Have you ever been on vacation and thought to yourself “man this is boring, I wish there was more stuff to do”? Well no such thing is the case at the exciting CHIC Punta Cana. This 320-room all-inclusive resort offers up endless activities and a lively vibe similar to being in Vegas or South Beach with the beauty and culture of the Dominican Republic. Located on the sprawling beaches of Punta Cana, CHIC is home to a premium beachfront location, a beautiful contemporary resort and the absolute nicest resort staff. Zach and I recently visited this upscale resort oasis and were very impressed with the airy, modern rooms, large bathrooms, various pools and sprawling beaches. Here is a glimpse into our trip along with 7 tips for booking your own stay at CHIC Punta Cana!
UPGRADE TO THE DIAMOND CLUB
Before we arrived at CHIC Punta Cana, I read a few reviews online because I wanted to know what readers look for in a resort review. A few people were asking if upgrading to the Diamond Club was worth it and I would say that after staying at the property it 100% is. We didn’t have Diamond Club rooms so I can’t speak to the rooms specifically. However, since we were there as guests of CHIC they let us have access to the Diamond Club amenities and here are some things that stood out to me. First of all you have to have the Diamond Club upgrade to get access to the exclusive beach area with dedicated bar and waiter service. We ate lunch here every day and it was one of our favorite things. It’s a great little covered area with a bar, tables and chairs and lounge space. After hanging out by the pool and soaking up some sun it was so nice to walk right onto the beach and sit and enjoy a shady lunch by the ocean. Having the Diamond Club upgrade also gives you access to the Diamond Club lounge where you can get breakfast, treats, drinks and snacks from 7am to 11pm just steps away from the pool. Additionally you have access to premium drinks, an upgraded room service menu, 10% discount at the spa and more! I say worth it.
DRESS, WEDGES, SUNGLASSES, BAG, ZACH’S JEANS, ZACH’S SHIRT, ZACH’S SHOES
SUNGLASSES,?BEACH BAG, FACE SUNSCREEN, BODY SUNSCREEN, SUNSCREEN POWDER, GREEN POUCH, LIP GLOSS
GET TO THE POOL EARLY
Ok so you don’t HAVE to get to the pool early but you are going to want to. After all who doesn’t want the best seat in the house for maximum sun exposure and people watching? The large pool is the hub for entertainment all day long. It’s lined with chairs in the water, chairs and umbrellas on the pool deck and several poolside cabanas. The mornings start out quietly until around 11am when aqua fitness starts. After that the fitness team and “Vibe Team” keep the party going all day with a DJ, aqua spin and yes, even a foam party on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
HIT UP THE BEACH
Zach and I are definitely more “pool people” because well, we are high maintenance and hate being sandy. We also just love to people watch and move from our chairs to the water to our chairs all day long with a cold drink in our hands. As much as we love a great pool scene we also love a nice beach to walk on or sit by the ocean under an umbrella and relax. The beach at CHIC Punta Cana was one of the largest beach spreads I’ve seen. There were chairs, umbrellas and cabanas everywhere with plenty of palm trees. They rake the seaweed daily so the water was way better than some places I’ve been. CHIC is also located on a stretch of beach with about 7 other resorts so you can do some serious walking. Each day before lunch Zach and I would walk for about an hour and half. We love walking by other resorts and seeing what kind of people are staying there or what the decor looks like. We also enjoyed finding little swimming holes along the curvy beach or coral where you could see the fish swimming.
COVERUP, BIKINI, SANDALS, HAT, SUNGLASSES, BEACH BAG
BOOK THE SPA
You guys the spa is so good! It is an absolutely huge facility at the back of the property that offers body treatments, facials, manicures, pedicures, hydrotherapy, you name it. Zach and I went in for “rejuvenation massages” and ended up going back the next day for the very same thing. It was essentially a massage mixed with scalp massage, stretching, kneading, and working through all of your ligaments. I can’t even explain it I just know it was so good I wish we would have gone every single day! I can say honestly it’s the best resort massage I’ve ever had!
COME HUNGRY
If you have ever visited an all-inclusive then you know that there is no shortage of food. CHIC Punta Cana has nine restaurants so there are plenty of options for everyone. For breakfast we typically ordered room service and the french toast is insane! Also, it only took 20 minutes to get to our room in the height of breakfast time. That might not be the normal but I have been plenty of places where they say “ok we’ll see you in an hour and a half” so it was nice to not wait very long. I also really loved the coffee bar, Insomnia. They have a toffee cappuccino that is incredible and I might have indulged in one too many sugar covered donuts. We also loved the fresh burgers and wings by the pool at Munchies and the chicken ranch sandwich at the Diamond Club on the beach. For dinner we really enjoyed the ahi appetizers & steaks at the steakhouse, Hunter, as well as the Italian restaurant, Vespa. The Italian restaurant was definitely our favorite and they had such a great selection of items we could have eaten there every night.
PACK YOUR FITNESS GEAR
If you love to workout on vacation then you will undoubtedly love CHIC Punta Cana due to their endless fitness activities. I’ve never been to a resort with such a lively pool scene and I’ve never been to one with as many opportunities to work out. They have a great gym complete with everything you need to get in your WOD plus classes ranging from zumba and yoga on the beach to kickboxing and bootcamp. Their fitness instructors are the ones leading the aqua fitness and spinning and their energy is non-stop and contagious!
GO WITH FRIENDS!
Plenty of resorts cater to couples but at CHIC Punta Cana there is something for everyone. From the sports bar and nightly entertainment to the casino and poolside parties there are so many opportunities for fun in a group setting. I would say that as couples we were in the minority because there were friend groups, mother/daughter groups, bachelor and bachelorette parties galore. Personally, I think that’s very unique in a resort. We’ve traveled with friends to all-inclusive resorts where it is like pulling teeth to make dinner reservations for a group or get a table big enough to sit at. CHIC has large poolside cabanas with plenty of space for a group as well as a 6-bedroom CHIC mansion with a private pool and hot tub that you can book. I think it would be SO FUN to get a big group and go back and stay in the CHIC mansion!
A FEW HELPFUL TIPS
- Make sure you bring cash! The resort has a casino with live dealers and even though there is an ATM & an exchange counter at the casino there is a percentage fee.
- Bring towel clips! The pool and beach is so breezy which is heaven on earth when you are in non-stop sun but I wish I would have brought towel clips for my chair. Blame the OCD in me.
- If you visit the shop, bring your credit card. It’s a duty-free shop and you can’t charge to the room.
- If you want to be in the action, book buildings 1-3. The nighttime entertainment and parties usually get cranked up around 10pm so if you want to go to bed early request buildings 6-9 which are at the back of the resort.
Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed reading all about this beautiful resort. Several people have asked for a review of all of the tropical resorts I’ve been to so I will add that one to the list! For now, here are a few more pictures from our stay at CHIC to give you island fever.
Thank you so much to CHIC Punta Cana for hosting us!
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This resort looks amazing! Sounds like you and Zach had a really great time.
I found your page on IG, and I’m so glad I did. My fiancé and I are visiting Chic next Wednesday-Sunday. I’ve read quite a few mixed reviews on TripAdvisor so I was a little concerned. Great read, and I appreciate the helpful tips! Now I can’t wait!