If you have stayed in an Excellence resort before you know that the amenities on offer are always top class. Excellence calls it casual elegance.. What to Pack for an All-Inclusive Vacation (Plus Free Printable! Re: Club vs non-Club at Excellence El Carmen, Get answers to your questions about Punta Cana, Check-list - Canadian travel to the DR-PC - UPDATED, Explanation Of The Bahia Resorts in Punta Cana -Revised, Luxury & Grand Bahia Principe Room & A La Carte Email Requests Updated, Resort (Brands) COVID Policies -Quarantine, Testing, Etc - As of March 1, 2022, How do I fill out the new DR E-Forms for Immigration and Customs? There are many options: We never had an issue with the water, from bottled, ice, restaurant water, or brushing our teeth. Ive talked to quite a few people during our time here about that experience. Opting to eat healthier during your stay? You always have the option for room service if you want to just veg out at night, too! Excellence El Carmen: Perfection!! The room service here at the Excellence El Carmen is really good. We are going to EEC to celebrate our anniversary in mid September. It is the perfect spot for a refreshing dip in a really cool location. There is a daily room keeping as well as turndown service which is always nice to come back to: slippers by the bed, sheets drawn back, beside lights on, bottles of water on the nightstands, and flower petals or towels done up in some cute display. NEW riu palace bavaro ----opening when?????? Request this at your time of booking and bring proof its your honeymoon or anniversary (like a copy of your marriage certificate). This is $699 USD, or complimentary with 6 nights or more in any Excellence Club room category! Feel free to custom make your own! Members of the WorthEPenny community love shopping at Excellence Resorts. Our two favorite spots were the Martini bar which is the main lobby bar and the X Lounge. Our all-adult, all-suite world is situated on a beautiful Caribbean beach in a palm grove on the east coast of the Dominican Republic. Flavour Market is ideal for those who want to try a bit of everything without filling up too much on one thing! There are entirely separate menus for that. These cookies do not store any personal information. by Adrian updated July 31, 2021, 2:41 pm. All food, snacks, room service, fully stocked mini-bar drinks, and a variety of classes and amenities are included in the package. So, to avoid disappointment, arrive early, and maybe grab a drink and enjoy the views while youre waiting! Excellence El Carmen is a quick 25 minute car ride or 40 minute bus ride from Punta Cana International Airport or 70 minutes from La Romana International Airport. The menu has your typical bar food favorites such as nachos, burgers, and Pizzas. Many rooms at the Excellence Resort El Carmen feature direct access to a pool, private or shared with other guests in the same room category. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". I love the outdoor seating and the decor here. We also saw one of the wedding parties using the X-lounge for after the reception. To tribute acts and musical entertainment. Many of you have asked: there is no waiter service at these rooms but you have an entire minibar in your room and a minifridge which you can request to have stocked with what you like, or you can order room service for some sparkling wine if thats your thing, or even toddle over one of the many bars for some cocktails to bring back. There is a newly-placed birm out in the ocean to prevent the seaweed from coming ashore, but there was still a ton of it on the beach. Youll also get a 15% discount on photo and spa packages! They have it all from the top-shelf liquor options to local beers and spirits. Junior Suites can sleep up to three people, but the rest of the room types are for a maximum of two guests. For Excellence Club guests, you have the option to dine at Magna. We highly recommend the Irish coffee they serve for a great morning wakeup and hey, your own holidays, what better way to start the day than with alcohol and caffeine. Located in the Uvero Alto area of the Dominican Republic. In Search of Sarah is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The beach is public which means vendors can have full access to guests, wherever theyre sitting on the beach, to ask them to buy what theyre selling. Excellence El Carmen suites are some of the most attractive that we've seen in the Punta Cana region. The seafood, in particular, was spectacular. There are bars dotted all throughout the resort. We accosted the minibar guy one day to give us kitkats, so just so you know, there is also chocolate! You also have an ice bucket, and the ice machines are located on every floor of every room block for easy filling. - Read 9,463 reviews, view 11,732 photos, and find great deals for Excellence El Carmen at Tripadvisor These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Sorry such a technical question and really appreciate your in depth review of the place. They do have a dress code for the Grill but we saw many people in cover ups and flip flops. I recommend a one-piece for this, ladies! It is so relaxing. Spice also has a fun option for groups and for a live cooking show: the Hibachi! We hit up this spot every single day. The property's secluded beach is one of Punta Canas best. In addition to receiving a welcome letter, fruit, and a bottle of sparkling wine upon arrival, you will also receive a special turndown service, champagne breakfast in bed and a romantic dinner at one of the restaurants. Its a little cubby that can be accessed by room service staff from the outside to retrieve your dishes. The only restaurant that requires a reservation is Spice, which has limited seating at its teppanyaki counters. We actually skipped lunch this day just so we could fill up. My mom had the pork ribs with sweet potato mash and the meat was so tender. We visited these during our other Excellence trips and loved them. However, the dress code is one of the reasons why we love Excellence. The vibrant colors of the Caribbean are the inspiration behind the dcor at both resorts. The club rooms do have a better coffee maker, little cakes delivered every night which were a nice touch, also fruit delivery every day, which we didn't eat and a daily US newspaper - not much use for us as we're British. They do have nets as of the beginning of this month! The question of club vs. non-club is asked all the time on the forums. There is a drinks service on the beach which makes spending a day sunning yourself so much more enjoyable. If you love Indian food, Basmati is a fun option to try. Chez Isabelle is a quiet restaurant to visit for a romantic meal and the decor is beautiful. The vanity has a double sink and there are numerous towels, hand towels, and facecloths, along with a hairdryer. As for swimming pools, Excellence Punta Canas main pool is bigger, but Excellence El Carmen has more rooms with swim-up access or private pools. There are plenty of plugs throughout the room, including two USB ports for charging on either side of your bed. During our first night, we visited Agave, which is always my go-to! Club is the icing on the cake as they look after all guests extremely well, However, the EC package at EEC has the most to offer of all the other Excellence Resorts as you have multiple EC pools, bars and even a restaurants. There were tons of loungers and palapas available, with great poolside service. and loved it. Our Best All-Inclusive Resorts In Puerto Vallarta for Food, Our Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Los Cabos for Food. All Adults - At Excellence El Carmen you are secluded but not isolated. The EC beach is similar to the non EC but you get the loungers made up for you & concierges to look after you. We have celebrated our past 5 anniversaries at Excellence Group resorts (Excellence Riviera Cancun and The Finest). ), but some of my favourites were the Circus Show, Michael Jackson, Queen, and the fire show (do not miss that!). Huge walk-in closets are fully shelved and big enough to unpack a steamer trunk with room to spare. Help choosing a resort for my 80 year old aunt. HELP - Secrets Royal Beach or Secrets Cap Cana - price/room. You want for nothing and youre pampered as soon as youre handed a glass of champagne and walk through those big wooden doors that open to the main lobby, where the spa-like zen instantly soothes you. Bvlgari toiletries. Overall the food here was a pretty good standard for an all-inclusive. Excellence El Carmen, Uvero Alto: "Between the excellence punta Cana and the." | Check out answers, plus 8,668 reviews and 12,158 candid photos Ranked #3 of 9 hotels in Uvero Alto and rated 4.5 of 5 at Tripadvisor. The park has a number of sinkholes and caves that can be explored. There are a few tasty options here, like the Dominican patty (filled with beef, raisins and egg, and sooo good! One of the best elements of the Excellence chain of resorts is their extensive drinks selection. The service here is really top-notch and the wages in the Dominican Republic for these roles are not high, so these tips can go a long way. Once inside, it's all about sharp neutral decor, tranquil vibes, and breezy ocean views. The bar service is also better on the EC part of the beach. Hi Taylor! The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. For those who wish to explore down the beach, Tropical Treasures also has great beach side massages and souvenirs. You can also get this type of room without Excellence Club. We did ours at 9:00 am and we had to nap after because it made us tired haha! If youre like me, I love knowing what dinner options are available before I go to a resort. Magna has the best coffee at the resort French press and we loved that our server wheeled out a bread card and cut it for us. Others have said all I have is $5 and they take it. Its 492 modern suites have elegant interiors plus high-end features like free bottles of liquor and double jetted tubs overlooking private balconies. We like the Beachfront Honeymoon rooms & these are all EC. There is also Las Olas a beautiful setting on the beach to grab a drink and enjoy the ocean breeze and views. . We have to give a shout-out to Felix the bartender here. There are lots of antipasto dishes at Oregano, along with risottos, custom pasta dishes, and pizzas to satisfy your carb craving. Serving up all of the traditional dishes there are the classics and some dishes that you probably have never heard of before. Each restaurant has numerous options for lighter fare. Excellence El Carmen: Excellence Club WORTH IT - See 7,882 traveller reviews, 10,176 candid photos, and great deals for Uvero Alto, Dominican Republic, at Tripadvisor. This bar is also a great place to go after dinner. but then drinks happened and we ended up just lazing by the pool. Find it on the Apple Store or Google Play! They do advise that you ring before your trip to check availability. Once the info sheet is delivered try and book the treatment for the next day to grab a bargain. There are many options: silicone straws, metal straws (which keep your drinks cold) or paper straws. Everyone greeted us with an Hola and a smile and you felt welcomed. The building that we were in had faced the sun in the late afternoon, so the swim-up suite wasnt too much use. Basmati is one restaurant Im sad to have missed on this trip! We really got the feeling of 5-Star luxury once we walked in. Its basically like a little bit of all of the restaurants on the resort in one. It was one of my favourite dinner places and had multiple dishes I wanted to try and had excellent service. It showed which restaurants were open the following day, which activities were scheduled throughout the day, and what the evening entertainment was. Does Excellence El Carmen have a club? Sunny yellows, lush flora greens, and ocean blues set the scene for a transfixing mix of island charm and elegance. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The Dominican Republics minimum wage is the equivalent to $154 USD a month! I dont know what it was about that cheese but I fell in love with it and cant stop eating it. - See 9 464 traveller reviews, 11,732 candid photos, and great deals for Excellence El Carmen at Tripadvisor. By this point we were both needing a break from the steak, so we ordered the salmon and the scallops, which were tasty and surprisingly filling. ago Excellence Club is a nice-to-have but no must-have. It really is a top option for an all-inclusive. The food was top quality and the atmosphere was great. Excellence El Carmen is a large, and fairly new (2016) all-inclusive resort with a modern and tropical vibe. Excellence Club provides additional benefits, but is it really worth it? We had just as much fun watching everyone as those who participated in it. The food here was very good. They're big and breezy, with marble floors, walls paneled in hardwood and neutral fabrics, and glass-enclosed whirlpools for two that overlook private balconies (most with some sort of ocean view). For anniversaries, you can receive this package up to 7 days before and 7 days after your anniversary, giving you lots of flexibility! What is the entertainment/music like during the day at the pool?! Although a lot of travel websites and places that you book will say that tips are included in your all-inclusive price, we highly recommend that you bring cash with you to tip the staff in person. I understand that spa services and tipping are not, but are all the restaurants, drinks and room service included? Now, that is what their website states, but we saw many people in flip flops and tank tops, so Im not sure how much the dress code is enforced. This is what I normally tip but remember, this is completely discretionary! Excellence El Carmen, Uvero Alto: "How much is the excellence club upgrade" | Check out 5 answers, plus 8 660 reviews and 12 158 candid photos Ranked #3 of 7 hotels in Uvero Alto and rated 4.5 of 5 at Tripadvisor. We nearly missed it and it was our favourite lunch! . You can break large bills at the front desk for ones if youre running low. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. We did two excursions when we visited. I would still go. Were not whiskey drinkers, but we do love tequila. Its open from 6:00 pm 11:30 pm, giving you the fuel you need to keep on going! Tons of free activities like pool games, Mamajuana making, and evening shows. Your email address will not be published. I will second Thomasgran for all of the reasons he stated. There are 23 pools and 9 jacuzzis at Excellence El Carmen seriously! Theyre easy to pack and inexpensive and so worth having! The expansive property seems large but its very walkable and manageable (as well as accessible). Excellence El Carmen Punta Cana is located along a gorgeous sandy beach in Uvero Alto, a quiet beach area that's a far cry from the more touristy beach zones. THE ROOMS. The spa at Excellence El Carmen was a bit different (for me) since it was located off the main lobby and not in a separate building, like at Excellence Playa Mujeres or Riviera Maya. Make your vacation a little more special with this upgrade and receive upgraded amenities and more! It was never rowdy, and is quite peaceful here and we enjoyed the central location to everything we wanted. My husband and I did Excellence Playa Mujeres last year. We love the whole adults only thing and the dining options that the Excellence offer hence why we feel that nothing else compares and why we have booked to stay at EEC. Do not miss the Grill for lunch! Plan your next vacation using these tools! Book flights: SkyScanner Book hotels: Booking.com Book car rentals: RentalCars.comBook tours: GetYourGuide Local food experiences: EatWithFavourite travel item: Packing cubesFavourite travel bag: Osprey 40L Fairview ESims: Airalo DIY Travel Medical Kit 20 Cheap Travel Items Under $20. It was pure heaven. You can view your cuts of meat if youre unsure of what you want to order. Who has had experience with the Excellence Club at (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? We heard from a few of our fellow guests that if you ask very nicely that you can potentially order some of the dishes from the restaurants to be delivered to your room. Yes, even though you didnt consent to it. As Excellence Club guests, we were given a free hydrotherapy session to use during our stay, which is always a must for me to experience! Insight/Feedback on Monkeyland and Other Animal Attractions? Room service is another great option for lunch, just keep in mind it takes about 45 minutes to arrive. I ordered a rib-eye steak and to be honest there was way too much fat compared to the ribeyes I usually eat. The main pool is close to Las Olas for a bite to eat or you could head over to Oregano or Lobster House for lunch! I realize this may be a dumb questions-but I have never done all inclusive and after a lot of research, it seems that sometimes all inclusive isnt really all inclusive and actually has a lot of extra hidden fees. It makes a great all-inclusive resort option for those wanting luxury and comfort. What is VIP Service? You can easily miss it if you arent located at that side of the resort, but there is a gorgeous pond with all kinds of waterfowl and flamingos! Just another site is excellence club worth it el carmen The EC toiletries are Bvlgari & lovely but not really important to us. The Lobster House is what I imagine to be the best spot for a breakfast choice. Thank you for supporting my blog! This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. I gave up asking in the end! Read a full Excellence Punta Cana vs Excellence El Carmen face-off, here. The perfect spot to sink a few beers and watch some sports. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Just dont go with a wet bathing suit! I would recommend the hydrotherapy, plus you may even be given an additional spa discount for another service after. I worry about hidden fees- is EVERYTHING Included in all inclusive? A private lounge, pool, beach, and restaurant are available exclusively for Excellence Club guests, while luxe, in-suite offerings such as private check-in, daily in-suite fresh fruits and petit fours, in-suite sparkling wine and fresh flowers, and complimentary shoe shine . This was super convenient, as we could plan out our day for when our room was being cleaned. For a more classic Caribbean beachfront all-inclusive with similar amenities, rates are comparable at the nearby sister resort,Excellence Punta Cana. Stop by the Food Shark food truck, right at the theatre for tacos, burgers, hot dogs, fries and more! You will be treated the same, eat the same, and have largely the same drinks. As soon as you enter the resort you really are put at ease. This is an adults-only resort, if youre looking for a quality resort that is on the same level as the Excellence El Carmen, but you can bring the kids then we suggest checking out the Finest Playa Mujeres which is a sister hotel to the Excellence.