Only 20 minutes from the international airport of Punta Cana and located in one of the most emblematic beaches of the eastern region of the Dominican Republic we find the Majestic JOIA Bávaro by Iberostar in its external appearance and in its decoration, it responds to a project devised by the prestigious Mexican architect Fernando Quirarte and inspired by Greco-Roman architecture. Its gardens and varied representation of native species found in a lush central lake, where it hosts a spectacular sailboat reproduced in real size and converted into one of the most original bars in the entire Caribbean, make this hotel a unique place. In addition, staying at our hotels will help take care of the planet thanks to our Wave of Change initiative: throughout 2020, all our rooms are free of single-use plastics, which will be replaced by other materials that are more environmentally friendly. This ambitious initiative will also be extended to the rest of the hotel areas.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
This is a stunning adults-only resort. Truly sublime. First, it’s a boutique-like, luxurious hotel—and the interiors combined with the exterior do indeed make it feel luxurious. It is more compact if this is needed and/or appealing to you. But there are also the neighbouring Iberostar resort properties (4 of them) to add endless variety for those who enjoy greater options and physical space to roam, adventure and explore.
The landscape is lush, tropical, lovingly manicured, cleaned, and constantly tended to, thanks to the ever-hardworking crew of gardeners. It really is a piece of heaven! I can honestly say that I don’t think any photos (including mine!) do the resort grounds justice and capture its true essence—it is simply even more outstanding and picturesque in person.
The three pools (and pool area, including cabanas) and walkways therein are superb; the beach is exquisite, featuring soft, sugar-white sand and gorgeous turquoise waters. It is wide and long (you can walk forever in both directions!), with a gentle slope into the water. The beach palapas are spaced a little apart and are cleaned of leftover debris each end of day.
The buildings themselves boast a splendid, colonial-style architecture—again, sumptuous… ‘Grand’—with lovely interiors.
The food—the buffets, grill, and a la carte restaurants—while not perfect, are better than the other AI’s we’ve been to. To be sure.
The Dominican people were lovely, eager to serve and please, and felt more like family than staff. Of course, it’s their training, but also, as one staff said, “If you have passion for your work, then you naturally want to do a great job for people.” There you go!
When doing my Resort research, I encountered significant gaps in information. So, if you like more rather than fewer details in order to make a destination decision, as well as more effectively plan for your vacation, read on! Have a wonderful vacation!
DETAILED INFORMATION
The Grand Bavaro is a 20-30 minute drive from the airport.
We were there for two weeks in March. Our first week wasn’t that busy. The second week had close to full occupancy with several events and associated guests landing in. This meant busier pools, beach, buffets and a la cartes, and an overall louder volume. It definitely changed the ambience and we didn’t enjoy it as much. No one’s fault, we just prefer a quieter, more relaxed atmosphere.
The clientele are generally more mature, but also include honeymooners, and adult wedding/other events guests.
* Resort(s) Layout * - As you arrive to the main security entrance, you’ll see the sign for all the Iberostar properties. Facing the entrance of the Grand Bavaro, to your left and in order is: Selection Bávaro Suites; and Coral Level is at the front of the Selection Bavaro Suites; to its left is Dominicana, and then Punta Cana. All 5 properties mean you get much more variety in food and activities, and lots of beautiful landscape to enjoy if you choose. - There are approximately 2,000 employees for all 5 IB resorts. - The Grand Bavaro opened in April 2009 and has: 275 rooms. With 2 people per room, the property serves 550 guests when full. There are approximately 500 staff, not including the golf course staff. Its peak season is Jan to April with January being the absolute peak. April to October is off season.
* Security * We felt very safe. The first and main security gate is off the highway and is where guests initially gain access to all 5 IB Resorts. Traveling down the road within, there is an additional security ‘gate’ for only the Grand Bavaro. You’ll be stopped without the correct wristband. Within the Grand resort, there is security near the beach and yoga hut to stop other non-Grand IB guests from coming over; however, there is no security near the other two side entrances leading to the other IB Resorts.
* Weather * It was very breezy during our first week in March which had a cooling effect. We needed a light shawl or jacket in the evening. They have umbrellas.
* Accessibility * The property seemed very accessible and wheelchair-friendly. There are two elevators. The property is U-shaped and flat with decent walkways, including one right down to the beach (but can be a little covered with sand if it’s windy). It’s also a fairly compact resort and so easier to navigate and get from A to B. 4 of the a la carte restaurants are side by side. You can get a laminated handicapped sign to put in your Pool Cabana or lounger at the pool.
* Language * Spanish is the first language, of course. Many of the Butlers speak decent English. And the Reception/check-in staff are really quite fluent so they are a good bet to ask for help. Many buffet and restaurant servers do not speak much English.
* Butler Service * -The Butlers are meticulous note-takers. If you ask for or mention something it is consistently entered in to their notebooks. However, I’m not sure what the communication network is behind the scenes, though, because sometimes we had to ask more than once for something. - Not every room level now gets a Butler. I’m not sure why this is. If you really want a Butler, check which room levels come with one. I feel like guests are already paying a lot of money for their stay and so everyone, at every level, should come with a Butler. It just seems too tiered, too exclusive, otherwise. Our Butler was terrific, but we didn’t absolutely need him. If you think you’ll need a lot of assistance, they can be handy. Note that other than the Japanese restaurant you no longer need to book the a la carte restaurants and are first come, first served beginning at 6 p.m. Eduardo, Danilo, Shester, Gerlin, and Kobe are all great Butlers and you absolutely can request specific Butlers upon arrival.
* General Service * - The frontline staff are hardworking people! Wow. They work 12 consecutive days and then have 3 days off. - We occasionally encountered ‘indifference’, but never rudeness, just like in any service industry. Overall, we found the frontline staff to be very helpful and very eager to ensure we had a marvelous stay. Thank you! As someone with a degree in PR and marketing, I’m passionate and ever-curious about the customer’s overall experience.
* Hotel Rooms * - The rooms are a decent size, and are overall pretty good. They are a little outdated; but more than that they need tender loving care with respect to maintenance. There are too many little things that need attention, adding up to more of a 4 star hotel-feel, unfortunately. - The wristbands at the Grand Bavaro don’t double as room keys unfortunately as they do at other IB properties; you will have to carry a key card around. - The floor tiles are slippery when wet so be cautious; we circumvented this by always taking our sandals off at the door and putting slippers on. - Slippers and robes are provided. - You can have them adjust your A/C to your preference. Note that not TIGHTLY shutting your patio door shuts off your A/C. It can also be handy to open the patio door if your room is too cold. - There is an overhead fan but it is…lazy. It’s not broken, it just hardly moves. - There is a Keurig coffee machine. The coffee pods are not labelled and are a ‘grand’ mystery! Yellow = regular. Blue = decaffeinated. - The chocolate they leave each day is great. - The TV remote didn’t work for us, and the TV is poorer quality. - There is a hair dryer in the bathroom—needs updating. - The blinds in the bathroom are motorized. It IS possible to see people when they are up there, changing if they’re not closed. - If you don’t like your pillow, you just have to request what you want. - If you don’t have the budget for a Lakeview or Oceanview room, don’t stress. I don’t think you could go wrong with a room at the Grand. And it’s not a huge hotel. - NOTE that there aren’t a ton of plug ins in the rooms. You’ll have to unplug lamps. We brought a power bar which helped and would recommend packing one.
* Food * - We are not foodies but we found the food at the a la cartes, both buffets and the grill, to be better than at most AI’s we’ve been to. There is a lot of variety! It’s not perfect and Michelin-starred, but it’s good. And the food presentations at the buffets—oh my! They go to such trouble, and it really is art work. - There is the main Bella Vista buffet for breakfast lunch and dinner, and then La Perla buffet (smaller) for lunch. - Buffet theme nights: Monday – Mexican; Tuesday – Dominican; Wednesday – Italian; Thursday – Gala; Friday – American; Saturday – Spanish; Sunday – Oriental. - We loved the Breakfast buffet--outstanding with the incredible variety of selections and quality of the food. - No a la carte reservations are required anymore, except for the Japanese restaurant. We found the food to be great at the French and the Steak a la carte. We also liked the Italian a la carte, too. We didn’t like the Japanese quite as much. - People do dress up for dinner—more so than at any AI I’ve been to. - The Lobby Bar has the best cappuccinos in the morning and the best drinks in the evening. The Lobby always has snacks, too. - If you feel like a walk or golf cart ride, we also loved Los Haitises, the main buffet next door at Selection Bavaro Suites IB property. It’s a beautiful outdoor setting with egrets, ducks, and geese. - We also loved El Faro for breakfast next door at Coral Level IB property. It’s situated right on the beach. The top level features a great restaurant—Salt and Soul--for dinner, with reservation required. - Note that while we were there they discontinued straws for drinks. Bring your own for slushy drinks.
* Pools * - There are 2 lagoon-like pools, and one rectangular one. The latter is an activity pool for classes. It’s also a place to swim laps if you want to. - There are 2 hot tubs. The hot tubs are generally set to 99 degrees. - Bring your own pool float. The towel hut will blow them up. We left ours behind on our last day for others to enjoy!
NOTE: You’re not informed upon arrival/check-in, so here is how the Pool Cabanas operate, and it’s important to know this, especially during busy season. Choose your preferred Pool Cabana and put down your stuff. You MUST check in with the towel hut people at 7 am to have them mark down your chosen Cabana and room number—either directly at the hut, or catch them when they are roaming with their clipboards in hand. And they tend to roam at the top of every hour to check in on ‘reserved’ Cabanas. After 2 hours if they don’t see you, they or security will remove your stuff.
NOTE II: What we observed is that people tend to move between the beach and pools all day long because of their close proximity. People DO reserve the beach palapas and pool cabanas—at around 6—7 a.m. We weren’t bothered by it at all, and didn’t let it at all hamper our vacation. We chose to view it this way: It’s the same as every other AI we’ve ever been to. We just accept it and tend NOT to blame the staff OR other fellow vacationers—they’ve paid a lot of money for their vacation and want what they want—and then the towel hut people are so hardworking and helpful. The towel hut and security are in a tight spot during busy season: Patrons are angry because pool cabanas and beach palapas get reserved very early in the morning; but patrons are also very angry when their belongings get removed by security and towel hut staff. *Shoulder shrug*. We took responsibility for our own happiness and our days by rising early (admittedly being tired in the moment), in our bath robes, if we wanted a special place for the day. We followed the rules by checking in with the lovely staff between 6.30--7 am, and then we took a short nap in our Pool Cabana, directly after breakfast.
* Beach * - The beach is so beautiful. A little Sargassum seaweed crept in during our second week, but do the staff ever do a consistently great removal job with their Beach Zamboni. They even hand-rake the Sargassum in and around the Palapas. They really do their absolute best to keep the seaweed to a minimum. - It’s very swimmable with mostly a sandy bottom. - Beach vendors are present but are well-mannered, not bothersome, and move it along. - The beach loungers under the palapas are really nice. They are also located quite close to the water, unlike other resorts.
* Gym * - The gym is two levels: the first level is cardio equipment; the 2nd is the weight machines. They could use a few more free weights--the lower weights for women. TIP NOT TO MISS: Go to the 2nd level and spend time gazing at the spectacular view. It is breath-taking and a great vantage point for a photo.
* Spa * The Spa has potential. I think they could do more with the hot tub area. I did have a massage which was lengthy and just fairly average, especially for $$.
* Activities * - Electronic activity boards are located in the Lobby Reception and also just outside the Main Buffet. You can also download the app. - Activities include: Ping Pong. Dancing: Bachata and salsa. Aqua fit. Paddle board fitness. Archery. Horse shoes. Pétanque. Bingo. Spanish lessons. Fit and fruit. Mixology. Beach games. Beach yoga (hut). The Star Friends work HARD and are so great. - The walk from the Lobby to the Main Security Gate is about 20-22 mins one way. Lovely walk. - There is a larger gym located nearer the entrance of the neighboring Dominicana IB Resort, and they feature more classes. Also, there is a pickleball court (yes, that’s right!). - There is no biking or bike tours. - Pickle Ball. Not mentioned anywhere! There IS a court at Dominicana. The times you can play are daily between 8 a.m. -12 p.m. And then again between 3-7 p.m. They do have some racquets, not sure how many. Book a play time with your Butler. - Shopping Plaza. Next door at Dominicana IB Resort. It has potential, but currently is a bit sad. - There is a row of shops located in the Coral Level. - Check out the Zone Ecologica and the Apiary (Bees) and Bird Observatory (located in the Apiary). The Coral Lab is worth a trip.
* Entertainment * -There is an evening singer, DJ, or saxophonist. When the resort wasn’t so full, it was a divine place to have a drink, or just to enjoy the beautiful setting. - The evening performances outside the ship each evening were pretty well-done. The start time of 9.30 p.m. was just too late for us.
* Lost and Found * - We lost two very low-value items and wow, did the staff ever take it seriously! They were incredibly helpful.
NOTES FOR IB MANAGEMENT - You’ve just got to tell people the Pool Cabana reservation system, otherwise the Towel Hut staff get flack from the guests. - Kindly consider eliminating staff Walkie talkies because of the added noise. Some staff had headsets and this is better as it reduces all the noise. - Consider adding in more regular umbrellas over the loungers. There is space for them. Several guests were talking about this around the pool. - Since the property was born in 2009, the aging is beginning to show. It needs some sprucing up. Go for the easy wins first, but also consider guests’ experiences, too, in places like their room. The bath robes are straggly; the coffee pods aren’t labelled; the TVS aren’t great; the fans don’t work well; there are fabric stains, and so on. Small details? Yes, of course. But they all add up to an ‘impression’ and an ‘experience’—and attending to details means guaranteeing a five-star impression. Have an ‘Exit Checklist’ and run through each vacant room post-check out. Does the TV remote work? Electrical outlets work (some of ours didn’t)? And so on. It sets frontline staff up for success and reduces pressure on them. Read through TA Reviews and plan to implement the changes you read within a one-week timeframe—that is, anything that is easy to do. Coffee pods weren’t labelled before we ever arrived yet someone mentioned it on TA weeks’ before. An example of an easy fix: Instruct all Butlers to alert guests to the pods when they arrive. Another e.g.: Instruct reception staff to alert guests to the Pool Cabana rules. Easy fix. And so on. There would be so many easy/easier wins! - Some people have said Grand Bavaro isn’t as good as it used to be, both in TA reviews, and also around the pool when we were talking. When pressed, they mentioned food and service—not as friendly overall. As first time guests, we don’t have that frame of reference. Suggestion: Deeply survey repeat guests and consider incentivizing them to respond to uncover what differences they perceive and then work quickly to correct it. You need to keep these repeat people! The folks we spoke to said they won’t return. People staying at this level are willing to pay but are generally discerning and usually have expectations. Really get the little things right too, not just the big ones—you’ll be glad you did. - We had an incident with our special reservation on our outgoing day in the Buffet. There were guests who took our table, although we had a firm reservation for said table. (The guests were also extremely rude.) We were assured several times of our reservation. However, we never received an explanation why this failed. Our Butler, Gerlin, worked hard to get this for us, but the back-end network let us and him, down on our special occasion. We weren’t impressed with Guest Services as neither empathy nor apology was initially shown nor made, which was unfortunate and created a less-than-stellar departure. And follow up communication wasn’t handled well. Again, we hope the front-line staff are supported by management and mid-management in their hard work! Thanks, Gerlin for trying! - How exciting that Iberostar Grand in Aruba is opening in 2024. From a marketing standpoint, although it’s wonderful, it would be great if IB could perfect and maintain their current properties first—or at least alongside. Grand Bavaro is going to need quite a lot of work in the not-to-distant future. The whole of the lake will soon need to be drained, sanded and repainted, and because it would otherwise be an eyesore for guests, it would mean that they’d need to shut down the resort for a while. Similarly, the rooms are going to need total updates. Consider bringing current properties up to scratch before launching ambitious expansion plans. -Try to implement room wristband access ‘cards’.
THANK YOUS! - Jesus at the Towel Hut—love you and miss you already!! You’re genuine and lovely. Alex and Ramoncito—you are also so wonderful. Thank you. - Tobias—pool beverage server. Such a nice person. Thank you. - Chema, our Star and Friend. Thanks for your lovely spirit. - Elvis. The maître d at the a la cartes. Thank you for being so professional. - Rafael, security guard, the nicest, gentlest man, at the second gate security, outside the Grand. He’s all alone there, with only the cats to visit with. When does HE ever get thanked? I enjoyed waving to you every morning on my walk. Thanks for being YOU! - Eduardo, the head at the Salt and Soul restaurant. You live up to your reputation. -Juliana the pool server. So hardworking! - Gerlin and Armando. Our butlers. You work so hard and are great at what you do. Thank you. - Antonio, server at the a la cartes and buffet. We’re going to drive to Haiti with you! Thank you, friend. - Santos at the buffet is an absolute gem! Yohan and Miguel, too. - Loraine at the buffet who lovingly decorated our table. - Thank you to all the groundskeepers—you do an amazing job. - Thanks to Juan at the Golf Course. Lovely man. - The room cleaning staff are amazing. You’ll get service at least if not twice a day.
Have a great vacation!
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Date of stay: March 2024
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Location
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rossina García, Owner at JOIA Bávaro by Iberostar
Responded 27 Mar 2024
Dear Suzanne, We hope this response finds you well. Thank you for letting us know about your amazing experience at our property. The time and effort you took to describe your experience is very much appreciated, and by sharing it with us, you help us grow. Your words towards our staff are heartwarming, and we will certainly pass along your praise to our colleagues. It will bring them great motivation to know how amazingly they performed during your time with us. Furthermore, your descriptive comments not only help other travelers decide on a vacation destination but also provide us with valuable insights that help us improve the experiences we offer. We understand the importance of creating personalized experiences for each of our guests, and your input is being taken into consideration. Once again, thank you so much for this review. We sincerely hope to have the pleasure of working with your company again in the future to keep providing you with improved and amazing experiences. Warmly, Online Reputation Manager Iberostar Grand Bavaro
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My husband and I just returned from a trip to the DR. Upon arriving home we planned out next trip back to the Iberostar Grand Bavaro as quickly as we could! The service was 5 stars. From the second we arrived , to the moment we left, every need we had was attended to by the dedicated, competent, warm and friendly staff. Dany at the front desk assured us that we would be satisfied with the room we would receive and offered an upgrade for a marginal increase in price once he was aware that we had mistakenly thought that ocean view room was the same as an ocean front. The view from the deck, onto the impeccably kept beach with plenty of tiki huts and cushioned lounge chairs, overlooking a beautiful blue sea was just the starter. From the beginning of our day, which started with watching the sun rise with a pot of hot coffee brought to our room promptly at 630 a.m as requested followed with breakfast arriving at 7:30-8:00 , set up on the oceanfront deck table was deeply peaceful and a beautiful memory made at the Grand Bavaro. Every morning we received a call from the staff to make sure we received everything on a timely manner and if there was anyway they could serve us, In addition a Butler was assigned to you to help with dinner reservations, tours or any requests you could possibly have. There was a day butler and an evening butler assigned to you so you never had a gap of someone to turn to. A big shout out to Leo, Luis, Anthony, Donito and anyone else I may have forgotten to mention for their care and dedication. Once arriving at the pool or beach we were greeted by the staff who were attentively aware where my husband and I like to sit by the pool and on the beach and made sure that our lounge chairs where ready for us with towels, pillows and even suntan lotion and after sun care gels. Incredible! What could make this experience even better....delicious food! Although not all the restaurants were open due to the pandemic there was still enough options and every meal was delicious, The afternoon buffet offered a large variety of food that was served by masked staff. Guests needed to wear masks entering into the outdoor restaurant and when going up for food. Social distancing was easy as the resort was running at a low capacity rate and everyone was respectful to your space. Entertainment was available and themes varied. On occasion they would have musician playing by the pool, games, yoga and evening entertainment. We did not partake but never felt the activity available was an intrusion on our time or space.
Truthfully one of the best experiences we have ever had and we have traveled extensively to many 5 star resorts over the years. The value for this type of service and experience was extraordinary, The Grand Bavaro will not disappoint! It will go beyond what your highest expectation are!
Go and have a wonderful time.
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Date of stay: March 2021
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Room Tip:Ocean front rooms are direct - Ocean view rooms overlook pool and side views of ocean
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Iberostar Hotels and Resorts, General Manager at JOIA Bávaro by Iberostar
Responded 26 Mar 2021
Dear guest, We would like first of all for you to know that we are really pleased that you had such an excellent holiday with us at Iberostar Grand Bavaro. Every area and every service of our hotel is designed to provide a quality holiday experience, and whenever we receive confirmation this has been achieved we consider it a success story. Likewise, we are really glad to know you felt safe and well-cared. Through our How we Care program, we have developed measures to safeguard our employees and guarantee our guests’ experience, implementing new procedures in restaurants, and during check-in. Our goal is to make our customers feel safer than ever to help them leave their matters aside and make them feel as good as always. We would like to thank you once again for your appreciation and hope to welcome you back again soon. Best regards, Quality Manager Online Iberostar Grand Bavaro
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We arrived on a Saturday afternoon around 3pm, check in was smooth. Bellman delivered our bags to the room followed by our butler Kelvin who introduced himself and gave us some details about the resort. Next we went and got a bite from the snack hut by the pool, service was lacking in that area as we had to find our own silverware (not a huge deal). Then off to the pool for a couple hours to get vacation really started. Pool server came to take drink orders, to which we all wanted Titos vodka because that's what we started with in the lobby at check in, we were told that they didn't have that at the pool bar... shortly after, Kelvin showed up to see how everything was going. Explained the situation and he was quick to resolve the issues that we had. The second day everything was much better and the service in the pool area was on point with what we expect from a 5 star resort, Edy, Jose, Braulio along with the rest of the guys working in the area worked hard all day. We did breakfast at the buffet every morning which was very nice and always clean. Service at breakfast was probably my favorite interactions with the staff as they were very accommodating to us with fun loving spirits. Samuel & Santos are absolute stars and should be recognized for their efforts. Third day was my birthday and the only day there was a show in the theater to which Kelvin had the performers call me up on stage after the show to sing me Happy Birthday, totally unexpected. Entertainment staff did a good job keeping things moving with low occupancy. Yocardi-b made sure we knew about the activities everyday and kept things light and engaging. If you spend the money to upgrade to an ocean front room make sure that you don't get put on the ground floor and there's no good view of the ocean. Housekeeping kept our rooms very clean and organized every day and they were very friendly. Grounds keepers work extremely hard keeping this property well manicured and up to par. The seaweed was washing in everyday but they did a good job keeping the beach usable for us on the days we chose the beach over the pool. The staff here absolutely makes this place what it is and I hope management knows this! The only negative experience we had was with the on resort photographer(Emanuel) and the 6 times/ day we were asked by the different sales people about setting up a photoshoot. We were told that we didn't have to buy the whole package and that we could purchase whatever pictures we wanted for $15/pic but when it came time to buy we only wanted 2 of the pictures because we weren't willing to spend $270 for 18 pictures, some of which we really didn't want, we were told if we didn't buy all of them we couldn't have any of them. Highly disappointed about wasting an hour+ of our vacation and almost let it ruin our last day there but being that we do all inclusive vacations twice/ year and there being a photographer at every resort, we just made it a point to tell ourselves that next time we won't waste our time.
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Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Iberostar Hotels and Resorts, Marketing at JOIA Bávaro by Iberostar
Responded 3 Aug 2021
Dear guest, First of all, we want you to know that the way you have described your stay with us is really helpful and we thank you for providing your rating. Although the majority of your comments show that in most areas we are performing well with our efforts and quality service, we have taken your feedback regarding the photographer seriously as we know that we can only improve by listening to our guests we will share inmediately with them. Again, we want to thank you very much for sharing this review of our hotel and we would be happy to welcome you back to one of our hotels in the future. Best Regards, Quality Manager Online Iberostar Grand Bavaro
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I booked this stay after extensive research finally settling on an adult, all-inclusive resort in the sun. The resort grounds are absolutely breathtaking, the sense of zen and relaxation apparent as soon as you enter the gates and just magnified with every site of the property grounds. The resort has really not spared expense, you truly feel the 5-star quality everywhere you look. Wait until you see the birds in their sanctuary ❤️ This was absolutely a five star stay but one or two areas could definitely be improved upon. First, there is a strong theme and emphasis on this “star prestige” program. Avoid any discussion of it, it is merely a sales tool so that you spend thousands of dollars to save hundreds (you read that correctly). Additionally, the purported $600 or $800 in resort credits is only a coupon program to spend money to save money yet again there is no benefit to a consumer. These two aspects gave my partner and I pause and a little distaste because we were not there to feel the sales pitch. Second, food was not consistent. Room service twice was inedible and one restaurant was truly subpar plus the outdoor buffet feels dirty and covered with flies. That said, the other restaurants were enjoyable and the indoor buffet is outstanding! Plumbing in our room was dismal, we needed service twice. Back to positives since these truly outweigh the small, but real, negatives. Service is unbeatable here with everyone you meet ready to help with genuine smiles everywhere you look. The nightly entertainment was really exceptional one or two nights of our stay. The entertainment crew is hard-working and skilled. All of this coupled with a sparkling clean beach and gorgeous pool with plenty of seating (there could be more covered seating at the pool since there are too many ‘reserved’ spots here) We will return since we overwhelmingly loved it here. They also treated my partner to a wonderful surprise on his birthday. The five stars is deserved, one or two negatives are outweighed by dozens of positives!
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Review collected in partnership with Iberostar
Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Stay up on the 4th floor with a beach view and centrally located.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from QualityManagerDR, Quality Manager DR at JOIA Bávaro by Iberostar
Responded 14 Feb 2020
Dear guest, First of all, we want you to know that the way you have described your stay with us is really helpful and we thank you for providing your rating. Although the majority of your comments show that in most areas we are performing well with our efforts and quality service, we have taken your feedback regarding the areas you raise seriously as we know that we can only improve by listening to our guests. Again, we want to thank you very much for sharing this review of our hotel and we would be happy to welcome you back to one of our hotels in the future. Best Regards, Online Quality Manager Iberostar Grand Bávaro
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I have so many good things to say about this resort I don’t even know where to start. This was probably one of the BEST resorts my husband and I have ever stayed at! From the moment we pulled up to the front, we were in complete awe. We stayed in an ocean view room and although the ocean is further in distance, you have the perfect view of the grounds of the hotel including the pools and the palm trees. We were highly satisfied. Our butlers were Boom Boom (his known name lol) and Alberto. They made our anniversary stay one to remember and they were so helpful and attentive to any accommodations we needed. The rooms aren’t the biggest but it’s the perfect size for two and is modern and clean. Not to mention the beds are super comfy which is a plus! The resort grounds itself is beautiful and the beach is just as gorgeous! It was never crowded on the beach and we were always able to find chairs no matter what time of day. Because there are so many resorts on the same strip, you will see many people walking along the beach but it wasn’t a distraction. We enjoyed the Japanese restaurant the most but you really can’t go wrong with any restaurant you choose. We weren’t a fan of the buffet but that never comes as a surprise to us being that we stayed at many resorts and most of their food tastes the same. The good thing is, you can grab food straight off the grill right outside of the buffet during lunch time and it is so worth it! The chef has so many flavorable options and the food is nice and hot. You can bet that we ate at the grill majority of the time for lunch. Make sure you check it out if you get the chance. The workers here work so hard and are so friendly. They literally treat you as if you are their own family. We made sure to tip everyone in USD, every chance we could. They deserve it. The entertainment is pretty good as well. We normally find the shows to be less then amusing but we really enjoyed it at this resort. We paid for a private dinner on the beach and it was absolutely romantic to say the least and the food was uniquely phenomenal. Thank you Iberostar for making this such a memorable trip! We will definitely be back in the future.
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Date of stay: December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from QualityManagerDR, Quality Manager DR at JOIA Bávaro by Iberostar
Responded 14 Jan 2020
Dear guest, It has been a pleasure to know that you chose our establishment to enjoy such a special occasion. We are more than satisfied to know that due to all our facilities, excellent cuisine, but above all, thanks to the great service received, your stay has been memorable. They work very hard on a daily basis to make sure our guests are well attended to at all times and they truly are an asset to our hotel. We will relay your comments to all of them and we are sure they will be happy to know their efforts have been acknowledged. Thank you again for sharing your motivating comments and we look forward to your next visit to our hotel. Best Regards, Online Quality Manager Iberostar Grand Bávaro
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The COVID protocols were great. Numerous hand sanitizing stations were present, and all staff that interacted with guests wore masks + face shields. The resort was at ~20% capacity, so not all venues were open, however the weather was awesome and the staff amazing. Breakfast and lunch was al a carte instead of the usual buffet, however the food was good and enough variety to try something different each day. Dinner afforded the choice of two different restaurant menus each evening, rotating between the surf/turf, Mediterranean, Japanese, and Italian. All were tasty. Our in-laws said room service was great. A typical day was breakfast, pool, archery, pool, lunch, pool, archery, bingo, lobby bar for donut, pre-dinner drink, dinner, repeat. We were able to eat outside for all meals, and the lobby is open air. We were the only ones in one of the pools for the entire week. Even if the resort was full, there were more than enough cabanas for everyone. The entire resort staff was awesome. While my wife is fairly fluent in Spanish, the staff English is good enough to communicate. Highlighting some of the people who made the trip truly Grand: Caroline for setting up reservations prior to arrival, Staling, Cesar, Marlon, Maria, and Tomas for the fantastic pool, lobby, and restaurant bar service, Ruth and Yocari-B for being entertaining Star Friends, and Alberto and Eduardo our butlers. Everyone we interacted with on the resort (and traveling to and from) made the trip fantastic.
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Date of stay: December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Iberostar Hotels and Resorts, General Manager at JOIA Bávaro by Iberostar
Responded 23 Dec 2020
Dear Guest, We would like to thank you for sharing this detailed review about your recent stay in our hospitality. It is a pleasure to read that you and your family felt safe and cared with the 300 health and hygiene protocols that we have implemented as part of our How we Care program. We are also really proud to confirm that our customized service,gastronomy,activities and more, have met your expectations. We hope that you honor us again with your company in the not too distant future. Best regards, Quality Manager Online Iberostar Grand Bavaro
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My spouse and I stayed at the Iberostar Grand Bavaro for one week from 1/30/21 to 2/6/21 and we had an amazing experience. The property is gorgeous and well-kept, located on one of the best beaches in the Caribbean. Because Iberostar has multiple properties lining the same beach, we felt very safe walking long stretches of the beach from one side to the other. The service was world class and more than met all of our expectations. We’ve been to a few Sandals in the Caribbean and found the food and service at Iberostar to be comparable for far less of a cost. The staff really went above and beyond for everybody here. They are so friendly and helpful through every step of the vacation. Leo and Alberto were our butlers and made sure we had everything we could have needed. We were at first unsure about traveling with the COVID situation, fortunately we are both healthcare workers who had an opportunity to be vaccinated prior to arrival. That being said, we felt Iberostar created a very safe environment with all of the extra precautions they have taken, including sanitization and mask wearing throughout all interactions. Other guests we spoke to felt similarly. Capacity at the Grand has been limited and the seating at the pools and beaches have been spaced out, it felt like we had the whole resort to ourselves! The resort handled all of our testing needs ahead of pre-flight boarding back to the US. While they haven’t needed to quarantine any guests so far, Iberostar has a whole wing of rooms set aside in case any travelers need to complete quarantine before they travel back home (in the event someone tests positive) and are offering those additional accommodations free of charge. We are so sad to leave and return to the cold winter back home. It was our first stay in the DR and our first time staying at an Iberostar but it certainly won’t be our last! A huge shoutout to the many many Iberostar staff members who made this an unforgettable trip, we can’t wait to come back and see them again!
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Date of stay: February 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Iberostar Hotels and Resorts, General Manager at JOIA Bávaro by Iberostar
Responded 8 Feb 2021
Dear guest, We are very pleased to read that you had such a pleasant time in our hospitality. The fact that we were able to offer you a great holiday experience is extremely pleasing and we work hard every day to achieve this. We try to think about everything to provide our guests with a perfect stay. We are glad that you were satisfied with our latest health and hygiene measures where we do our utmost to ensure that enjoyment is not sacrificed despite our high safety standards. Again we thank you for sharing this wonderful review of our hotel and we hope that we will be able to serve you again in the future and wish you all the best. Kind Regards, Quality Manager Online Iberostar Grand Bavaro
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This was our third time staying at Grand Bávaro and it continued to welcome us in their usual friendly and high class manner. It was great to see Yan Luis who we have seen every trip and his welcoming smile and politeness was intact plus the fact he remembered us was great. The hotel was at 50% capacity and still had enough people to make it fun. The breakfast buffet was a bit different as you had to wait to be served what you wanted because of the COVID precautions and the wait wasn’t long the food was delicious and the attention superb. Ortiz was always there to great us and make us laugh, Yari was too and so many others working hard to please us all. We had an Ocean front room on the 3rd. Floor that was amazing, great big balcony overlooking the ocean and part of the pool. Our butler Cesar welcome us and helped us made all the reservations for the restaurants at night as the buffet is closed at night. He also made sure we had our favorites in the fridge in the room. At the pool bar we were happy to see Lely and Dionis there as we remembered them from past trips and again they kept our cups filled with great cocktails and beer everyday, their smiles and happy attitude made the days for us. At lunch at the Palapa again a great buffet with excellent variety of foods to please every palate I would say. Iri took great care of us at the Palapa and at the Surf and Turf our last night. Thank you Iri. At night the entertainment was in front of the ship and was absolutely amazing and fun, I dance the night away thanks to the entertainment team, especial thanks to Yocari B., Ruth who taught me to dance Bachata, Yohanna who took me out to dance first, Armando who I danced merengue with and made me remembered my country fun parties. Maria who put up with me trying to dance by her side many nights and did a great job introducing the entertainment team. All the precautions for COVID were great. The hotel help you schedule the COVID Test if you are going back to USA They schedule the test for 48 hours before. It take place on the adjacent resort is a nose swab and you get the result 5 min later, you wait for them, then you are free to go. The friendly and accommodating staff is what makes this place so especial and the reason why we come back. Great Job. Please tell Yocari B., Ruth, Maria, Yohanna, Ortiz, Lely, Dionis, Iri and Yan Luis that it was a pleasure to interact with all of them.
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Date of stay: April 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Iberostar Hotels and Resorts, General Manager at JOIA Bávaro by Iberostar
Responded 6 May 2021
Dear guest, Thank you for your loyalty and positive review, we are very pleased to read that you had such a pleasant time again in our hospitality. We would like to express our gratitude to you for mentioning "how we care" our latest health and hygiene measures that we have implemented in all of our establishments to keep everyone safe and at the same time doing our utmost to guarantee that our guests enjoy their well deserved holiday, we are thrilled that this was the case for you. Again we thank you for sharing this wonderful review of our hotel which we will share with those you mentioned by names for the great service and we hope that we will be able to serve you again in the not too distant future. Kind Regards, Quality Manager Online Iberostar Grand Bavaro
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Long review but worth it! We arrived on time and in great spirits. We were brought right to cyntia, yineiri and darlyn at prestige. We were checked in and they confirmed all our requested were already set up! We were then introduced to our amazing butlers(kelvin, Cesar and Starling. ) they took care of all our needs. The most important was very simple. I’ve bucket filled at 5pm and a cold coke In the fridge. More than this they checked in with us three times a day to see if we need anything. One night we finished dinner and was bringing a plate to the room and they took the plate and brought it up for us. The level of service you receive here is better than the ritz Carlton and the food is better. Moving on. The rooms amazing. The cleanliness of the hotel was impressive. So down to the pool bar and our favorite bartenders lely and Ery!!! They have so much energy even wearing masks face shields and glasses to make us feel safe. Social distancing is VERY important to the employees to make you feel safe!!. Dionis and starling were serving drinks at the beach and our glass was never empty. Next the food OMG breakfast was awesome. You do not serve yourself they put why ever you want on your plate and there are 100’s of options. That along with cafe con leche served by Ortiz and poche make breakfast a solid experience you can eat indoors or outdoors Lunch was at the pearl David Marlon among others always make sure you have everything you need. The chefs use thermometer to make sure you meat is cooked to your liking. The deserts were perfect along with a cappuccino made to perfection Dinners are run by the same people who handle your breakfast so it feels like you are going to your friends house for dinner. All 5 star If you miss the sea bass or the veal at the la playa restaurant you are seriously missing out. One thing that really stood out was Andrew and Raul! They run this place. They were busting their buts making sure everything was perfect. They were doing multiple jobs helping guests and It means the world to us guests when the people who run this world class hotel take the time to introduce themselves and they know who you are and where you are from and are reaching out to you to make sure your trip is the best. If you have plans to go here great if you do not? You need to. Oh! Two other huge things STAR friends yocarib Armando and of course Ruth and Isabel. They have so many activities and truly have fun teaching dancing archery bocce and bingo. Love them The shows have improved so much the were great before but Francis jr and jhonny kicked up their game and produced amazing music and entertained all. Did I mention the had a tenor opera night? Wow just floored I cannot say enough great things about this property. I must go to destination
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Date of stay: January 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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Response from Iberostar Hotels and Resorts, General Manager at JOIA Bávaro by Iberostar
Responded 29 Jan 2021
Dear guest, Thank you for staying with us at Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro on your recent vacations. It has been a pleasure to read this excellent review of your recent holiday with us and we really appreciate that you took the time to write and share it with us and other travellers. The fact that we were able to exceed your expectations with our excellent standards in every area that characterise our company is of great importance to us. It is therefore very satisfying for us that you have kept us in your fondest memories and it would be wonderful to welcome you back again. Best regards, Quality Manager Online Iberostar Paraiso del Mar
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We stayed here for our honeymoon for 7 nights on March. 28th 2022. The resort is spread very nicely in a small area so its not one of those ultra big resorts where you have to walk everywhere. Even though the hotel was full it didn't seem like there were a lot of people around so we didn't feel surrounded by many people. The resort is beautifully and clean and looks like a 5 star all the way.
Our butlers Staling and Dowel were amazing, they checked in everyday with us to ensure that we had everything we needed and if we didn't they were sure to get it. They were very attentive to our needs and we were very lucky to get them as our butlers. One day they even decorated the bed with rose pedals and made the jacuzzi for us.
All the restaurants had fantastic food we tried all of them except the Italian the standouts are the hibachi at the Japanese, the seabass at the Mediterranean and the rib eye at the surf and turf. The lunch was pretty much the same everyday I would recommend going to the poolside grill for lunch.
Breakfast was our favorite, Juan Alberto at the breakfast buffet was an amazing server, we made sure to find him everyday because the service he provided was beyond exceptional, this resort is very fortunate to have him.
The pools were nice, may need an update soon its showing its age, would of been nice to have tables in the pool, the beach was beautifully white sand, no seaweed there on out trip. The drinks were consistent throughout the resort with some high end alcohol.
Now the negatives that you should be aware of, the towel game is played here, so if your not up by 8 am to throw a towel on a Bali bed or chairs you will have a tough time finding a good spot, people just grab 4 towels throw them on what they want and come back in a couple hours or longer. I really wish this place would crack down on that as it's supposed to be a 5 star. The room service menu is mediocre at best, it needs a complete redo or refresh with more appetizing dishes. The guys from the photo lab are extremely annoying, they walk around bugging you all day asking you to do photos, management please stop this, it's a 5 star resort , people don't want to be bothered while they are on vacation. One day I counted and we were approached 5 times , one of the guys even called our room at 9am this really annoyed us.
Overall it's a beautifull resort that we would gladly come back to , every staff member was amazing to us and hopefully managment fixes some of the issues with the resort.
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Date of stay: March 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Iberostar Hotels and Resorts, Marketing at JOIA Bávaro by Iberostar
Responded 7 Apr 2022
Dear guest, It has been really good to read that you had such a great time in our hospitality and we want to thank you for sharing your experience. Confirmation that we were able to provide you with such a wonderful holiday experience is extremely satisfying and we promise to continue working hard to achieve this every day. We try to think about everything to provide our guests with a perfect experience.´ The fact that you could have a wonderful time in our hotel is an excellent confirmation of our efforts. Also, we would like to thank you for your helpful feedback and will gladly forward it accordingly on your behalf. We attach great importance to every detail available to us in order to ensure that our guests always have a very pleasant stay in our hotels. Once more, we thank you for writing and sharing this wonderful review of our hotel and we hope that we will be able to serve you again in the future. Best Regards, Online Quality Manager Iberostar Grand Bavaro
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