Coral Level at Iberostar Selection Bavaro

I stayed at this resort for 1 week in May. I wanted to do something really special for my daughter and grand daughter. We stayed in the coral section and everything was perfect. The entire staff was awesome and the resort absolutely beautiful. This will be a return place for us in the future. I have stayed at several of the Sandals and I think this resort exceeds Sandals at a much more reasonable price.! The beach and the infinity pool were exceptional and we always had a wonderful chair without having to go early to save one. The food was also delicious.....

Great trip and great place. We stayed here at what is the Selection Suites 22 years ago and the DR has definitely changed and filled in. Really liked the Coral upgrade, private lobby and location and exclusive restaurants and infinity pool. That made it worth the upgrade for us. We arrived around noon, checkin smooth, room not ready, but they got us wristbands, to the beach bar and food. Started things off awesome. Concierge was helpful, but of course the push for the "Special Breakfast" - NO NO NO. Have stayed at Iberostars 5 times and I wish I could pay $20 to not have that pitched at me. I don't want your timeshare - let me enjoy your resort and leave me alone. They werent as pushy as Mexico, but more tricky in trying to get that to happen, but you have to be persistent with the "no" or they try to weave deals into getting you to that. If you don't do that, good luck getting the concierge to get you any dinner reservations at steakhouse or Italian. He did help us book golf, which was nice - great course, affordable and fun day. Golf carts were everywhere and they bussed you around anywhere you needed if you needed up to main lobby and a dollar or two went a long way. Restaurants - food was good - iberostar quality. We loved Salt and Soul with the upstairs and view of the beach and open air and El Faro as well. We wanted to eat at the Italian and couldnt get in which was a shame. Kinda frustrating that in 5 nights it is already booked up. But having El Faro and Salt and Soul as you exclusive options works great in my opinion. Food was always fresh, didnt see any food/health risks that have seen at some other AIs. Drinks - were great...they have topshelf alcohol and siplay it proudly. But unless you specify it each time, and watch, you will not get. They are a bit slow on making drinks....might be the culture, but compared to mexico where I saw 3 bartenders hustling and serving 20 people fast at a beach/pool bar, I saw them mixing drinks at a snails pace w 3 bartenders and 2 people at the El Faro bar. Once you relax and get on island time and realize you can have as many as you want, it is fine. Service was so-so - yes tipping helped, but sometimes it just wasn't there. Sometimes at dinner, I got three drinks....one night one and they never even came back for our dessert course so we just left and went to the buffet for the dessert. So be prepared to tip and also just know, sometimes you don't know what else is going on and service can be inconsistent. Room - fine in my opinion - love the location of the coral ones - we had adjoining family rooms for our teens which was great and were so close to beach/pool/restaurants. Ac worked, minibars full, secure, etc. Beach - is beaituful and soft sand and so close to inifnity pool and bar....and then it drops off to the water where sargassum is coming in every day. AND TONS OF IT. Got worse while we were there....the first day the ocean was swimmable, the second, only in the morning. Rest of the trip huge mats of seaweed constantly coming in and then stacking up and blocking even walking along the water. It si crazy and so sad this has changed - I used to snorkle in front of this resort! But it is not Iberostars fault!!!!! They work all night and day long and clean it up - the winds and currents were just against them while we were there. It is a problem for ALL of Punta Cana and getting to be in Mex as well. Awesome thing about Iberostar was the way the beach dropped off you coldnt see the seaweed - it was just out of view and you coudl be on the beach and watch the waves and not be hindered by it....if you are looking for a beautiful beach to go to - go to the locals beach up in Macao - it is beautuful, so gradual, so calm and no seaweed. Again, the seaweed sucks, will only get worse through the summer, but the resort is doing all they can do. Activities - we found the Coral level to be calm...almost too calm especially for my teens. And with our timing May 25-31, there were NO other US teens there. Star Friends seemed a bit less active and a bit less engaging than with other resorts, but they had less to work with. We played golf one day and went on a tour with Punta Cana Mike one day (do that - any of his tours to see the real Domincan culture and get toured around by what feels like a family member). Pools - Inifinity pool was awesome - location, view, breeze, right next to bar/rest/beach. Inner pool is very quiet. We went over to the main Selection pool and it was pretty busy. Language - do learn some Spanish - it is the language. Some of our service would've been better I am sure IF we could speak better Spanish. Broken Spanglish wasnt cutting it....sometime resulting in "No problem" which meant "I don't understand you gringo, but I am gonna make this drink my way, and you should enjoy it"

We’re proud to be repeat visitors to Iberostar Coral, and every time we come back, our experience is even more memorable than the last. This resort is stunning, but it’s the warmth and care of the staff that truly sets it apart. John and Akeny at El Faro always go above and beyond. This time, we were thrilled to enjoy their new BBQ night—delicious grilled meats under the stars made for an unforgettable evening. Mornings began with a warm welcome from Ramon Casa Blanca, who greeted us with cafecito and mimosas while we enjoyed breakfast with breathtaking ocean views. It’s a small gesture that starts the day off beautifully. A highlight of our trip was dinner at Salt and Soul. Chef Ramon and his outstanding team prepared a meal that we’re still dreaming about—tender short rib, juicy skirt steak, perfectly grilled rib eye, a rich seafood casserole, fresh avocado, and crispy tostones. Every dish was flavorful and cooked to perfection. The service and presentation were just as exceptional as the food. The Iberostar Coral is a truly special place, made even more remarkable by the people who work there. We’re already counting down the days to our next stay!

Last week we went on vacation to Iberostar Selection Bávaro Coral, and it was truly spectacular. The hotel is absolutely beautiful, with impeccable facilities and well-maintained gardens. The food was delicious and varied — each meal felt like a new experience. The rooms were spacious, spotless, and very comfortable. I especially want to highlight the amazing staff, who made our stay even better: Milena, who kept our room perfectly clean La Baby, Fresita, and Sid from the entertainment team, who made us laugh, dance, and enjoy every moment. Jhon, who helped us with all the restaurant reservations so kindly. And Carlos, the chef who made the most delicious mussels I’ve ever had. In general, all the employees were incredibly kind and welcoming, always with a positive attitude and a smile. Thank you for such an unforgettable experience. We hope to come back soon!