Zel Punta Cana honest review, am I being too harsh with 3/5?
Just stayed at Zel Punta Cana with my girlfriend and honestly I do not understand how this place has so many 5 star reviews. I am not trying to be rude or just complain, because there were good things about it, but I think 3 out of 5 is fair.
The good stuff first. The resort is very clean, safe, and relaxing. Check in was smooth, staff were nice when we arrived, our suitcase was brought to the room, and the room was clean. Housekeeping came every day, towels were changed, water was restocked, and the room had good AC and fans. The pools were really nice, the beach was clean, and the property was well maintained. No garbage, no seaweed, no animals around, and the resort felt secure.
The beach itself was not bad. The chairs were comfortable and the shuttle to the beach was easy. It takes maybe 2 minutes by shuttle or around 10 minutes to walk, so I do not think the walk is a big deal. But I wish the beach was actually connected to the resort. There were also not enough umbrellas or shade, and the vendors came up constantly trying to sell things, even when we were trying to relax or sleep.
The biggest disappointment was the food. The buffet selection was limited and the food was very hit or miss. Some fish was overcooked, the shrimp was not properly cleaned, and seeing a big vein in shrimp while eating is really off putting. We also found what looked like a worm in one of our breakfast meals, and my girlfriend got sick for a couple days. I cannot say for sure what caused it, but after that I was definitely more cautious with the food.
The restaurants were mixed. Teppanyaki was actually pretty good. The Mexican restaurant was decent too. I got the fish filet and it tasted fresh with a good marinade. But the appetizer that was supposed to be flavoured goat cheese did not really taste like goat cheese, and they gave only 3 small pieces of bread with a lot of cheese. The steakhouse was disappointing. The filet was chewy, sides were limited, and the cheesecake was warm. The drinks there were good, but the food felt mid for a steakhouse.
The drinks overall were inconsistent. A lot of drinks had way too much alcohol, to the point where you could not enjoy them. Most piña coladas came from a slushie machine instead of being made fresh. If I ask for a fresh piña colada, I expect it to be made fresh, not poured from a machine and filled with rum. I also ordered a mojito and saw mint leaves that looked almost black, which was not appealing.
There are also not enough bars around the resort. If you are at the far end of the pool, you have to walk all the way back to the main bar just to get a drink. For an all inclusive resort, I found that annoying. Voltaje bar was also very small inside, especially for a resort that already feels quiet at night.
Nighttime entertainment was basically nonexistent. We saw dancers for maybe 5 minutes and live music for maybe 10 minutes. That was pretty much it. I know now that I booked more of a relaxation style resort, so that part is partly on me, but the place felt dead at night. It seemed like people were going to other resorts for entertainment.
The spa pricing was also crazy in my opinion. We were quoted around 400 USD for an 80 minute couples deep tissue massage, and that was with 10 percent off. I understand resort spas are more expensive, but that felt unrealistic. The guy also told us to book with him so he could get commission, which made it feel more like a sales pitch.
The room was clean, but our sheets did not seem to be changed once. I marked the sheets to check and the mark stayed there. I was tipping housekeeping 5 USD a day, so that bothered me.
The language barrier was hard sometimes too. I know we are in a Spanish speaking country, but this is an international resort, and simple things like asking for a fresh drink or confirming transportation should be easier.
The departure transfer process was frustrating. We were told Nexus does not come to Zel, then sent near the pool, then back to the lobby, then told to go to another resort. I ended up calling Nexus myself using one of the worker’s phones, and Nexus confirmed they do come directly to Zel and told me not to worry about what the resort staff said.
Overall, I do not think Zel is a bad resort. It is clean, safe, calm, and relaxing. If you want to do almost nothing for a week, you might really like it. But for around 4000 CAD for two people, I expected better food, better drinks, more bars, better entertainment, better spa value, and a smoother departure process.
I also saw The Reserve at Paradisus Palma Real nearby and honestly it looked like it had a way better atmosphere and setup. Maybe I booked the wrong type of resort, and that part is my fault, but I still do not think Zel is a 5 star experience.
For me, 3 out of 5 is fair. Clean, safe, and relaxing, but too quiet and underwhelming for the price. Am I being too harsh, or did anyone else feel the same?