Review: Hilton La Romana, an All-Inclusive Resort

The adage “service with a smile” is an expected and well-known pillar of the hospitality world. But at Hilton La Romana, an all-inclusive resort on the southern coast of the Dominican Republic, the property team strives to deliver “service from the heart.”

It may sound a little cheesy, but when experienced personally, the motto strikes a chord. Staff members use a gesture to bring the metaphor to life — whether you’re passing a manager, someone from the concierge team, a landscaper or a restaurant attendant, that person makes eye contact with you, smiles and touches their heart gently with the palm of their hand. A friendly “hola” or “buenas dias” may accompany the motion.

Then, there’s the added fact that the Hilton La Romana staff is so vast in number that guests might have this encounter more than a dozen times in a day. By the end of my own first day onsite, I was mirroring the gesture myself. Simple? Yes. A swift way to make strangers feel welcome? Absolutely.

Mapping Hilton La Romana

An easy 50-minute drive from Punta Cana International Airport, Hilton La Romana’s most prized feature — after its lovely staff — is likely its private, palm-tree-lined beach and the adjacent blue-green sea. Part of the island’s beloved Playa Bayahibe, palapa-shaded lounge chairs abound here, as do swimmers and sportsmen. Numerous ocean adventures leave from this beach, so even travelers staying in busier Punta Cana come this way for snorkeling excursions, fishing charters and more.

Just behind the sand, Hilton La Romana is lush and meticulously landscaped. On early morning walks, I watched staffers trimming palms, mowing lawns and clipping flowering shrubs; while I aimed to simply beat the humidity and heat (a fruitless task in August, no matter the time of day), they succeeded at maintaining near-immaculate grounds.

The resort features both an adults-only side (with 356 guestrooms and suites) and a family side (with 418 guestrooms and suites), with meandering paths and covered corridors connecting them. My own kids were at home, but I still checked out the family areas, where an expansive waterpark with twirling slides and a lazy river make for excellent entertainment. The Drift Away Spa is also on the family side, offering massages both indoors and on the beach, plus hydrotherapy and more treatments. Six bars (including a poolside pizza palapa) and seven lounges give families plenty of places to casually convene.

On the adults-only side, serenity reigns. Other than the pop music playing at the Soleil Swim-Up Bar one afternoon, I found most corners of the resort peaceful, with couples connecting at the pool’s infinity edge (which looks out to the sea) and small groups lounging in reserved cabanas, sipping Presidente beers. One night, the resort held a silent disco next to the lobby bar; thanks to headsets, even a dance party didn’t disturb other guests.

RELATED: Must-Try Food Tours and Experiences in the Caribbean

In terms of dining, the adults-only side has five restaurants and five bars and lounges. International dishes await at buffet restaurant Caoba, while pan-Asian eats star at Sakura (for the freshest of meals, book Sakura’s teppanyak table). Seafood and Mediterranean dishes can be found at the beachside Mare Grill & Restauran and Noor, respectively. But my favorite venue was Chinola, where expertly grilled fish, delicate ceviches and refreshing cocktails in hollowed out chinolas, or passion fruits, flowed freely. This alfresco Latin American grill felt the most authentic to the destination — and it’s the first restaurant I’d go back to on a return visit to La Romana.

The Enclave Category

Accommodations on both sides of the property are contemporary and comfortable after full-resort renovation in 2019, but swim-out rooms and the resort’s expansive, 828-squarefoot Enclave suites are particularly impressive. No matter the room size, be sure to select the Enclave category for clients. An “elevate experience” within the resort, the Enclave designation comes with inclusions such as private check-in and checkout; access to the private Enclave pool and Enclave beach area; and entry to the blissfully air-conditioned Enclave lounge, with a full-service bar and a buffet of snacks throughout the day.

Onsite Events

With more than 17,000 square feet of meeting space, Hilton La Romana welcomes conference and business events of various sizes. Attendees will find that the resort’s “service from the heart" continues on these occasions, too. During our event, for example, scattered showers inspired staffers to stand by with umbrellas, ready to chaperone us from one covered area to the next.

The property also excels at weddings — according to Angie Jimenez, sales manager with Playa Resorts (owner and operator of Hilton La Romana), an astounding 270 weddings take place here each year on average. Whether clients want an intimate garden party or an out-of-this-world themed soiree with 200 guests, La Romana has the creative team to make it happen.

But for some, bells and whistles don’t matter much. One afternoon at the Enclave beach, I struck up a conversation with Anna and Pete, a couple from the East Coast, and discovered that this was their fifth time staying at La Romana in as many years. They love snorkeling just off the shore and dining all around the resort, but it’s the service that really warms their hearts. Even during our brief chat, an attendant arrived and addressed Anna by name.

“See? They are so wonderful and attentive,” Anna said. “That’s why we keep coming back.”