We travelled to Punta Cana during Spring Break—and anyone who's tried booking at Christmas or Spring Break knows prices can skyrocket. We considered both the Dominican Republic and Mexico, and prices in the Dominican were generally more favorable. When we saw a “good” price for the Melia Caribe Beach Resort, we got excited.

We had previously stayed at Melia Las Americas in Varadero, so we trusted the Melia brand. Although there were a few negative reviews (mainly about the lack of local food and the size of the resort), the photos looked great, and the majority of reviews were positive. So, we booked our all-inclusive vacation at what we considered a good price—for Spring Break, anyway.

First Impressions

When we arrived and passed through the security gate, we immediately saw how vast the property was. After a short ride to the front, we entered the lobby and noticed how nice it was.  It was large, open air with fountains and Spanish décor throughout.  Check-in was quick and smooth. Like at other Melia resorts, they tried to upsell us to The Level—a more luxurious, exclusive option—but we declined.

Luckily we were helped to our room; since it was hot, and the walk was about five minutes from the lobby. Doesn’t sound like much… but after a long flight, wearing pants in the blistering heat with luggage and a baby, it was a bit of a trek.

The Room

The resort grounds were beautiful; tropical with palm trees, ponds, and a diversity of birds, including colorful peacocks. Our room was on the second floor. It was basic and a bit dated but had everything we needed. Including a stocked mini-fridge, unfortunately the beer they stocked it with was Heineken and Coors Light, but hey, it’d do.  The balcony was large, though the view was nothing spectacular.

The room was spacious, with two queen beds, a couch, a few chairs, a TV, and a carpeted area, which was great for our baby to play on. The bathroom was functional with a waterfall shower, though overall the decor was simple and dated.

Dining Options

There are three free à la carte restaurants and a Japanese one for an extra fee. There's also one exclusive to Level guests. You need to book these in advance, so on our first night, we were tired and just went to Merkado, the larger buffet attached to the main lobby.

Buffets

The buffets were excellent. There was a wide variety of food—American, Dominican, Latin—and plenty of fruits, breads, pastries, and desserts. The food was similar each day with a bit of variation day-to-day. We also ate at Rumba, the smaller buffet located by the beach. We especially enjoyed breakfast at Rumba with a view of the ocean, then grabbed a good spot under the umbrellas for the day. The staff at both buffets, from the omelet and pasta stations to the servers brining your bear and cleaners, were great.

À La Carte Restaurants

To book, you had to visit Rumba early in the day or even a day prior, which was a bit of a hassle.  But we would just go there before breakfast,  book our restaurant and be at the beach early to get a good spot.  We tried all three:

• Tauro – grill and steakhouse.  My steak was overdone, but the wife’s was excellent.
• La Hacienda – Mexican (mainly tacos), I enjoyed my pastor tacos a lot. 
• Rosso – fancy Italian restaurant with great pasta options.

The food at all three was good, though premium drinks came with added cost. We didn’t try Hokkaido, the Japanese restaurant, but it looked nice.
There is also a beachside food truck (burgers and hot dogs) and O’Grille near the kids' pool, serving snacks and lunch.  Both were a good change from the buffets for lunch.

Entertainment & Activities

There was live music every night, sometimes karaoke in the lobby, and nightly shows in the theater, one night a movie for kids. During the day, there were dancing lessons (Bachata in particular), sandcastle building, games, and more. The vibe was great for everyone, from young partiers to families and kids.  And one day they even had paddle boards and paddle boats for the kids.  Our baby girl had a lot of fun being pushed around the tropical pool in a “boat.”

Pools

The main pool was massive with plenty of chairs and tiki umbrellas and surrounded by palm trees. There was also a swim-up bar, where I spent an afternoon enjoying music and drinks. The activities like Zumba and bachata dancing added to the fun.
There was also a small pool used for events, like a foam party, though we missed it as we were beat after soaking up the sun all day by the beach.

Kids’ Pool Area

If you have kids, the splash park area is a lot of fun.  There are three sections: one for infants, one for toddlers, and one more intense area with play structures and water slides for bigger kids. We had a great day there with our baby girl. Just note: shade is limited, so it can get very hot.  And by the way, there is a bar so you can take a break and get a beer while watching your kids.  We also enjoyed lunch there too, at O’Grille

The Beach

As with any Caribbean vacation, the beach is key. The beach at Melia Caribe Beach Resort was large and vast with lush palm trees and was pretty good overall:

• Water: Blue and beautiful, but  it was wavy everyday and had with some seaweed.
• Sand: White and soft, perfect for relaxing.
• Shade: Plenty of tiki umbrellas and chairs—no issues finding space.
• Amenities: A beach bar and food truck made it easy to eat and drink nearby.

They do have barriers to help with seaweed, but this issue was common across Bávaro Beach, not just at Melia. There's also a giant inflatable water park at the Melia Beach.  It looks like fun but it’s a bit of an eyesore when looking out at the beautiful Caribbean.  And it costs $15 USD/hour. Although, if I had older kids, I probably would’ve tried it once.

Getting Around & Grounds

The resort is huge. It’s not the kind of place where you can walk straight from your room to the beach. You can either walk for 15 minutes or take the train, which loops around the resort regularly. Despite reading about some complaints in reviews, we never waited more than 10 minutes for it—but usually just a few.

The grounds are lush and beautiful, with ponds, tropical plants, and birds everywhere. The lobby area was one of our favorite spots to relax each night. It’s open-air, with a bar, live music, a games room, and lots of seating, including lounge beds.

There’s also a small casino attached to the lobby. Its open all evening but after the party in the lobby shuts down (around 11 p.m.) it gets pack, mostly with the younger rowdier guests. Despite being in the Dominican Republic, the casino only accepts USD, not pesos, and has a minimum exchange amount. The night I felt like staying up late, I lost a few bucks and had a few drinks there.