The Iberostar Bavaro is a nice hotel on a sprawling property. The grounds and landscaping were immaculate. It was nice to stroll through the property and see the water gardens and the attention to detail that they paid to the grounds. On this I would give it a 5 star. However, the layout of the rooms took me a little while to get accustomed to. Each building consists of 8 suites. The suites were nice, but the vast majority did not have an ocean view, which I prefer especially on a scenic island. As said earlier, this is a sprawling property and it is very easy to get lost, especially on the first couple of days. The layout was more of a large cottage feel versus luxury. All suites had balconies or patios, but there wasn't a lot of privacy since the walkways were very near the buildings. We had 2 suites, one upstairs and one downstairs. The upstairs suite offered more privacy and separation from the walking population. All suites had outside entrances which also gave it the lower class hotel feel. For this I gave it a 3 star rating. The restaurants were very good. The main buffet hall had something for every nationality. I was never disappointed there. The Japanese, Cajun and French restaurants were good and the Steakhouse was so popular that we couldn't get to it, so that speaks well to it's credibility. We didn't get to try any of the others, but I didn't hear any complaints from any of the guests on the other restaurants. Four stars. The staff, from the maids to the bell hops were outstanding. No issues with them at all. The lack of bars at night was a drawback. There was only one bar open and it was near the entertainment area. That was fine, but it would have nice to have another option especially if you wanted to watch a game or something. 3 stars. We went to the adjoining Iberostar property to their sports bar and club. Shuttle service was provided, so that was very convenient. The beach and pool were nice and clean. We were always able to find chairs under the huts by the beach and finding chairs by the pools wasn't a problem either. Would definitely recommend doing a couple of the excursions off the resort. Don't take the first price that they offer. Haggle. Everything is negotiable. The local shops at the end of the beach offer some great bargains if you are willing to haggle and walk away. If you are not in a rush, explore, bargain and come back the next day. Overall the experience at Iberostar Bavaro was good and a good value for the money but was not as nice as the Iberostar Rose Hall in Jamacia.. I would return, but with lower expectations. Family of 5 with children of 17, 21 and 22. Stayed June 14 thru June 19
