Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada - All Inclusive

Palm trees, a private beach and the practical rhythm of an all-inclusive resort set the tone here. Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada gives you plenty of ways to fill the hours between dives, whether you want a lounger, a tennis court, a spa treatment or simply a drink before dinner. It is a large resort, with 516 rooms, so this is not the place for a tiny, tucked-away hideaway. It is for divers who like having food, drinks and something to do close at hand.

You can keep the day as simple as you like. Walk to the beach, cool off in one of the three pools, book a massage or let the evening entertainment do the work. Families are part of the picture too, with a kids’ club for children aged 4 to 17, a playground, children’s entertainment and babysitting. If you are travelling as a couple, the choice is less about finding peace in an empty resort and more about choosing the right corner of a busy one.

The resort sits in Vuelta Larga, on the seafront of San Felipe de Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. You have direct access to the beach, with sun loungers and parasols ready for the part of the day when your dive kit is sensibly staying put. The hotel is around 2 miles from the centre of San Felipe de Puerto Plata and about 9 miles from Sosúa, so you are near the area’s two useful reference points without being based in either town.

Gregorio Luperón International Airport is about 6 miles away, with a drive of roughly 15 minutes. Cibao International Airport is considerably farther, at around 36 miles and about 1 hour 6 minutes by car. Nearby points of interest include Parque Libertad, around 2.5 miles away on foot by the listed route, and Fortaleza San Felipe, around 3.5 miles by car. Loma Isabel de Torres is about 8 miles away by road if you fancy swapping the reef for higher ground.

The room choice is mostly about position and bed arrangement rather than a radically different style of accommodation. Premium rooms with king-size beds suit couples who want a straightforward base, while Premium Near Beach rooms cut down the distance between the door and the sand. Ocean View and Ocean Front categories are the obvious choices if the view matters to you; the Junior Suite Ocean Front gives you more room to spread out after a full day outside.

Travelling with a buddy or family member? The rooms with two double beds make more sense than trying to negotiate a single bed after several hours in the water. Single-use versions are available for solo travellers. Accessible versions are also part of the room range. The accommodation includes air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, a wardrobe, a safe and a coffee machine, with a private bathroom, shower, toiletries and hairdryer. Daily housekeeping keeps the practical side moving.

Balconies and terraces give you somewhere to sit without having to go downstairs, while the minibar means cold water is close when you return hot, salty and hungry. Free Wi-Fi covers the hotel, and the non-smoking rooms keep the sleeping space uncomplicated. Bed types are subject to availability, so if the exact arrangement matters, check the selected category rather than relying on the name alone.

All-inclusive dining is spread across four restaurants, so you are not tied to one buffet every evening. El Mercado handles breakfast, lunch and dinner, combining Dominican specialities with international dishes. Breakfast is buffet-style from 7:00 to 10:00, useful if your morning starts at a sensible holiday pace rather than at the crack of dawn. The dress code there is casual.

Dinner gives you more variety. La Hacienda serves Mexican food, E Bohio and El Rodizio focus on Brazilian cooking, and Sakura covers Japanese favourites including sushi and sashimi. The evening restaurants use set sitting times, and men need shirts with sleeves, so keep one suitable shirt out of the suitcase rather than buried beneath the neoprene. El Bohio also serves during the day and adds snacks to its drinks service.

There are five named bars. La Fuente is in the lobby, Mojado sits by the pool, El Bohio combines drinks with snacks, La Plaza works by the show area into the evening, and Route 66 becomes the nightclub. La Plaza runs from 6:00 pm to 1:00 am, while Route 66 continues from 11:00 pm to 2:00 am. In other words, the post-dive drink is easy; the late night is available too, should your body have failed to receive the memo about tomorrow’s alarm.

Three pools give you an alternative to the sea, while the direct beach access comes with loungers, parasols and pool or beach towels. Kayaking is available on site, and the resort also has a tennis court, a fitness centre and aerobics. These are useful options when you want to move without committing to another full excursion. The beach, meanwhile, is perfectly suited to the more traditional post-dive plan: sit down and do very little.

Sensations Spa is the place for the less energetic recovery programme. You can use the hydromassage tub and sauna, then choose from massages including sports, oriental and reflexology treatments. Facials, exfoliating treatments, manicures and waxing are also available, with a beauty salon on site. A sports massage after several days of diving is a more convincing use of an afternoon than pretending you will only rest for twenty minutes and then discovering it is dark.

Evening entertainment, a nightclub and a kids’ club keep the resort active beyond daylight. Children aged 4 to 17 have their own club, alongside a playground and children’s entertainment, while babysitting is available. Couples can therefore choose between joining the evening programme, staying by the beach with a drink, or booking the spa and calling it an early night.

Gregorio Luperón International Airport is the practical arrival point, around 6 miles from the resort and roughly 15 minutes by car. Airport transfers are available to arrange with the hotel, either privately or as a shared shuttle. Car hire is also available on site, and free public parking is available without a reservation. A tour desk, concierge service, currency exchange, an on-site cash machine and luggage storage cover the useful bits around arrival and departure.

Check-in is between 2:30 pm and 3:00 pm, while check-out is between 10:30 am and 11:00 am. The front desk operates 24 hours, which helps if your flight schedule refuses to respect hotel hours. Daily housekeeping is included, laundry is available, and Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. The resort also has a minimarket, a hairdresser and beauty shop, and facilities for disabled guests.

Children of every age are welcome. Cots can be requested for children aged 0 to 2, and extra beds can be requested for guests aged 17 and over, subject to the selected accommodation and availability. Guests must be at least 18 to check in, and pets are not allowed. The hotel accepts cash, while payment at the property is not accepted for the reservation; bring the identification and payment card linked to the booking for check-in.