Love the Lazy river and Fry truck

The lazy river is the best feature to this resort. So much fun! The fry truck is in the perfect location and always busy and has the best food. Restaurants are ok. Steak house still not up to par. Japanese and Brazilian are ok. Italian is very good. Buffet has excellent and numerous choices. Even a little buffet for kids!! Rooms are good. Had trouble with our room key bracelets again. Last year also! Frustrating. Need to do a better job of letting people know what activities are happening.  [... read more]Need to have more spots open for the painting class! Had problems with Sunwing flight down so it was 10 wait at Toronto so didn't get to resort until 3am. One then two people to check us in and had to take luggage by ourselves. Would come back and would recommend. This is not an adults only....many families and children.

Not worth the money

The staff were super friendly... the food was always cold at the buffets and at the a la cartes except at the Rio and the Grazie the rooms were not taken care of properly we were always lacking toilet paper etc. Rooms and service for them were not consistent with one other our friends got better service some days and then we would other days it was strange. Anytime we would ask about shopping or anything else we would get 5 different answers no communication from management to staff or one are [... read more]a to another that was very frustrating. The travel smart people were rude and very pushy... I had to get up an walk away after them not wanting to take no thank you for an answer and wasting 3 and a half hours of my day... that was the biggest annoyance on the trip and they kept trying to insinuate that we must be poor!!! Pissed me right off!!! I might go back to the DR but never to that resort and probably try to avoid Sunwing as they were not keeping up to date with the flight delays at the resort and they started to bus us to the airport even after I told them it was a major delay and they then brought us back to the resort. The entertainment was very lacking and not up to par... the only good show was the Queen tribute anywhere else I’ve been has had far better shows etc so for a 5 star we were disappointed as far as our group was concerned the whole trip was a let down

Very Nice Resort

We stayed in the Presidential one bedroom with overview, it was very nice. Two fully stocked Mini bars, massive balcony, massive bathroom. The one issue was the pushy sales guys promoting time share and dangling a free gazebo on beach for the time waste. We opted out as soon as it took 20 minutes for them to just just get organized. The food was good, Brazilian steak house was my favourite, buffet was always good, Italian was OK. Service for drinks was good. But there were so many ba [... read more]rs close by.

Amazing resort and beach !!

Excellent French fry truck at the beach, always lots of clean towels, entertainment was top notch, especially the Lion King !! and Pineapple made sure we had lots of activities to partake in: horseshoes, mini golf, volleyball, finger painting, etc. Food was plentiful at the buffets and al a cartes were good.

Paradise at its best, except for parting "gifts"

This was our first time, to the Royalton, and we highly anticipated our stay - the grounds, the entertainment (shows), hotel, room, staff, restaurants were phenomenal and impeccable...however, midway thru our stay, some of our party got sick, and upon my return, my doctor confirmed contracted: Hand, Foot, and Mouth Virus, as well as some other members of our 13- person party. Not preventable by guests, but it did spoil the rest of the holidays. With mouth ulcers, was difficult to enjoy drink [... read more]s or food. Within our group, we all had some sort of food-related ailments - while vacationing and upon our return. We are still recouping. Tip System: Tip wait staff/cleaning lady/minibar staff - tip directly, to ensure received by deserving staff. At restaurants, don't assume tips are shared equitably, hand tips directly to whoever was your server/waiter. Large groups (13 people): not easily accommodated; rooms were not together, no even on the same floor - we were asked to wait till 3 pm for accommodation, and the front desk did not accommodate our request, even when the resort was not at full capacity. Very disappointing. For dinner/lunch: For our large group was always a hassle to accommodate putting tables together; after much frustration, solution: 2 tables close by. This was disappointing, as we were hoping for a family-fun lunch/dinner experience. At Teppanaki - we were offered a private room for our large group for a $150USD fee - which we considered, as we wanted to sit together, but after much thought, we opted for two tables close by. No worth extra $, after all we paid to be at this resort. Beware - all extras at this resort cost $...private lessons at FlowRider $150USD, Teppanaki Private Room, Room Selection, Cabanas - an already expensive resort, and the additional add-ons not reasonable or affordable - cash grab! Outside Vendors - at resort: A bit pushy, and located strategically on all paths, that cannot be avoided...but if you avoid eye contact or conversation - they leave you alone. Souvenirs/Cigars/Bottles/ Paintings: You will overpay - better to pick up at Duty Free when leaving. We paid $60USD for a bottle of Mamajuana that cost $10USD at Airport Duty Free. Bargain as much as you can...otherwise, you'll be disappointed. Beware of Foam Party (especially small children): Although, we had a lot of fun at the foam party, and one of the highlights of the resort, and our stay. Watch children during foam party - my 10 year old, inhaled the foam, and was chocking as a result. He managed to be ok, but was still scary experience. Conservation Efforts: The resort has great conservation efforts in place like: no plastic straws, and motion-sensor lighting in rooms (no movement, they turn off) -which I loved! Will I return to Royalton Brand? I waited so long to be able to afford this resort with my family - as it is not cheap - but, aside from the beauty, not sure I'm ready to risk another experience like this, which I am still enduring, 4 days after returning. The resort is beautiful, with many fun, and exciting activities, but I don't anticipate a return. This review could’ve been a 5-star, but with health compromised, just can’t do it!

Needs work but good

Perfect for young children-lots of amenities for them! The teen and children’s club was lacking -needed more shiny objects to draw them in. Hunter Steakhouse was awful: the meat was fatty, potatoes dry, salad droopy. More of a 4-4.5 star than 5. But good overall! Another concern, they need to have more people that are fluent in English . When you call the front desk, their entire intro is in Spanish, quite off putting when most of the clientele is English speaking..

Good family resort

Really beautiful beaches, slightly crowded. The simulated surfing pool and lazy river were a big family hit. The dining in the buffet was great in selection and preparation however the steakhouse was below a 4 star rating( took an hour for the food and no flavour). Rooms are well maintained and all other services were to standard. Unfortunately the Kids club staff were unfriendly, inactive, unengaging and unwelcoming.( we’ve been to many other resorts and our children have enjoyed the kids  [... read more]club except for this resort) I was surprised in this as this is a resort that boasts its family oriented place of stay. I was also surprised to see the Kids club is not a category on this survey or one that I completed at the resort.

Very good resort. I would return to it.

This resort is very lovely. I found the grounds very well maintained and clean. The beach is beautiful and yes there was seaweed every day but that is out of their control. It is at every resort, and they did their best to clean it up. The rooms are big and very comfortable. The shower is great. I have no complaints about the door not shutting. I checked it every time. The pizzas from the Italian restaurant that they make at the little take out during the day are delicious and the same goes for  [... read more]the little chip wagon they have down by the beach. The only complaint I could make about the beach is that they should remove the first row of huts because it makes for people walking the beach to be right where you are and no room for sunbathers because when the waves (high tide)come in the loungers are getting wet so everyone is right up against the huts. Also the people trying to sell stuff come right threw the entire area not like other resorts that I have been to along Bavaro Beach. I agree with other people about no being able to make reservations at the restaurants make for long line ups and sometimes not even getting in and going back to the buffet which the food was very good. I would not hesitate to go back to this resort and will.

A very fine resort

There were 6 of us (adults) who went to this resort for the first time. All of us thought it was one of the best we have been to. The staff is excellent. The food is very good. One nice thing is all but one (Japanese) of the restaurants do not need reservations. The rooms are great. Lots of pools and loungers. We did not have any kids with us, but it is definitely a great family resort. The lazy river is a blast. Would definitely go back.

Beautiful - New Resort

Amazing hotel - well maintained - well manicured lawns - a fun place for adults and children of all ages. Excellent cuisine in all the restaurants. The best for variety of fruits and vegetables. fish, seafood and meats. Lazy river so much fun - lots of pool and beach activities. Drawback - Diamond Club exclusives - in the specialty restaurants that are open to all, Diamond Club members get priority reservations. We actually got bumped from the wait list to accommodate Diamond Club and that t [... read more]o me is a no-no. Diamond Club have their own restaurant and pool which if fine, but I am not a second class guest. Rooms large and clean and modern, however, the free-standing jacuzzi tub situated in the middle of the floor as you enter is strange. Great staff, excellent location on Bavaro beach - lots of sun cover and very comfortable chairs. Still, the treatment of non-Diamond Club members would keep me from going back.

Fantastic experience!

Accommodations were clean and beautifully appointed. There was always something to do without having to leave the resourt. The beach was fantastic and the pools were great. Resourt staff were friendly and accommodating. The only criticism I could offer is that it sometimes felt as though the extra attention to diamond club members at restaurants created temporary deficiencies in service for non-diamond club members.

Fun Times!

The Royalton Bavaro Resort and Spa was great. The beach, pool areas, washrooms, bars, restaurants were kept very clean. Staff were very friendly. Pizza spot and chip truck were great, although wait times were sometimes long. Nice to be able to enjoy this on the beach or by the pool without having to get dressed to go inside. Buffet was ok, nothing spectacular. Breakfast service with coffee was slow and sometimes they didn't even offer coffee. Steak house was terrible! We waited for three [... read more] hours and then the food was not cooked how we ordered it, everyone's steak was rare. Staff at the bars were great, especially those at the bar outside of the Italian restaurant. Lazy river was alot of fun. The activities we participated in were fun but it would have been nice to have the full schedules posted somewhere other than in the main lobby. Rooms were kept clean with daily service although sometimes it was pretty late in the day when they arrived which was inconvenient. Overall, this was a great holiday and the hotel met our expectations.

Amazing Resort!

Royalton Bavaro was a wonderful family getaway over the Christmas holidays. Nicolle booked us a seamless adventure and we will book through her again! The resort was on the ocean, allowed for lots of beach walking and play and resort had some wonderfully amazing employees who went the extra mile to be of assistance to us each and every day. Great accommodations and good variety of food and restaurants! Overall a 10 in my books! Thanks again Nicolle at tripcentral!

Amazing resort

This is a beautiful resort. The rooms are clean with comfortable beds and are cleaned promptly each day. While there was some seaweed the beaches were cleaned and there were plenty of chairs both there and poolside. We ate at a la cartes most nights and had no trouble with only brief wait times. The food was excellent. We did not go diamond club and did not feel we were missing out on anything.

Royalton Bavaro was beautiful!

An amazing resort, with well manicured grounds, multiple pools, beautiful beach, a fun lazy river, lots of activities for young and old, and delicious food. Staff was friendly and always ready to help you when you needed it.

Really nice resort

Restaurants were good, buffet needs improvement on food, staff was amazing, rooms were immaculate. The beach is beautiful, I cannot comment on the night entertainment as we did not attend. I would recommend this resort.

Amazing Hotel

The Hotel is brand new everything has been taken care well, all the workers are really good towards families and what they do, they are happy and smiling all the time and also very eager to help when need it, rooms are very comfortable and overall it was an amazing experience will definitely go back.

Amazing resort!

Fabulous hotel . The service and staff were all amazing . Rooms ,restaurants,facilities and grounds unbelievably clean and beautiful. We didn't stay in Diamond Club ,but still had fantastic time.We loved the hotel and definitely will return. Would highly recommend this hotel.

Great family resort

Great hotel. Fun for the family. Hours in the lazy river. Unfortunately the beach has tons of seaweed but that’s just like how it is this time of the year everywhere. But the hotel definetly makes up for it. The only draw back I found at this hotel was the layout. The walks are long and in the heat can be tedious. But tons of great drinks and food to help recharge.

Great resort, par service

This resort exceeding our expectations with all the facilities and seer size of it. Room was spectacular with tons of room in the 1 bedroom suite for my wife, daughter and I. Lots of fun things for my daughter to do with a kids play park, a teens club with a basketball court and of course the kids pool with slides and other water toys. Beach was not the greatest but I wouldn't penalize it. Service was upsetting right off the bat and nothing else about the service wowed us enough to make it ri [... read more]ght. Our room was not equipped as it was supposed to be on arrival and had no hot water. Took 4 calls and 4 hrs later, to guest services to finally get both resolved. The tech barely spoke English which became a challenge explaining the issue. All this was happening when getting my daughter to bed and after the fact to. So noise was a concern and where the tech had to excess. If it was done when we made the first call, there wouldn't have been an issue and would have nothing but good things to say. We were also there for our anniversary which we were told something would be done for us but alas, nothing. Not even a sash on the door which we saw to be a sign that someone was celebrating something (anniversary or birthday). Language barrier was more evident than we've experienced at other resorts but may be due to the size of the resort. I would rate 3 out of 5 on service and 5 out of 5 on the resort. I would go again but mention to Sunwing my first experience in hopes for some compensation. Ratings may seem skued but my opinion is you can find great resorts all over the world, what will set the amazing ones apart from the others is the service.