JOIA Bavaro by Iberostar

jasoncT6347ER wrote a review October 2025

Greatest Vacation Yet

The staff were fantastic. Everyone - from check-in, to housekeeping to the butlers to even the groundskeeping staff - everyone said hello, and were friendly, welcoming and helpful.

Special shout outs to Ramon, Sherly and Francisco from Star Prestige, and our butlers Armando and Cofe!

The rooms were clean and beautiful. The food was fantastic. No complaints - Highly recommend JOIA! We will most certainly be back.

Date of Stay: September 2025

davewY1474MR wrote a review October 2025

Great person

Very great!! Ramon in concierge was excellent!! Found everything we needed in just a few seconds very helpful all week.

Date of Stay: September 2025

8nizv wrote a review October 2025

Dream Wedding

Where to begin. I’m not one to ever leave reviews, but I have a lot to say about this place. My husband and I decided to celebrate our wedding at JOIA Iberostar and it was exceeded anything we could have ever imagined. We had never seen the place in person so we just had to trust the photos and videos online so when we finally arrived and saw this place, OMG.

The wedding: From the very beginning our wedding coordinator, Keila, made sure to make us feel so comfortable and at ease. She was so patient and thorough with everything. Working with her made this planning process so much easier.

The grounds: The resort is so beautiful and peaceful but with the right amount of activities to keep you entertained. I felt like o had just stepped into a fairy tail.

The Staff: We opted for the butler suite. Shout out to Cofe and Armando, they were so attentive and made our stay so comfortable and also extended to their services to our families. Even when we left, my husband forgot an expensive pair of sneakers and Armando helped us get them back.

The food: The food was so delicious, especially in the Dominican restaurant. I made a special request for a meal and the chef delivered with those flavors, our guests keep asking about what seasonings were used because it was just so delicious.

Date of Stay: September 2025

iblameromeo wrote a review October 2025
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Celebrating Alone, Feeling Like Royalty at Joia Bávaro

I usually travel alone, but my birthday getaway to Joia Bávaro by Iberostar in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, was unforgettable! Booked through Costco Travel for $1,300 USD (flight, transfer, and accommodation), this top-tier resort is huge and beautiful. From sparkling pools and beach huts to unlimited poolside drinks and spotless rooms (5/5 for cleanliness!), it had everything I needed.
The beach was perfect for relaxing, and although some nights had dull shows, my birthday night at the lobby bar was lively — I even met people who celebrated with me! Dining was amazing with options like Japanese, Steakhouse, Italian, French, Dominican, and Buffet — all first-come, first-served except the Japanese restaurant.
The staff were super friendly, and 24-hour room service meant I never went hungry. Traveling alone, I still felt comfortable and welcomed. Would I recommend this place? Absolutely YES — perfect for solo travelers or anyone looking for a memorable vacation.

Date of Stay: September 2025

mattsO2382JQ wrote a review October 2025

Dominican Republic Iberostar

Houston and Jose provided excellent butler service. 24/7 if we needed anything they made it arrive in a reasonable amount of time

Date of Stay: October 2025

X4666MOpatriciam wrote a review October 2025
Peoria, Arizona

Over the top friendliness and care and wonderful smiles and greetings

Garcia coffee
Gilbert reception
Ortiz buffet
Karen excursions
Housekeeping staff EXCELLENT
Julia poolside drinks
Manushka
Every single person on your staff was friendly,
Always greeted with a smile in a word
Always helpful patient
Excellent pampering!
It is not worthy that we were on several excursions and those guests did not have the over the top experience we did
In fact, they said they were rude... The palace. Rui. Hard Rock with the places they are staying at.
Thank you for an amazing experience

Date of Stay: October 2025

kathymP5169GV wrote a review October 2025

A couple from ohio visiting the DR

What an amazing resort!!! Golf, beach, nightly entertainment, games by the pool, and amazing food at every restaurant! Isaac and Ery were the best hosts, and Jesus was our butler (i hate cashing him that, but he was a huge hero in navigating the resort and the schedule). I would recommend this place to anyone! It is adults only, so mostly quiet, even though there were quite a few people.

Date of Stay: October 2025

N1450DBjackiea wrote a review October 2025

Incredible staff and beautiful resort

Jose was absolutely amazing! He took such great care of us during our vacation. We cannot say enough good things about him. The Joia Iberostar family was wonderful to us throughout our stay. The entertainment staff (Yeli, Sugar, Dali, Shaggy, and Smilie) were so much fun and helped us find the right balance between active and relaxing. The food was wonderful and was better than we have come to expect from an all-inclusive. Altagracia at the buffet was a gem, the wait staff that took care of us at the many restaurants made us feel like family, and the beach and swim up bar team made sure we were hydrated without hovering. There was not one member of the Joia Iberostar team that didn’t go above and beyond!

A special thank you to the many groundskeepers. The resort is gorgeous and well maintained. They work incredibly hard and do not get enough recognition for their work in the sweltering heat of the Caribbean. For those that say the resort is “dated”, I respectfully disagree. It has an old world charm mixed with a carribean vibe that I adore.

This was our 5th trip to the Dominican Republic and our 4th resort and we will be back to Joia!

Date of Stay: October 2025

Excursion11515631166 wrote a review October 2025

Great vacation!

We just spent 6 days at JOIA Iberostar and it was the perfect combination of relaxing and fun! Jose (concierge/butler) took great care of our entire group throughout our stay and made sure everything was perfect. The entertainment team led by Yeli and including Shaggy, Sugar, Smilie and Dali were so much fun and kept us entertained every day! The wait staff quickly learned our names and food and drink preferences and greeted us as old friends. My wife shed some tears saying goodbye to Altagracias at the buffet.
The restaurants were fantastic - food, decor, drinks, and service were above and beyond what we expected. The beaches and pools were pristine and well tended. The water was warm but refreshing and seaweed was minimal. The sand was white and soft and did not disappoint.
If you are debating booking this resort - just do it! You will not be disappointed!

Date of Stay: October 2025

640connorh wrote a review October 2025
Buffalo, Erie County, New York

Great experience with Victor and Jose

Victor and Jose went above and beyond for our expirence with our birthday weekend. Golf was spectular, beach views weee great, but Victor, Jose, Emma, Jenny, Dali & team team were fabulous. 10/10.

Date of Stay: October 2025

412abbiez wrote a review October 2025

Definitely a relaxing getaway

My husband and I had a fantastic time! The entire staff was polite, fun, and friendly, but our butlers, Edward and Armando, were the stars! They checked in with us multiple times a day, stopped to chat whenever they saw us around the resort, and did everything they could to make our stay relaxing and enjoyable. The food was tasty (they have several different restaurants on site, so we had a different type of food each night) and the bartenders at the pool bar were fun and had a delicious assortment of drinks. The one thing that put a damper on the trip were the concierges. Every time we met one they tried to schedule a meeting with us to go over time share options. It got to the point where we avoided going places other than the pool so we wouldn’t run into them, but they found us there too. We didn’t do any of the excursions, mostly because the other guests we talked to didn’t make them sound great. One couple was supposed to go snorkeling but when the boat got to the site it was covered in seaweed from a storm a few days prior. The guests had the impression that the company had known it was a problem beforehand but still took everyone out there. They ended up just having some snacks and drinks on the boat and then coming back. We played golf a day, and the course at the resort is very nice. It was hot, but we had a great time. I had a massage at the resort too and that was REALLY nice. I’m so sorry I can’t remember the name of my masseuse to mention her here, but she did an amazing job. Overall a very relaxing experience, and definitely worth the price. Everywhere we went was extremely neat and clean. I’d recommend taking a lot of $1 and $5 bills for tipping the staff during your stay, plus some bigger bills for your butlers, if you have any, and housekeeping.

Date of Stay: October 2025

V472QLisaacc wrote a review October 2025

Guys Trip - Mid 20’s

Hands down our best experience yet. We’ve been to other resorts for guys trips but this one topped it. From stepping off the airplane to leaving the resort, it was flawless. Safe, clean, and high end. The resort itself is spread out so you have space to yourself, but can come together to interact with others as well. They gave us golf cart rides to the other Iberostar resorts to explore their restaurants and the famous Disco Club. The entertainment staff provided excellent shows. The best part was the wait staff in the restaurants. We really enjoyed how staff from breakfast worked at dinner and in multiple restaurants. We created amazing connections with many of them. This made our experience extremely memorable. They treated us like kings and joined in on the fun. 10/10 we will be back. Thanks JOIA Bavaro Staff!

Date of Stay: October 2025

MatthewC713 wrote a review October 2025
Middletown, Delaware

Loyal Guest — Still Love It, but a Few Issues This Time

I’ve stayed at this resort more than a dozen times over the years. After a bad experience at another property, I discovered Iberostar and have been coming back ever since. I usually visit once a year, sometimes more, and lately I’ve been bringing friends along for group vacations.

Our butler this trip, Danilo, was fantastic. We don’t ask for much, but anytime we did, he took care of it quickly and always with a smile. He really made our stay better.

Our first night, we had to wait over an hour and a half to be seated at the French restaurant, Tourbillon, which was frustrating. The rest of the week, the wait times were fine, but the service inside was still on the slower side.

The biggest disappointment this time was how food allergies were handled. My wife has allergies, and unlike past trips, the staff didn’t seem as attentive or accommodating. A few times, meals had to be sent back because they weren’t prepared safely. Room service was especially poor — it was slow, and the orders were wrong almost every time. My wife ordered a plain hamburger (no cheese, no bun) three times, and each time it arrived incorrectly. At the pool bar, two employees flat-out told us “no” when we asked for a gluten-free roll — but thankfully, Danilo stepped in again and made it happen.

Later in our stay, we met Ruby, who was wonderful and made managing the allergy concerns so much easier whenever she was available. She and Danilo were truly the highlights of our experience.

We also inquired about booking an excursion through the resort but found the exact same trip offered elsewhere for much less. When we decided not to book through the hotel, the staff member we spoke with became very rude — especially when we were simply trying to schedule our return transportation to the airport afterward. That interaction definitely left a bad impression.

On a positive note, Ery at the pool bar was amazing as always. He’s incredibly friendly, quick, and one of the main reasons we keep coming back. It was great to see him back behind the bar. Black Mamba from the entertainment team was also outstanding — easily the best we’ve seen here.

Overall, we still love this resort and will probably return, but the food service, allergy awareness, and excursion desk attitude definitely need improvement to match the high standards we’ve come to expect from Iberostar. We’ll likely come back again, but if things don’t improve, we may start exploring other resorts in the area for future trips.

Date of Stay: October 2025

garyu575 wrote a review October 2025
Pulaski, Wisconsin

Another wonderful trip but could make a few tweaks to improve

This was our 7th trip to this beautiful resort and my wife's 9th trip. We went for our 10th anniversary and the entire staff was wonderful. They are what make this a 5 star resort or I would most likely rate 4 stars.

Star Prestige beach: Maya, Manuel and the entire staff are excellent. Took great care of us every day.

Butlers: Junior and Ray were wonderful and went above and beyond for our anniversary. Every day they were right there with whatever we needed. They really feel like old friends.

Lobby bar: Bruno, Tomas and all the ladies that work there are amazing. So friendly, remembered my wife's drink orders and delivered everything with a smile.

Room: Very spacious, mostly quiet and comfortable beds.

Things that could be addressed to make things even better.

The towel game at the beach. Star Prestige beach has cabanas that people put their items in at 6 in the morning but didn't arrive at the beach until after noon. Everything opens at 9 and if you aren't there in 2 hours your items should be taken out of the cabanas.

Dress code for a la carte restaurants. They no longer require gentleman to wear pants which I guess is alright but when we go out for a nice dinner and a younger gentleman comes in with a backwards baseball cap, shirt unbuttoned half way down and wearing flip flops it is not the ambiance you want. Dress code states no open toed shoes for gentlemen but was not enforced. Perhaps the lines at these restaurants would not be as long if the drunks in t shirts shorts and flip flops were required to dress properly.

I stated earlier the room was mostly quiet. Each night the entertainment was wonderful with the singers, saxophone or piano were all excellent and when you closed your balcony door the room was quiet. Friday night whatever they had going on was obnoxious. Door closed and could feel the base in my chest and hear the music. Didn't get any sleep until it was finished and we were leaving Saturday morning. Move that sort of thing towards the beach so people that need to get rest can.

Date of Stay: October 2025

dianavD2879QX wrote a review October 2025

Our Second Stay – Even More Wonderful Than the First!

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This was our second time staying at JOIA Iberostar and our sixth trip to the Dominican Republic. Last year was our first visit to this resort, and we immediately fell in love with it. This year, we couldn’t wait to return — and once again, it exceeded our expectations!

From the moment we arrived, everything was perfect. The staff is incredibly friendly, the resort is spotless and beautifully maintained, and the food is delicious. The service is truly top-notch.

A huge thank you to our butlers, Armando and Raymond, who took exceptional care of us and made sure every need was met. Jary and Jessica were always kind and welcoming, and Johnnie was amazing as well!

The sports and entertainment team was energetic and fun — a special shoutout to Shagi, Shugar, and Natalie, who made every activity enjoyable and memorable.

We had another unforgettable vacation and are already looking forward to coming back.
Highly recommend JOIA Iberostar Resort! 🌴✨

Date of Stay: October 2025

deborahwL5256IQ wrote a review October 2025

Rested well!

Relaxing with my sweetheart! The pace we set and had a wonderful experience. The staff understood that we did not want any part of the time share up sell since we booked the Holiday to avoid meetings and rest well. Wonderful butlers with Reynaldo and Armando. The swing up pool is nice but FREEZING so gird your loins friends!
Great food, pool, and people!

Date of Stay: October 2025