Instituto Bernabeu – My Personal Review
Behind IVF Clinic Doors: My Visit to Instituto Bernabeu, Alicante
While touring across Europe to visit and review fertility clinics, I visited Instituto Bernabeu, specifically their main clinic in Alicante, Spain. It’s one of the most established fertility centres in the country, founded in 1985, and now has branches in Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, Cartagena, Albacete, and even Venice, Italy. Over the decades, it has built a reputation not only for medical excellence but also for its contribution to scientific research and education. The clinic even has its own Research Foundation and hosts regular medical conferences in its in-house auditorium – a good reflection of how deeply they’re invested in advancing reproductive medicine.
Getting there was easy – my hotel was nearby and the taxi took me straight to the clinic entrance. What surprised me was the layout: the clinic is spread across two buildings with a small café in between. The first building is the main clinic so the consultations, testing, treatment rooms, recovery areas, and the embryology lab. The second one includes additional consultation rooms, the genetics laboratory, and staff offices. The surroundings of the clinics are very green with a lot of places where you can just sit down on the grass or on the bench and wait near nature. The café also felt like a nice touch, a calm space to pause, grab a coffee (or a small bite), and try to relax before or after your appointment.
Arrival at the Clinic
As I walked in, I was greeted by friendly, English-speaking staff and guided to a quiet, intimate waiting area. The space felt very warm and intentionally designed – everywhere you look there’s wood, plants and a lot of light.
Soon, I met my patient coordinator for the day, Virginia Alarcón. At Instituto Bernabeu, coordinators are referred to as Personal Assistants (PAs) and honestly, that title feels very fitting. The experience really did feel concierge-like. Virginia had been in touch with me even before the visit, and once you book a consultation, you’re assigned your own PA who stays with you throughout your treatment journey.
Virginia was just as kind and attentive in person! She explained how the day would go and made sure I was comfortable before the consultation. All my paperwork had already been handled online, so I didn’t need to bring a single printed document. The clinic is fully digital – meaning everyone involved in your treatment, from the coordinator to the doctor and embryologist, has access to your digital file and can update it instantly. It makes everything feel smooth and coordinated.
Medical Consultation
My consultation was with Dr. Ana Fuentes, who joined Instituto Bernabeu in 2016 and now leads the Low Ovarian Reserve Unit. She’s not only an experienced fertility specialist but also a university lecturer and published author which is incredibly impressive! She carries herself with remarkable calm and empathy, it really puts you at ease.
She reviewed my medical history and explained everything with patience and clarity, making complex details feel simple. We also did an ultrasound, and she talked me through every finding in real time. Her gentle tone and attentiveness struck me – she felt like the kind of doctor who makes anxious patients feel at ease.
You can also have your blood tests done at IB as well as a mammogram – which is not required, but at a certain age it is recommended that it is performed before the treatment starts. The walk to the testing rooms is very impressive – there’s a whole tree behind the glass right next to the waiting room, it’s really soothing to be so close to nature when waiting for your turn.
The IVF Lab
The lab was one of the most impressive parts of my visit. I had a full tour guided by Jaime Guerrero, one of the senior embryologists and director of the Egg Donation and Cryobiology Programme. Everything looked very well thought out.
Their time-lapse embryo monitoring is included as standard for all patients, it’s a detail that makes a big difference, as it allows embryos to be monitored continuously without being disturbed. It’s not something every clinic includes automatically.
Their genetics lab is also on-site, which is rare. This allows for faster turnaround times and better coordination for advanced testing such as PGT-A or PGT-M. I met Dr. Ruth Morales there, the coordinator of the Genetic and Reproductive Counselling Department, who explained how their genetics work supports both patients and their research studies.
Next to the genetics lab, there’s the donor matching department – it’s not just one person, but a whole team working on ensuring the best match possible. I appreciate that the donor building is at a separate location to respect the privacy of potential and current donors.
Transfer and Recovery
The surgery room is located right next to the lab to make the embryos’ journey as short and safe as possible. One lovely touch is that patients can actually watch on a screen as the embryologist retrieves their embryo and carries it into the transfer room – so you can see the embryo “walking” to you!
The recovery rooms felt more like boutique hotel suites than medical spaces – quiet, private, and comfortable, with every small detail thought through. You can stay there for as long as you need up until the clinic’s closing time.
Instituto Bernabeu – Final Thoughts
Throughout the day, what stood out most was how polished yet personal the entire experience felt. Every member of the team was very professional, smiling, and genuinely engaged. The atmosphere is calm, structured, and deeply reassuring – you can sense you’re in expert hands, but you’re never treated like just another patient.
What I really appreciate is that Instituto Bernabeu stands out for its inclusive approach by offering dedicated guidebooks for single mothers by choice or same-sex female couples. It’s a lovely touch and those are available for free to everybody on their website.
If you’re someone who values medical excellence but also appreciates a premium, concierge-like experience where your journey feels personalised and well organised, Instituto Bernabeu might be exactly what you’re looking for. It’s a big clinic with a sizable team that still manages to stay human.
There are more clinics ahead in this project, and I can’t wait to keep taking you behind the doors to show you what’s really out there and help you make your decisions with more clarity and confidence.
Stay tuned – this is just the beginning.
Could Instituto Bernabeu be a good fit?
Review its specialists, treatments and clinic expertise before deciding.
