ZEL Punta Cana - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

10365 reviews

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  Beautiful resort but I will not return

  This is one of the prettiest resorts I've been to but unfortunately I would not go back. We are three friends in our 70's who went to Zel. The Pros: We took this vacation for rest and relaxation. We were at the pool daily. We really didn't require a lot of attention. Alvaro was our personal concierge. He was very attentive and took care of anything we needed. He checked with us every day. He made all of our reservations for dinner. We did not leave the property for any excursions. Two of the three in our party are smokers. They loved that you could smoke anywhere outdoors including your balcony. Our first night there, they had a craft and food fair out by the main pool. It was good food, good music and native crafts. It was very entertaining. The staff was amazing and the grounds are beautiful. We loved the layout of the property. The pools were well maintained. We loved that the cabanas were included. The property was not crowded so we had no problem with availability. We did massages and the Spa was beautiful. It included a steam room, sauna, hot tubs, pool and a plunge pool. The technicians were friendly and very good at what they d0. We only went to the beach one day. The beach area was beautiful and chairs were available at no charge .We prefer the pools. This is not a beachfront hotel but you can walk to the beach or they have a free shuttle which was always available. The Punta Cana sand is beautiful. It is easy to walk on and not hot. The rooms were spacious with a sitting room , dining area, bedroom and a large bath. Zel is a new venue but the buildings are probably around 20 years old. Everything was well maintained . The rooms were immaculate. The verandas are a nice size with a jacuzzi tub. We did the restaurants at night. There is an Asian restaurant that also had Teppenyaki (Hibachi), a Mexican restaurant and a Steakhouse. There is also a restaurant at the beach, which we did not try. The Mexican restaurant was open during the day but the other restaurants were not. There is a casino at one of the other Melia hotels in this area. Zel provides a free shuttle to the other Melia Hotels in this area, including the casino. There are 6 or 7 Melia properties grouped together in this area, however they asked that you stay at your own property. The second or third night we took the shuttle to the casino out of boredom (see the cons). At this hotel they had a nightly show in the main lobby. So it became our routine to take the shuttle about 8:30 or so, go to the other show and then stop in the casino and go back to our hotel. The Cons: They had a beautiful buffet with many options for food. They had something for everyone's taste. Our complaint was that the food was never hot. Even when they brought it out fresh it still seemed like it had been sitting out. The cold entrees were good , but any hot entree was never really hot. For breakfast we did the omelets or eggs because they were made to order and hot. There were many bread and dessert options that were delicious. WE WERE IN BUILDING 4 ROOM 4105-- IN MY OPINION THIS ROOM SHOULD NOT BE RENTED OUT. We should have requested a room change. This was right next to the service entrance for the property. We were already unpacked when we realized the location and chose not to request a room change. We should have requested it. There is activity at the service area 24/7. People coming and going to work at all hours, deliveries, garbage trucks etc. One morning at 7am they were emptying crates of empty liquor bottles into recycling bins. The rooms were pretty noise proof but whenever we were out on the verandah it was very noisy. I know this is a boutique hotel and it is a perfect place to go for peace and quiet, However, there is nothing to do at this property after 7pm. There is no show. The nightly entertainment was a DJ at the buffet area next to the bar from 7-9pm. When we did go there people were just sitting and listening to music. I know we are older but I would have enjoyed some dance music. It was a bit too relaxing for us. The club was at 10pm I believe, but the one night we peeked in there was a lounge singer. We didn't go back any other night. My main complaints are no entertainment and the cold food at the buffet. For us this is a game changer. I'm still looking for the perfect all inclusive. A couple of years ago we did the Hard Rock and it was too congested, too big and too noisy. We wanted something calmer. This was too calm for us. We'll keep trying.

  May 21, 2025
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  A Beautiful Escape With Room for Improvement

  We recently stayed at Zel Punta Cana Resort from Wednesday to Monday as a group of four friends. While our trip had many highlights, a few shortcomings prevented it from being the flawless getaway we’d hoped for. The Highlights: The resort grounds are stunning — beautifully landscaped, clean, and clearly well cared for. One of the best parts of our stay was the swim-up suite, which was both luxurious and meticulously maintained. Housekeeping consistently kept our room spotless throughout our trip. The beach was another standout. Exceptionally clean with very little seaweed, it was a major upgrade compared to other Caribbean resorts we’ve visited. It made for a peaceful place to relax — at least visually. Staff service was generally excellent. Everyone we encountered was warm, welcoming, and genuinely helpful. The breakfast buffet offered a great variety of fresh options, and we especially enjoyed the taco stand and beach bar — absolute favorites. The steakhouse, Japanese restaurant, and hibachi dinner also left a lasting impression. Surprisingly, the alcohol quality was top-notch — cocktails were strong, flavorful, and creative. The gym was another plus — clean, well-equipped, and stocked with everything needed for a solid workout. We appreciated the regular wellness events hosted on-site as well. Room for Improvement: Despite the positives, there were some consistent disappointments that detracted from our overall experience. • Room whirlpool: Ours was not clean upon arrival, which was unexpected for a resort of this level. • Hygiene at breakfast: Birds were constantly landing on uncovered items at the breakfast buffet — especially the bread section — which raised health concerns. • Persistent beach vendors: This was by far one of the most frustrating aspects of our stay. Every 5–10 minutes, someone would approach us selling cigars, bags, excursions, or photo ops with animals like macaws and iguanas. It was nearly impossible to relax, and venturing farther down the beach only intensified the sales pitches. A heads-up: taking a photo with the animals is not free, and there’s a strong sense of needing to guard your belongings at all times. • Inconsistent dining service: Meals often took 40 minutes to 2 hours, and most of our orders were incorrect. Out of all the meals we had during our 5-night stay, only one order came out as requested.

  May 21, 2025
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  Best resort ever

  Best resort ever. They had so many activities. The spa is incredible and the massages by Alejandra wow. Our host Andres was so attentive and kind, he really customized our experience. We loved the energy and service from the staff, Fish, happy boy, Wellington, Leti, and the bartenders were so great and kind. I loved it and would definitely return and recommend it to everyone I know. The beach club was sooo great with such a friendly staff daily, Daniel was our boy, made us laugh everyday. I loved the catamaran ride, the arts and crafts, paint classes and all the souvenirs we took home from these experiences.

  May 20, 2025
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  Zel Punta Cana

  We enjoyed our stay at the Zel overall, but there were several issues that impacted our experience: At Nokio, the food was often served cold—particularly the beef steaks. However, the slow-cooked rib was excellent and well-prepared. Unfortunately, the rice was frequently undercooked (not just al dente), and in one instance, the noodles in a soup were still raw and stuck together. We had also booked a dinner at the beach restaurant upon arrival, as we were looking forward to dining in the beautiful beach setting. On the evening of the reservation, we arrived at the lobby only to be informed by the buggy driver that the beach restaurant was closed due to low bookings. No one had notified us in advance, and the concierge staff appeared unaware of the closure. To make matters worse, no alternative arrangements had been made. While concierge eventually helped us get a last-minute reservation at Volcan (as Nokio was closed that night), we were told we would have to wait at least another hour. We ended up dining at the buffet instead, which was disappointing. We were particularly frustrated because we were never offered the chance to rebook the beach dinner during the rest of our four-day stay. This lack of communication and preparation left a bitter impression. The room minibar was also not consistently refilled, despite multiple requests for additional sweets and soft drinks. Regarding activities, we encountered some confusion. Upon check-in, we were given access to an online calendar. However, we later discovered that a different, updated calendar was being shared via WhatsApp by the concierge. We had to repeatedly request the latest version, as a new one was not automatically provided each week. Lastly, we had expected more water sports to be included in the package. Paddleboarding was only available in the pool, and kayaking was not offered at the beach. Overall, we felt the activity options were somewhat limited.

  May 19, 2025
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  JAnderson

  Room was very high tech had to get help w/a ceiling fan and TV programming...very comfortable food drinks plentiful needed way more creamer

  May 19, 2025