The Hotel
We thought the hotel was absolutely beautiful; in comparison to the other hotels we saw in a boat ride alongside the beach, ours definitely appeared to be the nicest. We loved the fact that the hotel was very open so you always had a fresh breeze blowing through.
The Rooms
We stayed in block 2 on the second floor. We had asked for either pool or ocean view, but we got playground/theatre view. Because we didn't spend very much time in our room, we didn't mind. The room was fine; it was a bit small for three girls with all of our luggage and stuff, but we managed okay. The bathroom was nice and big and there were plenty of mirrors in the room (essential for three girls!). The beds were comfortable; the only complaint that we had about the room was it smelt somewhat moldy and was quite damp. Anything that we hung up to dry stayed wet for at least three days. Our maid always came early and the room was cleaned well, our fridge kept stocked up and plenty of towels available.
The Service
When we arrived we arrived with a very large group of people and had to wait about 30 minutes to check in. This was a hassle because it was very late at night (around 1 a.m.) and we were very tired from the whole day of travel. We realized when we got to the front desk to check in that the reason it was taking so long was because the front desk clerk was very chatty and flirty. We could have checked in in half the time. We found that there was tones of staff, the Dominican people are incredibly friendly and try to make you as happy as possible. Many of them did speak very good English as well. The only area that seemed slightly understaffed was the bar ? they could use a couple more bartenders at each bar during busy times.
The Bars
There were several bars throughout the resort and you could get alcohol at any time of the day. We learned the hard way that the drinks they have here are not the same as there and if you want a fruity mixed drink you have to explain what they should put in so you get what you want. For anyone traveling to Dominican ? order a "Banana Mama". These drinks taste like a milk shake and are absolutely amazing! You must also be very persistent to what you want to drink ? for example we found that the bartenders like to make mixed drinks with 3 oz of alcohol and 1 oz of juice, or whatever you are having in your mixed drink. We at times had to order nonalcoholic drinks to mix with the alcoholic drinks because they were too strong to drink.
The Restaurants / Food
We thought the food was amazing. We were expecting worse because of the reviews we had read on this site prior to our visit. Well, they were WRONG! We loved the food ? at any time there was lots of food available and every imaginable kind as well. We went to four of the a la carte restaurants ? the Japanese was great (main course was a bit salty), the Italian was very good, we enjoyed the Mexican as well. The Grill was okay but not too different from what was available during the day or at the buffet. Let's just say I gained 10 pounds from the food there and I had absolutely no stomach problems (I'm one of those with a sensitive stomach as well). I didn't meet anybody on my trip who complained of a stomach problem.
Entertainment
Loved the entertainment!! They had regular evening shows and I really enjoyed them. Lots of interaction with the guests and the Dominican people love to dance and have a good time. We really enjoyed the circus and trapeze show especially because we got to know all the workers who were in the show. We thought the staff that are involved in the entertainment department are fantastic and wonderful at what they do!! There are many talented trapeze and acrobatic staff employed at Breezes and we had lots of fun watching them perform. Disco Party, party, party! We went to the disco every night except for once and had a blast! There were always lots of people there and everyone is eager to have a good time. This was one of the best ways to meet people at the resort. We would have preferred if it was open a bit later; it closed at two so we would then go out to the beach bar to continue to party. At the disco there were always lots of staff members to dance with (and let me tell you, they can dance!) and ensure that you have a great time.
Excursion
We decided to go on the Bavaro Runners Safari Adventure ($75 US). It was really great. A tip ? bring along small dollar-store toys and candy because the local children will chase the trucks asking for treats. We had brought a bag of stuff but wished we had brought more. Candy, bouncy balls, toothbrushes, dinky cars, pencils, and other things are great. It was a big eye-opener to see how the Dominican people live in comparison with our lifestyle. The only complaint that I had regarding the trip was the fact that we were on the trucks for a long time.. it gets a bit uncomfortable after a while. We spoke to lots of other people that went on different excursions and the general consensus was that everyone had a great time on them. I would definitely recommend planning at least one excursion on your trip.
Activities
There were always lots of activities throughout the day at the beach and the pool. We took our banana boat ride (first ride is free!) and had a blast. Just remember to wear swimwear, as you get wet! Also be careful when going out to the banana boat as they do not warn you of the rocks and my friend tripped and scratched her leg up. We also used boogie boards that you can get for one hour. They were a lot of fun for the ocean, especially where the waves are really high. We went snorkeling through the water sports center. I would definitely recommend this for anyone ? just if you haven't used snorkeling equipment before ask them in advance how to use properly ? I kept getting water in my goggles. This trip was definitely worth the $24 US ? you go on a 30 min boat ride and then go snorkeling for an hour or so. You see lots of fish that actually swim right up to you and you can touch them. It was fascinating. The boat ride was fun also.
The Beach / Pool
The beach was absolutely wonderful and we found it very clean and smooth. We swam a lot in the ocean and never had a problem finding a beach chair. The pool was also wonderful and was never too busy. The only problem we had with the pool was one night we left our towels and shoes (3 of each) by the pool, went to our room to freshen up and fell asleep. When we returned one hour after the pool closed, our things were missing. We reported to guest services and even tracked down the people that close the pool, had a person translate to ask them about our shoes but had no luck with finding anyone who knew anything about them. Two days later, our two of three pairs of shoes mysteriously re-appeared! We never did get the third pair back and guest services was kind enough to get us three new towel cards so we wouldn't be charged $20 US/each for them.
General
In general, I will definitely return to this resort and would be reluctant to stay at any other when I return to Punta Cana. Everything was far beyond our expectations and I think from reading some of the negative reviews on this site that some people like to find things to complain about. If you have any questions about our stay or want to see some pictures, you can email me at [email protected].