Iberostar Bavaro All Inclusive

This was the first time I've traveled outside of the U.S. so i had no idea what to except. Check-in was super. Very informative, quick and painless. The room was surprisingly exactly what was pictured on the hotel's webstite. Clean and pretty modern. The airconditioning worked but not very strong, one setting. There was also a ceiling fan which helped. The beach was simply amazing. White, clean sand but sadly no sea shells to be found anywhere. The ocean was the best part. The temperature was perfect and you could see right to the bottom. The most pretty blue hues from the water were mesmerizing. There is drink service on the beach but only one staff member worked it so it was difficult to get service. Although the beach is nice for families keep, in mind there are topless woman roaming around so the pool area may be better for children. The beach was by far my favorite part of the vacation. The people that worked there were pleasant. Always saying hello as you pass by. Im not a pushy or needy person but im sure if I needed something someone would be happy to get it for me. Tipping people like the waiters, bellboy, bartender, etc. always helps seeing that they pretty much make squat for all that they do. Very, very friendly people. The food.... lets just say it wasn't my cup of tea. There is a large selection of things at the buffet but everything was extremely bland. The food was mostly catered to Europeans. They had a make your own pasta creation station which I had almost every night. The desserts were my favorite part. Yummy. I was disappointed that were was not much seafood offered. We ate at the steakhouse one night and it was terrible. The meat was so rough and grizzly my knife wouldn't cut it. Not good. After that experience we did not want to try another "specialty" restaurant. My boyfriend and I were fairly timid and kept to ourselves. The language barrier was tough for us. Not only was it hard to understand the staff, but there were a ton of Europeans vacationing as well. The resort was a smorgasbord or languages. I would advise people not to go in May because that is when their rainy season starts. We were there nine days and it rained every day except one. It was not a constant rain, it came and went but was always overcast skies. We had an excursion planned but it was cancelled because of the weather. We didnt sign up to do anything else. I would tell people to do as much as you can or else your trip will be boring. Im mad at myself for not going outside my comfort zone to try new things. We did see one nightly enterainment show and it was fun, but we didnt want to see any other ones. Overall it was a nice, relaxing, quiet vacation. I got a pretty good tan even in yucky weather. The resort was beautiful and nicely maintained. The staff went above and beyond. TWO thumbs up!

Great location and pool

The hotel was amazing and the food was first class. It was a rather larger hotel and the beach was clean. For the price, you couldn't beat it! I would recommend eating at the buffet most of the time (especially when they have lobster) but the Gourmet restaurant was great as well. Skip the Japanese. Not good.

Great location, friendly staff, good food....overall very relaxing and just what the doctor ordered. We would go back in a heartbeat!

Positives - Good rooms, large pool, nice beach area, above average food, beautiful grounds, lots of different activities to do, nice nightlife entertainment, nice gym, and since there are 3 Iberostar complexes all walking distance, you can visit the other hotels, their casino and nightclub, if the weather is nice this is a beautiful romantic or a family getaway. Negatives - Too many kids although not really bothersome, some staff were kind of unfriendly especially the bartenders and many did not speak english at all, some bungalows were surrounded by smelly swamps after rain. Overall - The positives far outweigh the negatives, I have never gone back to same place twice so far but would consider coming back here. Oh and the restaurants on the grounds are really so so.

The staff were very friendly and helpful. Our 1st room was so loud that it felt as though the show was happening right there in the room. We were moved to a much quieter room the next day, which made the experience much better. The dining in the specialty restaurants appeared to be superior to dining at the buffet for dinner. The beach was beautiful and clean. They did seem to run out of Diet Coke, but otherwise, there were no unanticipated problems with beverages. The spa services were super and reasonably priced.

Great place to relax and just get away from the winter cold, Food was good, They had night time shows Large mix of people from different countries Had a nice massage done. Themed restaurants were good. Beach was nice and there were many chairs and huts to choose where to sit. They organized daily activities around the pool but they were not pushy about joining. Food service people were attentive and plentiful to get your beverages and clear off your plates.

Great trip. We had wonderful weather. The hotel is located right on the beach. The service was incredible. We went parasailing and snorkeling. There are direct flights from NY/NJ area. The hotel ground is beautiful and the rooms have balconies. Request a king size bed if you are a couple.

I wanted an upscale resort with great ameneties and a beautiful beach (for a much needed rest) at a reasonable price. Iberostar Bavaro was all of that. This was the second Iberostar I've stayed at (the other in Mexico). These folks know how to provide a high-quality experience. Very impressed again.

Wildon was an awesome bartender at the swim up bar during the day and lobby bar at night. Super friendly and fun. He was always singing. I highly recommend the Bahama Mamma frozen drink with rum. Yum! The food at the buffet and at the restaurants was very good. It was better than other all inclusive resorts we have been to. The Star Friends were great especially Eduardo. : )