We have stayed at 3 Mexican Secrets resorts (Maroma, Akumal, Playa Blanca) over the last 4 years but decided to try JOIA this year. They are all adults only, and highly rated and similar priced. We stayed in the beach view Butler so it was higher rated than the cheapest Secrets rooms we stayed at Beach - Certainly all 4 are comparable but I do give the edge to JOIA as there is a better effort to control sargassum with a 3 mile long floating barrier to try to control it. It made going into the ocean pleasant Room - JOIA is the smallest of all the resorts although that was not really an issue. Secrets did a better job in comfort and convenience. The bathroom is where JOIA is really weak. Too small. The tub was old and the had lots of small cracks, we did try to use it but when the jets were turn on, black dirt came out and it was gross. The shower had only the rain shower and it was noticeable plugged so not a great experience. Cheap quality soaps and shampoo. Secrets Playa blanca was the clear winner although all of the Secrets were better Grounds - JOIA easily won this one. All of these resorts are beautiful, but the ship, and plants, and size was a winner here. No crazy stairs to the lobby like all of the Secrets. The lobby is really nice, and lots of things happening at the lobby too. Maroma was a close 2nd, Food - Now this one is certainly interesting. Akumal was the best for us, but JOIA had both pluses and Minuses. One thing we like it to go to the specially restaurants at a resort, to enjoy a specific meal. But the buffet at this resort was the best meals we had. Better than Secrets too. Especially Thursday night Gala where it is seafood night (lobster and crab). Do not miss this. The Italian you would think is great, but it was not. The French was way better, and the Steak/seafood Gallion was good but not great. (although the steaks were really good) The Asian is basically a teppanyaki which every resort has, if you like that. I think an update on menus is greatly needed and perhaps updating the restaurant/buffet itself is needed. The buffet room looks like 70's banquet room, although we certainly enjoyed breakfast and lunch here. It is puzzling as the ship is in the centre of the action and feels like a European dock side. The outdoor buffet is just ok but the seating has a nice view of the beach Drinks - ok but not great. Too often they served us poor quality spirits even when we asked for the premium stuff. Right in front of us too. Why do they even have the poor quality stuff there. This is a premium #1 resort, act like it Activities - Golf course right on the resort, tennis is excellent but could use a dedicated pickle-ball court (do not try to convert a tennis court to that, it will only fail. (Maroma tried and failed miserably) a dedicated pool volley ball court is nice touch. But organized activities is weak. Secrets does a way better job and certainly more interesting. Pools - Just ok. Too many cracks and damage around the pool. Missing and damaged tiles everywhere. The temperature of the water was a little warm and hot tub was nice but really too hot. The really great thing is that the resort does not charge extra for the cabanas. Nice touch and kudos to JOIA for that. Akumal and Playa Blanca do charge for cabanas. To be honest, even with the extra charges, the pools at these 2 secrets really blows this resort out of the water. (not Maroma) It would have been cool if the ship was part of the swimming pool instead of just a prop. An adult water park of sorts, with the swim up bar in the ship. (ok I am dreaming now) Spa - disaster. The water therapy was included so we tried it. It was located inside our building facing the ocean. Sounds great right? wrong. It is a hot tub in a room with 2 chairs, steam room and sauna. Showers not working. The fitness room is here too. It feels like a joke or something. Come on JOIA. Even a cheap Dreams kids resort we stayed at had better facilities. Don't even offer it as it cheapens this beautiful resort. Overall - While we did enjoy this resort, Beach, buffet, grounds, tennis and poolside cabanas, there were too many negatives for us. Bathroom, spa, restaurant choices. There are so many choices to go to at this price point (high end cruses, high end resorts). We won't be back sorry to say.

This resort had great food, great amenities and really friendly staff. The resort was very clean and spacious with well thought design. The coffee shop was my favourite. The fully loaded gym and the casino were a bonus because we had access to the other Iberostar resorts through Joia. The only part I would say needs improvement is the entertainment during the day and night. The night shows felt very repetitive and nothing special. There was also no dock/live games/dancing/entertainment at the pool during the day.

JOIA Bavaro Iberostar is such a warm and welcoming place. You are catered to from beginning to end. The grounds, beach, pools and hotel are amazing! I would not hesitate to recommend this adult only resort! Kathleen

Absolute perfection—again! This was our 6th or 7th stay at Joia Bávaro by Iberostar, and it somehow gets better every time. This resort has truly become our home away from home. Houston, our butler, was exceptional—professional, attentive, and genuinely caring. He made every detail seamless. Ery at the pool bar was incredible, crafting great drinks with a fun, welcoming energy that kept us coming back. Mornings were made brighter by Ortiz at the buffet, whose warmth and friendly service set the perfect tone for the day. The golf course was a dream, and exactly what we Canadians need in January—lush, beautiful, and a perfect escape from winter back home. From the outstanding staff to the beautiful grounds and flawless service, Joia Bávaro continues to exceed expectations. We wouldn’t hesitate to return and already can’t wait for our next visit. Highly, highly recommended.

We absolutely love this resort. I am mobility challenged and this place is totally accessible starting with the small size along with the elevators to upper floors. This year was our 3rd year in a row and we will be going back next year. We loved Manuella, Yelly, Smiley as well as the bar tenders Thomas in the lobby and Tobias at the pool. Our butlers (Daniel and Edward) were excellent and did everything to make our stay comfortable. Food was good, some meals were cold but mostly all were good. Beach was well kept since seaweed was rampant. Daily cleanup so not much of a problem. We had one of our suitcases damaged on route there and went to Air Transat customer service to report it but have not heard a word since. It has been 1 month so I guess they are blowing us off but suitcase cost $100+ and now has no wheels and large gash in the side. We will try to keep following up but are not feeling positive. Anyway this is the resort o go to. Although they say adults only I saw at least 4 or 5 kids under 18. So be aware.

You would be hard pressed to find a resort more relaxing and well-run than this! Grounds are immaculate and service was incredible. Amelin was our waiter on many occasions and would always seek us out to say hi, much appreciated. Samuel as well was always welcoming and helpful. À la carte restaurants were all great quality, the house wine was great, and the bartenders were always charismatic and energetic. The new coffee shop is a great improvement too, highly recommend!

This was our first time to this resort. The Joia is a beautiful, well kept resort with excellent service, beach, Food, cleanliness, and accommodations. There were a few minor issues like toilets too low, no wand in shower, insufficient ventilation in bathroom, aging beach lounger pads, and the number of loungers by the pool and on the beach. During our week long stay, you had to get up early to get a decent lounger. Unfortunately, there were those who claimed their lounger first thing and did not show up for a couple of hours. We observed many returning customers which is an indicator of the quality of this resort is. We found the staff to guest ratio to be one of the highest we have ever encountered during our 20 plus years of travelling to the Caribbean. The price was on the high side, but if you appreciate the finer things this resort has to offer, then it is worth the higher price. Overall, a great relaxing week and we will definitely be returning.

The resort was beautiful with pristine grounds, spotless facilities, and very friendly staff (Tobias at the pool bar, Javier always getting me to dance, Ortiz at restaurant) . The food was always abundant with plenty of options to choose from, and there were more than enough chairs available by both the pool and the beach. The only downside was the Japanese restaurant, which, despite being the only one requiring reservations, felt rushed with minimal interaction from the chef. Otherwise, everything exceeded expectations for a wonderful stay!

This was by far the nicest resort we have stayed in out of the 30+ so far. Top shelf liquor, excellent meals, beautiful grounds. The butler was so helpful…shout out to Cofè! We recommend this for couples looking for quiet atmosphere!

This was our third time at this resort. It has a vey "chill" vibe to it. The beach is amazing. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The resort is very clean. It never seemed busy, even though I was told the resort was at 90% occupancy. I strongly recommend this resort and will definitely return again.

We stayed last year at the same time and loved this resort. Unfortunatly we could only book 2 weeks last year because of availability. We moved to TRS Turquesia for our last week and were dissapointed. This year we stayed for weeks (Dec. 14 to Jan 4) and enjoyed it very much. We stayed in room 7379 Oceanview Butler suite which, in my opinion is the best room in the resort. We toured the oceanfront rooms and the price difference was not worth it. We loved the beach as well as the pool areas. The food was great in all the resteraunts as well as the buffets. My favourite place for lunch was the grill by the pool, best burgers ever. Our butlers Cofe, Renaldo and Juniour were very attentive and made things very easy to handle. I am mobility challenged so the elevators and the size of the resort were perfect. The bars are well stocked with high end choices as well as freindly bar tenders. We did not do any excurtions but heard Samona was nice. The staff were very accomodating like yelly who was very good. We will be going again next year at the same time.

Well manicured grounds and stately architecture. Love the lagoon and boat replica. Suites comfortable and nice decor with balcony & jacuzzi tubs in bathroom. Small property so everything quite accessible and within walking distance to lobby, beach, restaurants. Great accommodating staff, esprvially fun Animation team. Lovely beach- white sand, not rocky with palapas for shade. Pool nice and weekly foam party. Bingo, archery, darts, dance lessons, disco, yoga and more with nightly entertainment. Light music, DJ, singers, tribute shows, lots of dancing shows. Gourmet style food in restaurants, lots of sushi. Theme night buffets. Wonderful buffets for Xmas & New Years celebrations.

The resort was well maintained, the room was nice and clean.The food and drinks were fantastic. The service from the staff was friendly, fast and easy going. Would highly recommend staying at this adult only resort.

We wanted something that was private and special as we were celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the day we met, exchanged wedding rings during a romantic dinner on the beach then continued with our honeymoon. Our trip also included my husband’s birthday and Mother’s Day…Iberostar Grand Bavaro was amazing!!! The beach was wonderful! We walked everyday. After seeing the other resorts along the beach (too many people, no shade or lounges, too noisy, small beach area) we knew we made the correct choice with the Grand. Even though we are not pool people, they were very nice and the grounds were beautiful. The food at the restaurants and the buffets were exceptional, the service was always prompt and pleasant. Our room was an ocean view butler suite. It was nice but unfortunately was on the 2nd floor and was furthest from the beach which was disappointing - we had contacted Iberostar prior to arrival to confirm our “closest to the beach” request but never received a response. At check-in and after speaking with the on-site rep nothing could be done to change our room/location. We were told that agencies are only given specific blocks of rooms regardless of what they promise. However, it would have been appropriate for Management to reply to our e-mail to advise. So be aware! All of the staff at the resort were amazing - definitely 5-star! However, we really didn’t care for the “time share” type of presentation/sell tactics for other Iberostar Resorts while receiving our hotel promo coupons…stuff like that is not acceptable for a 5-Star and Management should rethink this type sales tactics. Back to the positive - now that we have experienced the Grand we plan on returning (with a few tweaks) as it was a wonderful trip and we would definitely recommend this resort!

It's my favourite resort in Punta Cana! I have been staying there from Mar 24 to March 31, 2024 Excellent service, beach, food, room and everything. No complaints. Will be back for sure. Thank you, Iberostar for one more great vacation.

Everything about the resort was very good, the staff was fantastic. The only complaint I would have is the common areas, hall ways, including the many lobby bar area had no AC, it was very hot made it uncomfortable.

Review Great first impression… The entrance looked stunning, and smelled wonderful. Check in was fast and easy, and the room was ready ahead of time We were told about the morning after arrival meeting to get an $800 resort credit and they sort of made it sound necessary, but it’s definitely not. We didn’t go and were never once approached by any sales people. All of the hallways smelled wonderful and were nice and cool to walk down as well The grounds are gorgeous and always being tended to and manicured by the hard working staff. The attention to detail is incredible: fresh flowers on the tables in the buffets and restaurants, fresh towels twice a day, turndown service, chocolates, daily snacks, bottle of Dominican rum, white & red wine, a variety of beverages, lots of bottled water, towels animals every night with rose petals on the bed, they treat each & every person like they’ve known them for years, and the list goes on…. The room was always nice and cool and it’s the first Caribbean resort where I wasn’t sweating my butt off in the bathroom while putting on my makeup. It was great!! The room did feel a tiny bit damp at first, but it wasn’t bad. I have never used damp rid, so I don’t know how effective it is, but I’ve heard others mention it before. I always dried off my swimsuits outside on the drying rack. The bath towels, hand towels and washcloths are plush, unlike other resorts and they give us the amounts everyday that we requested, which is not a typical thing at any other resort we’ve been to. All of the staff are “A”-mazing!! So happy and friendly. Always singing and dancing around. Our butler wasn’t the best, but one night he left a path of rose petals on the floor that led to the jacuzzi where he had run a bubble bath to surprise us. He had spelled out “love” with rose petals on top of the bubbles. It was fun… The buffets were delicious and always prepared so beautifully. We ate breakfast and lunch there every day. This is the first resort I’ve ever been to in Punta Cana that has unsweetened iced tea, which I love drinking at meals. (Usually I have to make it myself, which was nice not to have to explain what I needed to make it.) At dinner time we always ate at an ala carte restaurant (without reservations may I add). They all had fantastic food. Our favourite was the gourmet restaurant. Every night around 7:00 there were singers in the lobby area where the, “dance people” tried to get everyone to dance. It was always fun to watch and listen to. Every night at 9:30 there were shows in the theatre that were fun to watch. Thursday night was the white party in the parking lot that was probably very fun, but it was too hot the night we were there so we just went back to our swim-out to cool off. At 11:00 pm every night there is a disco below deck of the ship. There is also a pool table and dart board too. We went one night. It was fun. There were always palapas available at the beach. The beach was great. Easy to get in and out of too. There was very little sargassum, which never bothers us anyways. The water temperature was perfect. There were plenty of Cabanas and we had one every day. We did have to grab it fairly early though. That was really nice to have. There were always lots of pool towels, so we were never without, and they really didn’t limit you as to how many you could have. The pools were lovely but way too warm. Not refreshing at all, but it was very hot and sunny, so I would expect nothing less. It was never hard to get a drink at the pool. The waitress was great, and even the bartenders were very attentive. The activity staff were amazing and something was always happening. I’ve never seen so many different activities at a resort before. This is the first resort I’ve ever been to where the washrooms by the pool for spotless, and had somebody standing there to clean them after every person left! No disgusting wet floors, etc. Bugs were never an issue with us whatsoever, but, there was an evening wedding in the sand and everyone was getting bit by sand fleas, I assume. They must come out at night, because they were never a problem during the day. We had full access to the other Iberostar resorts and you could have someone take you anywhere on site by golf cart. One day we went to Caribbean Street to do a little shopping. The day we were leaving, our favourite hostess set up a special table for us to say goodbye. She put a white rosé bouquet and other tropical flowers on the table and folded our napkins in a different way. When we returned from the buffet, she had spread red rose petals around the table. She was so sweet, and it was such a nice surprise!! So, as you can tell by my review, the resort was amazing, and we will definitely go back again.

We thorouly enjoyed our vacation at Iberostar Grand Bavaro.Service is incredible at this resort.The resort is very well maintained.Staff are amazing,there is absolutely nothing they will not do so you enjoy your stay.We hope to return again.

Resort is beautiful, very clean and well maintained. Staff are very pleasant and service was excellent. Food ranges from average to excellent depending on restaurant. Pool area and beach were beautiful.

The grounds are beautiful. Everything very well taken care of. Public areas are very nice and clean. Dining is very good when comparing to other resorts. Always chairs at the beach. No getting up with the birds to reserve a chair! The resort is not big which is perfect. Would definetely recommend this resort and would go back.

My wife Julie and I stayed at the resort pre-pandemic in 2019. I am pleased to report that it certainly survived through COVID and kept their very high standards. Staff were very attentive and constantly went the extra mile - my birthday celebration was most memorable. The golf course is one of the nicest resort courses I have ever played. Two thumbs up!

We just returned March 24th, 2023 from a two week stay. We were there last year and loved it so much we decided to go back again this year.The resort is absolutely beautiful in every way. It is immaculately kept inside and out. The pools are wonderful and the beach second to none. The grounds are beautiful. The rooms are on the older side but wonderfully kept. The staff for the most part are great, so friendly. This is a 5 Star all-inclusive in every way. Now, the small negatives. This is an all-inclusive and they advertise 'no tipping'. However, we felt pressured and stressed over tipping everybody. When we go to an all-inclusive we seldom take much money. Now, you don't have to tip but you feel the pressure. In one instance a bar server came and put coasters in front of us and asked for a tip! We hadn't even ordered drinks.Iberostar needs to clean this up. Charge a little more but prohibit tipping, similar to Sandals. Everyone gets a butler, like it or not. How much do you tip these guys? They typically just make your dinner reservations and ensure the fridge is loaded with your preferences but you're in for $100 a week. The second issue is the food. We found the night buffet and the lunch buffet place had little to our particular tastes. Lots of weird choices. Their fries and pizza are great but you can't live on that. We were very disappointed in the dinner selections at the night buffet. No roast beef, no turkey, no homemade burgers, no Mac n cheese. The service in the buffets has gone down since last year. It would take 20 minutes to get a coffee in the morning. The reservation restaurants are great with excellent service but alternate choices to beef were not to our liking. The beef is fantastic. They need to expand their menu choices! Lastly, the place lacks a coffee, sweets, ice cream snack place. I suggest getting rid of the wine store which no one goes in and get a fun coffee & sweets place. Most all-inclusive have these. Finally, the Punta Cana airport is your worst nightmare and for that reason alone we doubt we'll go back to DR. Two hours in a row it has taken us to check-in to leave. You stand in line with seemingly thousands of people and barely move and we pay extra for Elite level. Just horrible. On top of that Sunwing was 1 1/2 hours late departing for no known reason.

The resort was kept very clean . Staff were very friendly and always there to help with anything you wanted or needed. This was by far the best resort I have stayed in so far traveling south. Food was especially good no matter which restaurant you went to and serviced excellent as well. Most all the staff spoke good english.

We enjoyed this resort for it's clean rooms as well as the maintenance of the buildings and grounds.The resort was a nice size the eating areas were never crowded. The staff were very pleasant and well trained, very eager to please the guests. Food was always very attractively presented.Beach lounges were all very comfortable, which doesn't happen at some other resorts. We would go back again.

Grounds and room beautiful. Unfortunately, 4 of the 5 a la carte restaurants were not great. Only restaurant that was any good was the Surf and Turf. I got food poisoning in the Japanese restaurant. In the buffet I asked for gluten free pasta and it wasn’t so not happy about that!

This was a very nice property and definitely 5 star in all aspects. The a la carte restaurants were excellent. Buffet breakfast was very good. Lunch buffet was just ok but the view from the restaurant makes up for it. Entertainment was excellent, both in the theatre but also in the lobby area. Lots of live music and staff to dance and entertain the guests. The golf course was also very well conditioned and fun to play and a good deal at $79 for resort guests. As far as COVID protocols there was signage and hand sanitizer stations around but that was the extent of it from what I could see. The hand sanitizer on the elevator I was using was empty all week.

The grounds are extremely well kept. Public areas are also well kept and clean. The rooms are classy, clean and comfortable - high class. The dining was excellent. Ate very well and too much for the ten days we were there! Butlers are the ones responsible for reserving your restaurants in the evening. We saw butler at beginning of trip and he reserved our first three nights, but after that we didn't see him. So we would show up at a restaurant of our choice and they would accommodate us. The restaurant employees are so very nice, lovely people. The resort isn't too big which is also nice. Doesn't take a few days to orient yourself. Everything was perfect. I would highly recommend this resort and would go back. It is a little bit more expensive, but well worth the money. Also, chairs were always available at the beach in the morning - no rushing early in the morning to reserve a chair. However, the pool was a different story, but I prefer the beach to the pool. I love the pool in late afternoon after spending the day at the beach.

Iberostar Grand Bavaro, for us, has been one of the best all inclusive Caribbean experiences in the recent years. The hotel is clean and is being continuously cleaned by staff members. Hand sanitizers are everywhere. Staff wearing masks at almost all times to ensure guests safety. The rooms are cleaned more than once a day. Rooms are modern and spacious. The food is consistently good. From the buffet experience (be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner) to the speciality restaurants, the food that is being served is versatile and of good quality. We could not have asked for a better experience and if we come back to Punta Cana, Ibersator Grand Bavaro will still be our number 1 choice for the stay. Special thanks to Alby, Jose, Ruth who helped make our experience that much more better. We are truly grateful for every member of the staff who made our stay relaxing, joyful and memorable.

First of all, Victoria Guest did a great job on our booking to this resort. Resort is amazing, truly 5 star. Rooms, layout, pools, beach, all great. Restaurants are overall good but the need for reservations is a pain. Italian restaurant needs better Italian food; lasagna and spaghetti are not good. My wife hated the fact there is a woman employee always looming in the washrooms. The need for a butler is questionable but he was nice. Beyond that, the place is spectacular.

We stayed at the Iberostar Grand Bavaro from March 30th to April 6. The hotel is beautiful as are the grounds. The rooms are well appointed and house keeping was amazing. Our butler’s were always helpful and friendly. The food was good except for the Italian restaurant that was bad the others were good. The ocean and beach simply the best I guess the only wish for us would be less fish at the buffet and open up on other item. We would return for sure.

This resort is one of the most beautiful resorts I have ever stayed at! The vegetation is spectacular and the grounds kept absolutely immaculate! Rooms are very clean and spacious! The resort offered a wide arrange of food and we were pleasantly surprised at how good it all was! The only disappointment was the Japanese restaurant as I’m used them entertaining you and our chef was not in the mood I guess!! Also, breakfast had a variety of things to offer but again, the same things daily!!

Great week at the Iberostar Grand Bavaro. The staff are fantastic without exception, always a friendly word and smile and there to assist. The hotel, property, amenities, pools, and the beach are all top of the line. Unfortunately had some issues with food on this trip but a great week in the DR despite this.

Beautiful resort, excellent food, great service, friendly staff. We definitely recommend going to this resort. We stayed 10 nights in November and the weather was terrific. The beach was large with lots of cabanas for shade.

The hotel was gorgeous upon first stepping foot inside for our honeymoon, the service is topnotch and genuinely given by the wonderful staff which strive to make your visit that much more special and enjoyable. Rooms were always kept clean along with the facilities, every day our room was decorated with different arrangements to keep our stay welcoming along with the delicious chocolates and beverages in our mini fridge. Considering it was our honeymoon they made sure to help keep it romantic with champagne and rose petals, also notable was Samuel who went above and beyond, the best server anyone could ask for. The shampoo and other cleaning products were very nice for our hair and skin. The food was the least of our concerns during the whole vacation because of the great reviews my wife and I read before deciding, gluten free was an important aspect because she is Celiac which is a serious allergy to gluten so that kind of care and attention was vital. They delivered, she didn't seem to have any reactions or symptoms. Food was plentiful and delicious, the amenities like the pools and volleyball, ping pong, numerous open hut type areas where you could lay by the beach and enjoy the beautiful view of the ocean was wonderful. I highly recommend Iberostar, it's left such a good impression that we will choose this hotel establishment at other future destinations abroad.

We have stayed there 5 times. Fantastic staff, great food. Beautiful grounds. Service unbelievable. Excellent drinks. Love the pool and beach. Butlers great . No complaints. We will go again.

Had a really great time here. Everything was amazing; the food, the cleanliness, the hospitality, the beach, the rooms. We can't say enough positive things about this resort. The activities were fun, the staff was always pleasant, other than one bartender at the pool that always seemed annoyed at me for ordering frozen drinks. Other than that I Highly recommend this resort.

This hotel is immaculate. Everything is so clean, the staff is always helpful, the grounds are beautiful, the beach is amazing. We have only positive things to say about this resort. The food is out of this world. The buffet is as good as the a la cartes. Our butler went above and beyond to make our stay one we will always remember.

This property is by far the nicest we have ever stayed at, and we travel often. The grounds and beach are immaculate, service unparalleled. Food and drink outstanding. Just wish I was still there!

The luxury of space, attention to detail, staff that could not do enough for you - what was not to like? Excellent resort golf course - Pete Dye - on of the great golf course designers of his era. Restaurants were great - sometimes a bit cool - but I guess better that than too warm. Fabulous entrees and imaginative appetizers. We had a fabulous room with an ocean view. Thank you “Boom Boom” for you attention and caring about our stay with you.

We were very impressed with the general appearance of the resort. Grounds were well maintained with grounds keepers constantly picking up dead leaves, trimming hedges and picking up litter. Rooms are well maintained and cleaning staff are very friendly and eager to assist. Our butlers, Johsu and Staling were terrific. They responded to our every request. Nice choice of restaurants with friendly staff. Our dinner at The Surf & Turf restaurant was a disappointment as the lobster was over done and the beef was tough or the knives were dull. The beef was also tough at the Italian Restaurant. The Bella Vista restaurant with its buffet was super. Choices galore. We actually gained weigh while at the resort. On occasion smokers detracted from our meals. We recommend that all restaurants be made smoke free. We spent most of our time lying next to the pool where eager staff encouraged us to participate in various activities ranging from archery to bingo. If the resort is planning to do a bit of a face lift, we recommend that they replace the low toilets with comfort height toilets. Flights to and from Punta Cana with Sunwing were disappointing.We were seated in the 2nd row but when the staff came to take the food order, the item we wanted was no longer available! Note, we were in the 2nd row and perhaps 3 such items had been served. Unbelievable! It was organized chaos when we arrived to find our transportation to the resort. On the return trip, the aircraft was late in arriving at Punta Cana. When we were allowed to board the bus to take us to the aircraft, we sat in the bus for about a half hour in the baking sun at the gate. After we boarded the aircraft, we had to wait another 3/4 of an hour while a couple who had been refused entry to DR were brought back to the aircraft. We left 1 1/2 hours late. We are very unhappy with Sunwing.

Hotel grounds are beautiful. Rooms are spacious with comfortable beds. It also has a very nice whirlpool tub with glass windows. the rain shower head is very powerful. Food everywhere was outstanding, the buffet offered amazing food which included lobster tail at lunch and dinner. Food presentation both at the buffets and ala carte restaurants was amazing. Plenty of beach huts and there were always seats available around the pool. Service was outstanding, best we had in the Caribbean. Nightly shows were great with an 8-piece a live band and singers performing most nights.

Recently back from Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro. Everything from start to finish was just wonderful. The cold towels on arrival with champagne, the lovely a la carte and buffet dinners. Buffet was our favorite. The pool and activities were great and even won at the bingo. Special thanks and shout out to Hansel, Luisa (our morning maid), Tobias, Hamlet (amazing beach service) and Robert (bartender at pool bar). I would like to thank Jordie for taking time and speaking with us his professionalism and Hansel's were just top notch - great customer service. Shout out to Phil and Felicia (our two favourite pink flamingos) - thanks for the show before we left. We loved the pink champagne and morning fruit and grilled salmon. We were so sad to leave and hope to come back soon. Thank you for the best 50th birthday a girl could wish for :)

Everything was amazing at this gorgeous resort, grounds, beach, rooms, service, staff, food. Best resort we've ever been to Thank you for a great vacation Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro we had a great time

Beautiful grounds, great service, good buffet, good live shows, horrible a le cart restaurants.Beach was perfect. My massage was awful the worker had a fingernail that scratched and the room was freezing

The Hotel was beautiful most of the staff were great the only restaurant that was really credit was the Itianian one the staff and food was great and no I would not recommend this hotel last year I gave it % this year they are going in at about 75%

The most beautiful place I've ever seen. The staff go over and beyond to make sure your stay is all it can be. Kind, helpful and always smiling. A big thank you to Katherine in public relations Fabiola in guest services and Iris, Billy and Carlos from the buffet and last but not least our butlers Yonattan and Hernandez who treated us like royalty. A must see resort. Will definitely be returning.

Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro is the best destination for couples. Service, beaches, Restaurants and food are awesome! Nightly shows are captivating along with live entertainment at the bars. You feel completely safe there. There are no bugs.

My girlfriend and I went on a long over due vacation at the Iberostar Grand Bavaro. I had big expectations for our hotel ,and I can honestly say that they were all met. We love the beach and when your rolling with Iberostar Grand the beach is ALWAYS clean (no see weed or debris). The servers and bartenders were always nice a came around the beach pretty frequently, make sure you find Manuel he was always singing and in a good mood.As foodies we are picky eaters and expect great service and they had it! The a-la-cart restaurant are all very very good. Drinks were always strong and in generous quantity. I know for some people they might find it expensive,I honestly believe it was worth every penny.

What a beautiful resort . Rooms were spacious! Grounds were lush! Beach was amazing . The food was delicious , from the a la carts to the Buffett . It never felt crowded ! The staff so very helpful . My favourite resort so far

We loved this resort. It is beautiful. Not far from the airport is a bonus. The lovely back porch is a great place to sit outside in the evening, although I thought the entertainment was very limited. A very quiet resort. Five a la carte restaurants were good to excellent. The beach is stunningly beautiful. Great pools too. The liquors are all top shelf. Rooms were fine, and well stocked. I didn't care much for the butlers, not too too helpful. -had to ask 3 times for things before they were received. I booked my own dinner reservations from home prior to leaving and reaffirmed them one week prior. The grounds are lovely and a walk through the adjoining Iberostar resorts is a nice walk. A good place to relax and unwind for sure.

We booked this vacation with relatively short notice (~1 month before travelling). We had incredible reviews from friends about this hotel. Unfortunately, it seems that the good service people have left as with rare exception (Carlos and our butler Jose being the exceptions) the service is nowhere to be found anymore. Also stick with the A La Carte restaurants - the buffet is terrible.

I have never written a review but this resort is amazing, in every way. The rooms were so clean, I'm very picky but everything was super clean. Room service 24/7, order anything any time of the day and it will be warm and fresh. They don't expect tips and are super generous and kind to the guests. Dining was excellent, make reservations the day you land. Gomez the butler was spectacular, took us to the little village to get some souvenirs. Beach was clean, it was a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. Not many young people, more older couples. Would definitely recommend going!

The resort grounds is by far the best thing about this resort. The food and service is the main source of my feedback. Service is great if you can speak Spanish. If not, it can be a little hard getting what you need. Food is just ok.

We were there from April 6 to 13, 2016 Check -in was efficient and quick. The rooms were well maintained and cleaning staff friendly, courteous and very helpful. The high number of beach beds and availability of towels was a welcome relief from other resorts, The food and services in the main hall as well as all the specialty restaurants was consistently of very good to excellent quality with impeccable service. The service and bar staff were always quick to cater to our wants and did not appear to react to tipping. One small note: at the surf and turf restaurant, forget the Caesar salad. Other that that feast away. We had the good fortune to have three butlers who each in his own way made our stay a most pleasant experience. Oscar, Rafael and Boom Boom always responded to our request with a sense of urgency. What was even more impressive is that even when things were not done immediately (which was rare), each one made it a point to let us know where they were at and their next step in meeting our requests. Mr. Pastor, the head butler, should feel good that the people he leads are well trained and so helpful. The check-out was also very efficient and we would like to thank Rafael at the front desk for keeping everything easy and simple. The leadership of the Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro should be proud of the competence, courtesy and friendliness of a staff that were always very helpful in making this vacation one of our best in the Caribbean's Thank you.

Immaculate resort that has everything you would want or need and more. Top notch service, name brand drinks and high end food !!!. Concierge service was a nice touch. Room was beautiful and well kept with great mini bar and snacks!!! Definitely a 5+ Star !!!!

The hotel as well as its location is beautiful; the people so wonderful I miss them like old friends! Sander, Ramon, Ortiz, Elizabeth, Ivelisse, Jensel ,Orlando, Diana, Victor, Romeo... Other than missing stir sticks for coffee in the morning, and nightlights on the balcony and bathroom that don't go off (so you close the door and blackout drapes...) the rooms were very comfortable. Food was plentiful and varied, if occasionally not as hot as it could be but then I have trouble keeping Christmas dinner for 12 warm :)

The grounds, the rooms, the service and the food! Absolutely fabulous. But the people were the greatest: sincere and truly interested in making your stay unforgettable. They want you to rate them as the best. And they absolutely were. My 3rd time in the DR and this is the place to return to!

Beautiful, peaceful hotel and grounds, excellent staff and food beyond expectations. Everyone went an extra mile to make our stay enjoyable. Smiles from dawn till dusk and great entertainment and dancing to finish our day.

This was our third time at the Grand, at it was every bit as good as the first and second time. The rooms are all facing the water, so it's hard to get a bad room. However, some are better than others in terms of views of the ocean. The food is first class and the staff are amazing. The overall atmosphere is very conducive to total relaxation. The only real problem with the resort is that 7 days goes by much faster than any other resort I have ever been to. But, I will be back.