JOIA Bavaro by Iberostar (Formerly Iberostar Grand Bavaro) - All Inclusive

Customer ratings & reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

15946 reviews

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  Rested well!

  Relaxing with my sweetheart! The pace we set and had a wonderful experience. The staff understood that we did not want any part of the time share up sell since we booked the Holiday to avoid meetings and rest well. Wonderful butlers with Reynaldo and Armando. The swing up pool is nice but FREEZING so gird your loins friends! Great food, pool, and people!

  Oct 24, 2025
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  Our Second Stay – Even More Wonderful Than the First!

  Perfect ✅ Here’s your review optimized and formatted for TripAdvisor — it keeps your genuine tone but adds structure and flow that make it stand out and read smoothly online: ⸻ This was our second time staying at JOIA Iberostar and our sixth trip to the Dominican Republic. Last year was our first visit to this resort, and we immediately fell in love with it. This year, we couldn’t wait to return — and once again, it exceeded our expectations! From the moment we arrived, everything was perfect. The staff is incredibly friendly, the resort is spotless and beautifully maintained, and the food is delicious. The service is truly top-notch. A huge thank you to our butlers, Armando and Raymond, who took exceptional care of us and made sure every need was met. Jary and Jessica were always kind and welcoming, and Johnnie was amazing as well! The sports and entertainment team was energetic and fun — a special shoutout to Shagi, Shugar, and Natalie, who made every activity enjoyable and memorable. We had another unforgettable vacation and are already looking forward to coming back. Highly recommend JOIA Iberostar Resort! 🌴✨

  Oct 24, 2025
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  Great Birthday Celebration

  Though I have been to a few of the Iberostar resorts, this was my first time at Joia and I must say that I was not disappointed. We arrived later than expected due to a flight delay and were promptly greeted by the hotel staff and check in was seamless. We spent 7 days at the resort and every person we encountered was a joy. We especially are grateful to Edwin who was always there to assist with a smile. All we had to do was ask and he took care of it with so much kindness and with a friendly attitude. We looked forward to seeing him every day and were disappointed when we learned that he was off the day we checked out. We also want to point out Lebron, Amelin and the rest of the staff at the buffet for always being so friendly. Though the only restaurant that required a reservation was the Japanese restaurant, it was difficult to get a seat at the other restaurants due to the wait time. It was first come first serve so you have to be there when they open in order to get a seat. We ate at Japanese restaurant, and the food was good- Hibachi. We also ate at the Italian restaurant, but the Italina food at the buffet was better. The food at the buffet was great-- we ate there almost every night. We loved the resort and the wonderful staff and comfortable beds. The only negative aspect of our trip was the fact that they tried to get us to attend a timeshare meeting, which I absolutely detest. Aside from that, we had a wonderful time and plan to return.

  Oct 21, 2025
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  Loyal Guest — Still Love It, but a Few Issues This Time

  I’ve stayed at this resort more than a dozen times over the years. After a bad experience at another property, I discovered Iberostar and have been coming back ever since. I usually visit once a year, sometimes more, and lately I’ve been bringing friends along for group vacations. Our butler this trip, Danilo, was fantastic. We don’t ask for much, but anytime we did, he took care of it quickly and always with a smile. He really made our stay better. Our first night, we had to wait over an hour and a half to be seated at the French restaurant, Tourbillon, which was frustrating. The rest of the week, the wait times were fine, but the service inside was still on the slower side. The biggest disappointment this time was how food allergies were handled. My wife has allergies, and unlike past trips, the staff didn’t seem as attentive or accommodating. A few times, meals had to be sent back because they weren’t prepared safely. Room service was especially poor — it was slow, and the orders were wrong almost every time. My wife ordered a plain hamburger (no cheese, no bun) three times, and each time it arrived incorrectly. At the pool bar, two employees flat-out told us “no” when we asked for a gluten-free roll — but thankfully, Danilo stepped in again and made it happen. Later in our stay, we met Ruby, who was wonderful and made managing the allergy concerns so much easier whenever she was available. She and Danilo were truly the highlights of our experience. We also inquired about booking an excursion through the resort but found the exact same trip offered elsewhere for much less. When we decided not to book through the hotel, the staff member we spoke with became very rude — especially when we were simply trying to schedule our return transportation to the airport afterward. That interaction definitely left a bad impression. On a positive note, Ery at the pool bar was amazing as always. He’s incredibly friendly, quick, and one of the main reasons we keep coming back. It was great to see him back behind the bar. Black Mamba from the entertainment team was also outstanding — easily the best we’ve seen here. Overall, we still love this resort and will probably return, but the food service, allergy awareness, and excursion desk attitude definitely need improvement to match the high standards we’ve come to expect from Iberostar. We’ll likely come back again, but if things don’t improve, we may start exploring other resorts in the area for future trips.

  Oct 19, 2025
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  Guys Trip - Mid 20’s

  Hands down our best experience yet. We’ve been to other resorts for guys trips but this one topped it. From stepping off the airplane to leaving the resort, it was flawless. Safe, clean, and high end. The resort itself is spread out so you have space to yourself, but can come together to interact with others as well. They gave us golf cart rides to the other Iberostar resorts to explore their restaurants and the famous Disco Club. The entertainment staff provided excellent shows. The best part was the wait staff in the restaurants. We really enjoyed how staff from breakfast worked at dinner and in multiple restaurants. We created amazing connections with many of them. This made our experience extremely memorable. They treated us like kings and joined in on the fun. 10/10 we will be back. Thanks JOIA Bavaro Staff!

  Oct 18, 2025