Hello, Travel Bugs! Jhon and I recently spent a night at the Barceló Bávaro Beach resort — a much lesser-known adults-only escape compared to its famous sister property, the Barceló Bávaro Palace.
Here’s how our experience went.
The Barceló Bávaro Grand Resort complex houses two hotels: the Barceló Bávaro Beach and the Barceló Bávaro Palace.
To better understand this review, consider the Bávaro Beach as the adults-only section of the Bávaro Palace.
Arrival
We arrived at the hotel at noon. Our check-in was smooth and fast, but our room wasn’t ready since the official check-in time was 3:00 PM.
From experience, we knew it was best to make our dinner reservation as soon as possible, so we headed to Guest Services. There are only two specialty restaurants in this resort, and after checking out the menus, we chose Chez Gourmet, which serves international cuisine.
There was no availability for that night, but after using our Puss in Boots faces, Evelyn found a way to squeeze us in.
First Impressions & Lunch
Since it was lunchtime, we went to Caribe, one of the two buffet restaurants. Caribe is the larger of the two and the main buffet in the hotel.
The restaurant was nicely decorated and big, making it feel almost empty, especially compared to the super crowded buffet we experienced at the Bávaro Palace.
There were many food stations and a good variety of dishes. The food was tasty, the staff was friendly, and the view was gorgeous.
Killing Time Before the Room
After lunch and while we waited for our room to be ready, we played some pool, foosball, and ping pong in a little entertainment area in the lobby building.
We ordered drinks in the Mamey lobby bar next. Jhon’s Rum Punch with fresh watermelon was super tasty.
I did my Piña Colada taste test, and the Barceló Bávaro Beach got an A+.
Our Room
Ten minutes after 3 PM, we were assigned room 2040 in building 2.
The hotel is small and easy to walk, so we took our bags to the room ourselves. The exterior design of the room buildings is made to resemble wood and looks beautiful.
We booked a Superior room and paid $97 per person per night.
If you want a detailed room tour, please watch our Barceló Bávaro Beach tour video. In this post, we’ll limit our discussion to what we liked and didn’t like.
What caught our attention the most was that the room is dated regarding decoration, style, and furnishing.
However, it was not worn down; it was better maintained than rooms in newer hotels.
The space felt super clean and fresh. We loved its size and the complete separation of the bedroom and bathroom areas.
We liked the double vanities and the amount of counter space. The bathroom had a bathtub—some people like them, but we prefer a stand-in shower.
The air conditioner worked great, almost to a fault. We appreciated the bathrobes and slippers in the closet and the well-stocked minibar for this price point.
We were not fans of the rattan furniture but loved the comfortable beds and pillows.
Our favorite part was the view from the balcony—the best view we’ve had in an entry-level Punta Cana resort room.
Beach Time!
After leaving our belongings in the rooms, we went to the beach. The Barceló Bávaro Beach resort is on the gorgeous and world-famous Bávaro Beach.
The water was lovely, amazingly clear, and we could see the fish swimming with the naked eye. In addition, it was calm.
Mid-day, there was some seaweed but not Sargassum, which plagues the Caribbean in the summer months.
There were more than enough lounge chairs in the seating area—well-spaced and shaded by fully-grown palm trees, although there were no umbrellas or palapas.
The Pool
We then headed to the only pool in the resort. It’s big and has good depth.
Jhon is 5 feet and 6 inches tall, and the water was up to his neck in some areas, which is not usual in resorts.
Our favorite pool features were the massaging water faucets and the bubbling section in the middle, which was very relaxing and a great place to meet fellow travelers.
We ordered a couple of piña coladas from the Bohio pool bar. Bohio has no wet side, so we had to get out of the pool to get our drinks.
La Brisa & Dinner
Later that afternoon, we went to grab a snack at La Brisa, the other buffet restaurant in the hotel.
Unlike Caribe, La Brisa buffet is open until 5:30 PM—great for late lunches and snacking.
The food was good, but the ice cream was runny. The best feature of this restaurant is the fantastic view of Bávaro Beach.
La Brisa becomes a Mediterranean specialty restaurant at night and requires a reservation.
We went to Chez Gourmet for dinner, where we had made reservations.
The restaurant is small, quaint, and beautiful. The staff is very attentive, and the menu is creative, but the food could have been tastier. The best dish of our meal was the crepe.
Evening Entertainment
After dinner, we went to the small theater in the lobby building. The night show was called Dominican Bachata, where a live band played bachata music that guests could dance to.
The band was good, but the show was on the simple side.
The busiest spot at night is the Mamey lobby bar, where many people gather to drink and chat.
This area is also lovely during the day but is best enjoyed after the sun has set.
The night was rainy, so we decided to turn in early.
Breakfast
The following day we had breakfast at the buffet. The restaurant was busier, and the egg station had a long and slow-moving line.
Overall, breakfast was below average.
Amenities & Access to Bávaro Palace
Remember when I mentioned at the beginning to think of the Bávaro Beach resort as the adults-only section of the bigger Bávaro Palace?
Well, this is because, apart from 3 tennis courts, 2 basketball courts, a beach volleyball court, and soccer goalies on the beach, we’ve already shown you all there is in the Barcelo Bávaro Beach.
There are only two specialty restaurants, one pool, no gym, no spa, and very few amenities. The good news is that you have access to some restaurants of the Bávaro Palace like:
- “Santa Fe” – a steakhouse
- “Coral” – a seafood place
- Two buffet restaurants
- “Hoyo 19” – an à la carte restaurant bar at the end of the golf course
You can also grab snacks at:
- “Coffee, Rum & Cigars Lounge Bar” – opens at 4 PM
- “Striker’s Sports Bar” – open 24/7 with a small buffet of finger foods
You also have access to the Palace’s wide selection of pools, including:
- Two large beachfront pools
- An adults-only pool in the El Cielo section with water jets and a bar
Additional access includes the spa, a fully equipped gym, and many other amenities like:
- A baseball field
- A soccer field
- Shopping areas
- An on-site casino
- A nightclub
There’s also a four-lane bowling alley, an arcade (both pay-to-play), minigolf, a putting green, and a beautiful 18-hole golf course.
In the entertainment center, you’ll find board games like Dominoes, Monopoly, and Battleship.
Outdoor games like petanque, shuffleboard, and giant chess are also available.
While the entertainment staff at Bávaro Beach is not very active, the staff at Bávaro Palace organizes various games and more elaborate night shows in a larger theater next door.
Now let’s give the Barceló Bávaro Beach an actual rated score.
| Value | 20/20 |
| Beach | 10/10 |
| Food | 9/15 |
| Amenities | 13/20 |
| Service | 8/10 |
| Room | 12/15 |
| Drinks | 4/5 |
| Entertainment | 2/5 |
| Extra credit Jhon | 0/5 |
| Extra credit Ari | 0/5 |
| TOTAL SCORE | 78/110 |
If you feel the Barceló Bávaro Beach is the right resort for you, book it using the below links:
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Click here to see where we rank the Barceló Bávaro Beach Punta Cana resort rankings.
Click here to see our YouTube video tour of the Barceló Bávaro Beach facilities.
