What you need to know before booking your stay at Royalton CHIC Punta Cana

Royalton Chic Punta Cana is an adults-only, all-inclusive resort that was introduced to the Marriott portfolio in January. Part of the brand’s Autograph Collection, Royalton Chic is one of five all-inclusive Marriott hotels in the Dominican Republic. So what sets this hotel apart?

From the pink neon lights to the frozen margaritas on tap, this adults-only resort draws a socialite crowd. Here are seven things to know about Royalton Chic Punta Cana.

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Fee

Expect to pay between $238 and $368 per night for a double room at this Autograph Collection outpost, and this all-inclusive package includes all meals and drinks, plus select resort activities. Royalton Chic Punta Cana is neither a budget resort nor an ultra-luxurious establishment, but rather in the mid-range.

If you want to use Marriott Bonvoy points, you’ll need to pay between 60,000 and 70,000 points per night.

While selecting other amenities can improve your experience, you can still enjoy your stay here even without selecting the extra perks. For example, private cabana rentals are available, but there are plenty of free loungers by the pool. Additionally, there was only one “fine” restaurant that cost extra, but it seems like not many guests make dinner reservations there.

Related: Zero-Cost Vacations: 100+ All-Inclusive Resorts You Can Book with Points

Strong Points

There was ample seating at the pool and beach. The all-day buffet was fantastic with a wide selection of tasty Dominican snacks. All hotel facilities were sparkling clean, a pleasant surprise considering the high foot traffic. The 400-foot-wide beach was the perfect place to unwind from the resort’s party scene.

Cons

Dozens of beach vendors barged in on guests throughout the day, ruining the overall experience at the beach. Staff tried to convince me to pay extra throughout my stay, which ended up becoming quite annoying. All of the sit-down restaurants were disappointing at best, serving bland food that lacked fresh ingredients. My room was small and the bathroom could do with a refresh. As an Asian American woman, I felt very uncomfortable when multiple employees asked about my ethnicity.

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Atmosphere: Party Scene

Royalton Chic Punta Cana is a spring break haven for adults, and its bustling swim-up bar is a popular gathering place for everyone from millennials to retirees.

Resort staff wearing “Vibe Team” polo shirts controlled the music throughout the property and chatted with guests. The music was mostly techno tunes with indecipherable lyrics, but we also heard some electronic dance music classics like “The Business” by Tiesto and 2000s tunes like “Wobble” by VIC during our stay.

Alcoholic drinks were readily available at most any time of the day, with the bar in the main pavilion opening at 9am every day. The breakfast buffet also had its own bar serving a range of morning beverages, and the café offered alcoholic coffee drinks.

The resort also has a casino and a bar with a stripper pole, but there were very few people there when I was there.

Most guests spent their evenings in the lively main bar, where entertainment and disco parties were held every night.

room

Naturally, the hotel’s nightclub vibe was carried over into the rooms, where, rather than a traditional key card, guests were given a waterproof bracelet to gain entry.

Upon walking in, our eyes were immediately drawn to the neon pink light shining from under the bed, but the bold color wasn’t overwhelming as it was balanced with a neutral color scheme, including contemporary furniture and décor, and modern yet beachy pendant lights. The king-size platform bed was comfortable, but took up most of the room, making the space feel smaller.

The artwork was… questionable and the resort felt more designed for couples, but we did enjoy the complimentary welcome bottle of champagne on the table next to one of the main artworks. It was the perfect start to our Caribbean vacation.

One of the highlights was the balcony from my room, which came equipped with two chairs and a drying rack for hanging out wet swimsuits. While I appreciated having direct access to fresh air in standard accommodations, my room was on the first floor, which was less than ideal. If you’re looking for privacy, request a room on a higher floor so you don’t have a front row seat to guests and staff passing by your room.

Another nice amenity was the mini fridge stocked with complimentary drinks, and I especially liked the selection of Dominican beers and canned sodas available.

The hallway leading to the bathroom contained a small closet for storing belongings, as well as two black robes made from a fabric similar to silk. There was also an umbrella and a safe.

The bathroom was stocked with fluffy white towels, a few complimentary bottles of water, and some Royalton-branded toiletries. It had everything we needed, but the space was a bit disappointing, lacking the modern, bright design of the bedroom. The polka-dot door clashed with a complicated mix of tiles, and the layout of the shower and toilet (which were in separate, enclosed areas within the bathroom) made the space feel cramped.

Overall, the room was nice but forgettable. The complimentary champagne and stocked mini fridge were nice, but the quirky decor style made the room feel dated and unappealing. The room was no different to any other hotel I’ve visited and I’m sure you could easily find one in any old Caribbean resort.

Food & Drink

Royalton Chic Punta Cana has six restaurants, all but one of which are included in the hotel’s all-inclusive rates, and no advance reservations are required to visit any of them.

Of all the dining options on site, the only one that impressed me was the buffet.

Buffets have a bad reputation for prioritizing quantity over quality, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Royalton Chic buffet offered some of the most delicious food available in the restaurant, with at least 10 varieties of tropical fruit, Dominican specialties (boiled fish, tacos, etc.), and artistically designed desserts always on offer.

Of course, not everything was amazing (I preferred the breakfast and lunch options to the food served at dinner), but overall I was impressed with the selection and quality of the buffet.

However, the a la carte restaurant serving “international cuisine” left much to be desired.

The sushi restaurant was the most disappointing: the fish was a dodgy color and clearly not fresh, and the ceviche was a unclear type of fish (the resort simply called it “catch of the day”) and came with a disappointing side of canned corn and romaine lettuce.

The Italian restaurant, while better than the sushi restaurant, didn’t impress us much either. Although we were served a bland Caprese salad and mushy fried calamari, the tuna steak was served with a tasty balsamic vinaigrette, which saved some of the flavor of the meal.

We also tried Munchies, a poolside restaurant that serves a variety of American classics, and although the food was on the greasy side, it was satisfying for a quick lunch.

While the food was a bit different than I was expecting, the drinks at Royalton Chic Punta Cana were amazing. Whether I wanted a morning mimosa or a mojito by the pool, I could order it knowing I was going to get a delicious drink.

While at the swim-up bar (the busiest bar in the resort), I decided to order a strawberry daiquiri, and it only took 4 minutes for one of the 6 bartenders to take my order and another minute to receive my drink.

Overall, I liked this cold drink. It was cold, sweet, and didn’t taste like syrupy. Plus, it had just the right amount of Bacardi rum, so you could really taste the booze. The lime garnish was nice, too.

Activities

There’s nothing more frustrating than going to a resort only to have to strategize how to secure a beach chair and umbrella because it’s too crowded. Luckily, I didn’t encounter this sticky situation at the Royalton Chic Punta Cana. Chaise lounges and daybeds with umbrellas were always available, regardless of the time of day.

The property’s all-inclusive rate apparently includes non-motorized water sports (such as snorkeling and kayaking), but we weren’t able to try these activities because the huts were boarded up due to the inclement weather.

When the weather permitted, guests could be seen taking part in free activities like tennis, basketball and group workout classes.

For an additional fee of about $50 per night, you can also join the Diamond Club, which gives you access to a personal butler, a private beach area, a mermaid pool lounge, and more, but I declined the upgrade in order to get an average resort experience.

recommendation

Royalton Chic Punta Cana is definitely an adult party resort, attracting people looking to socialize, so there will be music blaring by the pool all day long and it’s not the place to come for tranquility.

Given the poor quality of the food and the small rooms, I would rather book a cheaper non-all-inclusive hotel and try a local Dominican restaurant to get a more authentic feel of the area. That said, if you want an all-inclusive experience in Punta Cana with late-night fun, the Royalton Chic is an option worth considering.