Excellence Resort

I promised back in January to share more of the beauty and details of the inclusive luxury of Excellence Resort in Punta Cana {Excellence part one here}.

Excellence Resort Punta Cana :: The Beach

Two weeks at the exclusive resort was exactly what our tired bodies needed, we came back home refreshed and relaxed. The romantic all inclusive resort caters to couples and there were many guests who were celebrating a milestone anniversary or their honeymoon. Never before have we seen so many weddings at a resort as they hosted while we visited Excellence. The weddings ranged from a modest gathering of the Bride and Groom with their sponsors, to one wedding party that celebrated with 60 people at the resort.

Beach wedding at Excellence Punta Cana

Beautiful back drop to nuptials.

A horse & carriage is available to bring the bride to the beach on time.

The resort boasts a beautiful botanical garden that extends from the main gate area to the front lobby entrance. The gardens feature several ponds that are home to turtles, swans, flamingos, and colourful parrots. Guests can wander among the flowers and enjoy the beauty or jog along the pea gravel paths that surround the ponds.

 

'welcome to Excellence, would you like a glass of champagne'

One of my favourite things to do when we are away is to indulge in total relaxation and take in some of the services at the spa. The Miile Spa at Excellence is described as an oasis of wellness and personal pampering - that was an understatement.  

This little bird flew in to the whirlpool area. Just outside are lush gardens and bungalow beds for relaxing.

Richard and I booked in for a couples massage by the ocean, but first we took in the water therapy session at the elegant facility. It is imperative to prepare for a massage to obtain the maximum benefits. The Miile Spa offers a layering of water programs to furnish your senses .... a hot-water whirlpool, hydrotherapy bath, sensation shower, tropical rain shower, rustic shower {the old school wood bucket with a pull cord type of shower - so much fun}, hot and cold plunge pools, and steam rooms.

After our water therapy treatments we headed down to the beach for a massage. A thatched roof cabana sits perched tree-house style on the beach, and this is where your tension is melted away. The sound of the waves with the breeze of the beach air adds an element that cannot be duplicated anywhere. The massage therapists made sure that every little knot was was worked out, we vowed that another play date at the spa would be on our schedule.

Main area of the spa.

 

I visited Miile Spa for a pedicure by yet another great technician. There is a full garden view from the pedicure room and guests are invited to relax in the tranquility of the garden at any time. I can't think of a better place to sit while your toe polish dries  than in the lush garden with the whispering water fountain.  

 

I spoiled myself further with a collagen facial that included a full neck and shoulder massage {the best facial I have ever had}. The facial was performed on the second floor and it gave me the opportunity to take in the spectacular view that overlooks the main foyer. White stone railings swirl up the staircase and wrap around the full length of the foyer area. A white wood rafter ceiling soars above and brings a soft tranquility to the colonial building.

 

 The resort features eight individual restaurants and full room service. Most evenings we enjoyed dinner in one of the two outdoor restaurants {The Grill or The Lobster House} so that we could soak up the incredible ocean breeze. Spice - the pan-Asian restaurant was one of my favourites and we enjoyed the relaxed bistro style patio at Oregano's for pizza and pasta. 

Each guest room features a balcony or patio, our room looked over the wedding gazebo and the beach. We decided one evening that we would stay in and enjoy dinner on the balcony. The room service menu is casual but extensive, and the service was quick. 

Our room was just behind this Beach Goddess.

Excellence Resorts have earned their stars, service is the top order of each and everything they do. They are located on beautiful beaches with spectacular views. The tropical hideaways ensure that you leave relaxed and rejuvenated.

bird prints in the sand

Excellence Resort promises that the all-inclusive luxury of their properties will cater to your every need, so that you are free to create the moments you dream of and the memories that you will have forever.

Spending tranquil time with Richard, relaxing, dinning, dancing, walking the beach ..... creating memories together ...... it was EXCELLENT.

The tranquil beach awaits us.

all images by Katherine - Glamour Begins At Home

Excellence

Albeit that our tans have faded from the beach vacation we enjoyed in December, the memories of the beautiful resort lingers and seems to call out to us. 

Richard and I desperately (ok, maybe not desperate - but it felt like it) needed to escape to a beach for two weeks. We enjoyed the inclusive luxury of Excellence Resorts when we stayed at the Cancun (Mexico) destination twice in the past couple of years. 

This time we packed our swimsuits and headed out to
Excellence Punta Cana (Dominican Republic).

Beach Beds @ Excellence Punta Cana

The exclusive adult resorts have earned the right to boast that as a guest you will be spoiled. Attention to detail and the whim of guests needs are at the top of the Excellence menu.

The romantic getaways are surrounded by lush tropical greenery and are situated on private beaches. The Punta Cana destination we stayed in features two generous size pools with one of them rambling on forever like a river.

There are eight unique restaurants to tantalize your taste buds with an abundant selection of food ensuring that you cannot possibly go hungry. The resort labours over several outdoor festival style events each week. The 'White Night' is a beautiful evening of food and celebration under the strings of white canopies, lights, set with chairs and decor draped in white fabric. It is suggested that guests wear white for the evening which creates an elegant aura to the night. Part of this sparkling night is the entertainment program that is a well executed circus/acrobatic routine.

Circus performers @ Excellence Punta Cana

There is a different entertainment show each night and by far our favourites were the Circus Show with full acrobatic/aerial routines, and the Micheal Jackson review. The performer who portrays the late pop king has perfected the routine to the point that you believe there could possibly have be an incarnation. We discovered that the entertainment group is a talent filled pool who generously performs across a strong cross section.

circus performer

There is a great saxophone player who performs nightly in the lounge area. We always went and celebrated with a glass of bubbly ........ and a couple of dances before dinner each night.
I LOVE dancing with Richard.

Richard and I at White Night.

Adding another layer of exclusivity and luxury is the Excellence Club. This level of luxury includes private members bar, private beach area, some resorts feature private pool area's for Excellence Club guests, and of course private concierge service.

Excellence Club Beach Beds

I really enjoy being at the pool edge and swimming in the fresh water sans the whip of the salt water waves that the ocean provides. The layout of the resort and long pool allows guests to relax at the beach and make the choice to swim in the ocean or the pool. We found that the design of the facilities in the resort meant that everything was easily accessible.

 

The resorts offer something for everyone, the choice is yours. Swim up to the pool bar for the constant happy hour, and join in an active game of water volleyball. There is the tranquil area of the resort where you can lay by the waterfall pool and hear nothing but the splash of the water. 

Enjoy a game of giant chess or sweat through a workout at the well equipped gym {hurray for us, we hit the gym every second day}.

We ventured off of the resort one day to take in a scuba/snorkeling excursion. And although we did not take part in the horseback riding program, guests can enjoy a gallop along one of the outer beaches.



The resort employs 700 people who meet an advanced criteria that exceeds many of the other resorts in the area; the result is a definitive level of service.
Whenever we greeted one of the staff and ask 'how are you today'; endearingly they replied 'Ex-cell-en-tay'.
They truly have earned the right to boast that they are Ex-cell-en-tay.

Richard breathing in the air at the beach.

  We relaxed and enjoyed the tranquility of this beautiful resort.
The highlight of the trip was having time together...... just the two of us. It was so romantic.



In a few days I will take you on a tour of the luxurious spa.

All images by Katherine :: Glamour Begins At Home

http://www.excellence-resorts.com/