JOIA Bávaro by Iberostar - Adults Only - All Inclusive

We have been to Punta Cana MANY times but even other 5* resorts did not quite match up to JOIA. The food was consistently the best we've had on vacation, with several cuisines to choose from and no problem getting a table (we never reserved). The staff was genuinely friendly and helpful (and patient with my husband's faltering attempts to speak Spanish!). The room and entire resort were immaculate, cleaned several times a day. The decor, although good quality, may feel a bit dated to some yet I didn't mind because our room (ocean view butler suite) was spacious, perfectly dark and quiet and cool at all times. The jacuzzi bath was a nice touch (especially when we arrived back at our room to find a bubble bath already run and adorned with rose petals!). The king bed was comfortable we slept deeply every night. But the game changer was the Iberostar app, which allowed us to message our butler, check out restaurant menus, and order drinks and snacks directly from the beach and pool, thanks to excellent WiFi reception. We did not use our butler much because we prefer to be self-sufficient. However, Valentin replied instantly and came to our room within minutes when we needed umbrellas! We also didn't partake in other activities through personal choice, but I assume they were of the same quality as everything else in JOIA: top-notch. I've heard some people return to this JOIA year after year, and I can now see why. Already dreaming of our return!

Everything was just perfect. The service was exceptional. The staff is amazing and very attentive to our needs. I was really impressed by the happiness of ALL the staff. The food is exceptional. Congrats to the Chef. The best place I ever went in terms of the quality of food. There are enough palapas to protect from the sun, We spent our days at the magnificent beach. We did Aqua Fit each and every day of our stay. Jean-Claude et Josée from Gatineau, Canada

Our stay at JOIA Bávaro was exceptional and exceeded expectations. We would readily return to and recommend this resort; our only regret was not staying longer! The rooms and resort premises are absolutely lovely - beautifully and thoughtfully designed. We walked by exotic birds and koi every morning, we spent time on our balcony enjoying the view and ocean breezes, and we generally just basked in such a lovely and tranquil environment. Everything (the room, restaurants, resort premises, etc.) was impeccably clean. The view from the beach was absolutely idyllic, and it was always easy to find chairs and an umbrella. We spent enough time at the beach to note that, though we could order drinks at any time through the app, staff was also regularly available and checking in to see if they could provide us with anything. On that note, the staff was friendly, helpful, and very attentive. The resort offered a wide array of activities each day. Personally, I loved yoga and pilates on the beach, but the more "lively" activities around the resort also looked very fun and engaging. The food was notably great. The staff was excellent at addressing allergies, and the restaurants had a fantastic variety of delicious options. As a vegetarian, I was impressed and delighted that every menu had a dedicated and thoughtful plant-based section (and very grateful to the lovely grill cook who prepped awesome veggie burgers for me every day!). My husband tried chicken and fish dishes and said these were outstanding. My real passion was the coffee shop: I drank far more espresso than intended on this trip, but every beverage I had at the coffee shop was so awesome that I just kept going back for more. I try to include downsides when I write a review, but I truly can't think of any. Our experience at JOIA was absolutely perfect.

Cesar was wonderful Gave us everything we asked for on time And every day Pleasant informative and very helpful! Recommend this butler and this hotel! One of the best in punta Cana!

Phenomenal place to stay. Would highly recommend. Jose and Houston were two amazing Butlers - they responded quickly and exceeded expectations in every way possible. They were both professional and had great personalities. Amiel (spelling it wrong unfortunately) was a phenomenal server at breakfast lunch and dinner. He anticipated our every need. He memorized our drink orders, bringing out iced tea (no lemon, no sugar) before we asked, and then knew how we took our coffee and where we preferred to sit. Braulio was great by the pool. He knew what we wanted and made sure we had ice water constantly and drinks in our hands when we needed them.

This was our first stay at JOIA Bavaro by Iberostar, the driveway from the main road to the hotel is very long and on the ay down to the JOIA you pass signs for the other four hotels on the site. The lobby was spacious and palatial but as Iberostar Club =members were taken to the Star Prestige lounge to check in. The bedroom was fine, there was sufficient wardrobe space and drawers for clothes, the entrance hall had a coffee maker and minibar along with bottles of filtered water. The water is supplied on a daily basis but we would rather get our own, as in lower level Iberostar hotels, we find it less wasteful as on some days we had at least had four bottles of water in the room, we drank less than a bottle a day, so we had 2/3 day old water on occasions. The bedroom was spacious enough and they had installed USB ports in the double sockets at either side of the bed, which was useful. The bathroom was slightly dated, the enamel on the bath was chipped, the shower was large but the water pressure was on the low side. However everything in the room was good quality and it was spotlessly clean thanks to Brigida who was also very good at towel art. Our butler, Victor, called on us not long after we got to our room to check that we had everything we needed, after a long flight 9½ hours, we just wanted to get washed and go for dinner, although I did ask for some tonic water and when we returned from dinner there were four cans there. We went in the buffet he first evening, plenty of choice and attentive staff, likewise the next morning we used the main buffet for breakfast. I am not keen on buffets as I tend to place too much food on my plate as I think I’ll try some of this and some of that and end up feeling too full. Being Iberostar Club members, after the first morning we decided to have breakfast at the La Perla restaurant which offered an a la carte menu. They brought you a fruit platter and came round with a trolley to offer fresh baked croissants, pain au choclat and banana bread. We were greeted at the restaurant each morning by Jhoel, who was an excellent host, aided by Nelson, Maximo, Pedro and Frances, who kept topping up the coffee and on some occasions mimosas. La Perla was also a buffet restaurant at lunchtime and again we preferred it to the main buffet. There are five specialty restaurants’, La Tentazione (Italian), El Galeon (steak), Le Tourbillon (French), Hashira (Japanese) and Casa de la Playa (Dominican). El Galeon was our favourite, the steaks in there were very good, Jessica the hostess was excellent and the waiting staff, Santo, Yohan, Ramona, Keila, Elizabeth and especially Noemi were very good and professional. La Tentazione also did a good fillet steak but the service could be hit and miss, one evening my wife said it felt like a production line, get them in, take the order and get the starters out as quick as possible. On another occasion we had a waitress who gave the impression she didn’t want to be there, wine and water were just sloshed in the glasses and spilt on the table, all the other waiters and waitresses took care pouring the drinks out, ensuring that the wine, especially red, didn’t drip on the table. The Japanese restaurant, Hashira, was the only one that needed a reservation, you could either sit inside and enjoy the teppanyaki show cooking or sit outside and order from a traditional menu. We opted for outside; we both had different chicken dishes but neither of us was impressed with the quality of the chicken. La Tourbillon French restaurant had a good choice of menu, from beef wellington, fish, lamb, duck, chicken and steak. The cheese cart was very for dessert, with a selection of different cheeses. Jhoel and Carolay were the hosts and good service provided by Raisa. We only went to the Dominican restaurant, Casa de la Playa, once as there were not many choices on the menu that my wife liked, although I found it an interesting menu. I opted for stewed goat with rum, which was very tasty and the goat very tender. Whilst in the restaurant they had a DJ, Castillo, who went round the tables asking everyone to write down a memorable song, which he then played to the whole restaurant, it was actually very good, Service in all the restaurants was very good, apart from the one waitress in the Italian. Entertainment was posted on the Iberostar app, but we found that this was hit and miss. On one Sunday evening in the theatre they had three tenors, El Divo, who were very good, but it wasn’t shown on the app, the next Sunday, three sopranos, Las Divas, again not shown on the app so it was not surprising that the theatre was only half full on both occasions, on Saturday evenings a show was shown on the app but didn’t take place, we along with other guests had made our way to the theatre. The evening entertainment was often just outside the lobby bar. Some entertainment, including the fire show, took place outside the lobby bar but the area was a bit too small to properly enjoy it. There was a Queen tribute one evening and I have to say they were pretty good, live musicians not backing tracks as well. The entertainment was repeated on a weekly basis so if there for two weeks you got the same shows, apart from El Divo and Las Divas. There were plenty of loungers and beds by the pool and on the beach, being Iberostar Club Members we used the Star Prestige area, but as is often the case people were going down to reserve their places early in the morning and is some cases not returning for 2-3 hours, they must have been going down in the dark as I liked to go down at 7:00, the best time of the day, and the sun was just rising but there were always towels/books on beds. There was sargassum on the beach each morning, but the staff were out before 7.00 with tractors removing it. The Star Prestige beach area had Augusto as the concierge, he did a good job of attending to the beds and serving drinks, along with Martin and Malyerix, with Julian doing a good job of keeping the sand cleaned and raked. Next door was Iberostar Selection Bavaro Suites and we walked through to the Star Café, as it was bigger than at JOIA, and also to the souvenir shops, also there was the coral laboratory showing what Iberostar were doing to preserve coral. Our butlers, Eduardo and Victor were very friendly and helpful, we didn’t really use them as we prefer to tend to our own needs, but they kept in touch daily checking to see if we needed anything, one day we came back to the room to find that they had decorated the bed and it did seem a shame to remove everything so that we could sleep in it. The staff in the Star Prestige reception and lounge were helpful and friendly especially Alby, Darlenys, Junior and Paloma. Overall, the hotel was very nice, ever so clean and tidy and the staff very friendly but we found it just a bit too quiet.

Such a great hotel! They took care of you the whole time and were very accommodating. The grounds and hotel were beautiful too. The staff was amazing and Nahomi our concierge was fantastic and went above and beyond to make sure we were well taken care of and had everything we needed. Would definitely come back again!

Easy, comfortable and convenient for a few days of enjoyment in the sun. The facility is a little dated and some of the restaurant decor is creeping into "hokey" territory. This place could definitely do with a slight refresh sometime in the next few years, but, overall, the place is well maintained and the staff work very hard to keep it in top form. We stayed on a top floor room facing away from the central pool. The room was great, no complaints. We looked down from our balcony onto the swim up rooms, and while it looked like the rooms were occupied, no one ever seemed to use the pool for the swim-up rooms. If you get one of these rooms, you should be aware that the pool for your room doesn't connect to anything else in the facility except the other swim-up rooms. Might be fun for a group to get a few rooms, but you won't be swimming to other parts of the facility from your room. We were here in the first week of March and the vibe was very chill, very quiet. The guests were mostly over 40, with a sizeable contingent over 55. Food was good, with a few wild successes, and a few extreme disappointments, but with most food hewing toward "pretty good" territory. We tried dining at the adjacent Iberostar property, but it was actually pretty disappointing. So while it may seem exciting that you have multiple properties to choose from when you're dining, I suspect the Joia Bavaro has the best options. We are English speakers, with little Spanish, and we did fine, but there were occasionally some language issues. The staff are super friendly, competent, professional, and hardworking, but there is a wide variety of skill with English. A couple random minor notes: - As non-smokers, we were a little worried going in that this place would be too smoker-friendly for us, but it really wasn't, at all. There are a few smoking sections here and there, but they are easily avoided if you don't like smoke. - There are some notes in other reviews about how hard the concierges can sell the membership upgrade, but we had no problem telling our salesguy "we're not interested in that" (in a polite and friendly tone) and that was the end of the conversation around that for the rest of our stay - The swim-up bar was nice, and fun, but we kind of wished there was something like a printed cocktail list. Not a must-have, but we don't go to bars that much, so a list can be a big help for us to figure out what we want. The bar in the lobby does have a list, and the drinks were also much better there! - We used World2Meet shuttle service to get from and to the airport, and they were great. Cheap, excellent service. - If you are looking to get a taste of DR culture, this is not really the place to go. It's a very sanitized, mostly culture-free place to stay. - If you forget sunblock or ibuprofen or other amenities like this, there is a shop on site, but it is VERY expensive. We bought two little tchotchkes as souvenirs at one of these shops, probably cost 32 US cents wholesale, but cost us 32 USD retail. - If you are an American-style brewed coffee drinker, the only place I found to get that was from the main buffet restaurant, so you'd have to get their during their open hours, and ask for a cup to takeaway. Not a problem at all, but it is a little far to walk for your morning joe. The cafe only offers espresso drinks.

After a wonderful vacation to Joia Bavaro by Iberostar in 2025, my friend and I decided to return. When we were checking in, we mentioned we were returning guests celebrating our birthdays. Immediately after we were upgraded to a swim up room with a butler! We were treated like royalty! The rooms are large with a well-appointed bathroom. There are two pools: one has the swim up bar and the other is used more for exercise. Lounge chairs are plentiful both by the beach and around the pools. The landscaping is impeccable with daily morning gardening. The beach is beautiful with more than enough huts for shade while looking out at the stunning blue ocean. The hotel is well maintained, and I noticed many changes that happened in the past year (benches, a new well-lit path to the lobby area and a big addition of indoor decor in the wing with rooms). The food is extremely fresh and deliciously prepared with many great options. The breakfast buffet was our favorite; however, we had good food everywhere we ate. The alcohol is top-shelf, and it is a child-free atmosphere. There is so much to rave about! Most importantly, the staff is outstanding! It's so great to see so many of the same people from last year which speaks well about how the staff is treated. Kudos to the front desk crew for always being helpful and friendly. Tobias is a favorite again this year whipping up awesome drinks. Leyli and the rest of the pool bar staff are enthusiastic and happy to serve. Eliezer was beyond attentive with our drink needs while at the beach. While I don't know the names of the maids who cleaned the room, they made the most artistic animals and dolls from towels and rose petals. The restaurant servers are the best! Shout out to Jessica, Miguel, Benjamin, Irene, Santos, Ramona and my personal favorite, Alexander! Our butlers Cofe and Renaldo went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed. Finally, the entertainers from the resort and musicians brought in to perform were talented and promoted guest involvement. I highly recommend everything about this place! Many of the guests return annually. I know I'll be back in 2027!

This experience was INCREDIBLE!!! The resort itself is beautiful, and has a multitude of amenities and gorgeous views. It is incredibly clean and well kept. It was quiet and calm, and the rooms were impeccable. However, the staff are what truly made our experience! In particular, Antonio, Jhoel, Jessica, Ruth, Nelson, Miguel, and Ortiz made us feel truly at home. Ortiz was SO funny and kind! We always looked forward to seeing him! He was respectful, an incredible server, and so personable! Antonio was always in a great mood, and loved to dance! Ruth and Jessica always greeted us with smiles and asked about our days, and Nelson and Miguel were very attentive to all of our requests! Jhoel was very funny and kind, and we looked forward to seeing him. Additionally, our butlers Houston and Jose were incredibly timely and thoughtful with our requests! Whatever we asked, whether it be restocking our mini bar or booking reservations, they always got it done swiftly and efficiently! I would recommend this resort to anyone looking to relax and destress in paradise, with staff and amenities who make the experience truly unforgettable! The staff were very personable, and consistently helpful and friendly. Also, the food and drinks were AMAZING, which elevated our experience even more! The spa was unreal and so relaxing! We will definitely be back to this resort!