Checking into the Barceló Bavaro Palace in the Dominican Republic

A stay at the Barceló in DR

By Susan Barlow
CJ Contributor

The Dominican Republic’s Playa Bavaro is the most famous (and arguably the best) beach in the country — and it’s also home to a staggering number of resorts, mostly of the all-inclusive variety.

Sifting through them is never an easy task, but I was very fond of the Barcelo Bavaro Palace resort on my most recent trip to Punta Cana.

With 1,402 rooms and a fresh-new renovation, the property has something for everyone.

The nine fine-dining restaurants offer a wide variety of menus, and the wine by the glass is excellent — particularly at the property’s signature La Cava steakhouse. (The cigar bar, with a nice selection of premium smokes, is also a highlight).

The resort has put a renewed focus on food, and it shows: I was here during the property’s Culinary Week, and, thanks to appearances by guest chefs, the food was terrific.

The rooms are very well appointed, too, with a modern, fresh feel.

This is a massive complex, but, set on an old coconut plantation, it is a very nice property – the grounds are very well manicured, particularly for such a huge piece of real estate. Simply put, the grounds are beautiful.

But it’s the size that’s the biggest asset here, with room for everything, from a variety of pools to to a 1,400-seat open-air theater to, more importantly, always available loungers near the pool and the beach — at far too many all-inclusives, finding an open chair can be a problem; not here.

Of course, it all begins and ends with the beach, which remains one of the best in all of the Caribbean and the place where you’ll be spending most of your day.

All in all, it’s a very good option for a beach vacation in Punta Cana.