Three Gays, One Inclusive Resort: My Trip with the Gay Boys to Hard Rock Punta Cana

Picture a Caribbean getaway. Turquoise waters, cocktails by the pool, and sunshine that melts away every worry. But if you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community, there’s often an extra layer of consideration. Will it be safe, welcoming, and truly relaxing? That question was on my mind when I booked a trip to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino All Inclusive Resort Punta Cana with two of my closest friends – a gay couple I adore.

The Dominican Republic itself isn’t famous for LGBTQ+ rights or open acceptance. (Check out what happened the first time I went to the DR and was looking over my shoulder most of the time.) Still, we were drawn to the idea of an all-inclusive experience where we could unwind and simply exist as ourselves. And to our surprise – that’s exactly what we got.

From the moment we stepped into the very busy resort, it was clear it was built around fun and inclusivity. And trying to get you to buy vacation weeks at the property… The staff greeted us warmly and put drinks in our hands. The sales team went after our money just like any other guests. We never felt out of place – whether at the pool, at the casino, or dancing at the silent disco.

The airport experience was less than perfect – judgmental looks reminded us that we weren’t in a particularly queer-friendly country. But once we arrived at the resort, that tension melted away. Within the gates of the Hard Rock, we were just another group of travelers chasing sunshine, laughter, and relaxation.

This blog isn’t about pretending the Dominican Republic is a queer utopia. It’s about sharing a real, safe, and affirming experience at one of its most popular resorts. If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s possible to travel here as LGBTQ+ travelers and still feel comfortable, here’s my honest story of three gays, one resort, and a whole lot of love and acceptance smothered in that Caribbean humidity.

The gay boys and I travel together a fair amount, and while I normally offer my knowledgeable Travel Agent advice on places they want to visit, I pushed hard for us to stay at the Hard Rock Punta Cana. I had never stayed at a Hard Rock resort before, even though I love visiting Hard Rock Cafe’s across the globe. So I was excited at the chance to blend the rock and roll feel of the restaurants and Rock Shops with a resort stay.

We are all foodies, so we also love the idea of all-inclusive food and drinks. It’s just so appealing! Eat when you want, grab a drink any time of day from nearly any location. And with this being such a massive resort, there is no shortage of restaurant options and swim up bars.

We also loved the idea of so many types and styles of pools and water features, the water park on the resort property, plus a massive section of beach to enjoy. And don’t forget the casino, nightclub, and shows offered throughout the complex! It’s big, and no matter what type of vacation style you’re looking for, you will find something you enjoy here.

While the Dominican Republic does not criminalize same-sex relationships, it also does not provide anti-discrimination laws or recognize same-sex marriage.  However the Hard Rock Punta Cana notes on its website that it “proudly welcomes the LGBT community,” and the hotel offers symbolic weddings on site. This helped us feel more comfortable in the planning process.

We hoped for an inclusive, safe, fun environment, and honestly, we got it. Was the sales pitch side of our vacation highly annoying? You betcha. But that was just one more way the staff proved to us that gay money means just as much to them as straight money. Which I appreciate.

This was my first time flying into Punta Cana, and I must say the airport is nicer than I expected. The airport staff are very familiar with American tourists, as evidenced by the extreme annoyance on their faces at all times.

To get to the DR you’ll need a passport that’s valid for six months AFTER your travel date, which you will need to show before you get on the plane in both directions, and to get through customs in both directions.

Getting through customs on arrival was fast and easy for me. The Gay Boys had a little more trouble since they had to tell the agents they were married. To each other… That garnered an extra once over look and a grunt, but the boys were sent through.

Getting through customs to return home was a nightmare. I was required to show my eTicket QR code before I could even approach the ticket counter. Now the DR travel website says you need to show this to enter AND exit the country, but I didn’t have to present it when I arrived. Only when I was trying to leave. The lines for everything were incredibly long, so leave yourself PLENTY of time before you’re scheduled to board.

The resort shuttle system is chaos. Even if you have pre-booked a shuttle, which I STRONGLY recommend you do if you don’t want to wait ages, you will find yourself in a herd of people trying to figure out which shuttle to go to and when. If someone shows you to your shuttle, then offers you a beer, they will expect you to pay for it. We learned that the hard way when the guy made it sound like our all-inclusive drinks had already started, then showed up with a six pack and demanded cash.

When we arrived at the resort, the reception was far nicer. Friendly bellmen, a welcoming sales staff, and an easy check-in with nothing but smiles. Our concierge asked us a few questions, and once she found out the boys were married she actually seemed more excited than before. It definitely felt like a safe environment.

While the Dominican Republic may not be considered highly LGBTQ+ friendly overall, in my experience as long as you stay within the resort areas, or the tourist heavy areas in town, there are no real safety issues. Now do I suggest making out in the middle of the town square? Of course not. Be smart about your surroundings. Within the confines of the resort, however, you can be pretty free to just be yourself and enjoy your time with your partner or friends. That, to me, is the biggest benefit of staying within the resort during the trip.

This resort is massive. I was there a full week and still didn’t do everything.

The casino is the most popular space at the resort. It does allow outside guests entry to the casino floor and the nightclub, so be aware of the people inside. The casino website says it has 43 card tables and 435 slot machines. There are also special events happening constantly, so keep an eye out if you like slot tournaments and free play opportunities. I also strong suggest joining Unity by Hard Rock, the Hard Rock rewards program, for extra perks around the resort and at the casino.

Plenty of pools to choose from, just be aware some require you to have a membership at the resort to enter. We got pretty frustrated trying to figure out where we could and couldn’t go, so once we found two pools we liked that we didn’t get kicked out of, we stayed put. There’s also a lazy river that is small, but relaxing.

The beach areas are also incredibly beautiful. There’s a more active party area, where the resort hosts dances and activities, a more quiet area for just relaxing and trying to avoid the many locals selling goods on the beach, and I even found a completely private section where I could read by myself. These areas all give an inclusive vibe from both the staff and other guests.

Most of the restaurants require reservations for dinner, with some availability for walkups early in the night. Not the best food I’ve had at an all-inclusive by any stretch, but the Italian restaurant was a surprising sandout. We also attended an immersive dinner, and seeing the table and walls surrounding us change to fit the theme of the food was pretty amazing.

Again, the staff never looked twice at us, and we weren’t treated any differently at any of the restaurants. We did sit with an older couple at the immersive dinner who weren’t… thrilled by the Gay Boys many, MANY toasts to each other… but oh well.

I love that we could all just be ourselves with no overt homophobia, no uncomfortable stares, no pointing. It makes it easier to just relax and enjoy the surroundings. The activities on site were for all ages, and the guests wanted to have fun so several danced with us and said hi to us out and about. It’s a great, accepting atmosphere.

This large and very active resort is especially busy during tourist season. Normal common-sense rules apply, like watch your stuff at night, be aware when you’re walking around the resort after dark, etc. Yes, the resort is inclusive, but it’s always important to be mindful of your surroundings.

I can’t say it enough – in a country where LGBTQ+ rights are not protected, being within the boundary of a resort and tourist infrastructure made all the difference for me. Especially a resort that publicly welcomes queer travelers. It’s just so much safer, so much less risk involved. And with a resort this large and so much to do, there’s really no reason to venture out.

Whether you choose to stay at the Hard Rock Punta Cana or look elsewhere, you’ll want to have your Travel Advisor look for resorts that explicitly welcome queer travelers. That’s one of the easiest ways to nearly guarantee inclusivity. If the resort is willing to say it on its website, for example, you’re less likely to be seen as a stranger in a strange land. The Hard Rock Punta Cana promotes inclusivity, and I felt it everywhere I went.

If you’re traveling with friends or a group, be sure your Travel Advisor puts in the request to be near each other. I can tell you from experience, this rarely works, but make the attempt. And be sure they follow up with the resort a week before check-in to try again. The Gay Boys and I were two buildings apart, which wasn’t far, but I would have preferred being closer.

As a general safety tip in a foreign country, maintain good travel behavior. Most of the queer travelers I know don’t want to draw unwanted attention, especially in a place with no LGBTQ+ protections in place. So have fun, but be smart. Especially at night. And especially at party resorts like this one.

If possible, use resort-approved transportation from the airport. This helps you stay within the “safe zone” and is far less risky than hiring a random person to drive you somewhere. Use transportation the resort already trusts and recommends.

If you do venture outside the resort, PLEASE respect local customs. Do your research and be respectful. If you don’t want people to target you for who you are, don’t add a target by being disrespectful.

I had no safety issues getting to the resort or during my stay, even after the Gay Boys left two days before I did. It really is a great feeling to just be out and proud and treated normally while on vacation. I got to relax and recharge while eating and drinking to my heart’s content!

I was so impressed with the sheer amount of fun things to do onsite. But of course, there are some standouts…

The pools were nice, and I liked the swim up bars. But the beach is where it’s at. Absolutely beautiful, and the water was wavy enough to have fun in, but not so much that I was scared of it. With a party beach and a quiet beach, I could go have fun when I wanted, but also relax and read or nap when I wanted.

I appreciated the variety of cuisine for lunch and dinner. Breakfast was all buffet, except for one coffee and pastry shop, which was open late at night as well. And there is an ice cream shop open all afternoon and evening! The drinks were decently strong, with mostly beer or mixed drink options. I also appreciated that room service would deliver food late into the night as well, since my body was still on Pacific Standard Time.

The casino is certainly worth a visit. Plenty of slots and table games, some pretty good live entertainment, and fun tournaments throughout the week.

The Rock Spa is absolutely amazing. We all did a hydrotherapy treatment, which felt great and got my blood pumping. Then we all had massages. It was the most relaxing day of the trip, and I would spend the money to do it all again in a second. Such great service and pampering.

Like I said, I’m a Hard Rock fanatic, so I thoroughly enjoyed the memorabilia tour. There’s a self-guided tour on the resort app, and a group tour once a week. I loved walking through the hotel, casino, and convention center to see all the incredible pieces.

The social vibe at this resort felt drama-free. Mostly older Americans, some families, and some party groups. For the most part it was just people having a good time together and we were part of the crowd. It was nice to participate and also nice to just people watch.

I will note that if the lively party feel is not your vibe, you’ll want to come during the Dominican’s offseason of May to November. This is the most humid time of year, and also hurricane season. So expect disgusting amounts of humidity and rain once a day. But far fewer crowds than if you go December to April.

Because of that nasty humidity, I often explored the resort after the sun went down. It truly is beautiful. There were still staff out and about after dark, which made me feel more secure. I love to explore, and there is plenty to see and enjoy here.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before… A lesbain and two Gay Boys walk into a bar…

For us it was an all-inclusive party resort where we felt welcomed, safe, and equal. If you are an LGBTQ+ traveler looking for an inclusive, fun Caribbean getaway with minimal fuss outside the sales component, this is it.

Now that isn’t a guarantee of perfection, and that also doesn’t mean every resort in Punta Cana will be the same. But within the resort my experience was positive.

If you travel together with queer friends or couples, look for publicly inclusive resorts, be smart, stay on property or in trusted tourist areas, and you can have a great time. We were able to relax, party, laugh, eat, and just be ourselves – and that’s exactly what travel should be.

If you don’t already have a Travel Advisor, I’m happy to help you plan your next Dominican Republic getaway! I will happily help you book the Hard Rock Punta Cana, or can help you find the resort that is perfect for you. Just email me here or contact me at the form below to get started!