If you missed part 1Â start here!
We left off with some swimming in the ocean, I believe! Mazen LOVED jumping the waves in our arms. They weren’t too rough, so we were able to bob up and down gently.
Breakfast time!! M loved the watermelon and french toast and sort of like mangoes when he was in the mood. He also liked his milk in a coffee cup like the grown-ups.
A few days in of heavy eating, I was ready for some healthy, refreshing food and was excited to find spinach juice in the juice bar! Mixed with a little banana juice it was just like a green smoothie ; )
With yogurt, fruit and peanut butter!
We did lots more playing in the sand and the pool. It was fun to go for a walk on the beach with Mazen hand-in-hand!
These two German boys were digging a big fort and Mazen wanted to play. The older boy took one look at him and said “NO!” (Universal language!) It was sort of cute. M and Karen dug them a moat instead.
I read the book Spring Fever and enjoyed the light-hearted read.
Snack time!
I love the feeling of being gritty with sand all day and then taking a hot shower and dressing up! It made the evenings so much fun.
I think I took a day off of food photography in the middle here : )
Back at the beach…I made an epic sand road for M. He loved the table “tunnels” and sand mountains.
He also loved the foot bath to shake the sand off your feet. It was hard to convince him that this was not a baby pool!
There was also a playground that was fun to visit a few times.
We had reservations at the a la carte seafood restaurant on our second-to-last night.
This was the only night we paid for alcohol and upgraded our wine bottle. The house wine wasn’t terrible, but this was still very refreshing!
We started the night at the salad bar
And then were served 3 courses – a lobster soup and then this grouper that was pretty tasty
Followed by a hazelnut cake that tasted nothing like hazelnut! Oh well!
Our last full day was New Year’s Eve – starting with eggs, pancakes and fruit.
Followed by lots of this:
The thatched hut umbrellas were LIFESAVERS for shade! I wish all beaches had them!
I did fit in 4 workouts during the trip (I would have loved more but just didn’t get around to them.) I did some kettlebells and cardio one day, went for a 30 minute run another, squeezed in some elliptical and weights another and finally went for a beach walk. The gym there was quite nice!
Lunch by the beach – half a burger + salad. Plus guac that Matt made with some fresh avocado slices, salt and lime!
The resort did a great job with New Year’s Eve. They were pouring champagne in the lobby and had a huge array of appetizers. We had a scheduled seated dinner, and the food was extra special. I am sorry I didn’t get any photos of the buffet or my meal! My favorite part was the giant 2015 ice sculpture.
Mazen, Matt and Karen went to bed early that night and Andrew and I stayed up till the clock struck 12. It was fun to count down the New Year in Spanish! Balloons feel, noisemakers were passed out and it was a full-on jumping party. Such fun!
We had a great time overall, and he’s a short review of the trip:
Resort grounds – The grounds were really nice and beautiful! The resort was easy to get around. I loved the beach area with lots of chairs and umbrellas (although it could get competitive to get a chair if you waited until 11 to get out there). The ocean in front of the resort was nice enough, although rough at times. Lots of people swam in it.
The Guests –Â There were a lot of people there, but it never feel too crowded to me. The other guests were way more international than I had expected, which was really fun. Walking around you heard many different languages, and we met people from all over the world. There was a good bit of public smoking, which I wasn’t a fan of, but it wasn’t excessive. I would say most of the other guests were families or groups with some couples mixed in.
Rooms – Our room was nice and clean and spacious. We requested adjoining rooms and because they were all taken they upgraded us to small suites that were big rooms with a couch. We tried to get Mazen to sleep on a trundle bed and had some trouble. He slept with us most of the time. The bathrooms were especially nice!
Amenities – The pool was freezing cold and the hot tubs were secluded off near the gym, so that wasn’t great. The baby pool was big and nice. The gym was pretty nice, although not huge, but it had great views. The spa was nice (I got a massage!). There were shops where you could buy things from sunglasses to art work right on site. We didn’t do any excursions, but there was a lot to choose from (for extra $$) The restaurants were all very nice.
The Staff – They were awesome! SO friendly and fun. Mazen finally warmed up to giving high fives by the end. The service in the restaurants was top notch.
Food – Here’s the downfall. The food was just not that good. If I had to put my finger on what was off I’d say it all tasted like it had been cooked and reheated. The selection and presentation was great – no complaints there – but the taste was just a bit off. We felt the food at other resorts we’ve been to was better. I also thought the desserts were lacking a bit. The a la carte restaurants just weren’t up to par, but the buffet was decent. They served fancy food like sushi, lobster, carved meats, and lots of seafood and the variety of other foods from salads to pate to fruit and cheeses was great. We just felt overall the food was a little bit of a let down.
Drinks – The alcohol was just about what I’d expect for an all-inclusive resort. Some of the wine was pretty good and other times they had different bottles that were quiet bad. It just depended. The mixed drinks were hit or miss too. The Manhattan I had at the lobby bar was great, but some of the fruity drinks were just meh. Not much alcohol to taste. The champagne was my go-to!
Entertainment – The shows were good, although they were a little late for our group. I never went to the casino or disco, but Andrew and Matt did and enjoyed both. The pool area always had a workout class or dance lesson going on. There was a beach party one night that was very impressive with a live band and big stage. I only wish I had stayed out later to enjoy it longer!
Did I cover it all?
Overall, we all decided we probably wouldn’t recommend Iberostar Dominicana to friends, but if you’re already planning a trip there you will have a good time! There wasn’t anything too negative, but it didn’t impress us enough to return either.
Happy New Year!
Linda @ TheFitty says
Good on you for fitting in exercise during the trip, even if it wasn’t s much as you would’ve liked! I mean, you were on vacation, so to get in workouts at all should be considered a privilege. 🙂
Plus…jumping waves counts as exercise. Right? 😉
Melissa @battleofmarathonblog says
This is so so timely as my fiancé and I are looking at places for our honeymoon in the Caribbean!! We’re thinking more along the lines of St. John’s or the BVIs, but it was so fun seeing exactly what it’s Iike down there in December…our wedding is right before Christmas! Hope you had a great time and are relaxed and recharged.
KathEats says
I would recommend Couples Swept Away! We went a few years ago and it was very nice
Melissa @battleofmarathonblog says
Thanks! We’ll look into it 🙂
Sarah says
We honeymooned at Couples Swept Away and were very, very happy with our experience.
Candice says
My husband and I honeymooned in St John 9 years ago and LOVED it. Would probably stay at the Westin St John this time (we will probably go back for our ten year). BVI’s are gorgeous too. If you don’t stay there definitely do a boat excursion to see them.
[email protected] says
Great pictures! I am a sucker for gorgeous beach pics! Also, love all the fresh fruit! Amazingly fresh produce is such a highlight of going to tropical locales!
Jenn says
Out of curiosity, what sunscreen do you use for yourself and for Mazen?
KathEats says
Water Babies Pure + Simple. Check out this post for my research! https://www.katheats.com/walking-sun-shade
Winding Spiral Case says
Looks like you guys really enjoyed yourselves (including Mazen — he’ll have fond memories of sand roads and foot baths :D). If within your budget, an all-inclusive resort or cruise seems like a great place for a family reunion/vacation, as you get to focus on enjoying yourself and your company, instead of all the other little things that make travelling less than relaxing!
Simple Green Moms says
Super excited for Part 2 today! Lots more pictures to love =) thanks for sharing!!
Maryea {happy healthy mama} says
We are going to Dominican Republic next month and Iberostar is one of the resorts we looked at. After your review I’m glad we picked a different resort! Food is an important part of a good vacation for us. 🙂
Ashley @ Saving Money in your Twenties says
that foot bath is GENIUS! I’ve never seen that before!
KathEats says
I know – why don’t they have them all over!?
Angela Gilmore says
OMG this post is warming me up today as I sit here in the 7 degree weather in CT! Oh also it just started snowing. I love these pictures and you all look like you are having a blast! I’ve never been to DR, but your last two posts make it look so enticing. Those mangoes look phenomenal as well, the mangoes in the stores these days are leaving something to be desired. I had to actually look up if mangoes are supposed to be crunchy and turns out at different parts of the year they are. BTW I am not a fan of crunchy mangoes.
KathEats says
I have never heard that about crunchy mangoes, but I also don’t like them that way. It’s like a crunchy pear – gross!
Emma says
Impressive to get in additional workouts on vacation, though! I’m usually so tired from lots more walking than usual, not to mention all the swimming, that I mentally count that as the workout. So fun to be somewhere you can basically swim on demand – and so great for the whole body!
Ali says
Useful review! We’ve stayed at the Iberostar chain in Jamaica and in the Mayan Riviera and been very impressed with their service and cleanliness and I’m always interested in hearing about their other resorts. Like most all-inclusives we’ve stayed at, the best food at the buffet is the “local” food (e.g., Jamaican food in Jamaica) and everything else seems like strange approximations (e.g., they say it’s Italian but it doesn’t necessarily taste like my idea of Italian food!). And my overall food experiences in the Dominican Republic and Cuba haven’t been great. That said, I’m just happy to not have to cook for a week, and to have an array of fruits and vegetables chopped and ready for me at every meal 🙂
Emily @ Life on Food says
Too bad about the food. Your breakfasts looked the best!
[email protected] says
Looks like the only meal fail was the restaurant one at the beginning! I totally know what you mean about the hot shower after a day at the beach!!! Nothing better than the skin tingling feeling!
Elizabeth Beil says
I am in love with Mary Kay Andrews! She has some awesome books! If you like the South (which I do!) you will love all of her books!
Lisa says
Looks like a wonderful time! Where did you get your cover-up? It’s really cute!
KathEats says
Thanks! I can’t remember it’s so old. I think somewhere like Target or TJ Maxx.
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats says
Looks like a pretty great trip! I love going places with a lot of international people and trying to guess what language they’re speaking.
Helen says
Gosh that water looks so inviting. I could just dive right in! What did Karen think of the resort? I believe I read that she planned it so, I hope she at least enjoyed the experience. I hope she is not offended reading your review! Too bad though, I’ve always heard great things about Iberostar properties. Glad you all made it back safely.
KathEats says
No she is not offended at all. My post reflects the discussions we had as a family about the trip, her opinions included. We had a great time together!
Laura says
Thank you for the honest review!! I get so tired of bloggers always feeling the need to be all omg it was the best trip everrrrr just because they don’t want to sound negative. If you do t mind me inquiring, what led Karen to book this place? Had you heard good things ab it from others? Do you think she would go back again? Also I wonder if the resort knew they were hosting a famous blogger! Wonder if anything would have been different-although you said service wasn’t the issue. Can’t really fix bad food!! It’s such a bummer most all inclusive places have below average food. Thanks for keeping it real
KathEats says
We read mostly positive reviews online. Karen’s friend went to the higher end version of Iberostar and I guess the food is better there. We took a chance with the lower end one. It was a much better price than some of the fancier resorts. The service was impeccable! And really the food wasn’t that bad – just the restaurants and a few of the buffet selections.
Kelly says
Karen looks great! How is she feeling?
KathEats says
Cancer free!
Kelly says
SUCH good news!!! She looks fantastic! 🙂
Lyndsey says
We went to the DR earlier in December and had absolutely perfect weather, which I was so happy for. We stayed at Paradisus Punta Cana and upgraded to Royal Service. There were pluses and negatives and we eventually found the Royal Service Only restaurant to be top notch for all three meals. All in all, we enjoyed Riviera Maya in Mexico a hell of a lot better!
Jeanie says
It looks beautiful and like you had a great time. I can’t get over how old Mazen’s looking these days. Seems like it happened overnight.
Kim says
Hi kath! Thanks for a great vacation recap! Question….how did you handle mazens naps while on vacation? Welcome home!
KathEats says
Oh gosh…what naps!? Since we were in one room and couldn’t leave they disn’t happen and then we gave up. He was a cranky bear by the end of the trip! He’s back to 2 to 3 hours now.
Jess says
I love the dres Karen is wearing in the photo with all of you – the green, blue, and grey floor length one. Can you ask her where she got it, please?
[email protected] says
So jealous of your sun kissed arms! The high here has been 5 below zero for the last week!