Lopesan Costa Bavaro Resort, Spa & Casino

Transparency: We paid for this trip ourselves. No freebies or press stays. We want you to trust our advice.

If you are looking at photos of hotels in Punta Cana, surely you have stopped at the Lopesan Costa Bávaro resort (one of the most famous 5-star all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana). It is inevitable: visually, it is one of the most spectacular and modern resorts in all of Punta Cana. Its famous Infinity Pool that seems to merge with the sea is the image that stands out the most, and that we all look for our vacation in the Caribbean.

On paper, it seems like the perfect hotel: new facilities, an olympic-level gym, and a leisure zone (The Boulevard) that puts other hotels to shame. But… is it all smoke and mirrors or is it worth the hype?

After staying there, I come to tell you the unfiltered reality. I have a “love-hate” feeling with this resort and in this guide I am going to explain to you why it has the best facilities I have stepped foot in in Punta Cana, but also one of the weakest customer services (with shouting between waiters included).

If you want to know if it pays off to sacrifice personal treatment to live a luxury experience, keep reading.

In 2 minutes you will know what the hotel is and below you can see more price information. Here is my direct summary: the Lopesan Costa Bavaro is a 5-star all inclusive resort of extremes.

It is, without a doubt, the most visually spectacular in the area; everything is giant, modern and “catches the eye”. You have the feeling of being in a luxury hotel in Dubai, rather than in the Caribbean.

The best part is its superior level facilities: the gymnasium (Titan Gym) is the best I have seen in a hotel by far, the Kids Club is huge (it even has its own theater), the leisure zone “The Boulevard” is impressive and the best part is its infinity pool (which almost is). If you value infrastructure, here you are going to be amazed.

The big “but”? The human factor. The service in the buffet was the low point of my stay: I noticed disorganization, sour faces and waiters arguing among themselves in front of the customers. The food is varied, but the experience drops many points due to the treatment (and as an anecdote of the “chaos”: the last day the power went out and we had to serve ourselves the food lighting with the mobile flashlight).

In conclusion: It is a winning option if you prioritize visual impact and modern facilities over personal treatment. If you are looking for a hotel to take incredible photos and relax in an immense pool and beach, this is your hotel. If you are looking to be pampered and real 5-star service, you are going to get frustrated and you should look at some of the hotels that I do recommend 100%. If you want to stay in the same area of Bávaro but try something different, check out our review of RIU Palace Bávaro, another all-inclusive resort we tested in just as much detail.

✅ Facilities: It is like being in a modern city. Everything is new, giant and visually striking, setting a high bar for a Punta Cana All Inclusive resort. The area of The Boulevard (leisure and shops) is something you don’t see in other hotels.

✅ The Infinity Pool: It is the jewel of the hotel. Huge, with double height and connects visually with the sea. It is the place where you will want to be all day.

✅ Titan Gym: If you train, this is paradise. Without a doubt, the best gym I have seen in a hotel, with professional machinery and huge.

✅ Kids Club “Panchi”: It is immense, it even has its own theater for activities. The children here have their space with supervision. Also, the teenagers have another one of their own with video game consoles.

✅ The exception (Feliz): The sommelier of the wine shop. A charming character who saves the honor of the hotel service. His wine tasting is a super recommended experience.

❌ The Service (The big failure): Waiters arguing among themselves in front of the customers, sour faces and lack of enthusiasm in the buffet. It takes you totally out of the luxury experience.

❌ Occasional chaos: The anecdote of the blackout (getting the food lighting with the mobile because the power went out) summarizes a bit the lack of foresight or rapid response in key moments.

❌ Impersonal feeling: Being so massive and with that treatment from the staff, sometimes you feel more like a room number than a guest to be taken care of.

The Lopesan is big (without going overboard), it literally looks like a small city, but it has a “U” shape that makes it easy to get your bearings once you understand the three large areas. I have marked the key zones on this map so you know where the fun is and where to rest.

Here is an explanation of each zone:

• Red Circle (The Boulevard): It is at the back of the hotel. It is a 30,000 m² leisure zone separated from the rooms. This is where the Titan Gym, the Casino, the nightclub, the theater, the shops, and the water park are. It is like a shopping mall inside the hotel.
• Black Circle (gastronomy): is the central building that connects everything. Here are the main Lobby and most of the restaurants, including the two big buffets (Atlántico and Caribe).
• Number 1 (The Infinity Pool): the jewel in the crown. It is that immense pool you see in all the photos, which runs along the front of the hotel and connects visually with the sea.
• Red Heart (Adults Only Club): is the exclusive Adults Only zone. They have their own pool and bar away from the hustle and bustle of the main pool. If you booked in this category to get away from kids, this will be your refuge. If this kind of exclusive zone appeals to you, our guide to the best adults-only resorts in Punta Cana compares every option we’ve personally tested.
• Beach: Right in front of the Infinity Pool. It is a very wide and extensive beach zone, ideal for walking.

This is what makes the Lopesan unique. In the back part of the hotel they have built a sort of “leisure zone” of 30,000 m² called The Boulevard. Here is where you come when you want something more than sun and beach.

Titan Gym (fitness paradise): If you are one of those who trains on vacation, you are going to be amazed. It is not the typical little room with two treadmills; it is a huge professional gym, with state-of-the-art machinery and real weights. Without a doubt, the bestgymI have ever seen in a hotel. It is a pleasure to train here.

Leisure and nightlife: Here you have everything so you don’t get bored: a quite big casino, a bowling alley, arcade zone for teenagers, shops, show with singers and the “Chia” nightclub. It is like going out downtown, but without leaving the resort.

The Wine Shop (and the great “Feliz”): Inside the Boulevard there is a wine shop, and here I found the exception to the rule of bad service. The sommelier, Feliz, is a charming character. I highly recommend that you go over to do a tasting or chat with him. His treatment is close, professional and he fixes your day after the sour faces at the buffet.

It also has the water facilities for the little ones and the mini club that I tell you about next.

Here is where my “love-hate” relationship with the hotel reaches its peak. You have plenty of options (several buffets and themed restaurantes like “El Asador Steack House” or “Góndola – Italian”), but the human factor fails miserably.

The Buffet (the low point): The food in the main buffets is varied and decent for a 5-star. There is everything and the food quality is good. The problem is the atmosphere.

• The service: The waiters not only had sour faces (something you can forgive on a bad day), but I witnessed shouting arguments between them right in the room in front of the customers. It is a disorganized chaos that takes away your appetite and makes you feel uncomfortable.

The blackout anecdote: To top off the feeling of lack of control, the last day the power went out. It wasn’t a quick flicker; we were eating in the “dark” for a good while, having to light up the dishes with mobile flashlights to see what food we were choosing. No one gave explanations or quick solutions. A serious lack of foresight in a hotel of this level and price.

Themed restaurants: You have many options (Steakhouse El Asador, Asian, Italian, Mexican…). The food quality goes up compared to the buffet and the atmosphere is a bit quieter, but the general feeling of impersonal service remains when they are full (it can take a long time to have dinner).

• The French restaurant we loved, with exquisite lamb and great service, fast and attentive (the great Feliz is also around there, which you can tell).

In summary: You will eat well because the raw material is decent, but arm yourself with patience with the staff and bring your mobile with battery, just in case you have to eat in the dark.

Here is where you can tell that the hotel is new (opened in 2019) and not a renovation of an old building, they have built really spacious and luxurious rooms.

• What you are going to find: The rooms are huge and very modern.

• The comfort: The beds are very comfortable and large, I really rested (even on the sofa bed), so you can keep it in mind if you come with children.

• The terrace: I liked a lot that the terrace is spacious, with enough space to sit and read or have a drink quietly. I recommend that you ask for views of the gardens, we got the one of the exterior of the hotel and there is a vacant lot with nothing.

• The Bathroom: Following the line of the hotel, the bathroom is modern, spacious and with a rain shower. Everything looks new and impeccable.

After my stay, I have mixed feelings. If you ask me if it is the most beautiful and modern hotel I have stepped foot in in Punta Cana, the answer is clear, it is in the top 3. Visually, it is a spectacle: the Infinity Pool, the Boulevard and the gym are from another planet. You have the feeling of being in a luxury resort in Dubai.

But if you ask me if it offers a 5-star service experience, the answer is NO. The treatment from the staff (with exceptions like Feliz) and the chaos in the buffet lower the score a lot.

My verdict: it is worth it if you are a visual person who prioritizes breathtaking facilities where you are going to relax and have fun, over them smiling at you or serving you coffee quickly. If you are capable of ignoring the bad service and focusing on enjoying the pool and the gym, you are going to be amazed.