TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

Rooms Large room with a Jacuzzi, minibar, and smoking area. Activities nearby Swimming pool, water park, themed bars (including sports themes), Dominican coffee tasting, beach, and activities organized by the management. You can explore the entire massive complex—which includes a golf course and a huge lake teeming with local flora and fauna—either by train or on foot. Food and drinks A great dining experience with various restaurant types: French, Mexican, Spanish, Japanese, seafood, a steakhouse, and buffets. Unlimited premium spirits; I loved that—unlike in Panama—there were virtually no restrictions on smoking cigarettes, Cohiba cigars, and the like. Highlights Very clean, organized, and safe; an experience worth every dollar as an investment in wellness and luxury. Hotel highlights Luxury, incredible views, romantic, and good value. Bed comfort Very comfortable. The hotel staff were very friendly and always ready to help, ensuring an unforgettable experience from check-in to check-out. Warm greetings from Colombia to a good friend and staff member at Barceló Bávaro Palace, Maxwell... thank you so much for everything.

I had stayed at Barceló Bávaro Palace before and was very fond of it, making this experience especially disappointing. Our original room was damp, had excessive condensation, and smelled unpleasant. I spent nearly our entire first day trying to resolve the issue. We were initially told no rooms were available, but around 11:00 p.m. my family was placed in two temporary rooms. The following day, we had to pack again and finally move into the room we had reserved and paid for. The room my wife and I stayed in also had a broken Jacuzzi and an air conditioner that was not cooling. After two calls, maintenance fixed the Jacuzzi, but the AC was never repaired. We also had ongoing problems with the room keys. Instead of enjoying our vacation, we dealt with unclean rooms, repeated moves, broken amenities, and poor service. As a returning guest, I was saddened by the decline in cleanliness, maintenance, and service. This was not the five-star experience advertised or the one I remembered.

The hotel offers excellent facilities, including several restaurants, lively evening entertainment, beautiful swimming pools, and great bar service. The beach is also very enjoyable. Unfortunately, during the last three days of our seven-day stay, a significant amount of sargassum accumulated on the beach and in the water, causing an unpleasant odor in the area. Despite this, I would gladly return during a season when sargassum levels are lower.

Seriously, listen to the bad reviews. We came here with an open mind and made every excuse possible for the shortcomings.. “you get what you pay for,” “it’s a budget-friendly resort,” etc. But honestly? I absolutely wish we had paid the extra few hundred dollars to stay somewhere else. The service was awful. Staff were generally unfriendly, and there was basically zero entertainment.. no music at the bars/pools, NO atmosphere or vibe, nothing. The swim-up bar was closed our entire stay. The food was mediocre, which I honestly expected from a budget resort. The à la carte restaurants that we tried were actually pretty good though. The biggest issue was the MOLD. Not only did I open the coffee maker to find a very old and moldy used coffee filter.. but our pillows and bedding were covered in mold. I only discovered it because I stripped the bed before checkout, as I always do to make things easier for housekeeping. I was absolutely disgusted. I can overlook mediocre food. I can overlook outdated amenities. I cannot overlook mold-infested bedding. Listen to the reviews. Spend the extra money and stay somewhere else.

My recent stay at Barcelo Bavaro Palace in Suite 4658 from August 04, 2026 to August 12, 2026 was somewhat disappointing. Unfortunately, the condition of our suite upon arrival was poor and fell well below the basic standards we expect from a hotel—especially after an exhausting journey. Upon entering the suite at approximately 3pm , I immediately noticed multiple issues affecting both cleanliness and comfort, including: • No amenity or champagne was provided as promised on my reservation • Bedroom air conditioner not working • Bedroom-to-balcony sliding door with a loose wire above the door • Bedroom ceiling fan extremely wobbly and noisy, appearing unsafe • Safe not working • Bedroom minibar broken • A large nest of flying ants (over 1,000 dead ants) in front of the bedroom closet • Closet door off its rail • Towels with rust stains • Worn bathroom shaving/makeup mirror in the first bathroom that would not stay in place During our stay, we also experienced additional major issues: • For two days, there was absolutely no water coming from the shower and no notice was provided under the door regarding the water shutdown • Lights burnt out in the common hallway, making the evening route back to our suite feel unsafe/unsafely dark (we had to use our cellphones as lanterns to find the door) • Wi-Fi was non-existent in the suite • There was no hotel directory/information book in the suite, requiring us to call repeatedly for basic questions While I understand occasional maintenance challenges may occur, the number and severity of the issues we encountered—combined with the lack of timely communication (such as notification about the shower water shutdown), and the absence of functioning essentials—made it impossible for us to relax after our arrival. We arrived at the hotel at 2:30 PM on August 4, 2026, physically exhausted, believing we would finally be able to recover and enjoy our stay. Instead, we spent our first days addressing preventable problems and feeling let down by what should have been a properly prepared and inspected suite. A clean and functioning room is not an “extra”—it is the most basic expectation for any guest. Therefore, I feel strongly that this suite was not adequately inspected prior to our arrival and that corrective actions were insufficient during the stay. Beyond the suite itself, the overall experience also felt under-supported. Check-in was basic and lacked any special welcome. Staff also appeared unhappy for much of the stay and did not greet guests when approached. The non-premium buffet experience in particular was not well managed: Bohio and other non-premium buffet hosts did not assist with seating, and there was no management presence at the buffet area—staff appeared to wander rather than actively support guests. To be fair, there were a few employees who truly did make a positive difference and helped restore some confidence in the level of service the team is capable of delivering: • The engineer who assisted us on the first day was excellent!!! He resolved the air conditioner, ceiling fan, balcony sliding door, closet doors, replaced the broken minibar, and even took it upon himself to sweep the nest of flying ants. He also apologized for the issues with the suite. I regret that I do not recall his name, but he works as a bellman during the morning and as am Engineer in the evenings. I would be grateful if you could share his recognition within the team. • Our housekeeping room attendants were fantastic. Our daily service was great, room cleanliness and attention to detail were appreciated. On first night we learned that turndown service was provided. Evening turn down was amazing. • Ms. Sheisy Rodriguez and Ms. Samantha Hernandez at the non-premium buffet were attentive, promptly refilled our beverages, and quickly cleared dirty dishes from our table. • Ms. Yigelis Miliano at the French Restaurant La Comédie provided excellent service. She knew the menu well, and offered outstanding recommendations, ensuring both of our visits were enjoyable. Unfortunately, I will not return to the Barcelo Bavaro Palace nor will recommend it to others.