TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

Ocean El Faro Punta Cana May 24–31, 2026 Family Side – Non-Privilege Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars My husband and I spent a week at Ocean El Faro celebrating our 21st wedding anniversary. We are experienced Caribbean travelers and have visited all-inclusive resorts throughout Mexico and the Caribbean for more than 20 years. While we had an enjoyable vacation and made wonderful memories together, Ocean El Faro fell short of our expectations in several important areas. Arrival and Check-In Check-in was quick and efficient. We were offered upgrades to a swim-out room and Privilege status but chose to remain with our original booking. Prior to arrival, my husband emailed the resort to mention our anniversary. We were pleasantly surprised to find a bottle of champagne waiting in our room. One of the highlights of our stay was Hector, our concierge. Although we were not Privilege guests, Hector arranged our dinner reservations for the entire week and regularly checked in to make sure everything was going well. His professionalism and attentiveness were exceptional. We later learned that this concierge service was provided because we booked through Expedia. Resort Grounds The grounds are beautiful and well landscaped. The resort is large, clean, and visually appealing with plenty of tropical scenery and walking paths. The Lazy River is one of the resort’s best features and was a favorite activity during our stay. The current moves you along comfortably, making for a relaxing experience. Beach Unfortunately, the beach was the biggest disappointment of our trip. Large amounts of seaweed were being removed daily by crews operating dump trucks and heavy equipment along the shoreline. The odor was noticeable at times and the constant noise took away from the tropical beach atmosphere. The ocean was rough and choppy during our stay, and there were numerous rocks visible near the shoreline. The beach itself felt narrow compared to many other Caribbean resorts we have visited. As a result, we spent very little time there and chose the pools instead. Pools The main pool is showing significant signs of age and wear. We observed numerous missing tiles both inside the pool and around the surrounding deck. During our stay, we witnessed multiple guests receiving treatment for foot injuries caused by exposed tile edges. One woman sitting near us suffered a cut to the bottom of her foot after sliding her foot across an area where tiles were missing. Several sections of the pool deck also became slippery due to a buildup of sunscreen and lotion residue. Staff cleaned the area when notified, but it required repeated attention throughout the week. The pool area remains enjoyable overall, but maintenance and refurbishment are clearly needed. Accommodations While our room was clean and comfortable, it felt dated compared to other resorts we have visited in recent years. The furnishings, finishes, and overall appearance are beginning to show their age. Nothing was broken or unusable, but the rooms would benefit greatly from modernization and updating. Dining Food quality ranged from average to very good. Our Favorites Blue Moon Restaurant Excellent service, delicious filet and short ribs, and one of the most enjoyable dinners of our stay. Mexican Restaurant Probably our favorite meal of the week. The food was flavorful, portions were generous, and the margaritas were excellent. Mike’s Coffee Shop Outstanding coffee drinks and delicious muffins. This quickly became one of our favorite spots on the resort. Expect long lines because it is very popular. Good but Inconsistent Steakhouse The filet mignon and mashed potatoes were very good. Unfortunately, service was extremely slow. We waited nearly an hour before receiving our soup and salad. Salmon was unavailable during our visit. Sakura Japanese Restaurant Good food and entertaining chefs. The experience was enjoyable, although the atmosphere can be loud due to multiple birthday celebrations and large groups. Least Favorite Dolce Vita Italian Restaurant This was our most disappointing meal. The spaghetti and meatballs tasted very much like canned pasta. The restaurant was surprisingly noisy despite not being crowded. Salmon was again unavailable. My husband described his New York strip steak as average. Ocean Burger Convenient for a quick lunch but nothing memorable. The burgers simply were not very good. We did like the french fries there though. Buffet The buffet was typical of many all-inclusive resorts. Breakfast was the strongest meal, especially the fresh fruit and made-to-order omelet station. Lunches and dinners became repetitive after several days. Service was inconsistent. Sometimes staff seated us immediately, while other times we were left to find our own table. Employees were polite but noticeably less attentive and less engaging than staff at many comparable resorts. Entertainment We are not late-night vacationers and typically returned to our room by 9:30 p.m. Our favorite evening venue was the Piano Bar. It offered a relaxing atmosphere, great drinks, and familiar music that guests could sing along to. It was a wonderful place to unwind after dinner. Health and Comfort My husband and I experienced mild digestive issues during our stay. We never became seriously ill, but both relied on Pepto-Bismol and Imodium during the week. We cannot say for certain what caused the problem, but it was unusual for us. We also experienced several brief resort-wide power outages throughout the week. Most lasted less than a minute, but they were frequent enough to become noticeable and somewhat concerning. Final Thoughts Ocean El Faro has several strengths. The grounds are beautiful, the Lazy River is excellent, Mike’s Coffee Shop is a standout, and Hector’s concierge service was truly exceptional. However, after more than 20 years of visiting all-inclusive resorts, we felt this property has fallen behind many of its competitors. The aging rooms, worn pool facilities, safety concerns from missing tiles, inconsistent service, repetitive buffet offerings, beach conditions, and maintenance issues all impacted our overall impression. We still enjoyed our anniversary and are grateful for the memories we made together, but based on our experience, we would not choose to return. There are simply too many other resorts in the Caribbean offering newer accommodations, better-maintained facilities, stronger service, and a more enjoyable beach experience at a similar price point. For travelers seeking a family-friendly resort with a great Lazy River and beautiful grounds, Ocean El Faro may still be worth considering. For experienced all-inclusive travelers looking for a more polished and updated resort experience, there are likely better options available.

Bed was broken when we arrived and took several hours for them to get us a new room. Terrible staff, not friendly or helpful at all. Terrible food. Do not recommend this place.

What an amazing way to be introduced to the all inclusive experience. This resort is impeccably clean, rooms as well as the grounds. I could find one piece of trash on the ground. The atmosphere was very pleasant due to the very friendly staff. The food was delicious with plenty of restaurants or the buffet. The beach was absolutely gorgeous particularly the little inlet where we swam in crystal clear water without any seaweed. Special thanks to our butler Joel for his attentiveness and professionalism. He really took good care of us. In conclusion since this is my very first all-inclusive experience, I highly recommend it and would return to it.

We have been an H10 member for 3 years. Things have changed so terribly. Bus from airport, non existent. Check in, useless. Service, by far the worst anyone (group of 8) had ever experienced anywhere ever. Rooms, a joke and not safe. Enjoy maids that do absolutely nothing but steal your belongings. Also the rooms, enjoy no AC and cockroaches. Even the tarantulas pay a visit. Food, let’s just say we all lost weight. Lived off of bread. It was sad and I can only imagine how hard it must be for the employees living on that island. You couldn’t possibly be so drained and miserable if things were great. Good luck!

I travel a lot but this was a first, I have been an H10 member going on 3 years. We tried Ocean El Faro for the first time, and it was great even though I had an accident on day 2 and that could have been the end to my vacation but it wasn’t thanks to our amazing butler Braulio and the other great staff at the privilege pool Bewien, John and Justina, I felt cared for and appreciated their hospitality was great. Braulio went above and beyond the call of duty gave our group that personalized attention and was there at our every need, no matter what time of day or night. when I come back in the future, I will ask for him. He deserves to be recognized for his exemplary customer service.