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Thinking of heading down to the Caribbean for a romantic getaway? Or maybe the whole family needs a vacation.
Whatever the reason, here are some of the best resorts in the Dominican Republic where you and a special someone can easily escape. The Dominican Republic is a stunning vacation destination, and there are hotels for every budget and style.
Why You Should Visit the Dominican Republic
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Everyone loves a good tropical vacation. Running away to an island in the Caribbean is the best idea for an incredible time. It doesn’t get any better than the Dominican Republic between the sun, the sand, and the fresh ocean winds.
The Dominican Republic has been an excellent vacation choice for decades. The Dominican is rich in culture and history and has excellent resort options. With various festivals and plenty of good food and drink, you’ll never run out of things to do.
One of the biggest reasons we recommend checking out the Dominican is that the beaches are unbeatable. You won’t find a place that has so many beautiful beaches.
Before you make any final plans for your visit to the Dominican, it’s good to consider staying at a resort. There are multiple reasons why you would want something all-inclusive.
But the primary thing to consider is how convenient a resort is for a truly relaxing vacation. With this in mind, it’s time to consider the best places to stay when you visit the sunny, happy, beach-filled Dominican Republic.
The 15 Best Places to Stay in the Dominican Republic
Whether you’re looking for a luxury hotel where you can feel pampered at every turn or a budget hotel where you can have a good time without breaking the bank, consider checking out these resorts:
- Hotel Santo Cerro Natural Park
- Dreams Dominicus La Romana Resort & Spa
- Ancora Cap Cana & Marina Suites Resort
- Princess Family Club Bavaro
- The Bannister Hotel & Yacht Club
- InterContinental Real Santo Domingo
- Billini Hotel, Historic Luxury
- The Westin Puntacana Resort & Club
- Hodelpa Nicolás de Ovando
- JW Marriott Hotel Santo Domingo
- Barcelo Santo Domingo
- El Embajador, a Royal Hideaway Hotel
- Catalonia Santo Domingo
- Dominican Fiesta Hotel & Casino
- Hotel Maracas Punta Cana
With one of these hotels, you will find your home away from home on the calm, sandy beaches of the Dominican Republic.
1. Hotel Santo Cerro Natural Park
- Location: Santo Cerro
- Average Price: $700
If you’re looking for a romantic getaway, this is one of the best options you can find. The property is conveniently located near Santiago de los Caballeros and Jarabacoa.
The pool at the hotel Santo Cerro has an outstanding view of mountains and gardens, and parking is free and located right on the property. You’ll find yourself surrounded by nature, which only adds to the charm of this private vacation spot.
Guests love how helpful and friendly each staff member is, and they rave about the marvelous view that makes them feel like they’re in paradise. This highly-rated hotel has TVs, air-conditioning, buffet breakfasts, and more!
2. Dreams Dominicus La Romana Resort & Spa
- Location: Playa de Bayahibe
- Average Price: $412
Located less than 10 miles from the La Romana Airport, you can easily find your way to this tropical destination. The Dreams Dominicus La Romana resort and spa offers all-inclusive packages with air-conditioned rooms, making your vacation easy to plan and enjoy.
They feature a great fitness center and a clean swimming pool, but the bar on location is the perfect place to hang out and people-watch in the late afternoon.
With so many quality amenities, staying here is a real treat for anyone looking to shed some stress. Guests boast that this resort and spa feel like the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
3. Ancora Cap Cana & Marina Suites Resort
- Location: Punta Cana
- Average Price: $500
A fitness center on the property and a golf course less than two miles away make a recreational beach vacation possible. Guests love how clean the facilities are and how comfortable the staff makes each visitor feel, no matter the circumstance.
You can’t beat the available space, and the buffet-style breakfast is a great way to mingle with the other guests and maybe make some vacation friends. The resort is located only ten minutes from the airport, making getting there easy and seamless.
A nearby beach club serves food and drink, allowing you the ability to relax in style while you soak up the sun and enjoy the ocean breezes. It doesn’t get better than that!
4. Princess Family Club Bavaro
- Location: Playa Bavaro, Punta Cana
- Average Price: $300
Three minutes from Bavaro Beach, you’ll find this lovely family option for an all-inclusive Dominican vacation hub. The Princess Family Club Bavaro is a five-star resort that offers everything you could possibly desire on your dream getaway.
When you want to take the whole family along, you might consider staying somewhere that offers a:
- Playground
- Ping pong table
- Darts
- Tennis
This hotel makes family fun easy! You have options for breakfast: you can choose the continental style or go for a buffet, depending on what your family feels like at the moment.
If you don’t want to take the kids along, plenty of guests love this option as a two-person retreat for a reasonable price!
5. The Bannister Hotel & Yacht Club
- Location: Santa Bárbara de Samaná
- Average Price: $200
Luxury hotels and low prices can go together, and this is the perfect example of that. The Bannister Hotel & Yacht Club is a highly-rated vacation home with reasonable prices and all the nearby attractions you could imagine.
Located less than ten miles from the famous Cayacoa beach, you can easily make your way to some of the best vistas in Santa Bárbara de Samaná.
Guests rave about how incredible this hotel is, complimenting everything from the staff, the food, and the rooms, to the decorations and lobby set-up. At the Bannister, you’ll find yourself surrounded by excellent views of mountains, the ocean, and natural beauty.
One of the best parts of staying at the Bannister is that you can feel safe and secure while having the time of your life. Another unique attraction of this hotel is that it is pet-friendly, so you can bring your pets along to soak up the sun!
6. InterContinental Real Santo Domingo
- Location: Santo Domingo
- Average Price: $350
This mid-range hotel is a great place to experience life in the Caribbean, with plenty of reservation packages that will cater to your needs.
Couples find this hotel in the very heart of Santo Domingo a great place to spend a romantic weekend, and guests brag endlessly about the excellent service they experience.
With an airport nearby and plenty of beaches within walking distance, it’s no wonder that this place is one of the bustling locations in Santo Domingo.
You’ll especially enjoy the three unique restaurants that the InterContinental offers and two different bars where you can appreciate a tropical cocktail. Between the world-class fitness center and the all-inclusive spa, you’ll never run out of things to do at the Intercontinental.
7. Billini Hotel, Historica Luxury
- Location: Zona Colonial
- Average Price: $350
You can live in true luxury at the Billini Hotel without having to break the bank paying for your stay. For a reasonable mid-range price, you can get access to the full amenity selection that this historic hotel offers, such as:
- Spa and wellness center
- A swimming pool
- A fitness center
- A bar
Located close to excellent restaurants and Playa Montesinos, you can always get off the property for a while and enjoy some Caribbean culture.
Guests love escaping to the comfortable, clean, friendly rooms at the Billini Hotel. Many claim no better place for a romantic getaway than this beautiful Dominican landmark.
8. The Westin Puntacana Resort & Club
- Location: Playa Blanca, Punta Cana
- Average Price: $500
The Westin is another great mid-range hotel option that features:
- A beautiful garden
- Swimming pools
- World-class spa treatments
- An excellent workout facility
- Plenty of beaches right next door
You can enjoy the glories of modernity in one of their clean, comfortably-furnished air-conditioned rooms. And there are plenty of fun water activities for you and the kiddos if you decide to bring the whole family along.
Located just five minutes from the Punta Cana International Airport, it’s easy to get to your home-away-from-home and start your vacation as soon as you land.
While there’s plenty to love at the Westin Puntacana, guests are particularly attracted to the nearby beaches that offer a relaxing place to kick back and soak in the sun.
9. Hodelpa Nicolás de Ovando
- Location: Santo Domingo
- Average Price: $325
If you want a mid-range hotel that still offers all the amenities of a five-star luxury resort, look no further than the Hodelpa Nicolás de Ovando.
Located only minutes from the beach, you will find yourself in a virtual paradise of good food, abundant entertainment, and plenty of places to sneak away and chill.
You must use the high-quality room service that this hotel boasts and stop down for their breakfast buffet at least once. If you ever need anything, the front desk is available around the clock to answer your questions and help meet your needs.
Guests love everything about this place: from its excellent location to the friendliness of the staff, people cannot say enough about how wonderful the Hodelpa Nicolás de Ovando is. The interior of this hotel is stunning, with bold décor and colors.
10. JW Marriott Hotel Santo Domingo
- Location: Santo Domingo
- Average Price: $450
For just a little bit more money, you can enjoy the luxury of a good resort with a familiar name that everyone knows and trusts. The JW Marriott in Santo Domingo is a great place to take your special somebody for an extended Caribbean vacation.
Located just a short walk from the beach, you’ll never run out of things to do with all of Santo Domingo at your fingertips. If your vacation happens to be of the business variety, the JW Marriott is also the perfect place to hold meetings and events.
You’ll appreciate everything this hotel has to offer: from the delicious restaurant to the spacious bathrooms in each guest room. This five-star hotel has everything, including an indoor pool and a gift shop.
11. Barcelo Santo Domingo
- Location: Santo Domingo
- Average Price: $175
Vacationing on a budget should never stop you from doing the fun and exciting things you’ve always dreamed of, especially in the Caribbean. At the Barcelo Santo Domingo, you have access to many amenities at a highly affordable price.
Some of these amenities include:
- A delicious breakfast
- Clean rooms
- Two swimming pools
- A full spa
With a bar on the property and a delicious restaurant, you can treat the Barcelo as your private resort getaway. At the Barcelo, you’re only minutes away from the National Theater of Santo Domingo, the Agora Mall, and the gorgeous history of the Dominican’s capital city.
Guests love the affordable prices and the chill atmosphere; almost all who stay would recommend the place and return.
12. El Embajador, a Royal Hideway Hotel
- Location: Santo Domingo
- Average Price: $200
You can enjoy the exciting life of Santo Domingo’s commercial district when you stay at this highly affordable hotel.
Located only minutes from some of the most exciting attractions that the capital has to offer, you’ll never run out of fun things with which to occupy your time. The personalized service at the El Embajador makes your stay comfortable and memorable no matter what.
You’ll especially love the world-class fitness center and the excellent spa facilities that make you feel like you’re on top of the world. If you talk to the guests, they’ll tell you that the service is exceptional and the rooms are divinely comfortable.
13. Catalonia Santo Domingo
- Location: Santo Domingo
- Average Price: $200
Catalonia is an excellent option for anyone looking to vacation on a budget and still experience the grand vistas of Santo Domingo. You don’t have to go far to find fun things to do.
With the Caribbean Sea only a short drive from the hotel, you can spend as much time on the beach as you’d like. Each room comes equipped with everything you might need to have a genuinely marvelous vacation, and the property’s fitness center is one of the best of its kind.
Guests love the airport shuttle that gets them back and forth from the Las Américas Airport and the excellent breakfast containing plenty of gluten-free options.
14. Dominican Fiesta Hotel & Casino
- Location: Santo Domingo
- Average Price: $165
Everyone loves a reasonable budget find, which is what makes the Dominican Fiesta Hotel & Casino an excellent option for anyone looking to save some cash.
You’ll find plenty of entertainment during your stay next to Mirador Park and only ten minutes from the city center. The hotel offers excellent amenities designed to please, like a buffet-style breakfast and a full spa treatment option.
Make sure you take advantage of the swimming pool and hot tub while there! The guests love relaxing in the pool while enjoying a drink from the bar. The hotel has stunning city views, a beautiful garden, a rooftop lounge, and much more.
15. Hotel Maracas Punta Cana
- Location: Punta Cana
- Average Price: $100
You won’t find a better bargain than a night or two at the Hotel Maracas Punta Cana. Even though the prices look too good to be true, you’ll love staying only 20 minutes from Bavaro Beach.
The American-style breakfast is a favorite feature with almost every guest; they also brag about the cleanliness and the high quality of service.
There are many enticing amenities, including:
- An airport shuttle
- Spa and Wellness Center
- Room service
There’s plenty to see and do at the Hotel Maracas. You can enjoy a drink at the bar or the view from the terrace, or you can have a night in with some delicious room service.
Making the Most of Your Dominican Republic Hotel Stay
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When planning your trip to the Dominican Republic, it’s essential to have all the details hashed out before you board the plane.
Planning your details will give you greater comfort and peace of mind when you land. Then it will truly feel like vacation has begun.
Getting to the Hotel
One of the great things about these hotels is that they all sit relatively close to an airport. Most hotels offer an airport shuttle to pick you up and take you directly to your hotel, eliminating the need for you to worry about transportation when you get off your flight.
You can also hire a taxi to get you where you need to go, although this might cost a little more than using hotel services.
No matter where you’re going, the Dominican is not a big island – which means you can get to your hotel pretty quickly and start your vacation as soon as possible.
Crime and Safety
While the Dominican Republic does have a higher crime rate than some other tropical destinations, you can usually count on being safe around resorts and touristy areas.
Places like Santo Domingo typically see more crime, although areas around luxury resorts should be safe. While the crime rates are a little higher, it’s primarily petty crimes, like theft and pickpocketing.
As long as you keep your wits about you and stay aware of your surroundings, you should have no problem navigating the streets of the Dominican Republic.
Traveler Tips
No matter where you’re traveling, it’s critical for you to remember that you’re a stranger and need to pay close attention to where you’re going and what you’re doing.
One of the best things you can do before taking off for vacation is study the area you’re staying in. Get to know leading street names, the famous landmarks, and anything else that will help keep you oriented during your stay.
And make sure you convert plenty of cash into the local currency. The last thing you want is to run out of funds before trying all of the interesting tropical cocktails.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Let’s look at some of the most common questions people ask when they’re getting ready to live the resort life in the Dominican Republic:
What’s the best city for vacation in the Dominican?
There are plenty of exciting places to explore when you head down to the Dominican. But by far the most popular is the capital city of Santo Domingo. A close second would be Punta Cana, where you can find many beautiful resorts.
Is it better to stay in Santo Domingo or Punta Cana?
The answer depends on your personal preferences and what your vacation is about. You will likely find cheaper accommodations in Santo Domingo, with plenty of alternative options for entertainment. But Punta Cana is more of a resort town and closer to beaches.
Where are the best beaches in the Dominican?
Punta Cana is probably the best place in the Dominican to enjoy beautiful beaches. They’re also clean and safe, which only adds to the charm. Bavaro Beach is easily one of the most popular beaches on the island.
When is the cheapest time to visit the Dominican?
You can find affordable, reasonable options for staying in the Dominican year-round. However, if you’re looking for the cheapest all-around vacation, August is typically the best month. Just make sure you’re prepared for the heat!
Can you swim in the sea at Punta Cana?
You can swim in the sea at Punta Cana and do so all year long. Because of the temperate water conditions, it’s never too hot or cold for you to enjoy the waves.
So, What’s the Best Resort in the Dominican Republic?
Visiting the Dominican Republic sets you up to have the time of your life at a luxury resort, a mid-range hotel, or something cheap and fun.
Wherever you go, you’ll want to stay at one of these excellent resorts or hotel options to truly get the most out of your Caribbean vacation. So what are you waiting for? Safe travels as you explore the wonders of the Dominican Republic!