Catalonia Bavaro

Wonderful place to stay. Beautiful grounds, awesome staff, good food, great pools and beach and very clean. Loved it and would definitely recommend.

Me gusto, la atención del personal es excelente, todo el ambiente es muy chulo

Had a fabulous time here. Returned back to UK yesterday after spending a week here. Travelled as a family of 4 from Manchester airport. Lovely chilled holiday. Good spacious rooms with great air con. Beautiful resort with stunning views, great pool area with plenty of sun beds. Very friendly staff who really seem to enjoy their work. Would highly recommend this resort and hope to go back one day.

We recently spent 15 days at the Catalonia Bavaro Beach Resort with our family, and while there were certainly some highlights, there were also several issues that left us disappointed — especially considering the premium price we paid. Let’s start with the negatives: The beach, although beautiful in appearance, had an overwhelming amount of seaweed in the water every single day. It was genuinely difficult to find a clear spot for swimming, which took away from the tropical paradise feel. Power outages were another recurring problem — the electricity went out four times during our stay, each for around half a day. It was extremely inconvenient, especially in the heat and with small children, and even basic things like getting a coffee became impossible. Check-in was a nightmare. After a long international flight with three children (including a 5-month-old baby), we had to wait four hours to get our room because their system was down. No backup plan, no communication — just waiting in the lobby with tired kids. The rooms themselves are spacious, which we appreciated, but they’re definitely in need of full renovation. On top of that, the phone in our room never worked — despite repeated requests to fix it — which meant we had to go to reception every single day to report issues. Housekeeping consistently forgot essentials like towels or bottled water, which became frustrating over time. One of the most uncomfortable aspects of our stay was the constant presence of non-resort vendors on the beach. Every day, we were repeatedly approached by people trying to sell excursions, souvenirs, massages, etc. The security staff did little more than chat with them, which didn’t help. While we understand that local commerce is part of the experience, the lack of privacy and constant interruptions created a sense of discomfort that really took away from the relaxation we were seeking. Now, the positives: The animation team was excellent — daytime activities were fun, but the evening shows were truly spectacular. Our kids had an amazing time thanks to the warm and talented staff at the children’s club, who went above and beyond to make every day exciting for the little ones. The resort’s landscaping is absolutely beautiful. The lush greenery and tropical atmosphere are extremely well maintained and contribute greatly to the resort’s charm. We also had very good experiences at the à la carte restaurants — the Spanish restaurant in particular stood out, and we dined there four times. In conclusion, Catalonia Bavaro Beach Resort has a lot of potential, with strong entertainment, great landscaping, and a few standout restaurants. However, the overall service and management fall short of a true 5-star experience. For a stay that cost over £5000, we expected a much higher level of comfort, organization, and attention to detail. With significant improvements in customer service, maintenance, and beach security, this resort could be much more than just “decent.”

Food was not good and lacked variety. The towel person by the pool was HORRIBLE and rude to me and my friends as well as the pool bartenders. They were slow and showed know effort, including the main one Carlos. Every 5 minutes at the beach I get harassed by people trying to sell me stuff that I don’t want. Lastly, absolutely nothing to do after 12 at night and all the bars shutdown for the younger crowd.

Review Revised Pros Amazing Bartenders – The bartenders, especially at the Palamino bar, were outstanding. Hector, Lucas, Luis, and Marielba made our experience unforgettable with their energy and friendliness. We even spoke to their manager one evening to compliment his ability to hire great staff and seemed to genuinely appreciate the feedback. Reliable Wi-Fi – The resort has fiber-optic Wi-Fi with strong coverage, even on most of the beach. Great Group Dining – The buffet offers a different cuisine daily, similar to other all-inclusive resorts we’ve visited. The variety and quality were solid. Kenia and Maria Belen at the entrances were always welcoming and made my wife feel special by calling her Bonita and giving us all a hug. Friendly Staff – Most of the staff were warm and accommodating, with some going above and beyond to enhance our stay. Beautiful Beach & Sandbar Experience – The beach was gorgeous, and we loved visiting the sandbar, where we saw a variety of fish, including Sergeant Majors and Pompano. Bringing bananas and buffet scraps in a Coke bottle attracted many fish (and curious guests). We captured some amazing underwater footage with our GoPro. Nice Pool & Atmosphere – The pool was enjoyable, though often crowded. The swim-up bar was a popular spot. Scenic Resort Grounds – The resort’s main pathway is beautiful, featuring small ponds, hammocks, and daybed perfect for a peaceful escape from the pool’s chaos. Quality Dinner Restaurants – The à la carte restaurants provided excellent dining experiences. The Rodeo Steakhouse and Japanese restaurant were our favorites. Ongoing Improvements – The resort actively maintains and upgrades its facilities. During our stay, they were installing travertine tiles on the walkways while ensuring paths remained accessible. The Dominican people, both inside and outside the resort, were generally very kind. While we noticed a few exceptions, overall, their hospitality stood out compared to other destinations we’ve visited, such as Mexico. ⸻ Cons Misleading “Free” Golf – The advertised “free” golf was deceptive. While included in the package, a mandatory $60 cart fee applied. The booking process was frustrating, with lost reservations and the only reservation desk located at the golf clubhouse shed. We ended up playing at premium local courses with resort transportation instead. Overcrowded Pool – The single pool is too small for the resort’s size. A second pool on the opposite end would significantly improve the experience. Other resorts we’ve visited had lazy rivers and interconnected pools, which would work well here. Outdated Base-Level Rooms – The standard rooms are in desperate need of renovations. Our first room had a broken refrigerator, crooked and damaged light fixtures, and 220V outlets (common in Europe), making charging devices and using hair accessories difficult without a converter. Fortunately, we spoke with Jose at the information desk, who was very helpful. He con