This post and website may contain affiliate links, which means at no additional cost to you, if you make a purchase through them we may earn a commission and receive compensation. This also helps us run our blog, free for you to enjoy. Please read our Disclaimers page for more information.
We booked a last minute all-inclusive vacation to Punta Cana this past winter for some sun and beach healing! We share our resort experience and pictures of our stay at the new Coral Level at Iberostar Selection Bavaro in the Dominican Republic.
This five-star experience is described on the Iberostar website as offering a new exclusive and premium hotel to enjoy:
“allows you to enjoy the exclusivity of reserved spaces and personalized Premium services without sacrificing the advantages of staying at a large resort on the Caribbean Sea.”
-Iberostar Selection Bavaro website
Prior to this visit, I had already stayed twice at the Iberostar Grand Bavaro, which is still one of my favourite all-inclusive resorts. However, the Grand Bavaro was not available for a full week during this time, already being fully booked. Therefore, for first part of the week we stayed at the new Coral Level at Iberostar Selection Bavaro before transferring to the Grand Bavaro to end our vacation.
To see why the Iberostar Grand Bavaro is one of my favourite all-inclusive resorts, be sure to check out our article here on the luxury “sister resort”.
Overall, we had a great, relaxing stay at the Coral Level, particularly as we do enjoy boutique-style hotels on our travels! We share features of the resort and what we enjoyed!
Location of Coral Level at Iberostar Selection Bavaro Suites
- Beachfront on the stunning Bavaro Beach in Punta Cana, one of the best in the Caribbean. I have been to this beach many times and it is included in our article here on our favourite beaches! The long, beautiful beach aptly draws visitors from around the world. The sand is soft and waters are great for swimming.
- From the airport: approximately twenty-minute drive to the resort from the Punta Cana International Airport.
- Separate Reception: when you arrive at the lobby of the Iberostar Selection Bavaro resort by taxi/shuttle, inform the attendants you are staying at the Coral Level. A golf cart will take you to the dedicated lobby for Coral Level guests only.
Highlights of Coral Level at Iberostar Selection Bavaro
Service
Coral Level Service: the guest services, restaurant staff, and overall service at the Coral Level was fantastic! They provided separate check-in and check-out at the Coral Level and dedicated guest services.
Guest Services booked all of our a la carte dinners and addressed all our needs during our stay. The resort really works to provide five-star customer service!
Golf Cart/Shuttle Service to and from the larger resort next door was always available or arranged when needed, for example to watch the shows at the theatre.
We suggest walking to the Coral Level Lobby and waiting for the shuttle there.
Each night after watching the shows at the theatre, there is a designated spot by the lobby to wait for the Coral Level shuttle. We would advise the driver and the shuttle dropped us off at our building, steps from our suite.
Activity Entertainment Team: the team works hard to provide great activities daily for guests. Guests can join if they like or simply not participate in any activities. I really enjoyed the beach aerobics at the Coral Level!
Beach
Exclusive Beach Area: There is a separate beach area, sectioned off, only for guests staying in the Coral Level. We loved the exclusive area and covered Balinese beach beds!
We did not have problems finding beach loungers during our stay. However, the Balinese beach beds in the front were the first spot taken by guests in the morning, understandably!
The area was spacious, spread out with beach loungers. If you have been to Bavaro Beach in Punta Cana, then you know walking along beach that most hotels have loungers side by side, often cramped together. We even had other guests walking along the beach stop and ask us what hotel this was!
Notably, although we did not use them, there are also freshwater pools. We are beach people and prefer to only swim in the ocean everyday!
In addition, the sister hotel next door, Iberostar Selection Bavaro, does have the very large, beautiful resort pools for your use!
“Wave of Change”
The Iberostar Hotels and Resorts have taken steps that support environmentally conscious long-term initiatives and commitments which include the following and more:
- “Wave of Change” movement “science-based, action-driven initiatives”
- supports the elimination of single-use plastic since 2020
- responsible sourcing of their fish and seafood; 100% responsible by 2025
- carbon neutral by 2030
Accommodations
There are various suites ranging in size, location, and views. Suites include a junior suite with garden views to “Suite Presidential”
We booked a “junior suite near the beach” which was very spacious with lovely decor.
- king-sized bed
- 24-hour room service
- daily minibar service
- coffee maker
- smart TV, free wi-fi, and more.
The suite had a separate seating area, desk, and outdoor private terrace.
For water, a purification station was steps away outside. We would simply refill our water bottles rather than having single-use bottles. This is a great initiative by the resort to eliminate waste and plastic.
Dining
El Faro haute cuisine and buffet: restaurant only available to Coral Level guests.
This restaurant was particularly great since you could dine outdoors by the beach! We loved having breakfast and lunch each day outside, so close to the ocean.
Since the restaurant is only available for Coral Level guests, we preferred this setting rather than dining in the very large buffet restaurant next door at the sister resort.
In addition, our lunches daily at El Faro always included seafood options. We had an a la carte dinner here as well before transferring to Iberostar Grand Bavaro. The food and service were always friendly and excellent during our stay.
We also ate next door at these Iberostar Selection Bavaro restaurants a couple of times for dinner:
- Buffet Restaurant – we ate at this international buffet for dinner on our first evening. A large restaurant that offers something for everyone!
- Kabuki Japanese Restaurant – fun evening featuring a sushi bar and food cooked on a teppanyaki grill.
Facilities at Iberostar Selection Bavaro available to Coral Level
Definitely take advantage of the services and facilities of the large resort at Iberostar Selection Bavaro which include the following and more!
- a la carte restaurants and buffet
- bars and food options including Star Cafe and ice cream parlor
- several larger pools including kids area
- 3-floor fitness center and spa
- 18-hole golf course
Be sure not to miss the amazing beach party at night held on the beach at Iberostar Selection Bavaro! We loved the bar on the beach and dancing under the stars!
Nightly Entertainment at the Theatre
We also watched the entertainment at the theatre each night at Iberostar Selection Bavaro. The theatre had outdoor and covered seating. Guests could come and go as they pleased. In addition, there is a bar close by the theatre and servers walking around taking drink orders during the show.
Other tips and notes:
Souvenirs and Shopping: If you are looking to shop or pick up a few souvenirs, there are stores onsite at the resort to explore.
Close to the Coral Level Lobby, there are a row of stores on the resort, which sell a range of items including beach wear and a duty-free shop.
Additionally, we picked up several items at the large souvenir shop at the Iberostar Selection Bavaro.
Seaweed and Sargassum: As the Dominican Republic can be negatively affected by seaweed and sargassum, be sure to check the status if you love to swim in the ocean so you know what to expect!
Although there was some seaweed on the beach some days during the week, even during our stay in December, the resorts worked hard to gather it and we swam in the ocean everyday.
**We do not vacation to the Caribbean in the summer months, such as July and August, since we are beach lovers and seaweed is typically at its peak then.
Iberostar Hotel Upgrade: If you book at one of the related Iberostar resorts in Punta Cana, it could be possible to upgrade and transfer to the Iberostar Grand Bavaro as we did on this visit. Inquire at your Iberostar hotel directly in person when in Punta Cana. The hotel can confirm if possible and quote the additional cost per night to transfer if there are rooms available.
Conclusion
We really enjoyed our stay at the Coral Level at Iberostar Selection Bavaro! The resort provided us with great service from the moment we arrived!
To summarize our stay and findings:
The Coral Level at Iberostar Selection Bavaro Suites provided an excellent beachfront stay with a smaller resort feel. However, it is also combined with accessibility to the facilities of a large resort next door which may appeal to guests who want to enjoy the best of both types of resorts. In our opinion, access to the Iberostar Selection Bavaro Suites resort provides an excellent large resort for families and groups with entertainment, great food, and great facilities!
Ultimately, the Coral Level is a great option, particularly for adults and couples, or families that also want that boutique style resort that strives to provide a high level of attention and service.
***For luxury in on Bavaro Beach, be sure to check out our article on the five-star Iberostar Grand Bavaro. The resort is elegantly grand, and offers an adults-only, all-inclusive, luxurious stay which is why I would continue to return to the Grand Bavaro for a luxury beachfront all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana!
***We also want to point out that we did not transfer to the Iberostar Grand Bavaro because we were not satisfied with the Coral Level. We were happy we booked at the Coral Level and enjoyed our time there! We transferred because the Iberostar Grand Bavaro was fully booked for part of the week and we did want the luxury that the sister hotel, Iberostar Grand Bavaro, excels at!
Booking.com
To check for dates and availability:
- Coral Level at Iberostar Selection Bavaro Suites (all-inclusive)
- Iberostar Grand Bavaro (adults only all-inclusive)
- other hotels in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
For more information on this resort, you can access the official Iberostar website here.
This article is based on self-funded stays at the Iberostar resorts. The views and opinions expressed through this website are our own from personal experience(s). Our content and this article is informational only, not facts, and cannot be construed as professional advice. We always give our honest opinions on topics, experiences or products, made in good faith. Any product or service claims, made by the product or service, should be verified with the manufacturer or provider in question. There may be potential errors on our website, for example due to changes and unintentional mistakes. Thank you.
For more articles, be sure to take a look at Nurture Happiness Today‘s other features on travel, food, and inspiration for happiness:
- Nurture Happiness Today TRAVEL and RESORTS & HOTELS
- Nurture Happiness Today FOODIE
- Nurture Happiness Today – inspiration for happiness such as quotes, speeches and lifestyle posts.
