My Husband and I visited this hotel in May for our 20th wedding anniversary. I, too, was a little skeptical given the reviews that I had been reading on trip advisor. Those negative reviews were not reflective of what my husband and I experienced. Check in was very easy.....Royal Service was totally worth the money. We had an oceanfront imperial jr. suite which was beautiful and a 5 second walk to the beach and pool. The royal service beach was different from the other side of the beach in that you were able to reserve a palapa every day and the beach chairs are large comfortable bali beds versus just a regular lounge chair. The RS pool was small but very nice and quiet. Plenty of towels. Service at bar, pool and beach was excellent. Get to know Pedro and Fransisco....very nice and Franciso makes great drinks. Bring a travel candle for your room. There may be a slight musty smell. Bed very comfortable. Pillow menu unique. They set up a jucuzzi bath complete with candles, incense, bath foam etc. very nice. The language barrier is minimal and with effort you should be able to learn there language since you are in their country. Service was good. RS sets up all of your dinner reservations. Food was o.k. I would not recommend Passion. I recommend Gabi for lunch and dinner although service a little slow but who cares your on vacation. Bana with the hibatchi tables was excellent. Vento was also good for both breakfast and dinner. The bellinis with passion fruit were to die for. All good liqour, mostly Absolute for vodka. Don't order Grey Goose....$16/shot. Lobby Bar is a great place to sit and have a drink. The hotel is very clean. There were no bugs.
I have been on some decent vacations but this vacation topped them all. The Dominican people couldn't have been kinder. Bring tipping money with you. Although they never seem to expect a tip, they always appreciated one. They deserve it. Again, can't say enough about this hotel....WE LOVED IT.

Just returned from this resort and had exactly the same trepidation as the previous poster. We have not been to the Caribbean and prefer boutique hotels, B & Bs and Inns to all inclusive tourist lodging. However, we were invited on a free business trip and so our experience was guided by that fact, so we really didn't have a financial stake and just went with the flow. We didn't have to worry about airport transfers there and back, check in was separate, etc.
Everything everyone has said about your entering for the first time is accurate. The property is beautiful, to put it mildly, both interior and exterior. The upper lobby is tranquil, relaxing, comfortable and comfortably busy. The lower lobby is fun, open air and full of places to hang out and people watch.
Our check in at around 3pm was a little painful in that our 1st room (1025) was assigned to us and was horrible. Small, hot, dark, smelly and absolutely unacceptable, even for free. We did not unpack and back we went to the check in desk where we met Roberto who promptly said, "We are full, come back tomorrow". Not a chance, says I and gave him a smile but a look that clearly read "today". He says come back at 6 and we at first accepted this but upon further thought offered a him a $20 for sooner. He declined the $20 but said come back at 4:30. Okay....we walk around, get the lay of the land, have a drink, not a problem. It's a beautiful day and we realize that it is, indeed, good to be alive.
Short story, Roberto found us a choice of 2 other rooms for me to look at, both of which were a 100% better. I chose 2032 and Roberto accepted the 20.
Everyone, from the gardeners to the execs were friendly, made eye contact and said hello all the time. It was pretty relaxed and there were plenty of places to curl up and hide or walk to or look at. Very nicely maintained except for the occasional glass or two that were overlooked for days at a time.
Yes, the food was not very good. We learned rather quickly what was the better choice. Since we had group dinners 3 nights of the 5, we really didn't experience any restaurant besides the breakfast buffet and Market Grill. Since I could actually see what I was getting, both places suited me fine. We went to the buffet for breakfast everyday and Market grill for lunch and both were acceptable. The food at the three buffets we attended was basically the same and only fair, even one at Gabi Beach. The best dinner we had was an intimate group of 8 at Market Grill where we ordered surf and turf and it was delicious. Nice wine list if someone else is buying the wines not included.
The spa was great and I spent quite a bit of time in the various whirlpools and showers before and after my massage. I requested a massage at the outdoor "eco" area which was very pretty and serene. It is located by the path from the pool to the Sapphire building, however, and a simple "Silencio, por favor" sign for the 100' on the path that people pass would help the disturbance from folks on vacation. The massage was a basic 50 minute Swedish and was perfectly fine, especially for free. Having someone rub my body with oil and feeling the breeze through the slatted windows surrounded by lots of green foliage is my idea of heaven so I was a very happy girl. The changing room was tiny which made it kind of awkward for more than 2 or 3 people in there at one time.
We got a palapa every day, which I was determined to have. I awoke early (no choice), and trotted out in my PJs and secured one from a large choice by leaving a small assortment of personal items and this became our basecamp every afternoon. I would say this was one of the best tip we followed that paid off. Those who had no comfy place to hang by the pool were not as relaxed as we were, for sure. Though all it takes is a little effort for that to happen, you get what you put into it.
The rooms were nicely appointed with lots of architectural detail and marble. My only issue was the room/bathroom layout/design.
The bathrooms were quite nice with huge jacuzzi, super shower and separate toilet closet BUT while there was a regular door to close, the wall between the bedroom and bathroom was simply slatted wood shutters and open wood grill work. What this means is that if your companion gets up before you and is a noisy bathroom person, as my husband is, you will be annoyed. Very annoyed. This did help in getting me up and out of bed to go that palapa, though, so it was actually okay...
Other than that we had a fab time and while tipping will truly get you somewhat more personal attention, where was this personal concierge I'm hearing about? Maybe the group thing negated that for us, but no matter, this is a beautiful place to visit. There's lots to do, plenty of drink, free smokes at the Lobby bar, and again, this is a big reminder that life can be grand. Learn a little Spanish, smile, say hola and por favor, be respectful and you will receive respect in return. We had very little issue with the language. Plenty of the staff spoke enough english and with a little knowledge on your part, you will have no problem, either.

My wife and another couple stayed at the Paradisus for 8 nights in mid May. I have to admit that after reading several reviews leading up to the trip I was a bit nervous. With complaints such as terrible check in, unfriendly staff, awful food and a tough language barrier we were both apprehensive. Well, we loved every second of our trip. Check in was a breeze and the couple that we were with their room was not ready so we simply had a few drinks at the lobby bar. The staff was very friendly especially Johan our conciere. As per the language barrier, to put it bluntly....you are in another country and they speak spanish just like we speak english in the US! With a little patience we were never unable to get our point across, just be respectful and they will do they will do the same.

The white beach was beautiful and we never felt crowded for such a big resort. The pool was wonderful and the swim up bar was a great touch. The grounds were kept like a golf course and the beach was clean. There was always some sort of activity going on like painting classes, volley ball or dance lessons. We did not do any of them becasue we opted to relax for our stay but it was a nice thing to have aroung you.

The casino was small but fun and it was never crowded. As per the food it was not spectacular but it was good enough especially for an all inclusive. Vento, Bana Tepanyaki (hibatchi) and the romantic dinner on the beach (well worth the $$) provided us with the best meals of the trip. The buffet was good for breakfast but not so much for the other 2 meals of the day. I recommend the Market Grill for lunch. If you are looking for gourmet I would not stay at an all inclusive, but the food was good here. The spa was very professional and the couples massage was great.

Overall, it was a great experience and I would reccommend this resort to young couples. We had a great time and never wanted to leave.

Here is my long (but detailed) description of our wedding trip at the Paradisus Palma Real Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. My husband, Corbin and I, along with 35 family and friends traveled to this Resort on Saturday May 3, 2008. All of our guests stayed one week, and my husband and I stayed for 2 weeks. I hope this helps any future brides as I believe this resort to be a phenomenal choice for a destination wedding and a vacation! If I have missed any details, please do not hesitate to contact me with your questions!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS & CHECK-IN: We arrived to the resort at around 10 p.m Saturday night. The resort is only a 20 minute drive from the airport. We got off the bus and walked in the lobby and the scenery literally takes your breath away! The ambiance at night is unlike any resort I have ever stayed at- low lighting, orchids and flower arrangements everywhere, cool couches and decorations. This place looks and feels very posh without it being stuffy. Right as you walk in the lobby there is a huge marble staircase lined with tea lights and rose petals and you can see and feel the ocean on your face. (In the daytime you see the ocean from the front of the resort) It is very overwhelming! None of our guests had any troubles checking in. A few people got doubles instead of a big bed but were able to sort it out that night. Corbin and I were in a Royal Service Suite so we had a private check-in at the Royal Service Lounge which is air-conditioned and very nicely decorated! They served us a welcome cocktail and were very prompt to take our entire luggage to the room immediately and show us to the room as well. Being in Royal Service you receive the services of a personal butler for your stay. Our butler’s name was Bethania- she was the woman who showed us to our room, showed us how to use our personal cell-phone that we would use to contact her to make reservations for dinners, spa treatments or pretty much anything else we needed.

ROOMS: We stayed in room 2120 which was an Oceanfront Royal Service Suite. It was beautiful! (And decorated very similar to all the other rooms at this resort as we got a chance to see many of our guest’s rooms). Large 2-person Jacuzzi soaker-tub, marble counter tops in the bathroom- stocked with soaps, shampoo, Q-tips, toothbrush, hairdryer,
etc, big comfy bed (unlike may all-ins where the bed is hard as a rock) lots of fluffy pillows (we also got a pillow menu which is included for RS guests- where you can pick out a pillow such as feather, aromatherapy etc), flat screen TV, DVD player, stereo with CD player, snacks (chips, nuts, plantain chips) nespresso machine, mini-
fridge stocked with the local beer (Presidente), bottled water, juice and pop, a sitting area with a very large birds of paradise plant and another orchid plant on the coffee table, couch and a beautiful view!
The mirrored closet was average size, where the safe was located, with two plush bath robes, slippers, and an iron and ironing board.
Basically all the rooms look gorgeous, and you feel like you are staying at a posh resort.

LOBBY BAR: AMAZING! This lounge area is massive and beautifully decorated with plush loungers, big long couches, orchids (which are my favorite flower) everywhere, dim lighting, and like most of the resort areas open air concept (so it does have a tendency to get warm at night up there as it would be furthest from the beach breeze. At the bar they serve only top-shelf liquor, local (Presidente) or premium beer (Corona, Miller Genuine Draft or Heineken) in bottles. One review I once read said at this resort the champagne flows like water- - well, they weren’t joking! And the drinks you can order are really yummy! Passion fruit Bellini’s, banana mudslides, Cosmo martinis- I used to be in the bar service and I know a good drink! These were AMAZING!!!! They serve cigars as well- FOR FREE!!! My husband and his friends could not believe it!

BEACH: Simply amazing- the beach chairs are spread out so you don’t feel crowded. Lots of palapia's and huts to sit underneath. Pinkish white soft sand and blue water. There are a few cocktail servers that do rounds on the beach- we were lucky to be a very visible group who tipped well so we never had a problem getting a beverage- Bianca our beach server was also so accommodating- even getting us a bag of ice when we were making a pyramid of corona bottles on the beach one day (we had to go get those from the lobby bar however b/c they don’t serve bottles of beer on the beach or by the pool).

There were very few peddlers on the beach and they were not allowed to come up to the beach chairs, also there were lots of security guards from our resort who patrolled the beach so you always felt very safe.
They also have a volley ball net and an area for soccer/football and have tournaments daily.

They also do a few special meals right on the beach a few times a week. For example while we were there they had a BIG Paella for everyone to eat and fresh sangria to drink (which was really really tasty!)

There is also water sports included in your package that are offered by Gabi Beach- catamarans, snorkeling, and windsurfing. Some extras that you can do if you pay are Parasailing, fishing, mini speed boat trips, snorkeling excursions and a few others. I did the Parasailing twice- - it only cost 75 dollars for 2 people! It was well worth it!
Once a week (I think on Mondays) they offer a free Party Boat as well.

RESTERAUNTS:


NAOS (BUFFET)- - Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Smoking and non-smoking areas are divided. I had breakfast here every morning (except for the day after the wedding, when we received breakfast in our room). The variety of foods is the main thing I would like to stress- it was unbelievable! For breakfast you could have made to order omelets from a grill station, pancakes, waffles, French toast, bacon& sausage, smoked salmon, caviar!!! They also had a HUGE assortment of breads, buns, croissants, muffins. Fresh fruit yogurt, salads, and local dishes such as breakfast burritos, bacon wrapped bananas and soo many more! … Also there is a fresh juice bar where you can make a customized smoothie!

For lunch they had a pasta station, where you could make your own pasta dish, some days they switched that with at fajita station. There was cold cuts, soups, a big salad bar, a grill station where you could pick a fish or meat and they would make it fresh right in front of you! Stews, lasagna, meat dishes, potatoes and rice dishes. Most days they had huge paella – which was one of my favorites.

We never ate there at dinner b/c we always made reservations at the a la carte restaurants.

MARKET GRILL- - Open for lunch and dinner as an a la carte restaurant. And also is open from 11p.m to 6 am for late night eating. For lunch and dinner this is a good casual spot to go to. I enjoyed going to the Grill at lunch because it is right on the beach so you have a great view while you eat- and I could go in my beach cover-up. The food was good- the best things were the nachos, quesadillas, steaks, pasta, fish and tacos. The service was sometimes slow, but if you are not in a rush for drink/food then you won’t be disappointed. My dad had a plate of pasta AND steak here every day for lunch and he said the steak was always excellent and tender. For dinner it was nice- but very breezy. We only came here once for dinner and I wasn’t overly impressed with the menu- the other three a la carte restaurants are MUCH better!

BANA- - Basically three a la carte restaurants in one spot (and my favorite). You walk in and there is coloured lighting and good music playing. A bar separates the two sides of the restaurant. One the left hand side is the asian-fusian restaurant. On the right is the sushi restaurant and behind that are 8 teppanyaki tables (each can fit 12 people). The Teppanyaki was by far my favorite! The Buda soup was great and the scallops were excellent! There were always extras at the end of the chef’s entertaining cooking show so if you wanted to taste something you didn’t order you could! Also the bar at this restaurant was my favorite; the martini list was great my personal favorite was the Sun Martini. One night we were there the bartender asked us if we wanted our nuts served warm and lit the bar (with the plates of nuts) on fire- very entertaining!

VENTO- - This Mediterranean a la carte restaurant was Corbin’s favorite. The service at this restaurant I would have to say is the best. We had a dinner here for all of our guests on their last night and did a set menu. Here are some of my favorites…Firstly, they serve a bread basket with all different warm rolls- one is filled with herbs and cheese, and the bread is served with a balsalmic/oil/parmesean cheese dip- very good! APPY’S: the mushroom soup (quite possible the best soup I have ever had!), smoked salmon crepes and the cucumber salad. MAINS- the mushroom and truffle risotto was cooked so perfectly I craved it the entire time I was at this resort! (and I don’t even like risotto typically!), the braised duck breast is very very good- we chose this as the main for our good bye dinner- except they serve you two HUGE pieces when most people could only eat one! Corbin enjoyed the veal chops as well. This restaurant requires men to wear trousers, dress shirts (which can be short-sleeved) and closed shoes.
PASSIONS- - This a la carte restaurant is right beside Vento and shares a champagne bar with Vento. We personally did not eat here and either people LOVED it or did not fancy the food. It is a tasting menu. So you choose from 3 menus- a meat menu, a fish menu or a chef’s menu. One you choose your menu you get 6 or 7 small dishes of food. This is adults only and men must wear trousers and dress shirt (short sleeved is fine) and closed shoes.

GABI BEACH- - This a la carte restaurant and bar was the only one where if you were not Royal Service you had to pay for the food. We ate dinner here twice- excellent pasta (Seafood linguini), seafood chiviche, filet & lobster, tuna steak, and much much more! There is also entertainment at night on the beach- - the Bali beds light up different colors and they play music. It is a great spot for a romantic dinner.

*Each restaurant will give you two wine menus- one which is included and one which you have to pay extra for. To be quite honest, the one you pay extra for is extremely overpriced and in my opinion, not worth it- especially considering they have some very tasty wines on the included menu.

**Reservations for all a la Carte restaurants can be made 24-48 hours prior. I suggest making them as early as possible just to guarantee you get the time you want- if you go too late, you may get stuck going very early or very late.


WELCOME DINNER: Kelly recommended us having the Welcome dinner at Bana. They set up two long tables side by side on the Asian-fusion side of the restaurant and we had family style service- which means they brought 2-3 plates of each dish and everyone shared. It was very good. Some of the dishes were spring rolls, pineapple chicken skewers, fried rice, and Asian noodle stir-fry with veggies, mahi-mahi, and a spicy seafood dish. The service was excellent and we had enough privacy to get up and say thank you to our guests for coming and handed out our welcome bags.

WEDDING: Our wedding was Tuesday May 6, 2008. I woke up feeling no stress and went for a Pilates class with the girls- it was the most stress-free day. After the class we went for breakfast at the buffet, and one of the many servers who we got to know went out of his way to clear up a few tables so we could all sit together and brought us all Mimosas!!! I ate smoked salmon, two poached eggs and rye toast and mangoes- sooo yummy! It was a great start to the day. After breakfast, I went to the Spa to get my hair done with my mother, my maid of honour and my Aunt. The ladies at the Spa are very nice- I did a hair trail the day before where I showed the woman pictures of what I wanted and she did it really well so I knew exactly what it was going to look like. I recommend the hair trail to any bride so that there are no surprises! My girlfriend did my make-up back in the room- I trust her and she did a phenomenal job, so I can’t comment on the makeup services offered at the Spa.

We had met with the wedding coordinator the day prior to go over the small details of the actual day- like where we needed to be and at what time. We chose to have our ceremony on the beach- it was beautiful! I went with all white linens and only white rose petals lining the aisle. We picked white roses for the bouquets and the boutonnières (which were included in our wedding package- the AQUA). I wanted it to be very simple, and I think we made the right decision as it was simple breathtaking. My dad walked my down the aisle (which was from the sky bar- so it was a long aisle) he wore no shoes and I wore my flip flops. All of my guests were seated on white chairs and we picked our own song to play as I walked down the aisle.
The beach ceremony can get windy (I opted not to wear my veil- which was the right choice as I think our pics turned out better and I picked white orchids for my hair piece).

Our beach ceremony started at 4:30- the sun is still out but it’s not super hot. The judge who presided over the service only speaks Spanish but one of the wedding coordinators translated. After we said our “I Do’s” we all had a champagne toast and took pics on the beach. While our photographer took shots of just the two of us, all of our guests had a private cocktail reception on the Gabi Terrace. We chose 3 appetizers for our guests to snack on while we were shooting for about an hour. When we got to the Gabi Terrace we had a drink and then had our first dance. It was very private and I think it’s the best choice for a reception, because there are no onlookers or noise- just beautiful scenery and the beach backdrop. We had an imperial style seating for our dinner (one big table) which was set up really nice. We had brought really cute flip-flop place card holders that we ordered before the trip and Kelly the wedding coordinator took care of
setting it all up.

The food was AMAZING! The appetizer we chose was a salad with goat cheese, shrimp and greens- very good! Our main course was beef filet and lobster tail with potatoes and veg. You could actually cut your filet with a butter knife that’s how tender it was! (And I am not really a big red meat eater- but I pretty much licked my plate clean!) The waiters were very attentive to making sure every one had wine or a cocktail and that all the food came out at the same time. Our dessert was a pistachio cake – which I didn’t eat because I was so full. We also had wedding cake which I did get to taste and it was very yummy! It was included in our package and was very large- it was a 3-tiered vanilla cake with vanilla icing and strawberries.

After dinner, we all went to the lobby bar for a drink and to relax for a bit. And then we headed over to the Disco (which was empty as usual) but since we were a big group we filled the place and had a blast. We danced the night away!! The bartender was amazing and made the ladies a special blue shot (which I think I had about 8 of…).
At the end of the night the people who were still up went to the all night restaurant on the beach where we had a mélange of food. When Corbin and I got back to our room there was a note from the Romance team congratulating us and a gift. They also had drawn us a bubble bath with incense, heart-shaped candles, a bottle of chilled champagne and flowers. It was very beautiful.

The next morning we had a special breakfast delivered to our room which consisted of mimosas, coffee, scrambled eggs (in the shape of a heart!), pancakes, French toast, sausage, bacon, fresh fruit and breads!!! It was amazing (but seriously way too much food for two people!)

CASINO: Very big and air-conditioned, located on the lower level (or beach front level). They have a great bar with the same top-shelf drinks as the Lobby Bar. One night they hosted a poker tournament, where one of my friends won the entire tourney winning $800. Another friend of mine won $120 on the penny slots and my Aunt won at the tables big one night as well. I am not much of a gambler but they had couches and a big flat screen TV, so I would sometimes just hang out while my friends gambled.

ROYAL SERVICE: We were upgraded to Royal Service by our Travel Provider at no additional cost to us. Basically here are the extras about Royal Service:
•Private check-in
•Personal Butler (whom you can access via your cell phone given to you by the Resort) who assists you with any reservations you would like to make (dinner, spa, golf, excursions)
•Access to the RS Lounge- which has 2 computers with free Internet Access, Game tables, T.V area, DVD’s you can borrow for your room, private breakfast, lunch and dinner (very light, but enough food that you could eat here- for example: at dinner there is quiche, cold cuts, brushetta, chicken Kiev. At Breakfast- fruit, yogurt croissants, bagels,
•A private pool area with pool bar (that served beer in the bottle, free cigarettes, snacks and little sandwiches at lunch time). The main bartender’s name was Francesco and was the friendliest guy I met! This pool was very small, but only RS guests could use it- it had its own towel station, free sunscreen, newspapers and books. All the chairs by the RS pool were either private huts or Bali beds
•A private beach area with Bali beds and palapas, and a cocktail server who ONLY served this area
•Excusive a al carte breakfast & lunch at Vento (we never used this service because we like to be outside by the pool or beach during the day)
•Daily newspaper
•Pillow menu

DISCO: Air-conditioned and located beside the Casino. It is non-
smoking and very nicely decorated. But it tended to be empty. We went there a few nights- as long as you have a big group of people it can be fun. However, the D.J is not very good and doesn’t understand much English so it was very difficult (pretty much impossible) to request songs. One night a week they host a Karaoke night- which was fun.

ENTERTAINMENT: There literally is something for everyone at this resort. Wine tasting, massage workshops, sushi-making class, cocktail workshop, painting classes, bike tours, horse-back riding, dance lessons, and much more! Every night they have live entertainment outside the Casino in the lower lobby. On Mondays from 7-9 pm they have a market in the lower level that has local vendors selling things including cigars, paintings, jewelry, and much more. Some of the shows included a Circus (with acrobats!), a fire show, a Dominican night and a Gala night on Saturdays. There was always something going on so you don’t have to worry about having nothing to do!

SPA: The Spa is located by the Pool area and offers a HUGE range of services from massages to pedicures, to mud wraps & scrubs, to hair styles & waxing… Corbin and I did a couples massage which you can do in one of the rooms located on the second floor of the Spa or in a hut outside- we chose to do ours outside and it was soo nice. The women there are very friendly. I actually went a few times for a personalized massage and felt it was well worth it. When you make an appointment at the Spa they tell you to come 30-45 minutes early so you can change into a Spa robe & flip flops (which are provided) and use their private pool/shower/sauna area. It overlooks the pool area but has various hot tubs, showers (with different water intensities), beds, fruit and teas, mist room, sauna room and wading pool.

EXERCISE ROOM: The gym is air-conditioned and has 2 elliptical and 5 treadmills and a few bikes & weight machines. We only went here a few mornings, but it was never super busy and they have a few flat screen TV’s you can watch while you are doing Cardio. They also offer many classes which they do right outside the Spa in a tented hut- some of the classes offered are Yoga, Pilates, Abs class, and Meditation. Many of the girls went to these classes in the morning- and it really is a great way to start off your day. The instructors are very good and conduct the classes at a good pace.