Why We Recommend It:
One of the Dominican Republic’s most well-known all-inclusives, Grand Bavaro Princess is a 5 Star resort in Bavaro Beach, Punta Cana, one of the Caribbean’s most lovely stretches of sand and water.
It is a huge resort with two swimming pools, a full-service spa, and a wide selection of restaurants, bars, sports, and entertainment zones.
It is very family-friendly – kids are very well taken care of – but it’s also a place where grown-ups can let their hair down. It generally sees a good mixture of nationalities – Americans, Canadians, Europeans, and Latin Americans.
Grand Bavaro Princess has its honeymoon suites and they are popular, though we feel it might not be the place for a peaceful romantic getaway.
Rooms & Suites:
They have 1290 luxury suites in total at Grand Bavaro Princess, spread out across a large area near Bavaro Beach.
The suites are sleek and modern with good sized lounge with sofa or sofa bed, dining table, work desk, 50″ cable TV and well stocked free minibar, bedrooms with very comfortable king-size beds (can also be two doubles if required for extra guests) and nice bathrooms with bathtubs. The outside space will be a furnished patio or balcony.
They are all broadly identical, in terms of size and design, though the Honeymoon Suites are well, just that bit more lavish with pillars by the bedroom entrance, round beds, mirrors, and smooth lighting. Their bathrooms also come with a whirlpool bath/jacuzzi.
You can choose to pay a bit extra to go ‘Platinum’ and be granted perks like table reservations at the restaurants and access to a VIP-type private pool and beach area.
Take a look at your room options now – with prices, reviews, and photos – at Expedia here or at Booking.com here.
Food, Facilities & Things to Do:
It’s a large resort and you’ll have plenty of all-inclusive food to choose from. The a la carte choices include steakhouse, seafood, Japanese and Italian.
The food is very good across the board though you sometimes have to wait to get a table. Having a Platinum room here will come in handy as you can make reservations in advance.
There are buffets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and all are impressive feasts. Especially the dinner which goes above and beyond with carving stations, freshly made crepes, lavish desserts, and flowing champagne.
Bars are plentiful here and most do snacks. The bar at the main pool, a swim-up, gets busy early and stays like that all day. There is also a separate, smaller pool, also with a bar, which is much quieter beside the lobby.
The main pool seems to be the most social part of the resort during the day but as evening falls people tend to get dressed up a little to populate the main lobby which has a few quite classy lounge areas inside and a large outdoor terrace, then head to dinner.
Guests may drift back to the lobby after dinner, and those seeking more action can head to the Avalon nightclub and casino, just outside the grounds, or hang out in the 24/7 pub at the resort which is, as you may have guessed, open all night.
The resort has a choice stretch of Bavaro Beach that remains fairly peaceful and chilled all day. Non-motorized water sports are included in the all-inclusive package. Motorized sports are of course available too but for an extra fee.
Land sports here include beach volleyball and tennis. There is a well-equipped fitness center/gym and a host of treatments at their Metamorphosis Spa and salon, particularly wraps, facials, body treatments, and hydrotherapies.
The place is surrounded by an ecological park with many animals, some familiar to the average American, rabbits and peacocks for example, along with more exotic creatures.
Grand Bavaro Princess’ grounds are large, some suites will be a few minutes walk to the beach but there is a tram to ferry guests there should they wish.
Location:
Grand Bavaro Princess lies beside the famous Bavaro Beach, Dominican Republic, around thirty minutes from Punta Cana Airport.
Some Guest Reviews:
“Platinum service is excellent and well worth the extra charge in our opinion. (particularly for the restaurants). Food and restaurants very good quality with lots of choice. Staff very friendly and helpful. No problems getting sun beds on the beach (contrary to some other reviewers), drinks and cocktails excellent including virtually all international brands. Bedrooms are big and well-equipped as well as being very comfortable. we had a free upgrade to a Honeymoon Suite overlooking the beach which was very much appreciated with the room for our children next door. We’ve stayed in several comparable hotels in the past (5 star all-inclusive) and this is probably our best ever experience.…..”
“The platinum upgrade of the room included a whole package not just the room!! The facilities, the tranquility of the resort even on its busy days it felt peaceful! Cleanliness across the entire resort. Great, friendly staff! Good food in most of the restaurants! Directly on the beach, with a choice of pools and excellent selection of loungers, bar service and water activities. The on-resort tourist rep was very helpful. The option to walk around or literally step onto a buggy cart or train to get around. Option to have chilled evening or join the evening entertainment at the lobby. The live singers, musicians and entertainment team created a fun vibe. The resort has kept the eco-wildlife park and everything fits in with the nature so well. My first all-inclusive resort experience and the bar has been set extremely high! Thanks to everyone at Grand Bavaro Princess……”