Dreams Punta Cana Resort and Spa Rating: 3.5 Pearls

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Parrots

Dreams' grandiose lobby is three stories high, under a palapa-style thatched roof, a fittingly massive entry to this 620-room, all-inclusive mega-resort. It made me feel like a victim of Rick Moranis' nutty science in "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids." The feeling never really disappeared in the massive resort.

Muscular 20-somethings sip cocktails and play water polo, young kids tear through the property, and gingham-clad mothers tidy the beads on their daughters' newly corn-rowed hair. Dreams is a bit younger, and a bit more fit than the other resorts--the gym here is far better than most Dominican all-inclusives.

New Age-y Native American flute music plays in the buffet restaurant, followed by a nice kazoo rendition of "Ain't No Sunshine." Walking through the property, the sound level increases and beats quicken nearer the beach. Akon's "I Wanna Love You" provides a comparatively low-key soundtrack in the pool area. Closer to the beach, though, the entertainment staff plays through a familiar Dominican all-inclusive set of tracks, like ""Who Let the Dogs Out" at top volume.

Privacy and quiet are hard to come by, with rooms opening directly onto the pool and lounge chairs crowded up against one another on the beach and poolside. Some of the super-social guests clearly enjoy mixing in and making fast friends with each other. On the other hand, a considerable number of TripAdvisor reviews complain about the noise, litter, and inconsiderate behavior of other guests.

Beachside drink service

"Welcome home!" the staff exuberantly said while ushering me into the hotel. The service here is top-notch. Broad smiles emanate from staffers and the resort is sufficiently staffed to handle the crowds.

Restaurants have enough servers, hosts, and even a woman who squirted anti-bacterial gel into my hands at the entry. Though I didn't receive the sort of hand-holding VIP service of a luxe boutique like the Agua or Tortuga Bay resorts, I was always able to get what I needed in timely manner.

Check-in was efficient and painless. A glass of cheap champagne met me at the desk, and I was given information about the hotel and directions to my room. The porters brought my luggage to the room soon after I found it, and offered to answer any questions about the room.

I stopped by the front desk on my last morning to ask about scheduling a cab. The staff was happy to oblige my request, and I was impressed when I returned hours later and the same man working the desk remembered my name without having to look up my room number or information.

Likewise, service at the buffet is good, especially considering the number of guests being served. The host quickly manages to find tables for the onslaught of guests, and juice and coffee arrives pronto at breakfast. If I didn't know better, I'd suspect that bussers had near telepathic powers: Guests barely swallowed their last bites as a sly hand reached around their shoulder to gather dirty plates and silverware.

View on a Larger Map

Bavaro is also home to a limited smattering of restaurants and local nightclubs, mostly in and around the town of Friusa, which offers locals and tourists a change of pace from the dominant presence of resorts and poorly maintained roads.

The beach

The cerulean blue waters, misty waves, and clean, soft, sandy shore are about as picturesque is it gets in the Caribbean. The steep drop-off and somewhat vigorous waves make it less than ideal for swimming (you'll have better luck at resorts further south in Punta Cana). Negligible shells and rocks blend into the sand beyond the shore, but don't prevent guests from kicking off their flip-flops and curling their toes into the soft beach.

A speaker system is set up in the middle of the beach, pumping out pop songs like " Who Let the Dogs Out" at high volume throughout the day. Crowds of guests walk up and down the beach and competed for palm-roofed palapa umbrellas (shade is limited on this beach). But even with the music and crowds, the gorgeous natural setting took on an almost comedic dream-like atmosphere when a man on a horse came galloping around the corner with waves crashing behind him.

Active lifeguards are on duty throughout the beach, a superb family-friendly feature not found at most Dominican resorts (save the Holiday Village in Puerto Plata). A large palapa hut on the beach acts as a sort of lifeguard station for switching shifts and communicating with staff at the rest of the resort.

Equipment for water sports is available on the beach and looks to be in good condition. All equipment is free to guests. Horseback riding on the beach is also available at extra cost.

The Junior Suite

Heart-shaped towel art and hibiscus on the king-sized canopy bed welcomed me to my humble abode, but the rest is less impressive. Though furnished with a loveseat and small desk, the rooms don't feel spacious and breezy like most Dominican resorts. Instead, the furniture fits awkwardly into the room and feels somewhat cramped.

The beds are large and the sheets and pillows are generally comfortable. But the mattresses, built for cheap longevity, are particularly hard (most TripAdvisor reviewers agree).

Minibars come stocked with free Bohemia beer, water, and sodas (standard in most all-inclusives). A small coffee machine is also provided, along with generic "Santo Domingo" coffee packets.

A mid-size Daewoo television shows several Spanish and English channels. My room didn't have a remote at first, but housekeeping brought me one in the evening of my first day. I assumed they'd refreshed the batteries, but it still didn't work.

My room was clean, but due to the humid Dominican climate, it was noticeably musty. The fan and air-conditioning worked, but it was still musty. The lampshade rims and metal hardware in the room were rusty.

Noise from the evening entertainment echoes through the resort and filters into the rooms. But the music in my room was more of a background noise than anything truly offensive. Extremely light sleepers or families with small children may want to request a room far from the lobby, though.

Bathrooms are divided between the sink and vanity area and a separate shower and toilet. The bath basin is basic and clean, but not romantic or compelling for anything more than a quick shower. Gilchrist & Soames products are also provided -- the shampoo, shower gel, lotion, and beauty bars being a welcome upgrade from the wall-mounted shower-gel pumps at most all-inclusive resorts.

Every room comes with a balcony, though many, like mine, are on the ground floor. Still, even on the ground floor, the balconies are sunny and big enough for a table and pair of chairs. They also each have a small, unique hanging chair that gives them a laid-back, tropical feel. Most balconies, though, don't feel particularly private. There's little division between them and the surrounding common pathways.

Bicycles

A single long pool curves and meanders along almost the entire length of the property, next to guest-rooms and pathways. Small, landscaped islands punctuate the pool and bridges connect pathways on either side. The pool is liveliest near the bars, but in general it has a relatively relaxed vibe. While boom boxes blast on the more crowded beach, guests seem to have an easier time finding chairs near the pool. Though there's still poolside music, the staff plays mellower tracks at a tolerable decibel.

Beyond pool- and beach-lounging, Dreams offers a wide variety of features and activities. Even better, the staff actually makes it easy to find out about activity and facility schedules by distributing daily activity newsletters to each guest-room. The weather forecast, drink of the day, shop hours, entertainment schedule, kids' activities, and special events are all listed on the newsletter. As a special touch, newsletters also announce guest weddings, anniversaries and birthdays at the bottom.

Core Zone, the resort's activities center, provides an impressive collection of sports and activities. Mechanical bull-riding, ping pong, foosball, Xbox and Wii games, and even the popular Dominican game of dominoes are all available, alongside the Core Zone Bar. A rock-climbing wall and an archery target are also in this area. Even as veterans of all-inclusives, I was impressed with the number of activities provided.

A small spa and gym are in the same building. Both are clean and in good condition. The spa has a steam room, sauna, and Jacuzzi tubs, in addition to the treatment rooms and salon area for nail and hair services. The clean, air-conditioned gym has up-to-date equipment--that's far more than most Dominican all-inclusives can say. Not surprisingly, guests here actually use the fitness center.

Tours and excursions may be booked at an extra cost through the resort, though they're operated independently of the resort. A Canadian guest I spoke with noted that she felt there was some misinformation about the tours, but it should be noted that this is not part of the all-inclusive.

Shops in the lobby sell standard pharmacy needs, snacks, clothing, and souvenirs. A photo center sells copies of photos taken by resort staff.

Kid's club

The Explorers' Club offers a full schedule of activities from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Nature tours like "Looking for Shells and Snails" and staff-led "lunchtime" and "shower time" are available. The kids' club, with large indoor and outdoor play areas, also offers child care. In addition to entertainment geared toward younger tots, a full schedule of teen activities is also available. It consists mostly of staff-led sports competitions and a teenagers' disco.

Cribs and roll-away beds are available free of charge to guests. Larger family rooms and suites are available to accommodate families; cribs are available upon request.

The Kids' Korner table in the center of World Café's buffet is a noticeable favor to parents. Non-adventurous kids'-menu type foods are all served on an especially low-height counter, making it easy for kids to find (and serve) their own selection.

At the beach, an active lifeguard reassures parents, especially with the giant inflated children-only turtle trampoline in the water.

The grounds here are impressively well-maintained. A variety of plants, flowers, and trees are kept trimmed, groomed, and healthy. Pathways are clean, and the property is free of litter--impressive, considering the size of the resort.

I saw housekeeping teams changing out bedding, glasses, and toiletries, and wiping down everything from the floors to the doors. I also saw plenty of staff maintaining the lobby, and tables in the buffet's dining room were quickly cleared and reset throughout meal times. There was even an employee working at the entrance of the buffet dispensing antibacterial gel into the hands of every guest as they waited for a seat.

That said, the humid climate and local "fauna" are something to keep in mind. Things like metal hardware and lampshades rust quickly, grout between the tiles molds easily, and I noticed tiny ants in my room shortly after arrival. This isn't necessarily a sign of how well the property is maintained, though. Rather, it's just something that happens in the D.R. and is common among resorts in the area.

The buffet

World Café Restaurant, the main buffet restaurant, serves a decent selection, with ample fried staples at lunch. The special Kids' Korner at breakfast has as many adults as kids picking at the bland and, more importantly, safe foods.

There are six à la carte dining options--Himitsu, El Patio, Da Mario, Oceana, Seaside Grill, Bordeaux--each of which has variable dress codes (think long pants and closed-toe shoes, fellas). No reservations are required. This saves guests from having to run to guest services every morning for reservations (like they do at most resorts), but there might be a lengthy wait at some of the more popular restaurants.

During the day, beach bums and pool loungers can nosh on bites from the grills and a fruit stand set up throughout the resort. Guests shuffle in their flip-flops and swimsuits eating fresh slices of pineapple on a stick--a sort of Popsicle au naturel. Burgers and hot dogs from the grill are popular eats near the beach and pool where people can slide in line without worrying about their wet, sandy attire.

A very basic room service menu is also available 24 hours a day.

Top-shelf liquor is available at no extra cost, but generic brand liquors are also commonly used to prepare cocktails at the bars here. I've paid good money at bars back home for weaker drinks--my whiskey ginger was about half liquor, half mixer. All drinks are served in small plastic cups with straws; some guests choose to bring their own large tumblers to avoid frequent waits at the bar.