Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana All-Inclusive Resort Review
Dress: Thrifted from Plato’s Closet Carrollwood
I never knew true joy and relaxation until I tried an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. It’s like a cruise ship on land. There are shops, lots of restaurants, pools, bars, and so much more.
Here’s a list of their amenities:
9 Restaurants & 5 bars
24/7 Room Service
Poolside Snacks & Service
Complete Fitness Center (I hit this up one of the days, and it was super nice).
Salon & Spa Services
Shopping
Kids Clubs
I went as a friend’s last-minute plus one for a wedding (seriously, I booked the ticket on Wednesday and left on Sunday). The wedding and all its festivities were intimate, gorgeous, and complete ragers all wrapped into one. I had such a blast (Thanks for inviting me, Nicoley 🧡 and Congratulations again, Mr. & Mrs. Minaya!)
Now, let’s get into the food, drinks, and overall vibes at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino All-Inclusive Resort in Punta Cana.
Food
There were about 9 all-inclusive restaurants on-site, and we ended up trying 5 of them. My personal favorites were:
The sushi from Zen, the hibachi place
The salmon and gnocchi from Isla, a nicer restaurant on the property.
They were both so delicious. My only regret is that I didn’t go back again. I also heard very good things about the steakhouse but unfortunately did not get the opportunity to visit.
Of course, there was a buffet (The Market) that had different types of food, ranging from Italian to Asian and American. There’s a coffee and liquor bar in the middle of the restaurant, so your cup will never run dry.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the Bistro Med restaurant, which offers Mediterranean and Lebanese food. The cuts of meat weren’t great, and overall it was kind of disappointing.
You know, I had to order up some room service. The salmon GAVE what it was supposed to, okay?! And the fries were the perfect midnight snack after a night of drinking.
Drinks
The bottomless drinks were one of the most notable parts of the trip. Anywhere you went, you could secure a beverage, and it was all included in the price of your stay.
Note: You do have to pay for drinks separately in the Casino area (a high-quality selection of liquor), but I believe you can alternately go out to get a drink for the free and bring it back in.
The “Pusher Man” was one of the resort’s signature drinks that I LOVED. It had ginger and hibiscus, making it tangy and not too sweet. I did have to ask for an extra pour — and that was a dangerous game because the other flavors do a good job of covering the alcohol.
When I say you can get a drink anywhere, you can get a drink anywhere… Room service will bring up bottles of wine and beer to stock your fridge, along with travel-sized alcohol shots.
And the pool bar quite literally changed my life. You’re in the pool and you can order your drink and enjoy it there. Be careful though because all those drinks definitely hit you once you get out.
All in all, don’t expect top shelf, but you will get drunk.
Ambiance
The Dominican Republic is BEAUTIFUL. The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Punta Cana resort sits on a breathtaking area of the beach. There are silhouettes of mountains, picturesque palm trees, and turquoise blue waters. The waves were massive and almost took a few people out, but it was all in the experience.
During the daytime, all the main areas are flooded with natural light, and it just feels so relaxing and serene.
At night, you can find a vibe anywhere in the resort, from the bars turned nightclubs to the casino tables.
Is an all-inclusive resort worth it?
Overall, I would give the all-inclusive experience at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana a 7/10 — and that’s just me being hypercritical (everything can’t be a 10, or you’d just think I was lying.) Generally speaking, I think an all-inclusive resort is worth it, and definitely the way to go for lodging on a tropical vacation meant for relaxation — especially if you take advantage of all it has to offer.