Just returned from a great holiday 32 of us for my son',s wedding.

Everyone very helpful anything you needed was no trouble to the staff as the were always there to help you.

Rooms very clean mini fridge stocked every day food in all the restaurants were excellent.

Star friends were excellent always a smile on their faces.

Cannot fault holiday and hotel at all 10 out of 10.

Booked again for August 2006 can't wait to get there.

After a delay of almost 12 hours and a coach trip of 5 hours from the other side of the island thanks to Thomas Cook Airlines - the Hotel was a very welcome sight. Beautiful reception area and friendly welcoming staff - we were even handed a note from our relatives who had arrived a couple of days before.

Our rooms were large and spotlessly clean. We had 2 rooms with an interconnecting door as we had requested. We did not have a seaview but did not mind as we were overloking the gardens which were beautifully maintained by a small army of gardeners every day.

The pool area is huge and we had no trouble finding sun beds at any time.

The main restuarant has an excellent choice of food to suit all tastes and although we are usually fussy eaters we had no problems at all. We did try the Mexican restuarant one night and this was excellent too!

The Star Friends are great - always trying to get you to join in but leave you alone if you would rather relax, read etc. In the evening there are shows in the Theatre - some good, some just OK, the Lion King show is great! The star fiends like to get you up to dance with them before and after the show.

There is a great Dive Centre in the hotel and we lost our eldest son (14) most days when he went off Scuba Diving - he even did his Advanced Open Water course.

Our youngest son had an ear infection but there is an excellent Doctor based in the Hotel and he was sorted out very quickly - although he was not happy about the injection on his bottom!!

This was a very relaxing holiday in beautiful surroundings and we will definitely return to this Hotel.

Travelled with Mytravel and upgraded to premier gold and worth every penny as the long flight was very comfortable.

Obtain visas before you go to save time in Dominican. Hotel was everything we expected and staff were excellent. Any problems were resolved quickly as they really do want you to have a great time Gabriel the manager was excellent.

I could not find fault with the hotel or its staff all 7 kids in our party did not want to leave they loved the place so that speaks for itself.

We visited Ocean world which was great and also went on the monster truck safari which was an eye opener as it takes you deep into the true Dominican countryside where the locals live. Take some sweets for the kids who really appreciate you coming. I played golf which is only 5 minutes away and cost

As we travelled from Scunthorpe the journey to the hotel took over 24 hours, so as soon as we arrived all we wanted to do was sleep!

This was not a problem however. The Bell Boys were quick to take our luggage to our rooms and we greeted by friendly staff and cocktails. We went for a quick trip to the restaurant and then straight to bed.

When I woke up it took a few moments to work out where I actually was - jetlag for you! However I'd had a great night sleep in a most comfortable and truly luxurious room. The minibar was well stocked, television was good and the air conditioning worked a treat.

First thing we did in the morning was go to the Rep's talk. This was very informative with news of many trips available and we felt most welcome.

The entertainment was fantastic. It was hosted in English for the first week and the staff were very talented. Contests during the day time were good fun also!

Never got tired of the huge choice of food and the staff were really friendly. There was no problem with anything we ate, the benefits of going with a well recognised hotel. Food was served almost twenty-four hours a day. The main restaurant provides most daily meals while food can be found to the bar nearest the pool for most of the day. You can book into the other two restaurants for free. The one nearest the pool provided music from the staff, a great touch, who sang us a very nice song while we enjoyed our food.

Drinks are available anytime of the day. The pool was very large and we spent most of the days here, or on the beach which was compartively very cool; well shaded with a gentle breeze and a fabulous sea and the beach bar served up drinks all day.

There were many parties including two beach parties and one around the pool at night. These were by far the highlights of the holiday and not to be missed.

Finally the trips available were good value and very fun too! The Ocean World trip was great; my mum and sister did the sea lion encounter: a half hour show followed by half an hour by the pool with these increadible animals. The dolphin swim however was more disappointing I was told by my relatives. We also went on the Domincan Discovery trip. This made the holiday and was a day I'll never forget.

The one thing that did disappoint a little was the disco. Plenty of 80s hits which my mum and dad loved but I found really boring!

The hotel and gardens were beautiful with fountains and lots of beautiful plants and trees. A family of peacocks wander the grounds and there are flamingos in a large pond just outside reception which also has a central pond full of terrapins.

It's the cleanest hotel we have ever stayed in the workers never stop and they are always happy.

The pool is very big and it was very refreshing in the heat. You don't need to take beach towels with you as there is free use of towels all day.

The food was good although my husband was ill for a few days (and it was not due to over indulgence in food or drink).

We had a room in block 5 with a lovely view towards mount Isabella de torres near to the beach. The fridge was refilled every day with fanta, sprite, water and beer and we only left a tip every few days for the maid but she still left flowers and chocolates in pretty designs.

Just got back from Iberostar Costa Dorada.

The hotel is amazing.

The food is wonderful and plentiful and certainly something for everything. Dress code is at least short sleeves for men and long trousers (inc jeans, in speciality restaurants) No vest tops for any evening meal including buffet, but 3/4 shorts allowed.

Star friends are the nicest people you will meet, you don't have to join in they ask you once and pass you by if you wish, the fun is join in occasionally and meet people from lots of different countries.

The entertainment is good and occasionally excellent, don't miss the Lion King. Great for kids, so much for them to do. 16 year olds are allowed in the disco, but hopefully they will be supervised as we did with our daughter. As for the trouble in the disco, there was one incident which was dealt with immediately and these people were not allowed again. The Security was excellent and we never felt there was a problem.

Towels are removed from saved beds before 9pm which seemed to work so getting a sun bed around 8.15 am in the morning was easy any later and there were loads a few rows back and on the beach any time of the day.

Having been to 2 Iberostars our experience is the quality is excellent.

To the poster who made remarks about loud Brits and dress code, you obviously didn't meet my family or friends we met, I really do not understand this type of comment I am sure those who were there around the 23rd July will confirm that approx. 77 Americans who travelled in one party actually took over the shallow end of the pool and drank all day on the first day and afternoon on the 2nd, so remember folks we all have good and bad. I enjoyed the company of Dutch, Americans, local Dominicans, Scots, Irish and Welsh, along with others.

Do not be put off I loved every minute and wish I was still there.

On first impressions, the hotel appears good. However, overall we were disappointed with Iberostar Costa Dorada. It is definitely not a 5 star resort.

Good points:
1 The grounds are excellent and well maintained.
2 The food in general is of a high standard.
3 Our room was comfortable, clean and spacious.
4 The staff are friendly and polite.
5 Good selection of watersports.

Bad points:

1 The rooms and 2 of the speciality restaurants are the only air conditioned areas in the hotel.
2 Swimming pool was not clean. This is probably because it is too small for the number of guests rather than a lack of maintenance.
3 Evening entertainment was poor and repetitive.
4 No quiet bar area - booming stage drowns all other main hotel areas at night.
5 Gym very basic. Not air conditioned.
6 No provision for shaded areas at the beach.
7 Behaviour of other British guests was embarrassing (although not the hotel's fault).

We have just returned from the Iberostar and had a fantastic holiday. Everything about the hotel was great, food, staff, cleanliness and entertainment.

A few points to add

There are no irons in the rooms
Ladies, if you need to use hair straighteners, forget it as the electric is not powerful enough, I had to go curly for a fortnight!!!

If you leave your towels at the pool before 9.00am they will be lifted.

Don't lose your room key or your card for you beach towels or this will cost you $20/$10.

Make sure you bring lots of sun cream and tolietries as the shop is really, really expensive, (

Have just returned from 2 weeks at the Iberostar and it is the best holiday we have ever had.

The hotel is very clean and the rooms are cleaned every day and the bar stocked up with water, beer, fanta, sprite, coke and diet coke.

Plenty of sunbeds but you had to be up early if you wanted a bed by the pool. Meals excellent in the buffet and the A La Carte restaurants. We ate in the brazilian twice.

Kids club excellent thanks to Mama Maria and Jessie who even took the children to eat at nights then for a mini disco then through to Route 66 disco until the show starts. Entertainment was excellemt thanks to the Star Friends who worked very hard and the Lion King not to be missed.

The kids club gets involved with this and my daughter was lifted uo in the air as part of the show. Plenty of activities such as shooting, archery, spanish and dancing lessons . Star friends ask you but if you say no they will leave you alone.

Only went on 1 trip and this was to Ocean World which was excellent. Make sure you do the Dolphin encounter as this was well worth the money. Tipped the maid and the waiters every few days with a dollar and also took some gifts such as hair bobbles, bracelets and pens.

In the bar if you tip the waitress a dollar they keep coming back and it saves going to the bar. Left all my toiletries that I didnt use to the mini club.

If you are going they would really like shampoo and shower gel as it is so expensive over there. Did have an upset stomach 1 day but put it down to too much sun, pina colodas and the lobster.

What can we say this hotel is fantastic from arriving and getting checked in on the coach all we had to do was find our room, and the luggage followed minutes later.

The reception area is beautiful with the terrapins and flamingos greeting you.

We went here to get married and it was perfect, Paula our wedding coordinator was very professional and the day was perfect.

The food is wonderful something for everyone. We ate in the Mexican tropical and the Brazilian twice the staff couldn