Iberostar Waves Dominicana

Paola Concina

I’m gonna get straight to the point. The hotel food was bland. Everything was always cold. The service was slow. We went to the American restaurant one night and waited 2 hours for a hamburger. The server was rude only to offer us dessert when we left. The big one was I was waiting in line at the buffet only to see a guy turn raw chicken in a bucket with raw hands. No gloves. He then takes a garbage bag that was leaking over the chicken and then turns around and starts flipping steaks without once washing his hands. The morning breakfast girl started placing pancakes for people with her bare hands. Not even using utensil. No one used gloves. The tables were filthy dirty. They would wipe them down with a dry cloth. No disinfectant . The cups were faced down on the dirty tables. The rooms needed upgrading. There was much more if you really want to know. Apart from this the grounds are well kept and beautiful and the beach as well. That is it. Do not go here.

caroline alvarez

I am Dominican myself, and when I visit the DR, I like to stay at a resort for a few days as a mini vacation within my vacation. What disappointed me the most was the clear pattern of colorism I experienced during my stay. The majority of guests at this resort are European, Argentinian, etc., and it was very obvious that the staff showed preference in how they treated certain guests. One instance that stood out was at one of the restaurants. My family and I were first in line for our reservation, yet the hostess skipped over us to attend to the family behind us. When I politely mentioned that we were first, she simply responded, “Yes, but I want to take care of them.” They do not even attempt to hide their preferences. Another uncomfortable situation happened at the buffet. I had just come from the pool and was wearing a coverup over my bathing suit — the same way at least six other women were dressed. As soon as I walked in, a staff member looked me up and down and asked, “Are you Dominican?” When I said yes, she told me I could not enter because I needed to be more covered. Meanwhile, the other women dressed the same way (the only difference being that they were white) were allowed inside without issue. It was very clear what the real difference was. At another restaurant, our reservation was for 7:15 PM. We arrived early and ordered promptly. We received our appetizers, but it took over an hour and a half to receive our main course. Guests who arrived after us were already finishing their meals. When we asked our waiter about the delay, she said she would check with the kitchen, but instead took more orders for other tables and took over 20 minutes to follow up. Beyond the service issues, the resort itself is very outdated. The entrance feels old, the buildings show visible rust, and the rooms are not well maintained. Our showerhead was dirty on the first night, and several things in the room were either broken or not properly cleaned. If you’re looking for a modern resort with updated facilities and beautiful, well-kept grounds, this is not it — it feels stuck in 2010. The food is okay, but don’t come expecting spectacular dining or a wide variety of options. I was so uncomfortable and disappointed that I actually left two days early. I would not recommend wasting your time or money here.

Giulia Russo

The resort has met all our expectations, well equipped for several different activities, an amazing beach, pools and restaurants. The food is various, great for any kind of taste, different themes per night which allow you to experience different flavours and cuisines. The entertainment team is the best part of the resort, always up for a game or a dance lession or a fitness activity, never pushy and always smiley! The dancing classes were my fav! The room met our expectations, clean and spacious, just a small down side, it was a bit humid and the clothes felt a bit wet. A special thanks is for our super amazing concierge, Bella. She has been just perfect, smiley, lovely, always ready to help and give advices, address us to the right people and answer to any of our questions, plus for my birthday she managed to sort out special treats for me and i couldn't be happier! A definitely positive experience very recommended to all.

Sarah Dejesus

I've been to Punta Cana several times at a different property that has closed down so this is in comparison to that. The property is small but well kept. Grounds are very nice with great wildlife. The rooms are nice/basic with great AC, but the bathroom is very small for a family suite that sleeps 6 people. The entertainment team is fantastic, my favorite part of everything. Join into every interactive activity you can. So much fun! We also enjoyed the nightly shows. The gym is small, but nice. Classes inside are also decent. The pool is good and the beach nice. Unfortunately, not enough chairs at either so go early. Food was fine/ok at the buffet. My favorite was the local Dominican food served like their rice, beans, platanos etc. Best to grab freshly made foods at the chef stations like omeletes, meats, churros. Their french fries are delicious! Fresh fruit and juices are excellent. Everything else was just okay. We pretty much ate the same thing everyday. We did have the chance to eat at the Siblia restaurant and had really great steaks. There we had a fantastic birthday celebration for my teen daughter. You have to reserve this with customer service desk 24 hours prior and pay $35 for a cake. Unfortunately the 1st 3 days we were there I was told there were no reservations available our entire stay at either of the 2 available indoor restaurants. This was from the Dominicana customer sevice desk. Then a staff member recommended I go to the Punta Cana side and magically they had space for us at both. We received very little guidance or help from the staff at the Dominicana. unfortunately. The Punta Cana customer service person Bethoven was incredible, though. Many of the serving staff were rude and miserable, even after being friendly and kind to them. Once and IF you find a great server or bartender, tip them and treat them well and they will be great to you. There are definitely a few great ones. Wifi was terrible for me. It worked best at pool area but rarely in the room or other places. I ended up mostly using data. There are no filtered water bottles in your room, but instead they have glass bottles for $20 each available that you need to refill yourself. I found this ridiculous since we cannot use the sink water there. Bring your own refillable water bottle in your suitcase. Cocktail servers are very hit or miss at beach and pool areas. I almost always went and got my own drinks at the bar for lack of attention. Luckily, I don't drink much because this would've been an issue. I was traveling with my teen daughter and 2 of her friends for her 16th birthday and it was fine for that. I definitely won't be going back to this resort, unfortunately.

Logan Vandenberg

The staff truely made the trip incredible. All of the staff including Ninosca were super helpful and did everything they could to make our trip enjoyable.