TRS Turquesa Hotel is the adults only portion of the larger Grand Palladium Punta Cana Resort. This sprawling, tropical property is filled with restaurants, bars, pools, and shops, all of which can be accessed by guests of the TRS Turquesa. 

Other parts of the resort are opened to children, which makes this a nice place to travel for multi-generational groups. Those who wish to be away from children can be, while those traveling with kids can stay in the portion of the resort offering a playground, waterpark and childcare. 

Jason and I have stayed in all inclusives on two occasions and found they can be an exceptionally relaxing vacation. By having everything included in your stay, you don’t need to worry about the cost of each meal and extra activities. And once you unpack, you can move around the resort as much or as little as you choose. Park yourself on a lounge chair for several hours, or take advantage of walks, yoga classes, and games offered daily. 

The rooms of the TRS Turquesa Hotel are spacious and well appointed. Guests are attended to by a butler who can assist with dinner reservations, provide directions, call for transportation or arrange to restock your minibar. (If only I could take the butler home!)

Each room includes a jacuzzi tub, seating area, large bathroom and a canopy bed. There’s a well stocked minibar with soda, water and beer as well as a Nespresso coffee maker (the same kind I have at home, so this got my mornings off to a good start).

While I stayed on the third floor, I recommend requesting a first floor swim-up room. Just step outside your room and wade into the water.

Each day a list of organized activities is posted near the main pool. This may include walks on the beach, rum tasting, pilates class, or live music. Friendly staff organize and lead each of these offerings. I took advantage of the Mamajuana tasting class which is a type of rum distilled in the Dominican Republic. Our lively bartender introduced us to the local spirit and allowed us to sample three versions. 

If you’re eager to stay in shape while on vacation, that won’t be a problem. The TRS Turquesa offers a large and well equipped gym. I began each morning with a walk on the beach because it was just so beautiful, but then spent some time in the gym using the equipment. 

Just in case you’re not already relaxed after a day at the beach, then head to the Zentropia Spa. You can enjoy the main area of the spa without any additional charge, but you will need to pay for facials and massages. I started with a massage and then spent an hour in the main area enjoying the hot tubs and mud therapy.

There are a dozen restaurants available throughout the resort, many focused on a particular international cuisine. During my stay we enjoyed dinner at KusKo, serving Peruvian food. For breakfast the first morning I ate at one of the buffet restaurants, Capricho. As a vegetarian I appreciated the large selection of fruit and fresh juices. And while I don’t currently eat meat, there was a nice spread of charcuterie and cheeses reminiscent of Spain.

But I must admit my favorite feature of the dining was the included room service. I love room service, but am usually too cheap to pay for it. So on subsequent mornings I ordered breakfast in my room. There is a large in room menu and it’s available most of the day. 

Many bars can be found around the property ranging from the casual pool bars to the more elegant cocktail bars. After our dinner at KusKo we gathered for cocktails and live music at Hemingways where I sipped a seriously delicious espresso martini.

I was disappointed at the limited options for vegetarians. Fortunately, I do eat seafood and fish occasionally, so I could always find something to order. But I do hope the Grand Palladium will expand their vegetarian--and maybe even vegan--offerings in the future.

There is live music available throughout the resort, sometimes by the pools and other times in the bars. But the big entertainment attraction here is Chic Cabaret. I’ve enjoyed many great shows in Las Vegas, but this was better.

Chic Cabaret includes a sit down dinner and over two hours of non-stop entertainment. There is dancing, singing, acrobatics and comedy. The entertainers enter from several different parts of the room, so you never know what’s coming next. At the end, audience members are encouraged to get on stage and dance along to the final number. 

There is an additional fee for the cabaret. Again, my complaint was the lack of vegetarian options, so I had to skip a couple of the courses served. But if I have the chance to visit this resort again, I’ll happily pay for Chic Cabaret.

My time in Punta Cana and the TRS Turquesa Resort was short, so I will definitely need to return someday. I would love to try out more of the activities, sample the other restaurants, and explore beyond the resort's walls. But if I'm asked where to stay in Punta Cana, I would definitely recommend the TRS Turquesa.