This resort is super nice. We went into the vacation with high expectations after reading rave reviews, but the resort managed to exceed the hype. Yes, the hotel was expensive, but we saw it as an opportunity to get great value on our Chase points via the Hyatt transfer program.
Like other Zilara properties, the resort in Cap Cana is an adults-only all inclusive. In other words, we were heavily incentivized to stay on the resort and eat / drink / relax as much as possible. Because we did not explore the surrounding area at all, this post will focus on the amenities of the Zilara Cap Cana to help you decide if the resort is right for you.
Dining Options
The food at the Zilara Cap Cana is exceptional. We spent five days at the resort and honestly did not feel like we had enough time to try all the restaurants and menu options we wanted to. Usually at an all-inclusive, you sacrifice on quality for the sake of quantity. That is not the case here. Everywhere we tried was delicious.
One benefit of staying at the Zilara Cap Cana is that you can access amenities at the connected, family-friendly Ziva Cap Cana resort. This allowed us to try even more restaurants when we didn’t mind venturing into a family-friendly setting.
- Waves: This steakhouse was fantastic. While we had a lot of impressive meals at the Zilara, our dinner at Waves may have been our favorite. The ribeye was cooked to a perfect medium rare. The short rib tacos were a delicious appetizer. The chocolate cake finisher was decadent. To top it all off, the restaurant had a covered outdoor setting that allowed us to enjoy the Dominican weather and sounds of the sea while we ate.
- Tempest Table: This Mongolian restaurant on the Ziva property had a little bit of everything. Sushi appetizers. Build-your-own Mongol bowls prepared on a central barbecue. A la carte menu items. While the sushi and edamame here were nothing special, we really like the Mongol bowls. We can see how kids would have enjoyed going through the line and picking out all the ingredients they wanted – we enjoyed that a little too much too. The gyoza appetizer and Japanese cheesecake dessert were also great.
- Journey’s: Punta Cana has good Indian food! Or, at least the Zilara does. We sampled most of the menu at Journey’s and recommend you do the same. Our favorite dishes were the lamb vindaloo, veggie pakora, samosas, and salmon tikka masala. The naan that came with everything was also surprisingly good.
- Brando’s: We had dinner at Brando’s on the first night of our vacation, and it set a high bar. The service at this fine dining, French Polynesian restaurant was probably the best we had over the course of our entire stay. Our waiter was just perfect and made the meal feel special. The food wasn’t half bad either – we really loved the salmon in orange beurre blanc, duck magret, nicoise salad, and creme brulee.
- The Pier Buffet: We only ate at the buffet for breakfast given all of the great sit-down dinner options, but what a breakfast it was! The restaurant is big, nice, and modern, and there is seemingly a station for any type of food you could want to start your day. Plus, a welcome mimosa every morning? Yes, please. We tried every station over the course of our stay, and the only things we weren’t crazy about were the Dominican and Colombian stations. If you have to prioritize, our favorite options were the strawberry and Nutella crepes, the benedicts, the chilaquiles, the smoked salmon toasts, and the omelets. Given how great the breakfasts were, we wish we had a few extra meals at the resort so that we could have tried The Pier for dinner too.
- Navigator: For lunch each day, we opted for a quick or grab-and-go option to maximize our time by the water. Honestly, the best lunch we had was a cookout on the beach for St. Patrick’s Day. Of the standard options though, we liked Navigator best. It is on the Ziva side right by the pool and has outdoor seating, so we got to continue enjoying the sun while we ate. The tostada and seafood asopao were both great choices.
- Presto: For a grab-and-go lunch on the Zilara side, Presto is a solid option. The service is quick, and there is even a carryout counter (the resort knows you don’t want to waste daylight waiting for food). We enjoyed both the nachos and the mushroom and arugula pizza.
- Prontoz: If burgers are more your thing for a carryout meal, you can visit Prontoz on the Ziva side. The setup is almost exactly the same as that for Presto, but the menu features more grill options.
Drinking Options
Yes, you can drink at all of the restaurants listed above, but you need to have your post-breakfast / pre-lunch and post-lunch / pre-dinner drinks too. Luckily, the Zilara has no shortage of bar options.
- The One Eyed Cat: This martini bar across from Brando’s is too cool. We shouldn’t have been allowed to hang out there. The wide black bar is set in front of a wall of swirling Caribbean blue waters; it makes for a great backdrop for the bartenders putting on a show as they prepare fantastic drinks. The bar is also bookended by a grand piano and leather couches, creating a great lounge atmosphere with live music for later in the evening.
- Grog Grotto: This rum bar on the Ziva side is also too cool! While it doesn’t have the same chic lounge atmosphere, it has a nice indoor / outdoor setting that allows you to enjoy your drink by the water while looking out on the resort. Grog Grotto’s extensive menu of rum cocktails also provides great inspiration for trying new concoctions that you wouldn’t typically order when paying by the drink.
- Moments: Typically, we wouldn’t expect a resort in the Caribbean to have a great sports bar. Like it does elsewhere though, the Zilara excels here. In addition to having a massive projector screen (that was playing the NCAA conference tournaments), there are a few pool tables and a full menu of bar food and drinks. It is honestly a great place to watch the game, regardless of whether you’re at home or abroad.
- The Reef and Spiritz Pool Bars: The pool bar bartenders at both the Zilara and the Ziva are fantastic. They got to know us a little too well over the course of our stay, and the drinks were consistently excellent. If you have a lounge chair by the pool or on the beach, you can expect servers to come around and offer drinks from the pool bar throughout the day. Take advantage of the all-inclusive setup and try a variety of refreshing cocktails.
- Deja Brew: If after all the cocktails you find yourself needing a coffee, this cafe in the Zilara lobby is a great option. In addition to coffee, Deja Brew has gelato (nothing better on a sunny afternoon) and typical bakery snacks available.
Things to Do
- The Beach: The beach at the resort is really nice! There are plenty of lounge chairs and umbrellas available, so you can guarantee your ideal mix of sun and shade. The Zilara and Ziva also sit on a stretch of resorts in Cap Cana, so it is worth taking a walk or run along the beach to see the other properties and enjoy the coastline.
- Resort Pools: The pools at the resort are also really nice! The water is perfect, and the resort is configured so that the pool flows directly towards the beach and the sea. Like at the beach, there is plenty of comfortable seating around the pools. We do recommend grabbing a spot early if you’re picky about your location.
- Fitness Center: The gym at the resort is also really nice (if you’re noticing a trend)! Honestly though, it may be the nicest fitness center we have visited at any resort or hotel anywhere. There are a few distinct sections: a cardio room, a weight lifting room, a yoga room, a cycling room, and an open space for functional strength exercises like sled pushes, etc. Given how much we were eating and drinking, a visit here was a great way to start each day.
- Shows and Organized Activities: While we didn’t go to any performances or special events while at the resort, that wasn’t for a lack of options. It seemed like every night there was something happening at the stage just opposite the sports bar. Similarly, different classes seemed to be taking place throughout each day. Our intent on this trip though was to relax, so we were perfectly content to just workout and then chill by the water all day every day.
- Excursions: Again, we didn’t care to go on any excursions or leave the resort. The Zilara was so nice that we already felt like we didn’t have enough time there. That said, if you are interested in some adventure, there were plenty of excursions offered for things like snorkeling, ATVs, etc.
Other Things to Know
- Accommodations: The Zilara didn’t open until November 2019, so everything still feels shiny and new. The resort grounds are really nice, and even the standard guest rooms were excellent. We had way more space than we expected or needed. The mini bar in the room is also included and restocked each day, in case you weren’t already eating or drinking enough.
- Booking with Points: This resort is expensive. Rather than paying whatever the going cost is per night though, you can take advantage of Hyatt’s reward redemption rate. In March of 2024, we were able to get each night for 45K Hyatt points, which we accrued by transferring from our Chase credit cards. Compared to the dollar rate of $900+ per night at the time, this was a steal and well worth cashing in our points.
- Tipping: While tipping isn’t technically required, it is recommended for at least drinks, sit-down meals, and house keeping. Everyone at the resort works so hard to make sure you have a great stay, and tipping is an easy way to show your appreciation. We recommend bringing a good amount of $1 bills to use for tips throughout your trip.
- Membership Presentation: At some point during your stay, you’ll likely be offered the “opportunity” to sit through a resort membership presentation in exchange for a perk (e.g., spa time, cabana time, specialty dining credit, etc.). We were told that we would be able to leave the one-hour presentation at any point, so we decided to attend in exchange for a cabana for a day. While leaving early wasn’t as easy as was sold to us (of course), we did still manage to get out of the presentation after about 40 minutes. In exchange, we got a cabana at the club pool for one day – and it was better than expected. In addition to being super comfortable, the cabana came with a bottle of prosecco and skewers of fresh fruit. Sure, we could have just ordered prosecco by the glass at the bar and gotten some fruit from the buffet, but the presentation and delivery made it special. Considering how much of our time we had to sacrifice, this felt like a more than fair trade.
- Getting to the Resort: Punta Cana is the closest airport to the resort (15 minute drive), so we recommend flying in there. The resort will email you with an offer for transportation to and from the airport, but you can find a better price if you work with an independent company. We chose to go with Dominican Airport Transfers and were happy with the price and service – everything was efficient and on time.
- Airport Lounge: When you (sadly) need to leave the resort, you will likely get to the airport earlier than needed. That is because the shuttle companies don’t want to risk anything and will schedule your pickup three hours before your flight. We recommend spending the extra time at the airport lounge, which has solid food and drink options. In case you didn’t get enough pool time at the resort, this lounge also has a rooftop pool that overlooks the plane runways. It is a truly unique offering that we haven’t seen at a lounge anywhere else.
Happy traveling!
Kitrina & Jordan
