Was there for the Dia de las Mercedes (Sept 24) long weekend and the place was packed full. Contrary to other resorts they had a full mix of people from all nationalities. The show animators spoke in English, Spanish, German, French and Italian.
Catalonia rates itself as a five star resort. I think the five stars create higher expectations of service than come with this type of beach resort operation. But they definitely deserve four stars. Rooms are good-sized suites, pool is enormous and varied, beach is very good, food is very good with a selection of a la carte restaurants, all within walking distance. There are also many many details that stand up to the quality standards this hotel aspires to provide its guests.
The hotel architecture manages to accommodate guests staying at 700+ rooms while at the same time being very compact and one not feeling crowded. There is a large shopping area, where the prize comes when you discover the Creperie for salted and sweet crepes. For guests? comfort, the hotel has installed a thatched roof pathway so guests do not have to walk under the hot sun when getting from their rooms to the lobby area restaurants, and we are talking about a long winding pathway.
While on the day of arrival the hotel will seem huge, and you will wonder if you will be able to walk it all, after a while, once you know where everything is, it becomes easy to get everywhere. The rooms have lovely d?cor, bright but warm colors, different art. They provide a large jacuzzi-size tub, separate toilet/shower room. Water pressure could have been better in the shower and jacuzzi. The air-conditioning was great. Noticed the hotel constructors put in bathroom fixtures that were of top quality. All rooms are suites, with a living room/small refrigerator stocked with soft drinks and water. Bring your pillow, if you like soft pillows (this holds true with almost all hotels in the DR).
The hotel offers a variety of a la carte restaurants, for which you should reserve from day one. It gives you something to look forward to in the evenings, they are all different ? Brazilian (meat), French, Japanese (impressive set up, one feels one is in Tokyo, if it weren?t for the Dominican chef and waiters). Very good desserts, and the bar that gives access to the French and Japanese restaurants is stocked with top brands of drinks for before and after dinner (this is not usual at all-inclusive resorts in the DR, where you mostly are offered Dominican brand beverages). We were a party of three couples, and it was so pleasant there we stayed for two hours after dinner. From there we heard the show (great singer that evening). They also have an Italian restaurant. Didn?t get a chance to see the Brazilian nor Italian restaurants.
The lobby of the hotel is extremely expansive and done up in marble. Check-in was fast-paced, although we had to go back to reprogram the credit-card type key (the housekeeper in the area opened our room). We were handed a package with check in papers to fill in, keys, info, TV control, in no time. They have that down pat, as well as check out which was also fast. The hotel has 720 rooms, but the areas are spread out and one does not feel crowded, with the exception of Friday night that was Dominican night and everyone seemed to choose to dine in the Gran Caribe buffet area ? including the 200+ Dominicans that were there. When they set up a Dominican night, they go over board. They had two excellent bands playing for dinner and handicraft display outside the buffet area. The tourists apparently enjoyed it ? as they filled the restaurant, but it was too noisy for my taste. If you were adverse to loud music, you had the beach restaurant, or the creperie, in case you did not have a reservation at an a la carte restaurant.
At buffet time, both at the beach restaurant as well as at the central large lobby area restaurant, the food seemed to be like excellent home cuisine. It wasn?t fancy and there wasn?t too much of a selection, but it was very good, sort of like good home cooking style. I am still reminiscing about two delicious seafood caseroles I had, once for lunch, and another time for dinner. They both had different seafood tastes, one had thick sauce, the other not so think, one was more of lobster base, the other more of a mixture of seafood and fish, but ummm?. At the beach barbecue, one could dine in shorts. At the a la carte restaurants, no beach sandals for men and pants only for men. On the plus side for the buffets, a lot of the food that is available at the a la carte restaurants menus seems to find its way to the buffet dinners, a plus if you do not get a chance to dine at all the restaurants.
The water situation at this hotel is probably better than at many other all-inclusives. They had water bottles for the taking all over the serving stations at the buffet restaurants, and guests have water in the refrigerator of their rooms. You will have lots of water to brush your teeth and drink.
Several people we spoke to were content to stay put and relax at the pool (the pool service had barbecued chicken and snack food at all open hours). Others walked down to the beach. One evening after dinner, almost dozed off on a hammock under the coconut trees. If I had stayed any longer, I would have. It?s priceless to be able to walk under the stars of a Caribbean evening, carefree. Bring your sweater and jacket, it can get chilly in January (23C at night).
The hotel animation staff work really hard, making sure the tourists get a chance to make a fool of themselves, both at night and in afternoon games around the pool. If you like to take an afternoon nap in your room, you should consider a room away from the pool area. For those who want to continue after the show has stopped, there is a good-sized discotheque, off the game room area. Ditto could be said for the buildings near the open air evening show stage.
Note that I went with my mother, husband and two sons (7 and 9). They all put the hotel on their favorites list. The children made friends in the games area, and went off to do their own thing. They have a good assortment of games. My sons made friends with a Spaniard, an American, and two Dominicans. Again, this was possible because while the hotel is big, everyone can meet in the pool, game area, or restaurants. You can be as isolated or make many friends as my sons did. Note, we went our way and they went their way.
The beach is also another area to meet people. It is about 350 meters long, and the hotel has planted many hammocks and many thatched roofs so whomever wants shade can have it. The beach is good, and one can take a kajak and row around.
Catalonia is relatively isolated from the main stream of hotels, so don?t count on meeting guests from other hotels on the premises.
For tours to take, for starters, we recommend the snorkeling tour. The Manatee Park, sort of like a botanical garden/zoo offers an excursion, which I would recommend because it is half day and will give you an opportunity to tour at least the outside of several of the other hotels as the complimentary bus makes stops at several hotels to pick up guests.
Outside the resort, there are the excursions: Santo Domingo (one day tour), Saona Island (one day tour), Altos de Chav?n (one day tour). If you want to do some area shopping, share a taxi with a group of friends and visit Plaza Bavaro. Or maybe you could do so on your way back from the Manatee Park excursion, staying at the Melia Bavaro, which is walking distance from the plaza. Then take a taxi back to your hotel.
Make sure you fly into Punta Cana airport. We spoke to one Spanish tourist that had flown into Santo Domingo from Spain and then had to take the four hour bus trip to the hotel. And they were only going to be there for five days. They were perfectly happy to vegetate at the hotel?s pool and beach.
Conclusion, Catalonia is brand new and shows it. They also have included features to be able to compete with the best in the area, and it shows. It?s good value for those seeking a Caribbean resort vacation.
