So even with the minor gripes I had, I'd still give the resort 5 stars. Oh, and don't put an "o" on the end of English words ("Can I have a new fork-o and el spoon-o?") and think it's funny or cute. I often think patrons give the staff a harder time than is necessary because they don't know all English slang (don't expect a native Dominican to know that "wonky" means "crooked"). Of course, the staff spoke Spanish, but most of the staff you'll interact with know enough English to get you what you need. If the quality of drinks really matters to you, it might be worth considering the Preferred Club, which seemed to have more "top shelf" liquors. Plus, some people actually want their Blue Hawaiians, Pina Coladas, Daiquiris, etc to simply be slammable sugary-sweet desserts. If you're not a big drinker and are happy with whatever is whipped up for you, you'll love it. I can't really knock the resort for the strength of drinks, because I'm sure they have a policy about overserving patrons. I think the drinks were pretty weak overall and largely inconsistent. I'm always trying new cocktail recipes at home and enjoy lots of different spirits. There are some things that could use some improvement though. However, the weather that night was gorgeous, and the nice breeze and endless red wine really helped the time fly. The food took a LONG time to come out there, but the restaurant was really busy that night and there was one particularly large group that must have been a headache for the cook staff. The only restaurant with which we had an issue was the Olio (Mediterranean and Italian). There really wasn't anything I had that I was disappointed by. Simply telling them, "Oh, no thank you." was enough for them to move on. There were, of course, occasional locals on the beach trying to get you head to the local shops or buy excursions, but they were never pushy. The beach was gorgeous, but the wavier days will cause a buildup of seaweed. Frozone, one of the members of the entertainment team, who was just a friendly guy to talk to and also organized some of the activities. We actually became very friendly with some of the staff, namely Yolenda, who serves drinks by the pool, who would teach us new Spanish. The rest of the staff was great as well, and they never seemed annoyed or bothered by us. This was an attention to detail that I haven't seen at any other resorts we've stayed, many of which were also five star. Modesto also started to figure out our typical breakfast time, and he would have gluten-free baguettes and muffins on our table (along with flower petals). Even at the buffet, the cooks at the omelette station would wipe down the grill before making my wife's food to avoid any cross contamination. Even in restaurants that only had a few "official" gluten-free options listed, our server would go through the menu and let my wife know what was capable of being modified to be gluten-free. The staff at the restaurants, especially Modesto at the Riviera and Patio, was always very helpful in finding her safe things to eat. My wife has Celiac disease, which if you're not familiar, is a serious reaction to gluten. Plus, on-site Covid testing gave some more peace of mind. If you're uneasy being in larger groups, the resort is big enough that you can find a quieter place to hang out. Speaking of which, masks were required in indoor areas such as restaurants and buffets, but were removed to eat. Walking around the pool late at night, I observed cleaning staff scrubbing chairs, which was a pleasant sight in light of all the Covid craziness. The property was clean and well-maintained. Blue skies, bright rays, and relaxing breezes made up most of our days. The weather was great for all but one day. I just returned from a 7-night stay at the Secrets Royal Beach in Punta Cana.
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