Onsite Review: This Punta Cana Hottie Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Adults—TRS Turquesa Hotel

SWIM UP POOLThis Punta Cana Hottie Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Adults—TRS Turquesa HotelBy Paloma Villaverde de RicoTucked along the Dominican Republic’s famed Bavaro Beach in Punta Cana, you’ll find Palladium Hotel Group’s lovely TRS Turquesa Hotel, where beachside bliss, spa pampering, poolside fun, spacious accommodations and entertainment until the wee hours await your clients. Rising in the early morning, strolling through the gardens, going for a quick breakfast in the hotel lobby (think pastry and coffee), taking a dip in the pool of my Jr. Suite Swim-Up accommodation and then lazing out for an hour or so on a lounge chair along the resort’s stunning white-sand beach—getting in all that R&R was how I spent my mornings while checking out the TRS Turquesa Hotel. Afternoons, meanwhile, were spent exploring this expansive resort, which offers an array of attention-grabbing to-do’s. Before I start penning all the must-check-out F&B options and activities, though, let me alert you to the accommodation options. There are nine room categories, which says a lot when you consider that the TRS Turquesa Hotel offers only 372 rooms spread out over a handful of buildings. The list of nine includes everything from a 473-sq.-ft. Jr. Suite Garden with a Pool View to the 592-sq.-ft. Jacuzzi Terrace Suite Beachside the top-of-the-line 970-sq.-ft. Ambassador Suite, which features a Jacuzzi and a Balinese bed on the terrace as well as a bevy of other goodies. BEACH CHAIRS That said, I was quite comfortable in my 473-sq.-ft. Jr. Suite Swim-Up guestroom, which, along with having direct access from the room’s terrace to a swim-up pool, features a king bed, a sofa bed, an en-suite hydro-massage bath, L’Occitane bath amenities and butler service (during our stay it was spot-on). One amenity unique to the swim-up guestrooms is the swim-up breakfast in a basket, which comes sailing (along with a server) right up to the room’s terrace chock-full of culinary goodies. You can leave breakfast in bed for another day because this bests that experience. Right across the way from the building that housed my Jr. Suite Swim-Up room, I found one of the resort’s hidden gems—the Secret swimming pool, which not only features a swim-up bar, but stays open
until the wee hours. In fact, it serves drinks until 11 PM and it’s the only pool in Punta Cana open until midnight. And there are other more sedate pool options for daytime lounging, including the ocean-facing main pool. DINING Strolling around the TRS property, clients will find four restaurants: Helios Beach Club; La Boheme (dinner only); Capricho and Kusko (dinner only). Our group headed to the latter one evening, dining on dishes that combine Japanese and Peruvian cuisines (the octopus entree was one of the best I’ve ever had). For breakfast I opted for Capricho, which offers a serene vibe and a nice fare. If your clients want to catch some rays right after breakfast, then recommend Helios, with views of the white-sand beach accompanied by live flute music. These four restaurants, by the way, are exclusive to TRS Turquesa Hotel guests, and I say exclusive because the TRS property is actually part of a huge 4-resort complex that is also home to a trio of family-friendly Grand Palladium Resorts. I note this because TRS guests have access to all the restaurants throughout the entire complex, while Grand Palladium guests cannot access the amenities at the TRS oasis (one truly feels like they’re in a bubble). FOOD Aside from the array of F&B choices (don’t miss the live music at the Hemingway Bar, open from 5 PM to 2 AM), the resort—being so expansive—offers a bevy of activities, from Pilates and aqua bike classes to archery and a pole dance workout; there are even healthy juice, chocolate and cooking workshops as well as merengue and bachata dance lessons. Unique to this destination is the Mama Juana workshop, where guests learn to make this Dominican alcoholic bevarage. A must is an evening at the Chic Cabaret & Restaurant, a 3-hour dinner show that features acrobatics, flirty dancing and popular tunes from yesteryear to the present day. One recommendation for couples—although we didn’t personally experience it—is the Dinner Under the Stars experience, which, you guessed it, has couples dining outdoors under the light of the moon. For the ultimate R&R tell clients to head to the Zentropia Palladium Spa & Wellness center, where they’ll be pampered to the nth degree. Here, they’ll find a well-outfitted hydrotherapy circuit that includes a cold plunge pool, an ice room and a mud bath area. Add the relaxing spa treatment, and your clients will be walking on clouds when they head back to their rooms. There’s also a sports center, where many of the fitness activities take place, and a gym. Note: Adults only at TRS means 18+ and persons per room are three max. Contact InformationTRS Turquesa Hotel: palladiumhotelgroup.com/en/hotels/republicadominicana/puntacana/trs-turquesa-hotel

PRINCESS CRUISESPRINCESS CRUISES IFCCOVEREXPLORA JOURNEYSTable of ContentsTURKISH AIRLINESEditor's NotesSANDALSSANDALS SPREADAdvisor Speak: Meet Susanna Steinbeck — Passion for Travel Led Her HereCruise: Mindful Vacations at SeaCruise: Mindful of Our PlanetOCEANIA CRUISESCaribbean/Mexico: Green Wellcations for the WinPALLADIUM HOTEL GROUPSAINT LUCIA SCSAINT LUCIASANDALS SCOnsite Review: 5 Unmissable 'Beyond the Beach' Experiences in BarbadosOnsite Review: Hard Rock Hotel Riviera MayaOnsite Review: This Punta Cana Hottie Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Adults—TRS Turquesa HotelNorth America: Sustainable Las Vegas—Betting on GreenMGM SCMGM RESORTSWEBINAR HOUSE ADRECOMMEND EDU HOUSE ADRCA AWARDS HOUSE AD