Iberostar Costa Dorada Hotel Rating: 3.5 Pearls

Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

Flamingos in the lobby

It’s a family-oriented mega-resort -- sort of. Aiming for Vegas-style luxury (on a budget), the 516-room Iberostar has flamingos in the lobby, an exotic garden streaming with fountains, and Grecian columns in the pool (surrounding the whirlpool).

Activities abound -- dance classes, Spanish lessons, archery, bingo, and a popular kids' club as well. Nightly stage shows include a beauty pageant, a game show, a wedding band, and a summer-camp talent competition. But they're fun -- especially with a rum slushie in hand.

Most guests, even those with kids, like to party. Drinking starts at about 10 a.m. and ends around 2 a.m. Buffets stay open for late-night sandwich gorging. The Iberostar pumps veteran drinkers from around the world with top-shelf booze, signature cocktails, and even espresso (when the evening looks like it could fade).

Most guests have the time of their lives. But the crowded, inebriated scene moved a gray-haired English couple in search of four-star luxury to declare the place dreadful. They actually used the word dreadful 17 times during our two-minute conversation. But even they could only complain about the "people," who weren't "high-class." They took no issue with the rooms or beach, and even agreed that the food and service were superb.

Upbeat and helpful front desk attendants

Dedicated to fun, the Iberostar's staff is the main draw. Friendly servers, knowledgeable bartenders, attentive housekeepers, and the notoriously upbeat Star Team (who act like camp counselors) set the tone for the resort -- embarrassingly fun.

After only one day at the resort, several employees recognized me, snagged me a table at the buffet, and were excited to chat (using whatever degree of English they knew).

Other staff members climbed palm trees on the beach, hacked off coconuts, and offered them to guests with a straw. It impressed me as well as this TripAdvisor reviewer.

Several of the guests I spoke to immediately named "excellent service" as the best part of the resort. Harold and Gail Kukasch from Toronto said they returned two years in a row in large part because the service didn't feel condescending or rude (as they found at other resorts). This was the first time the Kukasches returned to the same resort twice during their 36 years of marriage. I found the service friendly but not over-the-top or doting. I wasn't greeted upon arrival; I hauled my own bags to check-in and saw others doing the same.

Snagging a reservation at the a la carte restaurants means following a rigid time schedule. Everyone must wait in line at guest services by 9 a.m. sharp to reserve a table for that evening. The honeymooning couples I spoke with didn't get any special treatment or freebies, which most resorts routinely offer.

A few reviewers on TripAdvisor complain that staff members were slow to respond to maintenance issues, like broken air-conditioning units or malfunctioning TVs. But I didn't find this to be the case. The staff was very responsive to my towel requests (fresh towels were at the door in only eight minutes). I spoke with Jack and Karen Ventimiglia from Merrick, N.Y., who said a maintenance person came to their room only two minutes after they called to complain about a problem with the air conditioner.

View on a Larger Map

Next door to the resort is the casino at the Grand Oasis Marien, better known as the closest ATM. The Iberostar is also a short drive from the gated mini-city of Playa Dorada, which has its own golf course, clubs, restaurants, and touristy shops. The area surrounding the Iberostar consists of brightly colored boarded storefronts, concrete hovels, and some threatening graffiti. Beyond the resorts, there's not much to see. A few places rent scooters or dirt bikes (one of the primary modes of transit in the Dominican Republic), but for the most part, these are mostly just locals trying to rent their own vehicles for some extra cash.

Some reviews on TripAdvisor complain about locals being too aggressive with their sales pitches. I had a few folks eager to rent their wheels to me, but they were generally friendly and polite. They didn't bother me at all once I waved my hand and said, "Estoy bien" (I'm good). Young women, however, should be aware that catcalls are common in the D.R.

Most guests of the resort never venture off-site. Some of them candidly admit that they just don't want to see the poverty. (These guests requested that they not be named.) When guests do venture off-site, it's typically on a trip organized by the resort's tour desk. Newlyweds Larla and Rob Booth from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, went on the resort's Outback Safari. This includes a visit to the local school, a coffee grower's farmhouse (labeled a "plantation" in the brochures), and some other less-seen local neighborhoods (even someone's home). Though initially fearing that the trip was exploitative -- perhaps because the name of the tour, Outback Safari, likens the locals to exotic animals -- they both enjoyed the experience. They were relieved to know that the Iberostar pays the participants well and contributes to the local school. However, given their current state of poverty, I’d venture that the pay isn’t extraordinary.

Huge public beach

The beach, with its soft golden sand, is huge, but the water is less thrilling -- brownish-green with only slight visibility (not ideal for snorkeling).

Some reviewers on TripAdvisor complain of seaweed in the water. During my trip, there was some seaweed that washed to shore, which the staff diligently raked up every morning. However, there wasn't enough plant life to bother any of the guests I spoke with.

The natural waves are minor, but the resort's motorboat rides about 20 to 30 feet from the shore. The boat is there to drag guests through the water on an inner tube. The sound from the boat engine is a bit annoying, but many guests -- especially kids -- happily bear the noise in exchange for the fun rides.

Costa Dorada is a public beach. There's a lot of room to wander for miles, well past the Iberostar property. But the beach is open to anyone, including vendors.

Large Standard Room balcony

Rooms are clean but basic. There's a bed, a 17-inch standard-screen TV, a bathroom, and a balcony.

All rooms have ceramic-tile floors and some blond- and turquoise-stained wood furnishings -- a TV cabinet, a wicker chair, a bedside table, and some small drawers. The look is more Holiday Inn than luxury chic. Some guests were disappointed with the rooms (especially honeymooners). They expected more from a brand trying to bill itself as high-class. But most guests spend little time in the rooms anyway. Every room is a smoking room, but somehow the housekeepers manage to scrub out the cigarette smell each day. Better, there's little lingering stench from the chemical deodorizer.

I found the beds comfortable, save the flat-cotton pillows. The beds have a pillow-top mattress and quality sheets. But the comforters are less appealing -- cheap brown blankets beneath pastel-patterned bedspreads. The look is better suited for grade-school bunk beds. My bathroom was also clean, and I saw housekeepers scrubbing the tub every day. The tub was deep, and the back is slanted to better support a bath. Shower gel and shampoo is dispensed from a pump mounted to the wall, but the resort also offers its own brand of toiletries in mini-bottles.

My large, standard-room balcony faced the western edge of the resort (like most rooms). It was partially hidden from the other rooms, meaning that someone could see me on the balcony, but they needed to lean out and look around the wall in order to do so. It faced trees and a shallow pond, and there were birds chirping by day and crickets by night. It was arguably better than an ocean-view room. In the ocean-view rooms, a line of palm trees separates the resort from the beach, blocking the view of the water. The room upgrade is hardly worth it. Some rooms are next to the blasting, poolside music. These include rooms that end in 11 through 20 (Room 6111, Room 6112, etc.). Unfortunately, there's not much guests can do to ensure they don't get slotted into one of these rooms. (Feel free to make a request, but there are no guarantees.)

All rooms come with a free minibar stocked with Brahma beer (a tasty Brazilian import), soda, and water. Hotel policy is to restock it every other day. But I found that housekeeping restocked it daily, as did most reviewers on TripAdvisor. In addition, the hotel provides a coffeemaker and tea, also free of charge. They even give you an extra-large bottle of water for the coffeemaker.

Irritatingly, the outlets all have fat pieces of plastic around the edge. This meant I couldn't charge my Blackberry because its square plastic plug was too fat to fit inside the outlet. Most other cell phones (with similar chargers) will have the same problem.

24-hour Doctor's Office

The spa offers massage, manicures and pedicures, and full hair-salon services. It also has some small Jacuzzi tubs. I visited the tub and a couple was making out -- the man was licking the woman's neck (she was moaning) and all four hands were under the water. They never seemed to notice my head pop in and out of the room (embarrassing). Afterward, the staff warned us not to go in the Jacuzzi room, in order to give the couple privacy.

There is no gym on-site, but this didn't seem to bother any of the guests I spotted. Fitness was a low priority -- fried cheese balls were one of the most popular items on the buffet line.

The hotel has numerous sporting facilities. There are two tennis courts with nighttime lighting and occasional lessons. Beside the tennis courts, there's a full-size basketball court, though I couldn't find anywhere to get a basketball. Billiards and Ping-Pong tables are also available on-site. On the beach, there's a volleyball court and miniature soccer (football) field. Throughout the day, the Star Friends rally folks for various activities, like merengue lessons or bocce ball. One TripAdvisor reviewer commented that these were a great opportunity to meet people. This appeared to be the case -- the same group I spotted playing bocce ball were all boogying together at the disco.

There's no in-room Internet or Wi-Fi anywhere on-site. However, the business center has computer stations equipped with videoconference cameras -- ideal for cheap phoning abroad. But the cost of Internet is an outrageous $5 for 30 minutes (among the highest rates in the Caribbean).

At the 24-hour doctor's office (staffed by a steady M.D.), guests get treated for a variety of ailments. I asked the doctor what guests could do to ensure good health. Her advice: Stick to bottled water and don't eat the fried street food.

Booming outdoor pool

The pool is massive. It winds into various pockets, through a Grecian column -- housing a lukewarm spa tub -- and around a central garden. It's a single body of water, but it actually feels like three to four separate pools.

Throughout the day, the Star Team hosts activities around the pool, like the hyperenthusiastic water aerobics. The shirtless instructor, pumping his arms and legs above a group of excited tykes, couldn't have been more popular if he were a purple dinosaur. To everyone else, the blasting workout techno mix was just annoying.

Some paint was peeling from the pool floor. Some guests on TripAdvisor were irked by this, but it didn't seem to stop anyone from swimming. On the whole, the pool was very clean.

The Ventimiglias (the couple from Merrick, N.Y.) complained that the pool was too cold -- it was a bit chillier than the average pool in the Caribbean. Other TripAdvisor reviewers complain of the same problem.

Sand castle building on the beach

The Iberostar is a great place for kids. Even during the school year, I spotted loads of kids splashing in the pool, on the beach, building sand castles, and waddling down the hallways while other guests made cuie faces and greeted them in six different baby languages. One honeymooning couple said their room even came with a crib.

The mini-club (a daily kids' club) has a playground, miniature pool tables, and loads of games. I spoke with Matthew Hickey of Liverpool, England, who had brought his 5-year-old son to the Iberostar two years in a row. Like most kids, Hickey's son preferred the pool. The Star Team keeps many kids active throughout the day. They also organize evening entertainment like the Little Miss Iberostar competition. This involves parading 5-year-old girls onstage for a beauty pageant, followed by judging from a panel of adolescent boys. The premise seems awful, but the girls loved blowing kisses and practicing their trained sashay during the swimsuit competition. Parents didn't seem to mind. Some even found it cute.

Caballero-style performers at the Tropical Restaurant

At the theater, the hotel hosts a series of nightly entertainment shows -- all on par with most other all-inclusives. Though not up to the Vegas standard, the shows are at least amusing. They feature a great deal of audience participation. Spanish lessons, for example, has guest contestants stand onstage, trying to mimic a member of the staff as closely as possible. The clear winner was a native Spanish speaker, though even she struggled to keep up with the overemphasized Dominican accent. To balance the competitive bar, dance moves like the pony and salsa-style bum shaking were incorporated into the routine -- some guests excelled, others did not. One man stood baffled and responded, "Uh ... El Camino?" The audience loved it.

Entertainment is hosted by the highly praised Star Friends, an energetic batch of young men and women who would spontaneously grab guests to dance. Route 66, the on-site disco, is bumping from about midnight until 2 a.m. Many reviewers on TripAdvisor loved it, and the DJ is actually pretty good (far better than at most resorts).

Throughout the day and during dinner, the resort also has live music performances. Caballero-style performers wear cowboy hats and play solid acoustic renditions of local hits, along with the occasional "Macarena." At the theater, a live band plays more lively cover songs, drawing crowds to practice their salsa moves (no doubt picked up during the daily dance lessons).

Everyone I spoke with agreed that the entire resort is kept remarkably clean. Though there were some overstuffed ashtrays and empty cocktail cups strewn around the resort, someone was always on the prowl to clean them up.

Rooms are especially clean, and I saw several housekeepers on their knees, scrubbing the tubs. Per one TripAdvisor reviewer, "The room was spotless (never saw an insect all week)." (This is an impressive feat in the Caribbean.)

At the beach, the staff raked seaweed each morning, gathered cigarette butts, and cleared daiquiri-stained plastic cups. It was one of the cleanest beaches I've ever seen. For a mega-resort, that is.

Sunday BBQ Chefs on the grill

Most guests like the food and find ample international variety. Put simply, the food is as good as it gets at an all-inclusive mega-resort. For better food, check out the smaller and quieter Victoria Golf Resort. The food at the Iberostar is produced in bulk. It's a far cry from four-star dining -- tough meat and seasoning so bland it makes British cuisine look adventurous.

There is no room service.

Buffets are available from about 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. The central, international buffet, "El Marcado" (the Market), was actually pretty good. It serves a variety of local rice, beans, and fried pork combinations, along with fresh shrimp, fruit, and bakery bread. A serrated knife is provided for guests to cut their own chunk of bread from the flowered loaf.

Breakfast, served only at the buffet from 7 to 10 a.m., has an omelet station, waffle station, lunch meat, and liver paté (satisfying the European crowd). During my stay, there were also a few local mainstays like fried rice and beans, but like most Dominican resorts, the Iberostar didn’t feature the D.R.’s amazing local fare; fried plantains were nowhere to be found. There was also a variety of fruits, juices (from concentrate), yogurt, and cereal. An extended continental breakfast (from 10 a.m. until noon) was also served at the snack bar by the pool.

Lunch at the poolside snack bar included some fried fish, pizza, nachos, salads, hot dogs, and burgers. Lunch was also available at the buffet, but it looked remarkably like the dinner menu, minus the pasta stations and roast chicken on the carving board.

For dinner, there are three a la carte restaurants -- a tropical seafood restaurant, a Mexican restaurant, and a Brazilian restaurant. Reviewers on TripAdvisor loved the Brazilian and Mexican restaurants. The Tropical Restaurant, also known as the "seafood restaurant" because of its fish-focused menu, was fairly bland and a far cry from traditional Caribbean cuisine. The fish, however, was fresh and certainly tasty, even if the raw coconut was too hard to chew through and the sauce atop our grouper was basically just keeping the meat wet.

Name-brand liquor at the Disco Bar

With recognizable liquor like Jim Beam, J&B, Tanqueray, and Stoli available, the bar at the Iberostar is a cut above most resorts in the Caribbean. Most resorts, even those that are comparably priced, serve generic brands that come in bulk crates for about $3 a bottle.

The bartenders know their stuff, and most guests befriend their favorite barman. Though the margarita and pina colada slushie machines are on-site -- and generally swarmed with bees -- the bartenders can also make a mean batch of fruity cocktails. Try the Iberostar's signature drink: brandy, amaretto, triple sec, banana liqueur, and pineapple juice. They can also make martinis, manhattans, black russians, and fairly bland bloody marys.

Some TripAdvisor reviewers complained that the mixtures weren't frozen enough -- the result of too many people drinking the same thing. While this wasn't the case during my trip, it's very likely that this would affect a packed hotel (like it apparently did during New Year's). Espresso is also available at the lobby bar -- a much-needed pickup before hitting the club.