Playa Bávaro, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Rating8.2Rating8.1Good
Based on 14k reviews
Stunning Beach & Pools
Guests consistently rave about the resort's direct access to the beautiful Playa Bávaro and the well-maintained, expansive pool areas, providing ample space for relaxation and enjoyment.
Exceptional Staff Service
The friendly, attentive, and helpful staff receive high praise, contributing significantly to a positive guest experience with their excellent and kind service.
Diverse & Quality Dining
The variety of food options at the buffets and the quality of specialty restaurants, particularly the steakhouse, are frequently highlighted as major strengths, offering a satisfying culinary journey.
Spacious & Clean Rooms
Rooms are appreciated for their generous space, high ceilings, balconies, and overall cleanliness, contributing to a comfortable and pleasant stay for guests.
Family-Friendly Activities
The resort's family-friendly atmosphere, coupled with diverse daily activities and the comprehensive Star Camp for kids and teens, ensures entertainment for all ages.
À La Carte Reservations
A common concern is the difficulty in securing reservations for à la carte restaurants, which often fill up quickly, limiting dining choices beyond the buffet.
Sales Pitches
Guests frequently encounter persistent sales pitches from concierges for vacation packages or timeshares, which can be an unwelcome interruption to their holiday.
Room Maintenance Issues
Some guests have reported minor issues with room amenities, such as old or noisy air conditioning units, limited lighting, or non-functioning electrical outlets, impacting comfort.
Aggregate score derived from public review platforms. Category scores reflect our editorial assessment based on analysis of guest reviews. ResortFlock is not affiliated with or endorsed by any review platform.
AAA Four Diamond Hotel
2024, 2025
AAA
Traveller Review Awards
2025
Booking.com
HolidayCheck
2014, 2020, 2021
HolidayCheck
World Golf Awards
2022
World Golf Awards
Platinum GreenLeader
2018
TripAdvisor
Golden Apple
2018
Apple Vacations
Every room at Iberostar Selection Bávaro Suites is a suite — the baseline room is a Junior Suite, not a standard hotel double. That's a meaningful distinction from neighboring Punta Cana properties that offer suites as an upgrade category. The property opened in 1993 and was extensively rebuilt for its 2019 reopening, which is when it added the coral restoration lab — a functioning scientific facility that monitors and grows coral fragments as part of Iberostar's Wave of Change program. It's not a display feature; it's operational, and guests can view the tanks.
The scale here is large. Eight specialty à la carte restaurants plus multiple buffets means meaningful dining variety even on a two-week stay. Kabuki (Japanese), Brave Steakhouse, La Dorada (Greek), Il Forno (Italian), and El Tapatio (Mexican) all require reservations — book at check-in and accept that flexibility is limited in peak season. The mini pirate-themed water park and the 18-hole P.B. Dye golf course give the resort two amenities that are unusual for the Punta Cana segment: one for families with children, one for adults with a specific interest. The golf course is separate from the standard AI rate.
The documented friction points: à la carte restaurant reservations consistently fill, and the timeshare sales approach at check-in is persistent enough to appear in a significant portion of reviews. The evening entertainment volume in certain areas also generates complaints from guests wanting quieter evenings. Some rooms have reported aging air conditioning units and limited lighting despite the 2019 renovation.
Practically: 595–598 suites, all-inclusive, 19–30 minutes from Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ). The Kangaroo Club (ages 0–3) is one of the few dedicated infant programs in the Punta Cana market — a meaningful consideration for guests traveling with very young children. The resort participates in Iberostar's 'Stay at one, Play at more' cross-property program, expanding access to neighboring Iberostar facilities.