Punta Cana 2025 | Catalonia Bavaro Beach Golf & Casino

Second trip of the year, a free trip to Dominican Republic! One of my favorite perks of owning a travel agency is earning free stays at some of my favorite, top selling properties. I earned 7 free nights for myself and a guest at Catalonia Bavaro Beach, Golf & Casino Resort. My sweet friend, Jenni, joined me on this adventure.

Arrival, I arranged for private transport to our resort, our driver greeted us at the transportation line after clearing customs. Be careful as there are many vendors that will stop you along the way trying to get you to switch to them. The drive to Catalonia was only 25 mins and very smooth. When we arrived there was no line to check in and it went quickly. I received a packet with a QR code to make dinner reservations for the week and 2 towel cards. Free stays earned are always the standard room of the house. This being a tropical deluxe room. We were able to upgrade to a privileged 2 queen room just one building away from beachfront at no extra cost. We were taken to our room on a golf cart and the bellhop carried all of our luggage up to the third floor. We unpacked and relaxed a little. I made all of our dinner reservations for the week with the exception of the first night. I always recommend making your dinner reservations for the week upon arrival to avoid being stuck in the buffet each night. There are 4 specialty restaurants, Ayami; Japanese teppanyaki, Toscana Italian, Rodeo Steakhouse & Terrace Tapas & Lounge. All of which were fully booked for the evening. We put on our swimsuits and went to the beach for a while. Afterward, we changed and explored the rest of the resort a bit before grabbing a bite at the main buffet, Gran Caribe. There are two buffets on site, one for breakfast/lunch near the pool called La Palapa and Gran Caribe hosts dinner towards the front of the property. After dinner we decided to try our luck a little at the on-site casino. The casino is small and offers slot machines, a few poker tables and roulette. After the casino we went to the show briefly at the open air theatre before the rain came in. It was then time to call it a night after a long day of traveling.

Day two, up early and ventured out to the beach. It was pretty windy so we really couldn't enjoy it with the sand blowing. We decided to grab a couple of fresh juice smoothies at Ma Loo Juice Bar. There were several options and each one I tried was amazing. Made to order, this was my go to each morning. We then got towels and snagged a couple of poolside loungers. In order to get towels you need your cards from check in, the will take your cards in exchange for towels and write your room number down. It is important to either change your towels in or keep your cards as you will turn them in at checkout or be charged $20 per towel. We spent the whole day at the pool before heading back to the room around 3pm to nap and get freshened up for dinner. When we woke up from our nap we realized the power was out. We got ready in the dark and headed out for a drink at the lobby bar to kill time before our 6:30 dinner reservation at Toscana. Both Toscana & Rodeo are on the left side of the resort, same as our villa and come to find out the whole left of the resort was without power. We had to wait a little past our reservation and found out that Rodeo would not be opening but Toscana would. A little intrigued, I assumed they had generators but they then carted in portable lamps and candles. We ate our dinner in the dark and it was a blast. There was a huge table of anti-pasta set up, I also ordered the lasagna. All was pretty good. After dinner we headed back towards the front of the resort where there is tons of seating through out as well as the main lobby bar and a smaller bar, Curacao, near Ayami, Tapas and the casino. We grabbed a glass of white wine and found some seats to relax. Shortly after 8pm, the power came back on for the left of the resort and the whole resort erupted in applause and cheered. While I am sure this power outage was super upsetting to some guests, we were unbothered and understand that things can happen. Made for an interesting story. Because of the outage the theatre's planned show did not go on, they did set up a violinist, so we enjoyed some live music. We finished the night with an espresso martini at Curacao then headed back to the room to catch some zzz's.

This trip was intended for total relaxation and we didn't want a heavy itinerary. With that being said, we decided that we were going to skip excursions/tours for the week. We started the next morning off early once again, threw some towels on some prime loungers and hit up Ma Loo Juice Bar before getting some real breakfast at La Palapa buffet. I primarily ate fruit and cheese, a never fail option. I am not big on buffet food so didn't venture out of my comfort zone. Breakfast is from 6:30-10:30, then it closes until 12:30 for lunch. From here was another pool day. There are daily activities at the pool such as water aerobics and other games as well as a swim up bar. I enjoyed the pool by reading one of the two books a I brought and it was another full day of sun. From the pool, we exchanged out wet towels for cards and headed back to the room for a short rest before dinner. By now, we have a good system that we are thoroughly enjoying. Tonights dinner was set for Terrace Tapas. You pick two plates and a desert. I went with tiger mussels and pork medallion. The mussels were good but prepared a little different then I like. They were breaded and baked, where I prefer no bread crumbs. The pork was a little dry but honestly I expected that. I normally only eat seafood when traveling. Not sure what came over me. After dinner we went back to Curacao for another expresso martini then off to the magic show for a bit. After the show I popped into the disco where there was salsa dancing and a dj. After another fun filled day it was time to call it a night.

Ma Loo Juice Bar

Morning 4, no difference from the last couple days. We grabbed our towels and some loungers that were actually in the pool. Got our juice at Ma Loo and walked around a little. We decided to grab lunch at La Palapas and then walk around the small shopping mall near the casino and front of the resort. There are several gift shops, a couple clothing stores and a pharmacy. Also, located in the mall area is the Aromas coffee shop. Absolutely amazing!

Full sun, nap & dinner. Tonight's dinner was at Ayami, the Japanese teppanyaki restaurant. We were so excited for this meal. You get a plate of sushi for an app, and pick between soup or salad. For the entree you get a small serving of veggies, chicken, steak and shrimp/calamari. It's a fun meal, seated at a table of about 12 people or so. This is a guest favorite so be sure you get your reservation in up front! Finished the night with another espresso martini and a visit to the casino which did not disappoint. Walked in with $50 cash and walked out with $350 cash.

Day 5, Ma Loo, La Palapa & pool. Another day of full sun. For days, we have noticed good music coming from the left of the resort so we decided to wander over and check it out. Pearl Beach Club is an extension of the resort and comes at an additional price. Guest's staying at Catalonia receive a 20% discount on the club admission. Pearl Beach Club offers an upscale, modern facility with private cabanas, an infinity pool, international cuisine and a DJ. Open from 10-7 daily. Definitely worth a visit! Night 5 dinner reservations were at Rodeo Steakhouse. I had the filet, cooked medium rare and it was done to perfection. The steakhouse has a nice ambient atmosphere. It is located in the same building as Toscana Italian and there is a gift shop between the two. The gift shop was surprisingly well priced and I picked up a few souvenirs as well as a local hot sauce. Tonight's show at the theatre was "Tropical" which was a fun Dominican dance show. We enjoyed the show! A list of the weekly shows can be found up front near the lobby as well as near the towel center and other shops on the beach. On the way back, I grabbed a slice of pizza from Sorento, which is open until 2 a.m. nightly, to share with the locals... aka the cats. There were a ton of well-behaved stray cats throughout the property. Anyone who knows me knows I live for the wildlife when traveling, both domestic and exotic.

Day 6, you guessed it. Ma Loo, La Palapa & pool. My travel buddy was leaving today as she was only there for five nights. I scheduled a private transfer for her to be picked up at noon. I spent the rest of the day at the pool, finishing one of the two books I brought, appropriately, "People We Meet on Vacation" by Emily Henry. Followed by a nap and dinner at Toscana again. Several people were surprised I was eating alone, I actually enjoy eating and/or traveling alone occasionally. The staff is super friendly and attentive so it's not like I am sitting there in dead silence during my meal. After dinner I got a night cap at the main bar, El Palmeral, and watched some karaoke.

Day 7, my last full day and night. I got my juice at Ma Loo. I'd say Kün (pineapple, passion fruit & banana) was my favorite. Guey & Guibia were also fantastic. I did snag a pool lounger but spent some time at the beach this last full day as it was a lot less windy and more enjoyable. My last dinner was at Ayami. Being a loner in the middle of the table, I was seated next to a lovely family from Portugal with two small children and a couple from Wisconsin. It was a fun dinner, then I called it a night. My private transportation was set to pick me up at 10 a.m., so I got the majority of my packing done before bed. The last morning was smooth, I got my walk in on the beach and some fruit at the buffet. I called the desk for assistance with my luggage, and they were there within 5 minutes, no need to call way ahead. Check out was a breeze!

A few other things worth noting, there is a kids club on site for kids of all ages. There are tons of activities throughout this resort in addition to the theatre, Zumba, volleyball, water aerobics, salsa dancing, etc. During the day, the disco is a sports bar and has plenty of TVs, sure to have the game you are looking for. Last but not least, this is golf resort. With a 9 hole course In walkable distance and an 18 hole course that you can be shuttled to up the road. Your tee time is free but you do have to pay for the golf cart rental (approx $50). Looking back, I do wish I would have done at least one tour or excursion. Coco Bongo or a catamaran would have been tons of fun. This resort is beautiful, grounds are well kept, big but not too big. Where everything is just within a few minutes walk. Both family friendly and a decent nightlife scene. All of the staff were fantastic. I plan to visit again!