Best hotels in the Dominican Republic for families in 2024

The Dominican Republic is a great country for families with children. The hotels have a huge territory suitable for long walks, many restaurants with excellent cuisine and a wide range of products, large mini-clubs, playgrounds and, of course, white beaches with a wonderful ocean.

It is impossible to remain indifferent to the Dominican Republic. The country stretching on the eastern side of the island of Haiti makes you fall in love with the photographs. The first acquaintance, however, is not so rosy – the road from the airport to the resorts can be disappointing: there are only vacant lots, plantations interspersed with dumps and poor as if “unwashed” settlements. And only when you are there, you realize that you are in paradise. Endless beaches with light or white sand, overgrown with sloping palm trees. The contrast creates the amazing beauty of the Caribbean Sea. Incendiary motives of salsa and bachata sound everywhere, creating an atmosphere of a joyful celebration of life.

Fans of outdoor activities will find surprises in the form of delightful attractions. These are cozy villages that preserve national traditions, seaports, and fishing villages, amazing architecture that has managed to combine the ancient traditions of architects with modern trends, national parks with rich flora and fauna. It is especially interesting in the capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo: the city is included in the UNESCO list due to its chic architecture.

So, let’s look through our list of best hotels in the Dominican Republic for families!

1. Grand Palladium Bavaro Resort & Spa (5 stars hotel)

The Grand Palladium Bavaro Resort & SPA is located on the white Bavaro beach, and together with the hotels of the same chain – Grand Palladium Punta Cana Resort & SPA and Grand Palladium Palace Resort SPA & Casino, forms a five-star resort complex Grand Palladium Resort. The complex is located in a grove of coconut trees on an area of ​​320 thousand square meters next to a magnificent coral reef – a dream for divers and lovers of underwater flora and fauna. Punta Cana airport is only 20 km away.

Resort guests can enjoy all the variety of services and entertainment of neighboring hotels. Free shuttle buses run through the complex for guests. Snow-white beaches, swimming pools, restaurants, SPA and fitness centers, casinos, and entertainment programs attract young people and outdoor enthusiasts to the hotel.

In total, there are 5 hotels on the territory of the Grand Palladium complex, but we recommend that you consider Bavaro Resort & Spa for families with children, because on its territory there is a playground, a trampoline, a large sandbox, mini-clubs for children of all ages. On the territory of the complex, there are 6 tennis courts, a large football field, volleyball, and basketball courts. The only thing – watch the height of the waves in windy weather, sometimes they are quite strong.

2. Grand Bahia Principe Bavaro (5 stars hotel)

Another hotel that is part of a large complex. Its advantage: a large water park for children (unfortunately, only for children). There are inflatable slides, classic big and small ones. Draw your attention to the fact that there are no umbrellas on the beach at all (they would have simply been blown away by the wind), so we recommend sheltering in the shade of coastal palm trees. In addition to families with children, the hotel is also targeted at young people. But it shouldn’t be noisy: all guests are quite evenly distributed over a huge territory.

On the territory of the hotel there is a Walt Disney-style club for children of 4-12 years old, where various games will not make kids bored. It will be interesting for them to splash in a special children’s pool, to have fun on the equipped playground, and in the evening to have fun with the animators at one of the entertaining shows. In the restaurant, you can find a special menu for toddlers and baby chairs. Professional babysitting services are also provided, albeit for a fee.

3. Impressive Resort & Spa (4 stars hotel)

We choose this hotel for families with children primarily for the beach – one of the best in Punta Cana. Gorgeous and calm ocean! The sun loungers, by the way, are conveniently located in the shade of palm trees, and the playground with a mini-club is literally a stone’s throw from them (and also in the shade). Impressive Resort & Spa does not belong to one large complex, its territory, of course, is smaller, but this makes it no less picturesque. It is really one of the best hotels in the Dominican Republic for families!

4. Caribe Club Princess Resort & Spa (4 stars hotel)

It is rather difficult to choose a specific hotel from the Princess hotel complex: they are all very similar to each other. At Caribe Club Princess, the buildings are very similar to toy houses, and ducks walk around the territory. There is also not only a mini club, but also a junior club for teens, as well as many sports fields from football to mini-golf, as a bonus, take a Segway to explore the entire hotel territory.

5. Majestic Colonial (5 stars hotel)

We boldly declare that Majestic Colonial has one of the coolest mini-clubs out of all the hotels (we would like to relax there ourselves!): a whole castle with bridges, trampolines, and slides has been built here. There is also a separate children’s pool with a slide, and inside there are many slot machines, consoles and other entertainments dear to a child’s heart.

Adults during this time can sunbathe by the pool or sit with a book under the reed cane on the beach. After dinner, indulge in the pleasure of spending time in the SPA, and in the evening – enjoy a cocktail in the bar with Caribbean music.

Majestic Colonial’s restaurants serve Mexican and Japanese cuisine with a special children’s menu. For those looking to retire there is the Colonial Club, with options ranging from relaxing on a private beach to butler service and special menus at Le Gourmet.

6. Occidental Caribe (4 stars hotel)

For a long time, we could not decide whether to include this hotel in the article because of its beach – after all, the waves there are huge and children cannot be allowed into such an ocean alone. But if you look at its playground and the nearby swimming pool, then everything will fall into place: your child will not even have time to reach the beach, there is a large trampoline, similar to a circus trapeze, and a pirate ship, as well as a very strong animation team. Finally, let us tell you a secret: if you walk a little along the beach, you will find a small lagoon with a calm ocean and smaller waves.

7. Sirenis Punta Cana Casino & Aquagames (5 stars hotel)

Sirenis Punta Cana Resort Casino & Aquagames is a hotel located along the first line in the resort suburb of Uvero Alto and proudly bearing the honorary title of “Chain Hotel Quality”. A few meters from the hotel, the incredibly beautiful and clean Caribbean Sea is spread, in the translucent waters of which you can easily see the underwater world with its marine inhabitants. For safe children’s fun, buoys mark the sector of the water shallow, the temperature in which is constantly around 28 degrees.

The hotel complex consists of low-rise buildings hiding in the dense greenery of fan palms. For a comfortable stay at the hotel, visitors are provided with cozy, bright rooms with a spacious area, air conditioning, satellite TV, replenished minibar, access to the terrace.

Above all praise is the cuisine that can satisfy the most fastidious gourmet with his or her delights. Two main restaurants serve clients in a buffet style, several bars, and a beach-pub offer exclusive drinks. From the presented menu, you can easily make up a diet for baby food. At the request of the parents, you can use the “pre-order” service.

The work of animators is an endless celebration of life, entertaining the public from morning until late twilight and not letting tourists get bored. For the recreation of children, there is a children’s club with babysitting services, a trampoline, entertainment with drawing up pictures from large puzzles, a children’s pool, etc. The hotel is proud of its own water park Sirenis Aquagames, where even adults return to childhood for a short time.

Also, adults can have fun with active rest: diving, water polo, tennis and table tennis, aqua aerobics, archery, sailing. You can relax in the sauna or study Latin American dance moves.

8. Iberostar Bavaro Suites (4 stars hotel)

The Iberostar Bavaro Suites is part of the Iberostar Resort of four hotels on the Bavaro Beach. Just 20 kilometers from the airport, this cozy place is tucked away between tropical gardens and a fabulous beach. The hotel has 75 two-storey bungalows, a shopping center, a nightclub, a spa area, and a fitness center. Children will find entertainment in the children’s water park, swimming pool, or in the company of animators for contests and tricks. The restaurant menu will delight little guests with themed dinners, and adults with masterpieces of Mexican, Japanese, and Italian cuisine.

The children’s infrastructure of the hotel includes a club (from 4 to 12 years old) with specially trained personnel, a water park (from 2 to 12 years old), a swimming pool with a gradual entry, water slides with a tipping bucket, a playground. A children’s disco (at the Iberostar Dominicana 5*) with an animation program and a special menu for kids in the restaurant will leave the most pleasant impressions of the rest. Babysitting services are available for a fee and upon request.

Unspoiled nature, thoughtful infrastructure, and attentive staff make the Iberostar Bavaro Suites the ideal place for family holidays in the Dominican Republic. You just have to find time to try everything.

9. Paradisus Punta Cana Resort (5 stars hotel)

One of the best hotels in the Dominican Republic for families is Paradisus Punta Cana. It is a paradise for sun-seekers. This is the greenest hotel in the Dominican Republic, with pools and ponds scattered along which flamingos walk, and in these mini-reservoirs, you can see ducks and turtles. Numerous cockatoos are imposingly located in the crowns of trees. There is so much entertainment for any age that you will immediately want to extend your vacation. Children play with water balloons or paint in an art workshop, and then try on the images of pirates, Indians, and superheroes.

From an adventure park to board games and a slumber party, little ones will have something to keep themselves busy. And teenagers will not be left out: excursions to mangrove forests, incendiary Latin lessons, and beach volleyball await them. What are the parents doing at this time? Relax on the beach with peace of mind, relax in the nearest golf club or bask in the open-air SPA. The chefs of an Argentinean steak house and an Italian pizzeria help the whole family recuperate.

For families, the hotel offers rooms such as Family Concierge Suites, in which, in addition to cribs for babies, a minibar with baby drinks, as well as small bathrobes and slippers, a walkie-talkie set and a Paradise Kids Beach-kit await children – a set of beach accessories, clothes, and toys. And in the children’s mini-club, kids will find a lot of fun entertainment.

10. Melia Caribe Tropical (5 stars hotel)

Forget that you’ve ever had to choose between a sandy beach and exotic gardens. The authentic Caribbean awaits you at Melia Caribe Tropical on the Bavaro Beach. Enjoy an unforgettable vacation in this fabulous resort with a warm atmosphere. And although a family vacation in the Dominican Republic is always a beach and a pool, try something new or just keep fit. Start your day stretching on the beach and end with a dance class. Learn to make mamuhana (a traditional Dominican drink) or balance while doing yoga on the water. And children will not be bored! In the play area, young explorers will master the climbing wall and, like real athletes, will perform at the mini-Olympics.

At Melia Caribe Tropical restaurants, you will take the whole family on a gastronomic journey from Dominican classics to Asian exotic. Try grilled lobster at Steak & Lobster or pasta at La Gondola Italian restaurant. French food lovers will enjoy the cheese platters and wine list at Ma Maison. At Capri Restaurant you will appreciate the taste of Mediterranean cuisine, while at Japanese Hokkaido, thank the chef for teppanyaki and sushi.

11.  Lopesan Costa Bavaro Resort & Spa (5 stars hotel)

A fairly democratic option for a vacation in the Dominican Republic and its rooms are located in pleasant one-story bungalows. By the way, do not be surprised if a peacock comes to your room: here they walk freely around the territory, just like flamingos living in a small reservoir on the territory (now a mini-zoo). The mini-club and playground are located in close proximity to all other entertainments and, importantly, they are all outdoors (covered pavilions) and are designed for all ages. The sea is calm even during windy weather.

The territory is so huge that guests can move around it on shuttles, catamarans, boats, kayaks. This is a truly fabulous! The rooms have children’s furniture.

In general, there are hotels for every taste, and you will certainly find “your” hotel in this beautiful country if you pay attention to this issue! And definitely, for sure, the Dominican Republic is a great place for families with children. We are sure that both you and your children will be able to get a lot of positive impressions and emotions here and our list of best hotels in the Dominican Republic for families will help you with it!

Updated on: 2024-04-20. Author: Karina Volf

Tags: Dominican Republic Family resorts Family vacation Hotels