Catalonia Royal Bavaro

Smailin in the entertainment department was amazing! Absolutely incredible positive energy & made our experience absolutely amazing! We highly recommend her to be a top level staff member, made our trip exceptional!

I strongly advise future guests to think twice before booking a stay at Catalonia Royal Bavaro. Our experience was extremely disappointing, not only because of the poor and outdated condition of the hotel, which is absolutely not what we would expect from a 5-star property, but also because of the way our complaint and refund request were handled afterwards. My partner and I stayed at the hotel from 17 November to 19 November 2025. We were originally supposed to stay until 23 November, but after arriving we immediately realized that the hotel was far from the standard advertised. We were not informed in advance about the ongoing construction work at the property, which was clearly visible from our balcony. The hotel was run-down and poorly maintained, with facilities and rooms that did not reflect a 5-star resort. Our room had several serious issues: the door was difficult to open, the shower tray was leaking, and the overall condition of the room was unacceptable. The beach area was also in a very poor state. We reported these issues to the reception, but the response was disappointing and dismissive. We were told that someone would come to inspect the problems in our room, but nobody ever came. Because of the unacceptable conditions, we requested to leave early and only pay for the two nights we actually stayed, with the remaining four nights refunded. After discussions with the hotel team, including Natalia Del Rosario, Guest Experience Manager at Catalonia Royal Bavaro, we were assured that this would be arranged. We also signed a document confirming that we would not request any additional compensation and that we accepted a refund only for the unused nights. We have a copy of this written confirmation provided by the hotel. Since November, we have been repeatedly following up regarding the refund. We were informed by Natalia Del Rosario that the hotel’s finance department was processing the refund with our travel agency and that we would be notified once it was completed. However, months have passed and we still have not received the money. What is even more disappointing is that the hotel is now attempting to avoid responsibility by claiming that the booking was made through an intermediary and that the refund therefore cannot be processed directly. This explanation is unacceptable. The hotel was fully aware of the booking arrangements during our stay and still made a clear agreement with us on-site. If the refund was not possible, why were we promised one and why were we provided with written confirmation? For months, we have received only vague responses and repeated assurances that the matter was being handled. This is not acceptable customer service and gives the impression that we were simply being delayed and misled until we gave up. I will attach photos showing the actual condition of the hotel as well as the written confirmation provided by the hotel regarding the refund. These documents clearly show the situation we experienced. Catalonia Royal Bavaro not only ruined what was supposed to be a relaxing holiday, but has also demonstrated a complete lack of professionalism and accountability afterwards. A hotel that advertises itself as a 5-star resort should provide both the expected quality during the stay and proper customer service when problems occur. Unfortunately, our experience was the complete opposite. Based on our stay and the way this situation has been handled, we cannot recommend this hotel to other travellers.

I enjoyed my trip to CRB except for the lack of a dinner buffet. This is the only resort I have been to that you have to make a reservation for the dinner buffet and it’s only open a few nights a week . Why ? I know I can go to the family side but I paid for an adult resort . There is nowhere on the adult side of the property that you can eat dinner without a reservation. I hope this changes in the future so this resort can become my number one . I am hoping to get a response to this review ……….

Amazing staff and Resort. The rooms are clean and the buffet was really good

A Problematic Experience at this location with the Catalonia Brand We Have Loved for Years My husband and I chose Catalonia Royal Bávaro (Adults Resort) to celebrate two very special milestones—my birthday and our wedding anniversary. We also chose this resort because we believed we knew exactly what to expect from the Catalonia brand. Over the years, we have stayed at Catalonia Royal Tulum and Catalonia La Romana a combined four times. Those experiences were so exceptional that we enthusiastically recommended Catalonia to friends and family, praising the warm hospitality, attention to detail, beautiful accommodations, and genuine feeling that guests are truly valued. We arrived in Punta Cana expecting that same level of excellence. Instead, we left feeling disappointed and, quite honestly, forgotten. This trip was especially meaningful because I had recently undergone major orthopedic surgery and was still recovering. My physician had cleared me to travel, but a slip-and-fall accident could have resulted in serious complications and possibly another surgery. Safety was extremely important to us. Unfortunately, the Romance Deluxe Junior Suite we were assigned presented several serious maintenance and safety issues. The most concerning was a constant water leak in the bathroom floors. Water continuously pooled on the tile floor beside the shower, interior hallway, and in the bedroom floors—even when the shower had not been used—creating an extremely slippery surface. Every trip to the bathroom became a source of anxiety rather than relaxation. In addition: * One of the bathroom sinks was completely unusable because the drain would not open. * The bed frame had a center support post protruding and providing no structural support. * The television remote did not function properly, and the television reception was poor. * There were visible cracks in the ceiling that made the room feel neglected rather than luxurious. While these maintenance issues were disappointing, what hurt even more was how they were handled. We reported the problems immediately after checking in. We expected that a resort carrying the Catalonia name would respond quickly, especially when a guest's safety was involved. Instead, it took three nights—half of our vacation—to resolve the issue. During that time we: * Called the front desk repeatedly. * Were placed on hold for extended periods. * Walked to the front desk multiple times to explain the situation in person. * Spoke with an Exclusive Membership representative in hopes of getting assistance. Our travel advisor from Apple Vacations also attempted to advocate on our behalf. They called the resort, were left on hold for more than fifteen minutes, and when someone finally answered, they were simply told to continue holding. Emails requesting assistance were never answered. Even more surprising, the staff at the nearby Catalonia (sister resort) kindly attempted to contact Royal Bávaro Adults for us, yet they also struggled to receive a response. Eventually, after three nights, we were moved only a few doors down to another Romance Deluxe Junior Suite that was perfectly maintained. That confirmed what we had believed all along—our original room should never have been assigned to any guest in its condition. By then, however, half of our celebration had already passed. The food throughout the resort was generally average compared to our previous Catalonia experiences, but honestly, food was not what defined this vacation. It was the feeling that our concerns were not treated with the urgency, empathy, or professionalism that we have always associated with Catalonia. That is what disappointed us the most. This review is difficult to write because we truly love the Catalonia brand. We have returned again and again because Catalonia Royal Tulum and Catalonia La Romana consistently made us feel welcomed, appreciated, and eager to come back. Those resorts created memories that inspired us to recommend Catalonia to countless friends and family members over the years. Sadly, Catalonia Royal Bávaro (Adults) did not provide that same experience. I sincerely hope someone from Catalonia management reads this review—not simply to apologize, but to understand that loyal guests notice when a property no longer reflects the standards that made them fall in love with the brand in the first place. We still believe in Catalonia because of the wonderful experiences we've had at your other resorts. That is why this visit hurt so much. We hope management will view this not merely as a complaint, but as an opportunity to restore the trust and relationship that has been built over multiple vacations. We genuinely want to continue recommending Catalonia. We simply hope that the Punta Cana property will one day provide the same exceptional hospitality, responsiveness, and care that has made your Tulum and La Romana resorts places we have happily returned to time and time again. Loyal guests should leave with wonderful memories—not wondering whether they made the wrong choice.