Iberostar Waves Punta Cana - All Inclusive

This was our second time staying at the Iberostar resort, and once again, we had a fantastic time. The staff was mostly very helpful, and we appreciated that the resort caters to many Spanish-speaking families—it gave us a great opportunity to practice our Spanish with both the guests and staff. As expected, even though it's technically not allowed, beach and pool chairs get reserved early in the morning. If you want a prime spot, plan accordingly. Our room exceeded expectations! The small bed prepared for our 8-year-old daughter was well made and comfortable. The room was clean, and the air conditioning was strong—perfect for cooling down after a hot day. The pools were a little too warm for my taste, but the ocean was always refreshing. Food & Dining Experience The food was a mix of hits and misses. The Higuey buffet is the most convenient since it’s open for all meals, but it’s also the busiest. For breakfast, we usually went to Hispaniola, which was quieter and more enjoyable. Just be mindful of the birds—while beautiful, they aren’t shy about stealing food! (A stork snatched a breakfast sandwich one day.) Both buffets are open-air with large fans, making them quite comfortable. The à la carte restaurants were enjoyable overall, though the service felt a bit rushed. Sometimes, it seemed like the food had been pre-prepared, which affected the temperature and texture. My biggest issue was that some dishes lacked seasoning and were served lukewarm. Here’s our take on the restaurants we tried: Sibila (French, reservation required) – Great ambiance and food. Maria Bonita (Mexican) – This was the only real disappointment. The food didn’t meet our expectations, and honestly, you’re better off going to the buffet. La Cana (Beachfront, feet in the sand) – Lovely setting, solid food. La Marimba (American BBQ) – Best service of the trip! We considered trying the Star Café, but the lack of ambiance and poor air circulation made it feel too stuffy, so we left before ordering. On the drinks side, the mojitos were a must-try—refreshing and well-made. The virgin strawberry daiquiris were a hit with the whole family! Service & Overall Experience Whenever we had an issue, the staff went above and beyond to help—like when I cracked my phone screen, they were incredibly helpful. Overall, we had a great stay, and despite some food inconsistencies, the experience was fantastic. We’d definitely return!

Check-in was slow, with staff pushing upgrades. The resort is clean, spacious, and safe. Our family suite was quiet, comfortable, and well-maintained, with great blackout curtains. Housekeeping was excellent, and my kids loved the towel animals. The WiFi worked everywhere, even on the beach, and the resort app was useful for messaging the front desk. Food was hit or miss. Dinner had good options, but the buffet was unappealing—birds stole food, stray cats roamed the restaurant, and some items sat unrefrigerated. There aren’t many lunch options, and drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) were inconsistent in quality. The pool wasn’t well-filtered well, with lots of noticeable debris. Chair saving is out of control at the pool and beach, and the resort doesn’t enforce its policy. Solicitation was constant—vendors approached us nonstop, especially because we had kids. The wristband room keys were convenient, but I wish they were removable. Check-out is strict at noon, no exceptions, so we had to sit in the lobby for 90 minutes before our ride.

The Best word to describe my 20 years wedding anniversary trip to Punta Cana Iberostar Waves Dominicana is “UNCOMFORTABLE” To start the “Concierge” only objective is to get you to attend a Tour to a sales pitch… We said we wasn’t interested day 1, and they basically harassed us until we went. They called our room repeatedly at 9am… then came to find us in the pool area. Next we booked through southwest vacations. We paid $3700 for 5 nights. They put us on the side that isn’t remodeled. First thing we asked for at check in was to have the best room possible, ocean view if available because we are celebrating 20 years of marriage. They showed us a room about 10 doors down from the pool view room booked. Same everything and said it was an extra $100 per night. We declined. First night, the room 4157 smelled like Sewer “CACA”. And we complained. House keeping sprayed something to smell better, but it didn’t last long. The smell was so uncomfortable, after the second night I couldn’t take it anymore. They wanted to move us to the same room they said was $100 extra a night, but it also smelled like CACA! Long story short, ELIZABETH, the manager, did move us to the other building room 5169. While being uncomfortable the first 2 nights we also were starving. They are definitely cutting corners on the food. We ate at the buffet, it was terrible. The food was cold, bread was moldy. They even had the nerve to cook their own food fresh and told us it was for us, during late night snack time (11pm). We ate at the French restaurant La Sibila, The yellowtail was overcooked, the steak was overcooked, everything was a waste. We ate at the smokehouse, La Marimba. The first time we was pleased. The second time we went was a disappointment. The vegan option was a joke. We ate at the Latin restaurant, La Palapita. Food was a waste, and a disgrace. We also tried the Asian restaurant, La Pagoda. The first time we went ever was old and cold. Our last night we went back and enjoy everything. Now our friends had a member pass, which we did not have the opportunity to purchase. We sat in the designated beach area with them every day, until our last day, we were told we could not sit we them because we didn’t have the band. Something else was said about the owner’s daughter was there and they would get in trouble. I think They probably were lying! We will not be returning to This resort again… I cried, I stayed respectful, and I don’t like to complain! However, we paid $3700 to relax and enjoy a special occasion, our 20th anniversary, and it was VERY UNCOMFORTABLE!

All the nature around it.

The staff was AMAZING! The food could’ve been better. The resort was ok but we did find two roaches near the mini bar and bathroom.

El hotel esta muy bien, las habitaciones son grandes y comodas. Las barras son muy lentas, la comida esta bien, pero no mas que eso. Es un hotel que cumple, la playa muy linda, siempre olas, algunos dias zargaso (diciembre)

Beach is beautiful

For two nights the air conditing leaked all over the bed and on the third morning the panel was coming down

Very nice staff and good bufete. Beautiful place to be in family environment.

The property was beautiful. The food was decent. There was not anything you could walk to other than the resorts own shopping. The beach was super pretty. However, I found it irritating that they continuously try to sell you the member package. Even leaving the restaurants, they try to ask you to go to the timeshare presentation. Very aggravating! We went to an iberostar in playa del Carmen and loved it which is why we went here. However, I’d say take your money elsewhere.