$-$$, Samaná
Fodor's Review:
This gem is the new sister property adjacent to Viva Wyndham Samana, but with accommodations that are far superior. For now, the prices are nearly the same. It's luck whether you get a standard room, which is lovely, or a suite, and/or a sea view for the same tariff. The pool, with its swim-up bar, is less populated than its sister's; the same is true of its gorgous stretch of beach. The buffet is also of a higher caliber. The nightly live music, lobby bar, and billiards table are all low-key. If you want more animation and a choice of à la carte restaurants, just walk the beach path to its sibling.
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