Dreams Macao Beach is a newly built all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana that just opened its doors in 2020. It’s a brand-new hotel of the well-known AM Resorts chain, located on one of the most beautiful beaches in Punta Cana, Macao Beach. The beach, popular among locals, counts for various adventures and local immersion, which is why Dreams Macao Beach is a bit different than other all-inclusive resorts. As I have visited the resort, I have summed up all the details you should know about Dreams Macao Beach and am happy to give you some guidelines to see if this hotel is the right choice for you for your vacation in the Dominican Republic. If you’re looking for a modern hotel, some interesting amenities for families and adults and a resort in a virgin environment, make sure to check out this extensive Dreams Macao Beach review.
- Where is Dreams Macao Beach Resort?
- Overview of Dreams Macao Beach Resort (property and common areas)
- The beach at Dreams Macao Beach Resort
- The rooms at Dreams Macao Beach Resort
- Booking and Prices at Dreams Macao Beach Resort
- Restaurants and bars at Dreams Macao Beach Resort
- Entertainment and Service at Dreams Macao Beach Resort
- Preferred Club (VIP Level) at Dreams Macao Beach Resort
- Excursions from Dreams Macao Beach Resort
- Dreams Macao Beach compared with other Punta Cana resorts
- Summary
If you are looking for an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana, make sure to read this article with my personal recommendation on how to find the right resort for you.
If you want to know more about the best beaches in Punta Cana, check out this article. There is also a separate article about the beach itself, Macao Beach.
Not sure if Punta Cana is the right place for you to go on holiday? Continue reading this post if you should better choose Punta Cana or Puerto Plata.
If you are looking for other family-friendly hotels in Punta Cana, you can see our hand-picked list of Punta Cana all-inclusive family resorts.
If you’re looking for further options with swim-out suites, you can check out this list of the best resorts with swim-up rooms in Punta Cana.
And, last but not least, if you are interested in further Dreams Resorts in Punta Cana and the Dominican Republic, you can continue reading the Dreams Royal Beach review, the Dreams Flora review and the Dreams Dominicus review.
Last UPDATED: May 2023
Where is Dreams Macao Beach Resort?
Dreams Macao Beach is located right at Macao Beach in the area of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Though the hotel carries Punta Cana in its name, it is outside of the core zone of Punta Cana proper and therefore doesn’t have a lot in common with the Punta Cana beaches further south which are fringed by all-inclusive resorts.
Dreams Macao Beach is part of the small village of Macao and located right in front of the beach, which is a favorite among many locals. Once leaving the resort on foot, you have the chance to explore the small village and the surrounding area walking, which is a big difference compared to many resorts located far away from anything.
From Punta Cana International Airport to Dreams Macao Beach Resort, it’s a 20-mile and 30-minute drive to reach the hotel. To decide which transport option is the best, I recommend reading this article about the choices you have to get from the airport to Dreams Macao Beach, considering all the options like a private transfer, shared shuttles, public transport and ordinary taxis.
Overview of Dreams Macao Beach Resort (property and common areas)
Compared to other all-inclusive resorts, Dreams Macao Beach is a pretty compact property where you can get quickly from A to B. From the lobby to the beach it’s a mere 300-yard walk and the furthest room in the entire resort, a Preferred Club Two Bedroom Swim-Out Villa, is a 450-yard walk from the beach. Those are pretty short distances compared to other all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana (such as Hard Rock Punta Cana or Melia Punta Cana), where you might be half a mile away from the beach.
Due to the small size of the property, no shuttles are running through the resort, everything is walkable.
When entering Dreams Macao Beach Resort, you will be greeted by the tennis courts, the sports grounds and the 2-bedroom villas, which are located furthest away from the beach. The villas are nestled around the water park, which is surprisingly big and features various big water slides, a lazy river and some smaller pools. Teens and youth will be entertained here for a while.
But Dreams Macao Beach Resort is certainly also a suitable option for families with smaller kids, as the kid’s pool and water park are not less attractive than the one for bigger children. There is also an additional kids pool next to the main pool. If you’re interested in further options with a water park, check out the best resorts in Punta Cana with a water park.
Next to the waterparks and your first point of entry when arriving at Dreams Macao Beach Resort is the lobby of the hotel. It features an open design with various tropical colors but oozes an elegant atmosphere. I personally love these kinds of open common spaces with a natural breeze more than those lobbies with dark colors and a heavy atmosphere. As an additional plus, Dreams Macao Beach features an ocean view from its lobby and the lobby bar next to it.
Further areas between the lobby and the beach are the main plaza, the snack bar and further restaurants (see below for details) as well as the main pool with its pool bar, where you can relax, mingle and enjoy the sun. The pool is not the biggest one but sufficient for the size of the resort. Just if you’d like to swim a lot you might wish for a larger space.
Unfortunately, Dreams Macao Beach doesn’t feature a tropical garden like other all-inclusive resorts due to its limited size. However, your main Caribbean flavor comes from the palm-limed beach and the turquoise water you can see from various places throughout the resort.
The beach at Dreams Macao Beach Resort
I know that most of you love to lounge around at the pool, but Dreams Macao Beach should be one of your top-picks when looking for an all-inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic due to the beach, as Macao Beach counts as one of Punta Cana most beautiful beaches. It was even once rewarded by UNESCO as one of the Caribbeans’ best beaches (and still is one of the best beaches in the Dominican Republic), so you know what to expect. 🙂
Macao Beach is one of the locals’ favorites and if you are looking at the blue color of the ocean, the slightly half-moon-shaped bay and the picturesque scenery you know why people love to come here. Furthermore, Macao Beach has easy public access, various local fish restaurants as well as hardly any seaweed which all add up to its popularity. While it is not necessarily the best beach for small kids due to its occasional waves, the sand has perfect quality and is suitable for everyone.
A big advantage of Macao Beach compared to many other Punta Cana beaches is its local connection. If you’d like to eat fresh fish right from a Dominican fisherman – Macao Beach is your place to go. If you want to see how the locals spend their (Sun)day at the beach, you can watch it here. And if you would like to connect to the local people and learn more about daily life in the village, there is hardly any better place in Punta Cana than here in Macao.
Last but not least, if you love beach walks, Macao Beach is a reasonable choice for you. It is not as long as many other Punta Cana beaches, but you can walk around a mile to the northwest before it gets a bit rocky. If you prefer longer walks or even hikes, there is a nice trail heading parallel to the beach to some pristine beaches up to Uvero Alto, the next bigger beach zone. It’s a 2.5-mile walk until you reach the next hotel area.
Dreams Macao Beach is the only proper hotel in the entire area of Macao, so there won’t be other all-inclusive tourists on that beach, except for some occasional excursions during the day.
If you want to relax on the beach, the area of the resort and the public beach are separated. There is a private section which is on the grounds of the resort (hence no outside guests or vendors are allowed here) and it is located right next to the main pool. If you prefer to be closer to the (ocean) water, you can use the public section of the beach, where the resort also has an area with beach chairs.
The rooms at Dreams Macao Beach Resort
The majority of the 500 rooms at Dreams Macao Beach is located in a U-shaped building which starts right at the beach and heads up until the lobby. As mentioned before, most rooms are close to the pool and you shouldn’t walk more than 3 minutes from any of those rooms to get to the beach.
As in most AM resorts, the hotel got creative when naming their rooms, resulting in 15 different categories. Those rooms are the following:
- Junior Suite Tropical View
- Junior Suite Pool View
- Junior Suite Partial Ocean View
- Preferred Club Junior Suite Tropical View
- Preferred Club Junior Suite Partial Ocean View
- Preferred Club Junior Suite Ocean View
- Preferred Club Junior Suite Swim-Out
- Preferred Club Master Suite Ocean View
- Preferred Club Master Suite Swim-Out
- Preferred Club Master Suite Rooftop
- Preferred Club Master Suite Ocean Front
- Preferred Club Master Suite Swim-Out Ocean Front
- Preferred Club Presidential Suite Roof Top Ocean Front
- Preferred Club Presidential Suite Swim-Out Ocean Front
- Preferred Club Two-Bedroom Villa with pool
The predominant room categories are Junior Suite Pool View, Junior Suite Partial Ocean View, Preferred Club Junior Suite Ocean View and Preferred Club Junior Suite Swim-Out.
Due to the U-shaped building of the rooms, most rooms have at least a partial ocean view and you might be lucky to see a glimpse of the ocean even from your Pool View Room.
If you’d like to reserve the cheapest room category for your holiday in Punta Cana, you should book early as there are only 45 Junior Suite Tropical View Rooms available in the entire resort.
As in all recently opened hotels, the rooms are brand-new and feature a Caribbean yet elegant design with all the amenities you expect from a 5-star all-inclusive resort. I won’t talk too much about the standard facilities such as the beds, the terrace (which was spacious and comfortable), TV, air-conditioning, bathroom, etc. I just want to mention a few things which particularly called my attention.
While the bathrooms had the (nowadays) typical separation of shower, toilet and (double) vanity sink, the separate bathtub with a connection to the bedroom was standing apart. Even though it is not mentioned (yet) in the official resort description of Dreams Macao Beach, all rooms seem to have a jacuzzi, some of them as shown in the photo between the bedroom and the bathroom, some of them on the balcony.
Another feature not mentioned in the resort description is a small wine fridge with a capacity of three bottles. While this doesn’t seem logical in an all-inclusive resort, it is a nice feature if you’d like to celebrate a romantic evening on the terrace or at the beach and would like to drink something better than the typical resort house wine. You can either buy (quite expensive) wine at the resort or head out and get some in the supermarket or a local winery (if you have a rental car or go shopping anyway).
Another innovative and particularly useful feature I want to mention in this Dreams Macao Beach review is a little space called “secret box”. This small compartment is accessible from outside only by the housekeeping and service staff. From inside the room, you can access it through a separate area in your wardrobe. This compartment has two functions. First of all, all deliveries brought to your room (food, towels, room service, etc.) won’t be outside your room, nor does someone have to knock on and touch your door (important in times of Covid-19). And second, when you want to place something to take away (for example used dishes), you can also place it in this compartment, which takes the smell away from your room, but also the ugly image of dirty dishes in the hallway.
Booking and Prices at Dreams Macao Beach Resort
If you have decided on your room of choice, it’s time to book Dreams Macao Beach. As always, it is recommendable to compare different websites to get the best price. Furthermore, different companies have different advantages, so pick the one which is most convenient for you. Below, I have a list for you of some travel websites where this all-inclusive resort is bookable – including their special conditions and how to save on Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana:
(mobile users: please turn your device to landscape mode to enjoy the best view of this table)
| Website | Your Advantage | Dreams Macao Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Booking | Get up to 10% Genius discount on the already discounted rates |  |
| Expedia | One of the most trusted online travel agency with decades-long track record | |
| Hotelscombined | Powerful hotel search engine by Kayak | |
| Travala | Get 2% cashback + additional (crypto) rewards | |
| Tripadvisor | Compare prices and reviews on one site | |
Dreams Macao Beach is an all-inclusive resort home to the medium-budget category. It is not a cheap resort nor a high-end accommodation option. A regular starting price ranges between 250 USD and 300 USD per night per room (all-inclusive meal plan), everything below 250 USD is a top deal where you shouldn’t think too long to book.
During high season in Punta Cana (January to April), prices usually start around 350 USD, peak season (Christmas and New Year’s Eve) is much more expensive.
Use the following button to check for the best deals and promotions at Dreams Macao Beach among all online travel agencies.
Furthermore, in case you haven’t booked your flights to Punta Cana yet, make sure to check if it might be cheaper to book flights and hotel together as a package. Sometimes tremendous discounts are offered when booking them together – and sometimes not. I’ll recommend checking your package price for Dreams Macao Beach including flights from your designated airport here*.
Restaurants and bars at Dreams Macao Beach Resort
As important as to book the hotel for the right price is – for many people – the selection of food and drinks at an all-inclusive resort. And luckily, Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana won’t disappoint you at all.
The resort features 6 á-la-carte dining options, 1 buffet, 1 coffee shop, 1 snack bar and 1 food truck. Considering a week-long holiday in Punta Cana at Dreams Macao Beach Resort this guarantees sufficient choices, especially as you can dine in every à-la-carte restaurant as much as you want. There are no reservations required and you pick spontaneously which dining option you’d like to visit each day. You have the choice between the following specialty restaurants at Dreams Macao Beach.
- Bordeaux – á la carte gourmet French cuisine
- El Patio – á la carte Mexican cuisine
- Himitsu – á la carte Asian cuisine (incl. Teppanyaki show cooking)
- Oceana – á la carte seafood specialties
- Portofino – á la carte gourmet Italian cuisine
- Seaside Grill – á la carte grilled meats, fish and hamburgers (with show cooking)
Furthermore, the all-inclusive resort features the buffet, which is called World Café. As usual in a brand-new resort, everything is super modern here and complimented with a fresh design.
For some snacks in between, you can head to either Barefoot Grill, Coco Café or Macao Bites Food Truck, where some fast-food and fresh coffee is served.
At Dreams Macao Beach, you can also find the typical all-inclusive resort distribution of bars: lobby bar, pool bar, swim-up bar, beach bar, sports/night bar and theatre bar. The big advantage of Dreams Macao Beach (same as in other Dreams and AM Resorts in Punta Cana) is their premium liquor concept, which means that you can get brand alcohol and some top-shelf spirits with all your drinks, guaranteeing delicious cocktails (and no headache because of cheap liquor 😉 ). However, you still have to make sure you ask for the spirit of your choice when ordering a drink.
They also use fresh passionfruit or pineapples for drinks such as Passionfruit Mojito and Piña Colada, so that’s an additional plus.
I particularly liked the design of the pool bar with their cozy swings where you can have a drink – including a fantastic view of the beach.
If that’s not enough for you, you can also dine out at other Dreams resorts in the Punta Cana area, among them Dreams Palm Beach, Dreams Royal Beach, Dreams Flora or Dreams Onyx. A night pass for these resorts from 6 pm to 1 am is included with your stay at Dreams Macao Beach, but you have to pay your transport on your own if you are interested to go.
Entertainment and Service at Dreams Macao Beach Resort
In terms of entertainment and service, Dreams Macao Beach offers the same as similar all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana. The nightly show is held at the main plaza with the conference center as a back-up in case of rain. There is a daily activity and sports program which guarantees that you don’t get bored. This includes yoga, volleyball, dancing lessons, watersports, zumba and much more. There is also a tennis and basketball court you can use for free plus the waterparks mentioned above.
As in most AM resorts, room service is included in your room rate, so Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana is one of your top choices if you love to eat in bed or at your terrace.
For the kids, there is a Kids Club (called Explorers Club, 3-12 years) and Teens Club (called Core Zone Teens Club, 13-17 years) available every day.
If you are interested in wellness and beauty, Dreams Macao Beach also offers a large and modern spa area (which has to be paid extra), which includes several treatment cabins, a sauna, a steam room, a large hydrotherapy area as well as a spa bar, a bridal room, a large relaxation area and a beauty salon. As I am usually not using the spa, I can’t give you too many of my own experiences about the spa here in this Dreams Macao Beach review.
Preferred Club (VIP Level) at Dreams Macao Beach Resort
In case you are interested in some additional services and VIP treatment, you should consider booking one of the Preferred Club rooms at Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana. While a considerable amount of rooms in the resort are labeled “Preferred Club” (so it’s not that VIP as it might sound) it indeed comes with some handy privileges, among them:
- Personalized check-in and checkout with concierge service
- Access to Preferred Club lounge
- Adults-only private, saltwater pool
- Dreams Macao Beach Preferred Club family pool section
- Dedicated beach area
- Upgraded bath amenities
- Pillow menu
- In-room tablet
- Upgraded mini-bar and room service menu
- Daily continental breakfast, afternoon hot and cold hors d’oeuvres, exquisite desserts & fine liquors served in the lounge daily
- Pool concierge and bar service
- Complimentary newspaper in room daily (upon request)
- Preferred Club only restaurant for breakfast and lunch at Oceana
- Dreams Macao Preferred Club bar
- Complimentary access to computers in the Preferred Club Lounge
Butler service
While some of these advantages are minor, others are more valuable, but it all depends on your personal preferences.
Personally, I appreciate the Preferred Club Lounge if I have to work a bit in between as well as the top-shelf spirit in the Preferred Club bars. The separate beach area is a nice plus in case it gets too crowded in the other parts of the resort (which is usually not the case at Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana). Oceana is also a perfect option for breakfast and lunch if you don’t want to eat buffet-style.
Other advantages such as an upgraded pillow menu, an in-room tablet, complimentary newspaper or a saltwater pool (who needs a saltwater pool if I have the ocean a stone’s throw away?) are less important for me, but this solely depends on your preferences.
In the end, it also depends on the price for the Dreams Macao Preferred Club rooms, as the difference between the regular and Preferred Club rooms varies depending on the season. I probably would not pay more than 30 USD per person per day for the difference, but again, this depends on your personal desires and what is important to you.
Excursions from Dreams Macao Beach Resort
If you would like to get to know the area, you have the full choice of excursions and adventures the region of Punta Cana is offering you.
You can either book with the local hotel representatives or check out some of the excursion options before. Especially for price comparison reasons, I can recommend you browsing a bit through the internet to see what options are available*.
Here on Punta Cana Travel Blog, I am happy to inform you about all the excursions you can do from Dreams Macao Beach Resort – it doesn’t matter if you are looking for a guided group excursion, a private day out in the countryside, a road-trip in the Dominican Republic or a unique Punta Cana adventure in the tropical jungle.
If you’d simply like to have some fun and book a group excursion in Punta Cana, I can recommend a catamaran cruise, Scape Park Punta Cana, Ziplining, a countryside safari or a buggy tour. Check out Viator* or GetYourGuide* for the best prices at the dates you travel.
If you prefer some educative tours with unique impressions of the Dominican Republic, I can highly recommend you a tour to Santo Domingo, where you can learn about the culture and the history of the country, as well as Los Haitises, one of the most beautiful national parks in the Dominican Republic.
Isla Saona and Isla Catalina are the most popular island excursions from Dreams Macao Beach Resort.
If you are looking for some private excursions, you can check out these options or hire a guide for your tour in Punta Cana.
Alternatively, it is also an option to rent a car (check prices for rental cars from/to Punta Cana here*), which gives you additional flexibility and is usually cheaper than guided excursions. If you are not sure if that’s the right thing for you, check out my article about if you shall rent a car in Punta Cana.
Looking at the best day trips from Punta Cana, you’ll also get a good impression on what is possible when venturing out from Dreams Macao Beach Resort.
And if you are fancy for some adventures, check out this section here or have a look at all the waterfalls you can visit from Punta Cana. There is also a post here about the best adventures in Punta Cana.
For further information on what you can do while staying at Dreams Macao, check out this ultimate list of the best things-to-do in Punta Cana.
But those are not the only things to do in Punta Cana when staying at this wonderful all-inclusive resort – further Dreams Macao Beach excursions are awaiting you. While the recommendations above are based on our experiences from many years traveling and exploring Punta Cana, the following list of Dreams Macao Beach excursions is based on ten thousands of reviews from travelers and include all those activities which solely receive excellent reviews (5 out of 5 stars) from more than 90% of the travelers (and in most cases more than 95%). Check those suggestions out and pick your favorite – all of them include pick-up at Dreams Macao Beach. My personal favorites among them are the small group Saona tour, the deluxe coral snorkeling and the Montaña Redonda excursion.
| The best Punta Cana Excursion | Review Score (as of February 2024) | Duration | Price (as of February 2024) | Further information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isla Saona Premium Tour* | 4.95/5.0 | 9 hours | 165 USD | |
| Private Boat Snorkeling & Catamaran* | 4.93/5.0 | 4 hours | 800 USD (per group) | |
| Small Group Snorkeling & Catamaran* | 4.91/5.0 | 4 hours | 89 USD | |
| Jungle Buggies + Zipline Combo* | 4.91/5.0 | 6 hours | 184 USD | |
| Lux Coral Nursery Snorkeling* | 4.91/5.0 | 4 hours | 109 USD | |
| 4×4 Dominican Experience* | 4.88/5.0 | 4 hours | 64 USD | |
| Punta Cana Ziplining* | 4.84/5.0 | 5 hours | 90 USD | |
| ATV & Snorkeling Combo* | 4.81/5.0 | 8 hours | 129 USD | |
| Montana Redonda + Playa Esmeralda* | 4.79/5.0 | 4 hours | 95 USD | |
| Snorkeling Cruise + Dune Buggy Adventure* | 4.75/5.0 | 8 hours | 129 USD | |
Dreams Macao Beach compared with other Punta Cana resorts
For many people, it is (understandably) difficult to figure out the differences between the different Dreams Resorts in the Dominican Republic. Therefore, the following sections give you a little guideline if you’re not sure what is the best Dreams Resort in Punta Cana for you: Dreams Macao, Dreams Onyx, Dreams Royal Beach, Dreams Flora or Dreams Dominicus?
Dreams Macao vs. Dreams Onyx
Dreams Macao vs. Dreams Onyx is probably the comparison most requested, as both tend to be perfect family resorts in Punta Cana. Both of them feature a cool water park (the one at Dreams Onyx being slightly bigger than the Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana water park), both are pretty modern (Dreams Onyx opened around 2016/2017, Dreams Macao was opened in 2020) and both have extensive kids and teens club amenities.
When it comes to the beach, the beach at Dreams Macao is much more attractive and virgin than the one at Dreams Onyx. The latter one is surrounded by other all-inclusive resorts, while Dreams Macao is the only all-inclusive option at Macao Beach. Playa Macao is also much more picturesque than Playa Uvero Alto at Dreams Onyx. Another difference is the access policy, as Dreams Onyx guests have access to neighboring Breathless Punta Cana – but only for adults, as Breathless is an adults-only resort in Punta Cana. This means that adults at Dreams Onyx can access a total of more than 15 restaurants and 15 bars, while Dreams Macao only features 6 restaurants and 7 bars (which is still sufficient for your all-inclusive holiday). Furthermore breathless features a lot of social activities, entertainment and theme parties, which you would have access to if staying at Dreams Onyx.
When comparing Dreams Onyx vs. Dreams Macao Beach, the first is particularly suitable for those looking for a water park in Punta Cana as big as possible and for adults looking for maximum entertainment without staying in such an active party resort in Punta Cana as Breathless. Dreams Onyx is perfect for relaxing.
On the other side, Dreams Macao Beach is perfect for those looking for a laid-back multi-generational and family resort as well as for a pristine beach, where you can get also a glimpse of local life, especially during weekends, as Macao Beach is very popular among locals. Dreams Macao Beach is also much better than Dreams Onyx in case your kids would like to learn surfing. Regarding rooms, resort size, food quality, drinks, service and accessibility from Punta Cana Airport, Dreams Onyx and Dreams Macao Beach are pretty similar.
Dreams Macao vs. Dreams Dominicus
Two resorts rarely compared with each other are Dreams Macao and Dreams Dominicus. This might be an error as Dreams Dominicus can fully compete with Dreams Macao. It is just usually not regarded as much as other resorts as it is located in Bayahibe, approx. one hour away from Punta Cana.
However, especially when looking for a family resort in Punta Cana, Dreams Dominicus vs. Dreams Macao Beach is a tough competition. Especially since the new family building with super spacious family suites has opened, Dreams Dominicus La Romana is a top choice when it comes to the best family hotels in Punta Cana and around. Furthermore, Dreams Dominicus never receives any kind of seaweed (until now), which is another advantage, even though Dreams Macao Beach also is pretty free of sargassum most of the time as well. Another big advantage of Dreams Dominicus Bayahibe is the shallow and absolutely turquoise water, which is perfect for swimming, especially when compared to the sometimes rough water at Macao Beach. Just note that the beach at Dreams Dominicus is much smaller than the one at Dreams Macao Beach.
With so many advantages of Dreams Dominicus vs. Dreams Macao Beach, why should one book the latter? Dreams Macao is newer (opened in 2020) compared to Dreams Dominicus (opened in 2016), the Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana water park is much more extensive than the splash pad at Dreams Dominicus and Dreams Macao has a slightly more tropical feel – Dreams Dominicus feels more like a Meditteranean village than a resort in the Caribbean. Furthermore, Dreams Macao Beach is closer to the airport (35 minutes), while it is a 1-hour drive from Punta Cana Airport to La Romana/Bayahibe.
This being said both hotels of our comparison Dreams Macao Beach vs. Dreams Dominicus are great family resorts in Punta Cana. However, also adults will have a great time in both hotels, they are both a very good choice in my opinion.
Dreams Macao Beach vs. Dreams Royal Beach
When we compare Dreams Macao Beach vs. Dreams Royal Beach, the main difference is the location. While Dreams Macao Beach is the only all-inclusive resort at Macao Beach, Dreams Royal Beach is located in Punta Cana’s center, Bavaro, which grants walking access to Corales, the principal area for local restaurants and bars in a safe Punta Cana environment. Furthermore, Bavaro Beach is the longest and one of the most beautiful beaches in Punta Cana, hence it is perfect for long beach walks, beach lovers and those who just want to enjoy endless palm trees. It is definitely a different scenery compared to Macao Beach.
Dreams Royal Beach Punta Cana doesn’t have a water park like the one shown above in the Dreams Macao Beach review, but it offers a kids and teens club with an extensive program like any other Dreams resort in the Dominican Republic. Regarding restaurants and bars, Dreams Macao Beach and Dreams Royal Beach offer similar qualities and quantities.
The big advantage of Dreams Macao Beach vs. Dreams Royal Beach is that it is much newer. However, Dreams Royal Beach Resort got renovated in recent years hence it does not make an old appearance. In the end, both are great options for all kinds of travelers, it is hard to say if Dreams Macao Beach or Dreams Royal Beach is better.
Dreams Macao Beach vs. Dreams Flora
Dreams Flora is a new resort in Punta Cana we haven’t visited so far, hence a comparison between Dreams Macao Beach and Dreams Flora Punta Cana is not that easy. However, Dreams Flora mainly consists of the old Natura Park Eco Resort and is located in Cabeza de Toro, just a few steps away from Be Live Collection Punta Cana Adults Only.
Dreams Flora does not have a water park but offers – like all Dreams Resorts in the Dominican Republic – an extensive program for kids and teens through their Core Zone and Explorers Club. Beach-wise, the Dreams Macao Beach is definitely more beautiful, even though Dreams Flora is more suitable for swimming in the ocean.
As a result, Dreams Macao Beach is usually more popular among families, particularly due to the plus in suitable Punta Cana family activities. However, Dreams Flora has been completely renovated in 2021 and 2022, hence it is even newer than Dreams Macao, which also just opened in 2020. Therefore, when picking your resort between Dreams Flora and Dreams Macao Beach, you have the choice between two very new and high-quality hotels. As with all the other Dreams Resorts, food, drinks and service are similar when comparing Dreams Flora vs. Dreams Macao Beach.
Summary
Dreams Macao Beach is a new and modern all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana. Its location at Macao Beach right in front is spectacular and you can enjoy one of the best beaches in the entire area of Punta Cana. While the resort itself doesn’t feature a lot of tropical vegetation or beautiful flowers, it is quite a small resort so everything is walkable without a problem. As always in the resorts from AM, food and drinks are leaving no room for complaints and the whole property is top-notch and sparkling clean (with just a bit too much of concrete for my taste). After all, with the right rate, you can have a great holiday here at Dreams Macao Beach Resort.
If Dreams Macao Beach is not the right accommodation for you, check my comprehensive article here with many further recommendations and insider tips on how to find the best all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana.
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CHRIS
Author, Travel Coach & Industry Professional (Bachelor’s degree in tourism)Hey, I am Chris, a born and raised German, travel-addictive and Caribbean soul, who has been living in the Dominican Republic for 6 years. I’d love to be your Punta Cana expert, as I have stayed at more than 45 all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana and the country, visited more than 70 beaches, explored more than 40 waterfalls and have seen basically all the attractions Punta Cana has to offer. I have also studied tourism for 3 years and worked in the tourism industry my entire life, which is why I am not only giving you recommendations and tips as a traveler but also the best secrets and travel hacks as an industry professional.
Do you need more information? Read more at my About Me Page, send me a travel coaching request or Contact Me here.
ALSO WORTH READING:
AC Hotel by Marriott Punta Cana – a comprehensive review of this newly-built Punta Cana hotel
Hoyo Azul Punta Cana – the famous blue lagoon
Airport transfers Santo Domingo – how to get to the City and to Punta Cana
Bahía de las Águilas – hotels, glamping, beach info, things-to-do and a secret+quick way to get there
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So so so helpful! Thanks a lot Chris for this article! Love how you give a lot of details on literally … EVERYTHING!
Hi Marianne,
thanks for your comment. I am glad that this Dreams Macao Beach review was helpful for you.
Cheers from Punta Cana
Chris
Do you know the building numbers? I booked something and they are telling me it is building 4 or 5. But I don’t know what that means. If you can get a map of the room types and their locations that would be great! D you have access to that at all?
Hi Maria,
buildings 4 and 5 are located in the centre of Dreams Macao Beach. You can google “Dreams Macao Beach map”, in the image tab you can easily find resort maps from different websites.
Cheers from Punta Cana
Chris
What a wonderful blog! We originally were going to do casa de campo or Eden Roc but brought ourselves back down to reasonable reality since we ARE bringing our kids, we may try one of those for a non-kid trip in the future. I have narrowed my choices down to either Dreams Onyx or Dreams Macao Beach. Do you have an opinion on which is “better”?
Hi Jennifer,
there is no better between Dreams Onyx or Dreams Macao Beach, the quality is similar. However, both have their advantages and disadvantages.
Dreams Onyx:
– bigger waterpark, particular for older teens/kids
– access to neighboring breathless for adults
– better beach for swimming
Dreams Macao Beach
– most beautiful beach
– newly built, only opened in 2020
– local surrounding in case you want to explore a bit of local life
Hope this helps.
Chris
This was so helpful – thank you! I know you say that Macao beach is superior. I’ve read that the beach at Dreams Onyx is not the beautiful turquoise we want to view in the Caribbean. Any insight on that? I’m also struggling with which of the two to book!
Hi Kelly,
exactly, the beach at Dreams Macao is better and more Caribbean than the one at Dreams Onyx. Still, the beach at Dreams Onyx isn’t to bad and you can have longer beach walks at Onyx than at Macao.
Cheers, Chris
What a great blog! So much helpful information. I was wondering if you knew if there was a better building to stay in? We got the junior suite swim out and are wondering if one building gets more sun than others? Thanks for your help!
Hi Stephanie,
great if this Dreams Macao Beach review was helpful for you.
Rooms in buildings 2, 3 and 4 are getting the most sun throughout the day, same as the southern-facing rooms of buildings 1A and 1B.
Cheers, Chris
Hi Chris,
Which Dreams resort will you recommend for a couple with little child? I am deciding among the three:
1. Dreams Palm beach;
2. Dreams Spa&Resort;
3. Dreams Macao.
We love water sports like kayaking and snorkeling, as well as a blend of tropical woods and ocean. Excursion also attracts us as well. Not so into bars and night activities though. We will not rent any car and it is our first time ever in DR!
Thanks.
Hi Wendy,
for snorkeling and kayaking, Dreams Palm Beach would be the best option.
When looking for a family resort in Punta Cana, Dreams Macao Beach is the best option, particularly as it has a water park for kids and toddlers.
Dreams Macao Beach is also the most modern hotel of all the three, but doesn’t have that much of a tropical feel (Dreams Punta Cana would be the best for tropical gardens). However, Dreams Macao Beach does have the most beautiful beach of all the three.
I hope this helps.
Cheers from Punta Cana
Chris
Chris,
We are traveling with our children and their spouses. We are also traveling with teenagers (or almost teenagers) aged 11, 13, 14 and 15. Which of the Dreams resorts in Punta Cana offers the most activities for that age group. They are very sporty and athletic (3 grandsons and a granddaughter) and mature for their ages. They swim, golf, play tennis and other racquet sports, bike, run, sail, etc.
Thanks
Candace
Hi Candace,
for the best sports activities, I would either pick Dreams Macao or Dreams Onyx. You can check the details and prices of Dreams Onyx here: https://www.puntacanatravelblog.com/recommendation/accommodation-now-onyx/
Cheers, Chris
Do you remember how long the pools and water parks were open til? I read the water parks only til 6pm, which seems ridiculous.
Hi Bobby,
yes, usually the water parks in all the resorts in Punta Cana are only open until 5 or 6pm. Keep in mind that it is usually getting dark in Punta Cana around 6.30-7.30pm, that’s why they are open until 6pm max.
Cheers, Chris
Hi Chris! Thanks so much for a wonderful blog! Do you know anything about the new Dreams Flora by chance? It is supposed to be going in where Natura Resort used to be, next to Dreams Palm Beach. We are interested in going to Dreams Flora and curious if you know anything about it as it is opening end of 2022. Thank you! – Victoria
Hi Victoria,
thanks for your comment. Indeed, Dreams Flora is opening at the end of 2022 and will be located at the same place of the former Natura Park Resort. I shall have access to the product sheet of this hotel, so if you would like to know any hard facts like room count, room categories, amenities etc. at Dreams Flora in Punta Cana, I am happy to help.
Cheers, Chris
Hi Chris,
Thank you so much for sharing all of your knowledge…this has been very helpful. We are planning a trip in November ’23 with 3 families, including 6 kids ranging in age from 7 – 11. We’re considering Dreams Flora or Lopesan (we’re priced out of Dreams Macao because it is forcing a family of 3 into a very expensive Preferred Club 2 Bed Villa w/ a pool (unnecessary). Do you have any new information on Flora?
Thank you,
Gina
Hey Gina,
thanks for your comment. I assume you have already found the extensive review of Lopesan Costa Bavaro here on Punta Cana Travel Blog 🙂 : https://www.puntacanatravelblog.com/accommodation-resorts/lopesan-costa-bavaro-all-inclusive-resort/
Regarding Dreams Flora, I don’t have any news unfortunately but have heard that they renovated it incredibly beautiful. It is the old Natura Park Eco-Resort and features a pretty pristine location in Cabeza de Toro.
For kids ranging from 7 to 11, I would probably slightly favor Lopesan Costa Bavaro, as they have a water park which is pretty cool for those ages. Both resort have very good kids clubs as well.
Here you can check the recent promotions of both hotels:
Lopesan Costa Bavaro – https://www.puntacanatravelblog.com/recommendation/best-price-lopesan-costa-bavaro-homepage/
Dreams Flora – https://www.puntacanatravelblog.com/recommendation/accommodation-dreams-flora-punta-cana/
I hope this helps.
Best regards, Chris
HELLO–
GREAT BLOG! WE GO IN MARCH 2023
Is it safe to walk to the Village from Dreams Macao?
Hi Donna,
yes, it is safe to walk to Macao village during the day.
Cheers from Punta Cana
Chris
We are staying in preferred club tropical view. Do you know if it has a bath and also how safe is it to walk outside the resort with my family.
Great blog. Great advice 😃
Hi Lynne,
yes, all rooms have a bathroom.
It is also safe to walk around during the day, no problem in visiting the village or the beach areas.
Enjoy Dreams Macao!
Cheers from Punta Cana
Chris
Hello we are planning a vacation for this March and have been to DR many times but never this resort. Our sons are 18 and 21 and want to make sure it has things for them to do… and that the gym is updated.
Would you recommend for their ages?
Thank you~
Christine
Hi Christine,
yes, I would say Dreams Macao is suitable for “kids” in these ages. All installations, including the gym, are pretty new (the resort was only opened in 2020). Furthermore, your sons can try out surfing on the beach or get to know other travelers.
However, in case they like to party, you could also check out the Riu Resorts, as they have tons of entertainment and many parties: https://www.puntacanatravelblog.com/accommodation-resorts/riu-party-punta-cana/
Cheers from Punta Cana
Chris
helllo
do you know if this resort has filtered water and safe to drink from the taps?
Hi Sonia,
you can’t drink tap water in Punta Cana.
Cheers, Chris
Hi Chris,
We coming from the UK and am wondering what the power sockets are at Dreams Macao Beach are, 2pins or 3 pins.
Thank You
Hi Ted,
I can’t remember exactly the power sockets at Dreams Macao but most of the resorts have international ones, so that they at least fit Dominican as well as North American plugs. Not sure about the UK though, sorry. Still I think that they are also compatible with UK plugs as Dreams usually have pretty up-to-date amenities.
Best regards
Chris