We had high hopes for our vacation at ZEL Punta Cana, but unfortunately, the experience didn’t live up to expectations. While the resort itself is visually stunning — the grounds are beautiful, and the rooms are modern, clean, and very well-designed — everything else fell short, especially for a place marketed as a luxury all-inclusive.
The buffet food was consistently cold and unappetizing. Every meal we had there lacked flavor and freshness. It honestly felt like food was being left out too long without proper temperature control. To make matters worse, there was very little variety for children, which made mealtimes even more difficult for families.
The drinks were also disappointing — most tasted extremely watered down. Whether at the pool, bar, or restaurant, the quality was not what you’d expect from a resort of this level.
Our biggest issue was with the concierge service, or rather the complete lack of it. Our concierge never introduced himself, never reached out, and never followed up. As a result, we were unable to make any dinner reservations at the specialty restaurants. We were forced to leave the resort and pay for dinner 3 out of the 5 nights, costing us nearly $500 — a major inconvenience and an unexpected expense at an “all-inclusive” resort.
We reported our concerns to the front desk and staff several times, but our complaints were never addressed. There was no follow-up, no solution, and no accountability.
What’s worse is that, after speaking with other