My rejuvenating stay began hours before I reached the oceanfront resort in the Dominican Republic. At 35,000 feet I listened to a calming meditation guided by an app provided by my Meliá wellness host, and that quiet, focused mindset set the tone for the days I would spend by the sea focusing on personal wellbeing.
Wellness hosts — called santhi in the native Taíno language, a term that also conveys “server,” and evocative of “peace” or “tranquility” in Sanskrit — play a central role in the resort’s new Wellbeing 360 Experience at the 465-room Meliá Punta Cana Beach Resort. Wellbeing 360 is designed to help guests reconnect with all aspects of themselves — physical, mental, spiritual, emotional and social — while encouraging environmental awareness. The program integrates accommodations, dining, activities and spa offerings at this all-inclusive, adults-only property, the first of its kind in Punta Cana.
My santhi reached out days before my arrival to collect my preferences for meals, activities and in-suite amenities. She greeted me on arrival, assisted with check-in, outlined the schedule for my stay and helped secure spa appointments, ensuring a smooth start to my getaway.
PHOTO: © MELIÁ
PUNTA CANA BEACH RESORT
She guided me to my accommodation, one of 24 The Level Wellness Suites by Staywell. The suite combined thoughtful technology and wellness features: a welcome and guided meditation from Dr. Deepak Chopra, mood-enhancing aromatherapy, dawn-simulation lighting and sound to ease waking for early yoga classes, circadian task lighting to support productivity, an air purifier to reduce allergens and microbes, and a shower infuser that lowers chlorine for gentler hair and skin care. Perhaps best of all, the suite included daily spa treatments that became a highlight of the visit.
Massage and wellness are closely linked at the newly opened 2,200-square-foot Yhi Spa, a tranquil facility with seven treatment suites that each include a private outdoor shower and three couple’s suites with private Jacuzzis. I enjoyed the Atabeyra Water Emotion area, which features seven water-based rituals with pressure jets, steam rooms and a sauna to loosen tense muscles and dissipate stress.
Treatments at Yhi Spa use Moringaia, a locally sourced skincare line made from the seeds of the moringa tree. Often called the “miracle tree,” moringa contains cytokinins and zeatin, compounds that support cell regeneration and help nourish tissue. These products support the skin while also benefiting the local economy: the company provides jobs and donates a portion of proceeds to reforestation efforts along the Haiti–Dominican Republic border.
I chose the Well Unplugged package, which began with a Pranayama breathing lesson. Pranayama, rooted in Hindu and Buddhist traditions, includes techniques such as alternate nostril breathing and ocean breath (deep inhalations followed by audible exhalations). These practices aim to reduce stress, sharpen mental focus and induce a meditative state. Initially the techniques felt unfamiliar and distracting, but with practice I relaxed into the rhythm and experienced increased mindfulness. My treatment included a Dominican-harvested cacao body scrub followed by a massage using warm herbal gloves, creating a deeply restorative ritual. Staff also recommended a popular Coffee & Sugar Please treatment that uses sugar cane and organic coffee from the island’s east coast to exfoliate, followed by a hydrating moringa seed oil treatment.
Spa cuisine at the resort proved pleasantly satisfying rather than austere. Meliá Punta Cana offers healthier menu choices across five of its 16 restaurants. As a guest of The Level Wellness Suites I had exclusive access to Quimera, a restaurant focused on vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options, plus a DIY smoothie and juice bar stocked with superfood fruits, vegetables and add-ins like chia seeds and turmeric. Beverage offerings included wellness-forward elixirs crafted by a mixologist and a naturopathic doctor: Gin-Well combined ginger, pineapple and cucumber to support digestion and reduce inflammation; a Moringa Mojito featured rosemary and mint; and Mom and Juana presented a zero-proof interpretation of the local Mama Juana tradition, macerating red wine, rum and honey with warming spices.
PHOTO: © MELIÁ
PUNTA CANA BEACH RESORT
Beyond spa treatments and mindful eating, daily programming offered many ways to engage: yoga and meditation sessions, guided bike tours (bike use was included with my suite), botanical garden walks and workshops, and fire rituals. Silent Spaces encouraged guests to quiet their internal chatter and disconnect from devices with sound healing, solo painting pods and reading retreats; walking a labyrinth offered a reliably restorative pause. During my stay I attended a Wellness Wednesday oceanfront yoga and meditation session led by local holistic expert Kyra Montagu of Ki-Ra Yoga Retreat Center, Spa and Hotel. After the class I covered myself in Rio Yaque del Norte mud — prized locally for its benefits to skin, circulation and detoxification — and rinsed it away in the Atlantic, feeling refreshed and revitalized.
Meliá Punta Cana Beach Resort has also adapted its operations in response to the global pandemic, implementing enhanced cleaning and hygiene measures and adjusting procedures and spaces to protect guests and comply with regulations. These changes may affect some services but are intended to safeguard guest wellbeing throughout the resort experience.