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Raincouver Beauty

Canadian Beauty and Travel Blog

Mexico and Caribbean, North America, Travel

Excellence El Carmen – Punta Cana Resort Review

November 15, 2021

Picking the best all inclusive resort is a daunting task! There are so many to choose from and so many things to consider. I want to share my recent week of paradise at Excellence El Carmen in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. It’s the best all inclusive resort I’ve stayed at and I’m going to break down the room, food, drinks and activities! Also, make sure to check out some tips for planning your first trip after covid!

About the Resort

Excellence El Carmen is located 40 minutes away from the Punta Cana International airport in the Uvero Alto area. It is away from the mega resorts and best suited for someone who wants to enjoy a more boutique resort experience. This is an adults only luxury resort with modern aesthetics, and great focus on food, drinks and entertainment.

One of the biggest reasons we picked this resort is the worry-free COVID-19 policies. I’m from Canada and we require a PCR test upon return. Excellence El Carmen offers free PCR Covid-19 tests on site. Results are expected back within 48 hours and they were super accommodating to our travel schedules. There’s free antigen tests as well. They also provide free isolation suites if you were to test positive. This gives such peace of mind that you won’t be out of pocket thousands of dollars if the unexpected happens.

Excellence El Carmen Rooms

One of the first things that drew me to Excellence El Carmen was how spacious the rooms are! Even the most basic room is a suite at 800sqft. All of the accommodations come with a beautiful balcony with a cabana bed. One thing to note if you’re traveling with friends or family is that the bathroom is quite open concept so it’s quite easy to see whoever is showering.

We stayed in the Junior Suite Pool View, check out the specs here. It came with a king bed which was super comfy and there’s an option to choose 2 doubles. There was a walk in closet which added to the luxury factor. The bathroom had double counter sinks, a separate toilet stall, and a spacious walk in shower. My favorite part is the huge balcony overlooking the pool. There’s a jacuzzi that we didn’t use but it would be super romantic if you’re traveling with your significant other. All the furnishing is in great condition and has a beautiful modern vibe.

During covid, there was no daily room cleaning. They did come by every night though for turn-down service. Any requests such as towels or extra amenities came very quickly! Upgrade options include getting a swim up suite which is on the ground floor, ocean view suites which are closer to the beach.

Book your stay at Excellence El Carmen

Food at Excellence El Carmen

Scallops at Chez Isabelle at Excellence El Carmen, Punta Cana

Possibly the most important consideration for many when choosing an all inclusive is the quality and variety of food. While my stay in Grand Memories Varadero was wonderful, the food was really lacking. Excellence El Carmen had amazing variety and quality of food! There are 9 a la carte restaurants, and 2 quick serves/buffet style options. Unlike many other resorts, there are no limits on the number of a la carte restaurants you can go to! We also didn’t have to make reservations for any of the restaurants.

Lobster dinner at The Lobster House at Excellence El Carmen

Some highlights of the food would be The Lobster House which overlooks the main pool and serves seafood including lobster tails! I had two lobsters during my stay but you can have one every night of the week if you felt like it! Another really enjoyable experience was Chez Isabelle with it’s elegant French decor. I really like that the portions of each dish is pretty small. Often, I’d order multiple appetizers and one entree. Or 3 appetizers and no entree. It’s really up to you and super flexible!

Lunch time at The Lobster House overlooking the main pool

Lastly, their buffet is very good too! It’s the go to spot for breakfast and there’s made to order items like omelettes and hot entrees. The tables were all spaced a comfortable distance from each other if you have any covid concerns.

A La Carte Restaurants for Dinner

  • Agave – Modern Mexican
  • Basamati – Indian
  • Chez Isabelle – French
  • Flavor Market – Spanish
  • Oregano – Italian (also open for lunch)
  • Spice – Asian
  • Sports Bar – Casual Bar Snacks
  • The Grill – Steakhouse
  • The Lobster House – Seafood (also open for breakfast and lunch)

Buffet

  • The Kitchen Table – open for breakfast and lunch
  • Las Olas – lunch

Drinks at Excellence El Carmen

Let’s not forget about the cocktails at an all inclusive! There are a lot of bars and drink options at Excellence El Carmen! The outdoor bars mostly had slushy choices while Martini (the lobby bar) was able to make heavier drinks. One of my favorite spots to hang out was the X-Lounge which is a rooftop area overlooking the main pool and beach.

Indoor Bar

  • Martini – Lobby
  • Alegria – Night Club (was not open during Covid)

Outdoor Bars

  • Aire
  • Blue – Swimup Bar
  • Sol
  • Stars – By the Theatre
  • X-Lounge – Rooftop Bar by the Pool

Non- Alcoholic

  • Aroma – Coffee Bar
  • Revive – Smoothie and Juices

For non-alcoholic options, there’s a juice bar that is probably one of my favorite parts of the resort! They made the most delicious juices and smoothies. I had one every day! You can also get coconuts for the ultimate vacation vibe. Lastly, their coffee from the coffee shop was yummy as well. Although the ladies that worked there were unfortunately the only crabby people on the resort.

Excellence El Carmen Pools & Amenities

Although the resorts are beach front, you end up spending a lot more time at the pool than at the beach. Even Punta Cana is slightly affected by the seaweed situation. We only dipped our feet in the ocean but mostly lounged by the pool. There are 2 main pool areas where there are entertainment/bars. They are not the largest but it was spacious enough for the size of the resort. Pictured above is the smaller main pool during afternoon activities. This is the most populated it got during the week we were there.

If you are looking for more peace and quiet, there’s a pool outside every building! There are loungers and huts, and servers will come around for drink orders too. Honestly, I preferred just getting my own drinks as it felt faster than waiting for the server to do the rounds.

The entertainment selection was really great and geared towards adults. There’s programming in the morning and then again in the late afternoon and evenings. Some evening entertainment programs that really stood out were the fire circus show and the silent party. In the afternoon, there was always a fun crowd at the main pool for a daily swim competition.

If you like to stay fit, their gym is equipped with state of the art equipment. There’s also a beautiful tennis court which I played on once and it’s quite something to get to hit on a court lined with palm trees outside.

How Much is Excellence El Carmen?

I booked through Air Canada vacations and a one week package with flight was $1,750 CAD. This was a really cheap price and I’d say the average would be $2,000 CAD for a one week stay. It is on the higher end of resorts that I’ve stayed at but I’d say it was worth the money! I was super impressed all week by the food, drinks, activities, and overall comfort of the resort.

Find the best price on Excellence El Carmen, Punta Cana

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by raincouverbeauty 
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Hello!

Hi, I’m Angela and welcome to Raincouver Beauty! I test and share swatches and reviews of the latest beauty products. I also love to travel the world especially if I can sip on a glass of wine! Join me as I live high-low: save when you can and splurge on special experiences!

Contact me: raincouverbeauty@gmail.com

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angela | vancouver lifestyle
Editing this post made MY MOUTH WATER!! 🤤🤤 Editing this post made MY MOUTH WATER!! 🤤🤤

Here are the best things I ate in Japan - restaraunt edition! (do you want to see one for snacks? or do you want to see a worst things I ate in Japan?)
Prices of the specific dish listed below.

1. Kanoko, try their special green tea infused soba or normal soba. I loved the dashi and tempura. Perfect lunch option for after visiting the tori gates. 1,300 Yen 🍜

2. Okonomiyaki Sakaba, you can pick the inside filling and a lot of the options were meat based. The sauce on top is delicious and you may be surprised the inside is mostly cabbage and not flour. 1,000 Yen🍥

3. Udon Bo Osaka, I tried out a cold dipping udon and it was excellent! They have a special yuzu sauce and the tempura is amazing too. 1,250 Yen 🍤

4. Roast Beef Ohno, the most affordable way to eat wagyu! Loved the sauces and nice side veggie dishes too. 1,750 Yen 🥓

5. Fuunji, flavorful dipping ramen with a vending machine to order! 1,400 (with egg + bamboo add on)🍱

6. Maguro Koya, holy crap I'm addicted to Ootoro now. So glad we splurged and got the double portion. We also tried the chutoro sashimi to compare cuts. 3,200 Yen 🍣

Hope this provides some delicious inspo for the best food in Japan!
Here's what I found from Ragtag in Japan!! 🤩🤩
I've definitely had my eye on a Dior piece and it's extra special that this design is a Japan exclusive.
I have to say, second hand designer shopping is a lot harder than I remembered! There are SO many stores now, I probably visited 20+ and the prices are not so cheap anymore 🤧🤧
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A similar card holder from Dior is probably $600 CAD + tax. I got this one for ~$350 CAD. It's in excellent condition but there was no dust bag nor box.

📍 Ragtag, Shinseibashi, Osaka
We made it on the kyo-train garaku by Hankyu and I We made it on the kyo-train garaku by Hankyu and I'd highly recommend boarding this train if you're transiting between Osaka and Kyoto. ❤️‍🔥🌸
No reservations are required and the fare is just the basic fare (approximately $4!) 🚅
Check online for the most updated timetable but the most current is
9:32, 11:32, 13:32, and 15:32 leaving Osaka for Kyoto!
We showed up 30 minutes before boarding and was the first ones for car 5. Car 3 seems to be the most popular for the cherry blossoms!
Forget your eyeshadow palettes! This little single Forget your eyeshadow palettes! This little single eyeshadow from merit is all I need! 💚
I've been using this a lot on my vacation and it stays on amazingly well all day even with the humidity.
I went for a more unique shade but all the basic browns and neutrals are available too!
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Would you swap your current eyeshadow for this?
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