Discovering Punta Cana with Air Transat

Who doesn't want some sun in their life? Especially in November when the evenings start earlier. At the beginning of the month, Transat invited me to discover Punta Cana through their top luxury hotels and of course I said yes! I've always loved going on all inclusive vacations once a year, its just the perfect amount of time off to reset your mind, take advantage of the sun, spend some quality time listening to the waves and treat yourself.

For this trip, Air Transat brought together 7 amazing real women who happen to be all bloggers to discover Punta Cana, the Transat way...which made this trip even more special. What was even more amazing is that at every hotel, we did not receive any special treatment but we were treated exactly how a guest would be treated which is: AMAZING! Air Transat flies to Punta Cana everyday from December to April, which means so much time to discover amazing Punta Cana :) 

Our journey started at 6am at the airport. Little did we know that the Transat team had a special treat for us, flying in the Classe Club which means extra leg room, 2x 25kg worth of luggage (winning points for me), priority check-in & much more. Let's not forget the amazing food served on the plane from renowned chef Daniel Vézina, which you can preselect on airtransat.com before your flight, talk about good planning & service! So let me now breakdown each feature of the 5 hotels we visited, why I would go back in a heartbeat & why it was so totally worth it!

Excellence El Carmen

We made our first stop at this breathtaking hotel and I was amazed by the style of this hotel. I absolute adore modern hotels and it is quite rare when travelling down south but Air Transat sure knows how to choose their partners because the Excellence El Carmen is a interior design fanatics dream. We stayed at this hotel for 3 nights and let me tell you why I would go back tomorrow:

• Modern design
• Food is always #1 on my priority list: 12 restaurants, 16 bars & a food truck, the food was beyond amazing
• Loved the layout of the resort, the lobby, the beach, the restaurants, everything was close and it made going from one place to another so easy
• The rooms were super spacious and the turn down service with a chocolate on the bed was just wow 
• Excellence El Carmen had their own coffee shop (already resort goals with this one).
• The Beach was gorgeous, super important for me
• So many pools so little time, you get a more central pool for the party scene and relaxation time with the other pools lounging the room buildings
• Breathtaking spa experience
• Starting at 2 179$ per person

Paradisus Punta Cana

We had the pleasure of spending the day at the Paradisus Punta Cana and I was quite impressed. First and foremost, the resort is huge. Let me tell you more:

• Eco-friendly culture, the resort is surrounded by gardens & lakes which creates a serene and tranquil environment
• Amazing property, so many palapas and place to relax on the beach
• Being greeted by a flash mob was most probably the funnest thing ever, the staff were amazing
• Garden beds, always a winning choice when you want to be outside but still in your room
• Starting at 2 269$ per person

IBEROSTAR Grand Hotel Bavaro

I can just say that greeting is clearly the Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro speciality. Upon arriving at the resort, we felt right at home. First things first, when you book your stay at this hotel, you can a personal butler. The butler's role is to accommodate your every need from having wine in your room at 7pm, to having a specific pillow or fruits in the morning, he makes sure that you are not taking care of anything during your vacation and that you relaxing.

• Adults only resort
• Butler service 24/7
• Huge boat in the middle of the resort where cocktail hour is hosted and it transforms into a bar at night
• Very nice beach area
• The layout of the resort is very simple and accessible which is super important for me
• Starting at 2 689$ per person

Paradisus Palma Real

We visited the Paradisus Palma real for a day and but even though we did not get to spend a night here, I was amazed by how grandiose this hotel was and how nice the staff was.

• Smoothie Bar at the beach = Resort goals
• Gorgeous beach, white sand and crystal clear water
• Amazing service and the staff were beyond nice
• Beyond amazing selection of restaurants
•  Starting at 2 259$ per person

Secrets Cap Cana

Last but not least, we spent our last 2 nights at the Secrets Cap Cana. Oh boy oh boy was I impressed. I'm not going to lie, I'm already looking at going back to this resort, here is why:

• Adults only resort
• Modern chic decor and attention to every detail, the resort is absolutely beautiful
• Best buffet breakfast I've had on a resort (and I've been to many many resorts across the Caribbean)
• The restaurant next to the pool is simply delicious
• The rooms are gorgeous and spacious; your family name is written at the door and you can have a party in the shower (so big)
• Hot tub on the balcony
• The beach is so wide, you have so much space in between the beds which I adore in a resort (I don't want to fight for a spot and be scrammed next to other people)
• This hotel is very mature and posh and has everything I would want and more...
• Starting at 2 389$ per person

Honestly, this was my very first time visiting Punta Cana and it certainly won't be the last. Transat has such an amazing selection of hotels in Punta Cana that it would be hard not to go back and experience what this amazing destination has to offer. Every time I want to book a vacation these are the factors I take into consideration when booking a resort: food, beach, resort layout & service and these 5 hotels offer all of this and more. Coming back to winter in Montreal was hard to say the least, hence I'm already looking for a new destination for our December holidays ;)

*This post was created in partnership with Air Transat. All opinions are my own.