​I was excited to stay at Excellence El Carmen in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic because I had heard mixed reviews and wanted to experience it for myself as a guest. Upon arrival I was warmly greeted by the bellman and offered a cool cloth and a glass of champagne. That is how you start a vacation! Next, I was escorted to the check-in area where I was again warmly greeted. My room was not ready but I was offered several options for waiting until it was ready. Just to give you some background this is the second property in Punta Cana with the first one being Excellence Punta Cana. Excellence resorts are known for their service and attention to their guests. This resort has a beautiful lobby and modern décor throughout the property. It is one of the few properties that I know of where ever room has a Jacuzzi (regardless of room type or location). The property is quite spread out and this may be a con to some because it does require more walking however I enjoyed the layout because it made it feel less crowded although their occupancy rate was high. I also like that the resort has numerous pool options and each of the swim-up areas are also open to all guests which I think is pretty cool. The restaurant had a plethora of dining options. You and your palette could never get bored with all of the restaurants that they have. Additionally, they have a ton of bars. You never have to walk far to get to a bar as they are strategically placed throughout the resort. The rooms are very spacious and as mentioned they all feature a Jacuzzi along with a nice bed for you to layout on your balcony/terrace on. For the ultra luxury travelers the resort also has two story rooms that have plunge pools. If you like to ‘do it big’ this place is for you! The beach has lots of options for you to lounge and there are also lots of chars around the pool. This is not really a place where you have to wake up early to reserve your spot. There is a place for everyone! Overall my take on Excellence El Carmen is that the Excellence brand has continued to strive for luxury with this property and I would feel confident in recommending it to luxury clients. If you would like more information on this property please feel free to contact us at info@sodynamite.com!

​I had the pleasure of staying as a guest at Iberostar Bavaro Suites in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Let me start out by saying this resort is one of four total resorts that are situated on the property. The other three properties are Iberostar Dominicana, Iberostar Punta Cana, and Iberostar Grand (adult-only). I decided to stay at Bavaro Suites because I felt that it was the middle of the road for all of the properties there. Upon arrival I was surprised that I wasn’t normally greeted by a bellman as I am used to. However, I continued to the check-in desk where I was warmly greeted. The property is very huge so a bellman escorted me to my room by golf cart. I was assigned a Jr. Suite Oceanfront Room which had a magnificent view of Bavaro Beach. I must say it is one of the best views that I’ve had in a while. The room while older was very clean and spacious. It came complete with a large L shaped sectional sofa. While at Bavaro Suites I was able to try out several restaurants. I was disappointed that this is a property where you do have to make reservations (this is why I enjoy luxury properties) but I of course followed the rules. The food was average maybe 3 stars in my opinion. I also found the service to be hit or miss. Some staff members were very friendly and others barely spoke. I think this may be because some of the staff did not speak very much English. I think the biggest advantage of this property is the size. Because it is so big you have access to a large fitness center with lots of classes, lots of activity options for the kids, and many restaurants (if you are at Bavaro Suites or Grand). All in all I will say that my visit was not terrible but I am not confident that it would be at the top of my list to recommend. If you would like more information on this property please feel free to contact us at info@sodynamite.com