In Punta Cana, where you stay matters more than in most places, because you will spend much of your trip at your resort. All-inclusives are the norm, and the coast divides into areas with distinct personalities: the busy, beautiful middle of Bávaro, the lively local strip at El Cortecito, the big resorts around Macao and the quiet beaches of Uvero Alto to the north. Here are the areas that work best, and the hotel we would choose in each.
Bávaro: for families and first-timers
Bávaro has the classic Punta Cana beach, calm and reef-sheltered, and the widest choice of resorts, restaurants and shops. It is about half an hour from the airport, and almost every excursion collects here. Barceló Bávaro Palace is the definitive family resort, with more than 200 family rooms, two themed water parks, eleven restaurants, a 24-hour casino, nightly shows and The Lakes golf course. Iberostar Selection Bávaro Suites is a step up in comfort, with every room a suite, the Star Camp kids club, excellent specialty restaurants, a Blue Flag beach and a coral nursery run by its Wave of Change program.
El Cortecito: for value and a local feel
At the northern end of Bávaro, El Cortecito and neighboring Los Corales have small hotels, beach bars and local restaurants on the sand, so you can eat out easily. Occidental Punta Cana sits right on the seafront here, recently refurbished, with eleven restaurants, ten bars and food around the clock at a lower price than most beachfront all-inclusives. It suits travelers who will spend their days on excursions.
Macao: for big groups and endless activities
North of Bávaro, Macao is home to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Punta Cana, a vast resort with nearly 1,900 rooms, thirteen pools, the Rockaway Bay water park, a casino, Hard Rock Golf, the Rock Spa and the Roxity Kids Club. It is about 25 minutes from the airport and ideal for multi-generational families and groups of friends who want variety every day.
Uvero Alto: for couples and calm
The far north of the coast has wilder, emptier beaches and the quietest resorts, about 45 minutes from the airport. Excellence Punta Cana is our splurge, an adults-only, all-suite resort with lagoon-style pools, eleven restaurants and the Miilé Spa, rated the highest of our picks by Expedia guests. The sea here faces the open Atlantic and can be rougher, and you are further from Bávaro’s nightlife, which most guests here do not miss.
Cap Cana and Punta Cana proper: close to the airport
The southern end of the coast, around the airport, holds the gated marina district of Cap Cana and the Puntacana Resort, home of the Indigenous Eyes reserve, with Hoyo Azul at Scape Park nearby. It is upscale and quiet and very convenient for short stays, though the beaches are smaller and further from Bávaro’s choice of restaurants. We have not picked a hotel there in this short list, but it is worth a look if you want minimal transfer time.
Matching base to trip
For a family holiday with something for everyone, choose Barceló Bávaro Palace. For families or couples who want suites and good food on a top beach, Iberostar Selection Bávaro Suites. For the best value on the sand, Occidental Punta Cana. For a lively group trip, the Hard Rock. For a honeymoon or a quiet adults-only escape, Excellence Punta Cana.
