02 Jul Eden Roc Punta Cana
The finest resort in the Dominican Republic
Location
The Eden Roc at Cap Cana is located in a big (30.000 acres) private community with luxury residences, beaches, and cliffs, a Jack Nicklaus golf course, and its own Marina.
It’s like a little village, it’s safe, secluded, and quiet, and your means of transportation are golf carts.
It is Punta Cana’s first Relais&Chateaux hotel, and they managed to create a Mediterranean feeling at the Caribbean Sea.
They have 4 restaurants, 3 bars, and an own beach club – enough choice even for longer stays.
Suites and Villas
They have no rooms, and actually, they don’t really have suites, although they call them so.
The look-and-feel is the Mediterranean, yes, but also the Caribbean, which means color, lots of color. Every villa has a different color, be prepared for a colorful holiday!
Luxury Pool Junior Suite
The starting category of the house is the Luxury pool junior suite, a little villa with a private garden, private pool, and your own little spa area. And the little white Cabanas are the perfect spot to relax or get some work done – or play with the complimentary iPad you will find in your room, providing all hotel Information and services.
The Luxury Pool Junior Suite: It’s a villa really, not a suite. They are in different, strong colours, with a little garden, pool and spa.
This is your bathroom and a little spa area with outdoor rainshower: The „he“ and „she“ area is separated, there’s a coral stone bathtub and a marble Jacuzzi.
Luxury Pool one Bedroom Suites
The Luxury Pool one Bedroom Suites are bigger, have an even nicer garden area, and they are just as colourful.
The next two categories are the Luxury Pool Family Suites and the Two bedroom Family residence with 123m2 and 239m2 and plenty of room for children (tell them how many you are before booking), some of them even have bunk beds in the children’s room.
The Two bedroom royal villa is nice and spacious, almost 400 square meters, yet a bit simple in design and – for my taste – doesn’t give you the Mediterranean holiday feeling as much as the other villas.
The private garden of the Luxury Pool one-Bedroom Suites: Jump into your own little pool, have a sundowner on your sunbeds, or under the pretty white Gazebo.
Four Bedroom Imperial Villa
The Four Bedroom Imperial Villa is a lot nicer: 580 square meters, a huge private pool, tasteful interior, your own private gym and sauna, 24-hours butler service, that’s the ultimate luxury for large families or oligarchs traveling with a big entourage.
The bathrooms are gorgeous, the bathtubs and the sinks are all marble: 4 bathrooms, 4 marble Jacuzzis – you can enjoy your spa and fitness holiday without leaving your hotel room.
The Bathroom of the Four Bedroom Imperial Villa. A big Jacuzzi inside, a big outdoors spa. You will love it after your workout – in your own, private gym.
The living room of the Four Bedroom Imperial Villa, that’s the “Presidential Suite” of the resort. What a tastefully designed room, and what a beautiful creamy-sand coloured Chesterfield sofa.
The Beachfront One Bedroom Suites
Now comes my favorite: The Beachfront Suites, they have one and two bedroom suites.
This is the only room category that is not actually an own little building or a villa, it is a traditional suite. But the one with the most breathtaking views, and for me the one with the most elegant interior design.
The One Bedroom Suites are 111 square meters, the Two Bedroom Suites 166 square meters.
These suites are at the Eden Roc Beach Club, and you should never forget that is a 5 minutes ride from the main part of the hotel.
The Beach club is where the beautiful big pool is, right at the sea. The smaller pool right next to the main building of the hotel is pretty too, but not close to the sea (and has now views of the sea, either). If you are in one of the Beachfront Suites, you can take your breakfast at the Blue Grill&Bar, a breathtaking place to start your day.
Or you just let them serve your breakfast on your private terrace, right next to the sandy beach, overlooking the sea. The sand is literally two steps from your outside dining table, see for yourself:
The Beachfront Two Bedroom Suite: Your private terrace is right next to the white sandy beach, with a terrific view over the sea.
View from the beach side: The private terrace of the Beachfront Two Bedroom Suite on the ground floor.
On the pictures you can see the Two Bedroom Suites, but even the One Bedroom Suites in the first floor have the most beautiful view. And don’t forget, all of the Beachfront Suites are right at the beach, whereas all the villas are a few-minutes ride with the golf cart away.
Most of the villas are actually not in walking distance to the beach, that’s why the Beachfront Suites are my favourites of the Eden Roc Punta Cana.
The Beachfront One Bedroom Suites on the first floor: Elegant interior design and the best views of the resort.
And here’s the bathroom of the Beachfront One Bedroom Suites: An elegant private spa with a view.
Restaurants and Bars
The resort has three restaurants, the Mediterraneo, the La Palapa and the Blue Grill&Bar.
The Mediterraneo
The main restaurant is an elegant, Mediterranean restaurant with a bit of a dress code – “resort elegant” is what they call it. Don’t go there in shorts, but white linen trousers and a light blue shirt will perfectly blend in. You are either inside in the main building, or outside overlooking the main pool. Don’t expect a sea view, we’re not close to the beach here – about a 7-minute ride away with the golf carts. If you want dinner with a view, go to the La Palapa restaurant or the Blue Grill&Bar right at the beach club.
At the Mediterraneo they are known for their Lobster variations (caramelized Lobster medallions), but also for lamb and veal dishes. The lobster goes for 62 USD, the pasta for 36 USD (incl. taxes and charges). The food is delicious, but be prepared, the portions are small – you’ll need at least two or three courses.
Rack of lamb, with artichokes, broccoli, potatoes and tomato confit. Fine cuisine, beautifully arranged, but rather small portions.
La Palapa
The La Palapa restaurant is right at the beach, next to the beautiful Eden Roc Beach Club. It’s a fish restaurant with a decent pasta menu and beautiful views. Not as elegant as the Mediterraneo, however with a much bigger menu. They also offer typical bar snacks like hamburgers, Cesar salad, or chips with guacamole (for 15,50 USD).
Try the delicious Red Tuna tartar with avocado and mango, marinated in coconut milk, and make sure to try their grilled fish and seafood platter at least once: Their signature dish is not a steal for 117 dollars, but a tour of the finest fishes of the region with Lobster, prawns, octopus and their catch of the day.
Blue Grill&Bar
The Blue Grill&Bar is a Japanese restaurant more or less, although a crossover between Japanese and Peruvian cuisine – in the dinner menu the Peruvian influence is rather small though.
On the terrace they serve snacks, pizza and club sandwiches.
The Blue Grill&Bar is the most beautiful spot to have dinner in the resort for me.
The Blue Grill&Bar, the resort’s prettiest spot. Right at the Beach Club, with a view over the pool to the palms, and the sea. Informal terrace menu, Japanese-Peruvian dinner menu.
And before you start your dinner, have a glass of the outstanding Foss Marai prosecco as an apéritif in their beautiful terrace lounge, with the best view you can imagine.
Tip: Try to get a table outside on the terrace, it’s much prettier than the interior part. And usually, it’s warm enough in the evenings.
The terrace Lounge of the Blue Grill&Bar is the perfect place for an apéritif before your dinner.
La Cava
If you’re a wine fan, you won’t miss a thing here. Their wine cellar „La Cava houses“ has the biggest wine collection in the whole Dominican Republic. You can have dinner and wine tastings here with groups up to 6 – there is only one table – in a charming brickstone-roofed room.
La Cava – the wine cellar: One room, one exquisite table, so many wines. Wine and dine on the highest level, but make sure to reserve the table in time.
Riva Bar and Lounge
The Riva Bar is an elegant after-dinner piano bar in the nautic design, inspired by the Riva Aquamaran boat “that was the symbol of glamour in 1960s Monte Carlo”, as the hotel states. The design is a homage to the Côte d’Azur, the cocktail menu is a mere pleasure with quite a few own creations.
The Riva Bar, an elegant piano bar in the Côte d’Azur style, offers cocktail classics and own creations.
Pools and Gardens
There is one pool right at the main building, not too big, but nice and quiet. This beautifully arranged pool area looks like a little fairytale garden at the French Riviera and is located right next to the Mediterraneo restaurant and its breakfast terrace.
Completely calm during daytime, this is a perfect spot to relax.
The main pool, next to the main building, and the breakfast terrace of the Mediterranean restaurant.
The big pool at the beach club is the main attraction of the resort. This is one of the most beautiful pool areas in the world: The sea behind the palms behind the big light blue pool. A postcard and you will think it’s photoshopped as long as you haven’t seen it in nature.
Sunbeds, cabanas, or the soft, white sand: When you want to relax on the beach, you have plenty of places to chose from.
A picture book pool: The big pool at the beach club is the main attraction of the resort.
The pool at the beach club: I can tell you, it feels like swimming in a postcard. So beautiful, it’s almost unreal.
Spa and Fitness
The spa and the gym are in a little village of cabanas, each for a different treatment. They try to combine native healing philosophies and contemporary technologies here, and at least the views from the treatment tables will relax you from minute one.
The Solaya Spa: The view is relaxing enough. The little “village” of spa pavillons creates a relaxing atmosphere.
Even the gym has a nice view: Modern equipment with a postcard view.
Golf
Within a 5 minutes golf cart ride you reach the Jack Nicklaus signature golf course.
This 18-hole par-72 championship course right at the opceanfront is, according to Golfweek magazine, the best golf course in the Carribean and Mexico.
The beauty of golf: The Jack Nicklaus signature golf course was named the best in the Caribbean and Mexico.