Just returned from a nine-day stay at the Majestic Colonial with my husband and 14-year-old daughter. This was our first time in the Dominican republic, having stayed at all-inclusives in both Jamaica and St. Lucia in the past. This resort exceeded our expectations in many ways. The biggest surprise was how it never felt crowded even though it was Christmas week. Sure, there were lots of people, but we could always find good spots on the beach or by the pool, and felt that the place is really set up to accommodate the number of guests it can hold, something that is not always the case everywhere else. So here's the rundown:

CHECK-IN and ROOM: Very smooth, fast check-in, and when we requested a quiet room on a high floor the man behind the desk (Robinson, really a lovely guy!) gave us a corner room on the top floor with an outdoor jacuzzi in building 1. No view, but honestly, who cares, we just sleep and shower there. Totally quiet. We had a king bed, on the firm side but not as hard as i expected based on previous reviews, and the pillows were fine, at least for us. Daughter slept on a full-size rollaway. There is a lack of privacy with the open bathroom setup, but we managed it fine. Room was nice and clean, housekeeping was good, and water pressure was the best we've ever had in the Caribbean. A/C worked fine. We got treats delivered regularly - fruit platters, brownies, yum.

GROUNDS/FACILITIES: Beautiful, clean, well-maintained. Beach is beautiful, yes there is seaweed, but it's the ocean for heaven's sake, deal with it. Tons of chairs under thatched palapas on the beach, plenty by the pool as well. Pool is GORGEOUS with bridges and a swim up bar. Next year I'll bring pool floats because they don't have them, but otherwise great. The entertainment hall is huge and very comfortable, and the lobby/main building is beautiful. Husband used the gym daily, new equipment and clean.

FOOD: Much better than I expected from an all-inclusive. Tons of choices, everything seemed very fresh, and you could have lots of things made to order at the breakfast and lunch buffets (never did the buffet for dinner, but heard it was good too). There were cooks grilling fish, chicken and steak, making omelettes, crepes, wonderful. Restaurants were all good, especially the fixed menu for Christmas Eve at Tres Carabelas. All three of us did have a bit of tummy trouble for a day or two, not sure why, but nothing serious. I've heard some people stay away from fruits and veggies that are uncooked, and we did eat a lot of fruit and salads. Not sure if that is what caused it - we certainly aren't big drinkers or overeaters. Waiters were all friendly and accommodating, and for my daughter's birthday in Le Gourmet, she was brought a beautiful cake with a sparkler candle! The coffee boys at breakfast were very attentive and friendly, too. Drinks at the bar were served in small cups, but the bartenders had no problem filling larger cups if you brought your own. We did tip bartenders here and there and they seemed to appreciate it, but we never felt as though it was expected.

ACTIVITES/ENTERTAINMENT: Now THIS is what really makes this place so great - the animation team, known as the Funjestic Team. These people work their buns off all day and night, have boundless energy, great senses of fun and humor, and do a great job of getting people involved. And if you strike up a conversation with any of them, they are just all-around nice people. Tutti-Frutti, Blondie, Looky Looky, Diana, Nemo, and the rest (sorry I never caught all of the names!) were just amazing. I cannot say enough good things about them! Nightly entertainment was fun, too - Michael Jackson, magic show, Dominican dance show, great. We also did a ziplining excursion with Canopy Adventure, which was fabulous - but that is separate review.

Overall, I would say this was an extremely enjoyable trip and we would go back in a heartbeat.

Just back from the Majestic Colonial in Punta Cana. Fantastic week there. Stayed in the Club section with Ocean front rooms. Great service from our butlers Rafael and DeLeon. Always asked about how we were doing and what we needed. Sandra at the bar on the beach was very good at making sure the drinks were fresh. The main buffet had a lot of choice. Juan Diaz always had a smile for us and treated us very well. He welcomed us at every meal and made sure we were well looked after by Jhonathan Dela Cruz (coffee boy) and his team. We would easily return to this resort.

We had friends who had gone multiple times to the sister resort Majestic Elegance (next door) so since this was our first time in Punta Cana we tried to follow their recommendation but could only find room at the Colonial. We believe we were really lucky as the Club section of Colonial is newer and smaller than the one at Elegance so it feels more friendly. We had a Club Junior suite with Club member privileges, which include a special Club lounge with wifi internet and computers, access to the adults only club pools and bars, special roped off area on the beach etc. The rooms have minibar service and in room service is free to club members. We had a bottle of champagne, rum, vodka, whiskey and Irish cream in the room plus beer and pop that gets refilled everyday as you consume or if you want more you could always take whatever you needed from the club lounge. Room service would go by everyday and knock on the door, if you were in the room they would drop off plates of sushi or fruit and bottles of wine.
The resort is a good size , everything is a short walk to each other, no room is too far from anything and you don't need a shuttle service like in some other resorts. We had room 3330 right in the middle so we had a 1 minute stroll to the beach , or a 1 minute stroll to the restaurants, we had a view of the Club pools and a sliver of the ocean from in between palm trees also a view of the main pool with the zumba and dancing classes which we enjoyed watching while drinking champagne or Rose on our balcony. We preferred the main buffet for breakfast and dinner as they had the most choice and would have a different theme each night. For late breakfast or lunch the restaurant on the beach was our favorite, as we could sit and enjoy the view of the ocean as we ate.
We spent most of our day on the beach, great sand, nice breeze, constant service if you wish. Never felt over crowded like the other resorts we walked in front of along the beach. You always found a palapa if you needed shade, some other resorts had no shade options on their beach sections. so keep that in mind if comparing.

Did a dune buggy excursion and scuba dive to the coral reefs 10 minute boat ride out into the ocean. Both were very enjoyable.

The staff were great, always happy and easy going.

I fear this resort has set the bar quite high for future trips and if returning to Punta Cana we would definitely opt for Majestic Colonial.

We took a vacation with a group of family members and we were very pleased with the resort. Everyone was more than willing to make our trip a great experience. The food was good, service was great, and everyone greeted us with a smile and/or a high-five. The family is already looking to visit this resort again. The beaches were beautiful, very clean, and the water was very clear. A lot of activities to do at night. Shows, several bars and restaurants, and lots of music. Much better than other resorts I have been to. The staff was so great to us. Our family had a few minor "accidents" on the trip, and Rafael was a staff member who went above and beyond to check on our family every day to make sure that we were doing ok and having a great trip. We cant thank him and everyone enough! Frankling was also another staff member who was very nice and always willing to assist us. Great first family vacation, thank you!!!
Scott, Debbie, Scotty & Abby Butterfield
December 2012