To make it short will just enumerate what we did not like:
- My wife and I got food poisoned.
- Poor buffet selection.
- All the food was super salty.
- Very bad service (nobody speaks English)
- Bad room cleaning in general (tips or no tips). Once our room hasn't been cleaned altogether.
- Started renovation of the pool.
- Rooms hasn't been renovated since 80s. Bathrooms a bit fresher.
- All hotel smells something rotten from time to time (sewer waters) probably.

What we liked:
- beach
- sun
- sea
- entertainment
- drinks at the lobby bar

We made a last minute decision to go to the Dominican Republic and to stay at the Iberostar Bavaro - and we are so glad we made that decision.
We had an unbelievable holiday made very special by the staff at Iberostar Bavaro.
We asked for a room not too far from the pool and not too far from the restaurants and that's what they gave us. No more than a minute's walk for breakfast and a couple of minutes to the pool.
The hotel itself is great - very clean - the staff work tirelessly tending the gardens, cleaning the public areas and making sure the pool area is immaculate.
Our room itself was absolutely fine - the maid made it spotless every day with different flowers left on the bed and on the towels. There was also a different towel scuplture every day!
We did have a couple of problems with the room - the TV reception was very bad, the hairdryer only blew cool air and the door to the balcony had a very loose handle but these were fixed within an hour of calling housekeeping.
The pool area was great for us and our 6 year old daughter - the children's pool with it slides etc as well as the main pool which was more than deep enough for jumping in and for some proper swimming.
The food was good. Breakfast was great as were the buffet dinners and lunches with lots of food being freshly cooked for you. We've stayed at AI resorts in Mexico where barely any of the food is cooked to order at the buffet.
We loved the Jambalaya restuarant - the food was fantastic. We also enjoyed the steak restaurant but please get a new CD! Hearing "Country Road Take Me Home" on virtually continuous loop was just too much!
And what a great idea to have Alexandra chatting to diners at all the restaurants and buffets asking for their feedback both positive & negative. We used to enjoy our chats with her - often several in a day as our daughter would look out for her and bring her to out table!
Entertainment was great. The Animation team work so hard to make sure everyone has a great time. From the games at the pool to the shows at night.
One tip - if you're not keen on audience participation don't sit near the front of the audience as you're a prime target to be asked on stage to take part in various games or dance with the team!
We have to mention especially Eduardo and Risa but all the Animation team were brilliant. So much energy and enthusiasm. Hearing "Gangnam Style" back at home only makes us think of one thing - Iberostar Bavaro.
The ladies in the Kids Club were fantastic as well - keeping our daughter very entertained. Halloween was a great night with trick or treating around the hotel. Our daughter loved all the girls especially Rosa.
Overall we had an unforgettable stay. Our 2 weeks there simply flew past and a lot of this is purely down to the staff and the effort they put in.
We had only one negative experience and of all times that was on check-in. After a 9 hour flight + taxi ride from the airport you don't really want to be greeted by a surly and unhelpful person checking you in. And to be given all the hotel information leaflets in French when he's just looked at your British passport is a bit of a blunder. But apart from that minor hiccup it was a great holiday.
We are looking forward to going back - we're already planning it!

My girlfriend and I went to Iberostar Bavaro from 11/8/12 to 11/11/12. We booked our vacation package on cheapcaribbean.com and added on transport from olympic tours. Overall, getting to and from the airport and the whole boarding process couldn't have gone more smoothly. I'll just try to make this review as thorough and organized as possible, but I apologize as it will be lengthy.

Aesthetics - Driving into the resort is an amazing sight. You get a glimpse of their beautiful golf course and eventually you get an idea of how big this resort actually is. The lobby is very clean and well kept. There is always a maid around to is keep it clean. The grounds are unbelievably well kept and colorful. You are surrounded by cana, coconut, tamarind, and banana trees to name a few. There is also an abundance of birds: flamingos, storks, ducks, and we even got to see peacocks make their way to the lobby and hope on stage!

Food/Drinks - There are certain a la carte restaurants to choose from (fancy), but the buffet is always open to everyone. The dining area is big so there's never trouble finding seating. The food covers a very broad spectrum, so there will be some you will definitely like, some you will not so much. My favorite was their paella and roast pig! There is a dress code (no trunks at lunch, trousers and shoes at dinner) but it didn't seem like anyone was really enforcing it. Wide variety of fruits and desserts as well. There is 24 hour room service perfect for after hours/late night snacks, and they just come and deliver you anything you want from their menu, it's great! There's always a beachside bar and they'll serve snacks like hot dogs, popcorn, nachos, and ice cream. The frozen drinks can be a little sugary, but there is no limit to selection. Although Presidente is their only beer, all inclusive also means you can get your share of Johnny Walker.

Rooms - Iberostar Bavaro does a great job with the rooms. If I had to nitpick, there was a tiny spider in the corner of our room that I took care of but the maids are more than thorough with their cleaning. Beds are comfortable, the safe is free, and the fridge is stocked with plenty of drinks. It seemed like there was a very small leak whenever I showered but that wasn't a big deal at all, they'll give you more than enough towels and if you don't have enough then just call room service, no big deal. Wifi is supposedly $35/night but we were able to use it without a login/password for a couple days.

Beach/Pool - Very nice. Light sand perfect for walking along the waves. They provide you with towel cards so getting/replacing a towel was never a problem. There is some seaweed that can wash up to shore but groundskeepers are constantly working to clear it up. There are some people who decide to go topless, but hey, whatever floats your boat. There is always a bar within a short distance of the beach and pools, and though there may be plenty of people, there are more than enough seats on the beach to accomodate. Volleyball, soccer, and spa on the beach are available too. The pools are great. The animacion team always has lots going on to keep you busy (dancing, bowling, even beer chugging contests for adults). It did rain for a little bit during one of our days - don't run because it can get slippery on the walkways - but we hung out outside our room chillin' and watching coconuts fall in our bath robes.

Service - These are some of the nicest people I have ever met. I wanted to buy a cake and flowers for my girlfriend during our a la carte dinner and they arranged everything flawlessly. They even had a musicians serenade us during dinner and they sang happy birthday for her no problem! Though tipping is not expected, the workers are so kind and gracious and go out of their way for us (they seem to work very long hours too), so we just tipped anyway. It does help to know some basic Spanish as some of the servers may not speak English very well. Communication wasn't very difficult overall. A few of the workers that stood out to me were Miguel, the bartender by the sports bar/discoteca and Javier, the server at the late night snack area and Iris, the receptionist at the lobby. Very personable, friendly, and helpful!

Amenities - This place is huge! It took us at least a day to be able to navigate the area without a map. The great part about this resort is that it is connected with Iberostar Punta Cana and Iberostar Dominicana, so you'll have access to all their pools, bars, etc. Spa services, stores, and a gym are there for those interested. There is also a casino, a karaoke bar, and a discotheque. Clay and hard tennis courts are available upon reservation as well as golf. Not to mention foosball, table tennis, and their huge chess board by the pool. Hell, they even had archery!

The only thing I wasn't fond of were the vendors. I don't have a problem looking at merchandise but a lot of these guys were more aggressive than I was comfortable with. I just wanted to relax and have an uninterrupted walk to lunch and dinner without being bothered and asked questions as we passed each table of merchandise. I'll admit I ended up taking different routes back and forth just to avoid these guys. Having to explain myself to each vendor each time we walked past the main area was annoying. There is already a jewelry shop and plenty of stores, so having them around wasn't necessary.

However the trip overall was a great success. Iberostar Bavaro is probably the coolest, best-kept resort I have ever been to. It's a clean, friendly, beautiful place that will definitely impress you. Great workers, great food, and a whole lot of fun stuff to do. A+! Just beware of the vendors.

I traveled to Punta Cana early November and stayed at the iberostar Bavaro the property is very well maintained in kept in pristine condition as you will see workers constantly grooming the grounds and interior floors. They empty ashtrays and clean them as they are used,room service is excellent and they do keep the room bar stocked. I did feel the beds were stiff but was acceptable.the bathroom was very nice but toilet was a bit cramped between the tub and shower.the views from the rooms are outstanding and the way the property was well planned. The beach and pools are very nice except for the pool bar which was demolished the day after we used it. The food is another story some foods looked as though they were left out for long periods of time and not covered the assortment of foods change themes daily. I was disappointed with the problems they have with the water it will make you sick stomach cramps and diarrhea that includes vegetables and ice and water you drink. I was sick for two days and you do not want to go to a hospital or medical center as they do not take us insurance and will expect payment besides lake of medical equipment and proper care. When you enter the airport customs you will have to pay a ten dollar fee to enter I'm not sure what it's used for possibly infrastructure projects and such but they really need to work on the potable water situation I heard so many stories from visitors of getting sick. Punta Means east Cana means the Cana tree it's a beautiful area that is in the early stages of something really nice but they need to fix the water a persons life expectancy is 50-60 as some say because of the water I can't stress enough if you visit be careful of this. If you venture off such as Santiago Domingo it's safe as long as you have a guide be careful it's a poor country and people will try to sell you everything key word "no money" they will leave you alone. Try not to stand out they pick up on tourists. You will not see this at the hotel but warning if you walk the beach to the market you will be bombarded like cockroaches of storeowners keep walking try to stay to the water line. I would return here and recommend this hotel but again the water was something I would think about.