Lopesan Costa Bavaro Resort Spa & Casino

Our experience at this hotel was extremely disappointing. The air conditioning in our room did not work from the day we arrived, despite being reported three times. Staff confirmed the issue, but it was never resolved, and no one followed up with us. Service also seemed to depend heavily on additional tipping, even for basic assistance and restaurant reservations. In the casino, several machines were out of service or unable to print tickets, and balances under 50 cents were not returned. We also experienced a shortage of clean towels and were told in the evening that we had to wait for them to be washed. Overall, the service and maintenance were far below expectations. I would not recommend this hotel. Nuestra experiencia en este hotel fue muy decepcionante. El aire acondicionado de la habitación no funcionó desde el día de nuestra llegada, a pesar de haberlo reportado tres veces. El personal confirmó el problema, pero nunca fue solucionado ni recibimos seguimiento. Además, el servicio parecía depender constantemente de propinas adicionales, incluso para recibir ayuda básica o conseguir reservaciones en los restaurantes. En el casino, varias máquinas no funcionaban o no imprimían tickets, y los balances menores de 50 centavos no eran devueltos. También hubo falta de toallas limpias y, en horas de la noche, nos dijeron que teníamos que esperar a que las lavaran. En general, el servicio y el mantenimiento estuvieron muy por debajo de lo esperado. No recomiendo este hotel.

Noisy, does not adhere to their own no speaker rules and staff will ignore you if you aren’t fluent in Spanish. I appreciate I’m a foreigner in a Spanish speaking country so do try but some of the staff won’t even attempt to engage if you can’t speak fluent. Management are beyond rude, they’re downright disgusting and have zero service skills.

Not a great start - getting reservations for restaurants is very difficult even in Unique. Our butler booked the first night at the sister hotel (because we couldn’t get a reservation at our hotel) which is lovely but not on the beach. It ended up being an adults only restaurant even though we had two kids. He just said my bad. We were refused entry to the buffet because we were at the other hotel even though we were told we could eat there. You can’t just turning up and wait at the restaurants, you need a reservation, which as I said is difficult even in Unique. This place does not have the relaxed Dominican feel - too many rules such as charging adult price for a 12 year old but then not allowing them to have a bracelet with the chip to open the door because they are a child. Don’t get me wrong it is a lovely report - big - but lovely. But be prepared for poor customer service.

I’ve travelled widely across the globe and visited several Caribbean islands, but this was my first trip to the Dominican Republic. We were originally booked into one of the newer Lopesan hotels, but as it wasn’t finished, we were moved to Costa Bávaro. We accepted the change, reassured by the positive reviews, and were given a room upgrade as compensation. Although it wasn’t one of the “Unique” rooms, the view was fantastic and the room itself was pleasant enough. However, it was clear from the start that the hotel is beginning to show its age. Some of the furniture was worn, drawers didn’t close properly, shower fittings were rusty, and even small details like the toilet brush looked like they should have been replaced years ago. We also noticed that the bed linen wasn’t up to standard, with marks on the bedding and even a hole in one of the sheets, which is not what you expect from a five‑star hotel. We didn’t experience any damp smells, but we did keep the air conditioning running constantly. Unfortunately, the biggest issue with the room was the lack of attention to detail. When we arrived, the room simply wasn’t ready for guests. There were no drinks in the minibar, no glasses, no coffee, no toiletries, and not even towels. It took several calls to concierge and room service, and three different staff visits, before everything was finally sorted. This became a daily frustration. Items used in the minibar were never replaced, towels weren’t replenished, glasses weren’t washed or replaced, and coffee and sugar were never topped up. We constantly had to contact room service to request basics, and even then the responses were inconsistent, one day we received a full crate of water, other days nothing at all. Some days the room wasn’t cleaned, despite us tipping regularly. We also had a plumbing issue, which was fixed quickly, but the water pressure remained poor throughout the stay and dropped completely whenever the power cut, which happened a few times throughout our stay. Room service food, however, was a pleasant surprise. Although it took around an hour to arrive, the quality was very good and the staff delivering it were friendly and efficient. This was one of the few areas where service genuinely shone. The à la carte restaurants offered good food, even if the menus felt a little repetitive. Booking through the app was easy enough, and we never struggled to secure reservations. Unfortunately, the service let the experience down. On several occasions, it felt as though we were inconveniencing the staff simply by being there. Basic items like cutlery and water glasses were missing, and when we asked for them, they often never arrived. We were even forgotten entirely once, leaving without dessert, and at one point had to share cutlery because repeated requests went unanswered. The buffet was adequate, with plenty of choice, but the food was rarely hot, mostly lukewarm, and didn’t match the freshness or variety we’ve experienced at other five‑star Caribbean resorts. Again, the service was the weak point. Staff often seemed disengaged, and drink refills were sporadic depending on who happened to be serving. At one point, we even witnessed three waitresses arguing in the middle of the restaurant floor, which summed up the lack of professionalism we felt throughout our stay. Across the entire trip, we could count the genuinely good staff on one hand. The hotel grounds themselves are beautiful. It’s a huge, impressive complex with plenty of pools and areas to explore. The pools were warm and enjoyable, but the atmosphere was extremely loud. The main pool blasted music all day, and entertainment staff constantly shouted through microphones trying to get everyone involved. Another issue around the pool was that very few guests seemed to follow the rule about not reserving sun beds. On several days, we struggled to find a sun bed by the main pool because so many were “claimed” with towels early in the morning and then left unused for hours, some not used at all throughout the entire day. Staff didn’t seem to enforce the policy, which made it difficult at times. That said, there were always plenty of sun beds available on the beach, so we often chose to relax there instead. The beach had lovely soft sand that stayed cool even in the heat, but the water itself was disappointing. There was a significant amount of sargassum most days, and although staff tried their best to clear it, nature often won. Some days were red‑flagged due to the amount of seaweed. The water wasn’t crystal clear in June, and the swimming area was roped off because of boats moored for excursions, which limited the experience. It’s a shame, because the setting has all the makings of an idyllic beach. Drinks at the bars were mixed. The house red and white wines were surprisingly good, but the cocktails were overly sweet and syrup‑based. We mostly stuck to beer and wine. Some bars offered top‑shelf spirits, and drinks made with those were much better. Pool and beach service was almost non‑existent, even with tipping, simply because there weren’t enough staff to cover the number of guests. In conclusion, Costa Bávaro is a visually stunning hotel with huge potential, but it is not a five‑star experience. The grounds, pools, and room service food were positives, but the poor hospitality, inconsistent service, tiring rooms, and loud atmosphere overshadowed them. For the price we paid, we expected far better. If the stay had been half the price, we would have accepted the quality, but at this cost, we believe there are better experiences to be had elsewhere. It’s a shame, because the resort has all the ingredients to be fantastic, but it feels like it needs stronger management and better staff training. We wouldn’t return.

For my wife's birthday, we spent a wonderful week at Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort, Spa & Casino, and it exceeded our expectations. We chose the Unique experience, which came with several worthwhile perks, including breakfast and lunch at the beachfront Unique restaurant, access to the reserved Unique beach section, and other exclusive amenities that made our stay even more enjoyable. The resort itself is enormous, with beautifully landscaped tropical grounds, lush gardens, and elegant water features throughout the property. One thing we especially appreciated was the abundance of palapas on the beach. Whether in the Unique section or the general beach area, there was always plenty of shade available—a refreshing change from several other resorts we've visited, where finding shade could be a challenge. The beach service was outstanding. Servers regularly came by to offer drinks, so we rarely had to leave our chairs. The security guard assigned to the Unique beach area also did an excellent job maintaining the exclusive section while making guests feel genuinely welcome. After we returned from one of our boat excursions, he recognized us immediately and warmly welcomed my wife back with a hug—a small gesture that perfectly reflected the friendliness of the staff throughout the resort. Our ocean-view room also overlooked the main infinity pool, providing beautiful views throughout the day. The infinity pool has a lively, high-energy atmosphere with Latin reggaeton and bachata music, pool games, and MC-hosted activities from morning through the afternoon. I enjoyed the vibrant ambiance, while my wife generally prefers a quieter setting. If relaxation is your priority, I would recommend requesting a room farther away from the main pool area. One of the biggest surprises of our trip—and one of our favorite parts of the resort—was the number of cats living around the property. If you're a fellow cat lover, you'll absolutely appreciate them. The cats appeared healthy, well-fed, and well cared for, and many were friendly and comfortable around guests. We spotted them near the Boulevard coffee shop, by the stairs leading to the Boulevard (including several adorable kittens), outside the buffet, and around the Unique restaurant. Since we ate at the Unique restaurant almost every day, we looked forward to visiting two of our favorites—an orange cat we affectionately named "Garfield" and a black-and-white cat we called "Black Mouth." We'd like to thank the resort management for caring for these beautiful animals and allowing them to remain part of the property's charm. A special thank you goes to our butler, Ronald, who provided exceptional service throughout our stay. From the moment we arrived, he arranged all of our dinner reservations for the week, making everything effortless. He also recommended that we save the Unique restaurant's steak and lobster dinner for our final evening instead of booking the teppanyaki restaurant. It turned out to be an excellent recommendation and the perfect way to end our vacation. For my wife's birthday, Ronald went above and beyond by arranging a beautiful surprise in our room while we were at the beach. We returned to find a table set up with rose petals, along with a chocolate cake and a bottle of wine. It was an incredibly thoughtful touch that made her birthday even more special. We also want to recognize Alejandro, the manager at the Unique restaurant, for his outstanding hospitality. He greeted us warmly every day and always made us feel genuinely welcome, often shaking our hands as we left. The food at the Unique restaurant was consistently excellent, with perfectly seasoned dishes and plenty of fresh options. We were especially impressed by the grill chef (I believe his name was Hector), who effortlessly prepared fish, steak, chicken, and other grilled specialties while also making fresh smoothies. His efficiency, skill, and calm demeanor were truly impressive. The night entertainment at Chía Lounge is also worth a mention. There was a different show nearly every evening, featuring a very talented cast of dancers and performers. Our favorite was the Michael Jackson show, which was energetic, entertaining, and well done. We also made it a daily tradition to stop by the Boulevard coffee shop. The coffee was consistently excellent and became one of our favorite parts of each morning. Of course, no day was complete without a visit to the ice cream shop, where choosing from the 15 to 20 delicious flavors was almost as much fun as eating them. Although we enjoyed relaxing in the main infinity pool, our favorite was the spectacular Cenote Pool at the neighboring Caoba section. It's enormous, beautifully designed with multiple waterfalls. We spent several afternoons there and had a fantastic time. Access to this pool is another benefit that makes the Unique upgrade even more worthwhile. The gym is another standout feature of the resort. It's exceptionally spacious, clean, and equipped with an impressive variety of fitness equipment, including treadmills, ellipticals, weight machines, and a full selection of free weights. The gym is so well-equipped that it could rival many standalone commercial fitness centers. Overall, we had an unforgettable stay at Lopesan Costa Bávaro. Between the beautiful grounds, excellent dining, attentive staff, comfortable accommodations, plentiful beach shade, outstanding entertainment, and the genuine hospitality shown by everyone we encountered, this was one of our favorite Caribbean vacations. The Unique upgrade was worth it, and we wouldn't hesitate to return for another stay.