Summary
I visited Punta Cana (3 nights) in February 2014 over President’s Day weekend with my wife and a close couple friend. A short 3.5 hour flight from NYC, Punta Cana is a great warm weather destination to escape winters on the east coast. Punta Cana is a well-established Caribbean destination – i.e more hospitality infrastructure etc. – so the multitude of activities on the island are coupled with a more established and reputed feeling of safety. The airport experience was fast and very pleasant and the open-air terminals get you in the vacation mindset from the minute you land.
Accommodations
We stayed at the Westin Puntacana Resort and Club – which was a brand-new development that is adjacent to the Puntacana Resort and Club (easily walkable from the hotel via the beach). This hotel is well-situated on the beach with close proximity to the airport. The hotel runs a shuttle to the Puntacana Village which has great dining options for evening outings.
Select Favorites
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- Dining: Our favorite dining experiences during our stay included the international cuisine at Playa Blanca and La Yola – 2 of the 6 restaurants at the Puntacana Resort and Club. We also really enjoyed an evening visit to Mamma Luisa and snuck in a visit to the local Baskin Robbins ice cream shop in the Puntacana Village.
- Activities: We spent much of our visit relaxing by the pool and along the beach at the Westin. We also played a lot of golf along the waterfront – specifically at La Cana and Corales. My wife was pregnant with our son at the time so we did fewer water based activities than we otherwise might have
Recommendation
We had a wonderfully simple and relaxing visit and would certainly consider coming back. Next time, we may try out Cap Cana (and possibly splurge at the Eden Roc) to explore a different (yet still close enough to the airport / activities) area of the island. We will also likely try to play golf at Punta Espada, which we heard is a great course and may even venture to the Hard Rock Casino. We will also likely stay for 4 nights on our next visit if possible. Pro Tip: You can purchase your tourist entry card (i.e. Visa) online before you go to save time at the airport in Punta Cana. The card costs $10 and can be purchased here – this allows you to avoid a separate line at the airport and gets you on your way faster.
