We recently returned from our first trip to Iberostar Grand Bavaro. This was our fifth trip to an Iberostar resort with three previous visits to Iberostar Grand Paraiso in Mexico. This resort is a really decent, all-inclusive resort. We enjoyed our trip, but there were a few frustrations that could be easily corrected. Here is our detailed story:
I have always emailed the resort prior to a visit to an Iberostar Grand resort to arrange tee times and to make restaurant reservations to avoid disappointment upon arrival so I did this once again this time with very mixed results. I received a very prompt reply to both emails and was under the impression that tee times were set and my husband would be ready to play golf without any issues at an early time in the morning. I was disappointed to receive a response to my request for reservations telling me that this was not possible to do. Here is what happened when we actually arrived at the resort.
My first impression of the resort was that it is very attractive. In fact I prefer it to the Grand in Mexico as it is more compact and a little less formal in appearance. We had an unusual greeting at the front desk. We were not offered a drink although the other two couples that arrived at the same time were given one. No big deal, my husband simply walked over to the bar and got us one while we checked in. We really were not sure what to expect from the room. I requested an interior facing room on the top floor and was very pleased to see that we got exactly that. While the room is smaller than the rooms in Mexico I found it to be more attractive and extremely comfortable. The butler arrived right away and showed us the features of the room and asked if we needed anything. We requested a bottle of sparkling wine each afternoon and that arrived every day except for one. I also asked him to arrange reservations at either 7 or 8pm at three of the four restaurants over the course of the week. He did not indicate that this would be an issue and we tipped well for his service confident that all would be taken care off. We went off for lunch and to the beach.
This is where things went wrong. When we arrived back to the room to get ready for dinner there were no reservation slips at all in our room and because of our prior experience we knew this was a problem. My husband went to find out what was going on. The butler came back to the room with him and said he could only get 3 reservations for us over the course of the week so we would have to eat at the buffet or the other resorts. I said no way and pointed out that we had emailed ahead with requests and was not accepting this. He got on the phone and got us a reservation for that night but said that was all he could do. It was now 6pm and I had an hour to get ready and he was still on the phone in our room. I asked to speak to his manager. That was all we needed to get reservations for the rest of the week. They magically became available. That bothers me very much because I don't think that any customer should have to do this to get what is promised when you pay for a vacation at an expensive resort. Over the course of the week we spoke to many others at the resort. Some were able to book ahead by email. Some were not able to get very many reservations at all or they were at very inconvenient times. Management needs to improve this process. This was an unnecessary frustration. Consistency would be nice. Resorts must become aware that their clients compare experiences.
We really enjoyed many aspects of our vacation. The beach is really nice and drink service was offered regularly. We had some issues finding a seat in the shade because we are not chair savers but always were able to find something. The pool was also nice. It is a bit cool at this time of the year. Seats around it were saved very early in the morning. Perhaps limiting towels to one each would prevent people from saving chairs at both the pool and the beach.
The food varied from very good to awful. We never had trouble finding something to eat but we also did not gain any weight on vacation. Unfortunately, our experience with the quality of the food ordered from room service for breakfast was truly awful. The hot food was cold, and the buns accompanying breakfast were either stale or mouldy. I learned quickly that if I wanted any veggies at dinner I better order a green salad as my appetizer. Most dinners did not seem to include vegetables or very few. At this resort I enjoyed the Italian restaurant the most followed by the Steak house. We were completely ignored at the Gourmet restaurant for over 40 minutes with nothing but water and our menus sitting in front of us. I am not sure what happened but we were not in a hurry to get anywhere that night. We found the service inconsistent at times. . One big hint is to ask for the wine list. There are many included wines that are quite drinkable. We did not like the white and red that they would typically pour so we just ordered a different kind. At most restaurants they left the bottle on the table for us.
Drinks were better at the Bavaro then at the resort in Mexico. On our last trip to the Grand Paraiso we felt that the drinks were extremely watered down but never felt this to be a problem at the Bavaro. Unfortunately we did not like the sweet and sour mix they use in the drinks so that eliminated a lot of drinks we would normally enjoy on vacation around the pool.
Golf reservations proved to be another source of frustration. Typically you book a tee time and show up to play. On our first day at the resort, we walked down to the course to check that the tee times were correct as we were unsure after our restaurant issues. The women at the course told us it was impossible to check and that we would have to talk to the concierge. My husband played three times and I played twice and every single time it was a hassle to get the slip of paper required from the concierge. They did not seem to know how this worked and we did not understand the need for a piece of paper for a tee time booked prior to arrival. This system could be organized to be easier for the guests.. I did speak to the General Manager after dealing with this twice and the third time the required paper was placed in our room. I am not sure why this could not happen every time. Whenever you try to do something with a concierge they are constantly interrupted by phone calls and the simplest things take much longer than necessary. Be warned that they require each individual to have a bag on the cart. We packed some of my clubs in my husband's bag to cut down on baggage costs and ended up having to pay $10 for each round to drive around an empty bag (in the same golf cart). Seriously silly!
The front line workers were generally really terrific. Our room was always clean, service in the restaurants was for the most part extremely friendly and bartenders did a good job most of the time and poured the requested alcohol brand instead of the bar brand. Star friends were really outgoing and friendly and would leave you in peace if you were not interested in participating. They tried very hard with their limited English and our limited Spanish. The seemed happy and never too rushed or stressed and that was a nice contrast to our last trip to the Grand in Mexico.
We met some really terrific people and had a lot of laughs. One very funny incident happened near the end of our vacation. We were sitting outside the lobby bar enjoying a drink on a beautiful warm evening with a group of 12 people and having a laugh but we were definitely not being rowdy when we were asked by security to keep in down. At the time the entire area was full but only we were asked to be quiet. You might think it was really late and we were disrupting other customers but it was only 10:20pm. We are all over 45 years old and I don't think this has happened to any one of us before. Very strange. Our last night we heard people screaming and yelling at 1:50 am and I do think that would be an appropriate time to ask them to be quiet or take it inside. Perhaps the leniency had something to do with the conference that had just started at the Bavaro.
As I said, Iberostar Grand Bavaro is a really decent all inclusive resort that needs to make some improvements in a few areas including restaurant reservations and golf tee time reservations. Better training for butlers and concierge staff would make a huge improvement to the overall experience for customers.

My husband and I we married in NYC on 16 December and 2 days later we flew to the Dominican Republic and stayed at The Iberostar Grand Bravaro - it was pure bliss! From the minute we arrived, we were treated like royalty .... Our room was spectacular, including its amazing views of the pools and onward to the sea, the jacuzzi was a lightful treat (one evening we returned to find it filled with bubbles and rose petals and a bottle of champagne alongside!) The buffet restaurant was our favourite and we could not have had a more impressive and delicious selection of food! My husband is vegetarian and I do not eat meat or chicken, but I do eat fish. We were both spoilt for choice at every meal! The range of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, fish and salads were a treat at every meal. This was our first inclusive holiday and the highlight, of course, was the piña coladas and margueritas served by the pool, the wine with dinner and of course, the champagne breakfasts! The beach was spotlessley clean (as was the entire hotel grounds and premises) and the spacious cabanas, all with great views, allowed for endless relaxation. The activities were great fun.... We were hopeless at the archery, but the activity staff were so friendly and so encouraging, we just kept trying and trying! We tried the Spanish class one morning, and loved the merengue dance class! The morning massages on the beach, and simply relished the peace and quiet and beauty of the place! One of thebhotel's greatest assets has to be their staff - warm and friendly, accommodating and cheerful - they could not be nicer, more personable, or more helpful. A special thanks to Altagracious and Maria - they made our stay extra special! A few suggestions for anyone who is lucky enough to plan a trip to the Iberostar..... We did have a few minor complaints but they were all dealt with most impressively and efficiently, so if there is something you are not happy with, simply the staff know. They will certainly put it right! Also, ring the hotel beforehand and have them arrange a taxi to collect you from the airport. We had a delux room, on the 3rd floor, in the centre, facing directly outward - a
great location- worth asking for a similar room! Our only real disappointment was the spa - my husband and I both had massages there, and we would have expected the spa treatments to have the same air of luxury as the rest of the hotel... it was a below average experience - missing the mellow music and candles! (stick with the morning beach massage, included, as part of the anti stress activity). We hope to return some day..... Absolutely loved it! Sadly, a week after returning home, I became quite unwell and was referred to the infectious disease unit, first to be tested for malaria, then for dengue fever.... We never saw a single mosquito, but if you return and are not well, do see your doctor! All in all..... A most amazing and fabulous honeymoon! Wish we were still there!
location!

My boyfriend and I spent five nights at the Grand Bavaro in mid-January. I booked the trip for us and selected the Grand Bavaro based solely on the impressive reviews on tripadvisor. Overall, we both had a fantastic time -- the resort is beautiful, the pools are fabulous (clean, not crowded, prompt waiter service and easy access to swim-up bar and restaurants nearby, plus great view of the ocean), and the food was pretty good (though not amazing). Also, our room (an oceanview suite) was lovely -- very comfortable, great porch with table and sofa, and a glitzy bathroom. Since there are lots of other great reviews on tripadvisor, I'll highlight a few "cons" based on our experience. Note that my review is based on the resort rating (5 star) and nightly cost; I've stayed at other hotels in Central America that make this place feel like Heaven on Earth!

First, I was seriously under-impressed by the quality of service at this resort. Overall, I thought the service was mediocre at best for a five-star resort. On the first day, we met our butler (and also tipped him $20, as some departing visitors had suggested to us as we checked in) but we NEVER saw him again. I was disappointed because other guests kept talking about their butlers and how attentive they were, but ours didn't seem even a little bit interested in how we were doing. Whenever we called the dedicated butler hotline, the phone usually rang and rang until I would hang up and dial again. Usually I had to call twice to speak to a person, and our butler was never around (so they sent a different butler). It was awkward because we weren't sure whether to tip this replacement butler -- it felt appropriate, but it was also irritating because we'd already tipped our butler $20. In any case, I made a few initial requests on our first afternoon -- including to re-stock our mini-bar -- it was half-empty with open soda bottles on our first day, so it hadn't been re-stocked since the prior guests departed, and to provide us with pillows from the "pillow menu" that was advertised (note that our king size bed only had TWO pillows when we arrived, so this wasn't as indulgent a request as it sounds)-- but after several hours, our requests still had not been taken care of. I caught a butler in the hallway that evening and explained the situation, and he immediately returned with the pillows I requested and re-stocked the mini bar. He was very helpful, but I was still disappointed by the quality of the service. We stayed five nights, and there was a second day where I had to call and request that they re-stock the mini bar. Normally I wouldn't mind, but the mini-bar is your only source of drinking water in the room, so I found it a little bit annoying that they didn't automatically re-stock it.

It was also VERY difficult to speak to the concierge team (they also had a dedicated hotline but it would ring 5-6 times and disconnect most of the time that I called it). When we finally spoke to a concierge our first evening, she told us all the restaurants were booked for the duration of our stay (except for a 10 pm seating one night). I explained to her that this was our first day and asked how we were supposed to get reservations if everything was already booked, but she didn't seem too concerned. At one point, she said she would speak to her boss and call me back, but she never did. This was unfortunate and part of the reason why I think the service at the resort was only mediocre -- we never felt like anyone was invested in helping us or following-up on our concerns. I felt like we had to chase people down if we had any issues (which we did), and even then, we usually had to follow-up a second time! Fortunately, when we called the concierge again 2 days later, we were able to get the reservations we wanted. I guess they hold certain spots, but I don't really understand the process -- if it's not to serve the guests arriving on a particular day (like us on our first day), I don't know why they hold and later release reservation spots. I also don't know why the concierge would find it acceptable to tell guests on their first day that all the a la carte restaurants are booked solid for the rest of their stay! It was especially odd because every night at dinner there were TONS of empty seats at all the restaurants, so they definitely weren't booked.

On our second to last day we spoke with a member of the concierge team who asked how our visit was going. She was very polite and offered to send us a bottle of champagne (which we eagerly accepted). We appreciated the gesture, but I would have preferred better service from the start, rather than having to call the butler team and concierge on a daily basis for things as simple as pillows or water. I still don't really understand the value of the butler concept. Frankly, I would prefer a less luxurious (yet hopefully more reliable) "guest services" option, since there doesn't appear to be any guarantee that your particular butler will check in with you each day and personally respond to your concerns.

My second major complaint was that I booked a massage and facial but was not given the option of an oceanfront massage room. When I arrived, there were several other women who got massages in large, open-air, ocean front rooms and I was really disappointed that I had a closed-air room to the back overlooking the pool (with the curtains drawn). If I had known the oceanfront room was an option, I would have asked for it (and paid extra), but the spa staff never mentioned it to me. I don't think it was a matter of availability, because when I called, they asked when I wanted to come in and said all times were available. Plus, the doors to the oceanfront massage rooms were open when I left (which is how I saw them), so I think they were available. I still regret this - I think it would have been a really relaxing experience and I'm annoyed that I didn't even KNOW it was an option! So, if you get a massage -- be sure to ask for an oceanfront room!! The massage was very nice, but it wasn't the most luxurious experience. I wasn't offered water (I had to ask for it after 90 minutes) and there were maintenance men fixing things loudly in the hallway outside my massage room.

A third and final complaint was the check-out process. I had requested a 12:30 checkout (which is considered a "late" checkout), but our keys stopped functioning exactly at 12:00 pm. We had just returned to the room to pack up and change out of our swimsuits, but we had to trek back down to the lobby, explain the situation, get the front door staff to reactive our cards, and THEN return to our rooms (at this point it was 12:20!). We were not charged for a late check-out, fortunately, but the process was inconvenient to say the least. It felt like another example where the quality of our stay wasn't really a priority to anyone.

I should add that the wait staff and activities staff were GREAT (unlike the members of the butler and concierge teams). I loved interacting with them at the restaurants, by the pool and in the lobby bar, and we started to recognize them after the first day. We only had one bad cocktail waitress who literally stopped taking our drink orders. She did the same thing to several tables sitting outside the lobby bar one evening, because there was another, larger table that I think was tipping her more $$. That was a little bit irritating (at least to me, because part of the appeal of the all-inclusive is not having to worry about money all the time!), but it was also the only bad experience we had with any of the wait staff.

Overall, I would highly recommend this resort to water- and sun-loving couples looking for a relaxing, restful vacation. Be prepared, however, to place several daily phone calls to the concierge or butler team to perfect your stay, and don't expect any personalized service. I think you really have to be proactive to get your money's worth and to get the most out of your stay at this resort.

I would most likely stay here again, but I would also research nearby resorts (including elsewhere in the Caribbean) and weigh our other options first.

The hotel and service was outstanding. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful at all times. The beach was clean, quiet and you could even get a massage on the beach which was very relaxing. The restaurants were quiet, small and very well decorated and comfortable. The food was great with nice wine lists. If you just want to relax this is the perfect place to go.