Where Wellness IS the Menu: Meliá Punta Cana Beach
Located on the sandy beaches of the Dominican Republic, the 478-room Meliá Punta Cana Beach Wellness Inclusive Adults Only offers a collection of buildings surrounded by gardens and connected to swimming pools and the beach by a network of walkways. The wellness-inclusive concept is built around five spaces of wellness: social spaces (for activities), silent spaces, sensory spaces, culinary spaces and personal spaces, along with a significant respect for nature and exploring the local culture.
Talking to Reyes Guzman About Wellness
We spoke with Wellness Sales Director Reyes Guzman about Meliá Punta Cana Beach Wellness Inclusive Adults Only and how she incorporates wellness into her own life.
Wellness Sales Director Reyes Guzman at Meliá Punta Cana Beach
How long have you been with Meliá Punta Cana Beach A Wellness Inclusive Resort Adults Only, and what do you do with this property?
I am the Wellness Sales Director, and I have been with the company for 22 years.
There are so many hotels, resorts, retreats and tour operators offering wellness programs and packages – tell us a bit about Meliá Punta Cana Beach A Wellness Inclusive Resort Adults Only, and what are the main point(s) of distinction?
Meliá Punta Cana Beach offers a collection of activities and rituals designed to connect guests with their physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, social and environmental development through the resort’s five wellness spaces: Social, Silent, Sensory, Culinary and Personal.
As part of the resort’s weekly wellness program, wellness experts (both locals plus guest practitioners) guide guests through special wellness activities including mud cleansing, holistic therapy, sound healing, ayurvedic cooking, juicing detox programs and active fitness classes.
These facilitated activities are in addition to the resort’s regular inclusive offerings of other activities such as bike tours, yoga and meditation sessions, garden workshops and a new and challenging obstacle course.
What pandemic-inspired policies and procedures has Meliá Punta Cana Beach implemented to keep travelers healthy and safe?
We have sanitising stations at restaurant entrances and most other public locations throughout the property. We maintain other Stay Safe by Meliá protocols, certified by Bureau Veritas, an international group specializing in preventative measures to keep visitors safe from COVID-19.
What does Meliá Punta Cana Beach offer that might attract a customer like the readers of LA Yoga?
Our partnership with Stay Well by Delos provides enhanced wellness accommodation thru The Level Wellness Suites by Stay Well. A total of 32 of our suites offer special features including mood-enhancing aromatherapy, dawn simulation to wake guests gradually and gently, an air purification system, thermal mattress for back support, and an interactive App with access to the Cleveland Clinic wellness program.
Other Stay Well amenities of The Level Wellness Suites include a welcome and guided digital meditation from Dr. Deepak Chopra, one spa treatment per day per person, a personal wellness concierge plus private pool spaces. We also host special wellness events on globally recognized dates such as International Day of Yoga and World Wellness Weekend (Sept. 16,17,18, 2022) plus other celebrations that are part of our Wellness Events Calendar.
Another big attraction for the wellness-minded is our weekly culinary workshops, such as Juice Therapy and Ayurvedic Cooking. And, of course, our restaurants offer healthy options for any diet including include Vegeterian, Vegan, and Gluten Free.
How do you incorporate wellness into your own daily life?
- Keeping an exercise practice based on stretching, running, breathing before starting my day’s routine.
- Taking time to meditate at the end of the day.
- Spending time with my family and friends.
- Getting enough sleep.
What are the top wellness trends you are seeing at Meliá Punta Cana Beach?
An increased interest in participating and learning more about wellness practices such as more conscious eating. Plus, more guests are telling us they want to incorporate these new practices into their daily routines after they return home.
Do you feel technology is important as it pertains to wellness, and if yes, how and why? If no, why not?
I believe that technology used consciously can be beneficial. For instance, apps dedicated to keep an exercise routine, incorporate meditation in their lives, or keep track of health improvements can all help in their own small ways.
Here at Melia Punta Cana Beach, we have integrated technology in our Wellness Suites by Stay Well with special amenities such as the Wake Up Light-Clock that helps our guests wake up gradually plus combines both light and sound to create a more natural wake-up experience.
There’s also the Air Purification System that reduce allergens, toxins, smoke and microbes from the air, and the Aromatherapy Machine allowing guests to select a specific scent intensity in their rooms.
Do you and, if yes, how do you incorporate the local community or culture into the programing at Meliá Punta Cana Beach?
We have incorporated local culture experiences and community into our programing with local wellness experts leading wellness activities and workshops including a weekly Taino Percussion Workshop where guests can learn how our Taino ancestors used to play drums on special occasions and during sacred ceremonies and rituals.
Also 90% of the products used in the treatments offering in our YHI Spa are organic and locally sourced.
What is your final note of advice for living your best life?
Be mindful, be present in the moment.
The mantra that leads both my personal and professional life is, “May Your Wellness be a Must!”
Learn More About Melia Punta Cana Beach
Meliá Punta Cana Beach Wellness Inclusive Adults Only
Co-Founder and President /CEO of the Wellness Tourism Association, Anne Dimon has been a travel writer and industry journalist for close to 25 years, and has traveled the world as a columnist/contributor to a variety of publications. Anne is also Owner/ Editor of TravelToWellness.com launched in 2004 as the first online magazine/resource for the wellness-minded traveler. Prior to her life as a journalist, Anne was president of her own public relations company specializing in hospitality. She has also worked in the hotel industry as a director of public relations. An acknowledged wellness travel expert and industry consultant, Anne is also the co-author of The Travel Institute’s new Wellness Travel Specialist Course.