'I visited Rafael Nadal's hotel and couldn't believe what it was like'
Part of Meliá Hotels and Resorts and created in collaboration with tennis legend Rafael Nadal, the luxurious Caribbean resort offers an idyllic escape with excellent facilities – including a top class tennis centre, naturally. With outdoor pools, a fitness centre and a peaceful spa, we found it to be a real treat for both mind and body.
After a warm welcome on arrival, Zel quickly felt like our home away from home – an ethos the resort really prides itself on. Every corner has been meticulously designed to create a serene setting, from the indoor-outdoor dining concept to the plants in orange stone pots and the rattan lamp shades.
Our Zel Suite was beautifully decorated, with wooden beams, a palette of orange, cream and blue, warm lighting and abstract woven wall art. The room was airy and bright, with a walk-in wardrobe, a sprawling bathroom with double sinks, a spacious living area and a chic kitchenette.
Our private balcony had a seating area as well as a bathtub tucked away in one corner. And we didn't have to worry about losing our room keys as our handy wooden bracelets unlocked our suite.
We enjoyed breakfast in the Mediterranean style buffet restaurant Parda, even sipping juice from coconuts cut straight from the palm trees. Zel's Mexican-Greek fusion restaurant Tacorini quickly became our favourite lunch spot, where we tucked into crispy fish tacos, Greek salads and passion fruit mojitos next to the pool.
At Neguri, the beach club, guests eat lunch with their toes in the sand. And in the evenings, we indulged in Japanese-inspired dishes at Nokyo. It's fun to watch the chef's culinary acrobatics and the sushi platter and seafood pad Thai were standouts.
Head to Silvestre for fine wines with a delicious cheese and cured meat board. With ambient lighting and an elegant interior, the setting is idyllic.
A stay at Zel wouldn't be complete without hitting some balls at the tennis centre, and we got a sneak peek before it opens this September. With five tennis courts, four padel courts and six pickleball courts, we served, sliced and smashed our way round the court surrounded by palm trees.
We tried some of the other activities on offer and a real highlight was experiencing the thrill of gliding across the waves on a Hobie Cat catamaran. We also laughed our way through a 'pound class' in which we tapped, beat and waved drum sticksaround to music.
We tried aerial yoga and paddle yoga, enjoyed a cycling tour through the sprawling resort and braved ice baths to rejuvenate both our body and mind.
In between, there was plenty of time to lounge around by the outdoor swimming pools and we hopped in the resort's buggy to nearby Bávaro beach, where we enjoyed the clear waters and sugar-white sand. We also indulged in a massage at AUA spa, so our stay was a perfect balance of sport and relaxation.
Rates at Zel Punta Cana start from £299 per night on an all-inclusive basis – see melia.com/en/hotels/dominican-republic/punta-cana/zel-punta-cana to book. British Airways offers direct return flights from London Gatwick to Punta Cana from around £607.
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