Catalonia Bavaro Beach, Golf & Casino Resort

I would say the highlight of the Resort is the staff. They are genuine people, warm, kind, and fun. My husband had difficulties walking due to his hip surgery so they would pick him up daily and drive him to the buffets, lobby, beach or pool. (This was a request...

I would say the highlight of the Resort is the staff. They are genuine people, warm, kind, and fun. My husband had difficulties walking due to his hip surgery so they would pick him up daily and drive him to the buffets, lobby, beach or pool. (This was a request and not necessarily included in the package.) Thank you to our drivers especially Leonardo! During our meals they waited upon us immediately and were very pleasant often joking and making us smile. The bed was comfortable and the room was cleaned every day. (They did have an air conditioner leak in our ceiling but they attended to it right away.) My husband enjoyed the buffets. I preferred the restaurants as the quality of food was better. The ocean was beautiful, warm and calm, and seaweed to a minimum. The only thing I didn't like was the availability of the cabanas/umbrellas at both the pool and the oceanside. I got up at 6:30 every morning so i could reserve a spot. If you go to the beach or pool after breakfast you are too late and you struggle to find a place to sit. It also would have been nice to be served food or drink right on the beach. All in all it was a very pleasant week and we will be returning. Michelle S, Dartmouth, MA, USA

I urge anyone considering this hotel to read all reviews carefully — especially the low-rated ones — because they are 100% accurate. My review is long, but I want to share my full experience to help others avoid the disappointment my family and I went through. I stayed at Catalonia...

I urge anyone considering this hotel to read all reviews carefully — especially the low-rated ones — because they are 100% accurate. My review is long, but I want to share my full experience to help others avoid the disappointment my family and I went through. I stayed at Catalonia Bávaro Resort for 11 nights, and I spent nearly 4-5 days going back and forth to reception trying to change rooms and file complaints. We were moved three times before finally settling in due to dirty rooms, broken furniture, and terrible smells. The process was exhausting, and we were in constant communication with TUI trying to arrange a hotel change — something that should never happen on a holiday. If you don't speak Spanish, be prepared for serious communication issues. Most staff, including many at reception, speak little to no English, making even basic conversations extremely frustrating. The few who did speak English had very limited knowledge. I read previous reviews mentioning this, but I thought people might have been exaggerating — they weren't. The overall atmosphere of the hotel felt unwelcoming, and staff showed no care for guests unless you were tipping them. At the buffet, my fiancé and I had to wait long periods to be served. Several times, I asked different waiters for coffee or water, only to be completely ignored. After asking three or four times, we were finally served — but always with poor attitude. On one occasion, my fiancé asked a staff member a simple question, only to be dismissed with the response "No English" before walking away. It was rude and disrespectful. We experienced two power cuts during our stay. The first happened on my birthday and lasted about 40 minutes — the second lasted almost five hours. The entire resort was in pitch darkness, with no backup generators. There was no water, no electricity, and no communication. We couldn’t even shower and had to rely on our phone flashlights — something completely unacceptable for a resort of this size. Despite asking several times, I was never able to speak to a manager — it felt like they simply didn't care. Towards the end of our holiday, we noticed staff suddenly becoming overly friendly — which felt suspicious considering how we had been treated the whole time. Later, we discovered why. They began handing out QR codes to guests, pressuring them to leave five-star reviews while standing over them. The review form was in Spanish, and they would guide you on how to rate the hotel — not the staff — with full stars. This explains the false positive reviews online and is nothing more than manipulation. If you're thinking of upgrading to Deluxe or Privilege, don't waste your money — it's a scam. We paid extra for Privilege, only to be told by the staff that only Exclusive guests receive the services advertised on the website. The hotel's concierge team is only there to sell upgrades, not to genuinely help guests. This holiday was meant to be a special celebration, but it turned into one of the worst experiences we've ever had. It reached the point where we were seriously considering cutting our holiday short and flying home early due to the constant stress and disappointment. I would never recommend this hotel to anyone. Think twice before booking!

Don’t go. The food is lukewarm to cold, dinner leftovers show up for breakfast and lunch. Did they sit there lukewarm all night? Who knows. But most of it tastes horrible the first time around. The beach was so-so. Lots of floating seaweeds and sea grass. This I know can...

Don’t go. The food is lukewarm to cold, dinner leftovers show up for breakfast and lunch. Did they sit there lukewarm all night? Who knows. But most of it tastes horrible the first time around. The beach was so-so. Lots of floating seaweeds and sea grass. This I know can come and go, so I understand. Didn’t go to the pool, because the music and games were ear splitting. Shower in our junior suite was so small that every time my husband moved, the water turned off. Service was ok, but we have had much better other places. Had been to Majestic Colonial years ago, and should have paid the extra to go there again.

I was really disappointed with my stay at this hotel. There was constant construction going on throughout my trip, which made it hard to relax with all the noise and disruption. I wish the hotel had mentioned this beforehand. The beach was another letdown – the sea was full of...

I was really disappointed with my stay at this hotel. There was constant construction going on throughout my trip, which made it hard to relax with all the noise and disruption. I wish the hotel had mentioned this beforehand. The beach was another letdown – the sea was full of seaweed, making swimming and enjoying the water unpleasant. On top of that, the food was very disappointing with limited variety and poor quality. Overall, this trip didn’t meet my expectations, and I wouldn’t recommend this hotel until improvements are made.

We found this resort to be of a very good standard. Our room which was in a privileged block was spacious, clean and contained all the advertised extras, ie towels, slippers, robes etc. No complaints there save for it being a twin room. We were offered a room change but...

We found this resort to be of a very good standard. Our room which was in a privileged block was spacious, clean and contained all the advertised extras, ie towels, slippers, robes etc. No complaints there save for it being a twin room. We were offered a room change but decided against the hassle of changing and squeezed into a double bed, so no issue. The food was good enough...plenty of variety in the buffet - omelette lady deserves a mention for her happy service. Restaurants were good although we found the Japanese one confusing and gave up waiting to get seated and went to buffet instead. We saw another couple there who likewise had given up on that seating and went to buffet so maybe it was that particular evening. The beach is lovely and we spent most days there. We didn't get hassled by locals selling goods, they offered and if we weren't interested they didn't exert pressure. The pool looked very nice but the collected scum at the side put us off going in. A good clean is needed. We had a few issues on arriving with the hotel being overbooked. A manager Kelly "managed" these in a pleasant courteous way leaving us feeling very positive. My advice to people who may experience problems is to raise them via email while on site and hopefully you will have them dealt with as swiftly as us. I would highly recommend this resort.

I would not recommend this resort to anyone who expects 4 star service and quality food. We recently stayed for a week in a junior suite room. The resort and pool area were nice, rooms were fairly clean, and bed was comfortable but no hot water in our room for...

I would not recommend this resort to anyone who expects 4 star service and quality food. We recently stayed for a week in a junior suite room. The resort and pool area were nice, rooms were fairly clean, and bed was comfortable but no hot water in our room for showers and our towels and water bottles were not replaced. Although some of the staff were happy and friendly, most were not and did not seem happy. Many did not understand basic English. Food in buffet was not good, often cold and not replaced. Recommend eating in the restaurants as much as possible.

I’ve been to several all-inclusive resorts, and unfortunately, Catalonia Bavaro ranks among the worst. While I didn’t go in expecting five-star luxury, I at least hoped for basic service, decent food, and a clean, functioning room—none of which were consistently provided. The Good: I’ll give credit where it’s due—the grounds...

I’ve been to several all-inclusive resorts, and unfortunately, Catalonia Bavaro ranks among the worst. While I didn’t go in expecting five-star luxury, I at least hoped for basic service, decent food, and a clean, functioning room—none of which were consistently provided. The Good: I’ll give credit where it’s due—the grounds were well-kept and beautiful, and the beach was very nice. But you can get a beautiful beach at any resort along this shoreline, so that alone isn’t enough to justify staying here. Food & Restaurants: The buffet was average at best, with some specialty restaurants offering a better experience—except for the Spanish tapas restaurant, Terrace, which should be avoided at all costs. Service & Staff: This was probably the most disappointing aspect of our stay. About 95% of the staff clearly didn’t care. Sure, a few were friendly and helpful, but the majority acted indifferent or dismissive. A perfect example—getting beach towels was a nightmare. They were constantly out, and at one point, we were told to come back in an hour, only to witness a staff member pull a towel from a bag hidden in a bush for another guest. Another frustrating moment happened at the pizza station, where they didn’t have plates available—just napkins. I asked one staff member for a plate, and she flat-out said no. Then, I asked another staff member sitting just five feet away, and she quickly got me two. The inconsistency and lack of effort were beyond frustrating. Rooms & Cleanliness: Our room was outdated and in poor condition—peeling walls, worn-out sheets, and a shower that wouldn’t drain, forcing us to stand in a puddle of yesterday’s water. There were no chair covers on the cushions in the room, making the furniture feel even more rundown. Housekeeping was unreliable, often forgetting to replace towels or restock water in the minibar. Other Issues: The internet was unreliable, constantly cutting in and out. To make matters worse, we lost power one morning, and no one acknowledged it—no announcement, no explanation, nothing. Final Thoughts: For the price, Catalonia Bavaro was not worth it. The poor service, lack of cleanliness, and overall disregard for guests made this one of the most frustrating resort experiences I’ve had. Yes, the beach and grounds were nice, but so are all the beaches here. Spend your money elsewhere—this place is not it.

I won a trip and chose the Catalonia Bavaro Beach and Golf Resort. We wanted an adult only experience. It is fairly close to the airport. Check in was easy, and Anna at the front desk was very helpful. Be careful about someone telling you "you are a VIP, and...

I won a trip and chose the Catalonia Bavaro Beach and Golf Resort. We wanted an adult only experience. It is fairly close to the airport. Check in was easy, and Anna at the front desk was very helpful. Be careful about someone telling you "you are a VIP, and we want to give you some special amenity" - they are trying to sell you the "exclusive package". The place was beautiful, and well kept. We took long walks on the beach (about a 2 mile walk). While they struggle with sea weed, the resort and surrounding resorts do a good job raking it up every day. We had the walk out pool, and while I did not think I would use it, we ended up loving it. I would avoid the buffet, unless the food was cooked in front of you it was blah and cold. The ala cart restaurants were the better option - be sure to make reservations. Men need closed toe shoes (sneakers are fine and a polo shirt works). Overall this was a very good experience for us and I would recommend it.

March 2025 This resort is between 1-2 stars. From someone who has stayed at all kinds of resorts... We did not expect this place to be the greatest because of the price. We booked it on black Friday and got almost half off. For the price we paid, I still...

March 2025 This resort is between 1-2 stars. From someone who has stayed at all kinds of resorts... We did not expect this place to be the greatest because of the price. We booked it on black Friday and got almost half off. For the price we paid, I still would've expected more. To start off, our fridge in our room was broken, like many others. Our shower did not drain the whole trip. The room was tacky and decently dirty. The AC didn't work super well in our room. About 95% of TV channels are in Spanish, also the picture quality is so bad it's barely visible. No robes in our room. None of these small things really bothered us though. What bothered us the most was the staff. The staff at this hotel sincerely do not give two sh*** about anything. They do not say hello, smile at you, and even respond to you at times. there were multiple instances where I asked for a drink or asked a staff member a question and they either look at me with a weird expression, shake their head, say no, and/or just walk away. I saw many other reviews saying this (and pretty much everything else in my review), but I always take reviews with a grain of salt because nothing really bothers me and I'm not super uptight with my expectations. This was like nothing Ive ever seen. The staff does not try to hide that you are, in fact, bothering them. On top of that, the majority of staff did not speak basic English. I can't say I attribute that to the reason of their unfriendliness though. A couple will try to understand you, but most won't and just do something random in response or leave. They straight up ignore you to the highest degree. There is only one bartender at each bar except the hotel lobby. I spent most of my time at the bar, beach, and pool waiting to be served and then waiting for the bartender to come over again so I could remind them that I ordered a drink ten minutes ago (sometimes needing 2-3 reminders). Also, there is no one coming around taking orders at the beach and pool. Your only option is to wait in the long bar line. Also, you can't really ask for any drinks that aren't on the menu because they will have no idea what you're saying and not make any effort to understand. Even when I asked for a martini with extra olives, a bartender literally said no and walked away. The food was not the best. The restaurants are better than buffet. A lot of the buffet food does not have labels, or they are turned around or faded. So I couldn't tell what a lot of stuff even was. The restaurants had limited options. The appetizers were usually pretty good, especially at the Tapas and Italian restaurant. The teppanyaki was delicious. But our main courses at all the other restaurants were pretty bad and we usually sent them back. The steakhouse is a joke. The filet minion is the fattiest piece of steak I've ever ate. A lot of guests we met also complained about the steakhouse. However, I do want to give a shoutout to pretty much the only good staff member we encountered this trip. Our server at the steakhouse, Cassandra, was really on top of everything. And when I asked her a question, she had the patience to try to understand and let me type it out on google translate, instead of walking away like all the other staff at this hotel. Beware, after you eat at the teppanyaki restaurant, the chef and server literally force you to write a review for the hotel. They had us open Google, put five stars, then write their names in the review. But the review you're doing is for the WHOLE hotel, not just the restaurant. Carlos and Jesus are the two who made us do this. Everyone at our table was annoyed. I asked if this review was for them or the hotel twice, and neither answered me. No wonder this hotel has four stars. Almost every time we ate at the buffet (breakfast and lunch daily), we went the whole time without water. The person serving water would stand around, give one person water, then put it back down. However, the one thing the staff was very quick and capable at was cleaning up. The second I would put a drink or plate down, it would be gone. No one asks if you're done. The drink I just spent 20 minutes waiting for would be picked up and taken the second I turned around. Also the bars and snack bars all refuse to take any more orders about 15 minutes before their scheduled closing time. The beach and pool blast 2000's party music pretty loud. Had to turn the music on my headphones all the way up to drown it out. Which isn't relaxing either. Room service says 24 hour. The only options are caesar salad, bikini sandwich, and hot dogs at night. One every week, the hotel has local vendors come to the hotel and set up their shops for "Dominican Day". The entire day, they line the entire entrance to the lobby, restaurants, and buffet. So impossible to avoid. They all harass you and try to get you to buy their merchandise. I have absolutely no clue why the hotel allows and encourages this. All the guests were really pissed off. I understand having vendors on the beach, but the hotel promoting this is insane to me. I got really stressed out any time I had to walk by them. They really come after you and don't take no for an answer. Despite my complaints here, I am never one to complain or be rude in person. I am quite shy, so shaking them off was hard for me. My partner however, is usually very good at it, especially because we live right by Times Square. Even he had a hard time. It was even worse than walking through Times Square. The ones on the beach can also be annoying. Sometimes I would just be laying trying to relax and they come right up to you and start talking to you. One even woke me up. They give you a towel card for the week to exchange every day, which you need to return at the end of your stay or you get charged. The first day we got towels, the towel guy took our cards and didn't understand when we asked for them back. So, we had to use the same towels all week and almost got charged $20 for not returning our towel cards at the end of the week. Not sure if he keeps the towel card on purpose or what. The spa had no amenities. Just a sauna and massage tables. The hotel venue was blasting music most nights until around 1am to the point where we could not sleep. The casino has roulette, blackjack, Texas hold em, and slots. The ladies at the blackjack table talked about us in Spanish. The Spanish-speaking guests we were playing with said they were bad-mouthing us and laughing at us. When we checked out, no bellboy came to help us so we carried our luggage down three flights (there are no elevators). Which is fine, but my luggage was half by body weight and hard for me to lift myself. I think this hotel is rated so highly because it seems like a lot of the hotel guests are people who have probably never been on a vacation before or been to a decent hotel. Now, let me clarify, I am the least "Karen" person. Not much bothers me or my partner and we are very well-traveled from hostels to luxury resorts. I didn't trust reviews because I know most people writing reviews are Karens. Trust me, do not book here. Go somewhere better for the same price. There are plenty. Have the vacation you deserve. Or, book the adults only side. We walked over there and it seemed much nicer, and it is the same price. When we walked over to that side, we were bombarded by about 5-6 staff members and escorted out. Even when we were just hanging out with a couple we met and sitting on a bench. I can confidently say this was the most disappointing hotel I've stayed at. It is falsely advertised and there are SO many better options in PC, even if you're looking for a budget trip. Catalonia, please retrain the staff. I've never been treated so poorly in my life.

Nicole & Daris behind the bar made our entire trip! These ladies make amazing cocktails and are so welcoming. We stopped here every day during our stay and lounged in the comfortable seating area. Curaçao Bar is a MUST stop if you are staying at Catalonia.

Mindri was amazing! Had the relaxation moment service at the spa and very highly recommend! The time spent and products used felt so good! She focuses all areas that needed attention. I’ve had many services in the past and this was top notch! Five stars!!