TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

Another wonderful trip to this resort is coming to an end and I don’t want to leave! This is our second visit to Iberostar Selection Coral Bavaro, the first time we have ever gone to the same resort two years in a row, and I wouldn’t hesitate to come back a third time. The weather was fantastic, service was wonderful, and the food was delicious. The El Faro buffet for breakfast and lunch is excellent and it’s our favourite for dinner as well since we enjoy dining outdoors under the palm trees. We also ate at the Greek and Mexican restaurants and enjoyed both very much. One small disappointment is that the only restaurant with reservations available during the entirety of our stay was the Japanese. No availability at the French, Italian, or steak house. This wasn’t a huge problem only because of access to the Coral restaurants El Faro and Salt & Soul. If we were not staying in the Coral level it would have been a major issue. The Coral upgrade is very much worth it to us, and not only because of the food. The Coral section of beach never feels crowded, even though the resort is at full occupancy. There are always lounge chairs available at all times of day - no need to get up at the crack of dawn to reserve a chair unless you have your heart set on a Bali bed. The main section of beach always looks very crowded to me, and the main pool is not my idea of a relaxing vacation - crowded, busy and noisy with loud music, games, activity staff yelling into microphones, people sitting at the swim/up bar all day without ever leaving to use the bathroom (eeeew!). Both the Coral quiet pool and beachfront infinity pool are much more peaceful and enjoyable. The gym is now open 24/7, which is a nice change. It is warm, and can feel crowded at times so the extended hours are appreciated. Though small it is well-equipped and kept spotlessly clean. Our rooms were also kept beautifully clean by our housekeeper Deisey, with snacks and minibar refreshed every day. A special shout out to Ismael at the El Faro beach bar not only for his always excellent service. He has been working at this resort for 19 years!

I did not stay here long as I upgraded to the Joia, but I will say after some difficulties with email responses, the reception I received upon arrival was exceptional. Gregorio was all smiles when he met me and gave me my wrist band, he took care of any of my concerns. Diana was my butler, and she was very friendly and helpful. All the staff were very friendly, service for my short stay was overall exceptional ! If you stay at coral level you can use selection, punta cana and dominicana resorts also, so 4 resorts in one ! There is a really fun disco and casino. Location is great 25 minutes from the airport, and beach is very beautiful. My room was renovated and shower was very nice, bed was comfy. Noise levels were not an issue at all. As an avid Iberostar customer for well over a decade, I highly recommend their hotels.

Iberostar Selection Coral Bavaro is a great budget-friendly option in Punta Cana. I plan to address areas separately so the review makes more sense. Check-In: We arrived at 3:30pm so our room was ready. The check-in process was very quick and we were in our room and changing into our beachwear within minutes. There was no welcome drink, but the concierge began the “sales process” right away. I recommend making sure you either are ok or not ok with the club sales pitch. We avoided it and were not bothered the rest of our stay. Room: Our room (3868) was perfect except for the dripping sound the toilet made 24/7. We sleep with a white noise machine so we were not bothered. The bed was very comfortable and the AC worked like a champ. The wifi was strong throughout the resort. The furnishings have seen better days and are a bit uncomfortable, but we did not care as most of our time was at the pool or beach. The shower worked very well and had no issues with hot or cold water. The minibar was fine. We did not use it much, but we were able to get the items we wanted simply by asking. An example: I prefer Modelo to Presidente beer, and asked the minibar attendant and he replaced them. Pools/Beach: These areas really shine. No issues or complaints at all. Lots of towels, plenty of chairs and the service was fantastic. I want to point out one employee in particular. I was not asked to mention this person and she does not know I am writing this. Dioris absolutely brought fun and fantastic service everyday of our stay. She served drinks and food poolside at the Coral infinity pool with a smile and great energy. We looked forward to her smile. She did simple things like rinsing out our Yeti cups when we wanted a different drink or making great suggestions when we wanted to try something. Food: Do not get your hopes up about the food. The selection and presentation are great, but the quality and preparation need work. The food is often cold and either severely over/under cooked. We always found food to eat, just temper your expectations and don’t come solely for the food. Honestly the best food was the burgers we ordered poolside. Random Tips: Use the Iberostar App. There is a ton of info in there. Once you check-in you can order food, make reservations, ask for things from housekeeping, etc…it has a ton of benefits and many people don’t use it. Bring Yeti mugs with lids, they were lifesavers in the heat/sun. We also brought our own plastic straws and they helped quite a bit.

Iberostar Selection Coral Bávaro - The staff is great. Shout out to Milena (housekeeping) in the Coral section - 5 of 5 stars to her. Pleasant & kept the room clean & stocked with everything we needed. El Faro is great for breakfast & lunches. Restaurants at the hotel are OK - it's all inclusive - not fine dining. Beautfullly maintained grounds. Great beach. Second time there so we must like it. Restaurants that require reservations (only 3 I think) are impossible to get into. I believe it's easier if you agree to sit through their HIGH PRESSURE sales presentation. We did that on our first trip & suggest you avoid it at all costs. 3 hours of torture.

We had a lovely nine days staying at the Iberostar Coral in Bávaro . All the staff were lovely and our Ambassadors Manny and Gheremy made sure we didn’t miss anything and Melissa in reception was very helpful . We are going back next January which shows how much we loved it.