Shhhh!! Don’t tell Mickey, but I went on vacation, and not to Disney World! I need to see the beach at least once a year, so my family went to the all-inclusive resort Dreams in Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic. It was such a beautiful resort, and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! The resort was wonderful, the food and drinks were fabulous, and the staff was truly entertaining.
If you’ve never vacationed at an all-inclusive resort, then you’ve got to try it!! It’s probably my favorite type of vacation, simply because almost everything is paid for before you ever step on the plane. The food, drinks (including alcoholic and other specialty drinks), entertainment, water sports and more are all included! Depending on the individual resort, there may be additional charges for certain special dining experiences, like specialty restaurants or romantic dining on the beach. You never have to budget day-to-day for any of these things. If you want a drink, or snack, or smoothie, just go and get it! It’s also wonderful for the kids, even though you may think more of adults when you think of all-inclusive vacations. There are some all-inclusive resorts that are adults-only, but there are many more that are very family friendly!
The Dreams resort in Punta Cana is definitely a family friendly resort. The Explorer’s Club is an entire area just for the kids ages 3-12. There is a playground area, and even a pool for the little ones! The staff there area great with the kids too. They’ll take them out for activities all around the resort. And they even offer lunch or dinner if mom and dad want a grown-up meal. The kids I saw were having tons of fun! They also have a teen club that my kids definitely enjoyed! They had a schedule of daily activities there, from baseball batting cage and ping pong tournaments, to dance parties later in the evening.
One thing I loved about the Dreams resort over other all-inclusives that I have visited was the dining. The food was amazing, and we didn’t have a bad meal there. There were 7 restaurants in all, including the nightly buffet. You never need a reservation, and you can choose any restaurant you’d like! With some other all-inclusives you need a reservation, and you have a limited number of reservations available to you based on your length of stay. This is much better, and we rarely encountered a wait longer than 10 minutes. Our favorite was Bordeaux, which was French cuisine for adults only. They had a scallop and salmon appetizer that was amazing! And don’t forget to try their special champagne cocktail!
There was so much to do every day that you couldn’t do it all. They had a daily sheet of activities, from water sports, aerobics and yoga on the beach, poker and blackjack tournaments by the pool (no real money, but I did win a Dreams hat), to beach and water volleyball, Spanish lessons and more! My girls loved trying out the windsurfing!
We did opt for the Preferred Club over the regular rooms. We had two junior suites, one for us and one for the kids. The rooms were very spacious. We had plenty of room to all hang out together, or have some room to ourselves. There were a few great perks with the Preferred Club, including a special lounge with snacks and upgraded liquors, free wi-fi in the lounge and in our rooms, and cabanas on the beach. The cabanas were definitely my favorite part. I loved sitting in the shaded area right on the beach. This is where my kids could find me most days!
There was a different show every night, and the staff really went above and beyond to entertain us. My favorite was the Dreams Circus. They had some acts that were simply jaw-dropping!! The aerial act was my favorite! Some nights the Dreams staff put on the show, and other nights (like with the circus) Dreams brought in outside entertainers. We didn’t miss a show!
Dreams also has some wonderful wildlife right in the resort! We saw peacocks (even babies), flamingos, and a very loud macaw! I tried to get a picture of the male peacock in all his glory, but I never could. These birds were simply a part of the resort, and walked at ease among the guests.
The next time you’re thinking of a Caribbean vacation, definitely look at the Dreams resorts! They offer several different resorts, so I know we can find one to suit you! Let’s start planning your trip today!!
Amy Kirby
