Home/Where to Stay
🏨 Accommodation Guide

Where to Stayon the North Coast

From adults-only all-inclusive resorts on Playa Dorada to boutique eco-hotels in Cabarete and beachfront guesthouses on the Samaná Peninsula — the best options across every budget.

How to Choose

Which town should you stay in?

Puerto Plata is the best base if you want easy airport access, city sightseeing, and the Playa Dorada resort strip. Cabarete is the pick for nightlife, watersports, and a more independent-traveller feel. Sosúa sits between the two and is the calmest and most relaxed. Las Terrenas on the Samaná Peninsula is a separate destination entirely — more remote, more cosmopolitan, and worth building a dedicated stay around.

Puerto Plata

Full destination guide →
Swim-up bar pool with gazebo at BlueBay Villas Doradas, Puerto Plata ⭐ Adults Only · All-Inclusive

BlueBay Villas Doradas

The standout adults-only all-inclusive on the north coast, set right on Playa Dorada. It's a smaller, more intimate property than the big resorts nearby — two pools (one with a swim-up bar), a beach just two minutes from the pool deck, and food that consistently outperforms expectations for an all-inclusive. Nightly entertainment and live lounge music round out the evenings, and cabanas are easy to come by even during a full week's stay.

from $150 / night all-inclusive
Book Now →
Rooftop infinity pool overlooking the ocean at Casa Colonial Beach & Spa 🏛 Boutique Luxury

Casa Colonial Beach & Spa

A boutique, adults-only hotel on Playa Dorada and a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World — colonial-inspired architecture, a rooftop infinity pool with ocean views, and Bagua Spa tucked into the property. We visited as day guests for the spa, and it's an easy recommendation: quiet treatment rooms, a relaxation lounge that looks out toward the water, and lunch afterward on the upper veranda overlooking the pool and the sea. It's next door to BlueBay Villas Doradas, sharing the same stretch of beach, and feels noticeably calmer and more polished than the bigger resorts along Playa Dorada.

from $200 / night
Book Now →

Cabarete

Full destination guide →
Garden pathway to the beach and restaurants at Natura Cabana, Perla Marina 🌿 Eco Boutique · Beachfront

Natura Cabana

An eco-boutique hotel tucked into the trees on Perla Marina beach, just west of Sosúa. Individual bungalows with natural stone walls and thatched roofs, a private beach, and a spa built for slowing down. We visited as day guests for a couples massage that included a coffee scrub — excellent, and one of the better spa treatments we've had on the coast. The grounds are genuinely pretty, with stone pathways winding through the trees down to the beach, and horseback riding runs right along the sand. My dad, who knows the area well, rates it highly for lunch or an evening meal too — beachfront under the palms, and a good spot to catch sunset.

from $120 / night
Book Now →
🏄 Surf & Kite Friendly

Velero Beach Resort

A relaxed beachfront resort right on Cabarete main beach, popular with the kite and surf crowd. Direct beach access, a good restaurant, and comfortable rooms without the all-inclusive markup. Ideal base for spending your days in the water and your evenings on the strip.

from $90 / night
Book Now →
💰 Budget · Well Located

Cabarete Palm Beach Condos

Self-contained apartments right on the main beach strip at excellent rates. Full kitchens, air conditioning, and direct beach access. The best budget option for longer stays or for travellers who want to self-cater. The Cabarete restaurant strip is 5 minutes walk in either direction.

from $45 / night
Book Now →

Sosúa

Full destination guide →
⭐ Top Pick · Bay Views

Casa Valeria

A boutique guesthouse perched above Sosúa Bay with spectacular views over the horseshoe cove. Small pool, thoughtfully decorated rooms, and warm, personal hosts. Consistently one of the highest-rated small hotels on the entire north coast. Book well in advance.

from $85 / night
Book Now →
🌊 Clifftop Character

Hotel La Puntilla de Piergiorgio

An Italian-owned hotel on a dramatic clifftop at the edge of Sosúa Bay — one of the best locations in Sosúa. It's fallen into noticeable decline in recent years and we can no longer recommend the restaurant. Renovations were underway on our last visit — worth checking current reviews before booking.

from $70 / night
Book Now →
🌊 Renovated Beachfront

Hotel Croma Sosúa Beach

My dad and family actually stayed here themselves back in 2007, when it was still called Sosúa Bay Hotel — he remembers an excellent position overlooking the bay and beach, with tremendous views from the on-site restaurant. It's since changed hands and been given a proper renovation, reopening as Hotel Croma Sosúa Beach, and by his account it's had a good facelift and looks quite nice. The Sosúa Casino is right next door if you fancy a flutter after dinner.

Check current rates
Book Now →
💰 Budget-Friendly · Expat-Run

Hotel Voramar

Recommended by my dad — very popular, friendly, and budget-friendly, about 1.2km east of Sosúa's town centre on Calle Dr. Alejo Martínez. The on-site restaurant has a good menu at fair prices, and the hotel gets consistently good reviews.

from $45 / night
Book Now →
💰 Budget · Central Location

Hotel Don Andres

Another of my dad's picks — a clean, budget-friendly hotel near Sosúa's town centre on Calle Dr. Alejo Martínez, with a popular on-site restaurant and consistently good ratings. A short walk to Sosúa's beaches.

from $55 / night
Book Now →

Las Terrenas

Full destination guide →
🌴 Boutique · Playa Bonita

Playa Colibri Beach Hotel

A beautiful boutique hotel directly on Playa Bonita, regularly named among the DR's best beaches. Individual rooms with private terraces, a beachfront pool, and exceptional breakfast. The location alone sets it apart from everything else in Las Terrenas.

from $120 / night
Book Now →
🏡 Great Value · Garden Pool

Casa Robinson

A beloved guesthouse run by a French-Dominican family, a short walk from the main beach. Comfortable rooms, garden pool, excellent breakfast, and the kind of local knowledge that no guidebook can match. Consistently one of the highest-rated stays in Las Terrenas.

from $70 / night
Book Now →
💰 Budget · Town Centre

Hostal Las Terrenas

Clean, well-located budget accommodation in the town centre, walking distance from Rue Principal and the beach. Simple private rooms and dorms. The best base for budget travellers who want to be in the heart of things without paying boutique prices.

from $25 / night
Book Now →

Río San Juan

Full destination guide →
🌊 Ocean Views

Bahia Blanca Hotel

A simple but well-maintained hotel right on the seafront in town. Basic rooms with air conditioning, a small restaurant, and direct access to a rocky ocean-front terrace. Good value and an honest local feel.

from $40 / night
Book Now →
🌿 Near Playa Grande

Playa Grande Beach Club

The splurge option — a small collection of beautifully designed pastel bungalows set in the palms right at Playa Grande. This is boutique luxury, not a budget stay: think designer interiors, a private beach path, and a setting built for photos.

from ~$260 / night
Visit Website →

Punta Rucia

🌅 Remote Luxury · Boutique

Punta Rucia Lodge

One of my dad's favourite recommendations on the whole north coast — a small, luxury 13-bungalow lodge in the far northwest. He describes it as quiet, with great accommodations and good food, white sand, and a beach they keep genuinely clean. The complex has reception, a pool overlooking the ocean, a restaurant with a terrace, and a beachfront spa. It's remote — about 2 hours from Puerto Plata and 2.5 from Sosúa — and the sunsets are apparently beautiful.

from $150 / night
Book Now →
Booking Advice

Tips before you book

🗓 When to book

The north coast's high season runs December through April, when Canadian and European winter escapes drive demand up sharply. Book at least 6–8 weeks ahead for stays over Christmas and New Year. The shoulder season (May–June, November) offers the best combination of good weather and lower rates, with less advance booking needed. August through October is quieter but hurricane risk is real — check your travel insurance covers it.

🏨 All-inclusive vs. independent

All-inclusive resorts offer simplicity and value — one price covers everything, there are no awkward bill moments, and the facilities are generally good. But they also keep you inside the resort bubble and away from the local culture, food, and people that make the north coast interesting. For a first visit, a few nights at an all-inclusive followed by time in Cabarete or Sosúa is a good combination. Independent accommodation is almost always better value than the comparable all-inclusive price.

📍 Location matters most

The north coast's destinations are spread along the coastal highway, with Sosúa and Puerto Plata 15 minutes apart, Cabarete 10 minutes further east, and Río San Juan a further hour beyond that. Las Terrenas on the Samaná Peninsula is 2.5–3 hours from Puerto Plata. If you're planning to explore multiple destinations, base yourself centrally in Sosúa or Cabarete. If you want a day trip to 27 Waterfalls, stay in Puerto Plata.

💳 Paying and checking in

Most hotels accept credit cards, but smaller guesthouses may prefer cash. USD is widely accepted at hotels — you'll often get a slightly better rate paying in Dominican pesos. Always confirm your reservation by email 48 hours before arrival, especially at smaller properties. Bring a copy of your booking confirmation. Check-in is typically 3pm; most hotels will store luggage for early arrivals. A small tip for the housekeeper (100–200 pesos/day) is customary and always appreciated.