Q about Excellence Punta Cana

We finally decided to go to DR for our 'babymoon' and we're trying to pick our room - for those that have been there, is the swim up junior suite better (is it a private pool? I am confused) or is an ocean view suite better?
thanks!

I went in 2005 with DH.

Swim up just means that the room is on the ground floor and your terrace door opens up to a patio. From the patio, you can walk directly to the pool or beach, instead of having to walk out your front door and around the building.

To me, view is not really that important since we never really spend so much time in the room.
If you can, try to book the concierge service if it is still available. Costs a bit more, but the perks were worth it.
If I had to choose the extra cost between ocean view or concierge service, I'd choose concierge service.

We booked thru Liberty Travel, prices are comparable to those on Expedia, plus we got an extra perk, a certificate for spa services.
I prefer to work with Liberty, only because I deal with a real person and not a computer.

Concierge level has some good perks.
Private check in/check out (done in the concierge office instead of the lobby)
Private lounge with continental breakfast service, afternoon hors d'ouvres, evening after dinner drinks, internet service, TV lounge. It was also the only bar that served Corona beer.
Beach towels in room instead of having to retrieve them every day from the towel hut.
Top shelf liquor in the room, any brand you may request.
Evening turn down service.
Concierge to handle any arrangments you may need - spa services, restaurant reservations, excursions, etc.

We really utilized the lounge. Every afternoon we and another couple would sit out on the terrace for a while befoe dinner, and Jose the waiter would have a bucket of ice cold Coronas waiting for us. He would then prepare a plate of hors d'ouvres for us to pick at.
Some nights after dinner we would come back and hang out there. If it was a warm evening, the lounge is air conditioned and we would sit inside.

It was really an enjoyable trip. We want to go back, but may try Riviera Maya in Mexico first.

my dad arranged and paid for our HM so i can't give you much specific details, but it was the best time of our lives! he booked through an agency, we had a room on the 2nd floor and although we didn't have a view, it didn't matter cause all we had to do was go outside and take everything all in!

i do know Jen (peteysbride) had a room on the ground floor level and she said at 4am she'd hear the drunk people coming back from the bars so i'm thankful that didn't happen to us, we had peace and quiet at all times!

enjoy punta cana you're going to have a blast!

we booked through travel tom (found him on here). the pool winds through a good part of the resort. we got our room as a part of the Excellence Club. It cost a little more, but we had 24 hr concierge service, free internet, and some other extras. The 'swim up' rooms are on the main pool that is down by the beach. DH and I said that if we were to go back, we'd get one of those. Much easier to get in and out of your room when you are sunning yourselves than to have to trek back up to your room in another part of the resort or even just up the stairs.

eta to say we had a jr ocean view suite.

we went to Excellence Riviera Maya and had a room on the 2nd floor. everyday laying by the pool i was hating on the people who had swim ups - because you can just step out your door and lounge in the sun next to the pool...

so when we booked another vacay for this december at the playa mujeres resort, we sprung for the swim up!

we didn't do the excellence club so i can't speak to the advantages of that.