The Palms Punta Cana — Hotel in Higüey

If you booked The Palms Villa Punta Cana, you made the best decision of your life. When you pull up to the villa you are greeted with a welcome drink (that is delicious), smiling faces, and a heart-warming sign that reads "the best thing to hold onto in life is each other" Make sure you hold your hand under your chin, so your jaw doesn't drop to the floor when you see the view of the beautiful swimming pool and the breathtaking view of the oceanfront with palm trees. You will be greeted by the sweetest dogs you will ever meet when you walk into the backyard. The rooftop bar/dance floor area is crucial for amazing pictures of the fireball sunrise that occurs every morning. The staff at the palms was the whipped cream AND the cherry on top for me. Starting with Seeley, all the way down to the groundskeeper/handy man (patricio). Seeley is the best host a person could ask for. She is very good at accommodating each one of her guest and she goes above and beyond for everyone, including her employees. When you first meet Seeley it gives you a sense of comfort, she is very knowledgable of the area and what excursions are a must. We had a birthday in the family and at dinner Seeley surprised him with a birthday cake and the whole staff sang happy birthday to him. You'd think that would be the end of the surprises, but not at the palms. We also got surprised with an at home performance from a belly dancer,a guy on stilts, and an acro-dancer who got the whole family involved. It turned into a big at home dance party. These surprises and helpful tips on excursions made for memories that will stick with me the rest of my life. I can't forget to mention the bartender Wander who made the most delicious pina coloda i ever tasted, especially when he used fresh coconut water from the coconuts in the backyard! Moving on to chef Alejandro! Chef Alejandro is someone i aspire to be, he is a hard worker and has a passion for his career. You can just feel the joy radiate from his smile. Being an asthmatic i have many food allergies. I voiced my concerns to chef Alejandro and he went above and beyond to make sure i could enjoy every meal safely. One night he made creme brûlée for dessert and instead of just taking the easy route and not serving me a plate, he went out of his way and made my creme brûlée eggless! Alejandro's love for his career shows with every plate he puts out, not only is the food delicious but his presentation is stunning as well. You almost feel guilty eating something so beautiful. Lastly id like to mention Patricio, the grounds keeper/ handyman. Patricio is the happiest person I've ever met in my life. Every morning Patricio went out of the way to say hello or good morning to us and always made us laugh with his infectious laugh. The positive energy just radiates off Patricio and those are people you want to be surrounded by. Even though there was a language barrier, he took the time to understand us and help make our stay more enjoyable. Patricio walked us to the local plaza and made sure we made it there safe. There was even a day he walked just my girlfriends aunt and her daughter to the plaza and he kept them safe as well, for that i am grateful. Patricio played basketball with us and made it one of the most fun basketball games i ever played, I don't think I ever laughed so hard playing a sport. I traveled to the palms with my girlfriend and 14 of her family members,I arrived there feeling like an outsider, but left feeling like I've been part of the family for years. I even felt like i learned a lot about myself in just one week and made friends that with last a lifetime. The palms had a positive affect on me and reminded me that "the best thing to hold onto in life is each other." sometimes we tend to lose ourself in the fast pace life with live back in the states, but the palms is the perfect place to relax, unwind, and remind you who you really are. I will forever be grateful for the palms and the people that work there, and I look forward to vacationing there again...

Wow. The Palms Punta Cana. Absolutely speechless and can't express more how incredible of a time the property, staff, and vacation overall was. Me and 33 of my friends ventured to Punta Cana looking for a good time, on the beach, and convenience. We got that and so much more.

Staff - Right from the start, the staff was super accommodating to our needs. Asking if we need anything, fulfilling requests, and just being at our service. They were always ready to help and came with a smile on their face everyday. We also did not feel babysat. They were there for help and that's all. The chef and his staff were great too, communicating everything and accommodating to all allergies or food needs. Jose & Alex made our stay so much better by bringing a fun energy every day.

Food - The food was great. We had the silver dining package and it fit all of our needs. We were well fed and the food tasted wonderful. And to sit at a table, all together in a big group was special. We had 34, and we all got to enjoy our meals together, like one big family that the villa made possible.

Location / Property - I have never stayed at such a private / tranquil property in my entire life, and I have done plenty of travel in mexico, USA, and europe. The villa is directly on the beach. No board walk, nothing stopping you from stepping right onto the sand. That is unheard of. The villa itself has this rustic, beachy feel that you can't emulate in many other areas. It was perfectly nice with a balance of luxury and comfort. The pool was awesome as it spanned across the whole property with a great pool bar during the day. The rooms were all great, most of them being king rooms with a private balcony. Again, unheard of. Everyone was super happy with their room accommodations. And the beach. I kid you not we played a million games of volleyball. How could you not. It was a perfect environment to relax, enjoy, play, and hang.

Management - Special thanks to the villa management. Kelly was wonderful and answered all questions I had prior to arrival. She was super organized which made life easier for us when we arrived. And the owner Seeley was so kind. Greeting us when we arrived and being accommodating to our unique requests was greatly appreciated. There was no issue on money or communication because they did such a good job at being up front and supportive to our needs. Their transportation company, Grand Central was also incredible and crucial for our stay. They were always ready to pick us up when we wanted to leave the villa and could always accomodate for our large group.

Overall - I can't recommend this place enough. I think what is greatest about it is its versatility. It could virtually accomodate to any type of guest / group. Want to have a relaxing break? Want to enjoy your friends with a beer on the beach? Want to have a family reunion? A wedding? It is endless. The Palms can accomodate all those and more.

Thank you to The Palms & its staff for an...

I have been trying for a week to write this review and I honestly cannot find the right words to describe the villa and the hospitality that was provided to our large group (18 adults and 6 kids). So I am just going to write facts on the villa just to help you along with booking it!

1. The pictures do no justice. You will see for yourself when you get there.
2. The team that works there is simply amazing. From first booking with Kelly, to the kitchen staff - Alejandro, Elsa and Duby, the bartender - Wander, and still the maintenance and cleaning crew, were fantastic and hospitable.
3. One thing we overlooked in the contract (as we had not come across before) was, if you do not purchase the chef service, you are unable to make meals. So that means traveling off the property. For a cost that you would not be able to go out and eat at restaurants for and the convenience of having things selected, prepared, served and then cleaned up it is WELL WORTH IT!
4. We were all able to be in a place, to ourselves, and under one roof. Total privacy.
5. The bedrooms are large, have AC, balconies and ocean views.
6. Highly recommend elderly people and kids be on the 1st floor. We initially thought the 2nd or 3rd would be good but when you have to go up and down stairs each time the kids wants something or forgot something we quickly changed our minds. Don't make that same mistake.
7. We were there when Tropical Storm Alberto was brewing up so the beaches ended up quite seaweedy but the crew was on it by 7a and by 9a we had the ONLY clean beach.
8. Please do not be alarmed by the information about the Septic. Coming from the US it seemed quite awkward at first but the maid service coming around 2x per day you didn't know otherwise. It's not like you are staying in the room all day.
9. There are pool floats, cornhole, pool volleyball and some other toys so not much is needed to be brought. We left two wake boards so those have been added to the inventory.
10. Seeley, the owner, has thought of everything so be prepared not to leave the venue. She has been doing it for a while and makes sure you have the best stay possible. Love her!

I cannot recommend The Palms enough. For the cost, the privacy, the amazing hospitality, and the location, I will be back, soon! You start as a guest but leave with a new DR family. We...