my wife and I stayed at the iberostar in La Romana from May 19th to the 24th 2004 and overall had a great time. The Grounds are extremely clean and beautiful in every way. Alot of thought was put into the design of this hotel and it shows. The mornings were my favorite time of day to just take a walk around and relax. The beach was awesome! nice soft sand and very little rocks in the water to stumble on. I have been to 3 other Islands and this was the nicest HOTEL BEACH. the pool was also nice but it closed too early in the evening. I like a nighttime swim and it wasn't an option because the pool closed at 7 pm. The food was ok at the buffet but after a day or two you really are looking for a change. The Mexican restaraunt is a must, steak house was pretty good too. Not amazing but nice for an all inclusive. If I had any complaints it would be the lack of things to do at night. After the sun goes down the hotel becomes very quiet and after dinner it was a little boring. Other Islands i've been to had nightime beach parties with bands etc. This was missed here. The staff was very friendly and helpful at all times. I would go back based on the beach and the beauty.

My wife and I just got back yesterday from a 4 day, 3 night stay at this fabulous resort. We vacationed with another couple, both couples celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary. First let me say, all that you have read about the resorts appearance (the good stuff anyway!) is true; it is immaculate and the grounds are beautiful! The staff is truly outstanding, not only do they go out of their way to help, they are unceasingly friendly doing it. The food was fine, in fact, the breakfast buffet was outstanding. PLENTY of choices, incluing an omelet bar, pancakes, french toast, oatmeal, fresh fruit and much, much more. If you can't find something you like here, you don't like breakfast. I'm a bit of a coffee snob (as are my friends), and we all agreed the coffee was top notch (although very strong). The lunch buffet was OK, not great, but offered plenty of options, including a full salad bar, a very nice cheese assortment, and a number of entree choices. The burgers were fine, as was the pizza, and the roasted chicken was quite good. We tried 3 of the gourmet restaurants, the steak house, the Japanese and Mexican restaurants. The steak house was extremely mediocre, I would recommend skipping it. The waiter only offered two preparation options - medium and well done. We asked for medium rare, but it didn't matter, two of us had extremely well done (and tough) tenderloin. The Japanese restaurant, on the other hand, was very good. Decent sushi, decent soup and very good entrees (cooked in front of you, hibachi style). The Mexican restaurant was good, as well, just a notch below the Japanese. The appetizer bar was very good, but the soups were average, at best. The entrees were quite tasty, and the dessert bar was very good. We didn't get a chance to try the El Colonial, but it looked like a very nice place. The liquor is, for the most part, top shelf, my friends got Tanqueray with their gin and tonics and Johnny Walker Red with scotch and water. Most bar locations served only El Presidente beer, but I though it was fine. The pool and beach bars are a lot of fun, but limited in drink selections; pina coladas, coco locos and El Presidente, and the bartenders were great! Rooms are fine, standard hotel fare, with a deck outside. Beds are comfortable and rooms come with a stocked mini bar and a room safe (Extra charge for the safe, but well worth it for peace of mind). Mini bar refills are supposed to be every other day, but we left our maid a couple of USD, and she refilled our bar daily. The pool is big, and contrary to what we read, we had no trouble finding pool or beach chairs. Our friends went on the snorkel trip and had a great time. They said the snorkeling was just OK, but the guides made the experience a lot of fun. The trip runs $75 US per person. We also did the horseback tour, we chose the 3-hour option to the cave (sorry, I don't remember the name of it). This was the highlight of our trip. We rode for a little over an hour to a cave, where we decended to find a crystal-clear watering hole. We were able to swim for 25-20 minutes, it was an amazing experience. If you have any inclination to go horseback riding, try this! It's well worth the $50 per person! One tip, wear long pants! I didn't and I'm still paying for it! We're already planning to go back in 5 years for our 10th and we can't wait! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

This facility is the cleanest and best maintained I have ever stayed at. While we received more pampering than I expected it came along with the hospitality of friends and aquaintenaces. The beach was absolutely great. The food was for the most part the well cooked, well presented and abundent in all the buffets and specialty resturants with one exception. The steak house serves steaks that are not what americans expect, all the beef is range feed without feedlots.
The entertainment was first class, the "star friends" are a talented and well trained. Despite being on duty most of the day entertaining the guests on the beach, provicing the children's club staff, and hobnobing with the guests (like taking time to sit with you on the beach and give a little spanish lesson) they perform untill late in the evening.
with two buffets for lunch plus the playa talpa 4 days a week, a sensational breakfast buffet, a lavish eveing buffet (that includes fresh cooked to order filet mingion) and four specialty resturants you will never go hungry.
The hotel is more popular with europeans than americans, as is most of La Roma. The atmosphere was very continental. Every evening the loby bar was crowded with Russians, French, Italian, Spanish, Germans and English socializing in the huge lobby and bar area. With very few exceptions it was a melting pot of happy people meeting new friends and making new freinds.
There is less to do than in Mexico, so plan on the side trips tp Santo Domingo and La Roma (artisans village). There are only two or three smorkeling sites that are good and one dive that is good. Everything is sreard out so trips take time (and they drive more cray than in Jamaca). Shopping in this area is limited to a small area behind the hotel to the west in Dominicus. But I found one of the best cigar stores (factory outlet for Vivaldi) and cigars as good as I have ever had. There are none of the international or caribean chains here so don't go looking for the top end goods, they are all in Punta Cana or Punta Playa.
Overal this was one of the best expeirences that I have ever had.

Strongly reccomend this hotel, and tis destination for a great time and good vacation.

We stayed at the Iberostar from the 14th-28th April 2004. I must admit the Domimican Republic has not been my first choice in the past, having be to Jamiace numerous times and Barbados once and also Cancun.
What a pleasant surprise, the beach was to fabulous, white powdery sand, turquiose water and swaying palms! I and my husband have never met such pleasant staff who could'nt do enough for the guests.
The room was spacious and cleaned everyday and as I had read in a previous review if you leave a dollar a day the maid will re-stock the mini-bar daily and put in extra beers. We found the serving of alcohol on the beach and in the lobby bar very good, there was always plenty of waiters coming around taking orders.
The food we thought was excellent, the buffet was extensive.and changed slightly each meal. If you were watching what you ate then there was fantastic salads, cold meats, chicken fish etc. My husband is a meat eater and filled his plate with steak etc every meal.
The speciality restaurants we very good, a lot better than the ones we have tried in other all inclusives. As previous reviews have stated the Japenese is outstanding, with the sushi to start and the chef cooking the food fresh in front of you (my mouth is watering just remembering it)!
Also the steakhouse serves fantastic fillet steak which they call tenderloin which melted in the mouth.
This is one holiday we will not forget because of the fabulous well kept grounds, the beach and especially the staff. We will be booking an Iberostar Hotel somewhere in the caribbean again before long. I would recommend this hotel to anyone wanting a relaxing time with many excursions if you want to get out. We took a helicopter ride along the coast and also a day trip to sugar cane plantations, cigar factory etc which everyone should try to get a feel of the Dominican people.