IFA Bavaro Resort and Spa

IFA Villas Bavaro Resorts & Spa

The IFA Bavaro is a good moderately priced resort with great potential.  During my visit the hotel was undergoing a great deal of renovations that when finished will definitely improve the value to its guests.  IFA is a good sized resort with 652 rooms currently.  Once the renovations are finished they will have 650 with some being close to the ocean.  Also under renovation are the tennis courts, walkways and older buildings.

What is Really Good

Michael Jackson impersonator

The best thing about the resort is the beach.  IFA Bavaro has wonderful beach space with plenty of sand, lots of beach loungers and lined with palm trees to provide shade.  The resort provides free WiFi at 2 locations.  Paid Internet service is also available for $40 for the week.  The $40 gets you high speed WiFi all around the resort including the beach.  The resort offers 5 dinner restaurants to choose from.  Those options include Japanese, Mexican, Caribbean, Italian and a Buffet.  One of the shows we saw was a Michael Jackson tribute.  The show features the major hits, lots of energy and amazing costumes. Another very nice thing at this resort is the shopping.  The resort has a shopping plaza with multiple stores including a boutique and pharmacy.

King Room

IFA Bavaro has an ideal location.  It is close to the Punta Cana Airport.  Major shopping centers surround the resort.  Each, less than 3 blocks in either direction.  The shopping centers are literally within walking distance.  The resort itself has nightly shows and a disco; however the premiere entertainment club Coco Bongo is less than 10 minutes away.  The resort is in the Bavaro Community and is close to its sister hotels, resorts and villas.

Opportunities to Improve

Hot Tub at the hot Tub Bar

Earlier I said that IFA Bavaro has great potential.  Here are some challenges that they need to address to reach full potential.  The resort has a Hot Tub Bar.  This is a brilliant idea with 4 hot tubs, each with their own shelter.  With a bar in the middle that also has tables and chairs.  The only problem is that the hot tubs are not hot.  They are not even warm.  IFA Bavaro has multiple restaurants, given guest options where to dine.  They have an opportunity to expand it menus to offer guest variety of food and not the same thing every day.  

Beach front at IFA Bavaro

Additional Activities

Another area that could be expanded is the Activities Department.  I would love to see the resort add more activities.  I understand budgets so I suggest they be creative.  Offer more games around the main pool.  Maybe add Latin Dance Classes 2-3 times per week.  They could alternate that with Spanish Classes.  Trivia and Bingo are usually vacation favorites.  The Resort can teach basic conversational/survivor Spanish to its guests.

Enhancing Guest experience

Main Pool at IFA Bavaro

The other glaring opportunity is utilizing the beach.  A beach Barbecue would be very nice once a week for dinner.  Add some music and you have an instant Beach Party.  The resort also has a beach restaurant that is not open for dinner.  What about using that for the Lobster Dinners 2-3 nights per week?  If you can’t use the Restaurant then go all the way and for an up charge offer private dinner on the beach.  The final suggestion would be to bring in local vendors to sell items to the guest a couple times per week.  I honestly believe that addressing these items would dramatically improve the experience of the guest at the resort.

Lobster Dinner offered at the resort 

Margarita Bar & Pool

IFA Bavaro is a good moderately price resort with great potential.  It currently has good restaurants, shops, rooms, to go with the Spa and Beach.  The resort is expanding and upgrading parts of the facility.  I am excited about the changes coming to the resort. If they take advantage of the opportunities they have to improve the resort, they will deliver a first class resort at that moderate resort price.  

Resort Photo Gallery

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Bill Collins

Bill Collins is a former Army Officer turned veteran traveler. I have traveled to 34 different Countries mainly concentrated in Central & Latin America and have spent the last 16 years exploring the Caribbean Islands.

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