Travel: Seeking Paradise in Punta Cana

Soul matters at Meliá Punta Cana Beach, an adults-only, Wellness Inclusive Resort. (PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MELIÁ BEACH RESORT)

Meliá Punta Cana Beach Resort is an adults-only all-inclusive resort that stimulates all senses and balances fun and relaxation with a complete body wellness sanctuary. The boundaries between the endemic tropical landscape and the high-end trappings of the luxury resort are so enmeshed that the lines between the two are often blurred. The space between the blur and the familiar is where the experience begins. Sea breezes, the tinkling of wind chimes, lo-fi vibes of soft music, and dancing swirls of burning incense greet visitors, indicating a sense of peace and relaxation. Be prepared to be greeted with “Taino tí,” which translates to “I greet you with love and wish you well” with respect and reverence to the indigenous Taino people who lived in what is now the Dominican Republic; that is the theme and tone of the entire experience.

In May 2022, Meliá Punta Cana Beach Resort announced it has transformed into a fully immersive wellness property with new amenities, services, and property enhancements that elevate its existing “Wellbeing 360 Experience.” At Punta Cana, you find the concept of wellness through unique spaces with five themes—social, silent, sensory, culinary, and personal—all designed to immerse each guest in relaxation, healthful eating, and self-care. Discover the Wellbeing 360 Experience, where personalized attention and access to exclusive private resort areas are key. Each month, the resort has a prevailing theme that coincides with programming at each facility. Regularly scheduled activities include a silent disco, water aerobics, cinema nights, white parties, acrobatic shows, and disco nights. Daily programming includes yoga, meditation, sound healing rituals, mud cleansing, and bike tours. Each month, the wellness inclusive programs focus on a theme and build programming around it. For example, June included International Yoga Day, July focused on healthy food and detox programs, and September focused on World Wellness. Wellness is holistic and optional during your stay, with no set schedule to follow, restrictive constraints, or barriers to enjoying the vacation you desire.

Immerse yourself is the finest food, drink and one of the most beautiful beaches in Punta Cana and rediscover your best self. (PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MELIÁ BEACH RESORT)

Most times, luxury resorts strip the personality and nuance from a location before stamping their brand all over the place, but not here. The bridge between Dominican culture and resort life meets in the middle to make this adventure unique. You can leave with the sense that you experienced a slice of the culture on the island. Wellness begins with the private white sand beaches and turquoise waters where the Atlantic and Caribbean Oceans meet. Stay resort-ready and immerse yourself in a calming color palette of white and amber with flashes of cerulean and lush, verdant green. The grounds are pristine, with manicured lawns, lagoons, ponds, and shrubbery surrounding the apartment-like buildings that house each room. Discover marked meditation spots on the property. The property is so large (it shares space with the Meliá Caribe, an all-inclusive family resort) that there is an on-demand shuttle service with golf carts, shuttles, and motorized trains.

For the ultimate experience, upgrade to a Level or Level Wellness Suite by Stay Well. Beside the bedroom and a lounge area, each room has a private balcony or patio and a premium minibar stocked with local beer, water, coconut water, and non-alcoholic spirits. Plush bathrobes and slippers add another touch of luxury to the experience. The Stay Well room includes:

• A thermal mattress.
• A dawn simulation clock with light and sound to gradually awaken you daily.
• Aromatherapy.
• An air purifier.
• A shower infuser that reduces chlorine to keep hair and skin softer.

It also offers access to an interactive Cleveland Clinic wellness app with meditations from author and wellness advocate Dr. Deepak Chopra, complimentary daily spa treatments, and a personal concierge.

(PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MELIÁ BEACH RESORT)

Quimera sets the tone and is the center of exclusivity for guests of The Level, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with breathtaking views of the private pools, swim-up bar, and beach from the rooftop bar. Enjoy table service with à la carte, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. Start the day by ordering fresh squeezed fruit and vegetable juices alongside breakfast selections from Spain, Mexico, England, Dominican Republic, and America. Picture perfect seasonal tropical fruit platters, poached eggs, cups of fresh yogurt, fluffy pancakes, and wholesome waffles. At the rooftop bar, check out zero-proof options with superfood fruits and veggies with digestion-aiding and inflammation-reducing healthy elixirs. Try the Gin-Well, a beverage with muddled ginger, pineapple, and cucumber; Moringa Mojito with rosemary and mint; and a zero-proof take on the Dominican Republic’s local spirit, Mama Juana, macerated red wine, rum and honey with cinnamon, clove, and other spices. Don’t worry: a full bar with traditional cocktails and alcoholic beverages is also available.

(PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MELIÁ BEACH RESORT)

The best part of any vacation is the food. While free-flowing, open-air buffets are available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the exclusive private dining spaces are where the resort shines. Twelve restaurants, each with its own theme and focus, cover a wide range of culinary delights. Italian, Mexican, Spanish, Mediterranean, Asian, and even a live-fire hibachi and Teppanyaki grill restaurant tempt and delight even the most discerning tastebuds. Choose delicacies like grilled octopus and paprika oil on a bed of aligot potatoes; Dig into chicken souvlaki skewers with cucumber tomato salad and rice, citrus-laced ceviche with paper-thin slivers of serrano peppers and crisp plantains for dipping and scooping, fresh pasta swirled into nests over fresh tomato sauces, hot and crispy-crusted fish on a bed of pea puree, or seared tenderloin with Bordelaise and sautéed mushrooms. Reservations are strongly encouraged and can be handled by your concierge.

They set the YHI Spa in a luscious tropical enclave with waterfalls and gardens. Level Wellness guests are treated to a 30-minute massage, a facial, or body wrap treatment each day of the stay. Entering the spa is like entering a sacred temple. Comfortable locker rooms, sauna, steam room, whirlpool jacuzzi, refreshments of fruit-infused waters or detoxifying teas, and a deep explanation behind the rituals of each service await you inside. Take advantage of the Atabey Water Emotion area, named after the Taino goddess of water. Take extra time before or after your treatment to wade in the pool and sit under the waterfall to reap the benefits and healing properties of rejuvenation and relaxation in its simplest form.

Go for the promise of relaxation and rejuvenation that a vacation can bring. Stay for ultra-premium hospitality and attention to detail. Engage the resort in whichever ways bring you joy and peace while having the time of your life.