Our Review Of The Nickelodeon Resort Punta Cana

One of the best parts of the Nickelodeon Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, is The Sweetery. The combined cafe, deli and ice cream shop is open all day. It serves donuts and pastries, pre-made sandwiches and both traditional ice cream, and self-serve soft-serve. There's also a barista.

Why would a cafe stand out in a luxurious resort with a huge pool, beautiful beach and the potential for SpongeBob Squarepants sightings around every corner? All-inclusive resorts often give the impression of freedom—no wallet needed, no meal planning. But in reality, it can be a pain to memorize the hours of each restaurant. And then you have to convince your kids to sit at a table and eat what's on offer.

That's the beauty of the Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana—everything is customized for families. Did your kid turn their nose up at the eggs they've loved all week at the buffet? No problem. Pop by the Sweetery for a croissant or smoothie. Too much sun but not ready to head back to your room? Grab a snack and take selfies among The Sweetery's Garfield-themed decor.

And of course, it's not just the food that makes this resort stand out. But this thoughtfully designed cafe speaks volumes about what you can expect at the resort overall. It's the perfect place for a luxurious family vacation that kids will love.

Getting there

Karisma Hotels and Sunwing Vacations subsidized our vacation for this review. We flew to the Dominican Republic with Sunwing, a company I have booked with in the past and have always liked. Booking a flight, hotel and transfer package simplifies travel and can be more affordable.

The flight was totally drama-free. Boarding was simple. There was actually enough room for everyone's carry-on in the overhead bins (at least in my section). Plus, my kids enjoyed the treats I bought from the in-flight menu.

When we landed in Punta Cana, our bags came out surprisingly fast. We found a Nexus Tours representative who took us to the private airport transfer we had arranged through Sunwing. What a relief not to wait for other passengers before leaving for our resort. After a long day of travel and lineups, patience runs thin for even well-traveled kids—and many adults.

First impressions

The resort and grounds were about what I expected based on photos I had seen. It's a beautiful resort—clean, well-maintained, and surrounded by lush gardens.

The Punta Cana Nickelodeon Resort is like a little town. Between the soft sand and turquoise water of Uvero Alto beach and the resort's water park, you'll find blocks of hotel rooms surrounded by moat-like pools so first-floor guests can swim from their terraces.

Keep walking, and you'll pass through the gourmet village. Here, you can find The Sweetery, the hotel's buffet restaurant and several à la carte options. Beyond that is the hotel lobby.

There are fun surprises around the resort, including a lime-green manhole cover. When you step on it, you hear the Ninja Turtles' voices.

There's also a Dora the Explorer installation that's best explored at night when bright lights cast huge Dora and Boots-shaped shadows onto the building behind it. The best part? You can get in the middle and cast your own shadow. Don't forget to take photos!

And, of course, the iconic building all the guests take photos in front of: SpongeBob's pineapple villa. Behind the pineapple facade is a luxurious villa that guests can book for their stay.

Concierge service

Unlike at many other resorts, you don't need to go to the lobby to ask questions or make dinner reservations. Each room has a concierge they can contact.

There are small offices outside each of the hotel buildings where you can connect with your concierge. Depending on availability, you may even be able to contact your concierge via text or WhatsApp. Our concierge, Angel, made the difference between a good trip and a great one. Planning dinner from your beach chair is pretty sweet.

If you want information quickly, download the Karisma app, where you can find restaurant menus, hours, plus a schedule of all the activities.

Accommodations

Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana offers a collection of room types: Connecting Pad Suites, Pool Suites, Swim-Up Suites and Villas.

Connecting Pad Suites

We stayed in connecting Pad Suites, which was wonderful. It meant that my husband and I had a room to ourselves, and our kids had an almost identical room.

Our room had a king-sized bed, our kids had two doubles. Both rooms had giant bathrooms, a couch and a terrace that opened directly into a pool.  We could walk between the rooms through a door.

Best of all, it meant that my kids could leave their clothes on the floor, track sand into their bathroom and be slobs if they wanted, and I could avoid seeing it. (Although once a day, we'd do a clean-up.)

Swim-Up Suites

First-floor swim-up suites let you step straight into the pool from your terrace. The Flat Swim-Up Suite has a separate bedroom with a king bed and a pull-out couch in the living area. The Nest Swim Up Suite is similar to the Pad Suite we had, with a king or two doubles and a pull-out couch. The Swank Wraparound Swim-Up Suite is a corner suite with an extra large terrace.

Pool Suites

The Swank Pool Suites have wraparound terraces and private plunge pools. There's a king bed and a pullout couch.

Villas

Villas offer a more private experience at the resort. While you can enjoy all the amenities, you have a lot more living space and a private pool. The villas have two bedrooms, three bathrooms, a living room and an enclosed outdoor deck and pool. You can book a regular villa or spring for The Pineapple, which features a reproduction of SpongeBob's abode in the front and looks like a regular villa behind.

Dining at Nickelodeon Resort Punta Cana

Before departing on our trip, we came across some negative reviews. Most of the comments were about the food, specifically the lack of options at the buffet. This was surprising since the resort offers the Karisma gourmet-inclusive experience. (Which essentially means that the food should be great).

I've been to my fair share of all-inclusive resorts and the buffet at the Nickelodeon is the best I've experienced. Few things are more satisfying than watching a picky eater pile their plate high and finish every bite.

And the food wasn't just kid-friendly. During our first lunch at the resort, there was a giant tray of paella—and it was good. My plate was usually a mix of fish or chicken, sautéed vegetables, and rice and beans.

I probably ate better and more healthfully than I do at home. This is not to say that there aren't indulgent options as well. My tween had his fill of pancakes, french fries and cake every day.

Restaurants and bars at the Nickelodeon Resort

While there are plenty of restaurants, there aren't very many bars—and I assume that's intentional, this being a family resort. This wasn't an issue for us, and it seems to prevent guests from over-indulging.

You can get an alcoholic drink at any restaurant, but if you're looking for a mid-afternoon mojito, you'll have to go to one of the two swim-up bars or the Snick Lounge. The latter is a '90s-inspired arcade and bar that we visited daily—not for drinks but for video games, of course. Although my kids had some fruity non-alcoholic drinks there that were delicious.

We were lucky enough to eat at every restaurant at least once. Here's what we thought of each:

Note: I think it's important when travelling to try the local cuisine. It's also important to keep in mind that the country you're in likely has different local produce and different methods of cooking. So don't expect the same meals you'd have at home—even at five-star resorts.

Aqua Bite is the snack bar at the water park. It serves burgers, fries, and flatbread pizza.

BRGRS ph Artisan Burgers: The menu here is creative. My nine-year-old had the Waffle Falafel (a waffle made of chickpeas) on a bun. I had the Dominican Chimi, which was great. You can also get a "Kilo Burger", a burger big enough to feed your whole family.

Explorer's Table buffet restaurant: Everyone loved it. Lots of choices, fresh veggies and fruit.

Fresco: A little outdoor eatery/food truck next to a block of hotel rooms and a pool with a swim-up bar. Almost hidden, this is a fun place to grab lunch. The kids can hop in and out of the pool and there are lifeguards on duty.

Snick Lounge: My kids visited the Snick Lounge daily for their dose of arcade games. The retro Nickelodeon references (like Ren and Stimpy) are fun for grown-ups as are the games, especially if you're ready to get out of the sun for a while.

Spacewalker Interstellar Cuisine: This astronaut-themed restaurant has servers in space suits and gimmicky names on the menu. But the food is excellent. My kids loved taking photos with the on-site astronaut.

The Sweetery: As I mentioned, this place made our trip. Croissants, donuts, ice cream, coffee and sandwiches all day, every day.

Verdello Sicilian Kitchen: My pasta-loving kid had penne with pesto and was thrilled. We also tried the tuna with cherry tomatoes, potato gratin and sautéed vegetables; it was one of the best meals of the trip.

wok wok Far East Fusion: My sushi-loving kid enjoyed his California rolls, and the decor is beautiful. The Pad Thai wasn’t exactly traditional, but it was tasty.

Character meals

We enjoyed both a character breakfast and a dinner. Both meals were buffet-style. In the morning, we watched a performance by Team Nick (the entertainment team) and photo ops with a selection of Nickelodeon characters, including some members of the Paw Patrol, SpongeBob and Patrick and Dora.

In the evening, we ate pizza and partied with the Ninja Turtles. My kids joined the pre-Turtle appearance games with members of Team Nick. Even my tween—who deems most things cringeworthy—joined the crowd.

We had fun at both meals, but the little kids at the tables around us were awestruck. It was adorable to watch toddlers seeing their cartoon heroes in real life.

Note: Character meals cost extra and have to be organized with your concierge. For the price, I'd choose either breakfast or dinner, based on your child's favourite characters. Don't want to pay extra? Download the Karisma app and take note of the character meet and greets throughout each day.

Pools, beach and water park

With a small pool outside every building and a large pool by the beach, your kids can swim any time they like. The pools you can jump into from first-floor rooms aren't monitored by lifeguards, but the large pool is. While I'd keep an eye on my kids either way, it's nice knowing you can gaze out at the ocean or turn your head away for a minute.

The beach, as mentioned, is beautiful. The sand is soft and the water is the colour you want when you go to the Caribbean. Get up early to snag some beach chairs.

Or, since the pool is so close, reserve chairs there and go back and forth between the sand and the pool. If you want to rest on a Bali bed on the sand, you'll have to pay extra. The water at the beach can be a bit rough, depending on the day, but there are flags to let you know what to expect.

Aqua Nick water park

Depending on where your room is, the water park is a short walk or even shorter golf-cart ride away. There's a shuttle that picks up and drops off guests all day long.

The park is actually two water parks: one with water slides and one with a lazy river and splash pad/playground. There are lifeguards on duty at both. There are regular beach chairs here and upgraded beds you can pay to use for the day.

Depending on the age of your kids, this is a great place for parents to relax. If your kids swim well and are a bit older, you'd likely feel comfortable letting them explore the playground on their own.

If they're little, you may need to join the climbing and sliding. And sliming! Check the Karisma app for the scheduled slime times each day when vibrant green water splashes down over everyone in the area. Or book a private sliming for just your family.

Activities and entertainment for families

There's always something to do at this resort.

Nickelodeon Place

Nickelodeon Place is where you'll find Plaza Orange and Club Nick. Daily events, performances, and dance parties take place at Plaza Orange. Guests can meet characters like SpongeBob, Dora the Explorer, and members of Paw Patrol throughout the day. These encounters happen at scheduled times (listed in the Karisma app), but you might also spot them roaming around the resort.

Club Nick

What an incredible kids club. Located near the water park, this place is a kids' indoor paradise. It features a huge artificial tree kids can play in. Plus, there's a walkway that looks over the space and a big slide that empties into a ball pit.

Sign your kids up at Club Nick and let the resort's staff watch them for a few hours. They do crafts, play games, meet characters and go on scavenger hunts.

Evening entertainment

The fun doesn't stop after dinner. The resort hosts live performances, game nights and family-friendly shows. There are also movie nights under the stars, where you can cuddle up with your kids and watch their favorite Nickelodeon films and shows on a big screen.

Gift shops

There are two Nickelodeon gift shops here. If you don't have money to burn, I'd recommend avoiding them. Shop online ahead of time for SpongeBob-themed PJs (many guests wear them to breakfast) and Nickelodeon-character stuffies.

What parents need to know before booking

The Nickelodeon Punta Cana is a beautiful resort with great food. It's also pretty pricey. If your kids are in elementary school or younger and you've considered doing one of the big theme parks but want a relaxing trip, this is the trip for you.

You'll get a whole week of vacation with the allure of characters and kid-focused fun for your littles. There are no roller coasters, but there are four water slides. Know that some of the meals and amenities cost extra, but you can definitely enjoy yourself without them.