Last week, during our bussines trip, we visited this 5 star hotel, Catalonia Punta Cana. As expats living in the Dominican republic, we considered this stay as a pleasant change from everyday life, and so after a long time we felt like "tourists" again.
The 1st thing I would like to mention is, that I finally understand why are people so scared and afraid to walk out of the hotel resort. As we traveled to Catalonia, which is located at the end of Bavaro part, it took approx. 10 minutes of drive throughout the road that was completely out of any civilization. So that might give people that unfriendly, not very pleasant feeling. Anyway, you should not be scared, whole complex is secured, the area is controlled and even when you are entering or leaving the resort, they are checking you.
Arrival and check-in
Upon entering the resort, we had to prove ourselves at the "gate" by the reservation we made through the booking.com. They let us go and headed to the reception. Upon getting out of the car, the hotel staff immediately greeted us and helped us with our luggage. The check-in itself, however, I would say was a disaster. The problem was that in DR you do not pay in advance for the hotel you book through booking, so everything is realized on arrival. The issue was that there was an error in the booking system and the hotel itself, so we stuck at the reception for about 1.5 hours until they managed to accommodate us. The complex itself at the entrance and lobby was pleasant and quite large, open space, the overall impression was intensified by the noise of the water from the nearby fountain. We were accommodated almost by the beach, so the hotel service took us on golf carts directly to the apartment. I was really surprised by the size of the whole resort.
Accomodation:
We were accommodated in apartments with a "sticker" Priviliged - I read that these are renovated rooms, in a more modern and beautiful style. The apartment itself (with balcony) was reasonably large, nice and clean. The room had air conditioning, a fan (but without the possibility of switching iton - there was no hanging chain that turns it on), TV, mini fridge (which did not work, but there were non-alcoholic beverages, beer, water), minibar with coffee. The bathroom with toilet was nice, clean - but in the shower there was too hot water, it was difficult to regulate it and there was no toilet brush at the toilet ?? (not that I would be picky or so, but from the 5 * hotel I would still expect it to have it). The bathroom had soap, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and hair dryer and, of course, plenty of towels. If necessary, we called the reception and in a few minutes they brought us another. Probably the biggest minus of the bathroom itself was the door to it. In fact, it was a sliding, heavy, wooden door with difficulty to close, so there was a hole on each side through which everything could be seen and heard. Moreover, everything in the bathroom bounced off the mirrors. (nothing terrible if you are alone with your partner). So a little funny :). Otherwise, everything we needed in the room - a bathrobe, ironing board, plenty of hangers and storage space, was there.
The surroundings and food:
Overall, the resort was huge, with everything one could think of. You can find here a mini shopping park (there is a pharmacy, a doctor, a tobacco and alcohol shop, clothing stores, a hairdresser, an ATM). Right next to it you will also find a SPA, where you can treat yourself with a massage (approx. 60 USD / 80 min) and gentlemen can also bounce to the barber. Ladies can go for a manicure / pedicure. In the area you can find an outdoor gym, where you can work out, of course, there are paths for morning run too. The whole area was very animal friendly, during the walk you can come across ducks, various birds, in the pond you can spot the turtles. That was very nice and also funny. Especially at breakfast, when these birds, after leaving the table, they immediately flew at it, and ate the food which was left on the plates. Take a look at the photo :).
However, there are a total of 10 bars and restaurants in the resort - 2 of them are buffet restaurants, where breakfast, lunch and dinner is served. You can also find a la carte restaurants here - but you have to make a reservation a day in advance. As for the food itself, I must say that there is a really wide selection - sweet or salty, meat (various types), fish, sushi, tacos, hamburger , pasta, paella or various side dishes - every day there was a smaller change. At breakfast, you will find various types of juices and smoothies, fruits and vegetables, and they prepare an omelet or a pancake on request... everything you can think of. The drinks were tasty (a wide selection), my boyfriend praised the draft beer the most - it was really refreshing :). The service was pleasant and attentive. However, I liked the hotel bar with the pool the most - it was a hot spot. The pool was big enough, with plenty of sunbeds and umbrellas (you can find beach/pool towels a short distance from the pool, you can get them in exchange for the cards you get at check-in.) The only thing that bothered me a little were the screaming children - but there weren't many of them ??
The whole resort was, as I mentioned, really big and it took about 10-15 minutes to walk through it. (We often used golf cart services) In addition to all this, you can find a casino, golf course, tennis, teens club (ping-pong and various games) and a small amphitheater, where they prepared an animation program every night.
Beach:
You are in the Caribbean - it means that the beach is beyond beautiful, white sand, they take care of it (they try to get rid of the seaweed on everyday basis). On the beach itself, there are plenty of beach bars etc. Also, the animation team makes all the fun and program, so you can enjoy the day by the beach.
Overall rating:
Overall,I would give to this resort 8 points out of 10. Value for money very decent, the price per night for 2 people will cost you about 160 EUR, All inclusive - for all what was there even with those little "defects" in the room, it is a really nice, clean and comfy resort. Personally, however, this resort came to me a bit "cold", it was really huge and it came to me as a "big huge mass". However, someone does not have to mind, on the contrary, he may look for such something. However, as I have already written, the overall stay in Catalonia is very positive, you will definitely not make a mistake when you choose it for your holiday.