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The Ultimate Guide to Excellence Resorts: Which is the Best for Your Vacation?

Posted on by Kevin Brooks

Planning an all-inclusive getaway and considering Excellence Resorts? With multiple stunning properties across Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica, choosing the perfect resort can be a delightful challenge. This comprehensive guide breaks down each Excellence resort, along with their sister properties Beloved and Finest, to help you find the ideal match for your dream vacation. We’ll cover everything from inclusions and costs to the unique pros and cons of each location.

Excellence Resorts are renowned for their luxurious, adults-only, all-inclusive experience. The Excellence Collection also encompasses the family-friendly Finest Resorts and the intimate, couples-only Beloved Hotels, offering a diverse range of options within a high-end framework. These resorts often rival top-tier brands like Secrets and Sandals but provide superior value and affordability.

Understanding the Excellence Collection

The Excellence Collection comprises six distinct resorts in Mexico and the Dominican Republic, with a seventh, Excellence Coral Playa Mujeres, set to open in February 2025. The current Excellence resorts include Excellence Playa Mujeres, Excellence Riviera Cancun, Excellence Punta Cana, Excellence El Carmen, and Excellence Oyster Bay.

Beyond the core Excellence brand, the collection features:

  • Finest Resorts: These are family-friendly, welcoming guests of all ages, with dedicated kids’ clubs and splash areas, alongside adults-only sections. Finest Punta Cana and Finest Playa Mujeres are the current offerings.
  • Beloved Hotels: This brand offers a boutique, intimate experience exclusively for couples, focusing on romance and tranquility. Beloved Playa Mujeres is the prime example.

The allure of Excellence Resorts lies in their comprehensive all-inclusive packages, which cover all meals, snacks, beverages (including premium alcoholic options), entertainment, and non-motorized water sports. Some packages even include complimentary roundtrip airport transportation.

The Excellence Club: Elevated Luxury

For an enhanced experience, the Excellence Club offers an upgraded tier of service and amenities. Guests opting for an Excellence Club room enjoy exclusive perks such as:

  • Private check-in/check-out and flexible late/early check-in/out.
  • Access to a private Excellence Club lounge, restaurant, and bar.
  • Exclusive Excellence Club pools, jacuzzis, and beach areas.
  • Premium Bvlgari toiletries.
  • Upgraded in-room mini-bar and room service menu.
  • A complimentary beach bag for use during your stay.
  • One complimentary Aqua hydrotherapy treatment per person.
  • Daily delivery of fruit and petit fours to your suite.

The Vibe at Excellence Resorts

Excellence Resorts cultivate a five-star atmosphere centered on romance and relaxation. They are generally tranquil environments, attracting couples and small groups seeking a sophisticated escape. These resorts are ideal for romantic getaways, anniversaries, honeymoons, or simply a peaceful, high-end vacation. However, travelers seeking vibrant nightlife or a high-energy, singles-focused scene might find Excellence resorts too subdued.

Cost of Staying at Excellence Resorts

A significant advantage of Excellence Resorts is the predictable, all-inclusive pricing, eliminating unexpected costs for food and beverages. The nightly rate varies based on the specific resort, room category, and time of year. Entry-level junior suites at older properties typically start around $400 per night, while premium suites can range from $1,000 to over $2,500 per night.

Tipping is customary at Excellence Resorts. It’s recommended to budget $100-$200 in cash for your stay to tip drivers, housekeepers, room service staff, bartenders, and servers, depending on the length of your visit.

Excellence Resorts in Mexico

Mexico is home to two established Excellence resorts, with a new one on the horizon.

Excellence Playa Mujeres

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Photo courtesy of Excellence Resorts

Located north of Cancun’s hotel zone, Excellence Playa Mujeres is the flagship property and a long-time favorite among travelers. Its location offers some protection from Sargassum seaweed, a common issue on Mexico’s coast, though the beach itself is not extensive. The resort is about a 30-40 minute drive from the airport.

Built in 2007, the resort is undergoing renovations to address wear and tear, with completion expected by the end of 2024. While these updates are welcome, guests may experience noise disturbances during their stay. Excellence Playa Mujeres features 450 rooms, ten restaurants, eleven bars, seven pools, and a lazy river.

  • Rates: Starting from $479/night.
  • Best For: Experiencing the original, most-loved Excellence resort.
  • Considerations: Ongoing renovations may cause noise.
  • Check Rates: Direct | Expedia | Orbitz | TripAdvisor | HotelsCombined**

Excellence Riviera Cancun

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Photo courtesy of Excellence Resorts

Situated in Puerto Morelos on the Riviera Maya coast, Excellence Riviera Cancun is approximately 20 minutes south of Cancun airport. It offers a larger resort footprint and a more expansive beach area compared to Excellence Playa Mujeres. While it often boasts lower rates due to less fame, this region is prone to Sargassum seaweed, particularly from April to June, which can impact beach enjoyment. The resort features 440 rooms, eleven restaurants, eleven bars, and six pools, with two heated pools available during winter.

  • Rates: Starting from $370/night.
  • Best For: Cost savings on a Mexican Excellence resort.
  • Considerations: High likelihood of Sargassum impacting beach experience during peak season.
  • Check Rates: Direct | Expedia | Orbitz | TripAdvisor | HotelsCombined**

Excellence Coral Playa Mujeres

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Opening February 12, 2025, Excellence Coral Playa Mujeres is poised to be one of the collection’s most luxurious offerings. Located on a pristine stretch of Playa Mujeres, north of Cancun and near Excellence Playa Mujeres, this new resort promises an opulent experience with 14 restaurants and 14 bars.

  • Rates: Expected to be premium.
  • Best For: A brand-new, ultra-luxurious resort experience.
  • Considerations: Potential for initial “new construction” kinks to be worked out.
  • Check Rates: Direct | Expedia | Orbitz | TripAdvisor | HotelsCombined

Excellence Resorts in the Dominican Republic

Punta Cana is home to two Excellence resorts, offering different price points and amenities.

Excellence El Carmen

[Photos courtesy of The Excellence Collection

Opened in 2016, Excellence El Carmen is the newer of the two Dominican Republic resorts, located about 45 minutes north of Punta Cana International Airport. It features 12 restaurants, 16 bars, and 23 pools (though many are swim-up suites access). While generally a newer property, Sargassum can also be an issue on this coastline.

Excellence Punta Cana

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Photos courtesy of The Excellence Collection

The first Excellence resort in the Dominican Republic, Excellence Punta Cana, is located just minutes from El Carmen and about 40 minutes from the airport. Although older, it underwent a complete renovation in 2017. It is the most affordable resort in the entire collection, making it a great value option. The Excellence Club beach area is noted as being superior to the standard beach.

Excellence Resort in Jamaica

Excellence Oyster Bay

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Photos courtesy of The Excellence Collection

The newest resort in the collection, Excellence Oyster Bay, opened in 2018 and is located 40 minutes from Montego Bay airport. Situated on a private peninsula with over two miles of private beach, it offers 8 restaurants, 9 bars, a rooftop pool, and luxurious villa options. This resort is the priciest in the collection, and while the Excellence Club beach is highly rated, the standard beach area may be less impressive.

Exploring the Sister Resorts

Finest Playa Mujeres

[Photos courtesy of The Excellence Collection

Located north of Cancun’s hotel zone, Finest Playa Mujeres is a family-friendly option with amenities for all ages, including a kids’ club and splash areas, alongside adult-only zones. It boasts 10 pools, 13 hot tubs, 12 restaurants, and 16 bars, with some swim-up options. It also offers access to a full golf course. Despite being family-oriented, it maintains the upscale feel of an Excellence resort. A drawback is its distance from Cancun’s main attractions.

Kevin Brooks

Kevin Brooks — Web Developer Kevin maintains DogCareStory.com’s technical health, ensuring smooth navigation, fast loading times, and accessibility across devices.