Welcome To The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Resort in Punta Cana

What do you look for when you are planning that perfect family vacation?  A unique resort to keep the kids happy, a quiet place to read a book, somewhere with some action, plenty of food options, nightly entertainment, activities galore, warm pools, and a beach….a glorious beach.  We found this and so much more at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Resort in Punta Cana.

Located on the pristine white sands of Macao Beach in the Dominican Republic is the Hard Rock Hotel Punta Cana.  This 1775 room resort offers gourmet dining, an 18-hole Nicklaus designed golf course, 13 gorgeous pools (some with swim-up bars and one with a spiral waterslide), 9 restaurants, 24 hour room service and a spa.

A tour of the suites:

The lux accommodations are contemporary and spacious.  From the moment you enter your suite you will be awe struck by the decadent surroundings and attention to detail.  The well laid out rooms boast private balconies, comfy beds, Hydro Spa Tubs, flat screen TV’s, plush bathrobes and slippers.  In your suite you will also find yourself feeling a little spoiled with:

• a fully stocked mini-bar including cans of pop, beer and bottles of water
• liquor dispensers with top-shelf liquors
• twice daily maid service.
• free calls to Canada and the U.S. from your room
• For this stay we had the opportunity to stay in the Presidential Suite.  We truly felt like rock stars in this ridiculously large suite.  Two bedrooms (Bedroom one had 1 King. Bedroom two had 2 Doubles)
• Three Bathrooms.
• A Family Room.
• Kitchenette.
• Dining Area
• One of the biggest balconies I’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying while at a hotel.

Oh my word, the suite was decadent.  We had room to spread out and no one ever had to wait for a washroom!  It was ideally located smack between the main gallery area and the pool/beach, so we could walk anywhere with ease. If I had to sum up our hotel suite experience in one word it would quiet simply be….perfection.

Insider Tip:  This suite really was over the top.  We had a peek at the at Caribbean Suites, and although not as lux or spacious, if you were to get 2 adjoining rooms you would have plenty of room for a family of four.

Restaurants and Eats:

 

 

When staying at the Hard Rock Punta Cana you will never, not ever, be hungry.  There are a dizzying array of food and restaurant choices and most certainly something to please every palate.  Usually when I go away on vacations I lose a pound or two.  I came home heavier after this trip!  Here’s a quick taste of everything on offer:

Must: A coffee and snack bar brewing up cappuccinos, lattes, coffee and all manner of pastries.  We ate there every day.  Okay, sometimes multiple times per day.  Coffee and a muffin at 10pm?  Why not?  We’re on vacation!

Bistro Med: Our first stop when we arrived was the Bistro Med, a happy accident.  A quick service style restaurant in the main gallery of the hotel.  Don’t miss the hot sandwiches at this Mediterranean and Lebanese fusion bistro.

Ciao: Italian and our hands down favourite at the resort.  A creative menu but also serving up familiar family favourites.  Insider Tip: This one was our fave for breakfast.  A buffet but much quieter than the bigger Market restaurant.

Ipanema: The Brazilian restaurant that is as much experience as it is restaurant.  Make dinner reservations for this one!

Isla: The specialty here is fresh Caribbean cuisine and like the rest, it’s all included.

Los Gallos: Mexican Cuisine with a bright twist.  Tequila lovers will rejoice as they are visited multiple times throughout their meal by the roaming tequila cart.  Insider Tip:  This restaurant is LOUD.

The Market: Buffet style for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Perfect for when you are in a hurry and just want a quick bite.  Breakfast here is fantastic and you can’t go wrong with a mimosa bar.

Toro: Very close to the kids pool, offering both indoor and outdoor seating. Great for the buffet at lunch and a beautiful steakhouse in the evening.  Reservations strongly recommended.

Zen: Reservations required for this Teppanyaki style eatery specializing in Chinese and Japanese dishes.  The food is great but the show is the real star.  Insider Tip:  We made reservations here but even with reservations we had a wait of 30 minutes.  This restaurant seems to be just that popular.

Ice Cone:  You get and ice cream, and you get an ice cream and you get an ice cream!  Popsicles, Sundaes, and ice-cream cones galore.  This little spot serves up the sweet stuff all day long and it’s divine!

The Pools:

 

As you explore this massive property either by foot or by hitching a ride on the golf cart,  the people mover system that regularly swings by, you will find 13 uniquely different and wonderful pools.  There are loud boisterous pools where you’re welcome to join in an almost constant stream of activities, pools with swim-up pool bars, pools equipped with volleyball nets, an adults only pool, pools with a spectacular kids area including a water slide, and our personal favourite a quiet pool.

So many pools you an try a different one each and every day!

Or if you’re like my girls, hit them all in one glorious afternoon.  It can be done.

The Beach:

The Hard Rock Hotel Punta Cana in located on one of the most beautiful stretches of beach I’ve ever had the pleasure of exploring.  You can meander for miles on the soft white sand in either direction, limited only by your own endurance and the lasting power of your sunscreen.  Insider Tip: If you really feel like treating yourself, rent a cabana for a day.  The Bali bed come with stellar beach service, a stocked cooler (beer, pop and water) as well as dedicated beach chairs and towels in front of your cabana.  We rented one on for our last day and it was the perfect way to top off our trip.  Sublime luxury.

Casino

The Hard Rock Hotel Punta Cana hosts the largest casino on the island. A whopping 45,000-square-foot Casino featuring 40 plus unique tables and more than 450 slots. Try your luck at Blackjack, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Let it Ride, Craps, Roulette or Baccarat.   Hours of entertainment for adults and a very strict no children policy.

Entertainment:

Each and every night there’s a party going on at the Hard Rock Hotel Punta Cana.  Live bands on the terrace play into the wee hours.  There’s an adults only dance club The Oro just waiting for you.  People of all ages will enjoy the big splashy shows featuring such acts as “Michael Jackson” and “Madonna”, a Circus and even a Magic Act.  There’s an Escape Room (extra charge) or grab some popcorn and challenge the family to a game of pool.  

If a quiet night in is more your style, take advantage of the 24 hour room service and watch a movie in your very own room.

The possibilities are endless to do it all or nothing at all.

What We Loved

• The long beach is stunning and walkable.
• There are plenty of chairs available beachside.
• The wifi was fairly consistent and included.
• The pools and bathrooms in the common areas were incredibly well cared for and clean.
• The drinks are strong!  You know, if you like that kind of thing.
• The location in relation to the airport was fantastic, only about 25 minutes.
• The hotel offered 13 pools (2 were for members only) you could easily explore a new pool every day.
• There were more restaurants then you could try in a week.

What You Should Know

• The price point of this hotel is comparable to other 5 Star hotels in the area.
• This hotel is a Hard Rock.  It’s busy and often loud.  There are quiet areas and pools you just have to look for them.
• The staff were not overly warm but were accommodating to requests.
• Pool chairs can be difficult to come by.
• The Hard Rock Hotel does offer accessible rooms for guests. These rooms are available on request.  There are many ramps around the property.
• The hotel is large but well laid out.
• Reservations were required for a large majority of the restaurants.

What I Learned:

• It’s worth splurging and renting a beach cabana for a day.  Champagne on the beach, dedicated servers and shade all day as needed.  Priceless.

As your kids get older it can be harder to manage all their schedules and arrange for that family vacation.  Make the effort, block out the time, book the trip.  Making memories on the beach with the people you love the most as the sun goes down?  Priceless.