As you know if you’ve been keeping up with my past posts, my family and I have spent the past few weeks using Bavaro as our jump-off point for Dominican explorations. But on previous trips to the DR we have stayed at the Punta Cana Resort & Club, and since many members of my family are members of the club, we’ve come to this place on several occasions to enjoy their many amenities.

Punta Cana and Bavaro are more or less sister cities, with Punta Cana being the attractive older sister who married into fortune. Many of the all-inclusives along the stretch of sand that is Bavaro advertise themselves as being located in Punta Cana. Some even include Punta Cana in their name. But unless you are staying at the Punta Cana Resort & Club, you are likely not staying in Punta Cana.

The Punta Cana Resort & Club is probably one of the higher-end (if not the highest-end) choices in the area and for good reason. No one on the east coast rivals them in amenities – in addition to being home to the Punta Cana Ecological Foundation and many of their beneficiary projects (like the Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park & Preserve, botanical & fruit gardens, an iguana farm, a farm-animal petting zoo, and a collection of insects compiled by Harvard entomology students), this resort also has world-renown golf courses, beautiful horse stables, 5-star restaurants and quiet beaches and pools (unheard of in Bavaro).

Most guests to the resort stay either in The Punta Cana Hotel, or rent a villa in the even more exclusive Tortuga Bay (where my Aunt’s store is located). During our last trip to the island, my mom and I stayed in the Punta Cana Hotel.

The Pros: The amenities are unbeatable, the grounds are beautiful, the beach is calm and private, and you’re walking distance to the lagoons at the Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park & Reserve

The Cons: The sheets were starchy, the service was friendly but still Dominican, and the price was, well, pricey.

Overall: The Punta Cana Resort & Club caters to a very specific clientele. It’s where celebrities stay when they visit the area (since I’ve been here Anna Wintour, Cristiano Ronaldo, and the Clintons have all come through). This place is your best shot at luxury in the Dominican Republic – but for us common folk, I just have trouble shelling out that kind of dough with so many budget-friendly options down the road in Bavaro.