Playa BlancaPunta Cana, Dominican Republic -See the map
Amy AdejokunSection editor
Tortuga Bay: the name of this luxury boutique hotel immediately brings to mind the Caribbean, pirates, and the idea of escape. Branded a Leading Small Hotel of The World, this boutique hotel is a small enclave of serenity in the vast Punta Cana Resort and Club, a luxury resort located on the most beautiful beach on the east coast of the country, with 7 restaurants including 2 gourmet restaurants, a prestigious Six Senses spa, and three 18-hole golf courses, all situated in an ecological park of just under 1,500 acres that includes freshwater springs and rhinoceros iguanas.
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
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Location
4.72/10
Accommodation
9.20/10
Overview
9.20/10
Food and drink
8.95/10
Beach
8.95/10
To know
Located south of ??Punta Cana, the tourist epicentre of the country with 25 mi of beaches, between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean on the southeast coast of the Dominican Republic, Tortuga Bay is part of the Punta Cana Resort and Club. It is surrounded by three 18-hole golf courses and an ecological park covering just under 1,500 acres! Punta Cana airport is 6 mi away from the hotel (8 minutes).
Decorated by the famous Dominican designer Oscar de la Renta, the guest rooms are spacious and comfortable: polished marble floors, mirrors, pictures, a large living room where everything is provided in twos (two double sofa-beds, two coffee tables, etc.), a four-poster bed, a flat-screen television with 81 channels, a DVD player, individual air-conditioning, a fan, a minibar (with a complimentary bottle of water), tea and coffee-making facilities, and 24/7 room and butler services. The butler will also prepare you a personalised meal in your fully equipped kitchen if you like; it's just like having a chef in your home! A large terrace furnished with a round table, four chairs, and four wicker loungers offers wonderful views of the crystal clear sea. A free digitally-coded safe is available to store valuables and is even large enough to hold a laptop, which is good to know since Wi-Fi access is free. The two spacious bathrooms are decorated in marble with pictures on the walls and include all that you could possibly need: a make-up mirror, professional hair-dryer (concealed in a basket), bathrobes, slippers, tissues, electronic scales (the 7 restaurants at the resort do not encourage dieting), a green plant to give a natural touch, a toilet, a bidet, a telephone, a large and separate shower, a whirlpool bath, double sinks, and Molton Brown hospitality products.
To give you an idea of ??the size of the ??Punta Cana Resort and Club, here are some revealing figures: the ecological park covers almost 1,500 acres, the beach is 3 mi long, and the resort has a spa, 7 restaurants, and 3 golf courses! The golf courses were designed by the famous architects Tom Fazio (the Corales Golf Course) and P.B. Dye (the Cana Golf Course and Hacienda Golf Course). Tortuga Bay is an island of tranquillity in this huge resort. Opened in 2006, the facility closes yearly in September for renovations. It has 30 guest rooms spread throughout 15 one-storey villas with yellow facades. Nature is a regular feature, with beautiful flower gardens planted with coconut palms and other tropical trees. Wicker loungers, showers, white linen parasols, and complimentary towels are provided around the 1.2m deep rectangular pool that boasts water jets and waterfalls and is surrounded by a garden where orchids grow on the palm trees. The pool area also includes a bar, a restaurant - 'Bamboo' (located in a charming Creole cottage) - and a whirlpool cleverly hidden under a verdant canopy. The resort is so large that, in order to access the facilities of the Punta Cana Resort and Club, you have to use an electric golf cart to get around, which is a rather nice experience!
The gourmet à la carte restaurant at the Tortuga Bay is called the 'Bamboo'. It is an adorable yellow Creole cottage with simple decor located just beside the hotel's swimming pool and garden. Breakfast is served from 6:30am to 11:00am, followed by non-stop service from 12:00pm to 10:00pm. The restaurant can accommodate 78 guests and serves specialities with Caribbean and Asian influences, prepared by the restaurant's French Chef. A Dominican-themed evening is organised every Friday. During the day, it is really quite pleasant to sit on the terrace beside the pool and the garden if only to have a drink from the bar, open from 8:00am to 10:00pm.
After which, don't forget that there are 7 restaurants in the Punta Cana Resort and Club! We particularly recommend the seafood restaurant, La Yola, at the marina. This airy palapa is built on stilts, directly on the sea. A maritime theme dominates the interior: a rudder here, an anchor there, a mirror framed with seashells, a diving helmet, and, last but not least, a bar in the shape of a fishing boat. The restaurant has a panoramic wooden terrace in shape of a ship's bow. Breathe in deeply and you will smell the sea! Plus, a live band plays here in the evenings. The best restaurant of all for dinner though is undoubtedly l'Entrecôte de Paris, located at the Beach Club near the spa. We recommend that you reserve a table on the terrace, even in the evening, and order the famous steak: it would be difficult to find one as good in Paris, hence the name of the restaurant! The meat cuts like butter and is accompanied, not by fries, but by couscous! The service is excellent
Protected by a coral reef, the beach at Tortuga Bay is truly exceptional. With its transparent waters and white sand, it is difficult not to be seduced by this 3 mi stretch of beach! Calm and peaceful, it has a water sports centre that offers many activities at an extra charge (snorkelling, banana boat, catamaran, windsurfing, kite surfing, kayaking, and water skiing). The hotel also has a PADI dive centre and offers free introductions to diving in the pool. Do you feel like a jog along the beach? Then don't let yourself be tempted by an impromptu nap in one of the many hammocks dotted along the beach! Be careful also not to trip over the ropes of the moored boats... In any case, you will be able to see the mangrove and watch birds (cranes, herons, etc.) fishing near the shore, plus listen to the sounds of fish leaping out of the water!
As regards facilities, plastic deckchairs (but no parasols), showers, a beach volleyball court, and a beach soccer pitch are all provided. There is also a beach restaurant located beside the neighbouring Punta Cana Resort and Club, but be careful, when we talk about a beach restaurant, we don't mean a restaurant that is located near the beach, here the restaurant is actually on the sand, 10m away from the water! It is a small, airy, 2 storey palapa that offers à la carte service from 10:00am to 5:00pm.
Tortuga Bay is located in the vast Punta Cana Resort and Club, which was the first hotel to be built in the area in 1978 and which offers all of its facilities to guests staying at the Tortuga Bay. In fact, the entire coastline, which extends for 25 mi is named for the resort. So it's first come, first served: guests can take advantage of the best beach in Punta Cana: completely isolated, there is no other hotel on the horizon other than the Club Med. Also interesting to know, the airport in Punta Cana, located just 6 mi away, is also owned by the Resort and guests can even check in for their flight at reception!
Tortuga Bay is home to the unique Caribbean Six Senses Spa, one of the most prestigious spas in the world. It is located in the beach club that includes a second swimming pool, the restaurant 'L'Entrecôte de Paris', and the Cana Golf Course. The spa includes 8 double treatment and massage rooms (notably Thai massage), a sauna, a steam room, and a whirlpool. However, these facilities, which are standard fare in any spa, take on a particular dimension here: the spaces are beautiful and the atmosphere is unique, with every sense being stimulated (by the intoxicating fragrance, the view, the candles, rose petals, and the soft, relaxing music). In short, it is the ideal place for couples on their honeymoon! Some treatments and massages are provided under palapas on the beach right beside the water, where guests are lulled by the rolling waves.
One of the highlights of the resort is its ecological park, which can be explored on a Segway, an amazing ecological means of transport where the user remains standing and manoeuvres the machine just by moving his/her body: fun and laughter are guaranteed! The park includes a ranch, plantations, native rhinoceros iguanas, woodpeckers (you can hear them tapping the tree trunks), and 1.5 mi of trails in the rainforest that lead to 5 freshwater springs where you can swim with the fish and the turtles!
It should be noted that, in 2011, the Tortuga Bay was given the AAA Five Diamond Award, the most coveted title in the hospitality industry in North America.
The Punta Cana Hotel was not wrong in its decision to move away from the beautiful Bavaro and its too many resorts. This hotel, built at the end of the 1980s will give you a chance to discover a superb environment.
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
The Royal Bavaro is an upmarket hotel ideally located on the beautiful Cabeza de Toro beach to the south of the tourist area of Punta Cana and away from the large resorts on Bavaro beach, each so similar to the last. The hotel shares the facilities of the neighbouring Catalonia Bavaro. This well-maintained hotel dedicated to the seaside offers a wide range of all-inclusive services and facilities in the surroundings of a beautiful tropical garden. Smaller and more relaxing than its neighbour, the Catalonia Bavaro, it is rather more suited to adult guests.
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
The Grand Oasis Punta Cana is an oasis of greenery bordering the soft fine sand of the paradise beach of Cabeza de Toro, south of the Punta Cana tourist area. This is a comprehensive, all inclusive resort with various bars and restaurants, a spa, casino, discotheque, golf course, sports grounds, games area, mini-club, gym, and more; basically, for if you like organised activities, you will find everything you need to have a good holiday.
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
The Natura Park carries its name well. A beautiful beach and a beautiful tropical garden, stylish architecture and charming decor - unique in the region.
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
The Barcelo Bavaro Beach Resort is a world apart. In this gigantic hotel complex, nothing is missing for the comfort of its guests... Except for the ambiance of the country.
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
The Punta Cana Hotel was not wrong in its decision to move away from the beautiful Bavaro and its too many resorts. This hotel, built at the end of the 1980s will give you a chance to discover a superb environment.
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
A veritable resort, this upmarket paradise certainly wins the award for luxury in Punta Cana! The exclusive section of the Paradisus Palma Real, The Reserve at Paradisus Palma Real Resort is set back from the exquisite Bavaro Beach, 10 minutes away, but that's its only flaw (there has to be at least one). Highlights include the spacious, maximum comfort apartments, equipped with a kitchen and a terrace with a whirlpool bath, the superb spa, the fully equipped kids club, the free Internet access, and the gastronomy, with a special mention for the Japanese restaurant. Of course, guests also have access to the facilities at the Paradisus Palma Real.
The Paradisus Palma Real is one of the most recent hotels in this touristic area and definitely one of the best. A member of the Leading Hotels of The World, this hotel represents the height of luxury. It offers gastronomy, a special service for children, a spotless beach, clean and tidy without the disorganised mass of deckchairs characteristic of almost all the hotels in Bavaro, this luxury hotel is quality guaranteed; an excellent comfortably sized hotel which is perfect for couples on their honey moon as well as for families.
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
The Royal Suites Turquesa by Palladium is the exclusive and high range part of the huge hotel complex that includes the Grand Palladium Bavaro Resort and Spa, the Grand Palladium Palace Resort and Spa, and the Grand Palladium Punta Cana Resort and Spa, along the magnificent Bavaro Beach. Reserved for adults, the Royal Suites Turquesa by Palladium is all-inclusive, with a 24/7 butler service. There is no organised entertainment and the atmosphere is very peaceful (you can always go to one of the other hotels in the complex for that). We loved the spa, free Internet access and the choice of restaurants.
Nestled in an overcrowded place, the Sivory Punta Cana is an exceptional address for holidaymaking in the Dominican Republic and will delight couples seeking romance and serenity. Refined dining, exceptional service and ambiance of design will satisfy even the most demanding visitors.
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
You know the Hard Rock Café, now there's the Hard Rock Hotel! Connoisseurs will recognise the Rock and Roll star themed decoration: guitars, clothing and other relics from Elvis and company. But the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino is also the largest resort in the Dominican Republic. 1,780 72m² guest rooms, 15 swimming pools, 11 restaurants, 15 bars, the largest casino in the Caribbean, an 18-hole golf course, a gym with ultra-modern equipment and the largest spa in the Caribbean. A guided tour of this all-inclusive town-like complex is available 24/7.
The Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro is part of the immense Iberostar complex which also includes the Iberostar Punta Cana, the Iberostar Bavaro, and the Iberostar Dominicana. It is the most exclusive section of the resort, offering a very high level of luxury and only open to adults over 18. Here the standard of the food is impressive, the accommodation luxurious, the beach pristine, and there is the added bonus of having access to the facilities in the entire resort. The hotel's symbol is a superb 3-mast ship moored on the quayside in an artificial lake. Inside is a nightclub. This hotel is one of our favourites in the Dominican Republic.
As one of the best hotels in Punta Cana, the Bavaro Palace is only a link in the huge hotel complex Barcelo. This is a destination for demanding and well-off holiday-makers.
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
Amy Adejokun
Section editor
