First Look: W Punta Cana, Adults-All-Inclusive

Ever since the 2022 announcement of W Punta Cana, the adults-only all-inclusive resort — the W brand’s highly anticipated first all-inclusive resort — I had a feeling this would be a make-or-break moment for Marriott. The company has been making a big push into the all-inclusive space over the past few years, bringing its well-known brands like The Luxury Collection into a “know what you pay for” prepaid vacation model.

To me, the W brand feels like a natural choice for an all-inclusive resort because of its playful aesthetic, trendy clientele, and emphasis on food and beverage. Of course, Marriott could slap the W badge on any of the many all-inclusive resorts it already has in its portfolio, but as a travel journalist and someone who truly enjoys the ease of the all-inclusive experience, I hope this hotel can truly be the start of All-Inclusive 2.0.

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Tanner Sanders/Essential Guy

The resort, about an hour’s drive from Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ), gave me a little time to iron out all the opening kinks in the hotel and resort experience before I finally got there in late October.

Let me tell you, this all-inclusive resort was exactly what I had been waiting for. Here’s what it was like to stay at the first (and hopefully not the last) W all-inclusive resort.

first impression

If first impressions are the most important, W Punta Cana and the team behind it (Spain-based MAC Hotels and Grupo Puntacana) understand the task. Guests are greeted by a stunning W-branded circular driveway that leads to a spacious open-air lobby space filled with plants, architectural water features, and an overall sense of relaxed luxury that few would expect from an all-inclusive resort.

Over the past few years, the W brand has grown, moving away from an “in-your-face” design style in favor of a more elevated, approachable style that’s suitable for every type of traveler who appreciates beautiful, stylish hotels. Designed by Giuseppe Violante of Zanobia Arquitectura, the entire building is also a living, breathing organism, with plants that only grow and enhance its beauty over time.

I would also like to commend the incredible staff who greeted us on arrival with a fresh welcome drink, luggage assistance and plenty of energy. Our rock star W Insider Hoshi took care of us from before we arrived (with a welcome email highlighting weather, activities, and dining options) and checked in regularly throughout our weekend visit.

Room

W Punta Cana has 340 guest rooms to choose from, all starting at 700 square feet, with bathtubs and king-size beds (even double beds), ranging from entry-level rooms to poolside rooms and house-sized suites. During my stay, my friend and I were accommodated in a two-bedroom Oasis mega suite with a private pool parallel to the ocean.

The living room is bright and inviting, with perfect views of the ocean and windswept palm trees.

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The W team left us a vision board kit in the room before we arrived, which we put together while playing a movie from the big TV on the wall.

Across from the living room was our suite, and the dining room had a large table and a bar area with a record player (and a carefully curated selection of records for us), a coffee machine, snacks like chips and nuts, and a mini fridge stocked with a variety of beers (local and imported) as well as bottled wine, sodas, and juices.

The master bedroom has a cloud-like W bed that is hard to crawl out of every morning because of the fluffy pillows and soft duvet. The space is modern and chic, but once again my eyes are drawn to the view outside.

The master bedroom bathroom features a large soaking tub, a rain shower, double vanity with Davines products (Momo shampoo is my favorite in the world), and an incredible private outdoor shower surrounded by lush greenery. Frette bathrobes in the wardrobe add to the luxurious experience.

The second bedroom features two king-size beds, proving this suite is suitable for those who really want to stretch out.

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Tanner Sanders/Essential Guy

The room also has an outdoor shower, but this time facing the beach, and a walk-in closet area, making the suite feel more like a luxury apartment than a hotel room.

While at the W Hotel, I also had the opportunity to visit a standard room, pictured above. There, you get a nice soaking tub, plenty of closet space, a big TV, and those super comfy W brand beds (which you can actually buy for your own home). Although the hotel spoiled us with a two bedroom suite, I know I will be back and more than happy to stay in one of the rooms.

Dining at W Punta Cana

As an all-inclusive resort, all of your meals and beverages are included in the cost of your stay. Guests can enjoy a variety of options, with several restaurants open on a rotating basis. These options include Scena’s experiential dining experiences, Asian street food, a food hall experience, a Mediterranean-style beach club, a rooftop fresh bar, multiple poolside bars, wine bars and an eclectic speakeasy experience.

Here is a brief overview of what I experienced.

scene

One of my favorite meals was at Scena, a Dominican and Caribbean fusion restaurant that offers a choose-your-own-adventure tasting menu. This restaurant felt like a high-end experience I’d have in New York, rather than at an all-inclusive resort, well, anywhere. I thought the food was great, creative, and completely unexpected (as you can see in my photo above). Highlights included the octopus skewers, beautiful lettuce wraps and the deconstructed chocolate dessert, which I couldn’t get enough of.

Satsuma rooftop

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Tanner Sanders/Essential Guy

At the Satsuma Rooftop, which overlooks the rooftop pool and features a large fireplace for sitting, we enjoyed a variety of raw dishes, such as tuna tartare and exquisite nigiri sushi. Again, the meal didn’t feel like what you’d expect (and perhaps even wouldn’t trust) from an old-school all-inclusive resort. It was delicious, especially with the custom gin cocktail that was recommended to us as Hoshi made sure everyone knew we loved gin and tonics.

wet deck

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Tanner Sanders/Essential Guy

We had a poolside meal in a cozy shaded cabana, and I ordered my favorite poolside treat: poke bowls and French fries. Again, the original elements of the meal were delicious, as were our mango and spicy margaritas.

33 1/3 speakeasy

One morning, after someone from the hotel performed an impressive series of magic tricks for us, we received a special card inviting us into (some kind of) invitation-only speakeasy. While I’m sure anyone could get in just by asking, it’s a fun way to get a special invitation. Also, once I got there, I really liked the retro theme, with lots of vinyl records, old arcade games, and moody lighting. This is the perfect place to stop for a nightcap.

Outpost Cafe

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Tanner Sanders/Essential Guy

The resort’s coffee shop and bakery are a great place to grab iced coffee, gourmet pastries (including a variety of gluten-free options) and even grab-and-go items like salads, fruit, sandwiches, sodas and beers to grab and go as a snack. Desert pastries, including mini pies and colorful tarts, seem to go well beyond the standard all-inclusive offerings—a theme throughout the hotel.

special surprise

On the morning of our first day, my host Hoshi and I joked that we drank a little also It was fun the night before, we were doing vision boards while enjoying drinks, so they insisted on bringing us the “perfect hangover cure” delivered straight to the room. It turned out to be sancocho, a rich Dominican stew with meat, potatoes, corn and rice. I’m not sure if it was a special “off menu dish” that you only got if they thought you wanted it, but I really enjoyed it – especially knowing the hotel was looking after me.

Facilities and services

• From the waitresses at the pool to the servers at dinner, the entertainment team and our personal host, everyone we interacted with was extremely friendly, energetic and always ready to help.
• W’s Fit gym offers all the classic fitness equipment, as well as a sauna and steam room.
• The hotel features an ocean-facing infinity pool with cabanas, and a Chill Pool with additional seating and a variety of entertainment options throughout the day.
• The tropical Away Spa offers a variety of treatments, relaxation areas, impressive hydrotherapy pools, different jet experiences and more.
• Rotating events include spiritual healing experiences (such as cacao ceremonies), rotating DJs, fitness classes and more. It’s easy to find out what’s going on by talking to your personal host.

Location and logistics

W Punta Cana is approximately an hour’s drive from Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ). When booking, you can easily arrange transportation through your hotel or private booking service for a cost of between $50 and $100, depending on the size of your group.

What are the check-in and check-out times at W Punta Cana – Adults All Inclusive?

Cash rates for this game-changing new resort start at $700 per night (double occupancy). Marriott Bonvoy members can book award nights starting at 137,000 points per night.

Accessibility

W Punta Cana offers several accessible rooms, including rooms with roll-in showers and grab bars, as well as rooms with hearing accessibility and visual alarms. As always, TPG recommends contacting the hotel directly before booking to confirm that it can accommodate specific accessibility needs.

bottom line

I’ve stayed at dozens of all-inclusive resorts in my career as a travel journalist, but few have made me immediately make plans to return as soon as possible. From the creative, high-end cuisine and delicious cocktails, to the incredibly fun and friendly staff, plus the beautiful design, incredible pool, and dreamy beach, I couldn’t ask for more, other than maybe staying a few more nights to soak it all in.

The downside to the hotel is that points and cash are expensive, but you have to consider that all meals and drinks are included. Staying recently at the new St. Regis Cana de Cana, where cocktails are upwards of $20 each, I was worried about what my final creation would look like—but there was no need to worry.

That’s the beauty of the new generation of all-inclusive resorts, and W Punta Cana is a shining star, at least for now: no hefty fees when you check out. All you have to do is relax and enjoy that amazing feeling.

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