Top 12 Favorite Punta Cana Resorts: Personal Picks from 32+ Stays
Introduction
After staying at over 32 Punta Cana resorts, this list represents our top 12 personal favorites based purely on gut instinct—no spreadsheets, scoring systems, or complex rankings. We each created our top 10 picks independently, and eight resorts appeared on both lists, which is remarkably rare for us.
Note: Full detailed reviews of each resort can be found on our channel by searching the hotel name plus "Nitty Gritty Travelers" on YouTube.
The Eight Mutual Favorites
1. Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana
What We Loved:
- Stunning luxury resort that exceeded our high expectations
- Incredibly warm staff and beautiful lobby entrance
- Beautifully designed rooms with gorgeous views (John's former favorite resort room in Punta Cana)
- Easy, hassle-free experience with no restaurant reservations needed
- Abundant pool lounge chairs
- Exceptional snack bar with quality food
- Stunningly beautiful pool area
- Two hot tubs with ocean views
- Massive, legitimately tasty buffet
- Outstanding Indian restaurant (one of the best resort meals we've had)
Bottom Line: Would return in a heartbeat—Zilara gets a lot of things right.
2. Lopesan Costa Bávaro
What We Loved:
- Pleasantly surprising experience from a hotel chain we'd never heard of
- Stunning pools, especially the massive infinity pool
- Located on Bávaro Beach (one of the best in Punta Cana)
- Excellent food at specialty restaurants, particularly the Mexican restaurant
- Dining felt more like eating out than typical resort food
- Checked all the right boxes without overdoing it
Note: Some visitors complain about boats anchored in the area, but this wasn't an issue for us.
Bottom Line: Would absolutely return—still missing that infinity pool.
3. Dreams Cap Cana
Property Note: Operating as Margaritaville when we visited; since purchased by Hyatt with no significant changes to our knowledge (resort was fairly new).
What We Loved:
- One of the best rooms we've stayed in—super clean, tropical without being cheesy
- Smart design touches throughout
- Food exceeded expectations significantly
- Excellent Italian and American restaurants
- Next-level breakfast buffet
- Outstanding hot tubs (spent an unreasonable amount of time in them)
- Great pools and gorgeous beach
- Solid drinks across the board (ironically, except for the margaritas)
Note: Not the most Dominican-feeling resort, but everything just worked.
Bottom Line: Would return in a heartbeat and head straight for the hot tub.
4. Secrets Cap Cana
What We Loved:
- Warm, thoughtful welcome with champagne and cold towels at check-in
- Outstanding service throughout—staff always friendly, attentive, and genuinely happy to help
- Classic Juanillo Beach with soft white sand and calm turquoise water
- Hammock swing situation that made us question why we ever left
- Lovely pool area, especially peaceful in the mornings
- Modern, spacious rooms that felt really well done without being flashy
Bottom Line: Absolutely earned its spot on our favorites list.
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5. Hard Rock Punta Cana
What We Loved:
- Biggest resort we've stayed at (feels like a small town)
- Little train to help navigate the property
- Exceptional food across the board—perfect for foodies
- Super spacious, modern rooms (Ari's favorite room after 32 Punta Cana stays)
- Countless pools with different vibes—some lively with DJs, others relaxing
- Insanely blue beach water (not a filter—it actually looks like that)
- High-energy atmosphere with entertainment and activities
- Semi-private pool options
- Beautifully designed spaces
Note: You'll wait in some lines, but everything is worth it. Not a quiet couples-only resort.
Bottom Line: Perfect if you like energy and want to stay on property most of the time.
6. Sanctuary Cap Cana (The Castle)
What We Loved:
- Grown-up, elegant, and super unique vibe
- Actually feels like a castle with stone walls and period furniture
- Personal butler service that made everything smoother without being intrusive
- First resort where we wanted to stay in our room most of the time
- Excellent cocktails (left us both extra chatty after happy hour)
- Solid food quality
- Amazing room design
- Understated luxury feel
Note: Not everything was perfect, but the castle left a profound impression.
Bottom Line: Unique experience with genuine castle atmosphere and exceptional service.
7. Dreams Flora
What We Loved:
- One of the newest renovated resorts in Punta Cana
- Super family-friendly with quiet corners to escape
- Secret adults-only pool (became our second home)
- Solid food across the board with a strong buffet
- Excellent Mexican restaurant (except the tamales)
- Quality cocktails (may have accidentally had three piña coladas before lunch)
- Thoughtful design with lush gardens
- Gorgeous lagoon-like pool
- Calm, clear, uncrowded beach
Bottom Line: Strong pick for families wanting a modern, easy-going resort with opportunities to sneak away.
8. Secrets Tides
What We Loved:
- One of the newest adults-only resorts in Punta Cana
- Everything feels fresh and well thought out
- Compact layout makes getting around easy
- Bright, modern rooms where everything works properly
- Game-changing hot tubs (essential for February visits when pools feel like ice baths)
- Lounge chairs by the pool are first-come, first-served with no upcharges or wristband politics
- Great buffet variety
- Sweet tooth's dream coffee shop
- Some of the best tacos at an all-inclusive (Mexican restaurant)
- Gorgeous Uvero Alto beach
- Good cocktails, excellent service, and solid entertainment
Bottom Line: Definitely earned its spot on our favorites list.
Four Additional Individual Favorites
These resorts didn't make both our lists but were strong enough to make individual top 10 picks.
John's Picks
9. Live Aqua
What We Loved:
- Built perfectly for couples
- Gorgeous pools
- Top-tier cocktails
- Among the best beaches we've seen in Uvero Alto (though not our favorite area in Punta Cana overall)
- Solid food, especially breakfast
- Super friendly staff
- Hot tub on the terrace made up for the room not being our favorite
Bottom Line: Had a great time and would return.
10. Paradisus Palma Real
Note: Details were cut off in the transcript, but this resort earned its spot on John's top 10.
Ari's Picks
11. Grand Bávaro Princess
Trip Context: Brought parents to this resort.
What We Loved:
- Stunning beach
- Hit coffee shop with everyone
- One of the best Indian restaurants in Punta Cana
- Huge resort with lush vegetation and peacocks
- Fun eco trail makes walking around enjoyable
- Gorgeous, comfortable rooms
- Relaxing pool away from crowds
Bottom Line: Everyone was impressed.
12. Paradisus Gran Cana
Note: First Meliá resort we visited.
What We Loved:
- Insane suites (one of Ari's favorite rooms in Punta Cana)
- Ridiculously stocked minibar
- Some of the friendliest staff we've met
- Solid food across the board
- Pools everywhere—never felt crowded
Main Drawback: Not beachfront (requires quick shuttle to beach)
Bottom Line: Seriously worth considering if you're okay with a shuttle to the beach.