An Honest Review: Our All-Inclusive Resort Experience

Welcome to MadameDis!

Sometimes the most helpful reviews are the honest ones, right?

I'm back from our recent all-inclusive getaway, at Royalton Bavaro All-Inclusive Resort and I have to share the real tea about our experience. We traveled as a fairly large group of - 47 people, 17 rooms all together to celebrate a milestone birthday. While this resort had some absolutely stunning moments, there were also some bumps along the way that I think you should know about before booking your own stay.

Let me break it down for you – the good, the not-so-great, and everything in between.

The Challenges We Faced 🌧️

I'll be honest – Mother Nature threw us a curveball with a serious rainstorm during our stay, and unfortunately, this really highlighted some service gaps at the resort.

Royalton Bavaro

Communication Breakdowns

One of our biggest frustrations was the lack of communication specially during severe weather The resort's app wasn't equipped for alerts or updates of any kind, we received no notifications about the significant rainstorm, no communication about dining alternatives, and no information about alternative activities during the bad weather.

When the weather turned rough, the service really struggled. Room service took a whopping 2 hours, there was no transportation to the lobby, and activities were nonexistent with little communication about alternatives.

Safety Concerns

The floors in dining rooms and the lobby were dangerously slippery – we saw multiple people slip, and someone in our group actually fell and twisted their ankle. This definitely needs attention!

Photo Credit @bshotphoto

Dining Disappointments

While the resort boasted multiple dining options, we ran into some serious issues at a couple of restaurants:

Zen Restaurant: After waiting two hours with just appetizers, we discovered they had run out of food – something they failed to communicate upfront. We ended up with leftover fried rice from the hibachi table. Not exactly the à la carte experience we were expecting!

Sports Bar: Similar story here – they brought only half our table's orders, leaving several people still waiting. When we asked about the missing dishes, we were told they had simply run out.

Check-Out Confusion

Even leaving was complicated! We kept getting different answers about check-out times (11am vs 12pm) and were told late check-out would cost $35 per hour – information that seemed to change depending on who we asked. Note: Check out was 12pm

The Bright Spots That Made It Worthwhile ✨

Now, it wasn't all challenges! There were definitely some highlights that reminded us why we love all-inclusive resorts:

Rio Brazilian Restaurant – The Star of the Show! 🥩

Okay, can we talk about Rio for a minute? This Brazilian steakhouse was absolutely incredible! The food was delicious, and the service was top-notch. My only tiny critique? For a steakhouse, they really should have proper steak knives instead of regular ones. But honestly, the quality of the food more than made up for it!

Our Cabana Hero: Esequiel 🏖️

We rented four cabanas, and while they only had one person managing them, that person was AMAZING. Esequiel went above and beyond to make us feel like we were truly on vacation. Sometimes one exceptional staff member can make all the difference!

The Resort Itself is Gorgeous 🌴

Let's give credit where it's due – this place is absolutely beautiful and impeccably clean. The lazy river was fantastic (and long!), complete with a swim-up bar that was always buzzing with great music and entertaining bartenders. The atmosphere was exactly what you want from a tropical getaway.

My Honest Take 💭

This resort has incredible potential and some truly beautiful features. The bones are there for an amazing experience! However, the service training and communication systems really need some work.

Would I recommend it?

It depends on what you're looking for. If you're the type of traveler who goes with the flow and doesn't mind some service hiccups, you might still have a great time – especially if you spend most of your time enjoying that gorgeous lazy river and swim-up bar!

However, if you are traveling with a large group, and seamless service and reliable dining experiences are important to you (especially during unpredictable weather), I may recommend other options.

Tips if You Do Book Here:

1. Make dinner reservations early and have backup plans

2. Bring good water shoes for those slippery floors

The Bottom Line: Every resort has its quirks, and this one definitely has room for improvement in the service department specially with large groups and special celebrations. But those stunning views, that lazy river and the memories we made together? Pretty hard to beat!

Have you stayed at an all-inclusive resort with mixed experiences? I'd love to hear your stories in the comments below!