Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro Reviews

This was a perfect getaway for couple of days, but by day three I was ready to go home. The specialty restaurant food was just average but we did enjoy the breakfast and lunch buffets. The place was DEAD and we were in bed by 8 PM every night cuz there was nothing to do. The pool bar was fun and we met some cool folks. The staff was amazing and extremely friendly. The humidity was ungodly and we sat in the water from 9AM to 5PM everyday. There was strong smell of mold in our room as well as in the halls. I have no desire to return to Punta Cana since there is nothing to see outside the resort and I have many other destinatins on the list to that I would rather spend my hard earned on.

This adults only facility is situated on the most beautiful beach ever. Excellent food and drink quality was only surpassed by the service with which they were served. My wife and I are already making plans to return next year. Our room was relatively large compared to other resorts that we visited, but the 2 person jacuzzi was not as relaxing as it could have been. More like a bathtub with bubbles. On this trip we added a personal shuttle to-from the airport, which gave us some extra time at the resort and less down time travelling and waiting for others. Thanks, Cheap Caribbean for handling our reservations without any concerns!

My wife and I just returned from a week at the Iberostar Grand and I must say the property is beautiful and the service is excellent. We thoroughly enjoyed our week and we were truly impressed by the quality of the staff and the service we received. The breakfast and lunch buffets were terrific, especially the grilled lobster and shrimp. Our only complaint was about the system in place for the specialty dining options. There are only 4 restaurants (other than the buffet) available for dinner and when trying to get reservations within an hour of checking in we were told that 3 of them were 'sold out' and our only choice for our first night was Japanese. We could, or course, have gone to the buffet but we don't enjoy dinner buffets and would rather enjoy a 'sit-down' meal. We were told the only restaurant available for the next 3 nights was the Italian. BTW - none of the restaurants were full when we ate our meals. There was definitely room in all of them for more guests. We were able to make reservations for the French and Steak restaurants for later in the week and while the food was very good in all the restaurants the hotel has to come up with a better system to accomodate all it's guests.

My husband and I LOVED this HUGE resort. The staff went above and beyond our expectations to make sure our trip was everything we wanted and even more. The rooms were spacious and clean. We even had our OWN personal Butler... How many places do you stay at that has their own PILLOW MENU??.. Lobster at Lunch and Dinner EVERY DAY at the buffet.We had no problems with reservations with the specialty restaurants either.The beaches were clean with plenty of white sand to walk on for miles. Plenty of seating by the pool and at the beach. FREE suntan lotion to use by the pool area. We also had unlimited access to the other 2 Iberostar hotels . Just a had a GRAND TIME! We travel 2 times per year in the Islands and we just LOVED IT!

Unlike the essentially identical Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro in Cancun, where the service was tremendous AND effective and most everyone spoke at least some English, here in Punta Cana it was like being served by a gaggle of schoolchildren playing Hotel and not speaking the language. 20 people will ask you in Spanish what you would like to order - then some or all or none of them will bring you that which you did or did not order. If you mention that it's the wrong thing, they will keep on smiling. LOTS of smiling. Ridiculous reservation system in "gourmet" restaurants by kids playing grownups in tuxes. Telling guests they cannot be allowed into a half-empty restaurant because they failed to book the place with a concierge. Or because reservations expire 15 minutes after the set hour. We social engineered our way into a few places but we were certainly NOT treading the red carpet. We had one semi-capable Spanish speaker among the four of us and it was not enough. Lucky for us we are veteran travellers and low maintenance but for people who pay through the nose this would normally not be acceptable. On other notes: the pools are much better at Cancun. The hotel layout is very similar. The beach is better in Punta Cana - while the sea was not completely steady (early April), it was possible to swim laps for an hour. On the minus side, LOTS of motor boats joyriding back and forth for no apparent reason. Of course, the water in Cancun is much rougher. In Cancun you have an excellent shallow and very long salt water pool, though. Internet connection was a joke. We had days when it was down for the whole hotel. Lots of smiling apologies and handwringing. I would say that for the pool crowd it's definitely Iberostar Grand Hotel in Cancun - no hassle, easy-peasy. If you want to swim in the Caribbean, maybe try somewhere else altogether.

My husband and I are probably he easiest people to please. We don't get upset much and enjoy the simple things in life. So remember that while reading our review. Sorry this is a book. Rooms- The rooms were beautiful. Everything about them screamed luxury and class. There was a closet when you first come in to the room and next to it was a safe. The butler shows you exactly how to use it when he visits for the first time. Next to that is the bar area. It was stocked upon arrival and we also had plenty of glasses, coffee, teas and lemon lays, regular lays and banana chips. We also got some peanuts. The king size bed was a perfect size and we slept wonderfully. There was a small table to sit at and a lounger. The patio was my favorite place to be as they have a couch and table and chairs. We did NOT have a great view. Actually, it was probably one of the worst in the hotel. (7263). When we got there, he told us we had a GREAT room it was just WONDERFUL and when we got to the room after shelling out a LOT of money and booking 6 months in advance..I was pretty disappointed. We faced a more run-down hotel (that I think the staff stays at) with the TINIEST view of the ocean. We were trying to not let this get to us, but the pictures were very misleading. Location- The local is great because your one of the closest to the airports. It took us about 30-40 minutes to get there and once we got on the Iberostar property, it took another 10 to get to our resort since we were so far tucked back. It made me have a sense of security that not just any person would walk 3 miles back to the resort from the main roads. The Bavaro beach was beautiful but the ocean was a bit strong for our liking. It was hard to snorkel even by the beach as the waves brought too much sand up. When looking at the ocean to the right is vendors on the beach and to the left are the other 2 Iberostar resorts. Cleanliness- The resort is pristine. It was the cleanest place I have ever been to. From the cleaning of the rooms to how quick they turn over your table at the buffets. When you are in a restaurant they come over with a little spatula and clean off your table in front of you for the crumbs before you get dessert. We watched the "pool" boys cleaning out the pool once a day and the fountain in the middle. We also saw the men raking the beach of debris. Service- For the most part, service was excellent. You couldn't walk ANYWHERE and pass an employee without them saying "Hola!" It made for a very intimate experience. The best staff were the Star Friends. Some people saw them as a hinder in their vacation as they were always around and talking, but we enjoyed the company and laughs. Ayando (sp?) who did the Spanish lessons at 10 am was our favorite. He was awesome. The guys (and ladies) at the pool bar were so fun too. Spanish music would be playing and 8/10 times a song would come on and they would either be singing or dancing. For the amount of hours and days they work, they are very happy people. I played Bingo at 4pm with the Star Friends and won a massage! One problem we had was that we left money down on the bed for our maid to thank her for cleaning our room. When we got back in the room at almost 4:30 pm, the money was gone and our room wasn't clean. I went down to concierge and talked to a bunch of people and Wanda (the manager) told me she would get right on it and talk to me later. Well, we had to go the next day to get answers because we didn't hear anything. Wanda came up with her manager and they ensured us that we are safe and gave us a couple's massage not to make it right, but to calm our fears. It wasn't really needed, but we accepted. Upon leaving, we booked through CheapCarribean and we received a $200 credit at our resort. (that I used at the spa) Iberostar kept telling us we didn't qualify because we didn't book in October, we booked in November. Well, we did book in October and had proof, but I feel as though they just didn't want to pay for my spa services that totaled $180. Well, don't sign a contract saying its okay if it is not! Upon arrival, we were told there were NO reservations all week. This made me VERY upset. We went down to concierge and gave them our room number and they only had 2 or 3 openings at the Japanese at 9 pm. WHY would we want to eat at the same place ALL WEEK? Our butler knew we were upset so somehow found reservations for the next few days at 7 pm. Funny how things just opened up all of a sudden. But it was like pulling teeth to get in. We went back Monday and made reservations for the rest of the week. My advice to you is not to give your room number when you first ask about reservations. I feel like they hold the "good" stuff for the more important, high roller people. Spa- The spa was great. We got a couple's massage that was fantastic. I got a massage, facial and mani, pedi for only $180. Seems about right. Guests- There were a lot of Europeans but we also met a lot of American's. The universal language between everyone was English, however if you know some Spanish, that would help A LOT. There are a few topless women and a LOT of speedos. Everyone commented on how the resort was full, yet everyone had room to swim. When we went to the resort next door, the atmosphere was much different. First of all, they were having a kids program and we walked in on them screaming into the microphone. Thank God the Grand was kid-free! Food- The food was excellent. I think I ate Lobster at every meal. If you did not see what you wanted out, ask and they will get it for you. I really wanted some french fries and asked, they made them special just for me. Some of it was weird though and not labeled. I think it was a little "extreme" for our tastes and maybe if you are a foodie, you'd appreciate it more. Value- All in all, it was a great resort. There were things that probably needed to be changed...(like more Cabana's or shade in the pool) and the employee's could use a lick more English just to communicate and not shake their head yes at everything. It is a beautiful resort and maybe we were just looking for a more "fun" experience and not so much "do it on your own". I would recommended this to an older couple, a foodie or someone who just wants to sit by the pool and do NOTHING else. I was actually told by a LOT of other travelers that the Excellence was actually a much better resort. If we were to come back to the DR, that is where we would go. Oh....and HI to all our TA friends we met on this trip!! :)

Wow! I've been on many all-inclusive resort vacations throughout Mexico and the Caribbean and this one was by-far the best. From the moment you arrive, you are treated like royalty. No matter where you are in the resort, someone is there making sure you have everything you need and are having a good time. I always had a drink in my hand and had plenty to do if I wanted to do it, or could be left alone to relax in the sun. There was always plenty of seats whether you wanted to be by the pool or beach, in the shade or in the sun. You never had to get up early and save your spot. The resort was clean and smelled fresh. I loved the twice a day room cleaning and fresh towels. The butler service and pillow menus were truly amazing. The butler was always prompt whenever you ordered something to the room. I ordered a bath for 8:00pm, and it was full and hot right on time. The drinks were delicious. Top shelf liquor was everywhere. I had some of the best mojitos I've ever had! The food was all top-notch and high quality. Not like other all-inclusive resort food that is cheap and poor quality. This was actual gourmet food, and we did not have a single bad meal the entire time. We ate in each of the restaurants, buffets, and ordered room service. All of it was great. The service was so 5-star that when it rained, staff ran out to meet you at the pool or beach with umbrellas to escort you back to your room! I have nothing bad to say. Please treat yourself to a vacation here!

The resort was amazing and everybody was great. We heard about trouble getting reservations and it is true that some people had problems but we emailed ahead of time and managed to get all the restaurants and days we wanted. The pool bartender (Leo) was awesome and made a drink he called the "Leo Special" and while we don't know exactly what the mixture was, we drank a lot of them during the week. I highly recommend this resort and on top of that I actually had extremely good customer service with cheapcaribbean.com. For whatever reason the Air Tran flights we had chosen at the beginning of the reservation request weren't working at the end when we tried to pay. I sent an email to cheapcaribbean's help desk at 9:30 on a Friday night and they had responded by 10:20 that night and we exchanged another email by 11:30pm that evening. It turns out it was an issue with Air Tran's booking system and the next day, the same guy called me and helped me set up the entire vacation at the rate that we were quoted to begin with (as the flight prices had changed). You never know what to expect when booking things online but I was amazed that their responsiveness and helpfulness. Thanks again to Rob from cheapcaribbean.

The service was the best we have every had. The beach was good, The room was very good. The flight took over 16 hours from pick up to our home. The restaurant food was in some cases prepared by the waiters in the morning. No spices, just bland we cook better food. They do not spend any money training their chefs. Don't go to an Ibersostar for the food.

The resort was beautiful and the service was excellent. All adult resort which made time stand still. The hostess greeted us upon our arrival and the butler escorted us to our room, where we had a beautiful view of the courtyard with a relaxing balcony. Very few units in this fine resort face the beach, but the prestine waters and hospitality makes is worth it. The staff felt like family by day 2 - they greeted us each day by name and entertained us as we sat in the lobby, like we were dear friends. Defintely a place I would return to, and well worth the price..