularly and enjoyed myself quite a bit! I always try to taste the local flavors anywhere I go so I loved that they had this area of the buffet.

Lizo

A Mexican dinner restaurant. They’ve got various dishes that include some classics, some modern twists and have Tex-Mex specialties as well.

Melting Pot

An Asian restaurant with interactive shows that require reservations. You have your choice between Yakiniku tables (Korean BBQ, Sukiyaki, Shabu-Shabu), Teppanyaki, and Wok tables, along with simply eating in the main dining area.

We did the Teppanyaki show and found it entertaining, and the food was delicious.

Brass Steakhouse

Finest Punta Cana calls Brass their “take on a classic yet contemporary New York steakhouse.” They have a variety of cuts of meats, and also various sides, pastas, and salads.

Duke’s Lobster and Seafood

Perhaps one of my favorite meals of the whole trip at Finest Punta Cana was here at Duke’s. Situated right on the beach, you can’t help but be in awe of the view.

The food was delicious, and the staff was amazing. When they realized it was our anniversary week they brought us out a cake as a special treat!

Insieme Trattoria

An Italian dinner restaurant with choices ranging from antipasti, risottos, salads, and main dishes. It’s heavy on the seafood and mushrooms. We wound up actually leaving and going to another restaurant after looking at the menu.

Las Dunas Beach House

A casual spot on the beach with lots of quick meal options like nachos, burgers, quesadillas, and fries. We frequently would grab a bite to eat here while we were hanging out on the beach or by the pool.

Le Petit Plaisir

An adults-only dinner restaurant featuring classic French cuisine. They have an extensive wine selection and is reminiscient of a romantic Parisian cafe.

Shoji

Another adults-only restaurant, this one features Japanese cuisine. You have the option of an interactive Teppanyaki table, or eating in the main dining area. The sushi here is top-notch and a popular favorite.

Gusto

Another perk exclusive to Finest Club and Excellence Club guests, Gusto provides a quiet, more upscale feeling to your meal.

It’s got a more international menu, and contains selections ranging from grilled octopus to beef tenderloin to crab risotto.

Dommo

Another restaurant exclusively available to Club Level guests, but this one is also adults-only. You can get breakfast or dinner here, and it has a more upscale, refined feeling.

We didn’t eat here, but the menu sounds amazing, with options such as tuna tartare, tomahawk steaks, and spiced brownie with red wine ice cream.

Legends

A classic sports bar atmosphere with an enormous selection of menu items. You can get every kind of bar food here, from wings and chicken fingers to onion rings and fries.

They also have salads, burgers, and hot dogs, and literally anyone can find something great to eat here.

Surf & Turf

A new addition to the resort, this restaurant is on the Excellence side but open to everyone. It has a great combination of seafood and non-seafood items and the drinks were great.

La Cocinita Food Truck

One of the 2 food trucks on the resort, La Cocinita gives you hot dogs, burgers, nachos, and tacos.

La Playita Food Truck

The other food truck on the resort, this one has options such as burgers, quesadillas, fries, and sandwiches. Perfect for grabbing a quick bite to eat on the go!

We were also celebrating our 14th wedding anniversary while we were here the first time, so we planned a private romantic dinner on the beach at sunset for just the two of us. It was unbelievable!

The wind had really picked up so it was a bit colder than expected. But the staff did an amazing job at making it special.

Bars and Drinks at Finest Punta Cana

There are bars everywhere at Finest Punta Cana, which makes it easy to grab a drink without ever feeling like you have to hunt one down. Between the pool bars, beach service, lobby bars, and evening spots, drinks are always within reach.

Just like the food, drinks can be a little hit or miss depending on where you go and who’s making them. Some cocktails were perfectly balanced and really enjoyable. Others were a little too sweet or a little too strong.

When we found a bartender we liked, we tended to stick with them.

Overall, the drink situation at Finest Punta Cana is ok. You’re not coming here for craft cocktails, but you’re also not stuck with watered down drinks all week. There’s enough variety, enough availability, and good enough service that it never became an issue during our stay.

Entertainment and Activities at Finest Punta Cana

There is absolutely no shortage of activities to keep you entertained while you are here! They have something going on almost all the time during the day. Activities range from pool games, exercises, bracelet making, beach games, mud masks and so much more.

At night, they have a variety of shows and parties. We saw numerous shows, including a Circus show with amazing acrobatics.

There also was an Electrosonic show with great vocals and cool lights displays, and a Dominican Folklore show with gorgeous outfits and dances. My whole family enjoyed all of them very much!

The only negative thing we can say about the shows is that they started sort of late. Since it’s a family resort, we feel like the shows should probably start a bit earlier in the night. Or even have two showings, with an earlier one geared more toward families with young kids, and a later one for those without littles.

Regardless, the entertainment was very enjoyable.

They also have live bands that cover everything from Michael Jackson to the Beatles. There are live musicians throughout the day, playing saxophones or violins. And there was an awesome Silent Party that we all had fun at too!

Still want to go? Book your stay at Finest Punta Cana now. It has a perfect ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on Expedia!

Would I Go Back To Finest Punta Cana?

We’ve stayed at Finest Punta Cana twice now, and honestly that feels like enough. Next family trip I think I’ll take the kids to Finest Playa Mujeres instead.

That’s not a knock on the resort. We had two great family trips here, and overall, it’s still a place I’d confidently recommend to other families.

The grounds are gorgeous, the rooms are comfortable, the pools are fantastic, and the staff works incredibly hard to make your stay easy and enjoyable.

If you’ve never been to Punta Cana before, Finest Punta Cana is still a really solid choice, especially for families looking for an easy, kid friendly all inclusive among the many Punta Cana hotel and resort options.

Final Thoughts on Finest Punta Cana

After two stays at Finest Punta Cana I feel like we really got to know this resort.

It’s a beautiful, well maintained property that does a lot of things right for families. The grounds are lush, the rooms are spacious, the pools are excellent, and there’s always something going on.

The staff works incredibly hard, and the Diamond perks on our most recent stay added a nice layer of ease and comfort.

That said, it’s not a perfect resort.

The food and drinks can be inconsistent, teenagers may feel a little bored, the beach conditions really depend on the time of year, and needing to carry your phone everywhere in order to order food is VERY annoying to me.

None of those were deal breakers for us, but they’re important things to know before booking.

Overall, I’d still give Finest Punta Cana a solid 4 out of 5. It’s a great option for families, especially those with younger kids or first time all inclusive travelers. For our next trip, we’re ready to try something new, but we’re really glad we experienced this resort twice.

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