Barcelo Complex Question

[carribeantravel]

In my Air Transat Brochure it gives the title of Barcelo Bavaro Villas Resort. Which part of the resort is this, is it the garden section, the palace section, the beach section, or the golf section, or is it a new section all its own. How far back from the beach is it really. Please help before I book in the next few days.

[Deb]

Baravo Villas is not part of the Barcelo Bavaro Beach Resort. I believe the Barvao Villas are next to the Baravo but are in no way connected. The Villas are a 3* the Bacelo Beach Resort includes 5 resorts and they are 4 & 5 *. If you check in your Air Transit Holidays tour book you will see the Villas on page 34 and the Bavaro Beach Resort on page 32.

[Deb]

Sorry Barcelo Beach Resort is page 30 not 32 as I stated above

[PJT]

Bavaro Villas are part of the Barcelo Complex, sort of. The villas are part owned by Barcelo and a Dominican. It caters to the budget minded traveler. Has restaurants, bars, pools and entertainment. The villas complex is just to the west of the Barcelo Beach Resort and Convention Center. A small encampment of local tourist shops separate the two resorts at the beachfront. The beach is about 100 yds from the nearest villas guest rooms. There is a restaurant and bar on the beach. For those who do not want to walk to the beach. The villas provides a shuttle bus just to bring guests to the beach and back. Runs every 15-20 min on avg. with a greater frequency of trips when traffic demands. Regards, PJT

[John, El único]

You are wrong PJT. Barcelo Villas Bavaro is not part of the Barcelo Bavaro Complex. the barcelo chain bought the Villas Bavaro last year and of course has their name, but it is a separate resort. you can't eat, or drink in any of the Barcelo Bavaro Complex.
This is a 3 star hotel, while the Barcelo Complex as dolores said are 4 star (Beach, Garden, Casino and Golf) and 5 star hotel (Bavaro Palace).
I recommend you to pay the extra for The Complex and you will eat Lobster all day long instead of chicken. drinks at the Disco and night club are also included.

[PJT]

John, you are stepping on my toes, how may I politely respond to your post ( "You are wrong PJT. Barcelo Villas Bavaro is not part of the Barcelo Bavaro Complex"), was I was wrong by the error of omission, about Barcelo Villas Bavaro and Barcelo Beach Resort and Convention Center? I mentioned, the Villas are part of the Barcelo Complex, sort of. I was hedging on stating that they were fully part of the complex because I know they are not. There is a dotted line connection between the two areas only. They act as separate resort areas and they are separated by the land and beachfront occupied by the tourist shops. Yet, they do share on occasion, employees and equipment. An example of this is beachfront cleaning. Normally, it is done at both resorts in the early AM. Barcelo Beach Resort and Convention Center (BBRCC) uses manual labor and a motorized beach rake. The other resort (Villas) uses manual labor. On occasion BBRCC will send the motorized beach rake over to the Barcelo Villas Bavaro to assist with cleanup.

The Barcleo Villas Bavaro area is part of three four star **** resorts to the west of BBRCC. The star rankings are according to Barcelo on their web page and sign posts at their resort entries. The closest to the beach is Barcelo Ocean Village, behind that is Barcelo Barvaro Village and furthest from the beach is Barcelo Villas Bavaro. John, you also said, "you can't eat, or drink in any of the Barcelo Bavaro Complex." That's almost like saying, "you can't get they-a from hee-a". Of course guests at the three other Barcelo locations may eat, drink and patronize BBRCC. All they have to do is pay for a day or night pass for entry. The pass costs US$22, it is about half the price one would pay for entry at BBRCC from the street. The cost for entry from the street is RD$750.

My recommendation to carribeantravel, if he or she desires more amenities and if budget allows, is to book into BBRCC. Regards, PJT

The Barcelo Web page is:

http://www.barcelo.com/hotels/seleho_i.htm

[carribeantravel]

Settle down my friends. You both have been more than helpfull. Again thanks to you both. Would you consider the wind to be an issue on this stretch of beach. I went to Cuba two years ago in Cayo Coco on the north coast and the wind was more than intense. I mean 3 of the four days we were not allowed to swim in the ocean. What can ya tell about this one my friend?

[PJT]

carribeantravel,

Don't even concern yourself about the wind at Bavaro. It is not an issue. There are days when at the most you will get a decent and satisfying breeze. Even if there are rare high winds, the longest stretch will be a day or so. I have not heard or observed of no swimming allowed at the beach except for a tropical storm or hurricane. You know, when the beach crews go about stacking the all beach chairs on high ground, thats when there is official no swimming. Note: There is a shallow reef area about a km or two out from the beach that acts as a buffer to heavy wave action caused by high winds when they do occur. It is one of the attibutes that makes Bavaro a fine destination. The most you're going to get at Bavaro is fun, sun, and a breeze. Regards, PJT