Beating the Winter Sun Prices: Miami & Punta Cana Twin‑Centre

Stop 1: Miami Beach on a Budget

We based ourselves at the Henrosa Hotel on Miami Beach, on a bed and breakfast basis.

Getting there

From the airport there is a direct bus to near the hotel, costing just 2.25 US dollars per person each way, with a journey time of just under 45 minutes, depending on traffic. It was very easy, very straightforward and incredible value for money.

On arrival at the hotel we needed to pay a resort fee of 28 US dollars per room per day, which covered free Wi‑Fi, a reserved spot on the beach and a few other amenities. Definitely something to factor into the budget, as it adds up over several nights.

The hotel

Henrosa is a 1930s Art Deco property with a characterful lobby, where guests can help themselves to cold water, tea and coffee.

• Around 40 rooms in total
• We stayed in room 306, a spacious double with bathroom, TV, safe and small fridge
• Due to the building’s listed status, the windows do not open
• The location is excellent for the beach, shops, restaurants and bars

During our stay we wandered over to Lincoln Road Mall, and spent time on the beach watching the sunsets and cruise ships sailing past.

Breakfast & eating out

Breakfast was the one real disappointment. You could only order one item from the breakfast menu, and anything extra was at an additional charge. Juices were not included in the complimentary breakfast either.

Breakfast was actually served at another hotel, around a 5–10 minute walk away, in a pleasant restaurant with beach views if you sit at the front. Watching roller skaters glide past in the morning added to that classic Miami Beach vibe.

While in Miami Beach we hired a car for the day so we could visit a shopping mall and Walmart for groceries. We picked up some good bargains, enjoyed Cuban food, and treated ourselves at Rosetta Bakery for dinner.

Overall, Henrosa felt best suited to younger couples and party‑goers, largely due to its Collins Avenue location. For us, the resort fee plus the breakfast arrangement meant we would probably consider a different part of Miami next time.

After 3 nights, it was time to head properly to the Caribbean.

Stop 2: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana

We flew from Miami to Punta Cana, a flight time of around 2 hours 30 minutes. Punta Cana is hugely popular with American and Canadian visitors and has a real resort feel.

I had arranged return private transfers to our hotel, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana, where we stayed for 4 nights on an all inclusive basis.

First impressions & our room

The Hard Rock lobby is incredible: full of star memorabilia and a real “wow” as soon as you walk in.

We checked in at the VIP Rockstar area, where Joseph looked after us. He was friendly, knowledgeable and introduced us to an insurance option we had never seen before: up to 7 days of cover for 12 US dollars per person, including all treatment and hospital costs. We both decided to take it, and I am very glad we did.

We stayed in room 5379 with a lovely garden view. The room was spacious and well equipped, with:

• TV
• Minibar
• Safe
• An amazing bathroom with both shower and bath

Dining & all inclusive

The hotel’s restaurant line‑up is seriously impressive. In total there are:

• ZEN – teppanyaki & sushi
• TORO – steakhouse
• LOS GALLOS – Mexican
• THE SPLIT – sub sandwiches
• STACKED – gourmet burgers and more
• IPANEMA Brazilian House
• CIAO Trattoria & CIAO – Italian and Mediterranean‑influenced
• BISTRO MED – Mediterranean & Lebanese
• THE MARKET – food hall with global, street‑food style options

We had dinner at IPANEMA Brazilian House, which offers an enormous selection of meats and poultry. You are given a red and green card on the table: green means “keep serving” and red means “stop”. Let’s just say we kept ours on green a little too long and rolled out absolutely stuffed! We also had breakfast there, with a very good hot and cold buffet.

The all inclusive at Hard Rock Punta Cana is one of the best I have personally experienced in the Caribbean. It included:

• Top‑shelf drinks
• 24/7 in‑room service
• Snacks, including poolside service
• Land sports
• Nightly entertainment

There are 23 bars and lounges in total, which we simply did not have time to sample fully during our short stay.

Facilities & entertainment

The resort really is like a small city, but cleverly spread out so it never feels cramped. Some of the highlights:

• Bowling alley
• Arcade centre
• Mini golf
• Nightclub
• Around 20 shops
• Casino (over 18s), the largest in the Dominican Republic at 4,459 square metres, with 25 tables and 435 slot machines
• Spa with 52 treatment cabins (my wife had a treatment and said it was one of the best she has ever had)
• 13 pools, 4 swim‑up bars and 3 kids’ pools with flume waterslides
• An impressive water park, one of the best I have seen in the Caribbean
• Large conference centre

During our stay we also stumbled on a pool party with a brilliant atmosphere and lots of guest participation.

When things do not go to plan

Unfortunately, partway through the stay I developed a painful abscess on my finger and had to go to hospital. I ended up spending a night in hospital and was discharged the day before we were due to fly home.

The hospital staff looked after me extremely well. The total bill came to over 4,000 US dollars, all of which was covered by the hotel insurance we had taken out at check‑in. I cannot overstate how relieved and grateful I was that we had opted for it.

I was gutted to miss out on making fuller use of the hotel’s facilities and trying more of the restaurants, but even from what I did experience, the hotel really impressed me.

Hard Rock Punta Cana is fantastic for families, couples and groups. Despite its size, it never felt crowded and there truly is something for everyone. It exceeded my expectations and is a property I would happily recommend and return to.

We also appreciated that although check‑out is at 12 pm, you can still grab a meal or snack at the coffee shop before heading to the airport.

Heading home & final tips

All too soon it was time to fly back via Miami to London with American Airlines.

A few tips from this trip:

• Consider a twin‑centre via the USA to keep winter sun costs down if direct Caribbean flights are high.
• At Hard Rock Punta Cana, pre‑book your restaurants to make the most of the huge dining choice.
• Take out the hotel’s medical insurance at check‑in. It was outstanding value and, in my case, absolutely invaluable.

A big thank you to Graham Brooks and Hilda Pinto at RCD Hotels for arranging this complimentary stay for Becky and me at Hard Rock Punta Cana. The hotel is incredible and somewhere I would return to in a heartbeat.