Must-see hotels in Dominican Republic

  • Casa de Campo

    Punta Cana & the Southeast

    Known as much for its celebrity guests (LeBron James, Beyoncé, Jay Z, Michael Jordan) and villa owners (Marc Anthony, Sammy Sosa, Pitbull) as for its…

  • Casa El Paraíso

    Las Galeras

    Santo Domingo veterinarians Nora and José, a gourmet Italian chef named Mirko and a gaggle of Italian greyhounds are your hosts at this extraordinary six…

  • Casas del XVI

    Santo Domingo

    If these walls could talk, they'd tell this city's story. But this is no dusty museum. A stay in one of these six impeccably restored colonial-era homes…

  • Zoetry Agua

    Bávaro & Punta Cana

    The moment you walk into the intimate Zoetry, relaxation befalls you. Wooden accents and Balinese touches abound at this small property, with 96 suites…

  • Hard Rock Hotel Punta Cana

    Bávaro & Punta Cana

    Imagine Las Vegas with a Caribbean sea. This den of decadence and cool sits atop Punta Cana’s list of bold and beautiful resorts. The lobby feels like a…

  • Peninsula House

    Las Terrenas

    One of the Caribbean’s more exquisite accommodations, this Victorian B&B with a French-chateau aesthetic perched high on a hill overlooking Playa Cosón is…

  • Paraíso Caño Hondo

    Punta Cana & the Southeast

    Nothing good comes easy and this quirky and rustic retreat, one of the more special places to stay anywhere in the DR, and the antithesis of the all…

  • Ki-Ra

    Punta Cana & the Southeast

    About 6km down a passable dirt road from the main highway, just on the other side of the Rio Chavón from the marina for the Casa de Campo mega-resort,…

  • Hostal Nicolás de Ovando

    Santo Domingo

    Even heads of state must get a thrill when they learn they’re sleeping in the former home of the first governor of the Americas. Oozing old-world charm,…

  • Island Life Backpacker's Hostel

    Santo Domingo

    The expat owner of this Zona Colonial oasis traveled the world for years observing what backpackers like. Then he found a derelict colonial abode from the…

  • Casa Veintiuno

    Sosúa

    Two whitewashed, modernist homes on a hill just outside town have been transformed into a comfortable and intimate B&B, both a quiet refuge and a base for…

  • Casa Colonial Beach & Spa

    North Coast

    This extraordinary hotel is one of the finest in the country. It offers 50 indulgent suites, each with marble floors, sparkling fixtures, canopied beds,…

  • El Beaterío Guest House

    Santo Domingo

    Get thee to this nunnery – if you’re looking for austere elegance. Each of the 11 large rooms is sparsely furnished, but the wood-beamed ceilings and…

  • Cabarete Surf Camp

    Cabarete

    On the edge of a lagoon a five-minute walk inland, this lushly landscaped property has small, colorful and rustic backpacker-style cabins; larger, modern…

  • Hotel Villa Colonial

    Santo Domingo

    The French owner has created an idyllic oasis, an exceptionally sophisticated combination of European elegance with a colonial-era facade and an art-deco…

  • Natura Cabañas

    Cabarete

    Owned and designed by a husband-and-wife team, this collection of marvelously designed, Thai-inspired thatched-roof bungalows about halfway between…

  • Villa Carolina

    Puerto Plata

    This rambling old house is easily the best place for independent travelers in Puerto Plata. Coming through the security gate at the end of a long driveway…

  • Mahona Boutique Hotel

    Las Terrenas

    Perfectly coiffed and manicured, much like the warm and stylish French couple behind this small collection of whitewashed bungalows surrounding a small…

  • El Hotel Bocaino

    Punta Cana & the Southeast

    This place borders on boutique with its five shotgun-style rooms that empty out onto a sea-facing grassy lawn. Some feature a sofa area while other rooms…

  • Sol Azul

    Las Galeras

    A warm and friendly Swiss couple (and their adorable dogs) runs these four earthy, natural-hued and spacious bungalows, set around a perfectly manicured…

  • Tubagua Plantation Eco-Village

    North Coast

    A rustic but well-constructed mountaintop eco-retreat where guests can get a taste of rural DR life, eat delicious meals (US$25 per day), and visit a…

  • El Mosquito Boutique Hotel

    Las Terrenas

    Establishing itself as Playa Bonita's coolest spot thanks to its buzzy bar-restaurant and its on-site surf school, the rooms at this renovated family-run…

  • Surf Break Cabarete

    Cabarete

    The best-value stay in Playa Encuentro offers both surf and yoga packages, along with a range of serene, palapa-topped accommodations in two lush…

  • Macao Beach Hostel

    Bávaro & Punta Cana

    A warm and friendly Colombian-Mexican couple have cultivated a rural Dominican village experience at this hostel spread among several colorful traditional…

  • Dominican Tree House Village

    Península de Samaná

    Tucked discreetly away, this lush ecotourism project is the spot to live out your dream of sleeping in a stilted cabin in the jungle. The standard tree…

  • Salinas Hotel & Restaurant

    Dominican Republic

    This lovely thatched-roof hotel is located at the near-literal end of the road 20km southwest of Baní, amid semi-arid desert, striking mountains and a…

  • Camp David

    Santiago

    On a 923m ridge about 30 minutes northeast of Santiago, Camp David offers sweeping vistas over the city and valley below. The extremely large rooms, with…

  • Hotel Fior di Loto

    Punta Cana & the Southeast

    This idiosyncratic place about 500m west of Juan Dolio's main intersection is for the traveler looking to mellow out in a backpacker-style hotel. That’s…

  • Punta Rucia Lodge

    North Coast

    An expat couple runs Punta Rucia Lodge, a handful of cabins wonderfully situated on a beach just east of town. Though the grounds are nearly concealed and…

  • Via Emilia

    Santiago

    The best budget option in the northeastern outskirts of town is this friendly three-room B&B, which offers basic private rooms and excellent Italian meals…

  • Bahía Blanca

    North Coast

    Perched on a rocky spit over turquoise-blue waters and marking the eastern end of the town beach, the long-running Bahía Blanca has undeniably beautiful…

  • Puntacana Resort & Club

    Bávaro & Punta Cana

    Famous for its part-time residents, such as Julio Iglesias and Mikhail Baryshnikov, this discerning and huge resort is also notable for its environmental…

  • Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus

    Punta Cana & the Southeast

    An impeccably maintained resort doused in soothing pastels, the Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus has beautifully landscaped grounds – most of the buildings…

  • Luxury Bahía Principe Cayo Levantado

    Península de Samaná

    This romantic five-star place has a lot going for it, including its ‘private’ beach on Cayo Levantado's idyllic sands. The 268-room hotel sits on extra…

  • Paradisus Punta Cana

    Bávaro & Punta Cana

    Almost jungly and discerningly quiet, this resort feels nothing like most in the area. It attracts singles and families alike and takes appreciated steps…

  • Chalet Tropical

    Las Galeras

    An Italian stylist is the big personality behind these rustic-chic A-frames, some broken into rooms, others open plan and all with creatively fashioned…

  • NaturaPark Beach Ecoresort & Spa

    Bávaro & Punta Cana

    NaturaPark has a narrow beach outside the village of Cabeza de Toro, halfway between Bávaro and Punta Cana. From the Lincoln Logs–style recycled coconut…

  • Eva Luna

    Las Terrenas

    A paragon of understated luxury, these five Mexican-style villas come with fully equipped kitchens, gorgeously painted living rooms, and terraces where a…

  • Casa Dorado

    Las Galeras

    This beautiful house, 1km from both the main intersection and Playita beach, features Mexican-influenced interiors styled by the American owner. Four…

  • Amanera

    North Coast

    You probably won't stay at this resort, but just knowing about it (and maybe calling ahead to try to eat or golf there) is worth it. This is the latest…

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