We took an amazing family vacation to Finest Punta Cana this year and have all the details on our stay! Read our Finest Punta Cana review to discover all you need to know about this new luxury resort, and whether or not it lives up to the Excellence brand reputation!
All-inclusive resorts are one of our favorite types of accommodations. We’ve stayed at all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, in St. Lucia, and now in Punta Cana.
What Is Finest Punta Cana?
Finest Punta Cana is a brand new all-inclusive family resort under the Excellence Resorts umbrella. The Excellence Resorts pride themselves on their Bespoke service, “offering luxury that feels personalized and tailored to each guest.” Consequently, they are well recognized within the industry for their quality and exceptional service. After staying at two separate Excellence Resorts properties (Excellence Playa Mujeres, and Finest Punta Cana), we find their reputation to be very well-deserved.
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.
It’s about a 40 minute drive from the airport to the resort, and we used the private transportation that the resort provided for us. Our room rate included transportation when we booked, but that is not always the case.
Arrival and Check-In
Upon arrival to the resort, staff members immediately greeted us and relieved us of our bags, then they handed us refreshing cool towels and glasses of champagne. The kids were given juice in champagne glasses and they loved being included in that little detail!
Because we booked a “Finest Club” level room, they brought us to a private check in area. Here everything was confirmed and we were given a wonderful private run-down of the resort.
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. This side is equipped with special adults only pools, restaurants, activities, and even a special lake where wild flamingos wander.
The Finest side of the resort is accessible to everyone, and includes the majority of the pools, restaurants, bars, and activities.
Our Suite
We opted to stay in a Finest Club Pool Family Suite. The suite was spacious and comfortable, with a separate bedroom containing tons of storage space, a tv, and two twin beds, which our daughter and niece used. The main room has a king sized bed, a queen sized pull-out couch, a few chairs and a table.
We had a lovely gift of champagne on ice and fresh fruit waiting for us in our room, which was immediately put to good use, of course. They had also equipped our room with a toddler bed (a pack ‘n play type), which they placed between the king bed and the couch.
The bathroom was immense, with a huge Jacuzzi tub on one side, and a massive double vanity on the other. There was a generously sized shower, and a separate toilet area with its own door for privacy. Finest Club rooms are equipped with certain upgrades, so we had all Bvlgari toiletries in the bathroom, which was a nice touch.
There was also an enormous walk-in closet with more than enough room to hold everything we packed. Finest Club guests are given a great beach bag to use during your stay and we found it extremely convenient. There also was a Nespresso machine, and upgraded premium liquor choices in the minibar. All of which are fully included in the price of your room., and endlessly restocked as needed.
We loved the fact that there is a little cabinet to put all the dishes from room service when you’re done with them. It’s a lockable cabinet that the staff can access from the outside, and it’s equipped with a sensor to let them know when there is something in there to be emptied.
Just outside the sliding glass doors was a table and chairs, and a comfortable chaise lounge, overlooking our private pool with a pair of lounge chairs. Not surprisingly, we absolutely loved spending time outside in our own private little corner of paradise!
Room Choices
There is a wide variety of suites available at Finest Punta Cana depending on your own preferences. Here we’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
- Bvlgari 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. We’ll delve into the restaurants later.
The Grounds at Finest Punta Cana
Being a brand new resort, we were shocked at just how lush the grounds were. There are beautiful flowers and plants everywhere, providing both privacy between rooms and a stunning landscape to enjoy. This resort is immaculate, with workers constantly roving about, improving everything as they go. It is so clean, and absolutely gorgeous.
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 water park too.
The 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 drinks that looked like ours, but obviously weren’t.
One of the things we made sure to get every morning was fresh coconuts! They’d open them up right at the bar for us. 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.
Pro Tip: Bring reusable straws! Most places nowadays are more eco-friendly; accordingly this resort has done away with disposable straws. We brought some and just threw them in our beach bag every morning for use throughout the day.
Be sure to read our Complete All-Inclusive Packing List so you know exactly what you should pack for Finest Punta Cana!
The Beach at Finest Punta Cana
The beach was GORGEOUS. It took my breath away every single time we would walk down towards it. There are tons of lounges and beds on the beach, and Finest and Excellence Club guests have their own private sections. There is staff to provide you with towels, and we never had a problem with leaving our bags and drinks while we took a walk or went in the water.
Speaking of the water, it is pretty rough. You’re on the Atlantic side of the island, so the water isn’t calm like on the Caribbean side. Our niece and daughter went in, but we weren’t comfortable with our 3 year old being in the ocean because of how choppy it was. He stuck to the pools instead!
We would walk down the beach towards the right and head to the little souvenir shop just down the beach. The woman who owns it is friendly and kind, and we enjoyed purchasing numerous trinkets to bring home.
Note: If you’re into geocaching, talk to the shop owner!
The sargassum would wash up, just like pretty much everywhere in the Caribbean, so we weren’t surprised when we would see it. The staff did a great job of cleaning it up, however, and there were plenty of times that there was no sargassum to be found, like in this picture.
The Food at Finest Punta Cana
There is no shortage of options at this resort as far as food is concerned! As with any new establishment there are some kinks to be worked out, but we thoroughly enjoyed our meals while we were here. Sometimes the dishes may not have been exactly what we expected, but we never had a bad meal.
There are 11 restaurants, with a wide variety of cuisine, so there’s really something for everyone here. There are also a couple food trucks for when you just want to grab a quick bite to eat, a sports bar with an extensive snack menu, and a coffee shop with a variety of pastries and sweets..
Not all restaurants are open every day, or for every meal. Some of them require reservations for dinner, which you would get by simply stopping by the restaurant during the day.
Note: The restaurants are open on a rotating schedule and hours are subject to change. Download the Excellence Collection app to see hours, wait times, and more!
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.
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, if not very authentic.
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 lots of choices ranging from antipasti, pastas, pizzas, salads, soups, risotto, and many main dish options. Therefore, everyone can find something they like. It’s a great spot for a romantic candlelit dinner!
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, upscale feeling to your meal. We very much enjoyed our dinner here, as every meal was absolutely delicious. It’s a more international menu, and contains selections ranging from grilled octopus to beef tenderloin to fettuccine alfredo.
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 rose wine risotto, tomahawk steaks, and passionfruit tiramisu.
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, pastas, burgers, and hot dogs, and literally anyone can find something great to eat here.
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, 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.
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. We certainly enjoyed all of them very much!
The only negative thing we can say about the shows is that they started quite 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. Despite this, 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 attended as well!
Conclusion
Overall, I would give this resort 4.5 out of 5 stars. There were a couple kinks that need to be worked out within the food realm, but given that it’s a new resort, a little leeway is given. Also, everyone was just coming out of covid, so that may be a factor as well.
The system for making dinner reservations was a bit of a pain – it would be nice if you could make your reservations right from the app, and also the shows could be a little more family friendly in their timing.
Otherwise, the resort is beautiful and super clean, the staff is absolutely top-notch, and the entertainment is fantastic. All things considered, we would definitely recommend Finest Punta Cana to anyone looking for a great luxury all-inclusive for their family.
Punta Cana has many hotel and resort options catering to adults, families, groups, and everything in between. We loved our time here at Finest Punta Cana, and hope you enjoy your time here too!
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