Whether you’re looking for a getaway with your significant other, planning week with the girls, or packing the whole family up for a trip, Meliá Caribe Beach will have you happy that you did. In early August, 30+ Macaroni KID Publishers got together at the all-inclusive Meliá Caribe Beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic for our annual Boondoggle 2021.
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Can you imagine yourself in the Caribbean surrounded by palm trees, gardens, blue waters, and the sounds of your kids laughing with excitement? Well, try to imagine this:
From the minute you pull up to the lobby with all of the beautiful gardens and décor, there is no doubt you are on vacation. Every detail of the resort had me living my dreams and rejuvenating my soul. The staff was so friendly and kind from the minute I arrived and they were so welcoming while getting me checked in. All of the staff at the resort were so happy to be doing their jobs and made me feel like "familia" as they helped me to my room and throughout the entire trip.
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I could not believe how luxurious our rooms were when I opened the door for my stay. The rooms are beautiful, spacious, and come in different sizes and arrangements that make them very family-friendly. Meliá Caribe Beach has rooms for up to 2, 4, 5, and 8 guests with a conjoining door, which can be so helpful for families. As a family of 5, we always struggle to find a room that accommodates us without having to get a 2nd room (unless I’m getting that room to myself which we know is not an option). Some rooms have patios and other have balconies for you to enjoy the views of the resort wherever you are.
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Once you settle in you can catch the train to one of the buffets. With 13 restaurants, there are so many delicious options to choose from that even your picky little eaters will find something to eat. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all available at the buffets, which means no cooking (or cleaning) for you for the entire trip. As a mom of 3, a vacation is not a vacation if I still need to cook and clean. Here I didn't need to worry about making anyone lunch or going food shopping. You can even order room service or make a dinner reservation for your group at one of the restaurants. Once your stomach is satisfied, you can relax at the beach, one of the pools, or have some fun at the water park!
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There are 6 pools located at Meliá Caribe Beach, including an adults-only pool and Splash Island Water Park. Grab some resort towels and find a spot under an umbrella, at the cabanas, or my favorite – a lounge chair in the sun. Relax in the pool and grab a drink at the bar as you immerse yourself into island life. My favorite spots were at the center of the main pool where you can lay in just a few inches of water, and the lounge chairs in the pool.
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At the beach, you walk across the soft white sand and enjoy the beautiful blue water of the Caribbean sea – the temperature was perfect, and yes the water is really blue! Just sitting on a lounge chair listening to the waves and looking out at the blue waters was so calming. A few girls woke up early to catch the beautiful sunrise over the blue water and said it was truly amazing and highly recommended – me, I couldn't get out of my comfy king bed (it was nice to have it all to myself) plus, I was up late dancing!
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Meliá Caribe Beach has so many activities and entertainment for the whole family, including water sports and pool activities like aqua zumba and aqua bikes. The kids can enjoy themselves at the Kids Club while you relax for some 'me time,' hit the casino, golf, or visit the YHI Spa.
At night you can catch a show at the lobby or a family-friendly movie, grab a drink, and have fun dancing by the DJ. While only there for four days, Meliá Caribe Beach had me entertained with so many exciting experiences I had never done or seen before. Silent Disco nights are bound to get you up on your feet dancing (and singing out loud) definitely something you need to try – you choose your music on your headphones! We had a huge pool party with a DJ, dancers, mermaids, and more balloons and pool floats than I can count. We saw men on stilts, an awesome contortionist, amazing musicians, and some really cool dance performances. Another favorite activity was going for a ride on the swings hanging from the trees (and the beach bar).
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A completely new experience for me was the surprise Chocolate Experience Dominican Republic. We spent an hour learning about the chocolate-making process and tasting a piece of each step from the cacao seeds all the way to finished chocolate (dark, milk, and white). We learned so much and even made our own chocolate bars. I had to visit the chocolate store before leaving to bring chocolate home for my family.
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Looking to add to your trip and go on an excursion with the family? Bebe Catamarans is an offsite excursion that will take you on a fun boat ride to a reef. With all equipment included, you can snorkel around the reef and see the tropical fish. Not ready to jump in, no worries, I slid right into the water on their awesome water slide (more than once). Later we saw dolphins, enjoyed some drinks in a natural pool, and the staff taught us some fun dance moves!
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Warning: You may never want to leave!
Search #MKatMeliaCaribeBeach to see more of the images from our amazing time at Meliá Caribe Beach!
A huge thank you to Alliance Connection for planning our 2021 Macaroni KID Boondoggle.
Macaroni KID
Macaroni KID Publishers were hosted at Meliá Caribe Beach for purposes of a review.
