We recently traveled to Punta Cana for vacation! We stayed at JOIA Bavaro, which is part of the Iberostar Complex. It’s an adult-only hotel, the name was recently changed from Iberostar Grand Bavaro to JOIA Bavaro. I stayed at JOIA Paraiso, south of Cancun, last September. You can read that review here.
JOIA Bavaro is in the Dominican Republic, you fly into Punta Cana. The resort is about 35 minutes from the airport and part of a complex of five Iberostar resorts.
JOIA is the adult-only hotel, the other four are family-friendly. Adults at JOIA have access to the entire complex, including the bars, restaurants, and entertainment. There is a casino and club in the complex, as well as a golf course and two spas.
Airport Arrival in Punta Cana
We flew nonstop from DFW to Punta Cana. American offers this most of the year, and Sun Country offers a nonstop in the summer. This trip, we opted for the VIP arrival service that the airport offers. They also offer a departure option, and it’s less expensive than the arrival.
Arrival is $100 per adult, they meet you at the plane and escort you to a lounge where you clear immigration while someone retrieves your bags. Then they escort you through customs and to your transportation. The Punta Cana airport has a long walk from the plane to immigration and this VIP services shuttles you through part of that. It definitely saves on some of the walking.
The departure service was on special for $20 per person, so we jumped on that. They take you to a lounge where you can get a drink if you want. Then you clear security and immigration in a single room. You can also add on lounge access near your gate if you prefer to have somewhere to wait.
Hotel Check-in
We booked a swim-up room with Butler service. A lot of hotels are throwing around the word “Butler” when most really mean upgraded concierge service. I think we had a mix here at JOIA. We had a great butler, and I would describe it as an upgraded concierge. I did not have to go looking for him when we needed something. And, after day 1, he anticipated most of what we needed anyway. We were very happy!
Check-in was smooth, and we got a quick escort to our room. He showed us the ropes with the lights and AC, and pointed out the key spots on a resort map so we could get our bearings. Since we were arriving late, the buffet was the easy dinner choice. After eating, it was straight to unpacking and then a quick dip in the swim-up – we were exhausted!
We loved having a dedicated concierge with our Butler room. It made things so much easier! Need a spa appointment? Want to try the Hibachi? Have a question about your room? They’ve got you covered. Ours was also super thoughtful – we could always count on a full ice bucket when we got back to our room in the afternoon, perfect timing for a swim. Definitely factor in tipping your concierge or butler if they provide excellent service!
Our Room at JOIA Bavaro
If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know a swim-up room is my happy place! It’s a big reason why I’ve had so many clients return to this particular JOIA – the swim-up access is fantastic. Now, let’s talk honestly about the overall rooms here. They tend to be on the smaller side, feel a touch dated, and the bathroom storage is definitely lacking. While I wish the bathroom layout could be better, it’s probably not in the cards. Honestly, this is the only real downside I’ve found with this hotel. The incredible food and service more than compensate for the smaller rooms.
We packed an over-the-door shoe rack to help with bathroom storage. It does not fit over the door (they are wide doors), so we hung it on the towel rack and it worked great. You could also hang it in the closet, but it’s just not as convenient for storing bathroom items.
Utilize the drawers in the nightstand for sure. Each one has 2 deep drawers. The closet space is good for hanging items, and there are a few shelves.
Our patio had a couch, a table with chairs, and two lounge chairs for the swim-up. The swim-up rooms here are fairly quiet, except that they face the family property next door. Sometimes, we heard kids, but it was because they were playing in the water park. I didn’t mind, and it wasn’t overly noisy.
The Food at JOIA Bavaro
JOIA Bavaro has eight restaurants, including the buffet and pool snack bar. The buffet here is open for dinner. If you prefer not to have to dress up on vacation, this is a good option for you. The food was good, and they usually had theme nights, so it wasn’t the same thing each night.
We tried the buffet the first night, we ate at the Steakhouse (twice), the French Restaurant, the Japanese Restaurant (Hibachi), and the Italian. Our favorite was the Steakhouse, but the French was a close second. Very good steak. We bought three bottles of wine during our stay, and they were all very reasonable. The Sommelier had a great personality! We did not care for the Hibachi, hoping it was an off night.
Favorite lunch was the poolside grill – they had burgers, hot dogs, fries, and nachos. There is also a small outdoor buffet for lunch.
The Pools at JOIA Bavaro
There are several pools: one is quieter, one has a swim-up bar, and there’s the activity pool, where the volleyball net and water aerobic classes are.
There are a lot of cabanas and palapas around the pools as well. I love a cabana! This is one resort that definitely plays the chair game. You need to get up early and reserve your spot. I was shocked our butler actually told us this, and they don’t move your stuff if you don’t come down by a certain time. I usually get up about 7 on vacation and walk, so I took our towels and sunblock and reserved our spot. We were back out there by 9. A lot of people were up before 7.
We liked the quieter pool, but it doesn’t connect to the fun swim-up bar. We ended up spending most of our days at that pool. It’s also closer to the beach, and you get a little ocean view.
The Beach
The beach is outstanding here. Gorgeous sand, gorgeous blue water. It was also a little cold, but it’s April. It felt amazing! I love sunrises at the beach. There are also plenty of palapas and chairs on the beach.
It really is this pretty!
The Entertainment
The entertainment at night varied. The lobby bar usually has a pianist or someone singing. Outside the main lobby bar is also someone singing at a different time. Several nights, guests were dancing here. The cigar bar is attached to the lobby bar, so it’s quite active in that area in the evenings. They also have a space with pool tables, which was also busy!
By the restaurants is the Cala Esmeralda Bar (the boat). There’s a bar right outside the boat by the restaurants, and I got the best old-fashioned made with Bulleit. In the lower level of the boat is the nightclub. It didn’t usually open until 11:30 PM, and we never made it. You’ll just have to trust me, it’s there.
I think JOIA Bavaro offers a good range of entertainment at night. There was always music and drinks to be found. They also have a show in the theater at 9:30 PM.
Family sections of the Iberostar Bavaro complex
I didn’t stay at the family section, just took a tour and walked around. There are 4 sections, different price ranges, and amenities. Some are suites with some elevated service, some are more budget-friendly but don’t have the water park or as many restaurants. Here are a few photos.
We had a great trip! It’s always good to get away and relax, and this was exactly what we needed.
Are you ready to book your next all-inclusive vacation?
📍 Let’s Plan Your Next Adventure!
If you’re dreaming of a trip to the Dominican Republic or anywhere else in the world, I’d love to help make it happen! As a travel agent with Lake Pointe Travel, I can take the stress out of planning and find the best deals for you. Email me at Sarah@LakePointeTravel.net to start planning! You can also contact me here.
By day, I’m a travel agent and I share our vacations and travel tips here. Stay connected for more travel inspiration!
🌍 Follow my travel adventures:
📸 Instagram: @HowMyWorldTravels
💬 Join my private Facebook group for exclusive deals, travel tips, and advice: How My World Travels with Sarah
Happy travels!
