Hilton La Romana an All Inclusive Family Resort

Just returned to New York from a 19 person (ages 75-6) family trip - 5 nights. We had an incredible vacation and didn't want to leave. Going to cover all bases in this review. Travel - Flew into Punta Cana. We used DAT (Dominican Airport Transfers) to book a private bus for the trip to and from the airport to the resort. I just left a Travel Advisor Review for them. They were great - highly recommend. We booked for 23 people just in case we had too much luggage. Price was great and totally worth it - wound up with a full bus for just us - lots of extra room. Drivers were PUNCTUAL! Where they said they would be, courteous, safe. I booked online, which led to email confirmation (and then nervously hoping it would all be ok since it was a huge unknown - but all was well!) Arrival at hotel - Greeted immediately by amazing and kind resort team members. Kids were immediately directed to get a sweet treat in the lobby and adults "the bar is right there - go !" (Amen!) We all needed that after a long trip. Checking in was a bit of a process over the course of the afternoon because of the number of travelers/rooms, but we enjoyed the resort the entire time. Note: We did arrive wearing the same #TeamNana&PopPop t-shirts which were a hit and probably helped gain some attention. But I saw many other groups greeted warmly with cocktails, etc. too! Team Members - EVERYONE who worked at the hotel was wonderful. They were the kindest, most helpful people. "Pablo Picasso" - one of the people involved in entertainment - sought us out when we arrived, immediately noticed our kids/age groups and he or another team member found us daily to make sure we knew about activities and food and followed up to ensure the kids went in the right direction. He even made sure to find out when we were leaving so he could say goodbye and we knew he had been a kid favorite when they said "we hope he stops by so we can take selfies". "Bala Bala" - Another amazing team member who helped us book a private Catamaran sunset cruise to work around a photo session and our COVID testing (more about both below). He made it super simple and it was truly the best time. (Scuba Caribe - next to the adult side of resort-they have many options). We snorkeled for 35 minutes and then sailed down the coast and up a river and back at sunset. The crew was a blast - soda and chips for kids, rum for us, and they led us in some dancing. Bala Bala - "Yo Mon" - we "Love you for Free!" Poolside service - All of the bartenders and servers were great, but we did tend to seek out the same one each day and she was great (not sure I can use her name, so I won't, but it starts with a B and we miss her!). Rooms - Totally fine - some were a little musty/ocean smelling when we arrived but it is an oceanside/humid location and it wasn't a problem. Rooms were clean, room cleaning was great. They did offer extra COVID related disinfecting. COVID - All employees wore masks. We were expected to wear masks while walking around the grounds (especially when not around the pool). You were required to wear a mask to be served food and drink (swim up bar closed-but who cares) and I did see it being enforced, which we appreciated. COVID testing was simple. When we checked in they explained which day we would need to be tested. They left a reminder in our room the day before with the time (9-10:30) and instructions to make sure we had gotten a colored photocopy of our passports at the lobby to bring with us. We went to the convention center in a mid-sized conference room and checked in. Waited for our number to be called and got tested. Some people stayed for a few minutes after to get their results. Ours were emailed to us the night before we left. I had the concierge print ours just in case there were issues uploading to the airline app. Waterpark - Super clean and super fun-for Adults too. I believe there were 4? 5? slides, a nice lazy river, and a smaller water play area for younger kids. A great bonus to the resort for when families want a break from beach and pool. Pools - The main pool family side is very big and clean. Lots of chairs and umbrellas and no need to stress about getting one. The adult resort has two quieter infinity pools - we snuck over there without kids for a bit each day. Even the family side pool is relaxing-plenty of space to find quiet spots to swim. Adult side - My brother stayed on that side. Said all basically the same as family side but smaller buffet dining room , etc. Quieter - but the family said wasn't loud/crazy etc. Beach - CALM WATER! NO seaweed! This is what sealed the deal when we chose this resort. 75 year old grandparents and the 6 year old needed to be able to get in and out and enjoy - and they LOVED it. The water is clear, but it does get cloudy when a lot of people are kicking up the sand. But still beautiful and the perfect temperature. The kids brought snorkel gear and were able to see fish etc. There were people out early in day doing same when water is clearer. There is a short pier (deeper than I could stand) where people snorkeled too. Lots of chairs etc on beach - but they do fill up . But honestly, 95% of them were just to hold belongings because just about everyone who goes in the water just stays in to enjoy it! Photo Session - I set up a group photo via email w/ the concierge. They shared info about packages - which was reasonable compared to NY prices (which can often include a pricey "sitting fee" in addition to paying for the photos). The session for taking photos for 19 people from four different families and a bunch of different poses was about 45 minutes. The session took place on a sandy/grassy area with the sea in the background. She was great and they came out amazing! We left with two printed photos and an email with the digital files of the poses we chose so we can do whatever we want with them. Drinking Water - I know this is a concern when traveling to some islands/Mexico. I asked about purified water/food/drink immediately upon arrival. We were assured all would be ok and it was. Everyone drank water that was served with meals and bottled water was plentiful too. We did have ice in our drinks and drank frozen drinks as well. NOTE: WE WERE SUPER CAREFUL WITH TAP WATER JUST IN CASE. Bottled water for brushing teeth, keep your mouth closed in the shower, etc. Everyone is home and feeling fine! Food - We ate at the buffet for breakfast each day - everything from Fruit Loops to local food options. Everyone loved breakfast. Lunch - we used the various outdoor grills for burgers, nachos, and the poolside pizza. All was good - keep in mind our NY standards for burgers and pizza made it hard to say excellent (haha). Dinner buffet - lots of options. We also ate at the Italian and Grill restaurants on family side. Both were good. Culinary dreamy? No. Good and everyone ate everything on their plates? Yes. Drinks - Beer is Presidente. Everyone was able to get the cocktails they wanted and that made us happy. (= Entertainment - Show every night - we always went. Sometimes the kids wandered to play ping pong, etc. My 6 year old niece did the kids camp thing a few times and liked it. Overall - we loved this trip. It meant a lot that all ages were accommodated and happy and having a blast. My parents have been on many cruises and they loved this beach - no seaweed. No waves. Resort is in a beautiful spot and the Dominican people are wonderful. Thank you Hilton La Romana! Read less

The hotel is so big and its covid protocols are good, all the employers wear the mask and they always ask you to use the mask in restaurants en lobby. The rooms are modern and clean, they renovated the room so they are nice and clean. The waterpark is awesome and big it has 4 big waterslides 1 lazy river and 2 pools, and inside the hotels, they are like 4 pool in the daily side and in the adult side they are like 2 or 3. The food was very good in the buffet all the waiters were nice especially 2 named Bienvenido and adaw, and in conclusion, the hotel is incredible and I recommended it. Read less