TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

We did some classical Dominican dolls. The hotel has multiple little events throughout the day that make the experience all the better. After yoga paddle boarding we were taught by yovanny and Priscilla to... craft these dolls. 10/10 experience :)

I booked five nights at Zel Punta Cana, drawn in by its attractive concept, beachfront location, and the overwhelmingly positive reviews (which now, frankly, I find hard to understand). Unfortunately, I en...ded up checking out after just two nights due to the severely poor quality of service, food, and beverage offerings. What Went Wrong: Day 1: • Upon arrival, I was warmly greeted by my concierge, Álvaro, who enthusiastically introduced the hotel and its activities. Sadly, the experience that followed did not reflect what was promised. • At the Beach Club, I tried to order a mojito while waiting for my room, but was told they had no soda, no mint, and no lime. • After just four gin tonics, the bar ran out of Amsterdam gin, leaving only the generic house brand. (Worth noting: Amsterdam is one of the cheapest gins available in the country.) • The buffet at Parda had a shockingly limited selection — just tuna and mussels, no beef or chicken, and overall felt more like a poor breakfast than a proper lunch. • Dinner at the steakhouse was more promising in terms of food quality, but after two drinks, the Brugal Leyenda rum ran out — again, a basic local product. Day 2: • Breakfast lacked any real variety — no fresh fruit selection, no cold cuts, and only low-quality cheese and ham. • At Tacorini, there was no beer available (CO2 problem) and no Coca-Cola either. • The room service app didn’t work and the room phone was broken — I reported this three times, with no resolution. • I requested bottled water through the app — it never arrived. • The buffet featured substandard beef and a questionable sweet-and-sour pork dish. Again, no chicken or healthy options. • Back at Tacorini, I ordered a beef gyro and received four chunks of fatty, gristly meat — completely inedible. • The Asian restaurant served a mixed rice dish with only two shrimp and two tiny pieces of meat — this ended up being my first full meal of the day, which says a lot. • The sushi was made with regular rice overcooked into a paste — far from authentic. • I ordered an Aperol Spritz at Parda, only to be told they were making it with white wine because they didn’t have sparkling wine. No Room Service. No Food Availability. No Excuse. Although the hotel claims to offer room service, nothing on the menu was actually available. Staff later admitted this service is simply not enabled — a serious failure for any resort, let alone one under the Meliá brand. This hotel is, quite frankly, not ready to operate at the level its rates and branding suggest. Even the most basic all-inclusive hotels in Punta Cana manage to offer decent food, beverages, and consistent service. I have never gone hungry at a hotel in my life — until now. Management Follow-Up? None. At checkout, I was asked to fill out a form to request a refund for my unused nights. Over a week later, I have not received the refund, nor any meaningful follow-up. The Guest Services Manager reached out to ask why I had left early — I replied promptly on June 1st and never heard back. A Word to Mr. Nadal: This property opened with the pride and endorsement of Rafael Nadal in partnership with Meliá. I strongly urge Mr. Nadal to review the current state of this resort. As it stands, even the lowest-tier all-inclusives in the Dominican Republic offer better service, more food availability, and a basic sense of hospitality. Until significant improvements are made, I cannot recommend Zel Punta Cana to anyone — especially not at this price point. If you’re considering booking here, do yourself a favor and look elsewhere.

We recently stayed at Zel Punta Cana, formerly the Family (Garden) Reserve at Paradisus Palma Real. This is not a new property, just a rebranded section of the older resort. While the Mediterranean-inspire...d décor is lovely and the grounds are well maintained, the overall experience left much to be desired. Zel is not beachfront, and there are no ocean view or oceanfront rooms—just garden or pool views. To reach the beach, you need to wait for a golf cart from the lobby area, which can be inconvenient, especially with bags or children. The beach itself was disappointing—public, full of seaweed, and busy with vendors who frequently approach guests. A warning: do not take photos with the parrots—vendors become aggressive and demand $40 for a photo they took with your phone. Zel promotes an “informal, freestyle” vibe, with young staff in t-shirts calling guests by their first names. While the intention is to make things feel casual and friendly, I personally missed the professionalism and polish of the mature, well-trained staff from its Reserve days. We overheard multiple staff arguments, and the relaxed atmosphere sometimes led to poor customer service. The rooms are spacious, which we appreciated, but this alone couldn’t make up for the resort’s small size and lack of activities. While you can visit the other Melia properties, you’re not allowed to use their amenities, which limits your experience even further. Dining options are very limited: two à la carte restaurants, open one at a time, and a grill (Tacorini) that serves from lunch into early dinner. The buffet is only open for breakfast and dinner, with long gaps in between. Tacorini was the highlight for us—it had the best food and atmosphere by far. In the end, despite some nice touches and friendly intentions, the concept doesn’t deliver. The limited size, lack of amenities, poor beach conditions, and drop in service quality made for a disappointing stay. Unfortunately, we won’t be returning.

The property grounds are beautiful. I like the smaller size of the property. It is situated amongst other properties that you must pass through to get to the beach. The beach is a 15 minute walk and there ...are always shuttles to take you back-and-forth. I do not like the constant need to use my cell phone at the property. There is not a front desk therefore you are required to check in on your phone. Phones are also necessary to scan QR codes for menus. I too often found staff to be standing around looking at their phones. Our suite was very spacious and comfortable. Housekeeping did a nice job. Food was good but buffet items were never hot and it was quite a repetitive offering. The fitness space was closed during my entire 1 week stay. This was very disappointing as it is something I look forward to in a property. As a result, there were also no fitness activities offered; another disappointment. The beach was beautiful.

Currently at the Zel Punta Cana, 3rd day here. The first 2 days were 5* experience. On the third day the music by the pool just started to blare so loudly you cannot hear yourself think, read or have a con...versation. We notified the front desk and did nothing. Spoke to the DJ and all he said was have a nice day. Volume did not decrease. Totally understand music is good but given The Zel promotes itself as a wellness resort where you come to relax in a tranquil environment, playing music at this decibel with explicit rap is not appropriate. If I want that I would have gone to The Hard Rock. If any managers reading this, you could resolve this and we will change the star rating. I love all types of music, just not at club decibels.