Payments made by partners impact the order of prices displayed. Room types may vary.
The listings of booking offers for each property take into account the compensation paid to us by our partners. Prices shown may be for varying room types. Prices displayed are the lowest available, corresponding to the least expensive room type available, as provided from our partners as of the time of the user’s search.
Located in front of the beach, whala!bavaro is the ideal place to enjoy the summer heat. Bavaro Beach is part of the Dominican Republic most exclusive coast resorts, thanks to its fine white sand bathed by the beautiful Caribbean Sea with crystal clear and emerald tone waters. Located in front of the beach, whala!bavaro is the ideal place to enjoy the summer heat. The hotel is located in an excellent location that offers a wide variety of sport and leisure activities.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Quiet
Family Resort
Languages Spoken
English, French, Russian, Spanish
Location
C. las Olas Los Corales, el Cortecito, Bavaro, Punta Cana 23000 Dominican Republic
whala!bavaro
1,203 reviews
Getting there
Great for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
This summary was created by AI, based on recent reviews.
Powered by AI
Whala!bavaro hotel emerges as a tropical paradise for many guests, who laud its serene and picturesque location that elevates their vacation. Travelers enjoy the lively ambience with live entertainment and local music, though opinions on room comfort and cleanliness vary, with some pointing to maintenance and housekeeping inconsistencies. While the value proposition receives mixed reviews due to additional costs, guests appreciate the general cleanliness and festive atmosphere.
However, the service quality is inconsistent, receiving both accolades and critique, notably from non-Spanish speaking guests. Amenities also present a dichotomy, as satisfaction clashes with frustrations over extra charges.
Location
Picturesque
Atmosphere
Lively
Rooms
Basic
Value
Reasonable
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Satisfactory
Was this helpful?
Tripadvisor is not responsible for this summary or the opinions in it. For more information, please read the traveller reviews and learn more about how the site works.
Traveller rating
457
267
155
125
199
Time of year
Traveller type
Language
Selected filters
Filter
English
Popular mentions
Sort by:
Detailed Reviews
These reviews are machine translated from their original language. Show machine translations?
Guys, those who write negative reviews are probably used to vacationing in hotels of a higher category. The hotel has 5 buildings. The first building is on the ocean, with a pool on the roof, a room with an ocean view - additional payment of $30 (but I think we can negotiate for a lower price). The rest of the buildings are a little further away. Walk for a couple of minutes. Freshly renovated, bright room and air conditioning worked without interruption, we could come to the room after the beach and relax in a cool room. Beach towels for a deposit of 10 bucks, you hand in a receipt and a towel in the county and the money is returned, you can change it on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the hotel has three pools, we never swam in one, we spent the whole day in the ocean)))
There are 3 restaurants on site. The first restaurant near the reception is the main one. The second one is about 4-5 buildings, it is much smaller, but the main dishes there are the same, there are no people there, it’s a pleasant place)) The food was delicious for us: fish, meat, squid, mussels, pasta, potatoes, vegetables.
There were evenings of different cuisines: Mexican, Italian, etc. From fruits: bananas, mangoes, papaya, watermelons, melons. Fresh juices for breakfast every morning. Those who say that there is no food, do not believe it) Of course, there were no lobsters, shrimps and some other delicacies, but this was the cheapest hotel of the proposed ones, so you should not be surprised why this was not there. During lunch/dinner, the restaurants are served by waiters and offer wine and beer. There are three bars, one of them is on the beach. There are no complaints about alcohol at all, rum flows like a river, there are a lot of cocktails. There are a lot of sunbeds on the beach, but there is one thing: many people come to the beach early in the morning, take the sunbeds, and then arrive at the beach around 9 o’clock. That is, be prepared, if you come to the beach at 8 am, everything may be busy, but there will be no people. Nya beach has animation, it's water aerobics, dancing, stretching, everything is not bad.
In general, regarding excursions, you do not need to buy from a tour operator. We went with Yulia Olonen, in Google you can immediately find her on the first page, she has excellent excursions: Saona - unreal Caribbean sea and coconut palms...bounty...))) We recommend Yulia from the bottom of our hearts))
We personally liked the hotel, for the price when compared with 4 rooms and considering that they are also located in the Bavaro zone and not far from our hotel, and we flew to see the ocean, and not 4 walls, it turned out very well! I really want to return to this paradise!
Read more
Date of stay: January 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
After reading reviews prior to going was not sure what to expect, however it was not as bad as some reviews would suggest. The room we had was great really large comfortable bed, bathroom was adequate even though the shower head was a bit unpredictable, falling off when the water was turned on. Balcony was good could even see the sea from it, although it was above a road it's not as busy as others might suggest. The restaurant was busy but only to be expected, could mostly find something to eat at breakfast, dinner and evening meal, only once or twice I ended with a ham sandwich for evening meal, this was mainly due to having only fish to choose from as the meat dishes were empty, as for the previous reviews of being ignored by staff as we were not Spanish speaking unfortunately I can confirm this was the case, we were served water on a few occasions at the start of our holiday but this got less and less as the days went on. The bar area during the day and evening is small and as previous reviews have suggested that the staff ignore English speaking people and concentrate on Spanish speaking, this was not always the case as the Spanish speaking guests tend to be rather ignorant or impatient and just shout a drink order at staff in Spanish even when others are waiting. The pool areas are kept clean and there was normally a sunbed free to use, the walk to the beach is across a road, but not as busy as some may suggest. There was entertainment on an evening but only went once to the Michael Jackson show, was never asked to join in activities during the day but then we never really participated anyway, was there to chill out and relax. Altogether was a nice break, enjoyable holiday, glad we done a few trips out, Buggy evening with caves, Saona island cruise and Higuey Explorer all worth going on as it broke up the holiday. All in all glad we experienced the area but would not return mainly due to the all inclusive not being our type of holiday.
Read more
Date of stay: November 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Don't expect a lot of English speaking people at this hotel.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest service, Atención al huésped/Recepción at whala!bavaro
Responded 27 Dec 2024
Estimado R5592QFmartinb, Es alentador saber que tu estancia con nosotros fue agradable en general y que nuestras amplias habitaciones y cómodas camas contribuyeron a tu satisfacción. Nos alegra que tuvieras la oportunidad de disfrutar de las vistas desde tu balcón y que nuestra ubicación te viniera bien para tus planes de vacaciones. Lamentamos las incoherencias que tuviste con el servicio de nuestro restaurante y bar. Nuestro equipo se esfuerza por tratar a todos los huéspedes por igual, independientemente de su idioma de comunicación. Apreciamos tu comprensión respecto a la naturaleza ajetreada de nuestro restaurante, y sentimos las molestias que experimentaste. También nos complace saber que encontraste nuestras zonas de piscina bien mantenidas y que nuestra proximidad a la playa añadió valor a tu estancia. También es maravilloso saber que pudiste participar en algunas de las excursiones y que te parecieron valiosas. Tus comentarios detallados son valiosos para nosotros, ya que nos ayudan a comprender dónde podemos centrar nuestros esfuerzos para mejorar las experiencias de nuestros huéspedes. Aunque comprendemos que unas vacaciones con todo incluido pueden no ser tu preferencia, esperamos tener la oportunidad de volver a atenderte si cambian tus planes de viaje. Saludos cordiales. Johanna Villaman Supervisora Recepcion
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
A lot to digest? Read an AI-generated summary of recent traveller reviews.
Food 10 points, variety and good.. Bosses and dining room staff, 10 points especially to Keilin Perez, waitress Noemi, sorry I forgot others, Like the one with the grill who cooked for us, A GENIUS and very friendly, GOOD PEOPLE Room, mattress 10 points Air and cooling 10 points Reception staff 10 points, Erik/Eliezer, always willing to help, his bosses -5 points, you talk to him and nothing, he is always busy (Alfredo) Tour sales buy insurance from Jhony, a genius, and above all good price and they deliver, (they have to go to Saona) Beach bar, 10+ points, a genius who serves you, kindness and good vibes. Shower pressure, good The pools (3) good, 10 points Pool loungers Good Safety on the beach, very good The pool towels, after a deposit of 10 dollars, good, they change them without problems Cleanliness, and sheets Good 10 points Wifi - 9.75
Let's talk about the bad: Its beach is a problem, the sargassum wreaks havoc, but you walk 100 meters one way or the other and you have better beaches. Do you have to walk 70 meters to go to the beach? Yes... and it's good to do exercises I complained to several people in the hotel about the noise of the pump, which sprays water all night (pool 2). I even talked to maintenance, and nothing... (save energy and wear on the pump...)
I recommend it, price/quality for what you pay is fine, could they improve? YES, also, especially building parts, Baño (3206) and the professionals who work, can improve. If I would return? Yes, of course, the Dominican Republic is beautiful and I had a great time.
Read more
Date of stay: June 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Cerca de la piscina 2 hay show hasta las 23hr, luego no tenes problemas de ruidos
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
OK hotel grounds kept quite tidy always staff running about keep the place tidy and the entertainment guys always flat out busy, Rooms are dreadful seen better prison cells, locks not working, no hot water, no tea,coffee facilities, If you need a safe fetch ++batteries only take a battery out money saved. 👍 The main night bar is tiny every night at 21.00 inconvenient no more alcoholic drinks left ran out🤣, Food is poor don't fetch kids here or picky eaters it will be a rought ride for kids or teenagers food is poor, breakfast is poor, afternoon snacks are pizza, chips,under cooked burgers and salami hotdogs. Ice cream is hit and miss be early otherwise its gone no more. Beach is lovely loads sea weed but red hot water is brilliant 👏, the rooftop pool as advertised is different hotel they will not let you use it or there pool unless you pay it says there sister hotels but they are not so don't be expecting to use it. My opinion pay extra go to RUI or 4 star this is 2star minimum they don't catered for UK people 😤 😒 Also the Aircon water runs down the wall soaks the bedroom floor as in photos please stay away 🇬🇧 guys not the dream dominican holiday you will wish for.
Read more
Date of stay: September 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest service, Atención al huésped/Recepción at whala!bavaro
Responded 15 Sept 2024
Dear Guest, We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback about your experience at our hotel. We deeply regret that your stay was not satisfactory. We will take your comments regarding the rooms, bar service, and food offerings into account and hold a meeting with the relevant departments to implement any necessary corrective measures. Regarding the pool and access to other facilities, we will review the information provided to ensure it is clear and accurate. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused. However, please note that the pool service at HM Bavaro Beach is not included for our guests; the $20 fee is solely for access to the restaurant, and this amount can be used towards dining. We appreciate your feedback and hope that in the future we can provide an experience that meets your expectations. Best regards! Johanna Villaman Reception Supervisor
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Not the poshest of Hotels, however it delivers some great standards. Our room was cleaned on a daily basis and genuinely can’t fault the standard of clean. Water is provided in abundance. If you’re a morning coffee person fetch a little kettle as not provided by hotel. Great hairdryer provided 😊 though. Food is good, not mind blowing but you definitely won’t go hungry. Beach is a tad to be desired due to the boats, however if you walk to the left it becomes wonderful. Use the hotel or Raymond on the beach to book your excursions. Little shop on the bottom of the street is a tad naughty at what they charge. Staff are all really good some better than others but you get that anywhere. Beach Towel’s are available at reception for a $10 deposit and they supply safe deposit box for $3 per day. Pools are kept clean and are an absolute pleasure to cool down in. For the cost of this vacation we can genuinely not fault it. Enjoy your holiday
Read more
Date of stay: June 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest service, Atención al huésped/Recepción at whala!bavaro
Responded 1 July 2024
Dear guest, Thank you very much for your magnificent review that you have shared. We are glad that we were able to rest in our hotel and that the perfect combination of service vocation, cleanliness in the room, among other details, contributed to making your stay so positive. We hope to welcome you again very soon. Sincerely, Johanny Martínez Concierge
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This was an all inclusive package. The hotel looks modern in a beach kind of fashion, from the outside. Good service at reception, asked if we needed help with our luggage and found out about times for meals and local travel. Good sized outside pools, beds all around, we spent a couple of days lolling about usually after a day overdoing exercise or walking too much. Our room had a king size bed, flat screen tv, ceiling fan and air conditioning, comfy pillows and extra blankets. WiFi is free, good connection. The restaurant set up is lovely, you have a choice of area where to eat, we changed where we sat so it felt like a different place. Although it was buffet it was so nicely done, hygienic and they served different fish and meats every day. We really felt at home by day three and were overcome by how beautiful the beaches are here, a vast difference from most holiday spots in Europe. Stunning location, already plotting to rebook.
Read more
Date of stay: October 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest service, Atención al huésped/Recepción at whala!bavaro
Responded 28 Jan 2024
Dear Vicky, It is a great pleasure to receive comments like yours, which encourage us to continue our arduous but pleasant work. We are proud to count on you as a valuable member of our family. Thank you! We are proud to know that our facilities, have met your expectations, because for Whala! Bavaro is our commitment to offer all the necessary conditions to make the vacations of our visitors unforgettable, we are very happy that this was the case. Contact us while you are planning your next vacation, to give you assistance prior to your arrival. It is a pleasure for us to welcome you and make your stay an unforgettable experience. Best regards, Johanna Villaman
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Came to Punta Cana as part of a family trip. Hotel was not ideal at all, Staff bumps into you while you have a plate full of food, As a caucasian male I was getting lots of dirty looks and overheard guests and staff talking down on me and my family. Shower is salt water. They argue with you if you request shampoo, water, etc. If you come to Punta Cana, I recommend you get an Air BNB or a 4+ star hotel because this is just a “whatever” type of “resort”. Not to mention rooms are pretty sh!tty and moldy.
Read more
Date of stay: November 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Try and bring earplugs, Music gets way too loud at night between 9 and 11 PM
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest service, Atención al huésped/Recepción at whala!bavaro
Responded 8 Dec 2024
Dear 743arberm, We sincerely regret that your recent stay did not meet your expectations. We pride ourselves on providing our guests with a pleasant and friendly experience, therefore, we are very sorry to hear that this was not the case for you. I assure you that your comments will be taken into consideration. We appreciate you sharing your experience and hope that you will give us the opportunity to prove to you that we can exceed your expectations in the future. Yours sincerely. Johanna Villaman Reception Supervisor
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Very bad experience. The worst of all was the terrible treatment of the employees, they answer you badly when you ask them something kindly, they make a face and respond in ways that don't make you want to ask for anything, it seems like you were asking them for a favor. When we left we had a problem, we checked out and the reception employee was acting distracted so as not to return the 20 dollars deposit that we left to give us the beach towels, when we told her she asked us for a piece of paper that we didn't have and he began to tell us in a terrible way that because we didn't have it, they couldn't look for the money without that paper, which was totally illogical. A mega important aspect is that they do not have drinking water and no one tells you, the bathroom and pools have salt water, which is disgusting and dangerous. The food is literally horrible, I understand that they don't have that much variety but what they have is really horrible, it didn't make you want to eat anything. If you want to rest, don't go to this hotel, first they were doing construction on the beach as well as in the bar and next to the pool, so you can hear construction noises constantly. On the other hand, from inside more rooms you can hear a lot of noises and every morning more or less from 6 am you could hear the cleaning employees talking loudly among themselves, with which you would wake up for sure. The employees spend their time harassing you with their gaze, it is a place where you are in a bathing suit and want to feel comfortable, not harassed by the gaze of the employees, it is horrible that in the year 2023 these things will happen. A truly terrifying stay
Read more
Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This was definitely the worst resort we’ve ever stayed at. They boast about a rooftop infinity pool and then you find out it’s $20 USD per person per day to use it. Watered down drinks is bad enough, and I’m talking 75% water, but watered down wine??? Then they ran out of everything but beer, not even any soft drinks. Towels the in the room were not changed even once all week and one day our room wasn’t made up at all despite leaving tips every day. Buffet food was as expected but sometimes you were hard pressed to even get a glass of water, again despite leaving tips. This was the first time I’ve gotten sick from the food in 20 years of travelling and it happened twice! We’ll definitely not be returning and would never recommend staying here.
Read more
Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Pick a different resort
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Diana Villanueva, Dueño at whala!bavaro
Responded 3 Mar 2024
Dear Kathy, We are very sorry to know that you did not enjoyed your stay with us and we apologise for the inconveniences. We have investigated your comments as we always do, and checked our logs and the team at the hotel was not able to find any report from you regarding your sickness. We hope that by know you are fully recovered but a sad tummy can happen due to many reasons as changes on diet or heat strokes. We have not had any other report of illness in the hotel during the dates of our stay, if it had been for our food, more people would have been affected. Regarding the rooftop, we would like to comment that it is a facility located on a different hotel, HM Bavaro Bech and free for its guests, but people not hosted at HM Bavaro Beach can access only at an extra cost. We apologise for all the inconveniences, we will forward all your comments to the hotel management so we can address any issue that needs to be improved, and hope that you can give us another chance in the future, Best regards. Diana, Globales Quality Manager
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I wish I had just paid more money and stayed somewhere nice. This place is outdated. The bathroom water cut off while I was showering and did not come back on. The water in the bathroom is salty. They do not have face towels and they only change the big towels on Monday Wednesday and Friday. There is only a sheet on the bed so I had to use my beach towel as a blanket.
The buffet is disgusting and I actually found hair in my food on more than one occasion and it was not possibly my hair. If you do not speak Spanish then everyone seems rude .
The à la carte restaurant which is by reservation only was nice to sit down and have someone bring my mail to me after ordering but it is through a maze around the property and being a single female traveler that was a little bit unnerving.
The best thing about this property is the pools specifically the rooftop pool on one of the buildings. The location is not in a good area and you have to walk around in the streets to get to different parts of the building so that was not a good.
I’m glad that I booked tours every day so that I could get off of the property for a while. At the end of my time I was ready to go home. I really just did not enjoy this property and I would never book it again and as a travel consultant I would never refer anyone to go here. It’s outdated the staff is rude the drinks are watered down and it’s noisy from the pool and the entertainment at night and early morning depending on your room location.
The lady at guest services was nice and Errik at the check-in desk was very nice also but that is about it. Also be prepared to be harassed by locals who set up to sell items such as cigars and trinkets and I do understand that tourism is the primary income but it is annoying to be harassed every time you walk anywhere.
Read more
Date of stay: June 2022Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest service, Atención al huésped/Recepción at whala!bavaro
Responded 28 June 2022
Dear Guest Greeting from whala, We truly regret any difficulties you may have experienced when communicating with our staff. We have a compromise ahead of us concerning this issue. Nonetheless, I can assure you that all the departments that are directly in contact with our guests have an English-speaking staff. We deeply regret that our gastronomic offer did not meet their expectations. Our hotel offers a wide variety both in our bars (4), buffets (2) and the specialty Tamashi restaurant and Sky Bar (+1 Snack Bar) with the aim of meeting the culinary demands of different cultures who visit us. As a company focused on service, we are aware that it is thanks to the valuable comments from our customers that we can continue working for the optimization and improvement of our services. We are committed to offer the best of service with great products and we would like you to know that your experience is definitely not reflective of the high standards we usually strive for and pride ourselves with. We will be looking into the concerns you have expressed in regards to our level of customer service immediately. Once again, please accept our apologies for the unsatisfactory experience you had onsite. Sincerely, Johanna Villaman
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Probably not as they are up dating the hotel but it doesn't affect the stay there.
They were working on the beach front hotel part.
Have a lovely time!
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.