Iberostar Selection Bavaro Suites

heather galat

This was our first trip to DR and also our first resort that was not adults only , we did not expect to see the naked kids running around our pool area so we are not sure if that is there culture or if that is how all of the family resorts are in the area. One man appeared to be cleaning his baby in the pool as he was holding the baby and dipping the baby in it's diaper into the pool at the steps while looking at the life guard and saying "it's a bambino peepee it's a okay it's a bambino". This place doesn't have a hot tub on the selection side and the pool was closed by 6 o'clock, which just left the beach in the afternoon. They did not have anyone walking around on the beach for drink orders like we are used to but this might only be an adults only thing that we have gotten used to. They take you to your room by golf cart on a little tour when you check in, after that there is plenty of walking that you can do, the areas are spaced out quite a bit. Waiters at the restaurants are very attentive they did have lobster on the buffet and there was a lot of great food to choose from. The beach/pool BBQ area also served lobster and had great burgers, we didn't see any silverware at the BBQ area but that isn't a big deal with that type of food. Only the lobby staff really spoke great English, the lobby staff are wonderful and very helpful. Since we only really know a few Spanish words and phrases it made it difficult to speak with most of the staff outside of the lobby. It would be a good idea to learn Spanish before coming instead of thinking that you can learn on the fly from the staff. We would have enjoyed more sophisticated or more engaging entertainment for adults as the fire show was probably the most adults oriented entertainment they had followed by their circus show, the rest of the entertainment was more child oriented or just singing and dancing. Housekeeping kept forgetting soap in our room and didn't change our linen out daily, the ocean side was kept clean daily, the coffee was definitely worth going to , same with the ice cream by the pool .decorations for the holidays were very beautiful. the best restaurant would be the Kabuki and the chef Bernardo was amazing and definitely a must do restaurant if you come here. I would say this seemed more like a just for children resort rather than a children are allowed resort but again this was our first one that wasn't adults only.

Daniel Kroll

Stayed for 6 nights with my family of four (kids 8 and 10 years old). Our room was conveniently located close to the pool and the beach (our patio overlooked the smaller pool which was nice when the kids needed a change of pace). Overall, we found the resort to be a good value, but would probably try somewhere else if we return to Punta Cana. Pros: Family-friendly. Nice grounds. Lots of spots to grab food/drink throughout the day; food was good (for all-inclusive...keep your expectations reasonable) and the buffets had a good selection of different cuisines. Plenty of chairs availability at the beach and pool. Cons: Room was dated and in need of renovation. Shower is designed with no door - even with the shower mat, water ends up on the floor and the mat soaked with water. Bathroom smelled like mildew (I think from the cleaning products) and did not ventilate well. Sliding patio door was very difficult to open/close (mentioned by another recent reviewer). Liquor was very watered-down; I somewhat expect that at a place like this, but the cocktails were like pure mixer. The hibachi performance at Kabuki was a complete joke and some of the folks at our table actually walked out on the meal...the food actually tasted good, but management should consider just serving the food and skipping the hibachi part. Also, as mentioned by a couple of recent reviewers, our "concierge" was absolutely useless. I think they are solely there to push people to the sales presentation for the Iberostar membership. DO NOT FALL FOR IT. It is full of sales pressure tactics and it took way more time than advertised. When we were presented a voucher for a catamaran trip, we were then told that those trips were cancelled because of wind (which we were not informed of until we showed up at the lobby, as instructed by the concierge). That may be true and out of the hotel's hands, but I felt played by the entire experience and it left a bad taste in my mouth. When we actually needed something from the concierge (a dinner reservation, for instance) they were unable to deliver and seemed disinterested in actually trying to help. That said, most of the staff at the restaurants/bars/pool were pleasant. Despite some of the frustrations along the way, we enjoyed our stay overall.

Mandy Sho

We traveled as a family of four and stayed in a Junior Suite at Iberostar Selection Bávaro Suites. The room was comfortable and met our expectations. The all inclusive buffet was quite good, with a wide variety of options, so it was always possible to find something enjoyable. They always provided a gluten free section and a salad section in the buffet. The Steakhouse à la carte restaurant was excellent and definitely a highlight of our stay. We were also very pleased with the service provided by Jorge in the buffet restaurant. He was attentive, professional, and welcoming, always greeting us with a great smile. We consistently looked for him and tried to sit in the section where he was working because of the outstanding service he provided. A special thank you to Jorge for finding and safely keeping my water bottle after I accidentally left it in the restaurant one morning, and returning it to me the next day. his honesty and care truly stood out. Greidy from the hotel’s customer service team was extremely helpful and attentive. He always greeted us with a warm, genuine smile and made a real effort to assist with any concerns, accommodate our needs. Our only negative experience involved the concierge service. We were persuaded to attend what was presented as a tour of a better area of the resort (the Coral Level), which turned into a four-hour ordeal. It included a very mediocre breakfast and a prolonged, high-pressure attempt to sell us an Iberostar Club membership. This consumed a large portion of one of our vacation mornings. Our concierge, Juanito, was particularly disappointing. We found him to be dishonest in how the experience was presented and unpleasant throughout the interaction. I strongly advise other guests not to fall for this offer, as it is not worth the time and detracts from the overall vacation experience. Another negative point was the daybeds and loungers around the pool and at the beach are filthy, they need to be washed properly and regularly and maybe changed into nonfabric loungers. I liked that the washrooms around the resort and restaurant areas were always clean and smelled good. All in all it was a great resort and I would be back there again, but please wash/change those loungers!

Matt Rogow

We just returned from a 5 day trip over Thanksgiving. There were 15 members of extended family on this trip. Rooms and buildings are in serious need of remodel. Several of the rooms had problems with Air Conditioning. Overall the hotel looks older and run down. The Riu, by comparison was very nice looking. Service was great and location was great. Be careful of the Market on site, their prices were crazy expensive...$53 for a bottle of sunscreen! Also the beach is crawling with scam artists that will not leave you alone. They also roam the resort grounds. We went parasailing from the beach at the resort and paid for pictures which we never received. Many of the excursions being sold are nothing but scams either. If you are going here be careful and don't trust anyone who isn't working directly for the resort.

Alejandra Ospina Rodriguez

The hotel was perfect for us as a family. There were lots of options and activities for the kids, variety of good quality food and the service was great! Jose Arias, at the prestige beach, was amazing; his positive attitude and attention was great! The rooms could have been better, especially the bed comfort and cleanliness. Overall great experience!