I have a confession to make: I have hated all-inclusive resorts for 26 years of my life. Hotels full of large families and honeymooning couples just didn’t feel like a vacation to me. Sorry.
Sure, it sounds nice to have no hassle with planning and get charged for drinking copious amounts of piña coladas by the hotel pool, but I’m not that kind of traveler…at least, that’s what I thought. My perspective on all-inclusives completely changed in November when I visited Finest Punta Cana, a stunning resort 50 minutes from Punta Cana airport in the Dominican Republic. Now I know that some all-inclusives are worth the trip, and I’m officially a changed woman. Here’s why.
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Quick Hits: The Best of Punta Cana Edition
Name: Finest Punta Cana Location: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Price per night: From $518 Best for: A romantic getaway or a getaway for the whole family Places to visit during your stay: By the water (preferably a catamaran tour with snorkeling) Vibe in one word: Relaxing Most iconic photo spot: The hot tub on the terrace (or the private pool) Must-do: Try a hydrotherapy circuit at the spa
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First impressions
True story. I had a panic attack at Punta Cana airport after a hectic day of travel and cried on the way to the hotel. But all my worries vanished as I was ushered to a private check-in desk in the Excellence Club (the adults-only area of the resort) and finally everything started to run smoothly. While I was checked in and given an orientation to the facilities, my luggage was carried to my room without me having to lift a finger. Oh, and I was even handed a complimentary glass of champagne. What a great start!!!
Rooms
The Finest Suite rooms are huge, I will say that. But first, let me tell you about the resort’s facilities. There are three sections you can stay in: Finest Suites (for adults and children), Finest Club (for adults and children with additional amenities like premium alcohol, exclusive restaurants, and access to the Excellence Club area), and Excellence Club (which has access to all the amenities of the Finest Club, but for adults only).
I stayed in the Excellence Club Suite, which had a spacious living room, a super comfortable king size bed, a huge bathroom with great lighting for getting ready, and a dream walk-in closet. But the best part was having a private Jacuzzi on the balcony overlooking the pool. It was amazing.
Amenities
Finest’s One Spa is on another level (as a beauty editor, I go to spas for a living, get it?). With my Excellence Club membership, I was able to get an aqua hydrotherapy, a unique spa day experience that includes a steam room and sauna, ice exfoliation, body mask, cold plunge, and water massage. I came out feeling super refreshed. Oh, and if you’re more health-conscious, the gym across from the spa is clean and has everything: treadmills, weights, and machines overlooking the beach.
Make sure you book your hydrotherapy appointment, you won’t regret it.
The Excellence Club pool where I spent a lot of time.
Food and Beverage
I had some great food at Finest. There are 13 restaurants and two food trucks on-site (one of which served up the tastiest chicken quesadillas in the middle of a busy day sipping Tecate at the swim-up bar). Restaurant atmospheres range from hibachi at Shoji to Italian at Insieme Trattoria to steaks at Brass Steakhouse to seafood at Duke’s. My favorite, though, is definitely the adults-only Dommo. The cordon bleu was an unexpected hit, and everyone at my table said they wished they’d ordered it because my food looked tender and delicious.
Outside Taboo, conveniently located directly opposite the Excellence Club Lounge. 😇
Not the most foodie photography technique, but look at her! She’s amazing!
If you’re single and want to socialize (or just want a place to hang out with a group), I highly recommend the Excellence Club Lounge. I had the most decadent spicy margarita of my life here. I happened to bump into a group of Canadian travelers on the first night, and enjoyed a nightcap in the Taboo Lounge afterwards. I’m not saying there was romance on our vacation, but I’m not saying there wasn’t…
Conclusion
One of the few hotels in the area with both adult-only and kid-only areas, Finest Punta Cana is an entirely unique spot that makes vacationing with a large group feel easy, even if it’s your first time. The hardest decision for me each day was deciding where to eat, which treatment to get at One Spa, and which pool to dip in between chapters of my book. Woe to me! Like I said before, I normally hate all-inclusives, but this has certainly changed my perspective.
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Beth Gillette is the Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, covering skincare, makeup, hair, nails and more for both digital and print. She can usually be found smeared with bright eyeshadow, frantically typing away on her latest feature story or hesitating about a new product she “can’t wait to try.” Prior to Cosmopolitan, she was the editor of Everygirl for four years, writing and editing beauty content. Follow her on Instagram, where she shares a make-up selfie or a new hairstyle every few months.
