TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

We recently stayed at Catalonia Bayahibe and were impressed by several aspects of the resort. The beach is absolutely stunning, the gardens are well-maintained and lush, and the Privileged rooms are modern and nicely decorated. Entertainment was enjoyable every night, and the food was generally good throughout our stay. However, our experience was impacted by a few frustrating service issues. We had specifically requested a room with a balcony when booking. At check-in, the receptionist confirmed that our room had one. Upon arrival to the room, we realized it only had a terrace, not a balcony. When we brought this up, the receptionist insisted that in the Dominican Republic a terrace is the same as a balcony. While we understand cultural differences, this felt misleading, especially since our request had been acknowledged. We contacted Reyna from customer service, who told us no balcony rooms were available but offered to help us change the room the next day around 12:30 p.m. She also recommended we not take our luggage with us and check the new room first. We appreciated the advice, but unfortunately, the room wasn't ready until 2:30 p.m., and when we finally saw it, it was smaller and had a strange smell, so we chose to stay in our original room. There didn’t seem to be any sense of urgency or prioritization with our case. Another issue with the room: lack of privacy. The toilet and shower are enclosed with transparent glass, and the washroom and bedroom are only separated by two mirrors—definitely something to consider if you're traveling as a family. We were also celebrating our anniversary, and wanted to make it special. One of our kids has PKU, which comes with strict dietary restrictions, so after carefully reviewing the menus, we decided on Rodeo, an à la carte restaurant that would work best for us. Reyna again said she would help us with the booking. On the evening of the dinner, we arrived at the restaurant only to be told that Rodeo was not operating that night—it was Yuca instead, as both restaurants share the same space on alternate nights. We went back to guest services to verify if maybe the reservation was done for a different date and found out there was no reservation for Rodeo at all, but oddly, two reservations had been made for Trattoria, which we had not requested. As for the “anniversary surprise”—we were told there would be one, and housekeeping did knock on our door around 2 p.m. while the kids were resting, to decorate with balloons. They seemed surprised we were in the room and said they'd come back later. They never returned. While I wasn’t expecting anything elaborate, once you mention a gesture like that, following through matters. In summary, Catalonia Bayahibe has beautiful surroundings and the potential for a 5-star stay, but our experience was let down by miscommunication, lack of follow-through, and poor handling of basic requests—especially considering we were celebrating a special occasion. If not for the balcony mix-up and the failed anniversary dinner, I would’ve gladly rated it 5 stars. Hopefully, the management can take this feedback to improve the guest experience.

Loved the layout of the resort. Everything in close proximity. Staff could not do enough although, Some staff members spoke limited English but we made it work. The beach was lovely but it was difficult to get in and out because of deep drops. The pool was beautiful, pool bar fun. Bartenders Oscar, Allen and Oliver were wonderful. Actually celebrated my birthday while I was there. It was wonderful. Yaris and Reyna in guest services were remarkable in arranging our dinners in the alla ca rte restaurants, particularly on my birthday. Housekeeper YaQuelin was the best. Greeted us each morning. Punctual and did a great job.. The only suggestion would be early morning coffee should be available other than the room. Beach grill for lunch should be more available everyday. It was delicious! The gym was small with limited equipment and the machines need to be set longer than 5 minutes. It was clean and opened long hours. Restaurants were great, our favorite was Rodeo but all were good. All in all, this was a wonderful experience and a wonderful resort. We had a great time.

I've been coming to the Dominican republic for the last 9 years. I decided to change up a little bit this year and went to La Romana (Catalonia Royal). I can't believe how disappointed I was. What struck me the most was how rude and inattentive the staff was. We sat down numerous times for breakfast at the buffet restaurant and it was completely empty. It took staff approximately 15 minutes to come around and serve us coffee. The food was good but it was nothing to brag about. As a matter of fact my wife got food poisoning the night before we left. They were charging $120 for a lobster dinner for 2. We always visit the Majestic resort in Punta Cana and get as many lobsters as we want for free in the restaurant. I have to admit that the beaches here Are much better than in Punta Cana. Their alcohol selection Is terrible unless you're a member of the bougie club. At the Majestic resorts their alcohol selection is much better and you don't have to pay for the better quality. Even the housekeeping wasn't up to par. Overall I would not go back to this resort. There is a specific Nationality that go to this resort that really have an attitude problem and they think that they are better than anybody that comes around them. I think that has rubbed off on the staff and that is why they are the way they are. These people do not tip at all.Not that they are required to but a few dollars goes a long way. I can't wait to go back to the Majestic resort in October which is when we usually go. When I get there the staff greets you with open arms regardless of what you You've been through 1 time or 9 times. The staff at the Majestic resort trip over you to take care of your every need And they are extremely humble that is why we continue to go there time after time. It is fair to say that we will not be back to this resort Catalonia Royal. I'd like to leave this review on a good note And give a shout out to 2 outstanding bartenders. The 1st one is Ariel that works at the front bar across from the reception area.And the other one is Oscar at the swim up bar in the big pool.

We’re celebrating our 24th anniversary, and this resort was the perfect place to do it! Back in 2022, we stayed on the Adults Only side, which is ideal if you’re looking for complete peace and quiet. By the end of that trip, though, we found ourselves gravitating toward the family side—and now we know why. This year, we chose to stay on the family side and upgraded to Privilege. Totally worth it! The vibe here is fun and relaxed. It’s refreshing to see young families, well-behaved children, and a joyful energy throughout the resort. There’s no rowdiness, no one overdoing it with drinks—just people having a genuinely good time. We even met guests from the Adults Only section who admitted they found it a bit too dull for their taste. That side might be best for those who truly want silence and solitude. But if you’re like us and appreciate a little liveliness without chaos, the family side hits the sweet spot. A big shoutout to Allen and Oscar at the pool bar—absolute legends! They kept everyone laughing with their jokes, didn’t take themselves too seriously, and even crafted fun, personalized cocktails. They truly brought people together and made the atmosphere even more memorable. All in all, this place has the right balance of relaxation and energy. Already looking forward to our next visit!

I will start with the mention that we are still at the hotel. The given stars are for the accomodation, Asian restaurant and the nature - the sea is beautiful and the beach is very nice. For the food, overall so far, would not give any stars - deserts and fruits are not very fresh. We have arrived on Friday evening (23 May). The room is ok, clean, comfortable. But: some of staff (most of the waiters) are hostile, throwing the plates and glasses on the table. The worst experience was at the tapas Spanish restaurant, yesterday. I thought that the lady who was serving us will start swearing at us or even worse. The feeling was generalised with all staff at that restaurant. It got worse when they realised that we did not speak Spanish. The food was very bad: cold, not fresh and with no connection with Spanish tapas. We could not eat it and went to the next door hotel bufet - not adults only (poor food offer as well). I will keep updating my review, during staying at this hotel. Let's see what other experiences wait us.