Samana Peninsula Hotels

Samana Peninsula Hotel Reviews

The quintessential stay, the one that has the most local flavor and puts you in contact with the people and spirit of Samaná, is in one of the small beach hotels run by expats. These were the region's first tourist outposts, and the oldest opened in the mid- to late 1990s. In these small hotels you can find complete tranquillity: no TVs or phones, just a quiet, lush cabana haven with a footpath leading to the water. These hotels range from $50 to $140 per night, and are mainly concentrated in the towns of Las Terrenas and Las Galeras; rates in small hotels are often set in pesos, but as in some restaurants, you can sometimes pay in U.S. dollars. On a hill high above Playa Cosón is Peninsula House, one of the world's great luxury bed-and-breakfasts. It's new and almost unknown, and it's well worth the money if you can afford it.

There are five all-inclusive resorts in Samaná, with rates ranging from around $100 to $150 per person (AIs in the Dominican Republic almost always charge in U.S. dollars). Bahía Príncipe, a Spanish all-inclusive chain, has four resorts scattered across the peninsula. These are of a high caliber, though two are not included in this guide because of their less-than-choice locations. The fifth is the appealing Samaná Grand Paradise, at Las Galeras.

In Las Terrenas, Playa Bonita and Playa Cosón are the best places to stay; they are removed from the louder nightlife of Playa Las Terrenas. Be sure to ask whether your room has air-conditioning if that's important to you (or phones or TVs, for that matter). The weather is breezy and wonderful, and you may not find air-conditioning to be a necessity (many smaller hotels don't offer it), but if it's important, you'll want to clarify ahead of time.