Punta Cana has a new address for families: Lopesan Splash Cove Resort, Spa & Casino, an all-inclusive built almost entirely around water. The 242-room resort comes with its own water park, a wave pool, aquatic play areas and a total of eight pools, plus a beach club and pool club for when the kids finally need a change of scene.
Splash Cove is one of three new Lopesan openings in Punta Cana. It sits alongside Lopesan Caoba Lagoon, which is centred on a lagoon, and the adults-only Lopesan Serenity Bay. Together the three properties represent a more than $350 million investment for the Spanish brand, adding 1,035 rooms to its Dominican Republic portfolio.
The clever part of the setup is scale. Splash Cove itself feels boutique-sized, but guests can tap into the wider Lopesan complex, including The Boulevard — an open-air district with restaurants, cocktail bars, shops, a casino and an 820-seat theatre. After dinner, there's somewhere to wander without needing a taxi or leaving the property.
Food is a genuine selling point for a hotel this size: eight restaurants and 10 bars. There's a buffet (Pavilion Buffet), themed venues covering Caribbean and international cooking, and a Brazilian rodizio spot called Brasa Nova where grilled meats keep coming. Pasta, sushi, tacos and seafood are all covered, which matters when grandparents, parents and kids each want something different.
Rooms are bright and contemporary with balconies or terraces, and include options overlooking the water park plus swim-up rooms with the pool right off the terrace. Daily entertainment and sports programming round things out for longer stays.
For families, the multi-resort angle is worth thinking about. Parents can book Splash Cove rooms beside the slides while grandparents or other adults who want quieter evenings check into the neighbouring adults-only Serenity Bay — same complex, different vibe, everyone still within walking distance.
Among the Caribbean's new all-inclusive openings this year, this is one of the most significant for families: a dedicated, modest-sized kids-first hotel with the dining and entertainment muscle of a much bigger resort.
Story via Caribbean Journal.