Dreams Onyx Resort & Spa in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic [In-Depth Hyatt Review]

With so many all-inclusive properties in Punta Cana, deciding where to stay isn’t an easy task. I’ve wanted to stay at a Dreams property ever since Hyatt acquired the Dreams Group a couple of years ago. Punta Cana is home to 4 Dreams properties (plus the Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana and the Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana). While Dreams Flora Resort & Spa is the newest property, I chose the Dreams Onyx Resort & Spa for its waterpark and other family-friendly amenities I thought would be ideal for a family vacation. Here’s my review of the property.

Booking the Dreams Onyx Resort & Spa

Dreams Onyx Resort & Spa is a Category B resort on the World of Hyatt all-inclusive resort award chart.

I used 97,500 World of Hyatt points for a 3-night stay in a Preferred Club Pool View Junior Suite, all-inclusive, for 2 adults and 1 child (32,500 points per night). In the chart below, this represents the Club Room off-peak rate with 1 additional person added.

Room rates were more than $600 per night during my summer season dates. I got a value of nearly 1.9 cents per point, which was worth it as Upgraded Points values World of Hyatt points at 1.5 cents per point.

All-Inclusive

This hotel, like many Dreams properties, features a wristband-free Unlimited Luxury program where everything is included. You have access to all the à la carte restaurants without reservations (except the hibachi), top-shelf spirits, 24-hour room and concierge service, a minibar that’s restocked daily (including water bottles), Wi-Fi, daily activities, entertainment, and theme parties.

Preferred Club

Preferred Club rooms come with private butler service, preferred check-in and check-out service at one of the 2 Preferred Clubs, and general access to the Preferred Clubs, which offer drinks, snacks, computer access, and comfortable seating areas. Club rooms are in a special area of the hotel and come with upgraded minibars. Guests also have access to 2 Preferred Club pools and a dedicated air-conditioned restaurant that connects to the buffet area.

Hot Tip:

I used the bulk of the points I earned as a welcome bonus offer from The World of Hyatt Credit Card to pay for my Dreams Onyx Resort & Spa stay. The card offers perks, including Discoverist status and up to 9x points per dollar for Hyatt stays. I also transferred some Chase Ultimate Rewards points I earned with my Chase Sapphire Reserve^®, as Hyatt is a transfer partner.

Dreams Onyx Resort & Spa Location

Dreams Onyx Resort & Spa is approximately 25 miles from the Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ), a 40- to 45-minute drive. I found Uber to be the simplest way to get between the airport and the hotel. The hotel is between the Live Aqua and Breathless properties, just past the Nickelodeon Hotel in the Uvero Alto district and beach area.

This beach was gorgeous, though the sands were golden, not whiteish like the beaches in Bávaro. The waves were large, and I did notice more sargassum on this beach than on others.

Hot Tip:

Punta Cana has 4 Dreams properties and endless options for an all-inclusive stay. The Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana, a family-centric all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana, is one of Upgraded Points’ top picks for a family-centric vacation in the region.

Check-In

Upon arrival, I entered into an air-conditioned lobby with a massive, modern light fixture, a bar, and plenty of seating.

When I showed my passport to the Elite status area at the reception desk, I was whisked off to the Preferred Club to check in via golf cart.

Peterson at the Club check-in desk was welcoming and friendly. He gave me all the information I needed, personally showing me to my room and giving me the lay of the land. He also gave me a contact number for my butler, Alberto, so I could WhatsApp him.

The Preferred Club had a snack bar available when I checked in.

I loved that the Preferred Club had a small play area for kids, which kept my toddler entertained while I checked in.

Room

Dreams Onyx Resort & Spa has more than 800 rooms. My room was 6243 on the second floor.

Bedroom

My 600-square-foot suite felt spacious.

The main bedroom area had a king-size bed, nightstand, and desk. I liked that there was a ceiling fan, but it was noisy, so we didn’t use it. I was able to operate the air conditioning with a digital system, and it was strong and worked well.

On the right was a large closet with a safe, iron, bathrobes, and slippers.

I liked the large sliding door you could use to shut off this closet and bathroom area from the room, which came in handy the last night of my trip when I needed to pack, and my toddler was already asleep. The thick wooden door also blocked out hallway noise at night, and I didn’t hear any noise from the third-floor room above us, either.

The large king bed had white linens and was surrounded by a green headboard and 2 nightstands with built-in lamps.

USB-A charging ports were above both bedside tables, but they didn’t work well.

A small separator gave way to a sofa, which folded out into a bed for my son for the duration of our stay.

Across from both beds was a long desk area with a workspace, some drawers, and a minifridge that was fully stocked with drinks, plus a can of Pringles, peanut M&Ms, and a Milky Way bar.

Every item we ate or drank was replenished daily.

Bathroom

The layout of the bathroom was interesting. The dual sinks and vanity were on the left, then there was a door to the toilet and shower area. I liked that the double sinks were set apart from the toilet and shower area, though it was a bit strange to walk into the bathroom vanity area when entering the room.

The shower had strong water pressure and endless hot water.

The toilet was separate and had extra toilet paper.

I didn’t like the scent of the private-label Dreams bath amenities, which I thought smelled like cleaning fluid. Dreams, if you’re listening, spring for some Aesop or MALIN+GOETZ!

Balcony

At the end of the room, a glass sliding door led to a spacious balcony with 2 chairs, a table, and a whirlpool tub, which my toddler loved.

We had some privacy and shade on the balcony, thanks to some strategically placed palm trees. The balcony overlooked the pool area.

Amenities

Dreams Onyx Resort & Spa had some incredible amenities that made me want to return to the hotel again and again. One thing I liked about the hotel was that while it was an all-inclusive resort catering to families, it also had some quiet, romantic spaces for couples and a lively pool scene for party animals.

Pools and Waterpark

Dreams Onyx Resort & Spa had too many pools to count.

There were a few main pools, one of which had a basketball hoop and a volleyball net, and several smaller pools located throughout the resort, including 2 Preferred Club pools (1 for adults and 1 for families).

There’s a splash pad-style kiddie pool inside the kids club and a waterpark with slides and a lazy river.

Swim-up bars were at 2 pools, 1 within the waterpark area and another in the main pool area. Many suites were swim-up, set on small, inviting pools.

The pool area never felt overly crowded, as we could park ourselves in the middle of all the action or hide away from the crowds in a quieter pool area.

I loved the variety of the pools at the resort.

The waterpark was so much fun for both adults and kids, offering slides and a lazy river.

Although my son was too small to go on the slides, we enjoyed the lazy river.

Pool chairs were always available, as guests often didn’t reserve them, and the hotel had small lounge chairs available for teens and kids, which I thought was cute.

Beach

The beach was lovely but not quite as beautiful as the beaches in the Bávaro area.

However, I still enjoyed relaxing on the sands, which featured plenty of chairs shaded by palm trees, a few cabanas (rentable for a fee), a volleyball area, and a beach bar.

Kids Club (Explorers Club)

This is the best kids club I’ve ever been to because they allowed 3-year-olds in for drop-off. Most hotels start drop-off privileges at age 4.

I wanted my son to enjoy his time there, and I was prepared to not leave him there if he was upset. There was no need to worry about that because when he saw the ball pit and splash pool, he couldn’t escape from my arms fast enough.

The kids club staff was warm and welcoming, and there was a full set of activities each day. My son spent a couple of hours there each morning. He had a blast and didn’t want to leave when we picked him up. He’s still talking about it weeks later.

Hot Tip:

Many kids clubs only allow kids to stay without an accompanying adult when they’re 4 or older. Dreams Properties in the Dominican Republic allow kids 3 and up to enjoy their kids clubs.

Fitness Center

The fitness center was a large, 2-floor building fully equipped with weight and cardio equipment.

It was never overly crowded during my stay and featured a separate yoga room.

Butler Service

Our butler, Alberto, was friendly, helpful, and very responsive to our needs, answering almost immediately when we contacted him on WhatsApp. He ensured housekeeping came early in the morning so the room was ready for my toddler’s naptime each afternoon. Although the restaurants don’t technically take reservations, he helped us get on the waiting list for the most popular restaurants each day, essentially securing us a spot during prime dinner hours. He also arranged for staff to bring our suitcases to the lobby during checkout.

Activities

The activity calendar had something for everyone, from aqua gym classes to rum tastings and nightly shows and entertainment in the theater, which was located amid the shops and restaurants near the lobby.

Our butler sent us the activities list daily, and the activities were also posted near the buffet each day.

My favorite activity was a paint and sip on the beach, where I painted a terrible version of a sunset on the beach while sipping white wine. So relaxing!

Other Amenities

I was able to scan a QR code to find out hotel info, look at the restaurants, and other resort information, which was helpful. I didn’t get a chance to use the spa during my stay, as it was part of the nearby Breathless Resort.

The Wi-Fi worked fast enough for my basic needs, though there were a few dead zones in some of the room hallways. The hotel also offered free parking. Accessible suites were available for anyone with limited mobility. I even spotted an on-site outdoor wedding chapel.

Food and Beverage

Dreams Onyx Resort & Spa features a buffet, Italian restaurant, teppanyaki, and more. Because my stay was only 3 nights long, I wasn’t able to eat at all the restaurants on the resort, but I’ll provide more details on the restaurants I ate at below. We didn’t make it to Cin Cin (the Mediterranean spot), Mercure (the French restaurant), On a Roll (the hamburger joint), or Scores (the sports bar).

Hot Tip:

If you don’t stay as a Preferred Club guest, it may be hard to get into the most popular restaurants, which are Capers and Bluewater. You might have to dine at less popular times of the evening or have a long wait.

Carnival Buffet and Tamarind

All guests could access the Carnival buffet. There was an outdoor, covered seating area for guests.

Preferred Club guests could sit indoors (in air conditioning) at Tamarind with access to the buffet as well as an à la carte menu available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You could order and go to the buffet if you wanted. We visited during the rainy, humid, and hot season, so having the option to eat indoors in an air-conditioned space, especially at lunchtime, was welcomed and well worth the Club Preferred room rate.

I liked this option, as I preferred to visit the buffet for breakfast and lunch, but my husband preferred to order and not get up. It was nice that we could do our own thing.

The food in both the buffet and in the restaurant was fresh and appetizing. There was a vegan station on the buffet.

I loved the fresh fruit sections of the buffet, the smoothie bar, and the omelet stations.

There were sections for cheese and cold cuts, Mexican food, a kids area, Asian food, and a chef cutting up chicken and fresh fish.

At breakfast, there was also a crepe, pancake, and waffle made-to-order station.

Desserts were varied, and the buffet offered ice cream, too.

The à la carte menu at Tamarind wasn’t overflowing with choices, but we tried delicious sushi, fish tacos, and salmon, as well as poached eggs for breakfast.

Capers Italian

One of the most coveted and crowded restaurants at the resort is Capers. The food was good, but nothing out of this world. I enjoyed my lasagna here, and the pizza and pasta were tasty. I loved the open kitchen aspect, and the decor was chic, especially for an all-inclusive resort where restaurant design may not be a high priority. Service was average here, but it was likely because the restaurant was extremely busy.

Bluewater

The best meal I had at Dreams Onyx Resort & Spa was a skirt steak with a delicious chimichurri sauce at Bluewater, the steakhouse. This spot was also very crowded, and we saw staff turning away many guests while waiting for our table. If you have butler service as a Preferred Guest, make sure your butler gets you on the waiting list for this spot — it’s worth it.

Spice

Spice featured a traditional teppanyaki show. The rice, chicken, and shrimp were fine, but the actual show, where the chef flips the knives and entertains, was the highlight here.

Coco Cafe and Sundaez

Coco Cafe was open 24 hours for coffee, and Sundaez offered many flavors of ice cream. Both of these spots were located away from the pool and beach area next to the lobby and theater.

Service

Service was excellent at the Dreams Onyx Resort & Spa. Alberto, our butler, was responsive and helpful. Check-in and checkout were smooth, quick, and easy. The staff at the kids club was friendly and warm, and the restaurant staff was accommodating and friendly. One of the waiters talked to my son in a Donald Duck voice daily — the workers were really sweet to children.

Housekeeping was excellent and extremely friendly. When I had a question about the fan, they came right in to help and were quick to set up the sofa bed for my son.

Bottom Line:

Service at the hotel is excellent, and even better if you opt for a Preferred Club rate with butler service. While the hotel says tips are included, it’s never a bad idea to tip if you have great service, especially bellhops, bartenders, and housekeeping staff.

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed my stay at this hotel, and I loved that it was just as apt for honeymooners or groups of friends as it was for families. I would definitely stay here again. I loved the many pools and buffet variety, and my son was thrilled with the kids club. However, I would definitely stay in a Preferred Club room. For me, the extra assistance with the restaurants, the air-conditioned restaurant next to the buffet, and the club lounge made paying a bit extra worth it.