This hotel was wonderful. Beautiful beaches, water and sky. Food, staff, service and accommodations were great. Excellent coffee. Great massage. I read two and half books, napped on the beach and returned revitalized.

We had planned a trip to Santo Domingo, but decided once we arrived the time on the bus to get there (about three hours one way as I understand it) was not worth missing out on beach and reading time.

There are some minor -- and let me emphasize MINOR -- observations (I hesitate to use the word complaint).

1) The drinks could have been better. They were strong, but not very good. Poor mixers. I'd expect a banana daiquiri in a country where bananas are grown to be made with bananas. Instead they pulled the mix out of a machine. The margaritas were a little sour...maybe even bitter. The beer was good, but my wife and I aren't big beer drinkers.

2) While the beach was beautiful, the area is full of resorts and the beach is accessible by all the resorts, so there's this constant foot traffic as vacationers walk from one resort to the next and traverse the beach. Good for people watching...but you lose that secluded feel we had at the Sunscape (now Dreams or Secrets, I believe) Tulum in Mexico. The beach in Tulum was bordered by some pretty rocky areas which made our section of the beach in Tulum really for just that resort, so no foot traffic.

3) The flight from Chicago to Punta Cana took about 4 hours. The flight back took nearly 8. It was NOT non-stop. I'm sort of a nervous flyer, so the fewer times I have to take off and land the better. I know that the situation was out of the pilots control (a previous flight into a headwind meant we had to refuel in Sanford, FL.), but I was a little unhappy about the stop and the length. I guess that stuff is bound to happen occasionally though.

4) We could have had a better room location, but I suppose that's up to me when I check in. Or we should ask to see a map of the resort when booking the trip to ask for approximate room locations. We were situated near the rear of the resort. The view from our patio was a fence, a storage area and an access road. They did a pretty good job of disguising the fence and road with plantings, but it was still there.

Again, I don't want to seem like a complainer, but I want to provide an unvarnished account. In no way would our experience dissuade us from returning or visiting another Iberostar resort. The positives FAR outweighed any negatives.

Two final points...tipping is not necessary, but it's appreciated and a few bucks won't break you. And don't be an "ugly" American. While we were there, there was a group from Iowa that were loud, obnoxious and drunk. I could careless about Iowa Hawkeyes sports teams, but I, along with Germans, Canadians and Italians now know just how important the Hawkeyes are to this group.

We were there for 1 week Feb 25- Mar 3, 2006 with 3 other couples. Found the facility surpisingly clean, the staff gracious, and the Entertainment Team a blast.
Hats off to Huck(thanks for the Tennis), Ceasar, Anna Bannana, Darkie, Isabella, Johanna, and the rest of the gang for there hard work and keeping the activities rolling. You do not have to participate, but if you do, prepare yourself (good fun).
Our only complaint was we found ourselves assigned a room with 2 single beds, but after the first night we were able switch to a King suite the next day. The food was good. I didn't expect that! The specialty restaurants are a must. We especially enjoyed Jambalaya. Emmanuel,our waiter at Breakfast
was most attentive. Some of the shows that are put on in the evening almost match Las Vegas productions, very enjoyable. Maid service was good.

Plenty of food,drink,dancing and relaxation (if you want)!

If the rest of the Ibero Star's are run like this one, I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

We came back yesterday from a 9 day holiday in the Iberostar Bavaro.

Reading all the reviews here, it's obvious that they can be quite contradicting.
There are people that love the resort, and people that hate it.
My wife and I belong to the first group definitely.

Please note that you are in a country that is very poor, but is developing very quickly.
Without a doubt the expectations with which you go, will influence your experience a great deal.
This is not Miami, Florida, nor the Soneva Spa on the Maldives (which would cost you some 500 dollars per person per day).
Please read this review with that in mind.

What you get is a very nice vacation, really good value for your money, we feel.

The grounds are superb and maintained constantly.
The staff is really doing everything they can to see to your well being. Though they do not speak any other language than Spanish other than a few words, they really work very, very hard for you...
Best staff (though most of them are very nice): at the reception (Milvio) and in the buffet restaurant (Katty).
The rooms are really huge. Clean, but not sterile. The curtains hang loose at the ends at a spot. But nothing to worry about, we feel.
;-)

The daily cleaning is ok. Clean towels every day.
Personally, I rather see an ant, than stay in a room that has been sterilized with insecticide.
The fridge is filled daily (there is water, fruit juices, beer coke and diet-coke in it), and you can start the day with a little coffee that you can make yourself.
Hint: a daily tip (we took 1 dollar billets for that purpose) is not expected, but appreciated very much.
Please check if the door to your balcony closes well.
Ours didn't, but we only noticed this when we left.

The food was extremely well. Even for us, vegetarians, there was more than enough choice at the buffets.
Hint: let the pasta chef prepare a pasta to your own likings!
All the food was very fresh. Only at the pool bar, where we lunched every day, it was a little less tasty, maybe.
One night we ate at the Japanese restaurant, which was a very nice change from all the buffets.
Hint: if you want rum in your Bananama or Cocoloco, please ask for this: "Muy ron"..!
;-)

The beach is very nice. Clean, fine white sand; the water is rather cold (as in the pool), please be prepared..!
Please note that some beachchairs are bent, or have a missing mechanism to set the upper part upright.
But there are plenty of chairs, so you can just gather some good ones.
At the pool you find mostly couples with children. If you would want more privacy (or like us: 'dig the sand around your feet experience'), go for the beach.
Hint: bring & use a lot of sunprotecting products, at least factor 15, and use sunblocker for your lips.
Even now, Feb/March, the sun is very strong!

We did 2 excursions, the Hispaniola tour (80$, which shows you some Dominican/Haitian culture), and a whale watching tour to the Samana Bay (145$).
The excursions are pricey, but absolutely worthwhile.

A final word: we were shocked to read that quite some American reviewers disliked the European guests so much.
The American guests seem to outnumber the other guests by far. Our experience was that the only other guests that were disturbing were American. They tended to communicate very loudly, and are very, very present.
Don't get me wrong. I'm sure this small minority of guests would disturb anybody. American, European or from whereever you come. ;-)