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This past week, we visited Punta Cana, Dominican Republic to celebrate another weekend of love. During our last visit to Punta Cana, we stayed at the Hyatt Zilara resort to celebrate a wedding anniversary. During this trip, we were invited back for a beautiful destination wedding. After reflecting on our visit, I will recap three romantic things you could do when visiting the Dreams Flora Resort and Spa in Punta Cana.
This resort was recently added to Hyatt’s all-inclusive collection after undergoing extensive renovations. It most recently reopened on February 15, 2023. Dreams Flora is a spacious property, family friendly, with plenty of pools to enjoy.
As with any resort there are pros and cons to each. This article will focus on the highlights from our stay, providing tips for a romantic weekend. In all transparency, I will say this property still has the opportunity to grow into the high-quality standards set by Hyatt, so I would caution anyone to do research prior to booking here. For other experiences beyond the focus of this article, please review feedback from other travelers here on Trip Advisor.
Planning a Trip to Punta Cana
If you’re looking to visit Punta Cana, I recommend considering five things to ensure a smooth experience for your upcoming visit:
- Review country entry requirements: At the time of this article, all travelers are required to fill out an e-ticket for country entry and departure. Be sure to have this electronic information filled out and saved prior to airport arrival. If you are a US citizen, Dominican Republic will also require at least one blank page on your passport for admission through customs.
- Check historical weather patterns: Prior to visiting any region, especially out of the country, I always recommend checking weather patterns prior to arrival. The optimal time to visit Punta Cana is January to March. This is considered high-season.
- Bring Cash: If you are an American citizen, you can use US dollars or the Dominican peso to tip for various services throughout your stay. Should you forget to bring cash, you can visit the currency exchange counter inside of the airport.
- Book Transportation: I recommend booking transportation through a site such as Viator or through your resort. Services such as Uber are not 100% reliable in Punta Cana yet, so resort buses or private transportation to and from the airport is the best way to travel. For our travel, we booked our car through a service called Transekur. Dreams Flora is located around 20 minutes from the PUJ airport.
- Pack Nature Essentials: To avoid paying high retail prices on the resort, I recommend packing and bringing your own sunscreen, bug spray, and medicine (similar to Pepto-Bismol Ultra Caplets) in case you encounter an upset stomach.
Below you will also find a list of some of my favorite essentials for traveling:
Romantic Tip #1 – Treat Yourself to an Upgraded Room at Dreams Flora
If you’re looking to have a nice romantic getaway, I recommend treating yourself to an upgraded experience by booking a room with Hyatt’s Preferred Club Level experience. This is not necessary, but it certainly elevates your check-in and stay experience with a separate VIP lounge check-in area, an assigned butler, and room welcome gifts (complimentary beach bag Dominican bottle of rum, and welcome fruit).
For our stay, we booked the Preferred Club Master Suite Ocean Front Room. This room was very nice, with plenty of space, and we enjoyed relaxing mornings and evenings on the wrap around balcony with ocean views. The architecture of this resort is older, so I would not classify this room as an Ocean Front as the name suggests, it’s more of an “Ocean View” regardless of your room location. See the property map below:
The Master Suite Ocean Front room includes a separate living room area, which allows you to spread out and enjoy room service. Our room number was 2254, Patio #7, which was on the quieter side of the resort. Since the buildings at this resort don’t have very high floors, none of the balconies have a lot of privacy, yet, the views most of the rooms are beautiful and peaceful. Compared to other resorts, I would also say Dream Flora’s prices are very reasonable, allowing room in the budget to enjoy an upgraded experience. Below you will find a brief video room tour:
Dreams Flora Master Suite Video Room Tour:
Romantic Tip #2 – Experience Dream Flora’s Spa Services
One of the highlights from our trip was Dream Flora’s spa. My friends and I enjoyed relaxing 80-minute services, with each person satisfied with their treatment. As with any spa, you’re given an assigned locker and there is a changing area. I recommend arriving 15-20 minutes prior to your appointment to have time to fill out all of the paperwork. Dream Flora’s waiting and relaxation area feels like an outdoor / indoor oasis, away from the resort.
In the relaxation area, you can enjoy hydrotherapy, a sauna, steam room, and more. Unlike the Hyatt Zilara, this resort does not offer champagne service packages. However, they offer a variety of infused water, fruit, nuts, and biscuits to enjoy. During my stay, I enjoyed an amazing hot stone massage by Santa. If you visit here for a treatment, be sure to ask for her, she is amazing! This was one of the best hot stone treatments I’ve enjoyed in a very long time. Another fun and unique experience at this spa was the fish pedicure treatment. My best friend was adventurous enough to book this experience for us, and my feet were not disappointed! The little Garra rufa fish inside of the foot tank tickle a little bit, but this treatment leaves your feet feeling so soft afterwards!
Dreams Flora Spa Tour:
Romantic Tip #3 – Enjoy a Private Dinner
Dreams Flora offers a variety of dinner packages outside the standard resort options. During your stay, you can book an intimate romantic dinner or arrange for a larger private dinner party for your friends if you’re traveling with a group. The bride and groom from this past weekend, generously hosted a private welcome dinner for all of their guests at sunset. There was also a beautiful LED sign that said “LOVE”, which was perfect for photo opportunities and memories. Dreams Flora also provided a dedicated bar and bartender, with a nice buffet style meal selection.
As a bonus, I would say Dreams Flora is a nice location to host a destination wedding. If you’re planning a destination wedding, be sure to review my “Destination Wedding Planning Tips” article. The beautiful couple exchanged vows under a charming pergola, just off of the beach at 5:00 PM. This time of day was so peaceful since the sun was just starting to set, and the wind cooled all of us so gently the entire time. At the start of the reception, it started to rain, but it actually made for the most romantic setting. The Dreams Flora team created a beautiful tablescape, nestled under an outdoor bungalow over water. All guests remained dry during the brief shower, yet the sound and sight of the rain, mixed in with chill music, and a glass of wine in hand was a special romantic moment.
If you’re planning a romantic getaway, moments of time and space can be created in any atmosphere to create the most beautiful memories. Dream Flora is famously known for its palm lined beach in Cabeza de Toro. So be sure to book a room that admires this beach, relax for a few hours at the spa, and create a romantic atmosphere with a special dinner moment.
This would be an amazing trip! Wow!! I love these beautiful suggestions <3 I'd definitely be down for the spa services. 😉
The spa looks amazing! I love a good trip, but add a spa to that and I’d be there in a heartbeat! I’ve tried those little feet fish before and found them so therapeutic!
Such a beautiful place to stay at! Im sure all of the couples would get to enjoy the space and all of the activities.
We are just starting to plan our winter getaway for February 2024. So glad I came across this article as Punta Cana would be wonderful and love the spas.
This place looks like a dreamy destination. I always wanted to visit, now I know where to stay!
This place looks so amazing! My family will love to go here.
That wedding destination is so dreamy and really beautiful. I wouldn’t say no either to a spa treatment
This post has my heart fluttering! From beachside strolls to private dinners, you’ve painted a picture of pure romance. It’s like a dream getaway!
Wow, the pool is amazing and I can be in there all day! Thanks a lot for the review and sharing the beautiful pictures, I would love to visit there some day 🙂
Nnniiiccceeeee….this is my first time hearing of Punta Cuna. It looks so refreshing and relaxing. I look forward to being here and thanks for that advisory travel list.