Finest Punta Cana All-Inclusive Resort in the Dominican Republic [In-Depth Review]

The author was traveling as an invited guest of Finest Punta Cana. All opinions are the author’s own, and the hotel had no input in any part of this review.

Finest Punta Cana is a family-friendly, all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. It’s part of The Excellence Collection, a small brand with locations in the Caribbean and Mexico.

I stayed 3 nights in November 2023. This trip was about 3 weeks after I stayed at another Punta Cana all-inclusive resort, Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana, so I was excited to see how my stay at Finest Punta Cana compared to that one.

In this review, I’ll show you around this resort and take you on a tour of my room while highlighting some of the dining options and amenities (especially ones for those traveling with kids).

Let’s get to it.

Booking

The Excellence Collection includes 8 all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Mexico, which are branded under 3 names.

• Beloved Hotels: For couples only
• Excellence Resorts: For adults only
• Finest Resorts: For all ages

Unfortunately, The Excellence Collection resorts can’t be booked directly with hotel points. However, you can still earn and use points by booking Finest Punta Cana through select portals.

You can earn up to 10 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent when booking through the Chase travel portal, up to 5 American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar by booking through AmexTravel.com, or up to 10 Citi ThankYou Points per dollar spent through the Citi Travel portal (through June 30, 2024, with select cards; after that, you can earn up to 5x points via Citi Travel).

Alternatively, you can use points to pay for your stay through these portals. You’ll get 1 to 1.5 cents per point in value when booking through the Chase travel portal (depending on the credit card you have) or 1 cent each through the Citi portal. You can book your stay through AmexTravel.com, but you’ll get less than 1 cent per point this way, so it wouldn’t be my first choice.

Finest Punta Cana did not appear to be bookable through Capital One Travel.

Cost

The cash cost to book the room I stayed in (Excellence Club Junior Suite Pool View) ranges from ~$390 per night up to ~$770 per night. That cost is for a flexible rate that is cancellable up to 24 hours ahead of time for 2 adults, including airport transfers.

Excellence Club and Finest Club

Excellence Club and Finest Club refer to upgraded room categories at the resort.

Excellence Club rooms are for adults only, while Finest Club rooms are open to guests of all ages. Both types of rooms come with the following benefits:

Excellence Club and Finest Club rooms are an upgrade. If these extra perks aren’t important to you, there are plenty of non-Club rooms available to book as well.

Hot Tip:

There is a 3-night minimum when booking Finest Punta Cana.

Location

Finest Punta Cana is about 26 miles northwest of Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ). The drive takes about 45 minutes. Be sure to arrange your transportation beforehand, as the Punta Cana airport can be chaotic.

There is no shortage of all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana, and you’ll pass by many of them on the way to Finest Punta Cana.

The resort is located next door to Excellence El Carmen and about 2 miles from Excellence Punta Cana. These resorts are also part of The Excellence Collection and are all-inclusive. However, they are for adults only. Make sure your driver knows which resort you’re staying at, as these 3 locations can be easily confused.

Hot Tip:

You need to get an e-ticket before entering or exiting the Dominican Republic. It’s free and just takes a few minutes online. After filling out the e-ticket form, you’ll get a QR code; however, you won’t actually have to show this anywhere. If you don’t get an e-ticket, you’ll be stopped at immigration and will have to fill out the form on a shared computer or your phone before being able to enter the country.

First Impressions

One of the first things I noticed after entering the lobby at Finest Punta Cana was that it was indoors. Most Caribbean resorts have an open-air lobby, so this was quite different from what I am used to (the same type of lobby can be found at the Excellence El Carmen resort, located next door to Finest Punta Cana.) It was quite large and modern, with a distinctly urban feel.

In addition to the main check-in area (there were separate check-in locations for Excellence Club and Finest Club guests), the lobby was home to a gift shop, the entrance to the gym, and one of the resort’s 16 bars.

Hot Tip:

You can save some money by booking your flights to the Caribbean using points and miles.

Amenities

Pools

There is no shortage of pools at Finest Punta Cana; in fact, there are 7! Some are located on the Excellence Club side of the resort, which is for adults only, and some are located in the main resort area, open to guests of all ages.

Chairs and umbrellas were available any time of the day — there wasn’t a need to play the reserve-a-chair-with-a-towel game that’s common at so many resorts.

There were multiple pools open to guests of all ages.

The main pool had one of the coolest play features I’ve seen in a while — a giant bouncy half-sphere with a fountain at the top. It looked so fun and made me wish my daughter was traveling with me to try it out.

There was a smaller version in the little kids’ pool that would be perfect for toddlers.

In addition to the 7 resort pools, many rooms have swim-up pool access, plunge pools, or large private pools like these in select Finest Club Suites.

Bottom Line:

There are 7 pools at Finest Punta Cana. Pools in the Excellence Club section of the resort are for adults only, while the rest are open to all ages. Many suites throughout the resort have swim-up pool access, private plunge pools, or large private pools.

Beach

Finest Punta Cana is a beachfront resort, so you won’t have to go far to feel the sand on your feet and hear the gentle ocean waves.

There was plenty of shade and seating on the beach, and Excellence Club guests had access to a private beach area for adults only.

ONE Spa

A few hours at a spa is my idea of an excellent afternoon, so I was thrilled to try out ONE Spa at Finest Punta Cana. I booked an aqua hydrotherapy session (complimentary for Excellence Club and Finest Club guests) and a massage.

I was a little annoyed when I arrived for my appointment and realized it was a guided hydrotherapy session, as I was looking forward to zenning out in the hydrotherapy room (without instructions). However, I quickly got into it and ended up loving the session.

I was traveling with a group of writers, so we did the aqua hydrotherapy session together. We were guided through the sauna and steam room room first. Then we moved on to a series of different water activities, including a shower with body scrub, a “disco shower” (not the technical term) that involved colored lights and water of various temperatures, and an ice bucket dump (I skipped this one).

Next, we moved through different water jets in the pool and did a hot and cold plunge (again, I skipped the cold water).

The aqua hydrotherapy session ended with a delightful scalp massage while relaxing on lounge chairs. After that, I moved to a treatment room for a full-body massage before heading back to my room for the night.

Hot Tip:

Guests staying in Excellence Club or Finest Club rooms get 1 complimentary aqua hydrotherapy session per person (ages 13 and up) per stay.

Amenities for Kids and Families

Finest Punta Cana is an all-ages resort offering adults-only areas and unique amenities for families traveling with kids.

In addition to the pool play areas, kids can enjoy a splash pad.

The Imagine Kids Club also has a mini water park and an indoor play area. Supervised daily activities are available for kids from 3 to 11 years old, while kids under 3 years old are welcome to use these facilities with parental supervision.

There’s even a special kids’ area at the spa, offering hair styling, manicures, and pedicures.

Finally, there are plenty of room categories designed just for families. Select rooms can accommodate up to 5 guests with up to 2,500 square feet of space.

I was able to check out a Finest Club Family Suite, which offers nearly 1,000 square feet of space and even has a separate bedroom for kids.

Bottom Line:

Finest Punta Cana offers plenty of amenities for families traveling with children. From kids’ pools and a playground to family suites, a kids’ club, and even a kids’ spa area, this resort caters to guests of all ages.

Junior Suite Pool View Room

I stayed in the Excellence Club section of the resort in a Junior Suite Pool View room. My room was toward the back of the resort, so I had more of a garden view (not counting the swim-up suites below me), but it was lovely nonetheless.

At 800 square feet, my room was quite spacious, especially considering I was by myself.

There was a king-size bed with different types of pillows. Each side of the bed had a nightstand with reading lights and bedside lamps, but overall, I found the room to be a bit dark.

There was a sitting area with a couch and coffee table, and across from the couch was a desk area and extra storage. The beach kept calling my name, so I didn’t use the desk quite as much as I had planned (work can wait, right?)

A Nespresso coffee maker, tea, and bottled water were available on the desk.

There was a fully-stocked fridge with complimentary drinks and snacks as well.

My room had a large walk-in closet with plenty of space to unpack and spread out. Robes, slippers, a safe, a luggage rack, a steamer, a full-length mirror, and extra beach towels were available for use.

A sunken Jacuzzi tub was one of the more unique features in my room at Finest Punta Cana. It was next to the balcony, surrounded by glass so that it felt like it was outside.

The balcony was the highlight of my room. Spacious and comfortable, it offered relaxing and dining alfresco areas.

My balcony looked out over the resort grounds and flamingo habitat.

A walking path surrounded the flamingo habitat so you could get a close-up view.

One of the most interesting features of my balcony was this cozy little nook. How fun!

The buildings are at an angle, so each balcony is very private.

Hot Tip:

Check out a video tour of my room at Finest Punta Cana on Instagram.

Bathroom

I loved my bathroom at Finest Punta Cana — it was modern and beautiful. Done in a sophisticated black-and-white color palette, it was as pleasing to the eye as it was functional. It had 2 sinks, plenty of counter space, a separate room for the toilet, and a big shower — a winning combination.

Since I was staying in an Excellence Club room, I had upgraded Bulgari amenities. I loved the scent of the soap so much I really wanted to bring a few bars home with me — unfortunately, the maid replaced it with the standard Finest-branded soap. Darn!

I am admittedly picky (and some might say a bit bougie) about hotel showers, and this one did not disappoint. It was spacious, had plenty of hot water, and had an extra large rain shower head.

Bottom Line:

Every room at Finest Punta Cana is a suite with at least 800 square feet of space. Each room has a spacious balcony, a stocked minibar, a Jacuzzi, and 24-hour room service.

Food and Beverage

I find the food at all-inclusive resorts to be hit or miss. Even within the same brand, food quality can be all over the place (there was a considerable difference in the food between Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos and Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana, for example.)

I found the food at Finest Punta Cana to be pretty good overall. There were some things I loved and some things that were just okay. I didn’t get a chance to sample everything from the resort’s 12 restaurants, 3 grab-and-go stations, 2 food trucks, and 16 bars during my short 3-night trip, so my experience just scratched the surface of what was available.

Here are some of the highlights.

On my first 2 mornings, I had breakfast at Gusto, which is only open to Finest Club and Excellence Club guests. Here’s a tip about me: If you want to make me happy, give me an almond croissant and coffee for breakfast. Needless to say, I was a happy girl.

Gusto was open for breakfast from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and dinner from 6:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

I had breakfast at Duke’s Lobster & Seafood on my last morning. Frankly, I don’t remember what I ate, but who cares, with views like this!

Duke’s Lobster & Seafood was open for breakfast from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and dinner from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

One of the other meals I enjoyed was from the pool-side food trucks. I stopped by to grab a quick lunch at La Playita Food Truck on my last day and wished I had stopped by sooner. This quesadilla was simple but so yummy.

La Playita Food Truck was open for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Dommo is a restaurant exclusively for Excellence Club guests, and I enjoyed dinner there on my last night. The highlight was the fun pre-dinner drinks the bartenders made for our group — this is the coolest passion fruit martini I have ever seen.

Dommo was open for breakfast from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and for dinner from 6:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

One of my favorite spots was The Sweet Corner, a coffee shop that served a variety of coffee drinks, ice cream, and desserts.

Open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily, it also had a grab-and-go section with sandwiches, snacks, and fresh juices.

Bottom Line:

There was no shortage of food and drinks at Finest Punta Cana. The property has 12 restaurants, 3 grab-and-go stations, 2 food trucks, and 16 bars.

Final Thoughts

All-inclusive resorts can be great for family vacations, and Finest Punta Cana is an excellent option. I loved the kid-friendly amenities like the pool play areas, the kids’ spa, and the playground. The beach and pools were fantastic as well. Since this resort has areas for kids as well as adult-only sections, it would be great for a multi-generational trip.

This was my first stay at an Excellence Collection property, but I am sure it won’t be my last.