Majestic Colonial Punta Cana Rating: 4.0 Pearls

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

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Swim-up bar at the pool

With more than 600 rooms and a romantic, couple-oriented sister resort practically built in its image next door, the Majestic Colonial is a massive beachfront property swarming with guests. It's one of the nicer all-inclusive mega-resorts in Punta Cana, and any loss in intimacy is made up for by the massive beach and slew of amenities.

As with most Dominican mega-resorts, poolside pop songs blast throughout the afternoon as a soundtrack to water aerobics classes, volleyball, and afternoon debauchery at the swim-up bars. International guests of all ages -- mostly Canadians, plus a few Americans -- enjoy themselves here: families, retirees, and young partiers. This family-oriented resort isn't exactly a spring break crash pad, but some guests opt for the all-inclusive to enjoy themselves with a pina colada in hand.

Families, wedding parties, and retired couples mingle throughout the property without issue: While it's a "nice" resort, it's also laid-back, and people are here to enjoy themselves, regardless of who's doing what around them. So don't be shocked by the leathery tan couple making out in the pool, the loud group of 25-year-olds yelling "Uh-oh!" at escalating volume as the bride of their party sneaks by the groom, or a loud 5-year-old New Yorker getting pushy at the pasta bar at dinner.

Friendly staff member

Most staff members, from housekeeping to restaurant servers, greet guests with a hearty "hola" and broad smile. They're happy to answer questions and provide good service ... if you can find them and if you speak Spanish.

The resort is massive: With over 600 rooms, the staff-to-guest ratio is low. Restaurant hosts at the breakfast buffet, for example, can feel like a team of shepherds corralling the herds of guests roaming the hotel.

During my stay, the front desk was not particularly relaxing or quick. A server offered me a sherbert-y welcome drink, and the receptionist was pleasant, but I was stuck waiting for at least 10 minutes with the half-melted cocktail in hand. The credit card system was down, so they asked if I could pay (my entire bill) in cash. As I don't carry that kind of cash -- a bad idea anywhere -- they suggested I eat lunch in the buffet and return later to try paying. When I came back, it took a while to get through my paperwork and run my card, yet barely any time was spent explaining the massive property, where my room was, or what was included in my package (something that, though inconsistent, is a huge help in getting oriented to clunky all-inclusive resorts).

Service requests were unresponsive. At check-in, I was given the choice between a double room (two double beds) or an upgraded king suite (with just a king-size bed). I opted for the suite, on the condition that an additional bed be brought to the room for my traveling companion. It didn't show up until the second day of my stay -- after several phone calls to housekeeping and the front desk. Later, when I called housekeeping to request extra towels, they never arrived.

As is common among Dominican resorts, there's no phone directory in the rooms -- the phone lacks instructions or codes to reach the front desk, bell boys, housekeeping, or even an operator -- and the welcome packet offered no assistance. Even the room service menu doesn't have a number listed for ordering. Just dial 0 for everything.

In order to keep families entertained throughout the day, the resort's staff includes an energetic "animation team" that leads activities such as aerobics, swim lessons and dance classes for hotel guests. Like at most Dominican resorts, the staff at the Majestic Colonial is friendly and upbeat -- the animation team is no exception.

View on a Larger Map

The Majestic Colonial shares a resort complex with its sister, the Majestic Elegance. They are in Bavaro, which is technically the area that stretches north of Punta Cana International Airport but is often considered part of the Punta Cana peninsula. The area is primarily covered with mega-resorts, but Bavaro is also home to a smattering of restaurants and nightclubs.

Fine sand and clear-water beachstrip

The beaches along this northern stretch of the coast generally see much stronger waves and have a steeper drop-off than those to the south in Punta Cana. The beach here is no exception. It's beautiful but crowded. It has fine sand and clear water. The walk out into the water has a sandy bottom, so there's no need for reef shoes or sandals. The water was much clearer than it was to the north at Sivory but not as calm as it was to the south at the Barcelo resorts.

A narrow swimming area is marked with buoys, but it's tight for the large number of guests on the beach. Signs ask guests to respect the swimming boundary, but no one seems to heed them, and no one seems to enforce these rules, either. Be warned, however, that boats taking snorkelers on excursions do blast up and down the beach and come very close to the swimming area. Swimmers should take great caution when going out of bounds.

There are bars near the beach but no regular drinks service.

The water-sports center is well outfitted with watercrafts and features a PADI-certified dive center.

The Colonial Junior Suite

Rooms are completely couples-oriented: Champagne, towel art, and the open bathroom configuration are designed for romance. The simple décor -- white, cream, and sand colors accented by dark wood -- gives a classic feel that's still appropriate for the surroundings. I stayed in a Colonial Junior Suite Ocean Front, which was sunny and spacious, and had a gigantic ocean-view terrace with its own Jacuzzi. All rooms here are suites, with varying sizes, views, and balcony or terrace options.

Bathrooms don't allow for much privacy: The toilet and walk-in shower are both barely separated from the main room by frosted glass doors that don't lock or extend from floor to ceiling. This awkward bathroom setup is one of the most common complaints on TripAdvisor.

Beds have plush mattresses and soft cotton sheets. Decorative curtains surround the four-poster frame, but these do not function like a mosquito net, which was too bad considering the ubiquity of bugs and mosquitoes in the area. I'd advise against keeping balcony doors or windows open -- ocean sounds and tropical breezes are only nice until the bugs come in at dusk.

A small tube television is located in a small console across from the bed; it receives a small cable package, but there's no DVD player or in-room movie option.

The mini-bar selection was better than at most all-inclusives. In addition to the typical stock of free soft drinks, water, and chocolate bars stocked in the mini-fridge, Johnnie Walker Red Label and a modern Nespresso machine with espresso capsules are also included in the all-inclusive package.

The Cigar Shop

The large, clean fitness center is one of the best in Punta Cana, at least by mega-resort standards. It has a large collection of relatively modern, clean equipment inside an air-conditioned room -- a luxury not offered at many all-inclusives. Large windows make the room a bright, pleasurable space for working out.

A large spa facility offers full massages and has clean facilities. Multiple Jacuzzis are available for guests to use before or after services.

The resort shares a collection of souvenir and drugstore shops with the Majestic Elegance in an area called Caribbean Street. There is also a cigar shop and a large business center (with several computers, printers, and desks) located in the lobby. Internet access is available there, or in the rooms at an extra charge.

The incredible pool complex

The impressively long pool spans the entire length of the resort, from the lobby to the beach. It's extremely clean, both in and around the pool, and small landscaped islands punctuate the setting.

The pool scene is active in areas and quiet in others. It's so large that it's not hard to find a quiet corner to chill or float around in without much noise or contact with other guests. On the other hand, there are enough swim-up bars, regular bars, snack stands, and even a poolside buffet restaurant to keep every guest well fed and watered. Loud pop music bumps at all hours near the beach end of the pool, but the vibe is much more relaxed closer to the lobby. Guests float up and down the pool, but crowds tend to concentrate near the beach.

The hotel also features a children's pool, where supervised children's activities take place during the day.

The resort's large entertainment stage is also shared with the Majestic Elegance. Like at virtually every Dominican all-inclusive, shows are performed nightly, and usually consist of mediocre lip-synched pop performances whose strongest feature is the well-choreographed dance routines.

The hotel's main attraction - the pool - closes at 6 p.m., and while the nightly shows are popular among children, adults can bore of the scene quickly (I heard complaints about the lack of nighttime activities). If you're traveling without children and crave busier nightlife, consider staying at the slightly classier, more romantic Majestic Elegance. Its disco, live music and outdoor bar stay open into the wee hours of the morning.

Daytime activities at the pool include aerobics lessons, water sports, and outdoor dance classes. The schedule rotates and circulates on updated hotel flyers.

Activities at The Kids' Club

The crowd here is incredibly diverse, but the the resort is kid-centric and accommodates hoards of families. The bar scene goes late but stays mellow, and more mature guests may not like the lack of nightlife on the premises (for a scene that includes live music and dancing, try the Majestic Elegance next door). The grounds are big enough that kids will have no problem sleeping through the entertainment and nighttime chatter.

The huge pool supplies tons of fun for families, and a huge, castle-shaped Kids Club houses facilities and activities for kids of all ages. Children are split up into two groups during the day for supervised play. Older children sit on plastic desks for supervised drawing, and there are other activities for toddlers. There's even a ball pen for kids to play in.

Rollaway beds and cribs are available free of charge, but try to request ahead of time to ensure that they are in the room for the first night. Rooms are spacious, so this shouldn't be an issue, but there aren't separate sleeping areas for kids. The room layouts are generally very open.

Though the a la carte restaurants serve more adult-focused menus, I saw plenty of children helping themselves to the wide selection at the buffet (which includes plenty of kid-friendly options like pasta, fries, burgers, and tons of desserts).

Well-kept hotel grounds

On the surface, the resort looks good. There's no litter, and empty cups didn't linger around the property for long. Waiters picked up used plates and silverware quickly around the buffet dining area. On closer inspection, though, the plates at the buffet were flecked with their last user's meal.

Rooms are cleaned regularly, and the relatively new furniture and upholstery still seems fresh, but then again I discovered a trail of ants gallivanting through my room. Though bugs and a little mildew go hand in hand with the tropical Dominican weather, it still felt less than pristine.

Sushi at Matsuri

Like at most Dominican all-inclusves, the Majestic Colonial's eight restaurants serve food of variable (and questionable) quality. Though it's mostly imported frozen ingredients that are prepared without much flavor, the variety is still impressive compared with many Dominican resorts.

At "Buffet Restaurant Supreme," the options are better than most all-inclusive buffets. Where other Punta Cana resorts' vegetable selections feature boiled potatoes or near-frozen lettuce, the Majestic Colonial has a large variety of vegetarian sides. Plenty of cooking stations serve freshly prepared meat and fish. But the pasta bar was a disappointment -- just oily, overcooked penne floating in a soupy sauce, sprinkled with parmesan. Even the cheese was like bits of tasteless, chewy plastic. It was hardly worth the 10-minute wait in line. La Hispaniola, by the beach, has a much smaller selection of the same buffet food: hot dogs, burgers, fries, and Jell-O are the mainstays.

The a la carte restaurants -- Taino (Dominican and Mexican cuisine), Matsuri (Japanese), Rodeo Grill (grilled meats), and Tres Carabelas (fish and seafood) -- all offer dinner without reservations. (Many of the non-buffet options at all-inclusive resorts require them; the process can be annoying, to say the least.) Le Gourmet's gourmet "Author Cuisine" requires dinner reservations, and Matsuri requires reservations for the teppanyaki Japanese cooking presentation. Reservations must be made at the guest services desk in the lobby. Given the size of the resort, this can be somewhat inconvenient.

Most restaurants close up by 8 or 9 p.m., but La Bodeguita del Majestic, located on the shared property with the Majestic Elegance Punta Cana, is a late-night snack bar open from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Unlike most resorts, the Majestic offers name-brand liquor: Johnnie Walker and Jose Cuervo are available alongside the generic Dominican rums and vodkas. Watch for the pina colada mix, though: a couple I met from Manchester, England, had both gotten sick from this mix, and more than a handful of TripAdvisor reviews described a similar experience.

A beach wedding is in full view of all of the resort guests.

• Wedding Size: Huge weddings welcome (no limit to the number of guests); two to four weddings per day

• Extra Fees: $50 day passes required for wedding guests not staying at the Majestic Elegance (same fee for outside vendors)

• Wedding Packages: There are only two basic packages -- one costs $1,250 and the other costs $1,750 -- and the packages include, among other things, a bouquet and boutonniere, services of a civil judge or a priest, a wedding coordinator, and a private dinner for the bride and groom only.

• Ceremony Locations: The beach (no limit to the number of guests) or the gazebo (max 100 guests)

• Photographers: Photo packages range from $550 (two sets of 50 6-by-8 photographs).

• Music Options: $600 for a DJ and a sound system for up to three hours; live bands also available

• Food and Drinks: The beachside BBQ buffet, the standard option for a semiprivate "gala," ranges from $55 to $65 per person (depending on your choice of food) and hors d'oeuvres cost an additional $5 to $15 per person. An open bar costs $25 (generic) to $35 (premium), per hour.

• Spa Treatments: The on-site spa provides massages, facials, mani/pedis, hair, and makeup; complete bridal packages for $300.

• Freebies: The standard wedding package is free if you book 15 rooms or more for at least seven nights.

• Honeymoon Suite: There is not special honeymoon suite, but newlyweds usually choose a suite with a private terrace (most often, however, the hotel will upgrade your room for free, so no need to spend extra when you book).

• Airport Transportation: The resort does not provide transportation to Punta Cana Airport, which is a 30-minute drive away (about $30 by taxi).