Sian's FAM Trip to the Dominican Republic

I have recently returned from a 7-day Familiarisation trip with Palladium Hotel Group to the amazing Dominican Republic. I traveled from London Gatwick and flew direct with British Airways, the flight was quicker than expected- 8.5hrs on the way out and only 7.5hrs coming home! My time on the Island was split between hotels, I spent my first night in the lovely marina resort of Cap Cana in the adult only 5* TRS Cap Cana, followed by 6 Nights at TRS Turquesa in Punta Cana, which is part of a complex of the Grand Palladium hotels - Grand Palladium Palace, Grand Palladium Punta Cana and Grand Palladium Bavaro, being able to use the facilities of all the resorts was a huge bonus.

TRS Cap Cana: 

This boutique-style hotel is situated on the waterfront, conveniently located just 15 minutes from Punta Cana airport. It is part of Palladium's adult-only chain of properties, and if you're looking for a relaxed, serene getaway, I would highly recommend this resort. Home to just 115 rooms, this hotel really is unique for the Caribbean, you have a choice of Swim-up Suites, Marina View Suites, Jacuzzi Suites and many more, plus 4 Bars & 4 Restaurants to choose from.  The other facilities on offer at the resort include a swim up bar, spa area and a small man-made beach, however the hotel offers a complimentary twice daily shuttle to a nearby beach just 10 minutes away. The Cap Cana area is south of Punta Cana, and is a hidden gem of the Dominican. If you prefer a more relaxed resort, this area would be perfect for you, there is a small selection of shops,bars and restaurants along the marina, and you can easily reach Punta Cana if you wanted to visit for the day!

TRS Turquesa, Grand Palladium Palace, Grand Palladium Punta Cana & Grand Palladium Bavaro: 

After my first night, we travelled around 20 mins north to the livelier and most well-known part of the Island - Punta Cana. You have 4 of the Palladium hotels all within one complex here so it has a much livelier atmosphere than the smaller Cap Cana hotel. TRS Turquesa is the adult-only hotel amongst these resorts, and it is the ultimate indulgent escape. Set on the stunning white sand beach, the resort has an array of facilities on offer, including a main pool area, Helios Beach Club and butler service. Guests at the TRS hotel can use facilities at ALL Grand Palladium Hotels, however guests at the Grand Palladium hotels cannot use TRS, so you really do get that feeling of exclusivity at this hotel. One of my personal favourites was the Secret Pool next to TRS, this is an adult only pool area with a swim up bar, open until midnight so it's perfect if you enjoy a late-night swim!

Similar to TRS Cap Cana, you have a world of options when it comes to room type, from Garden Views to Jacuzzi Suites and also the Swim Up Suites in a separate block on the opposite side, which is even more chilled than the main TRS building - with Balinese beds and no poolside entertainment, this side of the resort would be a great choice for a completely undisturbed getaway. When it comes to eateries, you'll be spoiled for choice. The a la carte restaurants are dotted around all of the resorts, you can either have a stroll around the complex or take a quick buggy ride! Some of the choices on offer include Argentinian, French, Italian, Tepinyaki, the Steakhouse and Spanish, plus many many more and you also have more casual snack bars and buffets on top. One of my favourites was the Xtra Time Sports Bar located near the Bavaro resort, this venue had plenty of snacks on offer such as Nachos, Popcorn and Ice Cream, as well as a menu you can order from.

The Grand Palladium Bavaro hotel is home to plenty of entertainment facilities, including the Theatre and outdoor patio area where they hold silent disco's and karaoke too, the rooms at this resort are split across villa style buildings, usually with around 8 rooms per villa block, so there are no high rise buildings to worry about! The hotel is also due for a refurbishment from April to December 2025, I can't wait to see how it looks afterwards as I think it looks amazing already!

Grand Palladium Palace is the closest resort to TRS, I would say this hotel is the most adult focussed out of the 3 Grand Palladium hotels, however families are still very much welcome! The hotel is a little bit more laid back than Bavaro & Punta Cana and is a smaller complex, whereas Grand Palladium Punta Cana has a family feel due to the children's pool/splash park area and the kid's club too!

Saona Island:

I was lucky enough to go on a day trip to Saona Island, this started at approximately 8am with a departure from our hotel to Bayahibe, where we joined a Catamaran to reach the Island. On the way to the Island we stopped at a snorkelling point and then continued onto a sandbank where again we were able to swim in the water. Finally, we reached the Island of Saona where we had a few hours to explore the Island and sunbathe. This was a really good opportunity to see what else the Dominican has to offer and explore some of the natural beauty outside the resort.

Chic Cabaret: 

One of the best experiences I have ever had was our evening at CHIC Cabaret, this was an incredible night filled with dancing, singing and entertainment along with an amazing 7 course tasting menu. The evening started with welcome drinks at 7.30pm and we had entertainment and food until 11pm, then moved onto the after party outside until 1am! Drinks were also included, from wine to cocktails there was plenty to chose from and the food was so delicious. This experience is at an additional cost of 55USD to TRS guests, 100USD for Grand Palladium guests and 135USD for guests at other hotels, but it is well worth it!