8 Best Hotels in Samana Peninsula, Dominican Republic

New life has been breathed into this small beachfront hotel, which had been on a long decline, making it a fun place to stay once again and a good place to eat as well. It's attracting a younger crowd, who are leaving happy. All rooms in the two-story main house, including a full-floor suite with a canopy bed and luxurious bath, have balconies; some have ocean views. Other rooms are in separate buildings, including two themed bungalows (Casa Bali and Casita Mexican) that are well-suited to families or groups. Guests have use of a convivial bar and restaurant called Cafe Cosón, an inviting pool, an outdoor massage kiosk, and a wide lawn set with tables under coconut trees leading to the sands. Prices include breakfast, taxes, and Wi-Fi.

This family-owned eco-aparthotel offers fully equipped bungalows made of stone and wood and decorated in colors that evoke tropical fruits, flowers, and the sun without being overwhelming. All options include Jacuzzi-style pools with mini waterfalls, but the villas have pools that are more private (since they're not as close together as the ones in the bungalows). Breakfast can be included for a fee, but other amenities like Wi-Fi are free. Owner-manager Sarah and her husband can help organize activities and provide restaurant recommendations. Though this property is within walking distance to La Playita and Las Galeras, guests will feel like they're tucked away in the middle of a small jungle. From here you can walk to the center to find small supermarkets, pharmacies, and restaurants offering everything from traditional food to pizza.

Of the four Grand Bahías on the peninsula, only this one is just a five-minute walk to town, but it's a mediocre resort for the most part. As you might expect of an all-inclusive built in the middle of immense natural beauty, this place combines the best and worst of everything: mesmerizing views of the ocean and the rolling green landscape before you but dated decor and not very good food. Day visitors and cruise passengers can purchase an all-inclusive pass and enjoy the petite beach, where they can snorkel and kayak. With the minimum stay of three nights (sometimes two), one can dine at the nonbuffet restaurants, but the food isn't generally any better. Families are welcomed.

An excellent location across from Las Terrenas Beach—within walking distance to town—gives this apart-hotel an edge for those looking for a few resort services to go along with more spacious accommodations. Apartments are spacious (studios to three-bedroom options) and have terraces (even hammocks), well-equipped kitchens with water dispensers, and free Wi-Fi. The villa comfortably fits a family of four with up to two children. The long-term managers have been onboard since the beginning and do a sterling job. A mix of Europeans, Americans, and Dominicans enjoy the impressive pool with swim-up bar, the large buffet breakfast, good restaurant, and small, reasonably priced spa; add in yoga sessions and aqua aerobics and you may feel you're in a resort rather than a condo complex.

This simple, beachfront hotel looks like a Victorian plantation great house, a two-story, white building trimmed in gingerbread fretwork. (Indeed, all is white, hence "todo blanco.") Each of the oversized rooms has a seafront balcony. It's nothing luxurious—no phones, satellite TV in the lobby only—and four hairy, big dogs for security, yet most guests leave happy. (Online comments are exceptional for basic accommodations.) The lush lawn is punctuated with coconut trees and hammocks. The view is breathtaking, and a waterfront gazebo is the stuff of daydreams. You'll pay a supplement for air-conditioning (if you don't, remember to use the mosquito netting); a generous American breakfast costs extra.

This stylish marina complex smack on the Bay of Samaná has changed the face of tourism in this area and become the social center for the upscale residents, a safe harbor for visiting yacht owners, and a deluxe, yet reasonably priced option for international visitors. The open lobby area that segues to the marina is dramatic, with contemporary pillars, a proliferation of white and neutral shells, and commodious white seating facing forward. It's a stunner. The cuisine is memorable, from an exceptional alfresco Italian lunch at Le Regata trattoria to a gourmet lobster dinner at Ocean Club. The Bannister has an ambient spa, which is as relaxing as the chill music that gently plays and the massages (moderately priced) that put you on another plane.

This condotel on a large tract of virgin land offers beautifully designed, spacious apartments with dreamy bedding and private Jacuzzis on terraces that are basically outdoor rooms. If a kitchen can be sexy, the European designer kitchens here are just that, with top-of-the-line appliances. However, if you don't want to cook, the resort's glamorous beachfront restaurant, Porto, is right across the road. One of the pools is lake-size, with a waterfall midway that separates the children's shallows from the deeper adult waters. A fitness facility houses a gym; massages are given in beach cabanas. The initial welcome at the handsome reception building is genuine; citrus-scented towels refresh travel-weary visitors, and golf carts whisk them to their new homes. Weekends, when Dominican families arrive, can be busy, but midweek (especially in the off-season) is very quiet.