Trip report
Hi there!
We've just come back from a weekend break at IFA Villas and we had a wonderful time. We only stayed one night, so maybe we are not in the best position to give a review, but we didn't have any problems while we were there.
The room was clean and everything functioned properly. The grounds were well-kept, although not very "luxurious". The staff were some of the most friendly and attentive I've come across in an AI on this island, and made a refreshing change from the surly staff at many other resorts. The food wasn't anything fancy, but most of the things we ate tasted good, and there was a fair selection of places to eat and drink spread across the resort. The beach was a beautiful, broad stretch of clean, powdery sand with turquoise waters.
The main drawback of the resort is its size, or rather its length. It is long and narrow, and split into three sections: Ocean is nearest the beach, Village is in the middle, and Villas is furthest away. We were placed in Ocean without even asking, so it wasn't a problem for us, but if you end up in one of the furthest villas it is a very long walk, or a ride on a hotel buggy, to the beach. I would try asking for a room as close to the beach as possible when you check in. Another problem (if you burn easily like me) is that there are no umbrellas on the beach, so you have to move your chairs around a lot to find the little bit of protection that the palms offer. That is if you get a chair, for they were all reserved with towels from very early in the morning. Better set the alarm clock!
I can't offer too much advice about what to do outside the resort, because we only ever spend a short time in Bavaro and never go on any excursions. I hear that Jellyfish restaurant gets good reviews, and I think that is next door to the hotel. We also had some good food in a restaurant on the beach in El Cortecito, but I can't remember the name, I'm afraid.
Please PM me if you have any more specific questions. Enjoy your hols!
