Punta Cana on a Budget
We were able to catch up with Marlene after her and Elizabeth's recent trip to Punta Cana. They stayed at the Now Larimar Punta Cana which is a great budget-friendly option if you're looking for a nice all-inclusive resort that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
This was Marlene's third trip to Punta Cana, so while she did have a good time, this wasn't her favorite resort ever and she was kind enough to share with us why.
Q: How did you feel about the Now Larimar resort compared to the other ones you stayed in on your previous Punta Cana visits?
A: The resort was long and divided. There was a preferred members only area, which was kind of annoying, and there was competing music from the restaurants.
Overall, the food was great. The shows were in the middle, and the entertainment wasn't very good.
The staff was super helpful though. On our second day there I sprained my ankle and even though there wasn't a first aid station or clinic, they did have a convenient store on the property where I could buy an ace bandage and ibuprofen.
Q: What was your favorite part about the trip?
A: We discovered an area at the bottom of the stairs near our room that had everything we wanted, so we didn't have to wander around the resort except to go to dinner. There was a breakfast buffet with amazing food. They had a huge variety of foods that included fresh bread and fresh fruit. The area also had a swim up bar and it was a great place to drink and relax. The pool in this area was quieter and the bathroom was cleaner and never had a line. We were also always able to get a lounge chair with an umbrella.
Q: How was the food?
A: Overall, the food was great. There was a grill on the beach so we had an ocean view while eating lunch. We went to the French restaurant for our first dinner. It was about three hours long and we really enjoyed the food and the waiter. On our second day we went to the Mexican restaurant which was nice because the food was really good and there weren't a lot of people there. We also went to their seafood / steakhouse restaurant, which was just okay; it was pretty Americanized.
Q: How was the entertainment?
A: Not great for people in their late 20s / early 30s. Most nights were dancing shows and all of the shows were kind of similar. There was a disco night the first night, and there was also a karaoke night, but it got rained out.
Q: Do you have any advice for those wanting to go to Punta Cana?
A: Take the half-day cigar making excursion. Punta Cana is a great place to relax and you're not going to miss anything if you don't leave your resort. (As opposed to if you're somewhere like Mexico that's rich in history, you should leave your resort to explore.) There are a ton of activities you can do at or through the resort like parasailing, jet skiing, and snorkeling.
Q: Is there anything you'd do differently next time?
A: Find a place with better entertainment. Every resort is a little bit different, so next time I would pick a different resort, probably one that's adults only. I'd also resort hop.
Q: How was the travel experience?
A: It was cool. We flew Frontier and customs was super easy.
Q: How was your experience booking with Chima Travel?
A: It was great. It's always easy. We've booked with Chima Travel about five times.
We're glad this was a relaxing trip for Marlene and Elizabeth. We're grateful she shared her thoughts on the Now Larimar resort so we know who to recommend it to and who we shouldn't recommend it to.
Whether you're looking to go to the Caribbean or across an ocean to somewhere like France or Australia, we're more than happy to help you plan your trip. Give us a call, shoot us an email, or stop by so we can get started working on your next great trip.
