Royalton Bavaro, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort & Casino

My family and I are easygoing travelers, and we know no resort stay is perfect. Still, after spending about $2,000, the service and sanitation problems were far below what we expected. On four separate days, we saw cockroaches right in the middle of the buffet food. We managed to record one on our last night. The person in charge apologized when I spoke to him, but nothing was done. There were other service issues, too. I spent $200 in roaming charges trying to reach the front desk to change my reservation, since nobody answered. When I asked to speak with a manager after arriving, they declined. Staff at the bars and restaurants often seemed annoyed when we asked for something as simple as a water refill, giving us a nasty smirk that made us feel bad for asking. After room service left us without towels, I called for more; they arrived two hours later, after we’d been soaked from the pool. The resort itself is beautiful, the rooms were comfortable and well kept, and the lazy river was our favorite part. There were nightly shows we enjoyed, and the restaurant food was good. Getting a reservation was extremely difficult unless we were willing to eat at 9:30 PM, close to closing time.

The resort is lovely, well maintained, and has a relaxing feel. We especially enjoyed the food at Rio, one of our favorite meals, and Miguel at the Diamond Club Pool Bar was so friendly and gave us amazing service. Our arrival had a rocky start because nobody introduced our original butler. As Prime Members, we also found it overwhelming to have several people promise help, only for it not to follow through. Evelys, Edwin, and Jared were the ones who truly looked after us. Edwin went above and beyond with his kindness, professionalism, and steady help, making our short stay relaxing and stress-free. We’re very grateful for everything he did. We had a wonderful visit and would absolutely come back.

We’ve been here twice now, and we’re already planning to come back next year. The only real frustration was check-in, which takes a long time after you’ve already had a long journey. It hasn’t put us off, though. There’s loads to enjoy once you’re settled. The beach staff go out of their way to find you a spot, clean your sunbed, lay out towels, and bring drinks right to you. There’s a great cocktail selection, too. We loved the nightly entertainment, and the buffet has food from all over the world. The à la carte restaurants were outstanding and easy to book, so we only ate at the buffet once or twice. Breakfast there was great, with fresh omelettes, fruit, meat, cheese, and something for everyone.

The staff were the best part of our visit. Everyone was welcoming and respectful, especially the bartenders. Roberto, Gary, and Esteven brought great energy and made us feel comfortable. The infinity pool area was beautiful and relaxing, and we enjoyed it enough to add another day to our stay. The room could have been more comfortable. There was a toilet or sewage-like smell, the shower was oddly set up and its door wouldn’t close all the way, and the tub wasn’t very clean. The food across the resort was also bland, even at the restaurants that required reservations.