Accommodations

US$50 and Under

Rocky’s Rock and Blues Bar and Hotel (Calle Dr. Rosen 22, tel. 809/571-2951, www.rockysbar.com [2], US$25/night) is comfortable but not fancy by any stretch. This five-room, Canadian-owned hotel offers private bathrooms, TV in each room, wireless Internet throughout, and 24-hour electricity, and is adjacent to the bar and restaurant, which is quite a popular hangout with expats, locals, and tourists. That said, don’t count on it being very quiet. Rocky’s also rents condos starting at US$225 per week in a building with a pool, laundry, and maid service. It’s a great value with either choice.

Dutch-owned El Colibrí Resort (Calle Pedro Clisante 141, tel. 809/571-1847, www.elcolibri.net [3], US$25 d w/fan only) has very clean and modest rooms. Air-conditioning costs extra, as does a view of the pool, which is a good idea since there is a sliding glass door to the patio that aids air circulation. Although it is showing its age a bit, there is a nice pool with the restaurant right next to it, a laundry, and maid service, and airport transfers are offered. English, German, and Dutch are spoken.

Pensión Anneliese (Dr. Rosen, tel. 809/571-2208, US$25–40) is right near the better, less crowded beach in Sosúa [1]. The rooms are clean and have a small refrigerator and private bath, and there’s a pool. It’s nothing too special, but the short walk to the beach could make up for it.

Hotel Waterfront (Calle Dr. Rosen, tel. 809/571-2670, www.hotelwaterfrontdr.com [4], US$50 d), on a six-meter cliff facing the Atlantic Ocean, offers comfort in a simple way. Yes, the 27 rooms are a little plain, but the view from the pool, restaurant (one of the best in town), and patio will all quickly win you over. All rooms have a terrace or balcony looking out over the lush tropical gardens. Cabanas are also available. The hotel is in front of Sosúa’s best beach, Playa Alicia [5]. If you don’t like the limitations of all-inclusives, this hotel is a good match.

US$50–100

Piergiorgio Palace Hotel (Calle La Puntilla, tel. 809/571-2626, www.piergiorgiopalace.com [6], US$95 d in high season for first floor, US$125 d in high season with an ocean view), in a quiet neighborhood and atop dramatic cliffs overlooking the ocean, has some of the best views in Sosúa [1]. The building is of a Victorian style, and rooms are spacious with good light, private baths, and balconies. They’re kept very clean and are reasonably comfortable despite the darn chintzy decor. Of course, you could make up for the decor by insisting on an ocean-view room (you’ll pay extra for this, but it’s worth it). The hotel is a little aged but is a good choice for that view, a very romantic setting especially at sunset, and a good restaurant. Staff can help you arrange excursions and activities. There’s no beach at this hotel, but steps lead you down to the rocks where you can snorkel. Rates include breakfast. Did we mention the view?

Sosúa by the Sea (Calle B Phillips and Martinez, tel. 809/571-3222, www.sosuabythesea.com [7], US$75 d) is on a beautiful stretch of beach with magnificent views, just a short walk from town. The 91-room hotel is small enough that it doesn’t feel like you’re just a number but large enough to offer amenities that you will want such as a restaurant (and a great one at that), two bars, gift shop, beauty salon, massage center, and a good-sized pool. The rooms have been remodeled, making them more than clean and comfortable in a sleek tropical design.

Casa Valeria (Calle Dr. Rosen 28, tel. 809/571-3565, www.hotelcasavaleria.com [8], US$50). Here is your chance to spend your vacation in a quiet little unpretentious hotel and appreciate why you are not at work, but are instead in a small town in the Caribbean, thousands of miles away. Surrounding the relaxing tropical garden are nine very clean hotel rooms and studios, six of which have direct access to the pool. All rooms have cable TV, fans, lockboxes, air-conditioning, and simple but cheery decor. The restaurant and bar directly next door serves breakfast (American, European, and Dominican) and dinner with both Dominican and international dishes, including tapas. This hotel is an exceptional value.

US$100 and Up

One of Sosúa [1]’s nicest hotels, Sosúa Bay Hotel (Calle Pedro Clisante, tel. 809/571-4000, www.starzresorts.com [9], US$100–150) offers optimum service and accommodations with a killer view of Sosúa Bay. This resort can rival the Playa Dorada [10] all-inclusives in that the rooms are just as comfortable (however, that can be a bit humdrum). On the cliffs overlooking the bay, two pools are built on two different levels of terraces with ample space and loungers in which to sun yourself. Beach access is limited, so instead a ladder leads from the wooden deck down to the clear teal water, a unique and strikingly beautiful solution. There is a casino on-site.

Victorian House (Calle Pedro Clisante, tel. 809/571-4000, www.starzresorts.com [9], US$150 and up d) is adjacent to the Sosúa Bay Club and run by the same parent company, Starz Resorts. The difference is that this one is considered in its “Boutique Collection” and is therefore much more lavish and expensive. Perched high on the cliffs overlooking Sosúa Bay, this hotel is constructed to mimic the Caribbean plantation-style home from the outside. The rooms are luxuriously decorated compared to other all-inclusives. Also available are split-level penthouses in case you didn’t feel pampered enough. Make sure to ask for a room with a sea view.

Casa Marina Beach (Calle Dr. Alejo Martínez, tel. 809/571-3690, www.amhsamarina.com [11], US$150 d) is on Playa Alicia [5], one of its only positive aspects—not that anything is particularly bad, just not striking. It offers the same things that most all-inclusives do. Standard rooms are equipped with two beds, air-conditioning, TV, telephone, and private bath, along with garden, pool, or ocean views. It is comfortable and clean and a good value if you plan on dining in the hotel most nights. Cuisine is Mexican, seafood, and Italian.