My husband and I just spend 5 wonderful nights at the Reserve, in a beautiful ground floor suite with a an amazing private garden patio that led right to the pool. The privacy of these rooms is wonderful. The Reserve tends to be for families but was also perfect for couples that wanted some quiet and privacy. The main resort always seemed more crowded and loud. It was nice to come back to the Reserve pool area in the afternoon to just chill out. We never felt that the children over ran the pool area at all. There were so many places to lounge around the pool and areas that you never had trouble finding a spot.
The Hydro Grill lunch was excellent (especially the shrimp ceasar salad) the staff--Carlos and Raul were very attentive and we never waited for drink. We always bring $1 and $5 and tip during our stay --- a few dollars goes along way with the staff and they are very appreciative---but never expect a tip.
I have to mention Carlos Pena-- entertainment director-- he made everyone feel special and welcome and we had a great time, playing fun black-jack, and taking a mixology class.
We really enjoyed breakfast every morning at Gabi Club-- and Ricardo always greeted us with a smile and remembered how we liked our coffee and which juice we liked. Having 4 restaurants just for the Reserve is great-- we also had a great meal at Mizu.
I must say that at first I was skeptical of the distance to the beach---but the walk to the beach only took about 6-7 minutes and it was liking walking thru a botanical garden, absolutely beautiful. We did find that going to the main lobby was the easiest way to get a golf cart if you wanted one. The pool and beach area for the Reserve was large and the beach loungers were the best at the resort--with lots of palapas for shade. Service on the beach was good for us--Julian and Gabriel. We did bring insulated mugs-- drinks lasted longer and you could get a double right away.
We also had a very good steak dinner at Market Grill, and dinner at Vento was good too. The beach party was fun--Andy our waiter could not have been better. Buffet was cold due to wind, but not much you could do about that.
We really enjoyed the live music every evening at Avenue Bar--- it was nice to sit outside in the courtyard and have an after-dinner drink and dance.
Lastly our concierge Victor was wonderful and took really good care of us. I would recommend this resort to anyone looking for fun and relaxing vacation spot.

My wife, my two girls and I had a wonderful experience also this second time at the reserve. The kids club is fantastic and all care gives are great. Our kids loved it. We also enjoyed the pool, beach and tennis facicilitie. The tennis pros Andy and Carlos are great. The service staff overall is very friendly and helpful, eg Octaviano, Julio and Angela. We very much appreciate the privacy and smaller scale of the reserve area. The food in most restaurants was excellent.

My husband and I had never taken our son so far away before (he is 18 months), but we wanted to get away from the cold NE but had a lot of requirements.
I was a bit nervous to begin with. Our son had been away with us before, but not out of the county. I didn't know what to expect from DR, had never stayed with a Melia Hotel, and generally have not had good experiences with an all-inclusive hotel.

From the moment we got out of the car, all nerves washed away. This resort was wonderful. The service, the amenities, the room, the options - everything was flawless.

We opted for the Family Concierge on a recommendation we read here - and I'm so happy we did. Andy was such a pro! Our son loved him, and it was another layer of calm; knowing that any question, change, baby need, we had was a phone call away.
Andy stocked our fridge with milk and juice - brought in a high chair to the room - arranged a babysitter so we could have a night to ourselves - simply; having his insight and help ensured we knew where to go and got a good table :-)

The Kid Zone was a huge hit with our son (and us). He loved taking a break from the sun and heat and playing with some familiar and some new toys. The staff were so professional and caring. It took our son 5 minutes before he was sitting on the lap of one of the women who worked there. He had a new friend, and we felt comfortable enough to leave and grab lunch at the pool. Kid Zone became a daily afternoon stop for him.

TIPS :
Don't worry if you forget something. They have all necessities on property if needed.
if you are prone to get bug bites, bring spray. I brought organic spray, Don't bring that. Bring the real stuff.