Our latest adventure led us to the all-inclusive Nickelodeon Resort in Punta Cana. We went with family which included 8 adults and 7 kids in total. We all live in different states so it is so wonderful to be able to all spend time together. If you have never done a vacation with family I recommend it. My boys had the most fun and loved every minute with their cousins.
Rooms
We all had swim-up suites close by eachother which was perfect for the cousins to play together. The patio had a big sun bed, bench, chairs, and beach towels. The kids loved doing some night swimming each night after dinner. However, we found out toward the end that apparently the pool closes at 6 so we weren’t supposed to be swimming past then…..OOPS! Totally worth it though 😉
We had one king bed and a sleeper sofa which they had already setup for the kids. There were some beverages and snacks in the room. The bathroom was nice and big with double sinks, huge tub, rain shower, closet and plenty of shelves and drawers for clothes! I didn’t get pictures of the room before my maniacs and husband trashed the room so thank you to my sister-in-law Crabby Jules for provided some pictures.
Food
You never know what you are going to get at an all-inclusive but I was pleasantly surprised. They did a good job of accomodating our large group of 15. Many restaurants require reservations for dinner. They had different varities such as Italian and Asian Fusion. SugarCane was a buffet restaurant that didn’t require reservations. The kids loved it for breakfast as it had lots of options for them. We also ate our Thanksgiving dinner there. They had many of the traditional Thanksgiving day foods such as turkey and potatoes and much more. The dessert display was out of this world. I may have enjoyed it more than the kids!
Wok Wok was an Asian Fusion restaurant. They bring out appetizers for the table to share such as sushi rolls. We were a little confused at first since we didn’t order any but it was fun to try some items we wouldn’t normally order. They did offer a kids menu so that is always a plus.
Verdello was an Italian restaurant which was my husband’s favorite. Again they offered a seperate menu for the kiddos. They were very accomodating to all our requests.
The Spacewalker restaurant was by far the kid’s favorite. It had a space theme and they gave the kids boarding passes upon entry. As soon as we arrived they have a variety of appetizers waiting for us on the tables from salad and cocktail shrimp to fish and chips. That was a nice touch!
We ate at Zest for lunch one day which is another buffet. It was conveniently located next to the main pool and didn’t require reservations. It was a smaller selection than dinner but adequate.
Room service is good and you can order right from the TV which was very convenient. However be prepared to wait. I think it took over an hour to get our food the first day.
Our favorite place was Doppio! It was a little speciality coffee shop which also offered some finger foods. We would swing by there in the mornings for some caffeine while the kids grabbed a donut or banana bread and fruit. We also stopped there everynight after dinner. The kids would get ice cream, donuts, or cookies while I opted for the Tiramisu. They had a whole array of cakes to choose from. One night they even had a huge table just filled with desserts for anyone to grab whatever you wanted. I was in heaven and definitely was not following along with my diet. However, it was vacation and soooo worth it. I should note that there seemed to be a lot of gluten-free options available at all the restaurants as well!
Aqua Nick
We ventured to the waterpark everyday. They offered shuttles but wasn’t really necessarily as the walk wasn’t bad. There were always plenty of chairs as it was never too busy. The pool side service was great. Most days we ate lunch there. They had hot dogs, pizza, burgers, ice cream and even green slime smoothies for the kids. They had plenty of adult beverages for the parents 😉 The employees were all great and even got in the pool and played with the kids. It was amazing!
Of course only my crazy oldest son would manage to cut his head on the side of the pool. I made the mistake of asking a lifeguard for some ice to keep the swelling down. Instead they made him go to the resort medic where the Doctor recommended a stitch or two. Since the bleeding had already stopped at this point my husband politely declined and my son was back to his shanenigans in no time.
There were no thrill rides so height requirements weren’t a problem. It was geared toward younger kids so teenages would be bored. They periodically had character meet and greets through-out the day which was a highlight for the kids. There is also a Kids Clubs right there which looked pretty cool with a slide, ball pit, video games, and toys. They often offered a drop-in service that was complimentary from 2:00-5:00pm where they participated in planned activities such as slime-making and cooking.
Oh and I can’t forget the sliming! If you would like the experience of a personal slime for your family you must sign-up ahead of time. The cost is $49 and they provide a picture. I also had them take a video with my phone. I thought it was pricey but the memory that my kids will forever love was worth it. Anything gross and messy seems to be a favorite with my boys.
Pool
There is one main pool which is by the beach. It is huge and although never crowded we always found it extremely difficult to get chairs. They had a nice big pool bar and also offered activites such as pool volleyball, aerobics, and yoga.
Beach
The ocean was a bit rough most days. There was also a lot of sea weed a couple days. Just go into it knowing it is not like the Bahamas but it is still a big beautiful ocean! The resort provides boogie board rentals for an hour at a time at no cost. The kids had a blast riding the waves.
Conclusion
I should mention there is a sports complex behind Aqua Nick. However my kids were too obsessed with swimming but it is a nice option as they offer such activities as soccer and archery. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised at what a great job the resort does a catering not only to kids but also to adults. They kept the kid-themed portion over by the waterpark while the pool and beach area seemed more adult focused. Don’t forget to tip! A little goes a long way and it is greatly appreciated by the employees. They tend to remember and are always there providing wonderful service. I was also very impressed with the cleanliness of the resort. From the rooms to the restaurants, and pools. I would put this resort on your list without a doubt!
One day four of us ladies snuck away to the spa for a massage. It was excellent and the service was great. I rarely get any girl time away from the boys so it meant a lot that my in-laws went with me!
I recommend downloading the Karisma app before you get there. It was extremely helpful. It provided a list of daily activities which was key for the meet and greets. My boys had their hearts set on meeting such characters as the Turtle and Spongebob. Therefore on the app I knew exactly what days and times we needed to be there for the character meet and greets ….and which ones we could skip.
….and now I still need to finish that horrible task of unpacking. However, I can share that I do absolutely love this new piece of luggage!
Prices wise how would you give an estimate on how much it would cost for a family of 4!
Prices wise how would you give an estimate on how much it would cost for a family of 4! And thank you
Hi! I would say the resort price is very reasonable, considering all that is included. Never pay full price, they have sales all the time. I believe the average is around 3000-3500 for a family of 4 for a week. Now the airfare was what was so expensive. If you have miles, try to use those!