I just returned from 5 nights at the Iberostar Dominicana. Overall I have to say I was very impressed with the hotel and the beach. The rooms were clean and accomodating, the grounds were GORGEOUS, the pool was immaculate and the beach had plenty of lounge chairs with charming huts where you could leave your belongings, nap and escape from the sun as needed. The food was fine, I enjoyed the breakfast buffet best but the beachside BBQ at lunchtime was nice as well. Drinks were pretty watered down but that was not a big priority for me as I came for a relaxing family vacation and not to get drunk. Tip: for the good wine, go to the ala Carte restaurants as they pour from the bottle in front of you. We tried the Gourmet, Mexican and International (Seafood). The first two were great, the third not so much.
Unfortunately, I have to say I was very disappointed with the level of service and attitude of some of the staff members. I do not think that everyone should speak English and I understand that I am in another country but my opinion is that if I am a paying guest anywhere, especially in a place that is entirely dependent on providing patrons with a quality stay, that I deserve to be treated with respect. And no, I do not think I need to learn a different language in order to take a vacation. At Dominicana, if you do not speak Spanish you are treated like a second class citizen by many (not ALL, but MANY) of the staffers. Also, I feel like some of the staffers were outright lazy and rude. The woman booking the restaurant reservations literally looked me up and down and scoffed, as did a number of waiters when asked for something. One even muttered threats under his breath when I asked him to please not take my plate because I was not finished. Are you KIDDING me??? I saw this same waiter taking pictures with some of the other Spanish-speaking guests who were impressed with him for some reason, so I am led to conclude that he was rude to me because I speak English. Also, these staff members need to accept that you are not entitled to a tip, you a earn a tip. I am a generous tipper but will not tip if I am mistreated. Another example of lacking service: my mom had to ask for towels 5 times on our last night there. She called, she walked to reception, called again, asked for the manager. Finally they cleaned her room at almost 10pm.
To be fair some other staffers were lovely, warm people and very gracious and accomodating (such as Goofy!).
Bottom line - wonderful resort and I highly recommend it, but if you are used to getting coddled like we do in America (or Mexico for that matter), please arrive with a slightly thicker skin.
Room Tip: Top floor for less noise.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
21 February 2012
Dear Guest Elinakaz,
In the name of the Iberostar Dominicana Hotel Manager, Ms. Kawana Polanco, and her team, we would like to thank you for posting a review about your experience with us. We also thank you for having chosen Iberostar as destination for your family vacations.
We are glad to read that you had excellent vacations among us. We are really satisfied that you had enjoyed the beauty of our premises, the wide range of our exquisite gastronomy and the excellent service provided by some Star Friends.
On the other hand, we are deeply distressed to read that you had a bad experience while dealing with some bartenders, guest service staff members or waiters. In Iberostar one of our principles is to provide the best service to our beloved guests, we want all our guests to feel like “Stars” in vacations. Moreover, Dominicans are well known by their friendliness, happiness and courteousness. We are deeply sorry that you have had the opposite idea. As a matter of fact, the majority of our beloved guests come from English speaking countries and we are happy to make them feel welcomed, as their home away home. I will send your concerns to the concerning departments, so we can take some measures to prevent future incidences.
We kindly invite you to give us a chance to welcome you back, and show the way Iberostar Dominicana is all about you,
Yours sincerely,
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC