After spending a few nights at The St. Regis Cap Cana, my dad and I headed a few kilometers north to The Westin Puntacana. Like The St. Regis Cap Cana, The Westin Puntacana is one of the few non-all-inclusive resorts in the area.
Although The Westin sits a tier below Marriott’s luxury St. Regis brand, The Westin Puntacana offered a very pleasant stay, and in many ways delivered a more consistent and established experience than what we encountered at the recently opened St. Regis.
While the resort is beginning to show signs of age, the rooms, grounds, dining, and service were all more than satisfactory. Here’s what you can expect during a stay at The Westin Puntacana.
Booking
I booked our three-night stay at The Westin Puntacana using a favorable industry rate. Standard nightly cash rates typically fall in the high-$300 to low-$400 range, though during peak travel periods in December and January, prices can climb above $500 per night.
Booking a stay here with points isn’t particularly compelling, since most nights run around 70,000 points, which is not an ideal redemption value. If you can find a stretch of nights under 50,000 points, it becomes much more reasonable, especially if you have a few Marriott Bonvoy Free Night Awards and only need a small top up for each night.
Opening a card such as the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Card is a strong first step toward a redemption like this. The welcome bonus, plus the annual Free Night Award, can get you close to covering two nights. If you then refer your player two to a Marriott Bonvoy card, you would likely end up with enough points combined with the Free Night Awards for a five night stay at The Westin Puntacana.
The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card offers benefits that include an annual Marriott Bonvoy free night certificate and 15 elite qualifying nights towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status.
Check out our American Express Marriott Bonvoy card review for more details.
110,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
$6,000
$990+
$120
Yes
Apr 7, 2026
Check-in
The Westin features a spacious and towering open-air lobby with several check-in counters and a lobby bar. The design of the lobby is inviting, with plenty of comfy seating throughout and offering views of the resort’s pool area and the ocean beyond. The staff were attentive and efficient, quickly assisting us with our luggage upon arrival.
The lobby also featured a bar and lounge area where you can grab a morning espresso or an afternoon cocktail.
A check-in agent greeted us immediately and walked us through all the amenities available both on the property and throughout the Puntacana area. This included access to the Puntacana Spa and preferred green fees at all resort golf courses.
I hadn’t requested a room upgrade in advance, but the agent mentioned he would try to place us in a preferred-view room for our stay. He also reviewed the benefits available to us as Titanium Elite members, including a welcome amenity of either free breakfast or Marriott Bonvoy points. As always, I chose the free breakfast.
Additionally, as Titanium Elite guests, we were entitled to a complimentary 20-minute spa treatment at any point during our stay. I happily took advantage of this perk one afternoon while my dad was out golfing.
Location
The Westin Puntacana Resort & Club is located in the Playa Blanca area, within the expansive Puntacana Resort & Club complex on the east coast of the Dominican Republic.
The resort sits along three miles of white-sand Caribbean beach and is just five minutes by car from Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ), making it extremely convenient for travelers.
Within the gated Puntacana Resort & Club community, guests have access to a wide range of amenities, including several championship golf courses, water sports activities, a spa, a marina, and a nearby village with shops and restaurants.
The resort offers a complimentary scheduled shuttle for guests, providing easy access to the Puntacana Resort & Club amenities. This service includes transportation to the golf courses, the spa, the shopping village, and to and from Punta Cana International Airport.
Parking
The Westin Puntacana offers complimentary on-site parking to all guests of the resort.
Room – 1 King Premium Guest Room
The Premium Guest Room is generously sized at 635 square feet and features the familiar design elements you’d expect from a standard Westin room. If you’ve stayed at a Westin before and enjoy the brand’s aesthetic, you’ll feel right at home. The room was in excellent condition, appeared to have been refreshed in recent years, and showcased the minimalist, contemporary style Westin is known for.
At the center of the room is a king-size Westin Heavenly Bed, complete with a bench at the foot.
Since I was traveling with my dad and our room had only one bed, we requested a rollaway for me. Thanks to the generous room layout, the rollaway fit comfortably and never felt like it was in the way during the day.
Along the wall, there was a desk with a chair, some storage space, and a dedicated spot for a suitcase. A flat-screen TV was mounted on the wall above.
Closer to the entrance of the room was a minibar cabinet that included a mini-fridge, a coffee maker, and some bottled water that was replenished daily.
The closet area offered a good amount of counter space and drawers, along with plenty of room to hang clothing. It also included an iron, an ironing board, and a luggage rack.
The bathroom is nicely designed with a dual-vanity setup. It’s nothing extraordinary, but it’s fully functional and includes all the essential amenities.
Flanking the vanity was a separate toilet on one side and a walk-in shower on the other. The shower featured both an overhead rainfall fixture and a handheld wand, with toiletries conveniently mounted on the wall.
The balcony was a standout feature of the room, providing sweeping views of the pools, beach, and ocean.
The balcony was furnished with a small table, two chairs, and a lounger. Unfortunately, the lounger was very uncomfortable, lacking a cushion, which I found rather unusual.
The views from the balcony overlooked the main pool and the resort grounds.
Looking further to the left, the beach and the ocean stretched out in the distance. From what I gather, the resort is fairly liberal in designating rooms as “ocean view.” Although the ocean is visible, the resort is set well back from the shoreline, and I suspect very few, if any, rooms provide a completely unobstructed view of the water.
I find Westin properties to be consistently reliable and The Westin Puntacana largely lived up to that reputation. While the accommodations are not particularly show-stopping, everything from the bed to the amenities and overall room comfort were exactly what we expected.
Restaurants & Bars
The Westin Puntacana Resort features four restaurants and a cigar bar on the property. Since most resorts in Punta Cana are all-inclusive, properties that are not all-inclusive, like this one, can be at a bit of a disadvantage because the food really needs to be exceptional to justify the added cost for meals and drinks.
We had a terrific dinner at Brassa Grill, but the rest of our meals were just fine — nothing bad, just typical of what you’d find at many other large beach resorts throughout the Caribbean and Mexico. Prices are expectedly inflated and listed in U.S. dollars, which is fairly standard for most Caribbean resorts located close to the United States.
Anani Restaurant – Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Complimentary Breakfast
Breakfast is served at Anani Restaurant each morning from 7:00 AM to 10:30 AM. Since I selected the complimentary breakfast benefit as my welcome amenity at check-in, we enjoyed a free breakfast throughout our stay.
The buffet was largely indistinguishable from the typical breakfast spreads you’d find at many Marriotts across North America. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially given that most guests are from Canada and the U.S., but I would have liked to see a bit more local Dominican flavor represented.
The restaurant has plenty of outdoor shaded seating, which was ideal for the extremely pleasant weather we had during our stay.
The buffet offered all the standard selections you’d expect, including salads, cold meats and cheeses, fresh fruit, yogurt, and a variety of pastries.
Included in the breakfast buffet is also a made-to-order egg station where you could have eggs prepared in any style you like.
As Titanium Elite members, we each received a complimentary mimosa every morning, which was a nice added touch, and coffee was included with the buffet.
Arena Beach Club
Arena Beach Club is the resort’s beachfront restaurant open for lunch and dinner. The setting is quite stunning, just steps from the sand with the turquoise waters of the Caribbean stretching out in the distance.
The menu at Arena Beach Club offers a nice, varied selection of classic beach-resort dishes, including salads, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, and seafood. Keep in mind that all food and beverage purchases at resorts in the Dominican Republic are subject to a mandatory 18% tax plus a 10% gratuity.
These charges add up quickly and have a noticeable impact on what are already high resort prices. For example, a burger listed at US$20 will end up costing closer to US$26 once the taxes and service fees are factored in.
I stopped by one afternoon for fish tacos and found the portion size to perhaps be a bit lacking, but the food overall quite tasty.
Brassa Grill
We had our best meal at Brassa Grill, which is the steakhouse on the property. Service was great and the food was outstanding.
My dad and I both ordered the 8oz filet and shared a side of macaroni and cheese. Both of the steaks were cooked perfectly, and we honestly couldn’t have asked for a better meal.
Brass Grill shares its space with the Asian-fusion restaurant BAO. We didn’t end up dining at BAO, but it’s one of the highest-rated restaurants in Puntacana, so I was disappointed we didn’t get the chance to try it.
Facilities
WestinWORKOUT Fitness Studio
The fitness center was a bit underwhelming, especially given that Westin promotes itself as the “wellness brand” within the Marriott portfolio. While it had a decent selection of mostly modern Technogym equipment, the space was extremely small, with very low ceilings that made it feel even more cramped.
The ceiling was so low that attempting a pull-up on the multifunction machine would have put my head straight through it. The whole facility didn’t seem particularly well thought out. Despite that, I was still able to get in an acceptable workout each morning. However, if more than a handful of people are in the fitness center at the same time, expect there to be a wait for some equipment.
Pool
The Westin Puntacana features a large central pool that sits in the middle of the resort, bordered on three sides by the hotel buildings and opening directly toward the beach.
One downside of having just a single main pool is the lack of an adults-only pool. Most newer resorts offer separate family and adults-only pools, but that’s not the case here.
During our stay, the pool area was consistently busy with families and young children throughout the day, so if you prefer the option of a quieter, adults-only atmosphere, it’s worth keeping in mind before considering a stay here.
There’s plenty of seating around the edges of the pool deck, along with lots of umbrellas if you want some shade.
Finally, there was a large jacuzzi tub at the far end of the pool deck near the beach. I didn’t see it used much during our stay, which makes sense given how warm it was, but it’s a nice option to have on cooler days.
Beach
The Westin Puntacana has a beautiful, clean, and quiet stretch of beach. Unlike the beach at The St. Regis Cap Cana Resort, which was overwhelmed with sargassum during our stay, The Westin Puntacana appears to have the issue well managed thanks to a barrier placed offshore that helps keep the seaweed from reaching the beach.
Only a small amount of sargassum made it to the beach, and the cleaning crews on site kept the shoreline looking excellent. As a result, the ocean water was noticeably more enjoyable for swimming.
The resort provides plenty of loungers along the sand, and we never had any difficulty finding a spot to relax by either the pool or at the beach.
The Spa at Puntacana Resort
The spa is located at the nearby La Cana Golf & Beach Club and has a ton of amenities including an outdoor pool, private beach, nine treatment rooms, relaxation areas, a sauna, and steam room.
As I mentioned earlier, I was extended a complimentary spa treatment for being a Marriott Bonvoy Titanium member, which I happily took advantage of one afternoon while my dad was golfing.
The interior was a serene atmosphere, with a soothing stone wall water feature at the entrance. Complimentary refreshments were available to all spa guests including infused water and ginger tea.
I relaxed in the lounge both before and after my treatment, and was served a ginger tea while taking in the views outside.
The complimentary treatment includes a standard 20-minute massage, which was very relaxing and a welcome perk extended to Titanium Elite members. I always appreciate when a property goes beyond what’s required and offers something extra.
Following the massage I made use of the cold bucket shower between stints in the stream room.
The list of available treatments is extensive and includes all manner of massages and wellness treatments. Prices are fairly typical of what’s to be expected at a higher end resort.
Additional Amenities
Puntacana Resort had miles of paved running and bicycle trails available for use. The resort has both pedal bikes and e-bikes available for guests.
Guests also have access to four golf courses within the Puntacana Resort, as well as the tennis center and a full watersports center offering kiteboarding, scuba diving, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and more.
Conclusion
If you’re a fan of the Westin brand, The Westin Puntacana delivers a consistent experience and everything you’d expect for a relaxing beach vacation. The resort leans more toward families, offering plenty of amenities and activities that make it well suited for a family-friendly getaway. If you’re looking for a reasonably affordable Caribbean option for the whole crew, this property should fit the bill.
That’s not to say everything is perfect. The food is just okay, and some facilities, particularly the fitness center, are rather underwhelming. However, elite recognition was solid. The check-in agent upgraded our room without any prompting, and the Marriott Bonvoy elite breakfast benefit offered a solid start to the day.
Its close proximity to Punta Cana International Airport makes the resort extremely convenient, and with the broader Puntacana Resort and Club’s extensive amenities at your doorstep, there is more than enough here for anyone seeking an easy and enjoyable Caribbean escape.
Jeff Jamieson
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